I’ve been absent for awhile but this was too good to ignore. The RNC put together a fund raising presentation that, as stated by Steve Pendlebury of AOL News, “lays out a strategy to fan fears that President Barack Obama is moving the country towards socialism”. Now, this really isn’t a surprise. I’ve been ranting and raving about the use of fear mongering and misinformation on the part of the Republican Party for a long, long time. What this does however, is confirm that I’m right. And it’s not a third party confirmation. It’s confirmation by none other than the perpetrators of these actions. It’s really too good to be true. Except of course that the right leaning target audience will remain too stupid to understand what’s happening so little will likely change. But it’s a start.
They split the donor base into two main categories. One is major donors, further defined by “calculated giving”. Among these are “ego driven”, “peer to peer pressure”, “networking opportunities”, “wall of fame”. What does it all mean? Sounds to me like a bunch of rich guys with egos sitting around in a perverse contest of sorts to see who’s the biggest, baddest, republican in town. Could these be those selfish rich folks I’ve been talking about that make up the controlling segment of the party? There are probably some of the misguided ones as well who think they are with the right team. But this isn’t the good part….
The good part is the segment under Direct Marketing. This is further defined by “visceral giving”. Keep in mind that these are contributions based on instinctive “feelings” or reactions. This is not in any way tied to intellect. And the party knows it. They labeled it visceral. Included under visceral giving is “fear”, “extreme negative feeling towards existing administration”, “reactionary”, “issue/circumstantially oriented”. In other words… morons. OK, maybe I’m overstating and oversimplifying. So to be fair, you define them (but I’m sticking with morons).
Now, that’s not all. There’s a great slide that portrays the “Evil Empire”. It’s headed by two of the artistically interpreted (blue and red) photos of Obama that became so famous, one with hope, the other with progress emblazoned below the photo. Surrounding these are; the now infamous shot of Obama as the Joker (Batman) emblazoned with socialism, Grant Wood’s “American Gothic” (which we, as a society, seem to have a lot of fun playing around with) with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid’s faces photo shopped in, a caricature portraying Pelosi as Cruella DeVille (their spelling, not mine), and then Harry Reid as none other than Scooby Doo. Have I not likened the ravings of the Republican Party to what you might hear in an elementary school yard? Scooby Doo? Really? Scooby Doo?
So there you have it. The Republican Party has now gone on record that they are very willing to exploit fear, prey on lack of intellect, turn fundraising into an egomaniacal art form, and best of all, actually use the name Scooby Doo in an official fundraising presentation. Scooby Doo? I’m still a dizzy from laughing so hard. Scooby Doo? There’s a bumper sticker I’m fond of. It says “What would Scooby Doo?” Well, it begs the question… “Just what WOULD Scooby Doo if he could vote?” You tell me…..
Peace,
Common Sense
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
There Will Be Expletives
OK, it’s been awhile and I apologize for that. I’ve been busy vacationing, parenting, working, doing the holidays, etc…. But I’m now pissed off enough to make time. As the title states, there will be expletives so if that offends you get out now. Of course, now that I think of it, there usually are expletives so shit, you knew that when you started reading.
First Massachusetts. What the fuck were they thinking? Now I don’t live there. I also don’t know enough about the candidates to really be firm in my stance on this. What I do know is that we, as a country, have the collective memory of a mentally handicapped goldfish. Now I will never expect Republicans as a whole to acknowledge that they got us into this mess. But some of them do. When a guy like Pat Robertson (now there’s a good topic to blog on) is on record stating that THE MORON is a fuck up there has got to be SOME truth to it right? Of course most of them don’t know the meaning of the word accountability but when a guy takes over the country with no deficit and an unemployment rate of around 4 percent and leaves office with a huge deficit and an unemployment rate over 7 percent there was obviously a problem. Throw in the stock market tanking while we watch our 401Ks and college funds going in the toilet and I’d say it was a pretty dismal performance. In fact, I recently sent an email to the guys in that forum I participate in pointing out that unemployment escalated at a greater rate under THE MORON than it has under Obama. He’s put the brakes on. You know those big ships? When traveling at full speed it takes them an amazingly long time to come to a full stop. Depending on the size of the ship and the speed it’s traveling it can take miles! I’ve read estimates that approach 45 minutes! That seems like a lot to me but the point is the United States of America is not a little pleasure craft. It’s a fucking aircraft carrier! People are pissed that unemployment has hit 10 percent but what they fail to notice is that the escalation rate has slowed. And it will soon start to get better.
So what happened in Massachusetts? Here’s my theory. People are sick and tired of the conditions in this country. They want the economy to improve and they want it to happen now. Yeah, unemployment is now at or just over 10%. And they suffer from that goldfish memory thing. People say that Obama isn’t delivering on his promised change. But congress and the senate aren’t exactly cooperating. And the reason they aren’t cooperating is due to the fact that politicians are only marginally concerned with our interests (most of them anyway). What they are REALLY focused on is their ability to get elected or stay in office. So they bull shit you. They are scared that if that promised change backfires they will lose their cushy jobs. So, little gets done and it gets done slowly. Now, watch what happens. If you thought things were moving slowly before you ain’t seen nothing yet. People allowed THE MORON to screw us for eight years. Now they want Obama to heal us in twelve months. So they elected a Republican. People are impatient and far too often … well…. Stupid.
I could go on and on about change and stagnation and ineptitude but I must move on because as pissed off as I am about the lack of movement on health care reform (which is what I’m most focused on and what is so desperately needed in this country) that is not really what motivated me to start writing again. What did was the Supreme Court decision on corporate campaign spending. Let’s throw this new influence into that political mix.
For years, I have been ranting and raving about this. There is no way a corporation can contribute substantial money to a politician’s campaign and not leave that politician beholden to them. If I were king of the world, politicians would be granted a set amount of campaign funds to be equally divided amongst them. Some form of system would need to be in place to establish the candidate’s viability. If you want a proposition to get on a ballot you collect signatures. Perhaps that’s one way. Garner enough signatures and you become a viable primary candidate. Win a primary and you become a viable candidate for office. But all candidates from day one should have equal resources. If they don’t it’s not an election. It’s a marketing campaign. Ron Popeil has made a fortune but do you want him running the country?
Now, the Supreme Court, in their infinite conservative wisdom, have decided that corporations and labor unions should be allowed to pump MORE money into a candidate. I’m sorry, but if this doesn’t piss you off something is wrong. This is the most blatantly partisan decision since the “appointment” of THE MORON to the Presidency! I don’t like absolutes as I believe it’s hard to be one hundred percent sure about anything but I’m absolutely sure this was NOT the vision our founding fathers had in mind. It says “We the people”, not “We the corporate entities”. This is NOT a ruling consistent with the ideals of a democratic republic. This is consistent with a corrupt, manipulative, communist regime. This promotes propaganda as a means to power. This enables big business to buy the favor of our politicians. Corporate America is about financial profit. The lust for profit is far too likely to breed exploitation and it should not be allowed to influence political outcomes. This blatantly screams that we are not in fact run by our government but by the most powerful, cash rich, corporations throughout the country. This should not be tolerated.
I was born in 1955. I remember the protests against the war in Viet Nam. I remember women burning their bras and men burning their draft cards. I remember when “we the people” got off our collective asses and screamed bloody murder when opposed to policy or dated tradition. Well, it’s time. This country needs to send a message that we are fucking fed up. What are YOU doing about it? I have an acquaintance who says he refuses to vote for the “lesser of two evils” so he doesn’t vote. Well, he’s part of the problem. Frankly, I think voting should be a requirement of citizenship. If you don’t want to vote, get the fuck out. You’re not helping us or yourself.
What are YOU doing about it? I’ll say it again… What are YOU doing about it? I’m blogging about it. I’m also calling my Congressman and my Senators. And I’m doing it more and more regularly as I get more and more fed up. The conservatives had their stupid “Tea Baggers” (more like Douche Baggers”) thing going. I think it’s time we started a movement and we should call it “We The People”. Here’s another thing I will guarantee. Corporate money will do nothing for “we the people”. Corporate money will enhance the power and profitability of “them the corporation”.
