Saturday, November 12, 2005

Culbreath Goes into Hibernation - again

He's worried about his memory, which seems to be fragmenting on him, and which he attributes to too much internet use and electronic correspondence.

It ain't that, Jeff. It's age. So you couldn't remember some gal's name. I used to remember students' names from five years back. Now I can't remember them from one class to the next. The other possible explanations are one of three: (1)you're too stressed out by the things of this world; (2)premature dementia is setting in; (3)you're too preoccupied by things not of this world. Only number 2 is incurable, and only 1 might be attributed to a lack of faith.

You can try the Holy Father's cure, but, if that doesn't work, try mine: drink lots of German beer, British ale, and the occasional Guiness. They help me forget that I have a bad memory.

Still, mistakenly believing that too much internet use and electronic correspondence is objectively bad for you, he has turned off comments. Well, my comment on that is: that sucks. Now the only way to communicate with him (for most of you) is by email, and he ain't going to be too swift at that since it sounds like "electronic correspondence" to me.

My comment on your Californians-vote-against-parental notification-for-minors-seeking-abortion is that your thoughts are right on the money, though, if you had comments turned on, I'd have further noted that there's a sad sort of poetic justice in watching a pro-choice governor who wouldn't want his daughter getting one having to confront his own hypocrisy.

My comment on your bad memory post is that, sorry, but for now I'm sticking with the beer cure, but if you'll pray for me I'll probably get around to the Pope's in due course. If I can remember what it was.

Any others of you who want to comment on Jeff's posts can do it here. Feel free to use the comments boxes, or email and I'll post them. I'll do my best Jeff Culbreath impression. (He has a great speaking voice but, unfortunately, you won't be able to hear it.)

Meanwhile, he plans on posting "one to five times per month. Or thereabouts..." And my comment on that is: that sucks too.

Maybe what I'll do is post links to whatever he does post and hope readers comment here, further hoping that he won't be able to stay away.

14 comments:

Iosue Andreas Sartorius said...

I agree. Jeff's hibernation sucks.

I'd like to know the parent/non-parent breakdown of the vote against Prop 73.

If California is going to insist on this ridiculous direct democracy, shouldn't only those affected by the measure, i.e. parents of daughters, have been allowed to vote?

Anonymous said...

But any proposition that became law would affect future parents and their daughters as well, whom we would wish to protect. That's the nature of direct democracy - everyone gets to vote on everything. As awful as it sometimes seems, it's not as bad as the alternative. For example, if you had been a citizen of Texas not long ago, you'd have had the dubious pleasure of watching your duly elected legislators gelded by the Supreme Court when they overturned Lawrence vs. Texas, the anti-sodomy law. Part of the rationale was that the two fellows were engaged in a purely private and consensual behavior, for which they were due the public's respect, no matter what you thought of it. By your logic, you (the people) should not have a say in such deteminations, for the reason that it is not clear how such behavior affects you. But we know, of course, these laws and court rulings have a cultural ripple effect, which I have gone into elsewhere. At least with direct democracy you know where your fellow citizens stand; when judgement is handed down from on high, or only the few are allowed to participate, you don't.

Now I doubt Mr. Culbreath could have given any more thorough an answer, but perhaps he'll stop by and set me straight.

Anonymous said...

Gosh, this is terrible, having to disagree with both of you.

Direct democracy in a normal, healthy, Christian society is bad, bad, bad. Mankind is hierarchical in nature and is not created for "self governance".

However, in these perverted times in which our elites are anything but Christian, direct democracy is sometimes (not always) a safeguard for the common man against the revolutionary schemes of our fraudulently elected representatives.

Hence, I favor California's direct intiative process so long as the current upside-down situation persists.

The question remains as to whether direct democracy, in itself, helps perpetuate the problem. My answer: I don't know. But I do think we ought to use the system if we can win with it.

Bill, thanks for words that I can only regard as something of a backhanded compliment.

By reducing my time online I should be able to read chapter 3 this week. Please send chapter 4 ASAP.

(And Joshua, if you haven't already, get on Bill's subscription list.)

Iosue Andreas Sartorius said...

Jeff, it's good to hear from you. Enjoy your blogfast; we'll miss you.

And yes, Mr. Luse, how do I go about getting on your subscription list?

Anonymous said...

Gosh, Jeff, those are hard words about our democratic system. Haven't you heard? We're the light of the world. Your extended thoughts on the matter would make for a wonderful post. Looking forward to it. I'm not going to argue with you. I'd rather hear from someone like Paul Cella, who, unlike me, actually bothers to think about such things.

Joshua - kind of put you on the spot, didn't he? He's referring to chapters of a novel I'm revising. The catch is, those who are receiving it have promised to buy it when it's done for a paltry 20 bucks or thereabouts. If receiving it electronically is satisfactory, fine, but I've also promised to send it in some kind of printed form to those who so desire. I await your decision.

Iosue Andreas Sartorius said...

I would love to read it. Electronically sent is fine, and I would be most happy to buy the final product. Thanks.

William Luse said...

I'll send the first 4 chapters all at once so's you can catch up with everyone else. If it turns out you don't like it - more of a labor to read it than fun - you can always change your mind. I'm not cruel.

TS said...

Hi-larious post. I'm chagrined I missed the fat pitch Jeff unwittingly supplied. Here he threw one easy, right over the plate, and you wrote the post I could've written had I thought of it. Must've been all the electronic communication having its deleterious effect.

I like your beer cure--if it came in a bottle, everybody would use that. Oh, yeah, I forgot, it does come in a bottle. Well, as someone once said, I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!

I find my desire for direct democracy is directly proportional to how closely voting results track my own.

Bill please send me the next chapters in the saga. I have already promised $20 or more upon your finishing it.

I think I've covered all the bases here. If I've forgotten something let me know.

William Luse said...

No, that pretty well covers it. I share your attitude toward direct democracy because it precisely tracks with my own.

Anonymous said...

Michael Brendan Dougherty said...
Nailed it.

It sucks.

When he mentioned his unique hit count the other day and it was larger than mine I realized how much more valuable his words are then mine -and how my cheap stunts (like writing about gorgeous celebrities) don't attract hits like - you know - Cullbreath's incredible observations.

9:35 PM, November 13, 2005

Jim Curley said...

I especially don't like the comment box thing. (He's not good at answering emails, so without the comment box, how does one get in touch with him?)

William Luse said...

I'm thinking of giving readers his phone number.

TS said...

His memory certainly ought to be sharp by now. A regular Kreskin.

William Luse said...

:~)