Month: September 2015

From the Bar and a little from the kitchen – more beer, wine and cider, plus a redux of food we’ve made before

beerWow, the Exodus movie really sucks.   Not just from the silly plot but from the cinematography to the costuming, etc. Happily, I only saw a bit of it on HBO for free. It’s of that “everyone is filthy for no reason at all” genre.

We’ve tried some new beers, ciders and wines. In amongst this, we’ve made more chowder and another roast pork shoulder (an 11 pounder this time). This time, I took the skin off around 2 hours into the roasting process, which allowed the underlying fat to crisp up and get wonderfully sticky.

Strongbow honey – I’ve reviewed the regular strongbow cider before, excellent stuff. This is perhaps even better with the floral hit of honey. It very much reminds me of the lovely smell of a ripe quince. And it has Patrick Stewart as a very funny pitchman.

Angry Orchard Cinnful Apple, and more – Cinnful Apple is very good, a nice warm baked-good cinnamon flavor, not the one-note burn of red-hots. Summer Honey is also very good, but not quite as good as the Strongbow. The crisp apple and green apple are basic ciders, I can’t tell the difference between them, even tasted together.

Stark Raving white wine – a good basic white wine blend. Slightly sweet, it went well with the chowder.

Woodchuck Pumpkin – pretty much a basic cider, not even that much spice. My husband says he can taste the “squashiness” in it, but I can’t.

Atlantic Brewing Company – I like these beers. I do not like the bizarre level of carbonation,like a coca-cola.  I know how to pour a beer and these, no matter how hard I try, go to foam and overflow the glass, *any* glass. The Island Ginger is my favorite, like unsweet ginger beer. Very “rooty” but not too spicy.  The Coal Porter is a good porter, natch. The blueberry is a good level of blueberry flavor and the “real ale” is very dark, perhaps it could be called a black ale.

Ballast Point coffee vanilla beer – a good vanilla tinged porter, but I taste no coffee in this.

That’s all. Eat and drink well.

Not So Polite Dinner Conversation – one has an excuse, it’s imaginary

The pope claims that his god “weeps” because his priests abuse children.

Funny how he does a lot more than “weep” against those who piss him off in the bible:

Sodom and Gomorrah

Lot’s wife

First Born of Egypt

Sons of Aaron

Israelites who complained

More Israelites who complained that Israelites were murdered

More Israelites

Uzzah for touching his magic box to keep it upright

The child of David and Bathsheeba for David’s sins

A man who refused to hit a prophet because the prophet said hit him.

42 kids who insulted Elijah for being bald

Sapphira and Ananias

And more to be found here.

Poor ol’ God can’t do a damn thing to stop a rapist but you should be happy he “weeps”.   God, and the pope, are quite a pair of horrible beings.   One has an excuse, it’s imaginary.

Not So Polite Dinner Conversation: a view from behind the phones, thoughts of a CSR.

customer-service-representative-for-a-year-74942I’ve spent a few years working customer service now, in person and on the phone.  Customer service work is a great way to be an even greater misanthrope than one might ever be.  This is because you always get the problem children.

Now, for these problem children, I have some advice, and yes it’s presented with quite a bit of snark:

Read.  For sanity’s sake, read.  It isn’t that hard to read the form you have to fill out, the instructions on a package or the letter you were sent because you screwed up which has the instructions on how to un-screw up.   Unless you really are illiterate, and in the area that I license, I sure as hell hope you are not, it is just laziness that prevents you from taking responsibility and reading for yourself.

If you are on a website, you got to look around. No joke, I have people calling me having fits about a website that they can’t log into, and less than an inch from the username/password boxes, it says that if you don’t have a user name and password for the site you need to register, and the registration tab is right at the top of the screen.

You do indeed get ridiculed by the CSRs if you are too lazy to read the information you are given.  After the call ends or you walk away from the counter, your particular idiocy is shared with everyone.

This is why a CSR sounds bored or irritated with you, because you are just one more person who asked the same question that day and who was too lazy to read the information.  It even irks us more when you get pissy when we point out that the information was always available to you.  It’s not rude to point out you’ve failed.

If you let someone else fill out your paper work or buy your stuff, and it’s wrong, it’s your fault, no one else’s.

