Etymology of Caucasian

I have often remarked upon being referred to as a Caucasian, where exactly is Caucasia. Tonight, when recalling a pair of stories from my day, the term came up and this time rather than just query as to the location of Caucasia, I sought to get actual answers to this conundrum. So I pulled out a copy of 1828 edition of Webster's Dictionary (a wonderful gift from my church last Christmas), to look up Caucasian and here is what I found: "Pertaining to Mount Caucasus in Asia." Now I was really confused. Was I to understand that for all this time I was being called Asian? That could not be. So, I then pulled out the 1997 Random House Webster's College Dictionary to see what it contained that would help me to understand what was shaping up to be a rather humorous quest for knowledge. There I found the following:

1) of, designating, of characteristic of one of the traditional racial divisions of humankind, marked by fair to dark skin, straight to curly hair, and light to very dark eyes and orig. inhabiting Europe, parts of North Africa, W Asia, and India.

Let me get this straight. By this definition a Caucasian no longer has to be from Caucasia or Caucasus, but is only identifiable by having skin, hair, and eyes? This definition, really failed to define much of anything. "Fair to dark skin" does leave much out other than the people without skin.

Wanting to understand further I set about looking about the internet for more answers. There I discovered the in Europe "Caucasian" is still reserved for people actually from the Caucasus Mountains and not just the general term for white people as it is used in the U.S.

So when I am referred to as Caucasian, where are they saying I am from? A mountain range between the Black and Caspian seas along the border between Russia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. That's good to know, I thought I was just German.

Cop Shows

I am not a big fan of cop shows. I don't watch and of the Law and Order or CSI shows. I don't even watch Reno 911. Recently, however, I have gotten hooked on two cop shows. The first was something I heard about while on my vacation to the British Isles. Life on Mars is about Sam Tyler, a British copper who after being struck by a car finds himself back in 1973. The combination of dry British humor and kitschy throw back styling won me over immediately. The interplay between Sam and his modern police procedures and his boss, who communicates more with his fists than his head, moves the story along as Sam tries to figure out just why he finds himself in 1973.

The second of the shows is both geographically and conceptually worlds apart, yet with striking similarities. Jack Carter finds himself just as much out of place as Sam Tyler does, only Jack does not have to leave 2006 to do so. Instead he finds himself in Eureka a city created proposed by Albert Einstein and run by the government, where the best and brightest scientific minds ply their craft building the weapons of the future and creating more than a few odd crimes and mysteries for Jack, a U.S. Marshal turned sheriff, to solve. In a sort of Columbo-esque sort of way, Carter seems to bungle his way through his investigations, revealing moments of brilliance that impress some of the resident minds and antagonizes others.

Both show are enjoyable fun and worth checking out.

Rules for the Rally Monkey

At the risk of sounding like some sort of grumpy old dude, I feel compelled to offer a set of rules for your consideration for the Angels use of the Rally Monkey. While at the 4-3 Angels win over Boston last night, I was troubled by the seemingly random appearance of the monkey immediately following the 7th inning stretch. No warning, no build up, just a monkey. So with that in mind here are my rules for the use of the Rally Monkey.

1) The monkey is not allowed out of his cage until at least the 7th inning.
2) The monkey is not to appear before action has begun in the inning in which the appearance is to be made.
3) If a clever movie trailer parody is going to be used, do not, do not, do not let the monkey be seen prior to that trailer being shown.
4) Always punch the music from the beginning of the use of the Rally Monkey.
5) Do not show an older lady with a stuffed monkey after the showing of the trailer, that is what the hot younger chicks are for.

So far I just have 5 simple rules that will help us all enjoy the craziness that is the Rally Monkey.

Could House be a real doctor?

Take a look at this article found on Fark and see for yourself if in fact there might really be a Dr. House.
http://www.channel3000.com/health/9481779/detail.html

"The great thing is to be always reading but not to get bored - treat it not like work, more as a vice! Your book bill ought to be your biggest extravagance." - C.S. Lewis

Fun with Family

As if your own family growing up is not enough to make you start twitching, when you get married you have to learn to contend with a whole new set of people and norms that are just about as foreign to you as they can be. Take for example the unlikely traveling companions that I was with last week. I was returning from Phoenix after having spent a few days there after my father-in-law injured himself in a motorcycle accident (this is not the topic of this blog, but he is fine you can go to Maloof's Casino if you want more details on how he is doing. I was picked up at the airport by my father-in-laws first wife, Virginia. Along with me was her son's wife, Monika, and his current wife's daughter, Jill. Andrea comes from his second wife, thus having me round out the set of one person connected to the family from each of his marriages. And yet here we all are in one car, pitching in as a family should. Virginia gave me a huge hug when I was leaving to take Jill back home from Monika and Brian's place. Honestly as much divorce as can be found in the Maloof clan, they seem to be able to be fairly civil about it. Family is still family, no matter who is currently married to whom. Coming from a family with no divorce this has been an interesting learning curve. I might joke about needing a chart to keep track of who in who in Andrea’s family (actually that is not a joke it is a good idea), still in the end we are all each other's family and that really is all that ends up mattering.

