Life from the trenches....literally

What's in a Profile?

2010-05-04T21:24:00.001-04:00

So what exactly is in a profile anyway? Likes, dislikes, favorite coffee, brand of beer? Hmmm, a little of all and more I suppose, but it is very much more fluid than it suggests. Take mine for example, the one over there on the side there with the cute little dog, true as it was at the time, it is drastically different now. For starters, the little dog is now gone, no not dead, just lives with mom, who doesn't live with me anymore...see, there's another change! Yep, gone is the son, the little trailer in Florida, the "Palace". Things never seem to stay the same in life, but that's not necessarily a bad thing I suppose. A wise man once said "The only constant in this world is change".

So that brings me around to this post, and why I'm starting up again at all. Change, I seem to thrive on it much more than some. I'm in Galveston, Texas now, that's a change back to the seaside for me and that's a good thing. My son is in college, going to be a chef like his dad, that's a change that somehow seems eerily similar to my own path, and it is a good one as well, hell now can cook his own food and eat himself out of house and home, LOL! I can deal with that for sure. The wife? Well she got tired of staying home sick, so she got well and moved on, and well, that's not a bad thing for either one of us I suppose. I've been cooking up a storm professionally as of late, both in the kitchen and in the press, actually got a full page article printed a few months back that is kinda flattering if do say so myself. At the moment, I am gainfully unemployed again, and as much as I miss the check, I do not miss the stress of running one of the largest kitchens on the Gulf Coast!

My views? Well, they change all the time, I actually voted for Obama this time around, but mostly because of the lack of alternatives! I am, and always will remain an individual, neither left on all, nor right as well. The one thing that hasn't changed is my sense of responsibility to my own mind. (was that code for "I'm a self centered bastard?", hmmm...I digress..) Anyway, I've time on my hands again and a good read on life today, so here I am again to put my nose where it does and doesn't belong, hopefully with a wit you will enjoy. That's all for now I guess, other than to say, I really don't miss my wife, but Damn I miss that dog.

Henny Penny Was Right!!! (or was he Left?)

2008-12-30T21:31:00.005-05:00

Caroline, Israel, Bush, Hamas and Blagoya-whateverthe_f, now this is a NewsCycle!! To coin a phrase, "you know?". Actually Ms. Kennedy, no I don't know, otherwise why would I be listening to your skilled oratories? I can see this crew driving us over the edge on January 19, in comes Saint Obama...a day late and a scheckel short.

I have been wondering why I post on ReviewPoint more than here lately, maybe its because when I cue up a really bad new CD, I know what it is I am listening too?! CNN says "all out WAR", as if they get to decide? Nice story on the "Aid" boat bound for Gaza...(hmmm, looks like a War Zone, walks like a War Zone, sounds like a War Zone....must be a Duck?) Puhlease!

Why is it we have this desire to validate The Eagles' Dirty Laundry, over and over, " she can tell 'bout the plane crash, with a gleam in her eye". I can only imagine what the West Texas Wonder is thinking now, 'hey Daddy! Watch this! (oops, was that Iran?..hmmm...missed, oh well) So this guy Blagoyapuke does the deed, announces a Black to replace a Black, Congress says "foul Play" because he refused to take his toys and go home, meanwhile another oppressed hero is born and we don't even know who he is before the cannons of Sainthood are adorned, brilliant move for a Polish guy in the land of Micks, ( I can say that, I am a real life mick myself, so get off my ass about being correct!!..lol)

In walks little Miss Sonshine from New York, wait I thought these guys were from Maine, well actually Daddy Warbucks made his "liquid assets" out of Canada, but I digress. The only real problem I have with Caroline Kennedy actually, is that after years of artful dodging...why the F now? As if this is the Golden Age of Media, seriously? "Excuse me gentlemen and Ladies, but I really want to play in the Big Sandbox, you promise you won't watch?" Now there's a stellar performance in judgment. Listen folks, Camelot burned a long time ago, and there is no pulling of a Sword in the foreseeable future, unless you count the sword in the Suicide King's hand as Little George plunges it in deep just before the 20th...

"The End Is Near"

Can someone please speed things along? (No, Israel, not you...Oi Vay!, kids!!)

Will Hillary & Jim Jones Open The "Gates" of Hell?

2008-11-30T13:14:00.003-05:00

"There's a lot of people in Washington that feel relieved. These are known quantities, they've been around for a while," said CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider on CNN's "Late Edition Sunday." "And there's criticism. Some on the left say, 'Wait a minute -- we voted for change.'"

Is it risky business coming to 1600 PA. Ave soon? Mr. Obama set a major foundation of his candidacy on getting out of Iraq on a fast track, and timely basis, so what's up with this Triumverate of past Hawks waltzing in on the upcoming Ignauguration Balls? I mean, granted, HIll' knows Balls, but seriously, is this such a good sign to be sending out this early in the game yet pending?

I watched as Gates was floated out to retain his post, I thought to myself, " OK, continuity helps ...", and when Ms. Clinton softly landed as the impending Secretary of State, I mused "hmmm , well she does know a thing or two about the world, and Uncle Bill does retain a few key connections out there ...". Now we seem to complete this "Trifecta" with Maj. General Jim Jones, an outstanding Vet, to be sure, but lest we forget his ties to McCain?

"General Jim Jones effectively killed the possibility of an Obama/Jones ticket by appearing with John McCain at an energy related event during the recent Presidential campaign."

It seems to me, that we are dancing perilously close to the edge of the famous "Cliff of Lemmings" here, with Obama as a seeming Pied Piper in the lead!

Don't get me wrong, I like the man, I voted for the ticket, my first Democratic cast in my narrow 48 years, but I did so with a few memories of someone saying this war will end soon.

"Immediately begin withdrawing our troops engaged in combat operations at a pace of one or two brigades every month, to be completed by the end of next year"

I'm not geting that warm and fuzzy feeling anymore...
An awful lot remains to be seen in the coming weeks, of course, but I am for one, aman who shall be watching very, very closely.

Ho, Ho , HO! Happy Rehab America!!!

2008-11-24T11:13:00.013-05:00

Ok, so here I sit, unemployed now, car re-possessed, bank account closed, and fresh out of rehab. How is the World treating you these days? Just peachy here (that's one step short of ducky').

Secretary Henry Paulson...(any kin to Pat Paulson,I wonder?...I digress..)...he says I am doing just fine. Hmm...does it sound like I am on the bubble of success? I think more about where I am going to post a resume today than where my next meal comes from, thanks to a COSIG grant that supplies me an ample $25.00 per week for attending 4 intensive outpatient treatments a week, I even have a signed letter from the Psychiatrist that says I am Permanently Disabled. Oh Joy! Maybe I can cash in on the extravagant sum of $627.00 per month like my ex-wife? Happy Days indeed!
Yes indeed, all my Republican errors are now coming back to haunt me, not unlike the ghosts of Christmas' past!

I know, Bush 41 can play "Christmas Past", a joyful chap full of vim and vigor in repositioning us as the World's reigning goose egg. Spreading cheerful excess amongst lobbyist extraordinaire in generous Christmas fashion.

Bush 43, of course, is "Christmas Present", cameoed as a quaint little elf finishing Father Time's work. Spreading 41's prolific ideas of tax wealth and criminal shame...I wonder where he did his rehab?... Teasing the Country with tasty little morsels of "tax relief", while gouging the coffers in the name of "Trickle Down Economics". Trickle down, isn't that a description of the obvious result of a tot's impression after pissing his/her pants?

That brings us to "Christmas Present", surveys show "Deep Discounts", "Falling Prices", and let's not forget "Soaring Bail-outs for the Omnipotent Elite Corporations across America and the World at large. Merry fucking Christmas.

Dear Santa; Please send me a rope sometime, no, not to hang myself, although the idea has occurred, let me have a rope to tie all those selfish, altruistic, omnipotent a-holes in Washington together, and a plane as well to deliver them to N. Korea in a humanitarian aid drop. It might destroy a part of the Axis of Evil, but it might just lend a credible hint of hope for President-elect Obama's chance to lead us to some sort of recovery, kind of like "Rehab for the US", strip us of the bad, and put us on an ample budget of $25.00 per week, just like me...Congress roasting on an open fire,...

Texas Satire

2008-11-24T10:11:00.000-05:00

Ok, so at times I'm kinda like the red headed stepchild of liberals. I have taken all the online tests, and they swear I am a liberal. I consider myself an independent, and a centrist, but the tests never lie, right? So here I am on this liberal blog, talking liberal points after voting most of my life as a conservative, and I look around to see what? The Liberals are coming!!!!

Remember that freaky semi-rock song about the men in white coats coming, "They're coming to take me away, ha ha, ho ho..!",seems like it was early '70s, anyway I think they are the Liberals! I have been checking the blogosphere, and there seems to be this movement out there, sweeping the nation with bleeding hearts and carbon monoxide meters, hell, they have even been reported to accost confused individuals acquiring coffee in the morning while driving H3s in California! The very nerve of such tarts!!

Problem is, though, these sneaky little insurgents are disguising themselves as men and women from all walks of life, even as little teenage girls! I am utterly appalled at the brash tactics employed by these thugs to infiltrate the very fabric of our society! How dare they?! Is it not enough that we have to send our young to die in oil laden sands? Now we have to acknowledge it? As if to say these atrocities are our faults?

Puhlease! Everyone knows that they bombed us first! Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad?! (ahem..oops, wrong war, sorry..) Well, I think I remember hearing CNN declare them as rogue states or the Axles of Evil Knievel anyway. (What a waste of a perfectly good canyon!) And who the hell is this obvious immigrant guy Moulitsas? He sounds a bit too Greek for me if you know what I mean! (Wink, wink) And we all know what position the Greeks prefer!

And when the hell did my home state of Texas become so all fallutin' Republican? The last time I checked, Texas was full of little guys in little Towns, living little lives, hell just listen to the country hit "Little Bitty", and it’ll tell ya! I'm pretty sure The Liberals had something to do with this as well...(stroking my absent beard furtively, and wondering where the hell I was going with the Texas thing...Oh Yeah!)

If my Grand Daddy knew that his beloved brethren had gotten all carpet bagged up and sidled up to a bunch of damn Yankees who claim Texas lineage, as if to imply Texas Heritage was unimportant in that lie! How the hell did Natalie Maines get ostracized for disclaiming Bush as a Texan anyway? He ain't, and that's that! I am damn sick and tired of Texas taking the blame! So here is a born again Liberal's view upon modern history.

Kennedy was killed by a Louisianan drifter hired by someone with three initials that don't mean Texas. LBJ is a freeway in Dallas. Nixon only dreamed of having Texas roots. Ann Richards was, and is the first lady. The whole damned Bush clan started, and as far as I can see will end, well north of the Beltway, and have absolutely no claim to the Alamo, Goliad, Border Patrol, The Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys, or anything south of Okla-fucking-homa.

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To God or not to God; A Liberal Interpretation

2008-11-21T16:38:00.000-05:00

So Doc Collins beat me to the punch with his quote, mine would only be slightly different...

"I am a scientist and a believer, and I find no conflict between those world views."

Mine would read "I am a liberal and a believer, and I find an acceptable conflict between those worlds."

It is no secret that I have a belief in Christianity, nor is any secret that I have sinned many times, I voted for George as Governor and President, Jeb for Governor, and yes even for Poor George the 1st as president way back when, but hey, God forgives...can you?

I found it fascinating to listen to Francis Collins, mapper of the Human Genome as he talked about his faith and his work.

"As the director of the Human Genome Project, I have led a consortium of scientists to read out the 3.1 billion letters of the human genome, our own DNA instruction book. As a believer, I see DNA, the information molecule of all living things, as God's language, and the elegance and complexity of our own bodies and the rest of nature as a reflection of God's plan."

Dr. Collins went on to juxtaposition his theolgical views with his "logical" views in a way that is rarely seen by men of great scientific wisdom, let alone we lowly liberalites. Make no mistake, I am not here to make converts or save souls, rather I am speaking about expanding one's inner liberal mind, if you will, to accept that "organized religion" and a "religious belief" have very, very little to do with each other.

Make no bones about it, the single worst blow for Islaam was Osama bin Laden, and the single worst blow for Christianity has been George W. Bush.

George the Extreme. George the drug addict. George the alcoholic. George the party man frat boy. George the arrogant. George the fool. And on the 40th year he arose from the blind and was born again. And he ascended unto the right hand of Dad, and did happily send young men to their deaths in foriegn heathenistic lands, and Dad saw and it was good.

A particularly interesting view from Collins' statement was

"Actually, I find no conflict here, and neither apparently do the 40 percent of working scientists who claim to be believers. Yes, evolution by descent from a common ancestor is clearly true. If there was any lingering doubt about the evidence from the fossil record, the study of DNA provides the strongest possible proof of our relatedness to all other living things.

But why couldn't this be God's plan for creation? True, this is incompatible with an ultra-literal interpretation of Genesis, but long before Darwin, there were many thoughtful interpreters like St. Augustine, who found it impossible to be exactly sure what the meaning of that amazing creation story was supposed to be. So attaching oneself to such literal interpretations in the face of compelling scientific evidence pointing to the ancient age of Earth and the relatedness of living things by evolution seems neither wise nor necessary for the believer."

Now I know that am block quoting an awful lot here, but I feel it is the only way that a few of my more staunch atheist amigos here will actually get to read this statement from a brilliant, "should be atheist", scientist. It is an excellent use of 2 minutes, so go ahead, indulge and read..but buyer be warned, there are truths ahead that may test the dogma of your atheism. I will close with a quote from G.K. Chesterstom, the British author who famously remarked

"Atheism is the most daring of all dogmas, for it is the assertion of a universal negative."

Remember...

2008-11-17T16:31:00.002-05:00

Wether Dem or Rep, Left or Right, click this title link to see what it is all about.

I'm Baaaack

2008-11-08T13:05:00.001-05:00

OK, I am back!!! This time with a vengeance, or maybe not? Start watching folks...

Weiners, Winers, and Winners

2007-03-30T20:49:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had a weiner at your feet? I mean a cuddly, warm, well bred all American Hot Dog curled around your sore bunyuns at the end of the day? Well, I have and I do.

My trademark insignia on my homepage, and my former icon here, both depict my faithful loverdog Cali as posed above. The most remarkable thing about this young girl is that at any given moment.... she could give less than two shits about our putrid handling of life, liberty, and world affairs.

Ain't it great to be canine? I mean imagine...who could care if Iran "Iraqs" the Arab World? Or better yet, who gives a shit if "Sunni Arabia" controls the interests of the "Shiite Republic of What-the-F-Ever"???

Callous as this post may seem, it occurs to me that the United States of America, should quite possibly unite at some point, and the civil wars of antiquated, deposed, subserviant, bass-ackwards, Crusade surving nations might just need to take a back seat to the actual trials and tribulations of the real world here at home.

Just a thought or two inspired by my weiner...

The Ass of Velocity (more commonly referred to as The Seat of Power)

2007-03-23T00:30:00.000-04:00

QUESTION: How do you get billions of dollars in Pork?

ANSWER: $50,000,000 at a time.

A few years ago, $50,000,000 might have turned a few heads, but with today's lottery prize amounts, it might not even pay the taxes on them. Kinda like war statistics, there was a time when the words "four dead" could inspire pop stars of the time to write songs, but now those words simply reveal a bored newscasters revelation of a two day body count of US forces. But I digress.

So, as I was perusing through H.R. 1591 on "Thomas", I know, I am really suffering from a social life, right?! No, actually it is my social life that drives to inquire beyond that which is readily given. In 1591's text are a description of all the proposed subjects and amounts of spending. Understand please, at the top of each page of 1591 read the following words "U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act, 2007 (Reported in House)", that is as of today, March 22, 2007.

What is not written at the top of 1591, or anywhere else in its volumes, are the justifications and/or reasonings to include non-U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability items in an emergency bill titled such. There have been eloquent appraisals of this discrepancy from both sides of the aisle. John Carter (R), Texas, spoke of salmon, trees, shrimp, and housing subsidies in his rant as being important, yet irrelevant to the subject.

On Wednesday the 21st, Patrick J. Murphy (D), Pa., put it best when he stood in support, yet with reservations

While I applaud the bill for providing for our troops serving bravely in the field, the bill contains $20 billion for programs and projects not related to funding and equipping our troops. Making sure that our men and women in uniform are well equipped is too important for playing politics, and I am extremely disappointed that these extraneous provisions are included in the bill.

So there it was, a three line quip about the Capitol Power Plant and $50,000,000. Now as I see it, this is the worst type of pig in the pen, the unhealthiest and fattest cut of pork, the 'salt-pork', if you will. Right there in black and white behind the one-liner that gives $165,000 to the widow of the late Rep. Charles Norwwod, (R) Ga., a part-time government employee since '95 gets an entitlement for his wife in an "emergency war bill"?!?!? But again, I digress, back to power plants. The Capitol Power Plant was built and bought for some 30 odd million early in the last century and has grown as a coal and steam power plant to provide services to the following facilities;

• CAPITOL BUILDING
• CAPITOL GROUNDS
• HOUSE OFFICE BUILDINGS
• SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS
• CAPITOL POWER PLANT
• SUPREME COURT BUILDING AND
GROUNDS
• LIBRARY OF CONGRESS BUILDINGS
AND GROUNDS
• BOTANIC GARDEN
• CAPITOL POLICE BUILDINGS AND
GROUNDS

An impressive clientel to be sure, and oh, did I mention the bill passed in 2004 that authorized the foriegn privatisation of this Power Plant? Hmmm, slipped my mind I guess.

Anyway, the website of the Capitol Architect boasts

Fiscal year 2003 marks the first time we are publicly reporting on our financial
position. An independent outside auditor has examined our balance sheet
and notes and has rendered an unqualified, or “clean,” opinion.
Our balance sheet reflects total assets of $1,825.5 million as of September
30, 2003. Of these assets, almost 52% are property and equipment. The bulk
of our remaining assets is our fund balance with the U.S. Treasury, which
represents unexpended appropriation balances.

And their emergency is what? Related to war how? Possibly just a good juicing up for yet another government sale to Dubai, or whomever the unmentioned foriegn interests are? And we trust who in Congress to keep the vigil? Many questions about more than three little piggies.

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Gonzo's Great Masquerade

2007-03-16T22:03:00.000-04:00

There are two absolute truths in life, I have discovered. Behind every good man is a great woman, and behind every news story is the truth, sometimes way behind.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel, (D) Ill., made a startling yet simple statement on the floor today. A statement that is probably going to fade from the forefront due to the media feeding frenzy of mainstream journalists tasting the blood of an impending doom over Attorney General "Gonzo's" expected short tenure.

"Today, as we learn more about the Attorney General's failure of leadership, many are eager to debate the future of Attorney General Gonzales and whether he will remain in office. But as we examine how these U.S. Attorneys were fired, we must not lose sight of the real story. What is happening to these ongoing public corruption investigations, from southern California to Nevada to Arizona to New Mexico?"

The plot thickens. So what about these "public corruption cases"? Where do we stand with this, and what exactly is Emanuel referring to? Well, I am so glad you asked!
Going back as far as January 19 of this year, Scott Lilly of The Center For American Progress wrote this in a piece called "Blood on the Courthouse Floor"

In an article headlined, “Bush Removal Ended Guam Investigation,” The Los Angeles times reported that “a U.S. grand jury in Guam opened an investigation of controversial lobbyist Jack Abramoff more than two years ago, but President Bush removed the supervising federal prosecutor, and the probe ended soon after.” With at least six prominent federal prosecutors recently removed from office, many of them managing large scale public corruption cases, many are wondering if history is not repeating itself.

Oh, and that brings me around to my third absolute truth, history always stutters. ( I know I said two absolute truths at the beginning of this post, but ask anyone you know, things always happen in threes.)

So what are these "stutters" actually? Well, Lilly goes on in his piece to describe the most prominent and known infractions as these...

"Among those fired were Carol Lam, the U.S. Attorney for San Diego, who last year won a conviction against Congressman Duke Cunningham (R-CA) in the biggest bribery conviction in history, and Paul Charlton of Arizona, whose office is investigating charges involving land deals and influence peddling against of Republican Congressman Rick Renzi (R-AZ).

Also stepping down is the U.S. Attorney for Nevada, Daniel Bogden, whose office last year won corruption convictions against two Clark County, Nevada Commissioners and may be looking into campaign law violations by at least one member of the state’s Congressional delegation. Next door in New Mexico, David Iglesia is being asked to leave after winning convictions in the past year of two former New Mexico State Treasurers."

Are we really still pandering to the defense on issues such as Abramoff and Cuningham? Is this administration in bed with the Mafia in Nevada? State Treasurers from one of the poorest infrastructure States in America? I for one intend to follow this story unfolding way, way far behind the hype. Possibly an even larger hype looms ahead?

I think that the esteemed Representative from Illinois puts in all in perspective when closes his statement with these most eloquent and foreboding words

"The fired U.S. Attorneys were aggressively investigating public corruption cases and they were fired ostensibly for job performance, which in this White House means you're guilty of doing your job. I don't suppose any of these U.S. Attorneys will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom award.
The question some of us want to know is where are these public corruption cases today? As Washington debates whether Alberto Gonzales, the Attorney General, survives by the weekend, some of us want to know whether we can bring back to life these public corruption investigations in these five jurisdictions."

Now that's great Snark!

