I have been thinking about race with regard to the armed black man post and wondering why some folks have trouble "getting" the racism angle of the story.

Whites and Native Americans: I think maybe it comes down to a sense of entitlement. If we white folks were fair with the native americans on this continent since our arrival here, we might not own most of the land and wealth of the continent, the surviving tribal members would probably be much a greater portion of the population of the continent and the concept of an Indian Reservation might have no meaning today.

How has this snowy winter day been for everyone else?

My family had a wonderful Christmas brunch today, featuring mom’s home-made cinnamon rolls. Over the last few days we’ve created a “clay” nativity scene.

On a more startling note, a bird flew into our house. No kidding! I hear that it was in the garage and then flew from there, past my dad, into the house. Then it decided to visit my bedroom. Such was the state of affairs when I got involved in the chase. Stubborn critter! I’d try to shoo it out the door and it would fly in the exact opposite direction. Finally it flew off into another room and probably out an open window. Although we weren’t quite sure what happened to it. Mom though it flew into one room. One of my siblings thought it flew into another. I can’t say I didn’t get a surprise on Christmas! LOL

Would anyone else like to share how they’re celebrating Christmas?

Other blogs I have been on will have a thread devoted to jokes. I haven't seen one here, so I thought it might be good if we laughed together instead of always arm wrestling the issues.

So I will go first:

A tour bus driver is driving with a bus load of seniors down a highway when he is tapped on his shoulder by a little old lady.

She offers him a handful of peanuts, which he gratefully munches up.

After about 15 minutes, she taps him on the shoulder again and she hands him another handful of peanuts.

When she is about to hand him another batch again . . . he asks the little old lady, "Why don't you eat the peanuts yourself?"

"We can't chew them because we've no teeth", she replied.

The puzzled driver asks, "Well . . . why do you buy them then?"

The old lady replied, "We just love the chocolate around them".

Mike posted about the link of gun ownership and racism. I'm guessing he is teaching a history lesson, which I'm not really interested in. There is quite a bit of history for Mike to call on and clearly there WAS a link. I also like history, and there is a lot to be learned from history, but when we are talking about current RKBA issues and self-defense with a firearm, I like to keep the discussion on track, with less history and more current information.

From what I have read, blacks use firearms for murder more than whites.

Also, blacks kill whites more than whites killing blacks. This is total homicides not just with firearms.

So Mike, is there a current bent to the racism and firearms issue, or are we only talking American History again?

The racism & firearms link is just another angle by the anti-gunners to demonize guns and gun owners, IMO.

Apparently, Austin Kelly, notorious rabble-rouser, wrote an article for Works in Progress (10/06) after he noticed the label proudly proclaiming a portion of the proceeds would be benefiting the charity World Vision. He alleges that World Vision is bad.

He quotes, among other things, the book "Spiritual Warfare: the Politics of the Christian Right" by Sara Diamond.

"World Vision has on a number of occasions functioned as an intelligence gathering arm of the U.S. government."

Here are the owners of Salsa So Fresh.

Joy and Randy. Do they look like sinister? Their website http://salsasofresh.com has no clickable tabs or buttons, so you'd have to call them on the phone or see them at the Farmers' Market. I ain't calling. I'm skerred.

Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 8:00 p.m. Jazz, Blues, R&B

Roberts 99th Street Restaurant and Lounge, 99th and Pacific Avenue, Tacoma

www.roberts99thstreet.com

The "New" Band, featuring Larry Hill on piano and lead vocals, Dave Croston on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Lee Gregory on keyboards and key bass and Pete Boardway on percussion.

Cocktail/dinner set at 8:00 pm, Shows at 9:00 and 10:45.  No cover, guests are welcome to stay for both shows. No reservations, first come, first served seating.

So I was listening to an old Jack Jones album last night. Yes, an actual LP. When I was kid he was a frequent guest on the variety shows. A very dramatic singer, and they did that thing where the background was black, the spotlight was harsh, and the camera shots would overlap. On the black and white sets (color sets were the exception back then) this created a striking effect.

Anyway, I don't as a rule sit around listening to Jack Jones or his pals, but the album beckoned me. So I slapped it onto the turntable and went about my business being a norm. But somehow Jack sounded different, uneven, surreal. It was then I realized one of my cats, Dreamer, was using the spinning record as a toy and slowing the playing speed with his paw.

So after that little drama was sorted out, I returned to my normal activity of filling porcupines with helium and then watching them gently rise, their quills ever so softly bumping against the ceiling. It creates a wonderful holiday atmosphere. And the combination of events somehow opened my ears to the fact that one of Jack's songs was sort of environmentally insensitive. It was that Jackie De Shannon hit, "What The World Needs Now Is Love." Here are the lyrics: