Weird Science

This was just too good to pass up. The ten most bizarre "scientific" experiments. From the stupid (Filling out forms during a simulated plane crash shows that extreme stress affects cognitive ability. Really? If I was in a situation where I thought I was going to die, I certainly wouldn't be filling out insurance forms, I'd be doing everything in my power to make sure they weren't needed.) to the disgusting (Drinking fresh vomit. Doesn't really matter what the circumstance are, does it?), with the obvious (Laughing is a response to being tickled and, I'm really trying to resist being too snarky here, male turkeys can be aroused by just a head on a stick!) in between, some of the more questionable quests for scientific knowledge are revealed in all their glory.

Critical thinking just isn't what it used to be.

It Was A Graveyard Smash

I'm trying to get my used, but new to me, car registered and all that stuff. Enjoy!

You Know It's Bad

IMG_2571.JPG, originally uploaded by photo hound.

When even Fidel's illegitimate son Fido, in full battle regalia, feels the need to demonstrate against another stupid war.



Random Flickr Blogging is played here.

Time For Her To Go

My least favorite Demowienie, Dianne Feinstein, needs to find a new line of work, preferably something more in keeping with her loose morals and urge to please men in power. She is nothing but a traitor, both to her party and to her constituents. Voting to confirm Leslie Southwick was just one more in a series of bad votes, once again demonstrating that she is a woman of questionable ethics, nothing more than a government paid camp follower masquerading as a Senator. She is so desperate for approval from her pimp that when he finally stops beating her and gives her a little attention, she gushes all of over herself. For her, politics isn't about helping the people of her state, it's about keeping herself available for the head of state and assuming whatever position he wants.

Way past time for her to retire and torture her grandkids instead of us.

3Bs

Justice Is A Wonderful Thing

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Thursday Morning Nibbles

Anytime the machines pay out a jackpot, management considers it a malfunction, they usually just don't say so. Mom and I have lost enough money at the casinos over the years and have had plenty of time to watch management behavior. It is a business and just like any business they don't like to lose money. That's for the suckers who can't do math or are easily entranced by flashing lights and funny sounds. Just in case the sheer size of the casino doesn't give it away.

The "fight or flight" syndrome causes the body to produce adrenaline quickly. One of the side effects is that while it enables the body to shunt oxygenated blood to the muscles so that one can fight or run away, it does this by reducing the amount that is sent to the brain and this limits the ability to think clearly. That is pretty much the only explanation for forcing an obviously pregnant woman to lie on her belly with her arms out on a busy highway. With her two kids watching. At some point cops need to use their eyeballs, start thinking, and stop acting like every situation deserves a maximum response.

I agree with the reporter, the US guy was an ass. Unfortunately the wingnuts see it differently, but then they probably approve of making a pregnant woman lie on her stomach. Yes, the way he told the story was arrogant but since he seems to have a bit more experience with other coalition of the willing guards, he should be able to make all the comparisons he wants. The people complaining are the same people who resent being searched before a Nascar event. But that's different.

As a woman I had issues with James Watson long before he lost his mind and expressed his opinion that blacks are intellectually inferior, so for him to retire in disgrace is okay by me.

I make a special effort to make sure that mom is as entertained as possible. It puts a strain on the old budget, but what doesn't nowadays? I try to make sure that she has sushi and we go to the casino once a month. She doesn't want to go to the senior citizen's center but I can't entertain her 24/7. She does enjoy procedural dramas and fortunately for me, there are plenty of them on. Still, I think she's pretty sad. She misses dad (it would have been his 77th birthday last Monday) and my brothers (please try to call your mom more frequently than once a month). She deserves better.

Wacky Priorities

One week into his campaign and Stephen Colbert is polling ahead of Kucinich, Richardson and Gravel in South Carolina. Nation, he just might affect the election, if he doesn't have to quit because the FEC has its knickers in a knot. Or as the commenter spikept put it,

Interesting the feds/regulators are looking at Colbert. Where were they when the last election was being molested?

A friend just called and wanted to know why with all our technology, the fires can't be contained. I had to remind him that fire is one of the forces of nature just like earth, air and water, none of which are easily controlled. Plus, it helps if you don't lay off the help because you have reached an arbitrary date on the calendar.

2.4 trillion dollars to kill troops, innocent citizens and anyone that can be deemed an insurgent while accomplishing exactly nothing. Osama bin Forgotten until Bush needs another distraction from some domestic problem, is still running around free with some people suspecting that he might be living in the city instead of a cave. 35 billion for children's healthare? Too much money. No wonder we're going nowhere. Fast.