If you lie to us, or do not give us the information we need, we can’t help you.   If you are so paranoid that you refuse to give us your social security number, we can’t help you.  And we likely already can see it, so just calm down.

If you try to pretend you know it all, we’re more than happy to let you hang yourself and will offer no more information to someone who says “I did that” or “I know that” before we are finished talking.

Don’t expect the CSR to teach you how to use your computer or to cook or whatever basic skill you lack that you thought you had but has found out you fail at.  If you don’t know how to use a computer (and age is not an excuse), then go to a class to learn.  I am sick of hearing “I’m old, I can’t use computer.”   It’s damn time you learn.  If you don’t want to, then you’ve selected yourself out of civilization and it is not my problem.

The CSR doesn’t care that you’ve been a purple people eater for 40 years or whatever you claim in order to try to get special attention.  We also don’t care if you’ve “never ever had a problem like this before.”    Surprise, problems happen at any time, especially with computers.

If the website says to contact certain people if you are having a problem with the website, contact them. Do not call everyone else but them because we can’t help you and you getting bitchy about that doesn’t help.

If the CSR says something is the only way, that’s the only way.  We aren’ t keeping a secret special way for those who have the magic password. No matter if you shout, cry or beg, the rules won’t change. And please, don’t call back hoping to get an answer you like better.  Most CSRs for a certain area sit very close together.  We can hear the call and know that some idiot doesn’t want to accept what they are told and will be fishing for another response.   You’re not being clever, you’re being a dick.

For those who do read what they are sent and call for help after doing all they can to help themselves, know that it’s those that are asking questions they already have the answer for that are making the wait times on the phone longer and longer. From my experience, 9 out of every ten calls never had to be made.

And thus endth the rant.  🙂

Not So Polite Dinner Conversation – another in a long line of typical exchanges between a Christian and me

I’ve had a TrueChristian(tm) on this website, Jedi of Christ, who has made promises of evidence and then ended up doing nothing more than making threats using bible verses.  He has ended with a post that is typical of a TrueChristian and I thought this would be another good example of how to address the baseless claims of theism.  This is of course a long post.  Read at your own peril 🙂

His post is as such (I cleaned it up a bit for coherence) :

