Animals deal with loss too.

Lord High Commander Ashington Fluffybottom in his keep.

 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/27/185815445/questions-for-barbara-j-king-author-of-how-animals-grieve

     Recently my family lost a treasured and much loved member when one of the two oldest cats passed away after 11 long years filling our life with humor and love.  Needless to say it was a difficult experience and I am still coming to grips with him not being around any more.  So today, right after I had spent an hour speaking to my wife about Ash and how all the other cats missed him, I find a friend had posted an article on FB that had people questioning an animal expert on whether or not animals grieve.  My Brother Benjamin made the point that anyone who has actually spent any real time with animals knows the answer to that question, but I will say that the Scientist questioned does an excellent job of explaining it as well.

     For me, the question of animals grieving is a no-brainer.  I have been around animals all my life and have seen so many instances of animals grieving over the loss of a friend or family member.  Classic examples are the dog that refused to leave the side of his fallen Master's coffin or another dog who slept on his Master's grave for weeks.  Animals grieve, not all animals of course because animals are as individualistic as humans.  

     We have five other cats including his biological sister.  Two of our cats were never very close to Ash, so I cannot say they have grieved all that much,  After I allowed them to say their goodbyes by smelling him and seeing him after he passed, they seemed to deal with it okay and moved on with their lives.  His sister, who we always joked would have been happier as an only child, barely moved and barely ate for days after he passed and sometimes late at night she still hops down from the bed and wanders the halls.  She meows and moves through each room.  Like me, sometimes I think that she feels that he is still going to leap out from behind something and surprise her.  I know she misses him.

     One of our five cats was a tiny little Orange kitten we rescued from outside and from the very first day she was out of quarantine, Ash decided that she was his baby sister.  For two years, he romped with her, bathed her and adored her.  She has never known life without him around.  She is only just now starting to act like her old self.  She would search every room in the house every day trying to find him.  She refused to even try to play for the first week or so after he passed.  

     Animals grieve.  Hell in my opinion, they probably grieve more deeply than humans.  Humans try to internalize their grief or even try to deny it.  Many are ashamed of what they are feeling and try to pretend that they are okay.  Animals don't have those limitations.  I remember watching a Nation Geographic show many years ago that showed a Mother Elephant who's calf had been shot by poachers the day before.  She stood over her baby for days standing guard.  The sounds that she made were so filled with sorry and loss that it broke your heart and anyone who claims she wasn't grieving is touched in the head

     So if people want to study this, the question shouldn't be "Do animals grieve" but should be "How do Animals grieve?  Because anyone with more than two brain cells to rub together knows the answer to the first one.

Brew long and prosper

What would Jesus do...for a Klondike bar or THE GAY GENE!

     So I have started reading a very interesting book called Heaven 2.0.  Without giving too much away, it is set in the distant future where the main religions of Man have united under one single Church and essentially rule the galaxy.  Everyone is happy, healthy and STRAIGHT!  Apparently a few hundred years before the story, the Church discovered that what a lot of people are claiming today is true and that Gayness is a biological condition.  Unfortunately, much like Cancer, the Church saw this biological condition as a dangerous thing and found a cure for it.  That's right folks, they cured Gay.  So much for the great parades.
     Anyho, that got me thinking.  Most people feel that the jury is still out on Born Gay/Becoming Gay.  (I of course have my opinions which are well known or they would be if you bought my books and actually read these blogs.)  However, I pondered exactly what the Church (Insert your favorite poison here) would do and how it would react if it were to be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that People were actually born Gay or Straight?  If, in fact, the GAY GENE were ever proven, how would the Church "Gee being Gay is a choice and a perversion of nature" deal?
     Most Holy Type Books (HTB for short) agree that the Big Happy Sky Guy (BHSG) created man and woman (Remember folks, it is Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.  Or was it Adam and Melvin?  I get confused.) in his own image.  If Homosexuality is indeed a horrible sin and crime against nature, then why put that little bit of rogue programming in there?  You would think that if God really despised Gays like the good folks (cough cough) at the Westboro Baptist Church would have us believe, then wouldn't it make more sense to just leave that one out?
     Now logically (and I use that word very lightly here) speaking, there could be a couple of answers the Church could cling to.  They could cling to the good old fashioned "Well God gave man free will, so even though the temptation is there, they should still choose the correct path."  Course if it is genetic, then saying that would be like saying, "Well God made the majority of people right handed, but they still could have chosen to be left handed."  (As a humorous aside to this...well humorous aside, I might add that way back when I was in my teens, I did indeed teach myself to use my left hand as well as my right.  Still can write almost as well with my left hand.)  Much like many things I see in religions, I feel that if BHSG did indeed make the Gay Gene and still made Gayness a sin, then he was cruelly stacking the deck against us, but hey we can use that argument.
     Now the second argument is a little dicier.  One could argue that God didn't make the Gay Gene, but that Satan did.  After all if Gayness is a sin, then wouldn't it suit Old Scratch's evil plans to slip a Mickey in to mess things up.  This argument is trickier, because most religions argue that Man is God's greatest creations.  So it seems unlikely that Satan could tamper with it.  Try to trick it yes and try to lead it astray yes, but actually alter the way it works?  Think BHSG might have some objections to that.  So the argument that Lucifer pulled a fast one seems a little unlikely.
     Now I am not trying to peeve anyone off (That is what the other blog is for) or question your basic religious tenets.  I am not even trying (well maybe a little bit) to make fun of religion.  I am really curious exactly how the various Churches and Church Leaders would react if some day in the near future, it is discovered that there is indeed a biological reason why some people are...different.  I would love to hear the opinions of anyone out there especially those involved with religions.  Let me know what you think.  (Remember this is a hypothetical exercise)

