The Geektivist

BE HAPPY!!!

2007-06-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

Be happy, you aren't these people.
(by way of Brian Flemming)
You aren't filled with as much fear and hate as they are.

That said...
While Phelps little inbred clan (can you spot the one with the third head?) tells a chilling fact. Most religions, if not all, basically believe what Phelps' believes.
They are right.
You are wrong.
You are going to hell.

The only difference is how active a part the true believers have to play.

Sadness.

Tags:religion

Sea Lions Killing Off A Species?

2007-06-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

DIE SEA LION FIEND!!

Above the spillways of Bonneville Dam, Darrell Schmidt patrolled with his shotgun, drawing a bead on furry brown California sea lion heads popping up from the Columbia River and blasting off a beanbag round.

All spring he was part of a nonlethal, and not very effective, effort to keep the federally protected animals from gobbling threatened spring chinook salmon as they schooled up at the dam's fish ladders en route to upriver spawning grounds.

Of course, the REASON these fish are threatened is because of man's overfishing.
Am I the only one who sees the parallel between this and how we are dealing with global warming and emerging economies?
Tags:Global Warming

Giuliani Ousted From Iraq Study Panel

2007-06-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

Rudy was too busy making money hand over fist to bother with the war

He cited "previous time commitments" in a letter explaining his decision to quit, and a look at his schedule suggests why -- the sessions at times conflicted with Giuliani's lucrative speaking tour that garnered him $11.4 million in 14 months.

(from newsday, actually)
How sad is it that Mitt is looking like best in show?

Tags:Rudy Giuliani Iraq presidential campaign Republicans

Robots Take Cars Hostage

2007-06-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

Can't get your car? Try rebooting
It amazes me that some folks have zero understanding of how we relate to software, technology, and it's creators.

The robot that parks cars at the Garden Street Garage in Hoboken, New Jersey, trapped hundreds of its wards last week for several days. But it wasn't the technology car owners had to curse, it was the terms of a software license.

The garage is owned by the city; the software, by Robotic Parking of Clearwater, Florida.

In the course of a contract dispute, the city of Hoboken had police escort the Robotic employees from the premises just a few days before the contract between both parties was set to expire. What the city didn't understand or perhaps concern itself with, is that they sent the company packing with its manuals and the intellectual property rights to the software that made the giant robotic parking structure work.

Tags:software Robot Garage

We're still looking for WMDs????

2007-06-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

End Looms for Iraq Arms Inspection Unit
I really thought this was a joke...
What I find funny is that, every once in a while, you'll see some delusional twit make some statement about how WMDs of some flavor were found.
And I know that's simply untrue.
How do I know?
Because if WMDs had been found, the White House would have been singing and dancing in the streets. Thats how I know.

Tags:WMD Iraq

Richard Cohen: Racist Or Snob?

2007-06-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

The Runaway Train That Hit Scooter Libby
(through atrios, and more than a few others)
Is there any way that this can be construed as something other than elitest at best and racist at worst?

As any prosecutor knows -- and Martha Stewart can attest -- white-collar types tend to have a morbid fear of jail.

He might as well have said "Well, those darkies, they do love pickin' cotton. That ain't no white man's job."
Tags:Richard Cohen Scooter Libby racism

Drunken sex=rape?

2007-06-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

Sex with a woman who is drunk may soon be rape
Might be happening in the UK soon.
Now, there's no question that slipping a girl a 'mickey' is rape.
And, there's no question that women shouldn't just 'walk it off' or 'lay there and try to enjoy it', as some morons would advise.
And, there's no question that many women are victims of 'date rape' (I fucking hate that term. Raping someone is raping someone. It doesn't matter if you know them or bought them dinner first).
But what does this say about personal responsibility?
Doesn't this make it as if all women are, basically, victims?
FURTHER, if the man is drunk as well, why isn't it the woman's job to tell him 'no'?
Or is it only women who lose their ability to consent?
Think of what this is saying about women.
Maybe they are the fragile, helpless creatures from some Dickens' novel, fainting away with the vapors or at the sight of a bared chest.

Even worse...if a woman, after she's gotten drunk, is no longer able to give consent, and can't be held responsible for ending up in bed with someone, how can you hold her responsible for, say, getting into her car and running someone over? She's obviously completely incapable of judging the potential results of, well, anything she does.

How can you be responsible for some of your actions, but not for others?

Tags:rape alcohol feminism

Bush Doesn't Support The Troops

2007-06-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

Bush Proposes Cutting Spending For The Armed Forces

Most recently, Democrats added $17 billion to an Iraq war funding bill, money not sought by Bush. All told, Democrats plan spending increases for annual agency budgets of about $23 billion above the White House budget request.

House GOP conservatives have pledged to come up with the votes needed to uphold any Bush vetoes.

"I am not alone in my opposition," Bush said, stressing that 147 Republicans in the House have pledged to stand with him. "These 147 members are more than the one-third needed to sustain my veto of any bills that spend too much."

But this is the funny bit...

"The American people do not want to return to the days of tax-and-spend policies," Bush said in his radio address.

See, the thing is, 'tax and spend', whether you approve of it or not, at least makes sense, mathematically.
For the past 6 years, BushCo have been behind a policy of 'spend and lower taxes', which a 3rd grader could find the logical flaw in.

Tags:Bush

RNC Emails Destroyed? Thats a crime, boys.

2007-06-18T17:24:00.000-07:00

YES, destroying emails, using RNC emails for government business IS a crime
I only hope Congress can actually follow through.

Tags:Karl Rove Destroyed Emails RNC

Why Dems Have A Hard Time Winning

2007-06-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

How Democrats Keep losing
Is there ANYONE out there who would have voted for Bush if Al Gore had made the following speech regarding Columbine, after Bush's non-answer?

Governor, I walked with those shocked and grieving parents, teachers, and children at Columbine; I shed tears with them; and I delivered a eulogy that Sunday by their graveside. I remembered with them the heroism of their beloved coach and teacher Dave Sanders, who bravely led so many to safety but never made it out of the building himself. I remembered with them a young girl named Cassie Bernall, whose final words were "Yes, I do believe in God."

I just told you how the woman who bought the guns that took the lives of Dave Sanders and Cassie Bernall wouldn't have done it if she'd just had to fill out a form and show a photo ID. And you still can't feel for Coach Sanders' wife and children, who'll never wrap their loving arms around him again? You still can't weep for Cassie's parents? You still think it's sensible to require someone to show a photo ID to cash a check but that it's too much to ask that they show an ID to buy a handgun?

Americans do have a clear choice in this election. And it is about a culture of life. They can do something to honor the lives of those who died that day at Columbine. Or they can vote for a man who, as governor of Texas, signed a law allowing people to bring guns into church.

Tags:Al Gore Gun Control progressive politics

Controversial Islamist author slams Darwin

2007-06-13T05:01:00.000-07:00

Creationism doesn't end with Christianity

"I think there is not a single person who has read my book and who does not believe there is no evolution," he said.

There's a whole lot of negatives in that sentence.
Anyhow, I am also completely unsurprised. If you honest;y believe that God wants you to wage war against people who do not hold your faith, and that he will reward you for becoming a martyr, then the idea that God made the world by snapping his fingers, well, that doesn't sound so crazy. I mean, martyrdom requires you to really commit to something, and believing in Creationism is a pretty casual thing.

I wonder...
Many Christians want the end of the world.
Many Muslims seem to be working towards that (Sorry, but its true).
What more natural an alliance could you wish for?

(I really have to read his book "A Historical Lie: the Stone Age".)

Tags:Islam religion creationism

Al Gore Doesn't Take Lip From The Media

2007-06-13T04:29:00.001-07:00

You can't mess with him, Diane

SAWYER: And another point you say, "If Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11, the president took us into a war he didn't have to. Three thousand Americans and countless Iraqis died unnecessarily." Are you saying, in this book and this morning, that Americans -- 3,000 of them -- died unnecessarily?

GORE: See, that's the kind of buzzword approach: "Is it an unnecessary death?" No. Those who serve our country are honored in memory and those who are still serving are always honored. That's not the question. There is hardly anybody in America left, Diane, who doesn't believe that it was a terrible mistake to invade a country that didn't attack us.

Interestingly, Clinton did something similar a few months back on Fox with Chris Wallace. He simply would not let himself be bullied or manipulated.
He called Wallace on it, and wouldn't relent.
The thing is, I have always known Clinton to be a smart man, and Gore as well. To be honest, I don't think you get to the White House without being intelligent. GW may have the wisdom of a sack of rocks, but I doubt he's actually a moron.
I can best sum up the difference between them with an analogy.
Some people are just plain old good atheletes. These people have a natural talent that allows them to play sports, run fast, whatever. It came to them. Most don't have that, and they have to work harder to get as far.
The thing is, natural talent does limit out. If you don't learn the new plays, if you don't learn how to read an opponant, you are just out of luck.
The guy who has to work, though, has no choice but to laern those things. He has nothing to fall back on.
He works, he learns, he gets better and better. He doesn't just 'do it', he understands the game.
More topically, look at the most recent American Idol. Blake Lewis was not, in fact, the most talented voice there. But he understood music. He could make his own. I'm not putting down Ms. Sparks, or any of the other contestants. I'm sure that (at least some of them) worked very hard and practiced and all that.
I'm just saying that Blake, once he gets his foot in the door, is more likely to have a long-lasting career in the music industry because he isn't relying on 'talent'.

