President-Elect Obama and Social Issues
2008-11-05
I woke up today feeling a lot better about the future than I did yesterday. America finally had enough of the neocon movement, and the American people made it crystal clear to the Republicans that those kinds of policies just weren't going to fly in this country any longer. Barack Obama won the presidency. Furthermore, the Democrats gained an even larger majority in Congress. It's going to be very interesting to see what course the country will be taking next year.
That said, unfortunately it wasn't all puppies and sunshine in the polls last night. Americans also voiced their opinions on gay marriage in two key states: Florida and California. Both states had measures on the ballot to constitutionally ban same sex marriage. Both measures passed by a very small margin. Although it is unfortunate for gays living in Florida, I cannot begin to imagine the grief that gay families in California are facing right now. After getting married and thinking they were officially recognized as joined by the state, their status is now revoked and null.
I recall reading about a young girl in California with two dads. She didn't understand why people would want her daddies to be "unmarried" as she put it. You can imagine the difficulty her dads had in trying to explain the situation to her. I wouldn't even be able to explain the reasons why. Why anyone would be so hellbent on discriminating against a vulnerable minority that doesn't affect them in any way is beyond comprehension for me.
I applaud President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden for their recognition and support for the civil rights of gays and lesbians. It will take time, but I firmly believe that the prejudice that people hold against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders can be cured through rational debate and educating the masses. Society has made great leaps in the past century. That fact is blatantly evident by our new African American President-elect. However, there is more progress to be made; both here at home and across the world. When gay Iranians are being hanged for loving a person and gay Russians are being brutally attacked and murdered for being outspoken for their rights, social progress is critical. It is my opinion that this is the civil rights issue of our time. It is my duty to speak out against these injustices and stand up for what is right.
With that off my chest, I congratulate Obama on his victory. My thoughts and prayers are with our leaders, both new and old, as we decide the best direction for our country and society.
UPDATE: It appears that lawyers in California are hard at work to make sure that this law does not retroactively affect those couples who have already been married. Furthermore, lawsuits have been brought on that will once again likely reach the California Supreme Court. If it does, the measure will most likely be deemed unconstitutional once again. I suppose it's just a matter of time.
What It Comes Down To
2008-10-29In less than a week, America will decide what direction our country will go. Will we continue the same failed policies of the past eight years? Will we end the Bush doctrine of preemptive attacks on sovereign nations? Will we end the tax breaks for the major corporations and reinstate the tax breaks that the middle class used to have? Will we end the far-right fear mongering and add true transparency to the government? We'll know the answer to all these questions in less than a week.
This blog has been used for both my personal life and to vent my frustration about policies in government. I'll be frank, I'm disappointed with myself in how I utilized this blog. I should have been using it for what I care most about, and that is the policies that have been shaping our country over the past eight years. I think that I mostly avoided using it for that purpose because of my family, most of which is very, very conservative. I can't censor myself on account of them anymore. You know what? For several reasons, my own mother would not vote for Barack Obama, but the reason that stood out most to me was that she was afraid he was a Muslim terrorist. I kid you not. She isn't alone in the sentiment. The fear mongering of the far-right has reached a new low. Regardless of how this presidential election turns out, I'm dedicating this blog largely to the opposition of the far-right, and when necessary, the far-left. I'm tired of these petty partisan lies interfering with the political discourse of this country.
Additionally, right here and now, I'm formally declaring all out war on the religious-far-right that spawns nothing but hypocrisy, bigotry, and hate. I'm going to be regularly posting articles pointing out the absurdity of their beliefs and values, backed up by their own religious texts. Now, don't get me wrong. I am by no means being anti-religious or anti-Christian. I know many Christians who are perfectly rational and reasonable people. That said, I am being anti-bigot. You'll see what I mean when I start making these posts.
I am also going to be posting a video shortly in the video section of the website. It is a video montage dedicated to the current state of our country. Look for it, and I highly recommend watching it.
Green Products
2008-09-17
It seems like every company is now hopping on the green bandwagon and marketing their products as environmentally friendly and healthy. That's all well and good, but how do you know that these products are really as green as they claim to be? Goodguide has you covered! Browse the site by category or search for specific product names. It will tell you the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of that product and the company that makes it. This is an extremely useful tool if you're worried about your consumer impact. Go ahead and check it out. Also, if you're looking for information on groceries or other products not yet listed, then don't worry. They are currently in the process of expanding their database.
