Another Candidate for Club Gitmo!

If I had a job to offer, I would soooooo hire this person...my new hero.

Here is what I don't get, though. With all the shit going on, with the "War in Iraq," the "War on Terror," and everything else that goes along with running a country (albeit into the ground), someone from Congress took the time to call and complain.

I think that speaks volumes. Kids on the bus or not. Calling a school district over getting flipped off? That's the most you have to worry about you unctuous phuck?

And to the school administrator who said, “That’s not the role modeling we need for our students.” All I have to say is: WRONG!!! Those are the role models we need! Those people, who flip off a morally bankrupt, intellectually inept President serve a much greater service to society than the kool-aid drinkers who (still) fail to see the similarities between McNamara and Rumsfeld and fail to see that George W Bush is an utter incompetent.

A grievance with Bush leads to another one
School bus driver fired after flipping off president wants job back

SEATTLE - A school bus driver fired after she reportedly made an obscene gesture at President Bush has filed a union grievance in an attempt to get her job back.

The 43-year-old driver, whose name was not released, was driving middle school children back to school after a zoo visit on June 16 when the president and Republican Rep. Dave Reichert drove slowly by in a motorcade.

From the bus, the children waved; with the windows down in their car, Bush and Reichert waved back.

That’s when the driver gave the president the finger, according to Reichert and Issaquah superintendent Janet Barry.

“The congressman hadn’t seen it, but the president turned to him and said, ‘That one’s not a fan,”’ said Reichert spokeswoman Kimberly Cadena.

Reichert later called Barry to tell her about the incident, but the bus driver had already been fired. District officials learned about the incident after the driver boasted to colleagues about it, Cadena said.

District spokeswoman Sara Niegowski said the driver has filed a wrongful termination grievance through the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. The union did not return calls seeking comment.

Niegowski said the firing was not politically motivated.

“The bus driver was not terminated for making an obscene gesture at the president. The bus driver was terminated for making an obscene gesture in view of the students,” Niegowski said. “That’s not the role modeling we need for our students.”

America - The Greatest Country???

There is a lesson to be learned from Bill Maher's "New Rule."

America must stop bragging that it's the greatest country on earth and start acting like it. Now, I know — I know this is uncomfortable for the faith-over-facts crowd, but the greatness of a country can, to a large degree, be measured. Here are some numbers: Infant mortality rate, America ranks 48th in the world; overall health, 72nd; freedom of the press, 44; literacy, 55th. Do you realize there are 12-year-old kids in this country who can't spell the name of the teacher they're having sex with?

Now, America, I will admit, has done many great things: making the New World democratic comes to mind, the Marshall Plan, curing polio, beating Hitler, the deep-fried Twinkie. But what have we done for us lately? We're not the freest country. That would be Holland, where you can smoke hash in church, and Janet Jackson's nipple is on their flag.

And, sadly, we're no longer a country that can get things done, either. Not big things, like building a tunnel under Boston or running a war with competence. We had six years to fix the voting machines. Couldn't get that done. The FBI is just now getting email!

Prop 87 out here in California is about lessening our dependence on oil by using alternative fuels, and Bill Clinton comes on at the end of the ad and says, "If Brazil can do it, America can, too." Excuse me, since when did America have to buck itself up by saying we could catch up to Brazil?! We invented the airplane and the lightbulb. They invented the bikini wax, and now they're ahead?!

In most of the industrialized world, nearly everyone has health care. And hardly anyone doubts evolution. And, yes, having to live amid so many superstitious dimwits is also something that affects quality of life. It's why America isn't going to be the country that gets the inevitable patents in stem cell cures, because Jesus thinks it's too close to cloning!

Oh, and did I mention we owe China a trillion dollars? We owe everybody money. America is a debtor nation to Mexico! We're not on a bridge to the 21st century. We're on a bus to Atlantic City with a roll of quarters.

And this is why it bugs me that so many people talk like it's 1955 and we're still number one in everything. We're not. And I take no glee in saying this, because I love my country, and I wish we were. But when you're number 55 in this category and number 92 in that one, you look a little silly waving the big foam "Number One" finger.

As long as we believe being the greatest country in the world is a birthright, we'll keep coasting on the achievements of earlier generations and we'll keep losing the moral high ground. Because we may not be the biggest or the healthiest or the best educated. But we always did have one thing no other place did. We knew soccer was bulls***.

And...and we also had a little thing called the Bill of Rights. A great nation doesn't torture people or make them disappear without a trial. Bush keeps saying the terrorists hate us for our freedom. And he's working damn hard to see that pretty soon that won't be a problem.

Military Commissions Act

The crickets are chirping in a meadow night, at least on the news (the liberal, MSM). It is no secret that I am a news junkie. An addict, if you will. I spend hours upon hours glued to some news source.

What I find most upsetting is the lack of coverage the Military Commissions Act and subsequent ramifications of this bill have received by the MSM. Yes...Keith Olbermann has been representing the voice of dissent but where is the rest of the criticism and coverage? It seems, sadly, that there is none.

Granted, I had only recently woken up from my slumber this morning when I turned on Meet The Press, but I do not recall this being covered. Nary a peep. The focus was much more on the Mid-Terms (that I can see) and the 2008 elections (may we please clear November before looking to 08?).

Hello? Is anyone out there?

The Military Commissions Act is one of the most vile pieces of legislation to come out of Washington, in my opinion, ever. Fundamental civil liberties have been flushed down the toilet. And where is our focus, exactly?

I have seen commentary from some who feel we must make sacrifices for the sake of national security. Have we not surrendered enough, already? Must we sacrifice our inalienable rights as American citizens, as well?

It seems the only coverage of this terrifying bit of legislation is coming out of the blog-o-sphere. The Fourth Estate sleeps on the job again. As does the American public.

Yesterday, when whining about this to Dock Ellis...I referenced the Gadsden Flag. While it's a very loose tangent, it does seem very appropriate (at least to me).