What's the difference between being evacuated to a stadium because of water as opposed to fire? Could it be the color or wealth of the evacuees? Food, entertainment, massage and acupuncture are available to those in San Diego, but bullets, segregation and neglect were forced and enforced on New Orleans residents. Oh that's right. It was the fault of the people of New Orleans for not evacuating and for living in an area that was below water. No blame for rich people who live in areas that are prone to Mother Nature's vagaries. If it rains this winter and the hillsides start sliding down because of lack of vegetation, do those residents whose houses are still standing get government aid to keep them living the lifestyle they are used to? While the poor who suffered from the ravages of Katrina were forced to live in subhuman conditions because they aren't considered worthy, typical American logic dictates that when the rich suffer, they shouldn't. Actions do speak louder than words.

Raging And Caving

I guess the ratings for Las Vegas (I miss James Caan) were lower than I thought. It has been on the air for five years and now the WaPo has a story about the link between casino surveillance and counterterrorism. Better late than never. Funny, I don't mind being watched in a bank or casino but I do mind everywhere else. I realize that I'm a "Taurus" but that shouldn't be an excuse for being daft.

Rage and cave. What an apt description of the Demowienies. I never paid much attention to Chris Dodd before, but right now the man is my hero. I despair of any positive change in Washington, our representatives seem to be a little too morally compromised. They take the money and the perks to do the job but they don't vote int he best interests of their constituents. Frauds on the taxpayer dime. It should be illegal.

I worked at Universal Studios during the last writer's strike and it was not a pretty picture. Besides the ridiculous shows and movies that resulted from that debacle, so many small businesses disappeared. Flower shops and restaurants were especially affected. Businesses in Hollywood survive on schmoozing. This is going to get ugly. And yes, the new season really does suck. It's lame. Heroes has become a snore fest and Bionic Woman could do with a scene of Lee Majors and Lindsay Wagner talking about how 50 million just doesn't go as far as 6 million did back in the day. If it wasn't for Katee Sackhoff and Miguel Ferrer, the show would be completely unwatchable.

Coming up, more rage and cave. Bush wants another 46 billion for war operations in various parts of the globe. I guess that why he couldn't spare 35 billion for children's healthcare. The man has chutzpah, he phrases the request saying that anybody in Congress who is interested in success in Iraq and with bringing the troops home sooner, should vote to give him the money. They'll probably give him 50 billion just so they can say they supported the troops. Into more caskets.

Torn Between Two Lovers

IMG_4063.JPG, originally uploaded by dmbernasconi.

Holy Joe demonstrates his political grandstanding even when on vacation. The odds of a sharp stick in the eye look pretty good, don't they?

Random Flickr blogging explained..

Five Quickies

So Dumbledore is gay. Duh! If people didn't spend so much time thinking that being gay is about guys spending their days screwing everything in sight and realize that they are people just like everyone else who just happen to do something different in bed, the world would be a much better place. J.K. Rowling didn't hide anything in her books, there were several gay characters but you would have had to be paying attention. Plus, it was pretty obvious who Dumbledore had been in love with, she gave plenty of clues. Clif at Sadly, No! read some other sites so I didn't have to and wins the best blog title and post about the experience. Harry Potter and the Deathly Homos.

I question Pelosi's judgment on quite a few things and the Armenian debacle is just a blip in her failure to lead. From impeachment is off the table to Telecom Immunity and continuing to fund a war that the populace want to be over, her actions have reflected more of Bush's warped view of the world than the job she was elected to do. She isn't Speaker of the House, she is a puppet of the president. But then what did we really expect from someone who is two heartbeats away? Power corrupts.

Nation, once again our lack of humor is on display. Pat Paulsen didn't have to deal with the FEC, but Stephen Colbert does. He is just as much a viable candidate as anyone else and the people should have a chance to choose. I'm sorry I missed him on Meet The Press this morning.

Another administration case of the pot calling the kettle black. According to Cheney, Iran is an obstacle to world peace. This from the man that wants the world in pieces. He says he's concerned about countries respecting their neighbor's sovereignty. Now, that's almost funny. Serious consequences, I'll bet they are just shaking in their shoes.

I have issues with Iran and this is one of them. Misogyny. Hanging a 17 year old girl because she defended herself from three rapists is beyond the pale. It's bad enough that we treat rape victims like they are criminals or less than shining examples of purity, but at least we don't kill them. Going to war with Iran won't help this situation, it will just kill more innocent people. Kind of like Iraq

Update: This turned out to be an old case and has already been resolved. Happily. The underlying issue still remains and needs to be addressed by the Muslim community.

$6212.24

The amount the adjuster feels it will take to repair my car. So, they have decided to total it

While My Guitar Ukelele Gently Weeps

Good stuff.

How Nice

A few weeks ago I postulated that Bush would wonder about creating a Prime Minister position and poof! Since we know he doesn't read blogs, he must have thought about it all by himself. Frightening. On so many levels.

How the Democrats roll. Over. The Demowienies are folding again. No big surprise there. The War Room has an excellent analogy explaining the situation in very simple terms. Terms that even Congress should be able to understand. Because they certainly don't understand numbers. So much for representing their constituents. But that was never the point. Was it?