Here piggie, piggie, piggie!!!!

2007-03-15T23:09:00.000-04:00

Rep. John Carter (R) of Texas, landed a stinger missle directly on target in session today. When discussing the House bill funding emergency war supplemental issues, the Honorable Mr. Carter stated with eloquence

Mr. CARTER. There is talk that the $100 billion war supplemental will include an extra $20 billion in goodies. Such projects are seemingly irrelevant to the mission our soldiers are expected to carry out. For example:

$60 million for the California and Oregon salmon fishery disaster of '06;

$400 million for timber revenue program in Oregon;

$400 million in low-income home energy assistance for State grants;

$448 million unrequested funds for State children's health insurance programs, and;

a half a billion dollars for wildfire management and suppression.

Now, these are valuable projects, but they don't belong in an emergency war supplemental. They appear to be nothing more than an attempt to buy votes at the expense of our soldiers in the war on terror. The supplemental is meant to be an emergency troop funding vehicle and there is no excuse for $20 billion worth of pork in that supplemental.

A State fishery program in an emergency war supplement? WTF? Kudos to John Carter from my great State of Texas, even if you are a Republican!!

He closed his one minute rant with a simple statement and proposition

Let this Congress respect our soldiers and deny this pork.

After The Storm

2007-01-26T20:44:00.000-05:00

What would actually happen if we got back to living our own lives? I mean, if all were still the same as far as the powers that be were concerned, but we actually got back to living our lives as participants instead of viewers? I often wonder about my time spent in pursuit of greater worldly causes, and of the time that actually denies me of in fact doing anything about "greater worldly causes"?

I'm no sage, but I have lived a couple of years, and it occurs to me that sometimes just doing our own little micro-cosmic thing can actually bloom out into a whole network of microcosms that actually achieve something.

The Hippies had it in the 60's, they spread some very definite messages about peace, individuality and pluralism, good and evil. Simply take a look at communes, free love, John Lennon, Ohio and Vietnam. The Yuppies had it in the 80's, they spread some definite inroads on capitalism, New Age and Punk, social intolerance, stocks and dot coms.

What is it then, that the 00's are going to tag as legacies? Afghanistan as a new Vietnam? Iraq as a large scale and extended version of the Watts Riots? Will GW hire the Dream Team to get him off at his impeachment trial, will Billy Graham sing out from the Pulpit " I have sinned!"?

Me? I plan to go out with the wife tonight, tip back a few, chat with some folks and enjoy the weekend, and when it all comes to bear, I will speak my mind. That is what I do, speak my mind, because it is my simple way of invoking thought. I hope to invoke a few thoughts this week on the failed War, the failed Presidency, the fallacy of the representation of the people, by the people.

I know my place, I am not part of the Deciders, yet I plan to talk and influence my little microcosm of deciders into how things will unfold in 2008. It is never to early, the time is now to set the stage, what will you do between now and a very fateful November? Have you thought about it?

4400, and counting...

2007-01-19T07:36:00.000-05:00

That is the number of signatures already collected on the United Methodist Church based petition to stop the Bush Library from landing at Southern Methodist University. Signed by Bishops, Ministers, Catholics, Atheists, and more, this petition is a clear message of disenchantment. Go take a look, read and sign if you like, but recognize the sentiment at least.

THE PETITION

We the undersigned express our objection to the prospect of the George W. Bush library, museum, and think tank being established at Southern Methodist University. As United Methodists, we believe that the linking of his presidency with a university bearing the Methodist name is utterly inappropriate. We urge the Board of Trustees of Southern Methodist University and the South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church to reject this project.

Oi Vay! It's No Longer Cool To Be Country?

2007-01-11T18:16:00.000-05:00

Oh my God! The sky is falling!
Would you give me a freakin' break? Jimmy Carter is a man of principle who speaks his mind. Always has, probably always will. He has spent a lifetime being a conciliatory force between warring factions, so now when he takes a politically incorrect, yet somewhat intelligent stand on the modern Israeli/Arab conflict, now suddenly all those Jewish brethren who were happy to tag the Carter Center in their volunteer resumes for untold profitable benefit, now they find the man's politics untenable? CNN spins this as a mass exodus of staunch Carter follwers

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Former President Jimmy Carter's controversial book and subsequent remarks about the Israel-Palestinian conflict have prompted the resignations of 14 people from an advisory board of the Carter Center, the 25-year-old Atlanta-based humanitarian organization.

Come on!! Read the names for Pete's sakes! Abrams, Berman, Coles, Golden, Hertz, Kaufman, Levetan, Levy, Novak,Schwartz , Selig, Steinberg, Solomon, this could be the invite list to Hllywood premere, or a ritzy Bah Mitzvah! And this is shocking news to CNN? So what are they saying here, that the Jewish community needs no habitat houses? That the followers of Abraham have no interest in South America or the Carribean? That possibly the prior "world serving politics" of President Carter are not in the best interest of Jerusalem, or any interest at that? Well I for one say that my fellow sons of Abraham, Issac and Ismail (we all do not far too far from the same tree folks) can plainly pack up there toys and promptly go away, but just remember this folks...When it came to a message to be sent, it was definately a race card played. For shame.

State Of The Confusion

2007-01-10T00:30:00.000-05:00

an advance peek at the President's speech tonight...

My fellow Amuricans, I have met with my advisers, sponsors, advertisers, stock brokers, and co-conspiritors, and I stand before you tonight to inform you that The State Of The Confusion is good! Sadamma bin Laden is dead, hanged by the neck in front of a 5 share TV audience of his peerless foes, and rebroadcast to the masses by my good friends at CNN. Wicked Witch of the West, Pelosi, has been seen stirring her magic cauldron of sin, and my good friend Rev. Fellwell is in the midst of destroying the Yellow Brick Road in precaution as we speak. Vice President Haliburton has orders to bomb the DNC at a moment's notice, and I have just renamed Somalia as New Kansas.(Sorry Toto, we lost the old one...) Last, but not least, the evildoer of doom, Sir Kennedy of the Round Table, was seen dining at the lair of the insidious Osama Barrack, and has been stripped of his driver's license in retribution.
I have moved from my stance of the last address given, referring to an "Axis of Evil", to a more poignant position that says we are not simply faced by a triad of evil nations verses the World, but rather that we, Amurica, have joined my very good buddy Tony B. and England, in forming a new more powerful, faster than lightning, able to leap tall United Nation buildings in a single vote, Bilateral menage Au dux, to be forthwith known as the "New, New World Order Force"...or more lovingly referred to as "Neocon Nitwits With Oral Fixations". Welcome to my nightmare." hmmm...now where did I lay my binky?...

The State Of The Confusion, now that's a moniker I could live with more easily each January I believe. Each year it seems that Boy George crawls out from the bowls of his McRanch and bellows fodder even more fowl than on the previous year, until now when so much manure has been shoveled, that all that is left is Confusion, no longer any glimpse of a Union.

How much longer will we continue to tolerate this divisive Boy King and his madness? 20,000 more troops into a civil war without end? Support for a Prime Minister who picks and chooses the support he himself adds to the cause? A man who cannot listen to even his own party as they break ranks and cross lines in support of legislation borne by Democrats?

Boy Blunder proposes a "surge" of troops against the rising tide in Iraq. Equivalent likely, to the surge that is left in Ol' Joe's love machine after a 12 rounder with the Prom Queen's twin sister while watching CSPAN coverage of Clarence's confirmation hearings! The kind of "surge" that left us in a "police action in two former "non wars". The kind of surge that gets young men and women killed and exposes soon to come greater and even far more impotent "surges" in the future.

Here's a good one, the president "understands there is a lot of public anxiety" about the war, ya think? I mean with all that death and dismemberment stuff, you'd think the masses would be begging for more?! Hey, we could even get Simon Cowell to moderate, you know kinda like reality TV style, oops er wait, this is reality huh? The president "understands there is a lot of public anxiety", so should we say Xanax for everyone? Prosac? What ever happened to plain old peace talks? Now there's a shocker, problem is, we just let them hang the one to talk to, unless you really believe Maliki is in charge...hmmm...who would we talk peace with? Muhammad?Allah? The Iranians? Haliburton perhaps? Yes folks, there is no time for Kansas here, The State Of The Confusion is good.

A Return To Civility?

2007-01-05T12:04:00.000-05:00

I pondered for a moment just now, on wether or not to place a question mark at the end of my story's title or not. Is there a freudian inference there? Probably, but far be it from me to have the inteligence to figure it out, I just liked the look of a question mark there. See how that works? No need for a call to the Left to support my subersive questioning stance, nor any cause to rabble the Right by mocking my abscence of a period, even at the end of this very sentence (nice touch, huh)? Just a simple statement presented as a question because I happen to like the curvy little fellow.

As of this week, the Questions are in control for now, and the Periods are, well, shall we say,having a period of regret. Yet the band plays on, as do we all here. "Friday, January 5th, 2007, and that's the way it is." (God I miss Walter..) So for now the Walter Wannabees are the voice of the land, the spinners of yarn, and the tellers of tales here and abroad, taunting the Periods with Questions, some Questions more bold than others, and others just plain foolish! Enter the Exclamation Points, a rather pompous version of the Periods, known for their outlandish and unyeilding remarks...a Period that has been shafted, if you will. Exclamation Points have a great tendancy to not only offer a single sided view, but speak with absolute authority!

Watch this for example;
The Period says "The man had to die."
Question replies "Oh really? Did he now? And prey tell, who told you that?"
Exclamation joins the fray and declares on Period's behalf "And God so loved the earth, he gave his only begotten son!!!"
Mixed Metaphor enters stage right "I thought we were talking about Saddam? What the hell is going on here?!?" (note the cunning use of both ponderance and authority simultaneously?)

Here is the idea when applied to current political news;
The Questionable authority in the House was forced to step aside today, and hand over the gabble of greatness to Pelosi? "Wow, never saw that coming last June." stated a somewhat subdued Period. When asked to comment on the day's events, Exclamation Point replied with impuned authority "This is not only an outrage, it is against God's will!" A somewhat Mixed Metaphor was seen later talking with George Will, and asking him why the outrage was against him!?

When used to explain how Government works, it can go like this;
It was announced today that the Nuclear Agency Head was asked to resign today by the Bush adminstration. (Period)

What? The man with 40 years of experience in national security and nuclear nonproliferation issues? He led the negotiating team that worked on the START arms reduction treaty signed with Russia in 1991, didn't he? The guy who was widely respected for his knowledge of nuclear weapons and nonproliferation issues, and has been a target of some members of Congress? (Question)

"His departure is long overdue!" Barton, R-Texas, said Thursday, and besides, with Democrats now in charge of the House and Senate, there has been talk of hearings into the administration's response to security breaches at the labs! (Exclamation Point)

If the guy was put in charge of the henhouse with a stellar record of experince in nonproliferation negotiations and policies, was he really expected to be the "buck stops here" guy in a question of security? Hmmm wonder what that boss of his, er...Sam Bodman, yeah, wasn't he in charge when the first round of really bad security breaches happened? What the f@4??!??!!! (yep, the Mixed up Metaphor Guy)

Well, back to my original musing, why did I use a curvy dude, instead of a dot or worse, a dot that's been shafted?!....hmmm Oh yes, lest I forget. The Immortal and Timeless Guru of Network News From All Time, yes Charles Gibson the Gifted, predicted during his ramblings at President Ford's funeral that we were poised for a "return to civility" in not only American Politics, but also in American life in general. It must be so, because his copy editor said so, right after he talked with that jovial laughing fellow, er...Yeah!, Mr Mixed Metaphor, that was the guy, man he sure did laugh alot....oh well.

The Best Judges Money Can Buy.

2007-01-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

Sounds kinda like a line from a bad gangster movie. Chief Justice Roberts is warning that "Pay for federal judges is so inadequate that it threatens to undermine the judiciary's independence."

"Inadequate compensation directly threatens the viability of life tenure, and if tenure in office is made uncertain, the strength and independence judges need to uphold the rule of law -- even when it is unpopular to do so -- will be seriously eroded," Roberts wrote.

According to records, 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. Now don't get me wrong, I believe in getting a fair shake for your bucks, but when compared to private practice, these salaries are shameful! The Republicans blocke Dem efforts to address this, and for what reason other than to undermine the courts "superiority", so to speak?

Legislation languished in Congress in 2006 that would have provided a 16 percent increase in federal judges' salaries. The bill was introduced by Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein of California, Patrick Leahy of Vermont and John Kerry of Massachusetts.

OK, so I am usually for the litle guy, keep it simple, play it down etc.,...BUT, this is our freakin' Constitution we're talking about here, I want some people who make at least as much as your Jr. College ambulance chasers on my side!

A Question Of Ethics

2006-12-28T23:13:00.000-05:00

A question of ethics it seems, D.A., Bloggers, and Media alike.

I feel a certain priveledge, and yes a bit of a rush to have this wonderful podium from which to shout and wave my sword at windmills, indeed I think we all do. Bloggers are a wonderful lot in that they have helped point out injustice, expose the frauds, champion the defenseless, and yes hang the accused in the web, sometimes even before the truth is exposed?

Who then will police this 'police state of writers', this web of spin artists, even this group of self servers? I remember, even right here on this very site, the outrage spun out of control last spring when those "hooligans and thugs" of Duke stood exposed, accused, and all but convicted of rape, sodomy, and cold blooded womanizing! How dare these imputent sons of the rich defile such a virtuous Black Woman in her prime! Even good friends and colleagues of mine, right here, had vile and dispariging comments for these 'guilty' young men.

The bar cited 41 quotations and eight paraphrased statements made to newspaper and TV reporters, saying many of them amounted to "improper commentary about the character, credibility and reputation of the accused" or their alleged unwillingness to cooperate. Most of the comments were in March and April.
Among them:
_ Nifong referred to the lacrosse players as "a bunch of hooligans."
_ He declared: "I am convinced there was a rape, yes, sir."
_ He told ESPN: "One would wonder why one needs an attorney if one was not charged and had not done anything wrong."
_ He told The New York Times: "I'm disappointed that no one has been enough of a man to come forward. And if they would have spoken up at the time, this may never have happened."
Nifong was also charged with breaking a rule against "dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation." The bar said that when DNA testing failed to find any evidence a lacrosse player raped the accuser, Nifong told a reporter the players might have used a condom.
According to the bar, Nifong knew that assertion was misleading, because he had received a report from an emergency room nurse in which the accuser said her attackers did not use a condom.

D.A. Nifong himself withdrew rape charges last week after nearly a year of statements that all but had these young men doing time in Attica, and where were the "bloggers" then? As of Thursday evening the North Carolina Bar Association has filed charges against Nifong, the D.A. who brought the case against these young men for violating 4 seperate rules in his zeal to manipulate the media and blogsites into anointing him in his next political conquest of political adventure, and we sit on our hands and say nothing to defend or deny our previous posts?

I, as always, strive to use my "pulpit" with revere and responsibility, I do not condemn my colleagues for their zest in rushing to the hot story last spring, merely I call to them to condemn, amend, or append their earlier stance.

The silence is deafening.

A Word From The Grave

2006-12-28T12:20:00.000-05:00

And so it goes that the truth speaks loud from the grave. How many of you who supported the late President Ford upon hearing of his death will still rise to his side at the news of his disdain and contempt at Bush's War? Will the Woodward interview be seen as a strong message from a great man, or more as a weak commentary from a dead guy? Rock on Gerry, you are the man again today!

"Rumsfeld and Cheney and the president made a big mistake in justifying going into the war in Iraq. They put the emphasis on weapons of mass destruction," Ford said. "And now, I've never publicly said I thought they made a mistake, but I felt very strongly it was an error in how they should justify what they were going to do."

Gerald Ford, Embargoed Interview, Woodward, Iraq War, Bush, Criticism of War, Voice From The Grave

Groanin' The Blues

2006-12-28T00:48:00.000-05:00

"Lord, I'm so tired of moanin', tryin' to groan away my blues...everytime I think of you", Eric Clapton put it best, "I would rather die of starvation, everytime in the desert sun.."

Saddam Hussein held out the last laugh on GW's "geehawd" with his farewell letter to the Iraqis, calling for mercy on 'Poor George's misguided soul’, I can't help but wonder how the Bush aristocracy will respond to the very words of Hussein, exonerating the 'Boy King' himself when Saddam the condemned one said,

"I call on you not to hate, because hate does not leave space for a person to be fair, and it makes you blind and closes all doors of thinking," the letter said.

Perhaps the greatest parry came when 'Saddama bin Laden', er, I meant Saddam Hussein said these piercing words meant as a single strike to 'God's Own Chosen One',

"I say goodbye to you, but I will be with the merciful God who helps those who take refuge in him and who will never disappoint any honest believer."

Wow, strong stuff from a radical "evil-doer". It will always be an enigma for myself and others when history looks back at these times and shakes a sad head at the incredible miscarriage of justice held out by this farce of a regime. But for circumstance, any "greater power" might have criminal war crimes to pass judgement on GWB, Condi, Rummy...depends on a viewpoint and where Johnny Cochran stands at the moment I suppose, just ask O.J., yet I can't help but wonder further, would 'King George' be disposed with such style and grace? We will probably never know, alas. It is not my intent to absolve Saddam of any crimes, only to point out with obvious and unanimous clarity that such crimes were never the point with "Boy George', his only service was to lend a hand to Daddy's failed adventures.

As said by Earth, Wind, and Fire, "That's the way of the world"

Hussein was captured while hiding in a hole in the ground near his home village north of Baghdad in December 2003, eight months after he fled the capital ahead of advancing American troops.

I might offer a bit of advice for future tyrants on the lamb in the future... run rabbit run, and Georgie...tread lightly in your senior years, young man that you are...the future holds an awful lot of time for the world to study, read, learn, and judge your actions as "Dear Leader". Perhaps Kim Il Jong can offer a few points...perhaps not.

Wings or Horns?

2006-12-26T12:13:00.000-05:00

Would ya look at the head on that housecat? Even in a random file picture, his horns are becoming ever more obvious!

Hitler and Religion

2006-08-25T21:29:00.000-04:00

Crossposted as "Feature" at "Bring It ON!"

Sometimes you just have to listen to your colleagues, sit back a moment, and then quietly respond. Thankfully my scheduled feature falls here on this Saturday, so as not to create too big a storm? Oh, what the hell, f' em!

The true beauty of this blog we call "BIO" here, is that it truly leaves us room to be whomever we are. Yes, we lean left in general, but what the hell, they let me sneak in! I was reading two posts today that struck a chord with me, Bush is Hitler, Republicans Are Nazis by Tom Baker, and Atheist by jerseymcjones

Now, in and of themselves, Tom and Jersey have very valid premises for their respective points of view, and judging by the number of comments received on both posts, they definitely hit home with some readers here in number. I simply beg to differ a little, and offer a slightly different perspective for our shared readers? That is the meat and potatoes of what I love about "BIO", variety and a chance for true discussion of the day's points.

For those newer readers who really want to follow along, refer to a couple of my older posts to discover who I am, and for our more crusty hard core following, well, refresh your memories. I have posts on Hitler, Religion, Political Persuasion, and General Nonsense to peruse.

In Tom's post, he speaks of alienating the perspective Republican vote converts with such language as Nazi's and Bush/Hitler referrals. While I can see his point of view, appreciate his sensitivity to the somewhat logically challenged brethren of the fold from which I originated, I dare say...Bull Shit! That, for those who may be lacking in interpretative skills, is Texan for the English equivalent of "Poppycock", or more literally translated as let the bastards roast in hell and get a life of their own!

I will not, nor have not, coddle some putrid, smug, silver spoons into thinking that GWB et al are anything less than they are; fascist, proven wartime Nazi supporters (see George Herbert Walker's 1930's and 1940's banking CEO record**try Wikipedia "how WW2 was financed", or "how the Bush Fortune came about"**) I for one was, how do we put this delicately? Woke the fuck up?! Simply by opening my eyes to the truth, as ugly as it was, I am a former fascist supporter, and it is that clarity of former fate that drives me forward to new good. While some of my former cell mates might find a repugnance in those references, I for one will never forget the shame, nor will I let any other so called "Born Again American" do so in my presence. We screwed up as young Republicans, we own our shame, and we stand up and fight for a difference. Plain and simple. Thanks for the absolution Tom, but it is ill-deserved, and un-earned.

Moving on to an "Atheist's" statement.

Jersey, Dude, love ya man, but I gotta say a few things for my own peace..ok brother? I grew up the son of a Preacher, and if you did as instructed folks, and read the pre-requisites listed above, you would know that my Father is also Gay. Paradox, eh? There's the beauty, let one man's organized religion be another's organized crime. I do not believe that I will go to "hell" if I do not go to church. I am not really sure if any church deserves acknowledgement. What I do believe is that to frivolously think that "It all ends in a slow ride in the back of a hearse" (Brooks and Dunn), is just a little too simple for me.

I think that all of those who abhor "Organized Religion" should unite and attack! Burn, pillage, ransack! But I will go on record as a former fascist, a believer in men., a scientifically educated person, that to attack "religion" with lines such as "Religion makes us unhappy with who we are." might be just a bit too narrow in focus. Perhaps a better stated thought would have been "Catholicism and organized religious beliefs make us unhappy with who we are"? I don't know for sure, but in simple terms, it is still all an interpretive set of thoughts meant to help one another cope, and it still beats Prozac.

