Hooray! Emilie finally blogged!

Hi Emilie---That's a great picture of you at the Obama rally. It looks like your man is going to be elected so I'm trying to think positively about the changes that will probably take place in our country. It's great to be back in Florida with sister Constance, Billy and Loic. Unfortunately, the last three days have broken all-time records for the coldest it has ever been in October. Have a safe and spooky Halloween!

Emilie now blogging!!

Hello all of my dear importants!! For some reason I have been waiting to have a large chunk of time to post all kinds of important long winded stuff, but that means.... (don't hold your breath) I never end up posting anything!! So I am now committed to posting short little spurts that will keep you all a bit updated on my life. 

So, my first post will be about the Obama rally that I attended in Denver yesterday. Over 100,000 people are reported to have been present. It was a beautiful fall day and exhilarating to feel like a part of history! If you look at the photo, I had my back to the beige obelisk that is directly in front of the capital building in the back ground. Don't you see me? For a number of reasons I am very excited to vote for Obama. My mail in ballot will be going out today. I hope that each and every one of my dear Importants who are voting age will be exercising this right! I hope to have time soon to explain my reasoning in the decision that I have made for who I would like to be our next president. 

Big kisses to all!

Emilie 

Why I can't vote for Obama.

Vivian, I cannot vote for Obama, my final decision was made a couple of weeks ago when Obama was talking about his tax policy. When asked why he would implement a tax policy that may or may not raise gov't revenue Obama responded..."Well first off, I'd have to disagree about it not raising revenue...but even so...what's wrong with using gov't policy to help out the little guy? What's wrong with taking money from someone like you or me...when we have more than we will ever need...and giving it to someone else who can barely get along?" This was more or less Obama's argument...THIS IS INSANE!!! AND DANGEROUS!!! I will be very wealthy someday...and it is quite possible that I will be making 6-7 figures 5 years from now. I understand that this is in large part due to my blessings and life circumstances...but it is ALSO due to my hard work...It is WRONG for a politician to think that he has a better ability to decide who gets my money than I do. I am a philanthropist at heart and will always put my money where my mouth is on that point...but I want to be the one to decide where it goes. Besides...I see what the average person is like...let me describe him for you...during his highschool/college years he will get drunk 3-4 times per week, he is lazy, disrespectful, and NEVER sacrifices the present for the future. I do NOT want a president helping some Shmuck who never paid attention in class and spent (and for the most part will spend throughout the duration of his life) every Friday night killing brain cells to have a great life with my money when I was sitting right next to the shmuck working very hard and doing my best to ensure that a bright future awaited my arrival.

-Ben

News Updated on Me (Laura)

Hi everybody!
So i am now in the eigth week of school, and at the five week mark I get my first report card. I am currently taking all AP courses possible and anyother advanced course available; my grades were all between 95-100 except for AP World History which was a 91-94 and trigonometry which was a 94.
Besides continuing in my academics I have been playing number one singles on my tennis team this season. I am now playing doubles with Kacie Strong in individual sectionals. We have won our first few matches so only need to win a few more matches before we get to states, if we do! Our next match is this friday and is against Sutherland, one of the toughest teams out here.
One more thing: This past week was homecoming week for my school. At our school we have a homecoming Prince and Princess for each grade, and then for seniors have a homecoming Queen and King as well. To win one of these "positions" you have to win the vote. I happen to be the homecoming Princess for my grade this year (1oth).
I love you all and am hoping to see everyone this Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Laura.

Update on the Goings on of Ben, Reid, John, and I

Did anyone catch that? Who is this 'I' creature? Who dares join the esoteric ranks of the three whose names hold such power? I'll tell you who the I is...A Man's man...a Lady's man...a Man around Town...But at the same time...not. Let's...just for now...call him...I. Here is what I has to say.

The game of the foot was fierce, finally forcing through four terrific mind-blowing attacks. The enemy returned but one, and it was quickly forgot.

Reid and Ben both found themselves in a large dome...fighting against the opposite sex...both prevailed handsomely. This was a battle of racket and concentrated fuzz...

