Photos and Comments From San Diego, CA.

Get your Christmas wigs here

2011-12-24T10:23:00.001-08:00

Store front in North Park, San Diego. What are YOU lookin' at?

Occupy the USA

2011-10-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've been contemplating these fantastic demonstrations the last week or so.
Someone mentioned the other day that it was sometimes hard to take these people seriously who are taking aim at corporate America and the most wealthy 1 percent because there is video of them using a laptop or standing in line to buy a cup of Starbucks.

And of course, the fact of the matter is that most Americans DO contribute (and it's hard not to) to the greater corporate machine, but we are also all part of the 99 percent that DON'T have a say in policy anymore. Starbucks isn't the problem, Apple isn't the problem, Chase and Citi are.

I don't think faulting the entire world of corporations is really an issue for the movement as a total. The real issue is WE would like to have a say for once in the last 30 years..

I have to admit, most people that I know and my own little family of me, my wife and the dogs are very fortunate for what we have and could very easily dismiss this movement IF we had no empathy for the very real struggles of many of our fellow Americans.

That's the goal of the corporate media right now (particularly Fox). To dismiss this and to get other working Americans to dismiss this whole thing as a bunch of hippies who should be at work.

Rather, the real issue is that we've all had our pockets picked and we are in danger of becoming a third world nation with nothing but two classes. The power to decide policy and the gap between the rich and the rest of the USA has radically changed for the worse in the last 30 years. I think that's what this is about.

These people, mostly pretty young and the bulk of the rest of gen x like us are in the middle of a recession/depression for the first time as working adults and it's scary.

But the scariest part is that it was avoidable, it was deliberate and we have no way to stop it, fix it or compel those WITH the power to do something to change their policy. I think that's why people are marching in the USA. They want a real voice.

Nice one (found on the 'tubes)

2011-09-28T18:52:00.001-07:00

Celebrate labor this weekend

2011-09-03T11:18:00.000-07:00

Don't believe the lies from those that fight against labor. Remember what was done in the past for YOU!
The corporate/ruling class along with DC successfully beat down the labor movement with efficiency and with the help of our own labor force.
They convinced your average working person that unions were outdated, were taking money from them in the form of higher prices, etc.. or even better THEY were getting something YOU were not. And they convinced people to look the other way at "social issues" while they kicked everyone that earns a paycheck in the teeth.
Let's face it, your average American is not that bright. These people that turned their backs on their own fellow American working people couldn't and don't connect the dots - that what they DO have (such as it is now) - was fought for with collective bargaining. Or just plain fought for with workers' own busted heads and busted knuckles.
We have all benefitted from what those tough people fought for and America was better for many decades because of them.
I joined a union in 1984 at 18 years old (United Food and Commercial Workers Union local 428) and was a member until 2000. When I first joined, I didn't understand the importance, but I learned quickly and have always supported the labor movement. I moved into the high tech world and have been very fortunate to have what I have now. But I will NEVER cross a picket line, will never begrudge what someone else makes working for a living and understand all that was done for me in the past to make sure we all have better working conditions (and more) because of hard won battles.
We can only be strong as a nation when we have a strong middle class.
Support our fellow Americans! Happy Labor Day weekend!

Is the SEC Covering Up Wall Street Crimes?

2011-08-20T23:05:00.001-07:00

That is the title of Matt Taibbi's new article this week in Rolling Stone.

I suggest you have a look at the whole thing here, but this is probably my favorite quote:

"The destruction of records by the SEC, as outlined by Flynn, is something far more than an administrative accident or bureaucratic fuck-up. It's a symptom of the agency's terminal brain damage. Somewhere along the line, those at the SEC responsible for policing America's banks fell and hit their head on a big pile of Wall Street's money – a blow from which the agency has never recovered."

Megyn Kelly shows why she's a soulless automaton.

2011-08-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

And she does so while being both correct and showing her blatant hypocrisy here.
This is a full on example of what we have become as a society. Selfish idiots like this. It only would have been better if she had screamed "keep your damn government hands off my maternity leave!"
How else do you explain a time when working class people will condemn their own class for wanting to be in a union, or collect unemployment benefits?
They're fired up about greedy teachers and fireman and the police that help and protect them, but never take a swipe against the crass one percent of Americans that own most of the wealth or bankers that worked hard to bring down our economy. Sorry, "job creators". Job creators sitting on 2 trillion dollars of cash who reward their executives millions in bonuses for laying people off and not hiring while they are profitable.

