Dungeon Diary

The Cult of Ron Paul

2012-01-27T11:13:00.000-06:00

As I drove by Northpark Mall last night on my way home I passed a small group of Ron Paul supporters waving signs and generally having a good time showing their support for Mr. Paul. The fact that the Texas primary isn't for a couple of months didn't seem to matter to them. I have seen them there before and I have to wonder what they are hoping to accomplish?

Ron Paul, who is more a libertarian than a Republican, is a perennial candidate for President. He began his quest running on the Libertarian ticket in 1988. He ran again as a Republican in 2008 and is currently in the race for the nomination in 2012, though he is overshadowed by the two front runners Gingrich and Romney.

From a policy standpoint, Paul is pretty extreme, especially when it comes to social issues. He believe s a fetus should have all the rights of an individual from the moment of conception. He is notoriously blunt when it comes to matters like sexual harassment. Mr Paul says in one of his books, "Why don't they quit once the so-called harassment starts? Obviously the morals of the harasser cannot be defended, but how can the harassee escape some responsibility for the problem? Seeking protection under civil rights legislation is hardily acceptable." I suppose he doesn;t understand that some people who are harassed need to keep working to support their family, pay bills etc.

He has a weird idea of monetary policy that consists of abolishing the federal reserve and returning to something akin to the gold standard. Nice idea but about 100 years too late.

I feel pretty sure I will be attacked by Paul supporters for saying anything about him that smacks of calling hims a fringe candidate, but so be it.

Paul supporters have all the trademarks of Ayn Rand fans. They believe in the absolute power of laissez-faire capitalism and ignore the fact that that particular idea is what got us the housing bubble and current financial crisis. Laissez-faire capitalism is pretty much where China is today, with the singular exception of free elections.

These folks seem very driven, so I am surprised that they can't seem to muster sufficient support for Paul to win a nomination. I admire their optimism, but I just worry about their blind devotion.

OK Let the flaming begin.

Santorum Gives Up On Florida

2012-01-27T08:18:00.000-06:00

Seeing the handwriting on the wall, Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum has left the Sunshine State for the cooler climate of his home. Seeing an inevitable loss to either Gingrich or Romney, Santorum has decided to pull up stakes in Florida and save his meager campaign chest for future primaries.

His next best shot at the nomination will come in Arizona and Michigan which hold primaries at the end of February. My guess is he will call it quits before then. His lagging poll numbers and dwindling funds make his victory very much a long shot. Even with the backing of the evangelicals and a few remaining Tea Party folks, Santorum's campaign looks pallid and on the verge of collapse.

Santorum Says Gays Don't Have Equal Rights "Because they are not healthy for society"

2012-01-26T08:15:00.000-06:00

Why do I get the feeling Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum would be a strong supporter of Eugenics?

In a recent public appearance he told a woman who asked why her gay son didn't have the same rights as every other American, that certain rights are reserved for people who perform activities that are "healthy for society."

"There are certain things that government does that gives people privileges in order to promote activity that are healthy for society and are best for society, and those things we promote would give people advantages or benefits, government benefits because we think that is healthy activity. Mothers and fathers coming together, forming healthy marriages, having children and raising those children. Every American child has the right, and the government should support the right to have and know their mother and father and be raised by their mother and father."

I suspect if a bill ever came before Congress to sterilize "undesirables", Santorum would be leading the charge. This kind of thinking is outdated and frankly un-American. The idea that LGBT people are "unhealthy" is groundless and just plain bigotry. Enough said.

Hate-Filled Pastor, "God hates soft men"

2012-01-23T08:39:00.001-06:00

Sometimes people get so angry they almost become comical, almost. Take the case of Rrv. Ken Hutcherson of Kirkland, Washington. He doesn't like "the gays" and has said so many times. He even calls on his god to justify this hatred. "God hates soft men", said the football star turned pastor. Just so his congregation didn't mistake his meaning he went on to say, "If I was in a drugstore and some guy opened the door for me, I'd rip his arm off and beat him with the wet end."

Nice!

The reason this hate-filled Reverend has come to the forefront is the pending legislation for Same-sex marriage in Washington state. Speaking about the state's governor,Christine Gregoire, Hutcherson compared her to the man who assassinated Lincoln.

"She might as well change her name to John Wilkes Booth because what she’s doing now is trying to put a bullet in the head of one of the greatest traditions that has ever existed and has built our society, and that is marriage between one man and one woman."

This kind of blind hatred and overheated rhetoric is a disgrace to the teachings of Jesus and I am appalled that this guy claims to be speaking for God.

I guess the extravagant grace of God can extend to him as well, but I wonder if he will be able to understand it.

Adieu Kodak. The Age of Celuloid is Over.

2012-01-19T16:44:00.000-06:00

When I first picked up a Super 8 camera and began making movies back in the 1960's, I longed for professional equipment. 16MM! By the time I was actually doing film production and directing commercials and music videos, I was indeed shooting with professional equipment. 16mm cameras delivered a pretty good image once it was transferred to video for the final edit, but for commercial work I shot on 35mm with a big honking Panavision camera.

I haven't made commercials in a while, and my personal film making was confined to 16mm and more often video. Most recently I have been shooting everything on digital cameras and editing at home in my own edit suite with my Mac and Final-Cut Pro HD.

I guess it should come as no surprise that the medium I grew up trying to master changed out from under me, and I changed with it to an extent. The idea of shooting anything on film now seems anachronistic. The final product will end up as a series of ones and zeros and will be seen on flat screens or through the magic of DLP projection on a big screen.

That change is most likely what led to the demise of Kodak, the premier maker of professional motion picture film as well as the film for your home cameras. Now it's hard to find a still camera that uses film, and even harder to find a lab who really knows what they are doing.

A few months ago the word came that Panavision, ARRI and Aton the three biggest camera companies were ceasing production of film cameras. They have developed super high resolution digital versions that deliver every bit the resolution of film and more. Son we will see motion pictures presented in HFR Digital projection. This means High Frame Rate. The usual rate is 24 frames per second, but the new HFR cameras shoot at 40 to 60 frames per second which will totally eliminate the flicker of current projection technique. More than that, it will make the screen seem to vanish, an effect I have witnessed at demonstrations and had my breath taken away.

I embrace the new technology because it makes the art of movie making easier in many respects. Yes the "look" of film won't be the same, but I suspect some day we will lament loosing the "look" of good old low resolution TV. Luckily, the huge libraries of film sitting in vaults around the world are slowly being scanned and converted to high resolution digital media, and I applaud the effort. It will keep many cherished films around for a long time.

Meanwhile, I have waxed nostalgic for the whole process of loading film into cameras, dealing with jammed magazines, checking the film gate to be sure no dust was present when the last shot was made. I will miss the physicality of film, but it is inevitable. Times change.

Luckily the art of story telling using moving pictures has not changed, only the medium. But I still miss the feel of the film itself. Think I will go home and thread up my projector and watch a movie....oh wait, I don't have a film projector any more!

Colbert's Former Super Pac Goes Rogue!

2012-01-19T12:10:00.002-06:00

Newt Gingrich Family Values Include Open Marriage

2012-01-19T11:52:00.000-06:00

Personally I have no problem with open marriages or polyamory or whatever, but for a guy who touts his "family values" I just don't think Newt's idea of an "open Marriage" sis going to play in Peoria or to the GOP base.

In an interview with his second ex-wife Mariann on ABC News, she detailed how Newt asked her for an "open marriage" arrangement so he could have his mistress and wife simultaneously. That mistress is now his wife, so you can see how well that played out.

This is one of the numerous GOP voices condemning "gay Marriage" as the root cause of decline of Western Civilization. I guess because I wanted to marry my partner, Newt felt compelled to try the "open marriage" ploy? Go figure.

Rick Perry Finally Does Something Right - Quits!

2012-01-19T08:51:00.000-06:00

Rick Perry, the zombie candidate of the GOP has finally stumbled upon a good decision. He is announcing he will pull out of the primary race. The decision comes after a dismal showing in both Iowa and New Hampshire and a series of gaffs that helped to sink his campaign, once thought tp be the leviathan that would save the GOP from Romney.

I mistakenly figured that Perry would stay in the race until at least Florida or such a time as his campaign funds ran out. I suppose he finally came to his senses and realized he didn't have a chance in the race which seems to be moving more and more to Romney's favor.

Perry, still a deluded individual, will throw his support behind Gingrich. Strange since Gingrich is far from a "family values" guy, but such is the machinations of GOP politics. Perhaps he just doesn't want to face another debate where he would undoubtedly provide more fodder for the press with his inevitable gaffs?

More soon.

This Site Intentionally Left Blank - Stop SOPA!

2012-01-17T18:48:00.004-06:00

CONTACT YOUR SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE.

SOPA Protest Blackout Tomorrow - Jan. 18

2012-01-17T09:35:00.001-06:00

This blog along with thousands of others will be "dark" tomorrow in protest of the draconian rules contained in the SOPA bill in Congress.

The screen will be black and this message will appear. "This is what the web could look like under SOPA".

Sites like Wikipedia and others will be offline tomorrow in protest. Join us. More info here.

Happy Birthday Dr. King!

2012-01-16T10:26:00.000-06:00

A wonderful quote from Martin Luther King Jr. that is often overlooked is this one about the relationship between science and religion.

"Softmindedness often invades religion. ... Softminded persons have revised the Beautitudes to read "Blessed are the pure in ignorance: for they shall see God." This has led to a widespread belief that there is a conflict between science and religion. But this is not true. There may be a conflict between softminded religionists and toughminded scientists, but not between science and religion. ... Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is power; religion gives man wisdom which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals. They are complementary."

To the fundamentalists out there, read this and open your mind to the really great truths scripture reveals, not the softminded revisionist interpretation you give to it.

Rick Perry - Zombie Candidate

2012-01-16T09:37:00.000-06:00

He roams the earth, not really knowing he , or at lest his campaign, is dead. He is dead candidate walking. He is Rick Perry!

Talk about a guy who doesn't know when to quit. Perry has polled in the low single digits in most states, he was almost invisible in Iowa and New Hampshire and now has been tossed off the Virginia ballot because he didn't challenge his disqualification soon enough. He just doesn't get the message. His campaign is over.

As I have long suspected, his staff knows how much money is left in his campaign coffers and is trying to run out the clock. Spending as much as possible for as long as there is money to spend. After all, what have they got to lose?

Meanwhile the deluded zombie candidate says South Carolina is not " his campaign's Alamo". He intends to campaign with social conservatives to boost his votes. Only problem is the evangelical base has already backed Rick Santorum (another Zombie). So now Perry will stagger off spouting his idiocy and making more flubs as he drains the last of his funds.

It is a sad state we live in when we have a zombie as our governor.

S**t Homophobic People Say - The Real Thing!

2012-01-13T15:30:00.002-06:00

Lambda Legal has put together this lovely little video that shows the real shit Homophobic people say. WARNING: resist the urge to hit your screen!