It’s hard to express how pissed off I am about this. I’m seething. We can make this convenient. To be a member of “We The People” you don’t have to march on Washington. You don’t have to stand on a street corner with a megaphone. You don’t have to circulate literature around your neighborhoods. You don’t have to plan and attend meetings. You don’t even have to contribute money (although every penny counts… especially now…. I try to donate what I can to the candidates and party of my choice). All you have to do is participate. Send a message by promising yourself you will do the necessary research and vote in every election. And CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES when you question policy or procedure. It is easy as hell to do and there are no excuses not to. Almost all of us have cell phones and many of those offer unlimited long distance. Many traditional landline phone plans offer it too. And there are toll free alternatives. And local offices with local numbers (although I like to call Washington… it just feels like it has more impact). But it’s EASY. Just “Google” your representatives and you will get their contact info. It will provide you with phone numbers. It will also allow you to send an email if you prefer to write. And if you are so apathetic that you don’t know who your congressman is (you have one) or your senators are (you have two) you can Google that too. Google US Congressman with your home town. Google US Senators with your home state. You can even Google “how do I find my congressman/senator”. Just do it and contact them. You think it’s bad now? Just wait. I won’t get into whether or not you want to see off-shore drilling but do you want Exxon-Mobile making the decision? What about interest rates? Would you like to see the banking industry having a hand in determining those? Health insurance? You want insurance companies legislating that? How about the AFL-CIO determining wage levels? Although I will say that in my humble opinion pitting unions against corporations is like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Who’s got more money? The UAW or Ford? In fact, I’m guessing the five conservative justices included unions to justify the ruling. It’s like saying we’re going to let mining companies AND the Jones family prospect in Yellowstone. Never mind that the Jones family will be digging with table spoons.
Wake up people. If we don’t act, nothing will get done. Think of it this way (I like extreme analogies because it makes even the most narcoleptic audience wake up). If I’m a politician soliciting campaign funds from the banking industry and I promise them I will do everything I possibly can do to decriminalize fraud by that industry are they going to give me money? You bet your ass they will. How much money am I going to get if I promise to do everything I can to put a leash on the bastards and stop them from ripping off the American people? Nada. Is this how you want your future decided? Pick up the fucking phone.
Peace,
Common Sense
First Massachusetts. What the fuck were they thinking? Now I don’t live there. I also don’t know enough about the candidates to really be firm in my stance on this. What I do know is that we, as a country, have the collective memory of a mentally handicapped goldfish. Now I will never expect Republicans as a whole to acknowledge that they got us into this mess. But some of them do. When a guy like Pat Robertson (now there’s a good topic to blog on) is on record stating that THE MORON is a fuck up there has got to be SOME truth to it right? Of course most of them don’t know the meaning of the word accountability but when a guy takes over the country with no deficit and an unemployment rate of around 4 percent and leaves office with a huge deficit and an unemployment rate over 7 percent there was obviously a problem. Throw in the stock market tanking while we watch our 401Ks and college funds going in the toilet and I’d say it was a pretty dismal performance. In fact, I recently sent an email to the guys in that forum I participate in pointing out that unemployment escalated at a greater rate under THE MORON than it has under Obama. He’s put the brakes on. You know those big ships? When traveling at full speed it takes them an amazingly long time to come to a full stop. Depending on the size of the ship and the speed it’s traveling it can take miles! I’ve read estimates that approach 45 minutes! That seems like a lot to me but the point is the United States of America is not a little pleasure craft. It’s a fucking aircraft carrier! People are pissed that unemployment has hit 10 percent but what they fail to notice is that the escalation rate has slowed. And it will soon start to get better.
So what happened in Massachusetts? Here’s my theory. People are sick and tired of the conditions in this country. They want the economy to improve and they want it to happen now. Yeah, unemployment is now at or just over 10%. And they suffer from that goldfish memory thing. People say that Obama isn’t delivering on his promised change. But congress and the senate aren’t exactly cooperating. And the reason they aren’t cooperating is due to the fact that politicians are only marginally concerned with our interests (most of them anyway). What they are REALLY focused on is their ability to get elected or stay in office. So they bull shit you. They are scared that if that promised change backfires they will lose their cushy jobs. So, little gets done and it gets done slowly. Now, watch what happens. If you thought things were moving slowly before you ain’t seen nothing yet. People allowed THE MORON to screw us for eight years. Now they want Obama to heal us in twelve months. So they elected a Republican. People are impatient and far too often … well…. Stupid.
I could go on and on about change and stagnation and ineptitude but I must move on because as pissed off as I am about the lack of movement on health care reform (which is what I’m most focused on and what is so desperately needed in this country) that is not really what motivated me to start writing again. What did was the Supreme Court decision on corporate campaign spending. Let’s throw this new influence into that political mix.
For years, I have been ranting and raving about this. There is no way a corporation can contribute substantial money to a politician’s campaign and not leave that politician beholden to them. If I were king of the world, politicians would be granted a set amount of campaign funds to be equally divided amongst them. Some form of system would need to be in place to establish the candidate’s viability. If you want a proposition to get on a ballot you collect signatures. Perhaps that’s one way. Garner enough signatures and you become a viable primary candidate. Win a primary and you become a viable candidate for office. But all candidates from day one should have equal resources. If they don’t it’s not an election. It’s a marketing campaign. Ron Popeil has made a fortune but do you want him running the country?
Now, the Supreme Court, in their infinite conservative wisdom, have decided that corporations and labor unions should be allowed to pump MORE money into a candidate. I’m sorry, but if this doesn’t piss you off something is wrong. This is the most blatantly partisan decision since the “appointment” of THE MORON to the Presidency! I don’t like absolutes as I believe it’s hard to be one hundred percent sure about anything but I’m absolutely sure this was NOT the vision our founding fathers had in mind. It says “We the people”, not “We the corporate entities”. This is NOT a ruling consistent with the ideals of a democratic republic. This is consistent with a corrupt, manipulative, communist regime. This promotes propaganda as a means to power. This enables big business to buy the favor of our politicians. Corporate America is about financial profit. The lust for profit is far too likely to breed exploitation and it should not be allowed to influence political outcomes. This blatantly screams that we are not in fact run by our government but by the most powerful, cash rich, corporations throughout the country. This should not be tolerated.
I was born in 1955. I remember the protests against the war in Viet Nam. I remember women burning their bras and men burning their draft cards. I remember when “we the people” got off our collective asses and screamed bloody murder when opposed to policy or dated tradition. Well, it’s time. This country needs to send a message that we are fucking fed up. What are YOU doing about it? I have an acquaintance who says he refuses to vote for the “lesser of two evils” so he doesn’t vote. Well, he’s part of the problem. Frankly, I think voting should be a requirement of citizenship. If you don’t want to vote, get the fuck out. You’re not helping us or yourself.
What are YOU doing about it? I’ll say it again… What are YOU doing about it? I’m blogging about it. I’m also calling my Congressman and my Senators. And I’m doing it more and more regularly as I get more and more fed up. The conservatives had their stupid “Tea Baggers” (more like Douche Baggers”) thing going. I think it’s time we started a movement and we should call it “We The People”. Here’s another thing I will guarantee. Corporate money will do nothing for “we the people”. Corporate money will enhance the power and profitability of “them the corporation”.
It’s hard to express how pissed off I am about this. I’m seething. We can make this convenient. To be a member of “We The People” you don’t have to march on Washington. You don’t have to stand on a street corner with a megaphone. You don’t have to circulate literature around your neighborhoods. You don’t have to plan and attend meetings. You don’t even have to contribute money (although every penny counts… especially now…. I try to donate what I can to the candidates and party of my choice). All you have to do is participate. Send a message by promising yourself you will do the necessary research and vote in every election. And CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES when you question policy or procedure. It is easy as hell to do and there are no excuses not to. Almost all of us have cell phones and many of those offer unlimited long distance. Many traditional landline phone plans offer it too. And there are toll free alternatives. And local offices with local numbers (although I like to call Washington… it just feels like it has more impact). But it’s EASY. Just “Google” your representatives and you will get their contact info. It will provide you with phone numbers. It will also allow you to send an email if you prefer to write. And if you are so apathetic that you don’t know who your congressman is (you have one) or your senators are (you have two) you can Google that too. Google US Congressman with your home town. Google US Senators with your home state. You can even Google “how do I find my congressman/senator”. Just do it and contact them. You think it’s bad now? Just wait. I won’t get into whether or not you want to see off-shore drilling but do you want Exxon-Mobile making the decision? What about interest rates? Would you like to see the banking industry having a hand in determining those? Health insurance? You want insurance companies legislating that? How about the AFL-CIO determining wage levels? Although I will say that in my humble opinion pitting unions against corporations is like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Who’s got more money? The UAW or Ford? In fact, I’m guessing the five conservative justices included unions to justify the ruling. It’s like saying we’re going to let mining companies AND the Jones family prospect in Yellowstone. Never mind that the Jones family will be digging with table spoons.
Wake up people. If we don’t act, nothing will get done. Think of it this way (I like extreme analogies because it makes even the most narcoleptic audience wake up). If I’m a politician soliciting campaign funds from the banking industry and I promise them I will do everything I possibly can do to decriminalize fraud by that industry are they going to give me money? You bet your ass they will. How much money am I going to get if I promise to do everything I can to put a leash on the bastards and stop them from ripping off the American people? Nada. Is this how you want your future decided? Pick up the fucking phone.
Peace,
Common Sense
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The Wandering Eye of the Tiger…
OK, I just have to comment on this whole Tiger Woods thing. Now, I’m not going to render judgment. We are all human beings subject to our personal faults, foibles, and demons. I heard a great saying once. “I’m a perfect human being. I make mistakes, therefore I am a perfect human being”. We all do it. Some of them are bigger than others but we all make our share of mistakes (although I will say… 13 women? And we may not be done counting! WTF was he thinking?).
