republicans are scared of gays in the military (but apparently not in their own ranks)

i'll start this as i have been for a while lately.. wow, it's been a long time. no excuses, just laziness. but i need to do better. i can't believe it's been over a year since i was in jordan and i still haven't posted those awesome pix and stories. i'm getting to it. really.

what inspired this return was an article i read about the republicans blasting the pentagon for it's findings in a "don't ask, don't tell" study. as i read the article, i became incensed at the complete short-sightedness and bigotry by these scared, old white men. we should've left mccain in that damn prison camp. the problem is, as i read the article, all my counterpoints were made by the article, so if you read this, it's like reading the article, and vice versa. sorry. the study showed that 70% of those military personnel polled said that allowing gays would AT WORST make absolutely no difference in their feelings and at best have a positive effect. granted, it also showed that 40-60% of direct combat troops felt it would have a negative effect, but those guys are usually more the macho quarterback type who probably don't realize that they could be fighting next to a gay solder right now who has to hhide it to fight for his country. the republicans said it was a waste of money because the survey didn't ask if they should repeal DADT. immediately, i thought "why the hell would you survey military personnel on THIS policy but not any others, like extended deployments, etc?" (several sentences later, the article brought up the same point). surverying them on their thoughts and feelings on the issue makes sense, but on specific policy... if they had a say in any policy, i'm guessing most of them wouldn't be in iraq and afghanistan. ask them about that one first. i'm guessing they'll say let the gays in if i can get out of here.

the other thing the republicans were worried about was replacing the 12% (~264,000 troops) who said they would not want to stay in the military if DADT was repealed. FIRST, they don't just get to up and leave. that's AWOL or dishonorable discharge, and the job market isn't so strong right now, let alone how badly the government can treat regular discharges. SECOND, it isn't a one way door. if they want to leave when their enlistment is up, they can, but with DADT repealed, gays who might've been afraid of hostile personal attacks might be more willing to fight and serve. you never know how many might be out there who want to fight, but DADT gives them a strong reason not to. this is our modern day desegregation of black and white troops. get on the fucking bus, you scared old men.

when you mock

you must know how to do it correctly. see, will ferrell and Co put out a humorous health care PSA about health care reform several months ago. whomever made this PSA to "mock" him didn't do quite as well as i think they could have.



the thing is, will ferrell, is a fairly smart man AND he's funny. he can use sarcasm and wit to get his point across, to emphasize the stranger parts of whatever topic he speaking out for or against. he's not saying that since he is a well-paid comedian, that you should listen to him. he's entertaining, and through that entertainment, he is providing information that people need to hear though they might not know where how to go about getting said information. one of the funnier parts of this mock PSA, i thought, was when they spoke about lobbyists. all lobbyists are are unfunny will ferrells. they push a point they are paid to push. will ferrell might be getting paid for these PSAs, but that is a side-note as they are something he truly believes in. you wouldn't find him doing PSAs against health care reform unless some until-now-hidden point came up that changed his mind. he was against prop 8 as well, not for money, but to spread the word using what he is good at... humor.

all i'm saying is, if they'd wanted to mock the PSA, they could've done better, maybe not tried to copy scene-for-scene the PSA, try something original... like ferrell and Co.'s PSAs are to start.

political pix

i went to one site that led me to another that led me to Tumble Dumble. from Tumble Dumble, i found the two following pictures that i thought were fantastic.

my two cents

i know very little about health care. i believe that i have a good health care plan through my company, but i've been lucky enough, that in my 8 years with them, i've never really had to use it. still, i can empathize with those who have absolutely no safety net, those who worry if they can afford to go to the emergency room. so, for my two cents... check out this video, and someone call the number at the end for me. long distance from egypt, just won't cut it.

