Opinionated Media

An Ethical Defense of Same-Sex Marriage

2011-10-27T17:47:00.000-07:00

(I am currently on an Ethics Bowl team and have compiled an Ethical defense of Same-Sex Marriage)So the main issue that is often brought up in discussions of Same-Sex Marriage is the right of the individual versus morality. The claim is that we must, as public citizens, decide between the two. Do we side with the right of the individual and support Same-Sex Marriage or do we side with morality and oppose it? I attest that the two are, in fact, not mutually exclusive. Same-Sex Marriage is ethical by any conventional standard. It is ethical under Consequentialism, ethical under Deontological theory, ethical under virtue ethics, and ethical under Pragmatic Ethics. It is also succeeds in non-maleficence.Consequentialism, incidentally my favorite of all the theories, contends that the way to decide if an action is moral or not is to examine the consequences. The consequences of two consenting adults getting married is clearly not immoral. No one is hurt and some(not many but some) are helped. The couple is happy, the couple's family is happy, and the couple's friends are happy. Again, none are unhappy, under a utilitarian argument(Utilitarianism=the greatest good for the greatest number, it's a popular offshoot of consequentialism) Same-Sex Marriage is clearly ethical.Deontological Ethics is the opposite of consequentialism. It contends that the way to decide if an action is moral is to examine the intentions. They are often moral absolutists who believe that some things are immoral no matter what is the consequence. If we look at the intentions of, again, two consenting adults entering into matrimony we can assume that, in this day and age, the intentions are positive. The intentions are positive thus, under this theory, the action is ethical. So, Same-Sex Marriage is ethical.Virtue Ethics says that the way to judge the morality of an action is to assess the morality of the individual. There is no way of assessing the morality of every individual entering into any form of marriage. Thus, we can say, that Same-Sex Marriage is just as ethical as any other form of marriage. Pragmatic Ethics contend that it is society that is moral, not an individual. Under pragmatic ethics it is believed that ethical standards evolve and what is right in one age is not necessarily right in another. Societal standards have changed and it is now socially acceptable to be openly homosexual. Thus, if we take it that moral standards evolve and change, homosexuality could very well have been wrong when the Bible was written but still be right now because the moral standards have been revised. Thus, Same-Sex Marriage could very well be ethical under Pragmatic Ethics.Non-maleficence is the simple concept of "Do No Harm." If two consenting adults get married then no one is harmed. Thus, non-maleficence is achieved. As I have shown, Same-Sex Marriage is ethical under every modern applicable ethical theory. Thus, we can conclude, that Same-Sex Marriage is ethical and should be supported.

Don't Step On My Red Suede Shoes

2011-09-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

This is a response I wrote to someone in my history class who claimed that FDR didn't help us out of the Depression and in fact hurt us. That is a fairly standard Right Wing Line, and it bothers me. Anyway, enjoy---In 1932, the year before Roosevelt took office, the US GDP was 58.7 Billion Dollars(in current money, all these numbers are adjusted for inflation). In 1937, the first year of Roosevelt's second term, the GDP was 91.9 Billion Dollars. In 1941, the first year of Roosevelt's third term, the GDP was 126.7 Billion Dollars. That's growth, growth that corresponded to government spending.The Hoover Administration spent an average of 12% of GDP during the depression, the Roosevelt Administration spent an average of 15.4% of GDP from '33-'39. Once World War II started the spending rose to 35.3% of GDP, and we all know how beneficial World War Two was for our economy.You talked about false job creation, but if we look at the numbers that's not really the case. In 1932 the Unemployment rate was 24.1%. In 1937 it was 14.3%, that's a ten point drop which also coincided with increased spending. In '32 the government spent 8.7 Billion(again, adjusted figures) in '37 the government spent 12.8 billion.Funnily enough, the only year of the Roosevelt Administration in which unemployment increased was from '37-'38(in which it rose from 14.3% to 19%). 1937 was the only year in which the government cut the amount of money it was spending(from 13.1 Billion to 12.8 Billion) the year following unemployment rose almost 5 points. In '38 the government increased spending(to 13.8 Billion) and the following year unemployment fell again(to 17.2%). '38 was also the only year during the Roosevelt administration that the GDP fell. In '39, after the spending increase of '38, it rose back up again.So, really, FDR did help us out of the depression through spending. The growth in the GDP and the decline in unemployment directly corresponds to the amount of money spent. The one year he cut spending was followed by the only decline in GDP and increase of unemployment of his entire presidency. (I then later wrote after he made a follow up statement that FDR was basically following Hoover's policies)If we look at the numbers we can see that Hoover spent 9.4 billion in '29. In '30 he spent 10 billion. So far so good for your theory, but beginning in '31 Hoover began to spend less and less. '31 he spent 9.9 billion and in '32 he spent 8.7 billion. The biggest drop in GDP, funnily enough, was between '31 and '32. Roosevelt spent more and got bigger hikes in GDP.To address your point about WWII, yes it did, of course, help us out of the depression. But in 1939, the year the war started in Europe, the GDP was 92.2 billion which was the highest it had been since '29. When the war ended the GDP was 223.1 which is over twice what it was in '29 so you are, to a certain extent, right. Without World War II the depression would have lasted longer but it was already ending when the war began because of FDR's policies.

On Estella Havisham in Great Expectations

2011-07-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

There always has been, and perhaps always will be, a schism in fiction regarding the way that women are portrayed. Some heroines are very passive while others have a large amount of agency and are always in control of the situation, or always think that they are. Great Expectations, widely considered Charles Dickens' masterpiece, contains one of the greatest examples of a non-passive heroine in the character of Estella Havisham. Dickens took what previous writers, such as Shakespeare, had done and expanded on it by never making Estella likable. Estella's influence can still be seen today.
Estella by no means was the first strong female character in literature. Anyone who is familiar at all with Shakespeare will point to Rosalind and Lady Macbeth. However, Estella is unique in that she never is presented in a way that is likable to the reader. We don't want Pip and Estella to get married, despite the fact that Pip desperately wants it. Lady Macbeth, while never being even slightly likable, is essentially the villain of Macbeth. She manipulates her husband into murder and feeds his madness. She is not the romantic lead and Macbeth never looks at her in a romantic sense. Rosalind, like Estella, gets what she wants just by force of character. However, Rosalind is presented in a likable way, true she does some things that make her unlikable but she means well most of the time, Estella never means well in the novel, never once. She schemes and is more than a little sadistic. She hurts Pip because she feels like it.
It could be argued that Estella is the villain of Great Expectations, and thus follows in the footsteps of Lady Macbeth. However, Estella was raised by Mrs. Havisham, a cruel, cold woman, and she taught Estella to break men's hearts. Mrs. Havisham created Estella and thus we can't really blame Estella for what she does to Pip. She learned it at her mother's knee.
Estella's influence on modern literature is vast. Two of the biggest best sellers of the past few years are The Hunger Games Trilogy and The Millennium Trilogy. Both series have heroines, Katniss and Lisabeth respectively, who are strong and in command, but aren't particularly nice. They can handle themselves and have a large amount of agency. Estella also serves as a symbol in Great Expectations. She symbolizes the love pursued and the novel shows how Pip destroys his life by pursuing Estella so intently. Those themes would later become the centerpiece of The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald, widely considered to be one of the greatest novels ever written. Fitzgerald own a massive debt to Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, and the character of Estella.
Estella serves a very important role in Great Expectations; the role of a maguffin. She is the grail which Pip searches for, the light on the end of the wharf. It is, however, as testament to Dickens' skill as a writer that he manages to elevate Estella from a simple goal to one of the most interesting and rounded characters that exists in fiction. She is both a strong female heroine and a symbol. Both a maguffin and a character.
It is interesting to contrast Estella with another of Dickens' creations, Nancy. Both women are in abusive relationships and both, if we are to go by Dickens' original ending, end up the worse for wear for it. It would have been fascinating to see more of Estella while she was in her abusive marriage. We see her going in, haughty and nasty, and then coming out, weather beaten and kinder, but we never see what transpired. Did Estella love her husband? Why would she, but then, why would she stay with him if she didn't? It is a bit of a stretch to believe that Estella stays with her husband out of fear, but it is just as big of a stretch to say that she stayed with him out of love. Nancy, by contrast, is only seen while in the relationship, so we don't know what she was like coming into it, and, of course, she never comes out of it. Nancy does not appear to have the force of character that Estella has, yet, it takes a great will to stand up to the man she loves and sacrifice her life for a random boy. It appears that the brutality of her husband makes Estella weaker while it makes Nancy stronger. Thus, it could very well be argued that Nancy is stronger that Estella.

"Leave Me Alone!" Or A Critsism of The Founding Fathers

2011-06-24T05:41:00.000-07:00

"I'm Not Magic, Lead Yourselves."
--Cory Doctorow

"As a woman I have no country. As a woman, I want no country."
---Virgina Woolfe

A few days ago I was having a debate with a friend(Ben, who used to contribute occasionally to this blog back in our LR days) about a variety of things mainly focusing on our differing political philosophies. I am a socialist and he is a democrat who......reads Ayn Rand. Anyway, eventually we got onto the Constitution and I made the point that, frankly, I don't care what the Second Amendment means, guns need to be limited and controlled otherwise we'd have havoc in the streets.

Now, I've said that before and will almost certainly say it again, however you will never hear a politician say that. Never ever ever. Because we, as a nation, hold the Constitution and The Founding Fathers in such, such high esteem that if you say one word against them you will never be elected to so much as a school board.

Why? Because we, as a people, look for idols, for leaders and the 'Founders Of Our Nation' are the best candidates around. So, just like people do with their religious texts, all we care about is what the Founding Fathers would have done and we lose our common sense.

Honestly is Thomas Jefferson appeared to me tomorrow and told me to support Sarah Palin for President I would still support Obama, because I don't care. I just don't care. I don't believe that the Founding Fathers had more wisdom than any other political philosophers. They did a big, important hard thing in founding our country but I don't believe that they are infallible. They were men.

Perhaps it's just my own arrogance but I don't believe that the Founding Fathers were that much wiser than I am or anyone else is. They were just the first and that's cool and awesome and important but just because you're the first doesn't mean your the best. The Constitution is the Beta and we're treating it like it's perfect.

The title of this post, Leave Me Alone, is a reference to Monty Python's The Life of Brian in which the populace has become convinced that the character of Brian is the messiah and they follow him around. He yells at them to leave him along and thus....THE TITLE!

I think, I believe that once we realize that the Founding Fathers were operating on 18th Century information and thought then, I think, we can begin to talk and think more logically about issues, like gun control.

Fundamental Flaws: On The American Dream

2011-06-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

Between them these two books sum up our present predicament. Capitalism leads to dole queues, the scramble for markets, and war. Collectivism leads to concentration camps, leader worship, and war. There is no way out of this unless a planned economy can somehow be combined with the freedom of the intellect, which can only happen if the concept of right and wrong is restored to politics.
---George Orwell

If you listen to anyone on the right side of the aisle you know two things 1) You should be afraid of European Socialism and 2) If you just work hard you will be rich and successful. That second point is the basic foundation of the so called "American Dream' and the basis for the Anti-Welfare Argument. Hard Work equals Success thus Failure equals Laziness. Read that sentence again. Now, does that make any sense?

I found a Howard Zinn quote that sums up my point here, if I may,

---Why should we accept that the "talent" of someone who writes jingles for an advertising agency advertising dog food and gets $100,000 a year is superior to the talent of an auto mechanic who makes $40,000 a year? Who is to say that Bill Gates works harder than the dishwasher in the restaurant he frequents, or that the CEO of a hospital who makes $400,000 a year works harder than the nurse or the orderly in that hospital who makes $30,000 a year? The president of Boston University makes $300,000 a year. Does he work harder than the man who cleans the offices of the university? Talent and hard work are qualitative factors which cannot be measured quantitatively. ---

Right now the richest person in the world, according to Forbes Magazine, is Carlos Slim. Now Mr. Slim was not born into wealth and, in his own way, worked his way up from the bottom. But, and this is key, he is an investor, meaning he makes money by giving people money. To suggest that giving people money is harder than, say, building a road, saving someone's life, or fighting in the military is a little ludicrous. Now, just to be clear, I am not saying that Mr. Slim has done anything wrong, he made his money in a perfectly legitimate way. He has also been generous with his money(he has donated four billion, yes billion, dollars to his charitable foundation however this is the core of my problem.

If a child complains that something is not fair what is the first response that pops into our heads? "Life Isn't Fair" and that's correct, but creates a problem with the so-called American Dream. The assumption that Hard Work=Success and Laziness=Failure is that the playing field is level which it just simply is not.

You may wonder why I care. So what if the American Dream is silly, so what if it makes no sense, it's just a cliche. But, it isn't. It's a way to view the world that many people have and if you view the world in that way then you will oppose welfare, because we're just subsidizing laziness. But, if we agree that the American Dream is flawed and Failure does not equal Laziness, then it is impossible to say that welfare is equivalent to subsidizing laziness.

Why I Want Sarah Palin To Become President

2011-05-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

Recently I have begun to reimmerse myself in the 'Punk Underground'. I have discovered bands that are very, very outside the mainstream(Propaghandi, for example, who have songs called The Only Good Fascist Is A Very Dead Fascist and So Apparently I'm A Pc Fascist(Because I Believe In The Rights Of Humans And Non-Humans). One of the bands I've discovered is called NOFX(No-Ef-X) and they have a song called Franco Unamerican which is a perfectly straight forward Bush era protest song with some very hard hitting lyrics(I'm tired of all this embarrassment/the whole world wants us to get a better president). I realized something as I was listening to the song for the six or seventh time that changed my life: Hating Politicians can create great music. Really great music.

Now let's flash ahead a few days after I first heard the song.....I'm at the beach in a rented condo watching MSNBC. The hosts are attacking the Republicans and having a jolly old time which just confirms what I've know all along: It is far more fun to be in the opposition then to be in power. When you're in power people hate you because you're not doing 100% of what you want. When you're in opposition you have no responsibilities really.

So when you have a president who is incompetent and makes terrible decisions you get 1) Awesome Protest Music and 2) The Ability To Protest The Heck Out Of Everything. With that in mind....I ENDORSE SARAH PALIN!!

Frm. Gov. Palin will never be able to handle the stresses of the job and is so thin skinned that she will probably declare war on Britain because they bowed to the Queen instead of her. The liberals will be able to rise up in opposition and the punks will be able to get as angry as they want, it'll be wonderful.

Editors Note:

The Write of this article is using a form of humor known as sarcasm to advance his point, that Former Governor Sarah Palin is not fit for the job of president. He is also using this form of humor to attempt to get you to laugh, which makes him feel loved and wanted. Opinionated Media does not endorse or recommend the use of sarcasm to advance points and they certainly do not endorse or support Gov. Palin becoming president.

Second Anniversary

2011-05-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

Hello all

I just realized that I totally missed our second anniversary, I do apologize. A lot has changed since I started this blog, first and foremost among the things that have changed is me. I am, of course, older and now write in a different sort of way, about different things. So, with that in mind, I am making some changes to this blog.

The most obvious change will be the name of the blog. I have begun to find 'The Liberal Rocker' to be both immature and, quite frankly, a little obnoxious. Thank you for putting up with me, I have no idea how you managed it. It is now going to be changed to Opinionated Media(which is also the name of my production company).

The second most obvious change is that I'm going to start writing more often about different topics. In the next few days, for example, I'm going to be writing an article titled Why I Want Sarah Palin To Become President, an article about a staging concept for the musical Evita, and possibly some music or television related pieces. So I will still be political and I will never pull a political punch but it will become less of the focus.

Also, hopefully, my writing will improve. I am going to attempt to write in a more mature, adult, intellectual way. But do not fear, I still believe in humor as a weapon so you will still see humorous asides in parentheses.

Thank you for sticking with me for all these years and thank you for, hopefully, sticking with me going forward.

Yours,
Rock4ever

All Over But The Shouting, Just A Waste Of Time
---The Replacements, Nevermind

I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.

2011-05-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
--Oscar Wilde

So my last post(Wake Up Nerd Culture, You're A Sham) got some interesting comments from Kenny and Elfarmy but I think that either they totally missed the point or I did a terrible job communicating the point(possibly a bit of both). So let me clarify:

The point of the post was not that John Green is a terrible guy. I don't think he is. I think, with that quote he was trying to make "Nerds" feel better, because he's probably a nice guy. However in trying to do that, I believe, he fed into an us vs. them mentality that I think is pointless and silly.

The point of the post wasn't that being part of a group is bad. I don't believe it necessarily is. I think that if you change yourself to be part of that group and refuse to take part in anything outside the group, and identify yourself solely as being part of that group then being in that group is bad.

The point of the post was that I believe that there are a large number of people, several of whom are my friends, who have labelled themselves nerds and they then feel the need to like certain things and feel certain things and be a certain way. And that bothers me.

One might ask, oh how do you know that they are changing themselves to fit in? Because their tastes fit in perfectly with the majority of nerds, they love the same books, the same music, and the same tv shows. And no one fits in that well with any one group. People are complex and have varied tastes and interests(which incidentally is what John Green's Paper Towns is about).

I do consider the Nerd Movement to be a cult or if you'd rather a religion. And I don't want to sound angry or bitter or anything like that but it does annoy me when I see members of my generation basically lying about themselves so that they can find a group. If the group is demanding that then the group is morally reprehensible but if it's just the individual doing that because of some pyschobabble mumbo jumbo then it is the individual's fault, and they need to understand that they don't need to do that.

When I said that being uncool is the new cool what I meant to do was say that when nerds are all "We're uncool, but we're find with it, we read and write and that makes us so strange and outside the mainstream. We're freakin' underground. Heck yeah!" they're wrong because they're basically becoming mainstream. And people are jumping on the bandwagon of not jumping on the bandwagon. I think that the nerdfighteria(or whatever it is) has either caused this or fed it a lot.

As the quote at the top of the post says just be yourself. Being anyone else is just sort of pointless and you'll look back and wonder why you did that. Come out of the nerd closet, come out as an individual.