[Good Guide]
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Umbrella Today?
2008-09-15
Speaking of the weather... check out this neat site I found. Basically, every morning, you just enter in your zip code to the website and it will tell you if you need to bring your umbrella for the day. It's essentially, just an extremely simplified weather forecast.
[Umbrella Today]
Storm Pulse
2008-09-12
We still have a ways to go through hurricane season, so I thought I'd post this nifty site I found. If you ever want to know exactly where a major hurricane is, all you have to do is go to this site. It's called Storm Pulse, and as soon as you visit the site, it gets right down to the point. It will show you the center of the most dangerous active storm in the Atlantic and will also automatically display its projected path. Definitely worth checking out!
[Storm Pulse]
Book Recommendation: The Assault on Reason
2008-08-09
I've been taking a long deserved vacation these past couple of weeks, but I want to make a post. Malcolm X said, "People don't realize how a man's whole life can be changed by one book." I'm hoping that a book entitled "The Assault on Reason" by Al Gore will have that effect on some of you. I know what you're thinking: Al Gore, huh... must be dreadfully boring and about the environment. Actually, not so. This book was written by a rare angry and impassioned Al Gore about the dire precedents set by the Bush administration and the very future of our nation. I think that everyone should have a look at this book. If you don't want to dish out the dough for it, then definitely pick it up from your local library.
Sunshine State
2008-07-18
For once, I have news from Florida that doesn't involve sharks eating humans, gay bashings, or putting a monkey in charge of the free world! Florida is going to be the new home of the largest solar power plant in the United States. Florida Power and Light is in the process of building three new solar power plants in the sunshine state. The first plant, which will be operational in 2009, is going to be built in DeSoto County. The plant is projected to generate 25 MW of energy. Two other plants are to be built in other counties. This is all part of a massive alternative energy initiative that will eventually be providing Florida residents with 300 MW of 100% clean energy.
Sources:
Largest Solar Power Plant In the United States Planned for Florida
Florida solar plants OK'd by state panel
Florida Gives Green Light to Largest Solar Power Plant in U.S.
The Onion Prophesy
2008-07-17In January of 2001, before September 11th, before Iraq, and long before our current economic and environmental crisis, The Onion wrote this satirical article about then president-elect George W. Bush. Nearly all of it came true.
From the article: Mere days from assuming the presidency and closing the door on eight years of Bill Clinton, president-elect George W. Bush assured the nation in a televised address Tuesday that "our long national nightmare of peace and prosperity is finally over."
Shark!
2008-07-12
This shot was taken by a local photographer in New Smyrna Beach, FL. New Smyrna Beach has a nasty reputation for shark bites, and after seeing this photo, it comes as no surprise. Click the photo to see a larger version. You can also see more photos here. I wonder if those surfers even saw what was happening behind them? They were probably too busy riding the waves, duuuuuuuuuuuude. Okay, I'll stop.
Campaign for Liberty
2008-07-11I hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day celebration. I'm sure many of you expected me to post something for that particular holiday given my political leanings, but I was busy in the middle of moving to a new residence. I'm all settled in now, and so I would like to take this opportunity to post what I would have liked to have said on the 4th of July.
As many of you know, when this website was first launched, I supported Ron Paul for president full-heartedly. I believe in his ideals, and while some of his positions may be extreme, his message is very rational and reasonable. He is an outspoken advocate for small government, responsible government spending, and non-interventionist foreign policy. Since McCain has won as presumptive Republican presidential nominee, I have switched my support over to Barack Obama. Understand that I have received my share of flack for this change. I am frequently asked how I could have supported the ideals of Ron Paul and switch my support to Barack Obama, whose policies differ greatly from Dr. Paul's. I tell my critics this: There is always more than one way to fix a particular problem. There is more than one way to fix our country. While the changes that would occur under an Obama presidency aren't nearly as radical as a Paul presidency, I believe that many of them would be a step in the right direction. Mind you, not all of them, but the ones that are most important to me.
Anyway, with all that said, I want to direct your attention to Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty. He may have lost his presidential bid, but Dr. Paul isn't going to go quietly into the sunset so-to-speak. He wants to educate as many people as possible about his values and he needs your help doing it. Check out his website at: Campaign for Liberty.
