Front Row at the Freak Show

9/11, Gov. Pataki, Bullshit

2006-05-05T12:20:00.000-07:00

Penn & Teller: Bullshit!

Last night P & T did a show about the World Trade Center, not specifically the events of 9/11, but rather the rebuilding effort at what has come to be called Ground Zero. The show was spectacular so I thought I would tell you a little bit about it.

The show basically covered how Governor Pataki is heading up the project to rebuild at Ground Zero, and how the project has been handled with total incompetence. It started with Pataki forming the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC); an organization funded with federal tax dollars and charged with rebuilding, and creating a memorial at the site. The LMDC held a public competition to select an idea for what would be built on the site, so that way the public would have their say in what would go up at the site. Insiders say the competition was basically rigged and the LMDC chose their favorite idea.

The LMDC brought in an architect named Daniel Libeskind to create the new building. Libeskind came up with the Freedom Tower, a 1,776 ft tall building with a glass atrium on top, and an also with an antenna that would take the buildings height to over 2,000ft. The 1,776-ft being homage to the year America declared its independence, By now, everyone has seen the Freedom Tower design. A couple years ago commercials for commemorative coins featuring the Freedom Tower were shown throughout the country, and many posters, pictures and t-shirts were also sold featuring the design. So Ground Zero would become the site of the Freedom Tower, end of story, right? Well no, not at all.

When builders looked at Libeskind’s design, they realized that it had one critical design flaw. THE BUILDING WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD. That’s right, the Freedom Tower design was not possible. How could this happen? Easily, because the LMDC brought in Libeskind for his contemporary style, but never took into consideration that he never designed a building larger than 3 stories. So rather than drop Libeskind, they had him collaborate with David Childs, who was the architect for Larry Silverstein, who is the man who is the leaseholder for the World Trade Center site. Childs and Libeskind got together and compromised on a final design that was a combination of both men’s ideas. The completed design was approved by the LMDC and Governor Pataki, and they even held a groundbreaking ceremony where Pataki stated, “Today, we build the Freedom Tower.”

But the groundbreaking ceremony would be the only work done to the site, because the NYPD stepped in basically told the LMDC that the location of the Freedom Tower would rest over top of a tunnel, and should a terrorist wish to drive into the tunnel with a truck bomb, their would be no more Freedom Tower. Childs and Libeskind failed to take that into consideration.

The other major portion of the rebuilding effort revolved around the 9/11 memorial that would be built on the site. The LMDC has had several different designs for memorials, but none of them seem to be any good. One was a “Museum of Freedom,” which was never really explained to anyone. Another was a Cultural Center that was designed to encourage dialogue about the attacks, and would allow artists to display their work about 9/11. However, that idea was scrapped when the LMDC realized that such a pavilion would very easily turn into a political protest spot, which would be fine, if it weren’t that for 2,800 families, that is a gravesite.

So now, the current plan for the 9/11 memorial is to have two reflecting pools in the footprints of the building, surrounded by trees. Also, the Cultural Center is still part of the design. And finally the memorial for the victims will be located, UNDERGROUND. They are actually putting the victim’s memorial UNDERGROUND. Can you believe that? Not only that, but they are leaving important artifacts about that day, out of the memorial altogether. Like the missing person’s fliers. If you remember the people who were searching for loved ones and posted fliers with pictures of them; all of those fliers were saved. But there is no plan for them ever to be seen by the public again. P & T camera crews actually got access to the room at the LMDC’s headquarters that house all of those fliers and it is a very powerful thing to see. Also, the pieces of the shredded structure beams that were still standing, another iconic 9/11 image, will not be used in the memorial.

And if those things aren’t disgraceful enough, the LMDC has one more idea for the memorial. Now this was not in the P & T special, this is actually took place in the begining of April. A man named Michael Arad designed what was to be the centerpiece of the memorial, called the “Contemplation Room.” The room was an open -air space and contained a tomb that housed the remains of unidentified victims that died on September 11. The LMDC has chosen to move the “Contemplation Room” out of the memorial and into the Memorial Museum where the public will have to pay to see it.

The Coalition for 9/11 Families has responded to the latest move by the LMDC with this statement:
“ Members of the Coalition of 9/11 Families strenuously object to having the unidentified remains of the 9/11 victims and their tomb treated as a museum exhibit. We further object to the LMDC denying the public — who will pay for this Memorial through both their tax dollars and contributions — the right to descend to bedrock to stand on the historic site and pay their respects as the Memorial intended. While we appreciate the need to raise money for the Memorial and Memorial Museum, the unidentified remains of our loved ones are not for sale.”

Governor Pataki and the LMDC are failing at a massive level with the rebuilding effort at Ground Zero. Lower Manhattan business continue to suffer, 1,000,000 square ft of office space is still missing, and 9/11 families still have no memorial for the site where their loved ones died. The LMDC which is headed by one of Pataki’s largest campaign contributors, who has no experience in architecture, is proving to be a politically motivated organization who doesn’t seem to care about what goes up at that site. But 9/11 families do care and they are standing up to the LMDC. The Coalition for 9/11 Families has started a website called “Take Back the Memorial” (http://www.takebackthememorial.org). The site offers information on the plans as well as a petition against the current plans for the memorial. I encourage all of you to visit the site, and read for yourselves, everything that is going on there.

At the end of the P & T Show, they talk about what they would do if they were in charge of rebuilding, and they said that they believe they should simply rebuild the Towers, and build a memorial. What better way to stand up to terrorism then to simply rebuild what was once there. I agree, but I think it should go a little further. Keith Olbermann once suggested on his show that they rebuild the towers, only that they build them 2,752 inches shorter, one inch for each life that was lost. I think they should rebuild the towers, only 2,752 inches taller, as a way to show the world that no matter how much we are knocked back, we will come back better, and stronger than before.

Please take the time to check out the Take Back the Memorial website.
http://www.takebackthememorial.org/index.php

Immigration - Part 1

2006-04-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

I am going to post some thoughts on immigration debate in 2 parts.

Immigration Part 1

One thing that really gets under my skin when it comes to the immigration debate, is when Republicans say that illegal immigrants are driving down wages for American workers. It is not illegal immigrants that keep wages low, it’s the United States Congress that keeps wages down. The minimum wage has not been raised since 1997 when it went from $5.15 to $5.35. Each time Congress has had the opportunity to raise the minimum wage, it has been voted down by Republicans in Congress, if you don’t believe me, just look at the voting record on the minimum wage bills. Time after time, Republicans in the House and Senate voted down any attempt to raise the minimum wage, however, when it came to their own pay, they have twice voted to give themselves raises. So Conservatives shouldn’t start using illegal immigrants as scapegoats to justify their corporate greed.

The other point being used as a justification to secure the borders is the threat of terrorism. The fear perpetuation of 9/11 rears its ugly head again. There are those who say that terrorists will flock to Mexico, and easily enter into the U.S. and carry out attacks here in the states. Now, I do agree that this is a serious issue, but it seems a bit naive to believe that there are not already terrorists living in this country planning to carry out attacks. I mean we live in an open society, and as great as it is, one of the trade offs of having personal freedom, is that you cannot be completely safe all the time. The worst thing our government can do is continue to perpuate the notion that all people can live in a safe and secure society. It’s not possible, the fabric of society is far too complex, and mulit-layered for that ever to be possible.

The thing that I find most entertaining about this issue is that the two sides fighting it are the Republicans, and the Republicans. The liberals are kind of out to lunch on this one, as they have been on most other issues these days. But one side of the GOP says that we just “build a wall to keep them Mexicans out,” apparently after their great, great, grand pappy wiped out the last of the Indian tribes, their control over the new world became absolute. Then there is CEO asshole side of the party that says, “well I don’t want those damn people living here, but whom else can we get to put telephones together for 38 cents per day? Maybe we can just give them a card that allows them to come work here, but they have to go back over the border at the end of the day.” See illegal immigration is the dirty little secret for a lot of companies. They love it.

Neither solution will work. The work-visa program that the President supports does absolutely nothing for these people, and frankly, it’s a bit of an insult. These people can come and work, and support the infrastructure of this country, but they are not allowed to live among us. What a stupid idea. Only a country with ignorant leadership would call that a solution. People are not just coming here for work, they are coming here because, and I know this may be a quaint notion, they believe in the American Dream. They are seeking out a better life, and such mentality should be encouraged because many of these people have the kind of work ethic that more Americans should have.

As for the wall, just ask China and Berlin how well that will work. See the idea of building a wall may seem like a good idea to keep people out, but no physical structure can stop an intangible. People’s desire to seek out a better life for them and their families will motivate them to get around any obstacle. They will climb, they will dig, they endure whatever hardships they have to endure to come to the land of opportunity. For years European immigrants, my grandfather among them, endured an unbearable trans-Atlantic ride on a crowded ship in uncertain seas, just so that they may have the opportunity to be an American. History has showed time and time again that there is no wall that can block determination. There is no barrier that cannot be overcome in pursuit of such a goal.

Here is a fantastic piece from Bill Maher, from HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher.

Don't blame illegal immigrants for driving down wages. Blame Congress. Republicans in Congress have to stop saying that the problem with Mexicans coming over the border is they keep wages down. You know what keeps wages down? The fact that Congress hasn't raised the minimum wage since 1997. 1997, when my dealer still had a beeper! Car dealer, car dealer, what did I say?

Yes, news flash: Congress controls what the minimum wage is. Who did you think it was, the valet parking team at Tony Roma's? And upping the minimum wage would affect wages. It has to. The word "wage" is right in it. Even George Bush could understand that. Maybe not. The point is, the elephant in the room is that no one can live on minimum wage, and that we are making a whole swath of our society - tens of millions of people - live like animals. So that the luckier segment can live with indulgences their parents never dreamed of.

Do you know that most upper-middle-class people nowadays never clean their own toilet or do their own laundry...until they go to rehab.

Adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage is actually lower than it was in 1968, the year George Bush graduated from Yale. And that is unforgivable! And the wage thing is bad, too.

People like to tell themselves that these immigrants do the jobs Americans won't do. Not true. Americans will pick fruit in the hot sun. But not at $5.15 an hour. Trust me. If some of these jobs paid real wages, your wife would be having sex with a Jewish gardener.

Americans want the contributions of the poor and the immigrant without having to actually see or be among them. Which is why I suggest, instead of building a wall on the border, we build a Wal-Mart. It would be 1,950 miles long, or the size of a normal Wal-Mart. And there would still be just the one register open. But it would solve this problem.

Because if we built this Wal-Mart exactly on the border, the Americans could come through the front door and shop, and the Mexicans could come through the back door and work. And then go home the same way at night, unless they got locked in. It is Wal-Mart.

In summation, I am not saying that raising the minimum wage is going to solve the illegal immigration problem. That can only be solved by arming Lou Dobbs. But five bucks an hour in an America where the luckier ones spend that on a coffee, is a cruel joke. And if you don't believe me, do what I do. Listen to the voices of those poor souls who are making this paltry sum. Of course, I have to. They're my staff.

Fred Phelps is Up To No Good, Again!

2006-04-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

Fred Phelps is at it again. He has found a way to do something that most people did not think was possible. He has found a way to sink even lower.

Phelps is a Reverend and the head of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. He became an infamous religious figure in 1998 when he protested at the funeral of gay rights icon, Mathew Shepard. Sheppard, a University of Wyoming student was brutally beaten by two men in October of 1998. These men drove Sheppard to a secluded area, beat him, and tied him to a fence where he was left for dead. After being found, Sheppard slipped into a coma and died just a few days later. The story of Mathew Sheppard has been the subject of a made for TV movie, as well as the film, The Laramie Project. Fred Phelps role in the story came into play at Sheppard's funeral where he and some of his followers protested by chanting and holding signs saying things like "God hates Fags," “Mathew Shepard Burns in Hell,“ as well as other hateful messages. But Phelps harassment didn't end there. In 2004 he pushed to have a monument erected in Casper, Wyoming that states the Mathew Sheppard is in Hell for defying God's Law. He also pushed to have this message put on a park bench in Topeka, as well as other parts of the country.

Well, Phelps is once again protesting at funerals, but this time it is different. He is not protesting at the funerals of homosexuals, no, now he is protesting at the funerals of American Soldiers. That’s right, he is protesting at the funerals of soldiers who died in Iraq. Phelps reason for doing so is that God is punishing our soldiers and our country. In Phelps view, 9/11 and our casualties in Iraq are part of God’s curse on our country for extending civil liberties to homosexuals, and for having the “don‘t ask, don‘t tell“ policy. So he and his followers are going to these funerals to celebrate the death of soldiers.

The insensitivity doesn’t stop there. Phelps’ website, www.godhatesfags.com has a list of recently deceased soldiers, their hometowns, and their funeral arrangements, as well as plans for their protest. Also on the web page is a copy of a flier that the WBC hands out. The flier is titled, “Thank God for 6 More Dead Troops; We Wish it Were 6,000,” and it lists the names of the deceased soldiers as the, “Roster of the Damned,” and states the WBC’s agenda. “WBC (Westboro Baptist Church) will picket their funerals in their hometowns, as well as memorial services for them elsewhere, when their body and/or body parts are returned from Iraq.” Also on the flier, there is a little rhyme, “They turned America over to Fags; and now they’re coming home in body bags.”

Phelps tried to defend his hateful views on MSNBC’s Scarborough Country on April 11, however Phelps was so defiant, and so ignorant that the guest host had to cut his microphone. Also on the show, they interviewed a woman whose husband was killed in Iraq, and had to deal with Phelps goons at his funeral. It’s just disgusting.

Phelps is becoming America’s foremost hatemonger, and is using religion as a framework for his psychotic ideology. The scary thing is that Phelps has supporters, people who support him both financially and ideologically, and the WBC is quite influential in Topeka, Kansas.

When will enough be enough? When will the baseless hatred stop? Phelps and his minions are disgusting. They shout their hateful rhetoric, while widows, children and parents bury their loved ones. They smirk in the faces of families that are being ripped apart. They shout from the rooftops about how homosexuals are the scourges of the earth. But it is not homosexuals; rather, it is people like Phelps that are the true scourge of the earth. The truly pathetic existence is that of one who is fueled by hatred, happy to indulge in the suffering of other.

There is hope out there for decent people. At Mathew Shepard’s funeral, decent people who stood in front of the hate mongers blocked Phelps protestors. The same has begun to happen at some of our soldier’s funerals, and that is a very positive sign. But more must be done. People must begin speaking out against his kind of hatred. People can no longer sit back and let people like this influence our society, and more importantly our legislature. Social awareness, communication, and understanding are they keys to fighting hatred, and we live in a time when all people should be more tolerant of one another, especially when you tout freedom and diversity the way we do in America.

Here are the Fred Phelps Websites, check them out, so you can see for yourself what a pig of a man he truly is.

www.godhatesfags.com
http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/apr2006/20060412_six-dead-troops.pdf (Dead Troops Flier)
www.smellthebrimstone.com
www.godhatesamerica.com
www.priestsrapeboys.com
www.godhatescanada.com
www.godhatessweden.com

Blowing Smoke

2006-04-04T00:14:00.000-07:00

Recently a town in California banned smoking in virtually all public places. The move came as a result of a complaint made by a 19-year-old girl about having to encounter second-hand smoke. Smoking bans are beginning to pop up all over the country; New York, Florida, and California, all have laws that ban smoking in certain public areas. What I find scary about this is that non-smokers love these new laws because they don't have to be irritated by the smell of smoke, or the so-called "health risks." Oh people, sometimes I think we will never learn.

So what's wrong with banning smoking in restaurants? Well, here is one thing, the government is telling private business owners what they can and can't do in their establishments. That cannot be allowed. As long as the activities taking place in an establishment are legal, then the government can have no say as to what goes on in a place of business. It is not illegal to smoke, so the government should stay out of it. If an individual proprietor wants to ban smoking in his/her establishment, then that is their right. But it is not for the government to determine. See people don't think about the government intrusion aspect of it, and I suppose that is because, well, their clothes smell so much cleaner now. Now, I don't know about you people, but I'd rather deal with a smoky bar and keep my civil liberties, rather than have clean lungs, a nice smelling shirt, and eroding civil liberties.

The cornerstone of this debate for the anti-smoking lobby is one of the most bullshit phrases ever to enter the public discourse, "Second-Hand Smoke." The smoke you buy at a thrift store. Ok a bad joke, but back to my point. The anti-smoking nuts will go to great lengths to tell you about the damage that second-hand smoke can cause. They will throw so many statistics at you; your head will spin. But it is important to look carefully at the numbers, because if you do, you will find that though some of the statistics may be accurate, they are also misleading.

The biggest second-hand smoke claim is that it causes lung cancer. That's the big one. That is the one that the "Truth" group loves to talk about in their stupid commercials. Ok, so what are the statistics? How many lung cancer deaths are caused by second-hand smoke each year? It must be a lot of the government is passing laws because of it, right? Well according to the EPA, in their 1993 report, which caused the anti-smoking uproar in this country, they attribute 3,000 lung cancer deaths per year to second-hand smoke. 3,000. Now that may sound like a high number, but relatively, it’s quite low. In fact, each year, lung cancer kills about 160,000 people per year, and that includes all known causes. 160,000 per year die of lung cancer, and 3,000 of those deaths come from second-hand smoke. That means that second-hand smoke accounts for 1.9% of all lung cancer deaths. Radon gas by comparison accounts for 21,100 lung cancer deaths per year. That means that you are 7 times more likely to get lung cancer from radon, than you are from second-hand smoke. That 3,000 is statistically insignificant, and should in no way be used to substantiate a law.

It is also claimed that second-hand smoke causes between 35,000 and 62,000 coronary heart disease deaths per year. A much higher number. There must be some truth to this, right? Wrong. That number is the product of a calculation and proportioning of all heart disease deaths. It is based on a meta-analysis of passive smoking that appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine and concluded that passive smoking is related to a “small increase” increase coronary heart disease. That’s all it says, a small increase. The fact is that there is no conclusive proof that second-hand smoke is a hazard to the public health. There is no proof.

The anti-smoking lobby is full of propaganda and misinformation. The sad thing is that they are gaining momentum. Smoking bans are popping up all over the country, and it looks as though more are on the horizon. Smoking may bother you, it may make you sneeze, or make your clothes smell nasty, but that's not the issue. The issue is, that if these bans are a violation of civil liberties, and have no scientific basis, then why have them? Why support them?

Isn’t it amazing that a person will sit in a restaurant and abhor the health affects of second-hand smoke, while eating a high fat, high cholesterol meal? Or a person in a bar who wants to smoke has to go outside so he doesn’t interfere with the drunken non-smoker who wants to wreck his liver instead of his lungs. You can’t legislate against something because it is annoying, if you could, pop music would get you arrested.

Smoking is a nasty habit. It makes your clothes smell, makes you sneeze, and it is really irritating, but to me, it’s an acceptable nuisance, considering the alternative, the continued erosion of civil rights. Sometimes, in order to do the right thing, you have to support something that bothers you, and doing that, means you are grounded by principles. That is why I support smoker’s rights.

13 Rules For Functioning Adults

2006-03-29T17:36:00.000-08:00

Well friends o'mine, here is a list of rules that I have come up with to help people transition into adulthood. Though they maybe somewhat cynical, I think they are fairly accurate.

