Lyrics Schmerics

I have a bizarre and morbid fascination with bad lyrics, which may be why I catch myself listening to Pokerface, or the occasional country song when I happen to be in the wrong car at the wrong time. There are several reasons why I may not like a particular band or style of music, whether it's because I find it boring, generic, tedious, too 'pop music', or the band has such a low sense of musical integrity *cough* 3 Doors Down *cough* that I just can't listen to them. But every once in a while, I hear something that I have to stop and think about for a minute, and I become obsessed with how utterly and magnificently terrible it is.

Some classic gems amidst the bag o' jewels that was 70-80's hair metal scene are lines like:
"I'm hot, sticky sweet, from my head to my feet" Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar On Me and
"Only time will tell, if we stand the test of time" Van Halen - Why Can't This Be Love

In that same vein of horrid, and more recently in the music scene, I have found a new goldmine of sentences gone awry; Canadia's own Nickelback. They have two kinds of songs; sad/sappy songs and dirty/sexy/stripper songs. I actually heard a local DJ refer to Nickelback as 'stripper music,' a humorous and more-than-apt term, in my opinion. Some of their worst include Animals a,d Something in Your Mouth, but their newest entry in lyrical torture, Shakin' Hands. the chorus goes something like this:
"Well she ain't no Cinderalla when she gettin' undressed
'cause she rocks it like the naughty wicked witch of the west"

When I first heard this, I was hoping it was a joke, because I didn't think anyone would take music like this seriously. Is it worse that Chad Kroeger looks like Jesus? I think so. The Antichrist of good music. If you happen to come upon this song on the radio, do yourself a favor and turn it off. You should thank me.

Norwegian Lightshow

This is odd. Just plain odd. Either aliens, governments, or the Earth is totally fucking with us. Russia is also being accused, after a possible failed missile test that apparently was testing the use of bright neon lights on their armaments. The old, plain missiles are sooo boring. Norway is known for such strange phenomena as the Northern Lights and black metal, but this is something more bizarre. Although it looks completely fake, why would someone go about faking something like this, unless it was to unnerve people about the recent atom-smashing done at the LHC. It almost looks like some kind of cheap, projected, 70's b-movie effect. My guess is refracted light from gas created by aliens emptying out their holding tanks after a long vacation in Mexico.

(Government) News Corporation

I've talked before about how terrible our newspaper industry is doing, in the face of the immediate availability of information on the Internet and the convenience of 24/7 cable news channels. You had to know that someone in the government would find a way to step in and help out. Reuters reports that the idea of a bailout of sorts is cooking within the creaky, dirty walls of the Congress.
The last thing the government should step in and help out is the media. Mass media has already skewed the idea of freedom of speech. However, Henry Waxman, a Dem Chairman on the House Energy and Commerce Committee thinks differently. Complaining of a failing business model, he warns that, "Eventually government is going to have to be responsible to help and resolve these issues." Despite how terrible the media is right now, letting the government step in and take the reins is a terrible, aside from concerns over censorship. With a bailout comes restrictions, like in the case of the government bailout of the auto industry; salary caps, concessions, streamlining, trimming the corporate fat, basically. Restrictions on how they functioned and what they could and couldn't do also applied. An auto company that should have been left to implode is one thing, a struggling but evolving thing such as media is another. I don't fear so much what would happen to the massive, lumbering conglomerates that haven't been able to keep up with the changing nature of media, but how the smaller, moderate news outlets and such would be affected. Once politics collides head on with free speech and the free press, there's no telling what could happen, particularly when there are large sums of money involved. Case in point, FOX News has pretty much become the speaking arm of the Republican party, as 'fair and balanced' as they would like to appear. Thomas Paine must be spinning in his grave.

The In-crowd

The past few years, I've been noticing an increase in the profusion of hipsters and scenesters infesting Provo and Utah County at large. This I find quite amusing, since Provo really has no 'scene' to speak of, and is definitely not hip. Three small bars, a few coffee shops and a pool-hall make up the 'night-life' of our town, and the newly opened club, which I will not even bother naming to give them the free advertising, admits teenagers, immediately rendering it un-hip. And if you're over 20 and hanging out at a club that is filled with teenagers you are either a) a pedophile, b) a loser with nothing better to do or c) a loser pedophile that can't get a ride to a better club in Salt Lake.
The hipsters invariably end up at Denny's or the Rice King for their evening fare, the latter is kept alive by this annoying and useless segment of our populace through some cruel hoax perpetrated by a crueler god. Oh great and terrible Cthulhu, how have be angered thee?!? The only classy joint downtown, Spark, I have heard called 'too hip for Provo.' Most scenesters seem to avoid it anyway, preferring to haunt the few small music venues downtown, crowding around outside, the interior buzzing with teenage chatter and shittily amplified music from the mostly uninspired and uninteresting local bands. They occasionally manage to pull in a decent act, who can't be heard over the mmsing kids and 'cool' college students talking about how this place or that place is soo much better, we should go hang out there instead.
They usually spend their nights wandering downtown like so many tight-jeaned, hair-dyed, ironically-bespectacled zombies, alternately standing in front of the various venues, trying to look cool without looking too cool or comfortable, like, 'Meh, I could go in, but its just not indie/hip/scene enough for me, besides, I spent all my money on this new fedora that doesn't fit properly, We should go get huge plates of fried rice at the King and complain about how all the bands we liked last year all sold out and these new ones we found out about on facebook are so awesome, indie, raw and unique, just like everything else we listen to.'
It hurts my head to keep thinking like a scene kid, so I have to stop before I start combing my hair to the side and growing ironic facial hair. Seriously, are their lives this boring that they have to pretend to have some scrap of anti-culture to cling to just to get through the day? I guess I don't really need to ask that kind of rhetorical question.

Daily Douchebaggery

Today's candidate is a local one, from our own great, sober, inclusive and white Brigham Young University. During a post-game interview, BYU quarterback Max Hall began a rant about the opposing team, proving that sports builds character, just not the right kind, apparently. During the course of his rant he said,
"I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, their fans. I hate everything. It felt really good to send those guys home."
Later, he mentions he doesn't respect them and they deserved to lose, calling the school and its fans classless, showing just how much class and sportsmanship he has. The following day he apologized, sounding far too scripted, and was then reprimanded by the MWC, despite his coach sticking up for him and subtly supporting his hate-filled comments.
Normally, I could care less about sports, particularly football, which seems to earn me male-pariah status in some circles, where sports and football are life. Provo has always had a holier-than-thou attitude about BYU and sports programs, and Ute fans are almost as annoying. The insults and child-like behavior run from both sides, and this 'great rivalry' has been deemed a 'holy war' by some douchebag who doesn't fully understand the connotations and history surrounding that phrase. 'Holy war' killed untold numbers of gentiles, pagans, Muslims and many others over the centuries, and brought terrorism and death to our own soil. Football is just a game, you people need to cool your shit, and take a step back from what you're investing so much into, and realize this. Effigies are soon to come if this continues, and real death soon after. Oh, and Max, you're kind of a douchebag; and dude, you look like an alien.

Don't censor us, censor that!

