Madonna de Bruges

I randomly wandered over to this on Wikipedia (the image to the right is in the public domain, by the way) and it struck a chord with me. And the timing is pretty good too! This depiction of the Virgin Mother with the child Jesus is particularly relevant as we will be soon entering into the Advent season.

This is one of the lesser-known Michelangelo statues, called Madonna of Bruges. That face is so exquisite, with eyes cast down in modesty as the angel annunciates her destiny. This is an image of such true beauty of women and of God's work in the world. And it seems to me to embody true love.

Please pardon the elementary and non-eloquence of this post. But perhaps it is best to just get to the point and leave it at that.

Pax Domini

Wes for President '08

Never expected this, but I'll tell you - he's got my vote!

Barack Muhammad Hussein Obama bin Laden

Aside from the obvious notion that this thing about Obama seems rather irrelevant, I'm actually pretty surprised that the Left is taking the whole speculation on being Islamic as such an insult. I had assumed that Obama and his fold endorse values of equality and stand against racial or religious prejudice. Well, poking fun at and large investments of speaking time to dispel the "secret Muslim" myth seems to be making a statement that appears contrary to these values.

I don't have much more to say on the topic, but feel free to comment with your thoughts.

Marketing to a very select audience

Go pick on some skaters at a shopping mall

Had some trouble with the security guard at work today. Apparently you're not allowed to carry closed opaque bags. In my case, I was using a book bag as a "briefcase" and really didn't know that there was a policy against them. He didn't want to look inside my bag, but did want to go on and on about it and to follow me out the door. In his defense, I didn't have my employee id with me either. But I have been working there for nearly 6 months and everyone in the place knows me. And I've seen this security guard nearly every single day -with my book bag as I recall. So, I don't know what his issue is. Anyway... if you've ever had an unpleasant encounter with a rent-a-cop, enjoy this video.

Security rent-a-cops

The security guard at work today harassed me for about 10 minutes today about how I was carrying a "closed knapsack" and I'm not allowed to have it on the production floor or in the warehouse. No one told me this before. So, I did not know. If anyone had, I would have taken measures to either carry an "appropriate" briefcase or to not carry anything to work that I can't fit into my pockets. Even now, I'll make sure to not bring my briefcase with me anymore. I'll have to figure out what to do with my files and my reference books, but oh well! - there's no real room for them in the lab I work in.

I understand the guy is just doing his job, and as I said earlier I have no problem following the rules (though I have a funny feeling this particular rule wasn't intended to ban briefcases.) What upset me though is that he followed me around the building after I spoke with him and into my boss's office where he had to repeat the rules for my boss. OK - enough already! I got the point, but unfortunately I still have to do some work and there's nothing I can do about it. I offered to let him look in my briefcase too. He said, "That's ok." But he didn't leave me alone after that. He followed me all the way out the door.

In his defense (I suppose) I also happened to not have my identification badge with me. So, perhaps that was a reason for suspicion. However, I've been working there for five and a half months! I've seen this guy at least three times a week - with my briefcase/messenger bag that he calls a knapsack.

I have nothing against real law enforcement officers. In fact, I respect them and their profession very much. I have a few friends who are police officers and regret that they often get little respect or thanks for what they have done and what they are willing to do for anyone. My friends and their coworkers will put themselves in real danger lives to protect some pretty rotten people from "reaping what they sew". For this I offer the least I can do: I try to make their jobs as easy as possible - even if only for a couple minutes. And I even extended this same courtesy to the rent-a-cop security guard. -literally, they are on contract to the building and are not employed by my company and they do nothing but sit at a desk all day and open doors for trucks pulling up to the loading dock. That's it.
I maintain that this particular gentleman was a royal pain in the neck, and probably didn't need to go to the extent that he did.

Well, at least I have this video:

Yes we shall - Cobra for President

It was a mantra projected by despot dictators hell-bent on world domination. Yes we shall. It was blared by loudspeakers mounted on surveillance drones as foot soldiers fought to suppress the voices of freedom fighters below. Yes, we shall. It was whispered in you ear by mutant serpents who extracted your DNA while you slept soundly. Yes we shall.

It is the sound that will emanate from the pyramid of darkness as the world’s energy is siphoned into a tomb that resides in the belly of said pyramid. Yes we shall.

