Cross my heart and hope to die.

Okay. I liked my blog entry over at Roland's Ramblings so much that I have decided to duplicate it here. It is as follows:

It can be extremely difficult to cross the desert. Some people (quite a few actually) have died in their attempts to cross the various deserts of the world.

In a different light, there are crosses that have been erected to memorialize persons who have died.

There is a cross in the desert that has caused some debate in United States constitutional law and in political correctness: it also demonstrates the exisience of religous intolerance by way of not understanding or respecting the beliefs of religions other than Christianity. The cross of which I reference is in the Mojave Desert.

Snopes has checked out all the rumors and has found them to be true about the Mojave Cross.

The Telegraph of the United Kingdom has the story Mojave Cross memorial to WWI dead 'violates first amendment' abot the cross.

You might want to read the CNN story Justices weigh constitutionality of war memorial cross.

And, from the web site of National Public Radio you may listen to as well as read the story High Court Weighs Legality Of Memorial Cross.

It seems to me that many American Christians claim that they are not prejudice, that they do not discriminate, and that they are truly tolerant of other religions. And yet, they believe it is perfectly proper for the public display and government support of their religious beliefs while at the same time voicing strong displeasure and disapproval of any similar governmental actions that do likewise for Islam, Judaism, Druidism, Bhuddism, Tsaoism, Hinduism, Satanism, or other non-Christian religions. How many American Christians can honestly and truthfully disavow such prejudices? To them I say, stand up, be counted, shout it out, and say "cross my heart, hope to die" if that isn't really the case.

Joe McNamara Press Release becomes a Debate between Dale Pertcheck and Lisa Renee Ward on Term Limits

I find it rather interesting that a press release by Toledo city councilman Joe McNamara announcing his candidacy for the Ohio State Senate became a two person debate between Dale Pertcheck and Lisa Renee Ward concerning term limits.

Take a look see at McNamara makes it official on Senate run... to see and read that of which I address.

It is yet just one more example of how one topic on a blog can become hijacked by one individual into becoming something entirely different than the original posted topic and then also become monopolized. It also is another example of how a blog can receive high ratings that are the result of many hits and comments, but the numbers are really misleading because the many hits and comments are really from a few people. Regardless, it seems to me that such discussions are more appropriate on electonic bulletin boards with message threads concerning the specific topic under discussion.

I have commented many times previously on the topic of hijacking on blogs. Click on my previously written words "trying to divert and hijack the topic of my commentary" for just one example of that to which I allude and reference.

Toledo Ohio to be Rolling in Dough, per Mayor Mike Bell Ringer

Apparently the Mayor of Toledo, Mike Bell, is also a bell ringer and wants the city to be rolling in the dough as I intrepet his actions proposing a major tax increase and providing huge raises in city administrator salaries.

I wonder how Toledoans feel about all this.

Come to think of it, in that I am a retired public administrator and possess a Master in Public Administration, maybe I should return to the workforce. I wonder if Mayor Mike Bell (Ringer) would hire me.