“… just because we’ve been … dealt a certain hand … it doesn’t mean that we can’t choose to rise above — to conquer the boundaries of a destiny that none of us wanted. To try and retain whatever essential humanity we can.”
– Vampire Edward Cullen in Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight.”

Twilight presents an interesting literary dilemma. What category do we place Stephenie Meyer’s successful novels of love between vampire Edward and klutzy, attractive mortal, Bella Swan, who spends most of the four-novel series pining to become undead?

For those unfamiliar with the series — “Twilight,” “New Moon,” “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn” — it involves high-schooler Bella Swan, who moves to rainy, overcast Forks, Wash., to live with her dad, Charlie, the local police chief. She becomes drawn to the hyper-beautiful Cullen clan, led by youngish doctor Carlisle. Bella develops a bond with Carlisle’s “son,” Edward, who is hesitant to act on but unable to resist their clear romantic attraction. Bella learns the clan — Edward, Carlisle, wife Emse, and couples Emmett Cullen and Rosalie Hale, and Alice Cullen and Jasper Hale — are vampires. The clan has — through self-control — shed most bloodthirsty tendencies and are “vegetarians,” meaning they consume animal blood.

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Sarah Palin’s book “Going Rogue” arrived this week and not surprisingly, most of the mainstream media greeted it with forced snark. The Associated Press assigned 11 reporters to “fact-check” the book. They came up with a few alleged “inconsistencies.” If the AP wants those reporters to really work, there’s President Obama’s previous memoirs and anything Al Gore has written on global warming.

Also, the soft, aging white intellectual male progressives who run the once-thriving Newsweek used a cover picture of Palin in tight shorts that had run in “Runners World” magazine. Why that photo — appropriate for Runners World, sexist for Newsweek — and not one of Palin on the campaign or with her family? The middle-aged liberal men at Newsweek despise Palin. They don’t quite understand why attractive, conservative, smart women upset them, but to deal with it they have to pick a photo that portrays Palin as the Betty Page-type bimbo they want readers to see  her as.

But the worst case of Palin hatred is at Current, Al Gore’s pod news network. In a satire cartoon, Palin was referred to as “Gun-ho” and a “TWILF,” which is an extremely vulgar term which reflects deep hatred for women. If Fox News did this to any liberal woman, imagine the news coverage. Of course, there’s nary a media ripple on the Current piece. Story

According to a just-released CNN poll, Americans are giving a big thumbs-down to the Obama administration’s decision to try the Sept. 11 terrorist mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed in a civilian court. Sixty four percent of us want KSM tried in a military court; only 34 percent agree with President Obama that KSM should be tried in a civilian court in New York City. Read

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A couple of years ago my oldest daughter’s accelerated fifth-grade class viewed a film version of the well-regarded novel, “The Devil’s Arithmetic,” which involves a contemporary girl being thrust back in time into the horror of the Holocaust. I was thrilled she had a teacher motivated enough to teach her and others about the Holocaust. Unfortunately, some ignorant parents of other students in the class protested and initiated a crusade against the teacher, who was more or less suspended for several days. The intolerant parents were enabled by milquetoast district administrators who mostly took their embarrassing side. What’s most interesting is that a key argument against the teacher was that she had shown an “R” rated movie. She hadn’t, of course. “The Devil’s Arithmetic” is a TV movie. When I informed a district administrator that the film was not R-rated, he seemed very surprised. It was clear the non-existent “R” rating was a big deal.

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A new Pew poll shows voters are dissatisfied with incumbents at a near-record level. Only 52 percent votersnow  support their incumbent. In 1994, only 49 percent of voters supported their House incumbent. Majority party Democrats lost 52 seats. In 2006, according to Pew, only 50 percent supported their incumbent and majority party Republicans lost 31 seats. Here

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“There’s a fiendish plot on Sesame Street!“  … Or so says a sour right-wing blogger! According to blogger “Stage Right,” a recent episode featured journalist Oscar the Grouch of the Grouch News Network (GNN … get it!) offending a TV viewer. She, in turn, exclaims loudly “From now on. I am watching Pox News. Now there’s a trashy news show!”

And that peeved “Stage Right,” who wrote, “If Mom and Dad watch cable news, it’s better than 50/50 they watch “POX News.” So what gives? PBS — a network partially funded with my tax dollars — has the right to tell my kids that their parents watch “trashy” news? The message is clear, I can’t even sit my kids in front of “Sesame Street” without having to worry about the Left attempting to undermine my authority.” … Well, now I know why my four-year-old smiles when Al Gore’s on the TV screen and scowls at Dick Cheney!

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The Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives — with one GOP vote — barely passed a trillion dollar-plus health care bill. They needed to, or the issue would have died. But they ultimately succeeded only by passing an amendment that stripped Pelosicare from using taxpayer subsidies for abortion. At the same time, assuring angry pro-choicers that that abortion funding would be restored in a final bill. One of those factions is going to be disappointed, and unlikely to support a final Senate compromise bill, if it gets that far.

Pelosicare also allows illegal immigrants to purchase insurance from health exchanges. That was required to get the congressional Hispanic caucus on board. But the Senate will never go for that. The Senate will also strip or weaken the oppressive, big-government public option. There are several dozen House Dems who won’t vote for a bill without the public option … 40-plus more who insist on no abortion funding, and at least an equal number who insist on abortion funding,  … and 20 or so Hispanic caucus members who insist illegal aliens’ purchasing access remain in a final bill. Throw in the few dozen scared blue dogs who would like to be re-elected and  health care “reform” is far from over. In fact, I’d wager that, with such a tiny House margin, it’s sinking almost as fast as public support for Obama/Pelosi-care is.

When I walk into church with my family, lately I’ve thought of the quote from Atticus Finch in the classic novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird”: I got started late, the middle-aged Atticus told his still-young kids who marveled at his advanced age.

Atticus also liked to sit by himself in church. Was that because his still-young kids spent most of “preaching” scarfing down snacks, fighting over toys and flexing their elbows to find enough pew room to draw pictures.

I’m 46 years old; got married at 35. I started late. My wife Kati is 39 now; a bit younger. We have three kids parading the pews during sacrament meeting; an almost teenager, a just-baptized and a toddler who also likes to explore under the pew as well. Sometimes I’d like to sit only with my wife at church. Of course, I’d like to spend one day a week only with her as well; and maybe one day a month by myself. (I say that without fear because I know she shares that wish, too)

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