Guess what, you're not being oppressed

Give it a rest with the war on Christmas bullshit.

When I was growing up I remember getting Christmas cards that said, "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Holidays" and no one was oppressing Christians.  No one complained, but then again there was the Fox News/Right Wing outrage machine to convince people that everyone hates Christmas.  (I guess all those Christmas decorations in the stores at the same time the Halloween candy goes on sale is proof how oppressed you are)

So, if someone happens to wish you a "happy holidays" before you assume that person is taking a dump on the sweet baby Jesus take a look at your calendar. If the person saying this is saying it at the end of November, they're talking about Thanksgiving, Christmas and maybe even some other holidays.  They're not oppressing you, so put away your fake outrage.

If they are saying it to you in December, again before you assume that they want to burn down your church, again look at a Calendar.  7 Days after Christmas is another big holiday, it's called New Years.  Maybe, just Maybe when someone wishes you a Happy Holiday they might be talking about that other big ass holiday a week later.

And I know this one probably goes right to your sense of persecution, but I once worked in a retail establishment that served a large Jewish clientele (this was before Hannity and O'Reilly declared that a war on Christmas existed).  We said "Happy Holidays" to everyone to cover Hanukkah, Christmas and New Years.  GASP.  Heaven forbid we INCLUDE anyone else in your little War on Christmas pity party.  But there are actually people who aren't Christian, even some Jews...like your friend Jesus.

So, instead being outraged about how oppressed you are when EVERYWHERE you turn in this country it's NON-stop Christmas from Nov 1 through Dec 31, go work on some real social injustice in this country.  Stop complaining about immigrants and how horrible taxes are and why the benefits of those taxes you receive are so much different than the benefits others receive, go behave like your hero Jesus would.  Go wash some feet, go feed the less fortunate than you. YOU go celebrate the real lessons of Jesus instead of complaining about how much everyone hates his made up birthday.

And we all know how likely that is to happen..

Chronology of "the US doesn't torture"

So, I think it goes something like this over the past 13 plus years

US Authorizes torture
Publicly Government States "We don't torture"
Pictures come out, testimony of Torture
Publicly Government States "That's not really torture"
More evidence of torture
Publicly Government States "America doesn't torture, and we surely don't have our allies torture for us"
Everyone in the world accepts as fact that the US did torture, outsourced our torture and probably did more than we'll ever know.
Fast forward to today
Senate report proves we tortured and it didn't work
Publicly Government States "We don't torture, well maybe we did, but we got all kinds of great information out of it (even if we didn't), but we certainly don't talk about it"
Media is outraged that "Holy Shit, the bad guys will know that we tortured because they didn't know it before"
Media has no problem that the Government lied, continued to lie, possibly acted illegally to thwart the Senate investigation, but is really concerned that the people that have hated us for a long time, have engaged in terrorism for decades are going to find out that America tortured their friends, (because they didn't know it before?), but now they're going to be really angry at America.

Grow up idiots.  The Government tortured people, it didn't work, probably created more terrorists.  The outrage should be that we tortured and lied about it, not that this report proves it and was released.

ASU beat ND

I love to see Notre Dame get beat, especially after being so highly ranked despite beating no one worth mentioning.  Look at the records of the teams they beat if you don't believe me.  Nice job eeking out that win against Navy.

Anyway, the ASU coach once again got all preachy about God and how God has his hand on the ASU team.  No first of all, all of that God talk in sports is stupid and frankly should be an insult to anyone who believes in God, it assumes that God really gives a shit about who wins a football game.  But lets run with that idea for a moment.  Let's say God does care who wins a late season American college football game, what would it say about God that he favored Arizona State University over Notre Dame.  I don't know much about ND, but I do know that they have a lot of faculty and students who feel pretty close to God.  Ever been to ASU?  It's one of the most wild places in collegiate America.  Drinking, Sex, Drugs, while I"m sure exist at ND, ASU crushes ND in those areas.  It would seem like a stretch to me that if God was picking sides, he would pick Arizona State to win football games as ASU doesn't seem to follow a whole lot of the teachings in the Bible on a regular basis.

But hey, what do I know.  Maybe God IS a Sundevil

Robin Williams

I didn't really think I'd take to the Social Media to comment on Robin Williams death, but here I am.  As others have said he was always a part of my life.  From the time of Mork and Mindy up to literally 3 days ago when my kids were watching a replay of "Good Will Hunting" he seems to always been entertaining as long as i remember.

It seems that he might have killed himself and had been battling depression and as someone who has dealt with Depression a few times in my life, to the point of taking medication, I guess to some extent I identify with that battle, but clearly I never got to that point.  I never felt really suicidal so I don't pretend to know the extent of what he was going through.

I found Williams tiresome at times, those times when he was always on.  He didn't need to be, but I think fans expected it so he was always over the top, but he was a smart guy and was so funny just being funny straight without the wacky voices and sheningans you'd see in his late night TV interview appearances.

Another connection to him I felt was the movie Aladdin.  Not even my favorite work of his, but at the time this movie came out on VHS I was managing a Blockbuster Video in Massachusetts.  The movie Aladdin was played on the big screen and throughout the store daily.  Multiple times daily.  I ended up seeing that movie over 100 times, I've never seen another movie anywhere close to that.  I knew every word and to this day Williams' Genie makes me laugh.

I'm sad that a guy with so much going for him decided that dying was his last option.  I've known other people who've killed themselves and to this day their suicide makes me angry.  I'm sure the people that know and love Williams will be angry too as will all his fans all over the world.

RIP Mr. Williams

Ann Coulter rehashes some (most) of Chuck Klosterman's ideas from 10 years ago, Conservatives rejoice at her brilliance

A Tea Party acquaintance of mine sent me this article by Ann Coulter.  It sounded awfully familiar.

"Coulter's" piece
http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2014-06-25.html#read_more

Compare this to Klosterman's essay in "Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs" called ""George Will vs. Nick Hornby" 


Although Coulter's xenophobia and dislike of people with dark skin is on full display, Klosterman's essay is free of that.

Where is the outrage?

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2014/05/joe_flacco_working_under_impression_ex-rutgers_star_ray_rice_wont_be_suspended.html

Joe Flacco refers to a suspension of Ray Rice for knocking out a woman in an elevator as "Crazy" and he's not too concerned about it.  Come to think of it, no one seems to concerned with this football star commiting violence against women, but when a senile old racist makes racist comments in his own home the Sports Media machine talks about it nonstop for weeks?

Why is there NO outrage for an athlete committing actual violence against women?  Why?

ESPN?  CNN?  NFLPA?

It just seems less earthshattering

Yesterday, Oregon started allowing marriage equality.  As I tweeted, my kids are the same.  My youngest asked me in the car "Did Oregon start allowing gay marriage today?  Didn't that happen a long time ago?"  I said a judge found the law unconstitutional.  His response, "oh".  He could have been asking if it was going to rain tomorrow.  Clearly he doesn't understand the struggle that's go on over the past 40 years, but I think he looks at it like we look back other wrongs from the past, that it just seems so foreign to him to him.  As if "how could people think that way?".

It's not to say it's not a big deal, even I find myself getting less excited about these things.  Maybe it's the inevitably of it, or that it just seems so obvious that it's the right thing and I believe the world sees it that way too,, crazy fanatics notwithstanding.  I'm happy, and I'll be really happy when everyone has equal rights to get married, keep their jobs, get housing, etc.  Maybe successes have made me unexcited about more recent successes.

It was the same thing with Michael Sam.  I'm glad he was drafted, but for me his sexuality wasn't the big deal the media made it out to be.  He's clearly not the first gay man to play in the NFL and he won't be the last.  His courage to come out was the story, because he's going into a place that may not welcome him, but for the most part people did.  I'm sure he'll be called names on the field and it will be a big controversy, but I bet he is called names every day but that doesn't make the news.