“Hmm… You rather believe a lie, than truth? Thier is much philosophical, and scientific observational evidence, to point to an intelligent designer… The best argument is the fine tuning of the world, of the stars and the logicality of life, which logically can only exist from a logical source… Random chance (string theory) and a mass of nothing cannot create the logical fine tuning of existence. To say thier is no evidence for thesim is rather oblivious on your part and makes me question your sincerity for finding truth. If you truly are a person after the 4 fundamental questions, why am I here? What is my purpose? Who am I? Where am I going? You won’t leave any stone unturned.
Science though is not the truth, though it points to a Creator. Any honest scientist would tell you that. Here is an example DNA, we know it is information and that it is a language of it self, it is impossible for information and language to be in any place without logically knowing some one put it there.
You know a human being writes this message because one thier is no other race on earth that does this, and because what I am sharing is understandable to you… But have you asked your self? How can I understand the words on this message the information it entails… You see the word apple and you know it is not nothing, there is information from the word. That word… Such can only come from a logical source.
We need the language to read the information and the information to read the language. And such can only come from an intelligence
Science can never prove GOD, but science truly if its procedure is honest points, to a Creator.
The Bible has scientifical facts in it dating from over 3000 years. Mr Lister the inventor of listeren was under much mockery, my his pairs when he decided to follow what the Bible says about hygien… When he implemted it in his work ethics. But when the scoffers saw that Lister clinical death rates were significantly less than thier own the whole science community implemented his hygien procedures. The medical community literally dates before and after Lister.
The founders of modern science, Kepla, Galileo, Newton and more were all theist, they focused on thier educational field because they knew the Universe was logical and their was a designer the GOD of the Bible.
They are scientist that are Christian… The naturallitic philosophy which is the belief all atheist whole and thus thier religious beliefs in a none Creator but rather that nature is Supreme and made it self, is very unswaying knowing the basic law of cause and effect… Nature is not an intelligence so it can’t make intelligence. Nature is an effect from a cause and I believe you know, it is very much recognized that the Universe had a beginning.
Now I hear people say GOD He is the god of the gaps, and I believe science has done great things to get rid of superstition in Greece zeus was the god of lightning… That is how the Greeks other than Socrates and I believe other Greek philosopher s that oppose the pagan worship of this days. Rationalize how those things happen… Of course now we know it had to do with electrons and protons etc. And that the wind has weight,which interestingly the Bible talks about over 3000. Years ago.
The major difference between those god  Of the gaps, and the Christian theistic GOD who is Infinite and eternal is that He made all things… Now the Bible has scientifically facts in it and Prophecy which wasn’t put in after, dead sea scroll is just one evidence how it wasn’t. The whole source of the Bible is GOD making contact with us, giving us these 4 fundamental questions. If. Some one bakes bread we can see that they did, but we cant know why they bake the bread unless they tell us. GOD is giving us that why, through His written word. GOD isn’t hiding Himself in fact He made Himself known… And to have a Bible in this time with all the cannonize scripture is amazing, because if people know just a little history of the Bible, they will know it wasn’t so easily accessible. And Prophecy speaks of this. The GOD of the Bible isn’t a created god of stone or wood, or imagination. He is Spirit and Eternal and Infinite and we know they must be an infinite they are finite beings and a created universe they must be an infinite or else nothing here could have existed to begin with. And logically thier can only be one Infinite.
John Lennox, Ravi Zachrisas, Creation ministry International are excellent apologetic source for Christianity.
I’ve heard of the athiest side of things, ultimalty… It’s not what a man thinks we should follow, it is what is true. I know GOD is real the Bible has been under much challenge and has come out victorious every time. I will bet my life on the Bible… It is the chief of all studies the difference between everladting life with the CREATOR of all things who is Infinite in wisdom, Holiness, and live in a world made new where thier is no more death and crying, sins. A world of peace and true love for one an other self sacrificing love, humility of heart… And kindness. I will die for that.
The Bible is fundamentally different than all religions but at best superficially similar. People say if thier is a GOD why does He allow all this death and pain and evil? All I can say, is that at the center of the Bible is a cross… Where GOD Himself came into this world of darkness and took part in our suffering.
Jesus Christ did exist many historians even outside the Bible have documented that. YouTube has a video on those historians.
The only way to know the pass is my historical science which is by documented historical facts, by historians. And we have one trustworthy historian who gave us through His written Word that He made the earth and everything in it.
That’s it for me, I won’t be messaging again.I know GOD is real but for you, if GOD is real… You know thier is no excuse for not seeking after His will and knowing what He wants of you and obeying what He wants… Because for you, If GOD is real then as Creator and Savior He has the right to commandments what He wants of His creations. I hope you don read this and end here… I hope you truly search for God, and If you do GOD promises you will find Him.”

 This how I addressed his claims. Baseless information can be written in a small amount of space; evidence does make for a long post.  I’ve also added links to the things the reader might want more information on.

No, there is not “much philosophical and scientific observation evidence” for your god or any god. I am amused that you default to intelligent designer and not your specific god, which would seem to indicate that you also know that your claims aren’t supportable that there is a Christian god and a magical messiah.

The fact that you think that “fine tuning” is the best evidence for a designer does show how lacking the evidence is. Considering that the world is largely uninhabitable by humanity, not to mention the rest of the universe, there is no reason to think that humans are favored by any omnipotent magical being at all. I suppose we could draw the conclusion your god is incompetent for making such vast stretches of universe utterly inimical to humans. Continue reading “Not So Polite Dinner Conversation – another in a long line of typical exchanges between a Christian and me” →

What the Boss Likes – I stand with Ahmed too

Unsurprisingly, we have idiots in the US, who were so afraid of a clock, they arrested a young man, Ahmed Mohamed.  This was in Texas, surprise!

President Obama has invited this young inventor to the White House, which of course will get the usual suspects sure that the US president is a “really” a Muslim.

Texas is also the home of idiots who were just so sure that the US military exercises was going to get their guns.  The exercises are done and still idiots have guns.

For all of the claims of how President Obama was going to take away guns, and do other “anti-Christ” bullshit, it’s now most of the way through 8 years, the US economy has recovered, we are not causing any more wars, etc.  And none of those claims have come true.  So much for the prophetic abilities of American TrueChristians(tm)

Now, poor ol’ Ted Nugent (a washed up rock singer who prates about right wing stupidity) hasn’t yet been arrested or killed yet as he claimed he would be by the guvmint.  And all of those ‘Mericans who were going to leave the US, are still here.