Another interlude begins today at 3...will they prevail? The enemy is unknown...but the way of war is not.

Basically ben and reid owned two girls in intramural tennis...and we won our soccer game 4-1, and have another at 3.

Sad Week

We had a very sad week this past week. Most of you may have already heard about it. Our friend Matt who worked with us for 7 years died in a skiing accident. Dominique and our neighbor Lee were my heroes in the incident. They woke at 3:45 a.m. to go looking for him, and find him they did. They spent the whole day with the park service and with Matt's girlfriend Loni, who is devastated. This is a blog about Matt that I thought was pretty nice by someone who had biked with him just a few days before: http://www.steve-z.com/2008/10/03/my-last-ride-with-matt-chesaux/

I think I agree with Reid on this. We're never obligated to answer a question, if we think answering truthfully will be detrimental. We can always change the subject (just witness Sarah Palin in Thursday's debate!). I think the mother would be best off telling her child all the true things that matter, i.e. I love you, I'm staying right here with you, you're going to feel better in a minute, everything is going to be allright (which at the scale of eternity is must be true), let's close our eyes and imagine .... whatever, etc. I agree with Reid that telling something that is false, even for a good motive, creates a kind of barrier between people which is too bad. This said, I know it is not always easy to find in the pressure of the moment the right true thing to say which is also diplomatic and definitely beneficial!

Vivian

Just a thought...

In my short time upon this earth, I have found it is not always beneficial to tell the truth, however, I have also found it has never been beneficial to lie. Granted, some things are best left unsaid, but every instance I've been in where a lie has been used "positively," encouragement, silence, or some other form of passive support could have been used just as effectively if not more so.

The truth rarely comes back to bite you in the @$$, lies do often. Telling lies decreases one's trust in others and vice-versa (Esteem), trust in oneself (Self-Esteem), and creates an environment of deciet (which I've never known to be positive). The play, "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams, would be a good read for the author of "A Case for Lying." Blanche shares your sentiments and comes to an interesting fate.

Much love to all, Reid.

OMG OMG OMG....like BIIIZZZYYYY!!!

Monday - Taekwondo/Tennis
Tuesday - Taekwondo/Tennis
Wednesday - Break
Thursday - Taekwondo/Rock climbing
Friday - Taekwondo
Saturday - Soccer
Sunday - Soccer/Rock climbing

So this is Reid, John and My schedule so far. Only one of those tennis matches is mine, the other is Reid's, and John is not playing tennis this season (he likes doubles and unfortunately they only offer singles matches). We have gone rock climbing 2 times this week and are going to try and keep it a twice a week thing. Soccer/Tennis/Taekwondo are not alterable, so they are set in stone and we fit in rock climbing whenever we aren't dead tired. Yesterday was our first soccer game for the intramural season. We got romped, 5 - 0. We are on a great team with a bunch of fun players, but we have some girls who aren't quite fast enough to be useful and that hurt. The other team was also much more organized and had been playing together for a while, we are just a "free agent" team. This means that we are the collection of all random players who haven't found a team on which to play. However, today those three girls were absent (although it wouldn't have mattered much today) and we kicked BU**. Roughly 8-0, but we stopped keeping score. I even had a sweet Bicycle kick assist (Admittedly, I was shooting, but I missed and one of our players was right there to blast it in). John had a great game (although he is still in awful shape), and Reid was at home studying hard. We'll make a new post and keep everyone updated with regards to our exploits.

Adios,
Ben

Whoever wrote "A Case for Lying" must be a dirty, rotten scoundrel, to say nothing of a lying wac-a-da-fratz!

A Case for Lying.

I have been wanting to write this paper for quite some time, but hadn't until now found enough inspiration. I have been inspired lately in particular due to the onerous campaigns being run by our two wonderful presidential candidates, but to be fair, basically any and all politicians. This is just the beginning...

Lie: a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; and intentional untruth; a falsehood.