ANYHOW, isn't it interesting to watch these two guys, Bill and Al, take the bull by the horns? I wonder, what if all politicians decided that they weren't going to let the media push them around, weren't going to let the other side freely spread lies about them?
And I'm talking about people on both sides.
I really, REALLY, doubt that all those men up there during the recent Republican debate actually don't want gays to be out in the military. I find it even harder to believe that none of them believe in evolution.
But if they were honest, they'd lose votes. The only way around that is to be open and blunt all the way. Tell people what you actually believe. Don't take a hit without hitting back.
Be fighters.

Tags:presidential election Al Gore Bill Clinton Fox News Assault On Reason MSM

CIA Secret Prisons Confirmed

2007-06-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

Forgot about those secret prisons?

A new report by the Council of Europe leaked Thursday to the Guardian and the New York Times confirms a March, 2007 RAW STORY report identifying a secret Central Intelligence Agency detention facility at Stare Kjekuty in northeastern Poland.

Nothing like violating freedom to preserve freedom.
Hey, didn't Saddam haul people in and lock them away in secret without trial or anything resembling due process just cause he felt they MIGHT be a threat?
Oh, right, thats Saddam.
Its nothing like what the CIA is doing.

Tags:Secret Prisons War On Terror

Stem Cell Bill

2007-06-08T04:24:00.000-07:00

Bush Will Veto Stem Cell Bill
I can sympathize with people who believe that life begins at conception who oppose harvesting stem cells from women lining up for the 50 bucks.
If such a nightmare is what this bill would bring about.
However, what this bill does is allow stem cells to be harvested from embryos created by in vitro fertilization.
At fertility clinics.
That are going to be destroyed.
So, really, what Bush is saying is that its OK to destroy life to create life, but it isn't OK to destroy life to save lives.
Another example where the religious right and conservatives are extremely focused on when life begins, but not so much on anything after that.

Tags:stem cells religious right

Lieberman Logic: YAY! THEY ARE SLAUGHTERING US!

2007-06-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

Lieberman Logic: The more they kill us, the more we must be winning.

LIEBERMAN: Well, two parts. Here’s the point: We’re in a war. The surge strategy, which is just beginning to be fully implemented, has worked. It has reduced sectarian deaths, particularly in Baghdad where we’re focused.

They ticked back up in the last month. Why did they do that? Because our enemies, the insurgents and Al Qaida — insurgents particularly supported by Iran — see us winning, and they’re doing desperate things. More of them are prepared to blow themselves up to kill Iraqis or American soldiers.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I can even say about this.
I love this kind of thing...its so wonderfully self-proving.
I remember talk after 9/11 procedures had started to be put in place, and our right erroded.
There was no way out of the logical hole.
a-no attackes happen: the methods must be working. ramp them up. screw the constitution. We must maintain safety!
b-attacks happen: we aren't doing enough! ramp it up! screw the constitution! This is war!

Tags:LIEBERMAN Iraq

Fox News Proves Our Point

2007-06-07T04:18:00.001-07:00

Roger Ailes, owner of Fox News, on the topic of Dems not participating in his 'debate':
“the candidates that can’t face Fox, can’t face Al Qaeda. And that’s what they have coming”
No one proves Fox News is a bunch of fear-mongering-right-wing-nutjobs better than Fox News.

Tags:Fox News presidential+election

MACH 5 MACH 5 MACH 5!!!

2007-06-07T04:00:00.001-07:00

MACH 5!!!
(I here they are casting keaneu reeves as Chim-Chim)

Tags:Speed Racer

And frmo the Department Of DUH

2007-06-07T03:52:00.000-07:00

Amp'd learns kids are irresponsible

The gold rush of specialized cell-phone companies targeting niche audiences took another hit on June 1 as Amp'd Mobile, an edgy upstart geared to free-spending youths, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
..
By May, the number of nonpaying customers reached 80,000. That's nearly half of Amp'd's current customer base of 175,000 subscribers.

Tomorrow, they will be starting a new business offering to handle credit card transactions for heroin.

Tags:Amped stupid business ideas How To Lose Money

Lies Lies Lies YEAH!, They're gonna getcha!

2007-06-07T03:45:00.000-07:00

link

So, at the Republican debate, Mr. Guliani drew a connection between Iraq and terrorism.
This connection has been shown to simply not exist.
Interestingly, both Gulie and Cheney have talked about this mythical connection in recent days.
This is nothing more than playing on people's irrational fears, fears that fly (by definition) in the face of hard facts.

Mitt, as well, seems confused about the IAEA. He seems to think that the IAEA didn't go into Iraq until after the war, and so we went in with the information we had at hand.

Nice.
Except, of course, Hans Blix and his team WERE in Iraq before the invasion.
In fact, had Mitt been paying attention instead of…well…whatever else he was doing, he would have noticed that
Hans had determined that here were no WMDs, that there was no meaningful intelligence that could seriously support the claim that the IAEA just hadn't found them yet.

Lies or ignorance. Which is it, Mitt?

The thing is, I've just gotten used to it.
I've gotten used to the ChickenHawks tossing these lies around.
That’s a bad thing.
I think that, at every speaking event, at every single appearance on TV, the Democrats should show up with a written document listing off any of the lies uttered by any Republican. They should start any interview by reading the document, and then providing a web address where people can go and see the entire thing.

Don't let one slip get through. Don't let them just make stuff up.
If you do, then you don't deserve to win.
Stand up.
Fight.

(Of course, this means that the Dems had best not tell any lies either. Which is a good thing.)

Tags:Iraq lies WMD terrorism Republicans presidential election

A division in the abortion battles

2007-06-07T03:40:00.000-07:00

A division in anti-abortion ranks

Deeply frustrated, several small antiabortion groups have launched a campaign to force their movement back to an absolutist position: No more compromises, no more half-steps, just an all-out effort for an all-out ban.

They are making their position clear in full-page ads that will run in conservative publications over the next few months. They are urging donors to stop contributing to groups that focus on making it more difficult — but not impossible — for women to obtain abortions.
--
Republican state Sen. Jason Gant argued for a ban with narrow exceptions, to appease voters who had been queasy about the earlier approach. "When you can stop 90% of abortions, that's pretty good. We can try again at a later date to get the other 10%," Gant said.

But the state's Right to Life group opposed the exceptions, arguing that "babies conceived of rape and incest deserve to live too," said Lena Jones, the organization's office manager.

The deadlock killed the ban before it came to a vote in the state Senate.

It seems that some pro-choice people are concerned that this may lead to fighting a battle on two fronts.
I think thats silly.
I believe its pretty obvious that, if you polled all pro-life people, the vast majority of them would have some issues with a complete ban on abortions. BTW, 'complete ban' means no abortions in the case of incest or rape.
There's a reason Roe v Wade is still around.
Anyhow, there's no advantage like your opponants fighting among themselves.

Tags:abortion

2007-06-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

So, at the Republican debate, Duncan Hunter of California said with regards to Iran's nuclear program:
"I would authorize the use of tactical nuclear weapons if there was no other way to preempt those particular centrifuges"
Right there is why no one should vote for this man.
First, if you start nuking states to keep them from getting 'the bomb', exactly how are you better than anyone else?
Second, all this will do is encourage people who already hate us to develop this technology Because now they KNOW it can get used against them.
Third, you have to nuke the Korean peninsula
Fourth, you have to nuke Israel.
Fifth, and this is the big one, we all die. We nuke Iran. The Middle East, already not our biggest fan base, AND motivated by a eschatologically oriented religion, will see this as a sign for jihad. At that point, you will have no choice but to continue a massive, scortched earth campaign to quelle the region. You certainly won't have the conventional forces to do it. FURTHER, most of the rest of the world will oppose the initial nuking and will almost certainly stand against us. I can guarantee Moscow will, PyongYang, Beijing, etc.
There's a reason that the damn things haven't been used militarily in 60+ years.

At best? We return to a Cold War status, only it won't be as clear as East vs West anymore.

Goodnight Gracie

Tags:Republican
iran
Duncan Hunter
presidential campaign

Blog News

2007-06-06T05:41:00.000-07:00

What few readers I have may notice a change in the content of this blog.
I am a seriously undermotivated person and maintaining two blogs, one for my comic-book-loving-sf-movie-watching-toy-buying stuff and one for my socio-political-etc views is just too much of a pain.
So I'm folding momsbasement.blogspot.com into here.
In short, you might start to see comic book stuff, and the new image of the Wachowski Bros version of the Mach 5!

Mitt Romney = Agent Of Satan?