I sometimes get the feeling that the reaction to Sam and to gay marriage is straight people patting themselves on the back for being so "open- minded".

I know the struggle goes on and that there are lots of people with hate in their hearts (no matter how they justify it) and that will go on, but the fact that my 13 year old son thought that same-sex couples having the right to marry seemed like the most obvious thing tells how far we've come.  It's probably not something I thought about when I was 13.

Salon becomes more unreadable to reasoned liberals every day

http://www.salon.com/2014/04/08/gentrifications_insidious_violence_the_truth_about_american_cities/

Another example.

As soon the author claimed that buying a property is "violence" I was lost.  There might be some legitimate points in the piece but when you engage in ridiculous hyperbole it undermines the entirety of the argument.  Why not just scream "Nazi" or "Hitler"?

It minimizes real violence as well.  I seem to remember some Salon outrage a few weeks ago when Bobby Knight equated something to "Rape".  Why doesn't this author receive the same amount of outrage.

Trying to shock us into making something worse than it really is by equating it to scary words that you expand the definition of is the tactic of the right wing, but I see it more and more on Salon...the new voice of the Left Wing Tea Party.

Another "family values" Louisiana Republican having trouble keeping the standard he wants to impose on others by law

Man, those Louisiana Republicans have a hard time staying faithful to their wives while telling everyone how to live their lives , at least this one wasn't paying for it …that we know of

But he says he's "sorry"

Vitter Paid for it...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/07/11/new-orleans-madam-says-sen-david-vitter-used-her-brothel/

Zealots strike again

http://www.salon.com/2014/03/22/a_terrifying_precedent_woman_to_be_tried_for_murder_for_giving_birth_to_stillborn/

So Mississippi is looking to try a poor black kid for murder based on dubious scientific evidence...does this really surprise anyone?  I mean, sure it does b/c when you read about it it's shocking, but that a Southern State would do this to a poor black kid, does that shock?

Can you imagine the outrage if some 30 year old housewife (let's call her White) in Connecticut was charged in the same way for those glasses of Chardonnay she had during her pregnancy?  You won't have to, because that won't happen. It sure as shit won't happen to a rich white woman in Mississippi.

The most shocking thing for me, is that this shit has continued to move through the courts over the past few years despite the dubious evidence and lack of scientific causation.  But according to all the Tea Party and Right wing fanatics, America isn't racist any more and we should all be free to do what we want without the government interfering.

Yeah right.

Ted Cruz is...the Canadian Candidate

Cruz says he doesn't work for GOP party bosses...

Of course he doesn't.  This foreign born Zealot has done more to damage America in his short time in office than most others have done in their entire careers.  Can you imagine if he had done what he's done and been a Democrat?  A foreign national in our Senate.  Fox would be outraged.  Asking for birth certificates and demanding he be deported.  It's also unclear as to the legality with which his father entered this country (Bribing officials to obtain a visa?).  Again, imagine if he was a Democrat and what Fox would be saying.  What GOP leaders would be saying.

Even if you leave all that aside.  Cruz is a zealot whose hatred for Obama is stronger than his concern for America's economy, even though he's actually a Canadian.

My random thoughts on Week 1

I posted these gems to my Fantasy Football message board, thought I'd share them to the 3 people who read this blog:

For the first part of his rookie season, I defended Suh. I said he wasn't dirty, but it's pretty clear by now that he's probably the dirtiest player in the game (Jeff Saturday called him out yesterday as Dirty and talked about the code of honor among players and they all understand this is their profession). He's always sorry or didn't mean it, but he is a total punk ass and I believe he is trying to hurt players. I have no respect for him and will shed no tears when some other teams takes him out.

Second. Keep reading about how bad NFL officials are. After last year and EVERYONE complaining about replacement official, the officiating didn't get any better after the regular refs and now this week SI says the worst part of Week 1 was the officiating. I think EVERYONE owes the replacement refs an apology.

Finally, Chip Kelly's offense can work in the NFL. Eagles need to get in better shape to take advantage and not let the foot off the gas so soon. McCoy is PERFECT for that offense. He could have 2,000 yards this year in that offense.

Go Duck

My Manziel Theory

I'm probably not the first person to think of this, but I haven't heard it myself.  I believe now that Manziel is doing everything he can to not play another down at A&M while coming off as the victim.  He and his family haven't been quiet about how they dislike A&M and after watching Matt Barkley go from a top 3 pick to the 4th round costing him millions.  Texas A&M is not going to win the SEC, they are not going to the National Championship game, there is NO upside for the defending Heisman winner from playing one more year.  His father is too smart to let him make all these dumb "decisions".  They are small infractions, like underage drinking (repeatedly) the occasional bar altercation.  "Hey's it's just kids being kids"  They he goes and makes money he and everyone in college football knows he can't do, but the Manziels make Johnny out to be the victim.  It's perfect.  Johnny doesn't quit, they let the NCAA do the dirty work, but nothing horrible that would make people hate him.  He doesn't risk a season getting hurt and not winning a title or a another Heisman.  And he's the victim of the big bad NCAA.   

Eagles are still terrible, revisionist attempts won't change that

Quit defending the Eagles, they're still terrible.

I posted this on Facebook yesterday, because many of my friends know my distaste/dislike/hatred? of the Eagles music and pretty much everything they stand for.  But some of my friends were shocked by this revelation.  I'm not saying I know everything about music, but I do listen to a lot of stuff.  I own a few thousands CDs, and I even pay for Spotify.  I've got friends that know way more about music than I do, I mean savant types who are probably top 1% in terms of knowledge.  Nonetheless I think I have some credibility, even if there is some stuff I have trouble admitting I like.

All that said, I didn't respond b/c I didn't want to get in a little war of those tools, but in thinking of my responses in my head I decided I needed to get them out.  Here are those random thoughts.

- I liked the Eagles too when I was 14 years old.  I didn't know much.  Growing up listening to AOR/Classic Rock in a city with few music options you heard a lot of the Eagles.  I owned a few albums (on vinyl), but then I grew up.  I also used to think Bud was pretty good (not when I was 14, but probably at the same progression on my drinking journey) and actually liked the "flavor" of Milwaukee's Best.  Then I tasted something good (Black Butte Porter, in Eugene, OR August 1994).  I grew up musically too and realized that the Eagles sucked.  It wasn't a one time epiphany like the beer thing, but probably a slow evolution.

-The Eagles are like the Sutter Home of American Rock Music.  You can drink a lot of it, for cheap and it's not going to tax your palette.  It's not good, but it's made for mass consumption.

-I was going to say the Eagles are like the Bud Light of music, but they're not.  Bud Light (while not very tasty) is good at doing what it's supposed to do.  The Eagles don't even do that.  Are they are country rock band?  Well after you hear anything Gram Parsons was involved with you realize that they aren't even good at that.  Are they are "Rock" band?  Well, then they're even worse b/c pretty much everyone is better than them in that space.

- Go ahead listen to the lyrics of "Hotel California".  It's like the output of a 7th grade creative writing class.  Lyrically just weak.

- Musically?  Maybe some talent there.  Joe Walsh 30 years ago could play some guitar, but he isn't great.  actually, they aren't that solid here either.  (See the 3 note scales guitar solo in "Hotel California").  No Chops

- That's the music stuff, when the Eagles moved in to Musical Hell for me was their first "Hell Freezes Over" tour.  "Isn't it cute how we hated each other and swore we'd never play together again, but then when we needed some cash we came back and charged you all ridiculously high ticket prices to see our milquetoast peaceful, easy feeling music?"  Actually it wasn't, it was douchey.  Try some integrity you greedy tools.

- And they're at it again.  Is this one called "Hell Freezes Over 5"?  or whatever number tour it is after they said they'd never play together again.  Someone must need a new pool or Ferrari.