Lying has long been a centerfold of conflict and destruction. In fact, so much trouble has lying caused that it is presented as an art of the Devil, and has found its way in to many a religious verse. “Though shalt not bear false witness against they neighbor” (Exodus 20:16, the eighth Commandment). “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.” (Leviticus 19:11) The Koran too strongly attacks the act of lying (2:283; 24:7), and in fact goes so far as to require good Muslims to speak the truth even if it goes against themselves or their own family (4:135). Does this mean that in order to be religious, you have to believe that lying is unequivocally a horrible act? The author would say not. In fact, he would go so far as to say that many times, lying is the moral thing to do. A story is needed:

A young child with a terminal illness has been given one day to live. The child is currently lying in a bed, happy, but full of drugs to keep away the pain. The drugs begin to wear off, the mother wants to say goodbye to a lucid child. As the boy's pain begins to manifest itself he puts on a brave face, he knows something is not right with him, he knows he is different from other boys his age, but he doesn't want his mother to cry, and he does not know that he will be dying today. The boy's pain deepens, and the doctors alert the mother that he will need to be placed back on the drip in the next 5 minutes or he will be in torturous discomfort. The mother, with tears in her eyes looks at her child, tells him she loves him, and gives him a great big hug. The boy, sensing her desperation, and finding her tears different from past times asks the mother a question...”Mommy, why are you crying?”

How should the mother respond? “Honey, after you go under the morphine again you are going to die, and that makes Mommy sad.” or “Mommy is crying because she isn't going to get to see her baby anymore” or even, “I can't tell you why I'm crying sweetheart”. The author thinks not. Would this not be the ideal response? “O baby, I am just thinking of all the fun we are going to have when we get you out of this hospital playing GI Joes, I get to be Snake next time.” The boy smiles, he is placed back under the drip, as he slips into a drug induced pre-death coma he is happy, dreaming of his Mother's beautiful face and GI Joes.

If the reader happens to believe that it would have been better for the mother to respond to the child in one of the three preceding ways then he would hope that the reader fails in any attempt to have children, or, if the reader does have children, that he or she should be struck mute from this point until death. One may respond to this analogy by calling it extreme, the one in a million case for which nothing else should be based, or the one time where God may forgive you. However, it presents an idea that applies not only in this situation, but in many more.

For the rest of this argument, it will be assumed that ALL lies have a “sinful” element to them, and that they are inherently wrong. This will do away with any argument against the author stating that there is simply a difference in beliefs about what constitutes lying, and whether or not it is right or wrong.

Why would it be appropriate in this situation, for the mother to lie to her child? The author believes that this situation allows for such action because the welfare of the child is at stake. The mother may incur some sort of penalty for her lie, whether it be a stained conscience, penance, or punishment directly from God. It may be possible that in certain religions a person may believe that there is no possible avenue through which one could receive grace after knowingly committing such a sin. In this case, particularly if the punishment for lying was eternal torture, the author believes it would be reasonable for the mother to tell her son the truth, even though it would pain him greatly in his final moments, because her eternal life is worth more than 5 minutes of peace for her son. However, such beliefs are few and far between, if they even exist. In ANY other belief system not so extreme, the author believes that there would always be an opportunity afforded those who believe such a lie to be wrong, to repent. Immediately following the child's death a prayer can be said, and with that the matter is over. Or, whatever the respective religion calls for. Therefore what would be balanced on both sides of the scale would be the child's welfare, or the momentary state of sin in which the mother will find herself. Most religions, however, imply in no way that one single lie makes or breaks anything significant for any person. In general, it is the act of “being a liar” that is despised. After all, avoiding sin is impossible, and lying is just a sin.

Does this then mean that any act of lying is no longer a question of right or wrong, but...more right? or...more wrong? The author believes so. In any situation life brings that spawns a bifurcation of morality, it would seem that what needs to transpire is a weighing of both the benefits and consequences of the issue at hand.

From this point, it is important to note that the rest of this argument will in no way be dependent on the method by which a situation involving a moral dilemma is considered. Naturally, it is a combination of beliefs, circumstances, heritage, upbringing, personal history, etc. that creates an individual's system by which he or she measures any given circumstance. The author simply wishes to contend that there are NO ABSOLUTES, and to think otherwise would be sentencing that poor child to the most terrifying experience known to man, right before his death.