American Mint

http://www.americanmint.com/
My grandma got a survey type thing from these people. I figured it was a government type thing, but these people are good.
http://www.americanmint.com/layout_home.php?&seitflag=content&suchbegriff=umfrage_auswahl
This is the one we got:
http://www.americanmint.com/layout_home.php?seitflag=content&suchbegriff=umfrage_us_symbols_mrz07

Here are my answers:
1. No (loved the bias of the yes though)
2. Oddly enough, I dont think this was on it. I would have answered other figures (Look at the US presidents coins...if I wanted Lincoln I would get a penny)
3. Yes (Imperialism at its best)
4. No (surprised how many answered no)
5. No (didn't we get our butts kicked during the olympics? And most of the good baseball players are foreigners or take steroids)
6. Statue of Liberty (obviously)
7. Yes (I love the bias of the negative....homeland?!)
8. This was a fill in, so I would have wrote "my rear end." I love how freedom is typically American. Yep, those damn Eye-talians ain't free!

There's some awesome ones there. I found out that Lincoln won the best president award and Washington came in second. I wonde how many people actually know anything about their presidency....seriously, Lincoln rage aside, I'm betting most people don't know much about Washington's.
Another question asking what 3 presidents should be honored on currency. The top 3 are already on coins...and 97.2% like paper money.
Strangeness hits when a lot of people like the gold standard. And more people thought Real Estate was a better investment than gold. Where is your house gods now?

Closing Statement: http://www.americanmint.com/user-pages/pictures/americanrole-04.gif

Election 40K

Hillary Clinton as Nurgle (the country will decay as the government expands)
Barack Obama as Slaneesh (drives his audience into estatic fits when he just blows his nose...seriously)
John McCain as Khorne (blood god wants endless wars and more skulls for the skull throne)
Mike Huckabee as Tzeentch (apparently flip flopping as he claims the conservative mantle)
Ron Paul as Malal (the outcast god...pretty apparent)

I just threw up in my mouth a little

So, Keith Olbermann interrupted Hardball with some breaking news. McCain may have had an "intimate relationship" with a lobbyist. Blargh....and to think I was expecting them reporting that Huckabee dropped out.
I will have heartburn all night. Thanks a lot Keith!

Bl. Karl

Likely to become Saint Karl.
Pray for us, pray for peace, pray for the return of Christiandom.
http://www.takimag.com/blogs/article/an_inconvenient_miracle/

And yet people idolize Wilson as a hero. Hopefully, he'll now be remembered as the man that went to war with a Saint.

Story about the SSPX and my position on them

http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/487355.html
Now, I'm not a fan of forced equality, but I am a fan of eqality (argh you're a modernist!!) and that's just...strange and an assortment of nuts. I can't believe I thought about going there. It's for the better, Kansas' weather sucks bigtime anyhoo.

I used to be a big time fan of their's, but now I can't stand it (though I know/know of a few really good folks that go to their Masses). I'm willing to accept that they're not in schism. However, they would be in "partial communion" meaning they're in "partial schism". I took the route of "Communion with Rome is more dear than life" and abandoned them. Of course, some of the fanatics made me incredibly ticked off.
Long live the FSSP and other approved groups!

More on the Pope and the Jews

Seems like SSPXers fall into a few camps. First, those who outright reject the changes to the prayer. Second, those who are waiting for Fellay to give a statement. Third, those who have accepted it.
I think the prayer is good and just worded differently.
The first camp us split into three groups: Those who reject it for tradition, those that reject it for ambiguity, and those that reject it because of the circumstances.
The latter group makes me confused. Reject it based on why it was written and not content? Not a good excuse. I don't like why, but still accept it as perfectly orthodox.
I see no ambiguity in the prayer. They're likely just looking for something that's not there and inerpreting it wrong. Kind of like looking for shapes in clouds. (False analogy! Piss off...)
Based on tradition? Well, argumentfrom tradition. We don't do something because it's tradition. We have tradition based on a solid point. For example, we shouldn't recieve the Eucharist on the tongue because it's tradition. Instead, we should because of the possibility of abuse. Tradition exist because there's a reason to have it. We sholdn't do it for Tradition, but for the reason. The reason for the prayer for the Jews? To convert them! The changes are okay because the reason is kept and it's just re-worded.
Then there's those waiting for the SSPX's Bishops to speak about it. I absolutely don't like that. The Pope is the leader of the Church. We would't wait for a Duke to tell us if the King's law is good or not! We have to follow the Pope in all things but sin. That's the one time we could be disobedient. Instead of following the Bishop and SSPX, follow the Pope. The prayer change isn't sinful at all.
Then again, those awaiting the SSPX's position are the ones that are most likely to call him a Modernist while still claiming he's the Pope (Fr. Morrison aside, of course)

Russia and THE END OF THE WORLD

It's coming. You have your candles? :O
Again, too much is put on Russia. The Soviet Union did end. Everyone who says otherwise isn't well versed in what happened. They either don't know (like I didn't when I was a 15 year old neocon) or explain it via conspiracy theories that are way too elaborate to actually happen.
Why was Boris loved? He ran Russia into the toilet. Not because he brought freedom, but because he made Russia weak. Putin is hated beause he's good for Russia.
I read "thank God for NATO" but that's one of the the sources of the problem. Thank God for the problem?
What about the big hullabaloo about the *gasp* bombers over our ships. OUR SHIPS!!! Over international waters. There was no law broken. Get over it, America. Russia is not out to get you, they're just trying to become strong again. Instead of trying to kill the infant in the crib, why not try to be friends?
Wait, I forgot...our leaders are like little kids. They can't stand being friends with someone trying to be their equal.
And no, the world isn't going to end anytime soon. Things were worse in the past. Trust me. get rid of your martyr complex.
But I don't like Russia for rejecting Pepsi over Coke. Sure Pepsi was big in the USSR, but Pepsi is better!