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

mccain and i are sharing wavelengths

three or four days ago, i was socializing with my new hash friends when i came up with the idea that instead of fighting north korea and iran and china, we need to just break through the propaganda and censorship. we need to find a way to provide OTHER countries with free internet access or wi-fi. we can use technology rather than force to help the people see a more realistic and less biased view of the world and country they live in. giving people the power of information to give them the power to organize. that was my idea. i wasn't sure how to implement it, but i think it was a good idea at the very least.

john mccain feels the same.

i hate rich pricks

i really hate rich pricks... not rich people, but rich pricks. maybe i kinda do hate rich people who are way overpaid for what they do, for example: david beckham (it's a game); A-Rod (it's a game); etc., but it's the rich pricks who inspired this post. it hearkens back to latrell sprewell's comment in 2004, when he was estimated to make $14.7 MILLION that year, of "Why would I want to help them win a title? They're not doing anything for me. I'm at risk. I have a lot of risk here. I got my family to feed." holy shiteballs batman, you're an asshole. still, what inspired this post is a headline on my google toolbar that just came up... "energy chiefs say oil price must rise to ensure supply".

WTF?! i didn't take microeconomics in college like most of the people in my major, but i do recall the very simple concept of "supply and demand". supply is high, price goes down, supply is low, price goes up. on the obverse, if the price is low, the demand goes UP, and if the price is high, the demand goes DOWN. please, correct me if i'm wrong. at the DAVOS economic summit or what-the-fukk-ever it is going on, the chiefs are saying the price must go up. i don't get this. then i see OPEC's comment... "Even with $50, we cannot have a decent income for our members." SERIOUSLY?! 6 months ago, it was 3 times that, and they were swimming in their money like scrooge mcduck in his money vault. the oil companies were making record profits and they are the middleman; think what the producers were pocketing! i can't believe they have the balls to say that. that's the only damn income they have. they MIGHT have a bit of tourism, but seriously, why the fukk would you want to go to a desert in the middle of nowhere on holiday except that it is where the money is? it's the cool place to go. they need us more than we need them. FUKK!!! i haven't even really paid for gas in 2 years due to being overseas all the time for work, and I'M pissed off at the arrogance of that statements. i HATE rich pricks!

drill oil now... FOR ME!!!

i try not to be political, but this was an accident. deadliest catch just ended on discovery+2, and i was flipping through my usual channels, and JUST as i was flipping past CNNi, GW popped up with a live press conference. i know it's stupid (and a personal analogy that won't be useful to anyone but the people working with me), but it's all finger-pointing. onsite, we let the client know where they are lacking in superivision, quality and safety. instead of telling us how they are going to fix it, they instead reply with parts shortages, incorrect parts, etc. in effect, no progress is being made, and it sucks. this is all i heard from the latest press conference. A LOT of people are unhappy with GW... his foreign policy, his domestic policy, his trademark flubs during "freetime" in his speeches. the fact that he is an oil-monger from an oil-monger family who was in bed with the bin ladens, and in his latest speech, he's asking us so nicely to (paraphrased) please, we need to drill for more oil, the po' folk really want it. he actually went as far as saying that every dollar spent on oil price hikes take away from money spent on americans putting food on the table. this is a case of causality. simple psychology. yes, the more gas costs the more food costs AND the less there is to spend on it... but why is the oil costing more. because you decided to wipe your ass with the constitution and "checks and balances" and decided to fukking attack a major oil-influencing country with no recovery plan, no plan for infrastructure development. this was a war plan written on his nap mat in crayon (revision made by snotty sleeves). instead, you blame the democrats for not wanting to put money in your pocket by drilling oil when oil is so expensive now because you wanted daddy to be proud of you.

i'm gettinf off track. i'm actually pissed, and i wasn't going to be pissed today, i was going to paint. thanks a fukking lot, GW. i don't know how this general commentary on our current imbecile president became a theoretical first-person "letter to the president", but it did. i gotta go. more non-political stuff later.

wtf, ohio!?

i was really hoping ohio would go my way and vote for obama. i still think he has a strong chance, and i do like him better than hillary, but winning ohio OR texas would've been a big hit to the clinton camp. i liked bill, but hillary, i just can't stomach. too bad. i haven't gotten my absentee ballot yet, and i haven't looked at the numbers. hopefully there is a windfall of absentee ballots that could push obama over the top? hah, wishful thinking gets me nowhere.

