well, i think from time to time we delude ourselves in a naive way of thinking. we tend to think of things in the past and the conservative nature of ideas at that point in time. i think that way too, but the more i read about past history and watch some pretty interesting documentaries I find out the generations before us were not as moral as we would like to believe. they cheated, lied, and did reprehensible things just as well. pornography existed in some form or another, granted it wasn't AS readily available as today. "alternate lifestyles" existed, abortions happened, teenage pregnancy happened, and did you know it wasn't until the 1870's that everyone in America could celebrated Christmas like we do now without being arrested?

as much as we like to think of our country as the moral high ground in the world; we're not and we're just as bad in some cases. i kind of agree with the media idea though, but not that it's pushing the edge so much (tho it does from time to time), but that it's lifted the veil of morality that blankets the citizens of this country. it's exposed the darker side of our country, one that indulges it's pleasures. one cannot help that this being a capitalistic country that it's media networks, companies/corporations, etc exploit the public's demand and readily peddle it's wares.

so, are we worse off than the generations that came before us? maybe a little, but i don't think it has grown in leaps in bounds, it's just been brought to the surface and brought to everyone's attention. so how does one plan to stop the sliding morals of 200+ million citizens? well, big brother becomes bigger and has more control over your freedoms. sanctioned sexual activity, sanctioned publications from the state, and the list goes on until you get to some form of socialism or communism. i don't think that's what we want.

my two cents on the topic...

i dig discussions like this and i don't want this taken as an attack at all. it's my point of view and i respect everyone eles's right to express that here as long as it doesn't get out of hand and turn to personal attacks and name calling.

scott, i'm probably more on gabe's side than yours on fridays round of pissing and moaning... but you brought up a good point about what passes in other countries... geez, in germany, they sell crossword puzzle books filled with pictures of naked women... and i think they sell them to anyone...

btw, i'm in the IUP library... public access computers are nice.

essential moffatts items!

in case you were wondering, the "quick vote" over at cnn.com is whether or not Osama Bin Laden is still in Afghanistan...

and just HOW IN THE HELL would anybody sitting in america on the internet have any clue as to where he is?!?!? why not ask us what color underwear the queen of france is wearing, we're just as likely to know the answer to that one!

quote of the week: "internet porn is about as restricted as entry to Giant Eagle". remember when we were young teens, not old enough to drive, and it took some serious effort to sneak a peak at pictures of naked women? you either had to shoplift a playboy or try and glance at it behind a display in your local waldenbooks. nowadays its probably easier to view porn than it is to check and see how much money you have in your wallet.

on a different note, i watched on the waterfront last night, and wow! incredible. add early brando films to my list of movies to collect. for a good explanation of film aspect ratios, check this out.

mm, went to see harry potter last night. eh, much the same opinion i had about that book. it was "ok." i guess i just had higher expectations for it. i kept waiting for something to happen and it just didn't happen. but if you loved the book, then i'm absolutely sure you'll love the movie because it sticks RIGHT with it. i would say if you didn't enjoy the book or just thought it was ok, then i recommend you saving your money for something else....like a Moffats CD.

after almost three years, the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown FINALLY deletes my old website...oh, the humanity!!

gabe also, let's not forget this is the same person who decided to go shopping instead of being with family or friends on sept. 11th. this isn't the best person to use as a moral "litmus test" of the country.

yup alive and well. why i remember back in '94 here in johnstown there was a sizable KKK rally not far from where i lived. it was less five miles from where i lived. these groups need no real reason to throw a rally, but some thought it was because my neighbor down the road from me. he was a pastor who had adopted three black children and moved here. his children faced slurs and insults at the local johnstown christian school. nice huh?

no more talk of seatless unicycles please.

found a nice blog this morning: feministblog.com. She has some excellent points. it was also the first i heard of the frats down south that had major racial scandals this halloween (guys dressing in blackface and getting hanged by guys dressed as cops and klansmen). pretty sad that i just watched missippi burning last night, which was about racial hatred in the sixties... and its still alive and well today.

correction to the ye olde pitchfork beating. i don't recall beating you down, i believe this mention had spawned further investigation into the band that which smashes pumpkins, to which i then liked.

