To Love or Fear?

I remember, as a kid, frustrating my grandaddy (who held paid positions in his church pretty much my entire life) by questioning the thought behind the saying "God-Fearing Man" and "God-Fearing Christian". Why? Shouldn't I be known as a "God-Loving Man"? My grandaddy tried to explain it to my by asking if I feared my father. Well, let's see...I fear my father's belt. I fear my father's disappointment. Once, I even feared I would be less in my father's eyes. But fear my FATHER? Um...no.

It wasn't until years later, that I finally understood. Religion was never the opiate for the masses. FEAR was, is, and always shall be the opiate for the masses. Religion is just fear's favorite syringe. Enter Pastor Terry Jones and his Dove World Outreach Center. Maybe the name should be the Dove World Outreach Center for Hatred and Intolerance? This church sold shirts last year that read "Islam is of the Devil". This year, they want to burn copies of the Quran. I would dearly love to see someone set up in sight of their book burning, and burn copies of the Bible. I'm willing to bet their reaction to it would not be good (I would, personally, be caught between outrage at my holy book being burned and glee at the hate-monger and his flock receiving a very pointed object lesson).

I was surprised at one thing Terry Jones said. He admitted not reading the Quran. I'm not surprised he didn't read it. I'm surprised he ADMITTED he hasn't read it. The favorite tactic of close-minded Christians is to condemn a thing without knowing anything about it while pretending to know a lot about it. I still remember a TV show I once saw on a Christian cable channel that condemned Harry Potter as being Satanic. I've read all the Harry Potter books. In fact, I've read them (all but the last one) 3 times. I have yet to see the Satanism. This TV show put forth fact after fact, and drew logical conclusions from these facts to support their accusation. The only problem? Anyone that has read the books could see how false the facts they presented were. But, I digress.

Terry Jones is, simply put, a fear monger. He is controlling his "flock", and gaining publicity for his church by spreading hatred for a people that don't believe the same things he does. Yes, the men that orchestrated and executed the murders on 9/11/01 were Muslim. Yes, they did it for religious reasons. Here's a wake-up call. Almost none of the things these men believed was true. Oh, I don't mean the basis of their religion. I mean the whole virgins in heaven thing. I mean that killing infidels is the quickest way into heaven, and all that. Most of the things Americans believe that Muslims believe are nowhere to be found in the Quran. In fact, Americans make many mistakes when it comes to Muslims. Here are a few:

Mistake 1: Muslims are terrorists.

Mistake 2: Muslims are terrorists because Islam practices hatred and murder.

Mistake 3: All of the heavenly promises that require murder and/or suicide come from the Quran.

Let's look at these.

Muslims are terrorists. I have a few good friends that would fall over in a faint if they thought you thought they were terrorists. In fact, MOST Muslims are good, charitable people (and I mean charitable in the "Christian" sense). Show of hands, who knew that Muslims read the bible (both Old and New Testament) as well as the Quran? I know I was shocked to find that out the first time I read the Quran, and it kept referencing Adam & Eve, Moses, Abraham, etc.

Muslims are terrorists because Islam practices hatred and murder. Yeah, I'm gonna go back to my standard stance of "Talk to me once you've actually READ the Quran". Sure, there is talk of killing in the Quran. There is talk of when it's OK to kill and when not. It does even say that it's holy to kill Christians and Jews. Of course, it says it's holy to kill them in DEFENSE of other Muslims. They're kind of like Jedi. "Never to attack, always to defend."

All of the heavenly promises that require murder and/or suicide come from the Quran. In fact, NONE of these comes from the Quran. These were made up by imams to convince people to kill themselves to achieve a goal.

So, the point I'm meandering my way to is this. Read the book, then let's talk. Like my 10th grade American History teacher Mr. Inman used to say..."Better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're an idiot than to open it, and leave no doubt." When you start spewing facts about Islam without having read the book all Muslims follow, you're leaving no doubt.