Wake Up Nerd Culture, You're A Sham

2011-05-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

(one quick note, this is in no way a response to Elfarmy's recent post, as I've been planning on writing this for days)

"I think when people talk about nerdiness what they're really talking about are smart people who are trying to think hard about the world. And I don't think that's an insult, I think that's a great thing."
---John Green

I have spoken very often to friends of mine(and nowhere near enough on this blog) about what I like to call "country club mentality". Country Club Mentality, as I define it, is when you decide that whatever religion or country or state or church or group you happen to be part of is the best because it's the best and only people who are part of whatever it is you are part of are great people. "God Bless The USA" "Only Christians Go To Heaven" "When people talk about nerdiness what they're really talking about are smart people who are trying to think hard about the world" Ectera Ectera

I have....problems with this mindset and, in fact, I view it as the cause of a great many of our society's problems. John Lydon(or Johnny Rotten as he used to be called) once said that "National Pride Leads To War And Hate, Nothing Else, Planet Earth All The Way"(you'll be seeing that quote again) and while I don't 100% agree with that I certainly agree with it to a point.

And now we come to the "Nerd Movement" and where I start alienating a great many of my readers. It has become cool to be uncool. People are changing who they are so as to appear that they refuse to change who they are. Not Fitting in has become the new fitting in. And I have had enough of it.

A large number of people of my generation have decided that they are nerds and, because they are nerds, they must like certain things. All these so called nerds love John Green, Youtube Based Musicians, and Joss Whedon. They all do, all of them. When every member of a group loves the same things you don't have a group of people who are outcasts you have a fraternity.

That John Green quote is one of the finest examples of CCM(Country Club Mindset) that I have ever read. All nerds like to think intelligently about the world and that's the defining characteristic of the group? Really? To me that is not only ludicrous but offensive. Jocks can be just as smart and think just as hard about the world as nerds. Geeks, Punk Rockers, Emos, they can all be smart and think about the world. And someone who has as much sway with as many people as John Green has should know better than to play into age old stereotypes. He should have known better.

In the day of yore everyone agreed that Kings and Queens had the right to rule because God gave them the right to rule. They ruled because they were supposed to rule. We use almost the exact same logic today. Nerds are the best, because they're the smartest. Why are they the smartest? Because they're nerds. Logicians call that a circular argument and is a logical fallacy. But that is the thought process that CCM is based on. We're the best because we're the freaking best. USA USA, Won't you be a nerdfighter like me?

I am a firm believer in being diverse. Just because I listen to Punk Rock doesn't mean that I can't listen to showtunes. I like punk and I like showtunes and if you have a problem with that, that's your problem. Just because I watch the occasionally reality show doesn't mean I can't enjoy Doctor Who or Parks and Recreation or The West Wing. Just because I love Inception doesn't mean I can't love Frost/Nixon or True Grit. I am a firm believer in being a cultural omnivore(a term taken from one Linda Holmes on NPRs Monkey See.) When you devote yourself entirely to one thing or one style or one genre you miss out on all this awesome stuff in different styles and genres. That's why the argument "Oh Reading is so awesome, way better than watching that stupid television" strikes me as being very uniformed. Books are a medium and television is a medium, to say that one is better than the other just because some things created in the other are garbage is silly. Have there been mind-numbingly stupid tv shows? Yes, but have you read some of the YA books being published today?

Every medium, every group, ever organization has merits and disadvantages, which is why being exclusively in one group or organization or medium is never a good idea. Openness creates diversity and diversity is where greatness comes from.

I don't see the point in being in a group in which EVERYONE thinks the same things. Walk up to almost any nerdfighter and ask them their opinion of "Once More With Feeling" and they will, almost to a man, rave about it till the cows come home. Where are the nay sayers? Where is the independent thought? It, to me, is the same as when Christians identify themselves first and foremost as Christians. They listen to Christian music, watch Kirk Cameron Movies, and read inspirational books they are closing themselves off to the world and Nerds are doing the exact same thing. And it makes me mad.

In which I make all my nerd readers very mad

2011-04-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

So in nerd culture there are certain people who are considered to be Geek Gods and beyond reproach. These include JK Rowling, John Green, and Joss Whedon. Mr. Whedon is a director and screenwriter who has created such tv shows as Firefly, Dollhouse, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. And I have a bit of a problem with him, or at least the perception of him as being flawless and a genius.

Let me be clear, before I go on, that I do consider myself a Whedon fan. I do enjoy most of everything he's ever done. However, I find some problems with his work. I shall focus on primarily Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it being his longest running and best known work.

Buffy suffers from a key flaw: It is totally Monster of The Week. By that I mean, every episode has the main character facing up against a monster and that's what the episode is based around. I cannot recall an episode in which there is no monster. To me it gets a little monotonous. What I care about, why I watch the show, is the characters and their relationships. But often the relationships take a back seat to the giant(and often awesome) fight scenes. Which leads me into another problem I have: the fight scenes.

Now I love me a good fight scene, don't get me wrong, but here's the thing about Buffy....The title character is a vampire slayer. Crazy I know, but part of her slaying awesomeness is that she can ram a stick through a vampire's chest and kill it. So, the natural thing to do when you see a vampire and you can do that is to take out the stake right off and take that vamp down. But instead, every single time, she beats the dude up and then stakes him. This seems unnecessarily time consuming and strenuous and takes me out of the show.

One other problem I have, and this goes most to Whedon then any of the others, is some of the plot solutions are just flat out silly. For example: In the first three seasons Buffy has a vampire love interest named Angel(keep in mind that this is eight years before Twilight) and in the end of Season 3 he leaves to star in a spinoff series. Whedon(I assume him, being the showrunner) decided to bring in another vampire, the awesomely fantastic Spike. A great decision, one that made the show way better. But the way it was done was so.......I don't know, Bad. It was just bad. Spike had appeared before in the series as a villain but they wanted to make a semi-hero and thus needed a reason for him to stop randomly killing people. So, in the episode where he comes back, a secret government organization plants a chip in his brain that makes it impossible for him to hurt people. That is just simply lazy writing and, again, pulled me out of the show.

So that is my rant for the day.

#In British Costume Dramas

2011-04-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

So last week the fantastic book/comic reviewer Glenn Weldon posted a series of tweets that took off in a big way. They were called #During The Government Shutdown and they were all something like this:

The Tea Party seizes the Botanical Gardens; in the blood-soaked soil, worms grow fat as baby gherkins. #duringthegovernmentshutdown

clever funny stuff but I shall not be outdone, even by some as awesome as Glenn Weldon. So, in honour of the reboot of Upstairs Downstairs I have created #inbritishcostumedramas

Old Ladies take no nonsense, never marry, and spout witty and condescending lines #inbritishcostumedramas

Spunky, short, young, cute orphans become maids #inbritishcostumedramas

The Lord's driver and the Lady's younger sister bond over a shared belief if fascism #inbritishcostumedramas

Men rip off their shirts, get drunk on the remnants of cocktails, and then punch random dudes in the stomach #inbritishcostumedramas

People have far, far too much money #inbritishcostumedramas

Houses seem to be almost TARDIS like #inbritishcostumedramas

Servants in love kiss on their breaks and stare through the cracks under the bathroom door and speak softly to show their passion #inbritishcostumedramas

Rich people in love spend far too much time thinking and never actually act because they are too caught up in the conventions of the time #inbritishcostumedramas

Random Jewish Imigrants go to anti-Nazi protests and then have heart attacks #inbritishcostumedramas

Random Indian guys are AWESOME in every way #inbritishcostumedramas

We have lots of scenes with clinking silverwear #inbritishcostumedramas

People are always very concerned about politics #inbritishcostumedramas

Book Review: Boyfriends With Girlfriends by Alex Sanchez

2011-04-11T05:27:00.000-07:00

Boyfriends with Girlfriends is Alex Sanchez's latest entry into the Genre of LGBT teen fiction. It is about a guy(who is gay) and his friend who is a girl(who is Bi) meeting up with another guy(who is bi) and his friend who is a girl(who is gay) and their romantic struggles.

If you love David Levithan but wish he was Less Poetic, More Preachy, Less Romantic, More Sex-Obsessed, More Obnoxious, and Less Original then Boyfriends With Girlfriends is the book for you. I'm not sure I can explain to you the extent to which I do not like this book but I think I might be able to show you.

I stopped reading about a fourth of the way into the book after a scene in which one of the main characters sleeps with another boy, because he can. That's the only reason, he wants to see what it'd be like. I'm not even sure that the other guy was gay, it was weird. Their being in 7th grade makes it even weirder, more uncomfortable, and mo
re gratuitous. Call me sheltered and naive but I don't think that many or really any 7th graders serf adult websites and sleep with each other in the middle of school.

Essentially, all of the book that I read can be summed up by saying "Bisexuality is real" that is the whole point. The author keeps pounding the point and pounding the point and it gets really annoying after a while.

There is this one part where the girl(the one who's bi) is talking about how she thinks she's straight but she has crushes on girls all the time, had a romantic dream about a girl, and whatever. But she still thinks she's straight. But then she meets this girl(the one who's gay) and she's never felt this way before and things with her boyfriend start breaking down and IT"S LOVE AND IT"S BI, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS REAL AND GREAT AND FINE AND WONDERFUL, IT"S LOVE GOSH DARN IT!!!!!

There is also the problem of the narration, which says Exactly and Explicitly what each character is thinking and feeling, there is no nuance. I am not a huge fan of flowery writing but I do enjoy a clever turn of phrase or a poetic observation, this book is bare bones, bare bare bones. "Character X sees Character Y walking towards him, "He's really cute, especially his ears and his nose" thinks Character X." is about the level of this writing. Levithan is a master of the phrasing. His books make you feel things very deeply and he can just come out with observations in his writing that just describe your whole life in ten words. Sanchez either does not or can not do that and the book suffers because of it.

When one is writing a romantic novel one must appeal to the romanticism and sentiment inside the reader, Sanchez simply doesn't do that. I could never really care about his two male heroes because they were 1) Total Clichés and 2) Obnoxiously written. Their dialogue physically hurts me and I don't like them really at all.

If you are looking for a book about Bisexuality(Which is Real and Great and Fine and Romantic and Did I mention it's Real?) and Homosexuality I would recommend Boy Meets Boy by Levithan(who I seem to keep talking about) which is everything this book is not:charming, romantic, moving, and well written.

1/4 Stars

In which I am very, very, very Geeky

2011-04-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

So one of my all time favorite pieces of entertainment, Doctor Who, starts in a few weeks and numerous rumors and teasers have been circulating/released by the writers. So I decided to talk a bit about my thoughts on these teasers and the new trailer.

Spoilers ahead.

At the end of the last season the TARDIS(Time and Relative Dimension in Space, do keep up) was hijacked and blown up by a person with mysterious(and creepy as heck) voice who said "Silence Will Fall" Steven Moffat(the head writer, obviously, how could you ever think any different?) made the clever decision to not just end it there. He continued it on to the next season(the one which starts in a few weeks). All of us Whovians have been speculating for almost a year as to who the voice is.

Another question is, of course, who is River Song(I can't tell you who she is, because no one knows who she is! Geez!) Is she the Doctor's wife?(lame) Is she the Doctor's mother?(less lame but really, really creepy) Is she Amy Pond in another form(lesser lame) Is she the TARDIS(really really odd) Now the cast and writers, in a Q&A yesterday, basically said that the first three are untrue(I assume, they made fun of them and basically said that they were crazy. But who knows? We are in the middle of a massive BBC conspiracy. Trust No One).

Then, last week, it came out that the Neil Gaiman penned episode will be titled The Doctor's Wife. And its description is that a woman(who is not River Song, this has been confirmed) knocks on the TARDIS door. She has a new face but is not new to the Doctor at all. So this raises anticipation for the series to begin even higher.

And then, and then. A few days ago Moffat announced that in the first episode one of the leads will die. He said, "We're not lying, we're not cheating: one of those four people is going to die! When I came up with this heart-wrenching twist, I thought 'We'll kill off one of the leads in the season opener.' It lures you in."

Now we have been promised a death before(CURSE YOU RTD!!!) and were cheated(CURSE YOU RTD!!!) but I trust Moffat more than numerous family members and friends right now so I believe him.

But this raises an issue. In the trailer for the new series we see three of the leads(Amy, The Doctor, and Rory) in other episodes. So this leaves River Song but we've already seen how she dies(Timey Whimey stuff) and it's in a library.

I will now, because I am a nerd with too much time on my hands, dissect the trailer for the new series, second for second.

1: Doctor in Chains, with a beard. A female voice says "this is the doctor's..." The Doctor's what?! Tell me!!!

2. "Darkest Hour" Ohhhh Okay, that makes sense.

3. Shipyard in the future. The Doctor's standing next to a women, who isn't Amy or River song. Could this be his wife? the voice continues "He will rise higher..." Is the Doctor a drug addict? that would be an interesting twist.

4. "Than ever before and then fall" So he's climbing a ladder, okay Mr. Moffat where are you going with this?

5. Someone in the dark, in a cloak leading a horse drawn carriage while a gaslamp flickers. I HAVE IT!! Oh this is so awesome! Neil Gaiman's episode....is the long awaited sequel to his masterpiece Neverwhere! Oh My God It'll be so epic, so, so epic. Seriously, Matt Smith beating up angels? Best. Thing Ever! "So Far" The voice says, so it's a high ladder.

6. weird creepy eye. Very creepy eye. It looks pained. Why are you so sad, eye?

7. Weird Creepy Paper Mache doll thing. I don't like this thing, it scares me. Make it go away.

8. Astronaut raising his hand to reach out to us. Where are you going Astronaut man? Don't leave us!

9. "This is the day he finds out" the voice continues "who I am" we see river song kissing the doctor, full on the mouth. This might be why Moffat made fun of the Mother theory. The voice is revealed to be River Song.

10. The doctor is coming into focus and saying gibberish.

11. Still gibberish. It sounds like "Hey, bye, bye, gum" Where is the Gum going Doctor? Where is it going?!!

12. Space thingy.

13. TARDIS flies out of the space thingy, what an intriguing twist, well played sir, well played.

14. Doctor opens TARDIS doors dramatically. Matt Smith is seriously awesome, anyway...

15. "Okay" says Amy. What's okay, why wouldn't things be okay, WHAT IS GOING ON?!!!

16. Amy comes into focus, looking worried, "Where are we" she asks, trying to stay calm.

17. Doctor looks, astonished at the TARDIS console. Where are we Doctor, Where have you taken us?!!!

18. "Where We've never ever been" The Doctor replies, shocked. Bermuda! We've never been there, and I hear it's nice, Snow Cones on me!!

19. Moon Colony thingy. Looks like Bespin, why does it look like Bespin?

20. A gunshot rings out and the Doctor's cowboy hat flies off. All Right, Partner, This Means War.

21. Creepy people standing. Two of them have weird helmety things and spears. It's Aquaman and his minions!! Run IN FEAR!!!

22. The Doctor is wearing a space helment "look how" He says....What A cliffhanger!!! All those reviewers were right!!

23. "this stuff is" the doctor finishes looking like a happy schoolboy.

24. TARDIS console is blowing up. Doctor and Rory are blown backwards.

25. River Song is dancing...WITH A LASER!! She's in a tank top, spinning around, with a red lasery thing. What the heck is up with that?

26. Big Ship, a real ship, must be from the Pirate Episode(yes there is a Pirate episode, Yay!)

27. Quick shot of people screaming(must be the Silents from the First Episode, Somebody said they resemble with the famous painting The Scream) and then some dude with a beard looking worried. Must be from the Pirate Episode(there's some famous guy with a beard in that episode apparently)

28. Porcelain Dolls on the war path, this might get ugly.

29. Door flies open and we see, with creppy light behind it.....A DOLLHOUSE!!! OH MY HEAVENS IT"S A FREAKING DOLL HOUSE!!! THIS IS SO FREAKING EPIC!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!

30. Kid Looking Scared. A deep voice says "Fear Me" Okay mate, I will.

31. Doctor looking disdainful, the deep voice continues "I've killed hundreds of Time Lords" Okay mate, now I really fear you.

32. The Doctor still looks disdainful.

33. "Fear me" The Doctor replies, but....Your' Hair's so funny....

34. "I've Killed All of them" Okay now, I do fear you, despite the hair.

35. Doctor being blown off a ladder....This must be when he falls so far.

36. Blue light being shot at Amy and Rory.

37. Creepy doll thing(there seem to be a lot of those) this one is a ventrilquist's dummy, which are innately scary(no joke, and the monkey wind up things that clap cymbals are like the scariest things ever)

38. (the big one, the whole reason I'm doing this) Rory is in...THE 10TH DOCTOR'S TARDIS!!! Yes it is clearly the TARDIS used by David Tennant. And someone is regenerating. Why is Rory in the 10th Doctor's TARDIS? I have no idea....BUT I WANT TO FIND OUT!!!!

39. An eye being pressed to a whole and The Doctor dressed as a sad clown(which by the way ARE FREAKING TERRIFYING)

40. Pirate guy reaching out to touch a mermaid's bubble

41. Mermaid looks unhappy/cruel. Don't trust her, Pirate Guy!!!

42. Minotaur staring into the camera. I like Minotaurs.

43. Hot sandy place. Probably Utah.

44. Amy running, and she glances back behind her....what is she running from?!

45. We don't see because we cut to The Doctor pretending to be a Jedi with his sonic screwdriver.

46. Child's eye looking through a crack in the door.

47. Amy jumping up, she's swinging something....WHAT IS IT?

48. A gun! The Doctor yells no as Amy screams

49. And fires!!

50. "I've been running" The Doctor says, SPOILER!! There will be running in Doctor Who, shocker I know.

51. "My Whole Life" The Doctor continues.

52. Doctor looks shocked and worried. "Now it's time for me to stop." He finishes. No more running in Doctor Who? How can this be?

So there we are....thoughts?

I'll post later with mine. By later I mean a few days or so.

The Greatest and The Best: A Tribute to Diana Wynn Jones

2011-03-26T17:11:00.001-07:00

A book for children is first of all to enjoy, and after that it can be full of all the other things books can do for children — mostly, I believe, to encourage them to think for themselves.
---Diane Wynn Jones(1934-2011)

An author can become like a close friend or relative. Their prose can be their voice and their characters can be their children. It takes a certain type of author and a certain type of prose to accomplish this. But when it is accomplished it will stick with you for life.

Diana Wynn Jone is one of the greatest writers for children that has ever lived. She has penned fantasy adventures that make the mind race and she has created characters who I love as siblings. Her Crestomanci books are simply and plainly one of the greatest series of stories on the Planet Earth.

She wrote the first book in that series, Charmed Life, in 1977 and it was delightful. She has continued to add books to that series every few(or sometimes every 11) years or so. One might think that a series drawn out over such a length of time cannot continue with a high level of quality. However, the strongest book in the Crestomanci series was released in 2005 and was called Conrad's Fate. I cannot praise that book highly enough and if I have ever been right about anything, read that book.