Brew long and prosper!

Fallen but never ever forgotten

Happy Memorial Day

WWI

53,402

WWII

 291,557

Korean War

33,686

Vietnam War

47,424 

Beirut deployment 

 256

Gulf War

 149

Afghanistan

1,435 and counting

Iraq

 3,542 and counting

      To all of our Brothers, Sisters, Sons and Daughters who have ever made the ultimate sacrifice for not only their families but for the millions of people they had never met, I salute you.  For every Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine who laid down their lives in service to their country, I applaud you.  We must never forget their devotion to duty and we must always honor their courage.  Never, never forget.

Brew Long and Prosper.

 

Random Acts Of Kindness 2013!

http://www.upworthy.com/a-kid-wipes-out-on-his-skateboard-and-the-world-is-way-better-off-for-it-6?c=ufb1

     A few years ago, I was hooked on an online website/game called Neopets.  If you've never played there, I won't even try to go into what it is and what it is like.  Suffice it to say it is kind of a cross between Pokemon and...way to much to explain.  I haven't played in years and probably can't even remember my password to get back on the site, but at the time I loved it.

     On the site we have "Guilds" where people could get together online and post comments and ideas.  One of the members had multiple accounts because she loved the game so much.  One of them was known as RAOK or Random Acts Of Kindness.  Once a week, this account would randomly do really nice things for people in the guild and on the site.  She never advertised it or asked for anything in return.  It was just her way of making the world a little bit better and nicer.  I loved that about her.

     The above video got me thinking about that again.  Yes it is a theatrically produced piece with actors, but it shows how a simple act can lead to a chain of kindness that can make everyone's day a little bit better.

     Everyday we see news reports on some new horror.  Women kidnapped and tortured, infants being murdered and violent act after violent act.  It is enough to shake anyone down to their core.  We see the absolute worse that humanity can produce smeared across big banner headlines and we grieve for the human race.

http://now.msn.com/barber-gives-haircuts-to-homeless-charges-only-a-hug

     We hardly ever see news reports about things like the above link.  We rarely hear praise being sung because someone just took the time to be nice to someone.  In this stilted culture we live in, evil is big news and kindness is ignored.  

     Well, just for this week (well the next 7 days) and in honor of a wonderful woman who's real name I never knew, I am declaring 7 DAYS OF RAOK!  Don't worry, participation in this event isn't hard.  Hell some of you do it every day without even thinking about it.  It is simple.  Sometime in the next 7 days, do something nice for someone without any expectation of thanks or rewards.  Do one simple thing to make someone, anyone's day a little bit better.  It doesn't have to be anything big or complicated.  Open a door for someone, help someone with their groceries or just smile broadly and say, "Good Morning!"

     I have no expectation that this will change the world.  I don't expect everyone who participates to continue.  I just want everyone to try for a little bit to make peoples' lives a little better.  It won't change the world, but it might just change theirs and yours a little bit.  What do you have to lose besides a couple of seconds of your time.

Brew Long and Prosper

Epic Awesome and incredible!

     Not much of a commentary today.  I saw this amazing video on FB from a website called Upworthy.  I thought it was easily one of most inspiring music videos ever.

http://www.upworthy.com/the-final-epic-act-of-the-departing-commander-of-the-international-space-station-truly-rocked-2?c=ufb1

     It doesn't matter if the guy can sing or not (He can) or even if the music is that great (It is) or even if it isn't one of the greatest songs of all times (It is).  All that matters is that you have an amazing man singing an amazing song amidst the most inspiring views ever seen.  I hope you guys like it.