- Just yesterday is was talking trash about Steely Dan.  I just can't listen to them.  I had a 6 month window about 20 years ago when I could, but that passed.  I get it, I understand what they do and technically they're good at it.  It's just not for me, it's for 65 year old White Male College Professors.  But unlike the Eagles, I do have some respect for them.  I just can't listen to it.  Not so with the Eagles.  And don't think I can only listen to artists that I respect b/c I'll listen to a great song even if I don't respect the artist (to a point), those are called guilty pleasures.  Eagles don't fit that category either.

They don't bring anything to the party and I wish they'd go away, but more importantly as this article points out, I wish people would stop trying to rehabilitate their reputation.

Take it away Gram http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PytxPaU6k4

Old White guy review of Kayne and JayZ's new albums ...or "The Student becomes the Master"

I'm not sure if "Watch the Throne" was supposed to be a passing of the torch, but maybe it was.  We'll see.  The comparisons between Kayne's and Jay-Z's new albums are inevitable given their history, their position at the top of the Hip Hop Music scene and the release of albums so close (reminds me of when Blur and Oasis released albums at the same time in the 1990s to the same type of comparisons although those groups were "enemies" it seemed).

My thoughts boil down to this.  I really liked Kayne's album even though I didn't want to and I was completely underwhelmed by Jay-Z's.  A friend pointed out that Jay seems to be trying to be like Kayne versus being the guy that he's been forever.  Same friend pointed out that singing about all the expensive art you have doesn't have the same resonance as "99 Problems".  Obviously artists evolve, but sometimes the change isn't for the better.

Speaking of the differences between these two guys I was struck by Jay-Z's ode to a fashion designer (to some extent) "Tom Ford" contrasted with Kayne's "New Slaves".  I've read on-line that as a white person I can't understand what Kayne's talking about in this song and maybe I can't but it seems to me that's a rant against the consumerism that turns people in to New Slaves.  So, while Jay is reveling in that very thing.  Don't get me wrong, Kayne lives in the very world he seems to be deriding (Kardasians anyone?).

Musically, I found Jay-Z's album somewhat boring.  Kayne's is anything but.  The angry industrial beats make you take notice, make you listen. You're drawn to it even when those beats are some "repulsive" (at least it's not Dub Step).  I have a feeling that in 12 months an awful lot of Hip Hop is going to sound like this with beats by Marilyn Manson and Ministry.  By then Kayne will probably on to the next thing.

I only hope that Jay-Z's next album he isn't playing catch up to Yeezus.  

Microsoft gets a clue

This didn't take long.  Made me wonder if the fine people at MSFT have been taking pages from the Netflix school of pissing off your customers.  They must have also learned from them when you're wrong you make changes.  Should have never been an issue though

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/19/tech/gaming-gadgets/xbox-drm/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Wilco...SO BORING. It's gotta be said.

It's gotta be said, Wilco sucks. Seemingly every music critic and too many music fans love these guys like they're the second coming of the Beatles and it's just been accepted as conventional wisdom.  I never got it, but just figured I was missing something, but it's time to say something.  (apparently I'm not the first person to say this...the obligatory Google search returns 4.3 Million hits for "Wilco Sucks").  I think I even bought it for a minute or two until I realized that the ONLY time I found Wilco palatable was "Mermaid Avenue", but  without Billy Bragg and the words of Woody Guthrie, Wilco is mind-numbingly boring.  They aren't even a good  "Alt-country" band, if they are classified as such.  Uncle Tupelo was better...maybe that is why everyone wants Wilco to be so good, to rekindle what they lost when Uncle Tupelo broke up

Anyway, I feel better.  

Do you even know what "Humbling" means?

"Famous" people need to stop saying everything is a "humbling experience". It's become the go-to reaction to anything that happens to anyone in media's eye. Getting busted cheating..."It's been a humbling experience". Win an Academy Award "This is a humbling experience". Wha? It's getting nearly as bad as the overuse of "Surreal" to describe every little thing.

NHL Player "humbled" by award

TO Humbled by Prison Visit to see Chad Johnson

"If you're not doing anything wrong...you have nothing to worry about"

So, I've heard defenders of the NSA spying on all of America (ignoring their semantic argument that they aren't really reading your emails and texts, just collecting them...as if that is different, maybe more on that later) say that "if you're not doing anything wrong, you don't have anything to hide or worry about".  Which is a classic line by despots, but also ignores some pretty basic tenets of PRIVACY and the 4th Amendment.

I found it interesting enough to comment on because some of the same people who have said this were the most outraged by the IRS looking at Political Groups (which by the way, they are supposed to do.  You can't claim to be a Non-profit, tax exempt organization and be a political organization.  So, if the IRS was looking at political organizations to ensure they were abiding by the law, why the outrage?  If they weren't doing anything wrong or improper they had NOTHING to worry about.  (Not to mention that NO  ONE has claimed that these organizations were shut down, only investigated to see if they were engaged in activities that were not allowed by Tax Exempt organizations...a HUGE  fact missing from the media's horrible coverage of that story)

Random thoughts on what little I know about Xbox One vs. PS4

So, I"m reading that Xbox will require us to be connected all the time, to not be able to share games or even borrow a friend's game and assorted other constraints like not being able to play old games (not sure if that's true).  I've read that if the HD breaks it can't be fixed, the box can't be messed with...and , having been stung by MS's crappy hardware with the original Xbox (3 of them stopped reading discs and had to be tossed) and the 360, another 2 bad optical readers.  I've experienced XBOX's HORRIBLE customer service when trying to deal with Xbox Live issues.  Including a friend whose account was suspended because they asked a question on the required blog (who supports a product in that manner) more than someone believed they should.  After the support people didn't answer the original question, they asked again and for that they had their account suspended.  I literally have never heard of a worse support model than Xbox Live.  (I'm probably going to suffer some sort of similar consequence for this post that no one will read, b/c that's the kind of customer service I've seen).

I've been a faithful customer of MS for...ever.  I've got tons of their products and we've got tons of games (and about 5 unusable Xboxs to show for it), but their arrogance and lack of support for Xbox and the new mandates.

It's funny I heard some talking head at MS talking about how their "always" connected mandate was like streaming Netflix versus getting discs at Blockbuster.  It seemed appropriate that they used that b/c it proves they don't get it.  My blu-ray player streams content from all kinds of places like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon, but guess what?  I don't have to have it connected a SONY server to play a BluRay or a DVD.  I surely shouldn't have to be connected to play a game I paid $60+ for.

Sorry MS, I won't be buying another Xbox Product.  Sony's gonna get my business on the next console.

Wrapping yourself up in the Bible to justify your hatred...Not very Jesusy

Baptists leaving Boy Scouts...

For the past few years we've been hearing that religious people don't really have anything against gay people they just don't want to them to get married (we all knew that wasn't true).  Now, it appears they don't care for them after all as they can't bring themselves to tie knots with gay people.

Shameful..and I have NO DOUBT that Jesus would say the same thing of their selective readings of the Bible (we all know they don't feel the same hatred for people who eat Shellfish or wear two different types of cloth at the same time...) to defend their hatreds.



11 things you do that the Bible bans

Don't you feel safer

Choke Hold for a 14 year old

Nice to see some of Florida's finest choking out a child and defending it by saying he "clinched his fists" and made a look they didn't like.  Don't you feel safer?  This is real unbridled abuse of power...it should scare every American who loves Freedom and Liberty

The right-wing likes to talk about an intrusive government, but this is the real shit that people deal with every day.  Cops with issues acting violently based on whatever little thing sets them off.  This is real, not some ridiculous conspiracy theory of a government taking your guns, but notice the racist comments below the story.  I have very little doubt that the hateful comments are made by the same type of people who worry that "Obama is going to take their guns".  (see a connection?)

Shame on these cops and shame their management who defends this action.  Is a 14 year old clinching his fists holding a puppy REALLY a threat to anyone?  Maybe if you see every black kid as a threat and you take an opportunity to act out on whatever hang ups you're bringing to your job...

