huh?

ah...don't you love re-reading your angry posts and realizing your anger took over for a second there?
but the jist is still the same...the so-called 'moral' voters don't realize that they are turning this country more and more towards a religion-based government. The goverment has no business commenting on 'sanctity' of anything. McDonalds just being a ridiculous tool to show that anyone can have an opinion on whats damaging...if you believe it, act on it in your own life...but it is not the place of our goverment to legislate it.
no personal bias towards McDonalds..in fact, I loves me some cheeseburgers and fries.

Coco and Apple have their noses in the air...

Oh poor Phinnaeus and Hazel Moder. Cursed with such plain and boring names. What do you think you will do with your poor, uninspired lives? You won't get anywhere, will have no friends. Coco and Apple aren't going to chill with you...they don't chill with the 'normal named'. And certainly Bobby and Jane aren't going to hang with you. Unless you call hanging out a good ass-whooping at the local playground for being named Phinneaus and Hazel.

Reading? Nah!

I've been keeping tabs somewhat on this recent debacle about the Istook amendment and the subsequent back tracking and finger pointing. And while I think that the amendment itself is pretty scary, I'm more scared by the emerging evidence over time that our representatives and Senators don't actually read what they are voting on. I'm not blaming them. They sometimes have only hours to read thousands of pages of legislation and are then expected to make informed votes. It seems to me that this situation is the explanation of the larger evil of partisan politics. When you don't have time to actually read the legislation, the best possible way to make an informed vote is to look to someone with similar politics and see how they are voting. Well, Senator Republican is voting yea, I'm a Republican, so I will vote yea. And by no means is this only a Republican problem. BUT WHAT IS IN THE LEGISLATION?? Pork. Thats right, you love it. Who doesn't love some pork. Is that why all these 'bills' are so long and tedious as to preclude actual examination? That an amendment such as the Istook amendment, as ridiculous as it is, could get through without actually being seen...by anyone, is a scary thought. We need to simplify this process to give our representatives a chance to do their jobs (I say in a moment of unfettered optimism). What is this democracy, this republic, if our own representatives don't know what they are voting on? Who does know? The only people who could...the self-serving interested parties who wrote it. And I say this with all the love in my heart for my country...we are exporting this democracy abroad? Lets fix our own. Lets get our own healthy and working and alive with debate and interest in the greater good of our country.

new this week...

New this week...I turn 29. Yes, my friends...29 years old. And that ain't dog years. I'm realizing more and more that the older you get the less believable it is in your heart of hearts that you are really that old. Maybe its just me, because I'm the youngest of 4 and used to being 'young'. But I'm having a hard time with it. The onset and approach of 30 is bearing down on me like a woman in labor...its on me like white on rice...it keeps coming at me like a freight train....its gonna git me. You get the point. Everyone has their scary age and turning 29 feels like I'm on the doorstep to hell. I realize 'age is just a number'...but thats what old people say. Alas, for my youth is being spent. Oh that I could be all that I was.
Oh this is so self serving and getting me no where. But hey, it feels good to wail against the dying of the light.

Meet the Assholes...

Today, on the 15 minutes I could stand of Meet the Press, we had as our guests...the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the Rev. Jim WhatsHisName, the Rev. SoandSo and the Rev. Al Sharpton. What a colleciton of assholes this was. Its a sad panel when Al Sharpton is the voice of reason. In todays world, with literally, world peace hanging in the balance, genocide in Africa, AIDS pandemics, people starving in America, segregation still in Alabama's state constitution, and who do we have on Meet the Press, the Reverand No-Nothing and his posse of do-gooders.
My friend Zorpack, goes on a classic rampage on religion. I won't go that far but I will say this, those Christian moral voters, those judgmental bastards who defy everything that Christ stood for, will turn this country into a theocracy quicker than you can say Amen and we'll all be in for it. How do they not see that they are the same as the Muslim fundamentalists--THEY JUST ARENT AS SUCCESSFUL...well, at least not yet anyway. Our poor founding fathers. These idiots who put 'In God we Trust' on the money in the 50's and 'One nation, under God' in the pledge in the 50's. People, these arguements aren't about America, they are about pushing your religion on the people.
I am a religious person, I consider myself Catholic, though some might say I'm not a good one. I don't listen to those people. I have my faith and I do what is right in my eyes and what I was taught by my parents and my faith. All of my beliefs are based upon this and I feel that I am in good standing with my God. I will not however, attempt to put my religion in government, policy or in anyones elses face. All of these so-called moral issues--abortion, gay marriage--these are not for our govertment to decide. It is religion that says life starts at conception, otherside, its just a fetus. If they put half the effort into educating people to avoid unwanted pregnancy and to give people options other than abortion as they do into trying to make it illegal, we woundnt have an abortion 'problem'. We would have less abortions and more solutions. Making it illegal accomplishes one thing and one thing only...making it dangerous.
And here is something else...marriage, you wingnuts, is a legal status afforded by our goverment. If you choose to ascribe religious implications to your marriage, by all means do so, but if you don't, go to a judge and get married...to WHOEVER YOU WANT. Since when is it up to the governemnt to determine what is good for the 'sanctity' of marriage?? Well, I happen to think that McDonalds isn't good for the sanctity of marriage...it makes kids fat and then parents argue over their fat kids and their fat spouses from one too many big macs and then the next thing you know, they are doing some 16 year old girl they coach on the high school soccer team. I vote NO on McDonalds...how 'bout you?
Sorry to get on a rant, but keep your God and religion to yourselves and to your parish, mosque or wherever you go...it is NOT for anyone else, and especially not for public policy.