Wednesday Observations

Is Stephen Colbert the Pat Paulsen of the 21st Century? I hope so but will his slogan be as good? Nation, he just might be serious. I would vote for him, he's funnier than all the other jokers in the race.

31 hours and 4 minutes to go cross country. The Gumball Rally just isn't what it used to be, or as my favorite line states, "Fifty-five is fast enough to kill you, but slow enough to make you think you're safe."

It looks like they are going to try and total out my car. The adjuster said there was about 7K worth of damage with probably another 1K hidden somewhere. My insurance company thinks that the damages to the structure I hit are going to be more than my coverage. Yup, it's another great day in the neighborhood.

Tuesday Oddities

It looks like things are as slow in Scranton, PA as they were in San Jose when I had my accident. And then cops wonder why nobody likes them. There are very few people in our extremely stressed out society that wouldn't let a few choice words fly while trying to stop a toilet on the second floor from overflowing. And tell you where to go and how to get there if you were hindering instead of helping. The next door neighbor had two choices. One grab a plunger and head on over to help or two, close the window and be thankful it isn't your toilet. Unfortunately, the neighbor was a cop and decided that the situation needed official intervention. 90 days in jail and a $300 fine are definitely adding insult to injury. Good fences make good neighbors, maybe the cop should be surrounded by soundwalls since it was affronted so easily.

Too close for comfort. Once again the commenters hold true to form. My question is this: why is it considered to be bad to try and kill yourself but if you are on death row everybody encourages the sentiment? If the death penalty is supposed to be punishment, why should a convicted killer get what they want? If Timothy McVeigh had processed through the system as slowly as everyone else does or even been kept alive for a few months more, he would have spent several years in a very lonely cell knowing that he was just a pimple on history's ass. Totally eclipsed and forgotten as America races to punish those who are different. That would have been justice and not the revenge everyone settled for. Instead he got to go out with a smirk on his face, positive he had struck the ultimate blow for his cause. He got to die the way he wanted to, believing that history would remember him as a freedom fighter. He got off easy. The death penalty is not a cure, otherwise murder would have died out long ago.

So, Where Does My Money Go?

Food, rent, gas, the internets, basic satellite access, three-at-a-time Netflix, and car insurance. One week's pay for rent. Those were the days, I pay more. Health care? Not eligible. Child care was never necessary which eliminated college costs for everyone but me and I have the loan to prove it. The car was paid off at the beginning of the year but due to last week's boo-boo, it might become a major expense I can't afford.

I'm not a fashion plate kind of girl, clothes are to keep me warm and to prevent arrest. I'm over fifty, I like elastic waists. I've ranted several times about the benefits of not wearing makeup (science is proving me right) and of having really short hair. Food is the second largest expense after rent. Fresh is my first choice and since I'm not all that fond of packaged goods, it is a substantial portion of the budget in order to eat healthy.

Back in the eighties I was able to afford all of the above except the internets which didn't exist in normal space yet, had cable instead of satellite, went to the video store to pick up videos, ate out more frequently, went on vacation, ate really good food at home, wore nice clothes, didn't have an advanced education and had money left over at the end of the month instead of bills. Yes, life really is harder now than it was then.

I can't cut my housing expenses any more without being homeless, so that leaves the food variable and then you have to wonder, what's the point? How much chasing of the brass ring am I willing to do? Frankly, a roof over my head, food to enjoy and the internets are necessities, everything else is a perk. Ones that I like to enjoy which means I need more money.

I need a legitimate home based business. On the computer.

3Bs

Your Time Is Gonna Come

Considering that al-Qaeda were responsible for very little of what went wrong in Iraq, this is a most hollow victory. Besides, they can afford to wait. The next group tall enough to ride the AQ express to Allah should be ready shortly.

The sad part is that the end result of this will be that cops become even more untrusting and even more likely to respond with violence as a first resort. I will admit to having authority issues but you would not have known that the other night when I wrecked my car just outside my front door. Responding were six cop cars, a firetruck, an ambulance and a tow truck, so I was on my best behavior. My mother gave the cops permission to enter the house and they found me using the sanitary facilities. Mr. Policeman asked me what I was doing and I told him I was peeing (I know you can do without the visual). He said I needed to come outside and I told him I would as soon as I was finished. I washed my hands and went outside with them up. They asked a ton of questions, looked at my foot and left. If I had had an attitude, I'm sure I would have had a Breathalyzer and mucho harassment, which definitely would have included jail time. There are times when I'm grateful that I remind people of Aunt Jemima instead of some two bit rapper.

During the attempted Blackwater whitewash (we're just here to help and we have the best of intentions) on 60 Minutes, they showed Condieliesalot using their services. From the videos it doesn't looks like defense is their strong suit. Somebody should tell Condi that flak vests are not a fashion accessory. They are supposed to protect the heart in addition to the breasts and that it needs to be worn higher up on the torso to be considered effective. Everything from her sternum to her head was exposed. Not good protection from the blond guerrillas.