1. Believe nothing the government tells you.

2. Society is almost always wrong.

3. Male insecurity is the cause of most of the world's strife.

4. Never trust a man in a suit.

5. Religion is obsolete.

6. People should be able to do whatever they want as long as it doesn't hurt someone else.

7. You are not your Job. You are not how much money you have in the bank. You are not your fucking khakis. (Ok so that is from Fight club, but it deserves to be on the list)

8. Having a spouse and children does not make you a complete person. There is no such thing is a complete person.

9. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get a different result.

10. Society is one pitfall away from unraveling completely.

11. Men, you cannot fuck every girl you meet, so please stop trying.

12. Chivalry is dead; it was murdered by the feminists.

13. The Male Gender is a disease.

Genocide in Darfur

2006-03-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

They say that hind site is always 20/20.

12 years ago, almost 1 million people died in the Rwandan genocide. The Hutu used the assassination of the Rwandan President as an excuse to begin a campaign of violence against the minority Tutsi. Many suffered, including women and children, while the world watched and did nothing. President Clinton called his lack of action the biggest regret of his presidency. In 2004 the film Hotel Rwanda brought the brutality of the event to life for American audiences. The film was widely acclaimed and even garnered a nomination for Best Picture; and more importantly brought the event back into the public conscious. Many Americans are ashamed of our inaction, and wish that we could have done more to prevent the massacres. Now, in 2006, the same situation is facing the world again, and again we are doing nothing.

Right now, in the Sudan, the Sudanese government is systematically killing the black Sudanese in the villages of Darfur. Arab militias (Janjaweed) are going into to villages, forcing people from their homes, murdering men and boys, raping the women and burning the children alive. The Janjaweed have also poisoned local water supplies, and prevent humanitarian aid from reaching Sudanese refugees. So far it is believe that over 500,000 Sudanese have been killed, and over 1 million have be driven from their homes. The homeless refugees are beginning to die from disease and starvation, and the violence only continues to escalate.

So what is the world doing to intervene? Not a goddamn thing! For the most part the rest of the world has spent the last 2 years debating on whether or not the suffering of the people can be considered genocide. Even the Congress of the United States debated whether or not the massacres met the definition of "genocide." In the end, guess what? The votes were counted, and it does meet the genocide criteria. Damn the government pisses me off. People are being exterminated while old men in suits debate the semantics of the massacre.

Basically what this genocide boils down to, is that the majority of people in the northern part of the country are Arab Muslims, and in the south, the majority are black. The black Sudanese for the most part have either converted to Christianity, or still practice their ancestral religions. The Arab Janjaweed militias are basically going through the country and wiping out the blacks, including the black Muslims.

It amazes me to here people try to justify our non-involvement in the Sudan. Our troops are occupied with the war on terror; we are spread to thin throughout the world. With each excuse, thousands more die.

Why do we not care?

One reason we do not care is that the media has barely covered the genocide. With the exception of a few great reporters, main stream media has paid no attention to the massacres. The American press was far more concerned with the Michael Jackson trial, or who killed Natalie Holloway, or the poor old man that Dick Cheney shot. Half a million dead, and all the media can focus on is a freak, a dead white girl, and a hunting accident. Where the hell is our perspective?

Some even go as far as to say that the Sudan is not our problem, and that we are busy fighting a "global war on terror." Well let me say this, if you are of this opinion, you are a jackass. The Sudan is not our problem? It's everyone's problem. The United States as well as all of Europe is primarily responsible for most of the horrible things that have taken place in almost every African nation. We all broke it, and we all need to fix it.

I wonder if the horrific images that are coming from the region would be received more sympathetically if the bodies of the dead were white.

We need to act now. The United States has an opportunity to reclaim some of our international credibility, and more importantly help save a generation of human beings. As citizens it is our job to talk about these events, debate them, do whatever it takes to keep the Sudan in the public dialogue. Maybe then the media will catch on, and the political swine will get up of their asses and actually do something. This is a big moment for us, a moment we cannot let pass. We cannot turn our heads, there is too much at stake.

Gimme Back My Bullets

2006-02-28T22:50:00.000-08:00

My thoughts on gun control

Gun Control does not work. Its that simple. Laws that make it harder to purchase guns, or limit the kinds of guns that are available to the consumer, are not working. I compare the anti-gun lobby to the anti-drug lobby. Both have the same principle; by limiting the “bad” thing, you reduce the number of people who will be effected by the “bad” thing, thus making society a safer place to work and play. The logic of this is flawed on both counts because as anyone can tell you, by making something illegal, you create a black-market for it. And, if people want something bad enough, they will get it. Did you ever notice the way the anti-drug and anti-gun commercials are the same?

I have never really understood the argument for gun control. People say, “you don’t need an M-16 to hunt geese.” I’m sure that old white lawyer Cheney shot would agree with that. But at the same time, who are you to tell someone else what they need, or what they can’t have? Why can’t someone buy a machine gun? I would love to hear a reasonable answer to that question. You know I am a liberal, but there is a lot of liberal hypocrisy when it comes to the gun issue.

I have also heard the argument that the presence of a gun can escalate a bad situation to a worse situation. That to me is a broad argument that is easily dispatched once you introduce some specifics. Gun control sounds great when you speak in vagaries and generalities.

There are even some really dumbass people out there who say that only the police should be allowed to carry guns. Are you fucking kidding me? Do you know how stupid that sounds? Now I don’t mean to be disrespectful to Police, but I don’t want them to be the only ones with guns, I mean who the hell would police them?

Now, the 2nd Amendment is pretty clear about the right of citizens to own weapons to protect themselves from the local militia.

A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

It is pretty black and white. Gun control advocates have tried to make some really ineffective arguments as to the wording of the 2nd Amendment, but most reasonable minds see it as being clear. Citizens have the right to own weapons for their own protection, period. Now, it can be argued that the founding fathers could not foresee how powerful our military would become, I mean is a hand gun going to protect anyone from a bomb dropped from a plane, of course not, therefore, the 2nd Amendment is kind of useless. Well, I understand the point, but the Constitution is our rulebook. It is the blueprint for our civil liberties, and you can’t simply disregard the right that was granted 2nd among all others, just because you don‘t like the idea of gun violence.

Another argument put forth by the anti-gun lobby is that by making it more difficult to purchase a gun, it will make it harder for little Johnny to walk into school and kill his classmates. Oh Columbine, how both sides of the gun debate have raped that event. Listen, its simple, those kids from Columbine were crazy little fuckers who were going to do it no matter how difficult it was to obtain a gun. You cannot stop a crazy person from doing something crazy. If a person is intent on murdering someone, they are going to do it regardless of whatever petty law you try to put up as an obstacle. It’s not hard for a nut to carry out their agenda in life. That's the price we pay for our open society, we can’t be safe all the time. But the funny thing about the Columbine event is that it was about the guns. Its always about the guns, the violent video games, the violent show, the violent movie, and I know this question may sound cliche, but is it ever about the parents? Why are we blaming the gun for making the kid a crazy little bastard? What were they before the guns? People in this country are great at deflecting accountability.

The right to own a weapon for protection is guaranteed by the Constitution. Any attempt to limit that person’s right is an infringement on civil liberties, its plain and simple. And I know my liberal friends may not agree with me and may have cringed as they read some of this, but it is a fact.

Now, gun lovers rejoice, I’m on your side. A left winger who supports your cause. Everyone dance!

Ok, now stop dancing cause I have some things to say to you NRA card carrying, gun show attending, gun rack owning patriots out there. I support your right to own a weapon, but there is something I must say to you people. This is an opinion that comes straight from my heart.

Many of you think only worry about whether or not you can own a gun, and not enough time thinking about whether or not you should own a gun. I do not trust your decision-making skills when it comes to using a gun. I have no faith in your judgment, or intelligence when it comes to the responsible use of a weapon. The ability to take a life is in your hands and I do not trust you to make a good decision. People are full of prejudices that make it easier to justify who we are willing to kill. Humanity is angry, and cruel. Even though there are many responsible gun owners out there, there are also a lot of sycophants that just love to kill stuff.

And if you own a lot of guns, get some fucking help. A gun addiction is just as bad as a drug or alcohol addiction. A 50 year old man, living in a Midwestern suburb should really question whether or not he needs an arsenal of weapons for his own self defense. I’m not saying that there should be a law against it, but he should be introspective about it.

Also, the NRA people need to give it up. You are not fighting to preserve anything except your own obsession with weapons. While I may agree with you in principle, I also think that the NRA is full of insensitive maniacs. Charlton Heston is an asshole!

I want to be clear about my position on this. I am against the idea of gun control, because it does not work. However, I hate guns. I hate the idea that a life can end so quickly. And it is true what they say; you can never take back that bullet once you fire it. Even though I may hate guns, I am smart enough to know that restrictions on them won’t do anything. Do you think an inner city gang member cares about gun legislation? No, they buy their guns on the street. Gun laws don’t work on people who don’t obey the law to begin with. If anything, gun control legislation may help the criminals.

So what to do, you ask? I think that the answer lies in education. Gun owners must be willing to be taught how to use a weapon, as well as basic gun safety, so that way little Johnny doesn’t accidentally splatter his sisters brains all over the wall. Education and training may sound like small things but they can go a long way in gun safety. I know many of you agree with me in that you do not trust these people with weapons, and some of you may think that is why gun control is necessary, but this is what humanity is. Take away the guns and people will still be violent killers, just with something else. We are a species that thrives on finding other ways to kill each other. We have been doing it for a long time.

It is a funny bit of irony that gun control legislation is not necessary when you have a society full of responsible gun owners. Think about it, the best argument against gun control legislation is gun control.

Cannibalism - Thought For Food!

2006-01-17T22:32:00.000-08:00

I begin this post with this disclaimer; I am not a lunatic. I just have an interest in extreme human behavior.

Human behavior is an interesting thing. We are the dominant species on the planet. Evolved, and civilized. But one of the things about humans that really interest me, is how quick our civility can disappear. In an instant our sophistication dissipates and we are thrown back into our animalistic tendencies. There is no greater example of this than cannibalism.

Cannibalism is a practice traced back thousands of years. However, lore and legend cloud the history of cannibalism. White men labeled most indigenous people as cannibals even though it was not a tribal practice. It was really just a way for the white men to justify the slaughter of these tribes. Big surprise.

In actuality cannibalism in ancient times was a religious practice. In fact the Aztecs were known to have ceremonies in which the person being sacrificed, had their still-beating heart ripped from their chest, and held up high for all the faithful to see. The royal family then ate the heart. Now let me tell ya, that’s what I call going to church. Forget that “Body of Christ” shit, I wanna see a beating human heart.

The Aztecs are historically regarded as one of the largest societies to practice sociological cannibalism. It is actually part of an interesting debate that is ongoing as to why the Aztecs practiced cannibalism in the first place. Some argue that it was a dietary supplement to account for a deficiency in protein, but the prevailing line of thought is that it was simply religion and war. Often during times of war, the fallen enemies would be consumed by victorious soldiers as a way for the soldiers to gain the power of the dead. This is historically a very popular idea, that by consuming someone, you can assume his or her power. Cannibalism was also commonly practiced within families as a way for the deceased to live on. So if your Uncle Morty dies, and you eat him, then Uncle Morty lives on in you. Kind of poetic isn’t it?
Now of course it is easy for people to comprehend the idea of cannibalism in ancient times, I mean hey, these people were practicing incest and walking around with open sores, they didn’t know any better. It is much more difficult for people to deal with idea of cannibalism in modern times. And it does still happen folks, it still does, and it’s not just for psychos and stranded people. In fact the extent to which cannibalism exists in the world today is quite astounding.

When we hear about cannibalism today, we generally think of the movie Alive. The stranded victims of a plane crash, with no food, which have to resort to eating the flesh of their friends to survive. The desperation serves as a horrid, but understandable justification for the act. The Donner party was another example of the same desperation. 87 people on an expedition get lost in the mountains for months, some of the party went crazy and killed each other, and ate each other. By the time they were rescued nearly half were dead and several eaten. These kinds of stories have been the subject of more books; documentaries and feature films than you can count. But it seems justifiable to us. The desperation. Not having food, being so hungry and delirious that you actually get to a point where eating the flesh of a human being for sustenance, is a good idea. We may not want to do it, or cannot imagine ourselves doing it, but we do understand it.

The other common example of modern cannibalism is people who are just plain fuckin’ nuts. Number 1 on the list of psychotic cannibal mother fuckers, you know the name, Jeffrey Dahmer. The man who seduced young boys and drugged, sodomized, and ate them. When police caught Dahmer they found the severed head of a Cambodian teenager in his fridge, which has always made me wonder, “on what shelf in the fridge does one place a severed head. Does it go on the top shelf, or the vegetable drawer?” Would you like to know what else police found in Dahmer’s home? Ok I’ll tell you. Skulls were found stripped of hair and skin on shelves in the kitchen. A bucket was found full of severed hands. A torso was found in his kitchen sink that was ripped open from the neck to the groin, and next to that, a severed penis. A penis was also found in a lobster pot in the fridge. Finally, in a jar on the counter, and yes I’m serious, a pickled penis was found. Now what is strange to me about the pickled penis, is that I wonder if pickling was a culinary skill of Dahmer’s or did he learn it specifically for this one item? Hmm, I guess we’ll never know.

Then of course there was Ed Gein, not the cover boy that Dahmer was, but Gein was the Hollywood maniac. His story inspired films like Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and a really lousy low budget biopic titled Ed Gein. Now Gein is really not considered a cannibal, in fact he himself denied it, but this sick bastard is in the same company. Gein was a grave robber, who dug up women's bodies, chopped them up, and skinned them and made clothes out of their skin. He put skulls on the posts of his bed, and reupholstered his couch with female skin. When police raided his bachelor pad, they found a bucket of vulvas preserved in salt, and next to that, a bucket of noses. And though not technically a cannibal, it does at least appear that he is in the same ballpark.

Then there was Idi Amin; the man so affectionately referred to as “The Butcher of Uganda.” Amin was the president of Uganda in the 1970’s. He was a notorious ruler and was accused of cannibalizing some of his political opposition.

The list of modern individual cannibals goes on and on. But the extent to which cannibalism is a societal practice in the modern world is alarming. In 1997 starving people in North Korea had resorted to cannibalism because of the lack of food. In some instances parents were killing and eating their own infants. Imagine that, killing and eating your own child. There was one married couple in North Korea during this time, that were executed for killing 50 children, curing their flesh with salt, and storing them in a hut. Can you believe that, an example of societal cannibalism, only 9 years ago? And that is just North Korea. Cannibalism has been reported to have also been practiced in Indonesia as well as the Congo in recent years.

Human behavior amazes me. These incidents, whether its the psycho guy that lives in the middle of nowhere, or people in a third world country, are examples of extreme human behavior that seem to exist totally outside of our mindset. We see them like movies, or works of fiction. The idea that these things are really happening in the world is, excuse the pun, hard to swallow. But to me, its a part of the tapestry of life. We disregard it, when we need to examine it. We disregard these things because they exist outside of our ethical framework, but how do these actions by individuals and societies fit in with peoples morality, ethics, and religion. The values and morals that we cling to seem to are compromised by such things. Now I’m not asking if there is a place in heaven for a guy like Jeffrey Dahmer, what I’m asking is how can one believe in giving thanks to God when people are pushed to eat their own children. See the very existence of these forms of human behavior force us to ask larger questions, and it is for that reason that we cannot disregard them.

Well I hope you made it through without vomiting, just thought I’d give you some food for thought. And as you know I have an affinity for quotes and believe it or not I even found one on cannibalism. Did you ever want to know what human flesh tastes like? Well I leave you with the words of the survivors of the 1972 Uruguayan plane crash that inspired Alive.

“the slight browning of the flesh gave it an immeasurably better flavor, softer than beef but with much the same taste."

2,443 Dirty Words

2006-01-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

Well in case you did not already know, I have a great interest in profanity. I think its imbedded in my DNA. Those of you know me or my family know exactly what I'm talking about. My family are great orators of vulgarity. In fact, I would say that we master profanity the same way Cicero mastered Latin. So if you share the same interest, check out this link to George Carlin's website where he lists 2,443 "dirty" words. They are even categorized for easy reference.

George Carlin's 2,443 Dirty Words

A Quote

2006-01-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

As I dig into my mental encyclopedia of George Carlin quotes;

"I don't have pet peeves, I have major psychotic fucking hatreds.........it makes the world easier to sort out!"

A Small Annoyance

2006-01-06T20:10:00.000-08:00

I found another really annoying phrase that is infecting peoples dialogue, and people who use this phrase should really be slapped in the face with leather glove.

It drives me crazy when a person prefaces a sentence with "F.Y.I."

Oh how my blood boils when I hear someone say something like, "And F.Y.I, I'm not staying here past 5."

F.Y.I is slowly moving up the ladder for irritating phrases. It just sounds so damn pretentious.

Munich

2006-01-04T15:29:00.000-08:00

For those who may not know, Munich is a film that takes place in the aftermath of the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes, at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany. The film follows a man who is given a mission by the Israeli Government, to hunt down and kill 11 men who are connected to the Munich attack. Each assassination brings new problems and moral conundrums for the characters in the film. Each target becomes more dangerous, and the paranoia of living as a shadow figure grows and grows. Before too long, the characters come to realize that no one can be trusted, and everyone could be a target. The underworld twists and turns with characters getting caught up amongst each other, all in each others way, all not afraid to kill the other.

Munich was an impressive film to me. One of the things I really liked about it, is the strength of the content. Over the years, Spielberg has taken on strong content in his other films, like Schindler’s List, and Amistad. But this is not simply strong content, it is mature content. This film does not just use graphic imagery to make its point; instead it forces the viewer into asking questions. Its a very thought provoking film, and I personally, feel that when a filmmaker makes a movie that involves moral ambiguity, it is vitally important to leave the audience with questions, instead of point of view.

The film is anchored by very strong performances by the actors. Eric Bana’s work in this film is his best yet. He continues to grow and improve as an actor. Geoffrey Rush as usual, does great work.

Thematically, it’s one of the strongest films Spielberg has made in years. The idea of killing for ideology, bartering life, and the way governments use people, and manipulate people based on ideology, is strongly portrayed in this film. In the end, the Munich attack is shown as the striking of the match that started a huge fire, that is still burning today. The overwhelming thing that I got from the movie is that ideology is one of the most powerful weapons there is in the world. It causes people to compromise their values and do things that never thought they were capable of, and causes governments to take advantage of their peoples loyalties. Everyone is a puppet, to another who holds the strings.

Visually, Spielberg’s style has changed very little; his obsession with bright exterior lighting is still present. But what is unique about the way the film is shot. There are several shots that really establish continuity with the story. Lots of movement within the frame, lots of action, all signs of real pro at work. One shot that I loved is the shot toward the end of the film when Eric Bana and Geoffrey Rush are walking along a river in what I assume is Brooklyn, with Manhattan in the background. As they walk, you can see the Manhattan skyline and in the faint distance is the World Trade Center, not glorified in the center of the frame, but as a very subtle part of the backdrop. The shot serves as a great bridge between 1972 and 2001, because all along as you are watching the film, you can‘t help but to draw comparisons to then and now, and this is definitely Spielberg‘s intention. Also the way he works the murder of the athletes into the lead characters psychosis is very well done.

Over the past few years Spielberg has really reached out when it comes to content. He went from cute aliens and killer sharks, to precognitive crime prevention, and the nature of love. He has also evolved as an artist with a movie like The Terminal, which has some of his heaviest use of symbolism to date. All of the qualities come together in Munich. The film marks another step in Spielberg’s evolution as a filmmaker. It is new territory for him, delving into more thought provoking content, but in the end, he pulls off a very good film.