At the risk of drawing ire, I have said this before and I will say it again. The population of the United States has reached 300 million. I do not wish to lessen the sting of the losses on 09.11, but enacting legislation to prevent the loss of 3,000 while destroying the rights of 300 million seems a skosh excessive to me.

Habeas Whatteas?

Habeas Corpus:

In common law countries, habeas corpus, Latin for "you [should] have the body", is the name of a legal instrument or writ by means of which detainees can seek release from unlawful imprisonment. The Unites States has just passed a law which takes this right away from "Terrorist". This means if you are declared a "terrorist" you could be locked up and they could just throw away the key. A writ of habeas corpus is a court order addressed to a prison official (or other custodian) ordering that a detainee be brought to the court so it can be determined whether or not that person is imprisoned lawfully and whether or not he or she should be released from custody. The writ of habeas corpus in common law countries is an important instrument for the safeguarding of individual freedom against arbitrary state action.

Ripped from the AP:

TERROR BILL
Highlights of the military commissions and interrogation system

Whom the military can detain

• The military can detain any foreigner it believes is an "unlawful enemy combatant."
• The new bill defines this as anyone "who has engaged in hostilities or who has purposefully and materially supported hostilities against the United States or its co-belligerents." This definition is aimed at terrorists and people who finance terrorists.
• The military can detain an individual indefinitely if it believes he is a threat to forces on the battlefield or U.S. citizens.
• The court would not be used to prosecute U.S. citizens or individuals who fight in foreign forces on behalf of a sovereign state.

Whom the military can prosecute

• The military gets to decide whom it prosecutes and is not required to bring charges against every prisoner. The military has some 14,000 detainees in custody.
• So far, the military has identified 10 individuals out of the estimated 450 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba who are people for whom the military believes it has enough evidence for successful prosecution. President Bush is expected to bring charges against 14 others recently transferred to the military prison from CIA custody.
• The military does not have plans yet to prosecute the remaining prisoners, most of whom are held in Iraq and Afghanistan. There, prisoners must await the decision of a military review board to determine whether they can be released. In Iraq, the review board includes representatives from the Iraqi government and coalition forces.

Rules for a military trial

• Each defendant selected for prosecution must be assigned a military defense counsel. The defendant could retain civilian counsel if the counsel is eligible to have access to classified information.
• Statements obtained by torture would not be admissible as evidence.
• Statements obtained using interrogation methods that violate a 2005 ban on "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" would be admissible as evidence if they were taken before the ban took effect and a judge found the statements were reliable and would serve the "interests of justice."
• The commission could determine the punishment, including death.
• A defendant would be allowed to examine and respond to any evidence given to a jury. If classified information were needed for prosecution, an unclassified summary would be provided.
• When the government wants to protect classified information and an unclassified substitute is not available, the government could decide to drop the charges. Under the laws of war, the president would not be required to release the combatant.
• Defendants would be barred from protesting their detention or treatment in civilian courts.

Interrogation techniques

• The president would not be allowed to authorize any interrogation technique that amounted to a war crime. These include torture, cruel or inhuman treatment, murder, mutilation or maiming, serious bodily injury, sexual abuse, taking hostages, rape and biological experiments. An extensive definition of each crime is provided.
• Proponents of the bill say abusive interrogation methods, including "waterboarding" - or simulated drowning - would amount to war crimes and are prohibited.
• The bill does not include a provision the president wanted interpreting U.S. obligations under the Geneva Conventions, which set international standards on prisoner treatment. Bush wanted a provision that said an existing 2005 ban on "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" was enough to satisfy the treaty's obligations. Republican senators said this would look like the United States was redefining the Geneva Conventions standards, which are much broader.
• The president could "interpret the meaning and application" of Geneva Convention standards applied to less severe interrogation procedures. Such a provision is intended to allow him to authorize methods that might otherwise be seen as illegal by international courts.

Bush terror bill signing a major victory
'High-value' suspects could face trial in next few months

WASHINGTON - President Bush signed legislation Tuesday authorizing tough interrogation of terror suspects and smoothing the way for trials before military commissions, calling it a "vital tool" in the war against terrorism.

Bush's plan for treatment of the terror suspects became law just six weeks after he acknowledged that the CIA had been secretly interrogating suspected terrorists overseas and pressed Congress to quickly give authority to try them in military ommissions.

"With the bill I'm about to sign, the men our intelligence officials believe orchestrated the murder of nearly 3,000 innocent people will face justice," Bush said.

Likely prosecutions
Among those the United States hopes to try are Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, as well as Ramzi Binalshibh, an alleged would-be 9/11 hijacker, and Abu Zubaydah, who was believed to be a link between Osama bin Laden and many al-Qaida cells.

"It is a rare occasion when a president can sign a bill that he knows will save American lives," Bush said. "I have that privilege this morning."

Bush signed the bill in the White House East Room, at a table with a sign positioned on the front that said "Protecting America." He said he signed it in memory of the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"We will answer brutal murder with patient justice," Bush said. "Those who kill the innocent will be held to account."

High-profile witnesses
Among those in the audience were military officers, lawmakers who helped pass the bill and members of Bush's Cabinet.

He singled out for praise, among others, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, who has come under sharp criticism in recent months as violence has soared in Iraq.

The law protects detainees from blatant abuses during questioning _ such as rape, torture and "cruel and inhuman" treatment _ but does not require that any of them be granted legal counsel. Also, it specifically bars detainees from filing habeas corpus petitions challenging their detentions in federal courts. Bush said the process is "fair, lawful and necessary."

"The bill I sign today helps secure this country and it sends a clear message: This nation is patient and decent and fair and we will never back down from threats to our freedom," Bush said. "We are as determined today as we were on the morning of Sept. 12, 2001."

Democratic response
Many Democrats opposed the legislation because they said it eliminated rights of defendants considered fundamental to American values, such as a person's ability to go to court to protest their detention and the use of coerced testimony as evidence. Bush acknowledged that the law came amid dispute.

"Over the past few months, the debate over this bill has been heated and the questions raised can seem complex," he said. "Yet, with the distance of history, the questions will be narrowed and few. Did this generation of Americans take the threat seriously? And did we do what it takes to defeat that threat?"