Woohoo! Finally the iTunes can be Trampled Underfoot by Bron Yr Aur while the Black Dog swings from the Gallows Pole and everybody knows it's Nobody's Fault But Mine as they Ramble On. The problem is that When The Levee Breaks, Moby Dick will be Down By the Seaside with a Living Loving Maid singing the Immigrant Song which might make it difficult to Boogie With Stu since most people will be suffering a Communication Breakdown leaving them Dazed And Confused while they are Going To California to fight the Battle Of Evermore over a Black Country Woman and some Custard Pie. Not that I'm fond of metal dirigibles on a Stairway To Heaven.

Not good. Not good at all. My condolences. Reporters are certainly taking a hit in Iraq.

The Sunday Stupids

Taking care of other people, in whatever capacity, is hard work with very little return. Another report that falls into the "no shit" category. Literally. What genius had to have a study to determine that people with the crappiest jobs suffered from the highest rates of depression? Maybe because they see what the end of their life is going to be like and that once a person is considered to be of no value to society they are pushed into the background and marginalized by society? Then the writer jumps to a false conclusion, stating that depression could be improved if everybody worked full time. What is wrong with these people? Most of the personal care jobs are part time, but having a full time job changing diapers isn't going to improve their rates of depression. Being paid well and being respected for doing the jobs that have to be done and nobody else is willing to do might go a long way towards preventing depression. Engineers, architects and surveyors are happier because numbers usually make sense, minimal interaction with people who can't help themselves and the job doesn't involve bodily fluids.

Yes, we did. What else would you expect from the crew without a clue? In the "who appointed us king department", we seem determined to pretend that other countries might like us, even though they say otherwise, to handle their own problems. Our Middle East policy must be to destroy relations with every ally we can find. Who the hell are we to talk about genocide when we systematically lock up and execute minority Americans for the flimsiest (no money) of reasons?

But what about his eyeballs? In the "have they no shame department?" we have more sleaze from the government. They get found negligible in providing services or preventing harm and then turn around and sue for the same amount saying that it covers the cost of the care and the person is no longer indigent. Still harmed and still crazy. What a crock.

In the "people are going to get screwed" category, we have the lovely entry of messing with people's pensions. As if making workers pay for their healthcare from rapidly dwindling wages and forcing them to fund their retirement out of those same funds while corporations collect obscene profits and the present administration trying to eliminate privatize Social Security wasn't bad enough, now they are trying to sell off pension plans to financial institutions. The reason is supposed to be that since the financial institutions are all about making money that the pension plans would profit. Right. More like they would find ways to cut expenses. That would be the pensioners.

3Bs

Big Brother Is Watching You

Within a few years the US citizen will be monitored day and night through one form or another. If you own a car the state will know where you are at all times, how fast you went to get there and who else was there at the same time. A new surveillance system was quietly rolled out and is being put to various uses to control the public. For those who want to catch criminals it is a boon, to the average citizen, not so much.

The spread of the cameras means that authorities, at least in some fashion, have more information about where people go in their daily lives, whether to work or school or a hospital.

It is such a small jump before they are installed on residential streets, in the malls, and at the grocery store. Voilà, instant Stepford country.

What the heck is this guy saying? Some of it made sense but never having run into these idioms before made it a confusing read. The English language hardly makes sense as it is but he seems to be talking about sports fans and the love they have for their preferred sport. The image that sprung to mind was of Green Bay Packers fans with their shirts off, skin painted in the appropriate colors and snow swirling around the stadium.

My suspicion is we're more likely to see the tonsils of a certain kind of roaring patriot who would be on the terraces with his shirt off if he weren't on the pitch with it on, while a more thoughtful performer who gets stick in the changing room for doing Sudoku will keep his dentist's talent from the cameras.

ABC News did a story about the differences between a $5,000 bottle of perfume and a $13 one. After much explanation that has nothing to do with the question, they finally get around to comparing the two. There were differences in the lab but the people on the street preferred the $13 one and ABC doesn't bother to tell us why and then goes on to say that luckily one could buy a good quality perfume for between $50 and $100. Why would someone want to do that if most people preferred the $13 version? Have these people ever taken a logic class?

Funny Peculiar

The fun never ends. Determined that someone who isn't white is going to pay for the embarrassment that Jena has suffered and completely refusing to let the matter die a quiet death, Mychal Bell is back in jail. He was sentenced to 18 months for violating his previous probation by being in the fight and his parents are supposed to pay every court cost the judge could find. Too bad Mychal wasn't in Iraq where he could kill people indiscriminately and get paid for it. My impression of Louisiana is so bad that I wouldn't let a rat move there. Especially if it was black. Oh well at least it's not Florida, a state where you can kill a black kid and get away with it. 90 minutes for an all white jury to reach a verdict. This country doesn't even bother to hide its racism anymore.