The GOP keeps creating proof that they will oppose anything the Democrats believe in or support, including Freedom of Speech, particularly via the Internets. Obama has shown support for net neutrality and recently spoke to the Chinese leader about limiting their notorious Internet censorship, nicknamed the Great Firewall. From the very beginning of his presidency, even before he was sworn in, groups like the MPAA have tried to pressure Obama and the FCC to censor the Internet and the RIAA would love to turn it into a virtual police state where nothing is free or easily accessible.
Showing their love and consideration for big business ahead of the actual citizens of this country, Republicans in congress introduced legislation months ago to appease the big ISP's to stymie efforts by the FCC to enforce neutrality and ban restricting or slowing certain types of information sent over the Internet. More recently, AT&T got its shorts in a wad over comments the Obama admin has made concerning any regulations on Internet access. Basically, Republicans are taking sides with companies and media groups over the rights of its own constituents, since they must not pad their pockets as well as the corporations do.
Censoring or filtering the Internet in any way is another step toward limiting our right to freedom of speech and the press, as is done in countries like China, Iran and North Korea, you know, Communist and dictatorship countries. The ones we get along with so well. I guess it really doesn't surprise me much, since conservatives are more likely to ask books to be banned or burned since they don't agree with their set of values, the only ones that matter.

The Conservative Bowel Movement

In the republican movement, the infighting is starting to get serious, and that's the way I like it. The more they bicker and set up failures like Palin, they better off the rest of us will be when their party hopefully collapses. Even Glenn Beck can't help but take shots at Palin, in his own special douchebag, sexist way. And women still listen to him, go figure.
The problem is, the Democrats are doing it as well. They can't pull their collective heads out of whatever ass they have it in, and actually get something done. They let the Repubs stonewall the health-care issue since June, which still hasn't seen a resolution, and conceded many important points just to get something passed.
Meanwhile, the Republican party is increasingly being pushed around by the extreme right, which is disillusioning moderate Conservatives; and their New Republican Contract isn't helping either, which even discredits their Zeus in the pantheon of Conservatives, Ronald Reagan. The Republican party seems bound for a split, in which the far right will break away from the party simply because they aren't being conservative enough.
I hope they do split off, and their ignorant, bible-thumping mouthpieces as candidates, to lure away their equally-minded constituents from the de facto Republican party, ensuring no possibility of a Republican win in 2012. Go ahead, run Palin against Obama and watch what happens. It will only take one debate for those wavering to see how completely inadequate she is to run anything besides a small Alaskan town.

Turkey Hangover 2009

It's been a year since I began this blog, during a long Thanksgiving weekend stuck at home with nothing to do but surf the web and get pissed about the actions and words of various groups of people. It's been a lot of fun, and a lot of work, when I keep it up.
I know my posting can be sporadic at times, and I'm trying to amend that, but don't expect too much. Between work, school (not an excuse this semester) the gym and the girlfriend, I don't have a lot of time to work on this blog. And since I avoid television as much as possible (except for the gym), it's hard to find a lot to write about without a lot of reading.
However, I want to give thanks to the few of you who read this blog at all, and have supported me in keeping it up for the past year. I'm planning another blog I may link here, and finally getting a laptop, which should help e keep up my blogs better. Thank you all for having some vague interest in my opinions.

Things I am also thankful for as recorded elsewhere:

1. Having a job: I know it's been a rough year for a lot of people, including some of my family members, who don't read this blog.
2. Lists: Where would I be without wasting hours reading lists? Six Creepiest Insects? Top Ten lists? Sites like Failblog and People of Walmart? A place a lot less awesome, that's where.
3. The girlfriend: Although she hates me spending a lot of time away from her (i.e. blogging), she supports my writing and other hobbies and has joined my effort to eat healthier.

Daily Douchebaggery

Today, I have two douchebaggery candidates who managed to drive into water in some fashion, one above road level and one below.
Our first soaked motorist is an idiotic gentleman from Texas who managed to veer his million dollar Bugatti into a salt marsh, whilst reaching for a dropped cell phone. Mr. Important couldn't be bothered with stopping to look for the device, but rather let his vehicle drift off the road and into the salty water, which will probably render the car useless. Unless he needs a 1,000 hp paperweight. Good job, douchebag.
Our next inattentive driver is a Floridian woman who lost control of a vehicle at a Tampa airport and crashed into a $200 k aquarium, killing most of the fish. The kicker? She had her six-year-old unbelted, on her lap. Classy move, mom. Next time, stick his ass in the back seat where he belongs and pay attention to the road. Isn't the speed limit in front of airports like 10 mph anyway?
Thank you AP and My Way.

With Love, From Alaska

Palin supporters are out in force this week due her book tour, which had inexplicably made its way to No.1 bestseller on Amazon--before it came out in print. This butterfly effect of blind allegiance and patriotism is being seen everywhere, most specifically in any city the Holy Palin touched down in to do a book signing. Although not sure why they support her, you betcha, they do. In droves.



My favorite line is from the guy in the beanie at about 1:48 who says, "I don't know what she knows or doesn't know." Can ignorant Republicans always be so predictable? It would seem so. But what would happen if she really ran for the presidency and won? SNL gives us a possible look into the future. Thanks HuffPost.

High on LDL

I have a fast-food addiction. Since my teenager years, I have been enamored with the idea of a quick, tasty meal, made cheap by mass production and known by relentless advertising campaigns. McDonald's was one of my first loves, like many innocent, ignorant children fed by hasty working parents with no time to feed their noisy bunch of rugrats. As I grew older and got small jobs, providing me wit some minimal source of income, my fast-food tastes expanded. Taco Bell, Burger King, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, Carl's Jr., various local chains and such. I loved to eat, willing to try almost anything and everything. Every time a new item menu was introduced, I was sure to be there, cash in hand for a taste at what was 'New' in the health vacuum of the fast-food industry.
Whatever came into popularity in the restaurants, I was sure to try it; ancho/poblano, chipotle, "fresh", spicy, whatever. It was cheap, tasted good, and great for socializing. We all went out, be it for Taco Bell, Wendy's, Del Taco, Carl's Jr., Taco Time, Pizza Hut, even McDonald's, the ultimate in fast-food.
But I eventually began to learn things. Like, fast-food wasn't good for you. We expanded to other, sit-down chain restaurants. Denny's, Outback, Village Inn, anything that said 'buffet'. It wasn't fast-food, so it must have been better. There were a few local favorite holes-in-the-wall we would frequent, but not many. The next six or seven years would remain pretty much the same. Eating out far too often, with very little quality food. It was cheap, and we were relatively poor. We experimented with better, foreign foods, Japanese, Thai, Indian, but the regulars were still staples. Burgers, fries and a Coke.
I also learned a great deal more about fast-food and the fast food industry. I own a copy of Fast Food Nation, I watched Super-Size Me, and have Morgan Spurlock's book, Don't Eat This Book. I contribute to a blog dedicated to finding drinks that are better for you. I know better, but I still have problems eating that which is not good for me. I have tried to stop, but it lasts about a week, and I relapse. I think to myself, 'It's only a burrito. It can't be as bad for me as a cheeseburger. Yes, I will have the sour cream and guacamole.' 'I'll just get a burger, no fries and a lemonade or some tea instead of a Coke.' I made a few baby steps. I don't order soda nearly as often as I used to at restaurants. I'll go for the chicken, pork or fish instead of the beef. I cook at home more often. I work out 2-3 times a week. But I still crave that cheap, easy food.
Me and my equally fast-food addicted girlfriend have begun to make a concerted effort to eat less fast-food, buying groceries and cooking at home instead of going out. It is often cheaper, more fun and interactive than sitting at a restaurant. We do go to restaurants though, but try to avoid fast-food. We often aim for foreign cuisine, since it is usually healthier. It was Japanese this weekend, along with two home-cooked dinners and some quick breakfasts in the kitchen instead of the drive-thru. We've been over a week without ingesting something from that came to us through a small window. We're just taking it day by day.
I am an addict, like many of you, whether or not you realize it. Fast food is not good for you, far from it. Watching Super-Size Me was a great eye opener, and helped to bring about the end of my McDonald's visits. Trying to eat a McGriddle sealed the deal. I never ate there again after ingesting that sin against food. But I found many other sources for my drug. Carl's Jr. and Del Taco remain some of my weak points. Although, after a recent attempt to eat breakfast from Burger King, I believe it will join my list of places I will never eat again. I"m a recovering fast-food junkie, and I know I will always be at risk of relapse. I have easy access to Subway food, though it isn't much better for than any other fast food. I make my own lunches whenever possible, and visit small, local joints when I need a lunch. As long as I have support and a strong will, I may become fast-food free some day. Here's hoping.