2007-06-06T05:10:00.000-07:00

(by way of Brian Flemming)

And the line regarding non-profits participating in politics is ignored again

1) the rant is funny as, well, hell.
2) liveprayer is a non-profit of the variety which is not allowed to do campaigning for specific politicians (or against, for that matter) or they lose their tax-exempt status. As I understand it, they can campaign on issues, just not for people.

Anyhow, Americans United For The Separation Of Church And State sent a letter to the IRS.

Getting away from the legalities of the situation, Keller is right.
(bet you didn't see THAT coming)
The fact is that the Mormons believe a very different flavor of fable than most mainstream christians.
For it to be true, would be like finding out your father had a second family somewhere.
Everything would come undone.
Now, whats really GOOD about this is, as others have noted, that if you are going to attack someone's religious beliefs, you invariably will have to defend your own. This is particularly true here as Mormonism is an offshoot, and so SOMEONE will have to point out the distinctions.
With luck, the first time someone gets up there and says "Because a centuries old book with an unverifiable author or series of authors told me so, I believe that a man was killed and then rose, bodily, from the grave. Both before and after his 'death', he performed numerous miracles, none of which can be confirmed. Also, just because there's no significant mention of this, obviously very important, individual in any of the texts of the day, doesn't mean it didn't happen. What Mitt believes is that this person then came to America and performed more works. Also, Mitt beleives that this was revealed to his prophet through an angel showing him where certain golden plates where hidden. God then helped this man translate these plates.", people will realize that there's really no significant difference in the basis for either of these beliefs.
You either believe the fairy tale or you don't. You can't really argue one is more believable than the other.
Of course, no one is likely to say that, even if they phrase it differently.
You could put that in the nicest, most flowery language possible, and it would still sound like crazy.

Tags:Mitt Romney Bill Keller Religion Mormon

Heroes For Hire Rape?

2007-06-06T04:32:00.000-07:00

Tentacles Do Not A Penis Make
It would appear this title is rather different than I'd expected.
Luke and Danny would never have allowed this, back in the day.

(honestly, I never thought I'd ever post that last tag, below)

Tags:comics
Heroes For Hire
tentacle rape

Mmmmm...Cheetara

2007-06-06T04:28:00.000-07:00

And the Eye Of Omens shows me...A THUNDERCATS MOVIE!
If there is a god in heaven, Snarf will spend the first 7 minuets of the movie being tortured and then left to die in his own filth.

(ok, its early and I'm tense...I do not normally feel this level of hatred for any animated character...much less one so meaningless as Snarf)

Tags:ThunderCats

Think Progress » Cheney Lies To High Schoolers About Debunked Iraq/al Qaeda Connection

2007-06-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

Think Progress » Cheney Lies To High Schoolers About Debunked Iraq/al Qaeda Connection

This really does just show the kind of respect the White House has for the youth of America.
Oh, unless they are in uniform.
Of course, if MY country lied to my face, not 10 feet away from me, I might think twice about signing up to fight a war based on little more than "So, I heard this rumor..."

That said...I can't really blame Cheney much for lying.
BushCo has no credibility left, and only a sliver of power, so why not just make stuff up?

Its sort of like giving two-weeks notice at a job you don't care about.
You can really just do whatever you like then.
More than once, I have had the great joy of saying:"What are they gonna do? Fire me?"

Honestly, I think that's what may be happening here. Bush knows that the war isn't getting resolved on his watch. So why bother dealing with it at all? Just talk and talk and in a few months it'll be the next guy's (or gal's) problem.

Religious right using "gay marriage bans" to take health care benefits away from gays - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth

2007-06-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

Religious right using "gay marriage bans" to take health care benefits away from gays

See, here's the thing...
The 'right' has been saying for ages that its the institution of marriage that they are trying to protect.
This just shows them for who they are.
Fearful people trapped somewhere in the 15th century.

Funny, I was just talking yesterday about how I am hoping that, in my lifetime, religion is relegated exactly the same respect as, say, sorcery.
Believe what you want, but accept the chuckles.

Think Progress » Borger Predicts ‘Mass Resignation’ Of House Members Due To Stricter Ethics Standards

2007-05-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

Think Progress » Borger Predicts ‘Mass Resignation’ Of House Members Due To Stricter Ethics Standards:

"Gloria Borger: This new ethics legislation that’s been passed by the House, is going to be passed by the Senate. Watch for mass resignations from House members, who are now saying they can’t afford to live here unless they’re bought and paid for by lobbyists. they’re going to leave."

Oh my god. Could this actually be the start of me NOT hating Congress?
Probably not.
I mean, my real problem with congress right now is that its run by cowards.
The Democrats are really letting us all down, and somehow they are calling it success.
While I understand that we can't always get everything we want, did they just have to roll over and play dead on the war funding bill?

I dunno...maybe if all these guys who Ms. Borger thinks are going to vamoose are replaced by Democrats, they'll have enough of a majority to make them stop whimpering in fear and calling it a battlecry

From The Dept. Of Unintended Irony

2007-05-25T06:04:00.000-07:00

Can you spot it?

Tags:Michelle Malkin Immigration Reform

LeBron James sides with genocide

2007-05-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

Apparently, the cost for Mr. James soul is 90 million dollars
This guy...these guys...make a metric gazillion dollars. I've come to terms with that. They, like pop-stars, often have a shelf-life (one bad knee injury and thats it).
But, I like to think that, if I already had millions (and potential for more millions), I'd be willing to sacrifice another source of millions to not side with the darkness.
And make no mistake.
When you are asked to pick sides, and you choose neither, you side with the dark.
Wonderful
role
model

Tags:LeBron James >Darfur >Genocide >Damon Jones

White House Moves On Iran? Or just a leak?

2007-05-24T07:20:00.000-07:00

Bush Authorizes New Covert Action Against Iran

The CIA has received secret presidential approval to mount a covert "black" operation to destabilize the Iranian government, current and former officials in the intelligence community tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com.

Some people here and there are up-in-arms about ABC spilling this news.
But think about it for a moment.
One of two things is happening here.
1) This 'leak' is intentional, just to mindfuck with Iran
2) This is real and GW&The Gang are trying to create even more instability in the region that will, quite possibly, cost more american lives and will drag on well past the current administration.
Translation: They'll make a big old mess that they'll never have to clean up.

Tags:Iran

Voter Caging: The RNC is a criminal organization

2007-05-24T04:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, its wrong to prevent people from voting

Not for nothing, but when I badmouth the Republican party, it isn't always because of their political views. Much of the time its because they do horrible things like this.
Though, as was recently pointed out by Rick Santorum, the Republicans can only win by underhandedness and fearmongering.

Tags:republicans
politics
Monica Goodling
Gonzales
Rick Santorum

The world is better off with Falwell dead.

2007-05-23T16:54:00.000-07:00

Christian Terrorists
This is what breeds under men like Falwell.
Did he himself ever raise a hand in violence? No, but given what the man (and those like him) preach, what, exactly, is surprising about these results?
Why is it that the title 'man of faith' allows you to say things like
this?
And atheists are the immoral ones?
Right.
But here's the best part.
Try this quiz:
Was it Falwell, Robertson or Osama?

In what way does being a 'man of faith' change these kinds of statements from evil to admirable?
Did Falwell ever pick up a gun to kill a homosexual?
No, but, I suspect, only because it isn't 1900.
100 years. Thats really all that separates Falwell from Bin Laden.

I will not be sorry he is dead.
I will not be sorry that his friends miss him. They are complicit in his campaign of hate.
The world is a slightly better place now.

It sickens me that there are people who make me feel this way.

But I will not be silent.

Tags:Jerry Falwell Osama Bin Laden Christianity terrorism

Ms. Malkin Is Most Morose.

2007-05-23T16:14:00.000-07:00

Republicans Don't Care Much About Conservative Bloggers....film at 11.

Says John Linder, member of the House GOP Steering Committee:
"I really don't pay much attention to blogs," he said. "You can say anything on those blogs without any attribution and get away with it."
Liberal blogs have been influential, the Georgia lawmaker acknowledged. But he dismissed their conservative counterparts, saying, "I don't pay any attention to them."

I mean, I can hardly blame her for being jealous...
But Dem Hopefuls Seem To Care Alot About Bloggers

YearlyKos Convention organizers announced today that Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Barack Obama, and Gov. Bill Richardson confirmed their participation in a Presidential Leadership Forum to be held August 4 in Chicago. Confirmations from other candidates are forthcoming.

I'm no more certain why this is the case, but...
Maybe no one wants to be seen associating with
1) people who are borderline delusional (good lord, how many conspiracies can 'Chelle come up with as to how the world is against her)
2) people who spit malice with every breath.
I don't think most politicians want to be seen as mean.

Tags:blogging politics conservatives Michelle Malkin

Iraqi Parliament: When are you leaving???

2007-05-13T05:52:00.000-07:00

Iraqi Parliament Wants A Timetable

A majority of the members of the Iraqi Parliament have signed a petition for a legislative timetable governing a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, several lawmakers said Friday.
...
But President George W. Bush and the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, have rejected the idea of withdrawal timetables.