Another smirking chimp determined to destroy America and in a position to do so. A benign seizure? No such thing.

I guess the lard in red lipstick needed a little help to make it less healthy, so lead was added. Nice.

The commenters at ABC.com tend to be a little too authoritarian, believing in a world where children must be kept under an adult's eye at all times. Of course, when they were growing up they probably took every opportunity to escape supervision. The latest brouhaha is about a three year old boy that took his brother for a ride through town in his tricked out Mustang. Turns out he was a pretty good driver and obeyed all the rules of the road. While people want to know why he wasn't supervised by a responsible adult, I want to know why they are building motorized cars for children.

I agree with Anthony Bourdain, Rachel Ray should not be shilling for Dunkin Donuts. It isn't as if she needs the money and kids certainly don't need the calories.

Twofer Thursday

Well duh! Of course blacks don't put as much money into retirement savings as whites. Even when earning the same money, it isn't going to happen. There are several reasons for this, some of which are more obvious than others. First off there is the black tax. Higher interest on everything from homes to cars, so the paycheck just doesn't go as far. Next up is the shortened life expectancy, it seems that minorities don't become elderly like whites do or at least that's what the chief of the voting rights division believes. Blacks tend to be a little more cynical than you might think. What guarantee is there that the money will be worth anything when you retire or that the rules won't be changed once again? Plus, there is always the threat of prison.

The wicked witch of the east likes to pick on little children and their families, intrude on their privacy, make judgments about their lifestyle and determine how they can spend their money. My almost favorite part was the line about getting health insurance for a family of six, two of which are suffering from major injuries which makes it a preexisting condition, for less than five hundred dollars.

Yeah, and I believe in Santa Claus.

Wrecked My Car

For the last few weeks my right foot has been acting up and hasn't always responded the way it is supposed to. It turns out that riding the bike aggravates the ball of my foot, right where they put the two screws in for my big toe. Every day it has been a little worse and last night when I went to brake, it slid right off the brake pedal and back on to the accelerator. Considering that I was supposed to be parking this was not good. Before I could hit the brakes again, my car had introduced itself to the side of my neighbor's house.

While the accident is my fault, my neighbors went completely over the line. There were more police here than when the two guys got arrested for assault last year. There were ambulances and tow trucks. Lots of yelling, grabbing of necks and acting like they had hit the financial jackpot. All the other neighbors think that they are going to milk this for as much as possible. What a zoo.

The front end of my car is not in great condition and even though the airbags didn't deploy, it still isn't drivable. Since I don't have the money for my deductible it looks like I have a major transportation problem. Plus, my foot is extremely painful and difficult to walk on. The fun never ends.

Sheesh.

Majority Rules! Not

How nice, someone finally noticed that the majority no longer rules. In an amazing bit of perception, the discrepancy between what the voters and taxpayers want and what they aren't getting is finally becoming obvious to some of those in the media. It isn't just the opposition to the war and wanting to bring the troops home that separates the people from their so called representatives in Washington, it is just the latest and most glaring example in a long line of ignoring the citizens. And people wonder why less and less people vote. It's the definition of insanity when you keep doing the same thing over and over, hoping to get a different result.

Sigh.

They Are Cowards

Spineless, absolutely spineless. How much of a coward do you have to be when the old gray lady prints it out in black and white? The Demowienies aren't cowards because they are afraid to be considered soft on terrorism, they are cowards because they don't have the balls to stand up and represent the American people and their wishes. They are cowards because they refuse to stand up for the Constitution. They are cowards because they are more concerned with keeping their jobs than with doing their jobs.

The Rethuglians have no such compunctions. They don't worry about repercussions when they to vote screw over their constituents, they just do it and move on to the next phase of their plan to change America from a republic to a police state, content in the knowledge that the Demowienies are so scared of their own shadow that they will continue to vote against their and the American people's best interests. And that the Supreme Court would be a silent partner.

A pox on all their houses.

They Didn't Even Try To Answer The Question

It was the kids version of Jeopardy!, the category was The Supreme Court and the question was "in 1925 the court said states, like the federal govt., can't violate this amendment by restricting freedom of speech", and not one kid even tried to answer the question. Nobody rang in, not one of them looked like they knew anything about the immediate subject. Total absolute quiescence, just what you want to see in the general populace.

In one of those countries that America used to protect the world against. Or so they would have you believe.

Oh yeah, the answer was the First Amendment. But you knew that.

Didn't you?

Money, Money

Ian Walsh from The Agonist has an excellent and well thought out post on the economic winners and losers during the Bush administration. I have to disagree on the medical industry. Plenty of doctors went out of business or had to consolidate in order to survive. The insurance and pharmaceutical companies swallowed most of the profits.