What I do want to talk about is how fed up I am with the arrogance of these athletes and celebrities. When Tiger first got busted, he made some lame ass apology and then chided the media for not affording him any privacy. Well, excuse the hell out of us Tiger. I was of the impression that those billion dollars you have banked were a direct result of the public’s interest in you. I don’t think any of those sponsors would be coughing up the big bucks for ME to endorse their products (not yet anyway… but who knows?). I’m not convinced you can have it both ways. If you’re going to garner all that attention, then you can’t shut us out when the going gets tough.
These excessively rich celebrities have gotten a tad out of control don’t you think? They have all this money because we, as consumers, are willing to spend on their movies, their sporting events, and the products they endorse. Without our interest (money) they would be making an average wage. So if we want to know just how many women Tiger is boning I think we have a right to know. We have a right to know if Barry Bonds is juicing. We have a right to know if Tom Cruise is nuts. This right to know is generated by our financing of their multi-million dollar life styles. If they don’t like the negative attention that goes along with the positive attention they should quit and find jobs with a lower profile.
Another thing that’s been bugging me… what’s up with the Escalade smashing into the fire hydrant? If you or I had done that, would there not have been an immediate test for impairment? How did Tiger get out of a breathalyzer? Why did the prosecutor decide there was not enough “evidence” to pursue the issue? Is driving your car into a hydrant, THEN a tree not evidence enough? I don’t think sober people do that! I mean, I can see the hydrant OR the tree… but both? Come on!
It’s our fault. We have allowed this to happen by supporting these industries. Are you going to tell me that Jennifer Anniston has more value to society than the men and women who teach our children? Police officers? Members of the armed forces? Is an athlete who barely maintains the necessary GPA to graduate worth the millions of dollars they will rake in over their careers? Are you telling me Kobe Bryant deserves to be paid more than a soldier on the front lines defending our freedom? There really is something perverse about that. I have no respect for Kobe the person. I respect his ability but is it worth millions?
These people who make their fortunes from our adulation of them, or the industries they work in need to take a long hard look at themselves. Where is the gratitude? I was at a Sonics game once and Brett Boone, the former Mariner was sitting in front of us. We had GREAT seats positioned right on the rail behind the courtside seats (which is of course where he was). Well, at halftime, there was a line extending all the way up to the entrance to the section of people wanting his autograph. He stood there in front of us and signed each and every one of them with a smile on his face. I was chatting with him and mentioned that he was showing some serious class by accommodating all those people. His response was something like “they buy tickets so I see this as part of the gig”. Of course there was later suspicion cast on his use of steroids so he too had his issues. But at least he seemed to “get it”. He wasn’t arrogant.
Frankly, I’m sick of these guys. There are people, GOOD people, starving in our country and arrogant, ungrateful, assholes are living in mansions because they are good at a game or look good in front of a camera. Where is the logic in that? Yeah, I understand. We live in a free market economy so you charge what the market will bear. So it’s really our fault. We cultivated this culture of arrogance and disdain by those we strive to emulate and follow. It’s up to us to stop it. But we won’t. Because we love our leisure time and are constantly looking for ways to fill it. Movies and sports are part of that. But it sucks. And so does Tiger.
This Tiger scandal isn’t just about Tiger and his family. This arrogant SOB’s actions will have a huge ripple effect that emanates outward from Tiger, through his family and friends, the world of golf, corporate America, and ultimately, the fans and CHILDREN who followed his incredible feats on the golf course. Tiger didn’t just let his family down. He spit in the face of America, the place that afforded him this amazing opportunity. His actions will affect the sizes of tournament purses, the ability to obtain sponsors for tournaments, his fellow golf professionals, the revenues of the companies he endorsed, the perceptions of fans towards athletes, and sends a message to the youth of America that it’s OK to act like an asshole. Yeah, we all make mistakes, but this one was HUGE. You know who I really feel sorry for? Tiger’s mother. She must be devastated. I feel sorry for Elin and the kids too. But they will walk away with millions. A mother is attached through blood and emotion for life.
But here’s the real rub. Tiger will be back if he wants to be. And when he comes back he will win again. And society will tolerate it because we always do. I tell my kids that they are going to screw up. And they will be judged in part by those screw ups. But they will be judged even more by how they recover from them. When we screw up, we need to own up to it. We need to apologize. We need to prove through our actions that we are genuinely sorry for what we did and not just for getting caught. We need to use our mistakes as tools that make us better people. It will be interesting to see what Tiger does in the months to come. I read a piece by Jay Mariotti today in which he opines that Tiger will NOT be able to recover from this. I tend to agree. Not because it isn’t possible but because I don’t think Tiger possesses the humility necessary for a recovery from a screw up of this magnitude. Tiger has made himself a target for ridicule. He doesn’t like being a target. But he’d better get used to it.
Peace,
Common Sense
What I do want to talk about is how fed up I am with the arrogance of these athletes and celebrities. When Tiger first got busted, he made some lame ass apology and then chided the media for not affording him any privacy. Well, excuse the hell out of us Tiger. I was of the impression that those billion dollars you have banked were a direct result of the public’s interest in you. I don’t think any of those sponsors would be coughing up the big bucks for ME to endorse their products (not yet anyway… but who knows?). I’m not convinced you can have it both ways. If you’re going to garner all that attention, then you can’t shut us out when the going gets tough.
These excessively rich celebrities have gotten a tad out of control don’t you think? They have all this money because we, as consumers, are willing to spend on their movies, their sporting events, and the products they endorse. Without our interest (money) they would be making an average wage. So if we want to know just how many women Tiger is boning I think we have a right to know. We have a right to know if Barry Bonds is juicing. We have a right to know if Tom Cruise is nuts. This right to know is generated by our financing of their multi-million dollar life styles. If they don’t like the negative attention that goes along with the positive attention they should quit and find jobs with a lower profile.
Another thing that’s been bugging me… what’s up with the Escalade smashing into the fire hydrant? If you or I had done that, would there not have been an immediate test for impairment? How did Tiger get out of a breathalyzer? Why did the prosecutor decide there was not enough “evidence” to pursue the issue? Is driving your car into a hydrant, THEN a tree not evidence enough? I don’t think sober people do that! I mean, I can see the hydrant OR the tree… but both? Come on!
It’s our fault. We have allowed this to happen by supporting these industries. Are you going to tell me that Jennifer Anniston has more value to society than the men and women who teach our children? Police officers? Members of the armed forces? Is an athlete who barely maintains the necessary GPA to graduate worth the millions of dollars they will rake in over their careers? Are you telling me Kobe Bryant deserves to be paid more than a soldier on the front lines defending our freedom? There really is something perverse about that. I have no respect for Kobe the person. I respect his ability but is it worth millions?
These people who make their fortunes from our adulation of them, or the industries they work in need to take a long hard look at themselves. Where is the gratitude? I was at a Sonics game once and Brett Boone, the former Mariner was sitting in front of us. We had GREAT seats positioned right on the rail behind the courtside seats (which is of course where he was). Well, at halftime, there was a line extending all the way up to the entrance to the section of people wanting his autograph. He stood there in front of us and signed each and every one of them with a smile on his face. I was chatting with him and mentioned that he was showing some serious class by accommodating all those people. His response was something like “they buy tickets so I see this as part of the gig”. Of course there was later suspicion cast on his use of steroids so he too had his issues. But at least he seemed to “get it”. He wasn’t arrogant.
Frankly, I’m sick of these guys. There are people, GOOD people, starving in our country and arrogant, ungrateful, assholes are living in mansions because they are good at a game or look good in front of a camera. Where is the logic in that? Yeah, I understand. We live in a free market economy so you charge what the market will bear. So it’s really our fault. We cultivated this culture of arrogance and disdain by those we strive to emulate and follow. It’s up to us to stop it. But we won’t. Because we love our leisure time and are constantly looking for ways to fill it. Movies and sports are part of that. But it sucks. And so does Tiger.
This Tiger scandal isn’t just about Tiger and his family. This arrogant SOB’s actions will have a huge ripple effect that emanates outward from Tiger, through his family and friends, the world of golf, corporate America, and ultimately, the fans and CHILDREN who followed his incredible feats on the golf course. Tiger didn’t just let his family down. He spit in the face of America, the place that afforded him this amazing opportunity. His actions will affect the sizes of tournament purses, the ability to obtain sponsors for tournaments, his fellow golf professionals, the revenues of the companies he endorsed, the perceptions of fans towards athletes, and sends a message to the youth of America that it’s OK to act like an asshole. Yeah, we all make mistakes, but this one was HUGE. You know who I really feel sorry for? Tiger’s mother. She must be devastated. I feel sorry for Elin and the kids too. But they will walk away with millions. A mother is attached through blood and emotion for life.