King Kong

2005-12-14T10:55:00.000-08:00

I'm 26 years old, and have been going to the movies most of my life. Every so often I see a film that just blows me away. I remember being 10 years old watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in the theatre and just being aww struck by the action, and excitement. A few years later as a teenager I saw Jurassic Park, and was amazed by the stunning visuals. In the past few years I have had a chance to see some great films, that I love and are among my all time favorites. Having seen the trailers for King Kong, this film looked to have all the potential to be a modern masterpiece.

Peter Jackson was a director I was not very familiar with before the Lord of the Rings, in fact the only film of his I had ever seen was Heavenly Creatures, but I loved the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and when I heard he was remaking King Kong, I had my doubts about how this film could be pulled off. Not so much the special effects aspect, as much as the story.

The original King Kong was released in 1933, western men had never seen a gorilla until 1901, and for years before that gorillas were beasts of legend, like bigfoot. So with gorillas only being 30 years old to the western mind, they were still shrouded in mystery, and King Kong was a very realistic story at the time, or at least the possibility seemed real enough. 72 years later the idea of a giant gorilla doesn't quite seem as possible. With this in mind, a remake of King Kong would be a difficult film to pull off.

So did Peter Jackson do it? Is the remake of his favorite film a glory for all movie audiences to behold? Well there answer to me is simple. You bet your ass it is. Peter Jackson has done it. King Kong is a very impressive film. At 3 hours long, it maybe too much for some audiences to stand, but damn it, I love long movies. I like when directors actually take time to introduce their characters, establish sub-plots and are deliberate in their storytelling.

The first act of the film is a little slow, getting the backstory of the characters and moving them into place, but believe me, the second act, on Skull Island, is so full of action that you will be on sensory overload. From the moment Carl Denham and his crew get off the ship and go onto the island, the next hour of the film is non-stop action.

The CGI Kong is a site to behold, an absolutley brilliant creation, and for those of you are real movie nuts, you may have heard that Kong was in fact an actor. Andy Serkis, who did the motion capture for the CGI Gollum in the Lord of the Rings, is back doing the motion capture for Kong. Serkis is a brilliant physical performer, and his work shines through again here, and as a reward for his great work, it was great to see Peter Jackson give Serkis a regular role in the film as Lumpy the Cook.

One of the most talked about scenes from the trailers is the one in which Kong mixes it up with a dinosaur who is trying to eat his woman. In the trailer, this looks pretty interesting, but in the movie, it is the most aww inspring, action packed scene. And kudos to the people who put out the trailer for not giving away more of that scene, because there are some surprises that just blow you away. Tremendous action.

The 3rd act of the film is the classic Kong rampage through New York, which just looks fantastic on screen. The visual effects are masterfully done, and unlike anything that you will have ever scene before. The climactic scene of Kong on the Empire State building, is surprisingly heartbreaking.

Watching this film I could not help but think that it was just one big "Fuck You" to Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. This was a statement picture for Peter Jackson, and the statement he makes with this film is, " I can do this better than you can." Jackson's vision, his style, and ability to tell a story has made him the big movie man. No one can do it better. He has raised the bar over men that have dominated the industry for the last 30 years.

This movie made me feel like I was a kid again. Sitting in the theatre wide-eyed, with a huge grin on my face because I was seeing something that was simply amazing. All in all, King Kong is a wonderful written, perfectly visualized, and masterfully directed film. Peter Jackson's love for this film is evident in the lengths he goes to to wow his audience. Peter Jackson has taken the film he loved as a kid and reinvented it for a whole new generation to appreciate.

Green Friday

2005-11-28T13:12:00.000-08:00

Well, another Thanksgiving has come and gone, and we once again find ourselves catapulted into the holiday shopping season. Family traditions are abundant during the holidays and Thanksgiving has typically been the kickoff to the season. Over the years another tradition has emerged in conjunction with the holiday, the “Black Friday,” tradition. The Friday after Thanksgiving, the biggest shopping day of the year. Stores offer massive discounts and open their doors at 5am, so that the masses can get in and purchase high-end merchandise at rock bottom prices. How can you go wrong? Everyone wins, don’t they?
This year there were a couple stores that were offering huge discounts on electronics, iPods, Desktop PCs, Laptops, PDAs, DVD Players, Digital camcorders and cameras. The offers in the sale flyers caused a buzz and people began waiting in line, some as early as 5pm the day before. Can you believe that? These people go right from Thanksgiving dinner, grab a sleeping bag and head out to an electronics store where they wait 12 hours so they can buy stuff. By 3am the lines extend around to the back of the stores, workers go through the lines passing out vouchers for the products that people want to buy. Of course when the vouchers run out, they don’t notify anyone in line that the product they are looking for is more than likely going to be sold out. Why would they do that, you wouldn’t want people to get out of line and go home, you want to get them in the door so they can buy something else, like Revenge of the Nerds 4 on DVD for $1.99. By 5am, when the doors open, civilized people become animals as they push and shove to position themselves to get what they want. The people who waited so desperately for the discounted laptops flock to the computer department only to find that the laptops have their own special line on the other side of the store, but while they are there, they can look at more expensive laptops. Part of that bait and switch sale philosophy.
You see the deals these stores offer, are just a way to get you in the door so you can buy other things you don’t need. It is an indirect bait and switch. You come to the store to buy the PC you saw in the ad for $150, but when you realize they only have 20 or 30 in stock, and you aren’t gonna get one, they’ll try to sell you something similar, but more expensive. You see the truth of the matter is that these sales ads are just teasers. They are lures to get people in line. And constantly people take the bait. Once they hook you, you’re in their boat. 1000 people waiting in a line for the items in the sale ad, but the quantities of stock are only 20 to 30 per item. They are fucking with you! They open at 5am and have these 6-hour sales. They are fucking with you! They want you to leave your families on Thanksgiving, fuck putting up the Christmas tree; they want shopping to be your priority. They are fucking with you! There is no need to open at 5am; they just know that if they dangle some deals in front of your face they can come up with 5 extra hours of business. And I know what some of you are thinking, “well it says in the ad, only 20 in stock per store.” Well just because they have a disclaimer does not mean they are behaving ethically. In fact, I think that should put another disclaimer on the add that says, “we are a bunch of assholes only concerned with making as much money as we possibly can, so here are 30 camcorders for you obedient consumers to fight over, and if you don’t get one, we do have iPods, and plenty of other things for you to buy.”
But you know the irony of it all. If you ask the consumers, they’ll all tell you that it is a hassle, that they hate waiting in the lines, and that the stores are not doing enough for their costumers. But nothing changes; they all still do it. Year after year they keep lining up earlier and earlier. They keep coming back for more. Shopping is the thing we do best. Consumption is the only lasting American value. We can’t get enough discounts on shit, we just keep buying and buying and buying. In fact, we turn a blind eye toward all else that exists because we are so wrapped up in acquiring material goods. We are infected with consumerism. All of us. We buy houses, cars, appliances, computers, cell phones, satellite radios, plasma TV’s, and whatever other things that we feel will make our lives more convenient. You know, I once accompanied someone to Best Buy for one of these “Black Friday” sales, and the Best Buy was adjacent to a Barnes & Noble, and the Barnes & Noble opened at 3am in hopes to draw some of Best Buy’s line dwellers. And I thought it rather symbolic that there was not a soul in the bookstore. Not one, the only people that went into the Barnes & Noble went in to buy coffee and muffins, fulfilling the other great American passion, eating. They could have been handing out free copies of the greatest works of literature ever created, and no one would have gone in. Shopping and eating, our 2 great passions. Fuck reading.
I know it sounds a bit cynical, but this is who we are. If it weren’t than these stores wouldn’t have these sales. The retailer owners are just gonna keep screwing with the public as long as they put up with it, which means forever, because the public will continue to be loyal obedient consumers as long as the products are shiny enough. The thought that I leave you with is this; do you really think that any of the big retail companies call it “Black Friday?” I don’t think so, I think the only color they are concerned with is green.

Harry Potter and the Crazy Religious Nuts

2005-11-17T14:40:00.000-08:00

Well with the release of the new Harry Potter film just a day away, the media is again stirring with skeptics of the film who say that it promotes witchcraft and the occult. The religious ideologues are back with more attacks on the brainchild of J.K Rowlings. I just saw a man on one of the talking head shows on cable news television saying that children are being lured into darkness and that these films and books are destroying the youth. Ok, this is just getting plain fuckin’ stupid.
Let me start by saying, I am an atheist, and I understand that about 80% of the American population consider themselves “Christian.” Its not a fact that makes me happy, in fact it is a bit disappointing, but I can deal with it. Now the degree to which people say they are Christians, is irrelevant. Whether they go to church everyday, once a week, once a year, or not at all, it doesn’t matter. But even I understand that the lunatic religious wackos that are spouting of at the mouth about the moral decay that these books have brought about; are so far out of the mainstream, that most Christians can’t stand them. But the scary thing is many how many people agree with these morons.
But what I have realized, is that the reason they attack these books, is because they really believe in demons. We live in a world in which we can split the atom. We created aeronautics and space travel. We have done all of these advanced things, and yet we still have people that believe in demons. Listen, if you are over the age of 12 and still believe in angels, devils, and demons; I think you need to talk to someone. And I know some of you out there saw me throw angels in there, and you may believe in them yourself, and that may piss you off a bit. But to you angel lovers out there, I ask you this, what is the difference between you and the person who believes in demons and devils? There is no difference, if you believe in one, you might as well believe in the other.
And all of the talk about these devils and demons all come up as a way to justify the bad things that happen in the world. The concept of evil. The idea of an evil force that constantly works against the good people of conscience in the world. Well let me tell something, while there is no doubt that the world is full of millions of horrible, disgusting, self-gratifying people; who do horrible things to each other, there is no great evil. Evil is not real, its an idea, like good, or moral, or ethical. See as we learn from Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi got it right. Good and evil are a point of view. What one deems as evil, another will find virtuous, it just depends on what your values are. And I know what many of you are thinking, the 9/11 hijackers, bin Laden, Saddam, Al Qaeda, Hitler, aren’t they the perfect embodiment of evil? Well you have a point, but these are just people with intentions to hurt others. They are not possessed by evil spirits; in fact these people had many followers who were interested in their ideas, no matter how crazy they are. They are simply people who will do nothing but try to satisfy their own fucked up values. Not everyone values the lives of people. Some people value ideology more than life. And if you say that is the very definition of evil, well then take a closer look at any soldier, or general, or President, that has ever gone to war, because war is the very definition or compromising the value of human life. Great deeds come at great costs, they say.
It seems like everyday we are pushing ourselves away from reasonable thinking. There is no evolution to our values. Our progress is stuck because of the values of men who thought the world was flat. People are urging children to stop reading books that are imaginative because of imagery that contradicts with dogma. But I guess if there is one funny thing about all of this, its that most kids see this stuff as fantasy, creatures that are part of the fantasy world. But to many bible thumping adults, its real. And that makes me smile.

Scary Idea

2005-11-15T19:53:00.000-08:00

Here is a weird thought for you........

When it comes to the worst people to ever exist, you will find know one person mentioned more than Hitler. Lets face it, to most people in the world, Hitler is the worst human being that has ever existed. Now I agree, I don't think anyone can top Hitler on the evil list. But, what I find scary, is that it is inevitable that someone is going to come along that is worse than Hitler. Imagine that, someone will one day be more notorious than Hitler. It is a scary thought, and scarier yet, what the hell is this person gonna have to do to top Hitler in infamy. Just a thought.

Texas Justice

2005-11-09T22:03:00.000-08:00

Texas passed a ban on same sex marriage this week, what a surprise. As usual the anonimity of the voting booth brings out the prejudices in the voters. I love the way people love to go one endless rants about how great our free and open society is, and yet, these same red-white-and-blue idiots actually cast votes that deny rights to a segment of society. The very definition of hypocracy. What year is it in Texas? But hey what can you expect from the state that is proud of George Bush and Tom DeLay.

The Prick Test

2005-11-09T21:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a little test to see what kind of person you are. Good luck guys, but if you turn out to be a prick, don't blame me, these are universal absolutes that are in no way subjective.

-If you are on welfare, and have an iPod, you are a prick!

-If you buy all of your clothes from Abercrombie & Fitch, you are a prick.

-If you are an upper-middle class white guy, that constantly goes around singing Jay-Z songs, you are a prick!

-If you have ever used the phrase, " I am not here to make friends." You are a prick!

-If you are a man that lets a woman lead you around by the testicles, well, your not a prick, actually your a bitch!

-If you are a woman that lets your man tell you what to do, well your not a prick either, you are a fucking idiot.

...ok so the last 2 are not part of the prick test, but these are groups of people that just piss me off!

-If you are a SELF-DESCRIBED "Metro-sexual," you guessed it, Prick!

-If you like the Boston Red Sox............ just kidding guys!

-But seriously, if you do like the Red Sox, I just feel bad for ya!

-If you are over the age of 21 and still use the phrase "get wasted" your a prick!

-If you are too ashamed to tell people your real age, you are a prick!

-And if you come up with ways to determine wheter or not a person is a prick, then you yourself, are a prick!

Modern Man - by George Carlin

2005-11-09T21:44:00.000-08:00

The following is a spoken word piece by George Carlin, it is one of the things that has inspired me creatively.

I’m a modern man, a man for the millennium. Digital and smoke free. A diversified multi-cultural, post-modern deconstructionist that is anatomically and ecologically incorrect. I’ve been up linked and downloaded, I’ve been inputted and outsourced, I know the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of upgrading. I’m a high-tech low-life. A cutting edge, state-of-the-art bi-coastal multi-tasker and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond! I’m new wave, but I’m old school and my inner child is outward bound.

I’m a hot-wired, heat seeking, warm-hearted cool customer, voice activated and bio-degradable. I interface with my database, my database is in cyberspace, so I’m interactive, I’m hyperactive and from time to time I’m radioactive. Behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve, ridin the wave, dodgin the bullet and pushin the envelope. I’m on-point, on-task, on-message and off drugs. I’ve got no need for coke and speed. I've got no urge to binge and purge. I’m in-the-moment, on-the-edge, over-the-top and under-the-radar. A high-concept, low-profile, medium-range ballistic missionary. A street-wise smart bomb. A top-gun bottom feeder. I wear power ties, I tell power lies, I take power naps and run victory laps. I’m a totally ongoing big-foot, slam-dunk, rainmaker with a pro-active outreach. A raging workaholic. A working rageaholic. Out of rehab and in denial!

I’ve got a personal trainer, a personal shopper, a personal assistant and a personal agenda. You can’t shut me up. You can’t dumb me down because I’m tireless and I’m wireless, I’m an alpha male on beta-blockers. I’m a non-believer and an over-achiever, laid-back but fashion-forward. Up-front, down-home, low-rent, high-maintenance. Super-sized, long-lasting, high-definition, fast-acting, oven-ready and built-to-last! I’m a hands-on, foot-loose, knee-jerk head case pretty maturely post-traumatic and I’ve got a love-child that sends me hate mail. But, I’m feeling, I’m caring, I’m healing, I’m sharing-- a supportive, bonding, nurturing primary care-giver. My output is down, but my income is up. I took a short position on the long bond and my revenue stream has its own cash-flow. I read junk mail, I eat junk food, I buy junk bonds and I watch trash sports! I’m gender specific, capital intensive, user-friendly and lactose intolerant.

I like rough sex. I like tough love. I use the “F” word in my emails and the software on my hard-drive is hardcore--no soft porn. I bought a microwave at a mini-mall; I bought a mini-van at a mega-store. I eat fast-food in the slow lane. I’m toll-free, bite-sized, ready-to-wear and I come in all sizes. A fully-equipped, factory-authorized, hospital-tested, clinically-proven, scientifically- formulated medical miracle. I’ve been pre-wash, pre-cooked, pre-heated, pre-screened, pre-approved, pre-packaged, post-dated, freeze-dried, double-wrapped, vacuum-packed and, I have an unlimited broadband capacity. I’m a rude dude, but I’m the real deal. Lean and mean! Cocked, locked and ready-to-rock. Rough, tough and hard to bluff. I take it slow, I go with the flow, I ride with the tide. I’ve got glide in my stride. Drivin and movin, sailin and spinin, jiving and groovin, wailin and winnin. I don’t snooze, so I don’t lose. I keep the pedal to the metal and the rubber on the road. I party hearty and lunch time is crunch time. I’m hangin in, there ain’t no doubt and I’m hangin tough, over and out!"

Damn Nick Write Something Already!

2005-11-09T21:38:00.000-08:00

Well after a little more than 2 months I finally have returned to my blog page. You may wonder why I have been gone so long, well, truth be told, my life has changed quite a bit in the last 2 months. I was working on a documentary, which will hopefully be finished in the coming months. I have done a lot of reading and thinking, and for a little while, I really wasn't moved to write about anything. But things have changed now, and I feel like writing again. If there will be a change in my future posts, I think it will be that I am going to let go more. Just let her rip. So I think things will get way more interesting.

How Do You Like That Hummer Now?

2005-09-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

So the price of gas has risen to almost $2 per gallon higher than it was in 1997, which was the last time the minimum wage was increased. The Republican controlled Senate has voted twice this year against raising the minimum wage. We are reaching a point of economic trouble because people are not able to afford gas. There is a trickle down affect that will reach all businesses if something is not done to make gas more affordable. What I think should be done is a $2 per hour cost of living raise for all hourly workers. There are those who say this would cause inflation, but if you look closely, inflation is already happening, but without wages going up. There needs to be a cost of living raise simply to compensate for the cost of travel.

Another problem with the rise in gas prices is that people are actually less willing to donate money to those displaced by the hurricane. In fact, in my own efforts to raise money I have encountered the excuse of gas prices being so high that people have no disposable income to spare. People do not want to help their fellow man because they need to get to work. How lame is that. But that is the reality of the situation, and something needs to be done about it. So why is a cost of living raise so impossible? Why can it not be done?

Where Are You America?

2005-09-01T20:42:00.000-07:00

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has left most of us paralyzed. We are in shock at the images that we are seeing on the news, and there are no words that can describe what we are seeing. Watching coverage of the tens of thousands of people that are stuck outside of the convention center in New Orleans makes the eyes well up, and lumps form in our throats. We sit waiting to see that these people are taken care of, but no help comes. Why? There are is no food. Why? There is no water. Why? The most powerful, most advanced nation in the world, and we cannot complete the task of getting basic survival resources to people that are suffering and dying.

The response from the President has been basic sound bites about rebuilding, and how it will "take time." But how much time will it take before the pot boils over in New Orleans. Rapes, murders, looting, diseases, starvation, and dehydration are setting in on thousands of people and all our leader can do is paint a rosey picture of a distant future, that many of those in New Orleans will never see. People are dying and need help. Where is the response? There is no coordination, judging from what reporters are saying, and according to many of those stuck in the city, there is no police presence in the city at night. Wal-Mart was looted, and of course, Wal-Mart being a store that sells guns makes it all the more dangerous. Looters could simply go for the guns and ammo first, and then hold up people at gunpoint. It becomes piracy. The disaster is now, and all Bush can do is talk about the future and gas prices. And while yes I do fully understand that the gas crisis is important, I would gladly pay $5 per gallon as long as I know that something was done to save those thousands of people. The President needs to be in the forefront on this, and he needs to tell the people in this country the brutal and honest truth about that disaster in New Orleans. Bush needs to tell this country that without help, without aid, many of those people you see on TV are going to die. Something needs to be done and it needs to be done now.