Well, its nice to know that it isn't just the American people who are ignored by their leaders.

Tags:Iraq

Rupert Murdoch Hates Gays, So MySpace does too

2007-05-03T04:58:00.000-07:00

You Can't Be Gay On MySpace
It would appear that you can no longer select 'Gay' as your sexual preference on MySpace.
There are only two possible reasons for this:
1)Rupert is full-to-overflowing with homophobia
2) Rupert is trying to suck up to those full-to-overflowing with homophobia

Either way, Mr. Murdoch moves up the list of those who will be first against the wall when the revolution comes.

Ban MySpace.
Do it.
Delete your profile.
Or remove all the information and leave a protest headline.

Tags:MySpace
homophobia
Rupert Murdoch

Terrorist Activity In America

2007-04-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

American Terrorism...but we don't call it that

AUSTIN — A package left at a women’s clinic that performs abortions contained an explosive device capable of inflicting serious injury or death, investigators said today.

“It was in fact an explosive device,” said David Carter, assistant chief of the Austin Police Department. “It was configured in such a way to cause serious bodily injury or death.”

The package was found Wednesday in a parking lot outside the Austin Women’s Health Center, south of downtown Austin.

Nearby Interstate 35 was briefly closed, and a nearby apartment complex was evacuated while a bomb squad detonated the device.

Of course, Zuzu is correct. if this bomb were placed anywhere else, the country would be all kinds of 'Al Qaeda! Al Qaeda!'
But, because it was done by, what I can only assume are, Christian Extremists, its perfectly normal, and admirable.
No one has ever been able to show me the difference.
Because there isn't any.

Tags:abortion terrorism

Teacher Transferred For Article About Tolerance

2007-04-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

Approving article about tolerating homosexuals gets teacher transferred

A high school teacher who faced losing her job after a student newspaper published an editorial advocating tolerance of gays can continue teaching at another school.
...
School officials in the conservative northern Indiana community about 10 miles east of Fort Wayne said Sorrell did not comply with an agreement to alert the principal about controversial articles.

This is just sad.
1) We wonder why so many people grow up not caring about the issues of the day. We are telling them that expressing their ideas is bad, dangerous. They should keep their mouthes shut.
2)Sadder still is that tolerance of homosexuals is considered 'controversial'

And the midwest wonders why they are seen as backwards hicks.

Tags:homosexual+rights Civil Liberties Freedom Of The Press Freedom Of speech

Fox News Is Only As Reliable As The Onion

2007-04-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Fox News: If I read it, it must be true

On Tuesday, Fox News morning show “Fox & Friends” aired at least eight segments on a purported “news” story that was actually a parody article written by a publication similar to The Onion.
The backstory: Last week in the town of Lewiston, Maine, a group of Somalian Muslim middle school students were the subject of a cruel prank when their peers placed a ham steak next to them in order to personally offend the students. School officials filed a report because the students considered the act to be a hate/bias crime.

This actual story was then spoofed by a parody site called Associated Content, which made up quotes and details, such as the school’s intention to “create an anti-ham ‘response plan.’”

On Tuesday, Fox & Friends reported these parody quotes and details as actual news. Poking fun at the students, hosts asked whether ham was “a hate crime…or lunch?” and showed screen shots of ham sandwiches, starving Somalians, belching, animal noises, and mock “reenactments” of the incident. Ironically, the hosts assured viewers several times, “We’re not making this up!”

No, I'm not making this up

Tags:Fox News MSM Islam

Condi doesn't feel like playing

2007-04-27T04:50:00.000-07:00

Condi Doesn't Want To Go To Congress

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday she has already answered the questions she has been subpoenaed to answer before a U.S. congressional committee and suggested she is not inclined to comply with the order

(emphasis added)
Ms. Rice,
While I can certainly understand not wanting to give testimony before Congress, and I can sympathize with how you might feel this is a waste of time since you believe you have already answered these questions, and how you feel that all the answers they want are, in fact, protected by executive priviledge...
This is a subpoena, not an invitation, bitch.
Get your not-inclined-ass in the chair.
Yours Truly,
The American People
Tags:Condoleezza Rice

Piggy-kiddie-riotie

2007-04-27T04:35:00.000-07:00

Muslim Kids Hate Pigs, School

A school in Amsterdam will no longer be teaching students about farm living, after Muslim pupils began trashing the classroom when the subject of pigs came up

its pretty rare that I agree with anything the hate-mongering-muslim-fearing LGF says, BUT...
this is nuts.
It seems to me that these kids have learned that, if something offends their (apparently) delicate sensibilities, violence is the immediate answer.
Of course, this doesn't strike me as markedly different than some of the responses to being taught evolution so...
(for the record, Jews have been anti-porcine for much longer...)
Tags:islam religion pigs

Bush Quits!!

2007-04-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

Bush wants to appoint a war czar

As atrios reminds us, the Commander In Cheif IS the war czar.
At least, so says the Constitution.

The White House wants to appoint a high-powered czar to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with authority to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies, but it has had trouble finding anyone able and willing to take the job, according to people close to the situation

Tags:bush Afghanistan Iraq war

Rumors of Alan Johnston vs Supportable claims

2007-04-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

Little Green Footballs Spreads A Rumor
Shocking...
Notice that the link leads to a 2 paragraph Jerusalem Post article that has as its only source Al-Hayat.
1) Since when is the fact that another newspaper ran a story considered supporting evidence?
2) Conveniently, that other newspaper is in arabic. The english site has no mention of this. Neither does a site translated by google.

So, all we have here is "I heard from a friend who heard"

Tags:journalism
Little Green Footballs Alan Johnston

I shall suck-it-up no more

2007-04-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

I have begun the conversion from standard, closed source, payware to open-source shareware and freeware.
My hesitation had been based on concerns about reading certain documents and media, but I was simply wasting my time with that.
I've found a reader for PDFs, and Democracy Player for all media EXCEPT Real Media. Given that I don't have an RM player installed at the moment, and have not felt any particular loss for it, I am unworried.
Actually, Democracy Player may be way more than I need, but its fun and fine for now.

Open Office, of course, is next.

I contemplated Linux, and may still dual boot to it, but I need to make sure I have a Windows system for work (yes, yes, it would probably be fine in Linux, but I try not to muck with that which makes me monies)

Tags:software freeware shareware open-source

WaPo is owned by BushCo

2007-04-07T16:47:00.000-07:00

WaPo retracts FACTS that go against Bushco's Iran/Iraq theory
In short
A while back, NYT reports that US intelligence thinks certain explosives are coming from Iran.
Lieutenant-Colonel Scott Bleichwehl then informs Reuters that they have found a factory producing just such explosives.
WaPo dutifully reports this online.
But an hour later, they remove the paragraph about the factory from the story.

As Jon Stewart put it, its almost as if the mainstream media has completely abdicated its reponsibilities.

(thanks atrios)

Tags:iraq iran MSM

popurls | popular urls to the latest web buzz

2007-04-07T13:33:00.000-07:00

popurls | popular urls to the latest web buzz

just testing a feed

Florida To Restore Felon Voting Rights

2007-04-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

Florida To Restore Felon Voting Rights

Over the strong objections of one Republican, Florida's clemency board has worked out a deal with Gov. Charlie Crist to allow most felons released from prison to have their voting and other civil rights restored.

The thing is, the WHOLE POINT of the prison system, the criminal system, all of it, is that the person does the crime and then does the time (or whatever). After that, society should not brand him in any way (I'll acknowledge a grey area for sexual predators, etc.).
If I go to prison, serve my time, and then continue to be punished, what incentive do I have to follow the rules at all?

Tags:Civil Rights

Google's not showing Katrina Victims Respect???

2007-04-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

Google Should Be Ashamed Of Themselves

The subcommittee chairman, Democratic Rep. Brad Miller, wrote Google CEO Eric Schmidt to say that "Google's use of old imagery appears to be doing the victims of Hurricane Katrina a great injustice by airbrushing history."

Which is worse...what Google did, or being a part of a government that let Katrina slaughter a city?
You tell me, Mr. Miller.

Tags:Katrina
Google Brad Miller

Instapundit gets what it deserves.

2007-04-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

Instapundit = WHAT???

MORE: Ware denies the heckling, and he's got video. Looks like Drudge got burned, as, to a lesser degree, did those of us who relied on him.

Dear Glenn Reynolds,
who the fuck is relying on Drudge???
Love,
me

(thanks atrios)

Tags:Instapundit drudge

Everyone has an opinion more important than yours.

2007-04-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

I wonder...
If you went to a doctor and he said you had cancer, you would go get a second opinion. As well you should.
Even if the second doctor confirmed the diagnosis, you might go to a third. Hey, this is a big deal and you want to make sure that you are getting the right information.
After the third doctor gives you the same answer, you would probably resign yourself to the truth of the situation.
And, if you bumped into a friend of yours and mentioned your condition and they replied:
"Yeah, I'm not convinced you have cancer"
you would probably think them a bit of a nutjob.
Let's suppose that (morbidly) you carry around an X-Ray or some such that shows your tumor, and you show it to your friend.
"No, sorry, still not convinced."
At this point, you would probably think them either delusional, in denial, or a moron.
Why?
Because you have evidence (the X-Ray), and multiple opinions from people who are experts in their fields and have spent a great number of years accumulating knowledge and experience in this area.
Your friend (assuming he is not an oncologist) is just some guy who knows next to nothing about cancer (certainly compared to your series of doctors).