Another one of Ms. Jones' biggest accomplishments is The Tough Guide To Fantasyland in which she lays out every fantasy cliche that she can think of and dissects it hilariously. If you ever watch, read, or especially write fantasy you must pick up a copy of this book.

When I sat down to write this I was thinking of calling her Princess Diana to reference the Ex-Princess of Wales but Ms. Jones was not a princess she was a queen.

Rest in Peace, Diana Wynne Jones. You shone like a star. The funniest, wisest, writer & the finest friend. I miss you.
---Neil Gaiman

the last enemy to be conquered is pop culture

2011-03-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

I would like to share with you a few words about the Fox television show Glee(I promise to be brief). Now this show is very popular among some and rather hated among others. While there are numerous problems with the show(including writing, directing and acting) this show is doing one thing that has never really been done this way before.

On the show there are various romantic relationships that we are supposed to care about. We have the two main characters and various supporting characters(who aren't really supporting but they are less main than the two main characters). Over the past season(we're in the second) things have developed which I would like to discuss briefly(Spoiler warning).

So in the first season they introduce a gay character(Kurt Hummnel played wonderfully by Golden Globe Winner Chris Colfer) and they set him up as having feelings for a straight boy. Thankfully in the second season they have shelved this subplot and introduced a second gay character(Blaine Anderson played by noted Potter fan Darren Criss) for Kurt to have feelings for. But they carefully avoid the trap of having Blaine just be a token love interest. He is a very deep and interesting character(more interesting then any of the straight character by far and away)

There is one scene that symbolizes for me what this show is doing. In their Valentine's episode, Blaine(unaware of Kurt's feelings) asks for his assistance in asking out this boy. And the scene that follow(of the asking out) is played completely, if you will pardon the expression, straight. It wasn't "Oh Look At This Character....HE"S GAY!" it was "Look at this character, look at what he's doing. Take him as a character." It is scenes like that that make me return to Glee.

In this week's episode(spoiler) Kurt and Blaine finally get together and share a kiss. This kiss is just a kiss, like a boy and a girl would share a kiss. It isn't blocked to shock, it's simply a kiss.

Also, recently, another subplot has arisen. Since the beginning of the show it has been established that Brittney(played by Heather Morris) and Santana(Played by Nata Rivera) are the school bad girls. They have slept with tons of guys, blah blah, blah. But what started off as a joke in an episode last year has turned into a serious plotline.

This season Brittney has been trying to have a steady relationship with Artie(Played by Kevin McHale) something she has never done. In the first half of the season we are expected to care about that relationship but recently it has been revealed that Santana and Britney are in a secret homosexual relationship. And just like that the writers shift our sympathies. I no longer want Britney and Artie to work, I want her and Santana to get together openly. How many shows(other than Buffy the Vampire Slayer) suddenly shift our sympathies from a heterosexual to a homosexual relationship?

All this is taking place on a very popular network show(on Fox no less).

Let's take a quick look at Modern Family(another Fox Show). This show is a sitcom about three families and one of them is two gay men and their adopted child. And the show is very popular among Republicans.

On The Good Wife(CBS) one of the members of the supporting cast is openly bisexual.

On The Office(NBC) one of the members of the supporting cast is gay.

On Doctor Who(BBC), one of the most famous children's programs in England, introduced a very flamboyant bisexual character who was so popular he got his own spinoff show, Torchwood(BBC/Starz)

What on television used to be a punchline to a joke(looking at you friends) is becoming mainstream. We have talented writers of Young Adult Fiction writing stories and books with gay main characters(Boy Meets Boy, Will Grayson/Will Grayson, ect). We have bright, funny gay actors becoming leading men(Neil Patrick Harris, Johnathan Groff, Alan Cumming, ect), we have Adam Lambert, an openly gay ex-American idol contestant, who has been invited back on American Idol numerous times after his coming out. We have Lady Gaga, a proud Bisexual and LGBT rights activist, ruling the charts with an iron fist. One of the biggest songs of a few years ago was from an singer named Katy Perry and called "I Kissed A Girl". It isn't just musical theater and folk groups anymore.

Right now, there is a movement to get homosexuality into the mainstream in pop culture. If it becomes mainstream then it's mainstream, the haters will be but a small minority. And the great civil rights battle of the generation will be won.

In Defense of Sharks

2011-02-10T19:49:00.000-08:00

I participated in a experiment tonight. A woman with her doctorate in psychology and three college students came to a meeting of middle school and high schoolers and talked to us about leadership skills and conflicts/conflict resolution. And they said that there are five styles/personality types when it comes to leadership/conflict resolution(boy, I do love the / tonight). They are:

The Accommodating Teddy Bear

The Compromising Fox

The Collaborating Owl

The Competing Shark

and The Avoiding Turtle.

They displayed up on a screen various characteristics of each type and I immediately identified with the Competing Shark. The screen said that they stand firm for what they believe in, like to argue and debate, and can be a little uncompromising. And that describes me pretty well. So I walk over to the section of the room where the Sharks are. And then things developed.

They divide us into two groups turtles/bears/sharks and owls/fox and told us to build a bridge out of lego. Pretty standard social experiment behavior from what I have heard. Now, maybe you have seen a problem with this. The two compromisers are paired together while the strong willed people and the(for lack of a better word) weak willed people are paired together. Maybe you have guessed that the whole point was for the Sharks to dominate the turtles and bears while the owls and foxes get along perfectly fine.

But that is actually not what happened, or at least not exactly. The owls and the foxes worked well together, dividing into teams, recognizing skills, ect ect. But they were a fairly small group. compared to my group.

My group started off with four guys basically saying that they thought we should build this bridge(because the other needed rope and we did not have rope) and we all agreed on it. Then a few of us started building while a few others looked on and the rest chatted with each other at the back. Then someone suggested that we switch with another group and we did. Then we swapped again but there were so many people that it became a little unorginized.

So then we compare bridges(both were fine, by the way) and discuss some of the outcomes. And that is when our Doctor lady reveals her true colors, as a shark hater and Owl lover. She was, in my opinion, rather snide about the sharks, subtly implying that they were dominating the process. She also outright praised the 'head' owl(who was a total freaking shark, he stuck to his guns and controlled the situation. He also did not really care about including everybody, but hey, I'm not jealous or anything).

So then I get home and look at the sheet that they passed out and was shocked to see what I found under sharks. Apparently I do not value relationships and like to force people to do what I want. I am not afraid to use aggressive behavior and I am threatening/intimidating. I feel that this is spinning sharks in a way that is unfair. Here is how I define sharks, at least as it applies to me:

I am a passionate and intense person and I am not afraid of speaking my mind. I do not want to hurt others and I certainly do not want to force anyone to my side. I honestly believe that I am right and if you only understood my position fully you would agree with me. I love debating issues(it has been scientifically proven that good conversation sets of pheromones in your brain). I know I come on strong but I hope that others see that I am simply passionate. Saying that I do not value relationships is quite frankly silly because my way of strengthening relationships and teams is through debate and conversation. I grow closer to people through talking to them and discussing ideas. I like to see both sides but if I feel that I am right then, logically speaking, I must feel that, if you idea is contrary to mine, then it is wrong. I believe that those who fear confrontation and speaking their own mind(cough turtles/bears cough) do both themselves and others a disservice. I believe that compromise is good but that at the end of the day there needs to be a decision and compromise can only be gained through a free exchange of ideas. If everyone is a compromiser then there would be no need for conflict resolution, which brings me to the experiment.

My group was set up to fail and we did not. The sharks did not dominate we were open to others' ideas and took many of them. It was a fair and open discussion. It was not our fault that many of the others had no interest in participating. I actually feel that if we had done what the owls/foxes did then our bridge what have turned out better, but it would have been less inclusive. Actually, when you look at it, the foxes were much more dominatory(is that a word?) then the sharks. They had six people working on building and a few others working on presenting it, but what were the others doing? The answer is nothing, and I know this because after we built the two bridges we had to team up to build one bridge and the owls took over. There was no compromise and there was no cooperation. It was basically "We need six people to build. Ok, now the rest of you can give advice if you want but keep it to a minimal." We sharks were much more open and we tried to give everyone a shot. So when we are basically told that we dominated the others I personally find it insulting.

I hope that I have made sense in this post(it's kind of late) and have presented a look at sharks or at least me specifically(I am very sharky, very sharky indeed) that is more favorable.

I am not afraid of my own mind or my personality and I do not take kindly to be asked to be ashamed of myself. I am an intense person and intense people change the world and make great art. So, basically, don't diss the sharks.

---
Rock4ever
A Proud Shark

My John Green Problem

2011-02-10T09:14:00.000-08:00

So I went to a Wrock concert last night(Wizard Rock for those of you who are not hip to the extraordinarily geeky culture) and a great deal of the attendees and at least one of the performers are "Nerdfighters" which is an organization started by Young Adult author John Green.

Now I am not part of this organization because, as I like to say tong-in-cheek, I do not want to be part of a John Green cult of personality. Intended humor aside, as I have written about on this blog before, I have a bit of a problem with Mr. Green.

But, on the face of it, I should love John Green. I like his genre of writing, I like his music, and if he recommends a book chances are I will like it too. I share his politics, he is a straight guy who is very pro gay rights, I am a straight guy who is very pro gay rights. He likes to put humor in his books I like to read humor in books. He likes to have romantic themes in his books and I like to read romantic themes in books. So, basically, I should love him. I also am a fan of Nick Hornby who writes very much like John Green and Mr. Green seems like a nice enough guy. So, again, I should love him, logically speaking.

But, I do not. I don't hate him but I don't particularly like him. I find him to basically write the same character over and over and I also find him to be unnecessarily crass. To be fair, I have laughed out loud at some of his jokes("Pretty god**** well adjusted from Paper Towns for example) I have never been blown away by his stuff. I am considering trying him again, but I just don't really like him. And I am utterly and completely astound by the fact that so many people like him. I honestly don't see why he is so popular. Is it because he puts himself out there so much? Is it that his books are really accessible? Is it that he really is good and I am just crazy? I don't know but I find it really odd.

Book Review: The Rot and The Ruin by Johnathan Mabarry

2011-02-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

Let me just say this up front, before I say anything else at all about this book, I have never read another Zombie book, I have never seen a Zombie movie, and I have never seen a Zombie tv show. This is, in fact, my first rodeo. So take that into consideration as you read the review.

Anyway, The Rot and The Ruin is a book about a boy called Benny who lives in a town called Mountainside which is a town that was set up after First Night(which is when the dead rose and started attacking people. Benny's brother, Tom, is the only member of his family still living and is a Bounty Hunter who's job is to hunt down reanimated family members for his clients. Benny does not like his brother because he feels that he(Tom that is not Benny) is a coward because years ago(on first night) he ran(with Benny) out of his house as their mother was being attacked by their father. All that Benny can remember about that night is his mother wearing a white dress with red sleeves screaming at them while their father dragged her back into the house. Benny instead looks up to a different bounty hunter called Charlie Pink-Eye. Eventually Benny has to get a job with Tom and discovers many things about the world.

This book is driven, primarily, by its plot and that is not necessarily a problem. Once this book gets its hooks into you it is(and I know that this sounds like a cliche) hard to put down.

But......Ah the characters and the writing. Benny, the main character, is not particularly likable and his romance feels a little forced(though his romantic interest is awesome) and his relationship with his brother is fairly ridiculous. Benny comes over as more than a little bit of an idiot. This brings me to the writing.

Now, this may(and probably will) sound very strange but....Mr Mabarry writes too much like me. The book felt like something I or some of my writing friends might write. And I believe that they are good writers but...if you are a published adult writer who is making(presumably) good money you should be able to write better than a 15 or 16 year old. I am not a fan of really dense writing(I view it as being normally self indulgent) but this is written very un-dense without being sparse. This reads like my book(which will return to Amazon very soon, by the way)and that is not really a good thing. It has a good and intriguing plot but it is really...for lack of a better word...surface level.

There are also serious problems with the characters and their relationships. For example the main romance happens after one character has said definitively that he does not want a relationship with the other character. The final confrontation with the villain happens like four times. They threaten him, he has a dramatic monologue about his beliefs and then....they do it again! And, I believe once more after that. When they finally kill him it is in the least satisfying way possible. I wanted that [Insert insulting name of choice] to die really bad throughout the whole book. And when he finally did it there was nothing. I mean, [slight spoiler warning] he gets hit in the head with a pipe. I wanted him to go down and I wanted it to be violent. Chop his head off or shoot him or something, but make it dramatic for God's Sake.

There are also problems with the continuity of the book. For example: One character is always telling the main character not to swear but then, later in the book, he begins to swear. Another character has a family member killed in a very brutal way and they are upset for like a page and a half. A different character would have died like three times but was always essentially unhurt.

The book is also very predictable, I saw X coming and thought "Oh I must be wrong, he won't do X" And then....HE FREAKING DID X. And then on top of that he did Y, which was just as obvious.

The ending was extraordinarily unsatisfying, starting with the climax and continuing on to the end. I want, not only more closure, but more...vindication. I wanted there to be a point, and there really wasn't. The book as a whole is kind of down on human nature as a whole.

One very good thing about the book is that he made the villains humans instead of Zombies. He made the point that you can't really blame Zombies for what they do. They can't control their actions. But humans can. I know that I'm right about this because the author states it. He is not a huge fan of subtlety

It was a fun read and I will read the sequel. But, I don't know, it could have been way, way better. It fit in with the common stereotype of "teen lit" being surface and unchallenging.

Cd Review: Brewing Up With Billy Bragg

2011-01-27T19:52:00.000-08:00

So I am suffering from insomnia and saw that Elfarmy posted a cd review so I thought I would do one too.

Billy Bragg, for those of you who don't know, is an English musician who started off in the 80s playing Punk music and later in his career would diversify his sound. But Brewing Up is from solidly in his punk period.

It says here: A nice angry punk rant about media bias to kick the album off. Even though this song was written in the 80s it is still frighteningly relevant. I mean "It says here that the unions will never learn, it says here that the economy is on the upturn" Seriously, that is scary.

Love Gets Dangerous: Don't listen to this one much, it's a little dull but not terrible.

The Myth Of Trust: One of Bragg's best vocal performances. He sounds as if he is near tears during this song. There is pain in the lyrics of this song and his voice perfectly captures it.

From A Vauxhall Velox: Another one I don't listen to often, again a decent song just not one of the stand outs.

The Saturday Boy: Ah Saturday Boy. What heterosexual male cannot relate to this song. A fantastic song about teenage love with some really clever lyrics such as "In the end it took me a dictionary to find out the meaning of unrequited". Beautiful, beautiful song. Many times have I listened to this song and mourned my love life.

Island Of No Return: Ok, history lesson, in the 80s Great Britain and Argentina went to war over some islands in South America. It was a proper, major war between two strong powers. And Billy wrote this song about it and it is amazing. A perfect example of classic Bragg. One man, one guitar, politics, and ranting.

St Swithin's Day: Another great lost love song. "Thanks all the same but I can't bring myself to answer your letters, what was it all for?" Deeply, deeply moving.

Like Soldiers Do: An interesting song, also(in my opinion) about the Falklands War. The chorus(Our Fathers were all soldiers, shall we be soldiers too, fighting and falling like soldiers do) is well written and catchy. A good song.

This Guitar Says Sorry: Very, very strange song. I recently read the lyrics and found that there are only like 12 lines in the song. The refrain(The Love that we have is so important) really makes you think. Is it sarcastic or is it serious? We will never know.

Strange Things Happen: The last of the three that I rarely listen to, it's not that their so bad it's that everything else is so good.

A Lover Sings: Fantastic fantastic refrain. "Adam And Eve are finding out all about love" I mean seriously, that is clever. The song builds to the climax where Billy changes the lyrics to "Theresa and Steve are finding out all about love"

Bonus Disk Highlights

between the wars
Which side are you on
Talking Wag Club Blues
Won't Talk about it
World Turned Upside Down
Back to the old house

8/10

On Hermione

2011-01-21T05:33:00.000-08:00

Several months ago(just before Halloween) I went on a hike with my brother and his friends. On this hike, as I often do when with my brother and his friends, I adopted what I like to call "the cool older brother act". This act was working like a charm and the kids obviously felt comfortable talking to me. One of the kids(who, ironically, reminded me strongly of myself when I was younger) asked me who my favorite character in Harry Potter was. Now, for those of you who do not know, I am a huge huge harry potter fan. I replied that I liked various characters including Ginny and Hermione.

Now this simple statement sparked a fierce debate among the kids as to whether or not Hermione is annoying. One said that he liked her because she was a bookworm like he is and another said she was a know-it-all.

Now flash forward to the present. I am going through my re-reading(or rather re-listening) to the Harry Potter books, like I do every few months. And I am currently listening to the 1st one for the first time in a long long while. And I realized something very important about Hermione. Her know-it-allness is just cover for her social awkwardness.

I am of the belief that almost everyone has a cover for their social awkwardness. Some people stay quiet, other people(like me) use humor. Hermione uses her intelligence.

Let's look at it from her perspective: She is born into a muggle family and, to the best of our knowledge, an only child. She is sent away to a boarding school and will be one of the only people to not really know anything She doesn't want to look foolish so she memorizes all the books. She then takes every opportunity to spout off the facts she memorized.

Something else that is never really addressed is her family life. There are three main characters in Harry Potter. Harry Ron and Hermione(my brother disagrees with me about this but he is wrong!). We see Ron's family a great deal and we talk about Harry's family. What about Hermione? In the entire series she sends one owl to her parents, she rarely spends Christmas vacation with them, and rarely spends the entire summer vacation with them. How do her parents feel about her being a witch? In the final book she puts a memory charm on her parents so that they can't remember who she is. This seems, to me at least, rather extreme.

Do her parents know about the war going on? Do they know about her friends? And if so then why do they need a memory charm put on them? If they do not know, then why not? Why did Hermione not tell them? Does she have any siblings? We can assume that there are no younger siblings, but what about older? Why does she never tell us?

How do her parents feel about her running off to be with her friends ever vacation? They only get to see her at those times and she wants to run off. How does that make them feel? Why does she do this? What is the reason? You only see the Grangers in one scene(that I recall) and that is in the 2nd book. They are standing off in the distance looking awkward. Does Hermione introduce her friends to them? No.