The American Civil Liberties Union said the new law is "one of the worst civil liberties measures ever enacted in American history."

"The president can now, with the approval of Congress, indefinitely hold people without charge, take away protections against horrific abuse, put people on trial based on hearsay evidence, authorize trials that can sentence people to death based on testimony literally beaten out of witnesses, and slam shut the courthouse door for habeas petitions," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero.

"Nothing could be further from the American values we all hold in our hearts than the Military Commissions Act," he said.

White House victory
The swift implementation of the law is a rare bit of good news for Bush as casualties mount in Iraq in daily violence. Lawmakers are increasingly calling for a change of strategy and political anxieties are jeopardizing Republican's chances of hanging onto control of Congress.

Bush needed the legislation because the Supreme Court in June said the administration's plan for trying detainees in military tribunals violated U.S. and international law.

The legislation, which sets the rules for court proceedings, applies to those selected by the military for prosecution and leaves mostly unaffected the majority of the 14,000 prisoners in U.S. custody, most of whom are in Iraq.

The Pentagon had previously selected 10 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay prison to be tried. Bush is expected also to try some or all the 14 suspects held by the CIA in secret prisons and recently transferred to military custody at Guantanamo.

The bill also eliminates some rights common in military and civilian courts. For example, the commission would be allowed to consider hearsay evidence so long as a judge determined it was reliable. Hearsay is barred from civilian courts.

The legislation also says the president can "interpret the meaning and application" of international standards for prisoner treatment, a provision intended to allow him to authorize aggressive interrogation methods that might otherwise be seen as illegal by international courts. White House press secretary Tony Snow said Bush would probably eventually issue an executive order that would describe his interpretation, but those documents are not usually made public and Snow did not reveal when it might be issued.

Pah.

Kodos at work. Or Kodos-Daddy at work. Whichever. We're the ones in the monkey suit.



And yes. I do sit behind my desk muttering, "ooh hoo hoo jerk" at the witless wonders who dare interrupt me.

Not again! For phuck's sake...not again!

Dock and Kodos scream in unison and sob uncontrollably.

"Rest stop in Raleigh" has been aired twice during this evening's edition of Countdown with Keith Olbermann. This is becoming quite the conundrum. Do I turn off Keith because I cannot stand his advertisers (and miss my nightly hour with tv boyfriend) or do I bite the bullet and listen to that shrew rattle my ear drums?

Not only is that woman G-d awful (rally...with a her twisted, rubber face) but who really wants to go to Vegas, anyhow (this should draw some significant ire). I have encountered the natives...ok...a family of natives. All of them scare the bejeebus out of me. There is something really phucked in the water out there. Or...I need to make new friends. Ok. Both.

If there is a G-d above, that dreadful advertisement will go the way of the dinosaur. Please. Oh...please.

*drops to knees and prays to the advertising G-ds*

And for the last time...I am not posting a picture of that rubber faced shrew. I do not want you tossing off to my blog. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

Phucking Freaks

When I first heard about this business, I nearly vomited. Talk about a monument to complete self-indulgence. Cloning your pet. Cloning your deceased pet. Spending tens of thousands of dollars to clone your dead pet. Imagine how many lives those idiots could have saved if they donated that money to a worthy cause like...erm...an animal shelter.

I am not sad to see this service go the way of the dinosaur. I wish the "brains" behind this organization would go that way, as well.

No nine lives for cat-cloning business
Weak demand forces Genetic Savings & Clone to close its doors

SAN FRANCISCO - Even for the most devoted pet lovers, there’s a limit to how far they will go to have their favorite feline or canine for life.

Genetic Savings & Clone, a biotechnology company that sold cloned pets, sent letters to its customers last month informing them it will close at the end of the year because of little demand for cloned cats. The company had recently reduced the price from $50,000 to $32,000.

The letters said the Sausalito company was not accepting new orders for clones because it was “unable to develop the technology to the point that cloning pets is commercially viable.”

Company chief executive Lou Hawthorne did not immediately return telephone calls Wednesday. A message on the company’s answering machine said it was no longer taking orders and referred customers interested in freezing their pets genetic material to the Austin, Texas-based biotechnology company ViaGen Inc.

A ViaGen spokeswoman confirmed that Genetic Savings & Clone had closed and had refunded cloning fees.

The company was launched by billionaire and University of Phoenix founder John Sperling, who had hoped to have his hunting dog, Missy, cloned — a feat that was never accomplished.

Since the company opened for business in 2000, it was behind the creation of five cloned cats, but sold only two to paying customers. The first commercially cloned cat was named Little Nicky and was delivered to a Texas woman saddened by the loss of a cat she owned for 17 years.

The kitten cost its owner $50,000 and was created from DNA from her beloved cat, Nicky, who died the previous year. That kitten’s creation and sale reignited fierce ethical and scientific debate over cloning technology, which is rapidly advancing.

Aside from human cloning, which has not been achieved even at the microscopic embryo stage, no cloning project has fueled more debate than the marketing plans of Genetic Savings & Clone.

Animals rights activists complained that new feline production systems aren’t needed because thousands of stray cats are euthanized each year for want of homes. Those groups were elated Wednesday at news of the company’s demise.

“It’s no surprise the demand for cloned pets is basically nonexistent, and we’re very pleased that Genetics Savings & Clone’s attempt to run a cloning pet store was a spectacular flop,” said Wayne Pacelle, head of the Humane Society of the United States. “It’s not just a bad business venture, but also an operation grounded on the misuse of animals.”

Pacelle and other groups argue that cloning is still primitive and fails more often than it succeeds.

“For every successful clone, dozens fail and die prematurely, have physical abnormalities, and face chronic pain and suffering,” Pacelle said. “Cloning is at odds with basic animal welfare considerations.”

Rest-Stop in Raleigh

On 03 October 2006, I posted a rant about the horrid, vile, abhorrent Verizon Wireless commercial. This commercial features a nag who says, "rest-stop in rally" in the most offensive, nasally twang my poor ears have been assaulted with in years.

