Roger O Green

God/Concept/Pain QUESTIONS

I must tell you that I found out something just this week that really surprised me. I’m finding it distracting. Monday, you’ll know what it is.

Meanwhile, some of the dialogue about Pope Benedict remarks which inflamed a number of Muslims has been addressed in one of the blogs that the local paper has posted, Perspectives on Islam for September 18. I find myself largely agreeing it, but also sympathetic to one of the replies:

Although it is true that Mohammad did conquer the Arab world by the sword, (as did the Catholic Church I might add – – they took religion seriously in the old days), I don’t see the relevance in using this quote by Benedict. Wasn’t he trying to “open a dialogue” between Christians and Muslims?

Actually, I believe was trying to do just that. But it seemed injudicious to assume that people are going to recognize the nuance he seemed to be attempting to achieve, and naive to think that the inflammatory language wouldn’t be the lead story, rather than the speech as a whole.

Also, his “apology” referred to being sorry for the “reaction” to his quote, not using the quote itself!

And why did it take four days to even respond at all?

So what do you think? More importantly, how can we achieve greater communication among peoples of various religions and faiths? I’ve always been a fan of ecumenical and interfaith services and activities, but those heal the world only a little at a time, while an event such as the Pope’s speech, even if it has been exploited by certain parties, only widens the gap.
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I suppose I want to ask you if you think George W. Bush IS the devil, as Hugo Chavez said at the UN, but not even I believe that. I don’t THINK I do. The event did generate one of those classic New York Daily News headlines” “Zip It!”

Ask Me Anything, September Equinox Version 2006

Since today or tomorrow is the first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere depending on the time zone, and the first day of spring in the Southern Hemisphere:

Once again, it’s time for that exciting opportunity to ASK ROGER ANYTHING. This does two things: it gives you the opportunity to make my life miserable by forcing me to respond to queries, whether they be mundane or profound. And I learn something new about you.

I expect that certain people will retaliate, or rather respond, because, when they’ve asked the question, I try to ask them whatever happens to be on my mind.
A couple people, for instance, were asked, “Why is there air?” I happened to have been thinking about a Bill Cosby album of the same name, in which Cos’ brilliant college girlfriend went around asking questions such as that. Bill’s response: “To blow up volleyballs, to blow up basketballs. Every phys ed teacher knows why there’s air!”

It’s funnier in the delivery.

Last time he posed it, I discovered that Tosy and I share a pet peeve: “People who think they are more important than others. Line cutters. People who are too good for certain tables at restaurants. People whose e-mails are ALWAYS flagged as ‘important.’ Those people.” Yeah, I often fantasize about those people in untoward ways.

Sample question #1: On your way home from work, you bump into God and get to ask one question or make one statement. What do ya do?
Sample answer #1: I had this good friend for about a decade, then suddenly we don’t talk. What the heck happened?

Sample question #2: Toilet paper: over or under?
Sample answer #2: I really don’t care.

Well, you get the idea. You may pose the questions in the comment section of this here blog or e-mail me, if you’re the shy type.

You CAN Fight City Hall

Last month, on a Thursday night, Carol and I went to downtown Albany for our monthly dinner together, alone, a restaurant in a local hotel. We wanted to take advantage of the $16.09 deal, whereby several downtown restaurants all put out a special menu of an all-inclusive dinner (appetizer, main course, dessert) for $16.09. (1609 was the year Henry Hudson became the first European to reach what is now Albany.)

We had a lovely dinner, and came out to our car, parked on North Pearl Street, at a location where there is a parking meter operational from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Since we got there shortly before 7 p.m., and were coming back about 8:25 p.m. , we were surprised – and not a little distressed – to have received a ticket for parking in a No Parking zone, at 8:18 p.m., a mere seven minutes before our unrushed return. Then we noticed all the cars in front and in back of us also got tickets. Only three weeks earlier, the city had posted signs – three or four car lengths from us – indicating that this part of North Pearl was now a taxi stand on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

The $50 ticket far outstripped whatever we saved on dinner, and it left the evening with a bit of a sour taste in our mouths – no pun intended.

The next day, I called the Downtown Business Improvement (BID) office. I told some young man my plight, and the plight of the other folks. Knowing we’re technically in the wrong, it nevertheless seemed as though this was no way to attract people downtown. He agreed and said he’d see what he could do, though he thought the police were supposed to be putting out only warning tickets.

A couple days later, he called back to note that all of the tickets issued on North Pearl Street before 10 p.m. during the $16.09 week would be canceled. Based on just the ones we saw, that was more than a few dozen citations.

So, thanks to the Downtown BID, who has gotten us to want to come downtown yet again. But this time, we’ll check the signs more carefully.
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He LIKED it, he LIKED it! Lefty liked my Summer Mix. And you can have a copy, too. Just let me know.

In the Words of Toby Keith, "Let’s Talk About Me"

I discovered that in the past week or two, I’ve been mentioned in blogs by Greg (fearing my chastisement over his affection for Led Zeppelin – I don’t dislike them, I just got aggravated by their uncredited ripoffs of old blues artists), Chris Black (making insignia – his looks better than mine), Chris Brown – no relation (citing my blood donation piece AND dissing my musical taste in the same post), and Jaquandor (quoting from my September 11 piece). Also, I make Eddie happy – that’s just the kind of guy I am – even as I confound him. And let me say here what I posted on Greg’s blog: “Album is a perfectly fine word for a group of things under one cover (photo album, e.g.) The CD, the LP, the cassette is the format; the collection is the album. Or so I say. Again.”

Chris Brown, a/k/a Lefty, (like the Hall & Oates cover, guy, and especially the song after that) also was inspired by me. Speaking of inspirational, I’m enjoying summer songs from Mrs. Lefty.
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I had a letter to the editor published on Saturday. It’s here, and if that becomes inaccessible, it’s been copied here. My racquetball mates got annoyed that I didn’t mention it to them.
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If you’re a blogger, please consider adding this guy. Although Hurricane Dymowski is named for him, he’s generally a sensitive fellow. A Pisces, I believe.
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I’m mildly pleased that the Mets finally clinched the NL East pennant, as is Fred (Sept. 19).
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Oh, and the Toby Keith reference came from watching CBS Sunday Morning on September 10, where he revealed, among other things, that he’s a Democrat. I actually own one Keith album that I got for free at a conference in Nashville a few years ago, and it includes the song “Let’s Talk About Me”.

Talk Like a Pirate Day

It’s TODAY, and I almost missed it, but didn’t, thanks to Lefty.

“Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on Earth.”

“I am convinced that God wanted me to be a baseball player. I was born to play baseball.”

“I am more valuable to my team hitting .330 than swinging for home runs.”

“I dedicated the hit (his 3,000th) to the Pittsburgh fans and to the people in Puerto Rico and to one man (Roberto Marin) in particular. The one man who carried me around for weeks looking for a scout to sign me.”

“I felt kind of bashful (when the fans went crazy). I’m a very quiet, shy person, although you writers might not believe because I shout sometimes.”

“If I could sleep. I could hit .400.”

“I tell you, (Steve) Blass, you pitch me inside, they never, never find that ball.”

“I want to be remembered as a ballplayer who gave all he had to give.”

“I will hit .450 if you give me Ralph Garr’s legs, Johnny Bench’s age and cut the travel schedule.”

“Nobody does anything better than me in baseball (said before the 1971 World Series).”

“There’s no difference between me and you (Manny Sanguillen). You need something, a glove, a place to live, you let me know.”

“When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth.”

“Why does everyone talk about the past? All that counts is tomorrow’s game.”

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