THEY'RE TRYING TO USE THE BACKDOOR!!!!

Penn & Teller Creationism Bullshit


not THAT backdoor, you pervs... oh, just me then? anyways, i think it's an amazing coincidence i ran into these two videos within the same relative timeframe. i've heard of the show called "bullshit", starring penn & teller. i may have even seen an episode or two at BTVJGJHo's house. this episode is about creationism and intelligent design. of course, since i'm on the side of P&T in this episode, i'd have to say, it's well organized, detailed, and thought out. of course, i'm a bit biased, but i HAVE done some formal debating (coincidentally with BTVJGJHo) and understand that you have to look at both sides of the argument critically in order to support your points and rebut to counter's points. i think this episode set a good foundation for that type of debate.

separately, i found a link to a CNN.com video about the anti-christian themes in the new movie "the golden compass". i think the movie looks good, i blogged about it many moons ago here. the president of the catholic league believes that this movie is trying to introduce children to atheism through a fantasy movie. they are afraid it's presenting christianity as a big, bad meanie society while promoting atheism as a free-thinking utopia, of sorts. this is what happens when grown-ups forget what it was like to be a kid. the kids are going to see witches, and fighting polar bears, monkeys, cats, and a cool story. that's pretty much it. the adults who, by this time in their lives, probably have their minds pretty much made up on this topic, might pick up some of the religious overtones, but that's a moot point.

anyways, i digress. the title of this post is such, because ironically, that paraphrase is used in both arguments, against creationism and ID in the "bullshit" episode, and against atheism in CNN.com report.

when will we ever grow up, er... i guess in this case, grow down?

seriously, islam? WTF?!

a lot of americans don't like muslims because they believe islam is a violent religion promoting violence toward non-muslims. that really is not the case. islam is burdened by religious fanatics (which every religion has) that make the headlines under the guise of jihad and martyrdom. that give islam a bad name, and that's not the reason it should have a bad name. on the other hand, THIS is why islam should have a bad name.

in america, and i'm guessing most civilized nations, you are a "victim" of rape, it's not your fault, you weren't asking for it. apparently, in saudi, that isn't the case. it's so sad, that a woman visiting an "unrelated" male friend can lead to her getting gang-raped, then getting 90 lashes for the meeting and 6 months in prison, and THEN when she let the media know how unfair this practice is because she has some sense, she gets 6 months added on to her sentence and 110 more lashes. this is SOOOO fukked up, it's almost beyond comprehension. apparently, there is no such thing as a victim in saudi. they even took her lawyer away, because they didn't like being embarrassed publicly. well, if your religious laws weren't so outdated and barbaric, there'd be nothing to be embarrassed about. i'm truly sickened by this, seeing as i'm going to be living in a muslim country in the next few months. granted, as far as i know, they aren't nearly as strict, i am starting to grow some concern. i might have to go off the radar on this blog in case they find it and hunt me down for my heretical zionist speech. i'm just so pissed right now, i have to go blow off some steam by... blah, counting, mapping, and photographing damaged turbine blades. that should bore me back to a safe level of calm.

you know me and my admiration of quotes

• Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron.
  --- Dwight D. Eisenhower


• We, on our side, are praying to Him to give us victory, because we believe we are right; but those on the other side pray to Him, too, for victory, believing they are right. What must He think of us?
  --- Abraham Lincoln


• A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism.
  --- Carl Sagan


• Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite.
  --- John Kenneth Galbraith