Whining and Dining

Here is an excerpt of a great conversation I had this morning with a friend of mine.

Xavier said (10:25 AM):
http://www.winechateau.com/
this is awesome
and shipping is often freeeee
danithius says:
oh ho? Online wine? Are they even allowed to ship to Utah?
Xavier says:
yeah
I can get a case of this really good Zinfandel I like for 65 bucks, free shipping
danithius says:
wow. How much in a case?
Xavier says:
12
danithius says:
holy wow
Xavier says:
about 5.39 a bottle
danithius says:
of that Gallo (sic?) stuff you were talking about?
Xavier says:
yeah
danithius says:
nice man
Xavier says:
oooh, spirits too
danithius says:
circumvent the Utah liquor conglomerate altogether, I dig
Xavier says:
yeah
wait
Domestic State Restrictions
Currently, we are NOT shipping to: Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Utah.
must be why the shipping was free
danithius says:
arrrg I knew it
hmm or those states are all the ones with puritan alcohol laws
Xavier says:
http://wi.shipcompliant.com/StateDetail.aspx?StateId=65
I got all excited for nothing
danithius says:
felony state?? geez
you can bring in up to a quart, "if all taxes and markups have been paid and clearance is received from the liquor control commission."
you've got to be kidding
Xavier says:
yeah, I learned that in my paper research
you have to file paperwork to bring a bottle of anything back with you, and pay taxes
danithius says:
I do remember... it's just so... what's the word
Machiavellian? no...
Xavier says:
ridiculous?
danithius says:
heh that works
just like they've gone to every possible extent to put a giant wet blanket upon its citizens...
Xavier says:
or perhaps, a dry blanket
danithius says:
heh touche
but seriously, I bet the people on the liquor commission point to that stipulation and go, "look, we're making every effort to accommodate our citizens"
"we're being reasonable" or something like that
Xavier says:
as long as they don't enjoy themselves
too much
danithius says:
oh of course, that goes without saying
of course you can bring in outside spirits! You simply have to visit your local liquor commission, pay the necessary markup and taxes, and fill out some paperwork to receive proper clearance
Xavier says:
and that's only because they hold a monopoly on liquor inside the state, they don't want anyone cutting in on their business
I mean their love and concern for Utah's citizens
danithius says:
uh huh
it's suffocation by bureaucracy
kind of like how the green card application process deters a lot of (legal) immigration
Xavier says:
not to mention citizenship
danithius says:
but honestly I don't think it decreases the number of immigrants much, just legal ones. You're basically forcing people to break the law
Xavier says:
anyone up for a run to Wyoming?
danithius says:
lol exactly

I may actually need to go up there this winter. Anyone need anything?

Why I Hate 'Knowing' About Cars

Almost everyone, I assume, has one of those friends, the guy that 'knows' about cars. The car-guy. Whether they intentionally become the car-guy or not, they become the go-to for various problems. That guy is me. I'm the one who gets the phone-calls that start out, "Soo, my car isn't starting..." or "Do you know anything about(insert car part or problem here)?" I even get these calls from my own father, whom I had always assumed knew more about cars than me. This comes as a mixed blessing. You have the opportunity to help your friends and loved ones, or to never have them trust your opinion again. Until they need something fixed.
Already this month I have fixed a Saturn door problem, installed an alternator in a Chevy, and a fuel pump in a Nissan. One of the three has had no further issues. I have already promised further work on two of these cars and another Chevy with a door problem. Meanwhile, my Camaro sits behind my place of work with its own bad fuel pump, and my Mazda needs a tune-up.
I've done jobs that caused further problems, or unveiled them. I tore out a transmission for a check-up, and ended up having to buy a rebuilt one, and the car wasn't even mine. But I wanted to drive it, and I'm a nice guy. My own projects get pushed back so I can help my friends out. Is it any surprise that sometimes I wish I didn't know anything about cars? I glean a lot of information off of coworkers and associates due to the industry I work in, and I see them dealing with the same problem. Always under someone else's hood.
I have spent more time under some cars than I have inside of them. And that's no big stretch. At least at work I do for more than gratitude or an occasional burrito (food considered the favored payment for favors amongst our circle). Every once in a while, I wish it was someone else working on my car or my friends, but then I'll always wonder if they're doing it right.

Kiss My Bias

I was recently called out on exposing my personal biases in a recent post, and rightfully so. I'll be the first one to admit that I'm biased. I'm young, intelligent, poor, and angry. I grew up with a passed-down religion, but drifted away in my late teens and finally broke free a few years ago. It hasn't been enough time to heal. I live in a Conservatively dominated religious area, a near opposite of what I may be considered. Not showing a bias is nearly impossible, especially if you have a short temper and an attitude. But, really, am I the only one guilty?
As far as I am considered, everyone is biased in some way or another. Media outlets are nearly all heavily biased, despite claims to being "fair and balanced." If the content was completely two sided and politically correct, no one would watch it, because it would come off as boring. Journalists try to remain unbiased, as do documentary filmmakers. And how well do they do in theaters? It takes biased gentlemen like Micheal Moore to really make money. Too bad he's a douchebag, using tricky editing and playing off people's emotions. But it just proves my point. Everyone is biased, whether it is against certain skin colors, intelligence levels, chosen automotive brands, weight, religion or whatever you find most displeasing in a person.
Does this excuse me or anyone else from at least trying to maintain some semblance of fairness when they write, speak or make inappropriate hand gestures? Probably not, but I can still try, and at least admit when I'm being biased. It is a personal problem, and can be overcome. I have really tried, honestly, to overcome the antipathy I grew up with toward Mexicans, from growing up in Southern California. Biases get passed on, picked up, or just develop, due to one bad experience or years of them.
Right now, the biases I haven't yet deconstructed are toward the fervently religious, conservatives, Republicans and bad drivers. They just make me so angry. And don't get me started on blacks and the Jews.