Tennessee Bathroom Harassment Act - Making Transgender Lives Hell

2012-01-13T11:07:00.000-06:00

The sole purpose of this crazy bill is to make transgender people's lives hell. If you doubt that take a look at what the bills sponsor recently said about a non-existent "threat" he fears from transgender people. Here are State Rep. Richard Floyd's (R) kind words:

I believe if I was standing at a dressing room and my wife or one of my daughters was in the dressing room and a man tried to go in there — I don’t care if he thinks he’s a woman and tries on clothes with them in there — I’d just try to stomp a mudhole in him and then stomp him dry.

Don’t ask me to adjust to their perverted way of thinking and put my family at risk. We cannot continue to let these people dominate how society acts and reacts. Now if somebody thinks he’s a woman and he’s a man and wants to try on women’s clothes, let him take them into the men’s bathroom or dressing room.

This guy need some serious education about transgender people and specifically about his irrational fears. I know a lot of transmen and transwomen and the idea of going into a bathroom to try on clothes when the bathroom is of the opposite gender you present is crazy. But it's the kind of stuff I guess I should expect from a guy who has learned everything he knows about transgender people from dirty jokes.

Already Sen. Bo Watson (R) has withdrawn his version of the bill. Watson saw the light and realized that there were far more pressing issues for a legislator to concern himself with than harassing transgender folk. I also suspect the media attention on Mr. Watson came into play. He looked like a stupid hillbilly introducing such a zany bill and he already has an image problem with his ubiquitous bow ties.

Let's hope Representative Floyd gets a similar message and reconsiders his hateful words and bill.

Latest Newt Attack - "Romney Speaks French!"

2012-01-13T08:28:00.000-06:00

This is the silliest political ad I have seen in a long time. The Newt 2012 group produced this slap dab attempt to smear Romney as a "moderate". Now apparently that is just as bad as being a "liberal". Oy vey!

Tennessee Legislature Tries To Encourage Transphobia

2012-01-12T09:55:00.000-06:00

As though Tennessee wasn't tied with the backwoods mentality race with Texas and Oklahoma with regard to LGBT rights, now Republican Senator Bo Watson is introducing a Bathroom Bill (SB 2282) which will make it illegal for transgender people to use public restrooms unless they use the ones that match their birth identity.

So if you are a transwoman, you have to use the Men's restroom which will automatically cause a ruckus and most likely lead to either arrest or getting beat up. Once again institutionalizing violence against LGBT people.

This also makes it really tough on companies with trans-inclusive policies. Like retailer, Macy's and others.

For the life of me I don't understand what difference it makes if a transman or transwoman uses the rest room of the gender they present as. These crazy people need to get over their bigotry and get on with really important legislation like cleaning up mining and toxic waste sites, or maybe finding ways to create jobs?

More here on Think Progress.

Romney Says Complaints About Income Inequality Are About "Envy"

2012-01-11T15:31:00.000-06:00

Only a man who is so out of touch with the everyday lives of the 99% of Americans as Mitt Romney would have the hubris to say that concerns about income inequality are about "envy". In case Mr. Romney hasn't noticed we have an income disparity that matched Uganda and is actually greater than Ivory Coast, two of the worst third world countries when it comes to income disparity.

Our country has the biggest gap between the "haves" and "have-nots" since the Great Depression. Only a man who is perched on so lofty a pedastal could fail to see where this is a problem, and those at the bottom aren't upset because they are envious, they are just struggling to make ends meet while predatory equity firms gut companies, send jobs overseas and sell the scraps off piecemeal.

By the way, Romney was one of those folks when he worked with Bain Capital, a company he is still making a bundle from in his "retirement" 13 years ago. He has received a share of the profits ever since as part of his package.

Envious? Well, personally I am just furious at these guys who add no value at all to our country while shuffling paper about and pulling out profits. The destructive practices of Wall Street and the banks put us in the "Great Recession" and yet most of the folks who caused it are still flying high. I know that my life and the lives of many of my friends would be better off if the whole housing bubble, credit-default-swap bubble and whatever other bubble the "wise guys" at the top caused. If just wanting to see the people who cause the pain actually experience some of it is envy than I guess I need a new dictionary.

Iranian Nuclear Expert Assassinated - Israel Implicated

2012-01-11T08:08:00.000-06:00

The chemistry expert, Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan wqs killed by a magnetic bomb that was attached to his car by a man on a bicycle. Clear evidence of a covert operation and not some random act of violence. Why? Because Roshan was working as the director of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran.

The Iranian government was quick to blame Zionists and the British government for the attack though both countries denied involvement. Of course that is the nature of "covert" operations. Still signs point to Israel and specifically because of a statement made by Israeli Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz who told a parliamentary panel that 2012 would be a "critical year" for Iran — in part because of "things that happen to it unnaturally." More of the story in USA today.

Israel has show a willingness to carry out assassinations in the past and has a well organized secret operations arm of the Mossad. Iran accused Israel of the cyber attack in 2010 using the Stuxnet virus. It seems like a likely scenario, even though everyone denies involvement.

In the Middle-East, Israel has always had to be scrappy and defensive and for good reason, but today they have a lot of power and very well organized intelligence. It remains to be seen if they can slow the Iran nuclear program or whether they will only succeed in strengthening Iran's resolve to have the bomb.

I am reminded that there already is a nuclear power in the Middle-East, and that is Israel.

New Video from Bye June

2012-01-10T08:51:00.001-06:00

OK, this is a bit sappy, but I am a sucker for sappy. Also, this has shadow puppets and with my history of puppetry it struck a nerve. Enjoy the new video from Bye June.

New Hampshire Debate - Romney Fest!

2012-01-07T21:58:00.000-06:00

As the remaining GOP candidates fought it out in New Hampshire, they neglected to do the one thing they should have and that is go after Mott Romney. They seemed to almost avoid going after him and as the front runner he should have been the target.

Rick Perry, our brain dead governor, said little other than he would send troops back to Iraq. He is obviously an empty suit and could do nothing but smile stupidly at the end of the stage. His only other answer that I can remember was when asked what he would normally be doing on a Saturday night, he said, "I'd be at the gun range." He also apparently believes that Iran can defy physics and "move at the speed of light."

Meanwhile Gingrich tried his best in the final minutes to toss a few grenades to Romney but failed to score, and Jon Huntsman actually ansered one question in Chinese! What?

Overall another silly example of the GOP trying their best to avoid picking Romney as their candidate.

Oh yeah, and Rick Santorum is still a frothy mix!

Anderson Cooper Calls Out Rick Santorum - VIDEO

2012-01-06T14:47:00.002-06:00

It is refreshing to see a reporter actually doing their job and reporting. Bravo to Anderson Cooper for actually questioning Santorum on this and for then showing how Santorum is lying.

Ron Paul Campaign Ad - Blatantly Racist

2012-01-06T11:46:00.000-06:00

This ad popped up on YouTube a few days ago and is the most blatantly racist piece of crap I have ever seen. It tries to paint Jon Huntsman (GOP Presidential contender) as Chinese. He was an ambassador to China and speaks Mandarin, and by the Paul campaign logic, that makes him an enemy? Not sure how Ron Paul will step away from this crap, but I feel sure his supporters will ignore it. Paul has a cult following David Koresh would envy.

200,000 New Jobs!

2012-01-06T08:17:00.000-06:00

Great economic news! According to the Labor Department the US added 200,000 new private sector jobs in December.Additionally, they revised the number of jobs added in November upward from 100,000 to 120,000.

Good news for the unemployment rate too since the increase in jobs lowers that rate to 8.5% and a pretty good sign that the recovery is continuing. Both these are good news for the Obama campaign. A growing economy will take a lot of steam out of any GOP challenger's attacks. Let's hope the trend continues.

Rick Santorum Supports Discrimination - But Only Against Gays

2012-01-05T12:48:00.000-06:00

Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum has been doing a lot of talking. It's what candidates do, and it gives us a good chance to see just what he is all about. Discrimination is a big part of his platform.

Santorum is wrapping bigotry in the banner of religion. In a recent interview he mentioned that he feels that the freedom of religion trumps all other freedoms as noted in the constitution. In an interview with the De Moines Register he stated that same-sex marriage jeopardizes religious liberty because the government may threaten license-holder such as marriage counselors who don’t treat gay couples.

All you have to do is insert any minority in place of "same-sex couples" and you see his issue. My problem with this whole argument is this, if I set up a business with a big sign that said "No Baptists Allowed", just how long would it be before I was slapped with a law suit? If a professional is going to deal with the public and offer his or her services, then excluding a class of people is discrimination and no religious argument you can give will change that.

Santorum wants it both ways. Freedom for him and no freedom for LGBT people. Time to flush Santorum out of the political system. Perhaps the coming election will do that.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

2012-01-04T14:54:00.002-06:00

This dandy chart shows why Obama needs to stay in office. Thanks to Ritchie from CA for the graphic.Amazing how bad off we were after the Bush presidency and his disastrous economic policies.

Perry and Bachmann "Reassess" their Campaigns

2012-01-04T08:48:00.001-06:00

After a really sad showing in Iowa, both Rick Perry and Michelle "Crazy Eyes" Bachmann are returning to their home states to "reasses" their campaigns. Perry announced he would not campaign in South Carolina, a sure sign he is essentially giving up. His campaign garnered less than 10% of the total votes in Iowa.

Bachmann also called off her South Carolina trip and with a 5% showing in Iowa, it's a good idea. The ever present Sarah Palin has even chimed in on the Bachmann campaign and said, "It's not her time".

Here's hoping it will never be Michelle Bachmann's no Rick Perry's time.

UPDATE: Crazy Eyes is out and just plain Crazy stays in. Rick Perry tweets that he is going to South Carolina. Sad really!

Amazon and Barnes & Noble Pull Offensive Calendar

2011-12-30T17:03:00.000-06:00

I just checked Amazon for the highly offensive "I'm not Gay I'm a Sissy" calendar and it is n ow gone! Barnes & Noble pulled it earlier in the week responding to widespread outrage and customer complaints.

No official word from Amazon but I wouldn't expect it. They will just quietly hope the controversy dies out.

Meanwhile the cartoonist is still unrepentant for his homophobic and frankly tasteless cartoons. Glad he is defending his bigotry instead of trying to deny it. At least he is honest about that, unfortunately he was anything but honest in his deception of people living with AIDS and LGBT people.

Hillary Clinton's LGBT Rights Speech as Music Video

2011-12-29T11:41:00.001-06:00

Barnes & Noble and Amazon Sell "Funny" Homophobic Calendar

2011-12-28T08:46:00.002-06:00

I have pretty thick skin. Growing up in a Jewish family and being a fat kid you learn to roll with the punches to a point. The new "humorous" calendar being sold by Barnes & Noble and Amazon really takes to cake for offensive.

Titled, "I'm Not Gay, I'm Just A Sissy" it reenforces about every negative stereotype possible. I can only imagine the outrage if this was a 2012 Minstrel Calendar with happy laughing black face performers pictured, or a 2012 "Women are so Dumb" calendar.

This is the kind of trash I expect to see at a KKK rally, not Barnes & Noble or Amazon. If you feel the same way, let these online booksellers know how you feel.

Amazon E-Mail: Click here.
Phone: 1-800-201-7575
Twitter: @Amazon
Facebook: Click here.