Why are our resources being allocated to poorly? Why is there no central leadership? Why is there is a hospital with over a thousand people in it that has not been evacuated, while a nearby hositpal was evacuated days ago. Where is the might of America? How can we be this unprepared, to the point where we don't know where to start. It seems like all of us are still stuck in the "Oh my god, look at that," phase, and while that may be ok for citizens, our leadership needs to be proactive. The clock is ticking. Lives are at stake. Something must be done. I cannot fathom how the most resourceful country in the world cannot get basic food and water to people in need. All of our advances and achievements, do they mean anything when you cannot do something so basic? The relief effort seems to be running in place, and I understand that it is a huge task, and people need to contribute. Why have no major hotel chains offered to house people for a few months. Some hotel chains make billions of dollars, and you mean to tell me that not one chain will step up and offer people places to stay. I guess the difference between $40 million and $50 million in profits is too great. What about cruise ships, I mean anything, come on, what are we doing here? Business should be stepping up but very few have done anything at all.

There are those I have heard say that they can't watch the footage on TV because it depresses them, and they need to take their mind off it. This is the absolute wrong response. We need to see this, this is unfolding now. Do not turn your eyes, no matter what? This is very real, and we all need to deal with it.

The biggest frustration of all maybe that Americans that want to help out, have not been told how they can do so. The only thing they can come up with is donate money, but money is not getting those people out of New Orleans.

The days go on, and the 10,000 plus people outside the convention center grow more tired, more frustrated, and more ill. Hunger, thirst, anger, dimentia, all setting in. Small children, the elderly, black, white, men and women, all slowly dying with no help in site. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Who will step up? Who will rescue 10,000 trapped americans? Who wants to be a hero?

Where Have I Been

2005-08-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Well guys and gals, I knows it's been 10 days since my last post, but I'm back. Where have I been, you ask? Well I was in Dayton, Ohio filming a documentary on an event put together by fomr WWE Wrestler Al Snow. The even was Al Snow's Steel Horse Rally for life, a 4 day charity event to raise money for the Luekemia/Lymphoma Society. The filming went incredibly well, sadly there were some tragic events that took place, that caused some unexpected drama for our project. We nearly have all of the filming finished, I will be heading back October 15th to cover the final event, which was postponed from the other day due to weather, and some other circumstances. It was a lot of work, and very time consuming. We put in 15, 18 and even 19 hour days for this event, but I tell you, every seconf was worth it. Overall the event was great, we shot about 19 hours of footage, and I'm looking forward to getting the final product out there so people can see it. But now that I'm back I will be writing much more on this page.

Holy Shit

2005-08-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

Well friends, it has been a while since my last post, but honestly, nothing has moved me to the point that I want to write. But I did notice that their was another "Justice Sunday." Where Christian groups basically get together and complain. It's a pep rally for Christians who want to complain about the judicial system in the US. The event was held at the Two Rivers Baptist Church in Memphis Tennessee, and included as speakers Zel Miller, and Tom Delay. Now there is a line up full of integrity. Maybe next time they can get John Ashcroft as their musical guest.

Each speaker at the event, spoke at length about "judicial activism," and a "return to values," and my favorite, "the persecution of people of faith." What a phrase that is, but then again, if any group knows anything about persecuting others, its the far-right Christians. Listen Bible Thumpers, just because your beliefs are not the law, and people do not have to live up to your views, does not mean you are being persecuted, and the fact that the word "persecution" is being tossed around, exposes your ignorance. Try telling a holocaust survivor that you are being persecuted because there is no Constitutional Amendment to define marriage. Its an embarrassment.

I am not a Christian, and I am very proud not to be. I have just as much say, just as many rights, and the same level of freedom as anyone else, and I am happy to see that the courts show reason, and logic when they interpret law. I am happy that I am not bound by law to the dogma of others. You are entitled to believe whatever you want, as am I, but realize that just because you have a belief or an opinion, that does not mean that you are entitled to respect, and it certainly does not mean that your values should be law. Your values are not my values. So my continuing message to all Christians, everywhere, keep your values to yourself.

This Pisses Me Off

2005-08-08T21:53:00.000-07:00

This article appears on the MediaMatters.org website. This is a great site that observes media and points out conservative misinformation. It is about a right-wing publisher named David Horowitz and his response to the death of Peter Jennings. Read this and tell me if it bothers you as much as it does me.

David Horowitz's attack on Peter Jennings
Right-wing pundit David Horowitz responded to the August 7 death of ABC News anchor Peter Jennings by claiming that Jennings "did considerable damage to the cause of civilization and human deceny [sic]."
Below is the entirety of Horowitz's August 8 post on the Moonbat Central weblog, titled "Peter Jennings Sympathies for the Devil":
Peter Jennings is dead, may he rest in peace. Lest we forget, however, while he was alive Peter Jennings did considerable damage to the cause of civilization and human deceny [sic] by his sympathy for Jew-hating terrorists and their supporters.
Moonbat Central is the weblog of DiscoverTheNetworks.org, a "Guide to the Political Left," of which Horowitz is publisher and editor-in-chief. Horowitz's response to Jennings's passing mirrors that of the conservative Media Research Center.
— S.S.M.

Posted to the web on Monday August 8, 2005 at 4:41 PM EST

......And here is the response to Jennings Death from the Media Research Center

MRC's response to news of Peter Jennings's death? Promote its political agenda
The lead headline on the conservative Media Research Center's (MRC) website on the morning of August 8 read, "CBS, NBC Exploit Death of Ohio Marines." The MRC accused the networks of focusing on the deaths of Ohio Marine reservists "to prove that the Buckeye state has turned against the war."
But when it comes to exploiting death, MRC set a new standard.
On August 7, longtime ABC News anchor Peter Jennings died of lung cancer. The MRC acted quickly to put together a response. Words of condolence to his family? An acknowledgment of a distinguished career?
No. The MRC chose to use Jennings's death to advance its political agenda. This is what MRC vice president for research and publications Brent Baker wrote in the MRC's August 8 "CyberAlert":
The MRC's archive is packed with documentation of liberal bias from Peter Jennings, who was frequently cited in CyberAlert, but on this day after his passing we'll focus on how a couple of times he acknowledged the media's liberal tilt.
The column detailed a few statements Jennings made discussing media bias. Baker made sure to include an account of when the Canadian-born Jennings joked to David Letterman that his mother "was pretty anti-American." The MRC said this added "a bit of humor."
— P.W.

Some Classy stuff isn't it?

We Can Rebuild You, We Have the Technology

2005-08-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

Baseball has long been a favorite sport of mine, and I have closely been watching the stories about steroids and their presence among ballplayers. Last March, before Congress, Major League Baseballs commissioner discussed newer, stronger policies that would eliminate steroids from the game. Since the new standards were put in place, 8 major leaguers have tested positive for steroids, most notably among them was Raphael Palmeiro, who was one of the players that actually went before Congress and said emphatically that he "never used steroids. Period." When the story broke, Palmeiro responded to the test results by saying that he "never knowingly used steroids." This response has been scoffed at by the media, with phrases like "how can you not know what your putting in your body?"

Now as skeptical as I usually am, I am actually inclined to believe Palmeiro in this situation. Professional sports franchises, and individual athletes spend millions of dollars on trainers, and supplements, and with the amounts being spent, these people want results. The fitness industry is competitive, and the better results you can get, they better clients you can get, the more money you will make. These companies are forced to come out with new products constantly, promising to make an athlete, stronger, faster, and better. If they do not, they run the risk of falling behind the competition. These companies are pushing the technology wanting only short term results, not worrying about the health of the athlete, and certainly not worrying about whether or not their products damage the integrity of the sport. Athletes need to be at their physical best if they are to make money, and they will trust those who they feel are in position to help them stay in prime physical condition. The athletes feel the trainers know what they are doing, and trust their judgment, the problem is when the trainer who supplies them with the supplement, is just trying to make money. The bottom line is that the supplement boom will continued as long as athletes are seeing results, but there is a danger in all this, and that danger is that health is becoming less and less important.

Though steroids are the current problem in sports today, there is another issue on the horizon that American professional sports must look at. Their is growing concern about the future of genetic doping. This is when an athlete can have their genetics altered to enhance their athletic performance. The International Olympic Committee is concerned about this practice being used as early as the 2008 Olympics. How is this done you may ask? Well scientists have identified the gene for erythropoietin, or EPO, and this gene stimulates the production of red blood cells. This can be injected into athletes to increase their endurance in events like cycling or distance running. Currently scientists are working to use EPO injections on patients awaiting kidney transplants, to keep their red blood cell counts high. Many in the scientific community believe that once these procedure becomes common, it will enter the world of athletics.

Another example of how medical science can be turned into genetic doping is building muscle mass. Right now steroids are the most powerful drug to increase muscle mass, but soon, increasing muscle mass could come from genetic modification. Researchers have been working on a growth gene that is intended to help people suffering from muscular dystrophy. This gene is called "insulin-like growth factor 1, or IGF1, and it is said that it will help MD patients to grow, and strengthen deteriorating muscles. In fact, scientists have already been able to increase the strength of muscles in mice by over 30%. And as with EPO, many in the scientific community believe that this procedure will work its way into athletic enhancement.

So even if professional sports leagues are able to get the steroids out of their sports, their is a whole new problem waiting just up the road. Genetic doping is the next evolution of performance enhancement, it is the unavoidable future of sports. Athletes will get bigger and stronger and faster, and individual records and achievements will be shattered. If these leagues are truly concerned about the integrity of sport, than they must find a way to address genetic doping.

Bipartisan Brilliance

2005-07-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

Congress is looking to extend daylight savings time by 2 months. A new proposal would have daylight savings time starting on the second Sunday in March, and going through the first Sunday in November. The thinking behind this is that by having more daylight hours people will use less energy.

The proposal was created by Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), and as we all know the only thing worse than the two party system, is when the two parties actually work together on something. This proposal appears as though it will make it through Congress and the President has already said he would sign the legislation. And of course, this is good news for kids according to Rep. Upton, as he was quoted as saying, "Kids across the nation will soon rejoice, because they will have another hour of daylight trick-or-treating."

Well Mr. Upton, your right, I'm sure the kids will love that, but ya know, I don't know how much they will appreciate it the morning after, when they are standing out at the bus stop in total darkness, dodging motorists.

Of course, Rep. Markey had a quote on the new plan as well, he said : "The beauty of daylight savings time is that it just makes everyone seem sunnier." Huh? Makes everyone seem sunnier? Ok, this quote does nothing to improve the soft, sissy image that the Dems are trying to avoid, and also, if anyone ever characterizes me as "sunny," I will personally punch them in the face.

Frankly, I could really care less about this legislation. I just think it is interesting that the best piece of bipartisan legislation we can get is this daylight savings time thing. Also, I love the way these guys are trying to sell this to America. Maybe the 2008 Presidential Candidates could use some of this stuff. The slogan could be "Joe Blow, For a Sunnier Tomorrow," or maybe "Vote for Joe Blow, a man who supports daylight trick-or-treating." It never ceases to amaze me just how little our government is doing to actually help its citizens. But I guess that is the price we pay for electing these people.

Great Movie Quote

2005-07-29T11:02:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite quotes from any movie:

"Discovery! What's so great about discovery? It's a violent penetrative act that scars what it explores. What you call discovery, I call the rape of the natural world."

-Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) Jurassic Park 1993

That quote makes me think about the fate of the American Indian and the Aboriginal Australians, and any indigenous peoples whose land was "discovered" by some European explorer. How can you discover a place that already has people living on it. The world view that any lands were "discovered" is arrogant, it assumes that the Europeans were the better class of people, and all others were simply forest dwellers not far removed from animals. The European desire to "explore," and "discover," has come at the cost of millions of lives, and the problem continues today. Take Africa for example. The problems taking place in African nations are a direct result of European Imperialism, and I find it amazing that we accept it so easily in America. I mean hell, we celebrate Columbus Day. Maybe it is because of our European roots. Maybe that same desire to explore and discover has been passed down to many of us. Maybe that is why we had slavery and segregation, and maybe that's why it is so easy for stereotypes and racial bias to exist.

Savage Web Page

2005-07-29T10:37:00.000-07:00

Have you ever looked at Michael Savage's website? It really is a disgusting thing, but what else can you expect from that "man." On his page he has a link to buy a shirt that says "Welcome to America, Now Speak English." How patriotic.

There is another thing of Savage's web page that is even more disgusting. He has video clips under the title "Know Your Enemy." These clips are of the beheadings of hostages taken in the middle east. Nick Berg's Killing as well as the Beheading of Paul Johnson are two of the clips that visitors to the site can see.

It amazes me that people would be so willing to watch a beheading as a way to support their own agenda. Its pathetic, and sadistic.

The Global Struggle Against Euphamisms

2005-07-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

We are a euphamism crazy society. Over the years we have weakened the language to a point that words are becoming more and more politically correct every day. Conservatives and liberals have both taken their shots at altering the language to further their agenda. This week the Bush Administration went above and beyond in the euphamism department, when they changed the name of the "global war on terror." The new name for the "war on terror" is "the global struggle against extremism." When I first heard this new name I had to keep myself from vomiting. Does the Bush Administration really think this will work? This seems to go against the tough talk that has been coming from the government for the last 4 years. After 9/11, media, government, citizens, all of us deemed that attack an act of war. In response, the Bush Administration launched the "war on terror." But now the government says that the phrase "war on terror" focused too much on just the military campaign, and that the word "war" implies that uniformed soldiers are the solution. This makes very little sense to me considering that in the past, the government has provided us with the "war on drugs," "the war on poverty," "the war on homelessness," "the war on crime," and of course "the war on terror." The war metaphor has become an American favorite and now it seems like the government is backing down from it in this sense.

It seems that everyday the language gets softer and softer, and words mean less and less.

Is Forever Worth It?

2005-07-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love the commercial about the couple in Italy, where the man professes his love for his woman loudly in public, and then gives her a diamond? It is just so romantic isn't it? Then that inevitable tag line, "A Diamond is Forever." It all seems so whimsical, being given a rare and precious diamond. These little stones have become ingrained in our culture, from children's lullabys, to marriage proposals, to anniversary gifts, to celebrity glamour; diamonds seem to be woven throughout our culture. But there are some things about diamonds that we in America do not seem to know. Diamonds are not just shiny, they are dark, and many of them are stained in blood.

One of the main dark spots of the Diamond Industry, are the conditions of the mining operations themselves. Diamonds are mined under incredibly unhealthy, dangerous conditions, and workers are treated more as property than labor. There are many mines that are operated under terms that miners live on the property, but are not allowed to have family present, nor are there any females allowed to work in the mines. Men are forced to live in hazardous, filthy conditions with no females allowed on the property. However, in some instances diamond mines have camp sex-workers that are used to improve "morale," and sadly, some of these sex-workers, are young children.

The workers at these mines are often forced to live on the mine property, however, if they happen to find a diamond outside of the dig site, they are not allowed to keep it, it must be turned over immediately. In fact, in countries where the mines are controlled by guerilla forces, like Sierra Leone, the penalty for keeping a diamond often results in having a limb chopped off. In fact, some rebel groups have been known to chop the limbs off of children as young as 3 months old. These rebel groups are using the diamond mines to finance their wars. It has been happening in Sierra Leone and Angola for years. They take over the mines, get the diamonds, and send the diamonds to wholesalers who operate outside the countries border. Companies like DeBeers, who dominate the industry will publicly criticize the mining activities in Sierra Leone, yet they will buy Diamonds wholesale without a thorough check to see where the diamonds came from. In fact, wholesale diamond purchasing was believed to be a way the Al Qaeda financed the 9/11 attacks.

To help regulate the sale of blood diamonds, the Kimberly Process was invented. The process is a way to improve record keeping as to the origin of each diamond. While this is an important step, it fails to address the cutting of the diamonds which is the second tier of the diamond industries atrocities. Over half of the worlds diamonds are cut in India, and many of the cutters are bonded child workers. These children work to pay off the debts of their relatives, which rarely happens, and when the children reach adulthood the debt is passed of to their children, or younger siblings. In India, diamond cutting is considered to be one of the most hazardous industries.

On top of the diamond mountain is DeBeers, the industry leader. DeBeers has had a cut throat reputation since the 1920's, and many of their practices have been considered to be questionable. In the 1930's DeBeers invented the diamond engagement ring, and later in the 1950s they created the 10 year anniversary ring after acquiring the rights to smaller diamonds discovered in Siberia. DeBeers also financed movies in the 1950's that featured diamonds such as, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend. DeBeers has made billions on traditions that they themselves created. The company has also been criticized for the treatment of their miners, and their purchasing qualifications. The company seems to dodge every bullet that comes their way. Some of attested that it was DeBeers that bought the Al Qaeda blood diamonds, but there is no proof of such allegations. Ironically, the company just opened their first retail store in the US, in New York on 5th Avenue.

The truth about diamonds is this; there is no way to tell whether or not you are buying or own a blood diamond. No jewler's assurance can change that. The industry is simply to broad to accurately track. People need to start reevaluating why they buy diamonds, and whether or not they are worth owning in the first place. Diamonds are rooted in our society, they are tradition, and sadly that tradition comes with a cost unknown to most people. Is it really worth it? Is it worth owning something that symbolizes so much pain and cruelty to so many people in the world? These are the questions we need to ask ourselves if anything is to be done about the diamond industry.

If you want to see photos of the DeBeers mines, check out this site. Here you will find photos of the mines and diamond cutting locations.

Also, for more info, read this. 10 Reasons You Should Never Accept a Diamond

Names For Drinks

2005-07-13T22:54:00.000-07:00

What better way to follow up a post about human greatness than a post about human stupidity. I notice that any time I am with friends and drinking alcohol, there is always a discussion about what drinks we have and haven't tried, and it always ends up being a list of a bunch of names for drinks I have never heard of.

What gets me is just how lame and stupid the names for these drinks are. They are obviously products of the oversexed, overindulged culture of club kids, just trying to distinguish themselves. So I did my best to find what I feel are the most ridiculous names for drinks that I have ever heard. Now, before I get on with this, let me just warn you that there is a lot of vulgarity in the following post, but these names, are in fact, actual names of drinks that are out there. If you don't believe me, just check out Drinknation.com and you can see for yourself.

Here goes our list of vulgar drink names.......and one more time I say, these are actual drinks.

A Piece Of Ass
An Abortion Shot
Adios Motherfucker
Bar Slut
bin Laden
Balls on Your Forehead
Bleu Balls
Bloody Pussy
Cock Sucking Cowboy
Cum Shot
Cum in a Hot Tub
Cum Guzzler
Fuck Your Buddy
Fucker Upper
Golden Shower
Good Sex with a Blue Condom
Hairy Blue Balls
Leg Opener
Leg Spreader
Lick A Dick
Mexican Fuck
Mother Fucker
Porn Star
Sex With Nancy
SARS
Two Hookers and an 8ball
Uvula

Now these are just a few, I literally found over a hundred more drink names that are just as bad if not worse. A couple of these names really puzzle me, like SARS. What the hell? Why not just call it AIDS. Also, a bin Laden, come on. Oh, and let's not forget Uvula. These names for drinks are so stupid, but they are a perfect representation of just how stupid, and transparent some of the young people are who particiapate in that "scene."

I just want to know who the idiots are that are coming up with the names for these drinks, and better yet, who orders them. What person goes up to a bar and says, "Can I get an Abortion Shot please?"