How quickly they forget...or a zealot is a zealot

The murder of the British soldier was horrible and those sick bastards should suffer.  I read a bunch of interesting comments about how this somehow proved that Muslims were violent and horrible people, despite denunciations by 99.9% of Muslims.  The irony is that those same people making those claims didn't assert that Christianity/Catholics were inherently violent and evil when the IRA was targeting British soldiers and killing them in acts of terrorism just a few years ago.

A short memory?  Hypocrisy? Racism? You pick.

I thought the right wingers loved guns...oh I see the difference now

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/23/justice/florida-zimmerman-defense/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

So, the Right Wing who loves guns and shooting the Trayvon Martin, now is trying to paint him as a thug b/c he sent texts about guns?  Wait a minute, I thought they loved guns and everyone should own them.  OH I get it...they don't want black people to have guns.  That's really what it boils down to isn't it.

He might have smoked some pot, so this is some sort of proof that he should be dead?  Most Americans have smoked pot and many own guns, so they should be shot?  Deserve to be shot?  read the comments.

Of course Zimmerman had a bloody nose, he followed a guy and attacked him and that guy fought back.  Zimmerman's intent to engage was clear from the 911 calls, despite being asked not to engage.  If someone chased after you and attacked you, you're going to defend yourself.  How is the aggressor allowed to claim he stood his ground (which I understand he's not going to claim now), it was Trayvon that stood his ground after being engaged and attacked.

And as for why releasing texts about him talking about guns is supposed to paint him in a bad light when the Republicans and the NRA who really want to see Zimmerman get away with murder last week were doing everything they could to celebrate guns and make it really easy for people to get them...typical Right Wing Hypocrisy.  The only thing more pathetic is the racism inherent in their hypocrisy.

Senator Rob Portman is NOT a hero, he's a selfish jerk

The media seems to be loving Senator Portman for his change of heart like he's now some enlightened thinker.  HE'S NOT.  He's a selfish clown.  He had NO concern for the rights of gays until it impacted his family which seems to be the way that most Republicans come to support any sort of gay rights (Looking at you Dick Cheney)...only when their son or daughter comes out.  Portman's "Change of heart" is a good thing, but his reason's a selfish.  Not because it's the right thing to do, not because he empathizes with those who are different than him.  He now supports marriage rights only because it impacts him directly.  That's not courageous that is simple selfishness.

I'd much rather have politicians that ran this country not from their own narrow point of view and for what benefits them, but for what is right for America and the world and human beings.

Go Buy this Album

When I lived in Boston back in the early 90s one of my favorite bands was a band called Tribe.  Loved them.  Loved the sound.  I loved the two women in the band.

A few weeks ago, my wife told me about this song she heard. I listened once and it took me back to Boston.   Loved the song and I bought the CD, yes CD (which then was added to my Cloud Storage on Amazon along with another 1000 songs I bought in CD form from Amazon.com since 1999 via their AutoRip feature which is freaking AWESOME)

Here's the song I heard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9blpg5NknU



http://www.twofiftyfour.net/

Why "The Mindy Project" annoys me

I think Mindy Kaling is very funny.  Talented. Smart.  So it's with disappointment that she has made her character on The Mindy Project so lame.  It hit me in the episode where she deals with her best friend's child and she's completely clueless about children and doesn't even really like them.  SHE"S AN OBSTETRICIAN for God's sake.  She delivers babies, but she doesn't like kids?  Lately she's become more and more silly and ridiculous with her relationships with men.  She acts like a 19 year old idiot but she's been to Medical School.  I'm not sure if she's trying to channel some kind of stupid Ally McBeal lameness, but it's annoying.  Why make such a smart and successful woman look so ridiculous? It is lazy writing and I would expect better from Miss Kaling and crew.  The women she represents deserve better.

And please don't give me this "Go write a better show yourself you overly critical loser".  She's the one who got the show based on her talent and I can bitch about my disappointment without having to write a better show. She's the one wasting her comedic gifts and her fans deserve better.

More to come later on Why I thought the first season of "Friday Night Lights" was filled with every TV plot device every created in 22 episodes.

The problem with the pro-gun folks...

http://www.salon.com/2013/01/29/david_mamet_should_stick_to_writing_plays/

The biggest problem with the pro-gun lobby is that the people speaking the loudest and getting the most press are 1-Crazy as hell 2- misinformed about the reality. 

Aren't there any well-informed, rational people who could make a cogent case for guns?  Granted the case for everyone needing an assault weapon is a tough case to make, but that doesn't have to be the only position they put forth.  

Hand wringing

So, I looked in at Facebook and all kinds of posts about how people are "sick" and holding their kids a little tighter right now, but they'll go back to normal tomorrow.  And it should.  It's a horrible tragedy and one that we all have the most slight chance of ever experiencing.  Everyone will wring their hands and go back to normal, take everything granted.  And that's probably best b/c we can't go around living in fear, seeing a crazed killer around every corner.

It was interesting that I just read Malcolm Gladwell's book "tipping point" where he talks about mass shootings occurring in waves.  I have to wonder if this shooter got is "ok" from the sick fuck in Clackamas Oregon a few days ago?

Lots of talk about gun-control or not talking about gun-control, but hell that's not going to stop this kind of stuff.  Have you seen the war on drugs?  That's gone so well.  A war on guns isn't going to fare remotely as well considering the number of legally owned guns in this country and the Constitution.  But NO ONE is mentioning the sorry state of mental health care in this country.  The sick and twisted will always find weapons, why not treat the illness instead of the tools of the crime?  Guns exist, no one is going to ban them or take them away.  But we can treat mental illness more effectively, why not start there?

Media/NFL coverage of KC Linebacker Jovan Belcher

The networks and the players seem to forget that this guy that killed himself was a murderer.  He killed his girlfriend first.  While it's tragic, isn't it MOST tragic that he killed an innocent person.  The girlfriend barely has been mentioned, she's the victim of his violence.  Yet after a 5 minute piece on how horrible it was the Belcher was dead, the announcer finally mentioned the name of the woman he killed.  Sorry, I don't have sympathy for him.  He killed an innocent woman.  I can't weep for him, especially when everyone seems to be ignoring the fact that he was a murderer when he died.

Seems like a lot of my friends on Facebook forgot entirely 2008

Bush 2016

I wonder if the "Jeb Bush 2016" bumper stickers will be available tomorrow.

Romney speech

Solid speech Governor. Feel bad for him a bit, he's been running for 7 years. I would like politicians to heed his advice to overcome partisanship and do the country's business, but from what I've seen already tonight that doesn't seem likely.

If you can win it...steal it

We all know that polling places in cities in Ohio won't have enough ballots, poll workers, while the rich suburbs will have no lines.  I will hand it to the GOP while they steal elections these stories get very little attention from the press (Diebolt machine irregularities anyone) but the GOP propaganda arm at Fox talks about ACORN all the time as if it had ANY impact on actually voting.  The Republicans are so much better at suppressing Democratic voting and way better and crying foul and diverting attention from their illegal activities.  

It is amazing though considering Obama is "the worst President ever"  a "Socialist", A "communist", a "Muslim", an "Atheist", A "blind Adherent of Rev Wright" a "Fascist",  and "incompetent" and has "ruined America" in 4 years that the Republicans couldn't even come up with a guy that good beat such a horrible President in a landslide.  

http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-29390-department_of_justice_investigating_alleged_ballot_fraud_at_clackamas_county_elections.html

Sources familiar with the incident say their understanding is that the woman filled in a straight Republican ticket on the ballots where preferences had been left blank by voters.

http://www.newsleader.com/article/20121103/NEWS01/311030020/Va-voter-fraud-probe-widens

Companies created or led by Sproul have been paid more than $3 million by the Republican party during this election campaign. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign paid Sproul’s firm $71,000 late last year for “field consulting.”

