Rantings of a Blue Guy in a Red State

The ABC Debate

2008-04-19T21:45:00.002-05:00

What was that about? First of all, should George Stephanopoulos be moderating a debate that involves the wife of his former boss? Did we forget about the perception of journalistic integrity?

This sums it up best, written by Will Bunch of The Philadelphia Daily News:

An open letter to Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos

Dear Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos,

It's hard to know where to begin with this, less than an hour after you signed off from your Democratic presidential debate here in my hometown of Philadelphia, a televised train wreck that my friend and colleague Greg Mitchell has already called, quite accurately, "a shameful night for the U.S. media." It's hard because -- like many other Americans -- I am still angry at what I just witnessed, so angry that it's hard to even type accurately because my hands are shaking. Look, I know that "media criticism" -- especially when it's one journalist speaking to another -- tends to be a genteel, collegial thing, but there's no genteel way to say this.

With your performance tonight -- your focus on issues that were at best trivial wastes of valuable airtime and at worst restatements of right-wing falsehoods, punctuated by inane "issue" questions that in no way resembled the real world concerns of American voters -- you disgraced my profession of journalism, and, by association, me and a lot of hard-working colleagues who do still try to ferret out the truth, rather than worry about who can give us the best deal on our capital gains taxes. But it's even worse than that. By so badly botching arguably the most critical debate of such an important election, in a time of both war and economic misery, you disgraced the American voters, and in fact even disgraced democracy itself. Indeed, if I were a citizen of one of those nations where America is seeking to "export democracy," and I had watched the debate, I probably would have said, "no thank you." Because that was no way to promote democracy.

You implied throughout the broadcast that you wanted to reflect the concerns of voters in Pennsylvania. Well, I'm a Pennsylvanian voter, and so are my neighbors and most of my friends and co-workers. You asked virtually nothing that reflected our everyday issues -- trying to fill our gas tanks and save for college at the same time, our crumbling bridges and inadequate mass transit, or the root causes of crime here in Philadelphia. In fact, there almost isn't enough space -- and this is cyberspace, where room is unlimited -- to list all the things you could have asked about but did not, from health care to climate change to alternative energy to our policy toward China to the deterioration of Afghanistan to veterans' benefits to improving education. You ignored virtually everything that just happened in what most historians agree is one of the worst presidencies in American history, including the condoning of torture and the trashing of the Constitution, although to be fair you also ignored the policy concerns of people on the right, like immigration issues.

You asked about gun control -- phrased to try for a "gotcha" in a state where that's such a divisive issue -- but not about what we really care about, which is how to reduce crime. You pressed and pressed on those capital gains taxes, but Senators Clinton and Obama were forced to bring up the housing crisis on their own initiative.

Instead, you wasted more than half of the debate -- a full hour -- on tabloid trivia that for the most part wasn't even that interesting, because most of it was infertile ground that has already been covered again and again and again. I'm not saying that Rev. Wright and Bosnia sniper fire and "bitter" were never newsworthy -- I myself wrote about all of these for the Philadelphia Daily News or my Attytood blog, back when they were more relevant -- but the questions were stale yet clearly intended to gin up controversy (they didn't, by the way, other than the controversy over you.) The final questions of that section, asking Obama whether he thought Rev. Wright "loved America" and then suggesting that Obama himself is somehow a hater of the American flag, or worse, were flat-out repulsive.

Are you even thinking when simply echo some of the vilest talking points from far-right talk radio? What are actually getting at -- do you honestly believe that someone with a solid track record as a lawmaker in a Heartland state which elected him to the U.S. Senate, who is now seeking to make some positive American history as our first black president, is somehow un-American, or unpatriotic? Does that even make any sense? Question his policies, or question his leadership. because that is your job as a journalist. But don't insult our intelligence by questioning his patriotism.

Here's a question for you, George. Is it true that yesterday you appeared on the radio with conservative talk radio host Sean Hannity, and that you said you were "taking notes" when he urged you to ask a question about Obama's supposed ties to a former member of the Weather Underground -- which in fact you did? With all the fabulous resources of ABC News at your disposal, is that an appropriate way for a supposed journalist to come up with debate questions - by pandering to divisive radio shows?

And Charlie...could you be any more out of touch with your viewers? Most people aren't millionaires like you, and if Pennsylvanians are losing sleep over economic matters, it is not over whether the capital gains tax will go back up again. I was a little shocked when you pressed and pressed on that back-burner issue and left almost no time for high gas prices, but then I learned tonight that you did the same thing in the last debate, that you fretted over that middle-class family that made $200,000 a year. Charlie, the nicest way that I can put this is that you need to get out more.

But I'm not ready to make nice. What I just watched was an outrage. As a journalist, you appeared to confirm all of the worst qualities that cause people to hold our profession in such low esteem, especially your obsession with cornering the candidates with lame "trick" questions and your complete lack of interest or concern about substance -- or about the American people, or the state of our nation. You embarrassed some good people who work at ABC News -- for example, the journalists who worked hard to break this story just last week -- and you embarrassed yourselves. The millions of people who watched the debate were embarrassed, too -- at the state of our political discourse, and what it has finally become, at long last.

Quickly, a word to any and all of my fellow journalists who happen to read this open letter: This. Must. Stop. Tonight, if possible. I thought that we had hit rock bottom in March 2003, when we failed to ask the tough questions in the run-up to the Iraq war. But this feels even lower. We need to pick ourselves up, right now, and start doing our job -- to take a deep breath and remind ourselves of what voters really need to know, and how we get there, that's it's not all horse-race and "gotcha." Although, to be blunt, I would also urge the major candidates in 2012 to agree only to debates that are organized by the League of Women Voters, with citizen moderators and questioners. Because we have proven without a doubt in 2008 that working journalists don't deserve to be the debate "deciders."

Charlie, I'm going to sign off this letter the way that you always sign off the news, that "I hope you had a great day."

Because America just had a horrible night.

It reminded me of this:

I never get tired of watching that. Sad thing is, Tucker never learned his lesson.

I'm a slacker

2008-02-13T21:09:00.000-06:00

I need to write more. I miss it. There is so much going on in the world that I feel the need to comment on....must....make...myself...write....

Today's Darwin Award Winner

2007-09-18T18:44:00.000-05:00

Click Here to watch the video of this moron.

He put his pet rattlesnake in his mouth...and everyone is surprised when he ends up being bitten in the throat.

Pet. Rattlesnake....bit him. Seriously. I weep for mankind some days.

I'm Late To The Game

2007-09-13T22:25:00.001-05:00

I respect Keith Olbermann more and more everytime he opens his mouth. This took balls. It took big balls to do this on the eve of the 4th of July.

This is what a true patriot looks like. God Bless The USA.

So, I've Been Away.....Again

2007-09-13T21:25:00.000-05:00

Life can just be crazy. About a year and a half ago, I suddenly, but not entirely unexpectedly lost my job. I worked for a big law firm and was in charge of Technology Education. I had a great office, an amazing team and, for the most part, a good working environment.

There was just one, tiny little problem. My boss was the sneakiest, most morally bankrupt, psychotic, evil bitch I've ever known or worked for. It was BAD. She would make stuff up, she would spy on people by 'breaking' into their email accounts with her domain admin privileges, she would lie, she would give you permission to do things and then thrown you under the bus when someone didn't like it.

A situation came up that got blown way out of control and after many as close to perfect performance reviews as you can get, after results that no one in that position had ever achieved, after guiding the firm through a massive technology refresh that was unparalleled in their history...while becoming an industry expert in several areas...I was fired. Why? Good question. I'm not a yes man. I wouldn't be her monkey boy. It had to be her way and I have this nasty habit of thinking for myself and asking "Well, what if...."

So...I had already decided I couldn't work for this...woman... any more and had begun to look for other things. None of them panned out and I ended up being out on my own for about a year and a half. I tried to do some independent consulting, but the market was horrible. I kept having close calls with a certain KC tech company that focuses in the health care industry...but no luck.

In the end, being fired from there was the best thing that ever happened to me. I met my girlfriend...now fiance...and now have 3 incredible children. On top of that, I've landed with a tech company that has been voted one of the best places to work in KC for the past 4 years, something no other company has ever done.

It is amazing here. If i tell you about what makes it amazing, I'll give away where I'm at because this place has a reputation for some things...and they deserve the reputation and awards.

As for my family, we've had our problems, we've had drama, and we still struggle with some things every day. It's all worth it. We get closer and closer every day and I couldn't love the kids any more if they were my own flesh and blood. My fiance is the love of my life and we have a future together all mapped out.

Now, I've got to make myself find time to get back here and stir up some shit....Things in this country are still a mess and it's fixin' to be election time. I need some popcorn and a bottle of bourbon.

Conscientious Objectors and the War in Iraq

2007-09-13T20:57:00.000-05:00

If you look at the history of this blog, you'll see that no one supports this country, our military, and our government (not always the people that lead it...) much more than me.

Here is something I have a big problem with....

If you're in the military...an ALL VOLUNTEER MILITARY, you can't object when you get sent to war. What the hell did you think the military was for? Holding bake sales and car washes? IT'S THE MILITARY! THEY FIGHT WARS! If you don't want to face the possibility of going to war, DON'T JOIN THE MILITARY...

It's not rocket science. Seriously.

The Truth About Jerry Falwell and Those Like Him

2007-05-17T08:04:00.000-05:00

Bravo to CNN, Anderson Cooper and Christopher Hitchens. Bravo to Christopher Hitchens for saying these things and bravo to CNN and Anderson Cooper for allowing them to be said. It is about time that main stream media outlets allow those who have a different opinion of those on the Religious Right to voice those opinions, to voice the truth about these people. So many of those on the Religious Right are hypocritical, hateful, vile, nasty human beings who spew venom if you don't bow to their beliefs while at the same time calling themselves good, god faring Christians. You can't have it both way. You can't preach that your God is all mighty, all powerful, all forgiving, all inclusive....except for gays, except for women who choose to abort a fetus, except for those who don't go to your church, etc. It's about time that these "people" get called out for what they are.

Katie Horner is a Panic-Monger

2007-05-03T11:03:00.000-05:00

I’ve lived in the Midwest all my life. Severe weather is a fact of life here. During the spring, we get severe thunderstorms, flooding, high winds and more than our fair share of tornadoes. Growing up, you knew it was serious because the local TV stations would interrupt programming with these updates that, as a little kid, scared the bejesus out of me. Scary looking radars, picture in a picture with this freaky guy in a bad 70’s leisure suit and bowl haircut doing sign language that sent me in to a frenzy, fueled by the misguided notion that the sign for “tornado watch” meant it was coming to get me.

If I were a kid today, that would be nothing compared to the severe weather coverage we are exposed to now. Particularly, KCTV-5 and their panic-monger Katie Horner. For years now, whenever severe weather moves through the area, if you happen to be watching KCTV you might think that downtown Kansas City is under nuclear attack. I once watched her on the air for over an hour for a thunderstorm that no other station in town was covering because it was not severe, nor were we even under a watch of any kind. It was just raining, with thunder and lightning. I’m pretty sure that a thunder shower is not a new phenomenon.

Now, many local people and even other media outlets here are taking notice. WDAF, the local FOX affiliate has been blasting channel 5, without calling them out by name for creating panic when covering the severe weather. Now, a website has cropped up called “Fire Katie” that contains a petition to have Katie fired and calling for a boycott of KCTV-5.

I love it. It’s long over due. Anyone who uses their time on TV to zoom the radar in on their own house and wonder out loud what their family is doing probably shouldn’t be doing the weather. They should be home with that family, wearing bicycle helmets as she has suggested others do, and making sure her yard is free of ‘yard missiles.”

Time to go Katie. Your shtick is old and uncalled for and frankly, is a danger to the public that you are supposed to be serving.

Imus reportedly poised to sue CBS Radio - Radio - MSNBC.com

2007-05-02T17:33:00.000-05:00

Imus reportedly poised to sue CBS Radio - Radio - MSNBC.com

It looks like Don Imus will have the last laugh in this ridiculous saga. Without reopening a stupid debate that got way out of control, I’ll just say this: Not having a spine is going to cost Les Moonves a lot of money this time around. Let’s just hope he doesn’t unleash the ChenBot on us all

Victim's Name Tattooed On Child Killer's Forehead

2006-09-28T09:35:00.000-05:00

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Victim's Name Tattooed On Child Killer's Forehead

This is what should happen to all child molesters/killers. The only thing that I'd do different would be to do it backwards so that he had to read it when he looked in the mirror. Still....bravo to thos that did this to him.

I Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

2006-09-12T11:07:00.000-05:00

Bravo, Mr. Olberman, Bravo.

Syd Barrett - R.I.P.

2006-07-11T16:36:00.000-05:00

Remember when you were young,
You shone like the sun.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Now there's a look in your eyes,
Like black holes in the sky.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
You were caught on the crossfire
Of childhood and stardom,
Blown on the steel breeze.
Come on you target for faraway laughter,
Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine!

You reached for the secret too soon,
You cried for the moon.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Threatened by shadows at night,
And exposed in the light.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Well you wore out your welcome
With random precision,
Rode on the steel breeze.
Come on you raver, you seer of visions,
Come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!

One Of My Readers Has No Balls

2006-07-03T11:32:00.000-05:00

Last year, I posted about Lance corporal Justin Ellsworth and his family's struggles with Yahoo over his email account after his death. Here's the post.

LINK

I hadn't really thought about it for a while, but the other day, I got an email notification that someone had left a comment on the post. So, I opened the messages and saw this:

Anonymous said...

Fuck all USA and UK
Fuck all USA and UK
Fuck all USA and UK
Fuck all USA and UK
Fuck all USA and UK
Fuck all USA and UK

What a spineless, ballless, piece of shit. If you're going to come on my blog and say shit like that, sack up and sign your name to it, you waste of flesh and oxygen.

If you want to say that crap, fine. You have your opinion, and your right to express it. Be an man and sign your name to it. Then, afterwards, fuck off. I don't know who you are, or where you come from, but I'd guess that if you live anywhere in the free world, you owe part of your freedom to the US and the UK, so, unless you'd rather be speaking German, Japanese, Russian, or Arabic we'll just accept your polite "thank you" and you can move on and try to be productive member of society. If not, let's go take a walk on a tall bridge or cliff. You stand on the outside. I won't let you fall.

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Presbyterians Think Of Changing 'Father, Son, Holy Spirit'

2006-06-19T19:01:00.000-05:00

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Presbyterians Think Of Changing 'Father, Son, Holy Spirit'

Holy Shit. Jesus Christ.

I don't go to church. Except for the odd wedding or baptism for a friends child I never have. I never will. This isn't really about those reasons, but what they hell is this about?

We have to be "gender-neutral' when we pray now? Everyday that goes by, the political correctness in this country makes me want to vomit more and more. Pretty soon, I'm just going to be in permanent Linda Blair mode, my head spinning and split pea soup spewing out of my mouth all the time. It's out of control. "Mother, Child and Womb?" "Rock, Redeemer, Friend?" How soon until we can't use the term "God" any more and have to refer to it as the "Greatest Conceivable Being" ?

Is it any wonder I don't go to church? They're insane. Truly, madly, deeply insane.

Welcome Back To An Old Friend

2006-06-16T14:18:00.000-05:00

Two posts, this quick together, and both of a personal nature! What's this blog coming to?