But here’s the real rub. Tiger will be back if he wants to be. And when he comes back he will win again. And society will tolerate it because we always do. I tell my kids that they are going to screw up. And they will be judged in part by those screw ups. But they will be judged even more by how they recover from them. When we screw up, we need to own up to it. We need to apologize. We need to prove through our actions that we are genuinely sorry for what we did and not just for getting caught. We need to use our mistakes as tools that make us better people. It will be interesting to see what Tiger does in the months to come. I read a piece by Jay Mariotti today in which he opines that Tiger will NOT be able to recover from this. I tend to agree. Not because it isn’t possible but because I don’t think Tiger possesses the humility necessary for a recovery from a screw up of this magnitude. Tiger has made himself a target for ridicule. He doesn’t like being a target. But he’d better get used to it.
Peace,
Common Sense
Monday, November 30, 2009
Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?
A close friend of mine sent me an interesting article today (thank you Young Tim… even though you ain’t that young anymore…). Yes, it’s an op-ed piece. But it’s written by a gentleman named Paul Krugman. You can read up on Paul here http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/paulkrugman/index.html?inline=nyt-per but among other things he is a Nobel Prize winner in economics. He also has a PhD from MIT. His academic achievements and proof of his overall intelligence are well documented in the brief bio referenced above. In short, he is a brilliant man and I am very proud to say that the article sent by Young Tim validates what I have stated here before. Of course, Dr. Krugman is more articulate and less emotional in his discourse but his message is the same. The Republican Party has degenerated into an immature pack of whining juveniles who will stop at nothing to get their toys back.
Here is a link to the piece in its entirety. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/opinion/05krugman.html What Dr. Krugman basically states is that the GOP will utilize lies and deception to regain power. He tells how this is bad for America because they will oppose sound policy just because it comes from the left and a win from the left is a loss to the right (even if it’s a win for America). The tragedy is that it used to be what he refers to as “one of our great political parties”. But its downfall is a direct result of its domination by “radicals”. Where have we heard this before? Why, here of course! I have ranted and raved that the party is imploding from within. I recently stated that although I knew several delusional radical right wingers, I couldn’t think of one that I personally knew on the left side of the fulcrum. I’ve stated point blank that the health care debate is no longer about what’s good for us, but about the right wing desperately fighting Obama in an attempt to discredit HIM, not support what’s good for US. But Dr. Krugman is far more eloquent than I could ever be so read what he says about this and then come back here and we’ll finish up!
OK. Are you back? Good. Then I can continue….
First, let’s talk about immaturity. Frankly, I love it. My favorite saying is that I can do nothing about growing old but I can choose to remain immature forever. I’ve been saying that for a long time but I recently learned that it was attributable to someone of note but I can’t recall who (Oscar Wilde maybe). I don’t want to lay claim to the quote. But I use it regularly. Immaturity keeps me young. And the guys I hang out with tend to be on the immature side. We tease each other about the most juvenile things. “You’re ugly”. “You’re weak”. “You’re stupid”. “Nice car. My grandma had one”. “You have a tiny penis”. It goes on and on, sometimes to the point where an outsider would think we are a bunch of fifth graders. So how can I use immaturity as a club against conservatism you ask? Well let me tell you!
The people I hang with are RESPONSIBLE. If they are in a business meeting with their boss, and the boss wants them to do something that they recognize is good for the company but might not be good for their personal ideology they don’t tell the boss that implementation of that plan will result in the employees developing explosive diarrhea that they will rub all over the bosses office. If one of us faces a personal problem with our children my friends will offer what they consider to be sound advice, not jump up and down chanting “my kids are smarter than yoooour kids” while gloating over their superior child rearing abilities. If one of our dogs dies we aren’t “consoled” with wise cracks like “I didn’t like that leg humpin’ mongrel anyway”. Yes, we are immature. But we are not immature when immaturity would be inappropriate. This is what differentiates us from the GOP.
What else does this article validate? Well, it goes a long way towards bolstering my observation that the most intelligent people I know tend to be Democrats. Dr. Krugman didn’t earn a PhD from MIT by telling his professors that his penis was bigger than their penes (yes, that’s the plural… look it up). Shit, you don’t get into MIT unless you’re smarter than the average Joe. Earning your PhD there must be brutal! Now just to go on record, I don’t know for sure that Dr. Krugman is in fact a democrat. For all I know he might be a conservative who is concerned about how his party has de-evolved. But having read his article I think it’s a safe bet that he’s left of center don’t you?
Now please recognize that I do not, nor have I ever stated that all conservatives are stupid. It’s not true. I will reiterate that I place conservatives into three categories. Those that truly believe that the party’s tenets are better for America and believe it based on fact. I feel they are wrong. I feel they are disillusioned. Possibly misled. But they aren’t stupid. However, it has been my experience that they are “business smart”. They know how to make a buck. They know how to run a business. They do not necessarily know the arts, science, philosophy, etc. But they aren’t stupid.
Then there are the greedy sons of bitches who just want to maximize their own wealth and well being. They don’t give a shit about anyone else, other than those that can contribute to that wealth and well being (other greedy sons of bitches). They don’t really give a shit if other Americans are starving, homeless, or dropping dead for lack of health care. The ends justify the means so as long as the ends includes a continuation of their preferred life style the rest of us can go fuck ourselves.
What’s left is the majority of Republicans. They are the morons. I’ve addressed them before but basically, they have consumed the Kool-Aid and continue to vote against their own best interest. This is where Republicans have historically outflanked Democrats. They have a superior propaganda machine and they are far more willing to lie as long as it gets them what they want. “Death Panels” is the penultimate example. The Republicans are willing to claim their proposed existence and the morons of the party believe it. ‘Nuff said.
This is getting long so let me tell you what about Dr. Krugman most excites me (and to my friends, let me jump ahead of you by stating up front that it isn’t the size of his testicles). What most excites me is that Dr. Krugman earned his PhD and Nobel Prize in economics. It sends a message that not all of those business savvy individuals are on the right side of the political spectrum. And through that message we can all garner hope that the GOP as we know it will continue to destroy itself without any help from the rest of us and that America will still survive because we won’t forfeit our economic wisdom. There will still be people available with the knowledge to guide us in that arena who are also willing to care for ALL of our citizens, not just the rich and powerful. In closing, I know for a fact that Rush, Coulter, Beck, and Hannity do NOT hold a PhD from MIT. But I suspect they hold each others' itty bitty wieners (especially Coulter’s).
Peace,
Common Sense
Here is a link to the piece in its entirety. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/opinion/05krugman.html What Dr. Krugman basically states is that the GOP will utilize lies and deception to regain power. He tells how this is bad for America because they will oppose sound policy just because it comes from the left and a win from the left is a loss to the right (even if it’s a win for America). The tragedy is that it used to be what he refers to as “one of our great political parties”. But its downfall is a direct result of its domination by “radicals”. Where have we heard this before? Why, here of course! I have ranted and raved that the party is imploding from within. I recently stated that although I knew several delusional radical right wingers, I couldn’t think of one that I personally knew on the left side of the fulcrum. I’ve stated point blank that the health care debate is no longer about what’s good for us, but about the right wing desperately fighting Obama in an attempt to discredit HIM, not support what’s good for US. But Dr. Krugman is far more eloquent than I could ever be so read what he says about this and then come back here and we’ll finish up!
OK. Are you back? Good. Then I can continue….
First, let’s talk about immaturity. Frankly, I love it. My favorite saying is that I can do nothing about growing old but I can choose to remain immature forever. I’ve been saying that for a long time but I recently learned that it was attributable to someone of note but I can’t recall who (Oscar Wilde maybe). I don’t want to lay claim to the quote. But I use it regularly. Immaturity keeps me young. And the guys I hang out with tend to be on the immature side. We tease each other about the most juvenile things. “You’re ugly”. “You’re weak”. “You’re stupid”. “Nice car. My grandma had one”. “You have a tiny penis”. It goes on and on, sometimes to the point where an outsider would think we are a bunch of fifth graders. So how can I use immaturity as a club against conservatism you ask? Well let me tell you!
The people I hang with are RESPONSIBLE. If they are in a business meeting with their boss, and the boss wants them to do something that they recognize is good for the company but might not be good for their personal ideology they don’t tell the boss that implementation of that plan will result in the employees developing explosive diarrhea that they will rub all over the bosses office. If one of us faces a personal problem with our children my friends will offer what they consider to be sound advice, not jump up and down chanting “my kids are smarter than yoooour kids” while gloating over their superior child rearing abilities. If one of our dogs dies we aren’t “consoled” with wise cracks like “I didn’t like that leg humpin’ mongrel anyway”. Yes, we are immature. But we are not immature when immaturity would be inappropriate. This is what differentiates us from the GOP.
What else does this article validate? Well, it goes a long way towards bolstering my observation that the most intelligent people I know tend to be Democrats. Dr. Krugman didn’t earn a PhD from MIT by telling his professors that his penis was bigger than their penes (yes, that’s the plural… look it up). Shit, you don’t get into MIT unless you’re smarter than the average Joe. Earning your PhD there must be brutal! Now just to go on record, I don’t know for sure that Dr. Krugman is in fact a democrat. For all I know he might be a conservative who is concerned about how his party has de-evolved. But having read his article I think it’s a safe bet that he’s left of center don’t you?