My one and only comment on Lance Armstrong...and one more

I posted this little rant on Facebook the other day and I got a ton of Likes and comments:

OK, my one Lance Armstrong post (although I still don't care about cycling and even if you're on "drugs" ...riding a bike 100 miles up the Alps is still a ridiculous feat). Since EVERYONE in cycling was apparently also doing the same drugs was HE really cheating? If cheating is about an uneven playing field (or uneven Peloton...ha Bike Nerds that's for you) or unfair advantage..if EVERYONE is do

ing the same drugs then everyone is equal. Level playing field. No cheating.

OH Yeah, for your clowns who now say you want your money back that you donated to LIVESTRONG...really? Because Lance (and everyone else ) did some PEDs, Cancer is not a problem and it doesn't deserve your money? You DO know the cause you donated to support right? It wasn't Armstrong's beach house, it was to fight Cancer. But hey, you go right ahead and get indignant b/c we all know that now that Lance has been stripped of his glories, that Cancer is not a problem anymore.
And....Scene.

and I followed up with this...

 I didn’t realize the amount of comments my little rant would generate. I guess my Klout score will be going up all while I become an “influencer” on the topic of cycling and maybe PEDs. Just wanted to point out that my rant wasn’t an impassioned defense of Lance, but more of a rant against the world of cycling which seemed obsessed with tearing down its most famous athlete. If you’re 95% of America you can name 1 cyclist, although you might remember Greg LeMond. I’m sure if you’re a fan of the sport and outside the US you may know a lot more. Seems a bit short-sighted even as you try to “clean up” the sport that’s now more famous for busting people for doping than it is for racing. 

But hey, if you’re a fan of sports and PEDs, check out the ESPN 30 for 30 (“9.79*”) on the 1988 Seoul Olympics 100m race and how it might appear all but one or two of those runners were on the juice, I’m looking at you too Carl Lewis.

Another reason that I've given up on baseball

I started losing my love of baseball with a couple of strikes (labor struggles, not Balls and Strikes) that bothered me back in the 80/90’s . Then they started Interleague play and the wildcard. Say all you want about evolution of the game and all that. The part I liked about baseball was the history and tradition. That’s all gone now. (Mr. November doesn’t have the same ring does it?)


Now as Cabrera wins the Triple Crown, something that hasn’t happened in most of our lives, word is that the Triple Crown is meaningless and he isn’t a lock for MVP. WHAT? Trout had a great year, no doubt, but all this talk of “Wins above Replacement”, “Bases per mile against starting left handed pitchers with blond wives” and such. Half the time I don’t even know what these baseball stats abbreviations are in articles I read. Tell me when a high batting average, a HR or an RBI was BAD for a baseball team?

The Triple Crown is an amazing achievement, it’s been 45 years since anyone did it. Ruth’s unbeatable HR record didn’t last that long when Maris broke it.

Saying that the Triple Crown doesn’t matter just because computers have made hits/HR/RBI unimportant is ridiculous. And an insult to Yaz, Frank Robinson, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams and others.



http://deadspin.com/5948944

Smashing Pumpkins New Album

Really digging Smashing Pumpkins new album.  For some context, I really believe that "Gish" and "Siamese Dream" were the highlights for SP.  Never liked the later stuff, just didn't have the edge I wanted.  "Gish" rocked so hard.  Still love that album.

So I heard an interview with Billy Corgan talking about the new album I listened.  He still comes off as a bit of a dick sometimes, and a bit pompous, but he's dealt with a lot of crap over the years, so I'll let some of that go.  Anyway, after the interview I noticed that Spotify had the album so I gave it a listen and I really liked what heard. Especially the first two songs.

Those two songs reminded me of "Gish" so I had to buy it, so off to Amazon I went and bought the CD.  Yes, the actual CD.

Since I received it it's been in my car CD player non-stop.  Now, I don't listen to it all the time, but I"ve probably listened to it 10 times and I like it even more.  The first 5 songs are excellent.  As I mentioned the first two have a early Pumpkins rock quality.  And at times the drumming reminds me of Jimmy Chamberlin's.  Love those first to songs.  Tracks 3 and 4 are a bit more mellow, but I like those a lot too.  Around track 6 it loses me some, but I'm going to give this one 4+ stars and I'd put it alongside Siamese Dream in terms of a SP album that I really enjoy.

Well done Billy.

When Bushed Apologized to Muslims

When Bush Apologized to Muslims...Actually Apologized, used those words..HIMSELF.  Not some tortured bullshit about how "Obama" apologized for "American Values" when a embassy official condemned hate speech (apparently the only American Value that the right-wing actually values, especially when it's aimed toward Muslims, Gay, Unions, women, dark-skinned peoples, etc)

http://www.salon.com/2012/09/13/when_bush_apologized_to_muslims/ 

In 2008, a U.S. sniper shot a Quran in Iraq, causing  an uproar. President Bush expressly apologized. “He apologized for that in the sense that he said that we take it very seriously,” White House press secretary Dana Perino said. “We are concerned about the reaction. We wanted them to know that the president knew that this was wrong.” The sniper was disciplined and the upper echelons of the military put out numerous statements trying to soothe tensions. Nobody accused Bush of “apologizing to al-Qaida.” 

God sends Hurricane to Republican Convention, he must be mad at them.

We all know that God expresses his displeasure with America with Hurricanes.  Therefore it's interesting that during Obama's presidency there haven't been any big hurricanes to hit the US ( I think the one that hit New England/New York last year was the "big one").  What's more interesting that God is sending one directly to the GOP convention.  Their use of God's name while shitting on everything Jesus stood for is probably a big part of it.

Reflections

Yesterday a friend of mine died very unexpectedly and tragically.  Early 40's leaves behind the love of his life and some great kids and countless friends.  As I'm driving around today running some errands his death seems so, I don't know, meaningless.  That's not even the right word.  The thing that gets me is that this is an event that will devastate some people and make others sad, but the world goes on.  The world always goes on.  I feel like the world should change a little even for a moment when someone passes, but it doesn't.  Even though I'm hit pretty hard by this, I still have things I have to do.  I had to go to the store, I had to take my son somewhere.  The world hasn't changed, life is going on.  It makes it seem like life is so small in the grand scheme of things.

But then I get angry reading all of the Facebook posts to his widow.  Nearly every comment is about praying and God granting comfort to her.  Where was God yesterday?  Is this part of "God's plan" to "take" him from the world at this age with so much to live for, to provide for the people who depend on him?  Or was God just looking the other way yesterday and now we expect that God is going to somehow comfort his widow and family NOW?  Why not just let him live?  Why would God step in now?  Maybe those words do give her strength and maybe it will help her get through this, but if God can do that and change her feelings, why not just stop the physical actions and situation that caused his death?

Some more of that new mainstream Republican Party thinking

For a bunch of tough guys, Republicans sure see a lot of scary ghosts around every corner.


http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/23/us/texas-judge-warning/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Remember when Obama was going to take everyone's guns? All he did for guns was enable gun owners to bring loaded weapons into National Parks.


It's this type of paranoid bullshit that leads to militiamen group and terrorism. It sure does drum up support from the fringes though.  The NRA has been scaring you Republicans with this type of bullshit for years and they laugh all the way to the bank. You guys lap this shit up like an Apple Fanboy waiting for the next iPhone.

The Classic "I misspoke" (when I clearly laid out my well thought ideology)

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/20/politics/campaign-wrap/index.html?hpt=hp_t1



I LOVE LOVE LOVE that he now says he "misspoke". Misspoke is when you say of your kid's names instead of the other when asking them to pick up their dirty socks. This was a completely thought out political/medical/religious philosophy, a deeply held belief with no backing in science that he and many of his colleagues in Congress and the Republican party believe. Fortunately, when ridiculous ideas like this see the light of day (outside of press-excluded GOP fundraisers and the backrooms of GOP power) , the are shown for the idiocy and ignorance that pervades this type of God-first thinking, science be damned.