I think that, from these facts, it can be safely concluded that Hermione and her parents do not have the greatest relationship. I will go a step further. I think that Hermione finds it hard to mesh her magic life with her muggle life. She finds it hard to be around her parents as they have nothing in common. Imagine if the main thing in your life was something that none of your relatives could possibly understand. And what if Hermione does have siblings, we've seen what happens to muggle siblings of wizards(Petunia Dursley).

Maybe her need for control and the constant displays of intelligence are attempts to show that she belongs in the magical world and not the muggle. Maybe she is trying to prove to herself that she has worth. Maybe she has very low self esteem and compensates with what other people see as arrogance.

In the 6th book she gets very angry at Harry because he is better at something then she is. Maybe her parents always expected her to be the best in the class and she is afraid that they will be disappointed in her. Maybe it is the other way round. Maybe she wants her parents approval and thus strives to be the best at everything.

Whatever the reason there is something deeper in Hermione and I think that it is connected to her parents. If I were chosen tomorrow for an elite boarding school I would still correspond regularly with my sibling and parents. Thermionic doesn't and that surprises me.

I welcome you comments and your theories.

Rage, Rage, Rage, Rage

2011-01-11T05:40:00.000-08:00

I have written before on this blog about Fred Phelps the head of the Westebrough baptist church(do I look like I care if that I spelled it wrong?) and his frequent picketing of funerals. He has done soldiers, murdered teenagers, and dead mothers so what was his first reaction to the tragic shooting in Arizona? He is going to go and picket one of the victim's funeral. But in case that doesn't get you angry enough wait till you here whose funeral it is going to be.

The Victim of Mr. Phelp's hate and intolerance is Ms. Christina Green who is nine years old. Yes, Mr Phelps is picketing the funeral of a 9 Year Old. There are literally no words, there are no words.

Mr Phelps, no, I won't even call him that Mister is a term of respect and he deserves none and has earned none, Phelps said on his website(godhatesfags) about her ""God hates Catholics, God calls your religion 'vain,' as it's empty of His truth; you worship idols!" because Ms. Green was a Catholic, you see.

I thought about how to respond to this story, I could rant, I could be bitingly sarcastic, I could swear and call Phelps names. But no, I will just describe Ms. Green's short life for you briefly.

She was born on September 11th, 2001. She had just been elected to her Elementary School Student Council and had dreams of serving in higher office. A neighbour had taken her to see their Representive this Saturday for that reason. She will never serve in higher office, she will never go on a date, she will never get married, she will never have a child, she will never have a grandchild, she will never go to high school, she will never go to college, she will never be a teenager, she will never read another book, she will never listen to another piece of music, she will never see another film, she had an entire life in front of her and it was all wiped out like that. And as if that wasn't tragedy enough some so called "Religious Leader" is going to picket her funeral.

To quote Mr. Joseph Welch, "You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

No God that I believe in or want to believe in is behind you Phelps. You are a father for God's Sake! And you are picketing a nine year old's funeral! "At long last have you left no sense of Decency"

My mother often says that the only hell is one that you make for yourself, and I don't know if I believe that, but Phelps is certainly supporting her case. He has made his hell and now he wants to make the world Hell for the rest of us. When you die, Phelps, you will leave behind nothing but hate and fear.

A nine year old girl.

Will Grayson the counter counter counter counter post

2010-12-28T13:20:00.000-08:00

"The pride was yours! The presumption was yours!"
----J Michael Stracznski

Elfarmy has has the audacity to call me audacious for calling her audacious here http://elfarmywrites.blogspot.com/2010/12/will-grayson-will-grayson-counter.html

She wrote "You might remember that collaborating on a book is not a competition."

True but in this book where the two authors are so different in style and one is, in my opinion, much superior to the other then it can be viewed as a competition. I also think that David Levithan should be the super famous one and not, as he told me when I ambushed him in a hallway at ALA, "The half of Will Grayson who isn't on TV all the time."

She then wrote "I never said that all of his characters and all of his plots are really alike"

Um, actually you did, "The summary of a John Green book: Somewhat nerdy teen with a specific quirk and lovable friends confronts an issue that is easily related to by teen readers through humor and character-recognized metaphor.
Either you like that plot line, or you don't. I do, and therefore I don't mind that the books are the same." and "Yes, Pudge, Colin, Quentin, and Will all share traits. They all sound somewhat the same within their minds."

I did not mean to diss Tiny Cooper and I also did not mean anything by saying that he was created by John Green. I was attempting to be snarky and funny and obviously my point was lost. I apologize.

"You can't say a book or an author is bad just because the main character (or one of them) annoys you. That just means you didn't enjoy the book."

I wasn't necessarily criticizing John Green for Uppercase Will's personality. But actually I disagree with your point. If the main character is not likable and he was supposed to be then that is a sign of a bad author. I am not saying that Will was supposed to be likable, I was just making the point. And he was somewhat likable I just didn't like the way he treated Tiny.

"You keep blaming flaws within the book on John. David Levithan worked on this book as well, and you can't attribute only the good parts of it to him." I didn't/don't. I enjoyed the play stuff and John Green can be both laugh out loud funny and touchingly romantic but I believe that he is overrated.

She then wrote that saying that John Green has good taste in music was "complimenting the person, not the author."

I know, I was trying to find something nice to say, and I did enjoy the music references in the book.

Elfarmy concluded by writing "I will think about this and most likely see that you are correct once I've written those short stories for my deadline. Who has author credit now? I do. In YOUR face."

Ok, congrats on the deadline and whatnot but it is author cred, not credit.

Will Grayson the Counter Counter Post

2010-12-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

"He is really not so ugly after all, provided, of course, that one shuts one's eyes, and does not look at him."
---Oscar Wilde

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!"
---Charles Dickens

Elfarmy has had the audacity to disagree with me about Will Grayson Will Grayson (http://elfarmywrites.blogspot.com/2010/12/will-grayson-counter-post.html) and I must respond in kind.

To begin with she quoted me as saying

"Going into this book I had one problem with John Green, I felt that he had appointed himself the savior of YA Literature and saw it as his duty to push the envelope."

and responded with

"I'm not exactly sure what this means, nor do I know what this opinion is founded on, therefore I can't really refute it. However, I will say that there is a difference between believing you made YA better and believing you are the "savior" of it."

Here is what this is based on: John Green loves to push the envelope with sex,language, and what have you. And that would be fine if it wasn't so gratuitous. For example there is a line in Will Grayson Will Grayson in which Green's character refers to a house, a house for God's sake, as a two word combination beginning with an M. There was no reason for this language the character did not seem like the type of person who would say something like that. It was pushing the envelope for the fun of it. And it took the reader out of the story and it hurt the book.Was the use of that word really worth that much? No, but it made John Green feel good and important and edgy. So, props to him. The real way to push the envelope is to give readers a plot that makes them question things and is clever and new and edgy and progressive. If only someone had written a book like that. Oh, wait, someone has. It was called Boy Meets Boy and it was written by David Levithan.

Elfarmy then a dressed my point that his narrators are very similar in terms of voice and said

"It could be argued that he's pointing out that all people are essentially the same on the inside and it's only our situations and backgrounds that make us different (which is something he's frequently talked about in videos), but I doubt that philosophy was behind it. I think it just turned out that way, and some people will find it annoying, and others will not."

She is right, I find it annoying and many do not. I somehow highly doubt that he did it to prove that everyone is the same on the inside.

She then said

"My question is this: If they do read exactly the same, is that a bad thing?"

Not to be flippant but yes. I will explain why is a second. But let me quote Elfarmy again

."If you mean they read exactly the same in regards to style, well, don't all authors have a style? That's what makes you like an author, as opposed to a book by that author.
The summary of a John Green book: Somewhat nerdy teen with a specific quirk and lovable friends confronts an issue that is easily related to by teen readers through humor and character-recognized metaphor.
Either you like that plot line, or you don't. I do, and therefore I don't mind that the books are the same."

If the characters are very similar,the style is the same, and the plots are really alike then why bother reading the new books? Why don't you just reread the old ones? Why bother writing anything new? What's the point? If a writer is just writing the same thing over and over then how can you say that they are still a good writer? I used to love Caroline B Cooney but recently she is basically writing the same plot over and over and over again trying to get a hit and she isn't very good anymore. A good writer actually, again not to be flippant, but a good writer writes. They create new things, they don't just reinvent the wheel. The stretch and create characters who are different from each other and different from the author. So if the author were, say, a gay man, he might write a book about two straight brothers. And he might call it Are We There Yet.

Elfarmy went on to write

""Nothing happens in this book." I guess it depends on what you want to happen. It's a book about teenagers doing stuff. There aren't any vampires, or evil governments, or parents who are Greek gods. There's nothing to make them unique. They're just people. Some like to read such books, and some don't."

Interesting thing about that, I do like to read those books but normally something happens, there is a point. And looking back at WGWG here is what happened: lowercase Will struggled with his sexuality and went out with this weird character Green created and fought with this weird girl. And that was about it. Uppercase Will had problems with the weird character who Green created and wanted to go out with a girl and a school play. So all of that could have been interesting if it had been done better. And I have to say, Uppercase Will is kind of a jerk. I mean, the way he treats his supposed friend is pretty shameful. If he had been nicer and gotten more involved in the school play the book would have become way way way way way way better. But no, John Green did not do that for whatever reason. He apparently did not realise that the school play could make for a really really good main plot and the other stuff could make for an acceptable sub plot.

Elfarmy then wrote

"You can't give good author-cred to someone just because they mention musicians you like."

My response: Heck Yeah you can, and I just did. IN YOUR FACE!!!!!!

Also, on a side note, Earagon and Eldest are almost scene for scene rewrites of Star Wars. Think about it and you will see that I am right(I spent a lot of time thinking about this)

Dash and Lilly is really really sweet and funny. I love it to pieces.

Book Review Will Grayson WIll Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

2010-12-27T04:39:00.000-08:00

Will Grayson Will Grayson is written by two of YA literature's biggest superstars, John Green(Author of Paper Towns and Looking For Alaska) and David Levithan(Author of Boy Meets Boy and Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist). The book is written in alternating chapters each narrated by a young man named Will Grayson.

John Green's Will Grayson is straight and having boy troubles. David Levithian's Will Grayson is gay and having girl troubles. Don't ask why either of those make sense.

About halfway through the book the two Will Grayson's meet up with each other.

Now, as I said, this book is written by two hugely popular authors. John Green is renowned in the literary world for his YA novels and how good they are. David Levithian is less well known as an author but is an Editor for scholastic(he edited the Hunger Games Trilogy which proves that at least he has good taste). So, with two authors of such high stature writing it, how could this book possibly go wrong?

The answer to that question is two words long: John Green. Going into this book I had one problem with John Green, I felt that he had appointed himself the savior of YA Literature and saw it as his duty to push the envelope. Coming out of this book I have another problem with him, all his characters are the same. Seriously, Will Grayson is almost exactly the same as the main character from Paper Towns. I am not saying that Mr. Green cannot write, but he is, in my humble opinion, far inferior to David Levithan.

David Levithan is one of my favorite writers and he has actually saved YA Literature(namely by editing the Hunger Games). He writes his half very well but the book, aside from being unbalanced, is basically pointless. There is no reason for the characters to meet(though it was handled well) as it doesn't really do much for the plot. Really, nothing happens in this book. And Don't even get me started on the ending.

In the interest of fairness I will say that John Green handles romance well and he put in some funny scenes involving the school play(a subplot which I thoroughly enjoyed). He also put in some cool band references as he has done in at least one of his previous works(Billy Bragg was referenced in Paper Towns). But, as I said, his main character is the same as his Paper Towns main character.

This Year David Levithan has another collaboration coming out called Dash and Lilly's Book Of Dares which is far far far superior.

Three and a Half stars out of Five

One final note, many months back I posted some lyrics on this blog that I had co-written(called If Lightning Strikes) and Elfarmy commented saying that it reminded her of a scene in this book. I read the scene and she was right. So props to her for noticing.

quote meets quote

2010-12-16T09:47:00.000-08:00

I'm bored and I saw that Elfarmy posted a long list of quotes on her blog so I decided to rip her off. Oh Snap, as they say.

It's called thieves get rich and saints get shot.
It's called God don't answer prayers a lot.
----Stephen Soundheim

he thinks too much, such men are dangerous
----William Shakspeare

I love writing but I hate starting. The page is awfully white and it says. " You may have fooled some of the people some of the time but those days are over, giftless. I'm not your agent and I'm not your mommy, I'm a white piece of paper, you wanna dance with me?" and I really, really don't. I don't want any trouble. I'll go peaceable-like.
----Aaron Sorkin

Believe in it? Hell, I've seen it!
---Mark Twain after being asked if he believed in baptism at birth

Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about it.
---Oscar Wilde

One should always be a little improbable.
---Oscar Wilde

A true friend stabs you in the front
---Oscar Wilde

I have nothing to declare except my Genius.
---Oscar Wilde when asked at NY customs if he had anything to decalre

One of the requisites of sanity is to disagree with the majority of the British public.
---Oscar Wilde

Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong.
---Oscar Wilde

I've known Bob Rumson for years, and I've been operating under the assumption that the reason Bob devotes so much time and energy to shouting at the rain was that he simply didn't get it. Well, I was wrong. Bob's problem isn't that he doesn't get it. Bob's problem is that he can't sell it!
---Aaron Sorkin

Ironically, I'm the one who's high as a paper kite right now. But legitimately. I had back surgery on Tuesday. L-5/S-1, if that means anything to you. Stop talking now? You bet.
---Aaron Sorkin

Well, your side hates my side because you think we think you're stupid, and my side hates your side because we think you're stupid.
---Aaron Sorkin on the culture wars

I'm not white, Darius, I'm English.
---Aaron Sorkin

Jack: You speak English?
Zhang Tao: I speak a few words.
Jack: How many words?
Zhang Tao: All of them.
Jack: Why do you pretend you can't speak English?
Zhang Tao: It's fun.
Jack: It's fun?! [pause] Yeah. Guess it would be.
---Aaron Sorkin

Danny: Matthew, don't take this the wrong way, but I love you.
Matt: Okay.
Danny: Did you take it the wrong way?
Matt: I took it to mean you're gay and you want me.
Danny: Good.
Matt: I love you too, brother.
---Aaron Sorkin

New link to other blog

2010-12-13T16:48:00.001-08:00

http://thestrand21st.blogspot.com/

Aaron Sorkin on Sarah Palin

2010-12-10T11:51:00.000-08:00

This is an editorial written by Aaron Sorkin for the huffington post and I hope that after reading it you will be able to see why he is my favorite writer. The asterixes were put it by me in place of some of the stronger language

"Unless you've never worn leather shoes, sat upon a leather chair or eaten meat, save your condemnation."

You're right, Sarah, we'll all just go **** ourselves now.

The snotty quote was posted by Sarah Palin on (like all the great frontier women who've come before her) her Facebook page to respond to the criticism she knew and hoped would be coming after she hunted, killed and carved up a Caribou during a segment of her truly awful reality show, Sarah Palin's Alaska, broadcast on The-Now-Hilariously-Titled Learning Channel.

I eat meat, chicken and fish, have shoes and furniture made of leather, and PETA is not ever going to put me on the cover of their brochure and for these reasons Palin thinks it's hypocritical of me to find what she did heart-stoppingly disgusting. I don't think it is, and here's why.

Like 95% of the people I know, I don't have a visceral (look it up) problem eating meat or wearing a belt. But like absolutely everybody I know, I don't relish the idea of torturing animals. I don't enjoy the fact that they're dead and I certainly don't want to volunteer to be the one to kill them and if I were picked to be the one to kill them in some kind of Lottery-from-Hell, I wouldn't do a little dance of joy while I was slicing the animal apart.

I'm able to make a distinction between you and me without feeling the least bit hypocritical. I don't watch snuff films and you make them. You weren't killing that animal for food or shelter or even fashion, you were killing it for fun. You enjoy killing animals. I can make the distinction between the two of us but I've tried and tried and for the life of me, I can't make a distinction between what you get paid to do and what Michael Vick went to prison for doing. I'm able to make the distinction with no pangs of hypocrisy even though I get happy every time one of you faux-macho ****heads accidentally shoots another one of you in the face.

So I don't think I will save my condemnation, you phony pioneer girl. (I'm in film and television, Cruella, and there was an insert close-up of your manicure while you were roughing it in God's country. I know exactly how many feet off camera your hair and make-up trailer was.)

And you didn't just do it for fun and you didn't just do it for money. That was the first moose ever murdered for political gain. You knew there'd be a protest from PETA and you knew that would be an opportunity to hate on some people, you witless bully. What a uniter you'd be -- bringing the right together with the far right.

(Let me be the first to say that I abused cocaine and was arrested for it in April 2001. I want to be the first to say it so that when Palin's Army of Arrogant *********, bereft of any reasonable rebuttal, write it all over the internet tomorrow they will at best be the second.)

I eat meat, there are leather chairs in my office, Sarah Palin is deranged and The Learning Channel should be ashamed of itself.

Them Gosh Darn Kids!!

2010-12-04T05:26:00.000-08:00

So, as I am sure you all know, Bestselling Author Sarah Palin has released the much anticipated sequel to her 2009 blockbuster Going Rouge. I can tell you that the midnight release parties were amazing, we had a costume contest(I dressed as Levi Johnston) and we pinned up a picture of Obama and threw darts at it. Anyway..after all the festivities were done I ran home and cracked open the book, because I desperately want to know what became of my favorite characters.

So I am reading along and I come to this passage that made me go "Right On Sarah!"

"In fact, we may be creating a generation of entitled little whiners. I came across an article that reported how growing numbers of employers today complain that many young job applicants exhibit all the signs of having been, there's no other word for it, spoiled. These young people feel entitled to jobs and salaries they haven't earned."

Yes! Yes exactly! Them darn kids who think that they are entitled to a job that they have not earned! Don't they know that you have to work your way up the ladder? You can't just jump to the top without having any training or qualifications!

I'll go one step forward than Sarah did, these kids have such short attention spans and now loyalty! As soon as they get bored with a job or think that they can make more money elsewhere they quit! It's crazy! I tell ya, this entitlement mentality is what is destroying our society.

So, right on Sarah! Keep that talk coming!

Some sad and exciting news

2010-11-30T04:20:00.000-08:00

When I started this blog about a year and a half ago I was in a certain place mind wise. There were many things that I was angry about and wanted to rant about daily. Now I am in a different head place and I no longer feel like ranting daily. Which means that this blog no longer serves its original purpose.

What I am interested in writing now is more creative works. For that reason I have created a 2nd blog to publish both my work and, hopefully, work from friends of mine. Here is the link to the new blog.