Now please recognize that I do not, nor have I ever stated that all conservatives are stupid. It’s not true. I will reiterate that I place conservatives into three categories. Those that truly believe that the party’s tenets are better for America and believe it based on fact. I feel they are wrong. I feel they are disillusioned. Possibly misled. But they aren’t stupid. However, it has been my experience that they are “business smart”. They know how to make a buck. They know how to run a business. They do not necessarily know the arts, science, philosophy, etc. But they aren’t stupid.
Then there are the greedy sons of bitches who just want to maximize their own wealth and well being. They don’t give a shit about anyone else, other than those that can contribute to that wealth and well being (other greedy sons of bitches). They don’t really give a shit if other Americans are starving, homeless, or dropping dead for lack of health care. The ends justify the means so as long as the ends includes a continuation of their preferred life style the rest of us can go fuck ourselves.
What’s left is the majority of Republicans. They are the morons. I’ve addressed them before but basically, they have consumed the Kool-Aid and continue to vote against their own best interest. This is where Republicans have historically outflanked Democrats. They have a superior propaganda machine and they are far more willing to lie as long as it gets them what they want. “Death Panels” is the penultimate example. The Republicans are willing to claim their proposed existence and the morons of the party believe it. ‘Nuff said.
This is getting long so let me tell you what about Dr. Krugman most excites me (and to my friends, let me jump ahead of you by stating up front that it isn’t the size of his testicles). What most excites me is that Dr. Krugman earned his PhD and Nobel Prize in economics. It sends a message that not all of those business savvy individuals are on the right side of the political spectrum. And through that message we can all garner hope that the GOP as we know it will continue to destroy itself without any help from the rest of us and that America will still survive because we won’t forfeit our economic wisdom. There will still be people available with the knowledge to guide us in that arena who are also willing to care for ALL of our citizens, not just the rich and powerful. In closing, I know for a fact that Rush, Coulter, Beck, and Hannity do NOT hold a PhD from MIT. But I suspect they hold each others' itty bitty wieners (especially Coulter’s).
Peace,
Common Sense
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Beware The Dreaded Scales of Doom….And the Semi Naked Baristas Too
Some things just amaze me. I was watching the 11:00 news tonight and they were sensationalizing two problems that appear to have absolutely no effect on anyone. It both amused and annoyed the hell out of me. They had devoted two segments of time to nothing. I mean nothing. It fits right in with my post on FOX yesterday. But it wasn’t FOX. It was KOMO News 4. What did they cover you ask? Well let me tell you…
Some consumer advocate reporter guy went to Sea-Tac airport to expose the inaccuracies of the scales used to weigh your baggage. They are apparently regulated by the state Board Of Weights And Measures. The board however says that they are supposed to be notified if any scales show inaccuracies or don’t reset to zero. Plus, any malfunctioning scales should immediately be taken out of service. So of course, I’m expecting to see the uncovering of a huge rip off. As you all know, airlines are charging for checked baggage now. There is a 50 pound limit on each bag and if you go over you pay extra. The fee ranged from 39 bucks (either Northwest or Southwest, I don’t recall) to a whopping 125 bucks charged by those “friendly” skies of United.
So, Consumer Advocate Guy goes to “Chief Scale Guy” at the Board of Weights and Measures. They rig a bag with dumbbells and socks (yeah, dumbbells and socks… and I think a teddy bear… I didn’t get it either) so it weighs 50 pounds. Then Consumer Advocate Guy goes to the airport and starts checking on scales. To everyone’s horror there are a big bunch of scales that don’t reset to zero. These scales are supposed to be reported and taken out of service remember. But shame on the airlines. They haven’t followed procedure and have left those thieving monstrosities in operation. In almost every case, the number they reset to was the difference in the registered weight. In other words, if the scale reset to 1.5 pounds, the bag weighed in at 51.5 pounds. Reset to 2 pounds and the bag weighed in at 52 pounds. In some cases, the scales reset to a negative. But there too, if it reset to -1 pound, the bag weighed in at 49 pounds. You get the picture. It’s like a set up! A huge conspiracy to rip us off even more than the charge of the checked bag fee.
Except it didn’t happen. In fact, Consumer Advocate Guy even stated that there were NO instances where the airline was going to charge. He even tried to goad someone into charging him. The scale reset to 2.5, the bag weighed in at 52.5, and he point blank stated “Uh oh… you’re going to charge me aren’t you”. The ticket agent said “Nah, 52.5 is OK”. It was like watching a poorly scripted comedy skit. WTF is KOMO thinking? Are they ripping a page from the FOX News playbook and trying to inflame the masses with this huge problem of inaccurate measures at the airport? This is news? “Hey everybody! The airlines are putting themselves into a position where they could rip you off…. If they wanted to… but apparently they don’t want to… so they’re not ripping you off”! Is this pathetic or what?
So, on to the next item. There was a coffee stand that operated not far from my son’s high school. My daughter is in middle school now but when she was in elementary, it was right on the way when I dropped her off. It was an independent drive through that sat in a gas station lot. I like independents. They represent the American way. The little guy trying to take down Starbucks a few notches. Plus, I’m boycotting Starbucks since their head honcho Howard Schultz sold our Sonics to a scumbag from Oklahoma City and to no ones amazement they moved the team to Oklahoma City (they’re the Thunder now). Well, it either went under or they sold it because suddenly it became a framework of 2x4’s. But it was there for quite awhile. My wife and I bought quite a few lattes there when we took the kids to school. It operated for years without any apparent problems and no one batted an eye.
Well, it’s back. But it’s changed hands. Ironically, I actually saw it today because I had to attend a meeting at my son’s school and drove right by. It’s now “Knotty Bodies Espresso”. The baristas (one who makes and serves coffee drinks for you non Seattle people… I think we drink more coffee here that the entire population of Columbia) are attractive young women in bikini tops and thongs. Well, the locals are up in arms! The news covered the story and showed the throngs at City Hall threatening to boycott the place and the gas station it sits in. And you guessed it… there are suddenly “permitting problems” that might hamper its operation. They are saying it isn’t even legal to drive through and get coffee! You need to walk through. Funny how the last place didn’t have any permitting problems isn’t it? It’s the same shack with a different exterior in the same location. I guess the last one got lucky and operated illegally for 5 or more years.
But here’s the fun part. When I drove by, there was a guy with a camera who I assumed was taking promo shots for the grand opening or something. Wrong. Some genius had the idea that it would discourage people to frequent the place if there was a threat that their picture might suddenly pop up on the Internet buying coffee from some babe in a bikini. Is this person living in an alternative universe? Shit, I’ve been really laying off the coffee lately but I plan on cruising through the place tomorrow on the off chance that I may become an Internet sensation. I’ll even wave at the camera! I might even wave more than one finger!
So what we have here is a classic example of the media fueling the moronic masses into a frenzy over what isn’t really news at all. The last time I checked public nudity laws didn’t cover bikinis. They covered nudity. Here’s a suggestion. If you don’t want to buy your coffee from a babe in a bikini…. STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM THE PLACE! Oh yeah, they are trying to bolster their case because the gas station, and therefore the bikini babes, sits near a park. Of course the only window to the joint is facing away from the direction of the park. And it’s a little window (even though some wimpy Mama’s boy who likely was wearing a pocket protector referred to it as a “fish bowl”… trust me, it’s not). So of course anyone under the age of 18 who happens to catch a glimpse of these bikini babes is destined to a life of sexual perversion. Why? Because they aren’t at the beach! It’s common knowledge that seeing a bikini babe at the beach is OK but that if you remove the bikini babe from the beach she becomes a Medusa that drives our youth into a life of crime and debauchery. You didn’t know that? Just ask Rush Limbaugh. He’ll explain it to you if he isn’t too wasted on Oxy. This kind of stuff drives me nuts!
Look for me on the Internet. I’ll be holding a quad grande non-fat latte and sporting a “shit eatin’ grin”. Oh, I might have a finger up too.
Peace,
Common Sense
Some consumer advocate reporter guy went to Sea-Tac airport to expose the inaccuracies of the scales used to weigh your baggage. They are apparently regulated by the state Board Of Weights And Measures. The board however says that they are supposed to be notified if any scales show inaccuracies or don’t reset to zero. Plus, any malfunctioning scales should immediately be taken out of service. So of course, I’m expecting to see the uncovering of a huge rip off. As you all know, airlines are charging for checked baggage now. There is a 50 pound limit on each bag and if you go over you pay extra. The fee ranged from 39 bucks (either Northwest or Southwest, I don’t recall) to a whopping 125 bucks charged by those “friendly” skies of United.
