New Link
March 24, 2008 | Filed Under Main, Music, Politics | No Comments
So let me be the 5 millionth person to add the link for will.i.am’s video “Yes We Can”.
I have been re-reading Fear and Loathing: On The Campaign Trail ‘72 lately and this is what the late, great Dr. Thompson had to say early on in the book:
“How many more of these goddamn elections are we going to have to write off as lame but ‘regrettably necessary’ holding actions? And how many more of these stinking, double-downer sideshows will we have to go through before we can get ourselves straight enough to put together some kind of national election that will give me and at least 20 million other people I tend to agree with a chance to vote for something, instead of always being faced with that old familiar choice between the lesser of two evils?”
I hope we’re there. ‘Cause more and more these days, the Clinton crew is looking just like a bunch of crusty old political hacks.
Like Hubert Humphrey. He had experience, too…
She Said What…?
March 6, 2008 | Filed Under Main, Politics | 1 Comment
In the “people who live in glass houses” catagory, I think the Hill-meister needs to kill all the talk about Obama’s indicted donor. That guy and the measly amount of cash that needed to be returned is NOTHING compared to the mammoth grocery list of shady characters the Clintons have partied with over the years. Check out this link: from The New Republic.
It may be time for Obama to mention them…
Endorsement
February 1, 2008 | Filed Under Main, Politics | 9 Comments
Ok – first let me reiterate a truth I have mentioned here before: Politics Suck. There are two constants in politics – the candidate’s lust for power and money and the voters getting the shaft regularly. However, with Super-Duper-Pooper Tuesday almost upon us, I feel the need to offer these words of endorsement:
Vote for Obama.
There are now only four candidates in this race. Romney doesn’t count because he is a total fake who wouldn’t look out of place standing next to some animatronics figures you see in Disneyland. I used to like McCain, the maverick of the Republican Party. But eight years of being bludgeoned by Cheney and Rove have left Mr. Straight Talk a bit punchy. I’m not even sure he knows what year it is. As for Hillary… I don’t like her and I don’t trust her. She is the epitome of DC politics. She double-talks first and answers questions later. Her eyes don’t sparkle – that glint you see is hunger. Hunger for a power she thinks she deserves. For a current example of the Clinton dissembling, just type ‘Clinton’ and ‘Kazakhstan’ into Google Search. And if she and McCain are the nominees – McCain wins.
I’m going for Obama not just because Bill Bradley endorsed him or because he is an excellent and thoughtful speaker. He just seems honest. And honorable. And open to looking at the things we really need in this country. Sure – with politics, you can’t stay clean forever. You’re always going to get some on you. But – right now? – Obama looks like hope. As for experience, well… maybe THAT kind of experience we can do without. Mob bosses are experienced, too. Let’s give ourselves a chance for once of climbing out of the muck. These have been a long eight years…
… stepping off the soapbox…
Headlines!
January 24, 2008 | Filed Under Main, Politics | 5 Comments
Sure, you read it already in all your papers. But it is MORE fun when the front of the Arab Times screams:
“Lies Led US to Iraq War”
well - Duh!
935 false statements? Was that per minute??
Economics
January 18, 2008 | Filed Under Main, Politics | No Comments
Fascinating to hear about the economic woes in the US from here.
Senator McCain proposes saving the economy by cutting corporate taxes and extending a corporate tax credit for buying equipment and research and development… Um, did that already. That has been in place since 2003. Dub-A- Huh? wants to give everybody rebate checks. DID THAT ALREADY! Don’t you remember getting your – what was it? - $260 check from Unca Sam? Boy, did we go wild that night…
Once again our leaders look like products of crack and hard liquor. YES – there will be a recession. NO – bandaids won’t fix it. Why? Because every article I read about these “sub-prime loans” says, “Hmmm, the math looks pretty dodgy on this.” And yet every bank – EVERY bank – invested billions and billions of dollars into this pyramid scheme.
But no one will be fired for this malfeasance. No heads will roll. The pain will be borne by you and me – the little guy. Can we start that War Crimes Tribunal now?
Oh Lord - #2
January 13, 2008 | Filed Under Main, Politics | 2 Comments
You know, this would be a great adventure… IF IT WOULD JUST START!