An interesting phenomenon is happening. I have noticed, courtesy of BlogFlux's Map Stats that there are a lot of folks searching for this commercial and landing in Kodos world (no complaints). Is there a particular reason why? Do others find this advertisement as aurally offensive as I do?

Kodos goes adventuring

Gcccccccchhhhh....

My driver's license expired. A few weeks...erm...a couple of months ago. I am always forgetful about having that damn thing renewed. It is such a colossal pain the the ass. I hate it. I absolutely dread it. Dock is a little pissy with me because I let it lapse, then got tagged for speeding. So, to pacify Dock (and the police), I set off to renew the license this afternoon after work.

Five years ago, the last time I had to go through this root canal, I drove out to the sticks of North Carolina to visit the Hillsborough DMV. No one goes there. It's basically empty with clerks grateful to serve whomever actually goes there (and they will give you the answers to the test should you forget). Rather than waiting for hours in Carrboro or Raleigh to have the worst photo of me taken, I decided to return to my favorite, country store for the renewal. A surprise awaited me, however.

Surprise! Even though the office is still listed on the DMV's website...the office is no longer there! Or anywhere! Presto! Gone! I drove around Hillsborough, up and down Route 70 for a good 45 minutes trying to find this damn place. I called my cellular service for directions. They gave me the same ones provided by the DMV website. The damn place is just...gone.

Knowing that if I went home today, sans valid license, Dock would chew my ass to bits...I decided to bite the bullet and drag my greenness to Capital Blvd in Raleigh. I knew I would spend the rest of my afternoon there and resigned myself to hanging out with a bunch of snot-faced teenagers hoping to get their permits and non-English speakers hoping to get a license. Grrrrrr.

Much to my surprise, the entire process at the Capital Blvd office took a total of 20 minutes. 20 minutes from the time I darkened the doorstep to the time they handed me the scariest driver's license ever known to man. It's raining so my naturally, curly hair is big. I mean...BIG. My face looks like a bloated puffer-fish. I thought the passport photo was the worst I have ever taken. Not now.

So...I'm legal to drive like mad on the highways again. Ready for officer friendly to pull me over again for allegedly going 80 mph. As if I would ever do that. My only hope, for the next infraction, is that the officer takes pity on the horrendous photo and lets me off the hook.

Rehab...The Latest Craze!

I think we have all encountered someone in our lives who has had problems with some substance or another. Perhaps some haven't...they are lucky and I am envious. For those of us who have had the privilege of being involved in some way, shape or form with an addict...there is no more frustrating relationship. The waters are entirely unnavigable. One never knows what to anticipate. Who, exactly, is going to show up to dinner tonight? What sort of tales are they going to spin? Which reality will be the reality du jour?

I have been following the story of Pedophile Emeritus, Mark Foley, since it broke late last week. I'm still a part-timer at work and need to fill my afternoons with something. News is something. At least it's not soap-operas or worse, Oprah-the-Anti-Christ.

Anyhow...I'm finding this trend, which is being widely reported so it should come as no surprise, of people seeking rehab a skosh alarming. And here is why...it denigrates the struggles of a true addict who is seeking help.

An...um...acquaitance, friend...hell...I have no idea what sort of relation he is to me, entered a treatment facility about a month ago. This news was passed along to me by his sister. I haven't heard from anyone since (re: my question mark post last month about having to deal with information dropped in your lap and left to rot) regarding progress, success and/or failure. It's frustrating, but not entirely surprising, either.

Reflecting on my involvement with this character, I had many mutual friends say, "Kodos...there is something off about this guy." The general consensus among the group was that he was actually quite smart but said and did an inordinate amount of stupid things. I mean stupid and not worth breaching confidences to go into further detail. Carrying on a simple conversation with him at times was challenging. For some reason, the usually keen, astute Kodos did not pick up on it. Knowing what I know now...it is as plain as the non-nose on my alien face. This guy is a user. A drunk. A sot. A sauce swiller. An alcoholic. And sick. Sick and in need of dire help (should any of this prove to be true. See what happens when you hang around addicts, you end up not knowing what to believe.).

The "whatever" goes into rehab. I sincerely hope he can clean his life up, get his shit together and move forward. I feel an enormous amount of something; sympathy, empathy for a middle aged man who has to spend the rest of his life dodging the sauce and the demon. However, he bought that fairly and squarely. That is his cross to bear. If he's a man, he will suck it up.

But back to the my ramblings about rehab. Why is it currently vogue for people to duck and dodge their responsibilities via a treatment program for substance abuse? Do these people actually have a problem or are they avoiding a most unpleasant reality?

I must say that my respect for celebrities and politicians, albeit virtually non-existent, wanes even further. Rehab is for people with substance abuse issues. Not "issues." Check yourself into a psychiatric hospital if you find your reality too cumbersome for digestion. Don't tie up valuable resources which may be much more suited to a different candidate because you're a damn coward or afraid of being labelled with some ailment that is not on a top ten list of trendy afflictions.

Responsibility

"I'm drunk!"
"I'm ghey!"
"I was molested!"
"No one understands me!"

Is it me or does Pedophile Emeritus Mark Foley have it all wrong? Is something missing from this equation? Since when does substance abuse, sexual orientation and tragic childhood events absolve people from personal responsibility?

I am giggling with delight about the fissure in the Repuglican Party. I shall not lie. I think this is titillating and salacious. Just like the Clinton blow-job thing (because...let's be honest folks...everyone knows a good Jewish girl does NOT willingly give head unless jewelry is involved).

What is really starting to piss me of is the litany of excuses oozing from Camp Foley (for kids). Cloaking yourself, concealing yourself and hiding behind your personal flaws and failures is not accepting responsibility for the fact that you're a flaming Pedo who cannot control his urges.

Your sexuality does not matter. Your taste for the sauce does not matter (because Washington is a "dry" town, after all). Your childhood does not matter.

You tried to diddle little boys. That matters.

