I spend the bulk of my time now as an urban homesteader, when I'm not commuting to and from a job with a vague expiration date on it. If there is anything positive to be said about spending upwards of 4 hrs a day commuting, it is that one has a bit of time to spend reading. When one is not snoring on the train, which is often.
Aside from the occult-flavored reading that I decided to re-immerse myself in upon moving, I picked up two books that have pretty much reassured me that any move I make to get outside of the system, away from The Man, is going to be a net positive over the long haul. At the very last, I am the mistress of my own fate.
The first quasi-life changing book I read was Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture. Yes, the cover has a woman wielding a rolling pin on it. But it is a lot more than that. It is basically a call to arms to steadily work to quit perpetuating the extractive economy. 'Extractive' meaning we work in order to buy things, and are not particularly benefited by the process because we were sold on consumer culture as soon as manufacturers realized they could even manufacture a sense of need. We work long hours in order to afford things. Who benefits from that but the manufacturers. This is a paradigm-shifting book if one wasn't already suspicious of rampant consumerism. I know quite a few women who were really angered when it came out because it looks from the outside to be a book putting women back in the kitchen. That interpretation is horseshit. It puts the whole family back into the running of the household (guess what, most households have a kitchen in them) and gives examples of living situations where a sense of community is regained because people are working together as partners in order to get away from being wage slaves. Which is how it is supposed to work, within reason.
The second quasi-life changing book I read was Twelve by Twelve: A One-Room Cabin Off the Grid and Beyond the American Dream. This one stirred up vitriol in people who don't like the thought that the predominant US way of life is wasteful, unsustainable, irresponsible, and negligent towards future generations. (Tough shit, guys, but it is. As is globalization as it's been spoon-fed to us. Okay, buy some carbon offsets, and you'll have shit with a bow on it, is that better?) The 12x12 cabin in the book belongs to a country doctor who works just enough hours per year to fall under the tax-paying radar. It has no plumbing and no electricity, because in the county she lives, having those would make it a bonafide dwelling, and thus subject to property taxes and the like. Of course, it would also afford her some squatter's rights and some say in how the county does its business, to officially exist to state and local officials, but she's decided she prefers to not contribute to a system she doesn't believe in, and to spend much of her time remembering humility and being an activist. It isn't for everyone, but I felt envious of living that... small. For lack of a better word. To take up so little space, to have a permacultured garden and orchard which is irrigated by rainwater. To have a composting toilet and basically not worry about such mundane things as a septic system backing up, or an electrical bill. Her shower is outside the dwelling, the water heated by the sun all day. And this isn't even what the book is about, rather the context and crucible...
But I was talking about outrage fatigue in the title for this post.
Wiki-leaks that aren't leaks of anything we didn't already suspect (leaking the names of the informants was bloody irresponsible, though). An oil company shirking responsibility for killing several ecosystems in one go (I'm sorry, how is this a revelation?). A Congress which refuses to live by the work ethic the rest of the country lives by (e.g. they are basically refusing to address global warming because apparently they got stressed out with the medical overhaul which wasn't - sorry, assholes, but you work for us and you won't be able to eat money when agriculture becomes impossible). Sewage sludge being given to communities and farmers across the US as 'fertilizer' so the processors don't have to pay to dispose of it as hazardous material (the SFPUC and the Chez Panisse Foundation have a lot to answer for right now); sewage sludge is full of super happy fun things like flame retardants, dioxins, phthalates, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, etc - this is not unlike the coal ash being encouraged as garden amender in the east so the power companies don't have to pay to deal with it properly.
Honestly? The stuff above isn't even the tip of the iceberg for me, but these are the bits that currently have my attention. The Wiki-leaks stuff less so, because it is a Weapon of Mass Distraction in the media right now. This means BP and Toyota are probably holed up in a titty bar somewhere doing shots, glad to not be the leading topic on the news every night. I'd bet Monsanto is there right now with them, because while the Roundup-ready alfalfa's been disallowed for now, they'll be back. They're counting on Elena Kagan being confirmed because the White House is way more concerned with putting a couple more ovaries on the Supreme Court right now, no matter the bias. I guess Clarence Thomas needs the company. But shit makes the flowers, grow, does it not?
So, I go out into my backyard and find solace in weeding out dandelions between the rows of corn and sorghum. I harvest plums from the neighbor's tree hanging into my yard and make wine and syrup. Last week I belatedly started broadcasting seed for nitrogen-fixing cover crops for the chickens to peck at, like red clover, and the task today is to till in some compost in one of the side yard patches so I can finally put the elderberries into the ground now that they've leafed out in pots (got them bare-root from a nursery, pretty nifty way to get trees and shrubs). The bees are back in the yard because I managed to coincide the sunflowers with the squashes, which means I will actually have a squash crop this year thanks to sufficient pollinators. I am kicking myself for yanking out so many nettles in the spring; those could have gone into herbal beer and pesto, but they seem to be coming back. And so it goes.
Fetch water, carry wood, muck out coop, compost, sow, grow, fetch water. (Speaking of water, I managed to cut the water bill in half with irrigating the yard with gray water this season.) The garden is a small oasis in a neighborhood that quite belligerently does not give a shit about simple things like a sun-ripened tomato, or greater self-sufficiency, but what matters is that my enthusiasm for what I do when I get home every day has been contagious, and several coworkers who were apathetic last year are growing their own this year, and I have friends thinking about keeping chickens. And there are many oases in front yards in my community which did not exist last year, where one can see a row of corn and sunflowers acting as a windbreak for tomato and pepper plants. I still have my eye on two sizable empty lots nearby, for the purpose of squat-gardening leading up to community gardens eventually. If I just throw seed balls and let the rain take care of those in October, come February and March people will see pretties and edibles growing. It is a start.
Wednesday, July 28
An envelope, a stamp and a concern...
Show your concern for your local Progressive, or Liberal Congressman or Candidate. Please feel free to substitute your name.
Dear Democratic Incumbent or Candidate,
I’m writing this to let you know I’m worried, worried about you. You see, the last group of Democrats that won in 2008 by such a “mandate” promised progressives, liberals and moderates to get us out of the financial and military mess the Bush Administration got us into.
We see that for whatever reason, most of the Democrats we voted in are now supporting bills that benefit Big Business, Banks and the Military over the concerns of tax payers. They promised us help with a health care bill but didn’t deliver. They promised no more funding for the illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but continue to throw our tax money at corrupt regimes (the ones over seas, too). They promised to bring home American soldiers so no more would have die for an illegal war, but didn’t deliver. They promised relief from credit card rip offs, but didn’t deliver. They promised help for the housing situation and help to families facing foreclosures and families who lost their homes because of greedy bankers and Wall Street schemes, but didn’t deliver. They are even thinking of reducing or gutting social security, Medicare and Medicaid so millions of seniors will suffer and most probably die well before they normally would have.
But the main reason I’m writing this is about my concern for your political future. You see, there’s this talk about the Republicans winning big in November 2010 and 2012 because the Democrats in power didn’t do nearly enough for the people they pledged to represent and the people are blaming the Democrats! Imagine that! Based on the Bush years, a Republican takeover of the House or Senate this year or in two could spell another long term disaster for the country and people...and your political ambitions.
Now this Republican sweep won’t affect most of the Senior Democrats already in Congress because when they lose their seats, they’ve already shown business what they can do for them and they can always go to work for Corporate America as consultants or lobbyists and make an exceptionally fine living. But if you’ve only been in Congress a few years, why, businesses may think you don’t quite have what they want yet or aren’t sure enough of you. They will look elsewhere (probably your Republican replacements) for those coveted, high paying positions that could have been yours.
If you are an aspiring candidate promising what you can’t deliver, chances are you’ll lose to a Republican next election. And since the mood of the people is swinging away from the Democrats making it more and more probably that you will lose the election, you will also lose your chance at all the big money you could make after you leave office! Now that can’t be good, can it?
You see, if you don’t help the people you promised you’d help, there’s a good chance that you WILL lose the coming election. And if you lose the election, well, there goes the chance at that great business or K Street offer!
I’m really concerned for you! I mean, how can a business expect to hire you if you don’t first show you can be supportive of their agendas? And the only way to do that is get into office. And the only way to stay in office to build the trust of business is to do the will of the people so they’ll keep electing you so you can keep impressing business. I know that’s a bit of a conundrum and it means you’ll sometimes have to compromise to the people instead of business but that’s politics. Call it the Political “Circle of Life.”
With the advent of Citizens United, you may think most support for you will come from business and won’t worry about constituent contributions. Those big bucks can also go to your opponent. And no matter how many millions business spends on you and your opponent, it still comes down to one person, one vote. If you should win and those voters don’t like what you did while in office or what you promised during your campaign (and didn’t deliver), all that money won’t keep you there.
Even if you don’t think of the voters as people you depend on for your job, at least think of your family. How would you like to have to survive on a paltry private sector job when you have visions of everything a political career would offer?
During your campaigning, please consider what could happen if you don’t support the views of progressives, liberals and moderates. You could be just as easily outsourcing a job you want - YOUR JOB - that coveted political position - and your financial future, to a Republican. Wouldn’t that be just terrible?
Yours,
Father Tyme
Dear Democratic Incumbent or Candidate,
I’m writing this to let you know I’m worried, worried about you. You see, the last group of Democrats that won in 2008 by such a “mandate” promised progressives, liberals and moderates to get us out of the financial and military mess the Bush Administration got us into.
We see that for whatever reason, most of the Democrats we voted in are now supporting bills that benefit Big Business, Banks and the Military over the concerns of tax payers. They promised us help with a health care bill but didn’t deliver. They promised no more funding for the illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but continue to throw our tax money at corrupt regimes (the ones over seas, too). They promised to bring home American soldiers so no more would have die for an illegal war, but didn’t deliver. They promised relief from credit card rip offs, but didn’t deliver. They promised help for the housing situation and help to families facing foreclosures and families who lost their homes because of greedy bankers and Wall Street schemes, but didn’t deliver. They are even thinking of reducing or gutting social security, Medicare and Medicaid so millions of seniors will suffer and most probably die well before they normally would have.
But the main reason I’m writing this is about my concern for your political future. You see, there’s this talk about the Republicans winning big in November 2010 and 2012 because the Democrats in power didn’t do nearly enough for the people they pledged to represent and the people are blaming the Democrats! Imagine that! Based on the Bush years, a Republican takeover of the House or Senate this year or in two could spell another long term disaster for the country and people...and your political ambitions.
Now this Republican sweep won’t affect most of the Senior Democrats already in Congress because when they lose their seats, they’ve already shown business what they can do for them and they can always go to work for Corporate America as consultants or lobbyists and make an exceptionally fine living. But if you’ve only been in Congress a few years, why, businesses may think you don’t quite have what they want yet or aren’t sure enough of you. They will look elsewhere (probably your Republican replacements) for those coveted, high paying positions that could have been yours.
If you are an aspiring candidate promising what you can’t deliver, chances are you’ll lose to a Republican next election. And since the mood of the people is swinging away from the Democrats making it more and more probably that you will lose the election, you will also lose your chance at all the big money you could make after you leave office! Now that can’t be good, can it?
You see, if you don’t help the people you promised you’d help, there’s a good chance that you WILL lose the coming election. And if you lose the election, well, there goes the chance at that great business or K Street offer!