Today in the News
2008-07-01
Free Internet Means Government Censorship
Figures that this story caught my eye. Once again, big brother is overstepping its constitutional boundaries. The tech industry applauded the FCC when it announced that it would consider using a huge chunk of wireless bandwidth to supply the nation with a free and public Internet. Defenders of the constitution became very weary however when they announced that this new, free Internet would be censored. For what purpose is it being censored? Well, it seems to be for good intentions. They claim that the censorship is for the sake of children. They've included broad language in the proposal stating that all materials deemed pornographic or otherwise harmful to children would be banned. Seems reasonable enough, except the second part about otherwise harmful to children. Who gets to decide what is or isn't harmful to children? How broad will this censorship become? Would it be "harmful" for a 16 year old to visit a website that isn't politically inline with a current administration, perhaps providing an alternative view of a subject? I can see how a Bush-like administration would deem that harmful to children. I simply don't like this clause. It's dangerous and needs to be more specific.
Fourth Amendment About to be Flushed Down the Toilet
Here's something I've been keeping a close eye on for a while. Few people know that President Bush and the nation's top telecommunication companies systematically and routinely broke the law, in particular, the fourth amendment of the US Constitution. While that alone would be cause enough for me to write an hour-long rant, Congress is positioning itself to pass legislation that would grant telecoms immunity for their involvement in the illegal wiretapping program and set a precedent for an all-powerful executive office that is above the law no matter the circumstances. To me, that's simply unacceptable. I'm also very disappointed in Obama's support of the proposed bill which includes the immunity. He should be standing up for what he says he believes in. The Senate is expected to vote on July 8th.
Faboolus Predators in World of Warcraft
Jeez, first MySpace and now World of Warcraft. These sexual predators need to get the eff out of my Internet! The man on the right is Faboo; some nut-job from Oregon who abducted an autistic girl from California whom he met on the online game, World of Warcraft. What a lovely class act. I suppose he's innocent until proven guilty, but he has a prior rapsheet, though for other offenses. Oh well, the guy will likely have the book thrown at him and good riddance. I mean, it's bad enough that he allegedly abducted a kid, but an autistic kid? What a sick freak!
Chinese Didn't Cause Black-Out
No shit... So this story goes back to 2003 when the entire north east of the US and a province of Canada suffered that prolonged blackout. Apparently, anonymous White House officials are saying that Chinese hackers were to blame. Uh.... no. That's a lie and here is the proof. So, there's a liar-liar-pants-on-fire in the White House. Whooda thunkit?
Since there are more politically-oriented stories in this post, I'll post a useful link here. If you're a US citizen, and would like to give your government some feedback on any of these issues, you can contact your senators here. You can contact your representative here.
Sources:
FCC Free Wireless Spectrum Equals Censorship Technology Bonanza
Senate Votes to End Spying and Telecom Immunity Debate
AT&T Whistleblower: Spy Bill Creates 'Infrastructure for a Police State'
Senate Postpones Spy Bill Vote Unitl July 8
Predator Met 16-Year-Old Victim Through World of Warcraft
Former White House Advisor: Hackers Didn't Cause 2003 Blackout
East Coast Devastated By Tsunami - Thousands Dead
2008-06-30
That could be a headline sometime in the next century. People's love of the ocean, has naturally caused a large buildup of population along the United States' coasts. What few people know however, is that the east coast is in grave danger of being completely destroyed.
Scientists and researchers have discovered an extremely unstable land mass in the Canaries off the coast of Africa. Nearby is an active volcano. Very bad combination. You see, when the volcano erupts, which is expected sometime in the next 100 years, that unstable land mass may come crashing into the ocean at around 220 MPH. The resulting collision is expected to cause a wave 2,950 feet high, traveling in all directions at 500 MPH. The energy equivalent released by this event would be enough to power the entire USA for 6 months. You can do the math. This is going to be a catastrophic event for all coastal cities around the Atlantic.
The UK and Africa will have it worse than us. With very little warning, there would be few evacuations, if any, before the tsunamis come ashore. Luckily for us, we'll have between 7 and 8 hours of warning after our friends overseas warn us. Evacuations would begin immediately and might save thousands of lives. Unfortunately, it is doubtful that every coastal city along the eastern seaboard, along with every town 20 miles inland, would be completely evacuated in time. Furthermore, though we can keep down the casualty number, there isn't anything we can do about the damage to the cities. I'm sure much of the cities would simply be literally wiped off the face of the Earth.