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=1087047359127351332

I will still update this blog occasionally but it will not be as often as it used to be.

Rage like you have never seen it before

2010-10-28T04:48:00.000-07:00

Ok quick background on this quote. In recent weeks four gay teenagers have killed themselves primarily due to Homophobia. So a gay rights group tried to get everyone to wear purple to show that acceptance. So the VP of an Arkansas School district took to facebook and posted a rant about how he was only going to wear purple if every gay person died. He then went on to say in his comments section.

"I like that fags can't procreate. I also enjoy the fact that they often give each other AIDS and die."

and

"Being a fag doesn't give you the right to ruin the rest of our lives. If you get easily offended by being called a fag then don't tell anyone you are a fag. Keep that **** to yourself."

He also said that he would disown any child of his who was gay. But none of them would because he had a good Christian lifestyle or something.

Ok, Now I am strongly resisting the urge to scream and rant, because I think that his comments speak for themselves but.....My God. This man talks about living a Christian lifestyle then he says things like that? What was it that Jesus said.....oh that's right "Love your Neighbor as yourself."

For those of you who are regular readers of the blog you will remember I wrote and posted a song a few weeks back called For Fred Phelps in which I referenced the Elvis Costello song Tramp the Dirt Down. If you go back in the LR archives and read it while mentally making it about this guy you have my feelings.

This man is not only a bigot and a fool but he is also dangerous. We have an epidemic of Gay suicides especially among teenagers. When a 13 year old hangs himself after years of bullying we've got a problem. When another teen shots himself in the head we've got a problem. When a Gay college student is forced out of the closet and jumps off a bridge we've got a problem. And Mr. Vice President of the School Board I am terribly sorry if their homosexuality puts you out but I think that it puts them out more. And honestly sir I think that you are a sad excuse for a human being and you should not be allowed to join the PTA yet alone the school board. Children are dying and you sit high and mighty passing judgment saying how you will only wear purple if all gay people kill themselves. Elvis Costello was right I want to live long enough to tramp the dirt down.

Oh no you dinit

2010-10-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

I am outraged. And before I begin to tell you what's so outrageous I must thank Elfarmy for showing me what to be outraged about and it worked because now I'm outraged.

I am outraged because NPR, which I now dub Nazi Plutocrat Radio, has committed an unspeakable atrocity. They had persecuted a innocent man and stripped him of his god given 1st amendment rights simply because they didn't like his political beliefs.

I am speaking of Juan Williams(who like the great martyr Rachel Corrie was driven over by a bulldozer, the bulldozer of the liberal biased media) who simply stated his balanced logical and reasonable view and Narcissist Paranoid Radio was scared that he would challenge their secret agenda and so they fired him.

But no, we will not stand for it. Already a public backlash has started against Name-calling Poor-loving Radio. Sarah Palin has called for the cutting off of all government funding for NPR and musicians are beginning to record protest songs sticking up for Mr. Williams. Roger Ailes has been public about his support for Mr. Williams 1st Amendment rights.

How about we look at what he said.

"I mean, look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."

How about I flip the sarcasm switch to off right now and address Juan Williams personally.

Mr. Williams you are the former host of one of my favorite NPR programs and I am sure you are an intelligent man but I feel that your comments, setting aside the prejudicial nature of it, don't make any sense.

What exactly do you mean by Muslim garb? Are you referring to the burkahs worn by the women? If not what else are you referring to? Also how does wearing religious paraphernalia mean that they identify themselves first and foremost as Muslims? If I am Jewish and I wear a a kippah does that mean that I am defining myself first and foremost as a Jew? If I am a Sikh and I wear a turban does that mean that I am defining myself first and foremost as a Sikh? If I am Christian and I wear a cross necklace does that mean that I am defining myself first and foremost as a Christian?

(I shall now address my readers again)

The reason that NPR fired him is because "News analysts may not take personal public positions on controversial issues; doing so undermines their credibility as analysts..." They have a perfect right to fire a analyst if they think that he is no longer credible. It is their right. It is his right to say what he wants and it is their right to not like it and fire him accordingly.

If he was working in an office where his political beliefs had nothing to do with his work it would be different but the fact that his political beliefs or lack there of are the cornerstone of his job it is appropriate for his employer to fire him for his statement.

And Sarah Palin saying that we need to cut funding to NPR because they fired a correspondent really really bothers me. She is proposing crippling an institution that has been providing the public with information for 40 years just to score some political points. She truly appears to have no morals at all.

lyrics of the week

2010-10-22T05:27:00.001-07:00

This is weirder that the last one, so weird in fact that I don't know what it's about

What Now

The war that
wages in my brain
burns like a thousand
dead stars

I did my part
I sewed my seeds of discontent
of fire and of glory
of death and of life

Burn free my daughter
Daddy's going to the moon
and back in the space
of 45 minutes

The king is dead
long live the jester
who now wears the crown
he ran on a platform
of fear and hate

Smash the wineglass
and kill the queen
watch the boar
spit out the apple

gasoline burns
so do I
oil and water don't mix
and neither do we

I'm an a narcissist an Egotist
a communist an anarchist
a facist a socilist
a capitalist what now

nobody cares
thank you
don't call us
we'll call you

no you won't
but I know
all and nothing
and most and little

So Hey
What Now

lyrics of the week

2010-10-22T05:17:00.000-07:00

Ode to an Untruthful Romantic Stereotype(this song is the beginning of my strange, deep, and incomprehensible lyric period)

I law awake
night after night
listening to some
random college
radio station
and I wonder
Where you are now

Why did you leave
I never meant
anything ever
So long happily ever after

I romance Dickens now
instead of you
and I've spent far more nights
with Fagin, Heep, and Estella than I'll ever spend
with you

Why did you leave
I never meant
anything ever
So long happily ever after

In the end
Life is just a series
of gags and one liners
written by a god
with a nasty sense of humor

Why did you leave
I never meant
anything ever
So long happily ever after

I planned out lives
while I slowly self destructed
now I'm just another
dusty old has been
another wannabe

Why did you leave
I never meant
anything ever
So long happily ever after

Fire blood wind dirt
never again
dear lord
never again
I will never see you again

rant pending

2010-10-20T05:32:00.001-07:00

I'll post my rant later, but first..watch this clip

New York New York I want to be part of it(well actually no I don't)

2010-10-19T04:31:00.000-07:00

The New York state Gubernatorial candidates' debate took place last night and I decided this morning that I have let the craziness of New York's Gubernatorial race go far too long without writing a piece about it.

Let's run down the list of canndidates shall we?

First we have the Democratic Candidate, Andrew Cuomo. Mr. Cuomo is the son of a former Governor of New York and he has served as the US Sec. Of Housing and Urban Development and currently serves as the NY Attorney General. Nothing particularly interesting to say about him, the craziest views that I found that he holds is the view that Facebook is unsafe for minors, but except for that he's just kind of a normal candidate. He also sounds shockingly like Christopher Walken. So I shall move on.

Next we have Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate. Again not much to say about him, he's a normal Green Candidate. Very liberal but not a total nutcase. So again I shall move on.

Up Next is the Anti-Prohibition party. The Anti-Prohibition has nominated a woman who used to, um how should I put this, work with women of, shall we say, an unsavory profession. Now, she is not only not ashamed of that, she is kind of running on it. It's her main qualification for the job it appears.

Now we have Charles Barron, who is an ex-black panther.

Now we are getting into the final two(which are my favorite two)
W

First is Jimmy McMillan(otherwise known as Papa Smurf) of the Rent is 2 D**N High. He always wears black gloves and his position is...The Rent is 2 D**N high. He repeated that constantly at the debate and finally got Andrew Cuomo to crack up.

Finally is my favorite Carl Paladino, the Republican candidate. He has emailed out both racist videos and porn videos. He also believes that welfare recipients are lazy and should be put into prison work camps. HE says that all gay pride marches are disgusting(because he stumbled on one years ago in Canada) and that Homosexuality is not a valid or successful option and children should not be exposed to gay teachers. He apologized for those remarks saying that his nephew is gay and he's a great kid and that Mr. Paladino supports gay rights "100%" except for the anti-gay pride marches and the anti-gay marriage positions the man holds. He has also told a reporter that he will "take him down" and he has accused, with no evidence, Andrew Cuomo of having an affair and causing his marriage to break up. Funny thing is, it's actually Paladino who has fathered a child with his mistress. So much for family values. He also is against abortion in the case of rape and incest and will do whatever necessary to halt the Mosque that is a few blocks away from ground zero.

Here's my question: If you're a moderate Republican from NY who do you vote for? Because Paladino sure isn't moderate. In fact I think he might be borderline fascist(he does support prison camps)

Rock/Alex

2010-10-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

Ok a few quick notes about this interview. I wrote up the questions and emailed them To alex who answered them. Thus you might see that there are certain points where I should have asked a followup question. Unfortunately I could not...so I didn't. There are some very interesting points made here, almost entirely made by me, (Kidding!) so please comment and tell me what you think. It's been a while since we've had a good old fashioned comment war, so let's start one.

Rock4ever95: Hello and welcome Today I will be interviewing our resident conservative Alex.

Hello Alex

Alex: Hello.

R: Alright so I have divided the questions into various sections

Anyway Section One: The Tea Party.

Probably one of the most fascinating movement in modern political culture. What's your position on it, are you for it all the way, agree with some positions disagree with others, hate them with a burning passion?

A: I am definitely for the tea party. It is a wonderful grass roots organization that has revitalized the Republican Party, and also reminded it if its true conservative base.

R: Question 2: Very simply will the Tea Party help or hurt the Republicans?

A: It will help the party.

R: Why?

A: Like I said before, it has really rallied the party. 18 months ago the party was falling apart, democrats seemed unstoppable, the presidents approval ratings were sky high, and what ever he wanted to be passed, was passed. But then the Tea Party revitalized the party and now the situation has reversed. This is in large part because the Tea Party has been talking exactly what the American people want. The American people have wanted a solid conservative entity, something they haven’t had since Reagan, and the Tea Party provides that.

R: Question 3: Some of the more extreme members of the Tea Party have given the whole group kind of a bad name, and I'm sure that the majority of Tea Party supporters are rational human beings but if you look at the polls on things like Obama's religion, and it's kinda startling. Is this just bad polling, or do people really buy this stuff? And if so why?

A: Any poll can be fixed pretty easily. I can’t tell you how many polls I have seen telling me that a HUGE percentage of liberals believe in crazy things, like flag burning or are Truthers. All liberals aren’t Truthers right? But on the other had, some of the things the Tea Partiers might believe. For example Obama’s religion thing, I do not think he is a Muslim, but he has gone to church 4 or 5 times in his presidency. Also he went to church for many many years at “pastor” reverend Wright. I don’t want to try and say he is not a God fearing man, but you can see how people think he might is probably not Christian.

R: Question 4: Is the Tea Party really important? Or is it just a bunch of hype?

A: No. It’s not just a bunch of hype.

R: Section 2: The Republicans.

Question 1: This year we have some really far right republicans running this year, Sharon Angle, Rand Paul and the like. Is this move to the right really what the Republicans need as they try and rebuild their party base?

A: Absolutely Rock4ever95, in recent times since the GOP moved to the center, the voter haven’t had much of an option. It was either a center party or a left party. The conservative voter could not get energized, but now with a clear option, the conservatives can really get behind the Republican Party.

R: Question 2: In my opinion there are three main types of conservative Republicans. The Very Religious who are conservative on social issues, the Red Blooded pro-military guys, and the Libertarian types who want the Government out of the economy. Would you agree? and if not, why?

A: Well they are large parts of it, but you have left out our most recent addition. They would be angry, scared, and simple dissatisfied independents. They are people who voted for Obama because they were angry, scared, and dissatisfied with Bush, but now they are even more angry, scared, and dissatisfied.

R: Question 3: Which group do you think will be the most influential come November and beyond?

A: Well, I would like to think that it will be the Very Religious ones who are also Libertarians, but really I have no clue. The tea party seems to be holding a lot of influence in the primaries, but I think we will only really know once all the dust settles in 2011.

R: What do you think of Palin as a 2012 contender? She's been quite active in the primaries.

A: Last week I would have said I don’t know, but something happened that has made it undeniable. She has stated that: if the need is there she will run. Personally I have to say I hope she is not nominated. She is a fine person and a good conservative, but I’m not a fan.

R: What about Huckabee? We haven't heard much from him recently.

A: I don’t know that Huckabee will be a contender. He has a contract with Fox News. He does a show on the weekends. I don’t know of course, but I would have to say he will not be running.

R: Romney?

A: Perhaps Romney will run. I can see him running and doing well, but he will have a lot of contenders. I do not believe he will get the nod.

R: Anyone who you think will be important that I didn't mention? Christie, Pawlenty?

A: Newt Gingrich is like going to be a contender. He did not run in ’08 because of his divorce. But it is likely that he will run in 2012, and he is in a very good position to do well in the primaries.

Also Bobby Jindal is very popular amongst conservatives and seems to be preparing for a run.

I am sure that there will be several more.

R: Section 3: The Democrats.

Ok Pretend that tomorrow you're hired by the DNC to run the show for the next few months, what can they do to turn it around, or is it a lost cause?

A: Well it’s never a lost cause. At this point I don’t think anything the democrats could do will keep them from losing at least a little ground, but that doesn’t mean they can’t decrease their loses. I would say they need to stop mudslinging and appeal the moderates.

R: Why?

A: By continuing to attack the republicans they only make themselves look bad, and without the help of the moderates they do not have a chance.

R: Ok how about this, Rahm Emanuel leaves to run for Mayor of Chicago, President Obama asks you to replace him, and revamp the whole Presidency. What do you do, what do you tell him to get him to bring his poll numbers back up?

A:Well that’s a tough one… If he tries to go to the middle, he would have to go so far that he would lose his base, but he can’t go more to the left or he will lose whatever middle ground vote he has left… Well the first thing to do is stop attacking the right general and the tea party specifically. That only lowers himself and gives the right more ammo. I would also advise him to tell his direct underlings to stop it also. Besides this I would tell him to have a tough stance on Iran and its nuclear program. Not just say he will get tough on them but actually be tough on them. Even to the point of military action. Even if this is not political wise, it has to be done for the good of the country and the planet. And I for one would certainly look at him in a new light.

R: Ok, I've always wondered this, what has Obama done specifically (not to overuse the word) that you disagree with.

A: I disagree with the following and much more: The spending of Billions and Billions and Billions of green American dollars to create the country’s largest, most wasteful slush fund ever, the Obamacare overhaul law, especially the part in it Forcing you and me to buy health insurance. The way he often says he is “Tough on Iran”, but simple puts a few sanctions on them. The fact that he is leaving a half finished job in Iraq. The way he is lowering America in international relations. The fact that he has implied that he wants the Bush era tax cuts to expire. His “Two State Solution” in the Middle East. There are a lot more but it’s late and I don’t want to type them all.

R: Interesting. Alright, Section 4: The Media. Question 1: Is Glenn Beck for real, or is he just having a laugh?

A: Honestly I have no clue. He seems to be sort of for real but he also seems to exaggerate it for the purpose of his show.

R: Question 2: I think I've pinpointed the Conservatives' problem this year. They don't have any outlet for their anger at Obama. I mean, when we were mad at Bush we had all these bands putting out protest songs about him and his policies. You know, Young's Impeach The President, Green Day's American Idiot, Anti-Flag's, um, everything. We also had comedians like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert who mocked Republicans everyday. Republicans don't really have anything like that so they get very angry and shout about it on cable news. If they had some pop culture people on their side they would be able to calm down a little and come off better. Do you agree, and if not, why not?

A: Not at all. Things like these do not elevate a party. Well… maybe the comedians… if there are good that is. Anyway, in the eyes of most conservatives a lot of these simple increase our indignation and determination. At least for me that is, every time I begin to just not care, I will see some liberal flag burning protest or some liberal pop culture person talking about how America is a terrible country, or someone making a Ad-Hominem attack on conservatives and it makes me get right back into the fight. If the conservatives had this kind of thing as a major part of there party it would only hurt their party.

R: Question 3: Who's your favorite talk show host?

A: Sean Hannity

R: Why?

A: I agree with a lot of his statements, I like his style and how he has is feet firmly planted in Christian Reagan based conservative politics.

Rock4ever95: Section 5: Current events.

Ok, so I'm going to run down a bunch of current events and I'd like you to tell me your opinion of it in as much detail as possible, please don't just say good or bad because it will really bore our readers. Ok? Cool, The Quaran Burning Threat?

A: It’s disgraceful. It is so unChristlike…

R: The Mosque/cultural center in New York?

A: The amount of hype this story has got is amazing. I believe they have the right, but they probably should not. They claim to not be doing it because of its proximity to the site, if that is so then they should take the money offered to them to move.

R: The end of the Iraq war?

A: We should not leave a half finished job. It might work out fine, I don’t know, but then again years of fighting might be wasted.

R: The BP oil spill?

A: This is a horrible tragedy…both to the environment and to the families that lost loved ones in the explosion.

R: The Arizona immigration policy?

A: I am a fan of this policy. The policy says that if you are pulled over for some other issue, usually driving related, they officer pulling you over can ask to see proof that you are a citizen. I think this is only a good thing.

R: All right. thank you Alex. That's a wrap.