Yes we shall enact the campestral project, which will cure polio and diabetes and allow humans to smell with their tongues.

Yes we shall harvest our most precious resources using our latest technology to distill our senior citizens into delicious milkshakes.

Yes we shall lord over mother nature with an iron fist unleashing the weather dominator creating floods and hurricaines the likes of which the world has never known.

We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way they will be crushed by the power of millions of genetically modified super-men.

Now, we have been told that we can not do this by a course of cynics. Their voices will only grow more irritating and more dissonant We have been warned against using unstable nuclear devices to generate artificial earthquakes. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything artificial about earthquakes.

And just in case you live isolated from TV ads (bless your soul) here's the original.


UPDATE Just caught this on the Internets. Bob the builder beat Barack to the old punchline. What a silly man!

Summer is almost here, and news about dress codes

Last week at work, we got an email sent out to the whole office from HR about the dress code in light of the rising temperatures. It was the same old no spaghetti straps or open toed shoes or short skirts.

If you know me, you know I have a fixation on these types of discussions and am a big fan of the late JPII's teachings on sexual morality. So, in fairness to all the ladies whose fashion sense may be oppressed by exaggerations on the themes of modesty, I want to share some excepts from "Love and Responsibility" which I think address the topic beautifully.

To paraphrase, if I may: John Paul II says that modesty is about inspiring a reaction to the “person” and not just to the “parts.” It is about presenting that person as a good in and of herself, and not just the body as a possible object of enjoyment.

He says that “Shame is the tendency, uniquely characteristic of the human person, to conceal sexual values sufficiently to prevent them from obscuring the value of the person as such.” But modesty isn’t just about what we’re concealing. It’s about what we’re revealing. In deflecting attention away from the “sexual values,” we are hopefully turning that attention toward the deeper attributes of the person. As JPII says “The spontaneous need to conceal mere sexual values bound up with the person is the natural way to the discovery of the value of the person as such.”

He says, however, that we conceal those sexual values “only to a certain extent, so that in combination with the value of the person, they can still be a point of origin for love.” In other words, God created men to be attracted to the female form, and vice versa. And when we fall in love with each other, the male and female shape of our bodies is not completely irrelevant to the process. If you don’t believe me, think about all of the deeper traits and characteristics you’re looking for in a spouse. Now what if, while walking through an enchanted forest, you found all of those attributes in a talking cardboard box? What level of “attraction” would you experience?

He goes on to say, in what I find to be one of the most illuminating passages of the book, that the

“accentuation of sexual values by dress is inevitable, and is not necessarily incompatible with sexual modesty. What is truly immodest in dress is that which frankly contributes to the deliberate displacement of the true value of the person by sexual values, that which is bound to elicit a reaction to the person as to a ‘possible means of obtaining sexual enjoyment’ and not ‘a possible object of love by reason of his or her personal value.’”

How refreshing is this? The virtue of modesty in dress doesn’t require us to completely hide the fact that women are women. That wouldn’t be possible, nor would we want it to be possible.

Look, I admire any woman who makes it a priority to dress modestly. She’s trying to please God, and that earns points in my book any day of the week. I do think there are some women who take it too far. There could be a lot of reasons for that. I suppose in some there may be an inordinate fear of sexuality, or of any level of attractiveness to the opposite sex. Some, as I said, may be very healthy and well intentioned, but taking their understanding of modesty to an extreme conclusion. If a little cover-up is good, then a lot of cover-up must be better.

But, as a radio host I listen to (Johnette Benkovic) says, putting on make-up in the morning is an act of charity. The point is that the rest of the world has to look at you. There’s nothing wrong with wanting that to be a pleasant experience.

What’s more important, we carry the image and likeness of God in our bodies. That’s a very, very good thing. We want the way we dress to reflect that. When we take a healthy pride in our appearance, we are demonstrating to the world that we respect ourselves, and the Lord who created us.
Good men don’t want women to dress like nuns. They want nuns to dress like nuns, of course. But not the women they date, or the women they work with or spend time with.
Men appreciate women who take pride in their appearance. Not excessive pride, of course. Nobody likes to wait for hours while a vain woman primps and paints and sprays. No man likes to hear “does this make me look fat?” And a woman who will never ride a bike – or a convertible – because it might “mess up her hair” is not a lot of fun to be around.