Your colleagues tried to hide it. That matters.

You made a six figure donation to a campaign cause to cover your trail of slime. That matters.

Anything else is simply conjecture falling on very angry ears.

Raleigh

I live in Raleigh, NC. Repeat after me, "Raleigh." We pronounce Raleigh, RAH-LEE. Challenging, yes?

Few things grate on my nerves more than advertising that just cannot seem to understand or appreciate its demographic. I have heard commercials calling the City of Oaks, Raw-lee. It's not Raw-lee. It's RAH-LEE.

There is a dreadful ad for Verizon Wireless airing on television. I am not sure if it is an attempt at being cheeky, but one of the actors says, "A rest-stop in Raleigh?" She pronounces the name of the City of Oaks, "Rally," as in road rally, pep rally and the Nuremburg rally (not an endorsement).

Look...if you are going to peddle your wares in a specific market, please...please...please pronounce the name of the phucking city appropriately.

I live in Raleigh, NC. That's RAH-LEE, shit-wits.

~~~~~~

Dock loves when I send letters to people. I sent this a few minutes ago to the folks at Verizon:

I am not a customer and I do not plan on being one. The primary reason: YOU CANNOT PRONOUNCE THE NAME OF MY CITY CORRECTLY IN YOUR ADVERTISEMENTS (and inserted a copy of my blog post in the correspondence).

Very lulzy for us and that's all that really matters, anyhow.

Huh?

Ummmm....from the more things I just don't understand files....

This afternoon, while watching the news, a commercial came on for popcorn. I really do not care for popcorn. The smell makes me a little queasy. Apparently, I am not alone. Dock's boss wouldn't allow microwaves in the office for years because he hates the smell of popcorn, too. The staff had to solemnly swear that they would never make popcorn in the office in order to have a microwave.

To my point...the commercial.

The commercial lauds its gourmet popcorn (nothing that can be feed for cattle and chickens should ever be considered, "gourmet" imho). The commercial speaks to, "hand-crafted" popcorn. This has me thinking...what makes popcorn hand-crafted? Is this something Santa's elves do in the off-season? Do they sit at little tables in a workshop and individually carve the popcorn? Do they make funny shapes? If so, why are the shapes so limited? Couldn't we have some more interesting forms other than the mushroomy one and the one that looks like...um...popcorn?

Talk about a lack of creativity.

Hand-crafted popcorn. Today's most ridiculous marketing campaign.

The Witch Hunt

Or in my case, The Bitch Hunt.

At the behest of many close to me, I have been refraining from writing about anything personal (aside from politics and religion, two very socially acceptable topics) lately. I have been trying to limit my commentary on things specifically Kodos oriented, as the prophecy self-fulfilled. My words were used against me.

So...I stopped writing about being sick.

As the twisting and artful research conducted by others for their own gain, continues...I have decided that the content of my blog matters little. Those who are irritated by my words will remain irritated. Those who find my rationale behind using such a mechanism to voice my concerns, opinions and thoughts will still twist, modify, take things out of context for their own benefit.

What is that saying, "there is no such thing as bad publicity?" One has readers who read because they enjoy it. One has readers who read because to not engage in schadenfreudish behavior would mean they would have to reflect upon themselves, a far too scary concept for them to digest, let alone practice.

For months, beginning in December 2005, I have been battling some mysterious yuck. I have been slapped the label of medical mystery. I continue to feel like crap on a daily basis. Some days, really crappy...others not so crappy. But there is a crap like feel for me to endure each day.

The problem with these weird, crappy illnesses is that people fail to accept them as true. When you have funny things creeping around your blood, when you have odd CBC results, when you run a fever daily, when you lose a significant amount of weight in a short time...people do not see that there is a problem. People can only accept what they see with their own eyes. If you have the misfortune of being ill and you do not sport a cast...watch out! Soon, you too, will be called a lying nancy pants.

I suppose I am extremely frustrated with the lack of compassion and support I see exhibited on a daily basis. I am not a drama queen nor am I a drama whore (sorry dissenters...I am far from that). I am not seeking anything but understanding. If your limited mind-set does not allow you to understand, then I seek your silence...not criticism and condescension.

People typically lack the ability to be empathetic. They typically let their value set and uninformed assumptions make decisions for them. That is fine. Be as narrow minded as you so desire. But when your assumptions start negatively impacting my life, please do not act surprised if I take umbrage at your apathy. Please do not act surprised if I tell you, in my own adorable way, that I find you to be a lesser person. Most of all, please do not be surprised by my indifference to your pain and suffering when it arises as you have pushed me so far away from caring about you, that I find it difficult to embrace those who have violated me so deeply.

I suppose, through my rant, I am trying to convey the message that, "you only know what you know." When you drift into the waters of ignorance, allow your assumptions to make the final ruling without considering any other extraneous facts...you need to eat that. That portion will also be served with a side of resentment and lack of trust. Resentment and lack of trust that will remain, ever lasting, within the heart and mind of those you hurt.

I pray daily that no one experiences what I am experiencing. It doesn't make me a better person, by any stretch. However, it does make me compassionate and empathetic. Something my critics seem to be lacking.

Oh...and silence and ignorance of the elephant in the room because you think you do not know what to say or you think you have all the answers...conveys the same message as anything else. It tells the world you do not give a shit.

Again. Fine posture. Just so long as you expect reciprocity for your shitty behavior.

I am going to continue to write, journal, capture my thoughts, whatever. I am going to continue to write because I enjoy writing and have been told that I have an aptitude and affinity for the word. I should hope you continue to read. I should ask that you remove your blinders when you do, however. There are human beings behind the words. Human beings with valid feelings and challenges to navigate. Human beings that should not live and die by your ignorant and arrogant assumptions.

Your value-set is exactly that. Yours. Do not be surprised if respect for yours is not forthcoming when you withhold your respect from others, either.

The Implosion of George Allen

For those of you living under a rock, Virginia Senator George Allen made quite the social gaffe back in August, referring to a dark skinned attendee of a whatever as a, "Macaca." He also graciously welcomed him to America. Funny...the dark skinned man was already a citizen, having been born here.