LDS WTF

As someone who grew up religiously, I learned all the cute, kitschy little catch phrases and mnemonic devices that helped you remember certain things about your faith, and being Mormon, we have our fair share. Latter Day Saints is LDS. Choose The Right, CTR. YM/YW, PEC, the Y, NCMO . Trials and Tribulations. The Word of Wisdom. Hold to the Rod. Articles of Faith. Bear your Testimony. Families are Forever. Called to Serve. Milk before meat. Isn't it about . . . time? They go on and on.
I have come to see my former faith, Mormonism, turned into easily repeatable bumper-sticker quotes. I saw one car just the other day with at least three. One CTR sticker, one R U LDS ? sticker, and those goddamn omnipresent stick figure people, used by Mormon soccer-moms to proclaim their penchant and proclivity for procreation, which is apparently their only other purpose after gossiping about other church members behind their backs and taking anti-depressants by the handful. I saw one minivan with eleven people on the back window. That means nine kids. NINE. From one woman. Why would anyone put themselves through that? If you asked Mrs. Duggar, she would probably give you some bullshit answer about them being gifts from God, when in reality, she just can't seem to keep her legs closed. But I digress.
You know that your religion has become mainstreamed when you have stores dedicated to selling accessories and other crap specifically for your religion. I always thought that CTR rings had a purpose, to be an ever present reminder for you to 'choose the right.' It's more of a useless symbol to me now, just a sign to inform potential suitors that you still think you're twelve and believe a ring will keep you from doing something you aren't supposed to. Purity rings? Wedding rings? Never mind.
All the religious paraphernalia I see just comes off as an attempt at trying to disguise a love of material things behind the mask of faith. Certain clothes are required for a person to enter the Mormon temples, and to be seen as true, faithful members. You have to buy stuff to prove your faithfulness. Sounds more like brand loyalty than faith to me. "Yes, I have my quad and my brand-new leather carrying case, with my gold-embossed name on both of them. I just bought this new church-bag for my mom with Relief Society Mom embroidered on it, and a Christus replica for dad. Isn't that so fetchin' awesome?"
There is an entire bookstore chain dedicated to selling literature to Mormons, covering all genres, including fiction, ironically. Living in Utah Valley as I do, I get to see a local culture that is so saturated with religion that it cannot separate itself from consumerism. Most business is geared toward serving those individuals who love to proclaim their religious status while proclaiming their financial one as well. "Yes, I have Lexus and I drive like a sleepy, drunk, angry twelve-year-old, but I'm LDS and God has blessed me so it's okay." So NOT okay. There is a very bold and obvious contradiction here, where members of a religion that seems to motivate frugality and humility breeds a society of zealous, prideful, want-driven hypocrites who desire to make every effort the show that they are better than--whoever. Add young marriage and rabbit-like breeding to the equation and it's no surprise that Utah consistently leads the nation in bankruptcy filings.
Think about it. Utah is about 50% Mormon, give or take. Mormons are required to give 10% of their gross income to their church to remain in good standing. Then there is the American desire to display your social rank with 'things.' New cars, big house with a maintained lawn, and any combination of 4-wheelers, dirt-bikes, jet-skies and snowmobiles. Then, fill that hole in your soul with more, religious goods, like multiple pictures of a very white Jesus, prophets living and dead, and temples you've seen either never or dozens of times; religious jewelry, books, crafts, and oh-my-god Christmas decorations. That's one for another post.
What it all comes down to in my angry little mind is that Mormons don't really feel fulfilled by their religion, they need stuff to fill that hole, be it religious or otherwise. What would Jesus do? Buy more! I can walk through my neighborhood and count SUV's that cost more than 30K and run out of fingers before I circle the block, and this is a very religious neighborhood. I'm no different, when it comes to wanting. I'd like a nice big house and a new car and all the toys, but I know I can't afford them. And I don't try and hide me desires behind my bumper-sticker religion, they're my selfish desires to have things. But I don't really feel it necessary to try and keep up with the Johnson's. I have my shitty apartment, my cars, paid off, and my motorcycle, not paid off, and that's enough for me right now. God wont provide more for me if I start believing in him again, just the banks and the credit card companies with their cash advances and Annual Percentage Rates. Thanks, but no thanks.
Well, maybe just a few small things. Could I possibly get a set of those blood-red undergarments and a Jupiter talisman so I can be more like Joseph Smith? A couple young wives would be nice too.

To Alcohol!

I am so happy that a doctor has confirmed by belief that it is okay to be a moderate alcoholic. What's more, it may keep me from being anxious or depressed, and in fact that hasn't been much of an issue in my life since I started drinking. I rarely drink more than a few beers, cocktails or glasses of wine, and I have never had a blackout or been too drunk to remember where my bed was. I've never had a hangover, or done something I regretted later. I've puked a few times, but that comes with learning how and what to drink. Note: whiskey and OJ is bad news, and never try and finish the rest of that box of wine by yourself, there's more in there than you think.
Granted, very few can honestly claim the things I have, in an era of binge drinking that has overshadowed the idea of moderation. Quantity over quality, it seems. That's not what drinking should be about. I've agreed for a long time that parents should drink with their kids and teach them how to be responsible. Telling them no and turning your back to them isn't the greatest way to teach a segment of our population that notoriously avoids following shallow rules that aren't actually followed by their creators. Our society is so ill-informed that, as Rassmusen reports, only 51% of them rate alcohol more dangerous than weed.
Alcohol can be dangerous if used improperly, but we need to stop looking at it like an alluring taboo. As a social lubricant and pleasant, nerve-numbing beverage, it can be enjoyed with near impunity, and it has been seen in studies that light to moderate drinkers live longer. As an adult of the proper age, I enjoy alcohol as a meal enhancement, mind relaxer and calming device. I'm aware of the dangers of consuming it, and the walls I face in society for doing such. I am informed, adult and free to make my own decisions, so I believe that I will have another. And another, and another. But that's it, because I know when to say no.

Daily Douchebaggery

Today I happened upon this picture, and I must nominate an unknown or unknowns for douchebaggery. Whoever the asshole or assholes were that thought it would be funny to cover a cat in duct tape and leave it wandering around should suffer the same fate. Such a prank is not only not funny, but cruel, unusual and downright mean. This may be how either fetishists or serial killers get started. If anyone in Philly knows the douchebag(s) that perpetrated this twisted act, they should seriously reconsider who they keep company with, and turn them in. Douchebag(s).

And while I'm at it, here's another douchebag throwing live frogs into boiling water on live television. This douchebag is named Glenn Beck. Is there no low he will stoop to in his insane efforts to expand his inane and ignorant fan-base? I guess not. Douche.

Sword Play

A few months ago, I posted about a couple of incidents where sword-wielding persons either inflicted harm on each other or robbed businesses with the unconventional weapon. The use of the sword seems to be becoming more widespread. A recent incident ended in the death of a man who broke into a college student's garage in Baltimore; another student in Texas attacked his roommates after finding a soda can in his room.
A quick Google search will bring up a dozen more stories from the past few years of this happening, with varied outcomes. Have guns and regular knives become passe? Or is this just a sign of the economic hardships plaguing our country's good citizens? Or are we just becoming just a little more psychotic every year? I'm definitely not crazy, but I have several friends that own samurai swords, katanas or other various menacing-looking weapons. As for me, I'll just stick to my baseball bats, knifes and asps, thank you very much.
I wonder what the Samurai would think of this. I really hope that crazy isn't contagious.

Rush Limbaugh's America

Some people live in a little world of their own creation, where logic, reason and reality don't necessarily have to jive wit their own perception. Normally, these people create cults or live in cabins deep in the woods and write manifestos; but sometimes they end up with radio shows.
Rush Limbaugh, never afraid to shoot his mouth off on the most sensitive of topics, has claimed that we need to re-institute one of our painful legacies of American history, the segregation of buses, as reported by Raw Story. This is in response to the beating of a white boy by two black students on a school bus, even though police have pretty much ruled out any racial motivation. Rush has again shown himself for who he is by uttering this string of words, a likely proud racist. Moving backward before the Civil Rights movement, when the white people were in power and told everyone what to do; where they could eat, ride, play, drink and urinate.
Rush is in support of this, so why stop there? Let's re-segregate everything; sports teams, restrooms, restaurants, all public transportation, drinking fountains and schools. Heaven forbid we mingle with other 'races' and gain acceptance of them, that will never do. I hear the KKK is doing well again, Rush, maybe you should throw your support behind the white hoods and call for lynchings of any black man who is caught with a white woman, eh? Send all the migrant workers back to the countries they came from, no matter if they have greed cards or work visas.
In Rush Limbaugh's America, we can all be free again to judge others by their race, age, gender, ethnicity and creeds. It would sure shore up that crumbling white Christian power-structure that O'Reilly is lamenting the loss of. Or we could go back even further, when we owned the blacks outright as slaves, and they had no rights, women either, and we pushed Native Americans off of their land into arid wastelands and only wealthy land-owning white males could vote, but we were still all created equally. That might work well for Limbaugh and his right-wing fanatical cohorts. I just don't know if I would want to live in Rush's America, I like my freedoms and equality with others.