But a woman who dresses appropriately – and attractively – is doing a favor to the men around her. And that’s a good thing.

Is the AHA being a little alarmist?

I found out today that the stereotypical blood pressure of 120/80 is considered to be in the range of pre-hypertension. I was a little surprised by this. I was always told that 120/80 is practically ideal. It is so non-alarming, actually, that in pre-hospital and ER workers, quoting "120/80" is usually interpreted as, "I didn't actually take a blood pressure, but the guy (or girl) looks fine to me."

Anyway, some further research brought up the following statistic: (you know what they say about statistics, but bear with me) According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH, those who do not have high blood pressure at age 55 face a 90 percent chance of developing it during their lifetimes. So, according to this, you are pre-hypertension pretty much regardless.

So, the new guideline is that CVD risk doubles with every 20 mmHg systolic after 115/75 mmHg. Food for thought...

Mense Maio

Just a short entry referring to a very topical encyclical from Pope Paul VI. His second, actually. It is rather plainly named, "Month of May." It is premised on the fact that Christians across the globe venerate the Blessed Mother in special ways during the month of May (the month of the Rosary is in October and is considered a second Marian month).
Among many other names, Mary is called "Queen of Peace". So, it is appropriate that the Holy Father calls for prayers of peace at a time of drastic need. This is so important as well in our day.

Here is what I believe to be the summation and most powerful paragraph of the letter:

May she who experienced the cares and hardships of earthly life, the weariness of daily toil, the hardships and trials of poverty, and the sorrows of Calvary, come to aid the needs of the Church and the human race. May she graciously lend an ear to the devout pleas of those all over the world who beg her for peace. May she enlighten the minds of those who rule nations. And finally, may she prevail on God, who rules the winds and storms, to calm the tempests in men's warring hearts and grant us peace in our day. What we seek is true peace grounded on the sturdy foundations of justice and love—on a justice which recognizes the legitimate rights of the weak as well as those of the strong; on a love which keeps men from falling into error through excessive concern for their own interests. Thus each person's rights may be safeguarded without the rights of others being forgotten or violated.

The rest can be seen at Mense Maio - On prayers during May for the preservation of peace

Why Wright is sooo Wrong

I think at this point, it's public consensus that Rev. Jeremiah Wright is pretty much a nut-case. His recent remark are so off the wall that some are proposing if they aren't intentionally so in order to knock Obama's "freedom train" off the rails. I "says" (brief h/t to an old boss of mine) that makes sense in as much as Barack Obama's success - at least as a candidate, even if he isn't elected to president - t0tally discredits Rev. Wright's "Theology".

This brings me to a question - What ever happened to "render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar"? Wright's time at the pulpit is more political self victimization than any recognizable Christian message. Just because you reference biblical history doesn't make it ecclesiastically sound! I sure hope this isn't actually representative of "black Christianity" (I know it isn't! In fact I am not convinced there's a such thing as "black Christianity") In a church such as Wright's, one would be hard-pressed to discern — were one ignorant of Christianity’s history and teachings — that Jesus came to earth for any reason other than ensuring universal health care, redistributing income to designated victim groups, impeaching Bush, and stopping The Man from oppressing the Brothers by spreading the Good News of affirmative action, reparations, welfare, and food stamps.

If Christianity is nothing more than do-good government social programs which require no personal moral transformation, which frequently cause more harm than good to their intended beneficiaries, and require no personal sanctification or sacrifice — then who needs Christianity at all? Wrapping social programs in Scripture verses and Jesus-talk does not make them “Christian” any more than putting mascara on a pig makes her Miss Universe.

The problem with ministers like Reverend Wright and others, who wrap their political and social agendas in Christian facades and Bible-talk, is that they are partly right. That social justice, concern for the poor and the underprivileged, and the mitigation of hatred and racism are — and have always been — emphatic teachings and priorities for Christianity is indisputable. But Christian opposition to injustice and oppression is not its sole and central doctrine, but rather a manifestation of the personal deliverance of the individual from the slavery and oppression of sin which Christianity offers. These ministers have juxtaposed cause and effect and made an error about the nature of man and his relationship to God. Good deeds arising out of the darkness of the unredeemed heart invariably foster repression and dependency rather than deliverance and liberty. As Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) points out, speaking about this type of political theology:

… the overthrow by means of revolutionary violence of structures which generate violence is not ipso facto the beginning of a just regime. A major fact of our time ought to evoke the reflection of all those who would sincerely work for the true liberation of their brothers: millions of our own contemporaries legitimately yearn to recover those basic freedoms of which they were deprived by totalitarian and atheistic regimes which came to power by violent and revolutionary means, precisely in the name of the liberation of the people.