Technorati Tags:
Hitler, Religion, Elections, Atheists, Moral Majority, Bush, Nazi, Politics

Simply A Matter Of Convenience

2006-08-14T02:22:00.000-04:00

Cross Posted at Bring It On!

OK, so I will say it here in my feature, loud and proud, no mincing words today. How convenient is this recent rash of "Terroristic Almost Strikes" and the US response in terms of Republican and Democrat benefit? Yes Virginia, I am eluding to a conspiracy, they happen all the time on today's International and political fronts, so why not this one? All I simply want to do is raise the reader consciousness on this a level or two. Let's review, shall we?

1.0 Israel grows nuts and invades Lebanon in clear violation of all UN and above table US restrictions.
2.0 Bush, Condy et al refuse to admonish the Israelis for a blatant violation of protocol.
3.0 Israel offers a lame story whereas Hamas supposedly tunnels the length of the Brooklyn Bridge in order to kidnap a lowly, yes lonely, Israeli soldier? This tunnel dug in a sandy almost impossibly unstable geological region for tunnels?
4.0 The Neocons exclaim holy war on those who would assault them (sound eerily familiar to those now known as "Islamic Fascists"? (just asking)
5.o Enter Britain in support, a terrorist plot previously "unknown" is discovered and Great Britain rises to the occasion with CIA support and foils said plot, and THEN....travel restrictions and inconveniences are put in place. Please make note that prior to the arrest of 29 and a major News release in support of, NO TRAVEL ISSUES were effected, yet we "knew about this for some time, and were in an ongoing investigation."?
4.9 Oh, and skip back to a second before said foiled terror strikes, to the defeat of "Republican Lite" Joe Lieberman, based primarily on the Lamont's campaign against Uncle Joe's bed manners with the Neocons and the warmongers of the Bush regime.
5.1 Enter stage left, Chertoff and his evil mignon Alberto "what's his name", and a series of lame explanations, condemnations, if not excuses for the recent set of events involving US Intelligence, ugh! (what an oxymoron!)

OK kiddies, did you know for example that "Homeland Security" has an arm called the Science and Technology Directorate, that is responsible for such things as the needed technology to detect bombs like those supposed liquid bombs that threatened the US and British passengers? And did you know that Bush wanted the anti-bomb funds, given to this Directorate, removed???!!!

The Bush administration, even as these alleged terror plots involving liquid bombs were being hatched, unsuccessfully, thanks to a bi-partisan fart of sanity, tried to literally steal 6 million dollars away from the S&T arm of "Homeland Security". Rep. Martin Sabo, D-Minn, was one of those who joined with Republicans to block the administrations recent attempted diversion of explosives detection money. He is on record as having said research and development is crucial to thwarting future attacks and that a bi-partisan fellowship agree Homeland Security has fallen short. Ya think?

Maybe Boy George don't need no stinking' research and development? Maybe Boy George gets his intelligence from a "higher source"?

Oh, and did I say that Japan gave us the technology as well as working liquid bomb detection devices that they have already deployed in their own airports? I mean, I for one, wholly understand, that given the barbaric and technologically backwards state of this rogue nation Japan, we should certainly allocate tons of money to research and substantiate the inner workings of any device provided by them to us, after all, it could be a Samurai plot of revenge! Puhleeease!!

Why is it that because they said it is so, we absolutely believe? Why is it, that because there are three initials, pick three!, in front of a report, that we act as lemmings and head to the cliff? Where is it written that because CNN reported it from the "insert name here" administration, it just has to be fact?!?!? Does anyone not follow the breadcrumbs anymore? Because to tell you the truth, I have been looking at a bunch of bread crumbs lately, and the only thing I can state for sure is that they are definitely unleavened. (if that just went over your head, than I have just wasted both of our's time)

So I asked the question up top, don't you think that all of this, just before the midterm elections in the most powerful nation (richest) in the world, is all but just a little too convenient to bring war, terror, death, doom and despair back into the voter's minds? Are we really ready to continue being hearded over the cliff like so many rodents? I for one think it is high time we turn our collective political thoughts inward, inward to what it is that will help us survive and recover from the nightmare of the last 45 years.

They killed Kennedy you know, is anyone ever going to notice?

Technorati Tags:
Hamas, Israel, Conspiracy, Bush, Blair, CIA, FBI, Homeland Security, Sciences and Technologies Directorate, Mid Term Elections, Lieberman, Lamont, Kennedy

Boris And Priest Maxi

2006-08-12T21:48:00.000-04:00

Boris Karloff is seen here defending South Park's Priest Maxi in a news conference called to defend the Priest's involvement in the recent charade of terrorist hoaxes staged in order to boost Republican sentiments in the up-coming mid term elections.

Both Boris and Maxi deny having any influence in the timing, or related handling of the England to US air flights' alleged terrorist plots, though both did comment that Bush and Blair always fly in private jets, out of touch with, and away from the realities of travel that the rest of the free world faces today.

The press conference was called when Attorney General Priest Maxi made this statement in defense of President Bush's recent decision to support Israel in destroying the Middle East in its entirety.

"God needs complex irony, and subtle farcical twists that seem macabre to you and me. All that we can hope for is that God got his good laugh, and a tragedy such as this will never happen again."

Technorati Tags:
Bush, Blair, Chertoff, Gonzalez, Priest Maxi, Boris Karloff, Terrorist Plots, Airline Travel Woes

NFL Becomes Replacements For Impending Navy Strikers

2006-08-12T21:03:00.000-04:00

Giving rise to the recent crticism of the Bush Administration's recent proliferation of the US Military, The NFL joined the War today by implementing a takeover of the struggling US Navy. In an ironic twist to it's own recent strike and the "replacements" used to play in that season, the NFL became in effect, "replacement" players on their own.

When asked what, if any, impact this would have on Al Queida and the "Muslim Fascists" that Boy George are hunting,

LaDanian Tomlison said "This can get their mind off what they do for a little bit," he continued,

"We in the NFL think that using combatants to make political and theatrical statements has long been a forte' of ours, and we just want to straighten Condoleeza and her Jewish friends out on the nuances and profits of signing a really good contract with the usual performance bonus and pay for kill incentives."

Stay tuned to this station for more developments as they happen.

Technorati Tags:
CondoLezza Rice, Ladanian Tomlison, NFL, War, Real News, Iraq, Jewish Conflict, Hezbollah

Now The Repubes Want To Be Consulted On Ecological Issues?!?

2006-08-09T23:44:00.000-04:00

"What did BP learn last Sunday that it did not know previously that would cause BP to take such precipitous action?" Murkowski asked, noting he was concerned the state was not consulted before the decision was made.

Republican Governor of Alaska, Frank Murkowski, was a little pissy about not having been consulted prior to BP's shutdown of the Prudhoe Bay oil field in his State. While it is obvious that this will cause a great economic strife with certain segments in Alaska, most notably government workers, he actually inferred an indignance about having not been in the loop on BP's decision. And what about a slap on the back to the BP dudes who fessed up and shut this impending disaster down?

This is an equivalent of the Captain of the Exxon Valdeez setting sail a day later because he was drunk, think what that might have saved in terms of not only ecology, but plain old dollars and cents!?

Apparently some critics are charging that for decades, lax government regulation combined with corporate unwillingness to make costly repairs has allowed corrosion and general disrepair to wither away the safety involved.

"I think all the pipelines are in trouble regardless of who operates or who owns them," said Dan Lawn, who previously worked for the Alaska Department of Environment Conservation and is now with the Alaska Forum for Environmental Responsibility, a watchdog group.

So now that Murkowski has an important election on the line, with apparent stiff competition, he wants to throw a torch at BP's approved use of this pipeline overseen by government officials? This is total BS, both from BP and AK.

"We were shocked and disappointed when we saw the results of our inspection," said Scott Dean, spokesman with BP PLC. "Even though we believe we had a very comprehensive and rigorous inspection program, it was clearly not enough."

Just plain pitiful.

Technorati Tags:
BP, Prudhoe Bay, Murkowski, Exxon Valdeez, Pipeline Safety, Ecology

Rumsfeld Has A "Dickens Of A Time" With Hillary's New Brass Balls

2006-08-04T00:26:00.000-04:00

Stop the press!! Hillary Clinton grows new balls!!

Holy Cigar, Batman! Billy's wife may be for real, (if only for a moment...), I never in a million years thought pigs would fly and I would agree with Hillary, but the friendly skies have obviously gone porcine. Donald (duck) has been called to the carpet by Cruella DeVille herself, and he actually squirmed like a school girl! I wish I had C-Span to replay that moment over and over as the Jilted Spinster raked poor Donnie over the coals, and then to speak later and call for his resignation!! Wow! I might even be glad I not only burned my Repube Card, and bought a shiny new Demtard one.

Hillary shot holes in Bush's regime as she filled Dumbsfeld with buckshot at a "a public hearing over what she called "failed policy" in Iraq."

"I just don't understand why we can't get new leadership that would give us a fighting chance to turn the situation around before it's too late," the New York Democrat and potential 2008 presidential contender said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I think the president should choose to accept Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation."

Hillary, I bow to you, if only for this one moment, but as your hubby Bill stated, I prefer "tig 'ol bitties" myself....

Technorati Tags:
DOD, Rumsfeld, Hillary Clinton, Senate Armed Services Commitee, Justice

The Breakfast Club

2006-08-02T00:25:00.000-04:00

Breakfast with Donald! No, it is not a new Disney attraction, although the slapstick is sure to come... Rumsfeld had breakfast with Armed Services Chairman John Warner, R-Va., and others to discuss how Bush et al have diminished our military ratings for combat readiness. Breakfast!! How dare these omnipotent assholes share quiche and fruit while our sons and daughters are living a nightmare on earth as ill-equiped soldiers in mortal fucking combat!

If you don't like the cost of war, get the hell out!!!!!! When are we going to learn? When are we going to strike a blow and make a change?!?! Just because a century of power has gone to the rich and famous, does not mean we have to continue giving our all to the ready for prime time guys!! It is high time that someone read the news, throwup, and do something meaningful about it!

Technorati Tags:
Rumsfeld, John Warner, Armed Services Committee, Troop Readiness

Fuzzy Math Part Duex!!!

2006-08-01T18:17:00.000-04:00

It seems as if the Whitehouse accountants are at it again, by their math, companies like Exxon-Mobil and Microsoft are qualified as "Small Business" representatives, and are now joined by The AP and others...

Other media companies cited as small businesses included The New York Times Co., USA Today International Corp., Bloomberg L.P. and the Public Broadcasting Service, according to data the administration gave congressional investigators.

The AP recieved three Small Business contracts for over $31,000, seems like "Fuzzy Math" is at it again!

"Since we do not categorize The New York Times as a small business, clearly this was an error," Times spokeswoman Abbe Serphos said of two General Services Administration contracts totaling $10,875 that the government reported as small business contracts.

The Times' parent company also publishes The Boston Globe, International Herald Tribune and 15 other daily newspapers. It reported $3.4 billion in revenue in 2005 and has about 12,500 employees.

What a disgracefully inept joke is this administration!!!

Technorati Tags:
NY Times, Gannett, Globe, Whitehouse, SBA, Media Giants

A Terrorist Is But Another Man's Freedom Fighter, Which One Am I?

2006-08-01T00:35:00.000-04:00

Tom Harper's post settled it for me. I had a hard time coming to terms with my idea for today's feature, yet after coming home from today's double shift and reading Tom's feature from Monday, I had little else but resolve on the matter. Everyday when I walk home, I am greeted by my neighbor John, usually in a comical manner such as "Hey you subversive!", or "Welcome home verbal aggressor!", and yesterday it was a quip that struck a note, "What's new Cyber Terrorist!" John says all of these completely in jest, in fact he is one of my greatest blog fans, and quite a sharp mind on today's political outlook as well, I have gotten more than a few leads and ideas from him. He qualified his quip with a follow up on how one army sees a terrorist, where the other celebrates a freedom fighter, and I began to reflect.

We type here daily about the deeds, misdeeds, news, foibles and general happenings of our society. As of late, those rants and musings have taken a turn to war, Israel, Hezbollah, death, justice, and questions on moralities of right and wrong on a grand scale. To what end? What is it to me, here in Florida, whether or not Israel blows up Lebanon? Why should I care that 3700 combat veterans promised home leave were redirected to Baghdad and the front lines for a new tour instead? What stake do I have in this latest turn of the eternal Holy Wars in the Holy Lands? I am a Terrorist.

I want to reign terror in the hearts of decision makers everywhere that their bloody hands will not come clean. I want to remind my American compatriots that We The People still exist. I want The Dogs of War to know I have visited with other dogs, and Goofy and Pluto are pissed! Okay, so a little humor ill placed, yet my resolve is steadfast, God gave us hands, and Al Gore invented the Internet, so we might as well put two and two together. I myself feel an obligation to speak out. Quana was wrong. Baghdad was wrong. Iraq is wrong. Bush is wrong. Blair is wrong. We have a stewardship, not an ownership obligation to the world. We have been assigned as today's inhabitants of this earth to take care of things, and each other as well.

I can already here the Neocons snickering "silly liberal hippie, commie pinko....", I can even here a few of my more complacent Liberal brethren shunning "oooh, I think he is going a little too far today!" As far as I am concerned, there is no distance grand enough to understate my intent to piss people off today. We are doing all the wrong things in all the wrong places, and we have no right! We have to stop jumping off the cliff like lemmings and electing the same old corrupt, graft politicians. We have to stop sitting on our hands and covering our mouths, men and women are dying out there in our names, and we can't take the time to even irritate someone over it? I pray for a DOJ hit on my counter, I still remember the first time I got 6 Pentagon hits on my website in one hour after airing my anti-war video, "American Excess", for the first time. I got a real charge out of that, loved the impact and the message I sent.

This was not the first time in Quana, Israel slaughtered innocents here in 1996, be careful if you click the link, it is disgustingly graphic.
Who is it among us who says since "Israel" is our ally, we can't point out the wrongs? Please make note of the quotation marks around Israel in the previous use. I do not know this "Israel", I do not recognize this "friend". So because I cast a stone at an armed aggressor, I am a Terrorist. Anyone know what the first true use of the term "Neocon" reffered to? Yep, extremist Jewish leadership and supporters. I do not support, yea I abhor Hezbollah, yet I am supposed to embrace the Neocons in all their glory?

I am supposed to support Bush and Blair in all their collective apathy? Turn a blind eye to Putin? Laugh at the realities of Iran and Syria? Oh yes my friend, I am a terrorist indeed, unless you are on the side of sanity, peace, unity, sovereignty, change, growth, love and honor... to those folks I am a Freedom Fighter with a keyboard.

Technorati Tags:
DOJ, Pentagon, Terrorist, Quana, Hezbollah, Israel, Blair, Bush, Putin, Iran, Neocons

Chertoff Says We Need More Info On Louisianna In Order To Protect Her

2006-07-17T21:46:00.000-04:00

This has to be a joke!!! Are you kidding me? Billions of dollars after the fact, right smack dab in the middle of a new Hurricane Season and the Bush administration says it needs more information in order to do its freakin' job????

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration said Monday it needs specific lists of Louisiana's shelters, immobile hospital patients and transportation pickup points before it can promise able evacuation help during a major hurricane.

Don't you think that Katrina provided us with a pretty clear view of what was wrong in Louisianna?

Technorati Tags:
Chertoff, Katrina, Louisianna, Blanco, Hurricane Response

The 1.2 Billion Dollar Minute

2006-07-16T15:26:00.000-04:00

One minute,
about the time it takes to comb your hair, glance in the mirror, and scratch your ass on the way out the door to work.

All the time it takes to simply place a new set of pricing placards upon the sign out front, indicating a change in the cost of fuel at the pumps.

A very disturbing thing happened all across America on Sunday, indeed, all across the world it seems, a very disturbing act of piracy and international commercial fraud. The price of gas and diesel at the pump began what is sure to be an historic ride to an all time high, the raping of America has begun.

One of the many sideshow joys that I have come to know as living in "Republican America" under Boy George's rule, is that I have the distinct honor and privilege of working multiple jobs to pay my way and support my family, one of which is that of a gas station attendant, or better known as a "C-Store Clerk".

As an industry insider, I have been privy to several alarming trends and events, the great "hot dog debacle" of March '06 should never be forgotten. ( those things really should not have been delivered in overheated U-Haul trucks, I am certain!), at any rate, and quickly cutting away from my usual humorous approach, I am going to hit you with some stunning facts and some good old fashioned "Hard Copy" style reporting.

The owner of the C-Store at which I work is a pretty quiet man, albeit obviously a strong Republican type, an independent owner, a former Mobil Franchisee, and a fairly nice guy , as far as guys go here in Southwest Florida. We will refer to him here as "John", (coincidentally, his name is actually John, but we have changed that and will refer to him simply as "John" for this article).

"John" has a manager who runs the store for him, and so "John" really only stops in on the weekends, when his manager is off. You can always look forward to "John" stopping in on Saturday or Sunday in order to fill the TACC 2 with change ( that nifty safe that 7-11 developed which only allows you to get one roll of coins at a time, two minutes apart...for security reasons), but you know you will almost never see him on both a Saturday and a Sunday, the man has great family values and well, priorities..right?

Well go figure, "John" was here on Saturday, but low and behold...he also came in on Sunday!!! I knew something was terribly amiss. "John" had come to raise the price of gas by nearly 2% at a single stroke.

I am really not sure if "John", or his many counterparts really know the power of striking terror in the hearts of American's they have? This is where the tongue in cheek stops, and the real journalism begins. (or, this is where I quit cracking jokes, and get very pissed off and attempt to incite a riot!!...for legal purposes, the preceding statement WAS in jest, and NO I do not wish to promote civil unrest, yet...)

It goes like this...

Hamas was bored and in need of some entertainment at the expense of Israel, so they went on a midnight raid, shot some guns, blew some stuff up, and killed two Israeli soldiers and kidnapped an Israeli soldier.

Well, Israel was obviously pissed, so Olmert and others said "Hey", this sucks, let's kick some Hamas ass! After a few days of reciprocal missile lobbing and general mayhem, Hezbollah saw what was going on and wanted to party with the neighbors as well.

So Hezbollah (the Jones), not wanting to be out done by Hamas (the Smiths), decided that they would up the anti, kill eight Israeli soldiers and kidnap two, all in the name of one upmanship. This is where it gets cloudy.

There are some who say that Damascus and Tehran, Syria and Iran, were actually behind this second act, as a way to provoke U.S. intervention. And as well, there are those that say that the Hamas thing was a fake by CIA operatives who wanted to push the region over the edge in order to justify U.S. intervention.

At any rate, Israel, being the tenacious little bastards they have so lovingly come to be known as, lobbed a few missiles, Hezbollah said some nasty words, Damascus drew a line in the sand, Tehran said "i know nothinkkk!!", and a drone/possible Russian cruise missile, complete with CNN analasys and footage, slammed into an Israeli ship with "no casualties, no major damage", and overnight the price of oil raised to an historic, never before dreamed of high of $78 a barrel!! Whew!!!! What a mouthful all that was. So what does this have to do with "John"?

I am so glad you asked. Overnight, with the terror and tensions, the agony and the pain, the irony and idiocy, Gas and Diesel were propelled to new values. The very fuel beneath my feet at the C-Store it seems had become more expensive!? Never mind that the bill for said fuel, still unpaid, had never changed.

Never mind, that the bill of lading for hauling said fuel had never changed. Never mind that "John" had incurred a total of absolutely zero extra, or unaccounted costs for said fuel beneath my feet. The price of fuel still rose steadily today on its own.

OK, so I know about supply and demand, no change in either. So I know about the economic theory of buy low, sell high. Yet nothing happened to actually justify a raise in cost/ hence raise in price....not on July 16 anyway.

"John" came in on Sunday, simply to make an extra $1200 bucks. He has 20,000 gallons of fuel beneath his feet, added an extra 6 cents to a gallon, and poof! No car payment till December. We are under a price gouging protectorate aren't we? And it kicks in when? Ah!!!!!

There's the rub!!!! Too soon for the dogs to watch! Built in rules say let the boys take a profit on what's in the ground first, and then we'll regulate just how deep they penetrate said partners after the fact!! This really does bring a new meaning to bend over! And we defy Gay rights?!?!?

So by a stroke of a keyboard on the back office system, by the placing of new prices out front, by the simple desire to get a good rub upon America's soft sweet spot when we are rolled over, "John's" all around the country cop a feel? Ironic isn't it that "John" is also a moniker used to refer to a man who uses and abuses prostitution for pleasure.

Welcome then, welcome to the prostitution of America and her own independent gas stations. "I had to raise, I only did it because everyone else down the highway did" That was an actual excerpt from my conversation with "John" in regards to this. He now knows my stripes politically, as do I his. Yet I still work for said C-Store, I have to be able to afford Boy George's most affordable medical plan for the disabled and retired! God bless us all, and now I know why I registered as a non-Republican this year for the first time in thirty.

I can only offer my heartfelt, sincere, and warmest apologies for the past, as for the future?...... The "Johns" of America may get their rocks off tonight, but our time is near, our thoughts are here.

