The wiki tells us that Jerome David "J. D." Salinger (born on January 1, 1919) is an American author, best known for his 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, as well as his reclusive nature. He has not published an original work since 1965 and has not been interviewed since 1980. Here are a few funny things that are attributed to him:

All morons hate it when you call them a moron.

I'm quite illiterate, but I read a lot.

Mothers are all slightly insane.

I don't exactly know what I mean by that, but I mean it.

How long should a man's legs be? Long enough to touch the ground.

I am a kind of paranoid in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.

They didn't act like people and they didn't act like actors. It's hard to explain. They acted more like they knew they were celebrities and all. I mean they were good, but they were too good.

I lifted this beautiful post from the lingamish blog. The words below are read by my cyber friend Dana to the background music “Walk With Me, Lord” by Danny Denson and Michael Card.. click on the arrow to hear it.

I dedicate this post to my beautiful wife Ann and to many who, like Ann and Jill Hollis, persevere with much grace and courage through extended periods of hardship.. and show us what courage under fire really looks like.

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child.

I’m a long long way from home.
The folks in church are singing love songs.

But I feel like singing the blues.

A good twelve-bar blues

With a harmonica moanin’ low and sad.
Because you’re gone.

You’re gone and I’m still here waiting.

Everyone tells me you’re never coming back.

But I keep looking out the window.
Why did you have to go?

It would be one thing if you’d just up and left.

But your spirit bangs around in my head and my heart.

Leaves me feelin’ like a kook with tinfoil in his hat.
True believer. Yep, that’s me.

Staring into space. Talking to the walls.

Because I’m a true believer and I know you’re coming back.

I hope you’re coming back.
But sometimes I feel like a motherless child.

Sweet Jesus, Savior of my soul, take my body as well.

I’m looking out the window and waiting for you to come back.

I’m a long long way from home.

I pray that many of you will take this to heart and walk with someone who is experiencing pain and trial. People going through difficult experiences really need us.

I spent the morning mesmerized by a great Wimbledon men's final that lasted over four hours. Switzerland's Roger Federer barely bested American Andy Roddick with the final set going 30 games before Roger bested Andy 16 games to 14.. that last set took more time than the whole Women's championship match on Saturday. Congrats to both guys for a great and entertaining match.. and kudos to Federer for breaking Pete Sampras' grand slam record by winning his 15th grand slam title.

In remembrance of this day back in 1776 I offer a few moving excerpts from the beginning and end of the Declaration of Independence:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

I am always impressed when I think of those who drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence. That pledge at the end of the document speaks volumes.. it seems to reflects an impassioned determination to be free.

May God continue to have mercy on our country.

In a blog post titled Religion thriller: Michael Jackson & faith Boston Globe reporter Michael Paulson talks about religious influences on Michael Jackson. Here are a few excerpts from his column:

• Jackson was raised a Jehovah's Witness, and there have been a variety of unconfirmed reports that at some point he was disfellowshipped by the Witnesses.
• Jackson's brother Jermaine is a Muslim, and there were some reports during Michael's life that he, too, converted to Islam.
• Not to be outdone, Christianity Today tackles the question, "Was Michael Jackson a Christian?" The evangelical magazine explores, and then essentially debunks, suggestions that Jackson accepted Jesus just before his death. "Initial rumors that the King of Pop had accepted Christ may have been false,'' the magazine concludes.
• The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, meanwhile, offers a story on Michael Jackson's "Jewish Ties,'' which turn out to be quite complex..
• L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, published a generous appreciation of Jackson's legacy, prompting Tom Heneghan of Reuters to observe: "It’s not every day that the Vatican newspaper suggests that a man accused of pedophilia and said to have converted to Islam might be immortal.

For more about this I suggest reading the whole article here.. the comments there are worth the read.

Like Paulson I have not wrote about Michael Jackson before this.. I am honestly tired of all of the unending "news" coverage. Yet I did find this topic a bit interesting. I wonder how many people you know that have had this kind of exposure to different religions? It had to be confusing to Jackson.

Confusion seems to be an accurate word.. Jackson sure seemed to be a confused soul. Reading about his religious past gives me a different perspective about him. I wonder what it was about him that was attracted to different religions?

The very rigid black and white world of fundamentalism was oddly attractive to me for so long.. of course I considered myself to be free for many years even while I was in bondage. Religion and religious activities are so alluring because they give you the illusion of being spiritual. Maybe.. like me.. that was the appeal for Michal Jackson?

I don't think they are talking about mattresses :)

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe. - Albert Einstein

Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They're about to announce the lottery numbers. - Homer Simpson

Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain. - Lily Tomlin

My advice to you is get married: if you find a good wife you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher. - Socrates

Giving up smoking is easy...I've done it hundreds of times. - Mark Twain

In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. - Yogi Berra

Only a mediocre person is always at his best. - W. Somerset Maugham

I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals. - Winston Churchill

I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury. - Groucho Marx

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg! - Abraham Lincoln

Television is to news what bumper stickers are to philosophy. - Richard Nixon