Churches which abandon historical Christian orthodoxy in favor of Christianized political and socialistic substitutes may indeed accomplish some good (even Hamas feeds the poor) and often seem to operate from the very best of motives but they strip it of it's source and purpose. -Its historical orthodoxy, hammered out through centuries in councils, creeds, and scripture, through persecution endured and heresy rebutted. They leave only a shell of religious talk and self-righteousness.

The inevitable response to such a critique is: “Who are you to say who is a Christian?” I would say that it's not I but the church throughout history in its teachings and doctrines, even if imperfectly followed. Apostolic in origin, its teachings and doctrines sharpened and clarified by opposition and heretical movements, the church looks back 2000 years and finds its center in a Man and His followers, unchanged and unchangeable truth which the assault of the ages has neither altered nor eroded.

It is said that man was created in the image of God. Yet it is equally true that we are ever creating God in the image of man.

If you look closely, you will see this act of creation taking place on TV screens and above the fold of your favorite paper or periodical, on nearly a daily basis. And you will find them, invariably, as often wrong as Wright.

Good Points on Current Social Issues

On Bishop Egan vs Rudy Giuliani

As a politician, Giuliani has never been a legislator or a judge; he has neither written nor ruled abortion rights into law. His career has in no way involved him in the procuring, legislating, or legalization of abortion. He has not negatively affected the free speech of pro-lifers, nor sought to use arcane legal maneuvers to do so. This puts him in quite a different league from some of the other communicants skewered by Novak (Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sens. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy) but who -- thus far -- have suffered no public discipline by Washington's Archbishop Donald Wuerl. The prelate ducked the issue altogether by saying, "The decision concerning the refusal of Holy Communion to an individual can best be made by the bishop in the person's home diocese with whom he or she presumably is in conversation."

Leaving aside whether or not Archbishop Wuerl has a responsibility to pastor those politicians who spend a portion of their time living in his diocese, Giuliani is currently a private citizen, neither an office-holder nor a current candidate for any office. As such, should his now-private opinions have been used as an excuse for public excoriation? Is Cardinal Egan teaching that all Catholics -- not just active politicians -- must on this issue conform with their whole minds to Catholic teaching or else recuse themselves from Communion?

It's a fair question. If that's what Cardinal Egan is saying, he needs to make himself plain about it and explain the rather dramatic implication that Catholics are not entitled to their private thoughts and opinions, unless they are perfectly reasoned in faith. - Inside Catholic

Lessons In Manliness from Gladiator

Since I dared to dictate the proper way a lady should act, I should also reflect on the virtues of genuine manhood. "Gladiator" Maximus Decimus Meridius is the epitome of manliness. Here are some lessons on manliness that we can learn from him.

He loved his family and was loyal to them. Maximus was a family man. He turned down the glory of being Emperor of Rome in order to embrace the warmth of familial love.

Although Maximus’ wife was brutally murdered, this did not dampen his devotion to her. Throughout the film a romantic tension exists between Maximus and the Emperor’s daughter. Yet Maximus stayed loyal to his dead wife and family and turned down her advances.

He loved his country

Before Maximus became a gladiator, he was a loyal general in the Roman army. His men respected and honored him greatly.

When Rome falls into corrupted hands, he did not give up on his country. Loyally striving to fulfill the dying emperor’s wish for Roman rule to be restored to the people and the Senate, Maximus toils and sacrifices until the Republic is restored.

He could kick anyone’s ass, yet remained honorable.

“Gladiator” is known for its amazing fight scenes. In every battle, whether in war or in the arena, Maximus always defeated his opponent with a combination of brute force and strategy. He was able to ignore pain to get the job done. He never gave in to fear. Instead, he exuded a quiet confidence that unnerved his opponents. He never doubted his ability to win.

While Maximus excelled at the martial arts, he did not revel in bloodshed. He only fought when he needed to and in the service of a worthy cause.