Is a Public Option That Hard to Swallow?

A month ago, Obama declared that the public option was 'not essential' to the health care reform bill, mostly because the Repubs were fighting against it so heartily. Even a few 'blue dog' Democrats were against it. It seemed like the health care reformation would come without a government run insurance program. Fast forward to this week.
It seems that all of a sudden everyone but Dems are coming out in favor of a public option, including 73% of doctors, labor groups, and even Bill O'Reilly. Yeah, that shocked the hell out of me too.
So whether those in Congress fighting against it like it or not, it looks like the public option is back on the table. The insurance companies are going to fight it every way they can, and not because it means a poorer health coverage, but because they don't want the competition. Anything that will force them to be more honest, lose customers and profits, they are definitely going to be against. Do they really care that 45,000 people die every year because they don't have health insurance? Actually, yes, because that's 45,000 premiums they didn't collect before they canceled the policy for some obscure reason.
Insurance companies are not in the business to save lives, they are in it to profit off of healthy people as long as it is convenient for them, and dropping them as soon as possible when something crops up. I'm sure there a re a few smaller insurance companies that might actually give a damn about their customers, but I'm not aware of any. This fight against health care reform is getting ridiculous, and is led my stubborn conservative politicians who wont even bother to read bills they come out against. Maybe if someone tossed a hefty raise for Congress into the bill it might get passed in record time.
Until then, I just hope that I don't get seriously ill or injured in any way and cripple myself financially.

Good for youuu!

One of the big yuppie things to do during the 2000's has been to own a hybrid, be it the ridiculously popular Prius, Toyota and Honda's other attempts, luxury hybrids or good old American made POS hybrids like the Ford Escape. It is a feel-good purchase, letting the owner believe that they are helping not just their status, but the environment. Not so fast.
Those massive battery packs in your hybrid? Nickel-metal hydride batteries full of nickel. That cool electric motor? Full of rare, difficult to mine metals like neodymium. All that stuff has to be mined, shipped, processed and fashioned into parts, which are then reshipped to places like Japan where they are built, and then shipped overseas to America's voracious consumers looking to out-green their neighbor or just show up how great they are for pretending to care about the environment. Another study done by CNW Marketing Research has shown just how inefficient it is to produce and maintain hybrids as compared to other vehicles. Even SUV's and many luxury cars are cheaper to produce.
And what do you get for all that extra cash you lay down for that ego boost? Only better city driving fuel mileage and a heavier, less efficient car. The Prius is notorious for its lack of interior space and poor highway performance. Penn and Teller tackled this one on an episode of "Bullshit!". The 'Smug' episode of South Park also went to great pains trying to get the message across that hybrids are not the answer, but just a step in the right direction. Hybrids aren't necessarily a bad thing, they are a testing bed for new technologies and an indicator that as a society, we're becoming a little more than dimly aware of our effect on the planet.
More fuel efficient car are coming out all the time, and ultra-efficient diesel hybrids are starting to make their way across the Atlantic where they have been driven for years. Volkswagen had brought out their L1 two-seater concept car that gets 170 mpg with a 1 liter diesel-hybrid engine. It's 3-4 years away from seeing the roads of America, but car companies are definitely on the right track. At least in Europe.
Next time you see some smug prick in their Hybrid flying past you on the freeway, don't get mad, just remember that they paid a whole lot more and most likely aren't getting any benefit whatsoever from that over-sized accessory. Not until they can figure out how to run a vehicle off of douchebaggery, anyway.

Hollywood Hates the Free Market

If there is one thing that Hollywood hates more than anything, it's people enjoying their movies for free--or as close to it as possible. One of the foundations of a free-market is that consumers decide how much they are willing to pay for something, and only the companies that can provide that service/object for that price cost-effectively will stay in business.
For far too long, Hollywood has decided how much we will pay to watch the garbage that sweep out into the theaters and video stores across this country, and has reaped huge sums of money. Since the advent of faster, more widespread Internet service has become popular, their revenue has been dropping, since people suddenly realized that they don't have to pay to watch some trite piece of crap in a theater or rent the DVD for $4-6 bucks. Multiple suits and harassment of the ISP's by organizations such as the MPAA has done very little to stem the tide of recorded or ripped videos making their way into millions of hard drives around the world. And that wont change anytime soon. But something else is agitating Hollywood these days.
There are these soda-machine sized boxes springing up everywhere around the country, in WalMart's, gas stations and fast-food joints. From them, you can rent a DVD for about a dollar a night, no questions asked. There's no one to ask them, the machines simply vend your disk and and transmit your cash into some large bank account somewhere. The most popular and easy to find is RedBox. McDonalds jumped on the RedBox wagon big time, even giving away free rentals with meals. They are simple, convenient, and most of all, cheap. Movie studios do not like this.
RedBox has proven to Hollywood that consumers are tired of getting raped every time they go to the theater, paying upwards of ten dollars, per person, to sit through two hours of nonsense, when they can just do it at home for a buck and change for the whole family. A weak economy and high unemployment rate have added to the problem, people are diverting their shrinking entertainment funds to cheaper sources. Mint.com has a great visual breakdown of the comparison between the most popular video rental chains. Basically, they're kicking some major ass, as I'm sure any customers of the machines are well-aware, the lines get annoyingly long, especially when that damn guy has no idea what he wants to rent. Asshole, they're the same ones in there no matter what screen you look at!
Anyway, Hollywood hates RedBox. So much so that they are trying to, and succeeding in, getting video stores and unions in on the game, claiming they're running ma and pa video stores out of business. Bullshit, Hollywood and and Blockbuster ran most of them out within the past few decades. Times are changing, and so are the ways we watch movies. Even NetFlix, although not demonized by Hollywood quite so much as the little video kiosks, are still on their shitlist, stymieing them whenever they can. Hollywood is not ready to change, and will fight, like the music recording industry, until they have to change to stay viable.
Here's a deal I'll make with you, Hollywood: how about you start making some better movies, something worth my time and money to watch, and I'll start going back to the theater again. Deal? Want me and millions of other Americans back in your sticky, overpriced seats? Stop pumping out the garbage and actually take some pride in what you do. Until then, I'll be at the 'Box more often than not.

WTF??

Dinner with Sarah Palin. I don't think I need to say anymore, but I will anyway. This sounds like one of the most bizarre things to spend your money on, right up there with cat-feces coffee and gold-flavored ice cream. Could you get both of those at the dinner? The dinner comes with more than a price tag, an extensive background check and other stipulations are added at no cost! No more than four hours, could be less!
Now, if I just happened to have several thousand dollars just taking up space in my bank account, I would consider bidding purely out of morbid curiosity. I doubt I would pass the 'extensive background check,' possibly due to content on this blog. However, it's for a good cause (100% of proceeds?), and if I did hypothetically attain this dinner, the one question I would want answered is this: Are you for real? Seriously.
As of this posting, the bid stands at $39,702.99.