Margaret Thatcher and Reagan successfully started a revolution that told people that there is no society, that you are a society of one. Don't you dare start giving a crap about the rest of the world or the community around you. Those greedy folks that are living in your neighborhood who want to earn a good living, stay protected from dirty air and water or get a hand up when they are down are STEALING FROM YOU! But don't look at the Wall Street bank that actually did pick your pocket.

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Happy Birthday, USA!

2011-07-04T12:23:00.001-07:00

Very filthy and NSFW!

2011-06-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

A gay teen describes her experience at a Utah brainwashing facility

2011-05-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

Found this one linked from boing boing today. It's a reprinted story of a teenager that was basically kidnapped with the help of her parents to go to a place for "troubled teens". Which is really just a for-profit prison.

My only hope is that the fellas that show up in the middle of the night to drag someone away occasionally get shot in the face or something.

We can do better than warehouse human beings that don't fit in - whatever that means.

First paragraph quoted below:

"On May 10th of 2007 at around 2:30 in the morning two strangers barged into my bedroom. I started screaming and crying, as in my mind I was sure that these two strangers had broken into my house and were going to abduct me, rape me, kill me, or in some way harm me. They immediately told me that if I did not shut up that they would handcuff me. I was not being in any way violent or threatening. I was reacting in fear for my life by being vocal and hoping that someone would come to help. I had no idea what was going on. I stopped screaming, still in fear for my life. They started going through my closet digging out clothes as I was only in a night gown. They still had not explained what was going on. I asked, frightened, what the wanted from me, trying to see if I could in some way appease them and get them to leave. They then explained that they were going to take me to a school. It took me a second to understand what they meant by this, as this was an extremely bizarre way to introduce a child to a new school. It then occurred to me that this was what my mother had arranged for my brother several years ago when she had him shipped away to Cross Creek. The two strangers were from Teen Escort Service, a for-profit company that transports teenagers, usually by force, to WWASP (World Wide Association of Specialty Programs) facilities."

Countering the liars in their war against Americans

2011-04-09T10:52:00.001-07:00

100 years later and people are still dying in sweatshops

2011-03-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

High and low points in our great country

2011-02-20T11:23:00.001-08:00

I was watching CBS Sunday Morning and two stories really struck me.

The first one was about people in the town of Prichard, Alabama who have had their pensions basically stolen from them.

The second was about John Glenn's amazing life including his Mercury orbit that happened on 49 years ago this weekend on Feb 20th, 1962.

Almost 50 years ago, we were all working towards being the greatest country on earth. Still with a lot of work ahead, of course, but what a time. Launching a man into space. Imagine the wonder.

Today, all around us, America is attacking teachers and firefighters and police and the entire middle class after bankers on Wall Street and elsewhere brought the entire world to its collective knees with their shenanigans. They defrauded the entire world (other than the already wealthy) and perpetrated the greatest wealth transfer in history from working people to the already rich and no one goes to jail. Amazing. And sad.

And on that topic..
The war on working people and why certain assholes should be in jail:

Beck doing what he does best.

2011-02-13T21:50:00.000-08:00

In top form. Taking the long train ride to Crazy Town.
Even for him, this one is something to behold.
Best quote I read about it: "Like Howard Beale on hydrocodone"

Then Colbert does what HE does best.

A new low for someone in the "Christian" right:

2011-02-09T20:22:00.001-08:00

This is almost like an April Fools post.
Just the title alone: "Native Americans morally disqualified themselves from the land"
The land, meaning America, of course.
Honestly, this is almost (and I do mean almost) hard to believe. Other than the fact that it was posted on the racist, ugly, bigoted AFA site.

Here's some samples:

"The native American tribes at the time of the European settlement and founding of the United States were, virtually without exception, steeped in the basest forms of superstition, had been guilty of savagery in warfare for hundreds of years, and practiced the most debased forms of sexuality."

So we must kill them all.

"The only question that matters today is this one: how much time does America have left to repent of its superstition, its savagery and its sexual immorality before it is too late, before we will have filled up our own slop bucket and will have morally disqualified ourselves from sovereign control of our own land?"

Not sure, ass hat. I'm sure there are plenty of so-called Christians banging whores or hanging out in the closet when they're not doing other dudes, or supporting wars of aggression waged on other savage brown people who can help us answer the question.
What a fucking idiot.