When I go to a bar I keep it simple, its either a Guiness, or its Vodka with grapefruit juice. Keep the drinks with the stupid names away from me.

Human Greatness

2005-07-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

Today at 3:51 all of the news networks will be covering the return to flight of the space shuttle. I think that in this country, many people have ignored the space program and see it as a waste of time and money. The mystery and wonder of exploring space has dissipated. The final frontier is no longer as important. Americas attitude toward the space program has made me wonder if the importance of space travel was more about the cold war than it was about exploration. We beat them to the moon, and now, no one cares.

With today's launch, which many people don't even know about, millions of Americans will not be rejoicing in the resumption of the shuttle flights, instead they'll be angry that they are missing Oprah, or Days of Our Lives, or the Montell Williams show. As I said in the posting I wrote yesterday, we never see the big picture.

In the history of humanity, there has been no greater achievement than space exploration. No medical breakthrough, no society, no marvel of engineering or architecture; humanity has done nothing greater. We as a species have accomplished something remarkable. We are actually able to leave the planet. Men have stood on the moon, and looked back on the earth. Standing on a piece of rock on which no war or disease, or death, or violence had ever existed. We have transcended all of our man made limitations. We have gone beyond ourselves. Yet polls say that the public thinks that too much is being spent on space exploration. Apparently there is a price tag on human achievement.

Today may be viewed by the public as "just another shuttle launch," but it is so much more than that. This day marks the return of our continued desire to reach beyond our limitations. It continues our exploration of the great unknown. It continues our mission to explore strange new worlds, and seek out new life and new civilizations.......And boldly go where no .........Oops, sorry that got away from me there. Today, if you do happen to see the launch on TV, that is if the weather permits, don't think about sci-fi movies, or William Shatner. Think about men like Galileo. Think about the human race, think about where we are, and where we could go in the future.

The New Reality

2005-07-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

After the terrorist bombings that took place in London, I began to think about this overall "war on terror." When people put this attack in perspective, it either bolsters, or hinders peoples opinions on our countries ability to fight terrorism. Bush supporters have used the attack as a justification for the events taking place in Iraq. But as always, people are failing to see the big picture. It amazes me that so many of us lack the ability to step outside of a situation and truly observe it from afar. It is so easy for us to comment on events like this saying, things like "this is why we need to fight Al Qaeda," or "we are gonna smoke 'em out of their holes," or whatever other aggressive rhetoric that has been floating around. But, it seems to me that there is a greater reality that we are missing.

My feeling is that terrorism is going to be an unfortunate reality for all people living in the westernized world. For the next 25 years or so, I think there will be attacks here and there, with many lives being lost. Every few years we will see news stories about explosions in City X and Country Y. New York, Madrid, and now London have all been through these attacks, and sadly, there is really no certain end to terrorism on the horizon.

We need to look at this situation in a more realistic way. Fighting the "war on terror" is not like fighting one country with clearly defined borders, uniformed soliders and military targets. It is more like fighting 1000 small countries, scattered throughout the world. And though bin Laden and Al Qaeda are the most notorious terrorist group, they are not the only ones out there, as a matter of fact there are several groups that use "Al Qaeda" in there name, yet have nothing to do with group associated with 9/11.

Now listen, I am by no means a pacifist, but I feel that we need to start coming up with more creative solutions to deal with these groups. We need to be smarter and not so one dimensional. I'm not sure what kind ideas may be effective, but I do know this, we can't kill them all. We can't kill them all because we don't know how many there are out there, and we don't know where they are. But if we don't start coming up with new ways to combat terrorism, I fear that other cities will suffer the same fate as London.

The War on Science

2005-07-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about this topice lately, and I just happened to come across this piece written by Howard Dean last year. Enjoy!

Published on Monday, July 5, 2004 by the Boulder Daily Camera (Colorado)
Bush's War on Science
by Gov. Howard Dean M.D.

I write this week's column as a physician.
The Bush administration has declared war on science. In the Orwellian world of 21st century America, two plus two no longer equals four where public policy is concerned, and science is no exception. When a right-wing theory is contradicted by an inconvenient scientific fact, the science is not refuted; it is simply discarded or ignored.
Egregious examples abound. Over-the-counter morning-after contraceptive sales are banned, despite the recommendation for approval by an independent panel of the Food and Drug Administration review board. The health risks of mercury were discounted by a White House staffer who simply crossed out the word "confirmed" from a phrase describing mercury as a "confirmed public health risk." A National Cancer Institute fact sheet was doctored to suggest that abortion increases breast-cancer risk, even though the American Cancer Society concluded that the best study discounts that. Reports on the status of minority health and the importance of breast feeding are similarly watered down to appease right-wing ideologies.
What about global warming? After withdrawing from the Kyoto Treaty, the Bush administration distanced itself from a climate report the Environmental Protection Agency wrote, because it affirmed the potential worldwide harm of global warming, the existence of which Bush had denied. The global-warming section of the 2003 EPA report on the environment was extensively rewritten, then dropped entirely.
Fighting HIV? Bush's initiative to help fund HIV efforts in Africa was trumpeted by the press, while the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control quietly removed information on the benefits of condoms and safe sex education from domestic HIV Web sites.
Presidential scientific commissions have long enjoyed relative immunity from politics. Presidents of both parties have depended on impartial, rational advice from such groups for decades. Yet under the Bush administration, there has been a concerted effort, led by Karl Rove and other political ideologues based in the White House, to stack these commissions with Republican loyalists, especially those who espouse fundamentalist views on scientific issues.
Recently, a scientist and a bioethics professor were dismissed from the blue-ribbon Council on Bioethics when they disagreed with the Bush administration's proposed ban on new stem-cell line development to cure a variety of diseases. In a similar vein and an unusual move, the nomination of public-health experts to a CDC lead paint advisory panel were rejected by Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, and replaced with researchers with financial ties to the lead industry. The Union of Concerned Scientists, with 20 Nobel laureates and several former scientific advisers to Republican presidents, has issued its scathing Report on Scientific Integrity condemning these practices.
Is it any wonder that these outrages have been perpetrated on an unsuspecting public and an enfeebled press? Not when you consider that this is an administration that has put forth deliberately misleading proposals like the Healthy Forests Initiative, which removes barriers to clear-cutting, and the Clear Skies Initiative, which weakens existing safeguards on mercury, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants dumped into the air by power plants. When the oil industry writes national energy policy and the HMOs and drug companies draft our Medicare legislation, who is looking out for truth, scientific integrity and the public interest?
Will it be long before a prominent panel of fundamentalist theologians, conservative columnists and a few token scientists take up the question of whether the theory of evolution should be banned from the nation's classrooms? Stay tuned. In George Bush's America, ignorance is strength.

Fun Quotes

2005-07-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some quotes from the man, George Carlin:

"As a matter of principle, I never attend the first annual anything."

"Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy. "

"Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong. "

"When evolution is outlawed, only outlaws will evolve."

"What was the best thing before sliced bread?"

"Don't confuse my point of view with cynicism. The real cynics are the ones who tell you that everything's gonna be all right."

Live 8

2005-07-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

I was watching some of the Live 8 concerts on TV yesterday, and I noticed something interesting. Jay Z was wearing a diamond studded cross around his neck, and Konye West was wearing a diamond studded watch. I was surprised that no one mentioned to them that the diamond mines in Africa are brutal places that practice slave labor.

The diamond industry is one of the most brutal, bloody, and disgraceful industries in the world. In the next few days I will be writing more on diamonds, but til then check out the links to Amnesty Int'l and the UN that are on this page.

Remember 9/11, Buy a Shirt!

2005-07-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Capitalism.......Capitalize.......Profit.......Profiteering.....

Over the past few years I have noticed a number of bumper stickers and t-shirts with various references to the attacks of 9/11. The sentiment of the shirts is "Remember" or "never forget." To a person, I understand that the individuals who adorn this items have their hearts in the right place, but there is something unsettling about it to me.

Firstly, the idea that these shirts, and bumper stickers are available for purchase is very bothersome. The manufacturers of these items are profiting off of the deaths of over 3000 people. Now it would be different if these monies were going to the families of the dead, but they are not. If anything, manufacturers are donating portions of the earnings to other charities, and that may sound nice, but to me, it is still profiting off of tragedy and tossing a couple bucks to charity. Here is a site called 911shirts.net, they sell shirts for $14.95 each with a portions of proceeds going to the National Veterans Fund. Now, I don't know exactly how much the Vet Fund sees, but when you see words like "portion" I wouldn't count on a whole lot. Also, the Veteran's Fund really has nothing to do with the 9/11 victims. Also, there is a disturbing image on this site. It is the picture of a woman modeling the 9/11 shirt with a big grin on her face. How nice. And at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to a site where you can get a free 9/11 bumper sticker. Fantastic! I would contend that manufacturers of these items should donate ALL funds to charities revolving around 9/11 victims families, or college funds for some of the victim's children, or to the city of New York, or to something directly linked to 9/11. If a company keeps even 1 penny for itself, excluding raw materials, it would be blood money.

Perhaps the most disgusting example of 9/11 profiteering was something I saw when I was in New York last year. In Chinatown, relatively close proximity to the Trade Center, while walking through a tourist shop, I looked on the postcard rack and saw a 9/11 postcard that had a photo taken right when the second plane hit. The picture showed smoke from one tower and a fireball in the other. The postcard cost $1. You know I really hope that a son who lost his father on 9/11, wouldn't go shopping in Chinatown. I wouldn't want him to know that people are making money off his father's death.

The second issue I have with 9/11 merchandise is the sentiment, though sincere, to me, is misguided. There are thousands of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will have no problem remembering 9/11. They will never be able to forget it because that was the day their loved ones were killed. They don't need shirts or bumper stickers to remind them. Also, there are the thousands that work in downtown Manhattan that had to run for their lives that morning not knowing if they would ever see their families again. I'm sure they won't forget either. Nor will those who watched the towers fall while talking the train into Brooklyn, on their way home to hug their spouses and children.

Grief is personal. We grieve for those we care about. And with 9/11 that grief, that tragedy belongs to those who watched, and ran, and lost loved ones. It belongs to them. I don't think it is right to grieve for those you do not know. I know that may sound harsh at first, but for me it is a bigger picture. It isn't about grief, it is about respect. I do not grieve the loss of life because I didn't know any of those people, but I respect and admire those that have lost loved ones and found the strength to move forward in their lives. If you grieve the loss of 9/11 victims that you don't know, do you grieve the loss of all life? Like those who died in the tsunami, or the earthquake in Iran, or Hiroshima, or the Holocaust? Is all life equal, or do you just grieve the loss of those who look and speak like you? These are important questions. Questions we need to ask ourselves.

And for many people out there, it is indeed about respect, and that maybe why they have their 9/11 merchandise, but ultimately, you do not show respect with bumper stickers and t-shirts. It is time for us to do away with soft, canned sentiment.

Sandra D

2005-07-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

Well Sandra Day O'Conner has retired from the US sUpreme Court today after 24 years of service. This is going to be a huge event. Let the mudslinging and trash talking begin. I have a feeling that things are going to get very ugly over the next few weeks. I just hope that the liberals are willing to stand up against whatever ultra conservative Bush nominates, especially if he nominates his lacky Alberto Gonzalez.

Irritating Words

2005-06-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of words that bother me.

Baby Daddy
Abortionist
Mission Statement
Mantra (when used out of context)
Spiritual
Fast Tracking
Proactive
Breaking News
Moral values (highly annoying)
Bling, Bling
Strategic Management
Corporate Culture (oxymoron)
Metrosexual
Person of Interest (you mean, suspect)

...and also the name of any coffee drink you buy from Starbucks (not that I don't like coffee, but the names of the drinks are just so pretentious).

What???????

2005-06-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

Before I start on today's topic I felt the need to mention perhaps the strangest advertisement that I have seen on my page so far. It is headlined "Chocolate Lord Ganesh - Imageof Ganesh in fine Chocolate. Chocolate Gods and Godesses." Now... I have no idea what the hell is going on with these ads but this is really weird. So click on the ad, if it is not up there just go to this site, and yes this is the real name. Chocolate Deities.

And now to business...

I'm sure many of you have head what CIA Director Porter Goss had to say in a Time Magazine interview about the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden. Goss said he had an "excellent" idea of where Bin Laden was hiding. However, Goss said that it is unlikely that Bin Laden will be caught. "In the chain that you need to successfully wrap up the war on terror, we have some weak links. And I find that until we strengthen all the links, we're probably not going to be able to bring Mr. bin Laden to justice," Goss said. He also said, "dealing with sanctuaries in sovereign states, you're dealing with a problem of our sense of international obligation, fair play."

Ok, now I have just one question. What the hell is Porter Goss talking about? This is one of the most bizarre statements I have ever heard from our government. They know where he is but they are not going to get him because of "international obligation" and "fair play?" Ok, Goss was appointed by Bush, and among this administration's priorities, fair play and international obligation are not present. Goss' statement seems to totally contradict the Bush's statements of a few years ago. The "dead or alive," and "your either with us or against us" mantras that we the people ate up with a spoon, are gone. And don't forget 2 more of Bush's greatest hits, "axis of evil," and "if you harbor terrorists..."

Now listen, I know there are a lot of pacifist liberals that may like the idea of our country actually showing some respect for other nations, but bin Laden has a lot of blood on his hands, and he deserves to be caught, and deserves any suffering that comes his way. I wonder if 3 years ago, right after 9/11, if we new where bin Laden was, how would we have reacted then if we were told that we couldn't get him because of some political or diplomatic red tape.

I am anxious to see the fallout from this statement. It seems like it puts the President behind the 8-ball, and he stands the chance to lose a lot of support. I also hope the Democrats have the guts to come out firing on this thing and expose the hypocrisy, and failure of this administration.

I for one believe that the capture of bin Laden is NOT going to end terrorism, but that's not the point. There are thousands of people out there that lost husbands, wives, children, friends, and family because of this man's actions, and something must be done. If we don't go after him, then what was the point of Afghanistan, or Iraq for that matter? And what is the point of the nearly 2000 soldiers who have lost their lives since 9/11.

Schiavo Autopsy

2005-06-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

Well the results of the autopsy of Terri Schiavo are in, and as it turns out her condition was in fact irreversible, and she was indeed in a persistant vegetative state. Some Republican Congressman, namely Sen. Bill Frist, a doctor, as well as Governor John Ellis Bush (his name is not Jeb), had contended that Schiavo was in a state of minimal conscioussness, and her condition could improve. Additionally the autopsy also revealed the Schiavo's condition did not come as the result of abuse, as was the claim of the Schindler family.

So now that it has been proven that her condition was not reversible, and that she was not the victim of abuse, when are some of these people who drug Michael Schiavo's name through the mud, going to apologize? Sean Hannity of FOX News, Rush Limbaugh, Jeb Bush, Tom Delay, Bill Frist, Joe Scarborough, and all of the others who made outrageous accusations, and attempted to defame the character of Michael Schiavo all should apologize for how poorly they characterized him. They tried to make him out to be some kind of abusive monster, and they should do something to atone for that mistake. But, I have a feeling that those apologies are not coming.

If you want to read the article, click here.

Team Jesus

2005-06-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting story about evangelical Christians and their influnce at the US Air Force Academy. Apparently, the Superintendent of the academy believes that there is a problem with evangelicals trying to influence cadets.

Also, here is a link to a great page, from a groups that though being comprised of primarily religious individuals, opposes the blurring of the line between church and state.
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State

Meet Republican Singles??

2005-06-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

So I was looking at my page the other day, and I happened to glance at the ads. I noticed an ad for a dating site for Republican Singles. What the hell?? So just for a goff I clicked on the ad, and it takes you here. This is too funny, I think I'm gonna e-mail the link to my buddy Jay of Rhinos & Weasels fame.

Maggie

2005-06-09T10:26:00.000-07:00

This is my dog Maggie. I thought I would post this picture because it appears to capture a moment of deep puppy thought. Perhaps an internal conflict of some sort, a confusion over what part of the carpet she should piss on next.

Oh, and by the way, the scarf, not my idea, that was the groomers.

My dog Maggie contemplating human suffering.

Gods and Emus

2005-06-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

The Tulsa Zoo in Oklahoma is going to add a display that shows the biblical account of creationism. This comes after the zoo received complaints about a display that involved the Hindu God Ganesh, and a slogan on a marble globe that read "The Earth is our mother, the sky is our father," an American Indian saying.

Apparently Christian zoo-goers were so offended that they demanded a Christian monument be put up to give their religion equal representation. And of course, after several hundred people signed a petition, the Tulsa Park and Recreation Board caved, and approved the display. The man who originally came up with the idea was quoted as saying, "it's a matter of fairness. To not include the creationist view would be discrimination."

Now, first off. No Christian person should ever cry discrimination in this country ever! When you represent 85% of a population, and your deity is referenced on your nations currency and in the pledge of allegiance, you have no right to claim discrimination. What an insult to the countless segments of society that are being discriminated against. Secondly, if a zoo is being funded by tax dollars, as the Tulsa Zoo is, there should be no religious representation at all, period. Check your Constitution on that one people. Finally, IT'S A FREAKIN' ZOO. Why is this even happening? Listen, I can appreciate the idea that there are a lot of cultures that revere animals, so perhaps there is some wiggle room there, but is it really necessary? And a creation display, why? What the hell does the Book of Genesis have to do with the North American Black Bear? And if you try to tell me that God made them, I'm gonna poke you in the eye.

Religious hysteria has been on the rise over recent years, but I think we are slowly climbing out of hysteria and heading into all out madness. What do I do? I just sit back and laugh at all the crazy people.

Lean Mean Dean Machine

2005-06-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean is catching hell this week for a comment that he made about the Republican Party earlier this week. Dean said the the Republican Party was the "white Christian party." This comment has the Republicans up in arms and some Democrats distancing themselves from the DNC Chairman. I'm not sure what the problem is with these comments, I mean, isn't it true. Aren't they the white Christian party? Is it just my imagination that Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Tom Delay, and George Bush are all fundamentalist Christian Republicans? How can a truthful statement be controversial.

Oh, and you'll notice that the "liberal" media caught the Dean story but missed the Rush Limbaugh story. On June 2, Limbaugh was discussing Dean on his show, in one of his obnoxious, ignorant rants Limbaugh said making election day a national holiday won't help democrats win elections because most of their voters "don't work anyway." What an ignorant statement from that pompous jackass.

A Doobie a Day?? Nope.

2005-06-07T22:49:00.000-07:00

The Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling that effectively crushes medicinal marijuana legislation. Though this is not a surprise ruling, it is a disappointing one.

I am amazed at the way our government, and society work. I can never quite get a handle on the mentality of either.

On one hand, you have the government that seems to want to stay away from the legalization debate altogether, but I guess that is not too surprising considering how much money the pharmaceutical industry contributes to our government every year. Drug Company Lobbyists spend millions every year to keep Congress from even getting the issue on the floor. Yes folks, it is a sad truth, but our representatives in Congress are in fact for sale. In fact, in 2004 the pharmaceutical industry contributed roughly $17 millions dollars, $11 million of which went to the Republicans. In 2002, donations topped $29 millions with $21 millions going to the GOP. So clearly, the government has the health interests of the citizens in mind and not their own personal finances. To see more statistics, click here.

