Signs of the apocalypse (continued)

The Hill gets e-mail:

President Bush:
Final 7 years will begin this year!

President Bush has said that he believes the final seven years to the Battle of Armageddon will begin yet this year!
He didn’t say it in exactly those words. What he said was that he believed a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians would be concluded before the end of this year.
The Bible says, when this happens, the final seven years to Armageddon and to the Second Coming of Jesus will begin.

We learn that there are four (count 'em, four!) prophecies converging right now: "Two Billion To Die", "Mark Of The Beast", "The Antichrist To Come From Reborn Holy Roman Empire" (wait a minute, wasn't that supposed to be Obama's gig?) and "Mideast Peace - A Prophecy With A Date On It".

But of course, there's a catch:

The four above prophecies are so important that we have produced a special DVD explaining each one of them. We have put them together as our 2008 Prophecy Package. Normally these four DVDs would be offered for $20 each. If you get all four, you many receive them for your gift of $65.

I have no idea what use this guy thinks those $65 checks are going to be after the Apocalypse wipes out the world banking system (which I understand is controlled by Satan, anyway). Maybe there's a verse about your bank account getting raptured along with you that I missed...

When in doubt, a music meme

I don't know what to say about last week, except that it was one of those weeks. Fairly productive, actually; I just didn't feel like being very social. Since I haven't thrown anything new up here in a week, I might as well post something.

This music meme originates from a place called The Responsible Puppet. I wound up there by way of Vox Day, who I read sometimes because he's so far out there he's almost hilarious, which I don't think he intends to be.

Here's how it works:

List 4 – List four artists/groups for whom you can name your favorite song (and the song, of course)

Extras (for those with more free time):

List 2 – List two artists/groups who have too many good songs to choose just one.

List 2 – List two artists/groups who’s music doesn’t include a single work that you like.

List 1 – List one artist/group who only have one song that you like (and the song).

List 1 – List one artist/group who you feel you don’t know well enough to choose.

Suggestions:

Avoid One Hit Wonders

Make non-obvious and eclectic choices

The categories are vague enough that you can tweak them some to make a point or two. Anyway, the idea is to have fun with it.

I. Four Favorite Songs

The Sex Pistols, "Anarchy In The UK"
The Go-Gos, "Our Lips Are Sealed"
Motorhead, "Ace Of Spades"
Nazareth, "This Flight Tonight"

II. Two artists with too many good songs to choose one

Creedence Clearwater Revival
Traffic

It goes without saying that The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, and Led Zep easily fall into this category. Really, I could plug just about any of the great classic rock groups of the 60's and 70's in here. I chose CCR because John Fogerty is one of rock's great songwriters and because the originator of this meme sees no redeeming qualities in the group whatsoever. I mention Traffic as they were one of the great progressive acts of the late 60's and early 70's that has become all but forgotten because most of their greatest tracks were too long for singles.

III. Two artists with no good songs

Budgie, the worst rock band of all time
Loverboy, the most annoying rock band of all time

IV. One artist with only one good song

Bon Jovi, "Wanted Dead Or Alive", the only decent thing the overrated Jersey schlub has come up with in 25 years of trying.

V. One artist I don't know well enough to choose

Madonna. It's not that I don't know her work, or that I can't detect her talent when I hear her on the radio, it's just that her talents fall across every single one of my blind spots, and I have no reasonable idea how to judge her. She gets points for making Top 40 cool again, at least for a while. But she loses those points by being ultimately responsible for Britney Spears.

Feel free to work with this in comments. Or take it to your own blog if you want.

Why the hell not?

Yes 61%
No 28%

Lets101 Quizzes - Fun Quiz

I don't know about me, but Sardonicus would be one helluva President.

Bra in the ring

Dolly Parton for President:

Sometimes people tell me I should go into politics, but I'm not interested. We've got enough boobs in the White House. People would ask about foreign affairs, and I'd say, "What's wrong with American men?" Then they'd ask about global warming, and I'd say "When my globes get warm, I just take off my sweater!"

I'm OK, how are you?

Just wanted to put up a few lines to let everyone know I'm getting along all right. I've received nothing but the best support from family, friends, co-workers and fellow bloggers. One thing I've learned from this experience is that I never knew just how many people cared about me until now, and that knowledge is definitely going to impact how I live the rest of my life.

I haven't been getting around blogland that much, or had much chance to post here. Since my bereavement leave ended, they've been working my tail off at the plant. I figure that's OK, as it keeps me from sitting around the house dwelling on other things.

I'm still hoping to write some final thoughts about Peggy, but whenever I sit down to try my mind gets all foggy and my words are all jumbled. I wanted to do this rather quickly, to bring about a sense of closure if nothing else, but it may be best to wait a bit until I can think a little more clearly about it. I get all emotional thinking about her, but that sense of emotion is what I'm trying to convey.

I hope all of you will have a good week.

Weekend interlude: Todd Rundgren

For all of us.



If you don't know what to do about a world of trouble
You can pull it through if you need to
And if you believe it's true, it will surely happen
Shining still, to give us the will
Bright as the day, to show us the way
Somehow, someday,
We need just one victory and we're on our way

Memorial

Thank you very, very much for all the support you have given me at this most difficult time. If you left a message here, made mention of my loss on your blog, or said a silent prayer or sent good thoughts my way, I appreciate all of it.

The funeral service was held on Monday. I found this short poem at a place called Backyard Gardener and had it read at the service. It seems appropriate to how I feel right now.

I've had the garden tidied up,
As she would have me do.
This little pal who couldn't stay
To see the season through.
The flowers were her dearest friends,
The garden was her own,
I've watched her work, but never knew
The things that she had grown.
Her catalogues keep coming, and
Her garden magazine;
I run across the queerest names,
And study what they mean,
I read them all, from end to end,
And when the spring is here,
I'll have a garden just like hers,
As though my wife were near.

-Albert H. Pedrick

Appropriately, Lambert also left this comment: "Make sure to spend time in the sun. I started gardening when my Mother died. It helped."

The last morning Peggy and I spent together we went out to water the Royal Empress trees she had planted alongside the driveway. As we finished, she turned to me, held me close, and with tears in her eyes said "Please don't let my trees die!" I was quite surprised by this - I figured she'd be around to take care of them for many years - but I replied, "Of course I won't let them die!"

There is so much to do now, so much more to learn. I cannot let her trees die.

(Crossposted at Corrente.)