I Love You, CERN

So, at the end of World War II, science had this huge black eye. I mean, the most famous scientist of the day had just helped create a weapon that basically destroyed an entire city. Nothing this destructive had ever been dreamed of (much less witnessed) by human beings, before. So, as I say, science had a black eye. People didn't really trust scientists. I mean, the guys we had always looked to as the enlightened few, those who lit the dark corners of human imagination had just used that enlightenment to create a truly horrifying weapon.

So, CERN was created. It was created as a haven for pure science. This is where the smartest men and women in the world go. They get to work on pure theory, never having to chain themselves to the dreary world of the possible. To bolster faith in science, a policy was made at CERN that nothing, and I mean NOTHING is secret. Everything is out in the open for all the world to see. The only places the public is not allowed to go at CERN are places that are dangerous. Usually, there is a clear wall that lets you see into these areas, since you can't physically go into them. I saw an interview with the director of CERN, he said he is constantly amused by people asking permission to take pictures of things and seeing the surprised looks on their faces when the answer is "Absolutely. Take all the pictures you want."

Well, CERN (along with umpteen countries and countless companies funding them) built the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). This is the world's largest particle accelerator. The previous holder of that award went to the Tevatron at Fermilab just a little ways out of Chicago. The LHC is something like 3 times the size of the Tevatron. The Tevatron can impact particles at an energy of .98 Teraelectron volts (TeV). The LHC will, theoretically, be able to impact particles at an energy of 14 TeV (it has already surpassed the Tevatron, by impacting at 1.18 TeV). UPDATE: The LHC now impacts at 7 TeV, and will continue at this energy until 2013 when it starts back up after a 2 year shut-down. This accelerator will be able to re-create conditions in the universe roughly 1 millionth of a second after the big bang. Now, I'm a science nut. I love to follow information about new scientific breakthroughs. The LHC has been a constant source of entertainment for me for many years now. The best part about it all? CERN has made the project completely transparent. Go to Google Image Search and do a search for LHC. There are literally thousands of pictures out there. If you go visit CERN, you can actually go into the control rooms, and if they aren't too busy, those aforementioned smartest people in the world will be happy to tell you how things there work.

I have never wanted to visit Europe so bad in my life. If I were to take a trip to Europe, the first stop would be just outside Geneva on the Franco-Swiss border to visit the 17 mile ring that is an average of 300 feet underground. To stand in front of the Atlas impact point and just look up at this massive testament to man's drive to know how things work. To talk to a collection of the world's smartest people, and pit my intellect against theirs (not that I think I'm as smart as them, more to see how long I can follow their conversation without getting lost).

CERN very much accomplished its self-appointed crusade. They made science respectable, again. And they did it without keeping a single secret.

I love you, CERN.

-Chris

Enough is Enough!

To quote the late Owen Hart "Enough is enough! It's time for a change!"

I just read an article linked from my father's blog. I commented on his blog, but felt I needed to say more. This article points out the money that will need to be spent with the IRS to enforce the new health care law.

Now, this bothers me on a number of fronts. I don't have health insurance. See, I served in the Marine Corps. I was injured, and given a medical discharge. I have a 20% disability with the VA. They are my health insurance. I paid for it (and continue to pay for it) with massive amounts of pain and an addiction to prescription pain killers. Now, I'm being told that not only will I have to help pay for your health care, I now have to get a policy of my own, or I will be fined and possibly imprisoned. Only 3 letters can properly respond to that. WTF?!?

[evil dictator voice]There's a problem in this nation! Too many people can't afford health insurance! We have to do something! Oooh, OOoh, OOOh, OOOH! I KNOW! We'll force health care down their throats! We'll throw them in jail if they don't get health insurance! That'll fix the problem! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! [/evil dictator voice]

I also like how everybody was against this bill. There was a huge controversy over it. Then, the day after it passes polls are coming out showing support for the bill? GET A FREAKING BACKBONE, AMERICA! Not only is it your right to criticize the idiots that are running this country and the idiotic things they are doing, it is your DUTY to criticize them.