Much lulz has ensued. Much ass coverage has been attempted, resulting in further lulz as the Allen campaign keeps digging itself in deeper. I do not know what sort of shovel he is using, but I should certainly like to borrow it the next time snow falls on Raleigh.

It appears that the main defense employed by the Allen campaign is the platform of, "ignorance." Apparently, stupidity is absolution for making any sort of remotely racist remark. Allen's handlers insist that it was a slip, a mistake and that he had no idea what "macaca" means. This...from a man (Allen) who had a noose in his office of his law practice years ago ("it was a gift to fit with the western decor.")

Aside from jumping on the Allen-slamming bandwagon, where am I going with this?

Years ago, I dated a charming, young lad in Pittsburgh (*gags*). I should have known to expect trouble when the mother 's (of said lad) first comment about me (after meeting me for the first time) was, "She's Jewish, isn't she?" Alas, I was young and stupid and did not see such a remark as a sign to run like hell.

One lovely evening, the charming lad and I were hanging out in the living room of his parents' house when he called me (apparently in jest) a, "kike." Yikes! Naturally, I tore into him in a most self-righteously smug fashion, chastising him for using such a dreadfully racist term. His mother, always one to defend (Oedipus, anyone) her precious offspring, flies into the living room on broomstick and says, "My son doesn't know what that word really means. I did not raise him to know those words." My retort was along the lines of, "Ok...so you raised an ignorant man who passes as a bigot? Or you raised him ill suited to be among people of different cultures and/or faiths?" The mother and I never really got along well.

A few years into our relationship, the charming lad and I bought a vehicle together. The broom riding, bitch of a mother, turns to us and says, "Did you Jew them down in price?" My only reaction to that display of diplomacy was a grin reminiscent of the Cheshire Cat. It took a few years, but I finally wheedled the truth out of that ghastly creature. She doesn't care for t3h Joos.

No. She didn't raise a bigot. She didn't teach her son words like kike. She was a good Lutheran lady who loves everyone.

Even scarier...she molds the minds of the youth of Pittsburgh as a sixth grade teacher. I wonder what argot she teaches them.

The moral of the story (aside from my sheer contempt for that horrible woman) is that you need to take responsibility for your words and your actions. If you phuck up, if you slip and say something absolutely abominable in public...do not employ ignorance as your defense. Admit that you may be a skosh bigoted, learn from your phucking mistakes and wash the hate and sense of superiority from your mind and soul.

Oh...and feed your sons pork chops and have them tell the world about it when your Jewish heritage has been uncovered (Sen Allen).

Article from the Washginton Post is here...for you under rock dwellers.

Olbermann on Bush

Since 09.11, dissent has been discouraged, if not deemed gauche and in poor form. The Fourth Estate has not lived up to its obligation to question the actions of a particular Administration. The American public has not upheld its obligation to question and hold accountable an Administration or a Congress.

Shell shock from being attacked? Perhaps.

Lazy? Possibly.

Irresponsible? Absolutely.

It appears the powers at be at MSNBC have loosened, lengthened Keith Olbermann's leash. Finally, the Moderates and the Liberals have a voice in the Main Stream Media (yeah...I said it. If Neo-Cons can have Fox, I can have Keith).

I think this portends well for all of us. Keith Olbermann is finally saying, publicly and profoundly, the things that we are thinking. The dissent (finally) has an outlet. So long as Keith Olbermann provides us with enlightened commentary, I will pimp it on my blog.

For what it is worth...I watched the entire press conference Keith Olbermann is referencing. Bush was all that (condescending) and more. I was beyond appalled by his carriage and demeanor. Granted...I usually recoil whenever I have to listen to the PresidOnt, but this...this was a special form of recoil.

Sanctimonious prick springs to mind when I recall the press conference. And the sanctimonious pricks were not sitting in the gallery. The sanctimonious prick was standing at his Presidential podium, snorting through his nose, shrugging his shoulders and talking down to his employers...the taxpayers.

Bush owes us an apology

The President of the United States owes this country an apology.

It will not be offered, of course.

He does not realize its necessity.

There are now none around him who would tell him or could.

The last of them, it appears, was the very man whose letter provoked the President into the conduct, for which the apology is essential.

An apology is this President's only hope of regaining the slightest measure of confidence, of what has been, for nearly two years, a clear majority of his people.

Not "confidence" in his policies nor in his designs nor even in something as narrowly focused as which vision of torture shall prevail -- his, or that of the man who has sent him into apoplexy, Colin Powell.

In a larger sense, the President needs to regain our confidence, that he has some basic understanding of what this country represents -- of what it must maintain if we are to defeat not only terrorists, but if we are also to defeat what is ever more increasingly apparent, as an attempt to re-define the way we live here, and what we mean, when we say the word "freedom."

Because it is evident now that, if not its architect, this President intends to be the contractor, for this narrowing of the definition of freedom.

The President revealed this last Friday, as he fairly spat through his teeth, words of unrestrained fury directed at the man who was once the very symbol of his administration, who was once an ambassador from this administration to its critics, as he had once been an ambassador from the military to its critics.

The former Secretary of State, Mr. Powell, had written, simply and candidly and without anger, that "the world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism."

This President's response included not merely what is apparently the Presidential equivalent of threatening to hold one's breath, but within it contained one articularly
chilling phrase.

Mr. President, former Secretary of State Colin Powell says the world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism. If a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former secretary of state feels this way, don't you think that Americans and the rest of the world are beginning to wonder whether you're following a flawed strategy?

“If there's any comparison between the compassion and decency of the American people and the terrorist tactics of extremists, it's flawed logic,” Bush said. “It's just -- I simply can't accept that. It's unacceptable to think that there's any kind of comparison between the behavior of the United States of America and the action of Islamic extremists who kill innocent women and children to achieve an objective.

Of course it's acceptable to think that there's "any kind of comparison."

And in this particular debate, it is not only acceptable, it is obviously necessary.

Even if Mr. Powell never made the comparison in his letter.

Some will think that our actions at Abu Ghraib, or in Guantanamo, or in secret prisons in Eastern Europe, are all too comparable to the actions of the extremists.