My good buddy Paul and his wife Jen moved back to town this week from Florida. Paul's lived down there about 8 years and it's good to have him back.

A bunch of us met up last night for drinks and ended up sitting in a bar until well past closing time, just catching up and enjoying each others company again for the first time in a long while. I am glad that I decided early in the evening that it was a Captain Morgan evening and not a Jack Daniels evening, otherwise this morning would've been a lot worse than it was.

Welcome home, Paul. Glad to have you back.

I'm Still Here...Thanks to Someone Special

2006-06-14T17:26:00.000-05:00

I have stayed away from using this blog to discuss many personal details. It’s been a place for me to observe, rant and vent about the absurdity around me.

You may have noticed that I haven’t been around much the past several months. My life was turned upside down at the end of February. I’m not ready to go into detail about that event here, yet, but there have been so many other things happening in my life the past few months. These events have kept me away, but have no fear, I’ve been paying attention and I still have plenty to say. There is absurdity all around me and I’ve been speaking out against it, just not here on line. Of course, when I do that in public, people think I’m nuts, but I’m really just doing them a service. We’ll come back to that.

The most important, wonderful thing that has happened to me in my absence has been meeting Selina. She’s wonderful and I want to know where she’s been all this time. Well, it turns out; she’s been right around the corner, literally.

We’ve had an amazing time getting to know each other over the past several weeks and are planning to continue to spend as much time together as our schedules allow.

She accepts my quirks, my odd sense of humor and the fact that I’m totally into her. She’s smart, funny, fun, beautiful, sexy and just an all around amazing woman. I like her. A lot. By a lot, I mean giant truck loads.

I had given up after a bad relationship a few years ago. I had decided I wasn’t going to look and that if having a woman in my life was in the cards for me, she’d find me when the time was right. Apparently, it was in the cards and the time is right, even with all of the other turmoil in my life.

I’m crazy about her. I don’t care who knows. I may even let her meet the guys sooner than I normally would. That’ll be interesting. If she makes it through that, I’ll just have to keep her around.

FINALLY! Someone Speaks the Truth About Kanye West

2006-04-03T23:20:00.000-05:00

I saw this on Mind of Mencia this week and, I have to tell you, I haven't laughed so hard in a very, very long time.

Kanye should be pictured in the dictionary when you look up "pretentious ass."

The Questionnaire by Bernard Pivot

2006-04-01T22:29:00.000-06:00

I've been meaning to do this forever and decided to do this tonight while I'm watching the Formula 1 race from Australia. You probably know these questions best as the questionnaire asked by James Lipton at the end of each episode of Inside the Actors Studio.

01. What is your favorite word? Kablamo.

02. What is your least favorite word? Work.

03. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Music.

04. What turns you off? People who don't pay attention or are unaware and or/inconsiderate of their surroundings.

05. What is your favorite curse word? Fuck, it's an all purpose word.

06. What sound or noise do you love? Eric Clapton's guitar. It's what heaven sounds like.

07. What sound or noise do you hate? A dog or cat licking themselves.

08. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Formula 1 Driver or High School Teacher.

09. What profession would you not like to do? Accountant.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Come right in, the band is warming up and mssrs. Hendrix, Vaughn and all your other heroes will start the show shortly.

Who Gave Him a Gun?

2006-02-12T21:21:00.000-06:00

It's the Secret Service's job to protect not only the President, but certain other members of the Government. I would think that includes protecting them from themselves.

Dick Cheney, who's had 3 dozen heart attacks and has a battery powered electrical device implanted in his chest, decided to go hunting. At some point during the trip, he forgot basic gun safety and pointed a shotgun at his hunting partner and fired. He thought he would hit a bird. Never mind that the guy was almost out of the way...it's just shotgun pellets.

Shouldn't someone from his security detail have yelled from the back "hey, Mr. Vice President, look out." Shouldn't we have someone who's next in line to become President of the United States who knows not to point a loaded weapon at someone else?

Guns don't kill people...

OH, You Meant THOSE Photos...

2006-02-12T21:15:00.000-06:00

First, there were catagorically no photos. There had never been any circumstance under which President Bush and Jack Abramoff had ever met. I seem to remember Scott McCllellan getting pretty nasty with members of the press corps for asking about it. In fact, that was the first time I remember specifically thinking "Wow, I didn't realize that it would be a good idea for the White House Press Secretary to be such an ass." He has since repeatedly demonstrated that he is, in fact, an ass.

Now, Sunday, quietly, yes, there is a photo showing them in the same room together. Wow, a lie from the White House. Would you have ever guessed that could happen? I'm shocked and amazed.

Redemption In the Eyes of A Music Lover

2006-02-12T21:00:00.000-06:00

So, this was Grammy Week. There was a time when this was a show that, if you were a music fan at all, you didn't miss. The past few years, however, it's been pretty flat, and frankly, it seemed that it was becoming less about merit and more about popularity. Any organization that awards Britney Spears "musical talent" is suspect in my book.

I wasn't really excited about this years show ahead of time. I was anxious to see if Sly Stone was going to show up. Of course, he did and it was wonderful. I have to admit, though, that the rest of the show was one of the best in years. I was glad to see that Mariah Carey and Kanye West didn't make big sweeps, because there were other people who were deserving of wins. Kelly Clarkson, for one. Kudos to the Recording Academy for awarding her a couple of Grammys, she really deserved them after the year that she had and the guts she showed to move away from the American Idol pop princess mold that had been cast for her. My only real disappointment for the night was that Sugarland lost Best New Artist to John Legend. Of course, it could be a blessing. The curse of the New Artist Grammy is well known and I'd hate to see them fall victim to that.

The performances were great, too. Right from the beginning with the Gorillaz and Madonna, Sugarland, Kelly Clarkson, the Sly Stone Tribute, the closing New Orleans and Wilson Pickett tribute were all great. It was a night of redemption for music lovers from an organization that had neglected it's responsibilities over the last few years.

One More Time

2006-02-01T15:47:00.000-06:00

In 1989, Michael Taylor and Roderick Nunley kidnapped, brutally raped and murdered 15 year old Ann Harrison, then stuffed her body in the trunk of a car. Ann was waiting for the school bus while standing in front of her house.

Recently, execution dates have been set for both Nunley and Taylor and Taylor’s attorney, John William Simon has filed appeals arguing that the method of execution in the state of Missouri is cruel and unusual. Missouri uses lethal injection, accomplished by a cocktail of three drugs. Today, a federal judge rejected the appeal and the stay of execution has been modified such that, if the state of Missouri desires, it can execute Mr. Taylor this evening. If they do not do so by 11:59pm then the Missouri Supreme Court will be asked to set a new date.

I can’t believe we have to talk about this again. Taylor says he’s a changed man and that he shouldn’t be executed for something he did while he was admittedly high on crack cocaine. His mother has been on the local news saying that it’s not is fault that he fell in with a rough crown when he was young and that he did bad things. Well, who’s fault is it, then? If it’s not his it is certainly hers, so maybe we should execute Taylor’s mother. We all know that’s not going to happen, nor is it feasible. Taylor needs to accept his guilt and take responsibility not only for the rape and murder of Ann Harrison but for the choices he made in life that led up to that.

Kidnapping and raping a young, defenseless girl in the manner in which they did disqualifies them from being members of our society . Actually, it disqualifies them from being a part of our civilization and as I’ve said before, there is no other way to deal with someone who has committed an act so heinous against our civilization than to remove them.

Get comfortable on the gurney Mr. Taylor, it’s time for you to meet your maker, and I’m pretty positive that no matter what drugs the state of Missouri pumps through your veins using a sterilized needle, it won’t be nearly as cruel or unusual as what you put a defenseless teenage girl through on that spring day in 1989.

Know Your Time and Place

2006-02-01T15:40:00.000-06:00

Anyone who knows me or reads previous entries here will know that I have no problems questioning authority or voicing my opinion when I fell like voicing it. One of the things that separates me from others, however, is that I know when and where to shoot my mouth off.

Several years ago, Natalie Maines of The Dixie Chicks made a comment while on stage in London that she was “ashamed” that President Bush was from Texas which is also her home state. She and the others in the group took a lot of flack for that statement. I didn’t have a problem with the statement, I had a problem with the fact that she was overseas badmouthing the President during a time of war. When you are in a foreign country, you are representing this country. No matter how inconsequential you think that is, it’s the truth. When you are a celebrity, your words have even more weight behind them.

Recently, Cindy Sheehan has been an outspoken critic of President Bush. Like with the Dixie Chicks, I can’t find much fault with her message. Her behavior on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. It started when she camped out in front of the President’s Crawford, Texas ranch and demanded to meet with him to discuss her views. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out why there would be no way the President could ever meet with her after that. It would set a precedent that would set in motion total political chaos. It would send a signal that all anyone who wanted an audience with the President or any other high ranking government official would have to do is pitch a tent and say they weren’t moving. It’s blackmail and there is no way it was ever going to work.

Last night, prior to the State of the Union Address, Ms. Sheehan was escorted from the chambers of the House of Representatives because she was wearing a t-shirt that stated “2245 Dead. How many more?” Now, again, I don’t have a problem with her message. I’m right there with her on message. I could write on and on about my feelings about the war in Iraq but not now. My problem is showing disrespect. As an invited guest, the gallery of the House Chamber, during a constitutionally mandated speech by the President of The United States is an inappropriate time and place for you to try to accomplish something that is never going to happen. It would be inappropriate for me to shout “You lost the election in 2000” during the speech, it would be in appropriate for me to hold up a sign that says “got chads?” during the speech and it’s inappropriate for Ms. Sheehan to do what she did. There are just some places where that kind of behavior is never going to be acceptable. It’s like when Kansas City Chief’s fans yell “CHIEFS” over the word “brave” at the end of the Star Spangled Banner. It’s like walking on graves in Arlington Cemetery or fishing change out of fountain. They happen, but they’re wrong.

Cindy Sheehan, along with a lot of others from both sides of the aisle would find that their message was much better received if they showed some respect in situations that call for it.

Happy Crappy Day!

2006-01-28T21:47:00.000-06:00

Today is another anniversary. It’s not nearly as sobering as Challenger, nor really important in the grand scheme of things.

On January 28^th 2004 Judge Frank Otte of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Southern Indiana approved the plan of Gerald Forsythe, Kevin Kalkhoven and Paul Gentilozzi to purchase the assets of the defunct Championship Auto Racing Teams. This was a monumentous day in the 10 year old conflict between CART (now ChampCar) and Tony George’s Indy Racing League (IRL.)

There are many places you can go to read the long, storied history of the IRL and it’s founder. It’s a bad business model founded on a lie by a guy who inherited everything he has and has since destroyed a family legacy and the legacy of what was once the “greatest spectacle in racing,” the Indianapolis 500. Normally, I’d give you links to some of this stuff, but I refuse to link to anything IRL related.

Instead, I’ve continued to support ChampCar and watch the series grow over the past two years under the guidance of the “Three Amigos.” In the early 90’s the popularity of ChampCar racing was unreal. It rivaled that of NASCAR (don’t even get me started on them…) “The Split” hurt the American Open Wheel racing scene and it’s never recovered. That is starting to change, and with the introduction of a new car and rules package in 2007, ChampCar is poised to take off again.

Go visit my friends over at ChampCar Fanatics (Crapwagon.com for the un-PC) for a look at what is great about ChampCar.

A big thank you to the Amigos and Judge Ott for realizing that Tony George hadn’t brought the right currency to court that day.

Remembering Challenger

2006-01-28T21:03:00.000-06:00

I can’t believe that it has been 20 years since the Challenger disaster. I was in the 7^th grade at the time and it was no secret to anyone that knew me that I was mesmerized by the space program. I read books. I had toys. I got up early to watch launches on TV. I knew everything about the space shuttle. My copy of The Space Shuttle Operators Manual was well worn.

I found out when I went in to the lunch room that morning. The ladies who worked in there had a radio on and it was easy to see that they were upset. I remember asking them what had happened and they told us that the shuttle had blown up. Soon after, the principal put the radio broadcast over the speaker system in the lunch room. A little later, he came over the speakers system in the whole school and made an announcement that the shuttle had indeed exploded and told us that everyone had died. Of course, being in the age group that was going to be targeted by Christa McAuliffe’s televised lesson, many students and teachers had been excited about the mission and it was upsetting for us to see and hear what had happened. As much as I’d followed the space program, I was crushed.

One of the things that sticks with me about that day is the image of one of my teachers, who’s name I can’t remember, standing behind her desk crying as the principal made that announcement.

I followed the Rogers Commission and watched the hearings, read the report when it came out.

It’s still painful for me to see the footage of the accident. I cringe when I see it, and given the opportunity, if I know it’s coming, I won’t watch it. MSNBC posted an interesting article the other day detailing some “myths” about the accident. At first, when I saw the title of the article, I was preparing myself for it to be a conspiracy theorists view of the accident, but it’s a factually correct article that does address some things that many people take as fact about the accident.

I am watching a great documentary on the History Channel tonight as I write this, detailing how NASA’s mission control dealt with problems all throughout the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. It is called “Failure is Not an Option,” a quote from long time Flight Director Gene Krantz. You best know Krantz as he was portrayed by Ed Harris in the movie Apollo 13. It’s based upon his memoir.

I’ve always found it odd that Apollo 1, the Challenger and Columbia accidents all took place between the 27 of January and February 1^st. It’s a testament to the many men and women of the space program that these are the only fatal accidents. It’s the most important thing that humans have done in their history on this earth and we must continue explore space, not only as a tribute to those brave souls who sacrificed their lives, but so that we may continue to evolve as a civilization.

So many things that you use in your everyday life are the result of the space program. Pens, Velcro, microwave ovens, so many more would never have happened if had not been for the space program. Who knows what items from the past decade will one day be used in everyday life.

Never forget the astronauts of the three missions that we pause to reflect upon this week and never give up on their dream of gaining knowledge and going “where no man has gone before.”

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Woman With Tattoo From Homemade Gun Got Sick

2006-01-26T10:24:00.000-06:00

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Woman With Tattoo From Homemade Gun Got Sick

I know that there are stupid people in the world. I accept that. I accepted that a long time ago. These women might just take the cake.

Let's set it up.

Strange man comes to the door, offering to tattoo you. You realize that this is shady, and that his tatto gun looks homemade because it's being held together by electrical tape. You want a tattoo really bad, so you agree to let him tattoo you. Your friends and neighbors all get tattoos as well, from the same needle and then, the next day, you're surprised when you get an infection and pass out on your ~~trailer~~ living room floor.

It's called Darwinism folks and it is alive and well in the Ozarks.

It's Time to Say Goodbye

2006-01-23T12:29:00.000-06:00

NBC announced over the weekend that they are canceling The West Wing at the end of the season. As much as I hate to say it, it's time. Not because the show is bad, because even with out Aaron Sorkin, it's still a great show. I just can't think about The West Wing being about anything but the Bartlett White House.

The first three seasons of the show contain some of the best hours of TV ever made. Once Sorkin left, that special touch left with him. It's like the difference between drinking Jack Daniel's and Jack Daniel's Single Barrel. Both the same product, but one is just a little bit more special.

With the recent death of John Spencer, this decision is all the more right. I hope that they give Leo a proper send off. In fact, I think the character should die. It's fitting.