I’m really concerned for you! I mean, how can a business expect to hire you if you don’t first show you can be supportive of their agendas? And the only way to do that is get into office. And the only way to stay in office to build the trust of business is to do the will of the people so they’ll keep electing you so you can keep impressing business. I know that’s a bit of a conundrum and it means you’ll sometimes have to compromise to the people instead of business but that’s politics. Call it the Political “Circle of Life.”
With the advent of Citizens United, you may think most support for you will come from business and won’t worry about constituent contributions. Those big bucks can also go to your opponent. And no matter how many millions business spends on you and your opponent, it still comes down to one person, one vote. If you should win and those voters don’t like what you did while in office or what you promised during your campaign (and didn’t deliver), all that money won’t keep you there.
Even if you don’t think of the voters as people you depend on for your job, at least think of your family. How would you like to have to survive on a paltry private sector job when you have visions of everything a political career would offer?
During your campaigning, please consider what could happen if you don’t support the views of progressives, liberals and moderates. You could be just as easily outsourcing a job you want - YOUR JOB - that coveted political position - and your financial future, to a Republican. Wouldn’t that be just terrible?
Yours,
Father Tyme
Tuesday, July 27
Mistakes That Cost Money
Those are the kind of errors that I never forget. Name a mistake that cost me a significant amount of money, and I can name the circumstances - even the date, in some cases.
And that's for amounts of about thirty dollars or so.
So do you think 8.7 BILLION dollars might honk me off if it went missing?
In the runup to the war with Iraq, we were given many breezy and heartfelt assurances that the total cost of the war and the reconstruction of the country would be borne by the Iraqis, out of their oil revenue of course.
But quite naturally those people lied. People like Paul Wolfowitz and his greasy ilk, so in response to their lies we started sending money into Iraq.
Lots of money.
Loaded on pallets and driven aboard C5-A Galaxy transports by forklifts.
Crisp new bills, straight from the Federal Reserve Bank to Baghdad - where it all disappeared.
Poof, like a fart in a tornado.
This isn't a brilliant scoop by some enterprising journalist - those are few and far between nowadays. The news of this monumental mistake (part of an entire avalanche of mistakes) broke a few years back, but was quietly dropped after causing a bit of a stink.
But I never forgot. I don't forget mistakes that cost money.
Where did the money go? Who lost it? Who got it? Did it benefit the insurgency that was in its "last throes" for so many years that we made the phrase a joke? Did it end up lining the pockets of our Viceroy, L. Paul Bremer and his satraps? Is it squirreled away somewhere, in quiet places so that it can accrue interest until certain people retire?
No one knows - or, rather, no one who wants to talk about it knows.
Now, compared to the total cost of the war in Iraq, nine billion dollars is chicken feed. But when our economy is reeling from the burden of that war, and the war in Afghanistan, and the repercussions of the Bush tax cuts, nine billion dollars is a huge amount. It looms over us like a mountain.
And no matter what, I won't forget this mistake.
And that's for amounts of about thirty dollars or so.
So do you think 8.7 BILLION dollars might honk me off if it went missing?
In the runup to the war with Iraq, we were given many breezy and heartfelt assurances that the total cost of the war and the reconstruction of the country would be borne by the Iraqis, out of their oil revenue of course.
But quite naturally those people lied. People like Paul Wolfowitz and his greasy ilk, so in response to their lies we started sending money into Iraq.
Lots of money.
Loaded on pallets and driven aboard C5-A Galaxy transports by forklifts.
Crisp new bills, straight from the Federal Reserve Bank to Baghdad - where it all disappeared.
Poof, like a fart in a tornado.
This isn't a brilliant scoop by some enterprising journalist - those are few and far between nowadays. The news of this monumental mistake (part of an entire avalanche of mistakes) broke a few years back, but was quietly dropped after causing a bit of a stink.
But I never forgot. I don't forget mistakes that cost money.
Where did the money go? Who lost it? Who got it? Did it benefit the insurgency that was in its "last throes" for so many years that we made the phrase a joke? Did it end up lining the pockets of our Viceroy, L. Paul Bremer and his satraps? Is it squirreled away somewhere, in quiet places so that it can accrue interest until certain people retire?
No one knows - or, rather, no one who wants to talk about it knows.
Now, compared to the total cost of the war in Iraq, nine billion dollars is chicken feed. But when our economy is reeling from the burden of that war, and the war in Afghanistan, and the repercussions of the Bush tax cuts, nine billion dollars is a huge amount. It looms over us like a mountain.
And no matter what, I won't forget this mistake.
I'm Baaaack . . .
"Though we seemed dead, we did but sleep; advantage is a better soldier than rashness . . . now we speak upon our cue, and our voice is imperial . . . "
- Shakespeare, King Henry V, Act 3, Scene VI
***
Yes, I've been away for a bit, mainly because night shift is a stone bitch and most of the time my brains have been hammered to tapioca.
But no more.
Here in sunny Flori-Duh, we have a raft of Gubernatorial and Senatorial candidates that have at times made me feel as if I should shove myself feet-first into a stump grinder. Rick Scott's trying to buy the office outright, Bill McCollum's unleashed his best rightward lurch as a dance step, and Alex Sink's watching her poll numbers go up as a result. On the Senate side, even Democrats like Charlie Crist, much to the disappointment of Kendrick Meek and Jeff Greene. Marco Rubio? A complete asshole who's managed to irritate the senior vote.
Elsewhere, we have the Obama Administration allowing itself to be buffaloed by the likes of Andrew Breitbart and Matt Drudge. The knee-jerk firing of Shirley Sherrod smacks of very poor managerial practices, and I'd advise her to walk away from their offer to reinstate her.
But no more.
Here in sunny Flori-Duh, we have a raft of Gubernatorial and Senatorial candidates that have at times made me feel as if I should shove myself feet-first into a stump grinder. Rick Scott's trying to buy the office outright, Bill McCollum's unleashed his best rightward lurch as a dance step, and Alex Sink's watching her poll numbers go up as a result. On the Senate side, even Democrats like Charlie Crist, much to the disappointment of Kendrick Meek and Jeff Greene. Marco Rubio? A complete asshole who's managed to irritate the senior vote.
Elsewhere, we have the Obama Administration allowing itself to be buffaloed by the likes of Andrew Breitbart and Matt Drudge. The knee-jerk firing of Shirley Sherrod smacks of very poor managerial practices, and I'd advise her to walk away from their offer to reinstate her.
***
Kim Jong Il's rattling his tiny saber again as the US and South Korea conduct their annual war games. This time the DPRK's threatening to unleash its nukes, which is rather silly considering that every square inch of North Korea has already been programmed into targeting computers.
The sheer tonnage of malevolent stupidity facing us from the Right is impressive, isn't it? Rep. John Boner - er, Boehner (R-Coppertone) suggests that a GOP majority in the House would concentrate solely on repealing the health care law and giving more money to the rich, while Rep. Bachmann (R-Totally Bugfuck Insane) suggests that all the House will do from 2011 to 2013 is issue subpoenas and investigate Obama.
So, time to rev up the Snark-o-Tron.
Kim Jong Il's rattling his tiny saber again as the US and South Korea conduct their annual war games. This time the DPRK's threatening to unleash its nukes, which is rather silly considering that every square inch of North Korea has already been programmed into targeting computers.
***
The sheer tonnage of malevolent stupidity facing us from the Right is impressive, isn't it? Rep. John Boner - er, Boehner (R-Coppertone) suggests that a GOP majority in the House would concentrate solely on repealing the health care law and giving more money to the rich, while Rep. Bachmann (R-Totally Bugfuck Insane) suggests that all the House will do from 2011 to 2013 is issue subpoenas and investigate Obama.
So, time to rev up the Snark-o-Tron.
Monday, July 26
Yes Virginia, the US used WMDs in Fallujah
by blondesense liz
White Phosphorus, 'willy pete', 'sort of legal' napalm or napalm substitute, if you will... yeah we talked about it here on the blog back in '04 when word got out that the US used it on the citizens of Fallujah in retaliation for the brutal murders of a couple of mercenaries who we later found out were terrorizing the Fallujans in the first place. But the US retaliated against Fallujah as if the whole city had conspired to blow up the World Trade Center for god's sake.
Yeah, we were called conspiracy theorists and Iraqi sympathizers even though I thought the US mission was to liberate them, not hate them... but whatever....
So here we are years later. If god forbid you mention the Fallujah debacle to anyone, they think you're an evil socialist progressive who is hell bent on destroying America (well yes, but only the evil parts) ... but now the studies are published and indeed, we (the US) fucked them over good.
God bless us.
Read this. USA-WMD: America's Covert Hiroshima in Iraq
White Phosphorus, 'willy pete', 'sort of legal' napalm or napalm substitute, if you will... yeah we talked about it here on the blog back in '04 when word got out that the US used it on the citizens of Fallujah in retaliation for the brutal murders of a couple of mercenaries who we later found out were terrorizing the Fallujans in the first place. But the US retaliated against Fallujah as if the whole city had conspired to blow up the World Trade Center for god's sake.
Yeah, we were called conspiracy theorists and Iraqi sympathizers even though I thought the US mission was to liberate them, not hate them... but whatever....
So here we are years later. If god forbid you mention the Fallujah debacle to anyone, they think you're an evil socialist progressive who is hell bent on destroying America (well yes, but only the evil parts) ... but now the studies are published and indeed, we (the US) fucked them over good.
God bless us.
Read this. USA-WMD: America's Covert Hiroshima in Iraq
In my email this morning from a teacher friend.....
(her bold)
Greetings!
Many SC students end up taking the GED because a large percentage of high schoolers in some communities here drop out of high school, do not graduate, and then find themselves jobless because they lack a diploma!!! (Duh...) A chunk of state money is allocated each year to fund classes for students preparing for the GED and then support funding for the actual administration and scoring of these exams. Although the state reports that much progress is being made, the following sample of some responses to GED tests given in 2009, seem to reveal that the reports of such "progress" indicate much more progress is desperately needed. Remember as you read that these are actual test responses, not edited remarks shared by comedians!!!! Actually, it's a sad situation....if you're a teacher, these responses should help make your day as long as you teach north of the Mason-Dixon line!!! Enjoy and pray for our SC students!
GED Test (Sample Responses)
ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE READY FOR THIS?
Q. Name the four seasons
A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar
Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink
A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists
Q. How is dew formed
A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire
Q. What causes the tides in the oceans
A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight
Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on
A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed
Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections
A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election
(may have got that one right)
Q. What are steroids
A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs
(Shoot yourself now , there is little hope)
Q.. What happens to your body as you age
A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental
Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty
A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery
(So true)
Q. Name a major disease associated with cigarettes
A. Premature death
Q. What is artificial insemination
A. When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow
Q. How can you delay milk turning sour
A. Keep it in the cow
(Simple, but brilliant)
Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorized (e.g. The abdomen)
A. The body is consisted into 3 parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels: A, E, I,O,U.. (wtf!)
Q. What is the fibula?
A. A small lie
Q. What does 'varicose' mean?
A. Nearby
Q. What is the most common form of birth control
A. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium
(That would work)
Q. Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarean section'
A. The caesarean section is a district in Rome
Q. What is a seizure?
A. A Roman Emperor.
(Julius Seizure, I came, I saw, I had a fit)
Q. What is a terminal illness
A. When you are sick at the airport. (Irrefutable)
Q. Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A. Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and they look like umbrellas
Q. Use the word 'judicious' in a sentence to show you understand its meaning
A. Hands that judicious can be soft as your face.
(OMG)
Q. What does the word 'benign' mean?
A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight
(brilliant)
Q. What is a turbine?
A. Something an Arab or Shreik wears on his head
Greetings!