You would, in fact, consider your friend's opinion to be near meaningless and without worth.
You are comparing an opinion with an informed, educated opinion.

Yet, somehow, people don't know the difference between the two when it comes to climate change. I was listening to BBC this weekend and there were some scientists (climatologists, environmental scientists, etc.) on discussing global warming.
People called in and said that they weren't convinced that global warming was happening, and even less convinced that it was in any way due to humanity's behavior. None of these guys were scientists. None of them mentioned any kind of training in climate study. One or two tossed out a factoid here and there, but at best these were from the Encyclopedia Britannica.
2500 scientists (and, really, far more) are saying that man is causing global warming.
And, somehow, these callers felt that they knew more.
Someone out there will call my siding with the experts as:
a. elitism (you know...anyone who is pro-higher-education must be an elitist)
or
b. blindly following authority (cause, y'know, listening to your doctor is a bad thing)

I listen to my mechanic when I need my car fixed.
I listen to my doctor when my back hurts.
I listen to the C# programmer on my team when I need C# code written.
Why is this any different?
Oh, right, it isn't.
Its just not much fun, and offends our self-importance.

Tags:environment science global warming stupidity

Sam Harris Can't Prove I'm Delusional!

2007-04-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

Sam Harris vs Rick Warren

Of course, Warren's arguments aren't really arguments in that they don't offer
much in the way of evidence.
Also, he seems to enjoy twisting language:

"You have faith that there is no God. "

Which is a pretty absurd use of the word 'faith'.
I don't believe that there is a polka-dotted gorilla in my closet. However, I don't think anyone would say that I have FAITH that there isn't a polka-dotted gorilla in my closet.

Here's a pretty good bit to illustrate:

HARRIS: It is intellectually dishonest, frankly, to say that you are
sure that Jesus was born of a virgin.

WARREN: I say I accept that by faith. And I think it's intellectually
dishonest for you to say you have proof that it didn't happen. Here's
the difference between you and me. I am open to the possibility that
I am wrong in certain areas, and you are not.

Apparently, it's intellectually dishonest for me to say men can't pass
through walls, ducks can't speak French (le quack?), and cars don't taste
like jellybeans just before they need a oil change.
OK, I might be able to prove or disprove the last one, but I can't really
prove the first two. Its VERY hard to disprove anything. Usually, its done by
displaying some sort of logical contradiction. For example, you can't have
a round square, by definition. Or, to steal from a classic video game,
you can't have 'tea' and 'no tea' at the same time. Or, mathematically,
if A = B, and B = C and B<>D then I can prove that A <> D.
But outside of things like that, it gets pretty difficult (if not plain old
impossible).
In the end, Warren's argument breaks down to (as they ALWAYS do):
"I believe X. You can't prove X is wrong. Therefor, I win."
Or, in less glowing terms:
"Nyah Nyah Nyah, you can't catch me."

Tags:Sam Harris Rick Warren Atheism Religion

Little Green Footballs Shows the AP as LIARS!

2007-01-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

I think the ap is lying to us and I have a stranger telling me its true!

So, the rightwing nutjobosphere has been on a jihad against the AP for a few months now.
REGARDLESS of whether or not this crusade (see? equal time!) is justified, you can't tell me that this isn't a sign of desperation in the fight. The AP issued a report about something or another that upset the folks at LGF. To strike doubt into the hearts of everyone who, well, already doesn't trust anything that the PNAC doesn't spoon feed them, they printed this:

Today I received an email from an unnamed person in Baghdad with knowledge of the incident:

Yes. Don't believe the massive media outlet that has a HUGE financial interest in being at least reasonably factual in its reporting.
Believe the unnamed stranger?
please.

Tags:MSM Little Green Footballs conservative bloggers

Homosexuality and the role of government

2007-01-22T07:30:00.000-08:00

Homosexuality Is A Big Deal

As Media Matters for America has documented (here, here, here, and here), Savage frequently smears gays and lesbians, recently calling homosexuality "the dance of death" and regarding it as the "seminal issue of our time."

The bit about homosexuality being the 'seminal issue of our time' has been coming up more and more of late.
Mostly I'd ignored it because, really, I don't see how someone being gay or lesbian matters to me, or, really, to anyone else. I honestly can't understand why anyone cares.
Since I don't see how anyone could possible feel it was their business, I can't see it as an important issue.
But there it is right there.
This debate, at it's core, is about whether or not government should enforce a particular morality upon the people.
Mostly, this sort of thing is used by religious conservatives who DO want to impose their morality upon everyone.
Obviously, the government does this to a degree already. We aren't allowed to hurt one another. Or steal. Or have seven spouses. Or use drugs.
However, all these have practical reasons outside of any morality dictate. We need to be protected from each other or else rights have no meaning.
Multiple spouses can have all sorts of legal issues (property, medical decisions, inheritance, etc.).
Drugs, well, I oppose our drug policy, but it does try to protect people (mostly from themselves).
But imposing laws upon homosexuality, thats like forcing me to obey the sabbath.
Or, less religiously, requiring me to donate money to non-profits.
Or to only say nice things to people.
Or to not get body piercings.
Or to...well, you get the picture.

So, yes, this is a big issue.
It will, in effect, define our government.

Tags:homosexuality government

Iran tried to make nice with the U.S.

2007-01-18T04:39:00.000-08:00

link

Iran offered the US a package of concessions in 2003, but it was rejected, a senior former US official has told the BBC's Newsnight programme
...
But Vice-President Dick Cheney's office rejected the plan, the official said

Of course, all this did was push Iran into a deeper, anti-US stance.
The real question is, why am I not seeing this on cnn.com or msnbc.com?
Oh, right, the liberal media...

Tags:Iran MSM Media Bias

Boxer-Condi Throwdown

2007-01-17T16:22:00.000-08:00

Boxer vs. Condi

However one interprets Sen. Barbara Boxer's remark last week to Condoleezza Rice that the secretary of state, single and childless, doesn't have a "personal price" to pay in Iraq, the brief exchange still has people debating.

I know everyone is talking about this...but I just had to say that I was reminded of Cerebus The Aardvark and the Cirinists

Tags:cerebus cirinists boxer Condi

Faux Klingons

2007-01-17T15:18:00.001-08:00

Idiot...they are obviously Andoreans...

Tags:iraq klingons David Wu

McCain in Vanity Fair...bad advice

2007-01-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

Did McCain fix it? The Vanity Fair Interview
I realized that I'd mentioned this article but didn't actually post about it.
It appears that John was at a townhall type thing and didn't take a very strong stance against gay marriage when the question came up. Later on, after having someone whisper in his ear, he intentionally came back to the topic to say that he was, without doubt, against legalizing gay marriage. That went a bit poorly.

Moments later, McCain remounts the stage for the program's final segment, and he bores into Weaver, standing quietly in the wings, with a cold look that seems to mingle irritation at Weaver's whispered advice with regret that he took it, and demands, almost hisses, "Did I fix it? Did I fix it?"

This is basically what I'm saying. I think McCain is letting himself get tossed about by people who don't know what they are doing, who didn't pay any attention to the midterm elections.
John has, imho, either turned into a tool, or he was always much more conservative than he previously let on.
And, of course, given his recent comments on the Iraq war, I can't have much respect for his perception of reality in general.

Tags:John McCain Gay Marriage

Concentration camps

2007-01-11T10:42:00.000-08:00

Concentration Camps Will Win Us The War

The British achieved victory over the Boers by taking their women and children away to concentration camps, by laying waste to the countryside, and by dotting the veld with small garrisons in blockhouses at regular intervals

OK, now, I'm kind of with this guy in a sense. He says that in war, one must do horrible things. I happen to agree. Japan, Germany, these countries started wars and we had to defend ourselves. Total decimation has to remain an option.
HOW-FUCKING-EVER,
The moron above has a completely off-reality view of this situation in Iraq. In theory, the Iraqis, as a people, are not our enemies. But the only way to make this work is to handle all Iraqis that way. Our friend above thinks you could just do it to SOME Iraqis. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work and would just create, y'know, angrier, more motivated enemies. And not just in Iraq.
That would be hard enough to justify in any situation, but to justify it when WE went in provoking and creating the situation thanks to our unwarranted invasion, well...

Tags:Iraq

McCain: Iraq War Was Easy

2007-01-11T05:45:00.000-08:00

McCain: Iraq War Was Easy

It was easy, it was easy. I said the military operation would be easy. It was easy. We were greeting as liberators. Look at the films of when we rolled into Baghdad.