So much for the false claims of so many.

 

11/28/2015:  just to let you know, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris are quite the dickheads recently. Hitch was a dickhead a long time ago.  those theists who want to claim that atheist somehow worship these guys are so wrong.

What the Boss Likes – liberals with guns!

This weekend my husband and I shot things. Lots and lots of inanimate things. His friend from work has a collection of guns and offered to take us to the gun range.  A return to our Appalachian redneck roots….  Husband is ex-military so knows his way around most firearms.

My husband and I do not own guns. We like to shoot but it is not a good idea to have weapons that can kill so easily in reach of people who have bipolar disorder and anxiety issues. So, we have friends with guns and my parents have a couple. I’ve shot many a paint can up on the farm.  In case any one can’t guess, I am very much for gun control.   Guns are lethal; they aren’t toys for idiots to parade around with playing wannabee soldier or policeman but who don’t want the responsibility such positions should require.

I shot a shotgun (12 guage) at clay pigeons. Let me say, I suck at that. Perhaps if I had some upper arm strength to hold the weapon correctly, but the skeets (what I called clay pigeons when I was young, since it was skeet shooting and you were shooting these so…..) were very safe. My husband was pretty good and so was his friend. Husband was lucky enough to shoot one skeet twice.

Then we went to the pistol range. It’s shocking on how much difference a silencer, or more properly, a suppressor,  makes. We shot a .22 pistol and a 9 mm Glock of some type I do not recall. Weirdly, I shot much better with the silencer attached to the weapon. With the Glock and silencer, I had to aim completely above the targets, the target not even in the sight, but hit every time I shot. I’m far too tickled to know that I could target 8 shots in a row. We were around 20-30 feet from the targets. Most of what I shot were metal targets that tip over when shot. The .22 wasn’t even enough to move them, but it made an amusing ping when they were hit.

Then we had three different rifles. One was a .22, an AR-15; one was an AK-74 (we think) and a 9 MM.   You can tell I’m not exactly a gun nut since I haven’t a clue what exactly they were. Husband’s friend will be so disappointed. These were all with a rest or bipod. I was weirdly again better with a silencer on than off. Just a tiny bit sore in the shoulder today from the recoil, though for most of the weapons it was neglible. I grew up shooting .22 rifles with the occasional 30-06 standing up with no rest. Not sure of the range, I think 100 yards: we used a scope to see our hits.

This is a dangerous sport, but I’d certainly do this over rock climbing. Just keep the weapon pointed away from anyone, keep your finger off the trigger unless it’s pointed at a target and be aware that you have something that can kill another person in your hands at all times. I do think everyone should shoot at least once in their lives. It separates reality from the Hollywood fantasy. And what if the zombies come again?   🙂

Not So Polite Dinner Conversation – pure hypocrisy

It’s no surprise at all that the woman who is doing her best to force her religion on others in Kentucky is a complete hypocrite.  Married many times, having children out of wedlock, and surprise, not considering anyone else as sinful when giving out marriage licenses to other divorcees, and evidently a couple, one of who was transgender.

She picks and chooses her bible.  She ignores the command not to be yoked to unbelievers, desperate to hold onto her job where she swore to obey the laws of the country.   She ignores the command to obey any earthly rulers since her god supposedly put *all* of them in their positions of power and thus evidently has no problem at all with the marriages between homosexuals.  She just dredges up the hate in the bible, so she can pretend her own hatred is divinely approved of.  She of course has no problem with ignoring all of those other commandments supposedly by her god.  She ignores her supposed savior when he said it was a bad thing to divorce.  for all TrueChristians claiming that atheists consider their god a vending machine, it takes a true believer to intentionally sin repeatedly and expect a deity to shell out that forgiveness they demand.

A matter of heaven or hell?  Shucks, if her version of Christianity actually is right, she’s already got herself a front row seat rubbing Satan’s bunions.

Post-script (09/07/2015 :

Best quote about this situation so far:

“A local Presbyterian pastor, Josh Akers, said Davis had a right to believe that same-sex couples shouldn’t wed. “What we don’t support is her right to impose that belief on others through the power of her office.””

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jailed-kentucky-clerk-kim-davis-asks-court-block-governors-order-n422961