Guess Which Search Engine I'll Use From Now On

2006-01-22T16:58:00.000-06:00

It’s not just terrorists that the government wants to monitor. Google announced this week that it had been under subpoena by the Department of Justice to turn over samplings of searches and their results as well as the IP address of the computer that had initiated the search. This should scare you to your core.

The DOJ says that it’s to justify a child pornography law that had been struck down in the courts. It doesn’t really matter. Without cause, the government can’t go digging through information like that. It would be like them coming into your house on Sunday morning to see what coupons you’d clipped, what articles you’d highlighted and what want ads you’d circled in the Sunday paper. It’s none of their business because they are indicators of your political, religious and other constitutionally protected rights.

The Bush administration is trying to become Big Brother (The Orwellian version, not the TV show, for you youngsters) bit by bit, case by case and it should scare the hell out of you. It should outrage you. It should embarrass you. We’re the “land of the free.” How free are you when the government wants to monitor your private thoughts. That’s what we’re talking about here folks, They want to monitor your private thoughts. As soon as you start to do that, it’s game over.

Kudos to Google for doing it’s best to live up to it’s motto of “Don’t be evil.” Yahoo, MSN, and AOL should be ashamed of themselves for rolling over and showing the DOJ their bellies just because they were asked to. This is one of those times that you stand up and fight. This is one of those times you stand up and shout at the top of your lungs that what is happening is wrong. This is one of those times that you need to smack the man on the nose and tell him “No.”

The part that disturbs me the most is that there is not over whelming outrage about this in the media. No one stands up. There aren’t protests in the streets. Has the American public quietly accepted that the government is going to chip away at their rights and that it is ok? I sure hope not. It will be the beginning of the downfall of this country if that is the case.

There is something that the DOJ and the Bush administration should take away from Google. An understanding of the phrase “Don’t Be Evil.”

Anyone Have Windows Live Messenger Invites?

2006-01-18T16:54:00.000-06:00

I'm interested to try this out. If you happen to stop by and have an invite, shoot me an email, link is up on the right.

Thanks in advance!

TheKansasCityChannel.com - Local News - Couple Accused In Child Caging Want Kids Back

2006-01-04T13:38:00.000-06:00

TheKansasCityChannel.com - Local News - Couple Accused In Child Caging Want Kids Back

Ummm....I've got a ruling for you. How about "No."

Any parent who locks their child in a cage, under any circumstances at all doesn't deserve to be a parent. If it's that bad, get help. That's what the Division of Family Services (or whatever it is called in your area) is for. Involve law enforcement if your child is so unruly that you feel unsafe.

The Gravelle's said that they "would be more lenient..." if they could have their children back. What does that mean? They'd throw a pillow and blanket in the cage? Hose 'em down once in a while?

Of all the things in this world that should or should not be regulated and licensed, being a parent is at the top of my list that people should have to be approved for. There are some people who just don't deserve or have any business having children. I don't know a whole lot about the Gravelle's, but I feel safe in saying that they are among that group that should not have kids.

The Automotive Harassment Squad

2005-12-29T11:07:00.000-06:00

It was George Carlin who I first heard discuss the Automotive Harassment Squad. He said that they followed him around whenever he left the house and would do things like drive with their blinkers on. Well, I’m here to tell you that they have left Carlin and are after me. Every were I go, Every time I leave the house. Recently, while running some errands in town with a friend, I shared some of my experiences with him and he started to notice that, as we were out an about, all kinds of crazy stuff was happening to us while we were in the car. He swore that day that he’d never drive with me again.

This morning’s commute was a perfect example. My commute is about 18 miles, and depending on traffic takes me anywhere from 20-45 minutes. Today, was a light traffic day, but that doesn’t really matter.

Exiting my neighborhood, getting on to one of the main thoroughfares in my area leading to the interstate, I get behind a man driving a powder blue Sierra pick up truck. He drove the 2 miles from my neighborhood to the Interstate without looking out of his front windshield. He drove the entire distance constantly leaning over and looking at his rear view mirrors. Now, there was nothing in the bed of the truck, he wasn’t towing anything and I’m pretty sure I didn’t have anything hanging out of my nose, so I have no idea what he was looking at. When we got to the interstate, he turned to get on the entrance ramp and then came to a dead stop. Mind you, he wasn’t stopped where you normally would if you were yielding to other traffic, he had actually turned on to the ramp and them stopped. I raised my hands and shrugged trying to communicate to him “I have no idea what you’re doing…” I didn’t yell. There were no middle fingers sticking up on my hands. Apparently, though, I was in the wrong, because he flipped me the bird and shook his fist at me. Then, rather than going on, he did 20mph down the ramp and on to the freeway. I sped up to go around him and…wait for it…he gave me the bird again. So, I did my best Steve Buscemi from Billy Madison and smiled as big as I could, waved and shouted “Have A Nice Day.”

You’d think that would be enough for anybody on their commute.

You’d be wrong. Welcome to my world.

I get about a mile up the interstate, I’m in the fast lane, the one for passing (the one to the inside for all you people who don’t know… and I know for a fact there are a lot of you) because I’m moving faster than the folks in the center lane. I’m coming up on a semi-truck when, out of nowhere, a Mustang comes FLYING past me and squeezes in the space between me and the truck with about 2 inches to spare, cutting me off. The truck was in the center lane and this guy used a spot that was barely big enough to get through, and the, slowed down to the speed limit. At this point, I’m starting to think something’s up.

My commute progresses, I pass the Truman Sports Complex, and as some other traffic is merging into I-70, a guy in an Explorer about 3 cars in front of me slams on his breaks. So he can cross 3 lanes of traffic and exit. While this is going on, a yellow pickup truck that is merging keeps getting closer and closer to me, until we’re about 6 inches apart, side to side. The driver can’t see me because, you guessed it, he was talking on his cell phone and holding it in his left hand, blocking is view of his rearview mirror and his peripheral view. I honked my horn at him. He gave me the finger.

I came very close at that point, to exiting the freeway, turning around and going home. Is this an indication of what the day is going to be like? What the hell is wrong with people when they get behind the wheel of an automobile? Am I the only one having these experiences?

My mother says that I’m not allowed to apply for a permit to carry a gun because she is afraid that I’d use it. On morning’s like today. I think she might be right.

UPDATE: Charges Filed in Cell Phone Assault

2005-12-28T14:23:00.000-06:00

Oh, it get's better. Turns out, the girl didn't swallow the cell phone "voluntarily." So, here we all thought "how stupid is this girl to try to swallow a cell phone?" when it turns out, we should've been thinking "what exactly were you trying to accomplish by stuffing a cell phone down your girlfriend's throat?"

As of last night, the guy was on the run in the area. I would think you could just follow the trail of choking people until you found him. Perhaps he's wedged himself in some cramped spot trying to hide from the police.

The Understatement of the Week

2005-12-27T15:28:00.000-06:00

After the judge tossed a previously issued restraining order against David Letterman for "sending thoughts" to her, Colleen Nestler said,

"He has access to me. He can actually come for me or send people. He has many accomplices. I know this sounds crazy. I was crazy to have listened to him in the beginning."

Hmmmmmm....you think? Crazy you say? Surely not.

Holy Cuckoo for Cocoa-Puffs.

When My Hometown Makes the News...

2005-12-27T12:23:00.000-06:00

...it's never good.

The people of Missouri always wonder why most of the rest of the world has such a hillbilly, backwoods, image of them. This is why. When we get on the news, it is the guy who saw the tornado but only has two teeth, is wearing overalls with no shirt or shoes and is wearing a straw hat or, it's someone like this woman who is swallowing consumer electronics.

The System Works

2005-12-12T21:17:00.000-06:00

Stanley “Tookie” Williams was convicted by a jury in the deaths of four people. His case has worked it’s way through the appeals process and he’s lost all along the way. Today, the Governor of California and the United States Supreme Court denied requests for clemency and for a writ. He his scheduled to be executed tonight at 12:01 AM Pacific Standard Time.

The system has worked. A mass murder will be executed and I don’t understand how anyone thinks that this is not a good thing. Mass murders should be executed. There is no other way to remove them from society. Prison is a joke. In many cases, inmates are allowed to work out, to watch TV, to socialize with other inmates, basically, they’re at summer camp. If you have committed a crime so heinous that society has decreed that you should be removed from amongst their midst, then execution is just.

I’ve heard the arguments that he’s reformed in prison, that he’s written children’s books, been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and so on. I have a few problems. He’s never owned up to his crime. Bottom line. The evidence is overwhelmingly against him, yet he’s never owned up to his crime, never apologized to the victims families, never done the most important thing, taken responsibility for his actions. This wouldn’t have turned my opinion, but I can at least have some respect for a man who takes responsibility for his actions.

Anyone can be nominated by anyone else for a Nobel Peace Prize. Anyone reading this who would like to go through life saying that they’d been nominated, drop me a note and let me know, I’ll nominate you. It’s that easy. Being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize impresses me about as much as telling me that your server sang “Happy Birthday” to you last night at Applebee’s. It can happen to anyone.

Let us say, for argument’s sake that Governor Schwarzenegger had granted clemency based on the fact that Mr. Williams had renounced gangs, written children’s books, and “redeemed” him self. What kind of message does this send? Many will say the right message, but I ask you to consider the chaos this would unleash on our society. Imagine a society where, no matter how heinous the crime you committed, all you had to do was serve some time in jail, say you’d been “reformed” and then expect that we would just forgive and forget.

I don’t want to live in that society. I’m glad it doesn’t work that way and I’m glad that people like Tookie Williams, Timothy McVeigh, Ted Bundy, Gary Gilmore and Aileen Wornos, among others have been removed from the gene pool It’s called Darwinism and it’s fact everywhere except Kansas, but that’s a whole other story.

Poll finds broad approval of terrorist torture - International Terrorism - MSNBC.com

2005-12-06T22:46:00.000-06:00

"Most Americans and a majority of people in Britain, France and South Korea say torturing terrorism suspects is justified at least in rare instances, according to AP-Ipsos polling."

Wait, I thought it was a moral outrage. Isn't that what the right has been telling us? What do you know, not an accurate reflection of the American opinion at all. Raise you're hand if you're surprised. What? No one?

TheKansasCityChannel.com - Money - Wal-Mart Defends 'Happy Holidays' Greeting

2005-11-11T00:29:00.000-06:00

TheKansasCityChannel.com - Money - Wal-Mart Defends 'Happy Holidays' Greeting

<
But the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is calling for a customer boycott until the world's largest retailer apologizes.>>

Give me a fucking break. Since when was Christmas about Christians? As someone who spent 7 years working in retail, I can tell you that Christmas has about as much to do with Christians as MTV has to do with music.

It's a completely commercial holiday that now starts in September. I walked in to Linens 'N Things in September to be whacked in the face with huge displays of Christmas crap. When the nice girl said "How are you today?" I blurted out "I was fine until I saw Christmas. It's September and I'm wearing shorts. Make it go away." She didn't know what to say.

I know what to say to the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Give me a fucking break. Sit down and shut up. Isn't it supposed to be a time of year for family, friends and the spirit of giving? I don't remember anything about "It's our holiday and you can't participate."

Church people make me want to vomit.

It Has Begun

2005-11-08T21:21:00.000-06:00

It's not the midterms, but many elections being held across the country today are being widely regarded as litmus tests for where American politics are headed in the near future. Growing dissatisfaction with the Bush administration coupled with a backlash against the religious right are coming together to create a shift not seen since the 1994 midterms when the Republicans took a majority in both the House and the Senate.

Today, during the daily White House press briefing, Press Secretary Scott McClellan entered in a to very heated exchange with a large number of the White House Press Corps over the insanely contradictory public positions taken by President Bush and Vice President Cheney over the issue of torture. President Bush said "we do not torture." Vice President Cheney is lobbying congress to issue an exemption to the CIA, allowing them to torture.

There was a time when the press corps would've let it go, would've not called out the discrepancy, but as we've seen over the past few months, the press has found their spine. They're asking the questions that a majority of the American people want to know.

Growing since the outrage over the 2000 election and really starting to come to a head after the 2004 election, the roar is becoming deafening. People are realizing that the Republicans are interested in being in power, not what they can do with it. People are realizing that it's a rich, white boy club who does favors for each other. Don't get me wrong, the Democrats are a disorganized mess and it's a "lesser of two evils" situation. At this point, the American public is tired of not being able to trust. Tired of incompetence. Tired of wondering what kinds of things are happening that they're not hearing about on the news.

It's time for a big shift and it has begun.

If You Live Close to Kansas City and Have A Chance...

2005-09-20T18:28:00.000-05:00

...Catch a concert at the Uptown. I am in my seat awaiting the start of the Allman Brothers Band's show tonight. They have done an amazing job at rennovating this place. Since the last time I was here in february, they've added carpet to the main floor and just the overall work that has been done to the building is amazing.

I saw Gov't Mule here last winter, which was an amazing show. Warren Haynes and the guys in that band never fail to deliver and I am sure that with the Allman Brothers, Warren will not disappoint either.

Really looking forward to this....

There is Stupid, and Then There is REALLY Stupid

2005-09-13T18:49:00.000-05:00

WCNC.com | News for Charlotte, N.C. | Top Stories

"I heard from a very reliable source who saw a 25 foot deep crater under the levee breach. It may have been blown up to destroy the black part of town and keep the white part dry,"

I do believe that Minister Farrakhan has been infected with the really, special stupid.

We Must Never Forget

2005-09-11T23:07:00.000-05:00

CNN September 11th Memorial

A few thoughts on this day....

I went to the Chiefs home opener today at Arrowhead Stadium here in Kansas City. I hadn't really thought much about it being September 11th. I was aware of it, I had some of the services on TV this morning, but I was just trying not to let myself dwell on it. After watching the events of the past couple of weeks along the Gulf Coast, I felt emotionally spent.

Then, something special happened.

My brother, his girlfriend and I got to the stadium about 30 minutes before kickoff. We walked up to our seats and sat down. I started to fiddle with my radio and all of the sudden; you could hear this roar start to come from the other end of the stadium. We looked towards the tunnel where the Chiefs usually come from, but instead of red helmeted football players, were dozens of military personnel in jungle cammies. They were lined up in a very long column of two and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they were carrying a huge, rolled up American flag.

For anyone out there who may be reading this that has never experienced Arrowhead Stadium, it is widely considered to be the loudest stadium in sports. I've been to plenty of games there and I can tell you I've experienced that place in all of its glory. I never imagined that I could've heard it as loud as I did today as those members of the 442nd Tactical Fighter Wing from Whiteman Air Force Base unfurled that flag. It was unreal. The 442nd flies A-10 thunderbolts. They saw a lot of action in both Gulf Wars. They, just as any other member of the US Military, deserve the thanks of the citizens of this country. Today, 79,000 people stood up and thanked them, just about as loud as I've ever heard 79,000 people. When 4 of the 442nd's A-10s blasted over the stadium low...and I mean LOW...the crowd got even louder. As the 442nd marched off the field, the crowd started chanting, "USA! USA! USA!" It was amazing.

At half time, the U. S. Marines Silent Drill Platoon showed their stuff in the center of the field. I've never heard 79,000 people be that quiet before. The crowed ooohhh'ed and aaaahhhh'd as the Marines performed with amazing precision and, just like the members of the 442nd before them, received a thunderous ovation as they marched off the field.

Tonight, I watched "The Flight That Fought Back" on the Discovery Channel. Like many others, I was inspired in the days after September 11th by the stories that started to emerge about what had happened on Flight 93. I have drawn inspiration from them in the years since anytime we as a country faced a difficult time or if I was facing a difficult time in my life. The 40 men and women on that flight are the ultimate heroes.