Technorati Tags:
Israel, Lebanon, Hezbollah, Hamas, War, Iran, Bush, Middle East, Syria, Gas Prices at the Pump

Bush Ignores US and International Law; Writes His Own Law To Cover

2006-07-13T01:02:00.000-04:00

If the shoe don't fit, make a new one. Right? Once again, (how tired are we of that phrase?) Mr. President, George W. Bush, The "W", His Majessssty the Boy King (note the snake hiss in Majesty), Poppa George's extended terms, The Great Decider, has decided it is time to write a new law. When the current laws don't avail, why not dip the ol' stick in the ink and create? Hell, I would if I could damn it! Seems that Boy George (yeah, I think I like that moniker) has come up with a solution to his problems at Gitmo! His good ol' boys in the House Armed Services Committee seem to have come to his rescue just in time to help deal with Saddama bin Laden and Pakistan!

Siding with the White House, top Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee said Wednesday they favor writing into law the special military trials for suspected terrorists that the Supreme Court rejected.

Bush administration officials urged Congress to pass legislation that would authorize President Bush's plan to try detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in military tribunals. The high court last month said that system violated U.S. and international law.

To hell with U.S. and International laws!! Don't these fools know that this is the Boy George speaking?!?!?!? Can't they tell by the liberal use of misspelled adverbs and mythical adjectives that his Majessssty has the floor?!?!? The very nerve of these pompous appointed Supremes! Where the heck is Diana when you need her anyway??!! I am getting damn sick and tired of coddling these supposed terrorizimers at Gitmo, damn them and damn the many funny speaking foreign lands they come from, don't they realize that Guantanamo is sovereign US soil, and we speaks Amuricaan in Amurikka!!

The White House said Wednesday it was voiding elements of a 2002 executive order signed by the president that said the Geneva Conventions would not apply to al-Qaida or Taliban prisoners.

"Obviously, parts of it will no longer apply in light of our commitment to comply with the court's decision," said a White House spokeswoman, Dana Perino.

At the House hearing, a senior Pentagon official appealed for congressional approval of the military tribunals, known as commissions.

Daniel Dell'Orto, principal deputy general counsel at the Defense Department, said courts-martial would expose classified information, hinder interrogations and require granting other rights to suspected terrorists.

To hell with that!!!! We are not about to grant rights to suspects!!!! Hell! They're suspects!! That makes 'em guilty as sin, right!?!?? Gaul darn turban wearin', furin speaking anti Christ bastards!!! Death to Saddama bin Laden, and doom and destruction to Irakistan!!! Whose side are those peacenik, court sittin' bastards on any ways?

Well, for what I can tell, Boy George is not going to stand for a repudiation of American Sovereignty over those pesky detainees ( prey tell, after some number of years, when does detained change to imprisoned?) Rumor from Boy George's entourage, T Snow, his Majessssty is expected to discuss the matter with Germany's Chancellor on his visit...."excuse me, but you guys seem to have a good grip on this whole Saddama bin Laden thingy, whaddya think about me just killin' 'em all and we let God sort it out?"

Technorati Tags:
Guantanamo, Detainees, US Law, Armed Services Commitee

Storm Protection Plans Suffer From Fiscal Concerns?!?!

2006-07-10T21:21:00.000-04:00

What about the billions of dollars we spent after Katrina? Do those fiscal concerns factor into this equation? Seems old Bushy et al are at it again, once more with lip service and feeling. Before I get into the meat of this, let me ask you all, Dems, Repubs, Indies, everyone.

If you personally shelled out 20 million dollars for an expert opinion, based upon fact and research, for an answer to a problem, would it make much fiscal sense regarding this 20 million dollar outlay to ignore the guts of said proposal when the experts returned it to you?

Now I don't block quote myself often, I just wanted everyone to see this pertinent question plainly. Guess what folks, you did shell out the 20 mil, and due to "fiscal concerns", these recommendations have been gutted. On Monday, Bush and his so called administration (I'm a bit lost as to what exactly it is they administer other than token chips from el Rancho Crawford), issued "guidelines" for how to protect Louisiana from the most dangerous of storms, "plans that state officials said ignore specific fixes that could begin quickly."

The much-awaited report, developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, marked the first step in two years of planning how to rebuild New Orleans' levees, bolster Louisiana's coastline and develop other programs to control flooding from Category 5 storms."

No, I am not a proponent for La. issues, nor am I a fan of Governor Blanco, but if the Army Corps of Engineers says something must be done, then should we not do it? Weren't they the good folks who said we were headed for disaster in New Orleans in the first place? What was that old commercial on TV? You can pay me now, or pay me later? What the hell is going on here? If we don't look it won't be there? I am sick and tired of this President's blinders mentality and approach, what the heck is wrong with passing an emergency funding bill for prevention, before a disaster?!? Is this too progressive? Or is this simply another case in which we should simply stay the course? If Bush was going to ignore the report and act in a fiscal manner, then prey tell, why did we spend the 20 million dollars in the first place?

Technorati Tags:
Fiscal Responsibility, Bush Whackos, Stay the course?, Bad Politics
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C-Store Logic

2006-07-09T23:21:00.000-04:00

So as I stood there and collected money for the many gallons of gas sold, and countless beers, I suddenly realized why I was here at this place, at this time, working at this C-store. I had become a product of my environment, and a victim of the evil Bushwhacker himself! What a farce!! The American dream , more like the pseudo-American, quasi nightmare of sorts!

See, I am not one of those who was born to money, nor am I one who seemed to attract it later in life. I am your average Joe. A sailor, and a wanderer it seems, a man left to pick his way through it all. I am you, or your neighbor, your brother perhaps, at any rate I am a man with a new outlook on things for sure.

I left the credit world behind long ago, for the better. I quit trying to keep up with Jones and Smith in the 80's shortly after my bankruptcy. I quit tracking my success and failure through my wallet shortly after I lost my wallet, and when Hurricane Charlie came and took what was left, I quit caring for a while. I suppose more than a few of us did. There is a great part of this nation that has quit caring, and I suppose we all know.

The realities of finances are so ingrained upon us in these times that I suppose it is easy to forget that the bottom of our American society is still head and shoulders above the top of most 3rd World societies, so why am I pissed? Because I fail to see the justice in why the top of our social poles are filled with politicians and actors??!?

Where does it say in the annals of Justice that the rich are those who lie for a living? Think about it, the one common denominator between actors and politicians is that they both lie for a living. One lies to make you think they are someone they are not, and the other just lies because it is what is done, because it is what comes natural.

I read a quip today about the Lt. Governor of Arkansas losing another battle against his pre-lukemia status, a procedure to replace bone marrow failed, the man's name is Rockefeller. What the hell is this family doing in Arkansas?!?!?!! Isn't New York and West Virginia enough? Remember the term after the civil war? Carpetbaggers?

I am so getting tired of the rich getting richer and schmucks like me working two jobs for a loved one's medical needs! At any rate, my compassion goes out for the guy, and I hope he thanks God for the blessing of being able to afford such health care.

As I put the beer and Copenhagen in a bag and waited for the credit card authorization to go through, I thought of all the reasons I was working this damned second job, and of all the benefits, this snot nosed kid in front of me had no clue. He had pulled up in a new Benz, paid for by Daddy no doubt and really did not yet grasp life, I'm sure. Denied. The kid's black American Express had declined the sale. Sold out for $11.39. Wow, this kid had not a dime in his wallet, and really had no clue as to why the Amex had failed him!

I chuckled slightly to myself as I left the register and restocked the beer in the cooler when the kid left, and smiled a grateful smile knowing that all things do come equal at some point. Do not get me wrong, I get no joy in anyone's misfortune, be it a hurricane, or simply a lack of credit. I simply find life somewhat ironic lately. I am very close to finally processing Charlie and my take on homelessness and poverty, and it just seems important to me that you all remember the countless Katrina, Charlie etc. victims out there.

Looking at life from behind a C-store counter can definitely show you a few things. If nothing else, it can let you see that we are not all created equal, yet we can be humbly equalized at a moment's notice.

The Scarlet Letter

2006-06-24T21:29:00.000-04:00

What drives America is people, real people, down to earth folks much like you and I, NOT Congress. Shocking words to hear, huh? The scarlet letter belongs on the politicians, not the voters. How many times have I heard people here and at other poli-venues bashing one another for voting for so and so, or for "that other party"? Hey!!! They voted!? Right?

It is time for us to rear our ugly heads in unison; it is time to take a few things back. From the time a freshman legislator hits the beltway, he is running for re-election, fighting for his/her political life, and learning the game of survival. Little wonder that picking the right ones can be a little tricky. How will she play the game? How will he turn down the soft money? How in the world are they going to fare when asked to stand up to campaign illusions?

These are some serious questions posed to us by us, and the time is drawing near for yet another round of decisions to be decided, and we cannot let the Decider have a say...other than his one vote that is. One man, one vote. It really is that simple still. I don't care how disgusted or disgruntled with American politics you are people, it still boils down to one man/woman, one vote. How will you use yours?

Far too many times I have personally seen the wasted vote. We all have, neighbor Fred who didn't have time? Nurse Betty who thought it was a wasted effort to register? How about Johnny the pizza delivery guy who thought it was an establishment conspiracy to categorize the masses? Yes there are extremes of all flavors, but the worst waste of all that I have seen is the growing mass of common folk like you and I, who just plain don't believe they can make a difference anymore, that buy in to the lie that we are doomed no matter what.

Take my Dad for instance, a few months back he wrote me a letter, which I eventually plagiarized into an excellent post by the way, (thanks Dad!), he had a quote in that letter that still haunts me today...

"I see you are still keeping at it. I would read your blog – and others like it – more often but I am so fed up with all the bullshit of the world’s so-called “leaders” that I just don't think I want to keep up with it much any more"

This in response to my own personal blog, and my love of writing here at BIO. This from a well educated (a couple of Bachelor's degrees, a Masters maybe two, and A Doctorate for sure, too many for me to count), and a man to whom society at large has meant a great deal (a former professor of humanities), not you ordinary run of the mill shirker anyway. I know I tend to talk about both my parents with frequency here, but they are my base, my gauge against reality, my take on things past and present from a more educated view? All of our parents are that to all of us.

How are the people you know and love approaching this landmark voting season? Have you stepped back from your busy lives, your aspirations and tasks to take in what some of them may harbor in fears or exasperations? How are you and I going to help people step back up and get on the saddle again with a true sense of hope? We are bloggers, it has fallen to us you know. We are the new revolutionaries without a radical cause, nay, a simple cause to restore, that's all.

I think one of the most knowledgeable things I remember from that letter was a statement my Dad heard and simply repeated.

"I heard something I liked yesterday: Thank god the people who run this world aren't smart enough to run it forever."

Simple, short, sweet, and straight to the heart. That is what living does to you, scans a better perspective onto your soul, so to speak. Not to be outdone, Mom slid me a line just last week that lead to my post re. Andy Rooney, and was tickled that I followed her lead. And why the hell not? It was a lead to an 8 month old piece by Andy that still rings so true today on the fallacies of our War on Oil.

The blogosphere has been accused as of late, of preaching to the choir. As a son of a preacher who has seen a little preaching in the past, I am bringing this sermon to you, wrapping with a question or two, and ending with a thought for meditation (can I hear an Amen!)

What are you going to do with your powerful message centers other than rag on your adversaries? How are we going to make a difference? What is our collective plan of action going to be in November when one man, one woman, one vote can take the day?

I propose to you that a little thought is in order, a little careful listening to those around you for background, and a word of perspective to all my non-believing friends. Hell is on earth my friends. Every time your apathy or misdirection affects the way you live your life today, you will for certain see a little Hell played out in front of you, right here, right now, right like that.

Creative Legislation

2006-06-24T04:22:00.000-04:00

I honestly don't know what to think anymore. With this weeks failed faux vote on troop withdrawals, I don' know what to think about our system of pompous politicians anymore. Kerry and Feingold, no more wanted an actual troop withdrawal this year, anymore than Harry Reid wanted to allow it. This kind of bullshit posturing at the expense of constituents is exactly what has made this country falter in its beliefs that we have any kind of chance to fix our failed political system. 86-13, what a farce!

When Senators want something, they bargain and get it. When they just want an appearance on "Hardball", they simply throw out a sacrificial lamb. Let me put it like this, if Feingold or Kerry had truly wanted the bill to have a serious run, they would have tied a big fat pork barrel to it. "Bring Jimmy home, and help build a new bridge across the Arizona desert, all at the same time!", or "Help us stop the war and ensure that the study of naked carpenter ants in art can be sustained!", or how about my favorite, "Gentlemen, let us stop the war, kill the minimum wage, and give ourselves a fat pay raise by signing this one bill."

That's the problem, there just isn't any creative thinking going on in Washington anymore. Come to think of it, there isn't much thinking at all in Washington anymore! Where is Ben Franklin when you need him?

Technorati Tags:
Kerry, Feingold, Reid, Senate, Troop Withdrawal

Mom says listen...

2006-06-20T21:49:00.000-04:00

Mom sent me this post from 60 minutes. It was originally aired in October of 2005, but the points made ring a bit too true today.

Not that I'm one to follow Mom's lead all the time, but occasionally she can be brilliant! As I suppose we all can, but seriously, she nailed this one. 5.6 Billion dollars per month? That is a budget that even the worst of us can live with!? That is what we spend in Iraq on the war.(as of October 2005) What a fiasco this all is!!!!!!! Over 140,000 soldiers deployed, over 2000 dead Americans, and when will our tolerance for blood give? I live in a fog daily, thinking of the very reasons I ever voted for GW et al in the first place!? I have never been one to question my motives, my designs, but on this one, kudos to Mom, you were right, and I was so wrong.

The shear and simple numbers do a total justice for the story. In 2004, Japan spent $42 billion. Italy spent $28 billion, Russia spent only $19 billion. The United States spent $455 billion!!! On fucking military budgets!?!? 455 billion? 10 to one on Japan? 20 to one on Russia? The cold war is not so cold anymore I suppose!? What in the world is happening here? Andy Rooney points out for example, that, as of 10/2005 we have 8000 tanks. 8000 tanks!, and we have a problem with IED's?!?! What the hell is going on here? We have enough tanks in our arsenol to drive across Texas in unison, much less Baghdad, and we can't get a control on shit?!?!? I am sorry folks, but I have little tolerance for bullshit! Are you aware that we have one officer to tell every five enlisted men what to do? Taco fucking Bell doesn't even enjoy that kind of close ratio in management! What the hell is wrong here!?!?!?!?

We have over 10,000 Nuclear weapons, and yet we lambast a soveriegn nation for its supposed "weapons of mass destruction"?????????? I am apalled at the audacity. I am ashamed of the absolute manufactured lies in regards to our "needed arms buildup" I will break from my norm, and actually quote from another blog to make my point...

We had a great commander in WWII, Dwight Eisenhower. He became President and on leaving the White House in 1961, he said this: “We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. …"

Well, Ike was right. That's just what’s happened.

2006-06-19T21:25:00.000-04:00

Steal this poster please, and help us take on Karl Rove’s “Stay the Course” message directly. It time to fight.

Bring It On!.

Landscaping, Roof Repair, Racoons Through The Ceiling

2006-06-15T12:58:00.000-04:00

Ok, so it is Florida after all, and we do have critters. But seriously, raccoons clawing through the roof, into the ceiling and attempting a good old fashioned breaking and entering? Valerie was standing in the kitchen, looking at little hands poking down through the ceiling and flailing about like something from alien, and all I could do was laugh my ass off!

In our infinite wisdom, we are systematically raping the Southwest Coast of Florida now, having succeeded in thoroughly impregnating the East Coast, why not? After all, this is America, right? Home of the American dream? Two houses in every portfolio and seven condos to spare? What a waste, these people down here are so negligent in their waste of nature in a race to keep up with the Greenspans. The housing market nationally has been looking very good, and mostly because of a land and building boom down here in Bush's summer back yard.

The scandal of it all is that, no new people are moving in, there really isn't the phenomenal growth surge you would think is driving this boom, no, just a few very rich people trying to get richer. The plan is to buy a house, then buy three more to burn and turn, roll them over in a year or so at the new going boom rate, and grab a few hundred thousand bucks along the way. Sounds great, right?

So where are Rocky Raccoon and family supposed to go? I am all in favor of utilization of the land and resources for growth in population and economy, but to blatantly rape the mangroves and forestry just to build more empty houses to falsely bloat the economy, only to set up a tremendous fall when the market corrects, and oh boy, will the market correct! I am appalled at the climate of selfish business this administration's policies have born. Who needs to protect the Alaskan Wilderness, when we can rape the beautiful coastal wetlands for simple profit? This is the equivalent of Whaling for sport, and leaving the carcasses to rot without use.

I spent the better part of the day landscaping of sorts, in order to protect my veggie garden from the onslaught of displaced armadillos, opossums, 'coons, etc., that are moving in to my park here as the construction just behind me in what was last year a part of the Koreshan State Park, (I would love to see that building contract and the perks that obtained it.) A little later on I will climb upon the roof and repair the damage by my midnight marauding raccoon friends, I can't help but pause for a moment though and wonder...? To what end is this building craze destined? Even the local economists forecast unusually high vacancy rates, kind of like money on paper, assets that don't really exist. Maybe we should 'government subsidize' them for the critters whom we displaced for no good reason, sounds almost like a replay for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Technorati Tags:
Environment, Wetlands, Southwest Florida, Wildlife Encroachment, Housing Boom
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Health Care Solutions- What Americans Want

2006-06-11T06:05:00.000-04:00

Ken Grundland, one of my fellow principal contributors over at Bring it On!, has this post I wanted to share with you today

While the Republican controlled Congress spends their days on our dime bantering about issues of vital importance like gay marriage, flag burning, and killing the death tax, average Americans all over the country are weighing in on an issue that really matters to them, to us all. And that issue is health care. Health care is not an issue with theological implications (well, maybe for a few), so the debate about what kind of health care system we want does not fall apart along religious arguments. Instead, the divide in the health care debate is about money. Who pays and who profits? And it is also about quality and availability of health care. But mostly, it’s about money.

Health care costs have been growing at a rate that far outpaces inflation for several years now. Yet in communities across the nation, hospitals are closing or reducing services. A shortage of qualified nurses and doctors increases the time it takes to see a medical professional. Premiums for coverage, doctor visits, medicines, and diagnostics are going up. These factors affect health care consumers on a daily basis. That’s you and me. Mom and Grandpa. The neighbor lady and the kid who cuts the lawn. Everyone.

And yet on the other side of the coin, pharmaceutical companies are getting richer and richer while plying their designer drugs on a public all too conditioned to expect a little pill for a quick fix to what ails them. Pharmacists are refusing to fill legally prescribed medicines because of ‘moral issues.’ Accountants are deciding what a patient ‘really needs’ instead of letting doctors do their jobs. And politicians are trying to play God by sticking their noses in issues they have no sense being involved in, like the right to die or the course of medical research.
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The Ambiguously Gay Corporation Act of 2006

2006-06-07T20:42:00.000-04:00

I think the whole Gay Marriage issue is completely and utterly wrong. Completely based in false ideals and beliefs, and wrong on so many levels, let's observe for a moment, shall we? The Senate of course failed to ban Gay Marriage again today, and microbial influence peddlers including the likes of the esteemed lady from Florida, Katherine Harris, all claim great victory and miniscule headway with a growth of seven new votes since 2004. Hoorah, hoorah, the tide is turning and soon we will have complete inclusion of Church and State!

I mean take a close look here, and what is actually occurring? The religious right is appalled at the scandalous idea of including married homos in Better Homes and Gardens, President Bush is waving a flag over his bible in support, and the American Gay society is simply looking for a social, as well as a legal stamp of approval on their lifestyle. So what is so wrong here that all sides can't have their cake and eat it too?

I propose the Ambiguously Gay Corporation Act of 2006. That's right, the beginning to an end of needless fray between Gays and Lesbians joined against the Ambiguously Grey Corporation of Bushco, Robertson and all of their collective grey haired, old world, mindless money grubbing, holier than though, anti-gay neophytes. It has something for everyone!

On the surface, marriage looks to be a holy union, reverent, based in faith, and binding before God. When looked at under the glass, marriage provides a union, reason for perseverance, tax-shelters, financial inclusion, inheritance laws, and a piece of paper to stand up in court, in more layman terms an "Articles of Incorporation!" See? An end to the meanies, with a means to an end.

The way I see it, the whole argument merely revolves around money, as is usually the case when major factions go to blows, and yes Virginia, the Gay Community is a major faction, why just look at Broadway and shudder to think if all the Gays didn't attend and aspire to be Liza!? Seriously though, this is a war among titans, and I always follow the money trail when looking for a story, and/ or resolution. The idea that Bush et al could possibly be strictly motivated by religious beliefs and foundations of marriage between a man and a woman in itself is a complete violation of Separation between Church and State.

Ah, but when the tax laws and the money angles enter, and then the juxtaposition of adversaries is quite changed indeed. A man and a man, or a woman and a woman can attend church freely today, in fact there are quite a number of Gay and Lesbian oriented churches to choose from in America. So being married in the eyes of the lord is simply a relatively minor symbolic gesture, one that could be achieved through private ceremonies. What is then left is the legal aspects, and the complex monetary and legal advantages and protections. This is where a simple use of America's laws of incorporation comes into play.

By the way, did you know that the rights of the corporation outweigh the rights of an individual? Were you aware that corporations never die like people, they simply pass on to future shareholders, the benefits of this angle actually far outweigh the traditional marriage. Why I suppose if Bob and Ted, or Carol and Alice, broke off their amorous ties, they could actually maintain quite a profitable business venture until such time as a more perfect union could be formed, (damn, that would have been awesome if my first wife and I could have managed that one, I might have never filed bankruptcy, holy cow Mr. Bush, I just stumbled upon an important side benefit!)