This is today's Republican Party and it's incredibly lame to say he "misspoke". This is mainstream Republican Party Thinking in 2012.

GOP loves the rule of law...when it suits them OR Bobby Jindal tries to make people remember him

I hear it a lot about "it's the law" when Joe Arpaio is rounding up landscapers in Phoenix (even while he's breaking the law himself in other ways like arresting journalists who dare print stories about him and harrassing lawmakers that oppose him, or illegally spending money he doesn't have in his budget, but I digress).


So, Mr Jindal here believes he's above the law?



Jindal going to ignore the law?

Remember when Bobby was the next big thing...right up until his disasterous response to Obama's first State of the Union. Seems so long ago.

When Mitt loved Individual Mandates

A friend said that today's decision will be trouble for Obama in November, but I'm not so sure.

I don't think it's going to be so bad for Obama, heard a recent poll that said after the health care act is thrown out (and everyone expected it to be) 68% of Americans wanted Congress/Government to do something to fix health care.




Insurance doesn't work unless the people who don't use it buy it, that's why Romney implemented the mandate in Massachusetts that was the foundation for Obama's plan. Sick people are going to be treated regardless, Obama's plan makes people responsible for funding that care, those who hate the mandate are ok with taxpayers funding all of that completely. (although they claim it's an affront to "liberty" while supporting indefinite detention of US citizens, strip searches for an overdue library book and warrantless wiretapping)

When Mitt Romney love government health plans

Smashing Pumpkin's "Oceania" first listen review

After the first listen (Thank you Spotify) this is one of my favorite Pumpkins albums since the days of Gish or Siamese Dream as it feels like the Pumpkins of old in lots of places.  The first song sounds like it came from Gish with Jimmy Chamberlin on the kit.  

If you remember my comments about the latest Shins CD you'll know when I fall in love with a band I prefer they keep on that course.  I don't need Black Sabbath doing a "free form Jazz Exploration" and I don't need the Rolling Stones to make a disco album (oh, that did happen), so I do like this "return to form" for Mr. Corgan.


 Another take...Pumpkins Review

Times are a changin

Apparently the GOP is outraged by this, but it wasn’t so long ago that the supposed “pro-family” GOP brought government to a complete standstill while it demanded that that illegal immigrant Elian Gonzalez continue to be separated from his father and remain in the USA. Times have changed.






http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/15/politics/immigration/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Atheists make better people

atheists-more-inclined-help-fellow-man-religious-people-

I think this is true, the atheists I know are generally more compassionate to their fellow human beings and are generally not told who to hate by some book or their religious leaders.  I think they tend to make judgements about people as individuals based on the merits or lack thereof of each person, not of groups based on demographic criteria.  I also think that they are more compassionate because it appeals to their sense of fairness, instead of some "obligation" or fear that they will be punished by some superpowered entity.  (I've said that before here). 

and  I'm not attacking Christians here.  I'm talking about everyone.  I've known Christians who've dedicated their lives to helping others, but I've also known "Christians" who are some of the most hateful people I"ve ever known.  I'm comparing atheists to ALL religions.  You haven't seen atheists engage in a lot of terrorism, wars, purges in an effort to make people NOT believe in their unGod.

Shins New Album "Port of Morrow"

Bands and artists evolve, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. For a guy who pre-ordered the last two Shins albums I think it’s time I accept that James Mercer is not putting out the same music that I love from the Shins first two albums. LOVE THEM, listen to them all the way through probably still once a month. My expectations were so high for “Wincing the night away” I’m not sure they could have met them and they didn’t. I don’t know that I’ve listened to that album more than 4 or 5 times total. Some say that wasn’t a departure, but for me it was. Too much synth and not enough guitars.


I got the new album, “Port of Morrow” yesterday and I’ve listened to it once. It’s clear that the Shins are a different band, or should I say that James Mercer is a different guy than he was on “Chutes” or “Inverted World”. Not bad, necessarily, but not the band I loved. More mellow, less rocking, less guitar-driven.

I'll give it a few more listens.  I like it more than I like "Wincing" already, but now that I love only half of the Shins catalog, it might be time for me to part ways.

A government program that fails half of the time...

Why would Americans want to continually support a government program that fails half of the time?


http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/21/10799069-cdc-only-half-of-first-marriages-last-20-years

That's right it's "sanctity"

Stop saying Limbaugh should be kicked off the air

The man is a vile, hateful, hypocrite, but he has every right to be on the radio.  ((side note: Comparisons to him and Bill Maher are ridiculous;  compare the clout Limbaugh has to that of Maher...it's not even close.  Limbaugh is the ideological leader of the Republican party, Maher is nothing like that.  No other citizen in America has the clout of Limbaugh within their political sphere.  So, those comparisons are dumb (See David Frum's piece).  )

But just because he's influential and the leader of the GOP, he can still say stupid shit.

That all said, this is America and Rush has every right to say stupid shit and have people pull sponsorships and point out he's a vile human being.  But no one should be demanding he be taken off the radio.  If his employers/radio stations feel he's bad for business, he'll lose his job (although I believe he'll also find an outlet for his brand of misogyny and Anything-to-beat-Obama-even-if-it's-bad-for-America rhetoric).  But when liberals whine about how he should be silenced it's just makes liberals look weak.  Argue with Rush on the merits of his stupid comments, don't "demand" he be taken off the air.  That's unAmerican.  And it totally plays into the Right Wings ridiculousness victimization rhetoric that they're so good at.

Hell, people who like Rush are going to like him no matter what, but in reality his recent hateful comments reflect poorly on the Republican Party, so let him keep talking.

Low IQ linked to prejudice...

Book learnin' is bad for business, that's why they're always deriding those "educated elites". Cuz if they get smart they're going to stop hating people that is the basis for so much of their victimization rhetoric. And how all those damn (insert demographic here) are taking away their stuff.



http://news.yahoo.com/low-iq-conservative-beliefs-linked-prejudice-180403506.html

Zany Catholics Part II

The last post came from an email discussion with my "Conservative" email buddy.  He posed the question if I was "disgusted" by other religiious prohibitions like to those of alcohol and eating pork.  It's his way of trying to prove I'm anti-Christian when he knows my feelings on organized religion in general.  I thought my retort was pretty good.

Hey Crazy...no one said "disgusted".  i said "silly".  Why do you get your panties in a twist and make shit up?

But it's funny you bring up food prohibitions because in the same page that supposedly bans boys kissing, the same book bans eating shellfish and wearing Cotton/Wool blends.  Most of man's prohibitions that are supposedly founded on "God's wishes" are equally dumb.  And please don't confuse Morality with words in a book written by a bunch of guys thousands of years ago.  You can have a since of right and wrong without relying on some dusty old book.  Killing other people is bad and not because it's in the Bible.  If you need a book to tell you that killing and stealing are bad, you probably DO need to be going to church or something at LEAST once a week.  

In Fact, I would say that atheists are generally "better" people because they act out of an innate sense of justice, an awareness of what is right and wrong not because they are simply afraid of some punishment by an unseen "God".   (Get in trouble with daddy).  If you act out of fear of punishment you're not really being "good".  You know, the whole "acting the right way when NO ONE is looking".  For people who live in fear of "God", someone is always looking.  God.  

So, 

-Justice and Morality don't come from a book written by guys who claim it's the word of God (especially when what is "moral and right" in those books is ignored most of the time.  Commandments 2,3,4,5 and 10 seem to be pretty much ignored for example)

-Religion and the various rules created by man in religions name don't have much connection to "God"

-Atheists are better people

-Prohibitions against eating pork and drinking alcohol are just as silly as celibacy for clergy

Those Zany Catholics

Now, we all know the priest celibacy thing is not in the Bible and is a relatively recent doctrine imposed by the Church to protect Church property back in the day, but I guess it shows you CAN be good at doing priest/bishop things (assuming these children are his only "Crime") and not be celibate.  Trust me, I'm not saying that he was right...he knew the rules going in and should lose his job, but it points out the silliness of the celibacy doctrine.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45871047/ns/us_news-life/#.TwS5qTWrMww 

Who got hurt by his going forth and multiplying?  He continued to do his job well enough to be a Bishop.  Apparently, celibacy isn't required for the efficent discharge of his duties.  it's clearly not required in Protestant sects, nor in Judiasm, etc.