The moral of this story? Hmmm... don't invest in any coastal property?
Sources:
Giant Wave Devastation Feared
Giant Wave Could Threaten US
Out of Time
2008-06-24
I have some bad news. The Earth is approaching a cataclysm and we're running out of time. At risk of sounding like a sensationalist, all life on Earth hangs in the balance. If the USA doesn't lead the world in drastic policy changes starting next year, it'll be game over, according to NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen. Read about his testimony before Congress here.
It also looks as though humans aren't going to go peacefully, either. The nation's spies have finished a report concluding that climate change is going to be the cause of unprecedented amounts of geopolitical strife across the world.
Man... this is depressing. I guess I should balance things out with some good news on the environmental front. Everyone knows that the airline industry has a horrible rap when it comes to the environment, but hopefully that will change soon. Engineers have discovered a much more fuel efficient and cleaner engine for use in aircraft.
Big Brother Gets Your Nude Pics
2008-06-18I know it might seem like I'm following a theme here, but I've got some more news on the privacy front for you. The difference is, this time it is much more likely to directly affect you.
Let me give you a scenario. You're at the airport in the long lines waiting for your turn to go through the metal detector routine and board your plane. A TSA agent approaches you and asks you to step out of line because you've been randomly selected for additional screening. A minor nuisance, but I'm sure you're willing to humor them. He takes you to a side room and asks you to remove all of your clothing. All of it. Say what?
That is essentially what the TSA has begun to do to massive amounts of people without probable cause or reasonable suspicion. The only difference is, they won't ask you to physically remove your clothing. Instead, they'll ask you to walk through a machine that produces a high resolution image of your naked body. It's called a backscatter x-ray. It's a new technology being peddled by companies such as Rapiscan. The technology involves using millimeter x-rays just powerful enough to go through clothing, but not skin. The end result is a high resolution, very detailed image of you naked. How detailed? Well, the screener can see the individual pores in your skin and beads of sweat on your back. I've included some sample images below that were created from variations of this new device. Please keep in mind that these are extremely low quality, low resolution sample images. Click them to enlarge.
The concerns for privacy are obvious, but unfortunately, it gets worse. The machines have the ability to save your images and associated information into a database or any removable media. Additionally, companies like Rapiscan are seeking deployment in the private sector as well. Companies don't have to tell you that they are using this technology. A security officer could have you walk through that thing with you thinking it's a metal detector. Of course, all of these issues aren't even taking into consideration the most important privacy concern: children. What are the implications of producing images of children with these machines? If you think that the public would never allow this to happen, then think again. The Metropolitan Police were reported trying using these devices at schools in London in 2004 to scan children for knives and guns. Yes, that's right. The police were wanting to regularly produce naked images of children. No word as to whether or not they got their way.
This issue is much worse off in the UK than it is here in the US. At Heathrow airport, passengers weren't told what the machine was for or what kind of images it was producing. They were simply told to stand by the machine to get "scanned." The Times has some passenger reactions:
"I was quite shocked by what I saw," said Gary Cook, 40, a graphic designer from Shaftesbury, Dorset. "I felt a bit embarrassed looking at the image."
A female passenger, who did not want to be named, said: "It was really horrible. It doesn't leave much to the imagination because you're virtually naked, but I guess it's less intrusive than being hand searched."
Also, the screener reviewing the images were in the proximity of the person being scanned. The airline passengers are being left in the dark, having their privacy severely violated, and given no options. It doesn't end there, either. Many people coming out of Heathrow have reported that the staff are extremely rude and ignorant. The staff operating these machines couldn't even tell the passengers what kind of radiation they were being exposed to or how much. Those conditions are unacceptable.