What goes up, must come down. And almost always at terminal velocity. As fast as home prices went up... The snowball is getting bigger, it's picking up speed and has a good chance of destroying everything it rolls over.

Will you bee mine? First it was the honeybees and now bumblebees are disappearing so fast that some species went extinct before anybody knew anything was wrong. My tomatoes and peppers had many visitors this year, I hope next year is just as good. Whatever the cause, it needs to be investigated before it's too late. Otherwise we are going to be eating cloned food in a few years. And who would scare the elephants?

I hope so.

Sneppah tihs

The updated version. The list now covers religions of every belief except the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Taoism Shit happens
Hare Krishna Shit Happens, Rama Rama Ding Ding
Confucianism shit happens, is it really shit?
Hinduism This shit happened before
Zen What really is the sound of shit happening?
Protestantism Shit happens, but as long as you're sorry, it's OK
Calvinism Shit happens because you don't work hard enough
Episcopalianism If shit happens, hold a procession
Lutheranism Shit won't happen if I work harder. Shit happens, but as long as you're sorry, it's OK
Anglicanism It's true, shit does happen - but only to Lutherans
Catholicism If shit happens, I must have deserved it
Charismatic Catholicism Shit is happening because you deserve it, but we love you anyway
Judaism Why does shit always happen to us?g the deal?
Reform Judaism Got any laxatives?
Islam If shit happens, take a hostage
Nation of Islam Don't take no shit!
New Age For $300, we can help you get in touch with your inner shit
Wicca If shit happened once, it will happen twice more
Jehovah's Witnesses Knock Knock, "Shit Happens"
Secular Humanism Shit evolves
Darwinism Survival of the shittiest
Christian Science When shit happens, don't call a doctor-pray
Atheism I don't believe this shit
Religion from an Atheist's point of view I haven't smelt, seen, touched, or tasted it. But it's shit
Agnosticism You can't prove any of this shit
Rastafarianism Let´s smoke this shit!
Mormonism If shit happens, shun it
Energizer Bunny Shit happens and keeps going and going and going and ...
Baptist You are shitting all wrong, and you'll be punished for it
Southern Baptist Shit will happen. Praise the lord
Iraqi Baathist Oh shit!
Voodoo Shit doesn't just happen -- somebody dumped it on you
Televangelism Your tax-deductible donation could make this shit stop happening
Unitarianism It's not the shit that matters. It's the process
Orthodox Saint Sergius found his faith in deep shit
Greek Orthodox Shit happens, usually in three's
EST I am at cause that shit will not happen
Fundamentalism There's no shit in the Bible
Twelve Step Shit happens one day at a time
Amish This modern shit is worthless
Shintoism You inherit the shit of your ancestors
Moonies Only happy shit really happens
Stoicism This shit is good for me
Zoroastrianism Shit happens half the time
Bahaism Why do you keep shitting on us?
Mysticism This is really weird shit
Paganism Shit happens for a variety of reasons
Rajhneesh Give us your shit and put on this orange shit
Rosicrucianism What is this AMORC shit?
Satanism Sneppah tihs
Witchcraft Mix this shit together and it will happen
Scientology If you leave us, bad shit will happen to you
Shamanism Whoaa...Holy Shit!
Sikhism Leave our shit alone
Sureshism You are all pieces of shit

Sunday Morning Musings

Maybe they heard the creepy music and decided not to go into the haunted house? Seriously, why would anyone want to trade one bullet ridden neighborhood for another? A 9% approval rating, that many blacks like Bush? Other than Clarence (I resent being black) Thomas and Alan (I don't like my own daughter) Keyes, which black people would that be?

Favorite quote of the morning.

Of course it's all one great big Democrat/liberal plot according to the screeching skank Ann Coulter, bitch goddess to the angry army of white males so out of whack with reality that their masturbatory fantasies are fueled by a sick desire to do the nasty with a woman who more resembles a haggard, horse-faced crack whore begging for a ride home in exchange for a blow job or three at closing time in a skid row bar than the Penthouse pet of the month.

In the going to get worse before it gets better department we have that old specter...homelessness. Towards the end of Clinton's presidency there were fewer homeless people, or at least there were fewer people asking for money when you got off the freeway. In the last few months they have been reappearing on quite a few street corners here in San Jose. They generally look hungry, unkempt, dirty and with a look of hopelessness in their eyes, as befits someone who has used up all the options they can think of. Right now it is confined to people who weren't doing all that well to begin with but as the foreclosures increase and renters are forced out, there will be more families on the street.

Depressing fact of the day. California spends three times as much on her prisons as she does on running the higher education system. One produces and the other incarcerates. Welcome to the new world order.