I thought I was prepared to watch this drama/documentary based upon the information learned from the phone calls made from the plane that day and from the information contained on the cockpit tapes. I believe that we should do everything we can to make sure that people NEVER forget what happened that day, to make sure that when we start to take our eye off the ball, we have something to look back at that stokes the fire vengeance. I thought I was prepared to watch this show.

I was not.

I'm glad I watched it. I believe now more than ever that those men and women are heroes. I believe that they should be given the highest honors this country has to give to those who have given their lives in defense of their country. Make no mistake about it, that's what they did. They defended their country that day.

It was the most painful thing I've ever watched. To hear the stories of those people, to hear how the calmly called their families and made their peace and then, as a group, stood up in the face of evil and said "we will not go quietly."

As the story progressed, I kept catching myself feeling nervous. Stories would bring tears to my eyes. At the end, while watching a depiction of the final moments of the flight, I found my self sobbing, almost uncontrollably. It was a mixture of sadness and pride. It was loss. It was love. It was admiration. They were heroes and they gave the ultimate sacrifice to stare down evil. It wasn't used in the film, but I kept hearing Neil Young's "Let's Roll," inspired by the last words that Todd Beamer said to a Verizon operator.

I know I said I love you,
I know you know it's true,
I've got to put the phone down,
and do what we got to do.

One's standing in the iselway,
Two more at the door,
We've got to get inside there,
Before they kill some more.

Time is runnin' out,
Let's roll.
Time is runnin' out,
Let's roll.

No time for indecision,
We've got to make a move,
I hope that were forgiven,
For what we got to

How this all got started,
I'll never understand,
I hope someone can fly this thing,
And get us back to land.

Time is runnin' out,
Let's roll.
Time is runnin' out,
Let's roll.

No one has the answer,
But one thing is true,
You've got to turn on evil,
When it's coming after you,
You've gotta face it down,
And when it tries to hide,
You've gotta go in after it,
And never be denied,
Time is runnin' out,
Let's roll.

Let's roll for freedom,
Let's roll for love,
We're going after Satan,
On the wings of a dove,
Let's roll for justice,
Let's roll for truth,
Let's not let our children,
Grow up fearful in their youth.

Time is runnin' out,
Let's roll.
Time is runnin' out,
Let's roll.
Time is runnin' out,
Let's roll.

CNN.com - Al-Zarqawi: Katrina an answer to prayers - Sep 11, 2005

2005-09-11T21:40:00.000-05:00

CNN.com - Al-Zarqawi: Katrina an answer to prayers - Sep 11, 2005

Fuck you Al-Zarqawi. Fuck you in the ass with a big, pointy wooden stick.

An Open Letter To The President of The United States of America

2005-09-04T23:24:00.000-05:00

Dear Mr. President:

We heard you loud and clear Friday when you visited our devastated city and the Gulf Coast and said, "What is not working, we're going to make it right."

Please forgive us if we wait to see proof of your promise before believing you. But we have good reason for our skepticism.

Bienville built New Orleans where he built it for one main reason: It's accessible. The city between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain was easy to reach in 1718.

How much easier it is to access in 2005 now that there are interstates and bridges, airports and helipads, cruise ships, barges, buses and diesel-powered trucks.

Despite the city's multiple points of entry, our nation's bureaucrats spent days after last week's hurricane wringing their hands, lamenting the fact that they could neither rescue the city's stranded victims nor bring them food, water and medical supplies.

Meanwhile there were journalists, including some who work for The Times-Picayune, going in and out of the city via the Crescent City Connection. On Thursday morning, that crew saw a caravan of 13 Wal-Mart tractor trailers headed into town to bring food, water and supplies to a dying city.

Television reporters were doing live reports from downtown New Orleans streets. Harry Connick Jr. brought in some aid Thursday, and his efforts were the focus of a "Today" show story Friday morning.

Yet, the people trained to protect our nation, the people whose job it is to quickly bring in aid were absent. Those who should have been deploying troops were singing a sad song about how our city was impossible to reach.

We're angry, Mr. President, and we'll be angry long after our beloved city and surrounding parishes have been pumped dry. Our people deserved rescuing. Many who could have been were not. That's to the government's shame.

Mayor Ray Nagin did the right thing Sunday when he allowed those with no other alternative to seek shelter from the storm inside the Louisiana Superdome. We still don't know what the death toll is, but one thing is certain: Had the Superdome not been opened, the city's death toll would have been higher. The toll may even have been exponentially higher.

It was clear to us by late morning Monday that many people inside the Superdome would not be returning home. It should have been clear to our government, Mr. President. So why weren't they evacuated out of the city immediately? We learned seven years ago, when Hurricane Georges threatened, that the Dome isn't suitable as a long-term shelter. So what did state and national officials think would happen to tens of thousands of people trapped inside with no air conditioning, overflowing toilets and dwindling amounts of food, water and other essentials?

State Rep. Karen Carter was right Friday when she said the city didn't have but two urgent needs: "Buses! And gas!" Every official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency should be fired, Director Michael Brown especially.

In a nationally televised interview Thursday night, he said his agency hadn't known until that day that thousands of storm victims were stranded at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. He gave another nationally televised interview the next morning and said, "We've provided food to the people at the Convention Center so that they've gotten at least one, if not two meals, every single day."

Lies don't get more bald-faced than that, Mr. President.

Yet, when you met with Mr. Brown Friday morning, you told him, "You're doing a heck of a job."

That's unbelievable.

There were thousands of people at the Convention Center because the riverfront is high ground. The fact that so many people had reached there on foot is proof that rescue vehicles could have gotten there, too.

We, who are from New Orleans, are no less American than those who live on the Great Plains or along the Atlantic Seaboard. We're no less important than those from the Pacific Northwest or Appalachia. Our people deserved to be rescued.

No expense should have been spared. No excuses should have been voiced. Especially not one as preposterous as the claim that New Orleans couldn't be reached.

Mr. President, we sincerely hope you fulfill your promise to make our beloved communities work right once again.

When you do, we will be the first to applaud.

The Editorial Board of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Do What You Can

2005-09-04T22:01:00.000-05:00

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Other Ways To Help

The Times, They Are A-Changin'

2005-09-04T21:59:00.000-05:00

You are witnessing a fundamental shift in the way some things will work in this country. As usual, it took a disaster or something negative to make it happen, but it is happening. People are starting to ask questions. When we question our leaders, the greatest change takes place. Think back to the 60’s. When the counterculture began to question the establishment about Vietnam and about how and why things were the way they were, America changed at a fundamental level. Sure, our form of government stayed the same, but there was an intellectual shift.

The events of the past week in New Orleans and all along the gulf coast are devastating. I don’t think that there is anyone who would argue that. What is being debated now is whether or not the various government entities, local, state and federal, have lived up to their responsibilities. This debate will not be settled anytime soon, if ever. It is this debate however; that I believe will change the course of this nation.

I have seen something amazing take place this week. Actually, I’ve seen many amazing things take place this week, and several of them stand out for me.

Members of the media have been aggressively questioning the establishment. I have seen Geraldo Rivera and Shepard Smith from FoxNews angrily calling out members of FEMA and the Federal government. I have seen Tim Russert give a verbal thrashing to the Director of Homeland Security. I have seen Anderson Cooper pleading for help as he walks through the ruins of Mississippi. I have seen members of the Republican Party call out the leaders of their party for not responding. The mainstream media is talking about the fact that there is still a considerable racial and economic divide in this country and are pointing fingers are Republicans saying that if this storm had moved through a white, more economically well off area of the country, that much more would’ve been done prior to and immediately following the passing of Hurricane Katrina. That is unreal. It is not something that I ever thought that I would see in my lifetime. As polarized as this country was after the elections of 2000 and 2004, this level of questioning of the establishment is unheard of since the Summer of Love and the Woodstock generation. The media has found its spine and they are using it.

I will say right now that I think that at the very least Michael Chertoff, the Director of Homeland Security and Michael Brown, Under Secretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response should resign. I have seen Secretary Chertoff on TV stating that he was surprised that the levee system in and around New Orleans didn’t hold. The President of The United States went on TV and said that “I don’t think anyone could’ve anticipated the breach in the levees.” That is a lie. He received a study last year, run as an exercise called Hurricane Pam. In that exercise, a simulated hurricane hit New Orleans and caused a levee break. Tim Russert confronted Secretary Chertoff with this on Meet the Press this morning:

According to a study done by the Times Picayune in New Orleans in 2002: "...A major hurricane could decimate the region, but flooding from even a moderate storm could kill thousands. It's just a matter of time. ... The scene's been played out for years in computer models or emergency operations simulations... New Orleans has hurricane levees that create a bowl with the bottom dipping lower than the bottom of Lake Pontchartrain. ...the levees would trap any water that gets inside-- by breach, overtopping or torrential downpour--catastrophic storm. ... The estimated 200,000 or more people left behind in an evacuation will be struggling to survive. Some will be housed at the Superdome, the designated shelter for people too sick or inform to leave the city. ...But many will simply be on their own, in homes or looking for high ground. Thousands will drown while trapped in homes or cars by rising water. Other will be washed away or crushed by debris. Survivors will end up trapped on roofs, in buildings or on high ground surrounded by water, with no means of escape and little food or fresh water, perhaps for several days." (Times-Picayune, June 23-27, 2002)

Secretary Chertoff acted as if he had never heard this before. He refused to accept responsibility for the fact that, as Secretary of Homeland Security, this is something that he and his team should have been on top of. He and many who report to him have failed to perform the jobs for which they were hired. If he is a man of honor, he should resign. Now. If he’s not, and I suspect that he is not, The President of The United States should fire him.

Having said that, it goes a step higher. The President of the United States did not and, in my opinion, still has not grasped the severity of what has gone on in the Gulf coast. Even Senator Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, said "The president is starting to grasp the magnitude of the situation." If, after almost a week, he has not put his head around what has happened, he never will. This lack of understanding of domestic events, the lack of focus, the lack of compassion, the lack of action all point to a “leader” who is unfit to lead.

This is all going to contribute to a fundamental change. It’s coming. It’s inevitable now. People are figuring out again that it is ok to question authority; it’s ok to question our leaders, to hold them accountable when they fail to protect us. America, the people of New Orleans, of Biloxi, Gulfport, Slidell, of all of the cities and towns directly and indirectly affected by this disaster will come back stronger than ever before. As Americans, it’s what we do. I have faith in us, even if sometimes it seems like I don’t.

Apparently, I'm a Sick Bastard

2005-09-03T08:26:00.000-05:00

the Shock Jock
(66% dark, 50% spontaneous, 42% vulgar)

your humor style:
VULGAR | SPONTANEOUS | DARK

Your sense of humor is off-the-cuff and kind of gross. Is it is also
sinister, cynical, and vaguely threatening to the purer folks of this
world. You probably get off on that. You would cut a greasy fart, then
blame it on your mom, and then just shrug when someone pointed out that
she's dead.

Yours is hands-down the most outrageous sense of humor; you
like things
trangressive and hardcore. It's highly likely (a) you have no limits
(b) you have no scruples and (c) you have no job. Ironically, it's your
type of humor that can make the biggest bucks in show business.

PEOPLE LIKE YOU: Howard Stern - Adam Sandler - Roseanne Barr

The 3-Variable Funny Test!

- it rules -

If you're interested, try my latest:
The Terrorism Test

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 85% on darkness
You scored higher than 63% on spontaneity
You scored higher than 63% on vulgarity

Link: The 3 Variable Funny Test written by jason_bateman on OkCupid Free Online Dating

CNN.com - FEMA chief: Victims bear some responsibility - Sep 1, 2005

2005-09-01T21:47:00.000-05:00

CNN.com - FEMA chief: Victims bear some responsibility - Sep 1, 2005

Kudos to Michael Brown for having a spine enough to say this. For many, not all, but many of the people who chose to stay in areas covered by a mandatory prior to Hurricane Katrina, you were warned and the fact that you are now fighting for your lives is partly your fault. It was plastered all over TV and every other form of media for at least three days prior to the storm hitting that Katrina was a total monster and that the worst case scenario was headed straight for New Orleans. When the government gets on TV and says “IT’S THE BIGGEST STORM EVER, EVERYBODY GET OUT!” you should probably go.

Having said that, the Federal government has not reacted quickly enough to help the people who need it. The government also knew for three days that this monster of a storm was headed for the coast. Why weren’t National Guard troops pre-positioned? Why was the President in California giving a speech on Japan the day after the storm? What is taking so long to get the help down there? It’s embarrassing.

We mobilized an unbelievable aid effort half way around the world when the tsunami hit Southeast Asia. We did it within hours. We mobilized a fighting force to repel an invading army in the Persian Gulf. We did it within hours. Why can’t we get that same level of help to an area within our own borders? If the damage had been in Texas, California or someplace on the East Coast, you’d have seen a response similar to what you saw on 9/11. What’s the difference? Who’s dropping the ball? Who’s asleep at the wheel? There will be many to hold accountable for this, but now is not the time. Do what you can. Send donations to the Salvation Arm, the Red Cross or any other number of reputable organizations. When the time comes and it’s safe for people to get in to the area, go down and help rebuild a school. In a year, two or three, go down and visit, spend some of your money to help their economy.

Call your congressman; send a letter to the President. Demand that they get off their asses and do something.

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Vegas Police Make Arrest In Slaying Of KC Rap Artist

2005-09-01T07:32:00.000-05:00

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Vegas Police Make Arrest In Slaying Of KC Rap Artist

"Jason T. Mathis, 24, has been charged with murder with a deadly weapon."

Can you commit murder with a non-deadly weapon?

Now Is The Time

2005-08-31T23:02:00.000-05:00

There come times in history when every citizen of a society has a duty to contribute. For us here in the United States, that time is now. The people who have been affected by the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina need your help and they need it now. Contact any of the reputable relief agencies that are out there and donate what you can. They need non-perishable food, water, medicine, basic hygiene products and more water.

I spent a considerable amount of time down in the New Orleans area a few years ago on a project and I loved it down there. It’s been difficult to watch the news and see places on TV that I had been to. I spent time in Covington, Slidell, Kenner, Metairie, Houma and New Orleans proper. I drove the bridge across Lake Pontchartrain everyday. I enjoyed my time there and have always had a special place in my heart for the area.

In May of 1999 was privileged enough to be part of a team that spent time working with the Salvation Army after the massive F5 tornado that ripped through Oklahoma City. That was a life-changing experience for me. It taught me how wonderful it could feel to give. I spent several days cooking food that fed relief workers and that was taken out in to neighborhoods that had been literally flattened.

When we met up with the Salvation Army, they showed us WHAREHOUSES full of clothes and then they told us that they normally get inundated with clothes when something like this happens but that what they need most is food, money, water and your time if you can give it.

Do what you can. Anything that you can. Give money; send a case of water to the Salvation Army or the Red Cross instead of having that Venti Mocha Iced Chocolate Frappicino at Starbucks. (You shouldn’t be drinking that anyway, but that’s a conversation for another time.)

Bush signs $286.4 billion highway bill - Politics - MSNBC.com

2005-08-10T14:35:00.000-05:00

Bush signs $286.4 billion highway bill - Politics - MSNBC.com

Holy Pork Barrel.