DaVinci Code

I got this link from my pastor today. It is to a great article on the issues raised in the DaVinci Code. The article is specifically for pastors, but the value for the average thinking Christian should be evident. http://www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=9278

Melting Pot Bowling Over

Teenagers took to the streets and freeways of Los Angeles to protest what they believe is unfair treatment of immigrants. On the surface their reaction might seem natural, but really let’s take a look at the facts. The mid-term election cycle is currently turning on what to do with the millions of illegal immigrants that have made their way into our country. The president is talking about a guest worker program, radio talk shows talk about how there are just too many people to realistically be able to handle any large scale deportations, and the American public is let struggling to put together a clear picture of what is really going on. Are people racist for wanting people to immigrate to this country legally? That seems to be the implication of the protestors’ complaints. But let’s consider the legislation that they are reacting against.

First I hear talk about the legislation proposing that being in the U.S. illegally be made a felony. So what is it now a misdemeanor? Is legal entry in to our country nothing more serious than a traffic ticket? That concerns me. Now, the Senate version of the legislation backs off on the point, but still feature tougher sanctions for employers who hire illegal immigrants and a "virtual wall" on the border. Personally I support more that just a virtual solution to the problem.

Yet still there are protests and teens out on the streets and attempting to disrupt traffic on the 405. Have we as a society collectively lost our minds? We are arguing about new legislation for a problem that already has laws to deal with it (inadequate for our current level of border insecurity, but laws none the less) that are not even being attempted to be enforced. Why should anyone worry about a new law? What are we actually going to enforce them? I mean seriously, we are arguing about whether it is fair to make criminals (the words of LA Mayor Villarigosa on Fox 11 tonight) out of people who have already broken the law to be here.

So, practically what can we, and more to the point what should we as a nation do? 1) Stop lying. If we want border enforcement and immigration laws, actually use them. 2) Assuming we do choose to remain a sovereign nation and choose for ourselves who does and does not enter this country, then yes offer a program by which the current illegal population will have a time frame in which to apply for citizenship. Have checks be done to make sure that they are productive members of society and not transplanted criminals, and then yes make them citizens. They only however. 3) Do not, do not, do not extend this privilege beyond those already here. This ought not be a way in for millions more. Finally, 4) close the border with Mexico. No "virtual wall." Put up a real one. The Mexican government will object,
but really why should that matter. They have been a minimal help dealing with the problem anyway.

You might at this point wonder where my heart is on this. Am I this mean or callous that I don't want to help my fellow man? No, I care. I have done much to demonstrate my care for people both locally and internationally. But understand that there is a difference between care and compassion and allowing the laws that protect our country from being disregarded and over run. Imagine a parent who was unwilling to enforce household rules for little Timmy. Do you think that mommy and daddy will get good behavior from Timmy? Right, they won't. Timmy will not do wrong all the time, but without a reason not to indulge in rule breaking his sinful self will just come shining through.

One final reason I will offer to help you understand my passions here is this. I do so to honor my aunt. She and her family are Mexican, but truly Mexican-American in all the best ways possible. They really are Americans first. They have not given up their Mexican identity, but rather thought the years that they have been a part of our nation, they have come to be truly melted into the fabric of our country as so many immigrants have been before. I believe that their legal immigration is insulted and dishonored by the disgraceful displays we see on the news around LA in the last two days. I support immigration, but I support the law first. That is a principle part of citizenship in this country or at least it really ought to be.

Too Long

Alright, so it is obvious that I have not been on vaation since December. Nice as that would have been, I have been in the country most of the time since then. I thought I had posted in January but that seems to have either not happened or not worked (I really cannot tell which). Anyway, I don't really know what to blog on and as you might be guessing have not for sometime. So until I have a topic to jump on take these almost topics that I passed on in the last few months while not having enough time to sit down and blog:

• Magical Mystery Tour: See the childhood sites and hear from the childhood friends now employed to give the tour.
• Its Wierd to be Home
• My Irish Diet: A pint, a sausage, and 15 miles of walking a day
  
• Out with the Old In with the Older: A commentary of the hiring of Art Shell as the new Raiders Head Coach.
• They are Cartoons People...Cartoons
• Love Monkey: Oooops
  

Let's see if the next few months produces a list like this along with actual commentary. One can only hope.