Prop 8 - The Musical

Written by Marc Shaiman, the Tony-winning composer of “Hairspray” and “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.”

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

The End… Again

All right, this is actually getting a little scary. Once again, I had a dream last night (yeah, I know, we all do… every night…). However, this was another end-of-days type dream.

This time, I was on a bus. Suddenly, there was a shared knowledge that the second coming was going to happen in 45 minutes. The bus finally reached its destination at about 10 minutes ‘till the end. Everyone got up to get off the bus but I stayed in my seat (similar to when an aircraft gets to the gate, everyone stands in the aisle waiting to get off but I stay in my seat until the line starts to move). Anyway, I let everyone get off before I stood up (there was one other guy who did the same).

Outside, we all stood looking at the point in the sky where the second coming was going to “happen” as if the sky was going to open up and allow what ever to come through. Part of me was wondering about what alien was manipulating us into thinking this was divine but the other part of me was actually considering the possibility that indeed, this was the second coming as spoken of in religious text; it still seemed fishy though. Either way, it was scary.

Anyway, the minutes ticked off all the while anticipation and dread of what was to come filled the crowd. One minute ‘til,… 30 seconds,… 10, 9,… "Here it comes" 6, 5,… and then I woke up.

I’m starting to wonder why this poor excuse for a brain is choosing to dream about the end. This is the second dream of similar topic in a month. Logically, the Christian god I was brainwashed into believing in as a kid does not (and cannot) exist; too many contradictions. Illogically, I still wonder sometimes.

There should be a law against fucking up kids at such a young age like that.

Battlestar Galactica The Last Supper

Alright, this is WAY cool! The SciFi Channel has this picture on its site. Even though Season 3 was rather lacking, I am looking forward to the last season. We'll see how it goes.

Conservative pastor urges buying Microsoft stock to fight its gay rights efforts

Ya gotta love our local insane asylum inmate Ken Hutcherson. I swear this guy is gay; he has the MO. His obsession with homosexuality is getting tiresome.

Ken Hutcherson is a swindler. This little “buy-up” of Microsoft stock sound suspiciously like “If I don’t receive 200 million shares of Microsoft stock by June, God will call me home;” in other words, something straight out of the Oral Roberts playbook.

These extreme religious leaders are doing so much harm to their faith that if I believed in Satan I would be sure that they have sold their souls to him; sounds much like the Nazgûl in Lord of the Rings.

From the interview, “When asked why he's putting so much effort into this new venture, he said, ‘God will judge us one day, and I want to do everything it takes for him not to judge us on my watch.’”

Wow, now Ken thinks he can stave off the second coming while he is alive; that’s very presumptuous as well as sacrilege. He thinks he can influence God.

Ken, meet Lucifer… oh, I see you already “know” each other.

Call me Nostradamus (or Wacko)

Choose your own adventure:

Option 1:
The next president, Hillary Clinton, will be blamed for the massive unrest in the Middle East that will erupt soon after our troops are drawn down. Iraq will be broken up into smaller countries and countless thousands will be slaughtered. Turkey and Iran will annex parts of old Iraq.

August 23, 2009: the US will be hit by another major terrorist attack; this time a liquefied natural gas ship in Boston Harbor will be the target. The attack and decimation of Boston will be blamed on the Democrats. As a result, come the 2012 elections, control of what is left of the government will be given to an Imperialistic Party (most likely the Christian Republicans will offshoot from the main party and take control).

April 12, 2014: a nuclear bomb will be used on a populated area and World War III will start. Western Nations vs. Middle Eastern Nations (plus N Korea).


Option 2:
The next president, Fred Thompson, will continue the war and expand it into Iran. Soon thereafter, Iran will hold elections and a government friendly to the US will be put into power. The Middle East will be at peace for the first time in history after the US liberates them.

August 23, 2009: global warming will be officially debunked. Science will also determine that Ozone is not required to protect the planet.

April 12, 2014: The lord will return.


Option 3:
Somewhere between the extremes of the first two options.

