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You know, I really need to get one of those “mood” things to indicate how I feel when I write about something. Frankly, that’d probably make my life easier; I wouldn’t have to explain myself as much. (Not like I don’t do that anyway in real life, almost to the point of confusion.)

So here it is, THE “holiday-which-must-not-be-named” weekend. Maybe it’s just me, but I haven’t exactly found much opposition from people for wishing them a Merry Christmas. (I have, however, found too many Christians cowering to a fictional enemy and wishing people a “happy holiday”.) To be honest, the only times I hear about a supposed war on Christmas is from Christians (usually fundamentalists) fighting the “Mass Media”, Hollywood, or some other “principality”, or when people who think others would be offended tell me “you should say happy holidays, instead.” Mind you, these are people who celebrate Christmas. They’re just, you know, worried that some Muslim, Jew, or Hindu might be offended by wishing them a merry Christmas. *sigh*

(For the record, I spend more time with Hindus, Jews, and Muslims than most of these people (who are telling me to be “PC”) combined. But, you know, that’s beside the point. I should still, apparently, be politically correct, and deny my own heritage while celebrating theirs. Really, stuff like this makes me wonder what kind of self-esteem problems the PC crowd has, where it always thinks it should apologize for things like its religion — if any — or its race’s actions from 400 years ago.)

But why not just wish a happy holiday? (Christmahannukwanzaka? Wait, that excludes Muslims and Hindus. Damn! [That word was never more appropriate than now.]) After all, as the drones of wise-folks who flood our streets have made it a point to tell me time and time again, all religions are pretty much the same, after all. Mind you, I’ve never heard one of these people quote their favorite Sura, refer people to the Tanakh or one of the Sutras (other than the Kama Sutra, of course), talk to someone about their favorite book of the New Testament, or discuss the Catechism. Still, it their enlightenment on such matters is nothing short of amazing. Really, it speaks to their breadth of knowledge on the topic. “The true genius figures things out without needing to be taught.” Amazing.

Now, before I go on, I should point out that I’m not talking about truly learned and enlightened folks, like Pope John Paul II or Sri Ramakrishna (though I’m not yet sure I agree with Ramakrishna’s conclusions, I highly respect of what he speaks). I’m talking about the folks who simply make blanket assumptions without actually having taken time to study (not just talked to their friends and other like-minded folks about) the philosophies, theologies and ideas of which they speak.

Anyway, I don’t know why I got on that rant. I’m not thinking about anyone in particular, but I figured I’d write about something, and this seemed like just as good a topic as any for the moment. (And I didn’t want to write about the Bush’s illegal wiretaps, or the treason in the White House.) Frankly, I was probably wrong. Too bad.

Ok, I’m getting ticked just thinking about all this. I’ll shut up for at least a day or so.

NOTE: This post may contain racy material. I’m not usually this uncouth. This is also a total rant which will at least be a bit funny, and at most kill part of your brain in the most horrible manner possible. You’ve been warned.

Last edited 20 October 2005. — Here we go again. Another hurricane, heading our way. Really, this is getting ridiculous — and old.

A couple of days ago, I read the following headline on Fark:

God remembers that Tampa has never been directly hit by a major hurricane in the modern era, seeks to rectify that situation

Ok, pretty funny headline, especially since I read it Sunday while in Tampa. Apparently, Tropical Storm Wilma was at that time somewhere south of the Yucatan peninsula. (You know, where that comet struck 65 million years ago which wiped out the dinosaurs, as well as 80% of all life on Earth.) Due to some amazing atmospheric foot-work, that storm was (edit:and still is) predicted to head pretty much straight north, then take a sharp, 90-degree angle turn east, towards Tampa. Since nothing ever hits Tampa, this meant that Tampa’s surrounding areas should start preparing for another hit. Heck, just to be safe, even Tampans (pronounced “Tampons”, like that thing women use when they’re “not so fresh”) were being told to get ready, since this might have been the area’s very first direct hit in something like 900 years.

Key words: might have been.

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