Luckily, things aren't going as badly here in the US. Thanks to pressure by organizations such as the ACLU, the TSA has implemented some measures to try to protect the privacy of innocent Americans. To the right, you can see an image produced by a machine in use at one of ten airports around the US. Although it is still extremely revealing, steps have been taken to make the person less identifiable. Additionally, the person reviewing the image is located in a separate, closed-off room from the scanning machine. The TSA also claims that it has disabled the option to save the images and they will not be stored. For those uncomfortable with this whole thing, you can also opt to have a pat-down, but they don't advertise this. To tell the truth, however, I don't trust the TSA as far as I can throw them. In the past, they've been proven to be one of the most incompetent and unscrupulous agencies under the DHS.James Schear is the TSA security director at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. James seems very, very interested in this technology. USA Today reports:
"It's the wave of the future," said James Schear.
Schear said the scanners could eventually replace metal detectors at the nation's 2,000 airport checkpoints and the pat-downs done on passengers who need extra screening. "We're just scratching the surface of what we can do with whole-body imaging," Schear said.
See what I mean? I'm not very excited about the prospect of being bombarded with x-rays and getting my nude picture taken every time I get on a plane.
I suppose the bottom line at this point is that the technology is here and it's here to stay. The important thing is to make sure that there are checks and balances to protect the privacy of Americans and ensure that those checks and balances never go away. This is a very important technology to keep a weary eye on. The potential for abuse is rife. If we aren't careful, we could soon be having our naked picture taken at our malls, supermarkets, schools, universities, and places of employment. Just remember that you never have to do anything you aren't comfortable with and you always have the right to ask questions.
For those interested, the scanners are currently in use at the following US airports:
Miami
Los Angeles
Baltimore
Denver
Albuquerque
Kennedy
Dallas
Detroit
Las Vegas
Reagan National
Sources:
Airport X-Ray Scanners - Mind having your naked body photographed and stored in a federal database?
"Backscatter" X-Ray Screening Technology
10 airports install body scanners
'See through clothes' scanner gets outing at Heathrow
Met deploys mobile gun scanner in London raid
Backscatter X-ray 'naked scanners' in the news
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Gas Prices
2008-06-14
Gas prices have everyone's wallets hurting. With no end in sight for the rising gas prices, every penny counts these days. I've stumbled upon something that might be very helpful. Google Maps has partnered with Gas Buddy to add a really cool new feature. Go to maps.google.com and click the "My Maps" tab. Under "Featured Content" in the left bar, click the link that says "Gas Prices from GasBuddy.com". Enter the city/state or zip code and hit "Find Gas Prices". Viola! A map of your area will appear with a number of pins dotting it. Each pin is a gas station with detailed up-to-date information about it including the latest gas prices. Now you can click on the pins on your route to work, school, or wherever you're going to find the cheapest gas along the way. No more wondering if the next station down the street has cheaper gas while you're filling up your gas guzzler.
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Civil Rights Alert: The Border
2008-06-10
A disturbing precedent has been set by recent court rulings. Anyone traveling outside the US by land, sea, or air are libel to be subjected to arbitrary searches of their laptop computers by border agents. On the surface, this might not seem like a big deal. However, think about all the personal or confidential information that some people store on their computers. Computers serve as a central location for our bank records, personal correspondence, internet logs, personal pictures, as well as far more intimate details of our lives.
What happens if you refuse to hand over your password? Then in all likeliness you'll be like Maria Udy, a marketing executive for a travel firm in Bethesda, Maryland. Her laptop was confiscated by border authorities and, more than a year later, she has yet to receive it or any kind of explanation or information. Another man, a tech engineer, was returning home from a business trip to London. A federal agent asked to have the password to his computer. At first, he objected, telling the agent that the computer didn't belong to him but his company. After getting nowhere with the agent, he finally agreed and the officer copied all the websites he had visited to a database.
Many major corporations are making it standard practice to issue "blank" laptops to workers traveling outside the US, then having them connect to a server to download necessary documents after they've passed the border. Sensitive corporate data, private client information, and even confidential medical information are all free game according to the government's new policy. This is a blatant contradiction to the fourth amendment of the US Constitution. Does this really fall under the border search exception? Wired is reporting that many border agents have made it routine to confiscate computers and copy their hard drive as they see fit without any court oversight. If this does fall under the border search exception, then why not routinely strip search everyone at the border while we're at it... Oh, wait; they're already doing that.
So, here's a summary: Border agents can search and/or confiscate your computer without probable cause or reasonable suspicion. They can deny you access to your plane if you refuse to give your laptop to them, but no guarantees that you'll ever see it again. The government can also copy all your personal files and information and store it regardless of your objections, and no word yet on what they're doing with that information. Scared yet? I sure as hell am.