God Loves Tebow and Bowls are a joke

Look at this line...You can't tell me God doesn't love Tebow. He puts this crap up and still "leads" Denver to the playoffs.


Denver C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT NFL RATING

Tebow 6/22 60 2.7 0 1 20.6

Someone at work was lamenting the loss of "College bowl tradition" because games were on Jan. 2 and not the first. I laughed. When the Rose Bowl stopped being Pac10 v Big10 champ every year tradition died. I was watching the "Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl" or something to that effect and they referred to the "tradition" of that game. I literally laughed out loud to myself. Bowl games have become so ridculous like UCLA not being bowl eligible (6-7 record) and appealing to get into a bowl and losing to a team that also just fired their coach. Stupid. But today all is better, with real bowl games that we've heard of before.

Go Ducks

Clearly God Loves Tebow

After the BS of today's game God clearly loves Tebow and/or hates Marion Barber.  There is no way that a guy can continue to put zero points on the board for 50 minutes and continue to win football games without divine intervention.  

Although if I was a Christian I might find it offensive that Tebow is praying to God (full kneel, eyes closed) for a field goal.  If  your relationship with God is so strong you'd think that your God would have better things to do than assure that you win a football game.  A game.  How does that prayer go.

"Dear God, I know you're really busy controlling everything in the universe but could make sure my team wins this game and the other team of guys just like us loses.  Thanks" 

The congressional war on childhood nutrition

Seriously Republicans. How does childhood nutrition turn into a way to make political points? I guess it's a twofer for them. ConAgra gets what it wants and Michelle Obama doesn't.

You really gotta wonder if they care about ANYTHING except getting relected and screwing Obama. Didn't they all say they were going to make America better? Improving nutrition for kids seems pretty basic. But I guess if it's not a fetus, they don't give a shit about it.

The congressional war on childhood nutrition

That GOP hypocrisy that we love so much

it's not about behaving morally, ethically or hell even like a decent human being, it's about imposing your program on others in the name of family while you fail your own.  Like Newt's adultery and failed marriages.  These guys can't meet their own personal obligations or even a basic standard of morality, but they'll sure as hell impose those same standards on you BY LAW.

http://salon.com/a/sUxGbAA

Clearly the product of a racist and left wing media, right?

http://scoop.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/04/8632586-justin-bieber-says-theres-no-truth-to-those-baby-daddy-rumors

Why no outrage over this ?  Why are Rush and Hanitty silent  on this?  After all it's only a racist and left wing media that would cover such allegations.

Why Obama is losing my support

Today Obama's Justice Department announced it was going after California Pot dispensaries, something I'd expect from the Bush administration (the irony of his Justice Dept going after legal activities protected by States laws was one of the most ironic for the States rights/small government GOP, but I digress).  The economy is in the shitter and he's decided he's going to hassle pot smokers.  Un Freakin Belieavable.  This is added to the long list of Bush policies and practices he's continued and even expanded.  Guantanamo is still open, we're still losing troops in Iraq and Afghanistan (when do we "win" in Afghanistan...a question I asked of the Bushies 4 years ago), he's deported MORE people than Bush. So, even while he's acting more like than BUSH than Bush did, he's derided as soft on these issues.  He's supposedly soft on terror, yet he was Pres when bin Laden was killed.  Remember when those Navy Seals killed the pirates a few years ago.  he's been a bad ass, but he'll never get the support of those who want that stuff and call him soft on terror and immigration.  So, he continues to appease the right with half hearted measures to mitigate the damage from his efforts and gets not credit from them, while the center and left sees each appeasement as a betrayal of what we voted for.  Calling him a socialist is laughable, Bush was more about expanding Federal power and influence in our lives (wiretapping , drug bill, TSA anyone).  So, as Obama continues to play to the far right with half measures and justifications, he's pretty close to losing me. 
Hell, I'm not likely to vote for any of the nut jobs running for the GOP nomination, but if a Democrat with some balls were to step up, I might be swinging my support that way. 
Obama hasn't turned out to be the guy I voted for and maybe no one ever is but his reversals and justifications simply are too many to forget at this point. 

"On God's time"?

I'm sorry for their loss, but I just have to comment on this lunacy. So, here's the quote that is ridiculous and the true believers won't see anything wrong with it...

"The heart of the issue would come down to the mix between respecting the parents' rights ... to be in comfort of (their) own home, to die on God's time," said Fedor.

So, this child becomes an "international" story b/c the Canadian doctors wouldn't perform a specific medical intervention, so the parents then get a hospital to do that intervention so the kid can "die on God's time"...say wha?  


If left in "God's hands" this child would have died months ago, MEDICINE kept this child alive beyond what nature or God would have allowed or intended.  If the parents were really concerned with God's time they would have not done the extra interventions that kept him alive a few months longer.  Those extra months were thanks to Modern Science, not God.  


I've got NO problem with the parents seeking alternative medical advice or getting the specific modern scientific medical intervention they felt was necessary, but please don't suggest this death was on God's time.  Science prolonged his life beyond what would have been possible in a place without modern medicine or at a time only decades ago.  

Small Government

I guess it's the Libertarian side of me that must ask again tonight, is there anything more intrusive, onerous, invasive that a government can do than kills its citizens?

Why is it that the people who are supposedly most against government intrusion in our lives completely, 100% support that same government taking our lives?  It doesn't seem to jibe.

Thank you R.E.M.

Warning: Waxing Nostalgic to follow...My best friend Steve from High School and REM are probably most responsible for showing me there was music beyond Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles (and whatever else 95X and 94Rock played) so this news has bummed me out more than I would have expected.  I didn't always like what they were doing ("Shiny Happy People" remains one of the worst songs ever) but I still get excited to hear "Superman" or "Pretty Persuasion" on the (satellite)radio. it's sad to see them go.  Hopefully they don't turn into the Eagles and do a reunion/farewell tour every 18 months.

Pat Robertson: ok with changing the "inviolate" word of God AND the institution of Marriage if it's convenient

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44530424/ns/health-alzheimers_disease/


For a man who has claimed repeatedly to talk directly and receive direction from God, this is a pretty big revision right? Seems like a pretty sizable departure from that "sickness and health" thing. I suppose that sacred bond doesn't apply if your spouse gets too frustrating to deal with, right? What are the other exceptions to this sacred marriage bond?

I've been hearing for the past few years that this concept of lifelong commitment to marriage is unbreakable and unchanging, but does this mean that Pat's OK with changing this supposedly UNCHANGING concept of marriage? Seems to me if you can divorce your spouse if they get inconveniently sick or a burden it would open up other changes to this supposedly unchangeable institution.

Reflections on an unchanged America

10 years ago today we heard, and we continue to hear, how "America changed forever".  The spirit of cooperation and unity as Americans that we all felt on that day lasted about 3 months.  We are country divided more than I can ever remember in my lifetime.  Large and vocal segments of this country drive the debate in the country, not about policy but about whether the President is American enough to even be here.  With accusations of him being Muslim (which after 9/11 has been code for, at worst "terrorist" and at best "Un-american".  There is no "one America" today.  Nothing has changed.  Sure you take your shoes off at the airport, but day to day the vast majority of Americans lives have not changed. Unless you know someone who died on 9/11 or your a soldier, or soldiers family you're life is pretty much the same as it was on Sept 10th 2001.  The lessons of that day are lost, the unity and One America are long gone.  The GOPs front runner is a guy who a year or so ago claimed that he didn't like America enough that he entertained the idea of taking his state and leaving the country.  A road we've been down before.  Can you imagine a governor saying that 10 years ago?