In which I get very angry and post some lyrics

2010-10-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

I wrote the song after I watched a report of Westborough Baptist Church which pickets soldiers funerals because gay people live in America(don't ask me how they worked that out) and a different report on a gay teenager who killed himself and in that report someone said that he killed himself because he lived an unhealthy lifestyle and that we had encouraged people to be gay. When the interviewer pointed out that there are going to be gay teens no matter what you do thus we have to make them feel accepted the man(who was from the Family Research council I believe) said that we don't have gay kids over here and straight kids over there, and actually yeah we do. Gay people do just kinda happen the same way straight people happen, they're born. I also watched a different report in which the Republican candidate for governor of New York(an upstanding fellow who emails out racist and pornographic videos and believes that we should put welfare recipients in prison work camps) said that he didn't march in gay pride march this year but his opponent did and what example does that set for the youth? But hey he's tolerant, he believes in live and let live, but he doesn't want his kids being taught that homosexuality was valid or on par with heterosexuality. And then everyone clapped. Yeah. So here is For Fred Phelps(or as its alternate title is) In which I call fred phelps a bunch of names

For Fred Phelps

Hey freddy
you stinking freaking homophobe
how do you feel
how do you live with yourself

how does it feel to
spread you disease
your disease of hate
and monstrosity

Elvis Costello was right
I want to live long enough
to Tramp The Dirt down

how do you feel
when you see that a gay
teenager has hung himself
because of your hate

how do you feel when you see a dead soldier
his parents are weeping
and you're saying he's
going to the devil

Elvis Costello was right
I want to live long enough
to Tramp The Dirt Down

How does it feel
to know that you ignore Jesus
who you claim
to worship and obey

Jesus said love
your neighbor
not picket at their
children's funeral

Elvis Costello was right
I want to live long enough
to tramp the dirt down

How does it feel to
live on your own
surrounded by a world
that is moving past your prejudice

Elvis Costello was right
I want to live long enough
to tramp the dirt down

How do you sleep at night
when you see what
you've caused
what you feed

Elvis Costello was right
I want to live long enough
to Tramp the dirt down

Lyrics of the week

2010-10-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

I will give a surprise to whoever guesses what this song is about. (The surprise is that the their is no surprise)

That might be a problem

You say
that since
we've been friends for years

maybe we should just get together
maybe we should just try
maybe we were meant to be together

that might be a problem
that might be a problem
honey I don't want to hurt you
that might be a problem

it's not that I don't like you
it's not that at all
it's not that I don't think you'd be a good girlfriend

it's really not you
it's really me
there are some things you don't know

that might be a problem
that might be a problem
honey I don't want to hurt you
but that might be a problem

there isn't anyone else
if I wanted a girlfriend
you'd be my first choice I swear

problem is though
I don't
if you know what I mean

that might be a problem
that might be a problem
honey I don't want to hurt you
but that might be a problem

I really would like to remain friends
we've been close
since middle school

there's something I want to tell you
something I don't fully understand
but I can't

that might be a problem

quote of the day/300th post

2010-10-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

This is the 300th post on this blog, and I really wish I had something more interesting to post that this, but hey, I thought it was funny.

"if you don't mind me saying so, you're badly in need of an expensive course of psychiatric treatment. Now, I'm not going to say that a trip to our dairy will cure you, but it will give hundreds of lower-paid workers a good laugh."
----Monty Python

lyrics of the week

2010-10-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

I wrote this song a few weeks ago and hadn't gotten around to posting it and I kind of forgot about it, until I read today that a State Representative from my home state sent out an email to other politicians in which he called gay people "Queers" and "Fruitloops". So here is

Homophobia must die
punk

no capo

You can't get married
because
if I see two people
living together
who share the same gender
it will hurt my relationships

so go on you merry way
and don't you come back till your normal

Homophobia must die
Homophobia must die

We're fighting a war
overseas
and we're turning people out
if they want to be
openly who they are
because we can't have no gays in our army

so go on your merry way
and don't you come back till your normal

Homophobia must die
homophobia must die

bridge

there are those
who equate
being gay
with being a polygamist
or a pedophile
but that is based in fear
and hate
against what you don't understand

Homophobia must die
Homophobia must die

announcement

2010-10-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

For several weeks I have been in talks with my contributers and I am pleased to announce that in the next few weeks I will be publishing an interview that I conducted with our resident conservative Alex. The actual interview part is over and all that is left is to fix it up, correct typos, and severely edit his remarks to make him look foolish(sorry Freudian slip). And let me tell you, this interview should spark some interesting comments.

2010 Midterm Democratic Fight Song

2010-09-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

About 40 days away from the midterms, the Tea Party winning primaries right and left, Republicans poised to make gains, you know what it's time for?

That's right the 2010 Midterm Democratic Fight Song

2010 Midterm Democratic Fight Song
Tea Party keeps marching forward
with their insane economic agenda
and their candidates seem to get more fringe every day
and it seems like all hope for the dems has just gone away

Hey Hey
Let's Go vote now
Hey Hey
Vote for the Democrats

Liberalism is still around
We're ready to rise when we see the point
We are the progressive coalition
we love FDR and are real fans of Freedom of Religion

Hey Hey
Let's go vote now
Hey Hey
Vote for the Democrats

Republicans held the country
hostage to their filibuster
they shook their fists no, no to the military, no to health care
no to their own ideas no to making the economy a little more fair

Hey Hey
Let's go vote now
Hey Hey
Vote for the Democrats

rap bridge

I get that they didn't get much done
but the democratic party we shouldn't shun
if the moderation of Congress makes frown
imagine what things will be like when the Tea Party comes to town

I agree that the best way to prevent a conservative takeover
is to give the Democrats a makeover
to make 'em liberal again
maybe we'll get some movement then

but right now we gotta be happy with what we got
so vote for the Democrat even if you don't like him a whole lot

end rap bridge

Hey Hey
Let's go vote now
Hey Hey
Vote for the Democrats

vote against palin
and her divisive rhetoric
and her total lack of substance
and the far right idea she's trying to sell us

Hey Hey
Let's go vote now
Hey Hey
Vote for the Democrats

vote for the freedom
that we we guaranteed
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
and let's not tax the rich any less

Hey Hey
Let's go vote now
Hey Hey
Vote for the Democrats

vote against the talk show hosts
who yell and scream
when a Muslim wants to pray
or when a soldier who's fighting for us happens to be gay

Hey Hey
Let's go vote now
Hey Hey
Vote for the democrats

lyrics of the week

2010-09-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

One Love
Billy Bragg's cover of Bob Marley, he changed most of the lyrics

One love
One heart
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright
One love
One heart
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright

Lets drop the debt in reparation for the years of slavery
Lets not forget our ancestors role
The shame will follow us down through the generations
Till we give Africa back the dignity we stole.

Lets drop the debt and spend the money on education
Lets help the teacher to unlock the classroom door
Close down the sweatshops that hold our children in bondage
There must be no hiding place for the exploiters of the poor.

One love
One heart
Let's drop the debt and it will be alright (hear the children singing)
One love
One heart
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright

Lets drop the debt and free 500 million people
And give them back the lives they want to live
Freedom from war, fear and hunger,
And freedom from the man who will take more than he give.

One love
One heart
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright
One love
One heart
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright (OK You and the kids)
One love
One heart
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright
One love
One heart
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright
One love
One heart
Lets drop the debt and it will be alright
I say Lets drop the debt and it will be alright
I say Lets drop the debt and it will be alright
I say Lets drop the debt and it will be alright

two quotes of the day/some religion

2010-09-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

"One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests."
---One of my heroes, Thomas Paine

I think that many of you might misinterpret this quote as being anti-religion, but I don't think it is so much anti-religion as pro-education. Also, Thomas Paine wasn't anti-religion, he was a fairly religious man but he was against organized religion. He wrote at the beginning of the Age of Reason(one of his books) a quote that it is very very close to my own religious beliefs.

I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life.
I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavouring to make our fellow-creatures happy.
But, lest it should be supposed that I believe many other things in addition to these, I shall, in the progress of this work, declare the things I do not believe, and my reasons for not believing them.
I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
I do not mean by this declaration to condemn those who believe otherwise; they have the same right to their belief as I have to mine. But it is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe

----Thomas Paine, The Age Of Reason

quote of the day

2010-09-13T08:39:00.001-07:00

"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."

----George Orwell

quote of the day

2010-09-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

"In my opinion, nothing has contributed so much to the corruption of the original idea of socialism as the belief that Russia is a socialist country and that every act of its rulers must be excused, if not imitated."

----George Orwell

You might be able to tell, I like George Orwell

quote of the day

2010-09-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

"Either we all live in a decent world, or nobody does."
---George Orwell

quote of the day

2010-09-13T08:32:00.001-07:00

"We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men"
---George Orwell

quote of the day

2010-09-10T16:00:00.001-07:00

"Have you learned nothing from fox? You pick your narrative and stick with it. And if the news doesn't fit your narrative, change your bleeping news!"
--Jon Stewart on Msnbc's coverage of Obama's speech

Let's get together and burn the flag

2010-09-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

Pastor Terry Jones and his congregation has big plans for this Saturday. In memory of the 9/11 attacks and to protest radical Muslims they are going to do what all good Christians would do, they're going to burn the Qua-ran. Yep, toss the Muslim holy book on a good bonfire and crackle crackle it goes up in smoke, exactly as Jesus intended.

I also have big plans for 9/11, first I'm going to a soccer game, then I'm celebrating my dad's birthday, then I'm going to burn the Bible in memory of all those killed by the KKK. Because obviously, since a small group of nutcases decided to kill a ton of people that means that they're whole religion and anyone who believes it agrees with them.

Sharon Angle

2010-09-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

This woman is running neck and neck with Harry Reid for the Nevada Senate Seat. If anyone who is reading this blog is registered to vote in Nevada, please come out and vote in November.

Lyrics of the week

2010-09-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

I wrote this song today and felt that I needed to post it immediately before it becomes outdated

BP

Capo 4
G-D-C-D for the chorus
Em-D-C-D
Folk-Punk style

BP
Better
Pay
BP

BP
Killed off the gulf
then got off scot free
just like the big banks

BP
Better
Pay
BP

BP
Cared more about cash than safety
'cause they knew that the government
wouldn't do a thing

BP
Better
Pay
BP

BP
Got its dollar's worth
in congress
bought and paid for the GOP

BP
Better
Pay
BP

BP
Cleaned up the oil
they say
but we know that aint the case

BP
Better
Pay
BP

BP
Counted on us
to foot the bill
aint that the way it's always been

BP
Better
Pay
BP

BP
Better
Pay
Or just go the heck away

BP
Better
Pay

quote of the day

2010-09-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

The Presidential Debate West Wing Style

RITCHIE
[on TV] Let the states decide. Let the communities decide on health care, on education,
on lower taxes, not higher taxes. Now, he's going to throw a big word at you-- "unfunded
mandate." If Washington lets the states do it, it's an unfunded mandate. But what he
doesn't like is the federal government losing power. But I call it the ingenuity of the
American people.

MODERATOR
[on TV] President Bartlet, you have 60 seconds for a question and an answer.

BARTLET
[on TV] Well, first of all, let's clear up a couple of things. "Unfunded mandate" is two
words, not one "big word."

They cheer backstage.

BARTLET
[on TV] There are times when we're fifty states and there are times when we're one
country, and have national needs. And the way I know this is that Florida didn't fight
Germany in World War II or establish civil rights. You think states should do the
governing wall-to-wall. That's a perfectly valid opinion. But your state of Florida got
$12.6 billion in federal money last year-- from Nebraskans, and Virginians, and New
Yorkers, and Alaskans, with their Eskimo poetry. 12.6 out of a state budget of $50
billion, and I'm supposed to be using this time for a question, so here it is: Can we
have it back, please?

quote of the day

2010-08-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

This is dialogue from the West Wing Episode the Midterms written by Aaron Sorkin. In this scene President Bartlet addresses conservative talk-show host Dr. Jenna Jacobs(I wonder who she is based on?)

BARTLET
I'm sorry, um... you're Dr. Jenna Jacobs, right?

JENNA JACOBS
Yes, sir.

BARTLET
It's good to have you here.

JENNA JACOBS
Thank you.

BARTLET
The awesome impact of the airwaves and how that translates into the furthering of our national
discussions but obviously also how it can... how it can...

He sighs, and addresses Jenna Jacobs again.

BARTLET
Forgive me, Dr. Jacobs. Are you an M.D.?

JENNA JACOBS
Ph.D.

BARTLET
A Ph.D.?

JENNA JACOBS
Yes, sir.

BARTLET
In Psychology?

JENNA JACOBS
No sir.

BARTLET
Theology?

JENNA JACOBS
No.

BARTLET
Social work?

JENNA JACOBS
I have a Ph.D. in English Literature.

BARTLET
I'm asking, 'cause on your show, people call in for advice and you go by the name of
Dr. Jacobs on your show. And I didn't know if maybe your listeners were confused by that,
and assumed you had advanced training in Psychology, Theology, or health care.

JENNA JACOBS
I don't believe they are confused, no sir.

BARTLET
Good. I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an abomination.

JENNA JACOBS
I don't say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President. The Bible does.

BARTLET
Yes, it does. Leviticus.

JENNA JACOBS
18:22

BARTLET
Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I had you here.
I'm interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7.
(small chuckles from the guests) She's a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, and
always clears the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While
thinking about that, can I ask another? My Chief of Staff, LeoO McGarry, insists on working
on the Sabbath, Exodus 35:2, clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated
to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police? Here's one that's really important,
'cause we've got a lot of sports fans in this town. Touching the skin of a dead pig makes
us unclean, Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins
still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be
together to stone my brother, John, for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn
my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads?

Think about those questions, would you? One last thing, while you may be mistaking this
for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Club, in this building, when the President
stands, nobody sits.

So I'm not an american

2010-08-28T16:07:00.001-07:00

As I'm sure many of you know, Glenn Beck held a little shin-dig in Washington DC this weekend. At this Conservative Prat Party(get it frat--prat, yep I do puns now) Sarah Palin(who as you all know is one of favorite people in politics) made a speech(I like using parentheses to provide humorous asides, can you tell?) in which she said to the crowd: "Look around you; you are not alone. You are Americans!"

So I can interpret that two ways. 1) I'm not American because I was neither there nor agree with her politics or 2) The crowd was a little confused as to what to chant. One person started chanting "Canada! Canada! Canada!" another yelled "Go Wales!" but the largest group was chanting "Luxembourg! Luxembourg! Luxembourg!". So Mrs. Palin had to go up there and remind them that they were Americans after all. Or maybe it's 3) She was saying something generic and clichéd to whip up a crowd without actually thinking about what the heck it was supposed to mean. Personally I'm going with the 2nd.

I am now going to talk about Glenn Beck. Glenn Beck who basically every liberal worth his or her salt has trashed. Glenn Beck who says thing like Look forward. Look West. Look to the heavens. Look to God and make your choice, Do we no longer believe in the power of the individual? Do we no longer believe in dreams?".

Here is what I want to say about Glenn Beck, He's satirizing the Conservative Media. Seriously, Glenn Beck has basically become Stephen Colbert. What he says is so crazy, so out there, and is performed in such an over-the-top way that he's gotta be joking. Or nuts. Or just in it for the money. Personally(as someone who used to occasionally watch clips of Glenn's CNN show) I'll go for the first one. He used to have a sense of humor and some rational thought. And now he's jumping around, tearing up in a really, really obviously fake way, writing crazy things on a chalk board. It's either money or humor. And I want to go with the humor because Glenn Beck used to strike me as a nice enough guy. He did say some pretty conservative things but he was rational and slightly rational about it. On CNN he did once compare having to choose between Obama, Clinton, or McCain as having to choose between being shot, stabbed, or poisoned, but he was still a little logical. Now he just isn't, but he is very entertaining. And I'm not sure that when I'm laughing at Glenn Beck, he isn't laughing along with me.

lyrics of the week

2010-08-27T05:18:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the Great Leap forwards(live) by Billy Bragg(you have no idea how much I wish I had wrote this)

It may have been Camelot for Jack and Jacqueline
But on the Che Guevara highway filling up with gasoline
Little Donald Rumsfeld spies a rich lady who's crying
Over luxury's disappointment, so he walks over and he's trying
To sympathise with her but he thinks that he should warn her
To be prepared to be bombed back into the Stone Age
(Ya, how’s that touch you? Ya fancy that? Maybe back into the Ice Age even. Who knows.)

In the former Soviet Union the citizens demand
As to why they are still the target of Strategic Air Command?
And they shake their fists in anger and respectfully suggest
We take the money from our missiles and spend it on our hospitals instead.

Mixing Pop and Politics they ask me what the use is
I offer them my acupuncturists and my masseusses
While looking down the corridor
Out to where my ego is waiting
I'm looking for the New World Order

Jumble sales are organized, all my mates have got fat
Even after all this time you can still swing round a cat
You can be active with the activists
Or sleep in with the media
While you're waiting for the Great Leap Forwards

Oh, one leap forward, two leaps back
Will YouTube give MTV the sack ?
Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards

Well here comes the future and you can't run from it
If you've got a wesite I want to be on it
Can I be your friend? Can I say it with a smiley? Ya

In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune
But this is reality not american idol
Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards, ya

It's a mighty long way down rock 'n roll
From Top of the Pops to diggin’ a hole
You're Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards

So join the struggle while you may
The Revolution is just an ethical haircut away
When you’re waiting for the Great Leap Forwards

In which I am so freaking angry

2010-08-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

Warning: The Following Post Contains Graphic Ranting Which May Offend members of the mild-mannered public

Alright so I'm mad. A new poll came out which says that 1/3 of Americans believe that President Obama is a Christian, down from 1/2 last year. And 1/5 of our wonderful nation think that Obama is a Muslim. A different poll has 47% for Christian and 24% for Muslim. Also 61% are opposed to the "Ground Zero" "Mosque" with 26% favoring it.

Soooooo, It is now official: We are total freaking idiots. I'm glad that's wrapped up, we can all go home. Ta-ta.

Seriously, did aliens visit the participants in that poll and steal their brains? I try very hard to be accepting of people with different beliefs and opinions than me, but this time I just can't. This is so ridicules and so crazy and so dangerous that it's time for me to stand up. We have people talking in the Senate of The United States of America about repealing the 14th Amendment! We have a law in Arizona that is blatantly racist!

We don't like Obama because he hasn't done the stuff he said he was going to so we're going to vote in a bunch of people who totally disagree with everything he's ever said. Does that Make sense? Heck no, but we're Americans, We don't think we just do!

None of this is Obama's fault. It is the Republicans who have perverted the Constitution so that you need 60 votes to pass anything in the Senate. Their new motto is "No. I don't care what the question is, my answer is no" or as James McMurtry said "A Little Bit of Hope is a Dangerous thing"

In some ways I hope that the Republicans do win back the Congress this year so every day, every freaking day I can trash them. I will desimate them and I hope the Democrats do too. They won't be able to pass a single thing. But then Fox News will say that they're being "Obstructionists who are un-American". We just can't win.

I hope, I really hope that the American people will see sense and ignore the storyline that the media is creating and vote for the people who they agree with. The people who they think will do the best job.

Here are some lyrics to get my battle against the right started. These are not some of my most sophisticated lyrics but they get my point across.