Hurricane Ridge 2007

So yesterday, my mom and I did our annual Hurricane Ridge trip. Each year, we take a day and head over to the Peninsula and hang out at the ridge for a picnic and some easy hiking. Ever since we started this annual trip, the weather has always been hot and sunny. This time, it was a bit different.

I tend to like all forms of weather (as long as I’m dressed for it) so having it rainy and cold up there was no problem. We ended up eating in the car and talked the entire time.

As with every year, our conversation covered religion, homosexuality (and its treatment by religion), and politics. Yup, that’s right, all the topics you’re sposta avoid. We tend to have differing approaches to said topics but usually agree to disagree if we come to an impasse. We both had a good time.

Anyway, here are some pictures I took.

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From ferry ride over to the Peninsula.

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At Hurricane Ridge.

The Bible's War on Christmas

You learn something new every day! Who would have thought that the Bible would actually be waging a “War on Christmas?”

Jeremiah 10 (King James Version)
1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

So basically every “good” Christian out there with a tree in their house is doing exactly the OPPOSITE of what the good Lord said. Oh the horror! Where is a "good" Christian to turn now that even their own book has turned on them?

“Oops, how did those verses slip past the censors... uh, I mean editors,” cried the pastor.

The [Man] Doth Protest Too Much, Methinks.

Pastor files plan to reverse gay rights rules

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

OLYMPIA -- A pastor opposed to new civil rights protections for gays and lesbians has filed an initiative to the Legislature to overturn them, but it's not likely to go anywhere because he would have to gather nearly 225,000 signatures by the end of the month.

The Rev. Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, filed the initiative Nov. 28. The initiative, which has not yet been given a number and the language of which has not yet been reviewed by the state code reviser's office, would remove the sexual-orientation facet of the state ban on discrimination in housing, employment, insurance and credit.

State lawmakers passed the gay civil rights measure in January.

I just don't get it. For what possible reasons would a "man of God" want to be able to legally discriminate against a homosexual?

My guess is that the Rev. Ken Hutcherson is in fact a closeted homosexual who is so repulsed by his sexuality that he is lashing out at everyone else. His actions definitely fit the M.O. that seems so prevalent in religious and political circles these days.

Poor guy, we should pity him; pray that he might find peace within himself to accept that which God has made.

Ignorance Is Bliss

Sunday I stopped off at my local Starbucks (yup, I'm one of those idiots who pay US$300.00 for a cup of coffee)... anyway, as I was waiting for my coffee, I noticed the music playing overhead. Of course it was Christmas music; that time of year I guess.

Since I grew up in a Christian household, Christmas was an important part of the religion. We celebrated all parts of it including the music. As a result, I am still programmed to get that warm fuzzy feeling when I hear the stuff and this time was no different.

I actually have nothing against most of the music; believe it or not, I actually like music from many religions. Anyway, I was listening to the song and singing along in my mind... until it got to the part of "...Christ was born on Christmas Day."

* cue sound of screeching tires *

My mind could not deal with that outright lie and the warm fuzzy feeling faded quickly. Even most Bible scholars agree that Christ was not “born on Christmas Day.”

This got me thinking. I went from warm and fuzzy to cold and not-so-fuzzy. The lies that are perpetuated by those in religious power are unacceptable. However, a part of me longed for that time where I was more ignorant to such things. That state of being where ignorance bliss; there is something to be said about that.

Now keep in mind that ignorance is the root of most evil in the world today... but for those who are ignorant about the world but still do not judge (a rare bread indeed), I have a small amount of envy. To live a life without being connected to the rest of the world; to be able to have traditions and blindly follow them to the grave without ever feeling like you need to question them... now that would be bliss.

But unfortunately, any bliss one might have would be short-lived as the world is getting smaller by the minute. Even the most remote places are being suberbed into the rest of civilization. And when bliss is interrupted by the rude truth, usually ignorance turns into hatred and then pure evil.

Believe it or not, I actually have nothing against evil. Without evil, there can be no good. Just like a coin that has two sides; it cannot exist without one or the other; humanity cannot exist without good and evil. This is how we have our “soul;” an individuality that allows us to choose the path we follow. Even most religions got this one right.