Daily Douchebaggery

Normally, if you were to rob someone, never having that person see you again would be ideal. Home invasion robbery is already enough of a douchebag activity, but to return two hours later like this Columbus, Ohio douchebag did, only to attempt to ask out the victim.
How does one go about that? "Hi, you might not remember me, but I was just here two hours ago with some buds, we trashed your place and took your things, and roughed you up a little bit. I was curious if maybe you'd like to go try that new Italian place on 1st with me."
Anyway, this guy had either some serious balls, a complete lack of common sense, or just such a deluded confidence in his own charm that he thought this would be a good idea. Of course, she recognized him and he ended up in jail, like all thieving douchebags should. And on top of it, he's probably a complete dumbass. Way to go, Stephfon.

Next: Identification Papers, Armbands and Relocation Camps

When you hear of a government coming out against its citizens intermarrying with certain groups, you might think of pre-1900's America, or maybe 1935 Germany, when the Nazi regime banned all marriages to Jews and nullified any current ones. But, no, this is from a modern democratic country, one supported both monetarily and ideologically by America. This country is, of course, Israel, who recently pushed their support behind a policy to report any Jew marrying a non-Jew, or 'in danger' of doing so. It is already forbidden to do so in the country, and only outside intermarriages are recognized. The purpose for this policy may be an effort to keep their bloodlines clean, a startlingly familiar tone coming from a certain piece of history called the Holocaust. The Israeli government's open disdain for the Palestinians is already well known, but now they are trying to push for a worldwide abhorrence of anyone marrying outside their faith. This falls right in line with some Nazi beliefs, and is frightening to me. I'm already pissed that millions of our taxpayer dollars are sent over there every year so they can buy more guns, jets and badass tanks with which they oppress the Palestinians. And kill them by the dozens. So I'm guessing the next step will be to move them out of Gaza and into some sort of internment camps in the desert, and tattoo numbers on them, but just to keep track. And those big ovens? They're just for flatbread.

Covert Geek Weekend

I spent the weekend in Seattle, attending the Penny Arcade Expo at the behest of my significant other, and driven by my desire to visit this part of the country. Seattle lived up to its reputation as gloomy and wet, and PAX came through with a wild assortment of one of the nation's (and some of the world's) most poorly understood and highly exploited demographics: the Gamer.
Those of you familiar with the 'scene' may already know what I'm talking about, as I mixed with the pale, portly and petulant segment of our society that only seems to get a face when comic-book-store-type stereotypes are used on TV or when some psychopath kid shoots up a school and someone shoves his copy of GTA under the media's nose.
I've never been an avid gamer myself, I'm more what you might call a casual gamer. It is more of a social event for me, unless I get some goal in mind, like trying to beat Halo II alone--on legendary. Still working on that, and if you have ever tried, you know why. I can pretend to play with the veterans, but my skills are always lacking, particularly in anything head-to-head.
There are as many types of gamers as there are games, with various levels of commitment to the way of life. That IS what it is, a way of life. The hardcore gamer can give you a rundown of his gaming experience starting with the first time he/she picked up a controller or grabbed a joystick. They usually immerse themselves into gaming, it is their life's work. Clothes, friends, conversation, they all revolve around gaming. They understand why it's still okay to play Pokemon when you are in your thirties. And don't get them started on console vs. PC gaming.
During this convention, I constantly made snide comments and wisecracks about the other attendees, much to the annoyance of the gf. Being the smartass that I am, it's hard not to say something when you see a 250 lb Princess Peach. Or the six-four, 150 lb guy ogling the booth models. And can I really be blamed when I wonder out loud who is manning the West's comic-book stores, drive-thru's and IT help lines?
I did manage to somehow fit in despite my relative physical fitness, relationship status and inability to finish most games. My scruffy beard and Threadless t-shirts definitely helped. Since Due to my ability to infiltrate, I was able to observe the various geeks and gamers in as close to their natural habitat as you can get without spooking them. Black clothes, white skin, immaturity and acne abounded, with a pervasive awe and general lack of concern for personal hygiene. Seriously, one guy smelled like cat food. However, all these people had managed to leave their basements across the nation and congregate in one place, all drawn by their passion for gaming. The lines to test some of the most anticipated games of the year never abated, and the wait was up to one and a half hours just for a few minutes of gameplay.
I must had it to these people, they really do enjoy what they do, which is hard to say for most people. They may lack in areas such as refined social skills and ability to play actual sports, but they could sure kick your ass in the digital version, and make jokes at the expense of your sexuality and your mother while doing it. I even managed to enjoy myself, although I really didn't get to play anything but Plants vs. Zombies, a relatively simple game.
The market that gamers represent is huge, and gets bigger every year. People will eventually quit making fun of or worrying about people that play way too many video games, as they realize the power that they wield as a consumer and social group. No longer is a gamer a kid who wastes quarters on Pac-Man, but someone who invests hundreds of dollars yearly into something they are passionate about, even to the extent of dressing up as characters in games, something called costume-play or cosplay, and it has nothing to do with Halloween. It's a type of commitment that goes beyond Star Wars/Trek geeks. Way beyond.
Gamers are becoming more omnipresent, powerful and mainstream, and for a weekend, I was one.

Evil See, Evil-doer

As you may know, the Bush Admin. was very enthusiastic about 'enhanced interrogation.' No, it isn't torture, just like death isn't an 'enhanced coma.' Right. Well, the chattering about these issues has been getting loud again, mostly due to the ACLU pushing the CIA to release documents in its quest for the truth on the techniques used to interrogate terrorist suspects. Claiming that such documents would harm national security, they are openly violating the Freedom of Information Act. But, hey, if they told us, they'd have to kill us, right?
McCain gets another gold star for sticking up for Americans who believe that torture isn't cool, and another for bashing Cheney's assertions that it is. McCain, like many others, understands that torture never provides reliable information, like this former military interrogator openly admits. (Also, watch Shepard Smith get seriously pissed on the matter.) Just try explaining this to any high-level Repub trying to cover their ass on a stance that was even argued against by their White Messiah Reagan. Liz Cheney doesn't think we did anything wrong torturing innocent men, either.
The evidence shows that, if anything, torturing has only prolonged these two wars and given the terrorists more ammunition for recruitment. No information has been gleaned that could have stopped an attack. And the opposition are quite fond of torture and go after it with a gleeful abandon. Anyone who sports one of these or any similar bumper sticker should spend a couple minutes being waterboarded. (And whoever designed that page should be sent to Gitmo.) If we continue to torture prisoners for the slight chance we may be able to get some bit of useful information, then we are no better than the evildoer's themselves.

Daily Douchebaggery

Once again religion has found a way to creep into another aspect of life and ruin band t-shirts. That's right, t-shirts. Thanks to the over-zealous heart palpitations of parents like Sherry Melby, a symbol of evolution used in a humorous way was seen as a 'religious matter.' Despite the fact that evolution is a scientific theory, not a religion, Melby was quoted showing her endless douchebaggery with the statement: "I don't think evolution should be associated with our school." That is correct. This mother does not want a bit of science to be associated with her child's school. Brad Pollitt, the moronic assistant superintendent at the school compared the image to Christ on the cross. And they wonder why Jesus wept.
They made the children return the shirts, by the way. Every single parent that complained, and the petty-authority (assistant to the) superintendent can all rot in a pit of their own doucheness. Please stop ruining children's minds with your intolerant religious ideals.