Congress wonders why people have a poor image of them. There are SIX THOUSAND "pet projects" in this bill. That's over 10 projects for every member of Congress. I feel bathed in the glow that is American Politics.

There Are Forces in the Universe...

2005-08-07T22:27:00.000-05:00

...that I will never understand. When I was in High School and College, I had a friend who was very special to me. We were inseparable. She was the best friend that anyone could ever ask for.

Long story short, I did something very stupid and we drifted apart. I'm not going to go in to the details of what it was, but I'd be willing to bet that if you thought about it, you could probably get close.

This was several years ago and I had come to grips with the fact that I had lost this person from my life. Every once in a while, something would come up and make me think of her or tell a story about something we had done together. A few months ago, I learned that she had been divorced and I reached out to her, leaving a voicemail for her on her cell phone. When I didn't hear back from her, I figured that either she wasn't ready to hear from me or she didn't want to and I didn't pursue it any further.

Friday afternoon, I was telling a story about her, about how strong our friendship was and how so many people didn't understand it. Friday night as I was watching TV, she sent a text message to my phone. We traded messages for a bit that night, and talked on the phone for the first time in many years Saturday. We're having drinks on Monday.

I'm excited to have her back in my life. I have missed her friendship more than she or anyone else could ever know.

CNN.com - Justice: 'Serious flaws' in death penalty - Aug 7, 2005

2005-08-07T22:19:00.000-05:00

CNN.com - Justice: 'Serious flaws' in death penalty - Aug 7, 2005

Wow, News Flash: The Criminal Justice System Isn’t Perfect.

Anyone who has ever thought that it was is delusional. However, when a Supreme Court Justice publicly comments on the state of the system, perhaps it’s time to take a look at what can be done.

It’s no secret that I am a proponent of the Death Penalty. I often think that it is underused and that there are many, many people who should count themselves lucky that I’m not the one making sentencing guidelines. Susan Smith, I’m looking at you. Scott Peterson, the Death Penalty is still too lenient for you. I also know that there are serious problems with the way the death penalty is handed out. Its use is disproportionate to minorities and no, it’s really not a deterrent to the next guy. That’s really not what the death penalty is about. It should be used when someone has done something so outside of and against the rules of society that they don’t deserve to be a part of that society anymore.

The entire system needs to be looked at and revised. It should not be abolished, but should be applied properly and in the right situations. A person’s age should not automatically be a limiting factor. The administration of the ultimate penalty should be applied when the severity of the crime warrants it, regardless of race, age, or any other “profile” type factor.

I do have a problem with Justice Stevens’s assertion that victim-impact statements may be improperly swaying juries. They should. Victims often can’t speak for themselves in situations where the death penalty is appropriate and so their families should be able to speak on their behalf. They should be able to help describe the heinousness of the crime, what the long term ramifications are. If for no other reason, than to publicly shame the guilty party.

I had to laugh that Justice Stevens quote that “a significant number of defendants in capital cases have not been provided with fully competent legal representation at trial." I hate to break it to him, but it’s not just capital cases. There are many, many people who offer legal representation who are not competent.

FOXSports.com - MLB- Congress to consider perjury for Palmeiro

2005-08-04T18:20:00.000-05:00

FOXSports.com - MLB- Congress to consider perjury for Palmeiro

"If we did nothing, I think we'd look like idiots. Don't you?" - Rep Tom Davis, R-VA.

Uummmm...yeah, this is what will finally make people throw their hands up and say what idiots members of Congress are. Newsflash Rep. Davis, that news has already been broken.

TheKansasCityChannel.com - Irresistible Headlines - Who's F-Word During Live 8 Broadcast Sparks FCC Complaint

2005-07-15T14:35:00.000-05:00

TheKansasCityChannel.com - Irresistible Headlines - Who's F-Word During Live 8 Broadcast Sparks FCC Complaint

Seriously, someone, anyone at the PTC needs to go out and buy themselves a life. I'll pay.

Roger Daltery has said the word "fuck" in the song "Who Are You" dating back to it's original studio recording. He's not using it to describe sex, he's not using it to promote sex, what's the big deal? At one point in time, the FCC had said that you could, in fact, use certain words on TV as long as they weren't being used to describe sexual or excretory acts. Hence, you could say "that scared the piss out of me," but you couldn't say "I have to take a piss." The fact that this has to be an issue at all is stupid.

Aren't there more pressing issues in the world right now than complaning about a 25 year old song that contains the word "fuck" in it...ONCE?

Hey, PTC, "Who the Fuck Are You" to tell me what's decent and what's not?

I Need Someone To Explain Some Things To Me

2005-07-11T23:01:00.000-05:00

So, a buddy of mine, who lives in Florida, met a girl on the internet who lives in Provo, Utah and they are now married. My other buddies and I flew out here to Provo for the wedding this week and I have to say, this place is freaking me out a little bit.

First of all, the whole damn state seems to shut down at 7 PM on Saturday night, not to reopen until Monday morning. We were able to find a few restaurants open on Sunday, but only big name national chain-type places. Those that were, were only open until 7ish and they were deserted.

Second, there are beautiful women EVERYWHERE here. It has become comical. Everywhere we go, and everywhere we look, are beautiful women. We think we have decided that it is because this is a part of the country where people do a lot of outdoor activities and the noticeable lack of fast food joints that we have noticed, but we're not sure yet. If it's something else, please let me know.

It also dawned on me today while ordering lunch that everyone is so damn nice. Not just polite, but disturbingly nice. "Have a wonderful day, thanks so much for coming in today..." Can't tell you how many times i've heard that since Saturday. I'm not used to it. It's freaking me out.

Our friend's new bride has a large family...and by large I mean 973 kids between 4 brothers and sisters. At the wedding, we noticed that the kids are like Stepford kids. Perfectly polite and helpfull and respectful. There were really 17 kids between the ages of 1 and 12 and there was no fighting, no screaming, no kicking, puncing, biting, nothing. It was a little disturbing once we noticed it and started thinking about it.

When you add it all up, it has made for a slightly odd few days for a boy from Missouri. I never thought I'd say it, bit I can't wait to get back there.

Is the Bill Of Rights Really That Hard to Understand?

2005-06-26T14:15:00.000-05:00

House OKs flag desecration amendment - Politics - MSNBC.com

The House of Representatives this week passed a proposed Constitutional Amendment to outlaw the desecration of the American Flag, the symbol of freedom. As always, this effort is being led by Republicans, as in many other instances, are demonstrating that they’re not the freedom loving people they claim to be, rather they want you to be free to enjoy what they believe in and if you don’t believe it to, well, you’re just wrong.
If you read back through my previous posts, I think you’ll agree that I’m about as patriotic as they come. I will be the first to stand up and defend your rights. In a political debate where you are spewing something so hate-filled or evil that I what I really want to do is beat you with a tire iron, I would be the first to defend you when someone else tries to infringe on your right to speak.
The Supreme Court of the United States in Texas v. Johnson (491 U.S. 397), declared that flag burning is protected speech under the First Amendment. The House of Representatives wants to legislate the speech that the Supreme Court has said you have a right to.
If we truly are the symbol to the world of freedom and democracy, how can we say that you can burn the symbol of that freedom? Good men and women and have and are dying to protect you so that you can be free, so that you can stand up and say “I disagree,” so that you can go to the polls and vote, etc. To say that we’re going to limit that freedom just because there is a segment of the population that disagrees with a particular manner of speech is a disgrace to those men and women.
There is absolutely no circumstance under which I would ever burn a flag in protest, but if you want to, go ahead. If you feel that strongly, go right ahead. I think it’s disrespectful at least, anti-American at most. However, I won’t stop you from doing it. It’s your right.
This kind of statement, made by Rep. Randy Cunningham, R-Calif. is ludicrous, insulting and just plain stupid: “Ask the men and women who stood on top of the Trade Center, ask them and they will tell you: pass this amendment.” The events of 9/11 shouldn’t be used to justify anything except carpet-bombing Al-Qaeda hideouts, wherever they may be.
This is another example of Republicans wanting to legislate a national belief system. I won’t stand for it and neither should you. No one should tell you what to believe or how to believe it. There are others out there standing up for your rights. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-NY stated: “If the flag needs protection at all, it needs protection from members of Congress who value the symbol more than the freedoms that the flag represents.”
If congress trying to take away your freedom doesn’t piss you off, you might as well pack it in. It looks like the amendment will fail when it gets to the Senate, and the House will reintroduce it again next year, I’m sure.The First Amendment to the Constitution states “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech.” That means, for any member of Congress that needs it clarified, NO LAWS ABRIDGING FREE SPEECH. Since the Supreme Court has already declared that flag burning is free speech, you can’t legislate it. Thanks for playing.
The appearance of being free is no substitute for the real thing.

Rock Chalk....whatever...

2005-06-17T22:48:00.000-05:00

1010wins.com

I always knew that the folks at KU were bright

The Reason Why The People Who Work at Taco Bell...Work at Taco Bell

2005-06-15T13:58:00.000-05:00

so, I go over to the nearby Taco Bell for a quick lunch this afternoon. I place, what I would think, is a relatively simple order: 4 tacos, no lettuce and an order of nachos. The girl behind the counter rings it up and tells me my total is $3.89. I hand her a $5 bill and watch as she enters $20 into the register, so it tells her to give me $16.11 in change.
I watched her stare at the $5 bill, and then back at the register, and then back at the fiver....repeatedly for almost a minute. She was completely stumped. She had NO CLUE what to do. She had to ask the person next to her how much change to give me. SIMPLE MATH problem folks. If you can't do 20-5, you probably ought not leave the house.
As all of this was going on, my order comes up...and she entered it wrong, I didn't get my nachos, which is fine, because I shouldn't be eating at Taco Bell anyway, so eating a little less Taco Bell is good for me...but...wow.

Poll: 38 Percent Of French Men Wish They Could Be Pregnant

2005-06-12T13:38:00.000-05:00

TheKansasCityChannel.com - Health - Poll: 38 Percent Of French Men Wish They Could Be Pregnant

I've taken my fair share of potshots at the Frenchies, but...who spiked their wine? What the hell is wrong with these guys? Nancy-boys....

Feed The World - Part 2

2005-06-12T12:48:00.000-05:00

BBC - Music - About Live 8

Bob Geldof is putting together Live 8, a series of concerts to be held simultaneously in London, Philadelphia, Berlin, Paris, and Rome. This time around, the goal is to bring back to the world stage, the plight of the continuing situation on the African continent that sees poverty, illness, famine and eath rampaging through the population.

This, as well as the original Live Aid, are wonderful examples of celeberties using the power of their high profile to try to bring about positive change in the world. Many of the top names in music will be appearing. Sting once joked that Bob doesn't ask people to participate in these events, he tells them they're going to.

I'm torn. I've planned a long overdue vacation for the first two weeks of July and am not going to be in position to watch these concerts, but, I want to be part of that global audience and do my part. Leaving the politics aside, I'm always a total fanboy at events like this. The collaborative possibilites that exist when you start mixing artists that wouldn't normally appear on a bill together are always exciting.

Rumours have been swirling that there were a couple of bands who hadn't performed or recorded together in many years that were working to put aside their differences and perfrom at such an important event. Those rumours ahve been mainly aimed at The Spice Girls and Pink Floyd. Now, if the Spice Girls want to get together and bounce up and down on the stage, great, but the possibility of putting Roger Waters back on stage with the rest of the Floyd has me jumping up and down smacking my cheeto-stained hands together and screeching with glee. Mark Goodman, former MTV VJ and current Sirius Radio DJ has been all over this and....JOY....just this morning, I see posted all over the place that, it is indeed going to happen...Roger and Dave are going to put aside their differences and play. Link to Story Link to Statement by David Gilmour

Now, back to the important stuff. It is the duty of everyone who has the ability to do so, to help those who can't help themselves. Do what you can. Send a donation, talk to others, buy the CD's and DVD's when they come out, whatever. There are people in the world who live in conditions that you can't even begin to comprehend. Next time it gets to be mid afternoon and you're "hungry"...think about those who live everday eating much less than what you eat in one meal or in many cases a snack.

Feed The World.

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Customs Lets Man In U.S., But Takes Bloody Chainsaw, Sword

2005-06-07T12:14:00.000-05:00

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Customs Lets Man In U.S., But Takes Bloody Chainsaw, Sword

This is my favorite quote: "Our people don't have a crime lab up there," he added. "They can't look at a chain saw and decide if it's blood or rust or red paint." If you can't look at any of the three and figure out what they are, you have issues.

He might as well have been wearing a hockey mask and had ID showing his name as Jason.

I fell so much safer, post 9/11. Like being in a warm blanket. Whatever.

A Note to a Friend

2005-05-19T11:28:00.000-05:00

Tracie-

I'm thinking about you and your family. Know that I love you and will always be there to support you.

I Am Always In Awe

2005-04-24T23:04:00.000-05:00

I’ve mentioned it before, but when you have the chance, visit Washington DC. I happen to be in a position where business brings me to our Nation’s Capitol on a semi-regular basis. I always try to make time to see the sites. Even though, I’ve now been to some of them numerous times, they never loose their….magic.

I started my morning by taking the Metro from near my hotel to Arlington National Cemetery. The beauty of it never ceases to amaze me and bring me a tremendous inner peace. You don’t have to know a lot about history to understand that you are walking through a place that is filled with heroes. Today, as always I took time to pay my respects to President Kennedy, The Tomb of the Unknowns, and the crews of the Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia. One of the things I noticed today, after all of these visits were that the graves of Commander Scobee, of the Challenger and three of the crew of the Columbia are right there next to the memorials.

The ceremony at the Tomb of The Unknowns is something that you just have to witness.

I walked across the bridge, past the Lincoln Memorial, past the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials and walked along the edge of the Reflecting Pool to the World War II memorial. Visually, it’s stunning and it’s a long overdue memorial, but for some reason, it just didn’t speak to me the way the others do.

I continued my walk down the Mall towards the Capitol. I’m always amazed to see so many people walking around. I think it is so cool to see people playing Frisbee, kickball, soccer, having picnics or just sitting and watching others go by.

It doesn’t matter to me what your politics are, it’s a special place that, the instant you arrive, you’re filled with a sense of pride, of patriotism and of awe.

It doesn’t matter if my first glimpse is looking across the Potomac or coming up the stairs from the Metro station, it’s a sight that takes your breath away.

I’ve been here so many times over the past two years, that I don’t feel like a visitor or a tourist. It doesn’t feel like home, but something in between. Maybe that’s because it’s the people’s city and I am the people.

It's Been Such a Long Time...

2005-04-21T15:57:00.001-05:00

I think I should be going...sorry, had a little Boston in my head there for a minute.

Wow, can't believe it's been since the end of February since I last posted. I swore when I started this blog that I'd never let that happen, but sometimes life gets in the way.

I have been, and still am, involved in one of the, if not THE biggest project of my professional carreer. Up until last week, it was all planning and preparation. Now, I'm on the road for a few weeks doing implementation and training. Washington DC this week, Wichita Kansas next week. That won't be the end of it, more offices to come, but I will get to finish that work up from my home in KC.

Lot's going on in the world and, I of course, have plenty to say.

If you get the chance, go get Lewis Black's "Nothing is Sacred" in print or audio book...sometimes, i feel like we share a brain.

