Misc.

I wonder if it might be a good idea for Governor Martinez to let folks know which state provided services that are funded with federal money might shut down with the federal government in a couple of days.  If there are not any, it would be good to know too. Or is she afraid to state the obvious, that her party's brinkmanship could actually make her job more difficult?

Bobbi and I started watching the miniseries "The Borgias' on Showtime.  It looks to be as good as we were hoping it would be.  It is about a family in 1492  who bought their way into the office of Pope.  I bring this up because I laughed out loud this morning when reading about the Archbishop of Santa Fe saying that couples who live together outside of marriage are in 'mortal sin.'  I remember when we were kids that on Friday nights my dad and mom would pack us up to go to Sigler's cafeteria on Central Ave.  The place was full of catholics ordering the fish filet.  (My son Justin calls them tartar sauce delivery vehicles.)  Back then it was a mortal sin to eat meat on Fridays.  But the church changed that!  (Donations from the beef council?) They also decided that unbaptized babies dont go to Limbo but get a free pass to paradise.  The church can change silly things but not meaningful ones.

This ban on living together means that just about 75% of all people in the dioceses will surely suffer in hell.  There are very few people we know who did not live together before they married.  It makes a lot of sense to be sure you can really be compatible before having kids.  And the church wonders why its chapels are nearly empty on Sundays.

At least the Borgias lived in the real world.  As do most people today.

"Religion is a major weapon in the war against reality."....unknown