• It is hard to free fools from chains they revere.
  --- Voltaire


• Man is the religious animal. He is the only religious animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion, several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat, if his theology isn’t straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother’s path to happiness and heaven.
  --- Mark Twain

and someone, please, buy armadillo run. i'm stuck on level 20 without a clue of how to build my next structure. it really is fun, and cheap.

i've done the unthinkable

i bought... golf clubs. when it was arranged that i'd be in columbus from wednesday to sunday, i got a call from T about golfing. i've been before, i'm so far from good, it actually IS funny, but i hate borrowing clubs. i'm afraid that i'll destroy one and owe someone so i'm really timid. ended up, JHo took me to dick's, i got a $200 starter box set, he bought $400 irons, and we were on our way. it was fun. the course wouldn't let us go all five together, so T, wasko, and wasko jr. went first and JHo was stuck with me. man i'm bad. inconsistent, but it was fun. now i'm on columbus and looking for some debauchery. sad thing is, looks like ohio is actually TRYING to push me away.

to the tune of "don't cry for me argentina" from "EVITA"

don't cry for me, you poor dancers
the truth is i'll NEVER leave you
and in my wild days, my mad existence
i'll keep on giving
don't keep your distance

i've lived in ohio all my life aside from work, and they come up with THISbrilliant idea. seriously, wtf. i know i joke around that it is helping pay for their education (and sometimes it really does), but come on, what harm is there? imposing a 6' distance ban means no lapdances, means the clubs will go out of business in a heartbeat.

Citizens for Community Values members did not return calls for comment. Earlier, group member Barry Sheets told a Senate committee that the restrictions are needed because of negative "secondary effects" of strip clubs such as high crime rates, declining property values and urban blight. He said the 6-foot rule is to protect strippers from being pawed by patrons and to prevent drug transactions between strippers and patrons.

i seriously doubt that the citizens for community values really care that the strippers are getting "pawed". most clubs have VERY strict rules against, that and the dancer can have the patron kicked out if he breaks those rules. and this seems to me, to be a freakonomics issue. they are saying that the clubs are contributing to high crime rates, and lowered property values, when in my GUESS, it's the exact opposite. these clubs are forced to open in those types of areas due to the NIMBY attitude of the locals. seriously, what i do with my money, and if it doesn't hurt anyone, is none of your business. what about all us introverted, socially-awkward fellas out there who can't talk to a girl. this might be our only chance. i certainly know when i'm single, they are like little havens reminding me that SOMEONE (acts like they) likes me. that they want to talk to me. it doesn't matter if they're only there for my money, i'm not deluded, but the conversation, the interaction is nice. almost practice if you will. granted going there won't help you with the ice-breaking of a girl, but i DO consider it practice of what to say AFTER the ice-breaking. there is a lot of talking between the dancer and the patron. i think a lot people really don't know the process, all they know is the strip club they see in the movies, smoky, trashy, but they don't see the interaction, the talking, laughing, joviality of the place. but i digress...

it just pisses me of when they try to regulate something that isn't harming anyone. wtf. i'm guessing after conferring with a BTB, that portion of the the citizens for community values (which ironically, are trying to impose STATE values rather than COMMUNITY values by going to the state legislature instead of the local government) group who initiated this ban are a collection of sexually frustrated bitties who are jealous that their husbands actually come home happy after spending some time at titty bars where they are getting some sort of affection, having a good time, living.

that's all i gotta say. i think you can all guess where i'm gonna be most of this weekend "pushing for legislature reform..." go out and do your part. you can see me at kahoot's and possibly other local establishments.