Good God, man! Have you moved into the La-La Land that our Commander-In-Chief has been living in???
His statement implies that military operations are, in fact, over. I'm no military genius, but if military operations are over, then why are military men still dying? If military operations are over, then why is GW planning to send over 21,000 more troops? If military operations are over, then why do we keep talking about how we can best win this war?

Honestly, I think McCain is being advised what to say. I also think he is being advised by folks who think the American public has an IQ around the same as a cantelope.

Tags:John McCain Iraq 2008 Election

McCain Won't Tax The Rich To Pay For The War

2007-01-09T04:19:00.000-08:00

Apparently, taxing people is pointless.
Here's the best part

I would certainly ask Americans to serve. I would ask them to make other sacrifices, but I’m not sure I would want to raise their taxes just because we’re in a war.

Yes, ask them to serve and die, but to demand a few bucks out of their overflowing wallets is far too much to consider.
Seriously, I used to like McCain. I considered him to be a classic conservative, which I can respect. However, he seems to have fallen into step with the Bush-style Republican. Spend more. Tax less.

Thats not being foolish.
Thats a lack of understanding of basic arithmetic.
With this, and the whole "I'm against gay marriage" thing, we can see one thing clearly.
McCain is already down on his knees.
The illusion is broken.

Tags:John McCain Iraq

Bush Knew Abramoff

2007-01-09T04:09:00.000-08:00

Bush Knew Abramoff
The Bush Administration has done its best to deceive the people.
Film at 11.
(p.s. the site I'm linking to is pretty slow at the moment, so give it time. The picture is worth it)

Tags:Bush Abramoff

Why don't they talk about the nice parts of Iraq?

2007-01-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

Things are wonderful in the better Iraqi neighborhoods!

Today's Washington Post reports that almost 25,000 Iraqi civilians and police officers were killed in 2006, with almost three quarters of the deaths occurring in the second half of the year...
...
So, taking into account both the level of violence and the economy, is Iraq better off now than it was under Saddam? If you're a Sunni living in a mixed neighborhood in Baghdad, no. If you're a Shiite living in such a neighborhood, probably not. But if you're a Shiite living in the south or a Kurd living in the north, then you're almost certainly much better off now.

Yes, I suppose this might be true in a sense.
But lets take a slightly different example.
The population of Iraq is about 26.8 million people. That means about .1% or the population was murdered last year. That's huge.
Here's a better example.
New York state has about 19 million people.
If you were livingNew York, and you heard that 19 thousand people died due to, say, armed warlords in New York City, would YOU say things were going well?
That whatever set off the warlords was, in fact, a wonderful thing?

All I'm saying is that, regardless of how nice things might be elsewhere, the fact that people are still dying by truckloads should remain a huge concern.
If the people in the safer areas aren't still concerned, then they are making the same mistake people make again and again.
"It'll never happen here."

Tags:Iraq

McCain Only Wants A Massive, Longterm Surge

2007-01-08T05:06:00.000-08:00

McCain to Back Iraq Surge Only If `Sufficient and Sustained'

Senator John McCain, a longtime advocate of increased U.S. forces in Iraq, said he would support a troop ``surge'' into Baghdad only if it is ``sufficient and sustained.''

As Atrios put it, a 'sustained surge' is called an escalation.

Tags:Iraq
McCain

Morocco: Writing About Religious Jokes

2007-01-08T04:49:00.000-08:00

Is just writing about religious jokes a crime?
Maybe.

Nichane magazine's editor and one of its reporters are accused of defaming Islam and damaging public morality in an article about religious jokes.

I really wish I had the text of the article. If the article was about religious jokes in the same way The Aristocrats is about a particular joke, I can understand the issue. I don't AGREE with the idea that it should be illegal, but I can at least see the position (nuts as it is).
However, if it really is just about these jokes, what the jokes mean in the culture, and where the jokes come from, then, again, at least some aspects of Islam are showing that they are, in fact, exactly what the world believes them to be.

Two things:
Freedom doesn't come without freedom of speech
Tolerance doesn't mean liking something

Tags:Islam Religion Freedom Of Speech

Lieberman Ousted!!

2007-01-03T16:45:00.000-08:00

Lieberman loses control of his 'party'
Just
too
funny

After the senator's Nov. 7 victory under the Connecticut for Lieberman Party banner, John Orman switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Connecticut for Lieberman and voted himself chairman.

is this...irony?
Or just poetic?
Even better:

Orman, a political science professor who ran briefly against Lieberman last year, said only critics, bloggers and anyone named Lieberman can join the party, which he said would be a watchdog of the senator's actions.

again...
bwaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahaha

Tags:Joe Lieberman John Orman Connecticut for Lieberman Party

Why should conservatives be optimistic?

2007-01-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

National Review has high hopes?
Wow. How sad it this.
Even Rickie admits that the conservatives are a bunch of fearmongers who do NOT represent the American people.

Rick Santorum
Conservatism, of course, will never be the political disposition of a majority of Americans. Conservative objectives, however, will from time to time find the support of such a majority; the success of the conservative movement depends in large part on leaders taking advantage of such moments.

bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahaha
(thanks to rightwingwatch.com)
Tags:Rick Santorum conservatives

Judges are underpaid

2007-01-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

Judges Need To Earn More?

I want to be perfectly clear on this. Federal judges are, in fact, highly trained and skilled people (in theory, at least...). Given that, and the fact so few could fill these positions, I am perfectly fine with them making great gobs of money.
On top of that, tying their pay to the pay rate of congressmen has got to be a conflict of interest.
HOWEVER...
I also believe that being a federal judge should be an honor.

Federal district court judges are paid $165,200 annually; appeals court judges make $175,100; associate justices of the Supreme Court earn $203,000; the chief justice gets $212,100

One would think that, when making 165K a year, one could SOMEHOW squeek by.
And I do understand that if I was offered 165K by one job and 500K by another, well...
But, then again, I am not trying to become a Federal Judge.
Also, remember that these people have, usually, been working for many years as high paid lawyers making that 500K a year.
Exactly how much money do these people need?
I'm not saying that they shouldn't get a raise, I'm just saying that the idea that only making this pittance of a salary is keeping good judges off the bench is very disturbing to me.
Look at that...you can really see the gap between the rich and the middle class expanding as we speak!

Tags:filthy rich federal judges

Clinton and Obama

2007-01-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

Clinton and Obama Have Voting Records????

The attack ads practically write themselves: Hillary Clinton voted against ethanol! Barack Obama wants to increase taxes!

Such are the perils of running for president as a senator.

Yes, the worst kind of perils. Your own decisions.
Of course, if those decisions get distorted for campaigning purposes, that IS bad.
But isn't it a plus that we get to see how someone actually votes, etc.?
I think so.

Tags:Hillary Clinton Barak Obama

Online Operating Systems

2007-01-01T07:28:00.000-08:00

Reviews Of Online Operating Systems

Just plain old cool.
Though I don't understand why so many are done in flash...

Tags:online operating system

Global Warming Claims Island

2007-01-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

The Real Atlantis

Yeah, global warming is a myth.

Tags:Global Warming

Making Gay Sheep Straight

2006-12-31T19:09:00.000-08:00

Scientists Think They May Be Able To Control The Sexuality Of Sheep

SCIENTISTS are conducting experiments to change the sexuality of “gay” sheep in a programme that critics fear could pave the way for breeding out homosexuality in humans.

The technique being developed by American researchers adjusts the hormonal balance in the brains of homosexual rams so that they are more inclined to mate with ewes.

OK, this is disturbing in...1...4...5...7 different ways
I am definitely opposed to the idea of genetically manipulating a fetus for various personal preferences (i.e. height, gender, orientation). Not for the various social issues that brings with it (powerful as they may be), but rather the implications for the individual. Seriously. How could you ever know what changes like this might do to a person? And not just physically. What, exactly, are the psychological ramifications of changing a person's gender? Their sexual orientation?
You think thalidomide babies were bad? Just wait.
(oh, and not for nothing, but if I hear one 'Intelligent Designer' or 'Creationist' come out in favor of this, I'm getting a gun)

Tags:sexuality science sheep

JOINT CHEIFS say Bush Wrong on Iraq

2006-12-20T05:11:00.000-08:00

What does the military focus on?

A senior administration official said it is "too simplistic" to say the surge question has broken down into a fight between the White House and the Pentagon, but the official acknowledged that the military has questioned the option. "Of course, military leadership is going to be focused on the mission -- what you're trying to accomplish, the ramifications it would have on broader issues in terms of manpower and strength and all that," the official said.

well, shouldn't SOMEONE be focused on those sorts of things???

Tags:iraq

Hawaii Institutes Harsh Non Smoking Laws

2006-12-20T05:08:00.000-08:00

Hawaii Institutes Harsh Non Smoking Laws

I want to make something abundantly clear. While I am a smoker, I am, for the most part, completely
OK with anti-smoking laws, especially in restaurants and bars. I honestly am.