Yahoo gives dead Marine’s family e-mail info - International News - MSNBC.com

2005-04-21T15:57:00.000-05:00

Yahoo gives dead Marine’s family e-mail info - International News - MSNBC.com

Long overdue and they should've done this in the first place. Kudos to them for not dragging out an appeal.

I Don't Understand The Difference

2005-02-27T23:15:00.000-06:00

When soldiers came home from the war in Vietnam, they were booed, hissed at, assaulted, spit on and basically treated as second class citizens. We didn’t greet them at the airport with cheering crowds, we didn’t have people on just about ever nationally televised sporting event or awards show thanking them for their service, we didn’t treat them like heroes.

They fought in an unpopular war that had no justification, no exit strategy and that drug on way too long. The overwhelming opinion of the country was that we ought not to be there.

I am not saying that the way the public acts towards our soldiers now is wrong, quite the contrary. I think it’s wonderful. They are heroes. I would love to serve my country in a similar way, but anyone that knows me, knows that I’d last about 10 minutes in the military. I have a little bit of a problem with authority.

What’s the difference? Was it 9/11? Was it some other event in our recent history that I’ve missed? I thought maybe it was the first Gulf War, but you can draw a correlation between Korea and the first Gulf War, and the time frame is almost the same, with a similar amount of time passing between them. We had been attacked like never before at Pearl Harbor, but by the time Vietnam rolled around, over 20 years had passed. With 9/11 it was a matter of months and we had been bloodied in a way and on a scale that no one had ever dreamed possible. Whether we wanted to admit it to others or not, we wanted our soldiers to go out and exact some revenge on our behalf. They’ve done that and as they come home, we’re treating them like the heroes they are and the heroes we hoped they’d be.

The questions about if the war was justified, did we go after the right guy, do we have a plan to get out all don’t matter. We asked our troops to go kick some ass and despite the hardships we sent them over there with, they did.

I guess that’s the difference.

One of the Most Brilliant Things Ever Said

2005-02-27T22:04:00.000-06:00

On Friday night, I heard what may be the most accurate quote ever said about religion. The occasion was this week’s episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher” on HBO. It’s a great show with topical discussion that, because it’s on HBO can go a little farther than his previous show, “Politically Incorrect.”

Here’s what Bill said:

“Religion is a neurological disease.”

Brilliant...I don’t think you could sum it up better. Many of the most insane things in history have been done in the name of religion and if it’s not brought about by a disease, then find me another logical explanation.

I Don't Understand NASCAR

2005-02-22T16:34:00.000-06:00

Let me preface what you are about to read by saying that I love motor sports. If you put four wheels on it and race it, chances are, I’ll watch it. There is one exception, the Indy Racing League, which we’ll get to later.

Sunday was, what is considered to be by many, the opening of the motor sports season. The Great American Race, the Daytona 500. The reason this is considered the opening of the season is because it’s the first NASCAR race of the season. The 24 Hours of Daytona, a sports car endurance race actually kicks off Speed Weeks, but since NASCAR has infected American culture, not many outside of purists circles noticed that race a couple of weeks ago.

I regularly watch Formula 1, Champ Car, and the American LeMans Series (ALMS). These series represent the pinnacle of the sport. They involve hi tech cars and a level of skill from the driver that is more than “floor it and turn left.” Teams work out intricate strategy, shave millimeters off of the end plates of a wing, try to squeeze an extra few hundred revs out of an engine that, in the case of Formula 1, may already be running at 19,000 rpm and producing almost 1,000bHP. Yes…19,000 and 1,000. These series involve drivers who have to worry about if the road is going left or right, up or down AND how to get past the guy in front of them as well as taking care of the car to make sure it gets to the end of the race.

There is nothing like the scream of a Champ Car’s turbo, a Ferrari v10, watching your driver methodically pick off the guys in front of him a second at a time. Michael Schumacher of Ferrari has the ability to drive lap times pretty much at request. In a race last season, his team informed him he needed to make up a few seconds over the next 10 laps and, like flipping a switch he cranked out lap times considerably faster than he had all weekend and made it look effortless.

Having said all of that…I don’t understand the attraction of NASCAR. 40 cars, packed up nose to tail in two lines, driving around an oval, or a tri-oval, or any of the nameless, featureless, characterless tracks they run on now. The technology hasn’t changed much since the late 60’s/early 70’s. The engine technology is decidedly low, the cars are all built to the exact same template, really, and they’re different in name only. The headlights aren’t even real, they’re stickers.

The cynic would say that people watch for the wrecks. While that may be true for a portion of the audience, I don’t believe it is for the larger part. So, what is it? What makes people watch and attend by the hundreds of thousands? For one, NASCAR has done an amazing job of selling its product. Many people don’t understand the nuances of racing, but they understand that there’s a big event in town and they want to go.

Another reason is that you know who the drivers are, they are marketable personalities. When you think of Formula 1, Champ Car or ALMS you think of a type of car or a team; Ferrari, BMW, Newman-Haas, Porsche, Cadillac, etc. Those aren’t as easy to make a personal connection to and root for.

If you find yourself watching a NASCAR race and thinking “wow, this is kind of cool,” then look up the dates and times of the other series and catch a race. A word of warning though, getting yourself hooked on Formula 1 means many weekends of getting up at 6AM to catch the live broadcast from wherever in Europe they happen to be racing that week. Speed Channel shows the qualifying sessions and races live. Don’t worry, that’s why Sunday Afternoon naps were invented.

If you find yourself surfing through ESPN 8 and come across an Indy Racing League race, do yourself a favor and change the channel…QUICKLY. The Indy Racing League was founded in 1996 by Tony George, the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His “vision” was to make open wheel auto racing cheaper, a place to go for the American short track driver, and to be an oval only series. In the 10 years since, he has moved away from all of his founding principals and tried to destroy the organization that dominated American open wheel racing at the time, CART. CART no longer exists, but Champ Car is carrying on the tradition quite nicely. Everything that Tony George said he was bad and wrong about CART, the IRL has become. The little guy has been squeezed out by Honda and Toyota, engines are leased, and I challenge you to find an American short track “star” that is not Tony George’s stepson.

Tony George has single handedly done his best to destroy open wheel racing and you should not indulge him or his product. Maybe they will both go away.

Champ Car (then CART) was well on its way during the late 80’s and 90’s to being what NASCAR is today and is slowly but surely rebuilding itself. They put on great races in great venues and I highly encourage you to check them out if they are coming to a town near you or by watching a race or two.

For me, racing season has started and there will be many Sundays between now and the end of October that will involve racing from 6am until well past dinner time.

That Didn't Take Long

2005-02-15T11:02:00.000-06:00

After the assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri on Monday, it didn’t take long for someone to point the finger and say “Syria did it!” I’m not as up to date on my Lebanese/Syrian politics as I ought to be, however, it seems as though former PM Hariri left the government last year because he disagreed with the meddling being done by the Syrian government.

Something smells really fishy here. The United States has been making undertones for a couple of years that Syria was actively backing terrorists and that they are on the fringes of the “Axis of Evil.” We asserted at the beginning of the Iraq war that they were harboring fugitives and possibly even Saddam’s MIA nuclear program.

Now we hear that tensions are rising between the pro-Syrian backed Lebanese government and opposition parties and that this tension has apparently spilled over to overt violence resulting in a horrendous car bombing which left a 20 by 8 foot crater in the middle of the street.

Will anyone, should anyone be surprised if the United States takes the opportunity to apply more pressure to Syria and make them yet another front in the “War on Terror?” Should we just send the armed forces on a World Tour and get it over with? Secretly, I think it is President Bush’s wish to conquer the world. Sure, he uses the guise of “spreading freedom and democracy” but what he really means is that he should get to make decisions for the rest of the world. How does that not scare more people?

Expect the Bush Administration to jump all over this in the coming days. They’ll use it as justification to expand the war, all the while, still not realizing that the real prize that the American people want to see is Osama Bin Laden’s head on a platter.

UPDATE: United States recalls ambassador to Syria for "consultation."

Britney Spears...Grammy Winner?

2005-02-14T10:34:00.000-06:00

Ok, that’s it. I have officially given up on the Grammy Awards. Do you want to know why? Britney Spears can now call herself a Grammy Award Winner. I’m sorry, but that is just wrong. The Grammy’s used to be about the best music, not a popularity contest. Sure, they’ve had their moments…giving Milli Vanilli an award, the Jethro Tull/Best Metal Act fiasco, and, I’m sure, there are others. Gone are the days when acts that aren’t necesssairly mainstream would be rewarded for having put out a superior recording. Now, unless you are part of the Billboard charts, forget it.

The American Music Awards are a popularity contest, and they have their place. The Grammy’s are supposed to be about artistic merit, the music industry’s version of The Oscars. I’m not saying that Ray Charles didn’t deserve recognition for his album of duets, but he practically swept the awards he was nominated for, and it was a sentimental vote. You could hear the silence then polite applause in the audience with he and Norah Jones won Record of the Year.

If this trend continues, I’d say just combine the Grammy’s and the AMA’s and quit wasting my time. Even the musical performances are starting not to work for me. The Southern Rock Tribute with Skynyrd, Dickey Betts, Gretchen Wilson, Keith Urban and whoever else was painful to watch, and I was looking forward to it. On the other hand, Joss Stone and Melissa Etheridge had me eating out of the palms of their hands with their tribute to Janis Joplin. Speaking of Joss Stone, there’s a perfect example…she should’ve been nominated for several awards, but her album didn’t sell as well as the ones you heard about last night, so…tough for her. If last night was the first time you’ve heard her, go get both of her CD’s, they are incredible. For a 17 year old from England, she not only knows how to sing, she knows WHY.

Random Rants

2005-02-13T23:47:00.000-06:00

Howard Dean is the new chair of the DNC. I have mixed feelings about this. Everyone remembers “the yell.” For some reason, that one instant cemented for many Americans that Dean is a complete lunatic. On the other hand, he’s done more to energize the DNC and raise more money than anyone in a very long time. He has promised to reenergize the party at the grass roots level. I hope that’s the case. I know that I plan on becoming active in my local party and this blog has been the first step in that direction for me. At some point, the moral tide has to turn. The populace will come to its senses and realize that they are being bullied by a small, vocal minority who are, no matter what they say, only interested in forcing their way of life upon you.

Following up on a post from earlier, the citizens of Lee’s Summit, Missouri collectively came to their senses and voted “No” in an election about having another election.

The United States has told Iran that it has to stop its nuclear weapons program, or else. Who do we think we are? When are we going to start acting like the last Superpower on Earth instead of trying to bully others around like we’re still fighting the Cold War. It’s over. We won. It’s time to act like it. How about giving countries like Iran or North Korea an incentive to do what we want. I’m not saying we give in to their demands, but we have to come up with something that they need or want that will entice them to play nice with others. Of course, when one of said countries is being run by a complete nut case, such as North Korea, there’s not a lot you can do, however, there are always ways that don’t involve the use of force until absolutely necessary. Yes, there are times it’s necessary…

Gov’t Mule is the hardest rocking band in the world today. Warren Haynes is the best guitar player out there right now (DISCLAIMER: No one will ever be better than God himself, Eric Clapton….so, by best in the world today, I mean except for Eric.) Their show at the Uptown Theater in Kansas City on Friday night was simply amazing. They came out on fire and stayed that way all night. When they brought down from the hard rocking, kick you in the ass stuff, you could just feel it still smoldering in the room and then, BAM! They’d hit you again. Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” leading into Warren’s “Soulshine” as the encore just about ignited the crowd. Watching Warren play and sing “Soulshine” always makes me feel like him in the presence of something special and Friday, it, for some reason, was even more special. If they’re coming to your area and you like your Rock and Roll loud, your guitars screaming and to feel the rhythm section down to the core of your soul, go see this band.

apology

2005-02-11T21:34:00.000-06:00

I want to apologize for the lack of updates this week. Once in a while my job requires an insane amount of hours, and this has been one of those weeks.

I am taking the evening for some R&R. I am writing this from the Uptown Theater where Gov't Mule just spent the last 90 minutes rocking my world. Second set promises to cause the roof to blow off the top of the building.

I promise an article or two this weekend. Just because I have been busy doesn't mean I don't have things to rant about.

Got mule?

Exercises in Absurdity

2005-02-08T11:05:00.000-06:00

There are some days when, shortly after getting out of bed, you realize that the best way that you could spend the day would be to turn around and climb right back under the covers and go back to sleep. Today may be one of those days.

It is Election Day here in Missouri. There are not a lot of super hot button issues on the ballots, mostly only local issues, not even many county wide ballot questions. The one that is getting the most press is that of a city council woman in Kansas City (that’s in Missouri for all you geographically challenged folks…) who is still in the early stages of her first term and is facing a recall. Several things about this demonstrate how stupid the population can be. First of all, if you feel the need to recall your council person right after you elect them, why did you elect them in the first place? Sandra McFadden-Weaver has been accused of a doozy here though. Back during the November elections, Kansas City (again, Missouri…there IS a Kansas City, Kansas right across the river, but no one goes there except for the camera crews from Cops.) voted to build a shiny new downtown arena. The Sprint Arena. It has been a hotly contested topic for years here and, the mayor was finally able to win the support to start revitalizing downtown. When I say that this issue was hotly contested, I mean to say that it was just about as ugly as you can get. People in the area were just as polarized about this as they were the Presidential election.

Ms. McFadden-Weaver has been accused by many, including a local tv station of taking money from the pro-arena side, telling them she was with them all the way, and then turning around and giving that money to the anti-arena camp. (That’s a whole other story. That anti-arena camp was headed up by the President of Enterprise Rent-a-car, based out of St. Louis who didn’t feel that it was fair that a tax on rental cars would help pay for the new stadium, even though that is how the Edward Jones Dome in…wait for it…..St. Louis…was paid for.) The local TV station was able to back up their claim and of course, Councilwoman Weaver denied it all. She’s a real class act and I hope that she gets recalled today. I don’t even live or vote in Kansas City, I live in neighboring Independence, and I want her to go.

My other favorite ballot issue today is in neighboring Lee’s Summit. You really should be sitting for this, I’ll wait.

Ok, are you ready?

They are having an election to decide if they should have an election. I will repeat that. They are having an election to decide if they should have an election.

At issue is a bond issue that would allow the city to expand their airport. It’s a small, but busy airport. Two strips, a few hangars and just about anyone on this side of the state line who flies privately flies out of that airport. Today’s election is to decide if they should have an election to vote on the bond issue.

This is bureaucracy run amok. It is completely out of control. Holy waste of tax payer money! This would be the same as me calling my boss and asking for a meeting to plan a future meeting. Ok, I actually had a boss do that once. I was not amused. I did not weep when she was given the boot. Any politician who thought that an election to decide if there should be another election should also be given the boot. In fact, every tax payer in his city ought to be able to come by and dunk him in a tank or something.

I, For One, Am Relieved

2005-02-07T21:39:00.000-06:00

Cheney says not just no, but HELL NO to a run for President in '08.

I was worried that America might actually vote for an aging oilman who's had 75 heart attacks and is kept alive by a tiny battery operated device in his chest. Well, at least he has a brain. I think. I guess we'll have to deal with some other member of the cast of the Wizard of Oz.

Was there anyone out there who thought that this was ever a possibility anyway? Seriously?

The Continuing Adventures of a Man and His Blog Template

2005-02-06T13:02:00.000-06:00

So, I decided that I wanted to come up with a different look for my rantings. All of the Blogger templates are bland and overused. I started looking around at other blogs and some sites that offer free blogs.