So, Consumer Advocate Guy goes to “Chief Scale Guy” at the Board of Weights and Measures. They rig a bag with dumbbells and socks (yeah, dumbbells and socks… and I think a teddy bear… I didn’t get it either) so it weighs 50 pounds. Then Consumer Advocate Guy goes to the airport and starts checking on scales. To everyone’s horror there are a big bunch of scales that don’t reset to zero. These scales are supposed to be reported and taken out of service remember. But shame on the airlines. They haven’t followed procedure and have left those thieving monstrosities in operation. In almost every case, the number they reset to was the difference in the registered weight. In other words, if the scale reset to 1.5 pounds, the bag weighed in at 51.5 pounds. Reset to 2 pounds and the bag weighed in at 52 pounds. In some cases, the scales reset to a negative. But there too, if it reset to -1 pound, the bag weighed in at 49 pounds. You get the picture. It’s like a set up! A huge conspiracy to rip us off even more than the charge of the checked bag fee.
Except it didn’t happen. In fact, Consumer Advocate Guy even stated that there were NO instances where the airline was going to charge. He even tried to goad someone into charging him. The scale reset to 2.5, the bag weighed in at 52.5, and he point blank stated “Uh oh… you’re going to charge me aren’t you”. The ticket agent said “Nah, 52.5 is OK”. It was like watching a poorly scripted comedy skit. WTF is KOMO thinking? Are they ripping a page from the FOX News playbook and trying to inflame the masses with this huge problem of inaccurate measures at the airport? This is news? “Hey everybody! The airlines are putting themselves into a position where they could rip you off…. If they wanted to… but apparently they don’t want to… so they’re not ripping you off”! Is this pathetic or what?
So, on to the next item. There was a coffee stand that operated not far from my son’s high school. My daughter is in middle school now but when she was in elementary, it was right on the way when I dropped her off. It was an independent drive through that sat in a gas station lot. I like independents. They represent the American way. The little guy trying to take down Starbucks a few notches. Plus, I’m boycotting Starbucks since their head honcho Howard Schultz sold our Sonics to a scumbag from Oklahoma City and to no ones amazement they moved the team to Oklahoma City (they’re the Thunder now). Well, it either went under or they sold it because suddenly it became a framework of 2x4’s. But it was there for quite awhile. My wife and I bought quite a few lattes there when we took the kids to school. It operated for years without any apparent problems and no one batted an eye.
Well, it’s back. But it’s changed hands. Ironically, I actually saw it today because I had to attend a meeting at my son’s school and drove right by. It’s now “Knotty Bodies Espresso”. The baristas (one who makes and serves coffee drinks for you non Seattle people… I think we drink more coffee here that the entire population of Columbia) are attractive young women in bikini tops and thongs. Well, the locals are up in arms! The news covered the story and showed the throngs at City Hall threatening to boycott the place and the gas station it sits in. And you guessed it… there are suddenly “permitting problems” that might hamper its operation. They are saying it isn’t even legal to drive through and get coffee! You need to walk through. Funny how the last place didn’t have any permitting problems isn’t it? It’s the same shack with a different exterior in the same location. I guess the last one got lucky and operated illegally for 5 or more years.
But here’s the fun part. When I drove by, there was a guy with a camera who I assumed was taking promo shots for the grand opening or something. Wrong. Some genius had the idea that it would discourage people to frequent the place if there was a threat that their picture might suddenly pop up on the Internet buying coffee from some babe in a bikini. Is this person living in an alternative universe? Shit, I’ve been really laying off the coffee lately but I plan on cruising through the place tomorrow on the off chance that I may become an Internet sensation. I’ll even wave at the camera! I might even wave more than one finger!
So what we have here is a classic example of the media fueling the moronic masses into a frenzy over what isn’t really news at all. The last time I checked public nudity laws didn’t cover bikinis. They covered nudity. Here’s a suggestion. If you don’t want to buy your coffee from a babe in a bikini…. STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM THE PLACE! Oh yeah, they are trying to bolster their case because the gas station, and therefore the bikini babes, sits near a park. Of course the only window to the joint is facing away from the direction of the park. And it’s a little window (even though some wimpy Mama’s boy who likely was wearing a pocket protector referred to it as a “fish bowl”… trust me, it’s not). So of course anyone under the age of 18 who happens to catch a glimpse of these bikini babes is destined to a life of sexual perversion. Why? Because they aren’t at the beach! It’s common knowledge that seeing a bikini babe at the beach is OK but that if you remove the bikini babe from the beach she becomes a Medusa that drives our youth into a life of crime and debauchery. You didn’t know that? Just ask Rush Limbaugh. He’ll explain it to you if he isn’t too wasted on Oxy. This kind of stuff drives me nuts!
Look for me on the Internet. I’ll be holding a quad grande non-fat latte and sporting a “shit eatin’ grin”. Oh, I might have a finger up too.
Peace,
Common Sense
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Beck and FOX and My Friend Ted…
It’s been awhile since I posted but I read two articles yesterday that got me going again. One was on the recent skewerings of Glenn Beck and condemns Jon Stewart, Andy Cobb, and The Onion for making light of his physical problems of late. The other was on FOX news and its ridiculous claim of Fair and Balanced. And then there’s my “friend” who we will call “Ted” to protect his anonymity. This may be too much to go after in one post. But I’m going to try. Let’s start with Beck.
Glenn Beck had some botched hemorrhoid surgery recently and then had to undergo an appendectomy. Jon Stewart did a fairly funny (not hysterical… at least not to me… I’m sure it’s on YouTube) bit on Beck’s internal organs. Andy Cobb (who I guess has become a little bit of a YouTube sensation) did a little video which quotes an erotic fantasy from one of Becks books… that involves him and his sister. And The Onion (always a personal favorite) did a video in which a newscast covers the tragic story titled "Victim in Fatal Car Accident Tragically Not Glenn Beck."
Now, the article I read was by some guy named Gary Sussman. I’m really not sure who he is (can anyone enlighten me?). He’s written a lot of articles on TV shows. Stuff like “so and so will be returning to The Edge Of Wetness (see Johnny Carson)” or what programs are improving vs. getting weaker as they age. I’m not sure how this qualifies him but WTF… I’m hardly qualified and I write this shit so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. But Gary, come on. Glenn Beck has placed himself squarely in the sights of liberals, and probably centrists, with his mindless babble. When you do the shit that Glenn Beck does you become a target. If Gary thinks mocking Glenn Beck’s illness is out of line might I suggest he tackle more relevant topics like why George Bush sent thousands of US soldiers to their deaths in Iraq? I’m guessing any one of those brave men or women would trade their medical problems for Beck’s botched hemorrhoid surgery any day. Did you know Glenn Beck has stated he would like to see Michael Moore dead.
Oh, and before I forget… I to need to be fair and balanced. When Beck wrote that piece on sex with his sister, it was not written because he’s a pervert who wants to have sex with his sister. It was apparently written as a means of comparing sex with your sibling to gay marriage. See? He’s not a pervert. He’s an asshole. I say we needle him incessantly about his botched hemorrhoid surgery. How did he get those hemorrhoids in the first place? From his wife?
Now is the Onion piece out of line? I’m not a big fan of anything that makes fun of death or in any way implies someone would be better off dead. There are of course obvious exceptions. Osama Bin Laden immediately comes to mind. Have at it with that bastard. But as a general rule implying someone should be dead is kind of a low blow. But I think Beck opened up that can of worms when he opined about Michael Moore don’t you? The Becks, Limbaughs, Coulters, etc. of this world are fair game as far as I’m concerned. They have brought it on themselves.
With regard to the FOX News piece, the author (an obvious liberal) states a case for why FOX is un-American. And it’s a good case. He claims they make a mockery of the news media by slanting everything to the right. He goes on to say that they set a bad example by demonstrating that the creation of news out of opinion sells. And he’s right. Just listen to any self respecting conservative sing the praises of that horrid network. Do you want to find out if a network is slanted one way or the other? Check the demographics of its viewers. How is it possible that SO many conservatives think FOX is the definitive news source in America while so many liberals do not? Same thing for MSNBC. How can so many liberals think that’s the definitive news source when so many conservatives do not? But here’s the difference. If you ask a liberal what his favorite news station is, you won’t ALWAYS get MSNBC as your answer. But if you ask a conservative... go try it.
Which brings me to Ted (again, not his real name). Ted was a friend of mine from college. He’s a really bright guy. We reconnected via Facebook and I was genuinely glad to hear from him. But as we conversed over time he showed himself to be a VERY radical right wing nut. HIS favorite network was FOX. I asked him once what he thought about Limbaugh and he said something like “I thank God every day for that man”. He referred to our President as “Obiwan” (which I don’t really take issue with as such… I refer to GW as THE MORON… of course GW IS a MORON). Well, we got into it a little and he fucking de-friended me! One day, I wondered why I wasn’t seeing his daily moronic post about some right wing bullshit and when I checked up on him, he wasn’t my friend anymore!