Phony Support For Real Soldiers

Absolute bullshit. These National Guard troops are being screwed, the kind without the kiss. One day short of eligibility for a more generous education package. Well, they got educated all right. Every time you think that the Bush crew without a clue couldn't make it any more obvious that they have no respect for the troops, that they are just disposable commodities and that once they are no longer useful, they go and top themselves sink even lower than a major city underwater. One day, one freaking day after 729 straight of dodging bullets and bombs. Who is so dumb as to believe that this wasn't intentional?

Why is there even a disparity in the way that anyone who has served in this debacle is treated? National Guard, Reserves or regular military, they are all active duty and should be treated with respect and consideration for the sacrifices they have been forced to endure.

As if Feinstein cares what the little people think. She revealed her true colors when she voted for the bankruptcy bill, so I don't really expect her to vote against anything that makes it easier for corporations to get away with crime.

The human body is an amazing piece of machinery and it always seemed strange to me that some parts would be considered useless. Just as the appendix of a book can useful, it appears that the appendix also has a useful function. It might be a bacteria backup system designed to repopulate the intestines after diseases have forcibly swept the area clean. Hmm, maybe the tonsils are useful too.

What happens when you have a series of little disasters? The cumulative equivalent of a mega disaster. Welcome to the wonderful effects of global warming.

Joyous Experiences

Or let them eat cake? Punishing children because their parents either don't make enough money or they make a little too much but not enough to provide for health insurance. Lock step. What a cute way of putting it. Next thing you know, they'll be goose stepping. And you can forget the treading lightly, they are too busy trampling everything that this country used to stand for. Every day that goes by, they are more obvious in their contempt for the American people. The ones who are too poor to matter. While this used to describe just the people in New Orleans, now it describes everyone who isn't a millionaire. Yes, conservatives really are jokers. Very bad ones.

It seems that trampling people's rights isn't just limited to the United States, we like to do it to other countries. We've already proved that sovereignty means nothing to us, so this really shouldn't come as a surprise. But it does.

Why does it still surprise me that our president is a putz? Oh yeah, because he keeps saying stupid stuff like this. "This has been a joyous experience being the president." What will be even more joyous, is when he is nothing but a bad memory. Please let it be sooner rather than later.

Maybe they should do more than question. Preferably before we lose too many more troops.

Geeking Out

An electric car with wheels that turn 90 degrees for easy parking, a body that swivels so you can change directions and a robot that can sense one's mood? The latter is supposed to be for companionship, but it's a little too close to "I'm sorry Dave, I afraid I can't do that", for me. Pivo, which is supposed to be short for pivot is pretty cute although its name needs a help.

See-through toilets. Fortunately they are talking about the tanks and not the bowls. They look a little busy to me, but you should be abe to decorate them any way you want.

Cosmetic chemical cocktails. Some women absorb 5 pounds of chemicals (such as arsenic in eyeshadow) through their skin and eat five lipsticks per year (over a lifetime that works out to 1.5 pounds of lard) in an effort to look and feel good about themselves. The sad part is that men are starting to use some of these products too. Maybe not the lipsticks or eyeshadow, but the marketing of creams, lotions and manly body sprays is definitely on the rise.

I hope so. Coral reefs are some of the most beautiful scenery on earth and if they can adapt to global warming, it would be a great thing.

Transparent plastic that is as strong as steel. Nice.


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Listening to: Deodato - Also Sprach Zarathustra
and Queen - I Want It All via FoxyTunes

I swear iTunes has a mind of its own. And a sense of humor, but it might just be my choice in music since all it gets to do is pick the order.

A Trio Of Irritations

Please tell me that these people aren't real. They can't really believe the crap that dribbles out of their mouths, can they? First up is everyone's lease favorite he/she. Yes, Ann is at it again. She sad that if women didn't have the right to vote, we would never have another Democrat as president. I would almost be willing to give up my right to vote if it would just get her off the airwaves. She blames everyone for everything bad that has ever happened, except for the people who's watch it happened under. No matter how bad they screw up, no matter what they didn't anticipate, no matter how much they don't care about the American people, she is their little pompom girl.

Next up is Neil Cavuto. He is so far removed from reality that he occupies an entirely different plane of existence. Heaven forbid that children have health care. He believes the kids that marched and all the petitions that they carried are just for political show and uses Saddam Hussein as an example of politicians using children. I guess he forgot about all those pro-lifers. Why is it that kids are considered to be competent about some things but not about politics? I guess more kids need to die of infected teeth before it sinks in that when parents are already juggling rent and utilities to prevent food insecurity in their children, that one more dime out of their pocket just isn't possible. Not even for health care. It's hard to believe that we are considered an advanced country.

And last, but certainly not least, is the chief dimwit himself. There already is turmoil in the region, our leaving isn't going to change that. Not only would Iran be happy if we left, so would most of the known world. I wish he was as concerned with democracy in America as he is in the Middle East.

Free Burma

Because it needs to be done!