This is just yet another wrong turn in the mess that our democracy is becoming. Stand up and do something about it. Write to your representative and both state senators. If you live in Central Florida, the 5th district, your representative is Ginny Brown-Waite (R) and your senators are Mel Martinez (R) and Bill Nelson (D). Take action.
Sources:
US border agents can search your laptop or phone
What's in a Laptop? Court Ponders Legality of Border Searches
Computer Privacy in Distress
Clarity Sought on Electronics Searches
Searching Laptops at the Border and In Airports: A Disturbing Practice That Imperils Fourth and First Amendment Rights
Young Earth Creationists
2008-06-07If you're ready for a good laugh, Rob, over at DemonBaby.com, has written up an in depth article on a new creationist museum in Kentucky. You can read it here.
The sad (and frankly, scary) thing is, this museum is targeting children ready to be brainwashed into believing this pseudo-science nonsense. A new generation of irrational, fanatical, and fundamentalist YECs is a terrifying thought indeed.
The Real Dick Cheney
2008-06-03
Something I've been meaning to post for quite some time is what I believe to be the real Dick Cheney. The Vice President that you see in White House press conferences and Fox News is a very deceitful representation of himself. I could spend all night typing up all the reasons that I think Mr. Cheney is a bold-faced liar, but instead I'll just post two damning pieces of evidence.
How would you feel if you were raised in a country that taught of a government for the people and by the people. You grew up understanding that the government answered to you, not the other way around. Now, as an adult, you realize that drastic changes have been occurring in the way the government operates. Now, the government has no accountability to the people and can do as it wishes and not suffer any consequences. This case is especially true in the executive branch of our government. Do you think Vice President Dick Cheney gives a rat's ass what you think? I mean, as a public servant, surely he must care about the thoughts and positions of those he is representing. Actually, he doesn't seem to care at all.
And why should he care? He's been second in command of an administration that has made countless, tragic errors and run our international respect through the mud. There are still a good number of people that will defend him and say that there was no way he could have known that the invasion of Iraq could lead to the mess we're in today. Is that so? No, he knew exactly what would happen. Need proof? Here it is right out of the horse's mouth: watch it.
Mr. Cheney is a sick man that only cares about power and money. If you need even more proof, all you have to do is go out and do your own research. The evidence is everywhere.
Sources:
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/02/cheney-so-revise/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BEsZMvrq-I
Inaction
2008-05-14
Several weeks ago I was talking politics with a coworker. She said something that disturbed me quite a bit. We were discussing Clinton and Obama and the upcoming general election. She told me that she didn't care if Clinton or Obama won the Democratic nomination, because if either one got into the White House, it would be historic. It sounded to me that she wanted one of the two candidates in the White House merely for their race or gender, so I asked her to clarify. She confirmed what I feared. She couldn't care less about the issues such as the war in Iraq, economy, climate crisis, socialized medicine, immigration, or same sex marriage. She wanted one of the two candidates in the White House based on superficial characteristics.
My coworker isn't alone. Over the past several decades there has been a disturbing trend in our nation. People are caring less and less about the real issues and more and more about things that will have little impact on our Republic. Many people don't even know who their representatives in government are. Few people even care. What is responsible for this phenomenon? I have no earthly idea. Something has caused the public to become passive cattle willing to be prodded along by conglomerates, government, and special interest groups so long as they are allowed to go about their daily lives. At what cost does this come? Well, just in the past few years, the US has waged a disastrous war, ruined what little international respect we had left, whittled away our civil liberties and rights to privacy, driven our economy into what may become another Great Depression, catastrophically devalued the dollar, and turned its back on friends and allies such as Laos. This isn't the fault of George W. Bush and his administration. This isn't the fault of Nancy Pelosi and the rest of Congress. The fault lies solely on the shoulders of the American people who lay dormant while their great nation crumbles around them.
I fear that the America our founding fathers created may become something only remembered in history books. If we continue on this destructive course of non-action, America will no longer be the free country we know it to be. It may still exist as the United States of America, but will be a hollow shell of the once greatest country the world has ever known. What is the solution? I can't give any definite answer, but I can give some decent advice. Turn off your propaganda machines (TV). Read books, newspapers, and the Internet. Discuss the issues with your peers in person and the Internet. Lastly, and certainly not least, take action. After becoming informed, become an active part of the government for the people, by the people. Your active participation could very well mean the difference between the life or death of a free nation.
