“The Muppet Show”: A Kids’ Show?

Posted on by frankwmcarr

Oh, those lovable Muppets!  They are quite some characters, especially to my American readers.  But does Jim Henson’s immortal trademark really mean kid-friendly?  Think again!

Of course the over half-century-old “Sesame Street” shares only one Muppet with the mainstream Muppets (Kermit the Frog).  And the late 80s cartoon “Muppet Babies” has corresponding Muppets to those presented in the “Muppet Show,” except, of course, as babies.

But the real Muppet Show?  That can easily be adapted to both juvenile and adult audiences, and indeed is a genuine family show.

Spoiler Alert

/I will tell you a few elements of the Muppet Show clips that, by definition, are “adult humor,” but understated enough to bypass the limited sense of humor of kids.  Among them are:

-Mocking the elderly (in this case, the “grumpy old Muppets” who played as judges for the skits and were posed as being unwise, unlike real senior citizens.

-The tension of feminism and misogyny, in the form of a soap opera sketch, in a hospital operating room!  Miss Piggy played a doctor, along with Rowlf and another Muppet.  A very good reason why doctors shouldn’t practice on loved ones, i.e., Miss Piggy on Kermit, especially if it’s surgery.

-The Swedish Chef’s animal cruelty.  (Kids would just laugh at his obvious antics.)

-The word “queer.”  I’m not sure if it was an LGBT umbrella term or not at that time.  Prior to this linkage, it just meant “strange.”

-Bunsen, the Muppet scientist, unfairly treats his assistant Beaker.  Childlike analog:   When Beaker takes the whole bottle of “shrinking pills” Bunsen invented, kids would not.  For many adults familiar with chemistry instruments, Bunsen burners may be needed to heat things to put in beakers!

-Strikes.  Kids don’t know jack about strikes and the unions that cause them.  Their teachers have strikes once in a while, but the teachers obviously don’t tell them the details.  Their own parents (yep, many viewers of the show) may also be part of unions, and ditto for that regarding their children.

-And last but not least, race and racism.  Kermit’s melancholy classic, “It’s Not Easy Being Green” counter to his overall playful nature, actually concerns this topic.  I never knew about this years ago, but the kid analog to this is just simply because he’s a frog, and wishes to be a differently colored frog or not even a frog at all.

Bar none, the Muppets are an American icon, and a show that we all have come to enjoy.

Why Doctors Often Are Off-Target

Posted on by frankwmcarr

The medical profession, a very noble one indeed, still has its substantial limitations.  While I am not a doctor myself (so don’t take this too seriously), I can mention how doctors often fail.

  1. They know more about your body than actually knowing your body.
    Whatever symptoms you give them, they can only diagnose, treat (and sometimes, cure) a given ailment, as well as give advice, based on what they know.  While empathy is a great quality for a doctor to hold, what makes a doctor what s/he is includes his education and  training in a given specialty through many grueling schooling and training years (4 years of college, containing a pre-medical sequence, another 4 of medical school, a year of internship, and a residency based on his/her specialty).  No wonder physician assistants and nurse practitioners are doing more and more activity formerly reserved
  2. Doctors, especially surgeons, must strongly keep in mind the Hippocratic oath, which binds doctors to “do no harm.”  This means, they must know what they are doing, because if they do not perform the right moves, they may cause injury, or even death.  While some surgeries are becoming much and much easier (e.g., eye surgeries), others, like heart transplants, are no joke.  While all surgeries are intended to help the patient, they sometimes often turn adverse.  And like a typical illness or injury, a surgery, despite being a treatment, must be recovered from.  So your original issue, surgically addressed, is now a matter of surgical recovery, not the original condition.  And surgeries, inevitably, are treated by one’s body, the same as an actual injury (after all, both lead to scars).  In a nutshell, surgery can be viewed as a cousin of a true injury, but with a positive intent.
  3. The medical and legal professions meet on a horrendous frequency, i.e., when one is injured or dies from medical malpractice.  In fact, some doctors are lawyers as well!   And this is where things get really ugly.  (Insurance often ties in, by the way.)
  4. Gone are the days of the low-key, innocent prescription choices by doctors.  Nowadays, it’s flamboyantly spread throughout TV commercials and magazines.  After all, isn’t a prescription, let alone a combination of such, a doctor’s decision?  Now consumers are equally privy to medications that a doctor could prescribe.  Even worse, “families” of drugs are noticeable, some of which have gone over-the-counter, others protected from such.  For example, for acid reflex, there’s Prilosec, Zantac, Prevacid, etc.  Diabetics have many options for their treatment, especially insulin.  A medication family called statins are intended to treat high cholesterol; among such drugs are Zocor, Lipitor, Crestor, etc.  And men (especially over, say, 40) have the wish of a better sex life with Viagra (over 2 decades old now!), Levitra, and Cialis.