Last week, a holiday derailed my visa. Today - again it wasn’t ready. But it was “100% certain” tomorrow… except that suddenly everything is closed tomorrow! Why? Because President Dum-Dum arrives on his Middle East class trip. I never liked that man…
One more thing - If you think he’s embarrassing when he speaks in the U.S., it’s worse over here. To watch the Moron-In-Chief spit out his half-assed bromides, posturing and nursery rhymes to a group of men who are better at business than he can even fathom… It is depressing. Hell - he needs THEIR money, not the other way around.
Lapsed Catholic 101
November 14, 2007 | Filed Under Main, Politics | No Comments
As a Catholic for 47 years now (I don’t practice anymore because I got pretty good at it), a few things have bothered me over the years about how the Church heirarchy has progressed… or not. Pedophilia is one. The utter lack of joy in most of their services (no matter how many times they sing “hallelujah”). This harping on death rather than living the life God gave them. Constantly dumbing down the bible readings to appeal to the lowest, common denominator. And - for a group of celebate, old white men - Church leaders seem to be unnaturally obsessed with sex and how, when and why everyone else has it.
But the newest wrinkle over the past decade has been the Church and politics. Today, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops pronounced that Catholics are not permitted to “dismiss or ignore church teachings” when it comes to voting in 2008. The key issues for a Catholic when they walk into the voting booth HAS to be abortion and same-sex marriage.
These are the two issues that a bishop’s world revolves around. Forget wars, poverty, genocide, human rights and healthcare. Sex must be stopped at all costs.
However, one of the quotes from the bishops went like this:
“The direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life is always wrong and is not just one issue among many.”
Sounds like the Iraq war to me….
Politics Sucks #2
September 29, 2007 | Filed Under Main, Politics | 6 Comments
I hate these people.
It is one thing for the right-wing suck-ups to do everything they are told by this dipshit president like good little soldiers. But WORSE is watching those spineless gobs of goo who call themselves “Democrats” piss their pants every time they are asked to stand for something. Not only would NONE of those useless candidates say they would get our troops out of this half-baked “war”, but they also backed some fruity resolution to censure a newspaper ad! Come on!! No one asked to censure those “Swift Boat” assholes when they were lying about Kerry. Why do they fall for this shit?! Democrats have become the four-eyed-geeks who have “kick me” stuck to the back of their shirts all through high school. No wonder no one votes for them.
Democracy In Action
September 23, 2007 | Filed Under Main, Politics | No Comments
I wondered how long it would take for the fabulous Iraqi government to un-bannish the American Balck Water Security force after they gunned down a bunch of people for no reason? Could it have been a whole 24 hours? When the “investigation” begins, do you think all the eye-witness reports from Iraqis being shot at will carry the same weight as some American general or American diplomat who might have been nearby?
A free and democratic Iraq! They’re going to love it if we have to give it to them over their own dead bodies.
Sleepovers
July 19, 2007 | Filed Under Main, Politics | No Comments
Speaking as a former elected official - I once famously stood in front of a political gathering and told everyone that politics were stupid and childish. (I also announced at a Council meeting one night that I could fly. But that’s a story for another time…)
And there could be no greater validation of that statement than the Democratic Campout Gymboree in DC the other night! Oh, what an evening! How better to move a nation and stir its conscience than to show that you can talk for hours and hours inanely – knowing full well you can’t accomplish ANYTHING!!! Those old Democratic geezers are soooo brave. You can’t help but follow them… nowhere. Hey guys! I have an idea. Since polls say the public is behind your way of thinking and YOUR point of view is winning, why not surprise us and actually DO something! Huh? Make something happen! Come on – I dare ya…
Hell’s Bells – they made such a show of all the cots being brought in and you know damn well most of them sleep through regular sessions anyway.
July 4th
July 4, 2007 | Filed Under Main, Politics | No Comments
From the Declaration Of Independence:
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.”
Let me just say this: If after this next election - what with all these weird headcases running for President and Beavis and his current criminals heading back to the pit from whence they came - if nothing changes in this country, then maybe after 230 years it is time to admit that the evils are no longer sufferable.
Illegal Search and Seizure
May 9, 2007 | Filed Under Main, Politics | No Comments
Another softball game Monday and I had two singles, two RBI’s and a lot less pain than last week. Yea! Chris also scored his first goal in lacrosse. Yea!