And think of the amicable ties with the mainstream that could open up, Pat Robertson would not have to wage war with his inner soul, er, I mean with the Gay community, because hey! It's strictly business, right? The logistics are simple, for instance in most Gay unions, and Lesbian pairings as well, there is an outright on the surface domineering party, there's your Chief Executive Officer. As it is in all relationships, there is a more dominate, yet underlying party with subtle financial skills, that's gonna be the Chief Financial Officer! If you want to take it to extremes and go multiple on the titles, well the one who thinks they are in charge of said relationship is the Chief Operating Officer of course, whereas the one who IS actually in charge of said union is the company lawyer!

All of this can actually be achieved today, right now, under existing American law, and the worst thing that could happen would be if Congress actually rolled over and enacted some pretty drastic and steep laws constricting the behaviors and freedoms of American corporations, and hey!!! That might be cause enough for the whole damned world to celebrate, and in which case, the actual fight for Gay Marriage rights would actually stand a prayers chance in hell. When you cut them off at the money source, you literally have a grip on the short hairs. This as in all my writings, has simply been my humble opinion and in no way did I mean to offend Pat Robertson for his inner soul, er I mean Gay community, er, uh, I mean, well, you get the point.

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Gay Marriage, Gay Rights, Bush, Corporate Law, Pat Robertson, Congress
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Small Town And Big Time

2006-06-05T22:33:00.000-04:00

When I was growing up in West Texas in the '60s, things seemed pretty simple. A walk down the block to the "Downtown" stretch of shops along Highway 287, yielded a trip into the local drug store where the proprietor would give me my daily "growing pill", (a One-A-Day multivitamin ). I had no idea what it was at the time that the old man gave me, but I was pretty sure that with this wonder drug, and my Dad as the local preacher, I was bullet proof! I was all of 5 years old, man how things have changed.

The wife and I took a trip to a new doctor the other day, one of many in our 14 year long search for relief of her headaches and other maladies. This guy actually rounded out the list as Neurologist number 8, and along with the 2 Neuro Surgeons, 7 Internists, her own personal Anesthesiologist, and an un-countable number of Emergency providers, joined the ranks of a wonderful medical profession that she herself once was member to. As a nurse back in Texas she planned her life around taking care of the elderly, yours and my grandparents. Life's ironies are all too clear sometimes.

I noticed tonight where the FDA cleared approval for a previously banned MS drug to be reintroduced. Tysabri was cleared for a market return, although high financial market returns aren't expected until much later. The problem, and or prospect of this drug are that it has a nasty fatal infection side effect associated in rare cases. It has been deemed that this risk is acceptable by the FDA, herein lies my rub. I so very much want to believe in the return of the magic growing pill, as do others. And I so very, very much want to believe that Big Brother has my back on this one, as do others. So where do we go from here? Oscar, the old guy back in Chilicothe, Texas on H287 would have said "trust it Paul, it'll do the trick", but he lived far away and long ago.

Patients of MS have begged for the return of Tysabri, citing that even an eventual death from side effects is better than no treatment, and as an observer of this cruel disease's grasp, I concur to a point. And times were, when we trusted the almighty government in its faithful watch to protect and serve, but now? I really have no place that I am steering this rant other than to say it is a pitiful statement of our current societal situation to say that death is better than nothing, and I don't trust the powers that be, to oversee.

Imagine if you will, for just a moment, if the mainstream of society, not just us special cases, had to trust in government unequivocally, without comment. I am talking about you, what would you do if you truly had no choice, or at least, no real choice. There has to be a way to return to what was, I refuse to believe that the have's have defeated the want to's and the have nots! There is no clear way for me to enthrall you with the upcoming choices and elections, other than to say, the time is here.

I think of Oscar and his magic growing pills a lot lately as I age. And as for Dad, well, I have learned that being the Preacher's kid is not neccesarily a get out of jail card. What I do know from my backwards West Texas roots is that, when it smells like cow shit, chances are it came from a cow. That said, I also believe that there can never be enough of us cows weighing in on important matters such as what, when, and where to listen to the heifers moo.

Whether or not Tysabri flourishes is irrelevant, what is important is that the faith of Americans in our government watch systems is held true and fast to our overall health and well being. So when you drive up 287 from Dallas, just north of Vernon, you will run through Chillicothe, Texas. Stop in at the Drug Store, step north a few doors to Gatewood's Dry Cleaners and get the brim of your hat pressed, and take a very deep breath of what it should have been.

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Tysabri, MS, FDA

Ages Of Experience

2006-06-04T00:47:00.000-04:00

"Ages of experience have taught us that the commitment of a husband and a wife to love and to serve one another promotes the welfare of children and the stability of society," Bush said in his Saturday radio address. "Marriage cannot be cut off from its cultural, religious and natural roots without weakening this good influence on society." GW Bush

Hold the damn phone for just a minute, Mr. Boy King. Just how many "ages of experience" have you encountered personally? Me? I have personally encountered one very personal and magnificent "age of experience". My particular "A.O.E.", as I will refer to it here, has been from a standpoint of cultural, natural and religious roots as well.

I am neither an enemy of the left, nor a friend of the right. I am not gay, so I do not have a polarized view, nor am I clergy with an obligated perspective. I am rather a child of two loving children of God and America, heterosexual by contact, and one, later homosexual by context. So yes Dear Mr. President, I think I weigh in on this issue a bit more than you. Oh, and did I say that the afore-mentioned homo is an ordained Minister of the Methodist faith, and a very devout Christian?

To insenuate blindly, and ignorantly that my parent's lack of fortitude in living out a lie by staying married in the eyes of God has left me without stability and/ or welfare is an insult to myself and the memory of the love that my folks have shared with me from day 1. The absolute commitment my parents showed in staying together until the last egg hatched and flew away from the nest attests to a stamina in proper beliefs and behavior, the likes of which you will never know.

The fact that my parents respectively have an amazing grasp on reality is an outstanding testament to a faith you only dream of. Furthermore, to even suggest that you can regulate wether or not a love can be shared is ludicras! How is my mom's second marriage to a man after divorce, any more moral than my dad's true devotion to a mate who loves, cares and nurtures, and btw needs same as well?

All well and said, Dear Mr. President, when my disfunctional, broken, morally bankrupt, shell of an excuse for a family gathers this December in mass for the holidays, I will remember to lead my dad, mom, her husband, his partner, in joining me and my four children from two marriages along with my wife, my ex and her lover and the rest of the Jordan Clan in a very somber prayerful moment for your drifting soul. Until then though, please leave my "A.O.E." alone, and don't even try to compare your silver spoon existance with the rest of us out here in reality land.

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Gay Marriage, Federal Folly, Bush, Immoral Majority
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Buns Don't Kill People, People Kill People

2006-06-02T22:54:00.000-04:00

Just how stupid do they think we are? In a report commissioned by the FDA, the Keystone Center, a non-profit policy center, determined in its infinite wisdom that maybe restaurants should follow federal labeling guides in providing nutritional information on their respective menus,

Offering similar label information in restaurants would give consumers the "same kind of information to make those same kinds of (food) decisions away from home," FDA Acting Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach said. "

I'm pretty sure that if a Pig Sandwich is going to wreak havoc in my home life, it's probably just as likely to screw up my fat count at Bubba's BBQ as well. Duh? Well, hold on a moment and let's just look at this dilemma, ok? If a cake had 200 calories per square inch in Hoboken, and an identical cake was headed to Union Station at twice the metric speed of a base element in suspension, which carbs would land in what order on Aunt Fannie's fanny? Are they out of there ever-loving maniacal Hannibal Lecter, fava bean eating minds? Since when is it the government's job to raise us as helpless lemmings in search of the cliff?

Last time I checked, Mom had a little say in what and how we learned to eat. Got Mom? No? Then how about we encourage the world to slow down just long enough to take responsibility for one simple thing in life, like say...what the fuck we eat?! I damn sure don't need Uncle Dick or Auntie George's special world domination recipes for Divinity Fudge propagated as my salvation. Here's a novel idea, if food, health, and disease control are such an important Pan-American thought process for today's citizens of the most powerful and health progressive nation on God's green earth, how about a little education, where education counts, in school?

We have no reason to assign the education of our selves and our children to McDonald's as to what is and is not healthy human fuel, nor do we need Greenpeace to weigh in on the Joy of Fat, either. If you want a kid to grow up with a strong technical grasp, teach him math. If you want him to have intellectual diversity, teach him to read. If it is your goal that they should embrace a well rounded view of the world, introduce him to art. If you want him to live long, prosper physically from good nutritional choices and tax the declining American health system less, teach the little guy or gal the simple, yet sometimes complex facts about food.

What, no time in school for such nonsense? Hmmm, let's see, what about JROTC? Now there's an idea who's time has failed. How 'bout a little less time tossing rifles at the football game, and a few hours logged in at the local Coronary ICU for observation? Get the Pizza Huts and McD's out of the school lunch rooms, introduce a course in food prep 101, teach a few sanitation skills, how to grill a freakin' fish, and poof! Self-supportive young adults! A simple test question for a modern civics course might be "Q: Is Ramen noodles a new food group?...A: no". The dumbing of America continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and is only underscored daily by such nonsensical pork belly studies such as this. And yes, Virginia, pork bellies can be good in moderation, but only when prepared properly in a sanitary environment. ( A liberal amount of BBQ sauce doesn't hurt, if followed by at least three fresh veggies...and no Steve O, cinnamon buns are not a vegetable!)

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FDA, Dietary, Nutrition, Healthcare, Pig Sandwich, Government Overkill
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Chef Pablo's Friday Goulash A Weekly Cleaning Of The 'Fridge

2006-06-01T21:24:00.000-04:00

This hopes to be the first among a long line of successive Friday posts, cleaning out the week's 'fridge, so to speak. As I went to culinary school and raised my family, we tried lots of food all week long in the name of educational exploration, and at the end of the week, whatever was left was creatively stirred into one brilliant and diverse dish for the weekend, welcome to Goulash!
Not to be confused with random acts of foodness, there should always be a structure for Goulash. A minimum of one "Meat", "Vegetables" the more the merrier, a single "Starch" (never overload your guests with double starch, it just isn't right!), and an optional dessert or two depending on just how good the kids were that week! Bon apetit!, and expect a few slings in Spanish as well, although I promise not to sing the anthem or any other songs as I cook, not sing, that's me.

"nuff said, let's go!

Meat 1; World powers agree on incentives for Iran in bid to resolve nuclear dispute
By GEORGE JAHN
This ambiguous claim poses all five Security Council members in alignment with Germany to reach a compromise with Iran on its "Nukleeer proliberationisn", The main scenario in this latest effort by Bushco puts the weight squarely on Russia's most benevolent shoulders, as the keeper of the gate so to speak, whereby Russia would be in charge of the refinement process of uranium. Hmmm, fox watching the henhouse, well at least it ain't war!

Meat 2, well at least a bacon additive I guess...N.Y. Steamed Over Terror Fund Cutbacks
By LARRY McSHANE
At first glance, I'm not sure if I'm more tickled at the riotous claims that New York has no landmarks left, or downright appalled at the New York state of mind that "We are, therefore we should!" Is our new terror color coded level system nothing more than a new system of entitlements? Or is our present government really so ridiculously stupid as to believe that New York City is in the clear in regards to terrorism? This is one that I think will fester for a few weeks folks, stay tuned. (NOTE: it is normally best to throw leftover meat out after one reheating, unfortunately our lawmaking sous chefs are probably going to ignore this rule of thumb, so look out for tomorrow's soup!!!)

Veggie 1, Arnold caves to the "Caveman"...Schwarzenegger to Order Troops to Border By AARON C. DAVIS
Arnie held out for a while, quite admirably I might note, but succumbed in the end to Bush pressure on the border deployment. I do like his included withdrawal deadline of 12/ 08 though, it's a start to the end at least.

Veggie 2, an exotic variety at that...Bush Admin. Wants to Cut Meth Use 15 Pct.
From Associated Press
See now, I am not even sure how to weight in on this one. Less than 2/10's of one percent of the population in America uses this according to administration figures, yet we are making this a national interest case of international grave importance? We can't spend this money on Hurricane recovery or combat veteran compensation or something?

Since we've all been good kiddies this week, a couple of desserts are in order! First on the Pastry cart is this one...Bush to Back Gay Marriage Ban Amendment
By NEDRA PICKLER
The Boy King is really high stepping on this one, you can hear the goose stepped boots stomping the avenue from here. He actually plans to cater a Monday Senate vote on the cause that is dear to his conservative backers. Tell me again how this plays into the possible resurrection of the flamed and famed Republican Party to fizzle and burn so desperately, can you spell R.E.P.E.A.L ?

And my favorite sorbet of all for the week, Dessert 2...Duck X-Ray Reveals 'Alien Head', sounds like an old Bush Family recipe.

CORDELIA, Calif. - The International Bird Rescue Research Center in Cordelia plans to raise funds with an unusual duck X-ray. The bird came in with a broken wing, but when Marie Travers, assistant manager of the center, radiographed the duck, she was stunned to see a very clear image of what appeared to be the face, or head, of an extraterrestrial alien in the bird's stomach...the center has come up with a way to turn its alien encounter into a fundraiser for the center. It will auction off the X-ray on eBay.

Which brings me to a thought, when dealing with dishes in a culinary environment that receive less than a favorable fanfare, it is often considered best to make a soup of them for a second life, but in light of this duck's fame and fate, what say we just put Poor George II up for auction on eBay as an oddity? Surely he could keep the alien bowel company?

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Bush, Alien Ducks, Border Patrol, Schwarzenegar, Iran, New York, Terror, Meth

We Have Much To Remember Tomorrow

2006-05-28T10:21:00.000-04:00

Click Image To Play

Forgive Me BIO, For I Have Sinned

2006-05-26T01:08:00.000-04:00

Yeah Right.

I will say it has become painfully obvious that a couple of my last few posts have been less than well received by my BIO brethren. Hastert and Others Run to the Aid of Scumbag and Louisiana’s Jefferson, A Repeat Offender have received a grand total of 0, zip, nada in comments. Even when Tom Baker wrote upon the same subject 3 days ago, he garnered a whopping 3 comments other than mine. Nobody wants to take a closer look at the Jefferson debacle, and even when I included Hastert as a co target with Pelosi, the masses still huddled elsewhere. Curious it seems, we can blast Bush, screw the Repubs, damn the war, hate the haters, even stroke the "Dick", but we can't call a rat a rat if he is a Democrat?

And then I wondered where the usual Conservative suspects, steve, Kevin, Chosen One, etc. were on this, why haven't they all chimed in at the fall of another Dem? I mean one Dem equals 10 Repubs these days, so why not jump on the bandwagon and rally the troops? I am telling you folks, when I smell a rat, I smell a rat. Even ABC is starting to see the smoke clear on this one. Ask yourself, why would all of Congress stand on such soft ground as to "protect the separation of powers" crap? "Separation Anxiety" bull fucking shit! Wake the hell up and smell the manure!

ABC's Brian Ross reports,

"The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert, is under investigation by the FBI, which is seeking to determine his role in an ongoing public corruption probe into members of Congress," ABC News' Brian Ross reports Wednesday evening. "Federal officials say the information implicating Hastert was developed from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government."

Excerpts: "Part of the investigation involves a letter Hastert wrote three years ago, urging the Secretary of the Interior to block a casino on an Indian reservation that would have competed with other tribes.

"The other tribes were represented by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff who reportedly has provided details of his dealings with Hastert as part of his plea agreement with the government.

"The letter was written shortly after a fund-raiser for Hastert at a restaurant owned by Abramoff. Abramoff and his clients contributed more than $26,000 at the time.

"We are not aware of this," a Hastert spokesman told ABC. "The Speaker has a long history and a well-documented record of opposing Indian Reservation shopping for casino gaming purposes."

Ok, so now that I have redirected my laser fire directly at a Republican, are you listening? That story aired Wednesday night, and was vehemently denied by Hastert and any one else asked in Congress, by the way, where does Pelosi (D) fit into all this? Uh oh! Am I losing you again because I mentioned the "D" word? (democRAT) I have come to know BIO as the one, singular site where there are no sacred cows, no KOS influence here, no wing nut bias from either side, just plain in your face, kick the nuts truth and opinion. I like it like that, so no BIO, I have not sinned, I would sin if I did not get just a tad irritated at the seemingly lack of interest in this impending scandal, an impending it certainly is. Yesterday, ABC followed up on allegations that the Justice Department denied Hastert or any Congressman was under investigation.

"Richard Esposito and Rhonda Schwartz contributed to this report.

Despite a flat denial from the Department of Justice, federal law enforcement sources tonight said ABC News accurately reported that Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is "in the mix" in the FBI investigation of corruption in Congress.

Speaker Hastert said tonight the story was "absolutely untrue" and has demanded ABC News retract its story.

Law enforcement sources told ABC News that convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff has provided information to the FBI about Hastert and a number of other members of Congress that have broadened the scope of the investigation. Sources would not divulge details of the Abramoff’s information.

"You guys wrote the story very carefully but they are not reading it very carefully," a senior official said."

So my point here is this: Are we too busy writing, to read? Are we willing to overlook the obvious Dem problems in order to obsess on the more than obvious Republiscams? I am a registered Dem now, only because I want a say in someone's primaries, yet I have no bones calling it like I see it, and the one recurring word in my recent posts on this has been "scumbag". I only hope for the parties sake that Abramoff et al don't rub off too much on Pelosi and gang, but after the comical and well, vomitous joint statement, by her and Hastert, I am left with little hope. Here is the dawn of a true third party I think, but is it going to have the Darth Nader effect that it did in 2000? God I hope not, we must make some boots shake this fall, so much rides upon it.

The only reason that this sets a 219 year precedent for the FBI to intercede and investigate Congressional quarters is because for over two fucking centuries we the people have acted like pussies and allowed these omnipotent, fervent, flee bagged carpet bagging asshats to stand unopposed in their almighty stench. Fuck that, not anymore, if there is a crime to investigate, look at it, and let's move on! Face it; any time that Bush stands in defense of Congress, there is something absolutely, unequivocally, extraordinarily wrong

Editorial Note:
If you think that my departure from my normal calm demeanor might indicate a degree of certain emotional conviction to today's post. Damn fucking straight!

Technorati Tags:
Pelosi, Hastert, Jefferson, Abramoff, Scumbag

Hastert And Others Run To The Aid Of Scumbag

2006-05-24T05:25:00.000-04:00

A corrupt Democrat's best friend is naturally....a Republican! Go figure, as I pointed out the other day in my post "Louisiana's Jefferson, A Repeat Offender", this is not the first time that Rep. Jefferson has come across our sights as a general all around scumbag with power. This man is point blank, in the crosshairs of this fraud scandal, previously accused of abusing his powers of office during Katrina to the expense of people's lives and safety, and the only story that can seem to filter up through the muck of the quagmire called main stream media is that of high powered Congressional leaders speaking of the "outrage" of another branch of the Government investigating them?

This is priceless, leaders from both sides of the isle, the House and the Senate, are pointing to this with the oh too familiar battle cry of late "Abuse of Executive Powers!!" I'm sorry, just exactly who was supposed to look into this matter, The Library of Congress Police Force? All 131 of them, but wouldn't that seem excessive? I mean what with their intimidating interrogation tactics using metal detectors, standards of behavior enforcement, dreaded open-bag searches and the almost in-humane thought of video surveillance in the reading rooms, shudder to think.

"My opinion is that they took the wrong path," Hastert, R-Ill., told reporters after meeting with Bush in the White House. "They need to back up, and we need to go from there."

"We are hoping that there's a way to balance the constitutional concerns of the House of Representatives with the law enforcement obligations of the executive branch," said White House press secretary Tony Snow. "Obviously we are taking note of Speaker Hastert's statements."

What in the world are they thinking here? The man stands accused of a crime, a fraudulent crime while serving in one of the most powerful committees while holding Public office, and we need who to hold the FBI's hand in order to ferret out the truth after month's of stonewalling a subpoena? The fact that he is a member of the Black Caucus, the fact that he is on the Ways and Means Committee, the fact that he is a Democrat; these should lend even more import to his accountability in order to preserve the integrity of those memberships. Since when did Congress rise above all in answering questions as to their actions, especially actions on government time? And we need permission from exactly who, other than We The People, to see what is rotten and smells under the stairs?

One of the most disturbing aspects of this story is how some Democrats are handling it. Top Democrats are actually standing beside their Republican colleagues.

"No member is above the law, but the institution has a right to protect itself against the executive department going into our offices," said House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

It is the kind of stuff that makes me want to throw up. This sort of behavior steals what little hope of change in this land I can seem to muster in times like these. This is a clear indication of our desperate need for opposition voices to rise, even out of obscure parties, just to rise from somewhere before all hope is lost. One small voice did come from out of the haze of seemingly bi-partisan dung-burning,

"When people commit crimes, they should be prosecuted, whether that person is a member of Congress or driving a cab or a lawyer some place," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "From the little bit that I know about it now, I'm not going to beat up on the FBI."