Alas, doctors are here to stay, whether you like it or not.  And God made certain minds that study different things.  Medicine is only one of them.  And when a person needs a doctor or hospital stay, pray for them!  After all, Luke, the writer of his gospel and Acts, was one.

Secular Songs That Endorse Ideas or Activities Relevant to Christians

Posted on by frankwmcarr

Whereas Christian music focuses on praise to God for salvation through Jesus, some secular songs have a message that can be admirable to Christians.   Let’s explore!

1. Crying in the Chapel (Elvis Presley, 1960/1965)

Originally recorded in 1960 (with existing coverage by previous singers), it didn’t achieve hit status until 1965.

Without further ado, the narrator at some chapel reported his tears were tears of joy. He then recommended whatever the issue, just head to the chapel and everything will be fine. I wonder what chapels allowed that. LOL

2.  Love Train (O’Jays, 1973)

Here, the vocalist, uses a train as a metaphor for constantly gathering people all around the world.  Countries or regions included were England, Russia, China, Africa, Egypt, Africa and Israel.  The point here is a platonic peace or ceasefire, not a romantic connection.

3.  For the Love of Money (O’ Jays, 1974)

This song really has a negative ring to it.  It profiles the ills of money, not its benefits.  Yet a positive message comes out it, in its inferred admonition to be careful of money.

4.  YMCA (The Village People, 1978)

The vocalist here recommends a young guy to check out the YMCA.  (Young Men’s Christian Association)

5.  In the Navy (The Village People, 1979)

While the narrator says the Navy is fun, but right after he really doesn’t want to enlist (for seasickness and overall fear of water as soon as he embarks on his voyage.)  Therefore, it helps the kids decide if they should join the Navy.

(They want you…)

There’s probably more there to this, but that’s what I remember for now.  Happy listening.

The Carpenter-Supplier Metaphor

Posted on by frankwmcarr

An anonymous scientist I know from my church made an interesting comparison concerning doctors and medical scientists like himself. Medical doctors get their prescriptions thanks to medical scientists (especially ones in the pharmaceutical industry). Similarly, this “brother in Christ” compared the doctor to a carpenter and the Big Pharma industry (who employs him) for supplies.

And there can be many ramifications of this metaphor. Examples:

-Waiters and waitresses serve food, chefs and cooks make it.

-Printed materials like books, newspapers, and magazines, must have the appropriate crew (including editors, reporters, journalists, authors, those recruited for research, and of course desktop publishing and the printing press operators). In this case, YOU are the “doctor.”

-Radio and TV programs are observed (and hopefully enjoyed) thanks to DJ’s, journalists, announcers, cameramen, stations, networks, etc. And these viewers and listeners are, again their own doctors.

There are scores of examples, but the basic connection is that doctors and carpenters, like any occupation, cannot provide their goods and services without third party supply of necessary components.

The ultimate comparison, though, is when Jesus was among us, He was more than a carpenter, and far more than a doctor (and even more than his divine title of “Great Physician”), but He does more. He saves souls! And all temporal careers are welcome, for true believers glorify Him. In His Gospels, much is reported about physical miracles that albeit had a primarily spiritual message of salvation. And it all culminated in the cross, dying and then resurrecting.

Alleluia!

Planned Parenthood: Keep the Care, Drop the Abortions

Posted on by frankwmcarr

As an Evangelical Christian (and an ex-Catholic), I am strongly pro-life.

If the United States to reverse Roe v. Wade, people will understand that while we don’t count age until birth, Americans will appreciate human life as of then.  And within the uterus, the fetus has one job:  growth.

Planned Parenthood does not need to be defunded, let alone defunct.  It just needs some services removed, especially abortion.  One great and noble practice they can do is tackling female cancers.  Among them are breast, cervical, ovarian, uterine, and perhaps some others.

Whether you believe in it or not, they also advise couples on birth control and what may be the best fit for that couple.

In fact, if Planned Parenthood only did abortions, it is basically an oxymoron!  Their clinics would be merely mills for dead babies!

Join me in prayer!  God bless all the children who make it through.