Barnes & Noble
E-Mail: Click here.
Phone: 1-800-THE-BOOK (1-800-843-2665)
Twitter: @BN_care (Customer service)
Facebook: Click here.

UPDATE: Barnes & Noble has dropped this offensive trash from their catalog. Amazon? Not yet.

Robot Birds Flock Like the Real Thing

2011-12-27T16:14:00.002-06:00

An amazing development in robotics and surveillance.

Abilify - Side Effects with a Drug Attached?

2011-12-27T12:06:00.000-06:00

I saw this commercial a few weeks ago and was astounded by the list of side effects, most of which include really nasty stuff including "death". It is used to treat schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, but I have to wonder if there aren't safer alternatives? This sounds like a new drug looking for a market more than anything, and I guess they figure patients who might use it just don't care about side effects.

Go figure.

Now, here is a clip from Andy Behrman, a former spokesperson for Bristol Myers Squibb who make the drug Abilify. This makes more sense than the drug makers video.

Ron Paul Thinks Everything is Unconstitutional

2011-12-27T11:37:00.003-06:00

As I have said of Ron Paul before...he is very, very fringe material.

Estimated 14,000 US Deaths Related to Fukushima Meltdown

2011-12-27T08:30:00.001-06:00

That headline is disturbing, since I assumed like nearly everyone that the Fukushima disaster was strictly a Japanese problem. Not so according to a scientific study published in the December edition of the International Journal of Health Services.

Six days after the reactor meltdown, scientists detected a toxic plume of radioactive fallout on American soil. Measurements by the EPA showed levels of radioactive iodine in water and milk rose to hundreds of times the normal levels. The results? An estimated 14,000 deaths, mostly of infants.

Want proof? Well the Centers for Disease control monitors deaths nationwide to spot trends and epidemics. Normally the rate is about 2.34% per 100,000 people. During the 14 weeks following Fukushima that total rose to 4.46%. That makes an excess of deaths of about 14,000. By the way, an estimated 16,500 Americans died from Chernobyl, another figure you might not have heard.

Now, next time someone tells you that nuclear power is a safe alternative, ask them how many Americans died from Nuclear accidents. They will not have a number, but you will!

SFGMC Holiday Concert

2011-12-26T21:15:00.003-06:00

My friend Tim Seelig conducting the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas - Santa Baby!

2011-12-24T17:12:00.004-06:00

Merry Christmas and enjoy my favorite Christmas Song by Eartha! And a few "friends"!

White House Prepares for Holidays - Note LOTS of Christmas trees Fox News!

2011-12-23T14:30:00.002-06:00

GOP Campaign in 100 Seconds - TPM Video

2011-12-23T13:54:00.002-06:00

Fox News Outraged at White House Christmas Card

2011-12-22T11:39:00.001-06:00

File this under "Oh Puleeze!"

Go get 'em Rachael!

Gingrich Endorsed by American Family Association

2011-12-20T08:16:00.000-06:00

Yet another reason to hope for the demise of the Gingrich campaign. He has gained the endorsement of the hate group, the American Family Association. No surprise since Gingrich's front group ReAL Action has helped fund the AFA through a shell organization called the American Family Association Action.

So if you have any conservative friends let them know that Newt is a closet hater and is really not deserving of their support.

Mississippi Family-Values Mayor Comes Out as Gay

2011-12-16T08:32:00.000-06:00

As I have said before it's hardly news anymore when a politician who ran on a platform of "family values" (code for anti-gay) gets outed. So here's the latest in the ongoing string of hypocrites who have hidden their sexual identity to further their political career.

Greg Davis, Mayor of Southaven, Mississippi, a man who ran on the old family values platform has been discovered with his hand in the cookie jar, or perhaps the lube jar. He was already under investigation for spending city funds for things ranging from exorbitant liquor purchases to lavish dinners. Seems this investigation turned up a recipt from a store in Toronto, Canada where the mayor was on a recruitment trip. The store, Priape, is a first rate gay sex shop that I have visited on several occasions. Lots of nifty toys, and tons of leather!

So now the mayor decides to come clean, so to speak. He holds a news conference where he admits to being gay and then says he will continue to govern the city and spend time with his family. I suspect that family time would be as interesting as an episode of "Real Housewives of Southaven". (although he is now divorced from his wife of 19 years)

It is really sad that people like Greg decide to hide their sexuality to advance their political career, only to be embroiled in this kind of crap. Had he been open about it, he might not have been mayor, but he would also have not deceived a town, his family and friends. He might have had a happy life and maybe even been successful in politics...albeit in another state.

Billboard Encourages Violence Against Gays?

2011-12-15T08:18:00.001-06:00

I am not sure how much more offensive I could make this billboard in North Carolina. The message is clear, shooting makes you a "real man". The subtext is also equally clear, violence against homosexuals is just fine in North Carolina.

Am I overreacting? I don't think so. Subtle messages like this are the product of people who either have no idea they are being offensive, (which I doubt) or intentional, (which I suspect). The advertiser is making a joke, and it is not very funny. The term "pansy" is so blatantly homophobic that the "joke" won't work without it.

If you find this not so funny, why not write the group that underwrites the billboard, the National Sport Shooting Foundation.

UPDATE:

I received this letter from the National Sport Shooting Foundation regarding the billboard;

Mr. Haberman,

This was not placed or approved by us. It was taken down 2 hours after we were made aware of it

Mark E. Thomas APR
Managing Director,
Marketing Communications National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc.
11 Mile Hill Road
Newtown, CT 06470-2359

Rick Perry Ad Parody - Watch It!

2011-12-12T12:07:00.000-06:00

All I can say is I wish I had done this first.

Durban Brings Nothing Substantial - Except Assured Disaster

2011-12-10T15:09:00.001-06:00

The countries of the world got together to do something about climate change and decided to do essentially - NOTHING! A toothless agreement to limit carbon emissions emerged after China and the US agreed to some controls and a regrettably lame pact.

“What is the news I’m going to take home to my flooded country?” Claudia Salerno, the lead negotiator for Venezuela, asked angrily. “This is nothing compared to the level of ambition that we require.”

China and India are dancing around the fact that they are anything but developing nations, and they don't want to limit CO2 emissions to the levels needed to prevent the global disaster that is coming. Meanwhile the US is driven by competing ideologies and can't seem to accept the fact that climate change is happening and will get worse.

The whole global warming is a controversial theory is bullshit. It is completely agreed upon by real scientists and it is happening every year, this year alone saw 12 billion dollar+ weather disasters in the US along, almost twice the expected amount.

I guess our world leaders are accepting that there is no agreement hey can come to and the poorer nations and coastal regions will just have to be destroyed. A one meter rise in sea level which is predicted by 2050 if nothing is done will inundate most coastal areas of the world including New Jersey and New York. But who cares about that?

Rick Perry has Another Ooops Moment!

2011-12-09T14:24:00.000-06:00

Perry is a frigging idiot. He agreed to an interview with a newspaper and he looks remarkably like Herman Cain. He stumbles around the issue of prayer in schools and then mentions the 8 Supreme Court judges. (there are 9) and wants an end to lifetime appointments. That is in the Constitution not some law recently passed by Congress you dolt!

With luck this will be his last interview for a good long while.

Jon Stewart Exposes the Phony War On Christmas

2011-12-07T09:50:00.002-06:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

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Tree Fighting Ceremony - War on Christmas

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A Date That Will Live In Infamy

2011-12-07T08:28:00.000-06:00

Just a scant 9 years before I was born, our country experienced a wake up call that changed the world. The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 assured American involvement in World War II.

Recently there has been a lot of speculation as to who knew what when and if the attack could have been prevented. This Monday morning quarterbacking ignores the fact that the Japanese were in negotiations with the US just prior to the attack and that they intended to deliver a formal declaration of war 30 minutes prior to the attack, but failed to meet the timetable on the diplomatic front.

No matter, the fact was that the surprise attack spurred the US public into action and we jumped into the war with a vigor rarely seen before or since.

The final outcome of the attack was debilitating to the Pacific Fleet, but could have been worse. A proposed third wave attack on fuel and munition supplies was not carried out and arguably that would have had a far greater effect than the loss of ships. In the end, the words attributed to Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto were prophetic .

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

Today, many people compare the attack on the World Trade Centers to Pearl Harbor. Though they were both surprise attacks and resulted in a great loss of life, the comparison is imprecise. 9-11 was an action carried out by a very small determined group of fanatics designed to terrorize our country and Pearl Harbor was a concerted peremptory attack designed to prevent the US from entering a conflict. Ultimately, Pearl Harbor failed, it only motivated us to join the war and eventually defeat the Japanese and Germans. 9-11 succeeded in wreaking terror on the US and ultimately change our way of life and freedom.

As we commemorate Pearl Harbor, it is well worth considering the resolve our country experienced just after the attack. We shared the sacrifice needed to commit to the war effort. Everyone in the country pulled together and did something to help. Had that kind of resolve and shared sacrifice been the result of 9-11 instead of the political manipulations and jingoism that followed we would have been far better off today.

Sec. of State Hillary Clinton's Groundbreaking Human Rights Speech - Transcript

2011-12-06T11:48:00.000-06:00

This is taken from the live transcript, sorry about the formatting.

Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the united
nations. May I ask you to please turn off
your mobile phones. Thank you very much.
Ladies and gentlemen attention, please. We
have now closed the doors. May we ask you to
make available seats available by removing
your coats and bags so that people can scoot
to the inside of the rows. We have a few more
people coming in and there's a little delay
but we'll soon be starting. Thank you.
>> Ladies and gentlemen, now presenting the
United States Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton.
>> (Applause).
>> Good evening and let me express my deep
honor and pleasure at being here. I want to
thank director General Tokas and Ms. Widen
along with other ministers, ambassadors,
excellencies and UN partners. This weekend we
will celebrate Human Rights day. The
anniversary of one of the great
accomplishments of the last century.
Beginning in 1947 delegates from 6 continents
devoted themselves to drafting a declaration
that would enshrine the fundamental rights and
freedoms of people everywhere. In the
aftermath of World War II many nations pressed
for a statement of this kind to help ensure
that we would prevent future atrocities and
protect the inherent humanity and dignity of
all people. And so the delegates went to
work. They discussed, they wrote, very
revisited, revised, rewrote, for thousands of
hours. And they incorporated suggestions and
revisions from governments, organizations, and
individuals around the world. At 3:00 in the
morning on December 10, 1948 after nearly 2
years of drafting and one last long night of
debate the president of the UN General
Assembly called for a vote on the final text.
Forty-eight nations voted in favor, 8
abstained, none dissented and the universal
declaration of Human Rights was adopted. It
proclaims a simple powerful idea. All human
beings are born free and equal in dignity and
rights. And with the declaration it was made
clear that rights are not conferred by
government. They are the birth right of all
people. It does not matter what country we
live in, who our leaders are or even who we
are because we are human, we therefore have
rights. And because we have rights
governments are bound to protect them. In the
63 years since the declaration was adopted
many nations have made great progress in
making Human Rights a human reality. Step by
step, barriers that once prevented people from
enjoying the full measure of liberty, the full
experience of dignity and the full benefits of
humanity have fallen away. In many places
racist laws have been repealed. Legal and
social practices that relegated women to
second class status have been abolished. The
ability of religious minorities to practice
their faith freely has been secured. In most
cases this progress was not easily won.
People fought and organized and campaigned in
public squares and private spaces to change
not only laws but hearts and minds and thanks
to that work of generations for millions of
individuals whose lives were once narrowed by
injustice they are now able to live more
freely and participate more fully in the
political, economic and social lives of their
communities. Now there is still as you all
know much more to be done to secure that
commitment, that reality and progress for all
people. Today I want to talk about the work
we have left to do to protect one group of
people whose Human Rights are still denied in
too many parts of the world today. In many
ways they are an invisible minority. They are
arrested, beaten, terrorized, even executed.
Many are treated with contempt and violence by
their fellow citizens while authorities
empowered to protect them look the other way
or too often even join in the abuse. They are
denied opportunities to work and learn, driven
from their homes and countries and forced to
suppress or deny who they are to protect
themselves from harm. I am talking about gay,
lesbian, bisexual and trance gender people.
Human beings born free and given bestowed
equality and dignity who have a right to claim
that which is now one of the remaining Human
Rights challenges of our time. I speak about
this subject knowing that my own country's
record on Human Rights for gay people is far
from perfect until 2003 it was still a crime
in parts of our country. Many Lateasha
Barbour Americans have endured violence and
harassment in their own lives and for some
including many young people bullying and
exclusion are daily experiences. So we, like
all nations, have more work to do to protect
Human Rights at home. Now raising this issue
I know is sensitive for many people and that
the obstacles rest on deeply held personal,
political, cultural and religious beliefs. So
I come here before you with respect,
understanding and humility. Even though
progress on this front is not easy we cannot
delay acting. So in that spirit I want to
talk about the difficult and important issues
we must address together to reach a global
consensus that recognizes the Human Rights of
LBGT. Some have suggested gay rights and
Human Rights are separate. But in fact they
are one in the same. Now of course 60 years
ago the governments that drafted and passed
the universal declaration of Human Rights were
not thinking about how it applied to the LGBT
community. They also weren't thinking about
how it applied to indigenous people or
children or people with disabilities or other
marginallized groups. In the past 6 years we
have come to recognize members of these groups
are entitled to the full measure of dignity
and rights because like all people they share
a common humanity. This recognition did not
occur all at once. It evolved over time and
as it did we understood that we were honoring
rights that people always had rather than
creating new or special rights for them. Like
being a woman, like being a racial religious
tribal or ethnic minority, being LGBT does not
make you less human. And that is why gay
rights are Human Rights and Human Rights are
gay rights. It is a violation of Human Rights
when people are beaten or killed because of
their sexual orientation or because they do
not conform to cultural norms about how men
and women should look or behave. It is a
violation of Human Rights when governments
declare it illegal to be gay or allow those
who harm gay people to go unpunished. It is a
violation of Human Rights when lesbian or
transgendered women are subjected to so called
correctly rape or forcibly subjected to
hormone treatments or when people are murdered
after public calls for violence toward gays or
when they are forced to flee their nations and
seek asylum in other lands to save their
lives. And it is a violation of Human Rights
when life saving care is with held from people
because they are gay or equal access to
justice is denied to people because they are
gay or public spaces are out of bounds to
people because they are gay. No matter what
we look like, where we come from or who we
are, we are all equally entitled to our Human
Rights and dignity. The second issue is the
question of whether homosexuality arises from
a particular part of the world. Some seem to
believe it is a western phenomenon and
therefore people outside the West have grounds
to reject it. Well in reality gay people are
born into and belong to every society in the
world. They are all ages, all races, all
faiths, they are doctors and teachers, farmers
and bankers, soldiers and athletes and whether
we know it or whether we acknowledge it, they
are our family, our friends and our neighbors.
Being gay is not a western invention. It is a
human reality. And protecting the Human
Rights of all people gay or straight is not
something that only western governments do.
South Africa's constitution written in the
aftermath of apartheid protects the equality
of all citizens including gay people. In
Columbia in Argentina the rights of gays are
also legally protected. In Nepal the supreme
court has ruled that equal rights apply to
LGBT citizens. The government of Mongolia has
committed to pursue new legislation that will
tackle discrimination. A luxury only wealthy
nations can afford, in fact in all countries
there are costs to not protecting these
rights. In both gay and straight lives lost
to disease and violence and the silencing of
voices and views that would strengthen
communities and ideas never pursued by
entrepreneurs who happen to be gay. Costs are
incurred whenever any group is treated as
lesser or the other whether they are women,
racial or religious minorities or the LGBT.
Former president Mogi pointed out recently
that for as long as LGBT people are kept in
the shadows there cannot be an effective
public health program to tackle HIV and AIDS.
Well that holds true for other challenges as
well. The third and perhaps most challenging
issue arises when people site religious or
cultural values as a reason to violate or not
to protect the Human Rights of LGBT citizens.
This is not unlike the justification offered
for violent practices toward women like honor
killings, widow burning or female genital
mutilation. Some people still defend those
practices as part of our cultural tradition
but violence towards women isn't cultural,
it's criminal. Likewise with slavery, what
was once justified as sanctioned by God is now
properly revialed as an unconscionable
violation of Human Rights. In each of these
cases we came to learn that no practice or
tradition Trumps the Human Rights that belong
to all of us. And this holds true for
inflicting violence on LGBT people,
criminalizing their status or behavioral,
expelling them from their families and
communities or explicitly accepting their
killing. Of course it bares noting that
rarely our cultural and religious traditions
and teachings actually in conflict with the
protection of Human Rights. Indeed our
religion and culture are sources of compassion
and inspiration toward our fellow human
beings. It was not only those who justified
slavery who leaned on religion it was also
those who sought to abolish it and let us keep
in mind that our commitments to protect the
freedom of religion and to defend the dignity
of LGBT people emanate from a common source.
For many of us religious belief and practice
is a vital source of meaning and identity and
fundamental to who we are as people and
likewise for most of us the bonds of love and
family that we forge are also vital sources of
meaning and identity and caring for others is
an expression of what it means to be fully
human. It is because the human experience is
universal that Human Rights are universal and
cut across all religions and cultures. The
fourth issue is what history teaches us about
how we make progress toward rights for all.
Progress starts with honest discussion. Now
there are some who say and believe that all
gay people are pedophiles, that homosexuality
is a disease that can be caught or cured or
that gays recruit ourself to become gay. Well
these notions are simply not true. They're
also unlikely to disappear if those who
promote or accept them are dismissed out of
hand rather than invited to share their fears
and concerns. No one has ever abandoned a
belief because he was forced to do so.
Universal Human Rights include freedom of
expression and freedom of belief. Even if our
words or beliefs democrat great the humanity
of others. While we are each free to believe
whatever we choose we cannot do whatever we
choose, not in a world where we protect the
Human Rights of all. Reaching understanding
of these issues takes more than speech. It
does take a conversation. In fact it takes a
constellation of conversations in places big
and small and it takes a willingness to see
stark differences in belief as a reason to
begin the conversation, not to avoid it. But
progress comes from changes in-laws. In many
places including my own country legal
protections have preceded not followed broader
recognition of rights. Laws have a teaching
effect. Laws that discriminate, validate
other kinds of discrimination, laws that
require equal protections reinforce the moral
impairtive of equality and practically
speaking it is often the case that laws must
change before fears about change dissipate.
Many people Trumen, we saw how he strengthened
our social fabric in ways even supporters of
the policy could not foresee. Likewise some
worried in my country that the repeal of don't
ask, don't tell would have a negative effect
on our armed forces. Now the marine Corp.
says his concerns were unfounded and that the
marines have embraced the change. Finally
progress comes from being willing to walk a
mile in someone else's shoes. We need to ask
ourselves, how would it feel if it were a
crime to love the person I love? How would it
feel to be discriminated against for something
about myself that I cannot change? This
challenge applies to all of us as we reflect
upon deeply held beliefs. As we work to
embrace tolerance and respect for the dignity
of all persons and as we engage with those
with whom we disagree in the hope of creating
greater understanding. A fifth and final
question is how we do our part to bring the
world to embrace Human Rights for all people
including LGBT people. Yes LGBT people must
help lead this effort as so many of you are.
Their knowledge and experiences are invaluable
and their courage inspirational. We know the
names of brave LGBT activists who have
literally given their lives for this cause and
there are many more whose names we will never
know. But often those who are denied rights
are least empowered to bring about the changes
they seek. Acting alone minorities can never
achieve the majority's necessary for political
change. The rest of us cannot sit on the
sidelines. Every time a barrier to progress
has fallen it has taken a cooperative effort
from those on both sides of the barrier. The
fight for women's rights the support of men
remains crucial. The fight for racial
equality has relied on contributions from
people from all races. Combating or
antiSemitism is a task for people of all
faiths. And the same is true with this
struggle for equality. Conversely when we see
denials and abuses of Human Rights and fail to
act that sends the message to those deniers
and an abusers that they won't suffer for
their actions so they carry on. But when we
do act we send a powerful moral message.
Right here in Geneva the international
community acted this year to strengthen a
global consensus around the Human Rights of
LGBT people. At the Human Rights Council in
March 85 countries from regions called for an
end to criminalization and violence against
people because of their sexual orientation and
gender identity. At the following session of
the council in June South Africa took the lead
on a resolution about violence against LGBT
people. The delegation from South Africa
spoke eloquently about their own experience
and struggle for human equality and its
indifficult visibility. When the measure
passed it became the first ever UN resolution
recognizing the Human Rights of gay people
worldwide. In the organization of American
states this year the interAmerican commission
on Human Rights created a unit on the rights
of LGBT people, a step toward what we hope
will be the creation of a special Republican
tore. We must get more support for the Human
Rights of the LGBT community. To the leaders
of those countries where people are jailed,
beaten or executed for being gay I ask you to
consider this. Lip by definition means being
out in front of your people when it is called
for. It means standing up for the dignity of
all your citizens and persuading your people
to do the say. Leadership also means ensuring
that all citizens are treated as equals under
your laws because let me be clear. I am not
saying that gay people can't or don't commit
crimes. They can and they do. Just like
straight people. And when they do they should
be held accountable. But it should never be a
crime to be gay. And to people of all nations
I say supporting Human Rights is your
responsibility too. The lives of gay people
are shaped not only by laws but by the
treatment they receive every day from their
families, from their neighbors. Eleanor
Roosevelt said these rights start in the small
places close home. The streets where people
live, the schools they attend, the factories,
farms and offices where they work. These
places are your domain. The actions you take,
the ideals you advocate can determine whether
Human Rights flourish where you are. And
finally to LGBT men and women worldwide let me
say this. Wherever you live and whatever the
circumstances of your life whether you are
connected to a network of support or feel
isolated and vulnerable, please know that you
are not alone. People around the globe are
working hard to support you and to bring an
end to the injustices and dangers you face.
That is certainly true for my country and you
have an ally in the United States of America
and you have millions of friends among the
American people. The Obama administration
defend the Human Rights of LGBT people as part
of our comprehensive Human Rights policy and
as a priority of our foreign policy. In our
emphasis, our diplomats are raising concerns
about specific cases and laws and working with
a range of partners to strengthen Human Rights
protections for all. In Washington we have
created a task force at the state department
to support and coordinate this work and in the
coming months we will provide every embassy
with a tool kit to help improve their efforts
and we have created a program that offers
emergency support to defenders of Human Rights
for LGBT people. This morning back in
Washington president Obama put into place the
first U.S. government strategy dedicated to
combating Human Rights abuses against LGBT
persons abroad. Building on efforts already
under way at the state department and across
the government the president has directed all
U.S. government agencies engaged overseas to
combat the criminalization of LGBT status and
conduct to enhance efforts to protect
vulnerable, LGBT refugees and asylum seekers
to ensure Na our foreign assistance promotes
the protection of LGBT rights. To enlist
international organizations in the fight
against discrimination and to respond swiftly
to abuses against LGBT persons. We are
launching a global equality fund that will
support the work of civil society
organizations working on these issues around
the world. This fund will help them record
facts so they can target their advocacy, learn
how to use the law as a tool, manage their
budgets, train their staffs and forge
partnerships with women's organizations and
other Human Rights groups. We have committed
more than $3 million to start this fund and we
have hope that others will join us in
supporting it. The women and men who advocate
for Human Rights for the LGBT community in
hostile places, some of whom are here today
with us, are brave and dedicated and deserve
all the help we can give them. We know the
road ahead will not be easy. A great deal of
work lies before us. But many of us have seen
first hand how quickly change can come. In
our life times attitudes toward gay people in
many places have been transformed. Many
people including myself have experienced a
deepening of our own convictions on this topic
over the years as we have devoted more thought
to it, engaged in dialogues and debates and
established personal and professional
relationships with people who are gay. This
evolution is evident in many places to
highlight one example, the dell devilly high
court decriminalized in India. Writing ' if
there is one tenant that can be said to be an
underlying theme of the indian constitution it
is inclusiveness. There is little doubt in my
mind that support for LGBT Human Rights will
continue to climb. Because for many young
people this is simple. All people deserve to
be treated with dignity and have their Human
Rights respected no matter who they are or
whom they love. There is a phrase that people
in the United States invoke when urging
ourself to support Human Rights. Be on the
right side of history. The story of the
United States is the story of a nation that
has repeatedly grappled with intolerance and
inequality. We fought a brutal civil war over
slavery. People from coast to coast joined in
campaigns to recognize the rights of women,
indigenous peoples, racial minorities,
children, people with disabilities,
immigrants, workers, and on and on and the
March toward equality and justice has
continued. Those who advocate for expanding
the circle of Human Rights were and are on the
right side of history and history honors them.
Those who tried to constrict Human Rights were
wrong and history reflects that as well. I
know that the thoughts I've shared today
involve questions on which opinions are still
evolving as it has happened so many times
before, opinion will converge once again with
the truth, the immutable truth that all
persons are created free and equal in dignity
and rights. We are called once more to make
real the words of the universal declaration.
Let us answer that call. Let us be on the
right side of history for our people, our
nations and future generations whose lives
will be shaped by the work we do today. I
come before you with great hope and confidence
that no matter how long the road ahead we will
travel it successfully together. Thank you
very much. (Applause).