Happy Thanksgiving

Sorry no posts lately...I was in plane travel/airport hell last week and then I finally made it to the parents homestead in Virginia. Once again it was a comical, irritating, crazy weekend with the family. Where, as modern as we are, the menfolk still watch football and the woman folk still cook in the kitchen all day. I wouldn't mind this so much...all I ask for is the comm0n decency of a 'can I help you with anything?' or a 'is there anything I can do?'. At which point, any of us would decline and say thank you; as we can inevitably do it quicker without you, but still, the offer would be nice. Every year I go through this and every year I say never again. Ah, the joys of family. I say this with all the anger inside my bones, yet, they are my family and I love them and if anything to be thankful for, its them.

Tit for Tat....

As my friend Environmental Republican notes, the Washington Post dropped Ted Ralls political cartoons today after a tastelessly done commentary on the supposed stupidity of everyone who voted for Bush. Although I believe Rall makes some good points, he's even a little wacko for me sometimes...and I'm a crazy liberal (Boo!). Now, to get things all even, I think its high time to fire Ann Coulter from whatever and whever she's published. She makes Rall look like Alan Colmes.

This just in...

My second in line for AFI's top quote list....

"yippee ky-yeah mother-f&*ker"

I hope they aren't trying to keep this 'high-brow'...why am I always on the wrong page!

Can't we all just get along...

This could possibly be the stupidest thing I've ever heard since...well, since last weeks stupid FCC thing with Saving Private Ryan.
I mean, people are offended by that spot yet its ok to watch men beating each other for 3 hours, supposed professional atheletes acting like they won the super bowl after they make a first down and I swear Bill Cowher has at least 50 F-bombs/Sunday that you can read his lips as he is saying them. But we are worried about a stupid skit promoting a show? I mean, I'd be more worried about having my kid watching Terrell Owens act like a complete ass and looking up to him the whole time he's doing it then if they saw Nicollette Sheridens naked back.
And I'm a football fan! Gimmee a break....

Critics lists abound...

In another list out today Bob Dylan is once again crowned.

I was rooting for Sir Mix-a-Lot's Baby Got Back, but Rolling Stone had to go and get all deep and 'influential'.

Frothing at the mouth...

Some people are frothing at the mouth over this incident in which the Iraqi soldier was shot in Falluja. I think we all need to bring it down a notch. Lets wait and see what any investigation might bring up. War is dangerous and scary and confusing and shit happens that isnt necessarily the best situation, but when you are defending your life, seems like the only thing to do. I dont think its in any way comparable to Abu Graib. That prison was a system of sanctioned abuse that took our moral standing in the world and shat all over it (the tell tale sign being the release of hundreds of prisoners the week the scandal broke. I guess they all started 'talking' at the same time). And now...we have all the lower level soldiers...PFC's no less...going to jail for it. Not the higher ups who you know set the policy and ordered the abuse. But didnt you know, this administration supports the 'military man'. Just as long as he has the same politics, is one of their business cronies, refuses to question the operation, lives in a warped reality of sunny side up optimism that insults the intelligence of Americans or listens to Toby Keith. If you dont fit in one of these little categories...you are a coward, traitor, liar, father of an illigetimate black child or war criminal.