Be Afraid, Be VERY Afraid

You would think that political organizations like the RNC would be watching what lies they spread just a little closer, in a time when, as Rasmussen reports, 57% of the country wouldn't mind one bit replacing every single congressman and woman.
But, to outdo themselves once again, have come out swinging with the misinformation bat at the Health Care pinata. They are now 'suggesting' that Dems would use political affiliation to ration out health care, making sure that Repub's would spend hours in waiting rooms and have exorbitant co-pay's and not get necessary treatments. Oh, wait, the current hospital/insurance industry beat them to it.
The disgusting depths that politicians and their organizations will go to to further their agenda--or stop an opposing party's--is pitiful. There is no 'reaching across the aisle,' each is looking out for their own and their own lobbyists/special interests. It seems everyone is in on it, except the people. They are just let around by the nose with the dogmatic speeches of charismatic or fear-mongering pundits/politicians who think for them. Media has made it so much easier to convince people what they are being told was their idea.
We have enough distractions in this country, with TV shows, 24 news, Internet porn, fast food chains, that new Kohl's opening up down the street, that it is difficult to follow the seemingly magical world of politics, full of smoke, mirrors, and empty suits rattling off statistics that you can't understand but worry you anyway. This is why we re-elect 90% of congressmen every election, we just trust them to do the right thing like we guess they did last time.
The propaganda used to keep voters in line seems to be working well enough. Many are fearful of seemingly 'socialist' ideas like making sure everyone has health care, forgetting that Welfare and Unemployment are similar ideas. About 30% of Republicans still don't believe Obama was born in the U.S. Religious rhetoric still makes its way into laws and onto public property. Some are trying to alleviate these problems, while others only try to make them worse. If it continues to get worse, I will be afraid.

Mac Attacked

In early November last year, John McCain delivered a graceful concession speech and seemed to gradually fade out of the spotlight, unlike his camera hungry VP nominee. Between then and now, McCain seems to have returned to the 'Maverick' he once was, no longer spouting GOP talking points and vile accusations gleefully supported by Fox pundits. He returned to the type of politician he used to be, the kind that got him popular in the first place. He is again speaking his own personal set of political beliefs, and showing his respect for the office of President and the Constitution. But what is this beginning to get him? Boos from an audience in his own home state for respecting Obama as president. At another town hall meeting yesterday he got off to a bad start, having to have a woman ejected for yelling over him constantly. Even moderate republicans are having a harder time of it these days, or anyone who doesn't follow lock-step with the majority, fighting against every major thing Obama is trying to accomplish, even if it is simply to contradict him completely, to no real purpose. I have said before, it isn't going to be pretty for the Repub party in the coming years, with people like Palin trying to tear away the crazy-fringe (and sizable) portion of the party. It will be interesting to follow McCain's career in the coming years, and see how true to his original beliefs he stays.

Camaro = Free Pizza!!

Way back in 1983, John Schnatter sold his beautiful 1971 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, to keep his father's tavern afloat, and start his pizza business. Today, it is known as Papa John's, an international pizza company, and my personal favorite chain pizza. He recently found it again, after a long search, aided by the original buyers. As a reward to his customers (the guy who owned it got 250 k), any Camaro owner can receive one large pizza for free. Just for owning one.
I happen to have one. Mine isn't as impressive as the 1971 1/2 Z28, being just a humble customized 1986 Camaro, but I built it myself. I think I'll go and redeem my 3,000 pound coupon, it's the least I deserve.

Like the Rest

Sitting, staring as the microwave rotates a box of pre-made Thai food, I feel fear for a moment. I look down at the spread before me, plastic-wrapped and sealed for my convenience. I realize I am not as strong as I need to be, relying on packaged and hermetically contained food to sustain me. Even I am prepackaged, sealed with a desiccate and irradiated. I can't live like this, eating formed meals out of cardboard boxes and foil-wrapped individual packages. If you are what you eat, we are completely unnatural. Salads and steaks even come in plastic now, nitrogen sealed to stave off nature. The Consumer has eradicated the Hunter-Gatherer and Farmer, killed them off one by one, in a blind genocidal torrent of self-satisfaction, immediate gratification and comfort-of-use. This fear, this inability to satiate myself without modern conveniences, comes from generations before me. I have never planted a seed in the ground with the intention of growing something I can eat. People lived in the same deserts for thousands of years before the Europeans came, where we now live with Interstates, infrastructure and multi-national chains of food distributors. Modern man cannot take care of himself, he relies on a despised minority to produce his food, package it, ship it, stock it, and bag it for him. Your average North American male could not figure out how to grow enough corn to make flour from before he starved to death. I cannot become this. I cannot live like this. Maybe this is why I crave the end of civilization; all the chaff of humanity will be blown away when the world is tossed and only the hardy with survive the fall. The useless of society wouldn't last more than a few weeks without 24-hour grocery stores to cater to their every consumerist whim. I hope I would survive. Create what I need, and rely on nothing but my own ingenuity. I cannot become like the rest. I want to be a survivor, not a customer.

Daily Douchebaggery

Although I nominated her once before, she just keeps opening her mouth, letting the vapidity escape. What's worse, Sarah Palin just wont go away, constantly riling up conservatives with false-patriotism, misinformation, and just plain wrong information. Already this year she has hinted at splitting up the Republican party (not necessarily a bad thing), left her job 18 months early, claimed Obama wants death panels, and shot her mouth off numerous other times, and claims that the media is mean to her. Grow up, you're in politics.
It just seems to me that she can't let her fifteen minutes run out, she has to frantically wave her hands and say something stupid to gain the public's attention for another week. She posts 'statements' on her facebook page obviously written by someone with a much more acute grasp on the English language than her. But beside that, she is actively causing problems in the national political arena, helping set back any small advances we may get towards health care reform.
She may think that she is slyly working her way towards a presidential nomination in a few years (FSM forbid she runs with someone like Hannity), but not everyone is fooled by her quirky 'Hey-I'm-a-political-outsider-and-I-can-solve-problems' demeanor. She is painfully inadequate politically, and a shining example of Conservatist ignorance. People often muse on how backwards Middle-Eastern and African countries are; just imagine how backward we would be if people like her ran our country. Honey, you're time is up, please finish up your cute speech and get off the stage. You were played-off a long time ago.

Saving Beck

With recent spate of advertiser losses, 20 so far, one may wonder about the future of FoxNews's Glenn Beck show. His innocent statements taken out of context, this true American may have his livelihood ripped away from him by liberal advertisers and politicians, since they ARE out to get him. No one like Beck should have to deal with the nervous hand-flapping of these companies that would rather worry about offending their customer base than supporting a real American. These advertisers will regret it, but what to do in the meantime?
I see a solution. There are so many other organizations that could be advertising on this show. I have heard that the KKK is doing very well these days, and their audience should be built right in to this channel's normal viewership. The Christian Coalition, Knights of Columbus, National Alliance and other such groups should pick up some advertising time. Even the NRA could do very well in this time slot. I've also read that guns are becoming a big thing at these town-hall meetings going on all over the country, they should cash in on the popularity.
I n due time, all of Beck's corporate sponsors can easily be replaced with the proper sponsors, fanatical ring-wing organizations and groups intent on spreading their messages of hatred and fear, which should go along quite well with the current programming seen on this channel. Glenn will be fine (minus the crying), and will emerge stronger and with more conviction in his unsupported and illogical ideas than ever before. Keep on keeping on, Beck.

You Know, Our Children Are Learning From You . . .