also, not all who ride motorcycles will die horrifically. your propensity for the want/need of my untimely death (whether it be by trying to bake me on the beaches of alabama or willing a large 18-wheeled vehicle to splat me) is scary. oh, and you don't "drive" motorcycles..you ride them : )

professors should not ride motorcycles, that is too nice of a thing for them to do...especially evil ones! i think they should be forced to ride unicycles with no seats, but only the cold hard shaft so that they too know what it's like to receive painful anal intrusion from another!

hmm, yes there are the inherent dangers of riding. it was always why i thought riding a motorcycle was crazy and needless. but i heard something that made a good deal of sense in the macho man-type way. motorcycles give you that feeling of freedom from everything. they're the horse of the 21st century man. to be able to take off and pick a direction and go.

there can always be points that can be made against riding..safety being the biggest. but a good rider is aware of their surroundings, uses proper riding techniques, scans the road ahead of them, and maintains proper speed and distance from automobiles. i know i'm not the best at following all those things mentioned, but what i do know is that when i'm on my bike, i'm about the happiest person in the world. the air around me, the road beneath me, the complete sense of freedom, and the incredible feeling of sheer joy when you go around a turn, regardless of what speed or angle.

like scott said, you either get on a bike and you scare yourself to death and never touch one again or you fall in love instantly.

my two cents on why i like to ride.

i've been having second thoughts lately about the whole motorcycle business. certainly the money angle is a bigger factor now (given possible higher rent sometime soon). but i think the biggest reason is the whole "violent death when struck by car" thing...

hmm. that dream sure beats the blue cockroaches that's for sure. i don't know whether to laugh or cry about that either, and i'll be sure never to pass on a blind curve cresting a hill...i don't think i would of ever at any point either, but still...something to keep in the back of my mind.

i agree with gabe, micah will make a mighty fine black man.

Mother I'm tired
come surrender my son
time has ravaged on my soul
no plans to leave but still I go
Fallin' with the leave
faillin' out of sleep
to the last goodbyes
who cares why?

well, i got the part of warren, one of the two aides, in one flew over the cuckoo's nest. a part written for a black man, but none turned out for any of the auditions... it is Indiana, PA, after all.

CPR: 55% PPR: 68% spinning: ring of fire, the best of johnny cash

a totally enchanting album is that called Adore by the Smashing Pumpkins. I've been listening to this album all morning so far and I'm realizing how much I really love this album. A very superb album indeed.

i had this dream about large blue cockroaches and a battle of the bands. very odd indeed. all i remember was the last band really sucked and i was walked out into the parking lot...there was the large blue cockroach. it was creepy (as all cockroaches are), but yet it was comical at the same time because it was almost like a punchline in a joke. "welllllll, there's the blue cockroach again" *cue the canned laughter*

CPR: 75%
PPR: 90%

Spinning: Adore

the line up: The Queen is Dead, Brotherhood, Movement, Power, Corruption, and Lies, and Hatful of Hollow

so how many times have you just ever stopped to look about your surroundings? i mean just stop and look. take a look at everything you'll find different things, it's like a veritable treasure hunt! next time you go into the restroom, look around (as long as other people aren't there), your office, you vehicle, your house. it is fun to discover.

this post brought to you by the letter Q.

sorry there folks, didn't mean to bring blog activities to a screaching halt with my post. or maybe everyone was just so busy performing mentally and spiritually fulfilling tasks today that there was just no time for posting.

yeah right.

hmm, how does one follow up a post like Micah's?

I know not. but i attempt to do so anyway.

death cab for cutie should arrive today. i'm hoping. i love mail order.

well folks, mark the date on your calendars. November 12, 2001, may Cricket rest in peace.

she was in even worse shape yesterday morning, I wasn't very hopeful but figured we'd let the vet have the last say... and she recommended that to spare any unnecessary suffering, we put Cricket down. and so we did. it was the first pet jayna had ever really had die, and she took it a lot harder than I had expected she would.

as a favor, i would appreciate if those of my friends here at work did not talk about this with me for the next few days, I'd like to avoid breaking down in tears here in my cube.

found a really interesting site

http://www.foundmagazine.com/notes.html

i particularly like the note to mommy

go go twist mommy..

hi back.

i'm medium well.