So, in light of that, I am now free to express my utter amazement at how conservative principals can turn a bright successful middle aged man into a fucking dolt! He believed Obama was a socialist. He ranted and raved and spit his filth about the “libtards” and the “sheeple”. He told me what a great guy Karl Rove was. Now to be fair, I wouldn’t be all that crazy about an ultra liberal who was way out there. But where are they? I know a fair amount of ultra conservatives but I honestly can’t think of any truly ultra liberals that I know personally. At least none that I would lable a "conservotard". I’m beginning to think that these right wing-nuts are a bunch of cry babies who are terrified of what amounts to nothing! I think liberal America is FAR more willing to compromise and thereby far more realistic to the reality that TOTAL acceptance of one and only one viewpoint is not good for the country.
Way back when I was a frat boy (yeah I know… sue me). I belonged to a pretty hip frat that liked to party like there was no tomorrow. But we had our share of book worms and wannabe doctors and lawyers etc. When I first pledged I asked one of the older brothers how these guys got in (I was having a hard time understanding why you would want the guy next door bitching at you to turn down the music while you were engaged in the merriment of youth). He told me the frat needed balance. Every brother had his reason for being there and too many partiers or too many ultra serious students wouldn’t be good for the long term health of the fraternity. Ha! Look at that. A twenty year old kid had more wisdom than the collective conscience of the entire far right. Go figure.
Peace,
Common Sense
Glenn Beck had some botched hemorrhoid surgery recently and then had to undergo an appendectomy. Jon Stewart did a fairly funny (not hysterical… at least not to me… I’m sure it’s on YouTube) bit on Beck’s internal organs. Andy Cobb (who I guess has become a little bit of a YouTube sensation) did a little video which quotes an erotic fantasy from one of Becks books… that involves him and his sister. And The Onion (always a personal favorite) did a video in which a newscast covers the tragic story titled "Victim in Fatal Car Accident Tragically Not Glenn Beck."
Now, the article I read was by some guy named Gary Sussman. I’m really not sure who he is (can anyone enlighten me?). He’s written a lot of articles on TV shows. Stuff like “so and so will be returning to The Edge Of Wetness (see Johnny Carson)” or what programs are improving vs. getting weaker as they age. I’m not sure how this qualifies him but WTF… I’m hardly qualified and I write this shit so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. But Gary, come on. Glenn Beck has placed himself squarely in the sights of liberals, and probably centrists, with his mindless babble. When you do the shit that Glenn Beck does you become a target. If Gary thinks mocking Glenn Beck’s illness is out of line might I suggest he tackle more relevant topics like why George Bush sent thousands of US soldiers to their deaths in Iraq? I’m guessing any one of those brave men or women would trade their medical problems for Beck’s botched hemorrhoid surgery any day. Did you know Glenn Beck has stated he would like to see Michael Moore dead.
Oh, and before I forget… I to need to be fair and balanced. When Beck wrote that piece on sex with his sister, it was not written because he’s a pervert who wants to have sex with his sister. It was apparently written as a means of comparing sex with your sibling to gay marriage. See? He’s not a pervert. He’s an asshole. I say we needle him incessantly about his botched hemorrhoid surgery. How did he get those hemorrhoids in the first place? From his wife?
Now is the Onion piece out of line? I’m not a big fan of anything that makes fun of death or in any way implies someone would be better off dead. There are of course obvious exceptions. Osama Bin Laden immediately comes to mind. Have at it with that bastard. But as a general rule implying someone should be dead is kind of a low blow. But I think Beck opened up that can of worms when he opined about Michael Moore don’t you? The Becks, Limbaughs, Coulters, etc. of this world are fair game as far as I’m concerned. They have brought it on themselves.
With regard to the FOX News piece, the author (an obvious liberal) states a case for why FOX is un-American. And it’s a good case. He claims they make a mockery of the news media by slanting everything to the right. He goes on to say that they set a bad example by demonstrating that the creation of news out of opinion sells. And he’s right. Just listen to any self respecting conservative sing the praises of that horrid network. Do you want to find out if a network is slanted one way or the other? Check the demographics of its viewers. How is it possible that SO many conservatives think FOX is the definitive news source in America while so many liberals do not? Same thing for MSNBC. How can so many liberals think that’s the definitive news source when so many conservatives do not? But here’s the difference. If you ask a liberal what his favorite news station is, you won’t ALWAYS get MSNBC as your answer. But if you ask a conservative... go try it.
Which brings me to Ted (again, not his real name). Ted was a friend of mine from college. He’s a really bright guy. We reconnected via Facebook and I was genuinely glad to hear from him. But as we conversed over time he showed himself to be a VERY radical right wing nut. HIS favorite network was FOX. I asked him once what he thought about Limbaugh and he said something like “I thank God every day for that man”. He referred to our President as “Obiwan” (which I don’t really take issue with as such… I refer to GW as THE MORON… of course GW IS a MORON). Well, we got into it a little and he fucking de-friended me! One day, I wondered why I wasn’t seeing his daily moronic post about some right wing bullshit and when I checked up on him, he wasn’t my friend anymore!
So, in light of that, I am now free to express my utter amazement at how conservative principals can turn a bright successful middle aged man into a fucking dolt! He believed Obama was a socialist. He ranted and raved and spit his filth about the “libtards” and the “sheeple”. He told me what a great guy Karl Rove was. Now to be fair, I wouldn’t be all that crazy about an ultra liberal who was way out there. But where are they? I know a fair amount of ultra conservatives but I honestly can’t think of any truly ultra liberals that I know personally. At least none that I would lable a "conservotard". I’m beginning to think that these right wing-nuts are a bunch of cry babies who are terrified of what amounts to nothing! I think liberal America is FAR more willing to compromise and thereby far more realistic to the reality that TOTAL acceptance of one and only one viewpoint is not good for the country.
Way back when I was a frat boy (yeah I know… sue me). I belonged to a pretty hip frat that liked to party like there was no tomorrow. But we had our share of book worms and wannabe doctors and lawyers etc. When I first pledged I asked one of the older brothers how these guys got in (I was having a hard time understanding why you would want the guy next door bitching at you to turn down the music while you were engaged in the merriment of youth). He told me the frat needed balance. Every brother had his reason for being there and too many partiers or too many ultra serious students wouldn’t be good for the long term health of the fraternity. Ha! Look at that. A twenty year old kid had more wisdom than the collective conscience of the entire far right. Go figure.
Peace,
Common Sense
Thursday, October 29, 2009
What Would Jesus Do (continued)
So, as I was saying yesterday, I’m a little confused by these Christian bumper stickers. What exactly is up with that? But as I promised… here’s my point.
What I’m REALLY confused about is the dichotomy surrounding the apparent Christian adherence to the Republican Party. Now I understand certain fundamental tenets that would appeal to the average Christian. The rights of the unborn, prayer in school, the preaching of family values (although hypocritical it does seem to be discussed more among conservatives than liberals… at least publicly). But what about feeding the poor? Insuring that everyone is medically cared for? Cleaning up after Katrina? The “golden rule”? Granted, I’m just a casual observer but aren’t these things better addressed by Democrats?
If we examine the general opinion on welfare (feeding the poor), which party seems more supportive? Welfare requires taxes. Plus, I’m sure I don’t have to get into the myriad of emails that circulate about illegal aliens, community activism, and “redistribution of wealth”. And a quick aside on this redistribution of wealth issue. Whenever we see this we assume it’s redistribution from those who have to those who have not. But if you think about it, what do we have now? A twenty five percent tax on a person who makes twenty grand a year is going to hurt that person a lot more than that same tax on a person who makes a million. Now, throw in the tax deductions (which the average person making 20 grand doesn’t have) and suddenly an argument can be made that we are redistributing from the have nots to the haves. Sure, taxes go to things that the rich might not feel like supporting (unless of course they are into that golden rule thing) but they also go into schools, roads, assorted public works, etc. We all benefit from those. So is it fair that the poor shovel twenty five percent of their incomes into this fund while the rich shovel in less? But back to my point. Which party really seems to have a higher desire to actually feed and care for the have nots?
How about health care? We are currently locked in a horrific debate about the pros and cons of a public health care option. I think we all agree that under the current system there are a lot of our own citizens who don’t have access to adequate health care. Which party seems more inclined to give it to them? Shouldn’t a real Christian jump on the chance to do whatever it takes to get insurance and health care to everyone regardless of any perceived imperfections in the proposed system? Should the priority be what is the positive effect on the have nots or what is the negative effect on the haves?
Which party was in power when Katrina destroyed New Orleans? Do we really think the response was adequate? There is another one of “those” emails out there that tries to brush off Katrina by raising comparisons with the democratic response to the mid-west floods. It’s filled with blatant lies. Do the research. I think two or three people died in those floods. The dollar damage was astronomically less than that of Katrina. Many of those victims were able to return to their homes when the waters receded. The mid-west floods were nothing like Katrina.