Jefferson is quoted as saying "I will not give up a committee assignment that is so vital to New Orleans at this crucial time for any uncertain, long-term political strategy, if asked, I would respectfully decline." As if to say that your post-Katrina antics show that you have any real concern for New Orleans. Now is the time sir, to show some courage, accept a little humility and walk away, just walk away and let what little good you did in your service remain intact, as well as to leave what little respect the Democratic Party has in less than one million pieces. Walk away.

Fannie Mae, Fannie Mae not...

2006-05-23T14:35:00.000-04:00

I do not know why things ever suprise me anymore, but they do. How deep can this administration's rotten roots bore? Marcy Gordon (AP Business Writer), has a story out on the wire today detailing an $11 billion accounting scandal. What she fails to tell you is just how deep and bold the roots of deception were. In the article, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight's blistering report on Fannie Mae, the government-sponsored mortgage company, is looked at in a narrow focus related to today's reactions by the SEC and Justice Department. The SEC levied a $400 million fine against the company, the article says,

The report also faulted Fannie Mae's board of directors for failing to exercise its oversight responsibilities and failing to discover "a wide variety of unsafe and unsound practices" at the largest buyer and guarantor of home mortgages in the country.

In December 2004, the SEC ordered Fannie Mae to restate its earnings back to 2001 - a correction expected to reach an estimated $11 billion. The Justice Department has been pursuing a criminal investigation

Now make note of the dates, "back to 2001". In December of 2001, the Bush appointed Board of Directors had the shear audacity to write this letter to then OFHEO Director, Armando Falcon, protesting quite publicly over "our serious concerns regarding OFHEO's proposed corporate governance regulations." These people were actually so bold as to defy government oversight as a matter of principle? The letter begins with what I percieve as one of the all time gross misrepresentations on Public record, given the light of todays findings. It reads as follows,

We write as President Bush's appointees to the Fannie Mae Board of Directors. We come from various regions of the country and diverse backgrounds, but share a deep commitment to ensuring that the U.S. housing finance system remains safe and sound, accessible to all Americans, and the envy of the world. We are writing to express our serious concerns regarding OFHEO's proposed corporate governance regulations.......If the proposed regulations are adopted, board members appointed by President Bush will have more potential personal liability and less financial protection than the directors appointed to Fannie Mae's board by any previous president.

Now granted, none of the board members who drafted this letter remain on the board, but the gravity of procedings motivated by these Bush appointees, has led directly to the scandal we see today. This letter is nearly five years old, and is just now coming to play in the administration's policies it seems.

"The image of Fannie Mae as one of the lowest-risk and 'best in class' institutions was a facade," James B. Lockhart, the acting director of OFHEO, said in a statement as the report was released. "Our examination found an environment where the ends justified the means. Senior management manipulated accounting, reaped maximum, undeserved bonuses, and prevented the rest of the world from knowing."

Louisiana's Jefferson, A Repeat Offender

2006-05-21T22:32:00.000-04:00

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. The story you are seeing involving Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., revolves around an FBI sting operation to catch yet another scumbag politician on the take. Some are amazed that this time it is a Black Democrat who stands accused, but I say BS, last time I checked, rats came in all colors and from both sides of the track.

The details on this one are typical. The FBI set up a sting, the "Gentleman from Louisiana" bit the cheese, and was caught redhanded with 90 grand of the very same 100 grand used in the sting (tracked by serial numbers), hidden in his freezer at home wrapped in foil and plastic. Nevertheless, the esteemed Representative is pleading innocent. The money was earmarked to go to a Nigerian politician as a bribe, and Jefferson was recorded as saying the package had been successfully delivered. Yeah, right.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Mr. Jefferson has flown through our corruption radar, and not just the second time either. Remember when America still cared about Katrina, and her victims, and the whole government mishandling? Remember the cries of outrage and racism from the Black Caucus, and all those poor Louisiana politicians who had been abandoned by Big Brother? (not for a second do I allude that the Feds are exonerated.)

Well right there on Sept. 2, 2005, five days after the hurricane hit, and before the Superdome was barely acknowledged as a disaster itself, this putrid scum sucking barnacle on America's underbelly actually had the gall to use his powerful Ways and Means committee membership to commandeer a National Guard vehicle to rescue a freaking laptop from his posh uptown residence in NOLA. Under the guise of touring the Superdome and afflicted areas. According to an ABC news article at the time in 2005,

"Lt. Col. Pete Schneider of the Louisiana National Guard tells ABC News that during the tour, Jefferson asked that the truck take him to his home on Marengo Street, in the affluent uptown neighborhood in his congressional district. According to Schneider, this was not part of Jefferson's initial request." After waiting an hour, "Finally," according to the source, "Jefferson emerged with a laptop computer, three suitcases, and a box about the size of a small refrigerator, which the enlisted men loaded up into the truck."

And we find surprise in this "pus-encrusted, soul lacking, Uncle Tom of a asshat, preying on his brother's most desperate hour for self needs" getting into trouble with his lack of ethics? Please, spare me the drama. This dipstick went so far in his "rescue the laptop" escapade as to actually tie up a Coast Guard Helicopter, with 4 evacuees on board mind you, for over 45 minutes and greatly reduce their abilities to continue on SAR missions as assigned, why? Because they were stuck in his yard and it was too embarrassing for said dipstick to get into the basket! Again, according to the same ABC news article, page 2, dated Sept.13, 2005, this is what the U.S. Coast Guard had to say about his antics in question.

"The soldiers signaled to helicopters in the air for aid. Military sources say a Coast Guard helicopter pilot saw the signal and flew to Jefferson's home. The chopper was already carrying four rescued New Orleans residents at the time.

A rescue diver descended from the helicopter, but the congressman decided against going up in the helicopter, sources say. The pilot sent the diver down again, but Jefferson again declined to go up the helicopter.

After spending approximately 45 minutes with Jefferson, the helicopter went on to rescue three additional New Orleans residents before it ran low on fuel and was forced to end its mission.

"Forty-five minutes can be an eternity to somebody that is drowning, to somebody that is sitting in a roof, and it needs to be used its primary purpose during an emergency," said Hauer.

We seem to have no problem condemning a man to death for murder, and in Florida it is "10, 20, Life", for use of a gun in crimes. In Texas it is "Three strikes, you're out" when it comes to even petty criminals, so how in the name of Thomas Jefferson is it that we let a scrotum like this William Jefferson repeatedly screw us, this nation of real people with real concerns over real things? How can William Jefferson Clinton team up with George Herbert Walker Bush to save Louisiana and the Gulf States, and just look away at this shit, knowing full and well he will commit a crime again! And by the way, a crime again against his Black African Brothers. Disgusting just to write about.

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Network Neutrality; Moby And Others Stand With Rep. Markey

2006-05-18T15:14:00.000-04:00

Grammy-nominated musician Moby joined Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), ranking member on the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, and Free Press campaign Director Tim Carr for a press conference and rally on Thursday.

Just prior to that event, I was able to participate in and ask a few questions of these gentlemen on a teleconference phone call. Tim Carr opened the conference up with an outline of Free Press and SaveTheInternet.com Coalition. At issue are the lobbying efforts by AT&T, Verizon and other major telecom providers to sway lawmakers into virtually gutting Network Neutrality -- the Internet's First Amendment.

Mr. Carr referred to the groundswell of American internet users, bloggers, independent artists, and coalitions showing outrage at the impending legislation as a "National prairie fire raging out of control out there."

SaveTheInternet.com has garnered support from over 600 organizations, collected nearly 700,000 American's signatures on its petition to congress, and is linked now to over 5000 blog sites.

Today's press conference is to show congress a unified alliance of major artists and musicians signing the "Artists and Musicians for Internet Freedom" petition, joining the SavetheInternet.com Coalition along with net users, bloggers, and a diverse group of organizations including such strange bedfellows as the ACLU, AARP, Christian Coalition, along with the Gun Owners of America in a full spectrum of political support.

“If Congress guts Net Neutrality, independent music and news sites would be choked off, consumer choice would be limited, and the Internet will be become a private toll road auctioned off by companies like AT&T,” warned Moby. “We need to stand up for Internet freedom now. Congress must uphold Network Neutrality.”

Moby also made the statement to lawmakers today that "Your constituents are watching and you will be held accountable for your vote." He spoke of musicians including the Dixie Chicks, Wilco, Nine Inch Nails and R.E.M. signing the petition and getting involved. R.E.M blogged about this on their own website this week.

“This is yet another attempt by corporations and their congressional buddies to pull our society backward rather than moving us forward,” Michael Stipe of R.E.M said. “These corporations are trying to set up tollbooths on the information superhighway. We need to keep Net Neutrality so the Internet remains a free and level playing field.”

As it is in so many cases involving politics today, money is the motivating factor here; all three denied that a censorship of the net was at issue here, although monetary control of the web would certainly thin the herd simply by association. The bigger voices would be heard, and the lesser would remain, well, the lesser unfortunately

Moby did state that this action would probably have little impact on his or any other well established musician's career, but that it was rather simply something he felt he must do. Independents and smaller bloggers would likely suffer the most, but simple choices like telephony service, and search engines would be greatly compromised as well.

When Rep. Markey introduced HR 5273 in subcommittee, it was voted down 34-22 on a largely partisan vote with all Republicans and a few Democrats voting no. I asked Rep. Markey what he thought the "head count" would be like now, since it had received a better showing in the full committee. Unfortunately he was dropped from the teleconference unexpectedly right at that very moment, do you suppose AT&T did not want to hear that answer yet?

Markey did state in his opening that the pressure being delivered by these petitions and from thousands of Americans calling Washington had greatly impacted the original "no" voters and changed several minds. Tim Carr stated that the lobbyists were waging a campaign of misinformation, and that most lawmakers were duped into thinking that the issues were being tightened to constrain the Telco's business.

Actually what is at stake is a desire for no change at all in Net Neutrality, better off left alone so to speak. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (Maine), and Byron L. Dorgan (North Dakota), are expected to introduce legislation at the Senate level in support of Net Neutrality.

It is imperative that we act here folks, this is our fight. To sit back and let big money speak to lawmakers and go unanswered by us will only serve to silence us in a more permanent manner. When I asked if they thought we could actually turn Congress on this in light of the millions of dollars that the Telco's are providing, the answer was a qualified, yet emphatic yes. The qualifier is that we must all get involved in this one.

Visit the website, sign the petition, send letters to Washington, make phone calls, and then convince others to do so as well. There are no party lines here; this is a serious matter for everyone from the dancing queens in San Francisco to the gun-waving neocons in the NRA, from college students to Catholic Priests, from web masters to the very congressmen themselves. This is our Internet, what are you going to do to protect it?

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Libyan Smoke And Mirrors

2006-05-17T00:18:00.000-04:00

It's all done with smoke and mirrors folks, smoke and mirrors. While we slept with dreams of Guardsmen on the Border dancing in our heads, while the GOP made an otherwise boring nay statement to Bush's plan. While the blogosphere followed the lead of the almighty main stream media and thumped upon their copies of the President's all too rare use of prime time airwaves. We were once again duped by the best. A little stunning at times, if you stop and think about it, a little stunning how very, very good these guys are.

I watch the wires, check my NewsGator feeds, pay a little attention to the drones (CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, FOX), and otherwise follow along daily. I noticed the AP report on Libya and restoring ties, the MSM version that is, the one floated in American Press circles. I didn't think a whole lot about it, other than a little suspicious twinge just below my left collar bone, the kind that makes you notice, but doesn't stop your heartbeat. So I continued on, but with a watchful eye for correlating stories. It was well after dinner when I was checking the fringe stories, from out of the country sources, that I ran across this piece here.

U.S. oil firms stand to gain from renewed ties with Libya
By Barry Schweid The Associated Press
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2006

And the smoke began to drift away. As if the sun had risen and a fogbank melted into oblivion. What a score on the part of Fox news and G.W. and Friends! In the first article, widely distributed and put forth here by Fox, the move towards relations being restored is referred to as a response to Libya's stellar new stance on terrorism.

"We are taking these actions in recognition of Libya's continued commitment to its renunciation of terrorism," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a statement. She said Tripoli's cooperation in combating international terrorism has been "excellent."

In a piece consisting of 693 words, a mere 34 words, 2 simple lines were devoted to the presence of an Oil Angle. The author or editor probably, saw fit to include only this micro snippet in regards to any Oil implications.

The administration's decision also comes at a time when it is attempting to shore up relations with major oil producers because of high prices and a shortage of supplies. Libya has substantial oil reserves.

The mirrors are now glaring a little too obviously in the noonday sun. Enter the second article, not widely read in the MSM, originating in a rag out of France, God bless the frogs, but that's another story. This post, as I highlighted earlier cuts straight to the chase! Halliburton here we come! This truth has the Big Dick smeared all over it, with blatant Bush hairs to boot! This has been a story in the making since 1986. The U.S. broke ties with Libya in 1980, and according to records, four U.S. Oil Companies have had unused oil leases secured since 1986.

Four big American companies, Occidental Petroleum, ConocoPhillips, Marathon Oil and Amerada Hess, for about 20 years have held leases on Libyan oil and gas reserves.

Now by my calculations, that was some six years after the US broke ties and banned trade with the terrorist state of Libya. I bet those unfulfilled and very risky oil leases came at a much discounted bargain price, since the fruit they had to bear was almost pointless it seemed, for decades? And suddenly Bush and friends saw wisdom in relaxing restraints in 2004, allowing the foray into production to crawl forward? After all,

Since the initial U.S. investment ban was implemented, European, Canadian, Indian, Chinese and Australian companies have invested consistently in Libya, and they have ramped up the pace of engagement especially in the past five years.

Which brings up an interesting side note, how do four Major Oil Companies acquire oil leases in a "terrorist State" post 9/11, while the US has an investment ban in place? Halliburton has even secured rights to bring in sensitive equipment to play, even while Congress has 45 days to deny this action by the administration. Right, wrong, or indifferent,

Peter Lichtenbaum, who oversaw trade controls until February as assistant secretary of commerce, said that the renormalization of ties would remove the need for licenses for some equipment.

Assuming that Congress does not disapprove of Libya's removal from the State Department's terror list in the 45 days that are allowed for review, "the oil companies will send whatever they want to send for their operations," Lichtenbaum, an international lawyer with Steptoe & Johnson in Washington, said.

Another control being lifted, he said, was one imposed by energy legislation enacted last summer. It barred the shipment abroad of devices that could be part of a nuclear program that companies like Halliburton normally use to explore for oil.

"That potentially was going to shut down U.S. companies' ability to explore for oil," he said.

In essence, the damage is done, and if Congress does react against this measure, then the Big Oil companies can simply sell their wares and knowledge, or worse, sublet their skills to any other foreign nation bidding. That is "foreign nation" as you and I would define, to these guys, it is all just one big economic conglomerate. This is very serious and disturbing folks, and it was all done with smoke and mirrors.

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At The Top Of My Screen

2006-05-16T14:57:00.000-04:00

In reading today's featured post at Bring It On! , Dangerous Times by Joe Snitty, I took pause for a moment to reflect on some of the "responsible journalism" scrolling across my wire reader at the top of my screen today. Now, realizing that not all of you reading this post are so fortunate to have said wire scrolling across the top of your screens, I decided it was my civic duty to share these journalistic masterpieces of such importance with you. After all, if they weren't of some great import, then why are they scrolling at the top of my screen?

Survivor' Winner Sentenced to 51 Months

By ERIC TUCKER (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press
May 16, 2006 11:54 AM EDT

Now I don't know about you folks, but I think that following the "Fat Naked Gay Guy" (credit David Letterman for the tag) and his personal business with the IRS is of utmost concern to me, you never know when someone else close to you is going to strip naked, win a million dollars, and shaft the tax man. This is news you can use.

Paint Thinner-Cigarette Error Causes Fire
From Associated Press
May 15, 2006 9:51 PM EDT

This is an extremely informative article on the dangers of in-breeding. I never knew that an unexplainable act of sheer stupidity could have such significant national influence.

Bears Eat Monkey in Front of Zoo Visitors
From Associated Press
May 15, 2006 9:52 PM EDT

Now, unlike the first two articles, this one actually is of interest on many levels. One is the issue of animal cruelty in respect to a bear's dinner habits. Second is the issue of rethinking the thought process whereby said bear and monkey were locked in a cage together. And third is the obvious need for censorship in telling such a graphic tale in prime time and at the top of my computer screen!

Moving forward now, as this is obviously a very busy news day here at the top of my screen.

Woman With Dozens of Animals in Custody
From Associated Press
May 15, 2006 9:51 PM EDT

Dovetailing off of the preceding piece on animal cruelty is this riveting tail of a woman with two feet of animal poo in her kitchen. Now while the angle of proper culinary sanitation jumps to the front of the story, it is not likely to me that this would indeed cause a new pandemic.

Golfer Not Liable for Errant Golf Ball
From Associated Press
May 16, 2006 6:12 AM EDT

Now this piece rounds out my top five for today, although a whole slew of other valuable information (including one about eating Pink Tacos in Nevada, but I digress), is streaming across my screen as I type. I for one will rest much easier tonight knowing that the Hawaiian Supreme Court has finally vindicated my game by ruling,

It is "common knowledge that not every shot played by a golfer goes exactly where he intends it to go," the ruling said, adding there wouldn't be much "sport" in the "sport of golf," if golf balls went exactly where the player wanted.

Well, there you have it then; I felt that this civic responsibility of mine to share the ground shaking headlines available from the AP wire was imperative. I hope you can now rest easier, and go ahead, you know you want to. Go ahead and play that little ditty Don't Worry, Be Happy, you deserve it.

Primetime Tactics; Bush And His Conservative Dues

2006-05-15T17:58:00.000-04:00

Well, tonight at 8pm, President Bush will officially cave to his more conservative brethren, and call for a new deployment of yet more National Guard troops. And on Primetime Television no less. This call is to send some 8000 troops to "secure" our Mexican borders, "secure"? Are we under attack now? This is nothing short of typical Bush administration grand stand politics. Democratic leader Harry Reid was quick to parry tonight's address with some pointed questions for the President. Referring to a recently passed bill in the House subjects illegal immigrants to prosecution as felons and requires construction of a 700-mile Mexican border fence, Reid was quoted on the Senate floor that President Bush "must publicly denounce" the bill.

Along with asking Bush "what kind of immigration reform he supports," Reid called for answers on what the President would propose on Border Security.

Reid also questioned, "If President Bush is going to get tough on border security, will he finally get tough on employer sanctions as well?"

To date, the Bush administration has given little attention to laws already on the books that would thwart employer's efforts to skirt around legalities prohibiting the employment of illegal immigrants. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., broke ranks and centered his concerns on the overuse of National Guardsmen

"We've got National Guard members on their second, third and fourth tours in Iraq," said Hagel "We have stretched our military as thin as we have ever seen it in modern times. And what in the world are we talking about here, sending a National Guard that we may not have any capacity to send up to or down to protect borders? That's not their role."

White House spokesman Tony Snow could offer no clues as to how long such a deployment might last, or where funding for such an act might come from. He did go as far to say that Bush's plan would go farther and more completely address "beefing up" the Border Patrol, than either plans available presently in the House or the Senate. Go figure, the great Decider has the best idea once again. Should we go ahead and disband the Senate and the House now, and get them out of his way? Such omnipotence is not likely to survive, nor be readily forgotten.

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On A Vote Of 396-31

2006-05-12T04:10:00.000-04:00

And the little weasel still balks! What balls this guy has, the House votes, and the Decider decides, where did Democracy fail? I know he defied the popular vote in getting to the White House, but at some point the overwhelming voice of the people takes precedence, right?

The House passed a Defense Bill of $512.9 billion dollars on Thursday, and the Great Whiners of Pennsylvania Avenue want to say nay? I think the people have spoken your honor, please tell the defendant to sit down and quit disrupting the procedings! The bill includes a 2.7% pay raise that Poor George the 2nd says is too steep, a raise that probably won't even keep abreast of this administration's ever rising price of gas.

Another frivolous expenditure is the keeping of our fleet of 12 aircraft carriers, you know, the ones we never see on CNN everytime Georgy Boy throws a temper tantrum at some 'evil-doer' who threatens to take his toys and go home. Lord knows we can certainly do without them right now with the only potential new rift we have being in Iran. Heck, we can just nuke those bastards, who needs carriers?

Oh, and my 'fav' is the threat to veto the bill if the Pentagon suppliers are called upon to buy American! That certainly makes sense, why depend upon quality, safe and secure American defense products, when we are cheating ourselves out of perfectly good French components, we all know how well they have always shown their best capabilities of defending themselves from, well, er, uh, droughts in the vinyards? There is also seemingly a vast amount of used Russian products out there for cheap, ask Iran.

And Lord knows that the House called for "jamming devices" to act as counter measures to the ever popular roadside bombs in Iraq, are well, downright wasteful. Have these folks got a freaking clue? I really don't know quite how to respond to this. 396-31 you omnipotent exaulted bastard! Game, Set, Match. Over. You lose! America wins, don't you get it, or do you even try anymore, Dear Mr. President.

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NSA , Hayden Contradict. America Gets Busy Signal

2006-05-11T12:22:00.000-04:00

Conflicting reports surfaced on Thursday in regards to NSA, General Mike Hayden, and President Bush. The conflicts surround the use of wiretaps, softening stance on FISA reform and an exposure of the NSA acquiring tens of millions of Private American's telephone records.

Addressing them in chronological order, first this morning were reports that General Hayden was softening his stance.