He was in tune with spirituality

Maximus devoted time to his spiritual life. He prayed to his gods. He had no doubt that his wife and son were waiting for him in the afterlife. Before each battle, Maximus would reach down and run dirt through his hands. It was as if he was asking the gods to be with him during the battle.

Humility

In addition to his restraint and Maximus exhibits humility. He took care of the men around him, teaching them how to fight in the arena, not for a second deeming himself more valuable or worthy. The result? His men adored him and many gave their lives for him. The great power of Maximus was in his humility.

Lessons from Jane Austen and Olde Society

Your humble blogger asks your pardon my preaching here - on the other hand, it is my blog - but there is something that has been on my mind for a while now. I want to address the art of attraction. I feel that there are many resources encouraging men to revive chivalry and to act as gentlemen. Most of these are initiated by women... and yes, we do listen! However, I feel that we as men have been immensely unfair to our ladies and have given little guidance or examples for them to develop the counterpart of chivalry: grace. But it's not entirely our fault... we, as men don't really know what we want half the time! But I assure you, there is nothing more beautiful in a woman than her inner grace and confidence. Being the old fashioned guy and the enormous sap that I am, I wanted to elaborate on this theme of those things most men want in a woman (and probably don't even realize it!).

1. Confidence. I want to start out with this in order to set the record straight. I will talk about modesty and self temperance but I do not mean to suggest any suppression of personal thoughts or feelings. So many women I know tend to hold back their opinions because they feel it's not important or whatever the reason might be. Be confident in your thinking. You never know what you'll inspire in others and how profoundly your expression may impact another. I might be careful about being blunt, as that may prevent people from taking you seriously and considering your views, but your thoughts and opinions are helpful and important. And if you're confident it makes everyone around you feel at ease. Another issue: if you're in a relationship, stand up for your beliefs. Don't be afraid to cause a fight...if it's a serious issue. Some fighting is good in a relationship. It keeps it alive, and if it's too big a fight for your relationship to handle, then it wasn't meant to be. On the other hand, don't be so overly confident that you can't accept help. For men, chivalry (opening doors, etc) is a sign of affection, and rejecting that is like a stab in the back! (Guys, in case you're reading this - and you should be - open doors for all women. When you are act entirely more polite and like a "gentlemen" only in front of a woman you are trying to impress, it's obvious, there's very little manly about it, and you look like a tool. Be a gentlemen in all situations.)

2. Dress to impress. You don't have to wear suits everywhere you go and conform yourself to what you most likely are not. That's not it at all, but modesty is important and you should make sure you dress in a way that both accentuates your beauty but covers you as well. You've been given wonderful assets as women and femininity is something that is very powerful. If you have concerns about what you're wearing it takes away from numero 1, confidence. Looking nice and being confident in what you're wearing frees you to concentrate on other more important aspects of your life. Most men will find in the long run that they're most attracted to someone who shows less because that mystery excites us. It gives us a chance to wonder. (Same thing goes with practicing chastity, by the way, but I'll save that for another day). You might not realize how much impact clothes have. Not just in the sense of modesty - it sets the tone for success. That's why some universities and advanced schools have dress codes. I see a lot of girls when I go out at night who... well I don't know why they even bothered with putting any clothes on. They could have saved a lot of time by just putting on their fruit of the looms and going out. And I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole, but a girl who dresses modestly - it has me quivering in the knees. It just speaks so much about yourself and your confidence. ...and you need to bring her home to Mom. Take home message: modest is hottest.

3. Change your view of the opposite sex. I've found that whenever I go on a trip or to a special function it somehow becomes a singles hunt - and I'm also guilty there; not denying that! I'm going to try to remain religion neutral, but I won't hide the fact that I am holding up Christianity as a model. We need to view the opposite sex as our brothers or sisters and not a prospect for a relationship. It opens new doors and allows one to get involved and to interact without ulterior motives. Also (now, addressing women only again) be careful how you act around guys. Simply flirting goes a long way. A simple touch on the arm can send a guy's mind thinking all types of things that you may not want him to be thinking. I won't put all the burden on women, but put yourself in our shoes and consider that when you make certain actions.

Know yourself and be confident in it.


Ok this ended up being less organized than I intended. Thanks for reading! Hope it was of some interest.