Egypt

2011-01-31T17:36:00.000-08:00

This is what 50 years of US foreign policy looks like when the chickens come home to roost.
We prop up a dictator who is "friendly" to the USA (ie, does whatever the military or huge corporations want) and in exchange, we look the other way at their horrifying treatment of the people of said country. Or better yet, when they torture people in our name in the so-called "war on terror".
Now they are rising up (and rightly so) and this dictator could easily be replaced by some religious nut or other kind of fanatic.
It happened in Iran. And similar things have happened in Central and South America (just not the religious nut part). It's long past the time for the US to stop acting like an Empire.
When will we ever learn?
Also, guess where the Chamber of Commerce stands? Yea, that's what I figured.

'My favorite donut is every donut"

2011-01-23T11:51:00.001-08:00

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Rock!

2011-01-19T11:40:00.001-08:00

Art lovers/photographers:

2011-01-11T11:33:00.000-08:00

Just read something very disturbing this morning about a FLA photographer.

WEAM is currently suing photographer Thomas Hawk (for USD 2 million!) for taking NON-commercial photos of art work in the museum and posting them on flickr. This is after said museum fraudulently filed a DMCA takedown notice and the photographer filed a counter to this.
In a statement from the photographer online recently:

"Further, many of my photos of their collection were of items entirely out of copyright, items older than 75 years, or items that were clearly transformative. This morning I uploaded an example of perfume bottle that I photographed in their collection. It is absurd that the museum would try to claim copyright on a partial view, out of focus abstract photo of mine based on a perfume bottle (that they obviously do not own copyright on). Many of the items in their collection come from unknown artists as well. To try and assert copyright over pieces created by unknown artists is especially egregious.

"My Flickr account is my personal, non commercial space that I post my photographs. By using the sledgehammer of the DMCA against my photos to object to photos that I took there during my visit (photography is allowed at the museum) the museum is asserting ownership over something (under perjury) that they do not have."

Let this be a warning to people who want to enjoy art and share it with others.

To the right is a photo that I took inside the DeYoung Museum a couple years ago.

the right thing to do

2010-12-18T15:20:00.001-08:00

Finally, they do something right in DC this year..

DADT repealed.

The only people who are up in arms about this are filthy bigots, and no one cares what they think. The rank and file people in the military and every single vet I have talked to in the last decade DO NOT CARE about serving with gays.

The military was integrated, blacks and white were allowed to marry, schools were desegregated, civil rights laws were passed, women were given the right to vote, and all of those things caused the same kind of uproar from the same kind of ignorant bigots.

Fuck them. They mean nothing and they contribute nothing.

WikiLeaks

2010-12-07T13:25:00.000-08:00

Let this be a lesson to you kids out there. If you expose the plutocrats or government corruption, you WILL be taken down.
Freedom and the flow of information and truth have no place in the 21st century. Our overlords cannot allow it.

Is there anything as ridiculous as the supposed "Fourth Estate" in the USA? They are all scrambling to call for Assange's head (along with dill weed dipshits like Sarah Palin and Bloody Bill Kristol saying he should be killed) while of course at the same time making sure they publish the most salacious and/or gossipy stuff.
They also ignore the fact that the work DONE by Wikileaks was what THEY should have been doing all along. Well, not really ignoring, because all those pussies in the corporate media know they have no balls.
They've changed the focus from disturbing information about what is happening behind our backs (and the lies surrounding the cables) to the guy who is helping set the information free to the world. Then there are the idiots branding an Australian citizen a "traitor" to the USA.
Obviously, it would be better for people to look the other way in their eyes because it's clear that the so-called free press is not interested at all in doing actual journalistic work.

Man, is this the quote of the week:

2010-11-24T09:25:00.000-08:00

"You can walk through one of the new 'backscatter' body-image X-ray scanners, suck up 2.4 microrems of radiation, and live with the knowledge that a high-res version of your nude flabby body is being stored on some government database so that the Palin Administration will be able to kill you for food and use your cyborg doppelganger as a slave laborer in the living hell that will be the year 2015."

Ted Rall.

20 minute overview of the teabagger crazies

2010-10-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Pretty clear reasons why to keep these dangerous people from office.

Also, below is a sweet you tube vid.

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Oh for the love of campaign season.

2010-10-08T08:36:00.001-07:00

Or how we learned to stop worrying and love being bombarded with political ads..

We've certainly been able to turn up the crazy. Hell, we've even found someone more stupid - yet maybe not as fertile - as Sarah Palin. Oh, Christine O'Donnell, how we love thee. And she's not even the most insane.