Frankly my Dear...

AFI is publishing its list of 100 best movie quotes of all time. My vote is for:
'I don't want to buy anything, sell anything, or process anything. I dont want to buy anything sold or processed, sell anything bought or processed, or process anything bought, sold or processed'.
C'mon, you know it well...Will be posting some of my favorites as I think of them...I think this is one of their most intersting lists yet.

Disgusting...

And it will never end...
As disgusting as the questions were about John Kerry's combat experience, you would think after the election it would have ended...but no. Sean Hannity and NewsMax.com cant seem to let it go...its too fun for them.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200411170005
see this item comparing John Kerry and the recent shooting of an Iraqi man incident in Falluja.
Sean Hannity is to journalism what Taco Bell is to mexican food...overprocessed and fake, yet some people just get a hankering for it.
He doesnt even pretend to not be misleading you. He goes on to say this:
"It was alleged that John Kerry did something similar [to the Marine involved in the Fallujah shooting incident] when he was serving, and the same people that held him up as a hero ... [t]he same people that are criticizing these guys [the Marines involved in the incident] voted for Kerry. ... It's hypocritical."
Hypocritcal? I'll give you hypocritical Sean...How about spouting off all the time on how we should support our troops, how some people are traitors and cowards and how our poor troops are suffering because of lack of support and then tearing down a man that served and defended our country...thats right OUR country...just because you disagree with his politics.

Left hand fighting the right...

The New York Times has a story out today concerning a memo from Porter Goss to his staff...a quote from the memo is as follows:

"I also intend to clarify beyond doubt the rules of the road. We support the administration, and its policies in our work as agency employees. We do not identify with, support or champion opposition to the administration or its policies. We provide the intelligence as we see it -- and let the facts alone speak to the policymaker."

Is it me or is the first half of that statement diametrically opposed to the second half. If you are providing the intelligence only and letting the facts speak for themselves...you should not be supporting or championing anyone. However, if you chose to blindly support the administration (agree or disagree) you are not letting the facts speak for themselves...your support is tantamount to an approval of policy. I agree with the second half. They aren't paid to have an opinion...they are paid for the facts. Support is tantamount to an opinion.

Get out the broom

So many comments around the web concerning all the resignations in the cabinet this past week. The optimist in me says maybe things can change now....then I bitchslap myself back into reality and realize that this is all a setup for things to get worse. No more re-election worries...no VP to worry about re-electing...lets get on with the agenda.
My thoughts before these resignations was that someone was going to be sacrificed to make room for Rudy Guiliani (does anyone know how to spell that damn name). Little did I know how easy it was going to be for him. The man has been out of politics for a while and can't afford to spend another 4 years out of the limelight and then be able to come back into politics as vice presidential or dare I say presidential nominee.
I'm sad to see Powell go, but then again, I lost all respect for him when he sold out to Bush. He should have resigned before ever going to the UN with that 'evidence'. Instead, he sold out and went with it, despite his doubts I suspect, and now look at him...deemed 'unloyal'...which in this administration means offering differing opinions or 'gasp' -- being realistic!

First Posting

This is my first blog posting...I figured I better get one soon or I was going to start driving the local paper in my town crazy with my letters to the editor and such. Probably a better idea since one letter prompted an angry man to crank my house twice in response...gotta get that number out of the phone book.
Random thoughts to follow on all things personal and political...ooohh...I can hardly wait!

A scientific correlation of rudeness and lack of a boyfriend...

So I was talking to a friend the other night and throughout the entire conversation my friend keeps talking to someone else. I don't mean the 'excuse me for a second...Hey John, could you grab me a soda...sorry about that' -- I mean the 'I'm in the middle of a sentence when I hear 'huh, no man just got home from work' stuff. This happens to be a big pet peeve of mine, but even if it wasnt, its still pretty damn rude...
Apparently, I was wrong. Apparently perception of rudeness has a direct correlation with the lack of a boyfriend. I say this because after the 4th or 5th time of the extracurricular talking happened, I finally broke down and said "ya know what...please sequester yourself next time we talk because its really annoying when you talk to someone else"...the response I recieved was...'jeez, you really need to get a man'.
Oh...thats my problem. I see, so if I had a boyfriend, it wouldnt be rude to do that.
Little known scientific fact here people.
I am anticipating the publication of this study any day now in the journals Science and Nature.