I've been seeing previews for this new Disney Princess movie, another raping of another old Grimm Brothers' tale, and I'm reminded again why I despise this particular corporation so thoroughly. The original story is quite ridiculous, in which a snotty princess is forced to abide by a promise she made to get her golden ball back. After her disgust toward the frog, he turns into a prince and yay! they get married and live happily ever after.
The moral of the story is that even the most unworthy, ungrateful and spoiled will reap great benefits if they put up with the ugliness of the world. That frog should have slapped her and walked out the door after he turned into a prince. It is only completely befitting of Disney to take such an atrocious story and twist it into a romantic comedy that panders to minorities and is insensitive to the painful black history surrounding New Orleans. And there will be a game too on several platforms and a full product line as well! I feel a little sick.
Disney has such a perverse way of doing business it's sickening to me that so many parents blindly let themselves be party to it. They are using their children against them, teaching kids to want this or want that so they beg and cry and scream until they cave and buy the brat a Happy Meal so they can get the toy they want and the DVD they will watch 76 times in a row and drive you to drink, only after they finally run out of sugar and crash into their cartoon-character adorned beds. And don't forget about Disney's long and storied history of horribleness. They made propaganda films for the government during the Cold War, 'nuff said.
Moving on, although I'm not not finished with you yet, Disney. This is just the foundation for letting our children be raised by Hollywood, barring any form of religious crap parents put them through. For the first decade of their developing lives, the average child will spend up to two and a half years in front of one screen or another. Six hours a day, letting companies and products train children to want. The more they watch, the worse it gets. Consumerism is what is turning America's kids into overweight, greedy, ignorant little brats, and we're letting it happen because it's just easier to park the little rug-rats in front of the TV instead of playing with them. Parenting sure seems to have taken a nosedive the past couple decades. Two generations of children raised on movies, TV and video games that will be running the world in a short time.
Having no children, can I honestly say I would be any better at parenting? I can at least hope so. If I do ever happen to raise a child, I would use my experiences in life to set them on the right path. My children will learn the cold, hard realities of life early on, hopefully gaining an acute sense of cynicism and disillusionment that may protect them from the world, along with a healthy mistrust for authority and an ability to think for themselves. They will expect nothing from the world, but appreciate what they have. If I succeed at this, I will create a commune attracting like-minded individuals, and we will barricade ourselves from, at the very least, the degrading effects of things like Disney franchises and their banal attempts at morality.
If I never see another film by them (Pixar and Buena Vista excluded), it will be far too soon. I still have a childhood's worth of memories to dredge up at any moment, bringing with it the shame and self-humiliation from what I have seen. The least I can do is to try and keep other young minds from being ruined by such tripe. Ramen.

Not Music to Their Ears

The idea of ownership in our country was brought over by the Europeans, and has been the framework for 90% of our legal system. We took the land from the natives who had no concept of property, and created an entire institution, capitalism, around this idea. It evolved into consumerism, wanting more stuff, having what others have, getting something better than the neighbors. And in the Information Age, this want has turned digital. Now you could buy anything, anywhere in the world, instantly, and have it shipped to your home within weeks. But something happened. People began to realize that they didn't have to pay for things, things they wanted, particularly things they weren't willing--or able--to pay for.
Media and information began to be traded freely, swapping tracks, photos and articles over the vast, blossoming network of copper wires that has connected the world together. Napster unified those seeking free music, pictures and videos until it was shut down and turned into a pay service. Many others have come and gone in the years since, and currently torrents are more popular than P2P programs like Kazaa and Limewire. What people, particularly the younger generation, are willing to pay for has changed; and we just don't want to pay for music anymore.
For decades we were raped by the recording industry, convinced we need to pay upwards of $20 for a new album. One with one or two goods songs, and the rest, crap. Sometimes we just wanted that one song, or a few, or to try the album out and see if we like it before we spend the money. So now we download it, burn it, copy it, mp3 it, delete it and forget it. We don't have a stack of cd's worth $200 that we never listen to anymore. We find new bands and discover old favorites online and for free, a majority of the time.
But there are hazards to this. The RIAA, major labels and some big bands don't like it. Especially if you share what you have with others. Your mother was wrong. Do not share anything; use it once, destroy it and get the next thing. If you want to get it again, pay for it again and never borrow. If you do, you could end up being charged $1.92 mil for sharing.
Radio has been a thorn in the side of corporate music's side for years, letting just anyone listen to the music they send them for a nominal fee. Bastards. If I hear that 3oh!3 song one more time, I might just sue them myself.
I'm fairly certain that what this industry is doing to itself is cutting the leg off to spite the foot. They spend millions prosecuting offenders for, often, just a handful of songs. Thus alienated, many fans buy less music than before. In my case, I purchase maybe 2-3 albums a year, which was about 10 or more a decade ago. I just don't want to pay for music anymore. I still am willing to pay to watch bands play live, which is how they actually get money, since royalties are a mere pittance compared to the cash raked in by the labels for their music. I want my money to go to the musicians who deserve it, not the suits who sit around giant tables deciding what's going to be 'hot' this fall. I would rather pay for new amps and better guitars, not yachts and Armani suits.

Death Panels and Demagogues

The debate on the health care issue has gotten pretty nasty as of late, with fights breaking out in town halls, prominent politicians spreading misinformation, and lobbyists trying to force their hands on an already destabilized Congress.
Reforming health care in this country is as important as an issue can be right now, especially for the future of this country. We trail most industrialized nations in many aspects regarding health and health care, including our dismal 29th place in infant mortality.
But never has the opposition been stronger and more uninformed than it is now, regurgitating fears about 'death panels' and rationed health care. The fear is the main problem, people are scared and ignorant of what is really going on with a huge bill that is hard to grasp the complexity of. The government has set up a site to set the facts straight about this bill, but I doubt many check it before they head out to a town meeting filled with anger and false facts supplied to them by conservative mouthpieces like Hannity and Limbaugh.
Former Vice Pres. nominee Sarah Palin (involuntary shudder) decided to add some unneeded fuel to the fire when she shot off her mouth about 'death panels' checking off the elderly and mentally handicapped for death since they had no more use in society, when the bill actually sets up nothing of the sort, and intends to change the current practice. She then backpedaled a few days later, calling for civility in the matter, but she might as well have put the shotgun down after the wolves were already dead.
This type of thing already goes on behind the gleaming glass facades of many insurance companies, who routinely deny coverage, often on necessary or critical things, just to save a few bucks just because they can, and it increases their profits at the expense of the health and lives of their customers.
If all this seems pretty obvious to the rational American, then from whence comes all this misinformation and for what purpose? Don't the Republicans want to stay healthy too? Yes, but their religious integrity always comes first. Groups like the Liberty Counsel are leading the fight against this bill, setting up a list of talking points that sounds like something criticizing Nazi Germany or Communist Russia, not America. But these conservative tools seem to read from it almost verbatim.
Far-Right groups like this seem to have a lot of sway in the fearful, more ignorant parts of our society, leading them about by the nose like a horse to water. But why? What benefit from this could religious groups receive from a lack in proper health care? My working theory is that they want to keep these people poor, sick and generally unhealthy, such miserable states make for better flocks looking for something better. Healthy, happy people don't make for better flocks, as demonstrated by the fact that the healthiest, most peaceful countries are also the most atheistic.
Case in point: one of our one American astronauts declines to participate in scientific experiments while in space, fearful that it will jeopardize his health insurance standing. Meanwhile, English scientist and famous physicist Stephen Hawking declared that the 'socialist' medicine of England actually saved his life, much to the annoyance of the conservative Right, I'm sure. A scientist and proof that public health care works? Must piss Jerry Falwell right the hell off.