when the levee breaks

about 2.5 years ago, i had an assignment in tempe, AZ, doing some nightshift maintenance work. i had to go in at 9AM for safety orientation, then had the whole day off to dick around and get time-oriented (which meant i should've slept), but instead i went to the mall. i like cinemas and malls because of the people. i'm horrible at talking to people (but i'm learning), but i do my best to at least TRY to have some sort of interaction with them... malls seem to work for me. i like the band, tool, and the lead singer has a side project (that in turn, has kinda become a full-fledged project itself) called a perfect circle, and they'd just released a new CD called emotive. it's a CD of old anti-war rally song covers, and two original anti-war songs from the band. it is a powerful CD, i listened to it over and over and over again driving around the tempe area, windows down, stereo blasting. excellent. i know a lot of people say john lennon's imagine, is untouchable but they covered it with such emotion, flattening out the notes, changed syllabic stresses. it's truly moving, goosebumps and shite.

i'm listening to it now. for some reason, i find it comforting or motivating or something considering my own situation, though how so, i couldn't quantify. i seriously would recommend this CD for anyone who is into rock, and likes good music/covers. even if you aren't anti-war, the music is excellent.

my favorites are:

• let's have a war
• when the levee breaks
• fiddle and the drum
• imagine
• counting bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums

several states blatantly violate the U.S. constitution

Article VI, Section 3 of the Constitution
"...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

as usual, bouncing around the internet, and i couldn't believe this. the site is called "one nation, under god". if you go to the "separation of church and state" link, it tells you the history of the "pledge of allegiance". on the second page of that section, it gives the true wording of the constitutional idea of "separation of church and state" which is only a paraphrasing by thomas jefferson.

then on the third page, it lists the states that believe they can change that part of the constitution to suit them. here's two of my favorites.

Texas
"No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being." Article 1 - Bill of Rights: Section 4

Arkansas
"No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any court."
Article 19, sect. 1 of the 1874 constitution

texas goes so far as stealing the verbiage directly from the U.S. constitution, then adding their little discriminatory addendum. in arkansas, if you don't want to be a witness in court, plead atheism, hah, but you can't work for the government, you heathen you.

i believe the pilgrims came to this country to escape religious oppression, for religious freedom, which would also include freedom from religion. funny how we've kinda turned into the oppressive society our forefathers tried to get away from in the first place.

my imus perspective

as i've said before, what don imus said was stupid, insensitive, etc., but i don't think it is all that the media is making out of it. in the sake of PC-ism, his wife, deidre, even said that she met the women's rutger's team and called them "beautiful and courageous". ok, come on. way to kiss ass to the media. they may be beautiful, but that is beside the point. and courageous??? where does she get that? they are courageous because they, what? didn't cry to mommy when a guy most of them probably never listened to called them a name. it isn't any more courageous than when it happens to kindergartners. courage has nothing to do with it. more recently, CNN.com has a headline, "Rice calls Imus' on-air attack 'disgusting'" referring to condaleeza rice. this was not an attack. rush limbaugh makes "attacks" against femi-nazi's, etc. if anyone heard the recording, it wasn't an attack, it was an off-color, inappropriate statement made as a joke. imus wasn't even the first guy to say it, it was said by his sidekick (i'd guess), and then he repeated it with different wording.

we have the freedom of speech guaranteed to us, and it protects everyone, even stupid, spur of the moment on-air moments, even moronic presidential ad lib slip-ups. the only time freedom of speech isn't guaranteed is when it is harmful to the safety of the public (yelling "fire" in a crowded theater). if anything, the rutgers team could've filed a slander/libel suit, but that should've been the end of it. instead, sharpton and jesse jackson (both "men of the cloth" hah, failed politicians and fairly well off financially) pandered to the advertisers who don't want to offend their consumers, so they pulled their advertising. that is horseshite. that we pander to advertisers to pay for our shows. where would those advertisers be, if they weren't paying for their airtime? there are only so many billboards out there. maybe internet popups, but then consumers hate popups.

i'm a bit off track. i just can't believe how idiotic people are acting over this, and to find out where the power in this country lies... advertising. yea! like i said, i'm a bit off-track and this is more of a stream of consciousness thing, as i had a bunch of different threads to talk about on this subject. enough for now, maybe i'll go play in the rain.