During my search, I came across a template that I liked called "textuality" over at Blogskins. I Decided to change the fonts and colors around a bit and try to get away from the pre-picked Blogger settings. This has caused me quite the headache, as I've probably put about 8-10 hours into it at this point and I have it looking pretty close to what I want....at least if you're using Firefox. In Internet Explorer, not so much....the marquee at the top isn't rolling off the screen and it's not picking up the information from the Style Sheet correctly.

I would be terribly concerned about the fact that it's not looking how I want it in IE, but you shouldn't be using IE anyway....so, if you are, my apologies and then, click on the link to the right and go get yourself a copy of Firefox.

I will still be playing with the template over the coming days, so stay with me, and if anyone has any feedback on the new look, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks for your Patience

2005-02-05T23:11:00.000-06:00

I am trying out a new template and if you stop by over the weekend, you may notice that the site looks funky.

If anyone can tell me why the font in the top post doesn't carry to the other's...I'd be eternally in your debt. It would certainly qualify as a good reason for a gmail invite from the post before this one...

UPDATE: I KNOW! Those posts all existed before I changed the template! I was seriously going to start ripping out hair.

GMail Invites

2005-02-02T23:44:00.000-06:00

I've got 'em. LOT'S of 'em. eMail me privately(link is on the right...) and give me a good reason to give you one. First come, first served.

It Spoke Volumes To Me...

2005-02-02T21:07:00.000-06:00

...that the longest, loudest, most enthusiastic ovation during the President's State of the Union speech was for the parents of Marine Corps Sgt. Byron Norwood of Pflugerville, Texas and for Safia Taleb al-Suhail. Sgt. Norwood was killed in Iraq during the assault on Falluja and Ms. Taleb al-Suhail is one of Iraq's leading democracy and human rights advocates.

Everything else received a lukewarm response at best. I've watched State of the Union speeches since I was a teenager. What struck me, very early in the speech was the fact that the Democrats were not applauding. Usually, the party of opposition at least applauds politely, even with things they may not agree with. Tonight, for the first time in a long, long time, you could even hear boos and cat calls coming from the other side of the aisle. It was almost disturbing. It made me feel uncomfortable and it also made me realize that we are an even more divided country than ever.

Teach Your Children...

2005-01-31T21:42:00.000-06:00

First Amendment no big deal, students say

The kids coming through our educational system right now scare the living hell out of me. There are many reasons for this. The lack of communication skills, the lack of originality, the lack of musical taste. The article linked above, however, takes the cake. Unfortunately, it’s not all their fault. It’s our fault. All of us. As parents, teachers, advisors, counselors, and citizens we have a duty to the youth of our country to see that they get an education and that they learn from our mistakes or, at the very least, don’t repeat them.

In schools all across the nation, programs are being cut due to lack of funds. Programs are being consolidated into other programs so that we teach things that reach the lowest common denominator. Programs are being cut because they violate “No Child Left Behind.” The end result of all of this is that we are raising an entire generation of mindless zombies who all think a like, look a like, talk a like and exhibit little to no characteristics of being individuals.

We’ve done such a good job at making them all alike that we have neglected to actually teach them important things. According to the article, when shown the text of the First Amendment, many students said it went “too far.” Wow. One of the basic principles that our country was founded upon and the kids of today say “yeah, I don’t know, it might be a little too much.” Half of them think that government should be able to censor newspapers. HALF. Three out of four didn’t realize that the first amendment protects flag burning.

A society that allows its youth to forget about the freedom that it has provided for them is doomed to lose that freedom.

We don’t spend nearly enough on education. Whatever we spend as a country we should double or triple. Teachers should be the highest paid, most revered civil-servants. Schools should be opulent palaces that make it comfortable and safe for children to learn. In those schools we should be teaching kids all about our history; the good and the bad. We should be teaching kids to express what they are thinking; the good and the bad. We should teach children to question those things they don’t understand, even if what they don’t understand is authority.

There is nothing more important that we as a country, as a society should be doing. Not spreading democracy, not social security reform, not dividing ourselves up as red and blue states, nothing. Education is the silver bullet, it is the cure-all, it’s the magic potion that fixes everything. By educating our youth we are giving them everything they could ever need to solve every problem they’ll ever face. We owe it to them to pass along what our parents and grandparents passed along to us.

With all due credit, respect, and admiration to Stephen Stills:

Daylight again
Following me to bed
I think about a hundred years ago
How my Fathers bled
I think I see a valley
Covered with bones in blue
All the brave soldiers that cannot get older
Been asking after you
Hear the past a' calling
From Armageddon's side
When everyone's talking and no one
Is listening
How can we decide
Do we find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground
Mother Earth will swallow you
Lay your body down.

Are You Un-Patriotic?

2005-01-30T22:58:00.000-06:00

According to many on the right, I am unpatriotic. I don’t support the Bush administration’s rationale for why we went to war in Iraq. I don’t disagree with the end results, as you really can not argue with the fact that Saddam Hussein was a dictator among the likes of Hitler, Mussolini, Idi Amin or many others throughout history. He had to go. The pictures of today’s elections and the joy on the faces of Iraqis who voted for the first time in their lives are pictures that we as Americans should be proud of.

Had President Bush come right out and said “you know, this guy is really bad, he is massacring his people, he’s dangerous to his neighbors, he’s controlling too much of the world’s oil and we’d like to go in and get him,” I think a lot more people would’ve “supported the war.” Trying to pull the wool over our eyes when you are not smart enough to pull that off will never work. If you realize that you are not smart enough to pull it off, at least be smart enough to surround yourself with people who are.

Most people with a brain knew that there were no WMD’s and that the President was not being truthful with us about his motivation. We’re seeing more and more of that motivation as each day progresses. What with the “planting the flag of democracy,” and “spreading freedom” statements.

Here is the part I really have a problem with. People like myself, and people who flat out oppose the war for any reason have been labeled unpatriotic. Anyone who knows me can tell you that is simply not true. I love my country. I love what she stands for. I love that I can post articles like this in a public forum with my name on them and not worry about some government thug busting down my door in the middle of the night and cutting my tongue out and torturing my family (maybe just Mr. Judgment shooting his mouth off again…)

I would challenge you, in fact, to find someone you know who is as patriotic as me. I fly an American flag on the front of my house year round. I find it hard to make it through the National Anthem or God Bless America without tears coming to my eyes. I have walked through the rows of headstones at Arlington National Cemetery on more than a few occasions, stopping to read the names of brave men and women who died for my freedom that I’ve never met. I’ve stood silently at the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns and watched as courageous young men honor the dead with the most amazing ceremony you’ll ever see.

Nothing gets my heart pumping like fireworks on the Fourth of July, The 1812 Overture, a good Sousa march, the crack of a bat at the ball park in the summer, service men in full dress uniform, or being privileged enough to take some free time when business sends me to our nation’s capital and walk around the National Mall.

Am I unpatriotic? I can unequivocally say no. I am an American and damn proud of it. I disagree with things that my government does sometimes (more often than not, sometimes) and that is well with in mine and your rights. It’s also within our rights and it’s our duty to speak up when we fell that way. That is one of the main reasons I started this blog.

The real unpatriotic types are the people who call those of us who act and feel this way unpatriotic. Denying someone the rights and freedoms that our forefathers fought and died for is the most unpatriotic act you can commit.

This post is in conjunction with my friends over at the PBU. We don’t always agree on everything, but we at least realize that a difference of opinion is ok and support each others and your rights to express those opinions. We might engage you in a healthy and lively debate on those opinions, but that doesn’t make us or you (most of the time) bad people.

Apparently, The Iraqi People Get It

2005-01-30T13:39:00.000-06:00

I went to bed last night just as the polls were opening in Iraq. I anticipated waking up this morning to find that there had been massive amounts of violence and that the whole thing had collapsed. I will admit that I was quite surprised to wake up this morning and find that there had been relatively little violence and that turn out was being reported to be in the neighborhood of 70%.

During the most recent Presidential election here in the United States we had a turn out around 10 points lower. Now, here in the US, we didn’t have to worry that we might be blown up on our way to or at the polling places. We didn’t have to worry that militant groups had stated publicly that they would be watching the polling places and following people back to their houses to kill them and their families.

The Iraqi people faced those challenges and overwhelmingly shouted them down. It was emotional to see them dancing in the streets, to see them weeping after being able to participate in a process that most of them have never even been exposed to their entire lives. Some people say that it doesn’t matter what the outcome of the elections are but that they happened at all is what counts. They may be right.

There has been a free election in Iraq. I’m sure in the coming days there will be allegations of fraud or intimidation, it seems as though there can’t be an election anywhere these days without them. We will have to see what happens there. Now that the Iraqi people have had a taste of democracy, they’ll want more. They will not allow a situation to arise again where they are led by a brutal dictator who chokes the very life out of the people he claims to lead.

If the result of the election is a free government that decides that it wants the United States to leave, then we need to abide by that decision. After all, we told them that we would rid them of a dictator and give them democracy. We’ve done that. We have to be prepared to live with their decisions and wishes, even if we don’t agree with them. It’s the bed we made.

I Have Been Judged (Part 2)

2005-01-30T11:27:00.000-06:00

I know, I know, don’t get into an argument with a crazy or stupid person, you can’t win. Strangely enough, I find that I can’t help myself this time. It seems that “Mr. Judgment” strikes again. Now, he didn’t have the spine to do it here. He did it here.

The great part is, he misspelled my name. Yes, that’s right; the authority on proper spelling in web postings misspelled my name. He’s corrected it by now, because the first person to leave a comment let him know.

I also, kindly pointed out the distinct similarity between his posting and the story of one who lives in glass houses as well as the story of the pot and the kettle. He didn’t take kindly to this.

Do people who are mentally retarded know that they are mentally retarded? Do they understand that riding on the short bus is not a badge of honor, but a point of ridicule? I don’t mean that to demean people who are mentally retarded, but it is a question I’ve always wondered. Anyway, the moral of the story is when you get hit with something thrown at you by a rider of the short bus, don’t fight back. It’s really not fair to them.

Thanks to everyone who left comments on the last post, it seems "Mr. Judgment" struck a chord with a lot of you, and judging by the comments I think he was the Napoleon Dynamite of his class.

I Have Been Judged

2005-01-29T10:42:00.000-06:00

I woke up this lovely, snow covered Saturday morning and, as usual, turned on my computer to check my mail and settle in for my morning read of the news sites that I frequent. It's my hi-tech version of my grandfather sitting down with his morning paper. I logged into my gmail account and the first thing that jumps out at me is a message with the subject line "You Have Been Judged."

Now, having lived my life, I knew that, due to the many shenanigans I've pulled, this day would come. It was inevitable. My sixth grade teacher quit at the end of the year, her first year. They are still finding pieces of egg shell in my buddy's kitchen, the list could go on. However, upon opening the message, I see that it has been sent by the author of ***Judgment***. The author of this blog takes pot shots at others and doesn't have the spine to put their name on their blog. I don't care if you want to throw stones at me, I'm a grown up (as much as it pains me to admit that sometimes) and I can take it.

"Mr. Judgment”’s big problem is with my recent post about not letting President Bush speak in public. Seems that I forgot to run spell-check before I posted. Oh, the humanity. Now, to be taken seriously, you must put forth a professional image, be able to string together thoughts to make a coherent point, and be, at least, a decent writer. "Mr. Judgment" was right to take me to task for not checking my spelling. It was inexcusable and was the result of posting on a quick break at work. I can promise you, anyone who may be stumbling by and stopping to read, that I won't let it happen again.

"Mr. Judgment" calls me a dumbass and again, his main bone of contention is that I can't spell. Most people need to get to know me and realize that my occasional spelling gaffe is hardly what classifies me as a dumbass. There was the dating a girl I met on the internet fiasco. There was the falling for a girl I met while in Florida on business. I used AOL for a while, which is what allowed me to meet the first girl in the first place. So, a little spelling oversight is hardly a big deal on the radar.

"Mr. Judgment," apparently, is a bit of a sad person. If all I had to do with my day (or night, judging by the time of his posts and email to me) is sit at my computer and take potshots because I don't like someone's blog template, I thought that their blog was boring, or whatever, I think I'd find a more beneficial use of my time. Go clean a park, read a book to a kid, watch the grass grow or, perhaps, start a blog template design/spelling school.

For the record, I have corrected the post in question. Not because "Mr. Judgment" called me a dumbass; I am impervious to that by now. I changed it because it is not a body of work that represented my best. He'll take credit; he'll take pot shots at me, whatever.

I did notice he had no rebuttal for the point I was making. Even if I misspelled the whole post, it is hard to argue that President Bush makes up new meanings for the words he uses. Which is worse?

They REALLY Shouldn't Let Him Talk

2005-01-27T11:38:00.000-06:00

CNN.com - Bush expounds on theme of freedom - Jan 26, 2005

I barely know where to start. Sometimes I think President Bush is a malfunctioning robot spewing gibberish out of his mouth. He's a ventriloquist’s dummy who has come to life and talks, but uses all the wrong words.

In his press conference yesterday, he stated that he would make history and pursue the goal of democracy worldwide. He then asked rhetorically, "...can we advance that history? I think we can."

HISTORY (noun) - 1) what has happened in the past. 2) a record of events 3) a study of the past.

ADVANCE (verb) - 1) to move ahead 2) suggest 3) to give beforehand.

First off, he meant doctrine, plan, goal, ambition, whatever....not history. If it hasn't happened yet, it's not history. If it has happened, and it is history, you certainly can't advance it. You’re going to move ahead what has happened in the past? Apparently, President Bush has developed some type of time travel/space time continuum editing software that allows him to just jumble up the events of history and the future and have them appear in any order he wishes.

Later, in the same press conference, he boldly stated:

"I firmly planted the flag of liberty for all to see that the United States of America hears their concerns and believes in their aspirations. And I am excited by the challenge and am honored to be able to lead our nation in the quest of this noble goal, which is freeing people in the name of peace."

He planted the flag of liberty? HELLO? Do the words Patriot Act mean anything to you? How about proposing a constitutional amendment legalizing discrimination? He's doing everything he can do destroy liberty at home, but, he'll take credit for spreading it around the world. Unbe-f*cking-leavable. How about the fact that the United States Military played a, oh, I don't know, a small part in planting that flag firmly in the ass of Saddam Hussein and our lovely friends the Taliban. Taking credit for the actions of a group of people who you did your best to get out of serving with is symptomatic of the psychosis that is running rampant through our "leaders" today. The psychosis and lunacy permeates through all levels. All you have to do is look for it. It's not hard to find.

The President made remarks about the deadly helicopter crash earlier in the day that took the lives of 31 Marines, marking the bloodiest day of the war (of which major combat operations ended almost 9 months ago, now...). "We value life...," he said. Sure, unless you’re gay. Then, we want to do everything we can to make sure to eradicate you from society. We value life so much, we'll infringe upon your rights to impose our will because we're better than you. Have that unwanted, unplanned, potentially life-threatening baby rather than making a choice because we know what's best for you. Shut up and deal with it.

Yeah, we value life.

Perhaps we can get President Bush to explain what he really means as his father helps make sure our pie is being made higher.