Some will think that there is no similarity, or, if there is one, it is to the slightest and most unavoidable of degrees.

What all of us will agree on, is that we have the right -- we have the duty -- to think about the comparison.

And, most importantly, that the other guy, whose opinion about this we cannot fathom, has exactly the same right as we do: to think -- and say -- what his mind and his heart and his conscience tell him, is right.

All of us agree about that.

Except, it seems, this President.

With increasing rage, he and his administration have begun to tell us, we are not permitted to disagree with them, that we cannot be right. That Colin Powell cannot be right.

And then there was that one, most awful phrase.

In four simple words last Friday, the President brought into sharp focus what has been only vaguely clear these past five-and-a-half years - the way the terrain at night is perceptible only during an angry flash of lightning, and then, a second later, all again is dark.

“It's unacceptable to think," he said.

It is never unacceptable to think.

And when a President says thinking is unacceptable, even on one topic, even in the heat of the moment, even in the turning of a phrase extracted from its context, he takes us toward a new and fearful path -- one heretofore the realm of science fiction authors and apocalyptic visionaries.

That flash of lightning freezes at the distant horizon, and we can just make out a world in which authority can actually suggest it has become unacceptable to think.

Thus the lightning flash reveals not merely a President we have already seen, the one who believes he has a monopoly on current truth.

It now shows us a President who has decided that of all our commanders-in-chief, ever, he alone has had the knowledge necessary to alter and re-shape our inalienable rights.

This is a frightening, and a dangerous, delusion, Mr. President.

If Mr. Powell's letter -- cautionary, concerned, predominantly supportive -- can induce from you such wrath and such intolerance, what would you say were this statement to be shouted to you by a reporter, or written to you by a colleague?

"Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government.”

Those incendiary thoughts came, of course, from a prior holder of your job, Mr. Bush.

They were the words of Thomas Jefferson.

He put them in the Declaration of Independence.

Mr. Bush, what would you say to something that anti-thetical to the status quo just now?

Would you call it "unacceptable" for Jefferson to think such things, or to write them?

Between your confidence in your infallibility, sir, and your demonizing of dissent, and now these rages better suited to a thwarted three-year old, you have left the unnerving sense of a White House coming unglued - a chilling suspicion that perhaps we have not seen the peak of the anger; that we can no longer forecast what next will be said to, or about, anyone who disagrees.

Or what will next be done to them.

On this newscast last Friday night, Constitiutional law Professor Jonathan Turley of George Washington University, suggested that at some point in the near future some of the "detainees" transferred from secret CIA cells to Guantanamo, will finally get to tell the Red Cross that they have indeed been tortured.

Thus the debate over the Geneva Conventions, is in fact not about further interrogations of detainees, but about those already conducted, and the possible liability of the administration, for them.

That, certainly, could explain Mr. Bush's fury.

That, at this point, is speculative.

But at least it provides an alternative possibility as to why the President's words were at such variance from the entire history of this country.

For, there needs to be some other explanation, Mr. Bush, than that you truly believe we should live in a United States of America in which a thought is unacceptable.

There needs to be a delegation of responsible leaders -- Republicans or otherwise -- who can sit you down as Barry Goldwater and Hugh Scott once sat Richard Nixon down - and explain the reality of the situation you have created.

There needs to be an apology from the President of the United States.

And more than one.

But, Mr. Bush, the others -- for warnings unheeded five years ago, for war unjustified four years ago, for battle unprepared three years ago -- they are not weighted with the urgency and necessity of this one.

We must know that, to you, thought with which you disagree -- and even voice with which you disagree and even action with which you disagree -- are still sacrosanct to you.

The philosopher Voltaire once insisted to another author, "I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write." Since the nation's birth, Mr. Bush, we have misquoted and even embellished that statement, but we have served ourselves well, by subscribing to its essence.

Oddly, there are other words of Voltaire's that are more pertinent still, just now.

"Think for yourselves," he wrote, "and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too."

Apologize, sir, for even hinting at an America where a few have that privilege to think and the rest of us get yelled at by the President.

Anything else, Mr. Bush, is truly unacceptable.

Calliope music plays again...

The "circus" came to town again. I do not care for clowns (ok...Caitlin and Ben excluded). On the other hand, I was grateful for the opportunity to practice my French, which I have ignored while trying to learn more Swedish.

Would someone please explain to me why most of the francophones I have encountered as of late are one baguette shy of the proverbial picnic in the countryside with a bottle of Beaujolais?

Thanks for sharing. No, really...thanks for sharing.

My boss made a statement to me a few years ago when I was whining about having to clean up someone else's crap. He said, "Do you think it is right to make the your problems the problems of others?" Phuck. How do you answer that? Really.

Since that day, when confronted with an issue I should much rather avoid, I will use that question as my litmus test to see if I am making the right decision. When is it appropriate for one to dump his problems on someone else? When does it cross the lines of decency in any relationship (work, friend, romantic or any other)?

Perhaps now is the time where I state, for the record, I am not mad. I am not upset. I am not frustrated. I am, however, a little confused, having an enormous load dropped in my lap. And...having no one to speak to about this load.

No need for details, really. They are actually quite boring an unnecessary. They are, however, keeping me awake at night now.

So...for the sake of the game, when you are fed information what do you do with it? Sometimes, the challenge lies solely in the digestion process, ensuring that you fully comprehend what has been shared with you. Sometimes, you can handle the situation without having to seek counsel of a friend, peer or authority figure. Sometimes, you cannot.

I find myself in the, "sometimes, you cannot" scenario. It sucks.

What does one do, upon learning a friend is in need, a friend is dealing with a struggle for their daily existence and you find yourself on the outside looking in? A request for my assistance had been made. The door, however, had been abruptly shut. Someone made their problems my problems. Any normal, rational person would say either get really angry or take the position of, "phuck off." I am not normal. I cannot do that.