However, this quote is just obnoxious:
"I love it. I'm so happy to be able to breathe again," said tourist Debbie Liston, 40, of Seattle.
She makes it sound as if she's being followed around by people puffing on cigars.
The fact is that, unless she works in a smoking environment or lives in a smoking environment, she's almost certainly breathing in more harmful fumes from cars.
I'm not making light of second hand smoke, just the idea that in Hawaii, which she only visits, where only 17% or the people smoke, that somehow she is walking around in a noxious cloud.
I am a smoker.
It is unfortunate.
But there's no need to get quite so snooty about being a non-smoker.
I don't make fun of your body oder, do I?
I don't want to throw you off a cliff for driving an SUV, do I?
Ok, yes, I do.
How about this..
"Hawaii is doing away with McDonalds? Great! I'll finally be able to walk around without getting sickened by the sight of obese people in bathing suits."
Jesus.
I need a gun.

Tags:smoking hawaii

Senator Johnson, the hospital, the Senate

2006-12-14T04:56:00.000-08:00

Gruesome but required...political ramifications of Johnson's stroke or whatever

Apart from the risk to his health, Johnson’s illness carried political ramifications. Democrats emerged from last month’s elections with a 51-49 Senate majority. If he were forced to relinquish his seat, a replacement would be named by South Dakota’s GOP Gov. Mike Rounds.
A Republican appointee would create a 50-50 tie, and allow the GOP to retain Senate control.

Now, it seems to me that the only reasonable this to do is for the Govenor to appoint a Democrat. A Democrat got elected, a Democrat should replace him. Anything else is usurping the electoral process.
Unfortunately, that would probably end his career with the GOP. Replacing Johnson with a Republican would, effectively, give the control of the Senate back to the Republicans (50-50 with ties broken by the V-P). To pass up this opportunity would be political suicide.
So, the question is…
Is the Govenor a man of integrity who respects the electorate, or is he more worried about his career.

Tags:Johnson Senate

Pentacostal Church Wants Evidence Of Evolution Hidden

2006-12-10T15:00:00.000-08:00

Pentacostal Church Doesn't Understand What 'Theory' Means

"The Christian community here is very uncomfortable that Leakey and his group want their theories presented as fact," said Bishop Bonifes Adoyo, head of the largest Pentecostal church in Kenya, the Christ is the Answer Ministries.

"Our doctrine is not that we evolved from apes, and we have grave concerns that the museum wants to enhance the prominence of something presented as fact which is just one theory," the bishop said.

And I, personally, am uncomfortable with the theory of gravity being presented as fact when I and all my friends are absolutely certain we are held to the ground thanks to microscopic velco.

Tags:intelligent design pentacostal church evolution

8 year old smacks Bill O'Reilly in the nuts

2006-12-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

I love this kid.

And here's Bill O's reaction.

Now....
1) when I was 8, these were concepts I had grasped and had feelings similar to this kid. I don't know what kids Bill and his guest hang out with, but they obviously think all children are retarded. Also, if this girl had gone on the web with a rant against the mythical war on xmas, or going on about how everyone should except christ as their savior, topics which people have strong feelings about as well, Bill would have gotten a hardon.

2) I do agree that perhaps putting your kid on the web to make inflammatory remarks might not be the best thing (as the guest points out) given what some reactions might be. But, I also think that goes a long way towards proving the little girl's point.

3) Then again, given how messed up the world is over religion at the moment, isn't making her a christian, muslim, or jew putting her in danger too?

Tags:Bill O'Reilly Religion

Microsoft Exchange 2007

2006-12-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

New Mode Of Support For Microsoft Exchange 2007

Starting with Exchange Server 2007, the Exchange team is committing to delivering multiple fixes and updates in the form of single "roll up" delivered once every six to eight weeks. Under the current model, the Exchange team has been releasing multiple, near-simultaneous hot fixes, some of which are incompatible with others

I dunno. Am I the only one who thinks that having to send out patches and fixes every 6 to 8 weeks is still lousy? Really, why bother doing any testing at all.
A gazillion employees and more money than two gods and still...
Nuts.
Tags:microsoft exchange

ISG report

2006-12-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I'm not even sure what I can say about the reponse to the ISG report that some of the wingnuts have had.
I mean...virtually EVERYONE thinks the war is going poorly.
Forget how we justified the war.
Forget whether or not we were deceived.
Forget WMDs.
Can we not agree that things aren't going well? Can we not all see the facts?
Even if you are supporting this effort, can we not agree that there needs to be a change?
Of course not.
Why?
Ego.
GW needs the war to be going well so he doesn't have to admit he made mistakes.
The Wingnutosphere needs the President to never admit he made mistakes or else their mindless asskissing would shame them.

And so we have the return of 'agree with the President or you are a traitor'

On the plus side, congressmen will now have to work.

Tags:ISG Report

Ms. Cheney Isn't Really A Mom

2006-12-07T17:08:00.000-08:00

Ms. Cheney Is Becoming A Mother...just not legally so

Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America described the pregnancy as "unconscionable."
"It's very disappointing that a celebrity couple like this would deliberately bring into the world a child that will never have a father," said Crouse, a senior fellow at the group's think tank. "They are encouraging people who don't have the advantages they have."

Yes. Only rich lesbians should have babies.

Carrie Gordon Earll, a policy analyst for the conservative Christian ministry Focus on the Family, expressed empathy for the Cheney family but depicted the pregnancy as unwise.
"Just because you can conceive a child outside a one-woman, one-man marriage doesn't mean it's a good idea," Earll said. "Love can't replace a mother and a father."

I don't even know what to say to this.

"Grandfather Cheney will no doubt face a lifetime of sleepless nights as he reflects on the irreparable harm he and his administration have done to the millions of American gay and lesbian parents and their children."

Hm. What about little Ms. Cheney? How will SHE sleep at night knowing she helped support an administration that thinks she might as well be having sex with animals?

Tags:Mary Cheney Lesbian parent rights

Rumfeld Resigning!!!

2006-11-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

AHHH AHHH AHHH!!!!!!!

(but we've heard this before)

Tags:rumsfeld

Bipartisanship

2006-11-08T06:59:00.000-08:00

So, a huge victory has been achieved.
Maybe a little sanity will be restored.
In the wake of this, someone in my office brought up the topic of bipartisanship.
I spouted off without thinking my response through, but here's the gist.

I don't believe in bipartisanship.

Not when it is used as if throwing the other side a bone.

That, to me, is a politician selling out, not doing the job, betraying the people who voted.

I do believe in bipartisanship in the same way I DON'T believe in dogmatism.

If party A sees a problem one way and so proposes one solution, and party B sees it another way and/or proposes a different solution, and the two debate and discuss, and one side convinces the other that their way is right/best, that’s great. I don't want politicians mindlessly following the paradigm of their party regardless of the reality of the situation.

That kind of bipartisanship I can agree with. The listening and evaluating of ideas that seem contrary to the party line.

But, really, that’s not bipartisanship.
That’s basic problem solving.

All I can say is...

2006-11-08T05:25:00.000-08:00

Results!

Say dance sucker DANCE!!!
Say dance sucker DANCE!!!
Now move sucker MOVE!!!
Now move sucker MOVE!!!

Tags:election
midterm

Someone is messing with Virginia voters

2006-11-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

Someone is screwing with voters (and committing a crime) in Virginia

Jensen says state officials alerted the Justice Department yesterday to several complaints of suspicious phone calls to voters that attempted to misdirect or confuse them about election day.

I'm not saying it was people working for Allen, but given that his thugs have already committed a felony by physically throwing down with a blogger (literally throwing him to the floor),

A little voter intimidation doesn't seem unlikely.

Tags:george allen election

Circumcision and STDs

2006-11-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

Male Circumcision Appears To Help Prevent Catching STDs
The current study is just one of many that have looked at this controversial topic. While most research has found that circumcision reduces the rates of HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), syphilis and genital ulcers, the results are more mixed for other STDs.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has called the evidence "complex and conflicting," and therefore concludes that, at present, the evidence is insufficient to support routine neonatal circumcision.
I wish they gave examples of how this is 'complex and conflicting'. I'm assuming that there's evidence that says that it specifically DOESN'T help prevent HIV etc.
If not, if its just that it doesn't work for all STDs, well, aren't we setting the bar a tad high?

Tags:circumcision AIDS HIV STDs

again, a test

2006-11-07T11:47:00.000-08:00

this is a test, I think this is html

>>> This e-mail and any attachments are confidential, may contain legal, professional or other privileged information, and are intended solely for the addressee.  If you are not the intended recipient, do not use the information in this e-mail in any way, delete this e-mail and notify the sender. CEG-IP1

The Palestinians Loved The Holocaust

2006-11-01T09:37:00.000-08:00

Mohammad Amin al-Husayni

So, the next time someone mentions to you that the Jews brought all this Palestinian violence on themselves, tell them to go learn something.
The Palestinians have always hated the jews and been more than happy to be violent about it when poltics (i.e. the British wanting to turn Palestine into a Jewish state before WWII) didn't go their way.
The fact that one of the Palestinian leaders wanted to follow the same road as Hitler really puts a new light on how Israel behaves now. While the Israelies may not be acting as well as they might, they aren't going with 'the final solution' either.