In Christianity, there is God and Satan; the proverbial “good” and “evil.” However, I prefer to think of them only as Yin and Yang. God cannot exist without Satan and Satan not without God; they actually compliment each other. That, of course, differs from Christianity where their God is to defeat Satan. Notice though, that even their God does not eliminate Satan; he just casts him out.

Anyway, I’m not sure how I went from Christmas music to Satan, but there you have it, my ramblings for the day.

The "War on Christmas:" An Early Start This Year

It looks like some Christians are getting an early start on their imagined persecution. Some scheming businessman has decided to make headlines (thus promoting his product) by "donating" 4,000 talking Jesus dolls to the Toys for Tots charity.

Many Christians have this Jesus complex where they feel that they need to be persecuted in order to get into heaven. When that persecution does not happen, they manufacture it; a similar psychosis to that of those mothers who intentionally make their children sick in order to get attention and sympathy from their friends and neighbors.

As a result, this Toys for Tots issue has brought out these people in droves. On the message board attached to the article, many are complaining that Christmas is only about Christ (“CHRISTmas" = Christ) and what are Jewish and Muslim children getting Christmas gifts for anyway? A rather unchristian thought process if you ask me.

It’s funny how people do not know their own sorted history. They only blindly follow what they are told without asking questions. The following post does a better job of explaining the past than I could, so here it is.

Note: Dudepez, Alicrew, et al are some of those self persecuted Christians posting on the board.

sfmom
Message #16711/14/06 03:51 PM
Dear Dudepez, Alicrew, et al: While Christmas, per se, IS a Christian holiday, it is a holiday that was established by the Christian Church as a deliberate attempt to co-opt, colonialize, overshadow, and steal the original PAGAN holiday. The Yuletide existed for hundreds if not thousands of years before the christian efforts to destroy an entire culture, religion and way of life.

IF your "Christmas" celebration involves "christmas" trees, wreaths, gift giving, stockings hung by the chimney, etc., then NO, it ISN'T a "christian" holiday, it's a pagan holiday --though we share it willingly with others who choose to observe it as the cultural holiday into which it has evolved. This may include Jewish, agnostic, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, etc. neighbors. The only really offensive practices are attempting to use the holiday as another excuse to try to attack other people's religious beliefs (just like when the christian church decided to steal this holiday in the first place) or using the cover of gift giving as a sneaky ploy to try to propagandize other people's children with YOUR offensive religion. "Gift giving" with an agenda like that ISN'T about giving; it's about TAKING.

Also:

NonBelieverButGoodMoralPerson
Message #17111/14/06 03:51 PM
Christmas was about children and giving presents BEFORE it was Christian holiday. And it is has been stated here many times, Toys for Tots do not only give toys to tots on Christmas so their toys have to be non-denominational. It is simple logic, but then again, logic is not a strength of the believer. If you don't like it, move to a country that does not have religious freedom.

And I am so sorry that Christians feel so put upon in America. We non-believers do not ever force our beliefs down your throat without it being done to us first. Is there even such a thing as a non-believer doll that quotes non-scripture when you pull a string? And please post the poll that says 85 percent of America believes in Jesus. I would like to see that.

Please study history and realize Christmas (the holiday celebrated on or around the 25th of December) is older than Christianity. Christians hijacked it just like they hijacked so many other customs of the pagans.

With respect to the fact that these so-called Christians are forgetting that they live in a society that has dictated that all children must get gifts for Christmas, they are not thinking about the kid. Until gift giving is abolished (which it never will be), the kids do not understand why they are the only ones in their school who did not get a Christmas present. The adoption of the pagan ritual of giving gifts on this day has pretty much backfired and gone against everything that Jesus allegedly stood for. It is now all about materialism for children.

Watch any kid on Christmas morning opening their gifts. They will focus on one or two toys and barely glance at that hand-made scarf that their grandmother lovingly knitted for them. Christmas for kids is all about being selfish.

So, until Christians do something about that part of this adopted holiday, they really do not have any leg to stand on.