Of course the government is not totally to blame, the citizens of this country share some of the burden also. We in this country seem to think that drugs are scourge of society and will turn all users into addicts who will lose control and ruin their lives. I guess you have the "Just Say No" campaign to thank for that. The main argument that people opposed to legalization have is "well, where do you draw the line, heroine, crack?" This is an argument that makes no sense. Crack, and heroine are illegal yet there use since the "War on Drugs" began has increased. Increased! Criminalization is not a deterrent to drug use. It does not work. Besides, doctors can already prescribe things like cocaine, morphine, and oxycontin to patients. Oh, and by the way, what about alcohol, one of the most damaging drugs in our society, yet totally legal. Why is marijuana so different? If anything it is less dangerous than several of the prescription drugs that are available, and far less dangerous than alcohol. My hunch is that if Aventis, Pfizer, or Bristol-Myers Squibb started cultivating marijuana plants, pot would be legalized the next day. But that won't happen, because these companies would lose their competitive advantage. Why buy something you could grow at home?

The marijuana debate shows two themes recurring in our society; the declining respect for science, and the lack of personal freedom. Science has continually shown that marijuana does have value in medicine, but yet the do-gooders out there continue to vilify it. Where has our respect gone for science? With pot, stem cell, and evolution, we are seeing complete ignorance to fact in favor of a vague moralism. And what ever happened to the idea of personal choice?Can no one decide on their own how to treat their body? Why are we being bombarded with these campaigns to avoid this, and say no to that? And yes, groups like Truth, that includes you also. The anti-smoking thing is a joke, let people make their own choices. If a person wants to smoke or drink, then let them. Leave these people alone. It is no business of mine what a person does in their own home as long they don't leave home and endanger other people. We have that trust with alcohol, why not marijuana.

Even if society does reject legalization, something needs to be done to level this situation out. Maybe we could start by clearing up the difference between legal and illegal drugs, which I currently perceive as, if you are going to get high, let the professionals get you high.

Be Back Tomorrow!

2005-06-06T11:28:00.000-07:00

Well I know I haven't been posting much recently, to be honest, I have been a bit aggrivated with news, and politics and media over the past few weeks, so I have basically been tuning out. But tomorrow I will be posting some new stuff, and I will be posting more often.

Quotes

2005-05-31T22:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some quotes relevant to our world today.

"Of course peope don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it is a democracy, a facist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for a lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
-Herman Goring, at the Nuremberg Trials

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety."
-Benjamin Franklin

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter or lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
-Abraham Lincoln

The Fading Away of Reason

2005-05-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

The President has said that he will use his veto power on a bill that could be passed in the house that would overturn the Presidents ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. In a poll on

When are we in this country going to stop thinking with bibles and start using our brains? It is an absolute insult to the intellegence of reasonable minded human being when the President handcuffs science in favor of his own dogmatic views. There is a great deal of Christian rhetoric flying around out there about the "culture of life," and how "every embryo is a person with a soul, " but my favorite piece of Christian hypocrisy is the phrase, "it is immoral to kill one life to save another." That line makes me crazy because it has become the mantra for the Christian Right. The irony of course is that the war in Iraq was based on a "get them before they get us," mentality. So I guess it is ok to destroy other peoples lives in order to save our own. I love how the sanctity of life does not seem to anyone else, only American lives our sacred.

I've said it time and time again, the Christian Right has way too much influence over government, and is leading us down a path that will slowly replace social liberty with dogmatic Christian Rule. It is time for reasonable minded people to speak out against the zealots and say in a resounding voice, "Kepp your religion to yourself, and keep your religion out of the government."

Cops, Teens, and Tasers

2005-05-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a great story about a Jacksonville, FL cop who tasered a 13 year old girl twice while handcuffed in the back seat of a patrol car. Read the whol story here.

It's Just a Bit of Silliness Really!

2005-05-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

Well just scanning the news today I came across 2 interesting stories. The first is about Haliburton. The US Army has given $72 million in bonuses to the company for its logistics work in Iraq, bringing the company's total earnings in Iraq to over $7 billion, and yes that is billion with a "b." It amazes me that no one really pushes the fact that these dealings with Haliburton are a major conflict of interest. But, not all is rosey for Vice President Cheney's former company, as they are being investigated to see if the company over charged Iraqi civilians for fuel.

The wealthiest people in this country continue to profit off the blood of soldiers. It's not about whether or not people support the troops, no one wants to see an innocent kid get shot because he was sent there by a President who said there were WMDs when there were none. It's not about patriotism, and its not about national security. It is about opportunity. Opportunity for the rich men who control the countries resources to earn a couple more bucks. To squeeze out another million or two at the expense of some young kids. Can anyone tell me why we are even in Iraq anymore? So it goes on as it always has in war, the rich get richer, while the poor kids die. It goes on and on.

The other story touches on just how stupid we can be in this country. The FDA is set to introduce new rules that would ban gay men from donating sperm if he has been sexually active within the last 5 years. The logic behind this is that...Well actually there is no logic behind it is there? But the FDA would tell you that gay men have a collectively greater risk of carrying AIDS than straight men. Now I could go off on a tangent about just how stupid, and ignorant these rules are but I think the response given in the article just about sums it up perfectly. Here are some excerpts:

"Under these rules, a heterosexual man who had unprotected sex with HIV-positive prostitutes would be OK as a donor one year later, but a gay man in a monogamous, safe-sex relationship is not OK unless hes been celibate for five years," said Leland Traiman, director of a clinic in Alameda, Calif., that seeks gay sperm donors.

Kevin Cathcart, executive director of Lambda Legal, has called it "policy based on bigotry."
"The part I find most offensive, and a little frightening, is that it isn't based on good science," Cathcart said. "There's a steadily increasing trend of heterosexual transmission of HIV, and yet the FDA still has this notion that you protect people by putting gay men out of the pool."

It seems as though the FDA is basing this decision more on politics than science. What I want to know is when the Federal Government will stop towing the line for these radical, ignorant, Christian Idealogues that care only about their own misguided views about the world, and have no respect for science and truth? Also, Christians, here is a word of advice, leave the gay people alone, just let them live their lives as they wish. I know you think they are sinners, but stop trying to make their existence illegal. This new homophobia is no different then racism in the 60's, and years from now people will look at this intolerance and be ashamed. Your religion is not the law, and it never will be.

Nick's Movie Blog

2005-05-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

To start off I just want to quickly wish my mother a Happy 137th Birthday! Hehehe!!

I have started a second blog all about movies, called "Nick's Movie Blog." Please check it out, it is going to be a great site once I get some stuff posted on it.

Nick's Movie Blog

Jesus vs. Darwin

2005-05-04T14:04:00.000-07:00

This week in Kansas, school board officials are holding hearings to decide how schools will address evolution, and possibly allow creationism to be taught in school science classes. These hearings will take place over six days, and will mostly bring witnesses to oppose the idea of evolution. It should be known the the vast majority of scientists are boycotting these hearings because of the invalid arguments of the creationists. The creationist movement is often veiled under the name "creative" or "intelligent design," but is essentially just a push to get religion pushed onto to children.

It amazes me to hear people talk about the "debate" over evolution, and yet we wonder why our children's education lags behind the rest of the world. There is no debate over evolution, nor is evolution a theory. Creationists do their best to exploit the word "theory" to try to make evolution sound as though it is debatable, when in fact, the theory of evolution actually refers to how evolution takes place, what the progression is, and not whether or not it actually happened.

The refusal to accept evolution as fact stems from the idea that evolution, to some, conflicts with the religious beliefs that they were raised with, and are raising their children to have. Apparently these people are so insecure in their faith that they are trying to get scientific fact skewed in order to put it on the level with their faith.

What a joke this whole thing is. I cannot wait to see what these school officials decide. If I were a betting man, my money would be on these religious nuts, because for these "heartlanders," when it comes down to religion or intellect, Jesus always wins. And if that does hold true, Kansas will perpetuate the ignorance of students while submitting to the dogmatic views of ignorant religious zealots. In this country, we tend to love the sentiment of, "no child left behind," which is ironic when you consider that by stripping down our science classes to bow down and accept the views of the religious right, we are essentially putting children at a disadvantage when it comes to the rest of the world. If schools start teaching creationism in science classes, all children will be left behind.

The Renaissance is Over

2005-04-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

No stream of consciousness, just a bit of healthy realism:

-We have become creatures of convenience with our remote controls, fast-food, cell phones, laptops, and high-speed internet. But convenience is not free, and if you don't believe me, just try paying your credit card bill over the phone.

-Within the last 50 years, we have developed the technology that could potentially destroy the human race. Push a few buttons, turn a key, and its all over. Thousands of years of evolution wiped out in a fiery instant. All for land, wealth, territory, security and "God." Greed and moralism are the inevitable downfall of our species. How do we stop it? How much time do we have before it becomes to late? 100 years? 200 years?

-There was a time when people were concerned with philosophy and epistemology, but now most of us are just running around looking for a credit card with a lower interest rate, or a cell phone plan with no roaming charges.

-There was a time when music was a true art, but now the art is being stripped away and music is becoming a product for public consumption, like t-shirts and sunglasses. Mozart is still dead.

-There was a time when people went to the theatre and enjoyed the works of Shakespeare, now we go see Vin Diesel movies.

-Millions of people are starving in the world, and yet you can buy filet mignon dog food.

-One of the biggest misconceptions is that slavery is over. Just look at the diamond industry.

-People chose religion over philosophy, and the world has suffered ever since.

-Some school districts in the south are considering not teaching evolution. I wonder if they will do the same with gravity or mathematics.

-Abraham Lincoln was the only President who I would call a "great" man.

Eat a PETA

2005-04-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

As much as I love to go off on a tangent about right-wing groups, and all of the stupid things they do, there are some left-leaning groups that I find just as irritating. Perhaps none more than PETA, the world known animal rights group known for their "activism." Now with some of my closest friends being animal rights supporters and vegetarians, I leave myself open to their criticism, however I must make this disclaimer. I do not care who eats meat and who doesn't, nor do I care who wears animal products and who doesn't. I am a meat eater, I wear animal products, and I accept the fact the conditions in which these items are produced are harsh, and even cruel at times. If you were to ask me for an honest opinion about the animal rights movement, I would tell you that I think it is just pointless idealism, but there is a nobility to it. Ok, now with that said, you may ask why do I have a problem with a group that opposes animal cruelty and abuse? Well its because they are an extremist organization that supports domestic terrorism.

Many people blindly support PETA financially, donating roughly $30 million per year to the organization. Most of these supporters have no idea where the money actually goes, thinking that it is to "fight the good fight" against animal cruelty.Well if you look at PETA's history, you will find that some of that money donated to PETA has gone to provide financial support to domestic terror groups, and convicts.

In 1992 animal rights activist and Earth Liberation Front(ELF) member Rod Coronado was convicted and sentenced to 4 years in federal prison for setting fire to a research laboratory at Michigan State University, causing over $2.5 million in damage. Coronado's defense fund was supplemented by a $45,000 donation by PETA as well as an additional $25,000 "loan" to Coronado's father, who later admitted that the loan was in fact, not a loan at all. When questioned about the money given to Coronado, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk told ABC's John Stossel that Coronado was entitled to a legal defense, and that he was a "fine young man, and a schoolteacher." Newkirk and PETA said nothing to condemn the arson. In fact, if you look at PETA's web page, under their FAQ they seemingly justify the actions of the ELF and its sister group, the ALF (Animal Liberation Front) They even compare the groups to the Underground Railroad and the French Resistance. Oh, and a side note, the FAQs on that page are absolutely ridiculous. It is also worth noting that the FBI has labeled the ALF and ELF as domestic terror groups. PETA also contributed $1,500 to the ELF in 2001. According to the FBI, in the last 10 years it is believed that the ALF and ELF have committed over 600 criminal acts totaling in damages over $43 million. All of the information regarding PETA's finances are a matter of public record since they are a non-profit organization, and the financial data above comes from their 990 tax forms.

PETA is nothing more than a financial supporter of domestic terrorism. If you support PETA, you are essentially supporting domestic terrorism. In fact, PETA has even published a pamphlet called "activism and the Law," in which they offer advice on burning down a building.

Also, in a silly piece of PETA hypocrisy, the group's Vice President Mary Beth Sweetland is a diabetic, and uses insulin containing animal products. When Sweetland was asked about the contradiction she said "I have no qualms about it...I don't see myself as a hypocrite. I need my life to fight for the lives of animals." I find that quote interesting, considering that PETA President Ingrid Newkirk has been quoted as saying, "Even if animal research resulted in a cure for AIDS, we'd be against it."

Even if you are an animal rights activist, do you really support arson, and vandalism as a means of making your point? I have no problem with people who are animal rights activists, as long as the are willing to engage in healthy debate. PETA does its debating with gas cans and bombs. This "tax-free" organization seems to feel that they are above the law, and their cause is worth it, no matter how much damage that they may cause. It is time for people to stop financially supporting this group and its actions.

For more information about PETA and their finances click here. Also, if you wish to look at other groups, this is a fantastic website, www.activistcash.com

Why Are We Here? Who Cares?

2005-04-18T21:28:00.000-07:00

Well it seems that just about everyone is reading Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life. Apparently there are millions of Christians out there who are searching for meaning and purpose in their lives, and have found this book to be helpful. The book's basic premise is that people should use the Bible to understand eternal purposes, and the plan that God has for everyone's life. The book lays out 5 purposes God has for everyone; worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism.

Now, though I am an atheist, I try to respect the beliefs and superstitions of others as much as I can, but I have a real issue with books like this and the narrow minded perspective they perpetuate. If a person wants to believe in God that is fine, and if a person wants to believe that God has planned out all of our lives and futures, that is ok too. But, if you are a believer, shouldn't your beliefs make sense? I mean this idea that God has planned out all people and all things seems to come into conflict with a lot values. For instance, doesn't predestination contradict free-will. If God planned everyone's lives than you really have no choice in the matter, your life will unfold the way God planned it. There is no choice, no freedom, you are living the life God wants you to live. So I guess God planned out the lives of Jeff Dahmer, Ted Bundy, and Hitler. Oh and let's not forget Jessica Lunsford, the World Trade Center victims, those molested by priests, the tsunami victims, all people who have died of AIDS or cancer, slaves, or any of the other billions of people who have suffered or are being made to suffer the worst fates imaginable. All of their lives must have been planned by God too. But why would an all loving God plan for such horrible things to happen to people? Well most Christians would say that we cannot comprehend the mind of the great and powerful Oz...... Oops, I meant God. Well if that is true than how the hell do we know what God's purpose for us is in the first place, and how the hell does Rick Warren know? Oh, and by the way, if you do buy into this idea that God has planned all peoples lives, then I guess you have stopped praying, haven't you? I mean what is the point? What if the thing you are praying for was not part of the plan? If God already has a plan laid out, then any prayer you offer is meaningless.

With all of these people looking for meaning or purpose in their lives makes me think our society is full of depressed people wandering through life wanting if not something more, than to just feel a little better about their average lives. People are depressed by normalcy. Average is below average. If you are not striving for some arbitrary goal than you might as well be a bum. These bummed out average Joes and Janes turn to books like this just for a simple affirmation, or for a way to explain parts of life that they do not understand.

Listen people, I know the world is complex, and anyone who uses the phrase "life is simple," should probably be slapped in the face. Life is fun, scary, joyful, tragic, exhilarating, painful, miraculous, cruel, wonderful, sad, and great. It's all that and so much more. But what people need to understand is that fear and doubt are ok. Cruelty and suffering make it difficult to live, but they are part of the bigger picture that includes joy and happiness. You do not need religion to water down the bad parts of life. While that may offer comfort, it takes away from the experience of being alive. And if you are searching for a purpose to your life, I would suggest not looking at the Bible, instead try looking at a mirror. It is we who determine the purpose in our lives. The choices we make and how those choices impact our homes, neighborhoods, towns, states, countries, and humanity are up to us. All you need to do is find what it is that brings you contentment, and if you wanna call that your "purpose," well there you go.

I know my fate. One day there will be associated with my name the recollection of something frightful -- of a crisis like no other before on earth, of the profoundest collision of conscience, of a decision evoked against everything that until then had been believed in, demanded, sanctified. I am not a man. I am dynamite.
-Nietzsche

Where is My America?

2005-04-17T18:14:00.000-07:00

More guns, more Jesus, that's the Republican way of "gettin' it done." I do not believe I have ever seen a photo that better encapsulates what is wrong with our country today than this image of this overpaid, over-priveleged , overindulged, middle-aged, upper-class, gun loving, wealthy, white, Christian male. This is old Tommy D. at an NRA benefit at which 2,500 gun freaks paid $75 a head to see Tommy D. dress up in his empty suit and spout off his right-wing rhetoric, "...blah, blah, blah, guns......blah...Jesus...blah, blah, blah, culture of life... blah, blah....activist judges....blah." There is nothing more puzzling to me than to see a man talk about the sanctity of life while holding a shotgun. Tommy D. may be snake, but the worst part is that he is an ELECTED official. People actually voted for this "man." They made a conscious choice to punch his chad, or tap his screen, or fill-in his bubble. It's all so frustrating, but if you'll excuse me, I must go shower, because seeing this photo has made me feel gross.

Everything that is wrong with America.

Won't You Be My Neighbor

2005-04-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

Hey Florida!

These are the people in your neighborhood.......in your neighborhood......in your neigh--bor--hood! Oh, these are the people in your neighborhood......in your neighborhood, in your neigh--bor--hood.

Now if you do not live in Florida, I suggest using Google to find the sex-offender database in your state. Most allow you to search by zip code, city, county, and school district. Please take the time to search your area.

Cunning Linguists

2005-04-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

Fewer things do I find more sickening then when people destroy language. Bad grammar, poor pronunciation, and bad spelling should not be habits of adults who speak English as their 1st language. I have noticed that there are some words that are repeatedly butchered by people who wish to use them without knowing their definition, how to say them, how to spell them, or what they mean. Let's talk about some of these words.

-Ok, first off, "expecially" is not a word. "Especially" however, is a word. But if you study its pronunciation you will be keen to notice that there is no "x" in the word. "Especially" yes, "expecially" no. Get it?

-Next, there is that delicious coffee drink that you will find at Italian restaurants, no its not "expresso," its "espresso." Again, you will find that much like the word "especially," there is no "x" in "espresso," so please stop pronouncing it.

-This next non-word makes me want to punch its user right in the face every time I hear it. The non-word I am speaking of is "conversate." People, this is not, nor has it ever been a word. The word is "converse." Repeat it with me, "converse." This bothers me so much when I hear it, because it is such an abuse of the English language, and I find that when I hear it used I think the user is trying to sound scholarly when, in fact, they are not. I once heard a Harvard Graduate actually say "conversate" on a TV news show, I couldn't believe it, a $150,000 education and the damn guy couldn't even speak English. Sick.

-Next there is a word I am hearing more and more, and it must be stopped before its usage spreads. "Pacifically" is not a real word, and I am hearing it frequently used when people are trying to say "specifically." Listen closely the next time you hear that word when you are having a conversation (notice I did not say "conversating"). You will hear it often, "pacifically." It doesn't even sound similar. Please stop making up words.

-Next is the word "literally." Its not the fact that it is not a word, because of course, it is. Its more the usage that concerns me. People are constantly using it in sentences like, "I saw the movie, and it was so funny, people were literally rolling on the floor." Now they say this to emphasize the audiences reaction to the movie, but there were no people actually rolling around on the floor, thankfully. But in order to use the word "literally", what you are saying must actually happen, so there must be people rolling around on the floor. When you say it to emphasize the point, you really should be saying "figuratively," as in "a figure of speech." But most of the time when speaking figuratively, the exaggeration is so great that the other person knows you are speaking figuratively, so you don't need to say "figuratively speaking." A good rule of thumb for all of you who may be uncertain about your usage of "literally," just drop it altogether and use the word "actually" instead, it will help you with your choice of words.