If Corporations Are People, Then Halliburton Needs to Be Locked Up

2011-12-06T08:31:00.000-06:00

Evidence has come to light that Halliburton intentionally destroyed evidence in the BP spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. In a federal court Monday, BP accused Halliburton of erasing the evidence that they used sub standard procedures when cementing the well that blew out spilling millions of gallons of oil into the gulf.

The destroyed records include computer modeling of the project and cementing procedures.

So my question is this, if the Supreme Court treats corporations like individuals, then if Halliburton is convicted of destroying evidence, shouldn't the CEO and President go to jail for the crimes they (Halliburton as an individual) committed?

Give me one reason this shouldn't apply, and if not then lets set things straight, corporations are legal constructs, not individuals. Enough of this foolishness.

Newt Gingrich Reiterates That The Poor Are Lazy

2011-12-05T12:10:00.000-06:00

My guess is Newt Gingrich has never known a genuinely poor person in his life. I do, and all of the ones I know work their asses off. Some hold down two jobs and work longer hours that I ever have, yet they are scraping by.

In Newt's imaginary world, the poor are poor because they are lazy and have bad work habits. His answer, fire janitors and hire school kids to do janitorial work. Excuse me?

First, there are Child Labor Laws, and secondly, does he thing training poor kids to be janitors is any kind of answer to the pressing problems of poverty in America? Additionally, though we see little of a janitor's work, they do a whole lot of things needed to keep a school working, not just pushing a broom.

Why not fire the bank executives and hire school kids to do their job. I suspect in some cases a bright teenager could do a better job of running a company than the Bozos that steer Bank of America and other mega-corps into financial hot water.

Newt's incredible ignorance is here on CBS. Maybe his name is really his IQ? The same as a newt!

Newt Gingrich - Not a Favorite of the Social Consrvatives

2011-12-02T14:38:00.002-06:00

This video was produced by social conservatives who really don't like the Newt. Enjoy!

School Kids Stymie Michelle Bachmann on LGBT Issues

2011-12-01T10:36:00.000-06:00

Crazy Eyes gets stumped by school kids who will not let her gloss over her hypocrisy on LGBT issues.

Frank Luntz Give GOP Hints on How To Talk About OWS

2011-12-01T09:40:00.000-06:00

According to a post on Think Progress, GOP mastermind Frank Luntz has issued talking points on how to address the Occupy Wall Street movement. First off, he is very concerned, in fact downright scared it is affecting opinions of capitalism. Duh!

Here are his suggestions to blunt the effects:

Don’t Mention Capitalism: Luntz said that his polling research found that “The public…still prefers capitalism to socialism, but they think capitalism is immoral. And if we’re seen as defenders of quote, Wall Street, end quote, we’ve got a problem.”
Empathize With The 99 Percent Protesters: Luntz instructed attendees to tell protesters that they “get it”: “First off, here are three words for you all: ‘I get it.’ … ‘I get that you’re. I get that you’ve seen inequality. I get that you want to fix the system.”
Don’t Say Bonus: Luntz told Republicans to re-frame the concept of the bonus payment — which bailed-out Wall Street doles out to its employees during holidays — as “pay for performance” instead.
Don’t Mention The Middle Class Because Americans Don’t Trust Republicans To Defend It: “They cannot win if the fight is on hardworking taxpayers,” Luntz instructed the audience. “We can say we defend the ‘middle class’ and the public will say, I’m not sure about that. But defending ‘hardworking taxpayers’ and Republicans have the advantage.”
Don’t Talk About Taxing The Rich: Luntz reminded Republicans that Americans actually do want to tax the rich, so he recommended they instead say that the government “takes from the rich.”

World AIDS Day - A Remembrance

2011-12-01T08:32:00.003-06:00

(The following is a personal recollection, and in no way is intended to be historically precise or indicative of anyone's experience but my own.)

The rumor was that poppers caused something that was being called "gay cancer". The strange lesions appearing on gay men's bodies were a gay man's worst nightmare. They were disfiguring and made you an instant pariah. No one wanted to be around someone who was so obviously infected with a very strange disease.

Kaposi Sarcoma was the first visible signs of what was later called HIV/AIDS. Kaposi Sarcoma is an opportunistic disease, a virus, that attacked people with compromised immune systems but for me and my friends it was just "the pox".

The other outward sign of the nascent disease was the profound weight loss due to sustained diarrhea and intestinal problems. People just wasted away, growing thinner and thinner until that looked like fragile old men hobbling along the street with the aid of walking sticks. Combine this with the pneumonia that was also running rampant and everyone who looked the least bit thin, or sickly or frail was suspect and an object of fear.

Fear. That was the dominate emotion that drove the community back in the early days of the disease. We were afraid we could be next. Every bump, every itch, every cough could be the first signs of what proved to be a fatal disease with no treatment or cure.

It didn't take long before the disease had a name, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, AIDS. Soon research showed it was a blood borne pathogen and the culprit was exchange of body fluids. Mainly sexual contact or transfusion with infected blood. People with visible signs were no longer shunned and friends rallied to their side to provide comfort and assistance.

Long before the medical community figured that out, my friends and I had begun to ignore the warnings to avoid contact with people infected with the disease. Our hearts drove us past the fear and we visited our friends in the hospitals and took care of them when nursing staffs would not. Yes, some hospitals staff refused to have contact with AIDS patients in the early days. They would wear masks, gowns and gloves and do only the bare necessities of care.

I guess we figured we might end up infected anyway so what the heck? How could we watch our friends die alone and shunned. It was a soul searching time for me and most of the people I knew.

That was 29-30 years ago. So much has changed, but not fast enough to save so many friends. So many good men and women died in the early days and with them a little of my own soul died as well. Facing mortality is a bitch!

Today, there are many treatments that extend the lives of people with HIV and full blown AIDS cases are not nearly as common as before. Still there is no cure. 30 years and no cure! Treatments that lengthen lives are great, but why no cure? I am impatient and want to see this thing end before I do.

No, I don't have AIDS. Why I do not know, just lucky I guess. Still I have been scarred by the disease like all my friends who survived the 1980's. We all still feel what it was like deep in our souls and will never forget.

Treatments are wonderful things, thought most are very expensive. Cures are even better and I pray that research will work toward that cure so that someday we can look back on the epidemoc and say, that was a really bad time in our history, glad it's over.

Barney Frank and His Legacy

2011-11-29T10:12:00.000-06:00

As I listened to Barney Frank announce that he will not seek reelection in 2012 I was both saddened and encouraged. Saddened because one of the great liberal voices in the House of Representatives is going to retire but encouraged because he stated that he would continue to speak out on important issues even after retiring from the House.

Frank, as most of you know, is an openly gay elected official and as such he fulfills a vital role in Congress. Having LGBT voices in the House and Senate are vitally important to keep moving forward on the road to full and equal rights for all Americans. His absence will leave a void that will be hard to fill.

He leaves a legacy of legislation that is truly historical including the repeal of DADT and numerous financial reform measures. Now it is up to the rest of the Democrats in Congress to finish some of his most important work.

Think Progress has a great article on the unfinished work including ENDA and military spending cuts. It is worth a read.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-24T17:50:00.000-06:00

By the time you read this, I will be passed out on the sofa in a turkey induced coma inexplicably in front of a TV with a football game playing on it.

Such is the Great American tradition for Thanksgiving. Additionally, I suspect many of you will have had uncomfortable conversations with family members you only see once or twice a year as well as catching up with who lost their hair, who is pregnant and who has died in your biological family. Again, its all part of tradition for many folks.

Oh yes, and then there is that whole "thanks-giving" thing. That's the real reason for the holiday, not the celebration of gluttony and football. So just what is there to be thankful for this year?

Well, I have a few things I am personally thankful for that I would like to share, so in the spirit of the holiday, indulge me.
First I am thankful for my family of choice. My loving partner of 16 years and our mutual friends enrich my life more than they will ever know. They endure hours of my ranting and raving, and they still find it in their hearts to love me anyway. They only occasionally roll their eyes and almost always laugh when I have climbed too high on my soapbox.