Another post of interest is:

Mrs. Chicago
Message #17011/14/06 03:51 PM
I've read everyone's comments. OK, Christmas is a Christian holiday but that isn't important to most small children. All faiths try to make that part of the year a pleasure for their children. As adults, we seem to be in the business of taking away every bit of a child's childhood. With the schedules we put them on and the way we work, kids often come second to what we want. The Marines have given toys to children for years regardless of their religious orientation. They don't need to start siding with any religion or politically correct group. Give the dolls to some of the many intercity churches who can distribute them at an annual Christmas party. If they had refused a doll that quoted the Qur'an, would some of you be applauding them? What about two "Bill & Bill" dolls? The list could go on and on. Can't have it both ways people. Our nation allows religious freedom, but religious indoctrination by using small unsuspecting children. That's another issue. Oh, by the way I am a very religous Catholic mother.

Mrs. Chicago does a good job of pointing out the hypocrisy of this whole outrage.

Don't Hate Us

So now that the election is over, I have seen many conservatives berate the voters and announce that the terrorists are coming because they did not vote Republican. Being the hot-head that I am, I’d immediately jump on the defensive side and fire a couple of insults right back.

Deep down however, I know the only way to heal the nation is to do the “Jesus” thing (to put it in a religious context) and take the high road; in other words, to forgive. Now, we all know that I am just a simple male from the Homo sapiens species with way too much testosterone in my system. As a result, forgiveness of the vitriol that spews from their mouths does not come easy.

I think the following Letter to the Editor of the Seattle Times does a good job of trying to put the conservatives vs. liberals fight in perspective.

Our American cousins

Dear Republican letter writers:

Please take a deep breath, calm down, and try to get control of yourselves. I'm beginning to wonder if some of you aren't coming by my home anytime soon to lynch me for being too liberal, not conservative enough, or for voting pro-terrorist.

You know, a lot of people can have similar goals and dreams but have different ideas about how to accomplish them. Having a different plan doesn't automatically make you the enemy.

I'd be willing to bet that many of your co-workers — those who wait on you in restaurants, ring up your groceries, operate on your spleen and who just recently gave candy to your children while warmly admiring their costumes — are liberals: actual real people who live in your neighborhoods and walk your sidewalks and pay their taxes and abide the same laws as you.

They don't hate America any more than you do. They don't love terrorists any more than you do. They love their children and cherish their futures. They want safe schools, clean air and water, secure borders and a strong economy. They want to be happy and they want the same for their neighbors.

Now can all of this please be considered before jumping to the conclusion that anyone who didn't vote for your guy or gal is evil and must be destroyed? Please, before you hurt yourselves.

— David Brown, Seattle

Definitely Gay

LOL!

If God had wanted you to have ...

Perfect! This Letter to the Editor of the Seattle Times:

The all-seeing

Your Hubble servant

As a God-fearing fundamentalist Christian, I am outraged by NASA's blasphemous decision to fix the instrument of the Devil known as the Hubble Space Telescope ["NASA says repairs on Hubble are a go," News, Nov. 1].

And to the tune of $900 million, no less. Do they have any idea how many Bibles that money would buy?

If the good Lord had seen fit for us to study outer space, he would have given us the ability to build rocket ships and telescopes and computers and ... um ... er ...

Never mind.

— Dave Richards, Bainbridge Island

Hypocrisy in America Defined

Here is an interesting article that puts into words what I have tired to figure out for a long time. It actually makes me look at the whole antigay sentiment in America in a whole new light.

I have an uncle who, when Oregon was trying pass some antigay legislation 10 years ago, was extremely outspoken against gays. This got so bad that my mother actually outed me to him to shut him up and get him thinking about what he was saying.

I think I now understand my uncle (not that I can forgive him because, after all, I am only human). Of course, this is the same uncle who was all about sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll in the first part of his life. He was a drummer in a rock band and has had two children (two different women) out of wedlock. Later in life, he found "religion." It makes sense that he would project his displeasure with his own past onto others to make himself feel all high-and-mighty.

Anyway, the full article is here.

Haggard, Foley and GOP Preach Against the Vices They Can't Shake

Are all homophobic Republicans secretly gay? The leaders of the party with a penchant for condemning others would do well to look inward. It's time to call them on their hypocrisy.

...