Look, I realize that a lot of people are mad at "the establishment" but Sharron Angle? She's a dangerous nut case who thinks we should abolish the EPA, for crissakes. She's worried that we're in danger of having Sharia Law take hold in the USA. BTW, why are the teabaggers such pussies?
People must be really pissed at Harry Reid if he's neck and neck with that dummy. I think Reid is damn close to a useful idiot, but I sure as hell wouldn't replace him with someone that wants to privatize Social Security. Which in light of the recession, I find hilarious.
You know what the right wing oligarchy REALLY hates about SS? That it's been successful and it does exactly what it's supposed to do. The teabaggers hate SS because their masters told them (after requiring that they genuflect in front of a statue of Ayn Rand) that this and all other "entitlements" is just giving money to brown people. However, giving trillions of dollars to the Military Industrial Complex is awesome. Because they kill brown people. See? It all makes sense.

Also, we can "fix" SS tomorrow forever by removing the income cap. Everyone pays into it, no matter how much you make.

The rate with which your average so-called conservative schlub will vote exactly against their own best interest is amazing. And they will do so with some twisted combination of christian circular logic (I love Jesus AND war!) mixed with a "free market" (no regulation!) they can't even begin to understand. Maybe they they think Jesus was really John Galt. An all-seeing model for capitalism (which in this country is really just corporatism) with a mix of meanness and miracle and cynicism.

Take the "American Family Association". No, really, take them.

A family fell behind on their payments in rural Tennessee for fire protection, so the fire department just let their house burn to the ground. As an added bonus, they did so with the family pets inside. The "christian" leader of the AFA sez that Jesus would have done the same thing as the sick fucks in the fire department. We don't need no water, let the motherfucker burn.

Which when you think about it, is sort of the rallying cry of our overlords.. They've already gutted our infrastructure, shipped our jobs overseas, killed good regulation and kept wages as low as possible for the last 30 years. While at the same time paying themselves more than ever.

The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire!

I'm mad at the establishment, too. Maybe for other reasons than some folks.. But there is no fucking way in hell that we need to unleash even more conservatism into the governing bodies at any level. What we really need to do is tell them to ACTUALLY FIGHT FOR WORKING PEOPLE AND THE FUTURE OF THE USA!. Enough with the bank bailouts; start rebuilding our infrastructure, return sane regulation to the financial markets as well as the environment and our food. Spend spend spend on schools, keeping people in their homes, on renewable energy and our open spaces.

Oh, and get us the hell out of Afghanistan and Iraq for real and forever..

In other words, put the fire out.

Peace.

Magic Highway USA!

2010-10-08T07:02:00.000-07:00

You gotta love Newt.

2010-08-11T19:32:00.001-07:00

Gingrich, that is.
On Prop 8 getting overturned in CA:

"Judge Walker's ruling overturning Prop 8 is an outrageous disrespect for our Constitution and for the majority of people of the United States who believe marriage is the union of husband and wife"

Right. I wonder which of Newt's 3 marriages he feels has been the most important.
Let's break it down for him. His Honor sez:

"fundamental rights may not be submitted to [a] vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections."

Nice.

And:

"Never has the state inquired into procreative capacity or intent before issuing a marriage license; indeed, a marriage license is more than a license to have procreative sexual intercourse."

I think that pretty much sums it up. Unless you want to designate a marriage sans kids illegal..

Then on the "mosque" proposed near Ground Zero (note, EVERYTHING is fucking close to Ground Zero in lower Manhattan. You can get there on foot in 5 minutes or less from anywhere below Canal Street):

"There are no churches or synagogues in all of Saudi Arabia"

Good plan, lowering the bar to Saudi Arabia for the USA.
Keep talkin' Newt. It's hilarious.

Glenn Beck figures out Born in the USA. 2 1/2 decades later

2010-07-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

He sounds like William Shatner doing a poetry reading. Only not half as interesting..
Nice way to stay topical, genius.

Jellies at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

2010-07-10T18:59:00.000-07:00

I took these last weekend. The tanks where the jellies live have the coolest light.

We had a great visit with friends and family and no matter how many times we go, I have to take at least a little bit of time to walk through the aquarium.

BP Spill

2010-05-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

As we all wait to hear something, anything that might even resemble good news about this blow out under the ocean in the Gulf of Mexico, a few things come to mind.
One, is that my heart goes out to those that live along the gulf that are affected by this the most. They're still dealing with Katrina, now another blow. No one deserves that and I can only hope that they get all the help they need from now till whenever.