So...maybe...just maybe...the conflict isn't about the obvious thing, maybe the Palestinians aren't quite the victims they appear to be.
Maybe, as those who don't keep their heads in the sand believe, its deeper and has been going on alot longer.
Maybe, just maybe, its simply hate.

And maybe, just maybe, its Islam.

Tags:Islam Israel palestinians

Michael J. Fox shouldn't vote for a cure.

2006-10-25T11:08:00.001-07:00

Yes, its true, MJF wants a cure

The risk, Jamieson adds, is that the ads could appear as using Fox's hopes for a cure for political gain, as some claimed was the case when the paralyzed actor Christopher Reeve lobbied for stem cell research before his death in 2004

I'm sorry, exactly why shouldn't I vote based on my hopes and dreams? Why shouldn't politics give me those dreams?

Rush Limbaugh Smacks Michael J. Fox

2006-10-25T05:20:00.001-07:00

This goes a bit much even for Rushie: Limbaugh mocks Michael J. Fox political ad, says lying about Parkinsons

He is exaggerating the effects of the disease," Limbaugh told listeners. "He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act. . . . This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting."

but this is, hands down, the best part:

Now people are telling me they have seen Michael J. Fox in interviews and he does appear the same way in the interviews as he does in this commercial", Limbaugh said, according to a transcript on his Web site. "All right then, I stand corrected. . . . So I will bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong, and I will apologize to Michael J. Fox, if I am wrong in characterizing his behavior on this commercial as an act."

(emphasis mine)
Question: why is admitting you are wrong about mocking a person for faking a chronic disease 'big' or 'huge'? Isn't that like saying you are magnanimous for apologizing after making a holocaust joke?

Democrats Photoshop Soldier

2006-10-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

DNC photoshops a soldier for their website

I am so fucking pissed about this.
Not because its wrong of the dems to photoshop a canadian soldier into an image that they can use (cause, really, the website of any party is an advertizement...propaganda...). I'm pissed because they thought they could get away with it. Has anyone mentioned to these people that there's a metric gazillion 'bloggers' (yes, bloggers do things other than write meaningless rants and beg for traffic) out there who look for exactly this kind of thing?
Have you not noticed the online war between bloggers of the left and right and how both groups are not completely unlike vultures, or, better yet, sharks with blood in the water?

Of course, this is just a little tidbit on the massive pile of disappointment the democratic party has dished out.

Someday...maybe...they'll realize that if they stopped spending so much time trying to sell themselves, trying to win elections, and started acting like, say, Bill Clinton on that Fox interview, they'll turn the Republicans into porriage.

Tags:Democratic Party

HLI, Mark Foley, Homosexuals are death

2006-10-05T03:53:00.000-07:00

Human Life International responds to Mark Foley

The good bits:
- Homosexuality is every bit a part of the culture of death as is abortion and contraception.

-Homosexuality, like abortion and contraception, denigrates the intrinsic dignity of and respect for human life

-Homosexuals reproduce sexually by molesting children.

(thanks http://www.rightwingwatch.org)

Tags:HLI Human Life International Mark Foley homosexuality homophobia christianity

Abortion caused Columbine

2006-10-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

I really do feel bad for this guy

He did nothign wrong and lost his son. I can't blame him for looking for some kind of reason, something to blame.
What I find most flawed though is this:

This country is in a moral free-fall. For over two generations, the public school system has taught in a moral vacuum, expelling God from the school and from the government, replacing him with evolution, where the strong kill the weak, without moral consequences and life has no inherent value.

1) He's not talking about morality. He's talking about HIS morality. Last time I checked, for example, the majority of the country was pro-choice, though perhaps not by much. If nothing else, this brings into question where this falls in 'morality;

2) If the school chooses the 'wrong' morality, if, say, it goes with a protestant rather than catholic morality (and make no mistake here...he's talking about christian morality), parents go psychotic.

3) Isn't it the role of parents to pass on morality? I mean, exactly how little responsibility do parents want to have? They don't want schools to teach about sex, but they don't want to teach about sex either. They only want schools to teach THEIR particular morals, but go bloody insane if anything else is taught. Not for nothing, btw, but his version of 'moral consequences' is basically a supernatural version of an ass-whooping. Having grown up with many kids who got many ass-whoopings, I can tell you that threats and punishments are NOT foolproof guides to control.

Seriously...I grew up with violent TV. I grew up with violent video games. I grew up with a morally neutral school system.
Y'know something?
I have never...ever...shot anyone.
I've rarely even hit anyone.
Know why?
My parents taught me right from wrong.

The problem is that parents don't seem particularly interested in doing that sort of thing these days.
Why?
Because people are becoming parents who shouldn't be parents.
Because people have to work two jobs to make ends meet which means they can't be there for their kids.

School can't raise your kids for you.
If you don't want to do that, then keep your legs crossed and a condom on.

The state can't raise your kids for you and keep them from being dangerously psychotic.
But the state could, say, make sure the kids couldn't get enough firearms for a SWAT team.

Tags:columbine conservative media

Rice was briefed by Tenet

2006-10-03T05:37:00.000-07:00

BushCo: Rice was briefed by Tenet.

A review of White House records has determined that George J. Tenet, then the director of central intelligence, did brief Condoleezza Rice and other top officials on July 10, 2001, about the looming threat from Al Qaeda, a State Department spokesman said Monday.

Ah, Ms. Rice, does that mean you are responsible for allowing this entire nightmare to happen?
If so, and you answer to...well, you know...
Does that mean THEY are responsible?

Tags:Condoleezza Rice 911 Tenet

Trent Lott on Iraq

2006-10-03T04:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Majikthise
by way of

Kung Fu Monkey

"No, none of that," Lott told reporters after the session when asked if the Iraq war was discussed. "You're the only ones who obsess on that. We don't and the real people out in the real world don't for the most part."

Tags:Trent Lott Iraq

Republican party <> Values Party: Foley seduces children

2006-10-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

link

Tags:foley email child molester republicans
Tags:[tagname]

Republican Party <> Values Party

2006-10-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/29/congressman.e.mails/index.html/
Unless, of course, values=seducing children

Tags:foley email child molester republicans

What we all need to hear

2006-09-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

If a Democrat running for office would say this, would talk like this, they would win without spending another dime.

Tony Snow, the Supreme Court and the Constitution

2006-09-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

Tony Snow Is A Complete Fuckwad

Me: But isn’t it the Supreme Court that’s supposed to decide whether laws are unconstitutional or not?

Tony: No, as a matter of fact the president has an obligation to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. That is an obligation that presidents have enacted through signing statements going back to Jefferson. So, while the Supreme Court can be an arbiter of the Constitution, the fact is the President is the one, the only person who, by the Constitution, is given the responsibility to preserve, protect, and defend that document, so it is perfectly consistent with presidential authority under the Constitution itself.

EXCUSE ME????

Tags:Tony Snow

HUD Secretary Breaks Federal Law For Bush

2006-09-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

From Think Progress: Agency Report Shows Secretary Personally Blocked Contracts To Democrats

In April, Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson told a group of real estate officials that he once canceled a government contract because the contractor was critical of President Bush. Awarding contracts based on political leanings "violates federal law". Jackson is a "longtime Bush friend" and former neighbor in Dallas, Texas.

Amazing...is everyone involved with Bush at all a bastard who thinks the law doesn't apply to them?

Tags:HUD Alphonso Jackson

Bush, Science, Climate and Lies

2006-09-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

Of course, The Bush White House Breaks Science

Sorry, you have to sign up for free to read this.
Anyhow, the gist of the article is that the Bush Administration crushed scientific evidence that didn't match the message they wanted to send out to the public.
Bad.
Unequivocally bad.
There's a number of people these days saying that the science behind global warming etc is questionable.
I disagree with them, but I'm no scientist. I also feel that disagreement amoung scientists is a good thing. Whomever wins ends up with a stronger stance (see basic rhetoric).
But this...
Regardless of which side of the fence you come down on in this debate, the idea of sweeping facts and evidence under the rug is insulting to the american people, and, imho, criminally negligent.
Its one thing to disagree. Its another thing to lie and deceive.

Tags:Bush Climate Science Global Warming

Pope, Islam, Violence

2006-09-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

Islam vs. the Pope. More Joy For All

Does this strike anyone as a bit hypocritical?

The group said Muslims would be victorious and addressed the pope as "the worshipper of the cross" saying "you and the West are doomed as you can see from the defeat in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya and elsewhere. ... We will break up the cross, spill the liquor and impose head tax, then the only thing acceptable is a conversion (to Islam) or (killed by) the sword."

vs.

The pope on Sunday said he was "deeply sorry" about the angry reaction to his speech last week in which he cited the words of a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of Islam's Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman" and referred to spreading Islam "by the sword."

How can a group say "we are going to kill you for saying we kill people"?
I mean, seriously...
When you threaten violence because of words, do you actually possess any kind of moral authority?

Tags:Pope Islam