I am thankful for my biological family, both those still alive and the ones who have long since passed out of my life. They taught me some very important lessons and they gave me the most valuable gift I possess, the gift of acceptance. They love me just as I am with all my flaws. That gift never gets old, but only if you pass it on to the rest of your family, friends and even strangers.
I am thankful for the strides made in LGBT rights in the past year. The repeal of DADT, more equal visitation rights for LGBT families in hospitals and the beginnings of the repeal of the misnamed Defense of Marriage Act.

I am thankful for the contributions of so many citizens to the "It Gets Better" campaign. Those simple heart-felt videos make an amazing difference to LGBT youth at a critical time in their emotional development. I am thankful to the attention paid to the problem of bullying, something that affected so many of us in school and beyond.

Lastly, at least in this column, I am thankful for the new spirit of activism that seems to have blossomed in this country. The Occupy Wall Street movement, though slightly disorganized shows that young people in our country still value what matters. I had almost lost hope of that in this age of greed-is-good philosophies.

The OCW movement has only started to bubble up through the American consciousness and it has a long way to go. The media is looking for simple ways to describe it and find only a muddle of principals that don't make good sound-bites, therefore they go with the lowest common denominator, visuals. Pictures of bearded neo-flower children in tent cities and the occasional trouble maker become the face, not the earnest frustration with the way money flows from poor to rich in America.

It reminds me of the fledgling gay rights movement around the time of Stonewall and the Compton's Cafeteria riot. The LGBT community was angry. Angry at the years of oppression and discrimination and they wanted to do something about it, they just didn't really know what. The riots were just the outward sign of that frustration and the first real stirrings of a broad movement for LGBT rights. (At that time, simply called "gay rights".)

The frustration and emotions of the OCW movement understandably boil over as well, and my hope this Thanksgiving is that they will coalesce into an easily grasped declaration of the problem and a proposed plan of action to solve it.

Thanksgiving comes during a season of change, a time when the days grow shorter and the weather colder. We gather together and feast as a defense against the fading of the light but we do so knowing that Winter is only a season, and it will eventually change into a glorious spring. So for all I have to be thankful for, and for all the troubles we might face, I still believe in the promise of Spring. The promise of things getting better. Getting better for our LGBT youth. Getting better for the 99%. Getting better for everyone. But like Thanksgiving dinner, it doesn't happen without someone getting in the kitchen with a recipe and cooking up a storm.

Bryan Fischer Warns of Muslim Turkeys this Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T21:34:00.000-06:00

Break out the industrial strength crazy, Bryan Fischer (of the American Family Association, a recognized hate group) is at it again. He has decided that just because Butterball Turkeys are classified as Halal they must be secret sacrifices to Allah. They are also Kosher, does that make them secret Jews?

Try not to choke on your Thanksgiving turkey while you watch this idiot who is full of stuffing.

New Study Shows Fox News Viewers Know Less About News Than Those Who Don't Watch News.

2011-11-23T07:53:00.001-06:00

According to a new poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University, people who watch Fox News know less about what is really going on that people who claim they don't watch news at all. Why am I not surprised?

The fact that Fox News slickly packages Republican propaganda and sells it as news is well known, but the fact that Fox covers less real news than other outlets may be the reason. For example, Fox Viewers were asked about the Egyptian uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak, and were 18 points less likely to know the outcome. On other international topics they consistently scored lower than people who don't watch TV news at all.

Those viewers most informed watched the Sunday morning talk shows where news is discussed at length and usually without the fluff that comes with most Fox shows.

Read the rest of the depressing results here.

Pregnant Woman Pepper Sprayed and Punched by Seattle Police - Miscarriage.

2011-11-22T08:47:00.001-06:00

The Occupy Seattle group witnessed a brutal attack on a pregnant woman by Seattle Police. The pepper-sprayed her and punched her in the stomach even as she was screaming she was pregnant. Now according to reports she has suffered a miscarriage.

The police response to the OCW movement has been completely over the top. Police need to stand down and consider just who they are protecting.

The video clip below was just after the attack and is kind of jumbled, but it is clear the pregnant woman is injured and in pain. Watch it if you have the stomach for it.

On The Road in Indiana

2011-11-22T08:07:00.000-06:00

As I write this post I am sipping coffee in a coffee shop in Michigan City Indiana. The coffee is fine, but the surroundings are strange. I feel a whole lot more like I am sitting in Paradise, Nevada at one of the hotels on the famous Las Vegas Strip. You see casino gambling came to Indiana a few years ago and since then some things have changed. Apparently, what started as the idea of riverboat gambling gave way to full blown casinos along the shores of Lake Michigan.

Al Capone would be frowning. The very vices he sold have now been embraced and gone mainstream. No need for the wise guys, its all about politics and jobs now.

Weird.

Now, I am not complaining. The hotel is very nice and convenient to our friends who live here along the Indiana shore of Lake Michigan. I am just confused. I see a nice casino-hotel-spa worthy of Las Vegas plopped down in the midst of a shipyard, low income houses and docks. As far as I can tell there is no economic prosperity springing up around the casino, just a noticeable increase in pawn shops and check cashing joints.

Such is progress in modern America. We seem able to find so many ways to take money from the middle class and poor and redistribute it to the wealthy. The American Dream?

Some day, there will be no more money for the rich to gather and then they will move on to another more luxurious place. I hear Dubai is lovely this time of year.

Bill Moyers on Plutonomy - Rule by the Rich

2011-11-19T15:26:00.000-06:00

This was his sign off piece when he retired and it rings true today. The Occupy Wall Street people need to take all these talking points to heart and use them to clarify their message.

Watch it now!

Latest Trend in Advertising - Cat Videos!

2011-11-17T11:56:00.001-06:00

This clever parody comes from a really creative agency called John St. Their stuff is very creative and sometimes outrageous and always memorable. Yeah, good advertising! Enjoy the silliness.

Karl Rove Gets "Mic Checked"

2011-11-16T09:32:00.000-06:00

While speaking at John Hopkins University, Karl Rove, the infamous Bush Architect of the Iraq War got a taste of the 99% movement. During his speech as he was trying to paint the current administration as the cause of all economic woes, the cry, "mic check" went out and the rest is history. Amazingly, he tries to claim moral high-ground toward the end of the confrontation. Silly man, moral high-ground is for people who actually have morals!

Clean Coal - Maybe Not So Much

2011-11-16T08:23:00.000-06:00

With all the PR about the benefits of what the industry calls "clean coal" they are now stuck in a paradox. The EPA has a new set of mandates for cleaner power generation, something "Clean Coal" technology allegedly is all about. But now the coal industry is fighting against the new EPA regulations. They have started a massive TV and Print campaign to terrify people.

Here's their argument in a nutshell:

Regulations = higher energy cost
Higher energy costs = lost jobs
Regulations = apocalypse

Where do they get these claims of higher energy costs? From a report generate by their own association, National Economic Research Associates for the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity.

Do you see the paradox? The American Association for Clean Coal Energy is arguing against regulations making coal burning power plants CLEANER!

So it seems the whole thing is really a smokescreen designed to keep the old dirty coal power plants in operation as long as possible to squeeze every penny of profit from them no matter what the cost is to the planet or inhabitants. Sorry about the "smokescreen" pun.

Video Interview With Herman Cain Shows Why He Is Unfit To Run For President

2011-11-15T11:47:00.000-06:00

This is just part of an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentential. Rarely have I see a political figure look so clueless and try to obfuscate his ignorance as completely as Herman Cain. Cain may be ahead in the polls, but he is obviously unfit to be president or even a serious candidate.

Armenian Version of "Bad Romance"

2011-11-15T10:21:00.000-06:00

Found this amazing version of "Bad Romance" performed on Armenian TV on Box Turtle Bulletin . Begins with a haunting traditional dirge and then busts loose. Enjoy!

Amazing Time Lapse Video from Space

2011-11-14T13:30:00.000-06:00

Stunning NASA footage form the International Space Station turned into time-lapse video. I really can't say more, it is mesmerizing, especially the aurora borealis shimmering around the poles. Enjoy!

A-List "Reality" Star Assaulted - (Update)

2011-11-14T08:57:00.001-06:00

According to a British tabloid, Taylor Garret was attacked recently by what he describes as being a victim of "Democratic ideals".

According to the Daily Mail:

Taylor Garrett, 27, a Republican consultant who appears on the Logo network's 'A-List Dallas,' said Saturday that he was at a party with some friends when he was accosted by an unknown male.

He claimed the person had scrawled 'F*ck Coulter' on his car, and when he asked what he was doing, the person attacked him.

Garrett said he was hit in the left eye and suffered scrapes on his body before the attacker ran away.

So far only a blog, The Daily Caller has been shown pictures of the alleged attack and they haven't released them yet.

So here's my take. Violence against anyone is unacceptable. If we attacked everyone who disagreed with us we would spend all our time fighting like the Hatfields and McCoys. Frankly I am a bit skeptical about the first alleged attack on Taylor and remain equally skeptical about this.

Reality TV is rarely real, and the story lines are constantly manipulated by producers and stars alike. It is entirely conceivable that the whole thing is a set up, it is also conceivable that it is real. When you put yourself out there with what is seen by a lot of folks as paling around with people who oppress the LGBT community, it's not surprising to face some criticism but violence is way beyond criticism.

Do I think Garret is working against LGBT rights. Not really, he is working to further himself and though it might be pretty un-altruistic, it's not a crime. I just hope he one day realizes that money and privileged will not by equality. And his comment that Liberals are hateful is about as far from the truth as I can imagine. Maybe he can find the compassion he seeks from people like Ann Coulter. She certainly seems to be a warm and loving person. (let the flaming begin!)

UPDATE: The Dallas Voice has the police report on the assault, so apparently it really happened. The person who assaulted Garret is still in question.

Happy 11.11.11 Day

2011-11-11T12:00:00.002-06:00

Las Vegas knows how to celebrate everything in style, or at least with lots of feathers and rhinestones!

And of course, giant dice.

The Real Outrage of Penn State

2011-11-11T09:18:00.000-06:00

What would you do if you walked into a shower area of a team locker room and saw a coach having sex with a 10 year old boy? If your answer does not include either, try to stop it, call the police or both, then this rant is not for you.

That horrifying scenario is exactly what happened at Penn State when Mike McQueary, grad student at the time, saw Jerry Sandusky, defensive coordinator, having sex with what appeared to be a 10 year old boy. The only difference is, he didn't try to stop it, or report it to police. He merely told Tim Curley, the athletic director who then told Joe Paterno.

And then they went to the police?

Nope. He just barred Sandusky from bringing children onto campus and that he advised school president of the matter.

And then they wnet to the police?

Nope.

So now years later when this whole thing has blown wide open, Joe Paterno has been booted, Sandusky finally charged and the whole cast of characters has been sidelined until the mess is sorted out in the courts.

Meanwhile, the students at Penn State are outraged. Not by the allegations of child abuse, cover up or just plain lackadaisical response, but because their coach won't be at the big game. Say what?