Things I Hate: The Internet
2008-04-30
click to enlarge
This is a new section I'll be doing every so often now. These are mainly for me to vent, but published soley for your entertainment. Click the image above to enlarge it and take a look before you read the rest of this rant.
Let me put this in context for you. This was a comment by a user on Digg.com. If you aren't familiar with the site, it's basically a site where people can submit websites and people can vote and comment on them. Now, based on this genius' comment, what do you think the submission was about? The economy? Video games? "CAPITALSISM"? No... The article that was submitted was about a legal battle between Google and the EFF regarding Google's privacy practices. Where does the comment fit in? It doesn't! At all! Like... not even close! What the fuck is this shit?
Let me break this down for you. I have several theories regarding "motiontomove". The first theory is that he's just a little kid. That would be almost forgivable if I could overlook the fact that he's trying to be a know-it-all little prick. I'm sure a seven year old has a sturdy, fundamental understanding of the American economy and the effect that the video game industry has on it. Of course, this theory must be tossed out by the fact that he remembers "1 time back in the 90s". My second theory is that he is honest-to-god mentally retarded. If that's the case, then I'm sincerely sorry and I'm going to hell for making fun of him. However, I don't know many mentally challenged people that can effectively use a computer and utilize websites such as Digg. Thus, I come to my third and final theory. The guy is a fucking dumbass. Not only is this guy ritalin-starved, but he desperately needs to repeat grades 1 through 12. This is your brain on crack, kids. Stay in school. And remember... "this is captialsism folks!!!!!!!!!!!"
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Unbelievable
2008-03-22
So, I have a story for you. It's a story of love, betrayal, and grade-A jackass-ery. We'll call the woman in this story, Ashley. We'll call the man, Fuck-up Bob. Ashley and Fuck-up Bob dated way back when. Fuck-up Bob says he has a great job, booku bucks, drives a luxury car, and is in his twenties. Obviously, he is a very successful guy. Ashley is a hard working college student at a nearby university. Okay, now that I laid out the details, lets get to the good parts.
Fuck-up Bob calls up Ashley asking to meet somewhere. Ashley, being bored, agrees to meet him. Fuck-up Bob comes pulling up in his car that costs twice as much as what most people his age make in a year. Why did he ask to meet her? He wanted to borrow money from her. Yes, that's right: Mr. Success needed money from the starving college student. He makes up a lame reason for why he needed it. Something about waiting for checks to clear. Ashley, being the great and kind person she is, agreed to lend him the money on the condition he would pay it back in a few days. I'm sure you can already see where this is going.
Ashley comes to find out that Fuck-up Bob lives with his parents. Yep, the fucker still lives with his parents. Oh, but wait, it gets better! He asks Ashley to marry him. Random, right? No! He asks her to marry him because he's AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, and wants to stay in the states but move out of his parents house! His fancy car? It belongs to his fucking parents. The man is 100% loser.
Of course, Ashley says no to his... proposal. I think it's safe to assume she isn't going to see her money again. Last I heard, the guy was in some kind of trouble and went back to the Philippines. The bastard was probably deported. Good riddance.[Share Your Thoughts] [permalink]
Natural Selection
2008-02-07
I'm in a rather indifferent mood right now. I only say that because this blog post might make it seem as though I'm pissed off. I assure you, I'm not. It's just that I've noticed something lately. Everyone my age is dropping like flies. They're dying, passing on, discovering the unknown, ceasing to exist, whatever you wish to call it. Upon observing this, I realized something... Darwin was really onto something. I mean no disrespect to the dead, but damn, people. If you drink and drive, what do you expect to happen? If you get high and drive do you expect to make it alive every time? You think you'll be okay when you mix vicodin, heroin, crack, and vodka? You people are fucking stupid. You aren't exempt from Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection. If you do dumb shit, nature is going to weed you out of the bloody gene pool. You got it? You're going to die. Since when did being young equal being invincible or immortal? It doesn't. End of story.