Proof That The Death Penalty Works

2005-01-24T23:21:00.000-06:00

CNN.com - Connecticut execution postponed, Judge orders evaluation of condemned inmate - Jan 24, 2005

Michael Ross was convicted of multiple murders that dated back to the early 1980's. He has been on death row in Connecticut and last year, he fired his public defender and hired a lawyer to carry out his wish. He wanted all appeals stopped and he wanted to be executed.

Ross has stated that the reason he wants to be executed is so that the families of his victims can have some closure. The state's experts say that the real reason is that Ross finds life on death row unbearable and, faced with spending the rest of his life there, has decided to bring about the end however he can.

Now, I consider myself to be a fairly bright fellow. I'm well read, I understand most of what you put in front of me. I've never made any secret of the fact that I am a proponent of the death penalty; in fact, I think it's under used. What I'm having trouble with is that the State of Connecticut, the same state which sentenced Michael Ross to death in the first place, and placed him in prison until such time that he has his sentence carried out, is saying "we're sorry that you're miserable and want to die, but we're not going to let you go until we decide you go.

Ok, wait...

I have to rethink this. This just might be brilliant. It is! It's brilliant. Let's just say for argument's sake that this is the real reason he has decided to stop all of his appeals. Prison has made his life miserable. Good. I'm sure it's not as miserable as the last moments that his victims were alive, or as miserable as every day since then for their families who loved them, and have missed them since, never fully recovering. I'm glad he's miserable, and the Judge in this case, while, probably not intentional on his part, has demonstrated that the State has a bit of a sense of humor.

Just in case you didn't read my previous post about the Governor of Missouri removing video games, let's sum up. Prison is supposed to be miserable. It's PRISON. It's not summer camp. It's not 24 Hour fitness. It's not a LAN party. It's Prison. You're being punished because you broke society's laws.

This guy, apparently, has said "ok, you win...I'm miserable, jail sucks, kill me." The Death Penalty IS a deterrent. Michael Ross won't hurt anyone else. We'll swab his arm with alcohol before we give him a lethal injection, however. Wouldn't want him passing to the afterlife with an infection.

Missouri Governor Gets It Right: Prison is Punishment

2005-01-24T13:18:00.000-06:00

Missouri Governor Bans Video Games in State Prisons

This is a great step. The people who are in prison are there for a reason. They are being punished for something. Some crime that they have comitted has resulted in the State inviting them to spend some quality time in one of their facilities. Frankly, I'm shocked to read that Missouri was one of three states to allow video games. I thought there would've been more.

We need to keep going with this. There should be no cable tv, no workout facilities, nothing that allows inmates any kind of entertainment. If they want to read, they can read text books. Prison is not summer camp, it should be fun or entertaining. These people need to be put to work. For the less violent, less dangerous offenders, put them to work fixing our roads, picking up trash, making our parks more beautiful, building schools, turn them into useful members of society. Think of all that could be accomplished by putting minimum security prisoners to work. Millions could be saved, and lives that would otherwise be wasted put to good, productive use.

For the really violent offenders that it would not be pracitcal to have participate in these programs, well, I'm sorry, but you get to sit in a cell for the duration of your sentence. That's what you get for comitting a crime in the first place. Why should you get to watch Sportscenter, play Grand Theft Auto, workout so that you can be bigger and stronger upon your (possible) eventual release? Those are perks you don't deserve until your debt to society is paid.

A Message from John Kerry

2005-01-20T13:36:00.000-06:00

"Democracy means working together for the good of our country; it also means keeping faith with your ideals, never retreating from core convictions even as you work to find common ground. We have strong differences and we argue and fight with all our hearts and energy, and our system endures because we Americans expect nothing less."
-Senator John Kerry, 20 January 2005-

It's time for a great debate in this country. No topic that affects the lives of Americans should be off the table. Only by talking about and standing up for what we believe can we make a difference.

Lewis Black Would Be Proud

2005-01-19T22:50:00.000-06:00

CNN.com - Four sought in possible Boston terror threat - Jan 19, 2005

I first heard this while listening to MSNBC on my XM radio this afternoon. All I can picture is Lewis's verison of Tom Ridge coming on TV and it going something like "HOLY $HIT! WE'RE F*CKED! WE'RE F*CKED!!! BUY DUCT TAPE AND PLASTIC! HOLY $HIT! F*CK!F*CK!"

So, someone, POSSIBLY from Mexico, calls the CHP (may the theme song run through your head, too....) and says "Hey, man, I was drivin' this car, and there were these two Iraqis and four Chineese and they told me they were going to nuke Boston..." This results in APB's, break-in's on Cable News channels, multiple FBI offices, and the aforementioned Lewis Black moment. All on the word of a guy who threw some pictures over the wall, didn't leave his name or any contact information, and didn't show up for the meeting that the authorities tried to set up.

Yeah....we're f*cked alright.

Inauguration Day

2005-01-19T20:43:00.000-06:00

So, Thursday is inauguration day. It's the day on which the President swears an oath, as mandated in the Constitution. Many people of my political persuasion, including my new found friends over at the PBU are organizing and participating in boycotts. Some of these boycotts will be done in a tasteful manner, and some, I am sure will not.

No matter how I feel about the President, he is the President of the United States. While I don't respect the man I do respect the office.
I won't display the flag upside down.
I won't turn my back on the President.
I won't post disrespectful statements about my country.

I will raise my voice and fight for what I believe.
I will talk to others and make them think about what they believe, whether I agree with it or not.
I will defend anyone else's right to do the same.

On this day, we will witness a peaceful change of power. Sure, it's to and from the same man, but how many other countries can claim that they are able to accomplish this on a regular basis as the result of a free election?

For as divided as we are, we are all still citizens of the greatest country on Earth.

God Bless America.

Today's Darwin Award Winner.

2005-01-18T10:45:00.000-06:00

CNN.com - Woman falls to death after balcony handstand - Jan 18, 2005
Drunk or sober, doesn't matter. A handstand on the railing of a balcony...

Thanks for playing this game we call life. Next, please.

Folks, It's a Cartoon

2005-01-17T22:04:00.000-06:00

First off, Family Guy is brilliant. It is one of the wittiest shows ever written. It was ahead of it's time and the people at Fox didn't realize that the first time it was on and they killed it. It became a cult favorite, with people trading tapes and bootleg copies of the episodes. Then, when it was released on two DVD sets, it became the best selling TV show on DVD in history.
Now...it was not without controversy. There were a few edits made during the original run, and post 9/11, an Osama Bin Laden gag was edited out of the DVD's...but now....now that FOX is rerunning the previous episodes in anticipation of the new 4th season...in this age of Puritan TV....they've had to pixelate (blur)....are you sure you want to know?.....

A naked, cartoon butt.

Pack your kids, pack the family minivan and run for the hills. Escape with your lives if you can! There are naked cartoon characters and it will mean the end of civilization as we know it. If this is the common denominator that we, as a society, have to target, I don't want to be a part of it anymore. I'm out. This is getting more and more ridiculous every single day. If a cartoon, an obviousy drawing that is not even real that, in a humorous way depicts a naked butt, something we all have one of, offends you...then perhaps the radical muslims and their burkas and strict adherence to religious doctorine are right.

Maybe we're wrong.

Maybe I'm wrong.

The thing is...I'm not.

We are becoming everything that we try to tell ourselves and the rest of the world is what is wrong with religious fundamentalism. We can't tollerate language that isn't pure, images that aren't wholesome, thoughts that aren't sunshine and meadows with flowers in them.
I've got no problems with making laws about people's actions. (most of the time...) However, when we start making laws, policy, and guidelines about what people THINK, we have a serious problem. I'm talking serious on the order of the Inquisition, the Crusades, or Hitler.
What's next? A screen in every room of the house where Big Brother can come on and give you messages and watch you?

The Search for WMD in Iraq is Over...

2005-01-13T09:25:00.000-06:00

...and...oops...we didn't find anything.

Raise your hand if your are surprised. No one? I didn't think so. To make things even better, President Bush has stated several times that, even if he knew then, as he does now, that there were no WMD, he still would've ordered the invasion that removed Saddam Hussein from power. This just goes to show you that this war was personal. It was his retribution against Hussein to make good on what his father, the first President Bush failed to do. It was retribution for the failed assassination plot Hussein ordered against his father. It was a war of men with deep connections to the oil industry against a country who's oil was outside of their sphere of influence.

It's been said before and denied, but we took our eye off the ball. The momentum and support we had after 9/11 should have allowed us to search the World with little or no interferrence in order to capture the people (Al-Queada) responsible for those barbaric acts. Hardly anyone would have stood in our way in our search for Bin Laden and had anyone, the force that was used to invade Iraq could've been put to much better use. Instead, we were told by our government that Saddam Hussein was really the bad guy and he's the one we should go get because he was going to be a danger to us. That may have been true, but Bin Laden struck us in a way we had never been struck and he deserved to be staring down the business end of the full force of the US Military.

President Franklin Roosevelt once said that "Great force should be used for great purpose." That didn't happen in Iraq. Now, we're stuck in a situation we can't get out of properly and we're lowering our expectations every day. Now, we're not concerned with WHO wins the upcoming elections, just that they happen. Maybe that's the way it really should be. If we truly meant to bring democracy to the people in Iraq, we shouldn't be concerned with who they choose. It's the same thing we tell people here in America, "it doesn't matter who you vote for, as long as you vote."

We should never have been in Iraq in the first place and we need to get the hell out before it becomes my generation's Vietnam. We need to return our focus to finding the people who really were responsible for 9/11 and removing them from civilization. We need to work on reparing our image in the rest of the World, that the Iraq war damaged. We need to act like the greatest country on Earth instead of just telling everyone that we are.

When Not So Good Is Not So Bad

2005-01-11T09:45:00.000-06:00

Even bland, not so good Biscuits and Gravy is better than most other breakfast foods.

Bear With Me

2005-01-09T19:22:00.000-06:00

I am playing with the template and CSS that control this page, so if you happen by and things are all screwed up, this time, it's not because I've had too much Jack Daniels.

Also, hello to everyone stopping by from Blog Explosion and Blogarama.

I'll be adding links to other blogs along with the other links I already have up in the near future as well.

Let's Just Ban Books We Don't Agree With

2005-01-09T13:30:00.000-06:00

TheKansasCityChannel.com - Education - Parents Upset Over Reading Lists
So, my alma matter, the Blue Springs, Missouri school district is embroiled in a "controversy." That in itself is news, as the whole time that I was growing up, both the town and school district would do anything they could to stay out of the spotlight and avoid tarnishing their squeaky clean image. This one though, is a sign of the times...

There is a book called "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. It is an award winning story of a utopian society that has made the mistake of forgetting all of the bad things in it's past and only focusing on the positive. Any one who is "weak" in this society is killed or in some other way removed from society. The main character of the book, Jonas, becomes "The Giver" and upon discovering the moral dilemma decides to leave the society.

This book has been on the recommended reading list for 8th graders for a number of years, and in fact, a friend of mine, who is a teacher in a neighboring school district tells me that in fact, it is a required reading in her district. It is only now, in the current political and moral climate that people are raising a voice against this book. One parent wants the book banned because it is "negative."

Excuse me?

The boy, when he discovers how dysfunctional his society is, wants to leave for a better one. He's showing morality, free will, and an ability to think for himself. I could see why we wouldn't want to teach our children this. How dare they learn those concepts. What kind of members of society will they grow up to be? GASP...THE HORROR!!!

I guess we ought to remove "The Scarlet Letter," "Lord of the Flies," "The Diary of Anne Frank," "Farenheit 451," and while we're at it, we probably ought to redact large chunks of the History books our kids read so that they aren't exposed to Hitler, Communism, and Slavery.

Reading and learning about how to think for yourself, how to compose a rational thought, to interact with people who think differently than you and who hold viewpoints that different from yours are what make intelligent, well rounded, contributing members of society. Those people grow up to balance out those people who don't figure out how this all works.

One of these days, I'm going to run for the school board, I really am. If for no other reason than to make sure that things like this are discussed without rolling over and caving to the demands of the uninformed and unintelligent.

Cerise Ivey and Eileen Casper...I'm talking to and about you.

An Act of Pure Genius

2005-01-06T15:05:00.000-06:00

CNN.com - Accused deserter a no-show after leave - Jan 6, 2005

So, here's a Marine charged with desertion. While he's waiting for his day in court, you put him in a situation that would make it easy for him to desert...again, and you're surprised when does so. I can see this happening in other instances too...

"Mr. Alleged Arsonist, while you're awaiting trial, we're going to put you to work in a match factory."
"Mr. Jackson, until trial, you will work at Gymboree."
"Mr. Bank Robber, please report for your shift at the teller's window..."

Tucker Takes Jon Stewart's Advice, To "Stop Hurting America"

2005-01-06T11:05:00.000-06:00

MSNBC - CNN lets Tucker Carlson go

When your own boss says “I guess I come down more firmly in the Jon Stewart camp,” (referring to Tucker's well publicized "debate" with Jon Stewart prior to last year's Presidentail election, in which Jon Stweart tore Tucker up) you know you're in trouble.

"[Tucker] said he enjoyed every minute working for CNN, but that he had told executives last April that he wanted to do something different from “Crossfire.”

Sure you did Tucker. Nice try at saving face.

He'd be a better fit over at FoxNews. He and Bill O'Reiley could stick their noses up each others asses every night while the rest of us watch something more productive, intelligent and less vomit inducing.

This Is What Happens When Laywers Run Amuck

2005-01-06T10:54:00.000-06:00

Wackiest warning: Toilet brush not to be used for hygiene - Jan. 6, 2005

If you didn't know any of these things before, then you should go through life wearing a crash helmet and restrained inside a padded room....or, you should fall victim to the things that the rest of us don't need warnings about.

So, How Was That Bad, Exactly?

2005-01-04T13:00:00.000-06:00

I caught the last 10 minutes of the Fox show "Who's My Daddy" last night. If the rest of the show was handled as classy as the last 10 minutes, what was the problem?

The producers of this show affected the lives of 6 people in a positive way. They reunited a mother, father, their daughter they hadn't seen in 30 years and introduced her to three half sisters. It seemed to be a positive experience for all of them. I didn't hear the woman bad mouth or say anything other than positive words about her adoptive family.

One station in North Carolina refused to air the show, and people were crying like they were going to be broadcasting the slaughter of women and children on live TV. The producers of this show did a POSITIVE THING and yet, the uninformed (most of whom hadn't seen the show before opening their mouths and didn't have all the facts) babbled on like this was going to be the downfall of TV and civilization as we know it. (Actually, I think MTV started us down that path years ago, but that's a whole other story that makes the voices in my head shout cuss words at them for ruining music too...)

Just based on my 10 minutes...it was well done, and I applaud them for using TV to do something positive.

Everyone else....worry about yourselves first.

CNN.com - Motley Crue lets F-word slip on Leno - Jan 4, 2005

2005-01-04T11:59:00.000-06:00

CNN.com - Motley Crue lets F-word slip on Leno - Jan 4, 2005

OH MY GOD NOT THAT WORD! The End of the World is Near! FLEE! FLEE! He mutterd the "F" word on live TV AT MIDNIGHT when there shouldn't be any kids watching anyway. It's a word, folks. Lighten up already. Anyone who is surprised that Vince Neil might use that word, probably shouldn't be watching a program with Motely Crue on it in the first place. My remote control has several buttons on it that I find useful. Two of them change the channel and one actually turns the TV off, which all of us should do once in a while.