Many SC students end up taking the GED because a large percentage of high schoolers in some communities here drop out of high school, do not graduate, and then find themselves jobless because they lack a diploma!!! (Duh...) A chunk of state money is allocated each year to fund classes for students preparing for the GED and then support funding for the actual administration and scoring of these exams. Although the state reports that much progress is being made, the following sample of some responses to GED tests given in 2009, seem to reveal that the reports of such "progress" indicate much more progress is desperately needed. Remember as you read that these are actual test responses, not edited remarks shared by comedians!!!! Actually, it's a sad situation....if you're a teacher, these responses should help make your day as long as you teach north of the Mason-Dixon line!!! Enjoy and pray for our SC students!
GED Test (Sample Responses)
ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE READY FOR THIS?
Q. Name the four seasons
A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar
Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink
A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists
Q. How is dew formed
A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire
Q. What causes the tides in the oceans
A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight
Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on
A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed
Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections
A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election
(may have got that one right)
Q. What are steroids
A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs
(Shoot yourself now , there is little hope)
Q.. What happens to your body as you age
A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental
Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty
A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery
(So true)
Q. Name a major disease associated with cigarettes
A. Premature death
Q. What is artificial insemination
A. When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow
Q. How can you delay milk turning sour
A. Keep it in the cow
(Simple, but brilliant)
Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorized (e.g. The abdomen)
A. The body is consisted into 3 parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels: A, E, I,O,U.. (wtf!)
Q. What is the fibula?
A. A small lie
Q. What does 'varicose' mean?
A. Nearby
Q. What is the most common form of birth control
A. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium
(That would work)
Q. Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarean section'
A. The caesarean section is a district in Rome
Q. What is a seizure?
A. A Roman Emperor.
(Julius Seizure, I came, I saw, I had a fit)
Q. What is a terminal illness
A. When you are sick at the airport. (Irrefutable)
Q. Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A. Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and they look like umbrellas
Q. Use the word 'judicious' in a sentence to show you understand its meaning
A. Hands that judicious can be soft as your face.
(OMG)
Q. What does the word 'benign' mean?
A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight
(brilliant)
Q. What is a turbine?
A. Something an Arab or Shreik wears on his head
Sunday, July 25
We're closer than ever to the 1920s American Business...
Remember those cute signs:
If you love freedom,
thank a Vet?
Well, how about:
If you're disgusted in America in 2010,
Thank a Republican.
If you love freedom,
thank a Vet?
Well, how about:
If you're disgusted in America in 2010,
Thank a Republican.
This is a cut and paste from crooksandliars.com
Stats show shrinking middle class
From the Business Insider via Yahoo:
Here are the statistics to prove it:
• 83 percent of all U.S. stocks are in the hands of 1 percent of the people.
• 61 percent of Americans "always or usually" live paycheck to paycheck, which was up from 49 percent in 2008 and 43 percent in 2007.
• 66 percent of the income growth between 2001 and 2007 went to the top 1% of all Americans.
• 36 percent of Americans say that they don't contribute anything to retirement savings.
• A staggering 43 percent of Americans have less than $10,000 saved up for retirement.
• 24 percent of American workers say that they have postponed their planned retirement age in the past year.
• Over 1.4 million Americans filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009, which represented a 32 percent increase over 2008.
• Only the top 5 percent of U.S. households have earned enough additional income to match the rise in housing costs since 1975.
• For the first time in U.S. history, banks own a greater share of residential housing net worth in the United States than all individual Americans put together.
• In 1950, the ratio of the average executive's paycheck to the average worker's paycheck was about 30 to 1. Since the year 2000, that ratio has exploded to between 300 to 500 to one.
• As of 2007, the bottom 80 percent of American households held about 7% of the liquid financial assets.
• The bottom 50 percent of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1 percent of the nation’s wealth.
• Average Wall Street bonuses for 2009 were up 17 percent when compared with 2008.
• In the United States, the average federal worker now earns 60% MORE than the average worker in the private sector.
• The top 1 percent of U.S. households own nearly twice as much of America's corporate wealth as they did just 15 years ago.
• In America today, the average time needed to find a job has risen to a record 35.2 weeks.
• More than 40 percent of Americans who actually are employed are now working in service jobs, which are often very low paying.
• For the first time in U.S. history, more than 40 million Americans are on food stamps, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that number will go up to 43 million Americans in 2011.
• This is what American workers now must compete against: in China a garment worker makes approximately 86 cents an hour and in Cambodia a garment worker makes approximately 22 cents an hour.
• Approximately 21 percent of all children in the United States are living below the poverty line in 2010 - the highest rate in 20 years.
• Despite the financial crisis, the number of millionaires in the United States rose a whopping 16 percent to 7.8 million in 2009.
• The top 10 percent of Americans now earn around 50 percent of our national income.
Friday, July 23
"It wasn't me" by Shaggy Obama
Obama blames Media for His Administration's firing of Shirley Sherrod
Barry says it's the MEDIA'S fault that Shirley Sherrod got fired! No! Really! It's the media's fault, not his Administration's!
"Honest, Dad, I wouldn't have drunk that beer if you hadn't left it in the refrigerator!"
"He jumped the gun," Obama said of Vilsack, "partly because we now live in this media culture where something goes up on YouTube or a blog [emphasis mine] and everybody scrambles."
Obama said that he told his team and agencies to be focused on doing the right thing instead of what's politically necessary like, you know, right away.
"If there's a lesson to be drawn from this episode," the President continued, it's to avoid "jumping to conclusions and pointing fingers at each other." [emphasis mine]
I guess Barry thinks us small people missed the obvious hypocrisy in his statement. Either that or it's "Do as I say, not as I do!"
Of course, another alternative is he really meant it's ok for blaming others (the dirty media, blogs, etc) but HIS Administration can't blame each other!
His statement is as asinine as any proffered by any of the room temperature I.Q.s on the right and he expects us "kiddies" to fall in line much as Bush/Cheney and the Republicans expected?
Centrist my ass! It appears he and his "Administration" only listen to the Goebbels News Network regardless of the "tirade" he launched against Fox a while back! Maybe that was just for show? And he believes, and now acts, upon their every thought and criticism?
C'mon Opologists, defend him.
Nope! Don't see no WMDs under here!
Tell me again, what year is this...2003?
Barry says it's the MEDIA'S fault that Shirley Sherrod got fired! No! Really! It's the media's fault, not his Administration's!
"Honest, Dad, I wouldn't have drunk that beer if you hadn't left it in the refrigerator!"
"He jumped the gun," Obama said of Vilsack, "partly because we now live in this media culture where something goes up on YouTube or a blog [emphasis mine] and everybody scrambles."
Obama said that he told his team and agencies to be focused on doing the right thing instead of what's politically necessary like, you know, right away.
"If there's a lesson to be drawn from this episode," the President continued, it's to avoid "jumping to conclusions and pointing fingers at each other." [emphasis mine]
I guess Barry thinks us small people missed the obvious hypocrisy in his statement. Either that or it's "Do as I say, not as I do!"
Of course, another alternative is he really meant it's ok for blaming others (the dirty media, blogs, etc) but HIS Administration can't blame each other!
His statement is as asinine as any proffered by any of the room temperature I.Q.s on the right and he expects us "kiddies" to fall in line much as Bush/Cheney and the Republicans expected?
Centrist my ass! It appears he and his "Administration" only listen to the Goebbels News Network regardless of the "tirade" he launched against Fox a while back! Maybe that was just for show? And he believes, and now acts, upon their every thought and criticism?
C'mon Opologists, defend him.
Nope! Don't see no WMDs under here!
Tell me again, what year is this...2003?
Wednesday, July 21
Take a trip back...to the future.
From a comment in a post below, Saborlas reminded me that it's nice to remember the "classics." That brought back a slew of memories of great old games from the ancient times of computers. Well not the "ancient" times of the 60 or 70s (and way after the computer stone ages of the 40s, 50s - or the Jurassic Era of the late 1800s - sorry Charles Babbage), more likely the medieval times of the 80s.
Back then, B.I. (Before Internet) there was the ARPANET and Intra-nets. Huge computers taking up whole rooms with fantastic (and expensive) computing power adorned the basements of many Universities and businesses.
The majority of these had a "network" of slave or client terminals attached by very expensive cabling. At the ends of these cables were the precursors of today's P.C.s. They were the T.U.s or Terminal Units. Usually they were simply typewriters with computer electronics built in so you could connect with the main terminal or Master Control Unit which most times was a PDP-8 or 11 and later a VAX! Praise be to DEC!
Many of these were connected to other computers in other towns or parts of towns, other businesses and universities and even other states by telephone and the connection was made at the unheard of speed of 300 Baud!(Up from 110 Baud!) A 30K program took 30 to 45 minutes to download at that speed and 30K was a huge program!
Of course, the VAX was used for business and scientific calculations only! Woe unto any techie who used it for anything else. Right!
In the wee hours of the night when the bosses were sound asleep or out partying, the guys in the lab suits decided they needed a little distraction.
The VAX could handle more than a few tasks at once and if those weren't all busy, well, why not use that extra power to entertain oneself? And we did.
Tic Tac Toe was a staple but soon became tiresome. Some genius decided to create a world within the VAX complete with kings, serfs, castles, dragons and of course...war! Empire was born. Possibly the great grandaddy of today's RPGs. Maybe not the absolute first but maybe the most popular.
Playing then was somewhat different. A program was on the VAX and to access it from a T.U. you entered a password much as today, but the output was on paper!
The popular Unit at the time was the DEC LA 36 (Digital Equipment Corporation Dot Matrix Line Printer). It was a printer and Terminal Unit in one, capable of printing data at the aforementioned 300 baud. Superfast! /s
We would access the VAX and the "game" would print on "wide" greenbar paper. After reading the scenario, we would enter our reply, response or anything else we planned to do for world domination. Then hit "Return" and the data would be stored on the VAX to be read and answered by any other player. And so it went, back and forth until enemies were vanquished or the game had to be hidden! These iterations became quite extensive for the time and filled many sleepless hours while the VAX merrily plugged away running its other prescribed programs.
And since the game was password protected, the suits never got the idea, at least until some "white coats" turned traitor for cash or...favors! I think they became the Republicans of today!
Anyway, that got me thinking of the old games we played. Empire, Spacewars, Colossal Cave, Zork, Mech Warrior in addition to the later video games of Atari, Intellivision, Coleco, Commodore and Apple were just a few of the many of the day. There were LOTS!
So how many do you remember? And what were your favorites?
Back then, B.I. (Before Internet) there was the ARPANET and Intra-nets. Huge computers taking up whole rooms with fantastic (and expensive) computing power adorned the basements of many Universities and businesses.
The majority of these had a "network" of slave or client terminals attached by very expensive cabling. At the ends of these cables were the precursors of today's P.C.s. They were the T.U.s or Terminal Units. Usually they were simply typewriters with computer electronics built in so you could connect with the main terminal or Master Control Unit which most times was a PDP-8 or 11 and later a VAX! Praise be to DEC!