CIA nominee Michael Hayden told a Democratic senator he may be open to changes in eavesdropping law to allow the Bush administration's warrant less surveillance.

Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., is reported to have said that Hayden would support debate in Congress regarding changes in the law. He was quoted by Durbin as saying,

"With all the publicity that has surrounded this program, we may be closer to the possibility of asking for a change in FISA."

"He didn't say he would," Durbin added.

Now hold that thought.

Next up was a couple of hours later, when a paper report stated that the NSA had collected tens of millions of Private American citizen's telephone records. Apparently the Bush Administration has had the NSA colleting private citizen's phone records since 9/11, in order to build a database of every single telephone call made within the United States. It doesn't sound to me like the terrorists are getting exclusive treatment anymore.

Dems and Rebubs were simultaneously demanding response from the White House as soon as the report surfaced on Thursday. Most notably, ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont was quoted as saying,

"It is our government, it's not one party's government. It's America's government. Those entrusted with great power have a duty to answer to Americans what they are doing,"

The saga continues

Shortly after the second story, President Bush weakly responded. The USA Today reports, that three major companies, AT&T Corp., Verizon Communications Inc., and BellSouth Corp., had begun to turn over their records to the NSA after 9/11, were neither denied nor confirmed. Interestingly, Qwest has been reported to have refused the NSA request, citing legal and privacy questions. Bush was quoted as saying in response to USA Today's report,

"Our intelligence activities strictly target al-Qaida and their known affiliates," Bush said. "We're not mining or trolling through the private lives of innocent Americans."

The list of Senators and Congressmen up in arms to all of this is large and growing fast, and oddly enough, Gen. Hayden's scheduled visits with Republican Sens. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were mysteriously, and without comment, postponed. Makes you wonder, did he step on untimely toes with his statements to Sen. Durban? Is the White House pulling back for damage control? These NSA actions were led by Hayden while he was Director of the NSA, therefore calling him into accountability as well. Even Durban seems to be pulling back a bit on his support of Gen. Hayden in saying,

"It is not a question of General Hayden's qualifications," Durbin said. "There is no doubt that this man is probably one of the smartest men when it comes to intelligence gathering in America."

Yet the AP reports clearly cite "Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, is reserving judgment on supporting Hayden. He questioned Hayden's role in the wiretapping program, whether he could be independent from the military establishment and whether he would respect Congress' ban on cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of terror detainees."

I predicted this week could be interesting, and Friday is yet to come. I'm still not sure where all this will lead, but I grow increasingly uneasy as more and more administration secrets come to life, and a growing number of Republicans shed yet another skin and slither back into the tall grass.

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Could this be our "Muslim Final Solution"? A Week In Preview: A Future In Doubt.

2006-05-07T19:21:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure as I type this out tonight that May 8, 2006 will be a whole lot different than any other Monday. What I am sure of is that the Week of May 8, 2006 has the potential to change our lives forever. As we roll out this week, President Bush is about to make what could easily amount to his most crucial decision since taking office.

Events since 2000, when GW Bush took office, have unfolded in an array of very difficult, and difficult to understand manners. September 11th being just one of a multitude of infamous dates to bear down upon his administration, or to bolster it as well, depending upon which ledger you look at. I have often said that I voted for GW for President because I saw him construct a more than adequate bi-partisan government in Texas while he was Governor. I also make no bones about the fact that I gave my vote to Ross Perot instead of GHW Bush, rather than to herald in an experienced spook, and outspoken warmonger. Boy did I screw up. Welcome to the continuing third term of George Herbert Walker Bush complete with his entire supporting cast.

GW's impending nomination of a John Negroponte requested, and Rumsfeld approved, military officer to lead The Citizen's Intelligence Agency is not only absurd, it borders upon catastrophic and criminal at the least. At the most? This could be an almost irreversible decline in the little bit of world respect this nation has left. Enter the new SS. The CIA, correctly known as the Central Intelligence Agency, was in fact, formed and intended to be a citizen run, as opposed to military, intelligence agency. So much the fact that Congress even passed a law stating that if either of the top positions in that agency were filled with a military officer, then the other was mandated by law to be filled from the private sector. The current Assistant Director of the CIA is a military officer.

Conspiracy theorists abound today, and while I find some of their musings to be interesting in much the same way one might find Nostradamus intriguing, I am not one. I fancy myself more as a Comparison Theorist, after all, what good is history if we do not seek it out, look, learn, and listen to its teachings?

Fatal flaws in Hitler's regime occurred from the very moment that the lines between military and government officials were blurred. Power is a funny bed fellow, it neither builds nor fails without an infrastructure to nourish it, to acknowledge it. Framers of our government saw this early on, and embedded the very body and soul of their convictions in our Constitution at the onset.

General Hayden may well be one of the most noted and respected Intelligence Commanders of this day, but his knowledge, let alone respect for the Fourth amendment alone has already been clearly and plainly documented as incomplete at best. General Hayden stepped forth as the only scapegoat to answer questions at hearings investigating the NSA's and the Bush administration's use of alleged illegal wiretapping. He stood there with the conviction of a Baptist Revivalist and said that the Fourth amendment contained no wording in regards to probable cause. I won't bore you with a quote, but needless to say he was, in fact, wrong. This man led and crafted an agency at the NSA that either denied the credibility of the Constitutional immanent or just plain had their own set of rules with which to supersede.

In the Third Reich, Goering was the Intelligence Communication Specialist, made Air Force General, and served Hitler until the end exacting out the "Jewish Final Solution." Airforce General Hayden has made a career of Intelligence Communication and is said to be the premier specialist. Goering went to the gallows claiming patriotism and a simple 'Duty of an Officer' as his defense.

What then will General Hayden's or any other military commander in a civilian governments role be when this all comes to bear in our up and coming "Muslim Final Solution"?

"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of their way and let them have it."
-- Dwight Eisenhower

The days and weeks ahead can hold promise or despair -- it is exactly as Ike put it; we will promote peace as a people, eventually, and if government does not get out of our way to do so, them it is up to us, at the polls, with absolute conviction to hold them accountable.

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From Skull And Bones, To Spook Extreme?

2006-05-06T01:42:00.000-04:00

Only in America, land of the free, home of the Back Room Boys. Could this be Bush's Goering? I couldn't fabricate a best seller with all of the twists, turns, and creepy background plots, no one would believe it! Porter Goss stepped down as CIA Director on Friday, suddenly and without explanation. John Negroponte supposedly steps in to the post, even with his known support of the Honduran Death Squads under his watch as Ambassador of that country. Some will say that as National Director of Intelligence this makes since, as he was already vetted and approved for that job. A job which in fact was superior to the new CIA Directorship he may be taking on today. So why step down a notch?

Let's start by filling in a few of the blanks. Porter Goss was hired by GW 2 years ago with an agenda to ferret out the bad and make corrections, in particular with the clandestine operations. By all accounts, except for a few veteran officers of the Agency with hurt feelings over the political snubbing that a regime change always brings, he has been doing an outstanding job of creating a new framework and setting up new ideals and agendas to achieve this. No one has or will argue that last statement. No one of course, except Bill O'Reilly and the other talking puppets of the GOP. These guys have already started in on a feeding frenzy to slant this as a "bad boy, go to your room" adventure on the part of Goss.

A little background on John Demitri Negroponte. According to Wikipedia,

"He is considered a controversial figure by some because of his involvement in the covert funding of the Contras and the cover up of human rights abuses carried out by CIA-trained operatives in Honduras in the 1980s. According to The New York Times, Negroponte carried out "the covert strategy of the Reagan administration to crush the Sandinista government in Nicaragua.", and is a career diplomat currently serving as Director of National Intelligence for the United States."

Negroponte has served in one government post or another since graduating Yale in 1960. The same Yale that GW and GWH Bush attended. With a membership in the same Skull and Bones secret society that father and son belong to. The same secret society that is purported to cull and groom those wealthy and connected students at an early age to groom into our nation's leaders. A society with an alumni list that reads as a who's who in American power structure. Names like Taft, Weyerhaeuser, Goodyear, Sloan, Rockefeller. Prescott Sheldon Bush, GW's grandfather, sat on the Union Banking Corp. : Directors in 1932, along with six other Skull and Bones members, two of which were German Nazis, H.J. Kouwenhoven (Nazi), and Johann Groninger (Nazi). This group led the banking interests that financed Adolf Hitler & the USSR. Please do not take my word for it, click the links and research it for yourself. The Union Banking Corp. was founded by George Herbert Walker, GW's great grandfather, and, you guessed it, Skull and Bones member.

I promise you, I couldn't fabricate stuff this intriguing if I tried. Now before I go any further, I want to ask all you hard core GOP believers to take note of my reference links, such as Wikipedia, Fox News, etc. I did not use Left Wing, biased hyperconscious rags, just simple ordinary, credible reference points. That being said, I will draw a few conclusions, and yes steer my perceptions and anticipations, so argue, comment, rant if you will, but come with your facts straight. I did.

Back to my question, So why step down a notch? Is it possible that Bush needs a shepherd to steer a small part of the flock on a path to watch the other shepherds?
Could it be that by stepping down a notch, Negroponte is actually stepping up 3 notches? Why not? Goering did it when Hitler needed him to. Having been the Reichstag parliament's president, he stepped back to be a General, and later

"he became Commander-in-Chief of Forschungsamt ("FA"), the Nazi underground monitoring services for telephone and radio communications. This was connected to SS, SD and Abwehr intelligence services."

Sounds like CIA to me, and you? Goering headed the Daddy of all watchdog intelligence groups in the Nazi regime, and became "the highest figure in the Nazi Hierarchy who had authorized on paper the 'final solution of the Jewish Question', when he issued a memo to SS Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich to organize the practical details, (which culminated in the Wannsee Conference). He wrote, "submit to me as soon as possible a general plan of the administrative material and financial measures necessary for carrying out the desired final solution of the Jewish question." It is almost certain however that Hitler issued a verbal order to Göring in the fall of 1941 to this effect." He later made this infamous statement that rings a little too chillingly close to home and the current war we are in now.

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

-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

I am by no means the first writer to highlight the so called Bush/ Nazi comparisons, yet to date this is one of the most striking developments. Is Negroponte Bush's Goering? Do we need to keep a close eye on these developments, or is this just a very well scripted piece of fiction on my part. You decide, I just place it on the table for you. Either way, as Arsenio Hall used to say, "one of those things that make you go, hmmmm?"

And if General Hayden gets it instead, then the mystery only deepens. Whom is leading whom, what better way to be in control of all, than to be trully in control of the watch and the dog?

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"Reform Lite", Tastes Great, Less Feeling!

2006-05-04T14:31:00.000-04:00

"GOP-crafted bill", now there is an oxymoron if ever I heard one. Jim Abrams of the AP used those words as he wrote today,

"The GOP-crafted bill approved 217-213 by the House on Wednesday requires lobbyists to file reports of their activities more frequently, obliges lawmakers to get approval before going on privately sponsored travel and takes away the pensions of lawmakers convicted of bribery."

Wow! Now that's action! Well, kinda, in a washed out, no calorie, light beer sorta way, ain't it? I mean look at it at face value, Lawmakers would have to get the nod from their counterparts before say,Golf in Scotland, or visits to Russia, that is unless of course the Lawmakers in question agreed to take a few hundred colleagues and staffers along...I mean fair is fair, right?

Next is of course the all important "loss of pension" penalty, that really holds water when the guilty party gets a potential $70,000 a year gig with the dirty lobbyist partners, probably more, and given that the current average retirement pay for Congress is less than $50,000 annually, well we can all certainly see what a hard core deterrent that is going to be. Bravo! Reform Lite!

"The sooner the better," said House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, on his preferences for getting a lobbying and ethics overhaul bill through Congress.

Well of course! Let's get it legal and in writing fast, these guys are no dummies! It is unconscionable how this near miss of a passed bill is so blatantly set out to serve the hundreds of Lawmakers at the expense of the millions of taxpayers, and we continue to support these fools? There is a clause whereby Congress members can abstain from pay raises, and many do. Right, like they aren't "getting the raise" on their own? In my decades of the Food and Beverage Industry, we learned early and remembered always, you will never 'underpay' a cook. He will simply eat the difference in 'what he thinks you short him'. My thought is there are too many cooks in Washington's kitchen, and not enough Chefs. Possessing a Culinary Degree, and a certification from the ACF as a C.E.C,(Certified Executive Chef), I believe I speak from knowledge on this subject.

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Allah Says, No Virgins For You Moussaoui!

2006-05-03T17:48:00.000-04:00

Victory at last, Victory at last, Great God Almighty, Victory at last! What a spectacular way to punctuate the ending of a less than adequate 'Jihad Martyr'. Al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui on Wednesday, was sentenced to Life in Prison, not the Death Penalty, and I for one can think of no other way to disgrace, humiliate, and dispose of such a despicable character. No martyrdom. No virgins. No glory. Only shame and disgrace as the little engineer that couldn't. There is joy in Muddville tonight!

This disgraceful coward could not even apply his terroristic traits properly, much less beg for the death he so richly deserved in order to get to his reward of virgins, etc., that his extremist views promised him. Quite the opposite, he will go down in history as the one who couldn't, the one who taunted America during his four year trial, and in the end the one who thanked some God, (obviously not Allah) for his salvation in declaring, "America, you lost. I won." He clapped his hands as he was escorted away like a giddy little schoolgirl. He couldn't even hold to his demented view of his faith and express his desire to be a martyr. He has betrayed all, and we absolutely win. He has replaced honor and respect on the Muslim Community by deferring to natural instincts and renouncing his distorted view of the Koran. Short of resurrecting the countless victims he had a hand on, this is at least a poetic justice for now. Watch out for 'Bubba' in jail Zack, I hear he has an affinity for bald guys.

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Dear Mr. President

2006-04-30T08:24:00.000-04:00

Dear Mr. President

CLICK HERE TO PLAY

Please view this, the third movie from us, and listen to a beautiful song by Pink, with some very revealing and wrenching pictures and facts. Many thanks to all of our brothers, sons, daughters, and fathers who give every day, and condolences to the many recipients of President Bush's Administration policies. God Bless.
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For You And Your Father Steve O

2006-04-29T01:44:00.000-04:00

This is from my Father, the Reverend, Dr. Travis E. Jordan, please enjoy.

Well....I guess I should not have signed on as contributor since I never seem to have anything to contribute. As I wrote earlier, I just don't seem to be able to get worked up over the political situation any more even though I know I should not just "give up" on it. And I really have not. I do call or write congressmen, participate in Moveon.org, etc. I listen to the news every day, but usually with a very skeptical eye.

However, I do admire those like you who are willing to get into it all. I am impressed with both your grasp of things and your ability to write and communicate. You may have found your calling....if you could only make a living at it :)

I suppose I also believe that there are so many blogs out there that no one would be interested in what little I might have to contribute. I do write things from time to time but they are not usually political in nature.

While "noodling around" the other day I came across some stuff I have written in the past, as a sample of the sort of thing I do, so I will send it to you. I put several things together under the head of "Matters of Life and Death." and since I do not know whether you have Word on your computer I will just paste them into this message.

MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH

November 4, 2003 - One of the greatest paradoxes that I have ever discovered is found in the closing lines in Gore Vidal's book The City and the Pillar:

"Nothing that ever was changes. Yet nothing that is can ever be the same as
what went before. Soon he would move on."

This seems to me a wise and complex statement. I have always been an advocate of change. Change is like a birth; it offers a new beginning. To change is to grow; to grow is to change. And yet I believe it is true that "nothing that ever was changes." A twelve year-old child is different from the same child who was six years old, and will be still different when the child becomes an adult. It is all the same, yet it is different. We can never live as if we have no past: as if we have not experienced significant life-changing events in our past. They are always there. We cannot ignore them. And yet, "nothing that is can ever be the same as what went before." We do change and grow because of our experiences. When I was in high school I attended church regularly, was a youth leader, and by today's standards I was religiously very conservative and literal in my beliefs. After attending college and seminary, after living the life of a preacher in rural West Texas for more than a decade, I became increasingly more open to a wider, deeper sense of truth and love - and God. I am nothing like the person I was at 18, and yet I am the same. I find that fascinating.

For much of my life I lived as a heterosexual male and participated in all the values that society declared to be the norm. I married while still in college and raised three children while pursuing what I considered to be the American Dream. For the past several decades I have become increasingly aware of my sexual identity as a homosexual, a gay male, who sees things in
a completely different way. And yet nothing that ever was has changed. I have no regrets about my life. I love my children and cannot imagine not having that relationship. My values such as honesty, integrity, love of God and my neighbor, and as an advocate for justice remain unchanged. The way I express those values is always changing and growing to become more inclusive and less judgmental.

Perhaps this is what is meant by "progressive" the new word of choice which is intended to replace the "L" word; as opposed to "conservative" which seeks to keep things the same; familiar, safe, and unchanged.

This wonderfully paradoxical statement also bears a hint of understanding of what immortality might be like: "Nothing that ever was changes. Yet nothing that is can ever be the same as what went before. Soon he would move on." I no longer believe that after this life there is a place called heaven, complete with pearly gates. What I do believe, in ways I can never understand, and have no real need to understand, is the fact that I am a unique living being the essence of which will never change. But it will never be the same as what went before, or even what it is now. I will move on.

December 21, 2003 - I just had an amazing epiphany. I was reflecting on my visit with my mother in the Nursing Home this weekend, and wishing I had been able to say to her: "I love, you; God loves you; and God will take care of us for infinity. Be at peace and take your leave from this life when you are ready." Then I thought. Do I really believe that? And the answer was yes. And while reflecting somewhere in the background of my mind on a recent
article in Time magazine that talked about Gnosticism as an ancient alternative view of Christianity, I began to realize that on a very significant level I did truly believe that. Not simply as a hope but on an intellectual basis, as knowledge, I believe that. Out of the depth of
resources of my life experience I believe that. It adds new meaning to the word of Paul Tillich that God is the Ground of our Being.

All my life I have had a particular affinity towards all things Mediterranean, especially Italian, so I asked myself: "What if you had lived as a person in the Mediterranean area 500 years ago but know nothing of that life today, would it matter?" And the peaceful answer was NO. It would be
ultimately irrelevant. Interesting, perhaps, but not important to who I am today. Similarly what if my spirit/life continues in another way or form in the future. Would it matter if I am not conscious of all my various past existences - no continuity of consciousness - no pearly gates of heaven? And again, the answer is, ultimately No.

In some ways, I admit, it is a bit difficult to turn loose of this eternal consciousness. But in another way, it is extremely freeing not to have to drag around a lot of spiritual, mental and physical baggage for eternity! There are parts of any life that are better left behind. The essential thread that makes this belief possible is that God is good, life holds the possibility for good, and our task is to make the best use of whatever circumstances we find surrounding our existence.

I may not understand what the future holds, just what may lie in store for the essence of ME, but I believe, both intellectually and in faith, that it will be RIGHT and far, far better than anything I could ever imagine in my own limited way.

June 3,2004 Reading has always been an important part of becoming who I am, a part of the continuing process of change and growth. I came across a fascinating novel, Aura, by a fairly unknown author, Gary Glickman. For me, this book was not a page-turner but one that I wanted to read slowly and savor each moment, marvel at the unfolding of every character, and reflect on those times when some epiphany in the book crossed over to call forth or merge with similar times in my own life. One such epiphany came to me near the end of the novel when everyone has gathered to attend Leo's funeral and the narrator is reflecting on the meaning of his death for all of them:

"After Annie sang, many of the faces relaxed, reflecting the same thoughts that the winter dusk would come soon, but also the next day; everyone had work to do, people to see. That Leo was gone was suddenly evident; going away in a moment his friends would disperse the fact and all its details, like far off smoke in the clear air of their own lives, until it was hardly noticeable anymore: Leo died a week ago, two weeks, a year, five years‹ten.
And then they would all be someplace else, dispersed over the city and over the world, thinking of Leo and each other sometimes unexpectedly, reaching for the telephone late at night, smoking a clove cigarette, leaning over a balcony in Rome. Wishing for what? Another word, another touch, another moment, those years lived again, better spent?"

It made me think of the many times I had reflected on friends who, having been an important part of my life, were no longer present in this world. People like Bill Howie, Rodney Miles, Jim Barton, Roy Schrivner, and Bob Andrejko who, at one time or another, had been a daily presence in my life. Each one very dear and essential in my process of living at the time. And
yet, increasingly I find that their presence in my life is being obscured, like smoke in the clean air of my own life, until it is hardly noticeable anymore. Even so I continually, sometimes unexpectedly, am reminded by some event of one or another of them and it catches me wishing for what? "Another word, another touch, another moment, those years lived again, better spent?"

Yes, I suppose it does. But it is somehow more than that. I am always able to celebrate what has been, and be thankful for what each has contributed to my life, and somehow it seems to me that it is that acknowledgement which is keeping each of them from disappearing into some dark abyss of nothingness. Maybe that is another way of saying that while their persona is no longer
present they are still a part of life of my life of living.

Thoughts from a very brilliant man, with a few more logs on the fire.

Thanks Dad.

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Liars Cut And Run, Marines Never Do

2006-04-28T03:44:00.000-04:00

Every dog has his day, and today Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa. had his. Murtha's attacker in November, U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, who was booed from the House floor for her now infamous claim "Cowards cut and run, Marines never do.", was officially reprimanded on Thursday for violating campaign law. Bravo for poetic justice!