I guess child abuse just doesn't stack up to the great god-football. Sad state of affairs indeed.

Happy Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T08:22:00.000-06:00

Contrary to what a lot of folks think, I am not a veteran. I grew up in the Vietnam Era, but my draft number was too high, and I was an asthmatic out-of-shape kid in college at the time. I did protest the war, and went to rallies against it. I did speak out against what I considered and still consider American intervention in the politics of another country with no strategic or compelling reason to be there.

What I never did was disrespect the young men and women who were put in harms way by our government at the time. I have a profound respect for our military and since several of my family members have served in the armed forces I understand how much courage and dedication it takes for both the soldiers and the families at home.

So on this Veteran's Day, I want to thank all the men and women who have fought or wars, defended our country and given so much when asked by our country. Especially now, with an all volunteer Armed Forces, the dedication and patriotism of these people amazes me. I sincerely wish them all the best and hope you will remember them today and everyday.

Just to help make this day more special , go up to the next man or woman in the military you see and thank them for their service to our country. It will make them feel appreciated and will make you a little more humble in the presence of such sacrifice.

Police Beat Students at UC Berkley

2011-11-10T10:46:00.000-06:00

This is happening in America, just 4.5 miles away from Occupy Oakland demonstrations. What the hell is going on with the police?

Rick Perry Screws Up Again!

2011-11-09T22:16:00.001-06:00

If he isn't drunk he's just a clown and his political career is over. Hard to watch he's so bad in the debate tonight.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Occupy Wall Street - TV Ad, Finally!

2011-11-09T19:30:00.001-06:00

A group of film makers made this and it is designed to run on Fox News. Not sure if that will happen but it deserves all the views it can get!

Enjoy!

Ellen DeGeneres named as a Special Envoy for Global AIDS Awareness.

2011-11-09T14:21:00.000-06:00

From the White House PR Feed:

During a major address on November 8, 2011 on HIV/AIDS at the National Institutes of Health, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that Ellen DeGeneres has been named as a Special Envoy for Global AIDS Awareness.

In this role, Ms. DeGeneres will use her celebrity platform to raise awareness about the global fight against AIDS. In a letter to Ms. DeGeneres, Secretary Clinton stated, “By lending us your energy, compassion, and star power to serve as our Special Envoy for Global AIDS Awareness, your words will encourage Americans in joining you to make their voices heard in our campaign to achieve an AIDS-free generation. The enormous platform of your television show and your social media channels will enable you to reach millions of people with the strong and hopeful message that we can win this fight.”

"I’m honored to have been chosen by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as Special Envoy for Global AIDS awareness. The fight against AIDS is something that has always been close to my heart. And I’m happy that I can use my platform to educate people and spread hope. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go look up what “envoy” means," said talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Ambassador Eric Goosby, head of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), said “At this historic moment in our global fight against AIDS, we are thrilled that we have someone like Ellen DeGeneres on our team to raise awareness that we are on the path to beating this devastating disease. We at PEPFAR look forward to working with her to deliver a positive and hopeful message that we can work together to put an end to AIDS.”

Through “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Ms. DeGeneres reaches millions of people every day, including 8 million followers on Twitter and 5.8 million Facebook fans. On and off screen, the Emmy award-winning entertainer is involved in several humanitarian causes including anti-bullying; animal rescue and rehabilitation; and breast cancer awareness. Ellen has previously worked with the advocacy organization ONE to raise awareness about the fight against AIDS.

GOP Backed Measures Fall Flat

2011-11-09T12:27:00.000-06:00

The good news about the very off-year electonthat happened yesterday was that not only did a lot of Democrats get elected or re-elected, but the ultra-conservative agenda of the GOP/Teaparty was soundly defeated nationwide in most cases.

Most notable was the bat guano crazy "personhood" amendment in Mississippi. It would have given fertilized eggs full rights as people. I am pretty sure there were already lawyers booking flights to Mississippi for the tsunami of lawsuits that would be spawned by that lame-brained idea.

New York Times has lots more.

Wednesday Bible Verse - Amos 5:10 - 5:14

2011-11-09T08:23:00.000-06:00

OK, I rarely haul out Bible verses, but while reading this morning I was struck by the words of the Prophet Amos who was writing about the sins of Israel. These words ended a long rebuke against them but they resonate with me today.

10 They hate the one who reproves in the gate,
and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.
11 Therefore, because you trample on the poor
and take from them levies of grain,
you have built houses of hewn stone,
but you shall not live in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards,
but you shall not drink their wine.
12 For I know how many are your transgressions,
and how great are your sins—
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe,
and push aside the needy in the gate.
13 Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time;
for it is an evil time.

14Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
just as you have said.

I have found that reading the Prophets can be very inspiring. Their words, though meant for another time, still ring true to our present condition. I remind myself that Prophets are not fortune tellers, predicting the future through supernatural means, they were truth-tellers, speaking truth to the power of the day. Because of that, I can still find truths in these words today. Enjoy!

Meet Your New Robot Overloads

2011-11-08T14:42:00.001-06:00

This gets spookier every day.

Distribution of Wealth & the Imperial Society in the United States

2011-11-08T10:02:00.000-06:00

Though we consider ourselves a democracy our country has fallen into a pattern of wealth distribution that more aptly resembles a monarchy. The whole 1% vs. 99% protest which has it's most visible element as the Occupy Wall Street movement is nothing new. This has been the critical mass that has tipped societies into major change for many centuries. The most obvious example dates to Biblical stories.

Consider the whole Israel captive in Egypt story of Exodus. The power structure in Egypt at the time was marked with three distinct characteristics.

1. Economic Exploitation - 66% of the wealth of the kingdom which was produced mainly from agriculture by peasants ended up in the hands of the ruling class. Their wealth was acquired primarily through taxation and direct ownership of the land.

2. Political Oppression - The majority of the populate had no voice in the structuring of society. They were servants of the elite.

3. Religious Legitimization - The religion of the time affirmed that the ruling elite were ordained by God.

Consider the structure of our society today.

1. Economic Exploitation - Here are the figures from the Federal Reserve report, "Changes in the Distribution of Wealth, 1989–2004" published in 2006. In the United States 20% of the population owns 84% of the wealth. The next 20 % holds 11%, the third 20 % 4 %. When you get down to the 4th 20% (0.2%) and the bottom 20% (0.1%) the amounts are in the decimal points.

2. Political Oppression - As of the Supreme Court ruling "Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission", corporations and big business have unlimited spending power to sway elections. This means the folks with the most money can effectively install whoever they want in power. It was a landmark ruling and it fundamentally changed the way our government functions. Add to this the continuous campaign to limit voter participation by the GOP and the problem becomes crystal clear.

3. Religious Legitimization - The growing "Prosperity Gospel" movement points to the idea that those who have wealth somehow deserve it, either through their own hard work or through God's reward. The idea that our country is a meritocracy is a myth being continuously reenforced by politicians and more recently, fundamentalist church leaders. This is not to say the ruling elite believes this, but the doctrine does constantly remind it's followers that God blesses those who deserve it, and that works almost exactly like that infamous "opiate for the masses" noted by Karl Marx.

Now before you go calling me a Marxist and dismissing my argument out of hand, consider this. I will be the first to tell you that Marxism was a utopian ideal that does not work. Communism is it's failed child and the evidence of it's failure is the whole Soviet Union collapse. The vestigaes of communism that remaiin in China, are nothing more than the same thing we have in this country with the exception that the vast number of Chinese know that have no vote or political power. We on the other hand still labor under that illusion that we are a democracy.

So how do we change this disturbing situation? Good question. Don't look to the Occupy Wall Street movement for answers, all they have done is raise the question. They have brought to prominence the issue and now they are squandering their moment in the sun by failing to deliver a concise solution, or even a suggestion of a solution. Because of this, I fear they will become footnotes to the 21st century.

The only way to stop the runaway greed that is gutting our economy is through re-establishing regulations that prevented it from happening before. That will take political power and lots of detailed work to un-weave the tangle of laws and regulations that are rigged to benefit those who already have power and money.

That will take the 99% to band together and change the system politically at the polls and through the courts. For that to happen, we need to start spreading a clear simple message that everyone can understand.

The System Has Been Rigged!

It's time to un-rig it. Fox News, the Right-Wing the Tea Party, Conservative Democrats are all tools of the Corporate owners of or country. We the people have to demand that our elected officials actually do something to restore the real promise of democracy. We cannot wait on another Moses to lead us to the promise land.

SNL Tries to Out Weird Rick Perry

2011-11-07T16:22:00.001-06:00

How Wall Street Games the System

2011-11-04T15:37:00.000-05:00

This is a nice explanation of the Occupy Wall Street movement and a very clear and simple explanation of how Wall Street has manipulated the financial system. It is surprising that is comes from an Episcopalian Bishop, Gene Robinson. Watch it and you will understand more about Occupy Wall Street and Wall Street itself.

Michigan Law Approves Bullying - Video Explains Why

2011-11-03T16:15:00.000-05:00

The new law passed by the Michigan legislature , "Matt's Safe School Law" is a carefully worded blueprint on how to get away with bullying in Michigan schools. Senator Whitmer explains why this is a disgrace.

Perry Campaign Claims It Did Not Leak Cain Harassment Info

2011-11-03T08:46:00.001-05:00

I heard a story on NPR this morning stating that Rick Perry's campaign denied leaking the Herman Cain sexual harassment charges, but I think they "protesteth too much". Perry has everything to gain and nothing to lose from bringing this matter to light. Perry's campaign is stumbling badly, especially after that Cornerstone speech in New Hampshire in which he appears drunk or high or both.

When you have a failing campaign you pull out all the guns, and that might include dragging out any dirt you have on a competitor who has made an unexpected surge in the polls. The final explanation of both his weird behavior in New Hampshire and the Herman Cain scandal have yet to be told but I expect the real story wil be even stranger than we could imagine.

For those who have not seen Rick Perry going off the rails, Rachael Maddow has a good analysis of the whole debacle.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Raising Cain - Now "Thinks Back" and Might Remember?

2011-11-01T08:26:00.000-05:00

Herman Cain surprised everyone when he came out of nowhere to lead the polls in many states in the Republican race for nominee. After Michele Bachmann ran out of steam and crazy, it seemed Rick Perry would be a shoe-in, but Cain, a former head of Godfather's Pizza surprised pundits by winning crowds over with his straight talk and geniality.

Now that straight talk seems like a fond memory for the true believers in the GOP. Cain is embroiled in a sexual harassment mess that threatens to derail his juggernaut. Charges surfaced a few weeks ago that while he was head of the National Restaurant Association he sexually harassed two women. The charges were later dropped in exchange for a cash settlement and a vow of silence so the story goes. Cain denied this up and down until this week.

Now that NBC has trotted out confirmation that cash settlements were paid to at least one woman, Cain is starting to remember what happened, at least his version.

If this all sounds a bit like the Clarance Thomas affair think again. The only similarities are Cains race and the charges, but these are much more damming than a "pubic hair on a Coke can".

For more on Cains sudden memory flash, CBS news has more.

Is Rick Perry High?