Burn The Flag

Hey yeah

hey yeah we just got into congress
hey yeah it's time to rule the nation
it's time to destroy the nation

hey yeah it's time to fill our pockets
let's forget what our founders would have wanted
let's forget about what they would have wanted

let's shove our own insane agenda
down the throat of the USA

Hey let's get together and burn the flag
let's get together and torch the white house
let's get together and topple the monuments

let's get together and build big bonfire
take the constitution
and toss it on it

let's get together and burn the flag
let's get together and burn the flag
let's get together and burn the flag

hey yeah we are republicans the GOP
and we don't really care about economics
unless we can't fill our pockets

let's shove our own insane agenda
down the throat of the USA

let's get together and burn the flag
let's get together and burn the flag
let's get together and burn the flag

come on let's go find old Maddison
dig em up stick em' on
a pole and burn him

let's get together and burn the flag
let's get together and burn the flag
let's get together and burn the flag

I am a talk show host
and I don't care what I say
I just want people to like me

let's get together and burn the flag
let's get together and burn the flag
let's get together and burn the flag

let's shove our own insane agenda
down the throat of the USA

let's get together and burn the flag

In Which I Strongly Object To Those Islamist Trying To Take Away My Rights

2010-08-17T04:13:00.000-07:00

So I don't know about you, but I am shocked and appalled about this whole-Mosque-at-Ground-Zero fiasco and I have decided that it is time to speak up! These people who attacked us on September 11th want to shove their religious opinions down our throats! I mean what possible reason could there be to build a Muslim Education Center in the vicinity of Ground Zero? What possible reason?!

On September 11th, 2001 we were attacked by people who hate and wish to destroy our valuable freedoms. We need to let Ground Zero stand as a monument to future generations that our freedom was challenged but we held firm. But we cannot have this monument if we allow a religious faith to build a cultural center two blocks from where our freedoms were attacked, that's like spitting on the Bill of Rights!

Now don't get me wrong, I'm tolerant, I'm open, and I'm a big fan of religious freedom as long as it doesn't involve anyone I disagree with doing anything that I don't like! I mean seriously! First we let them build an education center and then what?! They'll want to vote? They'll want to be able to be able to run for office? And then where will we be? Muslims running the Government, out goes separation between Church and State!

Lyrics of the week

2010-08-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

Ok this one is weird. Just a warning.

Watching You (While You Sleep)

everyday
at around 10
you go up to your room
and put on your pig jammies

then you lay down
and read Mag Cabot
then you turn off your light
and go to sleep

Now you may wonder
how I know this
there's really a very simple explanation
you see I've been

Watching You While You Sleep
Oh oh oh
Watching You while You Sleep
Some say it's perverted
some say it's mad
but me I just call it love
oh
Watching You While You Sleep

It's not that I'm a stalker
it's just that I'm bored
there aint much to do in this town at night
when you can't sleep
all I do is

Watch You While You Sleep
Oh oh oh
Watching You while You Sleep
Some say it's perverted
some say it's mad
but me I just call it love
oh
Watching You While You Sleep

`

lyrics of the week

2010-08-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

So in the next few days I will be posting numerous songs that I wrote(I had a very productive week writingwise). I will start off with Loner.

Loner

No
Take It away
I'm Fine
I don't need drugs

I'm Fine
Just Leave me alone
I'm a-ok all on my own

I'm not insane
I'm just a loner
I'm okay
all alone

Don't put me
in any padded cell
I'm fine
listen to me

Just because
I'm not like you
doesn't mean I'm crazy

I'm not insane
I'm just a loner
I'm fine
all alone

No Pop
I'm not a narcissist
Nope Doc
I'm not a sociopath

Why can't you understand
this is how I am
I like being alone

I'm not insane
I'm just a loner
I'm okay
just being alone

I want to be let alone
I want to be let alone
I want to be let alone

In which I am uncharacteristically nice part 1

2010-08-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

I have decided that there should be a new semi-regular feature in which I promote work that friends of mine have done. Here is part 1

quote of the day

2010-07-19T18:05:00.001-07:00

"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
---Jesus Christ

quote of the day

2010-07-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

"My Vote is not for sale, but it can be rented"
---John Grisham Runaway Jury

Lyrics of the Week

2010-07-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

If Lightning Strikes

Verse Chords: Am, G, C, F, Am, G

I know I swore that I'd be true

and I didn't mean to lie to you

didn't always tell you I'd be there

but I always left a loophole or two

In so much pain now I'm numb

have to end what we've begun

Isn't it funny that I don't even care

But I swear to god I never meant to hurt you

didn't I always say

Chorus Chords: C, Am, F, G

If Lightning Strikes

All Bets are Off

Cards on The Table Show Me What You Got

Roll the dice and hope you don't get hit by

the Lightning Strike

If Lightning Strikes

Sure It Was Fun

While It Lasted

Can't You Accept That

We'll Never Get It Back

But I Swear to God that I need to Change

Didn't You Always Say

If Lightning Strikes

All Bets are Off

Cards on The Table Show Me What You Got

Roll the dice and hope you don't get hit by

the Lightning Strike

If Lightning Strikes

Seriously FoxNews.Com readers, Seriously?

2010-07-08T06:19:00.000-07:00

Today I was working on article for the blog and I went on Foxnews.com to see if they had any information about the subject I was writing about. So I'm looking around on their politics page and I see a poll that asks the question "Which is your favorite amendment in the Bill of Rights?". I think it over a little and I decide to go for the first amendment(Freedom speech, religion, assembly, and press) so I click the little vote button and I get to see the results. Here they are:

First -- freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion 42.8% (15,167 votes)
Second -- freedom to bear arms 39.1% (13,849 votes)
Third -- no quartering of soldiers 1% (372 votes)
Fourth -- probable cause, limits to search and seizure 1% (365 votes)
Fifth -- due process, no double jeopardy, no self-incrimination 1.1% (394 votes)
Sixth -- speedy trial, ability to question accusers 0.3% (108 votes)
Seventh -- trial by jury 0.5% (168 votes)
Eighth -- no cruel punishment or excessive bail 0.3% (90 votes)
Ninth -- retain other rights not enumerated 2.5% (896 votes)
Tenth -- federalism, states rights 11.4% (4,022 votes)

So 13,849 people feel that the right to bear arms is better than the right to a speedy trial or the right to a trial by jury or the right to no cruel punishment or the right to due process or the right to have no unwarranted search a seizure. So all I have to say is Seriously FoxNews.Com readers, Seriously?

Classic Post: Attention America, I'm about to be very unpatriotic

2010-07-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

Like many other people I went to see fireworks with my family on the 4th, and I realised something....Fireworks are a big waste of money!! We spent approximately $193 Million to import fireworks from China. For what? Some pretty lights in the sky? Famvin reported that 9.1 million people died of hunger last year. Bread for the World reports that a child dies of hunger every five seconds. And we are spending $193 million on fireworks.

I like fireworks as much as anyone, but what purpose do they serve? They are pretty, but didn't China prove last year during the Olympics that CGI can work just as well? Let me hit you with some more statistics, God I love the Internet. The National Institute of Health reports that 1500 people die of cancer everyday in the US alone. America is ranked worst in preventable deaths, with 100.7 in 100,000 people died last year, according to commonsense. To make a long story short, people are dying and we are spending millions to set off pretty lights! People are dying, and no one seems to care!!

Alright I'm getting carried away, but come on! When you look at the figures it is hard to argue that it is worth it. But if you do think that it is worth it, then please tell me. Comment and tell me why you think that way. I will accept your opinion even though I might disagree with you. All I ask you to do is think about it, nothing more.

----July 5th 2009

Gin and Tonic Jokes

2010-06-30T05:48:00.001-07:00

Okay so for those of you who do not know I was in Washington DC this weekend with my book club to go to the ALA Summer Conference. On the first day we were there I told a joke to a friend of mine that intentionally had no punchline. The joke was "A Man walks into a bar and orders a gin and tonic." I told it to mess with her(I pretended that it was a hilarious joke and she just didn't get), but I then took it upon myself to come up with a joke that revolves around a man walking into a bar and ordering a gin and tonic. Here are the three best results.

The Lovers joke.

A man walks into a bar and sees that the barman is helping a woman so he decides to wait. Suddenly the barman puts his hands on the bar and vaults over the bar and gets down on one knee. He pulls out a ring and says "I know we've only known each other for two minutes but you're the only one for me. Please be my wife!" The woman replies "I know that I don't even know your name, but you're my soul-mate.Yes I'll be your wife. Yes, Yes, Yes Yes YES!" The barman jumps up and embraces the woman. They hug, they kiss, it's romantic, it's passionate. "Hey guys break it up! break it up!" The man says as he runs forward. He pushes the woman out of the way and she sprawls on the floor. "This is important." The man says as he turns to the barman. He pokes a finger into the barman's chest and says "I want a gin and tonic."

The Punchline Joke(The most recent of the gin and tonic jokes)

A man walks into a bar and slams some money on the bar. "I Want a Gin and Tonic and I want it fast. The barman says "Okay man, here you go." The customer takes the glass and throws it on the ground where it smashes. "I said I wanted it fast!" The man yells, "Pour me another." The barman wants to argue with the man but he is kind of a small guy and the customer is built like a linebacker and seems very angry so he just pours him another drink. Again the customer throws the glass on the ground and demands to have another one "fast". The barman pours him another and yet again he smashes it. This goes on for a while with the barman pouring the man a drink and the man smashing it. Finally the barman hands the man the last glass the barman owns and again the customer smashes it and screams "I said I wanted it fast!" The barman has finally had enough and is on the brink of tears. "Look," he says trying to stay calm, "You keep saying you want it fast, but I've poured it for you almost instantaneously. What is it that you want?!" The customer stares off into the distance for a little bit turns back to the barman and says "I'm afraid I've forgotten the punchline."

The Not a Good Idea joke(by far the most popular gin and tonic joke)

A man runs into a bar and slams some money down. "I want a gin and tonic." He gasps, looking around wildly. The barman pours him the drink and he downs it in one gulp. Suddenly police appear from everywhere. They pop out from behind doors, they come out from the floorboards, and some even descend from the ceiling on ropes. They shoot the customer over and over and over again. Then they grab his lifeless body, pull him over to a pole which they have brought in, tie him to it, and set the pole on fire. After the body has been burned they all run off leaving the barman standing there shocked. Another man walks in, looks around, and walks up to the barman. He puts some money down on the bar and says "I'd like a gin and tonic please." The barman slowly shakes his head and says "That's not a good idea.

quote of the day

2010-06-30T05:44:00.000-07:00

"So you're above Liberal Elitism, Alex?"
"Yes."

----- My memory of a conversation between Alex and Ben(my co-writers for this blog for those of you who do not know. In Alex's defensive he went on to say that he was actually far below liberal elitism, but I think the point stands.)

quote of the day

2010-06-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, I'll hire you as my lawyer."
---Brandon Sanderson

lyrics of the week

2010-06-24T06:45:00.001-07:00

When You're With the Doctor by Me

He lives in a blue box
and he comes out of nowhere
and asks you to come fly away with him
you know you should say no
but when a guy offers you space and time
what're you supposed to do
refuse

he takes you to the future
and shows you how the world's going to end
and you meet a face
a freaky face
and then you meet some guy who lives forever
who says he's that face but

when you're with the doctor
all that is normal
when you're with the doctor
anything is possible
when you're with the doctor
your imagination has no bounds
when you're with the doctor

He takes you to meet some friends of his
dickens and Shakespeare
he likes to show off
but when the world is threatened
he will always be there
fighting autons, cybermen
and daleks too

when you're with the doctor
all that is normal
when you're with the doctor
anything is possible
when you're with the doctor
your imagination has no bounds
when you're with the doctor

he had to die today
to save you from an early grave
he's always been a great guy that way
but you're never see his face again
he's changed into a new guy but

when you're with the doctor
all that is normal
when you're with the doctor
anything is possible
when you're with the doctor
your imagination has no bounds
when you're with the doctor

what do you all think?

lyrics of the week

2010-06-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

quote of the day

2010-06-22T06:16:00.000-07:00

"We need fathers to realize that responsibility does not end at conception. ...Too many fathers are MIA, too many fathers are AWOL, missing from too many lives and too many homes. They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men."
-----President Obama

lyrics of the week

2010-06-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

The Way We Live Now
(I'm not going to tell you who this song is by, I want you to guess(Without googeling it))

Alas poor theater I knew it well
forget about the arts funding
it's never coming back

Welcome to the new world order
where science and math reign supreme
welcome to the way we live now
forget about the way it used to be

you have some imagination there boy
don't worry we'll soon take care of that
by giving you things to memorize
and discouraging all independent thought

Welcome to the new world order
where science and math reign supreme
welcome to the way we live now
forget about the way it used to be

forget about your history books
we don't care about the past now
and we don't think about the future
we're living only for today now

put down that paintbrush now boy
you'll never paint again
forget about Picasso and Van Gogh
I don't even know who they are

Welcome to the new world order
where science and math reign supreme
welcome to the way we live now
forget about the way it used to be

Forget about Romeo and Juliet
Forget about Midsummer Night's Dream
I've never even heard of them
and we'll never preform them again

Welcome to the way things are now
Forget about the way things were
Don't ever try and change them
No body cares anymore

welcome to the new world order
where Math and Science reign supreme
welcome to the way we live now
isn't this the way you want to be

quote of the day

2010-06-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

"A Dalek fleet. Minimum 12 thousand battleships, armed to the teeth. Ahhhhhhh! But we've got surprise on our side. They will never expect 3 people to attack 12 thousand Dalek battleships...because we'd be killed instantly. So it would be a very short surprise."
--The Doctor in the Pandorica Opens

quote of the day

2010-06-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

You know, you remind me of the man that lived by the river. He heard a radio report that the river was going to rush up and flood the town. And that all the residents should evacuate their homes. But the man said, “I’m religious. I pray. God loves me. God will save me.”The waters rose up. A guy in a row boat came along and he shouted, “Hey, hey you! You in there. The town is flooding. Let me take you to safety.” But the man shouted back, “I’m religious. I pray. God loves me. God will save me.”A helicopter was hovering overhead. And a guy with a megaphone shouted, “Hey you, you down there. The town is flooding. Let me drop this ladder and I’ll take you to safety.” But the man shouted back that he was religious, that he prayed, that God loved him and that God will take him to safety.Well... the man drowned. And standing at the gates of St. Peter, he demanded an audience with God. “Lord,” he said, “I’m a religious man, I pray. I thought you loved me. Why did this happen?” God said, “I sent you a radio report, a helicopter, and a guy in a rowboat. What the devil are you doing here?”
--Aaron Sorkin The West Wingq

lyrics of the week

2010-06-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

AMERICA
Tracy Chapman

You were lost and got lucky
Came upon the shore
Found you were conquering America
You spoke of peace
But waged a war
While you were conquering America

There was land to take
And people to kill
While you were conquering America
You served yourself
Did God's will
While you were conquering America

The ghost of Columbus haunts this world
'Cause you're still conquering America
The meek won't survive
Or inherit the earth
'Cause you're still conquering America

America
America
America

Your found bodies to serve
Submit and degrade
While you were conquering America
Made us soldiers and junkies
Prisoners and slaves
While you were conquering America

America
America
America

You hands are at my throat
My back's against the wall
Because you're still conquering America
We're sick and tired hungry and poor
'Cause you're still conquering America

You bomb the very ground
That feeds your own babies
You're still conquering America
Your sons and your daughters
May never sing your praises
While you're conquering America

America
America
America

I see you eyes seek a distant shore
While you're conquering America
Taking rockets to the moon
Trying to find a new world
And you're still conquering America

America
America
America

The ghost of Columbus haunts this world
'Cause you're still conquering America
You're still conquering America
You're still conquering America

In which I am filled with a righteous anger

2010-06-14T11:49:00.001-07:00

I love Agatha Christie and I love the theater so when a friend of mine told me that NC State was performing three Agatha Christie plays over the summer I was very excited. My excitement was in no way lessened when I went to see the first play, A Murder is Announced. I loved most things about it, and I would probably give it Four Stars out of Five(the missing star is due to the fact that I didn't like the way the detective was played and thought that the villain was played in a very obviously creepy way).

Yesterday I went to see what I thought was Death on the Nile, one of Christie's classics with her greatest detective Hercule Poirot. I walk in to the theater with two friends who are also Christie fans and we sit down and wait for the play to being. The set is fantastic and we get pretty good seats so we're feeling pretty good. An announcement comes to turn off cell phones and the play begins.

It starts off well with most of the actors doing pretty well. And then, and then the victim enters. The basic plot of Death on the Nile for those who don't know is that this rich young woman(Linnet)'s best friend(Jackie) is getting married and she(Jackie that is not Linnet) asks Linnet to give her fiancee(Simon) a job. Linnet does so and Simon ends up breaking up with Jackie and marrying Linnet. Jackie as one might assume is less that happy about this and begins to stalk Linnet and Simon as they go on their honeymoon in Egypt. One night on a cruise ship Linnet is murdered in the very way that Jackie had wanted to kill her earlier. However Jackie cannot have done, so who did? It's up to the world famous detective Hercule Poirot to figure it out before anyone else is killed.

Yeah, so here's the problem the play was not Death On the Nile, no it was Murder on The Nile. In Murder on The Nile World famous detective Hercule Poirot is replaced by random clergyman Cannon Something-or-other. Yeah I can't even remember his last name even though I saw it last night. In the book it makes sense for Poirot to handle the case, as he's actually...you know... a detective. In this play the authorities on the ship seem to be totally incompetent as the clergyman is also a suspect, in fact in the book he(or rather the character he's based on) was one of the prime suspects for the murder.

Also, Jackie, poor poor Jackie. By far the most interesting character in the novel. However in the play well.....how about I use an example? The night of the murder Jackie is in the Saloon of the ship and is totally drunk. She is yelling at Simon and finally pulls out a gun and shoots him in the leg. This is a very dramatic scene that is Jackie's crescendo it's when she just can't take any more. It's a very dramatic scene in the novel. So how does the actress playing Jackie in the play decide to play it? By yelling a non-stop string of words at a very high pitch with no inflection.

It was both painful and hilarious. I don't know why that actress got the role but she was really really bad, I'm sorry I really hope her mom isn't reading this but I gotta call it like I see it.

Anyway, to some up this play was bad. And I mean bad. Add to the fact that the main actress couldn't act and that they got rid of the detective in a MURDER MYSTERY a terrible script and you will never have a good play.

I am going to see the final play in this series in a few days and I am really looking forward to it and I am really hoping that I just saw an off night for "Murder" on the Nile.