And while we're on the subject of the Gestapo...er...the IRS (same difference), what's with Obama wanting to spend $8 Billion to cover the $3 Billion "tax gap" (the amount of taxes that don't get collected). Did I go stupid, or does that mean we are going to LOSE $5 billion dollars? Seems to me we are better off leaving the $3 Billion alone. We're going to lose almost twice as much as we'll make! No wonder our national debt is so high!

-Chris

Why Are You Surprised?

I work nights at a hotel. My shift starts at 11PM and ends at 7AM the next morning. I work what most people call the "Graveyard Shift". People will come into my hotel, or call down from their rooms in the middle of the night, and ask for stuff. No problem, that's part of the reason I'm here (the other part is a bunch of paperwork, as I have to close the business day, start the new one, and balance accounts). However, if you call me at 3AM don't be surprised if I am unable to fill your request. It's the middle of the night. I don't know of a single business that has a full range of services throughout the night. So why are you surprised when you can't get something done in the middle of the night?

I have a friend that works the audit (that's what they call the night shift at a hotel) in Louisiana. He and I chat on the phone at night. I recall one night a guest came down looking for towels. Hotels generally keep enough towels to stock every room in the hotel twice. Some carry more (like resorts), some carry less (like "Roach Motels"). Now, my friend had been handing out towels all night. People get extremely wasteful in hotels. A guest came down at 6:30 AM looking for a full new set of towels. My friend told him there were no more clean towels, they had all been handed out, and that he could get some sent to his room as soon as housekeeping showed up and got some cleaned. This angered the guest who stated he couldn't believe the hotel could possibly run out of towels. Now, the hotel was full at this point (and before you say there's no way he could know, full hotels are pretty obvious, if from the lack of free parking spaces alone). Even with my friend explaining he was the only person there at night, the guest still couldn't believe he wouldn't have cleaned more towels when he ran out. However, and I can confirm this one from first-hand experience, had my friend left the desk to clean towels and a guest needed something, all hell would have broken loose. To top all that up, my friend would get written up (if not fired) for having left the desk unattended.

I've had guests call me at 3AM with a TV that won't work. I've gone to the room, and done what I could, then told the guest I would get the TV taken care of as soon as maintenance got in the next morning (between 7AM and 8AM). I've had guests get extremely pissed about this. Why isn't maintenance here now, they'll ask. Because it's the middle of the night, I'll answer. It's never enough. How hard is it to understand that hotels are here to make money? To have maintenance (or housekeeping as in the previous example) there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to fix problems (or clean towels) that only pop up once a month at most is extremely wasteful of capital.

If you go into Wal-Mart in the middle of the night, do you expect their customer service desk to be open? I hope not. I've only ever seen 2 Wal-Marts with CS desks open in the middle of the night, and that was right after Christmas.

So, why are you surprised? It's the middle of the freaking night! Just be glad the company is open to give you any service, and go on your merry way. Stop acting like such a spoiled brat, America.

-Chris

NO You are NOT Special

I've got a news flash for you, America. I know this is going to be hard to hear, but I've got to tell you the truth. NO you are NOT special.

I know, I know. You've been told since the day you were born how special you were. You were told you could do anything you wanted to do, etc. Sorry to break it to you, that was probably your parents talking, and they look at you with rose-colored glasses. While it is technically true that you can do anything you want, it is not realistic. If you have asthma and/or a heart condition, chances are you won't be an Olympian or an astronaut. If you have an IQ of 75, chances are you won't become a quantum physicist.

And the next time someone tells you that you aren't allowed to do something because there is a rule against it, let me just go ahead and answer your question. No, you are not an exception. Your circumstances are only extenuating to you. No one else cares. The rule is in place, now deal with it. No, I will not make an exception for you if it is my job to enforce the rule.

You are NOT special, America. It's time you realize that and start to deal with the real world.

-Chris

Why America Has Lost It's Edge

There was a time when the words "American Craftsmanship" and "American Engineering" meant something. Today, only Americans (and only SOME Americans at that) take pride in such phrases. I figured out why. It's not that the world passed us by. It's not that other countries just started doing it better. It's because America just doesn't care. We are, as a country, too full of ourselves. We don't care what anyone else thinks about us, which is an increasingly dangerous attitude, as everything in the world moves towards globalization. But most of all? We're just lazy.

