en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/270975 Comments by AnneMac http://fearlessblogger.com/2008/12/i-have-a-pornographic-mind/#IDComment13473485 Exactly. And I didn't even mention the physical positioning of the bodies, where the child's head is located relative to the priest's anatomy, which is itself unfortunately suggestive of a pornographic concept, given the apparent age of the kneeling partner. No. I didn't have to even mention that. Is it really OUR sick minds, or the artist's, or the patron who commissioned the work? I imagine him giggling while wringing his hands, laughing at how many pious citizens will see it, do a double-take, and then quizzically explain the concept of "art" to their curious children while covering their eyes and shuffling them along into the bathroom, or back to the coffee cart at the plaza's entrance. Hee hee. Fri, 2 Jan 2009 04:09:37 +0000 http://fearlessblogger.com/2008/12/i-have-a-pornographic-mind/#IDComment13473485 http://fearlessblogger.com/2008/12/i-have-a-pornographic-mind/#IDComment13473183 Ahhhh, lunch at the Prado, being welcomed by an image that calls to mind our very recent shared experience of the ubiquitous pedophile priests. While I do believe we bring our own interpretations that make it pornography, you have to admit that the Catholic Church has done its level best for centuries to earn that particularly unfortunate interpretation of this engraving from just about anyone who passes under those adobe arches into that little plaza. And the fact that the artist apparently forgot to etch clothing onto the little child, but the priest appears fully robed. Ewwww. Happy New Year!!! Fri, 2 Jan 2009 03:51:50 +0000 http://fearlessblogger.com/2008/12/i-have-a-pornographic-mind/#IDComment13473183 http://change.gov/page/content/GeneralDiscussion/#IDComment12833276 I doubt the addiction or cancer arguments hold water. My stepbrother died at 47 after 35 devoted years of cannabis, not tobacco, smoking. Inhaling hot ashes is going to damage your organs, no matter what you burn. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:57:53 +0000 http://change.gov/page/content/GeneralDiscussion/#IDComment12833276 http://change.gov/page/content/GeneralDiscussion/#IDComment12833256 You don't get it. It's not a RELIGIOUS nation. It's a secular nation where we are supposed to have equal protection under the law. Just because YOU are grossed out by someone else doesn't mean YOU get to impose your religion on everyone else. Those people would be disgusted seeing you kiss YOUR mate, but because they are in the minority, they don't get to legislate YOU away. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:56:16 +0000 http://change.gov/page/content/GeneralDiscussion/#IDComment12833256 http://change.gov/page/content/GeneralDiscussion/#IDComment12833227 No, you are mistaken. Here, the powerless are trying to ask the powerful to stop promoting hatred and discrimination toward them by selecting a particularly hateful character for the invocation. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:52:52 +0000 http://change.gov/page/content/GeneralDiscussion/#IDComment12833227 http://change.gov/page/content/GeneralDiscussion/#IDComment12833213 You are overreaching. The PLATFORM did not oppose gay marriage, and he did not advertise that as a mission. He said he personally opposes it. However, that doesn't mean he's opposed to equal rights for gays. You are grossly misunderstanding his point. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:51:18 +0000 http://change.gov/page/content/GeneralDiscussion/#IDComment12833213 http://fearlessblogger.com/2008/12/taking-inventory/#IDComment11964886 You also asked about what makes you feel valued when you visit a blog... in my case, I'm still somewhat "anonymous" with most blogs I read. I feel that honesty and openness in the writer is the most valuable. I learn a lot from what other people go through and think about, and draw my own parallels to my own life and circumstances. Therefore, being true to yourself as an author and to what interests YOU lets me participate vicariously in your experience. Further, the ability to comment and chatter about ideas is valuable. I like how you have set up a venue to make that possible. Tue, 2 Dec 2008 19:16:38 +0000 http://fearlessblogger.com/2008/12/taking-inventory/#IDComment11964886 http://fearlessblogger.com/2008/12/taking-inventory/#IDComment11964849 I have integrated reflection time into my life because I have very ambitious goals, one of which is to be able to retire by 65 with enough income-producing investments that I won't need to rely upon Social Security payments to get by. People in my family have been known to live into their mid-80's, so I know I need to plan for at least 20 years of post-labor income. It takes a lot of assets to produce that kind of income, so I have to plan very carefully to eliminate debts and increase my net worth. Month by month. And at work, I have a million projects going on simultaneously. (Okay, it's around 245, but it FEELS like a million.) In order to get to the finish line on all those projects, from voice work to film work to software development to writing, to real estate investing, to increasing my education, I have to keep an organized checklist and set goals. I use OmniPlan so I can check things off when I complete them. I re-prioritize all the time, and I have a discipline not the beat myself up for the things I have not yet accomplished. (That list is the largest.) I use my list every day, keep it open on my desktop, and do a little happy dance every time I check something off. I meet weekly with my boss and discuss grander plans and where we are taking our company, and that sets the tone for how I'm going to prioritize my projects. My goal is to remain in the driver's seat of my life, and to be in charge of the things I want to do, including wading through the ones that are less pleasant but definitely required for me to reach my goals. The frequency of my reviews really helps me reach goals faster and minimize my tendency to want to procrastinate on the icky projects (e.g. accounting). Good luck! Tue, 2 Dec 2008 19:12:27 +0000 http://fearlessblogger.com/2008/12/taking-inventory/#IDComment11964849 http://fearlessblogger.com/2008/11/ode-to-my-couch-design-with-intent-2/#IDComment11755311 We see this in art all the time: a design for the sake of art, vs. a design for the sake of function. There appears to be a continuum of design, ranging from the "pure art" idea of freedom from form or guile of any kind, a product of pure imagination with no boundaries, rules or impositions, to the functional concept, where the purpose and planning elements are there to make sure the products, art, services, or whatever is being designed can serve a specific purpose, and follow a set of rules. I think the MOST imaginative designs on the PURPOSE end of the continuum take their ultimate purpose into account in unique ways, while maximizing the goals of the intended customer: form, functionality, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, aesthetics, "peace of mind," etc.... the number of possible goals and their interaction seem infinite. Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:18:19 +0000 http://fearlessblogger.com/2008/11/ode-to-my-couch-design-with-intent-2/#IDComment11755311