NC State Theater Fest 2010

A Murder Is Announced: 8/10

Murder on The Nile: 4/10

Spider's web: ?/10

quote of the day

2010-06-08T05:33:00.000-07:00

"This song is Copyrighted in U.S., under Seal of Copyright #154085, for a period of 28 years, and anybody caught singin' it without our permission, will be mighty good friends of ours, cause we don't give a darn. Publish it. Write it. Sing it. Swing to it. Yodel it. We wrote it, that's all we wanted to do."
---Message on mimeographed copies of Woody Guthrie lyrics distributed to fans in the 1930s as quoted by Pete Seeger in an NPR interview "Pete Seeger remembers Woody" (1996)

quote of the day

2010-06-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

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

quote of the day

2010-06-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

"I have second thoughts. Maybe God is malicious."
--Albert Einstein

quote of the day

2010-06-08T05:28:00.000-07:00

"Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not."
----Albert Einstein

Sestak Scandal

2010-05-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

I would guess that of you guys have heard about the Sestak Scandal, but for anyone who has not, here is a brief summary. In the Pennsylvania Democrat Congressional primaries, the 7th district had to close candidates. One of them was White House backed Arlen Specter. The other was white housed opposed Sestak. Sestak won.

So your thinking, ok. So what? Some Dem beat another Dem. Not a big deal right? Wrong! Sestak came on camera saying that the white house offered him a big important job in exchange for dropping out of the race. Thats a bribe, and a very big deal. Now the white house came out and said that they instantly investigated this, and found they did nothing wrong. that was 2 weeks ago. Sestak still claimed they attempted bribery, but he will not say what job it was though.

The important part of this is that the white house said nothing wrong happened, but if nothing wrong took place, then just tell us what did take place. The white house has completely clammed up on this. they will not say anything about this. If it comes out that they did try to bribe him, then they will be in extremely hot water, because not only did they commit a felony, they also tried to cover it up and lied about it!

Now just put 2 and 2 together. It is pretty likely that this is a true claim. if it was not, why on earth would Sestak say, over and over again that it was? and if the white house didst do anything wrong then just say exactly what happened.

Now, even if this is proven to be true it will probably not end in impeachment. Most likely some one will get fired and Obama will explain it all away, and even though it was most likely not directly Obama, if is proven that Obama authorized this bribe, then I can't see how he could escape impeachment.

2010-05-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I was asked to write a post about the 1 year anniversary so here goes.

I haven't been with you the entire year but in the time that I have enjoyed this little blog. I have enjoyed hearing alternate view points, and sharing my own. In the coming years I hope we will all be able to keep an open mind to other ideas. I know I will.

Let's See How Far We've Come

2010-05-22T12:42:00.000-07:00

So it's been a year. I don't know what to say other than thank you all so very very much. It's been fun.

One year after all this began

2010-05-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

I never expected I would still be here, on this blog, when the one year anniversary rolled around.
My involvement with this blog started when rock4ever95 went out of town, leaving me to fill in his shoes, not an easy task at all and its been a lot of fun watching this thing grow.
I'm just glad I have the chance to be a part of this, and that's really all I have to say. . . .
Thank you for sticking around, hope to see you all at our second anniversary.

quote of the day

2010-05-14T20:24:00.001-07:00

The Airline Pilots Sketch
-------------------------

by John Cleese & Graham Chapman

Transcribed from the video:
"John Cleese on How To Irritate People"

The Cast Captain: John Cleese
First Officer: Graham Chapman
Steward: Michael Palin

(The sketch opens in an aeroplane cockpit.
The Captain and the First Officer are whistling idly.
They are obviously very bored.)

C: I spy with my little eye something beginning with S.
FO: Sky.
C: Mm-hm.
FO I spy with my little eye something beginning with C.
C: Cloud.
FO: Yeah.
Oh God, I'm so bored.
C: I'm fed up with that game. Let's play another game.
I know what..
FO: What?

(The Captain picks up a microphone.)

C: (over intercom) "Hello, this is your Captain speaking.
There is absolutely no cause for concern."
That'll get them thinking.

(The First Officer reaches for the microphone.)

C: No, no, no, no. Not yet, not yet. Let it sink in.
They'll be thinking, er, 'What is there no cause for alarm
about? Are the wings on fire?'
(over intercom) "The wings are not on fire."
Now they're thinking, er, 'why should he say that?'
So we say...

(The Steward enters.)

FO: Oh, how are we doing?
S: (looks down the aisle) They've stopped eating;
Looking a bit worried...
C: Good.
S: Hang on, one of them is going to the washroom.
C: Is he there yet?
S: He's just closing the door... NOW!
C: One... Two... Three..
FO: (over intercom) "Please return to your seats and fasten your
seat-belts immediately."
S: Yes... here he comes, going up the aisle like the clappers.
I'll do the worried walk now.

(He leaves.)

FO: Right. Safety regulations.
C: (agreeing) Safety regulations.
FO: (over intercom) "Please listen carefully. I want you, I want
to remind you of some of the safety regulations.
In the case of emergency it is vitally important to..."

(The Captain makes a radio-static type noise.)

FO: "as the warning buzzer sounds."
C: "Bzzzz"

(They both laugh.)

C: Oh, that's got them rattled.
S: (enters) Great, great! (exit)

C: Hey, I've got an idea!
"Hello, you will find your life-jackets under your seats."
FO: No, they're on the racks.
C: Sh, shh, let them scrabble a bit.
"I'm sorry, you will ind them on the racks above your heads."
FO: Aaah!
S: (back again) Great, great, that was marvellous!
FO: Right. Gobbledegook.
C: Oh, yes.
FO "The scransons above your heads are now ready to flange.
Please unfasten your safety belts and press the emergency
photoscamps on the back of the seats in front of you."
S: (looks out) Marvellous, milling about, climbing over the seats.
FO: "Please find the emergency sprill in the washroom at the back
and release it..."
C: "but do not unfasten your safety belts."
S: That got them back to their seats.
FO: "The emergency sprill MUST be released..."
C: "but do not leave your seats."
FO: "Do not panic."
C: "Tea will now be served."
FO: "Inflate your life-jackets"
C: "and extinguish all cigarettes."
FO: "Please remove the luggage from the racks above your heads and
place it on the racks on the other side of the aircraft."
C: "Except for hand luggage..."
FO: "which you should sit on."

(They are in fits of laughter.)

C: Now have a look.
S: (looks) Hang on... hang on... they've all jumped out!

(They laugh, pointing downwards and looking out of the windows.
After a while the laughter dies away.
There is a lengthy pause.)

C: You know, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some trouble
about this.

(They burst out laughing again. The sketch ends.)

How To Fix Congress

2010-05-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

Congress, poor congress sometimes you just have to feel sorry for them. I mean of the three branches they really do the most work, get very little credit, and take most of the blame. Currently they have a 22% approval rating so I thought that now would be a good time to talk about How To Fix Congress(I bet you guessed I was going to say that).

So here is how I would reform Congress, keep the Senate the way it is(Two Senators per state) and get rid of the House of Representatives and replace it with the new and improved House of Representatives(the House of Representatives Beta is you will). What will happen every two years is that people go and vote for their senator(if one is up for reelection) and for which party they like the best.

Then the total votes for each party is tallied and they assign the seats in this way: Let's say that the Republicans got 45%, The Democrats got 52%, The Libertarians got 2%, and the Green Party got 1% then the Republicans get 180 seats that they can fill with whoever won their primaries, The Democrats get 208 seats that they can fill with whoever won their primaries, the Libertarians get 8 seats which they can fill with....... you guessed it! whoever won their primaries, and the Green Party get 4 seats which they can fill with whoever won their primaries.

There would be about 400 seats in The House of Representatives and they would be assigned proportionally. The only problem that I can see is what would happen to those who got less than 1% of the vote, I think that there would probably have to be a law that says that if you get less than .25% of the vote you don't get a seat.

This new system would both give third parties a chance and give those running against incumbents a fair chance. Also coalitions would need to form enhancing bipartisanship.

Ann coulter gun toter

2010-05-04T05:44:00.000-07:00

So in the latest issue of Time magazine they named who they think are the 100 most influential people in the world today. Everyone from Glenn Beck to Barack Obama to Lady Gaga were named, and the editors decided to ask all the women named who or what had the most influence on them when they were young. One person said the bible, no huge surprise their, the author of the Hunger Games said her father, again not really surprising, the Speaker of the house said, and I'm not even kidding, the little engine that could(I think I can, I think I can, I think I can so I'll have the whip take a nose count and see if I actually can)

Ann Coulter Said, and I quote, "Do you consider the Second Amendment a person? Otherwise, I'd have to say my mother and father. Also, my brothers: John, for making me read Milton Friedman and Bill Simon as a kid, and Jimmy, for tormenting me throughout my childhood — an invaluable experience if liberals ever send me to Guantanamo."

How can the 2nd Amendment be one of the things that had the most influence on your life? It says that we have the right to keep and bare arms, it's not really philosophical, but I'm not one to talk, I have based my life around Article 1 Section 7 of the Constitution, the part about the veto, revenue bills, and the legislative process. You might think that's a little weird but I've got a friend who's based his life around Article 11 of the Articles of Confederation, you know the bit about Canada being allowed to join the US whenever it wants, the fool!

Seriously though I can think of two possible reasons why she would say the second amendment. My first idea is that she misspoke and meant to say the First Amendment, which is something that could influence you, you know the right to say what you want and such. Or, and I think this is probably it, she was trying to be inflammatory, which would not be totally unheard of for Ms. Coulter.

The political system is obviously broken, and I know that because I lost

2010-05-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

So Charlie Christ decided to run as a traitor, whoops sorry I mean independent this week because the political system of Florida is broken. How does Mr. Christ know this? Because he fell behind in the polls.

I would actually like to introduce a new feature on this blog, called the Liberal Rocker Endorses. So in the Florida Senate Race, The Liberal Rocker Endorses, drumroll please, Charlie Christ! Yes Charlie Christ of the backstabbing liar party. Why? Because I think that the Republicans need their own Joe Lieberman, an independent who sort of agrees with them but totally disagrees with them on other issues and votes with the other party.

Anniversary

2010-05-02T10:45:00.001-07:00

So the blog's 1st year anniversary is coming up in a few weeks and I want ideas on how we should celebrate it. And they better be good.

If I sound a little forceful it's because I am not an established blogger and thus can be a total and complete egotist.

Quote Of The Day

2010-04-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

"It is inaccurate to say I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office."
-----H.L. Mencken

Quote of the Day

2010-04-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

"The Right To Be Heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously"
--Herbert Humphrey

Veto Racial Profiling? Why Would I Do That?

2010-04-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

Today the Governor of Arizona signed into law a bill which aims to help police deal with illegal immigration. So far so good right? Everything's good, just another day in Arizona. So why am I writing about it? Because when you actually read the bill there are some very scary things in it, and I don't mean that the bill quotes Stephen King, the scariness of this bill is a much more George Orwell type of scariness.

The bill states that "FOR ANY LAWFUL CONTACT MADE BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL OR AGENCY OF THIS STATE OR A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS STATE WHERE REASONABLE SUSPICION EXISTS THAT THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN WHO IS UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES, A REASONABLE ATTEMPT SHALL BE MADE,
WHEN PRACTICABLE, TO DETERMINE THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE PERSON. THE PERSON'S IMMIGRATION STATUS SHALL BE VERIFIED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PURSUANT TO 8 UNITED STATES CODE SECTION 1373(c)."

Yeah. And that's not even the best bit. That comes later in the bill when it says "A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, WITHOUT A WARRANT, MAY ARREST A PERSON IF THE OFFICER HAS PROBABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON HAS COMMITTED ANY PUBLIC OFFENSE THAT MAKES THE PERSON REMOVABLE FROM THE UNITED STATES."

What I love is that the Governor of Arizona signed the bill and then issued an executive order saying that police officers should have training on how to enforce this law without using racial profiling. Did she miss the memo or something? "REASONABLE SUSPICION EXISTS THAT THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN WHO IS UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES"? How can that not be racial profiling? How do they expect to have "reasonable suspicion"? If the person has an accent?

This law is slippery slope, and I certainly don't like where the slope leads.

And that's the way it is.
(I really need my own catchphrase to say at the end of rants like this, any suggestions?)

lyrics of the week

2010-04-22T05:14:00.000-07:00

Clampdown
(J. Strummer/M. Jones)

What are we gonna do now?
Taking off his turban, they said, is this man a Jew?
'Cause they're working for the clampdown
They put up a poster saying we earn more than you!
When we're working for the clampdown
We will teach our twisted speech
To the young believers
We will train our blue-eyed men
To be young believers

The judge said five to ten-but I say double that again
I'm not working for the clampdown
No man born with a living soul
Can be working for the clampdown
Kick over the wall 'cause government's to fall
How can you refuse it?
Let fury have the hour, anger can be power
D'you know that you can use it?

The voices in your head are calling
Stop wasting your time, there's nothing coming
Only a fool would think someone could save you
The men at the factory are old and cunning
You don't owe nothing, so boy get runnin'
It's the best years of your life they want to steal

You grow up and you calm down
You're working for the clampdown
You start wearing the blue and brown
You're working for the clampdown
So you got someone to boss around
It makes you feel big now
You drift until you brutalize
You made your first kill now

In these days of evil presidentes
Working for the clampdown
But lately one or two has fully paid their due
For working for the clampdown
But ha! Gitalong! Gitalong!

one of my all time favorite songs.

lyrics of the week

2010-04-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

I Need to Wake Up By Melissa Etheridge
From the film An Inconvenient Truth

Have I been sleeping?
I’ve been so still
Afraid of crumbling
Have I been careless?
Dismissing all the distant rumblings
Take me where I am supposed to be
To comprehend the things that I can’t see

Cause I need to move
I need to wake up
I need to change
I need to shake up
I need to speak out
Something’s got to break up
I’ve been asleep
And I need to wake up
Now

And as a child
I danced like it was 1999
My dreams were wild
The promise of this new world
Would be mine
Now I am throwing off the carelessness of youth
To listen to an inconvenient truth

That I need to move
I need to wake up
I need to change
I need to shake up
I need to speak out
Something’s got to break up
I’ve been asleep
And I need to wake up
Now

I am not an island
I am not alone
I am my intentions
Trapped here in this flesh and bone

And I need to move
I need to wake up
I need to change
I need to shake up
I need to speak out
Something’s got to break up
I’ve been asleep
And I need to wake up
Now

I want to change
I need to shake up
I need to speak out
Oh, Something’s got to break up
I’ve been asleep
And I need to wake up
Now

Book review: This World We Live In

2010-04-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so, I love me a good post-apocalyptic book, and the Dead and The Gone By Susan Beth Pfeffer was a good one. The basic premise of the book and it's companion book Life As We Knew It is that an asteroid smashes into the moon knocking it closer to the earth and thus screwing everything up. Life As We Knew It was about a family that lives in a small Pennsylvania town. The Dead and the Gone(which was way way better) was about three kids living(and dying) in New York City after their parents go missing.

In the third book in the trilogy, the newly released This World We Live In, things are getting a little better for the family in Pennsylvania when the two surviving kids from the Dead and the Gone show up. Shockingly the older girl from the first book and the boy from the second book fall in love within twenty pages. Who could have possibly expected that? Two protagonists falling in love with each other? Totally unheard of!!

Before the Dead and the Gone people arrive the book is a generic disaster survival book and then the Dead and Gone guys arrive and it becomes Twilight.

There are many problems with this book but I have three main ones. The first and most important is the way the book treats Alex, the main character of the Dead and The Gone. In the Dead and the Gone he is a heroic character who looks out for his two younger sisters in a terrible situation. In this book he is a suborn, fanatically christian, overly romantic, moron. He consistently tries to leave the small town in Pennsylvania where he and his sister are happy and relatively safe to got to a monastery for really no reason whatsoever.

My second problem is the way the various romances that occur in the book are portrayed. They all happen basically overnight, one literally does happen overnight. Early in the book the brothers of the girl from Pennsylvania go to the river to fish and one of the brothers meets a woman who is being beaten up by a guy(what that was all about is never explained) and the brother tells the guy to stop hitting her and then he(the brother) marries her the next day. Okay, yeah. So that gives you a little taste of what was wrong with this book.

My third problem is the ending. I don't want to ruin it for you, but I will if you don't stop reading now.

Still Reading? I will ruin it?

Will you stop reading already?! God almighty!!

Okay here is what happens in the end, the protagonists decided to go away to a "safe town" where there are still hospitals and schools and such with some of the family members, leaving the rest behind for no real reason. Then a tornado hits the town. Killing one of the group and paralyzing the sister. The female protagonist kills her to put her out of her misery. And then she writes(did I mention that the book is told through her diaries? Well they are.) that the world is bad, her life is bad, in the end everyone is going to die, there is really no hope, so she's going to go hang out with Alex. And they all lived happily ever.

But it's all okay because she learned life lessons from those who have died.

I do not recommend this, but I do recommend the Dead and the Gone.

2/5

quote of the day

2010-04-09T05:41:00.000-07:00

"I never considered myself a maverick."----John McCain

Yeah he never considered himself a maverick except in campaign ads(one was actually called "the Original mavericks"), speeches, town halls, debates, and the subtitle of one of his memoirs. For years John McCain's thing is that he's a maverick and that he wasn't elected "Miss Congeniality", now apparently he never said that. John, what's going on in that mind of yours?

A question

2010-04-07T13:20:00.001-07:00

Okay so this is a question I have for Alex who represents the conservatives here at LR(see I have a cool abbreviation). Do you think that the government should help those who can't help themselves? And if so, how should they help people who can't afford health care for their children and themselves? How should they help people who have lost their jobs or their houses?

If not, then why shouldn't they? If the government shouldn't help people then what should they do?

To answer your question.

2010-04-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

Well Rock4 ever, in a earlier post, I commented saying that America is a center- right country, and you asked a very good question. "if America is a center right country why did they elect a large number of left and center-left officials?" I wondered about that... but then I found out why. The left won in the last few elections because of people like this.

This is a sound clip of Rush Limbaugh (did I spell that right?) playing a sound clip.

Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOZ-Etb0k0Q

quote of the day

2010-04-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

"Nobody got hurt at the Boston Tea Party. The only people that got hurt was some fancy boys who didn't have anything to wash down their crumpets with. We jumped out from behind bushes, while the British came down the road in their bright red jackets, but never has a war been so courteously declared. It was on parchment with calligraphy and "Your highness, we beseech you on this day in Philadelphia to bite me, if you please."
Issac and Ishmael(West Wing Episode) By Aaron Sorkin