These are just some of the brutal abuses of our language that are becoming more and more common. Its not just lesser educated people that are butchering words, its more than that, bad grammar is spreading and it is making people sound like idiots. Let me tell ya, if a doctor ever tells me that he and I have to conversate about a pacific detail of a medical test, I will instantly seek a second opinion.

"C" is for Carrot, NOOOOO!!!!

2005-04-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

Well, in case you have not heard the dark dreadful news today, I guess I will have to break it to you. Sesame Street is making Cookie Monster cut back on his cookie intake in order to help teach children better eating habits. What a sad day it is in the world. Cookie Monster has been my favorite Sesame Street character since I was a child, and I find this news to be disturbing. Will Cookie ever be the same? I guess we will have to wait and see. If ya wanna read about the New Cookie Monster, click here.

Top 5 Annoying Phrases

2005-04-05T22:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some phrases that I hear scattered throughout the media on a regular basis, that are really starting to get under my skin.

5. "The institution of marriage"
- If you want to read my thoughts on this please read my post, "Who Wants to Marry a Right-Wing Ideologue?"

4. "Homeland Security"
- Yeah, I know what your thinking, "but homeland security is important, its how we stop the terrorists." Well yes, it is somewhat important, but the idea that we can ever live in a totally safe and peaceful society is naive at best. Too many people in this world have too many reasons to dislike this country, and will stop at nothing to get revenge. There are many who have suffered because of some of our foreign policy decisions dating back 50 years, but we have gotten so absorbed in our consumer culture, that we have not bothered to pay attention to some of the really stupid things our leaders have done in the past, when it came to foreign policy. And while we are concerned about the price of coffee at Starbuck's and which company offers the best cellular plan, others are plotting their revenge against this country, blaming us for their sufferage. And with bigger and more damaging weapons becoming easier to get a hold of, the idea of having total security becomes much less likely. So guess what people, we can never be totally safe. Homeland security is an illusion, and deep down, our government, and even many our citizens know that you cannot live in a free society and have total security. It simply won't work. It is a fact we have to live with, all we can do is try our best.

3. "Activist Judges"
-Why is it that when the Republicans see a court decision come down that they like, they constantly talk about how great our system is, and how it proves we are the greatest nation in the world, but when the courts come down with a ruling they don't like, the judge is labeled, "activist?" I didn't seem to hear them complaining about the courts after the 2000 Presidential election.

2. "The secular agenda"
-I have no idea what this means. How can their be a secular agenda. America is a secular country. Period. The freedom of religion right granted in the Bill of Rights actually makes this a secular country. And I know that Christians love to cry about the nativity not being allowed to be displayed in the public square, and the whole 10 Commandments and the Court House thing, but those are simplistic, symbolic arguments that really are not important to anything or anyone in the long run. I'm an Atheist, but honestly I could care less about a nativity in the public square. I mean its not like seeing it will send me running to a local Christian Book Store. Not only that, but even if I went looking, I'm not even sure I could find the Town Square in my town. I don't care what a persons religious beliefs are, I personally feel that religion is a condition that must be overcome, but I would never deny anyone their religious rights, just keep it out of my face.

1. "Culture of Life"
-The most useless phrase in our public discourse. Conservatives love to talk about "life." They are "pro-life," oppose the "culture of death," and always "err on the side of life." This all coming from a party that loves to support the death penalty. What a contradiction. All life is sacred, yet if you are convicted of murder, you die. Many people have no problem reasoning that out, citing examples like the jackass in Atlanta who murdered the Judge and a couple other people. But what about 119 innocent people in the last 30 years who were sentenced to die and yet committed no crime. What is the equation? How do they reason it out? How many innocent lives is it worth to get 1 murderer? Well I have no idea how they do it. Now, I'm not saying I'm totally against the death penalty, I'm just saying it does not work as a deterrent to violent crime. The "culture of life" is just a bogus phrase invented by right-wing Christians who want their dogma to be the law of the land in this country.

We Do Not Get It

2005-03-31T22:52:00.000-08:00

As I said in my last post, I'm all in favor of suggestions to improve our schools, but sometimes when it comes to school violence I think people miss the point. Take this article for example. Some parents in Palm Coast, Florida, just south of Saint Augustine, are complaining about the name of the new high-school, Matanzas High-School. Apparently the word "matanzas" is Spanish in origin, and in English translates to "massacre," and the parents are none to happy about young Billy playing Quarterback for Massacre High. I guess they logically infer that the name of the school, will of course, cause some young child to go to class and wipe out all of his classmates.

Honestly my friends, we just don't seem to get it right. We want to change the names of schools, we want to put metal detectors at the entrance, we want to perform pat-down searches on the kids, we want to make them wear uniforms. Hell, some of us even want to give the teachers weapons. All of the "solutions" work to treat the symptom of violence, but not the illness of the child. They are token solutions, that look pretty on the surface, but have no depth. Why can't we come up with a decent solution to end school violence? I think I have an idea as to why we can't figure it out. It is because it involves two forms of sacrifice.

The first sacrifice is that of the soldier. The military relies on violent kids. Violence is the nature of war, so it is only a natural that violent children are necessary to drive the war machine. The apparent goal of the conservative system is to create violent, impoverished youth so that they can fail scholastically and join the military. Follow this. Conservatives are against abortion, so more children are born, but once the children are born, the conservatives want nothing to to do with them. They are against welfare, so these children are more likely to grow up poor. They are against any kind of school program that forces them to shell out any more tax money, so the schools don't improve. So then what you have are poor kids going to bad schools getting a bad education. Then, in high-school, these children find out they can't keep up. They have no chance of furthering their education, so they need a place to turn to. But where? Well never fear, because those same conservatives that loved the children so much when they were fetuses, are back to encourage these kids to join the military. In fact, in high-school, its almost as easy to find a recruiter as it is to find a teacher. So off these kids go to be desensitized and turned into a monsters so that they can fight, kill, and die for reasons only CEO's of oil companies will ever understand. You see, they need violent kids, because today's violent teen, could be tomorrows soldier.

The second sacrifice is the sacrifice of the parent. When it comes troubled kids, the heaviest blame must be placed on the parents. Parents need to stop with the constant expectations. Please parents, stop planning your child's college graduation while he is still in the womb. The level of pressure on kids to be successful is simply out of control. "If you don't get good grades, you won't get into a good college, and you won't get...blah...blah...blah." Here is a newsflash. Parents, not all of your kids will be doctors, or lawyers, or musicians, or athletes. Some of them will be plumbers, mechanics, fast-food workers, or fill any number of less glamorous jobs. Your job is not to judge your success as a parent based on the occupation of your child. Your job is to provide love, support, and a framework that teaches the child to be an independent thinker. Many kids are not getting that these days. The constant pressure weighs as a heavy burden, and the first time that kid realizes he can't cut it in school, a little doubt creeps into his mind, and with no love or support, that doubt turns into anger, and that is when the problem starts. And then come the feelings of alienation from his parents, friends and classmates. The kid begins to unravel. Parents must stop expecting too much from their children, and simply do the best they can. Sacrifice your selfish expectations, and sacrifice your vicarious living.

I don't think there are any easy answers when it comes to violent kids, but I feel that if people look more in the mirror at themselves, instead of through the window at the kids, maybe we will have a place to start. Maybe we need to look at the structure of society, and how the system works, in order to find the answer. Whatever the solution is, I do not believe that it can be achieved with metal detectors, and uniforms. No more bandages, it is time for real solutions.

Charleton Heston is My Principal

2005-03-29T23:26:00.000-08:00

I'm all in favor of suggestions to improve our nations schools, but I was blown away, excuse the pun, when I heard the recent suggestion from the NRA. The NRA, in light of the recent school shooting in Minnesota, has suggested that some teachers actually start carrying weapons in school. What a great idea! This is a sure fire way to curb school violence, give the teachers guns. Why didn't we think of that before? Ahh, I can picture it now, the students sitting quietly in the classroom taking a test, while the teacher grades papers. The American flag blowing majestically in the light breeze coming through a half-open window. And right on the wall, between a copy of the Constitution and a picture of George Washington, sits a 357 Magnum Revolver. What a beautiful vision!

But I wonder, would this mean we would have guns in all schools, even parochial schools. That's awesome, nuns with guns, and hey that would be a catchy title for some kind of Catholic school hallway patrol. Wouldn't it be great to see Sister Mary Katherine pull a shotgun on a 12 year old girl because she thought the little girl was "lookin' at her funny?" Also, don't forget about the priests, don't even get me started as to how guns will improve their lives.

Oh, and Texas, boy what potential such a program would have in that state of responsible gun owners. Can you imagine that smart ass free-thinking kid in class after the Social Studies Teacher/Football Coach points a Baretta at his head and asks him "One nation under what boy?" Yeah, that kid will never refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance again, and he will also learn a valuable lesson about patriotism.

And how could I forget all of those emotionally unstable women who are having sex with their students, they should definitely have guns, I mean come on, it only common sense.

Gym teachers, librarians, secretaries, school nurses, janitors, the lunch lady, hell even guidance counselors, give them all guns. Especially the guidance counselors, I mean hey they're the ones on the front lines if ya know what I mean.

What a utopian dream, I just wish it would come true. It would be great to see the first day of school as students sharpen their pencils and teachers load their pistols and create a positive learning environment. I think it would work, and hey if it didn't, we could just force kids to pray in school, and maybe put the 10 Commandments up on the library wall. That would make kids less likely to kill each other, and that's reason why we should do it, its for the children.

-In case you were born without a sense of humor, this whole thing was meant to be sarcastic!

Indecent Proposal

2005-03-28T22:34:00.000-08:00

The Parent Television Council is patting itself on the back because of a recent Time Magazine article about the groups ongoing war with "indecency." The group's VP Tom Winter has a letter posted on the PTC website that reads like an acceptance speech. Apparently this article has served to validate the PTC's attempts to limit people's 1st Amendment rights, as well as dilute art to a sterile, pointless, inoffensive product for family consumption.

After reading Mr. Winter's letter, which you can read on the link above, I noticed something interesting:

"If you haven't seen the story about the PTC in this week's issue of Time Magazine (March 28, 2005), then we urge you to hurry out and get a copy. It won't be on the newsstand long. You can also get a copy as a gift from the PTC with an online donation of $50 or more by going to (website) "

Wow, a copy of Time, and all you have to do is give them $50. What a deal! I guess $5 goes for the magazine and the other $45 goes to for VHS tapes so they continue to record the shows they hate and watch them over, and over again so that they can point out all of the things that will traumatized their children, or turn them into an army of Ted Bundys. Maybe it's just me, but I think that it will be very interesting to see how the children of these uptight, highstrung do-gooders turn out.

Wolf in Cheap Clothing

2005-03-24T12:12:00.000-08:00

Many of you are probably keeping tabs on the Terri Schiavo case, and I'm resisting the urge to write more about it myself. However, with some of the irresponsible and disgusting things I have heard from the media, I may not be able to resist much longer. So maybe I will write more on this later. But first, I'm sure that some of you out there are seeing a man speaking to the press from the Pinellas Park area, outside of Schiavo's hospice, by the name of Randall Terry. Mr. Terry has been on all of the news networks today blasting the "activist" courts and pleading with Gov. John Ellis Bush (that's his name, not Jeb) to intervene in the case. Terry even went so far as to say the Judge Greer "wanted Schiavo dead."

So who is this man who seems to care so much about the outcome of this case? He must really know the Schindler's well. He must really care about Terri. Well, not really, Randall Terry is a noted anti-abortion protestor and overall lunatic. He has been arrested over 40 times for his "peaceful" demonstrations at abortion clinics.

Here are some quotes from this "man" just to give you an idea as to where he stands:

"Our goal is a Christian nation. ... We have a biblical duty, we are called by God to conquer this country. We don't want equal time. We don't want pluralism. ... Theocracy means God rules. I've got a hot flash. God rules."

"If a Christian voted for [former President Bill] Clinton, he sinned against God. It's that simple."

"Homosexuals and lesbians are no longer content to secretly live in sin, but now want to glorify their perversions."

Listen people, this is just the kind ignorant yammering that does not need to be a part of this story. Randall Terry is a radical pro-life maniac who is simply trying to slide in his Christian agenda into the law. And the worst part, is that the Schindler family is using him as their spokesman, which honestly makes me question either the Schindler's agenda or their sanity. I understand their fighting for what they think is right, but this man is slime. A man like Randall Terry doesn't care about religious freedom, nor does he care about the rights of Atheists and Agnostics in this country. It comes straight from his mouth, he wants Christianity to conquer American life. He does not care about Terri Schiavo, all he cares about is that the situation have an outcome that suits his extremist viewpoint. That way he can Pied-Piper more mindless drones into his ideology of hatred and ignorance.

This situation is loaded with people in positions in which integrity is important. Unfortunately people like Randall Terry have no integrity, and will continue to spout off the message of hatred and intolerance, stealing the spotlight from the family tragedy. When blood is in the water, the sharks will circle, and that is what's happening now. Whether it is outside the hospice, in the Governor's Office, or on the floor of the House of Representatives, all of the sharks are feeding, trying to grow, trying to gain power.

For all of you out there who are trying to keep up on the media and what's been going on with this story, here is a great site. Media Matters

Abstain From Using Your Brain

2005-03-22T22:06:00.000-08:00

George W. Bush is the President of the United States and a born-again Christian. And when it comes to teaching the youth of the nation about sex, the President and his Republican colleagues in Congress believe that the best approach is to teach abstinence.

In December, The Washington Post published an article that reported findings of a congressional analysis of some of these "abstinence only" programs. Programs that since 1999 have been given roughly $900 million in federal funding, according to the article. What was discovered about these programs was shocking. I have posted a link to the article above if you wish to read the whole thing, if not, here are some excerpts from the article:

"Many American youngsters participating in federally funded abstinence-only programs have been taught over the past three years that abortion can lead to sterility and suicide, that half the gay male teenagers in the United States have tested positive for the AIDS virus, and that touching a person's genitals "can result in pregnancy," a congressional staff analysis has found."

"Among the misconceptions cited by Waxman's investigators:
- A 43-day-old fetus is a "thinking person."
- HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, can be spread via sweat and tears.
-Condoms fail to prevent HIV transmission as often as 31 percent of the time in heterosexual intercourse.

One curriculum, called "Me, My World, My Future," teaches that women who have an abortion "are more prone to suicide" and that as many as 10 percent of them become sterile. This contradicts the 2001 edition of a standard obstetrics textbook that says fertility is not affected by elective abortion, the Waxman report said. "

These abstinence programs are irresponsible, and promote a general ignorance towards health and science. They are also an enormous waste of tax-payer money. Now I'm not saying that abstinence is a bad message, I'm saying its unrealistic to believe that all teens are going to take this stuff to heart and stop having sex. And if a teen does decide to go ahead and have sex, isn't it our responsibility to arm them the knowledge they need to protect themselves and their partners. Isn't that how we reduce the spread of STD's? Isn't that how we reduce teen pregnancy?

The messages that are being sent in these programs are interesting to me. If you have sex, you'll get AIDS and die. If you have an abortion, you'll end up killing yourself. These messages sound familiar to me, like I've heard them before, but when? Where? Oh yeah, I remember now, it was during the 2004 presidential campaign. You remember don't ya? The Republicans had that, "if you vote for Kerry, we're all gonna die" message? That's the Republican game plan, bend people to their will by making them afraid, and when fear overcomes intellect, they will follow. But the game is getting dangerous, and our children's sexual education is an example of the danger.

The biggest danger of these abstinence programs is that they are being created by "faith based" organizations. These groups can provide absolutely no objectivity, and do children a disservice. These groups consider the use of condoms immoral and using birth control pills equates to abortion. These groups are damaging the youth and need to stay out of school and in the churches.

I believe that most teens are incapable of comprehending the totality of what it means to be a sexual being, and I would definitely advise a young person to wait until a time that they feel comfortable and responsible enough to make an educated decision. What is most important is that children should be taught safety and responsibility, and not given some puritan standard to live up to.

Remove Tom Delay's Feeding Tube

2005-03-19T19:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I thought I was done writing about the Terri Schiavo fiasco, but Tom Delay and some of his fellow Republicans decided to try to involve themselves in this story by doing some lame last second intruding to keep Schiavo's feeding tube in. The House subpoenaed both Terri and Michael Schiavo to appear before a committee. This gesture is a total and complete abuse of power by Congress, and I think for the most part, the public is aware of it. But Tom Delay, the House Majority Leader held a press conference where he explained the strange government intrusion. He gave a quote to the media that I found to be particularly interesting.

"Terri Schiavo is alive. She is not ,barely alive. She is not 'being kept alive.' She is as alive as you or I, and as such we have a moral obligation to protect and defend her from the fate premeditated by the Florida courts. This is not over. We are still working, so are Mrs. Schiavo's lawyers, and so is the Florida state legislature. This is not over. To friends, family, and millions of people praying around the world this Palm Sunday weekend: do not be afraid. Terri Schiavo will not be forsaken."

Ok first of all Mr. Delay, I'm not sure what you did this morning, but I woke up, walked into the living room, had some cereal, and watched the news. What did Terri Schiavo do? She is not "as alive as you and I," if she were, this would not be an issue. She is in fact being kept alive because she cannot survive on her own. The decision to remove her feeding tube was based on a court ruling that relied upon expert testimony from medical professionals in charge of Terri's care, as well as evidence enough to satisfy the court that Terri Schiavo did not want to be kept alive artificially. What more do you need? Republicans have long championed the idea of states rights and limited role of government in private life, yet Delay and his fellow republicans are doing just the opposite. By the way Mr. Delay, what medical training do you have? What medical evidence do you have to support your claims? What intimate knowledge do you have about the Schiavo family that makes you so certain Terri wanted to live? None. You need to stay out of private affairs.

Also, did anyone else happen to notice a couple of buzz words in Tommy D's quote. One of them was the word "premeditated," an interesting choice considering that the only time anyone usually hears this word is when it is followed by the word "murder." A definite insinuation. The next group of words: "moral," "praying," "Palm Sunday," and "forsaken" are all about the G-O-D. These words are like chiming bells to the Pavlovian Christians who are salivating over some juicy abominations. That quote was so full of buzz words I was beginning to wonder if Delay hired the President's speech writer.

The thing I used to like about the Republican Party was their desire to have as little government intrusion on people's lives as possible. But now it seems that ideal just gets thrown out the window anytime a right winger thumps their bible. I've said it once an I'll say it a thousand times, Christianity is not the law of the land in this country, please keep your dogma out of my face.

Oh and by the way, just a quick correction of an earlier post. I referred to Terri Schiavo's condition as being comatose, well she is not, her condition is that she is in a "constant vegetative state." It is not a coma, and what that means is that there is nothing for her to wake up from, she is awake, her brain simply does not function. So for all of those "people can wake up from a coma after 20 years" people, unfortunately, there is no such hope for Terri.

Kevin Martin Is a Jackass!

2005-03-16T22:43:00.000-08:00

Yeah I know the title is harsh, but what better way to welcome the new chairman of America's un-elected body of censors. Earlier today, George Bush named FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin as the new FCC Chairman, replacing Michael Powell. Martin was a key member of the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign, and played a major role during the Florida recount process.

Martin was appointed to the FCC in 2001, I guess as a reward for assisting the President in his "victory."