For answers to the puzzles that seem to infest the conservative worldview, we might dust off our old Freud texts. From the father of psychoanalysis, we learn the concept of "reaction formation" which describes how we react to our own unacceptable impulses. Reaction formation is a classic "defense mechanism" -- an unconscious behavior designed to ward off uncomfortable feelings. Sometimes we react to our discomfort with ourselves in harmless ways, such as when a man cheats on his wife and brings her flowers to ease his guilt. Other times, the reactions can be punitive-we judge and condemn others who exhibit the very impulses that we, ourselves, cannot control. This is frequently the case when dealing with lust or greed.

...

What is the solution to this misplaced effort to restrict others' behavior? For Freud, it was therapy. But more broadly, it's a dose of introspection, an ability to look inward, and to shift focus from others' behavior to our own. If hypocrisy in American political life is, in part, a symptom of inadequate introspection, if our fear that we can't control ourselves leads to an unconscious effort to control others, we'll continue to reach for a magnifying glass when what we really need is a mirror.

Republicans have no monopoly on hypocrisy. Most of us are guilty, at one time or another, of vocally denouncing something we ourselves have done, of shifting focus away from our own foibles by hoisting them onto others.

...

-Nathaniel Frank

Notice that I included that last paragraph to make the point that we all are hypocritical about something; I know I am. ... unless, of course, "it depends on what the meaning of 'is' is."

Check Mate.

Fiscal Lesson

Here's a bit of true Family Values for ya. I think it's definitely a great thing that we are teaching our children the value of money. And what better way than to start them off in life deep in debt. I've always thought that immersion was the best way to learn.

God bless America and the tax-and-spend and tax-cut-and-spend parties!

This has so inspired me that I thought I'd add a debt clock to the Blog so everyone can see how great we, as a nation, are. Bow before our unlimited credit limit!

Christian right driving wedge into U.S.

I couldn't agree more with John Danforth (as summarized by Joel Connelly of the Seattle PI).

...The Christian right has virtually taken command of one major political party, ruthlessly uses "wedge" issues, and often demeans those who dare disagree with it.

Liberal punditry? Nope. Such are the conclusions of John Danforth, an Episcopal priest, abortion opponent and former three-term Republican senator from Missouri...

"...Followers of the Rev. Jerry Falwell have distributed a bumper sticker bearing the slogan 'Vote Christian,' thereby conveying the clear message that there is a Christian way to vote, as opposed to a non-Christian or anti-Christian way to vote," Danforth writes.

Nor, he argues, does the religious right do the Lord's work...

I see little of the proverbial "Lord's work" being done in religion and politics. In fact, from a strict biblical standpoint, I only see "Satan's work" being done. There is more "hate the sinner" than "hate the sin," and a very large amount of “judging of one another” going on.

...Christian right groups, in our state and elsewhere, sent out propaganda and recruited foot soldiers for the campaign of personal denigration directed at state Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerry Alexander in this year's primary election.

Danforth does not see such tactics as compatible with what he reads in the Gospels as well as the letters of St. Paul.

"When politics evolves into character assassination, all Christians should speak out against personal destruction," he writes. "We may never agree on the issues, but we should all agree that in America, the pursuit of a political cause does not warrant the intentional destruction of a fellow human."

Many so-called Christians see that politics is something to be avoided and refuse to speak out against it. In my opinion, that is a great "sin." Just as in the parable of the Good Samaritan, those who walk by and do not help are just as bad as those who cause the problem.

Jesus called upon his followers to help those who cannot help themselves. Equal treatment for minorities of race, sex, and sexual orientation as "God's children" are all demanded by Jesus to be protected from the mob of the majority. Yet, most in control of this country today (including many religious leaders) turn their back on their god and follow the desires of their devil. For shame.

Danforth sounds a note familiar from this year's U.S. Senate campaign here. He blames wedge issues for Americans' inability to unite and solve their country's urgent problems.

"When they divide America between 'people of faith' and their 'enemies,' Christians become not the means of peace but the cause of conflict," he argues. "They are powerful contributors to what has gone wrong in American politics."

