Sunday, August 30, 2009

quote of the day

"At what point did you choose not to be gay?"--Jon Stewart to Mike Huckabee. I'm not sure this is the exact quote but it's pretty close.

a quick apology

This morning I accidentally rejected two comments from Barbra Tallman. The first was a hilarious criticism of Fred Phelps and the other was a very good explanation of Omaha. Unfortunately those comments are now gone forever. I am so sorry.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

A rebuttle

Yesterday I was debating politics with a good friend of mine who also happens to be a religious-republican-libertarian. During the course of the conversation he said that George W. Bush was a good president. Yeah, and when I disagreed with him, he pointed out that George Bush kept us safe because we were never attacked after 9/11.

Now, I love this one! You can use that logic for anything, I have yet to be killed and eaten by an insane cannibal, thus I must be doing a good job of fighting off the mad cannibals. I have also never been mugged by a giant lizard. Thus, I must be protecting myself against giant lizards.

It makes no logical sense! So, I just wanted to point that out.

In other news, Ted Kennedy's funeral has ended and his coffin has been buried at Arlington National Cemetery, a few feet from his older brothers.

lyrics of the week

These are the lyrics to the Counting Crows song Omaha. And I will reward anyone who can tell me what the heck this song is about.

Start tearing the old man down,
Run past the heather and down to the old road,
Start turning the grain into the ground,
Roll a new leaf over, in the middle of the night,
There's an old man treading around in the gathered rain,
Well mister, if you're going to walk on water,
Oh could you drop a line my way?

Omaha, somewhere in middle America,
Get right to the heart of matters,
It's the heart that matters more,
I think you better turn your ticket in,
And get your money back at the door, oh.

Start threading a needle,
Brush past the shuttle that slides through the cold room,
Start turning the wool across the wire,
Roll a new life over, in the middle of the night,
there's an old man threading his toes through a bucket of rain,
Hey mister, you don't want to walk on water,
'Cause you're only going to walk all over me.

Omaha, somewhere in middle America,
Get right to the heart of matters,
It's the heart that matters more,
I think you better turn your ticket in,
And get your money back at the door.

Start running the banner down,
Drop past the color come up through the summer rain,
Start turning the girl into the ground,
Roll a new love over, in the middle of the day,
There's a young man rolling around in the earth and rain,
Hey mister, if you're going to walk on water,
You know you're only going to walk all over me.

Omaha, somewhere in middle America,
Get right to the heart of matters,
It's the heart that matters more,
I think you better turn your ticket in,
And get your money back at the door.

Omaha, oh somewhere in middle America,
Get right to the heart of matters, oh,
It's the heart that matters more,
I think you better turn your ticket in,
And get your money back at the door,
Oh, said Omaha, Sunday morning,
I'm coming home today.

Friday, August 28, 2009

quote of the day

"Health Care Reform named after Ted Kennedy Must not Suck." A Huffington post headline which basically says it all.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

A correction

In my eulogy to Ted Kennedy I repeatedly called him Senator Kennedy. That was a grave error on my part, I beg the Kennedy family's forgiveness. I would never insult anyone like that intentionally, I just lost my head.

The correct address for the late Mr. Kennedy would be, of course, Sir. Edward, as he was given an honorary knight-ship by the Queen of England.

So Rest in Peace Sir. Senator Edward Kennedy. God bless.

quote of the day

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."---Edward Kennedy.

Rest In Peace, Teddy Kennedy

Late last night, Ted Kennedy,, one of the greatest U.S. Senators in American History, died after a yearlong struggle with cancer. There is a strange irony that the other two Kennedy brothers died from an assassin's bullet but the youngest died from cancer.

Pres. Obama released a statement calling Sen. Kennedy the greatest senator of all time, and he certainly has a strong argument. Teddy helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act and the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act. Sen. Kennedy's personal life was plagued by tragedy, two of his brothers were murdered, another brother and sister died in a plane crash, one of his sisters was born with mild mental retardation but was but in a mental hospital after a lobotomy went wrong, another of his sisters was killed in a plain crash. One of his sons lost a leg to cancer, and his daughter also survived cancer.

He lost his 1980 presidential campaign because he fled the scene of an accident while a woman who was in the car died. He claimed that he tried several times to save the woman, who was in the car that was in a river, before being forced to return to land. He asked for help from some friends, but he did not contact the police.