America's politics is broken, a state of paralysis exists in Washington and in my state Capitals.  I think we all felt a new hope for America after 9/11.  A time that America would change for the better, where being American would take precedence over petty political bullshit.  Look at Washington today, is that what you see?  Politicians don't care about America, they care about being re-elected (at worst they care about getting that "Muslim/socialist/fascist/communist/Nazi/black guy" out of office.  Scoring politic points is WAY more important than making this country better.

So, 10 years after 9/11 I'm doubly sad.  For the lives lost and changed 10 years ago today and for the opportunity squandered by the political and business leaders and opportunists of this country.

More on Gov Perry's hypocrisy

Perry is completely against Government imposing health care on citizens, except when he's for it.


http://www.slate.com/id/2303363/

Gov Perry who hates America so much he thinks his state should leave the UNION and hates government handouts...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44441386/ns/weather/


Did you see Mr. Tea Party begging the Feds for money to help fight fires in his state? I guess his small government principles (and of course his burning desire to secede from the Union) only apply when politically expedient.

Funny how things hit you

It's been a year and a half since a friend of mine committed suicide.  And tonight while I was folding clothes, of all things, I got mad at him for doing it.  Of course, at the time there was the "I can't believe he'd do it" and "I had no idea he was in trouble".  I didn't.  We hadn't talked in a few months, but I still considered him a mentor, one of the funniest people I knew and mostly a friend. He was one of the first people who ever said to me that he saw potential in me, he always would joke that someday he'd be working for me.  I always brushed that aside as so much bullshiting around, but inside I think I believed that he believed it. Although, I'd never admit that to myself (until just now).  Anyway, I've had a pretty good year and I've had some successes in my professional career and damn it I want him to say "see, I told you".  I want him to be proud of me.  I want him to say it in his way, because he was such a big part of my starting down this path.  But Goddammit he's not here to say anything.
I wish I'd known, I wish someone knew.  I wish he could have reached out to someone, he had people that loved him dearly and would have done anything for him if we knew he was in trouble.  I would have.
I'm mad at him, but I miss him more.

"Best healthcare in the world" or maybe Waffle Houses aren't the best place for birthin'

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/31/u-s-ranks-low-for-newborn-survival/?hpt=hp_t2

In a 20 year analysis of newborn death rates around the world, the study published in PLoS Medicine revealed the number of infants who die  before they are 4 weeks old account for 41% of child deaths worldwide.  Newborn deaths in the United States ranked 41 out of 45 among industrialized countries, on par with Qatar and Croatia.

I know, Facts are unpatriotic and hate America, but nonetheless. 

And another headline from Today, maybe if we did our birthin near medical facilities?

http://www.wave3.com/story/15371718/woman-gives-birth-outside-waffle-house

but apparently this is pretty standard in the south...here's another WaffleHouse baby from 2009

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/20016659/detail.html

The classic NON apology apology

"SOME" people find offensive...really?  This is the classic non-apology.  As in... "I"m sorry for YOU being upset by the terrible things I said or did.  I'm not sorry for my actions, but that it bothered you, because what I did or said, is still ok in my mind, I'm just apologizing that YOU got upset.  Really, this is your problem, not mine.  In fact, I'm sorry you're a whiney baby"

Washington (CNN) - A member of Congress has apologized after saying that being associated with President Barack Obama would be similar to touching a "tar baby."




Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado, sent a letter to Obama "apologizing for using a term some find insensitive," he said in a statement Monday

No jokes today about the absurdity of global warming today Fox "news"???

One of my favorite childish asinine things all the Fox people do, including those supposedly editorial neutral "news" people on in the morning is mock the notion of global warming every time it snows or it gets below freezing.  You've seen it, with their childish smirks "so much for global warming...ha ha ha".

Why no snarky comments this summer, with the record heat...and this.  Sean?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/08/01/us.record.drought/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1

Why no Jokes Now Sean Hannity?

Why no joking this week about how ridiculous Global Warming is this week?  They do it every time it snows as if that's proof that there is no warming, I guess this week reaches that same level of proof.  Except for most people aren't idiots and know that a snow storm or a hot weather event aren't proof of anything.  No doubt the Fox audience doesn't know the difference, but it's been repeatedly proven that Fox viewers are the most poorly informed.  That would be funny, except for you get the impression that the Hannity's and Beck's of Fox know their audience is that gullible and use it to their own personal financial advantage.

Netflix price increases...It's still a great deal

I think we've all gotten a little spoiled. Remember when DRIVING to Blockbuster to rent from their lame inventory to spend $3/movie for 3 days, or 1 day for a new release? Netflix has nearly every movie ever made on DVD, the streaming catalog is good, but it has huge gaps and with the studios playing hardball there will be fewer titles OR it's going to get more expensive (remember people Netflix is paying the studios and companies like SONY are looking at 10x price increases to Netflix...who do you think is going to pay for that?).




Redbox is cute, but again now I'm picking up and dropping off movies. With a two DVD plan and Streaming I can watch a couple of dozen movies a month. Well under a dollar a piece and I'm not driving to Walmart or the 7-11 to chose from the few dozen movies that are in a Redbox. Based on selection, convenience and price Netflix is still a steal if your a movie fan who is interested in movies beyond the latest blockbuster. It's funny that people are expecting prices to stay the same AND get a wider selection of streaming titles. Look at the enviornment Netflix operates in, they aren't raising prices to increase revenue (solely), the cost of doing business is going up thanks to the studios. I guess you cancel your account in disgust, and go see your movies at the theater. What's that run you about 3-4 months of netflix after the increase? Even at $16/month you can watch a LOT of movie for the price of 5 gallons of gas or 4 Lattes from Starbucks. Everyone hates price increases, but come on people think.

Clown - Brewer's office knew, but she didn't?

I so won't miss this clown's behavior or most of the politicians in this backwards state.  She tries to make Napolitano look bad only to make herself look like an idiot.  Even if she wasn't informed, she's the one who has apparently surrounded herself with incompetent oafs who don't think they need to tell the Governor things.  


Instead of trying to make political hay out of this, she should be asking why her deputies don't inform her of things like this, which should be there main job.  

God's Plan?

Josh Hamilton says God has a plan.  Does that mean he is God's vessel by throwing that ball when he did and where he did in accordance with God's desire to take a father from his son while that son watches?  

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/07/08/josh-hamilton-talks-about-thursdays-accident/related/

Absolutely. I haven’t yet. I’m going to give this situation time to, you hate to think sink in, but I can’t imagine what they’re going through right now. I can’t imagine. All I can think about is praying for them and knowing that God has a plan. You don’t always know what that plan is when those things happen, but you will.

Pryor quits...Can Oregon have that Rose Bowl Trophy?

Pryor quits…




http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/07/terrelle-pryors-career-at-ohio-state-over/related



I think that Rose Bowl trophy will look good in the Caz center. Pryor/Tressel/etc’s crimes should call into question most of their wins over the past few years. So, if USC is losing titles, why not Ohio St?



Not even talking about that joke of a punishment that let Pryor and his buddies play in the Sugar Bowl last season on the PROMISE that they’d serve suspensions this year. Seems to me that they need to give the Sugar Bowl trophy back too.



In case you forgot

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/tag/_/name/2011-sugar-bowl-coverage

Really? Are you so fired up about this? Should you be?

Well put by Steve Rushin

This about how I feel. So what? Does this surprise anyone? This is happening everywhere. Stupid rules (NCAA football has cornered market on stupid rules and hypocrisy) will be broken (again and again...be carefu... the school you love is probably doing it too). And no I don't care if Lance Armstrong took PEDs, you ever pedal through the Allps for a couple hundred miles? Red Bull ain't gonna cut it. Everyone needs to save their selective indignation for something that matters.