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Unsheathing The Claws

A pox on the leader of the crew without a clue and his minions. Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or any other debilitating disease should visit the chief twit in office and all of his relatives. The people who have been so stupid that they couldn't see that it has been the one overriding goal of his administration to destroy this country and her people should be able to see clearly now. During his reign of terror, the chief dunce has ensured that only the rich can have decent health care and that unless you are a former president or member of Congress, once you get old the government does not want to help you and as of this morning if you are a child outside of the womb you are on your own. His arrogant veto of the child health care bill this morning should seal the red carpet roll out for his entrance into hell. Preferably after suffering more than any other human being in existence. Bone cancer would be a great sentence.

Racism isn't something that I used to spend a lot of time thinking about and until recently, I didn't write about it all that much. This last few weeks the stupidity is everywhere and I just can't avoid the topic. What would possess someone to put a child's head into a noose? There can be no good reason for it. Ever. Under any circumstances. Black, white or purple, there is no excuse for this kind of stupidity. None whatsoever. And using the N word in a school crossword puzzle, what was the company thinking?

Limpballs is not a victim. He is a cruel, vicious and venal little man with a drug problem who tries to make himself feel more important by putting down people who have no way to defend themselves against his slurs. From his "phony soldiers" remark to comparing a wounded veteran to a suicide bomber, this man has repeatedly stepped over the line of common decency. America being what she is, his remarks concerning race have been ignored or glossed over, but you can't exhort people to support the troops while blowing bullshit out your other orifice.

Meow.

Is There No Shame?

Desecrating graves. Have people no shame, no empathy? Killing a seventeen year old girl was bad enough, but to set fire to her grave is a whole new level of depravity. One that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Once again the Demowienies trip over their outdoor plumbing. How can they be surprised that some people would object to the elimination of transgendered people from the hate crimes bill. How many times do people have to be told that picking on people because they are different, is wrong? Probably as many times as the Dumocrats have to be told that their job is to protect the people. All the people, not just a select few.

The dumbing down of America continues. As in struck dumb. First they considered us stupid and unable to follow basic concepts such as lying in order to start, and then botch, a war. Now they expect us to be quiet and are going to great lengths to insure our compliance. From Verizon trying to prevent the text messages that people were willing to pay for, to AT&T's contract with the fine print that says they can terminate your service if you complain, to Sprint's already doing that, to the Supreme Court's decision not to hear a free speech case where the free speech is being restricted, it does not look good for the free flow of information between the peons. Whatever is next on the agenda can't be good for the populace, which is probably one of the reasons that the rest of the world perceives us as incompetent.

Wild question of the week. Knowing how much Bush likes power, does anyone think that he asked someone if a Prime Minister position could be created?

Back To The Past

Over 2.2 million Iraqis have fled their country, at least a million of them have died since 2003, the ethnic cleansing is almost complete, many people have disappeared without a trace and last month was a religious holiday in a country that is tearing itself apart over a difference in religion. Meanwhile back here in wonderland, every single news outlet is touting the story of the drop in U.S. military and Iraqi civilian deaths. The numbers still continue to differ depending on the source.

''There is no silver bullet or one thing that equates as a reason to the drop in Iraqi and Coalition casualties and deaths,'' said Col. Steven Boylan, spokesman for U.S. commander Gen. David Petraeus.

But he credited increased U.S. troop strength, saying that has allowed American forces to step up operations against al-Qaida in Iraq.

If you say so. Even though al-Qaeda makes up a small proportion of people killing each other in Iraq, according to news report they seem to be doing the majority of the dying. Now everybody that dies is an al-Qaeda militant, at least according to the official line.

Kvatch (he's on vacation) pointed out that my feeds hadn't been working for the last few weeks. I was fiddling with them last week and discovered that something was missing from my template. Holy cow! I have readers! Thank you. I have no idea how long some of you have been on board or what it was that got you interested in my ramblings but I appreciate it. I really do.

The Supreme Court is back in session and contentious issues are on the agenda. Justice Kennedy's swing vote is rumored to lean left this year. Uncle Thomas was on 60 Minutes last night, continuing in his effort to make himself more likable. It almost worked until I remembered that they spent seven days with him which would give them enough footage to make him look reasonable. I kept looking at his eyes which were glassy and non blinking. He really believes what he's saying but I've seen that look before. Hopefully it's a thyroid problem and he isn't as shen disturbed as he looks.

According to John DePetro, white people only go to Harlem to buy drugs or visit prostitutes. Besides being racist on so many counts that it's difficult to count them all, it's also a nice little slam at our last president. The unspoken corollary is that the only time blacks go to a white neighborhood is to work as a maid or to commit a crime. These guys piss, whine and moan about their rights being restricted while they use abusive language, inappropriate contexts, libel and slander to maintain their position as mouthpieces of a bygone time. They feel perfectly comfortable spreading their prejudices over the airwaves and then cry about the mean people who pick on them by pointing out their stupidity. Life is so tough for them.