And let’s talk about that golden rule as it applies to War. War is a necessary evil. I know it and you should too. Sometimes it’s necessary and appropriate. Sometimes it’s not. If we were to poll both parties regarding support for Iraq, which party do you think would be more inclined to approve? And for what? We never found WMDs. It’s been established that Saddam Hussein had absolutely nothing to do with 9-11. Yes, he was a bad man. There are a lot of bad men in the world. And there are a lot who are far worse than Saddam Hussein ever was. If we are inclined to go kick ass based solely on the fact that leaders are “bad men” might I suggest we start in Africa where people are being killed or starving to death if they are lucky enough to avoid a bullet. How did we, as a country, allow our focus to be taken off of Osama Bin Laden and placed on Iraq?
Now, just to show my “centrist” side (and prove I’m not a far left nut job) I fully support our actions in Afghanistan. THAT is where the Taliban was based. Here’s something to ponder. During the debates, Obama took some shit from the right when he said he might support action in Pakistan if we didn’t get the cooperation we needed from that government. He also recognized that our actions in Afghanistan were justified. It was Iraq he had a problem with. Well, I for one agree completely. And I also recognize that by invading Iraq, we were forced to dilute our presence in Afghanistan. I also find it interesting that we are suddenly reading about the Pakistanis killing a few Taliban here and there now when we didn’t before. I used to rant and rave about our so called alliance with this country when they were basically harboring terrorists along their border with Afghanistan. Now the guy who said he would consider action in Pakistan is in charge over here and they suddenly seem willing to do something about that. Amazing isn’t it? I’m hopeful that Obama won’t be swayed by those of us too liberal to see the Taliban as an enemy worth eradicating.
But here’s my point. What would Jesus do? My wife goes to church. I don’t. But she came home a year or so ago with a fascinating story about the sermon. I really don’t remember all the details but the gist was that it seemed to be a little political. She left with the impression that the preacher man was at least asking for more tolerance for the left from the right, and might have even been indicating the left had more going for it! The quote that I remember and which obviously had the most impact on me was “What would Jesus do? He’d FEED THE POOR”. It is the second time in my life that something coming out of a religion made total sense to me. Of course he would feed the poor! In anticipation of the question, the other instance was the response I got to the age old question of if there is a God, why do good people die way before their time? The answer was that maybe they were so good that God decided to call them to their “reward” early. If you believe that there is a reward of sorts waiting for us after we die, then that answer makes sense. I’m certainly hopeful there is something going on after our stint on earth. The thought of “eternal sleep” doesn’t excite me in the least. Hey, I love to sleep. But my love of sleep is based on how great it feels when you wake up!
So when you are contemplating your politics, you might do well to look at ALL aspects of the party line. Do we NEED prayer in school? You can pray at home. Should abortion be legal or illegal? Personally, I’m totally against abortion. I look at a baby and can’t imagine destroying it before it has a chance to see the world. But frankly, I’m far more against imposing my own moral beliefs on someone else. Especially when that someone is biologically equipped to be pregnant and I’m not. I’ll never get an abortion. But I’m not going to tell you what to do either. And how can you be against abortion but support killing people in other countries and being responsible for the deaths of our own brave soldiers for reasons that aren’t clear or may not be present at all?
Before you dig your heels in the sand and proclaim yourself a Republican, ask yourself “What would Jesus do… besides blow them all to hell”? Of course the obvious answer remains “HE’D FEED THE POOR!”
Peace,
Common Sense
What I’m REALLY confused about is the dichotomy surrounding the apparent Christian adherence to the Republican Party. Now I understand certain fundamental tenets that would appeal to the average Christian. The rights of the unborn, prayer in school, the preaching of family values (although hypocritical it does seem to be discussed more among conservatives than liberals… at least publicly). But what about feeding the poor? Insuring that everyone is medically cared for? Cleaning up after Katrina? The “golden rule”? Granted, I’m just a casual observer but aren’t these things better addressed by Democrats?
If we examine the general opinion on welfare (feeding the poor), which party seems more supportive? Welfare requires taxes. Plus, I’m sure I don’t have to get into the myriad of emails that circulate about illegal aliens, community activism, and “redistribution of wealth”. And a quick aside on this redistribution of wealth issue. Whenever we see this we assume it’s redistribution from those who have to those who have not. But if you think about it, what do we have now? A twenty five percent tax on a person who makes twenty grand a year is going to hurt that person a lot more than that same tax on a person who makes a million. Now, throw in the tax deductions (which the average person making 20 grand doesn’t have) and suddenly an argument can be made that we are redistributing from the have nots to the haves. Sure, taxes go to things that the rich might not feel like supporting (unless of course they are into that golden rule thing) but they also go into schools, roads, assorted public works, etc. We all benefit from those. So is it fair that the poor shovel twenty five percent of their incomes into this fund while the rich shovel in less? But back to my point. Which party really seems to have a higher desire to actually feed and care for the have nots?
How about health care? We are currently locked in a horrific debate about the pros and cons of a public health care option. I think we all agree that under the current system there are a lot of our own citizens who don’t have access to adequate health care. Which party seems more inclined to give it to them? Shouldn’t a real Christian jump on the chance to do whatever it takes to get insurance and health care to everyone regardless of any perceived imperfections in the proposed system? Should the priority be what is the positive effect on the have nots or what is the negative effect on the haves?
Which party was in power when Katrina destroyed New Orleans? Do we really think the response was adequate? There is another one of “those” emails out there that tries to brush off Katrina by raising comparisons with the democratic response to the mid-west floods. It’s filled with blatant lies. Do the research. I think two or three people died in those floods. The dollar damage was astronomically less than that of Katrina. Many of those victims were able to return to their homes when the waters receded. The mid-west floods were nothing like Katrina.
And let’s talk about that golden rule as it applies to War. War is a necessary evil. I know it and you should too. Sometimes it’s necessary and appropriate. Sometimes it’s not. If we were to poll both parties regarding support for Iraq, which party do you think would be more inclined to approve? And for what? We never found WMDs. It’s been established that Saddam Hussein had absolutely nothing to do with 9-11. Yes, he was a bad man. There are a lot of bad men in the world. And there are a lot who are far worse than Saddam Hussein ever was. If we are inclined to go kick ass based solely on the fact that leaders are “bad men” might I suggest we start in Africa where people are being killed or starving to death if they are lucky enough to avoid a bullet. How did we, as a country, allow our focus to be taken off of Osama Bin Laden and placed on Iraq?
Now, just to show my “centrist” side (and prove I’m not a far left nut job) I fully support our actions in Afghanistan. THAT is where the Taliban was based. Here’s something to ponder. During the debates, Obama took some shit from the right when he said he might support action in Pakistan if we didn’t get the cooperation we needed from that government. He also recognized that our actions in Afghanistan were justified. It was Iraq he had a problem with. Well, I for one agree completely. And I also recognize that by invading Iraq, we were forced to dilute our presence in Afghanistan. I also find it interesting that we are suddenly reading about the Pakistanis killing a few Taliban here and there now when we didn’t before. I used to rant and rave about our so called alliance with this country when they were basically harboring terrorists along their border with Afghanistan. Now the guy who said he would consider action in Pakistan is in charge over here and they suddenly seem willing to do something about that. Amazing isn’t it? I’m hopeful that Obama won’t be swayed by those of us too liberal to see the Taliban as an enemy worth eradicating.
But here’s my point. What would Jesus do? My wife goes to church. I don’t. But she came home a year or so ago with a fascinating story about the sermon. I really don’t remember all the details but the gist was that it seemed to be a little political. She left with the impression that the preacher man was at least asking for more tolerance for the left from the right, and might have even been indicating the left had more going for it! The quote that I remember and which obviously had the most impact on me was “What would Jesus do? He’d FEED THE POOR”. It is the second time in my life that something coming out of a religion made total sense to me. Of course he would feed the poor! In anticipation of the question, the other instance was the response I got to the age old question of if there is a God, why do good people die way before their time? The answer was that maybe they were so good that God decided to call them to their “reward” early. If you believe that there is a reward of sorts waiting for us after we die, then that answer makes sense. I’m certainly hopeful there is something going on after our stint on earth. The thought of “eternal sleep” doesn’t excite me in the least. Hey, I love to sleep. But my love of sleep is based on how great it feels when you wake up!
So when you are contemplating your politics, you might do well to look at ALL aspects of the party line. Do we NEED prayer in school? You can pray at home. Should abortion be legal or illegal? Personally, I’m totally against abortion. I look at a baby and can’t imagine destroying it before it has a chance to see the world. But frankly, I’m far more against imposing my own moral beliefs on someone else. Especially when that someone is biologically equipped to be pregnant and I’m not. I’ll never get an abortion. But I’m not going to tell you what to do either. And how can you be against abortion but support killing people in other countries and being responsible for the deaths of our own brave soldiers for reasons that aren’t clear or may not be present at all?
Before you dig your heels in the sand and proclaim yourself a Republican, ask yourself “What would Jesus do… besides blow them all to hell”? Of course the obvious answer remains “HE’D FEED THE POOR!”
Peace,
Common Sense
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