Many of these were connected to other computers in other towns or parts of towns, other businesses and universities and even other states by telephone and the connection was made at the unheard of speed of 300 Baud!(Up from 110 Baud!) A 30K program took 30 to 45 minutes to download at that speed and 30K was a huge program!
Of course, the VAX was used for business and scientific calculations only! Woe unto any techie who used it for anything else. Right!
In the wee hours of the night when the bosses were sound asleep or out partying, the guys in the lab suits decided they needed a little distraction.
The VAX could handle more than a few tasks at once and if those weren't all busy, well, why not use that extra power to entertain oneself? And we did.
Tic Tac Toe was a staple but soon became tiresome. Some genius decided to create a world within the VAX complete with kings, serfs, castles, dragons and of course...war! Empire was born. Possibly the great grandaddy of today's RPGs. Maybe not the absolute first but maybe the most popular.
Playing then was somewhat different. A program was on the VAX and to access it from a T.U. you entered a password much as today, but the output was on paper!
The popular Unit at the time was the DEC LA 36 (Digital Equipment Corporation Dot Matrix Line Printer). It was a printer and Terminal Unit in one, capable of printing data at the aforementioned 300 baud. Superfast! /s
We would access the VAX and the "game" would print on "wide" greenbar paper. After reading the scenario, we would enter our reply, response or anything else we planned to do for world domination. Then hit "Return" and the data would be stored on the VAX to be read and answered by any other player. And so it went, back and forth until enemies were vanquished or the game had to be hidden! These iterations became quite extensive for the time and filled many sleepless hours while the VAX merrily plugged away running its other prescribed programs.
And since the game was password protected, the suits never got the idea, at least until some "white coats" turned traitor for cash or...favors! I think they became the Republicans of today!
Anyway, that got me thinking of the old games we played. Empire, Spacewars, Colossal Cave, Zork, Mech Warrior in addition to the later video games of Atari, Intellivision, Coleco, Commodore and Apple were just a few of the many of the day. There were LOTS!
So how many do you remember? And what were your favorites?
Monday, July 19
Refudiate!!!
REFUDIATE!
By now, you've probably heard of Palin's latest gaff (if indeed it WAS a gaff!!) Please Sarah, follow Nancy's advice and "Just Say NO!"
OMG! And this "idiot" was almost a heartbeat away from the Presidency!
Not Bill, but Lewis.
Through Sarah's Looking Glass we find her inspiration:
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Jabberwocky - L. Carroll
By now, you've probably heard of Palin's latest gaff (if indeed it WAS a gaff!!) Please Sarah, follow Nancy's advice and "Just Say NO!"
OMG! And this "idiot" was almost a heartbeat away from the Presidency!
Not Bill, but Lewis.
Through Sarah's Looking Glass we find her inspiration:
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Jabberwocky - L. Carroll
Friday, July 16
Obligatory Friday Sex Post
"The more you repress it, the more you want it."
It's a truism, dear readers, whether the thing you desire is that last slice of cheesecake, or the latest Swedish Babes and Dachshunds* website - the more you deny that desire, the more that little voice in the back of your head whispers, "Yeah, you want it, and you know it."
Now, conservatives are all about repression, particularly when their Sith-like, repressive ideology is buttressed by religion. It's often said that a fundamentalist is one who is certain that someone is having fun somewhere, and that state of affairs must be stamped out.
However, there are indications where political conservatism and religious fundamentalism are actually only lids bolted down on simmering cauldrons of desires.
We start with Utah, a state that is majority Mormon (not a group of people who are really identified with sexual freedom and the joys of self-expression). Utah internet subscribers averaged 5.47 'adult content' subscriptions for every 1,000 residents, the highest in the entire country.
But let us look farther afield. Perhaps the Utah Mormons are a singular and unique case.
Hmm.
Nope.
Pakistan, it seems, the home of the Lashkar e-Toyba, the Pakistani Taliban and the home-in-exile of al Qaeda, where madrasas are thick on the ground and the government can't stop religious extremists, leads the world in kinky stuff.
How kinky?
Well, how's about horse sex, camel sex, rape sex, child sex, and all-around basic animal sex?
If we could eradicate religion, not only would we be solving a lot of current problems, we'd have entire nations made of sheep-squeezers who'd be too interested in shagging to cause trouble.
Just my opinion.
*(I know nothing about this, by the way. Honestly.)
It's a truism, dear readers, whether the thing you desire is that last slice of cheesecake, or the latest Swedish Babes and Dachshunds* website - the more you deny that desire, the more that little voice in the back of your head whispers, "Yeah, you want it, and you know it."
Now, conservatives are all about repression, particularly when their Sith-like, repressive ideology is buttressed by religion. It's often said that a fundamentalist is one who is certain that someone is having fun somewhere, and that state of affairs must be stamped out.
However, there are indications where political conservatism and religious fundamentalism are actually only lids bolted down on simmering cauldrons of desires.
We start with Utah, a state that is majority Mormon (not a group of people who are really identified with sexual freedom and the joys of self-expression). Utah internet subscribers averaged 5.47 'adult content' subscriptions for every 1,000 residents, the highest in the entire country.
But let us look farther afield. Perhaps the Utah Mormons are a singular and unique case.
Hmm.
Nope.
Pakistan, it seems, the home of the Lashkar e-Toyba, the Pakistani Taliban and the home-in-exile of al Qaeda, where madrasas are thick on the ground and the government can't stop religious extremists, leads the world in kinky stuff.
How kinky?
Well, how's about horse sex, camel sex, rape sex, child sex, and all-around basic animal sex?
If we could eradicate religion, not only would we be solving a lot of current problems, we'd have entire nations made of sheep-squeezers who'd be too interested in shagging to cause trouble.
Just my opinion.
*(I know nothing about this, by the way. Honestly.)
Thursday, July 15
What part of the immigration issue am I missing?
by blondesense liz
Just my opinion and I'm open to suggestions.
I thought that we had existing immigration laws on the books in this country. Isn't it a crime for businesses to hire undocumented workers and if so, why aren't they being prosecuted and fined for breaking the law? If they break the law repeatedly, then they should be thrown in jail or forced out of business. If they can't afford to pay people a living wage to keep the business afloat then perhaps they shouldn't be in business. Did anyone think of that? I'm not in business because I couldn't afford to hire anyone and I'd have to do all the work myself. I'm too lazy for that.
If businesses were punished for breaking the law and stopped hiring undocumented workers there would be no reason for so many people to sneak into this country to work. Don't you think that word would spread around Mexico that no one is hiring in Arizona or California and the folks wouldn't come here? I think so. The blame should lie fully on the businesses who employ illegal aliens and not the people who come here to work.
Don't you think that if word got out that Canadian businesses were hiring Americans that many unemployed and destitute Americans would sneak on over to Canada so they could feed their families since there are so few jobs here? It's only human nature to want to feed and shelter your family.
It just seems that all I hear are people complaining at how the "illegals" and now even "immigrants" are taking our jobs away... blah blah blah... and we have to close the borders to not allow anyone to come here. Boy, talk about a straw man. The conservative-corporate alliance has done a bang up job convincing people that immigrants are what made this country go to hell in a hand basket.
Last night at a bar in a restaurant, someone asked me if I had ever seen an American working at a gas station. I said I hadn't. Turks own and operate the stations in our area. Their family members work there. They come here with the cash to open businesses (because our dollar is worthless) and to cut down on overhead their relatives work grueling hours 7 days a week. I don't see any reason why some American folks with bank accounts can't open gas stations, Subways and convenience stores and hire their family members to work there to keep overhead low. It's hard work though and I suppose that is why many of these businesses are run by immigrants who are so happy to be here that they don't care if they work 100 hours/week. In my area, most small businesses are owned and operated by immigrants. The businesses that are run by American born people are usually the kids of immigrants who started the businesses decades ago. So there ya go!
I was thinking... if it weren't for immigrants, would we have enough doctors and medical personnel to take care of our populace? Would we have enough engineers? Would there be a 7-11?
Stories about my immigrant grandparents recount their struggle upon coming to America. They worked ridiculously long hours for lousy wages. They sacrificed so that their kids could one day live the so called American Dream. That's what built this country, if I'm not mistaken. We're their rotten spoiled kids.
Smart ass that I am, I then told the crowd that my European ancestors came to this country illegally and ravaged the native people, the buffalo, the beavers and took the land away from them, so what's the big deal if more immigrants come here and swipe a few jobs from those of us who were born here? It's not like they are raping us, murdering us, bringing diseases to us and destroying our way of life. If we're so smart, why aren't we trying to one up them? We're having less children than they are too. They are the future. Scared? Then get to the bedroom and start making babies.
The corporate media and their talking points have convinced hard working (if they are lucky enough to be working) people that immigrants are the cause of all their financial woes. How on earth are we ever going to get the truth to our neighbors and friends who the real villains are so we can get this revolution going? The corporations sent our jobs overseas. Where's the outrage?
I read this story this morning: Utah Illegal Immigration List: Investigators Examining Records For Origins Of List Terrorizing Immigrants
My question is.. why aren't the good people of Utah protesting the workplaces where all the illegal immigrants are working? Why not accuse the business owners of taking jobs away from American citizens?
How about this distressing story in WaPo? Companies pile up cash but remain hesitant to add jobs
The corporations who are raking in record breaking profits during the recession aren't hiring, they say, because consumer spending is low. Duh. If consumers aren't working, how do you expect them to spend?
Does anyone have a sense of logic anymore? Everything is politicized and the powerful are capitalizing on the dumbness of so many American people. Maybe our problem is that we have too many dumb Americans. If the likes of Sarah Palin are making inroads, you know for sure that we are big big trouble.
Just my opinion and I'm open to suggestions.
I thought that we had existing immigration laws on the books in this country. Isn't it a crime for businesses to hire undocumented workers and if so, why aren't they being prosecuted and fined for breaking the law? If they break the law repeatedly, then they should be thrown in jail or forced out of business. If they can't afford to pay people a living wage to keep the business afloat then perhaps they shouldn't be in business. Did anyone think of that? I'm not in business because I couldn't afford to hire anyone and I'd have to do all the work myself. I'm too lazy for that.
If businesses were punished for breaking the law and stopped hiring undocumented workers there would be no reason for so many people to sneak into this country to work. Don't you think that word would spread around Mexico that no one is hiring in Arizona or California and the folks wouldn't come here? I think so. The blame should lie fully on the businesses who employ illegal aliens and not the people who come here to work.
Don't you think that if word got out that Canadian businesses were hiring Americans that many unemployed and destitute Americans would sneak on over to Canada so they could feed their families since there are so few jobs here? It's only human nature to want to feed and shelter your family.
It just seems that all I hear are people complaining at how the "illegals" and now even "immigrants" are taking our jobs away... blah blah blah... and we have to close the borders to not allow anyone to come here. Boy, talk about a straw man. The conservative-corporate alliance has done a bang up job convincing people that immigrants are what made this country go to hell in a hand basket.
Last night at a bar in a restaurant, someone asked me if I had ever seen an American working at a gas station. I said I hadn't. Turks own and operate the stations in our area. Their family members work there. They come here with the cash to open businesses (because our dollar is worthless) and to cut down on overhead their relatives work grueling hours 7 days a week. I don't see any reason why some American folks with bank accounts can't open gas stations, Subways and convenience stores and hire their family members to work there to keep overhead low. It's hard work though and I suppose that is why many of these businesses are run by immigrants who are so happy to be here that they don't care if they work 100 hours/week. In my area, most small businesses are owned and operated by immigrants. The businesses that are run by American born people are usually the kids of immigrants who started the businesses decades ago. So there ya go!