When we look back at Mr. Kennedy's career we will not remember the faults in his character, but as one of the greatest American politicians of all time. Rest in Peace and God Bless You Senator Kennedy, we will miss you.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Happy Birthday Joe Strummer

Today would have been Clash frontman Joe Strummer's 57th birthday. Unfortunately, Mr. Strummer died in 2002 of heart failure. A tragic death, we lost him far to early. The Clash, his band, was a member of the early London Punk movement. They recorded such greats as London Calling, Rock the Casbah, Should I stay or should I go, White Riot, Know your rights, and train in vain.

Happy Birthday Mr. Strummer.

Public Option, Option people

The Far-Right Crazies, or as I like to call them the Sith, keep yelling about how a Public Option will destroy our country. They say it would give the Big-Bad Government control over our health. However the Sith are missing one key problem with their agrument, the name of the Public Option. It has option in the freaking title!!!

The government won't take over your health care unless you choose to let them! You can still have your old health care if you want!! Sometimes I think that the Sith just ignore the facts. Why would you be agaienst giving people the option to do things?

So Mr. President, don't give an inch. To quote the Boss, "Well, we made a promise we swore we'd always remember, No retreat, baby, no surrender,Like soldiers in the winter's night,With a vow to defend, No retreat, baby, no surrender" We need a public option, Mr. President, and you are the president to do it.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

another cool video

This is a fan-made trailer for one of my all-time favorite books, The Hunger Games. Watch it, it rocks!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfuKMJWjHOI

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

watch this

This is a video from the musical comedy group Capitol Steps. I am trying to find away so that you can view it here, so if any of you know how to do it please tell me. But for now you still have to copy and paste it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THdOHyAvcdc

guy with semi-automatic rifle was staged

I was one of many who jumped all over the story that a man carried an assault rifle to a Obama event. It turns out that the event was staged. The radio host who interviewed the man had known him for several years. The whole event was staged to show that it was legal to carry around guns in Arizona.

remind me not to go to a restaurant in Tennessee

You are now allowed to Conceal and Carry in bars and restaurants in Tennessee. The law says that you can carry a gun, if you have a permit, into places that serve alcohol. Now can anyone see a key issue with that law. Anyone? Oh yeah, alcohol and firearms together, not a good idea.
A restaurant owner can post a sign that says "No Guns" and 78% of them say that they will. I just want to know who thought, "Yeah, it's a great to have guns where people drink intoxicating beverages! The 2nd Amendment gives us that right , gosh darn it!" James Madison, the man who is known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights", was a big supporter of people having guns while drinking. He, Washington, Jefferson, and Adams were sitting around one day discussing politics. This is what they said.

Madison: Thank you, George. That was an excellent bottle of wine.

Adams: I agree. George, you have outdone yourself this time.

Jefferson: Yes, but Jimmy we need to talk about this 2nd Amendment you purpose. I think you have left out a lot.

Madison: Like?

Washington: The Right to carry Assault Rifles to Events where the president will be.

Madison: What's an assault rifle?

Washington: No idea. But we have the right to own them.

Adams: Also Jimmy, we have to put it in there that we have the right to Armour-Piercing Bullets. And before you ask, I have no idea what they are.

Jefferson: But most important, we need to put it in there that we have the right to carry guns where they serve alcohol!

All: Yes, of course. Absolutely!

Seriously, this is one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard. Guns should not be allowed anywhere near alchohol.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tell Me why

Yesterday a man went to Obama's town hall meeting with a semi-automatic rifle slung over his shoulder, and it was legal! Assault rifles are not illegal in Arizona and open carry is also legal in Arizona, but I think this guy needs a wake up call. Excuse me, (clears throat), WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?! YOU BRING A GUN TO PRESIDENT OBAMA"S TOWN HALL?! WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PURPOSE OF GUNS ARE?!

Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week. But seriously, and I seem to be saying that a lot, the point of a gun is not to make a political statement, the point of a gun is to Shoot things! So, doesn't it sound like a great idea to bring a Semi-Automatic rifle to an event where the President is, there is no way that could go wrong.

Look, I have no problem with guns for hunting or target practice. I respect the right of individuals to own guns for self-defense. I do not, and never will, believe that Americans have the right to guns for intimidation. And what else is this? The gentleman who carried the rifle is trying to intimidate people. He said that ""I come from another state where 'open carry' is legal, but no one does it, so the police don't really know about it and they harass people, arrest people falsely, I think that people need to get out and do it more so that they get kind of conditioned to it."

Why is he carry a gun? So that the police "get kind of conditioned to it."! This man was asking people to carry around firearms for no other reason than to "condition" law enforcement. This intimidation, plain and simple, this man is either (A)trying to scare the president, (B) trying to get on TV, (C) an idiot, or (D) all of the above.