Over the past four years, I've had people very dear to me and people who I enjoyed being around quite a bit, die because they were victims of their own irresponsible actions. Was the thrill of driving that fast worth it to you? Was the bottle that important to you? Did you want the drugs THAT badly? Now, you're six feet under and obviously unable to read this. In fact, you can't read anything, or have fun, or travel, or learn, or hang out with your friends, or watch history unfold before you, or think, or exist for that matter. You've missed out on the rest of your life. It was your life to throw away, but not only did you end your own existence, but you caused untold pain to everyone near and dear to you. I hope it was worth it.
I'm not getting all self righteous on you. I'm guilty of doing really stupid shit too. I had a phase that I'm not really very proud of. Thankfully, I was one of the lucky ones. I'm still alive to write this. This is a message to the rest of you still among us. Fucking quit it. Get your act together and serve your purpose: change the world.
Are You Talking To Me?
2008-01-04Have you ever read a horoscope and thought "Wow, that's eerily specific." I don't necessarily believe in these things, but they usually have good advice in them. I have a horoscope on my iGoogle homepage for convenience. I read mine for today and... well, they chose very strange wording. Those that know me best will know that the last bit of the horoscope is just... uh, let's just say it hits a little close to home.
My Rocky Horror Experience
2008-01-03
Most Rocky Horror Picture Show experiences are interesting. What makes mine so special? If the image above isn't enough to perk your curiosity, then you're a freak of nature. Read on.
We arrived at Universal Studios in Orlando about 35 minutes before the show was supposed to start. Never, ever follow the crowd. Why? Because the vast majority of people are fucking stupid and will get you killed. I made the mistake of thinking that the guy in the car in front of me had half a brain and decided to follow him in the parking garage. The dumb ass turned the wrong way down a one way lane on the third story of the garage. After navigating through oncoming traffic, I squeezed my car beside some jackass that decided it was a good idea to have his SUV use 1.25 parking spaces. When we got out of the car, my buddy, Sean, noticed that the car adjacent to us had their inside lights on. He decided to be a good Samaritan and tried to open the door to turn off the lights. Just as he pulled on the handle, the car's owner, a really big black dude, came walking up. "Yeah, the car's locked for a reason, buddy. Can I help you?" Greeeaaat. As Sean was trying to explain his way out of that volatile situation, the rest of us were all backing up. Sean makes a great diplomat and could talk his way out of just about anything, so we left it to him. At least, that's what I tell myself so I can sleep at night.
Anywho, the fun didn't stop there. We got to the main gate to City Walk and they were carding everyone. It was close to New Year's Eve, so no one under 21 was allowed in. Guess whose group was mostly composed of people under 21. Correct! *gasp* You're so smart! I argued to the security guard that we were only there to go to the theaters for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. He told us to go wait behind a nearby fence. When we went around the fence, another security guard used a metal slab to close it off and stood there staring at us. What the fuck!? They were herding us! Like sheep! Several more people were allowed into the fence and were likewise closed off after entering. We stood there for quite some time waiting for someone to come herd us... I mean escort us to the theater. At least I'm not the only one that felt like bloody cattle. Aggravated as I was, I let out a "Ba-a-a-ah" sound. Nearby, someone else let out a "Ba-a-a-ah". Finally another security guard came to prod us along to the theater.
The show itself was really good. Most of my group were Rocky Horror virgins. Only Sean and his girlfriend, Celeste, had seen it before. Me, Jess, and two other friends had to go up in front of the audience to take the pledge. The giant flamboyant gay guy hosting the show started going around picking out random n00bs to use in an initiation game for virgins. I thought that maybe if I didn't look into the bear's eyes he wouldn't pick me. Luckily, my strategy worked and I was allowed to sit back down along with the rest of my friends. The ensuing game was fun to watch... especially the part with the half-naked guys running around the theater.
For those unfamiliar with it, the show is acted out both on the silver screen and by a cast of actors live in front and to the sides of the theater. During and after the show, one of the guys (a really cute half-naked one with a mohawk) kept staring and smiling at me and Jess. One of the guys wanted to hump us! Bisexuals are awesome. I didn't say anything to him after the show. I think I was intimidated by his hawtness (seriously, the dude was gorgeous).
So there you have it. The events leading up to and during the show were just as amusing as the Rocky Horror Picture Show itself! I'm glad by life isn't boring, but damn...
Note: The above image was provided by SocioBunneh. Thanks, James!