I was thinking... if it weren't for immigrants, would we have enough doctors and medical personnel to take care of our populace? Would we have enough engineers? Would there be a 7-11?
Stories about my immigrant grandparents recount their struggle upon coming to America. They worked ridiculously long hours for lousy wages. They sacrificed so that their kids could one day live the so called American Dream. That's what built this country, if I'm not mistaken. We're their rotten spoiled kids.
Smart ass that I am, I then told the crowd that my European ancestors came to this country illegally and ravaged the native people, the buffalo, the beavers and took the land away from them, so what's the big deal if more immigrants come here and swipe a few jobs from those of us who were born here? It's not like they are raping us, murdering us, bringing diseases to us and destroying our way of life. If we're so smart, why aren't we trying to one up them? We're having less children than they are too. They are the future. Scared? Then get to the bedroom and start making babies.
The corporate media and their talking points have convinced hard working (if they are lucky enough to be working) people that immigrants are the cause of all their financial woes. How on earth are we ever going to get the truth to our neighbors and friends who the real villains are so we can get this revolution going? The corporations sent our jobs overseas. Where's the outrage?
I read this story this morning: Utah Illegal Immigration List: Investigators Examining Records For Origins Of List Terrorizing Immigrants
My question is.. why aren't the good people of Utah protesting the workplaces where all the illegal immigrants are working? Why not accuse the business owners of taking jobs away from American citizens?
How about this distressing story in WaPo? Companies pile up cash but remain hesitant to add jobs
The corporations who are raking in record breaking profits during the recession aren't hiring, they say, because consumer spending is low. Duh. If consumers aren't working, how do you expect them to spend?
Does anyone have a sense of logic anymore? Everything is politicized and the powerful are capitalizing on the dumbness of so many American people. Maybe our problem is that we have too many dumb Americans. If the likes of Sarah Palin are making inroads, you know for sure that we are big big trouble.
Wednesday, July 14
How about a quickie or two?
Is it 2010 or 1910? We have a party that is trying its damndest to bring back slave labor, child labor, 60 hour work weeks for less than minimum wage, claims that the country needs more “Christianity”, less regulation to allow business to self-police. We even have a Republican Candidate who wants to make alcohol illegal! Can she repeal the 21st Amendment? The Republicans do everything they can to restrict voting. Next, women will lose the vote. Businesses are getting more and more power and less and less responsibility.
We have a war economy.
What’s so bad about liberalism? We’re all Conservatives AND liberals. We want to make and save as much money as we can (Conservatism) and we want to be able to buy whatever we want and enjoy things in life like new roads, fire and police protection, public education (not supported by Republicans. Education makes people think. NCLB – No Citizen Learns Bupkis), all the nice things we’ve come to expect as rights. (Liberalism)
One difference between liberals and conservatives is, liberals correct their mistakes to reflect reality while conservatives correct their reality to reflect their mistakes. – Bill in Portland – from kos
A little blurb slipped out of the news reporting on the BP debacle. It went entirely unnoticed by the MSM (So what’s new?) It seems there are hundreds or even thousands of capped oil wells in the Gulf that have a lot of ready to refine oil. BUT, the oil companies are keeping them for when prices rise to make it MORE profitable for them! And they pay no rent or storage on the oil. That should be considered potential income and taxed as such.
Where are all the Climate Change Deniers now that we’ve had the hottest first six months on record?
If politicians and politics are so bad and corrupt, why is it that so many people want to get into politics or be a politician?
If money is the root of all evil, why do churches beg for it so much?
Burnout Prevention and Recovery
(The Conventional View and the Republican View)
1. STOP DENYING. Listen to the wisdom of your body. Begin to freely
admit the stresses and pressures which have manifested physically,
mentally, or emotionally.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Work until the physical pain forces you into
uconsciousness.
2. AVOID ISOLATION. Don't do everything alone! Develop or renew
intimacies with friends and loved ones. Closeness not only brings
new insights, but also is anathema to agitation and depression.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Shut your office door and lock it from the inside so no
one will distract you. They're just trying to hurt your productivity.
3. CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. If your job, your relationship, a
situation, or a person is dragging you under, try to alter your
circumstance, or if necessary, leave.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: If you feel something is dragging you down, suppress
those thoughts. This is a weakness. The Party can't tolerate weakness.
4. DIMINISH INTENSITY IN YOUR LIFE. Pinpoint those areas or aspects
which summon up the most concentrated intensity and work toward
alleviating that pressure.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Increase intensity. Maximum intensity = maximum
productivity. If you find yourself relaxed and with your mind
wandering, you are probably having a detrimental effect on the
work loyalty of those around you.
5. STOP OVERNURTURING. If you routinely take on other people's problems
and responsibilities, learn to gracefully disengage. Try to get some
nurturing for yourself.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Always attempt to do everything. You ARE responsible
for it all.
6. LEARN TO SAY "NO". You'll help diminish intensity by speaking up
for yourself. This means refusing additional requests or demands
on your time or emotions.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Never say no to anything. It shows weakness. Never
put off anything required of you until tomorrow what you can do at midnight.
7. BEGIN TO BACK OFF AND DETACH. Learn to delegate, not only at work,
but also at home and with friends. In this case, detachment means
rescuing yourself for yourself.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Delegating is a sign of weakness. If you want it done
right, get a leader to show you the correct way (see #5).
8. REASSESS YOUR VALUES. Try to sort out the meaningful values from
the temporary and fleeting, the essential from the nonessential.
You'll conserve energy and time, and begin to feel more centered.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Stop thinking about your own problems. This is selfish.
If we feel your values need changing, we will make an announcement at
through email. Until then, if someone calls you and questions your priorities,
tell them that you are unable to comment on this until you tell you local Party
representative. It will be taken care of.
9. LEARN TO PACE YOURSELF. Try to take life in moderation. You only
have so much energy available. Ascertain what is wanted and needed
in your life, then begin to balance work with love, pleasure, and
relaxation.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: A balanced life is a myth perpetuated by liberals. Don't
be a fool: the only thing that matters is loyalty, work and productivity.
10. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. Don't skip meals, abuse yourself with rigid
diets, disregard your need for sleep, or break the doctor appointments.
Take care of yourself nutritionally.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Your body serves your mind, your mind serves the
Party. Push the mind and the body will follow.
11. DIMINISH WORRY AND ANXIETY. Try to keep superstitious worrying to
a minimum -- it changes nothing. You'll have a better grip on your
situation if you spend less time worrying and more time taking care
of your real needs.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: If you're not worrying about our ideals of this country,
you must not be very committed to it. We'll find someone who is.
12. KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR. Begin to bring happy moments into your life. Very few people suffer burnout when they're having fun.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: So, you think your life is fun? We'll discuss this with
your Preacher on Sunday, at 7:00 P.M.!
We have a war economy.
What’s so bad about liberalism? We’re all Conservatives AND liberals. We want to make and save as much money as we can (Conservatism) and we want to be able to buy whatever we want and enjoy things in life like new roads, fire and police protection, public education (not supported by Republicans. Education makes people think. NCLB – No Citizen Learns Bupkis), all the nice things we’ve come to expect as rights. (Liberalism)
One difference between liberals and conservatives is, liberals correct their mistakes to reflect reality while conservatives correct their reality to reflect their mistakes. – Bill in Portland – from kos
A little blurb slipped out of the news reporting on the BP debacle. It went entirely unnoticed by the MSM (So what’s new?) It seems there are hundreds or even thousands of capped oil wells in the Gulf that have a lot of ready to refine oil. BUT, the oil companies are keeping them for when prices rise to make it MORE profitable for them! And they pay no rent or storage on the oil. That should be considered potential income and taxed as such.
Where are all the Climate Change Deniers now that we’ve had the hottest first six months on record?
If politicians and politics are so bad and corrupt, why is it that so many people want to get into politics or be a politician?
If money is the root of all evil, why do churches beg for it so much?
Burnout Prevention and Recovery
(The Conventional View and the Republican View)
1. STOP DENYING. Listen to the wisdom of your body. Begin to freely
admit the stresses and pressures which have manifested physically,
mentally, or emotionally.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Work until the physical pain forces you into
uconsciousness.
2. AVOID ISOLATION. Don't do everything alone! Develop or renew
intimacies with friends and loved ones. Closeness not only brings
new insights, but also is anathema to agitation and depression.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Shut your office door and lock it from the inside so no
one will distract you. They're just trying to hurt your productivity.
3. CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. If your job, your relationship, a
situation, or a person is dragging you under, try to alter your
circumstance, or if necessary, leave.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: If you feel something is dragging you down, suppress
those thoughts. This is a weakness. The Party can't tolerate weakness.
4. DIMINISH INTENSITY IN YOUR LIFE. Pinpoint those areas or aspects
which summon up the most concentrated intensity and work toward
alleviating that pressure.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Increase intensity. Maximum intensity = maximum
productivity. If you find yourself relaxed and with your mind
wandering, you are probably having a detrimental effect on the
work loyalty of those around you.
5. STOP OVERNURTURING. If you routinely take on other people's problems
and responsibilities, learn to gracefully disengage. Try to get some
nurturing for yourself.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Always attempt to do everything. You ARE responsible
for it all.
6. LEARN TO SAY "NO". You'll help diminish intensity by speaking up
for yourself. This means refusing additional requests or demands
on your time or emotions.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Never say no to anything. It shows weakness. Never
put off anything required of you until tomorrow what you can do at midnight.
7. BEGIN TO BACK OFF AND DETACH. Learn to delegate, not only at work,
but also at home and with friends. In this case, detachment means
rescuing yourself for yourself.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Delegating is a sign of weakness. If you want it done
right, get a leader to show you the correct way (see #5).
8. REASSESS YOUR VALUES. Try to sort out the meaningful values from
the temporary and fleeting, the essential from the nonessential.
You'll conserve energy and time, and begin to feel more centered.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Stop thinking about your own problems. This is selfish.
If we feel your values need changing, we will make an announcement at
through email. Until then, if someone calls you and questions your priorities,
tell them that you are unable to comment on this until you tell you local Party
representative. It will be taken care of.
9. LEARN TO PACE YOURSELF. Try to take life in moderation. You only
have so much energy available. Ascertain what is wanted and needed
in your life, then begin to balance work with love, pleasure, and
relaxation.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: A balanced life is a myth perpetuated by liberals. Don't
be a fool: the only thing that matters is loyalty, work and productivity.
10. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. Don't skip meals, abuse yourself with rigid
diets, disregard your need for sleep, or break the doctor appointments.
Take care of yourself nutritionally.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: Your body serves your mind, your mind serves the
Party. Push the mind and the body will follow.
11. DIMINISH WORRY AND ANXIETY. Try to keep superstitious worrying to
a minimum -- it changes nothing. You'll have a better grip on your
situation if you spend less time worrying and more time taking care
of your real needs.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: If you're not worrying about our ideals of this country,
you must not be very committed to it. We'll find someone who is.
12. KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR. Begin to bring happy moments into your life. Very few people suffer burnout when they're having fun.
REPUBLICAN VIEW: So, you think your life is fun? We'll discuss this with
your Preacher on Sunday, at 7:00 P.M.!
Tuesday, July 13
Lullaby, and good night...