The Second Amendment says that "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

So, tell me where it says that we can have whatever gun we want, take it wherever we want, and do whatever we want with it. This man, and all of those who claim to support gun rights, should read the Amendment before making stupid decisions about guns.

Also, Mr. President do not be intimidated by these fools. The American people are not like that, no matter what the Far Right says.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Dear lord no!!

CNN reported today that Tom "The Hammer" DeLay, the former Republican House Majority Leader who resigned because of the Jack Abramoff scandal, is going on, of all things, Dancing With the Stars. Please God let it be a joke!
The Image of Tom DeLay dancing is very scary, if the other contestants out dance him he will extract some sort of revenge on them.

But seriously, why did the producers pick him? He's not exactly a celebrity. The people who watch that show probably don't even know who he is.

Friday, August 14, 2009

lyrics of the week

These are the lyrics to a fantastic song by Ani Difranco

"Not A Pretty Girl"

I am not a pretty girl
that is not what I do
I ain't no damsel in distess
and I don't need to be rescued
so put me down punk
maybe you'd prefer a maiden fair
isn't there a kitten stuck up a tree somewhere

I am not an angry girl
but it seems like I've got everyone fooled
every time I say something they find hard to hear
they chalk it up to my anger
and never to their own fear
and imagine you're a girl
just trying to finally come clean
knowing full well they'd prefer you
were dirty and smiling

and I am sorry
I am not a maiden fair
and I am not a kitten stuck up a tree somewhere

and generally my generation
wouldn't be caught dead working for the man
and generally I agree with them
trouble is you gotta have youself an alternate plan
and I have earned my disillusionment
I have been working all of my life
and I am a patriot
I have been fighting the good fight
and what if there are no damsels in distress
what if I knew that and I called your bluff?
don't you think every kitten figures out how to get down
whether or not you ever show up

I am not a pretty girl
I don't want to be a pretty girl
no I want to be more than a pretty girl

Sure you're not angry, whatever you say.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

quote of the day

"The impossible could not have happened, therefore the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances."---Hercule Poriot in Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

quote of the day

" The strongest of all warriors are these two — Time and Patience."---Leo Tolstoy in War and Peace

Mark Sanford's family troubles

Yesterday Gov. Sanford did his first interview since his wife moved out of the Governor's mansion. He was asked what it was like to live in the Governor's mansion alone. He answered "That part's hard." He then went on to say "But there are consequences for any mess-up that we have in life, and that's one of them, That's probably the most bitter part of it." and "I fell in love with one woman I should not have fallen in love with," he said. "We all get that. Everybody's been trying to move on."

Oh Mark Mark Mark, is that the way you plan to fix your family problems? Go on the radio and keep saying how you loved this woman? His worst move, other than flying to Argentina, was when he said that this South American floozy was his "Soul Mate" and that he was trying to fall back in love with his wife.

Mark Sanford freely admits that his career is dead, but he says that he won't resign. I feel sorry for him as he is obviously totally incompetent when it comes to keeping his family together. But then I remember how it was Father's Day when he was in Argentina and I don't feel sorry for him any more.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

These town halls are getting out of hand.

On hardball last night Chris Mathews did an interesting interview with a total fool. Copy this link and watch it, it is really aggravating.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/#32378192

Monday, August 10, 2009

a song for Bush and Cheney

These are the yrics to a great song by P!nk


"Dear Mr. President"
(feat. Indigo Girls)

Dear Mr. President,
Come take a walk with me.
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me.
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look in the mirror?
Are you proud?

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why?

Dear Mr. President,
Were you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
How can you say
No child is left behind?
We're not dumb and we're not blind.
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell.

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye?

Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh

How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?

I love the line that says "
What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?"

quote of the day

"Mr. Rodgers gave aid and comfort to homosexuals. He was a man who preached tolerance of all sorts of people in ways that directly contradicted the Bible. His syrupy teachings led millions astray. He was a wuss and he was an enabler of wusses,"---Fred Phelps and I think he was serious.

quote of the day

"My other piece of advice, Copperfield," said Mr. Micawber, "you know. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery. The blossom is blighted, the leaf is withered, the god of day goes down upon the dreary scene, and — and in short you are for ever floored. As I am!"---David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

quote of the day

"Bumping into your parents is no big deal unless you bump into them before you were born."---tag line for Back to the Future

Sunday, August 9, 2009

a thought

As of last year we have spent 9.3 billion dollars in Afghanistan. I repeat, we have spent over nine billion to kill people. So what I want to know is: why is it acceptable to spend money to kill people, but it's not acceptable to spend money on heath care?

quote of the day

"History, like God, is watching what we do"---Bono

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Pailin in the deep end

On Friday Sarah Pailin called Obama's health plan "downright evil" and a "Death Panel". Okay, there are so many problems with this story. First, Gov., oh sorry, Mrs. Pailin you can disagree with something without it being "evil"

For example, I disagree with you and your policies but never once have I even suggested that you are evil. Hitler was evil. Stalin was evil. Kim Jong-Il might be evil. Obama is not evil.