The downfall of many civilizations in history has one thing in common, the conversion to a different religion. I now understand why. Apparently, many religions use the tactic of divide and conquer and in the case of the United States, Christianity is filling that role quite nicely. Unfortunately, this sounds more like the wishes of the biblical Satan than the biblical God.

If the biblical heaven is real, I don’t think very many people will make it there. Unfortunately, that means that I’ll have to share the biblical hell with the likes of the Rev. Jerry Falwell, George W Bush, Karl Rove, all those hypocritical and judgmental Christians, and every single Jihadist looking for their virgins. That will sure make hell not a very fun place.

Falwell calls comment ‘tongue-in-cheek’

So Rev. Jerry Falwell has followed his heart again I see.

“I certainly hope that Hillary is the candidate,” Falwell said at a breakfast session Friday in Washington. “I hope she’s the candidate, because nothing will energize my (constituency) like Hillary Clinton,” he said. “If Lucifer ran, he wouldn’t.”

With followers of Christ acting like this, who needs Satan? What is even scarier is that no so-called religious leader there raised concern about the comments.

"Falwell told the AP that he did not intend to demonize the former first lady. “That was totally tongue-in-cheek and everyone in the building knew that and everyone laughed,” Falwell said."

I wonder if the "tongue-in-cheek" alibi would work if El Presidente Bush commented in jest about nuking the Middle East back to the Stone Age because of all those crazy Muslims running around there. “It’s just a harmless joke! Get over it! Of course we will only use conventional weapons to bomb them back to that Age.”

Letter to the Editor - The Seattle Times

Letters to the editor

The unholy spirit

In no way am I a religious man; agnostic perhaps, but not religious. The following statements aren't biased by religious affiliation in any way:

In regard to Muslims around the world expressing outrage at remarks made by the pope, I say if you can't get over the fact that many, many people see your religion as not only governed by the sword, but as represented (and taken over) by a bunch of psychotic zealots with no regard for life and certainly no foundation in reality, then y'all have more problems than I had initially envisioned.

I'm not a fan of Christianity either (see gay marriage, pro-lifers, an equally foundation-less base in reality, and that whole Inquisition thing), but I don't remember the last time I heard of one of them (or a Hindu, or Buddhist, etc.) strapping a bomb to themselves with the intent of blowing up innocent children.

You don't get special treatment just because you think your way is right, and certainly not when it comes to me chastising you for your distorted perception of your religion.

You don't like many people's views of you? Stop it at the source (see above zealots).

— Derek Einhaus, Seattle

Now I have to say that I agree 90% with Derek. I found myself falling into the old "they are just misunderstood" line, but really, as with most religions, Muslims are just as wrong. However, the comment about non-Muslims not “strapping a bomb to themselves with the intent of blowing up innocent children” is not entirely accurate.

First, I doubt the Muslim zealot’s intent is to specifically blow up children (no more than it’s our military’s intent to blow up children in the Iraq). Second, while Christians are much more chicken where it comes to laying down their life for their god, they still blow things up; they just don’t stick around for the explosion. Anyone remember the abortion clinic bombings, the Oklahoma City bombing?

Another letter of interest:

What you loose on Earth

Referencing "Rare personal apology from Pope over words that offended Muslims" [page one, Sept. 18], it is ironic that the pope didn't quote the Byzantines regarding the absolute savagery with which the Western Crusaders (sent to war by Pope Innocent III) treated Byzantine citizens (fellow Christians!) and their cities during the Fourth Crusade in 1204:

"Indecency was perpetrated ... They slaughtered the new-born, killed matrons, stripped elder women and outraged older ladies. They tortured the monks, thrashing and rending their bodies with whips. Mortal blood was spilled on holy altars, and on each, many were dragged like sheep and beheaded, and on the holy tombs, the wretched slew the innocent." — Nicholas Mesaites, witness to the sack of Constantinople by the Crusaders.

Isn't it time we stopped using religion as justification for our political actions? There is more than enough blame to go around. And that President Bush even mentioned a new "crusade" in the Middle East is an absolute outrage!

— Scott Zema, Woodinville

Yeah, funny how everyone loves to conveniently forget the past. And, as the old saying goes, those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. I think our Fool-in-Chief is the poster child for that leason.