Good evening boys and girls,
I had some trouble sleeping last night. Counting sheep, warm milk and white noise didn't make any difference. Still couldn't sleep. What to do? I know! Read a novella! Those usually put me right to sleep. Now, where to find a good one? How about whitehouse.gov? Sounded great! I was getting sleepy already.
After looking through the enormous list of fiction to read there, I came across this. Just what I needed to get me to the First Star to the Left and Straight On Till Morning!
I recommend this to any of you who have problems getting to sleep.
Transparency and Open Government
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
SUBJECT: Transparency and Open Government
My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.
Government should be transparent. Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing. Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset. My Administration will take appropriate action, consistent with law and policy, to disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use. Executive departments and agencies should harness new technologies to put information about their operations and decisions online and readily available to the public. Executive departments and agencies should also solicit public feedback to identify information of greatest use to the public.
Government should be participatory. Public engagement enhances the Government's effectiveness and improves the quality of its decisions. Knowledge is widely dispersed in society, and public officials benefit from having access to that dispersed knowledge. Executive departments and agencies should offer Americans increased opportunities to participate in policymaking and to provide their Government with the benefits of their collective expertise and information. Executive departments and agencies should also solicit public input on how we can increase and improve opportunities for public participation in Government.
Government should be collaborative. Collaboration actively engages Americans in the work of their Government. Executive departments and agencies should use innovative tools, methods, and systems to cooperate among themselves, across all levels of Government, and with nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals in the private sector. Executive departments and agencies should solicit public feedback to assess and improve their level of collaboration and to identify new opportunities for cooperation.
I direct the Chief Technology Officer, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Administrator of General Services, to coordinate the development by appropriate executive departments and agencies, within 120 days, of recommendations for an Open Government Directive, to be issued by the Director of OMB, that instructs executive departments and agencies to take specific actions implementing the principles set forth in this memorandum. The independent agencies should comply with the Open Government Directive.
This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
This memorandum shall be published in the Federal Register.
BARACK OBAMA
By the way, tucked away at the bottom where someone forgot to remove it was a little blurb that left me smiling. Rahm and Barry talking:
Rahm: That sure was some use of English during the campaign, Mr. President.
Barry: Thanks, Rahm. I knew the transparency thing would make believers of them after 8 years of Bush.
Rahm: Little did they suspect transparency can mean one-way! And we're in the darkened room watching them using our transparency!!
Barry: If you think that's good, wait until they figure out my other campaign rhetoric. Get a good night's sleep, Rahm. We need to be refreshed tomorrow to get Wall Street all the money it wants.
Rahm: Good night Mr. President.
I had some trouble sleeping last night. Counting sheep, warm milk and white noise didn't make any difference. Still couldn't sleep. What to do? I know! Read a novella! Those usually put me right to sleep. Now, where to find a good one? How about whitehouse.gov? Sounded great! I was getting sleepy already.
After looking through the enormous list of fiction to read there, I came across this. Just what I needed to get me to the First Star to the Left and Straight On Till Morning!
I recommend this to any of you who have problems getting to sleep.
Transparency and Open Government
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
SUBJECT: Transparency and Open Government
My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.
Government should be transparent. Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing. Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset. My Administration will take appropriate action, consistent with law and policy, to disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use. Executive departments and agencies should harness new technologies to put information about their operations and decisions online and readily available to the public. Executive departments and agencies should also solicit public feedback to identify information of greatest use to the public.
Government should be participatory. Public engagement enhances the Government's effectiveness and improves the quality of its decisions. Knowledge is widely dispersed in society, and public officials benefit from having access to that dispersed knowledge. Executive departments and agencies should offer Americans increased opportunities to participate in policymaking and to provide their Government with the benefits of their collective expertise and information. Executive departments and agencies should also solicit public input on how we can increase and improve opportunities for public participation in Government.
Government should be collaborative. Collaboration actively engages Americans in the work of their Government. Executive departments and agencies should use innovative tools, methods, and systems to cooperate among themselves, across all levels of Government, and with nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals in the private sector. Executive departments and agencies should solicit public feedback to assess and improve their level of collaboration and to identify new opportunities for cooperation.
I direct the Chief Technology Officer, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Administrator of General Services, to coordinate the development by appropriate executive departments and agencies, within 120 days, of recommendations for an Open Government Directive, to be issued by the Director of OMB, that instructs executive departments and agencies to take specific actions implementing the principles set forth in this memorandum. The independent agencies should comply with the Open Government Directive.
This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
This memorandum shall be published in the Federal Register.
BARACK OBAMA
By the way, tucked away at the bottom where someone forgot to remove it was a little blurb that left me smiling. Rahm and Barry talking:
Rahm: That sure was some use of English during the campaign, Mr. President.
Barry: Thanks, Rahm. I knew the transparency thing would make believers of them after 8 years of Bush.
Rahm: Little did they suspect transparency can mean one-way! And we're in the darkened room watching them using our transparency!!
Barry: If you think that's good, wait until they figure out my other campaign rhetoric. Get a good night's sleep, Rahm. We need to be refreshed tomorrow to get Wall Street all the money it wants.
Rahm: Good night Mr. President.
Hope Schmope
by blondesense liz
Dear Obama White House and the rest of the Democrats,
I read that you believe the Democrats will lose the majority in the elections this fall.
We're still at war. You're still pissing our tax money at the war machine. Gitmo is still open. You treat peace activists like they are terrorists. Our medical bills are overwhelming. There are no jobs. There is no free press. What's the difference between this administration and the Bush administration?
Do you understand why you're gonna lose? If not, I'll tell you why: The Democrats have failed their base and their once faithful voters are going to stay home. This will be the first time I've missed an election since 1973.
For instance, you let the Republicans dictate their demands on health care reform, you went along with it and they didn't vote for it anyway. Get the picture? How many times does this have to happen?
Why do you even listen to them? Did they ever listen to you when you were the minority? If Democrats don't listen to the people and vote accordingly, then the party is useless and it really doesn't matter who has the majority does it?
Why on earth did you give money to bankers and then allow them to reward themselves for screwing up the economy? Your contempt for the voters was sickening. Your contempt for people who have critical thinking skills is astounding. Why not just shut down all schools so that we're all stupid enough to sit back while a fascist dictatorship takes control? Or do you enjoy watching half of us squirm? Only a small percentage of the population watches Fox News. Who cares what they say? You're a bunch of sissies.
If you all had some balls, you'd ram the progressive agenda through the congress despite the Republican whining machine and their complicit media because eventually the voters would realize that it was a good thing for them after all.
Use our money to create jobs!!!!!! What is wrong with you?
Your advisers are either idiots or working for the other side.
Wake up.
Sincerely
Blondesense Liz
Dear Obama White House and the rest of the Democrats,
I read that you believe the Democrats will lose the majority in the elections this fall.
We're still at war. You're still pissing our tax money at the war machine. Gitmo is still open. You treat peace activists like they are terrorists. Our medical bills are overwhelming. There are no jobs. There is no free press. What's the difference between this administration and the Bush administration?
Do you understand why you're gonna lose? If not, I'll tell you why: The Democrats have failed their base and their once faithful voters are going to stay home. This will be the first time I've missed an election since 1973.
For instance, you let the Republicans dictate their demands on health care reform, you went along with it and they didn't vote for it anyway. Get the picture? How many times does this have to happen?
Why do you even listen to them? Did they ever listen to you when you were the minority? If Democrats don't listen to the people and vote accordingly, then the party is useless and it really doesn't matter who has the majority does it?
Why on earth did you give money to bankers and then allow them to reward themselves for screwing up the economy? Your contempt for the voters was sickening. Your contempt for people who have critical thinking skills is astounding. Why not just shut down all schools so that we're all stupid enough to sit back while a fascist dictatorship takes control? Or do you enjoy watching half of us squirm? Only a small percentage of the population watches Fox News. Who cares what they say? You're a bunch of sissies.
If you all had some balls, you'd ram the progressive agenda through the congress despite the Republican whining machine and their complicit media because eventually the voters would realize that it was a good thing for them after all.
Use our money to create jobs!!!!!! What is wrong with you?
Your advisers are either idiots or working for the other side.
Wake up.
Sincerely
Blondesense Liz
Monday, July 12
Prelude
"I consider the geyser in the Gulf to be analagous to the rupturing of the amniotic sac that occurs at the end of pregnancy. This event presages the birth of the new being, who must be forced by a terrifying and life-threatening crisis to use the organs he or she has developed over the previous months – developed without knowing what purpose they serve or how they function. Like the fetus at the end of the pregnancy, the human race has devoured the stored resources within our mother’s secure womb, the fossil fuels buried deep underground, and now we must learn to survive on new forms of energy, taking the initiative on our own."
The Gulf Oil Spill as the Unfolding of Prophecy by Daniel Pinchbeck.
The Gulf Oil Spill as the Unfolding of Prophecy by Daniel Pinchbeck.
Sunday, July 11
Drunk last night...
OK! So!
IF you could have a beer with anyone in the world, political, religious, famous, infamous, living or dead who would you choose and why?
To make it easier, choose as many as you please but put them in order of preference.
AND...who would you NEVER want to have a beer with and why?
("Why" is optional for both but could be interesting!)
IF you could have a beer with anyone in the world, political, religious, famous, infamous, living or dead who would you choose and why?
To make it easier, choose as many as you please but put them in order of preference.
AND...who would you NEVER want to have a beer with and why?
("Why" is optional for both but could be interesting!)
Thursday, July 8
Congressional Logic
ALL Senators and Representatives are Adulterers, Fornicators, Homosexuals, Lesbians, Drug Addicts, Pedophiles and Pederasts (and other things too numerous to mention)!
Is that a fair statement? If members of Congress can use quasi-political logic to determine that all unemployed would rather live off benefits from the government than find a job, it has to follow that ALL members of Congress are, by their logic, Adulterers, Fornicators, Homosexuals, Lesbians, Drug Addicts, Pederasts, Pedophiles and worse – because of the actions of those in Congress (like Craig, Foley, Gingrich, McCain, to name a few).
How many members of Congress have we discovered who fit right into one or more of those categories over these last years? You know their names. I guess that means all of Congress is like them. (Congressional Logic?)
The list and links below are not even close to complete, but they’ll give you an idea of the thinking of the parasites that make these asinine statements.
Unemployment Extensions
Deficit Eclipses Jobs
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-idiot -Ariz.)
Ben Nelson (D-idiot - Ne.)
Sen. Judd Gregg (R- idiot - N.H.)
Rep. Jason Altmire (D- idiot - Pa.),
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D- idiot - Calif.)
Rep. John Linder (R- idiot - Ga.)
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R- idiot - Utah)
Rep. Dutch Ruppersburger (D- idiot - Md.)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D- idiot - Calif.)
Jim Clyburn (D- idiot - S.C.)
Kent Conrad (D- idiot - N.D.)
Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D- idiot - Pa.)
These “things” that try to pass for humans want to eliminate basic help for ALL long-term unemployed because they think ALL long-term unemployed would rather sit home and eat crusts of bread than try to find a job. Even if they CAN find a job that pays, at best today, minimum wage with no benefits but with the added Federal, state and local taxes, expenses of healthcare and transportation, not to mention such luxuries as food, shelter and utilities are they better off working?