I remember, just a little over 10 years ago, I would pull money out of the ATM and it would be faced. To those of you that have never worked a register, faced means that all the bills are in order (if they are different denominations, and in the same pile), and that they all face the same way with the same orientation. No bills face down, none upside down, etc. Now, though? You get money out of the ATM, and the bills will be faced every which way. When I was a store manager for OnQ (which was a division of Sam Goody specifically for small towns), if I tried to make a deposit that wasn't faced, I would get a call from bank management letting me know about it. Now, they don't care. They hand you bills that aren't faced. No one cares. At my job, I'm the weird guy, because I count the bundles to make sure the appropriate amount of bills are in them, and I face the bills. Some people make fun of me for it, others are like "That guy even organizes his money!" (That is no joke, by the way. I've over-heard a co-worker telling that to a new person that was in training.)

When banks don't care about proper money handling anymore, it scares me. I mean, I'm not talking about a restaurant that's sloppy with it's money. I'm talking about a freaking bank. Money is all they do. If your till is off by $.01 at the end of a shift, they make a big deal (pennies add up, guys). If they take so little pride in their work that, as a policy, they don't care about proper money handling, what does that say about the rest of the US?

I'll tell you...not much.

-Chris

How Hard Is a Phone To Use?

I mean really...how hard is it to use a phone? How much does it cost you to be polite?

At my job, I have to say this spiel every time I answer. It takes less than 4 seconds (I timed it on my watch). Is it REALLY going to kill you to wait the less than 4 seconds to let me say what my job requires me to say when I answer? I assure you, I don't want to say it any more than you want to hear it, but here's a news flash...MY JOB DOESN'T CARE! I HAVE TO SAY IT!

While we're on the subject of using phones, here's a hint. The speaker goes in your ear, and the microphone goes in front of your mouth. That way, you can hear me, and I can hear you. Any other configuration you may try WILL NOT WORK! When you speak, speak up. If I ask you to repeat yourself, say it a little slower and a little louder. See, when I ask you to repeat yourself, I didn't do it for fun. I did it because I either couldn't hear you, or couldn't understand you. So, repeating the same thing the exact same way you said it the first time 6 different times in a row doesn't fix a thing. It just frustrates and angers the both of us.

Another hint. You say goodbye before you hang up. I don't care how you say goodbye, just say something that clues me in that you are done with the conversation. That way, I don't stand there on the phone for another 15 seconds going "Hello? Are you still there?"

And lastly, when you call a business and you are rude, you irk the person that is having to put up with you. You may not care, but think about this. You are calling a business, because you need to do business with them in some way. When you are rude, the person on the other end wants to get off the phone with you as rapidly as possible, and they want to help you as little as possible. Why? BECAUSE YOU WERE RUDE! These people have to put up with people like you all day long. Think about someone else for a change. Lighten your tone, say please, and thank you, and for God's sake, let them finish talking before you start talking!

-Chris

Why Is Not Reading Cool?

You know...to live in the most literate country in the world, I run into the statement, "Oh, I don't read" WAY too often. Why is it cool not to read? Reading enriches your life. Give me a good book, and I'll never be bored. Give me an informative good book, and not only will I not be bored...I'LL LEARN SOMETHING! Heaven forbid I learn something when I don't have to, right?

My boss likes to laugh at me and call me a nerd and/or a geek. It's done in good fun, and it doesn't offend me in the slightest (I actually take pride in being a geek, though the word nerd does imply a certain lack of social graces that makes it not fit me well.) You know why? Because I read. I work nights at a hotel. Lots of spare time. I bring books to read, but I'll also look up something on Wikipedia, then take an interesting link from that article to read. From the new article I'll take another interesting link and so on, and so forth. I'll do this all night long. I learn a ton of stuff just passing the time. I find it odd that such practices should make me a stand-out from society.

What's my point? I don't have one. I just wanted to bitch about something. Didn't you read the paragraph at the top of the page? *8)

-Chris