This is her whole quote. "The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care,"

So we are now in some sort of dystopian sci-fi novel. I have a message for Mrs. Pailin:

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!!!!

Friday, August 7, 2009

who's left?

I was thinking the other day about 2012 and the Republicans. I don't know who is going to run, all the main players are having lots of problems. Here is a short list.

Gov. Pailin: By resigning she has destroyed any chance that she had in 2012. She could run in 2016, but not in '12.

Gov. Sanford: Whoops I'm sorry, I was wrong. The GOP is not in trouble, Gov. Mark Sanford will certainly be their nominee. And he might even beat Obama.

Gov. Jindal: He gave a bad speech, but he could still run. His star has faded considerably.

Gov. Romney: My money would be on him at the moment. He has not had any big scandals, is not disappearing to foreign countries, or being blackmailed by his mistress's husband. He claims that his three pilars for a storng America are military, econommy, and families.

Gov. Huckabee: He is the strongest contender for Romney at the moment. And I must say I would support him over Romney. I disagree with him on almost every issue, but at least with Huckabee you know where you stand. Romney was a liberal in Massachusetts and an arch-Conservative when running for president.

It's kind of sad that the party of high morals has sunk this low. Where a new sex scandal breaks almost every day.

quote of the day

this quote is for al those who are against gay rights.

"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself." ---Thomas Paine

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Bill Clinton, ambassador to the insane

A few days ago Bill Clinton went to North Korea and secured the release of two American Journalists who were being held in a prison. Kim Jong-Il, the insane dictator of North Korea, pardoned them. There were some rumours flying around that Obama had sent a private message to Kim Jong-Il. Obama said that he had not done anything of the sort.

I must say that I can't understand people like John Boltan who say that this was a bad move. I think that this was a great move. It has forestalled war, rescued two innocent people, and helped relations with North Korea. I also think that we should send Bill Clinton to the Middle East and let him work out peace.

Late-Night comedians are having a ball with this story. Jimmy Fallon reenacted the conversation that Obama and Clinton probably had.

Obama: Bill, I want you to go to North Korea and rescue some journalists.

Clinton: I can't, I have so many commitments.

Obama: I need you to go to a woman's prison.

Clinton: What time's my flight.

Funny stuff, but seriously Bill Clinton did a good deed and we should commend him for it.

quote of the day

Here are three quotes from the Sci-Fi tv show Babylon 5 episode Cometh the Inquisitor. IN that episode the main characters are interrogated by a very creepy and cynical man who works for an alien race.

"Then you make the sacrifice willingly? No fame. No armies or banners or cities to celebrate your name. You will die alone and unremarked and forgotten."---Sebastian, the Inquisitor

"How do you know the Chosen Ones? "No greater love hath a man than he lay down his life for his brother." Not for millions…not for glory…not for fame. For one person, in the dark, where no one will ever know or see. I have been in the service of the Vorlons for centuries, looking for you. Diogenes with his lamp, looking for an honest man willing to die for all the wrong reasons. At last, my job is finished. Yours is just beginning. When the darkness comes, know this: You are the right people, in the right place, at the right time."--Sebastian

"Good luck to you in your holy cause, Captain Sheridan. May your choices have better results than mine. Remembered not as a messenger, remembered not as a reformer, not as a prophet, not as a hero…not even as Sebastian. Remembered only…as Jack"--Sebastian. This quote, along with dates given in the episode, imply that Sebastian is Jack the Ripper.

quote of the day

"To punish me for my contempt of authority, Fate has made me an authority myself."---Albert Einstein

Sunday, August 2, 2009

quote of the week

"Perhaps a lunatic was simply a minority of one."--George Orwell


quote of the day

"So, how 'bout in honor of the American soldier, ya quite makin' things up. And don't underestimate the wisdom of the people, and one other thing for the media, our new governor has a very nice family too, so leave his kids alone. ."--Sarah Pailin on the Media

I was half expecting her to start talking about the
nattering nabobs of negativism.