So here I sit, at 04:08 on a Thursday morning, trying to develop my next action. The only thing I can really do is patiently await an outcome and accept it for whatever it will be. It's saddening, frustrating, disheartening and exhausting.

I suppose the only thing I can do is remember that statement from my boss and try to mold that into some form which I can handle. Someone else's problem has now become mine and I am helpless.

Then again, there is always the super-duper, handy-dandy denial box where I tuck away all of life's little annoyances and/or goat phucks which cannot or should not be presently addressed.

Douchebaggery Personified

I should know better than to listen to anything President Bush has to share with this great nation of ours. I should know it is empty rhetoric pimping his, "vision." I should know to turn off the television and take a walk. But, like most train wrecks, I cannot help but stare and gawk in amazement.

I honestly believe that this man did far too many lines of toot in his younger years that he is terminally phucked with paranoid psychosis. He should use some of his better healthcare benefits to seek treatment.

President Bush once again defamed one of the more hallowed days in our history. The kind folks at the Associated Press were good enough to highlight some of his more profound (*gags*) statements. Now is the time for the fun...I mean the rebuttal/rebuke.

“America did not ask for this war, and every American wishes it were over,” Bush said. “The war is not over — and it will not be over until either we or the extremists emerge victorious.”

Noes. We did not ask for this war. Halliburton shareholders did. They are not going to be happy when it is over and neither will you. Each morning, you arise with a hard-on in anticipation of viewing your investment portfolio. Each morning, you arise trying to reconcile the need within yourself to please your father. Each morning, you forget about the cost, the expense, the repercussions of your actions.

We may not have asked for the war with Al-Qaida, but we asked for the war in Iraq. Actually...we didn't bother asking, we deployed oodles of troops without strategy, master plan or sufficient protective equipment, much like drunken fratty cakes playing, "Risk." (pun intended)

Whatever mistakes have been made in Iraq, the worst mistake would be to think that if we pulled out, the terrorists would leave us alone,” the president said. “They will not leave us alone. They will follow us.”

Especially since we are only going as far as Iran.

“Our message to them is clear: No matter how long it takes, America will find you and we will bring you to justice.”

Unless you die of old age or renal failure first. Although, modern healthcare is rather advanced. I hear one can obtain dialysis treatments in various caves in Afghanistan.

He said Islamic radicals are trying to build an empire “where women are prisoners in their homes, men are beaten for missing prayer meetings and terrorists have a safe haven to plan and launch attacks on America and other civilized nations.”

Give me a phucking break. Seriously. You're talking about Texas, right? Isn't that what the Neo-Cons want? Amen.

"The war against this enemy is more than a military conflict,” the president said. “It is the decisive ideological struggle of the 21st century and the calling of our generation.”

...one which I (George W Bush) am sadly ill-equipped for.

Actually, the calling of your generation was Vietnam. You know...the war in which you artfully dodged service by whining to Daddy. You're such a swell fellow, making sure subsequent generations do not miss out on the glory of fighting a war with no end. Quagmires for all my men (you women folk can stay home and do the dishes).

“The safety of America depends on the outcome of the battle in the streets of Baghdad,” the president said.

If that is true, we are so phucked. Honestly, I thought the safety of America depends on not bringing shampoo and toothpaste on the plane.

“Our nation has endured trials, and we face a difficult road ahead,” the president said. “Winning this war will require the determined efforts of a unified country. So we must put aside our differences and work together to meet the test that history has given us.”

There you go with that unity thing again. Silly, silly PresidOnt. If you want to unite us, listen to us.

This is one instance where I can say, without a doubt, that I respect the Office and not the man. PresidOnt Bush, you are...without a doubt...a Grade A douchebag. Thanks for running this country into the ground. Thanks for capitalizing on the deaths of many on 09.11. Thanks for angering the global community, including our long standing allies.

Phucktard.

On Trust

Trust: something, perhaps, you discuss while sitting around with your girlfriends, drinking coffee, wine or whatever is readily available. Maybe it is one of those discussions that rears its head at the most inopportune times, like whilst out shopping, when you do not have the ability to fully pay attention to the words being exchanged. Or...maybe during this conversations, your ears are focusing on the discussion but the root of your discord is fighting your mind for the attention it feels it deserves, distracting you, depriving you from the messages you so desperately seek and need.

One thing that sucks about lulling about the house for days on end is the lack of distraction or better things to do. Certainly, one can pick up a book and read, turn on the television and have the eyes glaze over or dig around the garden...but the mind always races back to the very issue it is trying to reconcile. I am not so sure that it is a case of idée fixe or a case of one's dire need to make sense of a plaguing trouble, that nagging annoyance that will not loosen its grasp on the psyche.

I find myself in that weird time/space thingy where I have an unyielding issue which is defying resolution. No matter how hard I try to logic my way out of it, no matter hard I try to stuff it in the denial box, it keeps rearing its ugly head and taunting me.

I am simply unsure of people. I have been profoundly shaken by certain events in life which have me doubting everyone new I encounter, doggedly seeking the angle from which they are approaching me. Typically an optimist with regard to inter-personal relationships, I find myself behaving in a completely insufferable, cynical manner. This is not who am I. This is not who I want to be.

When people appear in your life, or reappear for whatever reason, what does one do? How are they sure of the sincerity? Or...is the onus really on the wounded party to heal, move forward and accept that the world is not so cruel as we are afraid of it being? How does one muster up the strength and courage to return one's former self? How does one find that sense of self that allows them the ability to accept new and different things? Or is this just another growing pain we experience as adults?

I am hoping, through verbalizing my inner turmoil and confusion, that I can make these mental aggravations take leave of my feeble mind, allowing me to regain focus on what really matters. Certainly not everyone we encounter has a hidden agenda? I should like to think not. I long to return to the days when I was naïve and accepting of anything new. As of today, I am nothing more than a xenophobe clinging to what I know to be true, real and genuine. It is a side of me I neither respect nor like.