So where does Mr. Martin stand? Let's take a look. After Janet Jackson's nipple brought down western civilization, Martin fueled by conservative watch groups, stepped up pressure on regulating "indecency" on television. Recently Martin dissented from a majority ruling that paved the way for Saving Private Ryan to air on network TV without fear of indecency fines. Also, Martin has had open communication with L. Brent Bozzell, a man who, according to himself, knows what's best for everyone. Bozzell heads a group of outrage-aholics called the Parent Television Council. The PTC organizes letter-writing campaigns and appears on news shows to express whatever outrage they are currently crusading against. Martin sent a letter to Bozzell July 8, 2003 that seemingly glad-hands groups like the PTC and other conservative organizations. If you click the link and read the letter, be sure to notice at the bottom of the letter, the other groups that received a copy. I think the agenda is obvious.

The FCC is not elected by the people, they answer to no one but the President and they have the authority to patrol what we are allowed to see and hear. The FCC stands against the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, and they do so proudly, carrying the banner of "decency." You can say whatever you want, but not on TV, you can only say what is considered "appropriate." Whenever I hear the words "decency" and "appropriate," another word comes to my mind, "bullshit." They are subjective words left to the user of the word to define, and I do not need the government telling me what I am mature enough to see. And, I don't want to hear that soft argument, "the children maybe watching, and influenced by what they see." If you don't want your children to see something violent, just tell them to go read the Bible, there is no violence in their, except for that whole crucifixion thing.

Listen, the PTC, Family Research Council and all of these other groups that sing the praises of the FCC need to have their true motives exposed. Their agenda is not to protect anyone; it is to indoctrinate people into their puritanical Christian beliefs. These people live in constant shame of humanity and fear those who can think for themselves. It angers them to see that not everyone is weighed down by their dogma. They figure the best way to gain influence is to do it through government regulation under the veil "decency." That is why they start these groups with their innocent sounding names, like: Concerned Women for America, Morality in Media, Citizens for Community Values and the Culture and Family Institute. It is their way to entice people to join their cause without knowing the actual motive.

But these groups can make all the attempts to indoctrinate people that they want, because ultimately, it won't work. The FCC is however, a dangerous group that stands to dilute valuable forms of artistic expression like film and music. Decency is a relative term, and it should always be left to the discression of the viewer or listener to determine whether or not something is appropriate for them or their family. The religious right and the government have no place telling the public what is or is not "decent," in fact, if you look at these two institutions closely, you'll find that they really have no room to talk about "decent" behavior at all.

Do Senators Go To BP?

2005-03-13T22:22:00.000-08:00

Last week the Senate voted down a potential increase to the minimum wage. The last increase to the minimum wage came in 1997 when it was raised to $5.15 per hour. Apparently the republican controlled body does not think that people's wages should be adjusted to reflect the cost of living. In 1997, the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $129. Thus far in 2005, the average price per gallon is at $2.00 and could climb as high as $2.50 by the summer. The increase in the cost of gasoline alone should justify an increase in the minimum wage, but I suppose that those in the Senate aren't exactly filling up their cars, if they drive themselves at all.

So what would get their attention? Well there is of course the U.S. Department of Labor. They are the ones use the Consumer Price Index(CPI) to calculate the change in the cost of living. In 1997, when the minimum wage was last increased, The CPI was 161.3. As of January 2005, the CPI was 190.7, an increase of 29.4 points. More statistics showing a significant increase in the cost of living, all ignored by the Senate. The increase in the cost of living has been steady over the last 8 years, if you want to see for yourself, just click here.

The Republicans in the Senate have shot down another attempt to raise the minimum wage, which makes no sense when you consider that they are so strongly opposed to any entitlement programs. All they seem to talk about is how we need to help people get off of welfare. Well how can you do that when you don't offer better wages? I cannot understand the reasoning behind this vote, it makes no sense, even by republican logic. It is espically puzzling when you consider that this same body has voted for 5 consecutive years to increase their salary. It is another example in our country of how the rich are getting richer and the poor, no they aren't getting poorer, things are just getting too expensive for them.

Let's All Go To The Movies, Again!

2005-03-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

I was looking at some of the new movies that are set to come out this summer. These movies include: Star Wars, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Batman, Bewitched, The Dukes of Hazzard, and The War of The Worlds. Hmmm, exactly what year is it anyway?

How Much For That Coma Patient In The Window?

2005-03-10T22:42:00.000-08:00

Since I started this blog I have been reluctant to write about the Terri Schiavo case. I never thought that it was any of my business, and personally I could care less about the outcome. So what changed, you might ask? Well, it was this story. Apparently some California businessman has decided to offer Michael Schiavo $1 million to sign guardianship rights over to Terri's parents, thus keeping her "alive." Reading this story I couldn't help but think that this was just the type of solution I would expect from a businessman. If you can't solve a problem diplomatically, just offer a sum of money that while small to you, would be a lotto jackpot to other party. I just love corporate mentality. Apparently this "bidder" believes that there are medical advances that could help Terri. This is where the story takes a deliciously ironic twist. Just as those religious freaks lingering outside Terri's hospital room began to think they were doing great in their moral crusade, we come to find that these medical advances that our "bidder" speaks of, are coming from, you guessed it, stem cell research. Life is beautiful.

But let's be honest. Michael Schiavo won't take that money, and nor should he. If he did take it, then he looks like a man who literally sold his wife to the highest bidder. I am a man of science and I have great hope in the potential of stem cell, but this case is no one's business. It's not my business, it's not Jeb Bush's business, its not the governments business, and it's not the business of the religious right. This is a matter that, like it or not , must be left to the husband, and the family, because they are the only ones who really care about Terri. She has been in a coma for 15 years, do you really think Jeb Bush ever heard of Terri before last year? Do you think that those people who sit outside the hospital holding signs with bible verses, and other meaningless slogans really care about Terri. Of course not. The religious right has exploited this case, as has Jeb Bush, and the Florida State Legislature. All have done it for there own personal agendas, and no one else. They haven't been there the whole time, they only picked up on the story when they media did. Because, in truth, its not Terri that they care about, its the cause. And as soon as another moral outrage comes along, the signs, protestors, web sites, and prayer vigils will all end, and all that will be left is Terri, her husband and her parents.

Me personally, I think the life support should be removed, but it doesn't matter what I think, because I can understand the fact that these parents want desperately to keep their child alive and cling to any piece of hope they may have. I can also understand a husband that is tired after a 15 year struggle, and just wants to fulfill his wifes wishes. These are not easy decisions for people to make, but yet they must be resolved. And resolution must come without influence of people who are just trying to exploit the individual involved for their own agenda.

Osama and Maximus

2005-03-08T23:40:00.000-08:00

Apparently American's weren't the only ones who saw the film Gladiator. Here is a rather unique story about Al Qaeda's sadistic plan to piss off Roger Ebert.

The American Myth

2005-03-07T23:19:00.000-08:00

It has come to my attention in recent years that there is misconception going around among the citizens of this country. Where this idea began, and who first put it into the public conscience no one knows. Nevertheless, the misconception that I'm talking about is what I'm calling the American Myth. What is the American Myth? It is the idea that we in this country somehow live in a majority rule society. It is the idea that social, economic, and judicial policies are somehow a function of the people's will. It is the idea that the people are in charge. Now maybe in some vague notion this is true, but on the aggregate, it is not. Now, I'm not telling you to pack your bags and move to Canada, because I see this as both a good and a bad thing.

Perhaps the media perpetuates the notion that we are a majority rule society. The news networks are constantly throwing around public opinion polls on just about every social issue that you can think of, as well as all of the political polling they do. Maybe when a person sees that 80% of the country has bias towards one party, candidate, or value, it some how cements itself as being the will of the people. And this is a positive in the political process. The person who gets the most votes should always win, in politics, but not socially. Because, when it comes to civil liberties, the will of the people is not what's important, but rather the will of the one.

When it comes to social policy in America pundits, extremists and even politicians are using polls to bolster their arguments as to why certain people should be denied rights or services, or laws restricting civil liberties should be legislated. Anyone who tries to pass off the notion that the will of the majority should ALWAYS be done is violating the very spirit this country was founded on. The Bill of Rights is the individuals protection from the oppression that stems from group thinking. It is a guarantee that the minority will have protection from a majority that would seek to promote spread its own ideology.

Our civil liberties are the most important thing we have in this country, and they must always be protected. The truest measure of America's greatness is has one voice can be heard as clearly as a million voices.

George Carlin- Baseball and Football

2005-03-05T10:21:00.000-08:00

This is one of George Carlin's classic bits:

Baseball is different from any other sport, very different. For instance, in most sports you score points or goals; in baseball you score runs. In most sports the ball, or object, is put in play by the offensive team; in baseball the defensive team puts the ball in play, and only the defense is allowed to touch the ball. In fact, in baseball if an offensive player touches the ball intentionally, he's out; sometimes unintentionally, he's out.

Also: in football,basketball, soccer, volleyball, and all sports played with a ball, you score with the ball and in baseball the ball prevents you from scoring.

In most sports the team is run by a coach; in baseball the team is run by a manager. And only in baseball does the manager or coach wear the same clothing the players do. If you'd ever seen John Madden in his Oakland Raiders uniform,you'd know the reason for this custom.

Now, I've mentioned football. Baseball & football are the two most popular spectator sports in this country. And as such, it seems they ought to be able to tell us something about ourselves and our values.

I enjoy comparing baseball and football:
Baseball is a nineteenth-century pastoral game. Football is a twentieth-century technological struggle.

Baseball is played on a diamond, in a park. The baseball park! Football is played on a gridiron, in a stadium, sometimes called Soldier Field or War Memorial Stadium.

Baseball begins in the spring, the season of new life. Football begins in the fall, when everything's dying.

In football you wear a helmet. In baseball you wear a cap.

Football is concerned with downs - what down is it?Baseball is concerned with ups - who's up?

In football you receive a penalty. In baseball you make an error. Oops!

In football the specialist comes in to kick. In baseball the specialist comes in to relieve somebody.

Football has hitting, clipping, spearing, piling on, personal fouls, late hitting and unnecessary roughness. Baseball has the sacrifice.

Football is played in any kind of weather: rain, snow, sleet, hail, fog...In baseball, if it rains, we don't go out to play.

Baseball has the seventh inning stretch. Football has the two minute warning.

Baseball has no time limit: we don't know when it's gonna end - might have extra innings. Football is rigidly timed, and it will end even if we've got to go to sudden death.

In baseball, during the game, in the stands, there's kind of a picnic feeling; emotions may run high or low, but there's not too much unpleasantness.In football, during the game in the stands, you can be sure that at least twenty-seven times you're capable of taking the life of a fellow human being.

And finally, the objectives of the two games are completely different:
In football the object is for the quarterback, also known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his receivers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.

In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! - I hope I'll be safe at home!

Forgive?? I Don't Know That Word.

2005-03-03T22:40:00.000-08:00

Last week, Democrats discussed a plan to restore the right to vote to convicted felons who are out of prison. Instantly, the Republicans responded with their typical fiery rage. The immediate argument became that the Democrats were so desperate to win elections that they needed the votes of murderers, rapists, and child molesters. When I watched the pundits from both sides shout at each other on every major news network, it made me think about how we view crime this country.

The deck is stacked against a person who is out of jail. Not many places are going to hire a guy with a felony theft charge to work the cash register. Our society is structured so that it is almost impossible for an ex-convict to get any job. Now, I'm not trying to downplay the severity of the crimes that these people are committing, but if they are out of jail are they not entitled to a second chance at a normal life? Besides, we rely on the judicial system to assign punishments that fit the crimes. Society is not giving ex-convicts a chance and yet we wonder there are so many multiple offenders out there.

The Republicans do not believe that felons should have their right to vote reinstated. Why? These people have served the time that our judicial system felt appropriate for the crime they committed. Is their debt to society not repaid? Are there no second chances? Can we the people forgive others for their mistakes? If the answer to all of these questions is no, then what's the use? Why even let people out at all? You may as well expand the death penalty to cover all felonies. To me its another example of Republican hypocrisy, again the Christian right wingers who love to flaunt their piety seem out of touch with the most principle value set down by their messiah, forgiveness.

Amensty International and The UN on Conflict Diamonds

2005-03-02T23:50:00.000-08:00

I have added links to 2 sites regarding Conflict Diamonds. One is from the U.N., the other from Amnesty International. They provide some insight into the brutality of the diamond industry that they don't show you in those elegant TV commercials. I will be posting some of my thoughts on the diamond industry in the coming weeks, but if you want to get an idea of some of the violence that is taking place over diamonds, please check out the links.

Perhaps the Stupidest Thing You'll Ever Hear!

2005-03-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

In 1998 Carl Gunter, a Louisiana State Representative spoke out against an anti-abortion bill that would have allowed an exception for victims of incest. When Gunter was asked why he opposed the bill, he responded by saying, "Inbreeding is how we get championship horses."

As stupid as that sounds, allow me to offer some perspective about the Louisiana State Legislature. They have previously established that biting someone with your natural teeth is "simple assault," but biting someone with false teeth is considered "aggrivated assault."

Who Wants to Marry a Right-Wing Idealogue?

2005-03-01T21:33:00.000-08:00

Christian Conservatives are working hard to push through a Constitutional Amendment that would define marriage as being between a man and a woman, thus banning same sex marriage. The republican spin machine passes this idea off to the public as protecting the institution of marriage. It's a phrase you hear all the time, "the sanctity of marriage." It seems that the idea is that if we define marriage based on gender, that some how it will preserve what is supposed to be a sacred union. I mean hey, if you don't define marriage then some guy could marry his cow, or sheep right? Seems like they maybe on to something, but wait, no, actually they're not even close.
An amendment to our Constitution would do nothing except be the first amendment to ever deny rights to a group of people. Also, all this talk of marriage being a sacred union is enough make a person ill. What are these conservatives talking about? Marriage is sacred, really? If that's true then why is the divorce rate hovering around 50%? The integrity of the institution of marriage must be preserved? That's amusing considering that TV has given us wonderful shows like Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire, which aired on FOX by the way. We were also given shows like Who Wants to Marry My Mom, Who Wants to Marry My Dad, Who Wants to Marry a Midget (also on FOX), as well as countless Bachelor/Bachelorette shows. And what did all of these shows have in common, you guessed it, heterosexuals. Although, I'm sure in the bottom of some TV executive’s trashcan there is a treatment for Who Wants to Marry My Gay Midget Father. Oh yeah, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention some other sacred unions; like when a 25 year old model marries an 80 year old business tycoon. We all know how sacred that union is. There is also the sacred bond between a couple that marries for immigration purposes.
It is so strange that the Christian Right is trying to deny basic civil liberties to a group of people just because they believe that homosexuals are immoral sinners. It's strange because in that book that they love to thump, I believe there is a reference to judgment, and how people will be judged by how they treat the least among them. But, I don't know, I'm not a Christian, I cannot explain the moral hypocrisy, but what I do know is that we heterosexuals have really not done much to help the idea that marriage is sacred.

Batting 9th, playing Right-Field... Congress!!

2005-03-01T21:15:00.000-08:00

There are some members of Congress who have suggested that there be Congressional hearings regarding steroid use in Major League Baseball. Apparently the war against terrorism is over, there is peace in the middle-east, poverty has been eliminated, and the health care crisis has been resolved. Oh, you mean these things haven't been done? Then why is our government even suggesting this? Don't get me wrong, I love baseball, but it seems to me that there are an abundance of other issues that our government should be focusing on.

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore! But then again, who would want to be?

2005-03-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

Topeka, Kansas is voting today on whether or not to repeal an ordinance that protects homosexuals from discrimination in the workplace. The drive to repeal the ordinance is being led by a man named Fred Phelps from the Westboro Baptist Church. Phelps has a long history of intolerance toward the gay community, perhaps most his most famous example of his behavior was his protest at the memorial of Mathew Sheppard. Sheppard, a University of Wyoming student was brutally beaten by two men in October of 1998. These men drove Sheppard to a secluded area, beat him, and tied him to a fence where he was left for dead. After being found Sheppard slipped into a coma and died just a few days later. The story of Mathew Sheppard has been the subject of a made for TV movie, as well as the film, The Laramie Project. Fred Phelps role in the story came into play at Sheppards funeral where he and some of his followers protested by chanting and holding signs saying things like "God hates Fags," among other hateful messages. But Phelps harrasment didn't end there. In 2004 he pushed to have a monument erected in Casper, Wyoming that states the Mathew Sheppard is in Hell for defying God's Law. He also pushed to have this message put on a park bench in Topeka, as well as other parts of the country. Now Phelps is leading the charge to repeal this gay discrimination ordinance, as well as remove a gay City Council member whom he wants to replace with his own grandaughter. What makes this story so interesting to me is that it comes from a place that is often referred to as America's Heartland. A region of proud citizens with their American flags and yellow ribbons, who love to talk about how they live in the greatest country in the world. The irony of course, is that some of these people have seemingly forgotten that the foundation of America is freedom. I would venture a guess that the word "Freedom" itself, is the most commonly used word in speeches given by President Bush. But some of these "Heartlanders" would vote to deny rights and freedoms to people based simply on sexual orientation. Homophobia has become the new racism in America. All in all, Topeka is going to show it's colors with this vote. Will it be a place that upholds real American principles, or will it simply be a place where people cannot seperate their brains from their Bibles? America is watching.

Hotel Rwanda

2005-02-25T00:18:00.000-08:00

I think the best compliment that one can give a film like this, is to say that it is important. This is a very important picture, that everyone should see. Hotel Rwanda takes its place among films like Amistad, and Schindler's List as films that expose the cruelty of dark times in history. However, unlike Schindler's List, and Amistad, Hotel Rwanda is about a recent situation, which helps the film attain a level of palpability. We can all remember where we were in 1994, and to think that these events were taking place at that time boggles the mind. But sadly, situations like the one in Rwanda are far to common in our world today, as is evident in the strikingly similar situation taking place in the Sudan today. That is why a film like Hotel Rwanda is so important. Movies are escapism, a way for an audience to leave the outside world at the theatre door and enter a world of action, romance, fantasy, or terror. Hotel Rwanda captures the viewer's attention in the escapist world and tells it's cruel story. It makes the viewer process the story, deal with it, and place it within our own perspectives of government, human rights, and foreign policy. Films like Hotel Rwanda should serve to remind us not to turn a blind eye toward parts of the world that do not have "american interests."

Michael Jackson's Jury?

2005-02-23T18:15:00.000-08:00

I saw on TV that the attorney's for Michael Jackson are complaining about the lack of diversity among the jury in his sexual molestation case. This complaint makes no sense to me at all. In a trial you are supposed to be judged by a jury of your peers, well who on earth would be considered one of Michael Jackson's peers. This is a man who has spent tthe better part of his adult life with a chimp, the remains of the elephant man, and Elizabeth Taylor. Does it really matter if his jurors are black or white? Does he have so much in common with the black community that he stands a better chance of aquital? I don't think so.

Hello

2005-02-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone and welcome to Front Row at the Freak Show. This is my little corner of the Blog world where I hope to comment on some of the things that are going on in this funny little world of ours. I hope to offer a unique way of viewing social issues, and political issues as well as talking about some fun stuff too. If you are wondering about the title of this page, I'll explain it. I once saw George Carlin on a talk show, and he said that when you are born into this world, you are born with a ticket to the freak show, and if you happen to be born in America, you are born with a front row seat. Well in that case, on with the show!