Miscellaneous Ramblings

No, I haven't started smoking again, but I'm sure having fun with it. Those Japanese are amazing! They invented an electronic cigarette, complete with nicotine capsules in the filter, a lithium ion battery in the body of the cigarette, and an atomization chamber that somehow produces carbon dioxide to simulate smoke.









Here's the "cigarette" with the filter unscrewed.

I told a partially-reformed ex-smoker friend about the e-cigarette, and he remarked that the only problem is the risk of e-cancer.

Another somewhat minor issue - now along with my cellphone and laptop, I have to remember to plug in my cigarette for charging at night.






Farley watched enough episodes of the Dog Whisperer taking dogs for bike rides that he thought it might be fun.

Here's a shot of him chomping at the leash.









Here he is in full bike-towing mode. As long as we get going fast enough, he pretty much ignores other dogs and other people passing on the trail. Only once did cross in front of the bike (when I wasn't paying enough attention). He just about got a paw run over and scared himself (and me) a bit, so he doesn't do that anymore.

He's having a great time, getting some good exercise, and actually seems to be better behaved at home. I think the biking is a good way to wring some of the piss and vinegar out of him.





The other night I watched an HBO documentary about Ted Haggard after his fall from the heights of power within the evangelical Christian community. Normally I wouldn't have much sympathy for a faggot-bashing, hypocritical Bible-thumper banished from the church after admitting to drug use and trysts with a gay prostitute. But after watching this documentary, I have to say I wish him well. Even though he was pastor of one of the largest congregations in the States and regularly preached to coliseums full of people, he never enriched himself. When he was fired, he essentially had nothing. He packed up some of his stuff in a U-Haul and headed off to Arizona to stay with friends and good Samaritans. He agreed not to preach, so he tried to get work in various businesses, but what does a disgraced evangelical super-pastor do? He hung flyers on door knobs and sold insurance door-to-door! Oh how the mighty have fallen!

He is a sympathetic character because is openly conflicted about his gay tendencies, and he genuinely seems to be trying to do the right thing by his faith and his family. I have little or no sympathy for his faith, but I have lots of sympathy for him and his family. I wish him well.