These Congressional parasites who are granted $174,000 of taxpayer money each year plus perks, expect Americans to find a dwindling number of minimum wage jobs American Business with the complicity of Congress has allowed over the recent years to be outsourced. Americans and their families (values important to Religious Congressional hypocrites) are expected to exist on less than $300 per week. And if they can’t, so what?
None of this really surprises me any longer. Those in power from Obama on down have an agenda of their own and it doesn’t include the American people at least as equals and at least as human. But it DOES include the affluent. Whether the long-term unemployed live or die doesn’t seem to be a concern to these Congressional Senators and Representatives and President who can spend billions to kill American soldiers for the interests of corporations. They proclaim false notions of protecting America from enemies abroad while allowing Congress, the President and Corporate America to "kill" Americans through direct and indirect action, in their own country.
It’s almost Scrooge-like that they believe if (when) these Americans die…
“they had better do it now, and decrease the surplus population!"
Is that a fair statement? If members of Congress can use quasi-political logic to determine that all unemployed would rather live off benefits from the government than find a job, it has to follow that ALL members of Congress are, by their logic, Adulterers, Fornicators, Homosexuals, Lesbians, Drug Addicts, Pederasts, Pedophiles and worse – because of the actions of those in Congress (like Craig, Foley, Gingrich, McCain, to name a few).
How many members of Congress have we discovered who fit right into one or more of those categories over these last years? You know their names. I guess that means all of Congress is like them. (Congressional Logic?)
The list and links below are not even close to complete, but they’ll give you an idea of the thinking of the parasites that make these asinine statements.
Unemployment Extensions
Deficit Eclipses Jobs
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-idiot -Ariz.)
Ben Nelson (D-idiot - Ne.)
Sen. Judd Gregg (R- idiot - N.H.)
Rep. Jason Altmire (D- idiot - Pa.),
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D- idiot - Calif.)
Rep. John Linder (R- idiot - Ga.)
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R- idiot - Utah)
Rep. Dutch Ruppersburger (D- idiot - Md.)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D- idiot - Calif.)
Jim Clyburn (D- idiot - S.C.)
Kent Conrad (D- idiot - N.D.)
Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D- idiot - Pa.)
These “things” that try to pass for humans want to eliminate basic help for ALL long-term unemployed because they think ALL long-term unemployed would rather sit home and eat crusts of bread than try to find a job. Even if they CAN find a job that pays, at best today, minimum wage with no benefits but with the added Federal, state and local taxes, expenses of healthcare and transportation, not to mention such luxuries as food, shelter and utilities are they better off working?
These Congressional parasites who are granted $174,000 of taxpayer money each year plus perks, expect Americans to find a dwindling number of minimum wage jobs American Business with the complicity of Congress has allowed over the recent years to be outsourced. Americans and their families (values important to Religious Congressional hypocrites) are expected to exist on less than $300 per week. And if they can’t, so what?
None of this really surprises me any longer. Those in power from Obama on down have an agenda of their own and it doesn’t include the American people at least as equals and at least as human. But it DOES include the affluent. Whether the long-term unemployed live or die doesn’t seem to be a concern to these Congressional Senators and Representatives and President who can spend billions to kill American soldiers for the interests of corporations. They proclaim false notions of protecting America from enemies abroad while allowing Congress, the President and Corporate America to "kill" Americans through direct and indirect action, in their own country.
It’s almost Scrooge-like that they believe if (when) these Americans die…
“they had better do it now, and decrease the surplus population!"
GOP resurrects another ridiculous plan
Can you imagine if SS was privatized back in '04? People would have been committing suicide en masse by now. Bad enough that most people's retirement funds evaporated in the last few years.
The GOP is calling voters to support privatization of SS again. Their base must be a bunch of financial morons or just morons or overwhelmingly gullible... or all 3.
The GOP is calling voters to support privatization of SS again. Their base must be a bunch of financial morons or just morons or overwhelmingly gullible... or all 3.
Debunking the Top 10 Energy Myths
Pretty interesting information FYI in this story at Popular Mechanics.
I was most pleased to see them debunk the myth of "clean coal" because it is indeed a pipe dream. It's upsetting to me to hear politicians talk about it because either they've been hoodwinked by the coal industry or they've been paid handsomely to lie in their slimy teeth.
Here on the east coast where there is pretty consistent wind out at sea, wind turbines have been poo-poo'd by the weathy who are afraid that their ocean views will be spoiled. Somehow, those few people's opinion takes precedence over sanity.
In my opinion, if politicians didn't need donations to be elected and it was illegal for them to take one dime, trip or gift from lobbyists, we'd be getting the truth.
Most importantly, we must try to use less energy and industry must be coerced to pollute less. Oh man, I sound like Jimmy Carter...
I looked up "cap and trade" and what's the big deal? Sounds like a plan. Republicans are against it. Why? They must be getting paid by the big polluters because there's no other reason that a logical sane mind couldn't wrap their head around the benefits of emissions trading. Or maybe there isn't a logical sane mind in the GOP? That might be true too.
Debunking the Top 10 Energy Myths
The road to clean energy is full of enticing opportunities—and perilous pitfalls. Picking the best path requires avoiding both starry-eyed hype and cynical fatalism. In this special report, PM debunks 10 of the most pernicious myths that could derail our progress.
I was most pleased to see them debunk the myth of "clean coal" because it is indeed a pipe dream. It's upsetting to me to hear politicians talk about it because either they've been hoodwinked by the coal industry or they've been paid handsomely to lie in their slimy teeth.
Here on the east coast where there is pretty consistent wind out at sea, wind turbines have been poo-poo'd by the weathy who are afraid that their ocean views will be spoiled. Somehow, those few people's opinion takes precedence over sanity.
In my opinion, if politicians didn't need donations to be elected and it was illegal for them to take one dime, trip or gift from lobbyists, we'd be getting the truth.
Most importantly, we must try to use less energy and industry must be coerced to pollute less. Oh man, I sound like Jimmy Carter...
I looked up "cap and trade" and what's the big deal? Sounds like a plan. Republicans are against it. Why? They must be getting paid by the big polluters because there's no other reason that a logical sane mind couldn't wrap their head around the benefits of emissions trading. Or maybe there isn't a logical sane mind in the GOP? That might be true too.
Wednesday, July 7
Female Viagra, eh?
Mark Morford has his take on it at The glorious myth of "female Viagra"
Messing with mother nature:
Male viagra simply improves male plumbing while female viagra would attempt to turn women on. Perhaps this is scary for men? On the other hand, it's quite possible that if your woman is not that into sex, that she isn't that into you. hmmm.
Messing with mother nature:
The female sexual response is gorgeously, notoriously, infuriatingly hardwired into more than a few unfathomable cosmic wavelengths, along with a whole army of wobbly expectations, cultural proscriptions, maternal drives, menopausal shifts, depressions, ecstasies, bored housewiferies, psychological contradictions -- not to mention nearly 2,000 years of male-dominated culture not having a f--ing clue what the clitoris is actually for, combined with a near total medical ignorance (until recently) of intricate female plumbing.
In short, female sexuality is the same as it's ever been: a divine, inscrutable kaleidoscope wrapped in a mystery shaped like a yonic enigma. Parsing it in any reliable way has been one of humanity's greatest challenges, joys, follies, wine-soaked laughter-filled experiments.
My humble male prediction: It will continue to be this way for... well, just about forever. Like poetry, art, the Great Pyramids and avocadoes, it is simply not meant to be unraveled. Put another way, if we ever do fully unravel it, it means the time-space continuum has come undone, consciousness has finally shifted, and we are ready for the next leap. Understand female sexuality, you understand God. Or at least, you understand how She dances.
Male viagra simply improves male plumbing while female viagra would attempt to turn women on. Perhaps this is scary for men? On the other hand, it's quite possible that if your woman is not that into sex, that she isn't that into you. hmmm.
Sunday, July 4
Thoughts on the Fourth
While strolling through the garden that is the Recent Submissions page on FurAffinity, I happened across this interesting cartoon. Having a bit of a reflective bent (reflective bent what? Don't ask) today, I was intrigued by what the cartoonist is saying.
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel," Samuel Johnson famously wrote back in 1775. He wasn't referring to what he termed true patriotism, which is love for one's country, but instead was referring to people who only paid lip service to the idea.
The modern concept of patriotism - at least, here in America - has managed to be bound almost inextricably with nationalism and even jingoism. This attitude arose during the 19th Century in America, which shows a true "pre-9/11" mindset.
The flaunting of yellow ribbons after Black Tuesday was originally touted as showing support for our armed forces, while neglecting to note that in most color symbologies yellow is the color most associated with cowardice and quarantine.
Patriotism isn't merely waving the flag and shouting slogans. It runs deeper than that, and includes a desire for the common good as well as the capacity for constructive criticism.
Yes, constructive criticism. "My country, right or wrong!" is an empty slogan here in the United States, because dissent is vital to the democratic process. You want change? You first have to find something wrong that needs changing - if our society was perfect, nothing would require change and everyone would be satisfied. Nations and institutions are built on people, and people are fallible.
(And don't give me that dreck about "Judeo-Christian values." Those were written by and are interpreted by people too, and are more honored in the breach anyway.)
Which leads me back to the cartoon. The generic canine opens the cartoon by declaiming that the Fourth is the day we celebrate our independence and express our love of country. Another character toots a vuvuzela in response.
The other three characters then tell him that they are not from America. Two are citizens of other nations, while the third is a recent immigrant. The first character's response is to snarl in the best nativist tradition, "Get the fuck out of my country."
It is possible that the cartoonist is being ironic here. I'm not sure, but the cartoon was certainly thought-provoking.
So, Happy Fourth of July, everyone. Love your country, and the diversity that makes it strong and resilient. Love it despite its flaws - or even because of its flaws, and remember that the Preamble to the Constitution states the purpose "to form a more perfect Union." The Founders knew that perfection is unattainable, but it gives you something to aim for.
So, Happy Fourth of July. Be careful with the fireworks.
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel," Samuel Johnson famously wrote back in 1775. He wasn't referring to what he termed true patriotism, which is love for one's country, but instead was referring to people who only paid lip service to the idea.
The modern concept of patriotism - at least, here in America - has managed to be bound almost inextricably with nationalism and even jingoism. This attitude arose during the 19th Century in America, which shows a true "pre-9/11" mindset.
The flaunting of yellow ribbons after Black Tuesday was originally touted as showing support for our armed forces, while neglecting to note that in most color symbologies yellow is the color most associated with cowardice and quarantine.
Patriotism isn't merely waving the flag and shouting slogans. It runs deeper than that, and includes a desire for the common good as well as the capacity for constructive criticism.
Yes, constructive criticism. "My country, right or wrong!" is an empty slogan here in the United States, because dissent is vital to the democratic process. You want change? You first have to find something wrong that needs changing - if our society was perfect, nothing would require change and everyone would be satisfied. Nations and institutions are built on people, and people are fallible.
(And don't give me that dreck about "Judeo-Christian values." Those were written by and are interpreted by people too, and are more honored in the breach anyway.)
Which leads me back to the cartoon. The generic canine opens the cartoon by declaiming that the Fourth is the day we celebrate our independence and express our love of country. Another character toots a vuvuzela in response.
The other three characters then tell him that they are not from America. Two are citizens of other nations, while the third is a recent immigrant. The first character's response is to snarl in the best nativist tradition, "Get the fuck out of my country."
It is possible that the cartoonist is being ironic here. I'm not sure, but the cartoon was certainly thought-provoking.