2011-10-31T15:54:00.000-05:00

These excerpts from a speech given by Texas Governor Rick Perry recently really make me think the man is either drunk or high. If not, it's just another example of how poor a public speaker he is when forced to improvise.

Occupy Oakland Calls for General Strike November 2

2011-10-31T11:36:00.000-05:00

Occupy Oakland has called for a genera strike and day of action on November 2, 2011. Here is the official release from their website:

We as fellow occupiers of Oscar Grant Plaza propose that on Wednesday November 2, 2011, we liberate Oakland and shut down the 1%.

We propose a city wide general strike and we propose we invite all students to walk out of school. Instead of workers going to work and students going to school, the people will converge on downtown Oakland to shut down the city

All banks and corporations should close down for the day or we will march on them.
While we are calling for a general strike, we are also calling for much more. People who organize out of their neighborhoods, schools, community organizations, affinity groups, workplaces and families are encouraged to self organize in a way that allows them to participate in shutting down the city in whatever manner they are comfortable with and capable of.

The whole world is watching Oakland. Let’s show them what is possible.

The International Longshoremen and Warehouse Union has announced that they will stand in solidarity with this general strike. Occupy Oakland will march on the Port of Oakland and shut it down. The idea being to stop the flow of capital into the coffers on the 1%.

Time to Prosecute Bullies - Make it Better!

2011-10-28T08:37:00.000-05:00

Canadian comedian Rick Mercer makes a very good point, and it's time we not only sympathized with the kids who get bulled, but go after the bullies legally and show them it has a price.

Republican Lawmaker Finally Participate in "It Gets Better" Project

2011-10-27T12:21:00.000-05:00

From Huffington Post:

A bipartisan group of lawmakers from the New Jersey congressional delegation have filmed an anti-bullying video for the It Gets Better Project, making it the first time that Republican elected officials have participated in the effort.

Ten out of the 15 members of the New Jersey congressional delegation -- including three Republicans -- participated in the video, which was spearheaded by the office of Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D) for National Bullying Prevention Month. The group included: Reps. Leonard Lance (R), Frank LoBiondo (R), Jon Runyan (R), Rush Holt (D), Bill Pascrell (D), Donald Payne (D), Steve Rothman (D) and Albio Sires (D), as well as Sens. Robert Menendez (D) and Lautenberg.

Occupy Oakland - Police Disgrace!

2011-10-27T11:09:00.001-05:00

After watching the unedited video of the Occupy Oakland mess, I have to say the police were so far out of control it looked like something I would expect to see in a Third World country. They should feel ashamed and the authorities who ordered this kind of over-the-top response to a peaceful protest should be arrested and charged with a crime!

Oakland Police Throw Bomb at Injured Woman - Oakland Police = Thugs!

2011-10-26T14:16:00.000-05:00

Need further proof that the police are out of control in Oakland? Watch this video. A woman falls and two other people rush to help her up. As they try to assist her the police toss a flash grenade directly into the group. Absolutely unexcusable!

Our country is in the grips of a bunch of rich bastards who have what used to be law enforcement in their grip.

Apparently, in Oakland trying to help someone get ot of the way of tear gas is a crime punishable by assault by police. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Oakland Police Open Fire On Protesters - Feels Like 1968 Again!

2011-10-26T13:23:00.001-05:00

Police in Oakland opened fire on the protestors in the Occupy Oakland movement. Using Tear Gas and rubber bullets the police thundered into the crowd of unarmed protesters using tactics I haven't seen since the Chicago police riot of 1968. The powers that OWN this country (the 1%) are very intent on crushing this protest and they are willing to turn the police into thugs to do it.

Sad that the police in Oakland don't realize they are being used, and soiling any reputation they might have had as public defenders.

This cell phone video shows the activity from a very high vantage point.

This unedited video shows the chaos on the street.

The Men Who Crashed the World - Video

2011-10-25T10:10:00.001-05:00

This series by Al Jazeera is the kind of reporting CNN and NPR should be doing. Great documentary on why the economic meltdown happened.

The rest of the series is here.

Bryan Fischer - AFA Spokesperson - Just Plain Evil

2011-10-25T08:23:00.001-05:00

Jody May Chang does some in depth reporting on the rantings of Bryan Fischer. Worth watching, but don't hit your computer screen, especially during the lies about Hitler recruiting gays because they were more brutal than straight Germans.

Episode Two - Mormons attacked and Perry endorsed for President.

The One Percent Horror Films - OWS Cartoon

2011-10-23T08:33:00.001-05:00

From Think Progress:

As We Leave Iraq, Look Back at the Numbers - and Get ANGRY!

2011-10-22T15:58:00.000-05:00

From the Center for American Progress.

8 years, 260 days since Secretary of State Colin Powell presented evidence of Saddam Hussein’s biological weapons program
8 years, 215 days since the March 20, 2003 invasion of Iraq
8 years, 175 days since President George W. Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” speech on the USS Abraham Lincoln
4,479 U.S. military fatalities
30,182 U.S. military injuries
468 contractor fatalities
103,142 – 112,708 documented civilian deaths
2.8 million internally displaced Iraqis
$806 billion in federal funding for the Iraq War through FY2011
$3 – $5 trillion in total economic cost to the United States of the Iraq war according to economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and Linda J. Blimes
$60 billion in U.S. expenditures lost to waste and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001
0 weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq

And why isn't George W. Bush being tried as a WAR CRIMINAL?

Happy Rapture Day! Yet Again.

2011-10-21T09:47:00.000-05:00

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again and again. That should be the motto of those who predict the end of the world.. Take Harold Camping, the guy who was touting his calculations for the day of the Rapture back in May 21, 2011. Ooops!

Well, not to be denied, Camping predicted today was the real date, he just miscalculated. The problem is the term "Rapture" is not even in the scriptures, it was something Cotton Mather came up with in the 17th century. Of course it was cashed in on with the Tim LaHay series of fictional books commonly referred to as the "Left Behind" series.

So, if you are in a festive mood today, sneak out tonight and leave some old clothes on the sidewalk, shoes, pants and shit just like someone was "taken up" and then watch for the faithful wondering why they didn't get the wake up call!

Wild Animal Slaughter in Ohio Could Have Been Prevented

2011-10-20T12:18:00.000-05:00

By now, most everyone has seen the images of huge Bengal tigers laying dead, shot by police after 50+ wild exotic animals were released to roam through the Ohio countryside. The owner of the animals, Terry Thompson apparently opened all the cages and set the animals free just prior to turning a gun on himself and committing suicide. Police and authorities tried in vain to use tranquilizer guns, but for the safety of the populace in the area, they had to kill most of the creatures.

The tragic events are even more tragic when you realize they could have been prevented. Ohio has the most permissive laws when it comes to owning exotic animals. So, the personal collection of someone like Thompson is unregulated and a problem just waiting to happen.

The whole thing could have been prevented if people understood that taking exotic animals out of the wild and keeping them as pets is a really bad idea.

In my younger years, I had a chance to actually help raise a lion cub. Pasha, would occasionally spend the night at my apartment, and I got to know first hand the problems of raising a wild animal in a domestic situation. First there was the whole potty training thing. I had to walk her to prevent the stench of lion urine from permeating my house. Though she was on a leash, it was a dicey situation. Looking back, I am amazed myself or my friends were not hurt while interacting with the lion cub.

Though it was fun, and she was an amazing animal, I would never do it again. Lions belong in their own habitat or at least special protected habitats where they can behave like lions. Walking on a leash is not a lion behavior, and though Pasha was pretty good, she was in reality a wild animal just behaving like a domestic cat. That was the illusion.

I never had any permanent scars, but my friends who helped raise her did have a few nasty looking scratches that lasted for years. Pasha was returned to a zoo once she got about as big as a German Shepard. She lived the rest of her life in captivty with people who understood how to care for her and kept her safe from humans and vice versa.

So, I can say with authority, that though exotic big cats look really cool on a leash, they belong in the wild not your home. I can also say that the loss of all those animals could have been prevented if there were stricter laws in Ohio about their care and possession. Maybe this will be a wake up call to the legislators and potential exotic animal owners.

Marine Confronts NYPD - Marine Wins!

2011-10-19T08:27:00.000-05:00

It is about time someone stood up and told the NYPD that their actions are shameful and dishonorable. They need to be reminded that are dealing with American Citizens and in many cases residents of NYC. Though this Marine is shouting a great deal, his message is spot on, there is no honor in the way the police have been acting.

It's hard to watch, but it's worth it. Thanks Derek DaSilva for the link.

New Book Details How Companies Plunder Pension Funds

2011-10-18T12:36:00.001-05:00

Ever work for a company who jettisoned their pension plan or drastically reduced it's value? Well, now there is a book that explains why and it's not for the reason you have been told.

Ellen Schultz has been writing for the Wall Street Journal for years, and much of that time has been about how corporations are systematically screwing their retired employees. In her new book, "Retirement Heist - How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs or American Workers" she has compiled damming evidence of how corporations have not only cheated retirees, but have made big profits from doping so. In many cases the pension plans contributed to the bottom line of companies and executives took credit for the profit.

It is an eye opening book and one that every person in the Occupy Wall Street movement should read and know by heart. Powerful ammunition in the struggle against corporate greed and deception.

Watch her interview on Jon Stewart's show last night.

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Record Red Tide on Texas Coast

2011-10-18T08:20:00.000-05:00

The last time an algae bloom was this big was back in 2000. Along the Texas coast, the drought conditions and very warm waters have led to a very large algae bloom sometimes called a Red Tide. The red comes from the algae bloom which gives a red tint to the sea water.

People with respiratory problems should take heed. These kinds of algae blooms can cause respiratory problems for people with asthma and other lung problems.

One side effect is the glowing blue waves at night caused by algae bio-luminescence. Should make for interesting night surfing along South Padre.

Reaping the Whirlwind of Alabama's Draconian Immigration Laws

2011-10-17T13:32:00.000-05:00

Crops rot in the fields. Apartments and mobile homes stand empty. Restaurants and grocery stores are noticeably less busy, and in many cases employees just didn't show up. Some neighborhoods look abandoned.

Alabama passed one of the strictest immigration enforcement laws in the country and a federal judge upheld most of the provisions. Now police can ask for "papers" during routine traffic stops and city services are unavailable to undocumented families. The result was thousands of undocumented immigrants just left the state.

Perhaps that is what the lawmakers envisioned when they wroth the draconian laws, but the unintended consequences may be worse than the "problem" the law was written to fix.

In a New York Times report, John Weathers, an Albertville businessman who rents and has sold houses to many Hispanic residents, said his occupancy had suddenly dropped by a quarter and might drop further, depending on what happens in the next week.

Across the state, 1,988 Hispanic students were absent from public schools on Friday, about 5 percent of the entire Hispanic population of the school system.

Pets have been abandoned, and some homes were just left unlocked and empty.

Many contractors and home builders, say the measure has already been devastating. Jobs will remain unfilled until skilled labor can be found to replace the thousands who have left the state.

After a few months of living without the thousands of undocumented immigrants who did much of the menial and skilled jobs in Alabama, I suspect the citizens will be thinking very hard about the wisdom of their elected officials. So far there are not lines of legal Alabaman's lining up to fill the positions.