Schmidt apparently made an "oopsy" when she claimed on her website that she had two college degrees when in fact she holds only one. Graduate Emeritus Pre-emptus? What a joke, she actually claims that she never knew of the contents of her website. Right, have you ever heard of a Pole-Cat-icion who did not have the innate ability to quote verse and scripture, every single morsel of press they ever received? Backwards while ice dancing with the local Bear? Come on folks!

"After a media call to the university revealed she had not, she said she had completed the course work for an education degree but had not received one, said her lawyer, William Todd."

I know this was a short clip from the news today, and yes I hail from Texas, live in Florida, and have absolutely no ties to Ohio. (There was that woman who attended Waffle House University with me, I digress) Wake up! Here we go again, one more time, one more Republican, one more lie. Is this a new prerequisite to the party from which I so adamantly defended a year ago?

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If It Is Broke, Fix IT!

2006-04-27T15:49:00.000-04:00

It occurs to me that as old adages say, waste not want not, might not entirely be true when it comes to those anointed few in the halls of Government, big surprise! The Senate Panel charged with this inquiry determined that "Hurricane Katrina turned FEMA into a "symbol of a bumbling bureaucracy" so far beyond repair that it should be scrapped" Ya think?!? But that doesn't mean it should be scrapped for Pete's sake! Ever thought of repairs?

You can always tell the 'haves' from the 'have nots', take me for example. When my faucet pipe broke, the other day, I looked at it and sure enough, the faucet itself was very old, a little corroded, and probably in need of replacement sometime in the future. While Lieberman et al would just throw the thing away and get a shiny new one, (quite possibly inferior to the old one as new does not always mean better), I didn't even think of that option. Why, you ask? I ain't got the money! Novel approach, huh? I had several feet of pipe to replace the bad, a bottle of 'Liquid Wrench' to clean up the pipe threads, and a can of 'Brasso' to polish that old faucet up. Granted, it did take some time and on hands effort mind you, but so would a trip to Walmart's, a fight through the checkout line, and nasty traffic on the return home, not to mention a needless waste of fossil fuel chasing after something I didn't really need.

Now I know that comparing my leaky pipes to the FEMA fiasco is a bit odd, but not really. Why should we kill one bureaucracy only to start another one called "The National Preparedness and Response Authority"? If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, looks like a duck, then....

Unlike now, the authority would communicate directly with the president during major crises, and any dramatic cuts to budget or staffing levels would have to be approved by Congress. But it would remain within the Homeland Security Department and would continue receiving resources from the department.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., said FEMA needs to be stripped out of the larger department and restored to an independent Cabinet-level agency. "That's how it was done in the past and it worked as we hoped," said Lautenberg, a member of the Senate panel.

So let's try a novel approach, say, oh I don't know, Fix It? Can't the chain of command for FEMA be rerouted as proposed? Can't the reorganization be better outfitted to an existing structure? Do we really need to throw away all that stationary? Are we really better served trashing those nifty T-shirts, windbreakers, clipboards, pens, not to mention those swell plastic name badges that hang from a lanyard? And what about the Website? Should we just go out and pay the same guys who posted the FEMA site just to copy and paste their work with a few new NPRA logos? Wait!! That's already taken by the National Pro Rodeo Association! What will we do now! Time to have a new Oversight Committee look into this one's apparent trademark infringement!

I better stop while I'm ahead, I am ahead aren't I?

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Too Little, Too Late

2006-04-26T08:49:00.000-04:00

Well, in another spectacular display of glorious ineptitude, GW has struck out again. Flailing at windmills in his attempts to try and drive gasoline prices down, President Bush even went so far as to rape the Clean Air Act.

Bush directed his environmental agency Tuesday to stand ready to ease clean air rules if they interfere in gasoline supplies this summer. Industry analysts said that likely would have only a marginal influence on prices.

In a country using 20 million barrels ad ay of oil for transportation purposes, that could onset quite a storm in emissions problems this summer. Of course the President's EPA spokesman had rosy perfume to spray on the looming stench

The agency also could suspend its requirement for low-sulfur gasoline and diesel - both of which kick in this year - but EPA officials said they do not anticipate those requirements will cause a problem.

"We would have to look at it case by case," EPA spokesman John Millett said.

Millett said the waivers if required are not expected to adversely impact air quality "because it's temporary in nature." Bush's directive to the EPA to be receptive to waiver requests covers the upcoming summer months.

"Temporary in nature?" Do these guys think we are fools? Tell the millions of Asthma, Emphysema, and other COPD sufferers that it is "Temporary in nature"! Hell, their lives are "Temporary in Nature"! Unbelievable what these guys will stoop to. GW is even going so far as to cancel the 10 to 12 billion barrels he had tagged to go into federal reserves this summer. Wow, now that is action. Let's see, tops, 12 million barrels for a three month period, versus 20 million barrels a day in consumption, that's not even the equivalent of a single bird shit hitting one window of all the cars in the US. Brilliant! Have another Guinness, George.

I suppose this will be good news for the Healthcare Industry, 2nd only to the Oil Industry in profiting from this regimes thoughtless, money grubbing policies. Which by the way, George et al managed to heap a hefty 19 % increase in profits to the Big Oil Guys, but at least he suggested taking a 2 billion dollar tax incentive away. That sounds like a lot, but truly it is not, too little, too late.

The country's three largest oil companies - Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron and ConocoPhillips - were expected this week to report more than $16 billion in profits during the first quarter of the year. Exxon Mobil earned $36 billion last year, the most ever by a U.S. company

The Democrats countered with an idea to enact a 60 day "Tax Holiday", lifting the 18.4 cents Gas Tax and saving motorists $100 million per day. The 'immediate relief" proposed by Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J, is to be made up by taxing the Oil Companies themselves. Now that sounds pretty damn good to me, Robin Hood!

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Open Mouth, Insert Size 17 Rollerskate

2006-04-22T03:44:00.000-04:00

It is inconceivable how a political party as organized and established as the DNC, can continue to exist with the multitude of blatant faux pas! I am once again not stunned at the latest headlines that have yet another high ranking Congressmen stepping down from his post. U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., the top Democrat on the House ethics committee, abandoned his post in order to "defend his financial conduct".

How very Tom Delay-ish. I am not a proponent of the Republican party, nor am I tilting to 'port' on my axis, I just believe that foul politics are just that, foul. Why oh why, can a man on an "ethics comittee" allow himself to be outed like this? I did not ask how, for I know the answer there, it is politics. Rather I ask why. Why does the DNC so eloquently self destruct every single time? How is it that this party of foibles can continue to be the GOP's best friend, every single time!

It was reported a couple of weeks ago, that Mollohan apparantly guided millions of dollars towards some non-profit groups in his district, The Wall Street Journal says a good portion of that went clandestinely into related campaign contribution organizations. While a Democratic leader said that Rep. Mollohan stepped down with pressure from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, she is quoted as saying

"The allegations against Congressman Mollohan originate from the National Legal and Policy Center, which engages in highly partisan attacks on Democrats. The attacks are an attempt to deflect attention from the long list of Republican criminal investigations, indictments, plea agreements and resignations which have resulted from the reported long-term and extensive criminal enterprise run out of House Republican leadership offices."

Too little, too late. Damage done, wipe a good portion of the slate clean for the GOP. Contrary to some beliefs, I am not a staunch fan of the Democratic party, quite the opposite, it is stunts like this that have forced me to choose the lesser of two evils in all too many elections. I want to believe, I want things to get better. I truly feel the GOP, and the Bush administration are wrong in their platform, wrong in their tactics, and wrong for their deceptions. Yet here we are on the otherside of a very tarnished coin. I truly wish that an Independant party could have a real chance of doing more than just being the spoiler for whomever is the weaker of these monolithic moron parties at the moment.

My question is, can America take on any of it's larger issues in an election without prior multinational corporation influence? Is the dream really just a dream? Wouldn't it be nice if, say the Governor's race in Texas, could be a model for a National venue? One where the weekest link, the Dem's in Texas for example, would just simply step away and let history take it's course? Wishful thinking, I know, but back to my point. The World laughed and screamed when Dick Chaney shot his friend in the face. I am much more taken aback with the accuracy in which the DNC has shot itself in the foot.

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Whiny Republitards! Just what New Orleans Needs...

2006-04-21T01:09:00.000-04:00

What in the hell does it take? The DNC announced it's plans to use New Orleans as it's venue for strategizing, and while they're at it they plan to take the opportunity to help clean things up a bit, literally, they are gonna put the "suits" on the streets with shovels and trash bags etc., to clean and restore. And all the GOP can say is

"I'm not sure what the Democrats hope to gain except cheap political points at the expense of Louisiana and the White House," said Glen Bolger, a GOP strategist and pollster.

What are they thinking? "the expense of Louisiana"? Like the DNC is going to charge for the cleanup effort? This is a simple and beautiful gesture, yes of course politically motivated ( they are a political organization, if you did not know), but why are the GOP talking heads calling this an expense? Maybe it weighs in on the debit ledger for them, but Louisiana? I would think that the GOP have the budget and the means to answer this with actions of their own, instead of needless sour grapes. OK, so Bush et al have blown it in the Gulf recovery so bad that a token gesture by a few hundred politicists can rattle their cage? Who is to fault here?

"For the American people, Katrina is one of the biggest symbols that this government doesn't work for their interests," said Jenny Backus, a Democratic consultant.

The strategists also said that meeting in New Orleans injects tourist dollars into a fragile economy, sends an important message that the city is open for business and allows the party to identify with part of its base.

Can anyone tell me in an intelligent conversation how several hundred volunteers lending a cleaning hand, spending private funds, and helping to promote the recovery of a badly affected region can be an expense? Please do.

"While President Bush maintains an unwavering commitment to rebuilding the Gulf Coast, Democrats remain just as committed to political posturing for short-term gain," said Tracey Schmitt, a Republican National Committee spokeswoman.

Check Out Tom Harper's Post

2006-04-19T01:27:00.000-04:00

An excellent Blogger friend of mine wrote an extremely interesting post today at "Bring it on!"

The reference to Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change by Stephen Kinzer.is very enlightening. The post and ensuing thread at BIO is both interesting and informative. I have never put this series of events together quite like this. Well worth a look.

Tom Harper's piece states

"We’re stuck in a three-year quagmire in Iraq, and we might be on the verge of another one in Iran. You’re probably wondering if we have a maniac in the White House. Or for that matter, maybe George W. Bush is just a puppet getting his strings pulled by maniacs.

Or, this might just be typical of America’s foreign policy for the past few generations. Maybe we’re just becoming more aware of our longtime pattern of global aggression".

I might have to agree with the Gun Toting Liberal's response

“We’re stuck in a 3-year quagmire in Iraq…”

So optimistic…. I frigging WISH it were only a 3-year quagmire…

Blog ON…

It is an eye opening piece, go check it out.

There are Those Days

2006-04-18T01:12:00.000-04:00

There are days when a single subject grabs you by the arm and forces you to write about it. And then there are days when the news is so overwhelming that you can only ask, "What in the hell are we doing?"

As I perused through over 30 RSS feeds after midnight, I grew evermore aware just how screwed we are today. I even started to do a post entitled, "A Dark and Dreary Day". How much BS can we put ourselves through and still function? Here is a small outline of the more menacing components of the day.

1.) The bombing in Tel Aviv is of course an outrage as well as a terrific tragedy, but do most people really understand the ramifications here? Put aside Israel and the PA for a moment and take a good look at the players here folks! Iran and Qatar are subsidizing the Hamas to the tune of 100 mil, Syria is knee deep in implications, and the US is calling for a condemnation of any and all involved, whilst, lest we forget, rattling sabers at Iran for other purposes.
This is the first time when a "Terrorist State", such as Palestine under Hamas rule, is acting upon the direction of a Democratically Elected Government! According to the directives set forth by Bush and the Neocons, we have no grounds for interference here, the people have spoken, the lines are drawn, and the 'Big Brother ' actually has no say here. Think that's gonna make a difference. Shudder to think...

2.)Condy Rice is backing Israel in appearance, just by following through on her previously stated desire for "armed intervention" plans if Iran continues with it's nuclear plans in place. Power positioning with Iran over nuclear arms, like we really need to see the first World War of the 21st century unfold in our lifetimes.

3.) Journalist Carl Bernstein is actually making perfect sense in calling for a "Watergate-like" investigation into the honesty and integrity of the Bush administration's actions in and leading up to the Iraq War and Katrina response. "What did the president know, and when did he know it", the now infamous question asked 32 years ago by then Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee, who will ask Bush this in regards to these actions in recent times? Were there lies told? Was there information withheld? Could Mr. Bernstein be right twice in a row, 32 years apart? A "Live Poll" on MSNBC has a landslide 93% voting Yes to "This administration has hidden and manipulated information at every turn. It must be called to account." All but 7% !!! Given the margin for error, that is perilously close to a complete consensus of the entire nation!

4.)Power shortages caused rolling blackouts in Texas to prevent a grid failure, I'm talking Texas! Where the heck does a major portion of our power supply come from? Is this another failure of regulation? ERCOT is the company charged with maintaining that part of the grid, along with managing financial settlement for the hundreds of market participants in Texas' deregulated wholesale bulk power and retail electric market. Is this another Enron in the making? We cannot take appropriate measures to avoid this kind of thing in one of the largest states in this country, and we are busying ourselves in the f'ing Desert across the world from here? Not to mention the oil pipelines mess in Alaska. What the hell are we doing?!

5.) Donald Rumsfeld is on the ropes, I don't care what Bush says, the posturing is there. Take it from an ex-Republiscam, I know how these guys operate, the roaches are running from Donnie's kitchen faster than if a triple dose of De con extra gold had been sprayed. I will go on record here and now, D Rummy has less than six weeks left in his current job. Period. End of statement on this cesspool.

It is a very, very dangerous and tumultuous time here folks. I was only a little guy when the Nixon debacle played out for all to see, maybe 10, 11, 12 years old? This is scary stuff if you really take it in. The bar has raised since 'Nam. The costs are incalculably higher and much more personal. We stand alone -- no U.N. Security Council backing, no Tony Blair, no France as always, no prayer in Hell of truly expecting Israel to be rational.

Damn, I am so very glad that the wonderful government of these United States spent the money in the '50's and 60's to educate me on how to fear the "A" bomb, bend over, and kiss my ass goodbye. What will my children do though?

Oh well, I guess I will take the Gov's lead and spend today, worry tomorrow. As if tomorrow is guaranteed. Yeah, right.

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Requiem for a Freind

2006-04-15T22:15:00.000-04:00

The middle class died last week, much to the dismay of the Bush administration. When contacted, WhiteHouse spokesman Mick E. Mouse. said,

" I am not sure what the meaning of "died" is."

Defense Secretary Donald Dumsfeld weighed in as saying,

"The damned Middle Class never stood a chance anyway, we are on our way to emulate President Fox in Mexico to having a two tier, Mansion and Trailor Park society. No room for a cumbersome Middle Class anyway. Personally, I refer to them as the 'Muddle Class', GW likes that one, reminds him of 'muggles' in Harry Potter, have to keep the little guy laughing you know!"

Middle Class began showing signs of over exposure to Oil just a few short years ago, when the now famous "Dancing Flames of the Desert" began to appear on Iraq's horizon once again. News cloumnist Bill 'sweetcheeks' O'Rielly said in an on air appearance, "I'd rather be dead, than a Middle Class Fred", and that seems to have been the Obituary of the day.

Needless to say, Gardening Queen Martha Stewpot, was quite upset that her most recent K-smart line would have no buyers, but she did hint at aquiring a government welfare gig to sustain the failing line.

Services for Middle Class will be held Easter Sunday, right after the "egg roll'" on White house property, and will be led by none other than Alan Greenspawn, in an effort to reunite the lost battalion of totally non-persecuted Jews from Israel that Iran has so deftly described.

Survivors are Bushco Inc., Dumsfeld et al, Wolfowitz enterprises, the Delayed Group, Dick-Dick-andDick's son, World Pain and Suffering, and the Nation of France.

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In Response

2006-04-14T02:54:00.000-04:00

I am not one to copy and paste blog here, but this thread from Bring it On today got me going. It started with a thoughtful post by JET:

April 13th, 2006
Jesus Walked into a Gay Bar…
by Jet @ 12:00 am

Tolerance is a requirement for human development. We demand it of our children, encourage it in our workplaces, study it in our spiritual quests, and enact it (theoretically) in our lives. Kids have to sit, work and play together, or face discipline in the classroom. Co-workers of disparate backgrounds have to figure out how to bring projects to fruition. People intent on spiritual development dedicate themselves to looking past the outer to the inner person, to see the individual rather than the packaging.

Sounds pretty good, eh?

Read The Rest Of The Post

The threads are here, click if you wish to read

my response to these threads is as follows:

Steve, et al

I have refrained from weighing in on this issue/post, for I felt a bit too close, but once again, steve, your zealousness to peer from the right, here, and poke at the left, has left me no alternative.

I did not choose to wake up at 15 with a Gay Dad, anymore than my Dad chose to wake up Gay. Obviously choices were made. Let’s examine, and all you Gay bashing, worldly brilliant, Life learned 22 year old scholars, follow along, ok? My Dad was born in West Texas, a very conservative and unforgiving stretch of the Bible Belt. He was born to a set of pioneering spirits, his mom a very strong church going woman. His Dad, much like me, a good fellow, kind to all, and a bit too fond of the Wild Turkey perhaps? All of my Dad’s young life, into adulthood, he strove to please his parent’s, his mom especially I suppose. He studied, read, attended church, and even went into the Seminary when the “demons” became too strong. Life in America did not afford this Free Man, to be free with what seemed right, so to exsponge the demons, he became a Preacher. I grew up the son of a Preacher, he was the spiritual leader of the small towns we lived in. He married some, buried some, and succesfully comforted more than a few. All the time while fathering my sister, brother and I. And he was miserable. He went to work at SMU in Dallas, enhanced our status, prospered, raised kids, upheld and exceeded in obligations, and was miserable.

Almost to the day when I left the house at the ripe age of 15, he took his turn, it was 1975. He left home.

My Dad is the sweetest, kindest, most level headed man you might ever have an occasion to meet. He still offers comfort to those in need, does what work is available with the local church in accceptance of Gays, and stands head and shoulders above most of us for one simple reason. He made a choice. His choice was to live the life that God, adam, ID, or ‘Professor Smoot’, gave him, and to stop living a lie.

I strive each day to emulate such wisdom and courage, and thank the heavens above for letting me be priveledge to such an inspirational man in such a troubled world.

So, no steve, he never molested me or the other little children of the church, and yes, here once again I will allow you to stand on principle and fight the good cause for the good Christian right. Just know that my Dad, as are many others, is and was a great contributor to society, a great Christian, an inspiration to his children, and yes, Gay. By good choice I suppose, thank God.

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A very real view from the trenches.

2006-04-12T02:18:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the present is 'lost', and it is all about the future.

Ever feel that? I do all the time, from consequences of past decisions, to products of today's efforts. Some people call them regrets (lamely), others call them lessons learned, and still more think of the impending 'doom'. Take me for example. I am blind in one eye from a vienous occlussion, (fancy name for a stroke in my eye), and am just now getting "floaters" in my right eye, (not good, clock is ticking fast now). This caused mostly by my ill spent youth and the resulting blood pressure problem. My life, my results, my problems, right? Right.

Enter L.P., "Little Paul", my son, my pride, my salvation from my own stupid decisions in life, etc., sound familiar? A legacy, one to carry on the good, no, the better fight. LP's dream at 15 now is to follow through with his love of JROTC, and further his education, become the 2nd Lt. at graduation, and crawl out of the hole that we as a family have slid into. To better himself, and his family. Noble goal, huh? I mean picture this, a year ago he wore all black clothes, had long hair and a ski cap, beanie thing, (in Florida I might add!). He had tried drugs at 12, turned them down, been an anarchist at 13, quit school, rejoined, and Bam! He is a non drug using, cool, calm, very neat kid at 15, only he wants to join the Army. I should be proud, right? I am, but why do I have a sinking pit in my stomach that my baby is going to get all screwed up and over, while following a very cool dream? This kid does the Rifle Squad, Drill Team, Color Guard, Raider's Competition, all the cool stuff, and all I can feel is an impending doom. I need some help from you all here.

We spend countless hours perusing the wires, news, etc., looking for that one big story to pounce on. I have that one Big Story for you right here. One that you can actually make a difference in. One that you can improve upon.

Do not leave LP hanging out to dry.

We can write off the present to corrupt politicians, we can excuse military attrocities as being under "Executive Order", we can forgive ourselves and pray for the combatants, but we can't turn the Queen Mary on a dime. But we can help LP, and every other single young American with a simple dream of achieving a better future, while achieving a better present.

We can stop sending the War Mongers into the halls of power. We can set up a scene in the next 3 years whereby, LP and his friends have a chance. A scene where real decisions made by real people with real concerns can govern. It is not a dream, it is not a fantasy to be toyed with. It is our Legacy.

In the coming months, elections are going to take root and procede, setting up a precedent for what we will, and will not accept as our future. Dear God, or no God for my athiest friends, please do some lobbying, voting pushing, telling, anything.

Just Do.

Our future, and all of our 'Legacies' are counting on us all.

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JROTC, Responsibilities, War, Life, Choices, Actions, Military
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