Okay - so I have to go deal with local government tonight. Back to the Town Council chambers, hopefully with a number of other irate citizens. See - our Borough government is trying to pass a law proposed by our local police department. This law is aimed at stopping underage drinking. A commendable goal, of course. However, rather than curbing all advertisement and products aimed at teenagers and college students, they have taken this tack: If the Police become AWARE of a group of teenagers in a private home and they SUSPECT those teenagers MIGHT be drinking, then the Police can come to the door of your house and if they PERCEIVE that there is no adult at the home, then they can walk right in and issue tickets and make arrests. Also - while they are in the home, ANYTHING in plain view can be used as evidence to formulate a charge against either your child or the homeowner. All of this with no warrant required.
Now, here is what the Bill of Rights says:”The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
Sound constitutional? Of course not. No one has a right to come into my house unless they actually know a real crime (there are various levels legally) is being committed. Beyond that - why not just make all teenagers felons? They enter high school and all receive ankle bracelets. That is how the law is judging them these days. Which is great from police officers who you know darn well drank before they reached 21! Imagine - at 18 you can leave home, sign loan documents, be tried as an adult, vote and go off to war to kill and be killed around the globe. BUT WE MUST PROTECT THEM FROM A COORS LIGHT!!! Stupid.
Look. These are tough years - granted. As a parent, I know I am being tested everyday. He’s going to make mistakes. I am going to make mistakes. That is how you grow up. And if he gets caught, he pays the penalties. But I do not agree with this “nanny society” we are living in. And I do not need the police pushing their way into my house on a whim. It is hard enough raising a teenager in this world. Because they know how hypocritical everything you tell them is. They see in on TV. They know your history. They watch our leaders lie at every opportunity. They may act like idiots some days, but they are not stupid.
I will add that one local municipality already passed this law. Another municipality made it a crime to smoke a cigarette in a car if there is a child present. If we are going to make bad parenting a crime, I going to start making my list of laws I would like to see….
Guns
April 17, 2007 | Filed Under Main, Politics | 10 Comments
After all the news yesterday, I am afraid some conversations will still lay dormant in this country. That is the gun conversation. The one neither the media or our gutless politicians want to have.
So let me begin….
I have nothing against hunting or sports. They are fine. They have always existed and always will. Shoot a deer. Shoot a fox. Shoot a duck. Go ahead if you enjoy that kind of thing. But you’re not using a nine millimeter to shoot a deer. A duck doesn’t require armor-piercing bullets. And a magnum doesn’t leave much of a fox or a rabbit.
Handguns were created for wars to kill humans. If anyone buys a handgun, they are planning on killing humans. Period. No discussion. There is no other purpose for them. They were invented for ONE purpose. And - in our instant gratification society - a handgun has become weapon of choice for anyone who is momentarily unhappy about something. Upset with your ex-girlfriend, ex-wife or children? Grab a handgun from the local WalMart and fire. Realize that you just shot someone? Fire again - point blank into your head. Why think about it? Why give yourself time to get over your screwed up feelings? Wipe it all out in less time than it took you to get your freaking driver’s license! And when is the female population of this country going to realize that THEY are the number one target for any idiot with a handgun! I have seen these stories every week in the papers. Maybe Mothers Against Drunk Driving should should change course and focus on the guns. Maybe - but I doubt it.
Let me repeat again - If you buy a handgun, you are planning to kill a human being. How does that make you feel?
Politics suck
March 28, 2007 | Filed Under Politics | No Comments
This is NOT a political blog. Though it will be discussed from time to time as part of the world around us, it will not be an obsession. Politics blows big monkey chunks. I can prove it with a pen and paper, show my work, the theorem, the proof, etc. (thanks Bill) I have first hand knowledge as for the past three years I was a local elected official (which means a couple of years involvement before that). I did not run for re-election for fear of being tainted by one party or another for the rest of my life. So - been there, done that, t-shirt… Our system is so incredibly broken it amazes me that anyone can look at these two miserable groups of people and say one is actually better than the other. Remember that old joke: “What do you call 1,000 lawyers at the bottom of the sea? A good start.” Triple that for politicians. And yet all governments can’t function without them.
Ah, but have they tried monkeys??