So, Happy Fourth of July, everyone. Love your country, and the diversity that makes it strong and resilient. Love it despite its flaws - or even because of its flaws, and remember that the Preamble to the Constitution states the purpose "to form a more perfect Union." The Founders knew that perfection is unattainable, but it gives you something to aim for.
So, Happy Fourth of July. Be careful with the fireworks.
Ah July... come happily fourth
Slate magazine had a contest to rewrite the Declaration of Independence in a single tweet. People are so ingenious.
The winner is "Bye George, we've got it."
Happy Independence Day, Americans!
Eat, drink and be merry...
for tomorrow (or the next day) we go back to the same old bullshit.
The winner is "Bye George, we've got it."
Happy Independence Day, Americans!
Eat, drink and be merry...
for tomorrow (or the next day) we go back to the same old bullshit.
Saturday, July 3
Happy Independence Day?
From what?
And this day is different from any other day in America…how?
Will someone PLEASE tell me why I should celebrate this day any longer? Independence from England and its tyrannical rule? To be thankful we replaced one tyranny with another run by craven, heartless unimaginably avaricious representatives of Corporate America?
People we elected and trusted stood by as Bush/Cheney raped the country and now the Democrats under Obama, Reid and Pelosi are denying a morning after pill.
When a fascist regime decided on ethnic genocide, we were appalled. You can’t simply kill of millions of people. It’s bad for publicity donchano? But if you deny those people food, shelter, clothing, healthcare and the basics of life with the excuse that “people have to make some sacrifices for the good of…” who; then you no longer represent the people who elected you.
In the 20s, our parents and grandparents fought to eliminate child labor and sweatshops so their children could enjoy an American Dream, and that’s all it was, a dream that disappeared as we awakened to a new century.
The party of the people has entreated Americans to a country run by corporations, for corporations and supported by callous, cold-hearted unsympathetic sycophants.
So what DO you call someone who surrounds themselves with bootlicking, ass-kissing, covetously cannibalistic, remorseless examples of the dregs of humanity? The answer seems to be, “Mr. President!”
So go out and celebrate your independence:
Where your American government can:
Tell you what you can watch,Tell you what you can listen to;
Tell you what you can read;
Tell you what religion you must accept;
Take your property without your consent;
Enter and search your property or your person without due process;
Detain you for indefinite periods upon (their) suspicion that you MAY be a terror suspect or know someone who knows someone who thinks that someone may be a terrorist – but allow men whose wives have filed for Protection From Abuse to freely walk the streets;
Require that deadbeat Dads (or Moms) pay support for their legitimate offspring but then not enforce that law;
Tell you with whom you can sleep;
Tell you that you can’t use contraceptives and that you must have children if you have sex with your spouse;
Tell you what position or positions you can and can’t have sex in;
Tell you that sentient life begins at the moment of conception and must be protected with all rights; then refuse medical, financial or any help or support for the mother, father or child AFTER a fetus is born;
Tell women what they Can and Can't do with their own bodies;
Tell women that they can’t abort a fetus even if the woman’s life is in danger because a MAN made that determination based on his religion;
Allow you to commit crimes and not be punished if you are a Conservative politician or Corporate CEO;
Allow threats, libel and/or slander of any liberal if you are a conservative media host;
Allow unsubstantiated stories to be reported as fact if you work for a conservative newspaper, radio or television station;
Promote hate in the name of a Christian Deity;
Imprison a bartender if he serves too many drinks to a stupid person who then causes a death or injury operating a vehicle – But not litigate against a firearms manufacturer for knowingly providing guns to kill people;
Rule that if you kill someone you could go to jail for as little as 5 years – but rape will get you 25 years to life;
Rule that if you commit a sex crime and do your time you’ll still be branded a potential criminal for life by having to register with local authorities so they can tell the neighborhood you ARE a convicted sex offender – but not require that police inform you that a murderer may live next door;
Attempt to sterilize female repeat drug offenders and as they deem necessary, unfit mothers - but only chastise male rapists because the “woman asked for it” and men need sex;
Pay a man more money than a woman to do the same job;
Allow business execs to steal millions from worker's retirement accounts and be exonerated but can get you hunted down and jailed for stealing food – no, wait, that was Jean val Jean, but of course it doesn’t apply to CEOs;
Rule that if you run up huge medical bills and not be able to pay them you can NOT be able to declare bankruptcy to start fresh while Wall Street loots pension plans and the government forgives their debts;
Rule that if you suffer a catastrophic medical condition at the hands of an inept physician that you only be allowed a pittance in compensation in order to reduce frivolous lawsuits while man-on-dog politician’s wife can sue chiropractors for some pain from a back treatment knowing ahead of time it to be potentially harmful;
Allow you to bring home a dead fetus for some macabre ritual if you are a fanatic religious U.S. Senator and keep it in a jar but not allow you to bury your dead on your own property;
Lie to the public and Congress such that the president can start a war based on those lies to help fill the coffers of his wealthy friends;
Rule that you must pay a fine or go to jail for littering while big corporations pollute rivers and the air with toxins and carcinogens and continue unpunished;
Allow you to have the right to free speech as long as it’s away from gathering crowds or as long as it doesn’t conflict with any administration views;
Tell you that freedom should be limited…for those not in power;
Tell you that laws don’t pertain TO those in power;
Tell you that you have the right to life and the pursuit of happiness as long as you can pay for it unless you’re upper middle class and in debt, then you can get help to reduce your debts because you’ve “over-extended”; but you can’t get help if you’re poor because you can’t manage your money properly;
Tell you that you DON’T have the right to liberty because of national security;
Tell you that you no longer have any right to privacy because of national security;
Allow credit companies to ruin your future while charging outrageous interest even though the Constitution expressly forbids extreme usury, and at the same time protect those same credit companies from public suits by “harmed” consumers;
Change laws and penalties to reflect differently on portions of society that are well off;
Treat you differently because you’re black, brown, red or yellow skinned even though the law says differently;
Treat you differently because you’re a woman;
Treat you differently because of your ethnic background;
Treat you differently because of where you live;
Treat you differently because of your job;
Treat you differently because of your intelligence or ability to function in life;
Treat you differently because of your political affiliation;
Treat you differently because of your religious preferences;
Treat you differently because of your sexual preferences;
Refuse to help you because you are handicapped in any way;
Refuse to feed the hungry because there is no hunger in America;
Refuse to make employers pay a minimum livable wage to Americans but allow illegal aliens to work for big businesses at below minimum wage to help increase their profits;
Allow you to work over 40 hours per week for minimal wages with no benefits, many times in dangerous conditions;
Refuse to help you or help feed you or your family if you are chronically unemployed because of job outsourcing or because some politician thinks everyone on unemployment stays that way to avoid finding a job;
Pay farmers NOT to grow food because that may cause an excess of food that would drive prices down and hurt big business;
Refuse to help the homeless because the homeless want it that way and don’t want to help themselves;
Increase taxes for the majority of middle and lower class workers while at the same time give massive tax breaks to big business;
Allow religious organizations tax breaks and public partisan political views while disallowing dissenting opinions;
Require your relatives, after your death, to pay any expenses that you may have incurred in life and confiscate yours, your spouse's or your children’s property or wealth if they aren’t paid;
Require you to reach an arbitrary age before drinking alcohol but require military service including the possibility of losing your life at a lesser age while serving in that military;
Exempt dependents of Congressmen, Businessmen, Religious Leaders and certain politicians from having to defend their country by serving in the military and possibly subjecting them to dangerous situations;
Invade your most private life; listen to and record your conversations, emails and any private communications with anyone all without due process;
Ignore the Constitution of the United States of America in any part or in it’s entirety and fulfill the wishes of one man however corrupt, deceitful and mentally deranged that man may be.
Take your Social Security to pay for illegal wars.
All of these things and more are yours for being an American.
You must remember that according to the current Government of the United States of America, that while you have NO say in whatever it wants to do, you are obligated to do what ever it says.
I’ll leave you with a quote from Henry Kissinger:
"The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer."
Henry Kissinger NYT Oct 28,1973
Happy Independence Day, y'all!
Thursday, July 1
BP News Stories Boggle the Mind
by blondesense liz
Senate Panels Approve Offshore Oil Drilling Bills: Liability Cap Would Be Removed, Regulation Increased. Sounds good.
Meanwhile some Republicans fear that all these requirements and removal of liability cap would hurt all the but the largest off shore drilling corporations... hmm... gotta keep corporate interests in mind first, eh? Some from both (actually the same) parties were concerned that these regulations would stifle offshore drilling... and that's bad?
How about looking at it this way: the regulations would force companies to investigate alternative energy sources that wouldn't damage the environment (and they wouldn't have to waste profits cleaning it up) and they could still make tons of money and not go to hell when they die?
Why aren't the Tea Baggers demanding that the Government hold BP liable for all the cleanup expenses? They support BP! Idiots. Why should US taxpayers pay for this? Aren't the tea baggers on an anti-tax crusade? How stupid are these people? I'd have joined them if they actually made any sense and if one of them could do simple arithmatic. And why aren't they against funding the wars?
A whistle blower will testify before a Senate panel that "BP is deliberately sinking oil with the toxic chemical disbursant Corexit, to hide the size of the oil spill. By sinking the oil before it can be collected, BP won’t have to pay fines on it." Of course if you listen to Republicans, they would rather that US taxpayers foot the cleanup bill anyway.
Now The EPA says that the dispersants are safe... well... only slightly toxic. I do not trust the EPA after they claimed that the air in NYC was safe to breath after the collapse of the twin towers on 9/11/01.
Who do the DC representatives represent anyway?
Let's take away their health benefits and give them term limits. Let's make them take citizenship tests and IQ tests before they can even run for office.
"Demagogue: one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots": -H.L. Mencken
Senate Panels Approve Offshore Oil Drilling Bills: Liability Cap Would Be Removed, Regulation Increased. Sounds good.
Meanwhile some Republicans fear that all these requirements and removal of liability cap would hurt all the but the largest off shore drilling corporations... hmm... gotta keep corporate interests in mind first, eh? Some from both (actually the same) parties were concerned that these regulations would stifle offshore drilling... and that's bad?
How about looking at it this way: the regulations would force companies to investigate alternative energy sources that wouldn't damage the environment (and they wouldn't have to waste profits cleaning it up) and they could still make tons of money and not go to hell when they die?
Why aren't the Tea Baggers demanding that the Government hold BP liable for all the cleanup expenses? They support BP! Idiots. Why should US taxpayers pay for this? Aren't the tea baggers on an anti-tax crusade? How stupid are these people? I'd have joined them if they actually made any sense and if one of them could do simple arithmatic. And why aren't they against funding the wars?
A whistle blower will testify before a Senate panel that "BP is deliberately sinking oil with the toxic chemical disbursant Corexit, to hide the size of the oil spill. By sinking the oil before it can be collected, BP won’t have to pay fines on it." Of course if you listen to Republicans, they would rather that US taxpayers foot the cleanup bill anyway.
Now The EPA says that the dispersants are safe... well... only slightly toxic. I do not trust the EPA after they claimed that the air in NYC was safe to breath after the collapse of the twin towers on 9/11/01.
Who do the DC representatives represent anyway?
Let's take away their health benefits and give them term limits. Let's make them take citizenship tests and IQ tests before they can even run for office.
"Demagogue: one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots": -H.L. Mencken
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