On the other side of the coin, there is BP. Companies like BP are the enemy of what we all say we believe in most, even above the so-called "free market": Democracy. They are ultimately responsible for this. And other than the most cynical apologists for them (idiots like Rush Limbo) everyone wants to make sure that all the facts come to light and that those responsible are held to account.

My immediate worry is that we've come to the point where BP and others hold so much power over those that are supposed to uphold democracy (both here and in other countries) that they will never truly been held into account. Why should we believe that this will happen in this instance? It never happened to Exxon after ruining lives and fouling an entire ecosystem in Alaska.
So long as there are just a handful of people running a couple companies that control so much wealth, power and resources, democracy is in danger.

Cory Doctorow on the Ipad, media and copyrights .

2010-05-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

Limes from our tree

2010-05-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

There's just something gratifying about growing your own stuff to eat.
And adding these limes to a nice drink..

Orchid and chard in the kitchen

2010-05-17T15:09:00.001-07:00

I love when this thing blooms. Every year in April, right on time. Usually within a week or two from the previous year.
The chard was a first for us. It went great in a few different pots of soup.

Orchid back lit in our kitchen
Originally uploaded by michaelav

Red Chard from our garden
Originally uploaded by michaelav

Arizona, grand canyon state to police state.

2010-04-24T22:10:00.000-07:00

What a joke.
So the people in AZ finally found a way to codify their hatred of anyone that's not white. And then their governor signed it into law.
I'm not against immigration reform. Illegals coming into this country and getting abused while working for nothing lowers the standard of living for all people in the US. But this isn't going to do anything, and it's not fucking enforceable. It's just racism. These are your basic Teabaggers you see whining "we want our country back". Translation: I hate brown people.
I just read some dipshit on one of the Yahoo message boards that said, and I quote, "try getting caught in Mexico or some country in Central America without proper papers and see what happens." So you want us to be like a third world country. Congrats, you're a fucking idiot.
Of course, these are the same types that want to fight the "terrorists" from the middle east, then out of the other side of their mouth, think that the backwards way of fighting crime in their ridiculous theocracies is a good idea.
Jesus, these people are mental. I mean, really.
So does this mean that anyone and everyone that goes out in public in AZ has to carry around their passport or a birth certificate? Christ, now we have an entire state run by "birthers"!! Great.
Well, good luck with that, idiots.
Greg Palast also has one more angle which we've discussed before. Why do the republicans hate America so much?

Special Comment on Health Care

2010-02-26T23:06:00.000-08:00

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Republicans want to save Hawaiians from their mandated health care

2010-02-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

Thank GOODNESS these people don't know how bad they have it.
Could these Republicans be any more stupid?? I mean, really. Love the lady that (in Hawaii) tries to explain that their state mandated care is just terrible. And this video could not be more perfect. The "private" system is working SO well.

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Tea Party In Nashville

2010-02-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

The last time Palin used her hand that much was when she had to jerk off the first dude when they were in high school..
She should have taught her daughter that trick..

Seriously, though. I hope she runs for President. I mean, how awesome would that be?
Hey, the republicans in their most cynical move in history stuck her out on the national stage, why can't I have a little bit of cynicism?
I'm trying to figure out if she's cunning enough to know that they (the republians) will crush her themselves if she did. She is stupid as a box of rocks, but I'm wondering HOW stupid.

Also, how about that Tom Tancredo, huh?
Bringing back the old voting tests. Great idea, Tom. You racist fuck.
Jesus, can't believe this guy.

A People's History of American Empire by Howard Zinn (excerpt)

2010-01-29T09:41:00.001-08:00

STFU Speech Jan 27th

2010-01-28T09:27:00.000-08:00

I think Obama bought himself some time with the American people after this speech, but I'd truly like to see some of the ideas presented last night made into reality.
I have to keep reminding myself that it's only been a year. I've not been his biggest fan, though I did vote for the guy. President Palin? Right.
It shouldn't be a shock when the Rethugs DON'T clap and it's normal for the opposite side of the aisle to remain seated when the prez announces plans, but some of these things are "no-brainers" - as it were. Of course they pitched tents in their trousers when he talked about clean coal, nuclear and capital gains tax cuts. But they really show where they stand when it's crickets on their side at mention of small business tax credits, student loan help and keeping foreign money out of our elections.
Who knows, this dude might turn out to be the smartest fucker that's ever held the office if his insistence to work his methods turns out to work and the country comes back to life. For everyone. Particularly if he can actually get things from his populist agenda through. In fact, if the bulk of his populist ideas DON'T make it through and we stay on this same course, we could be royally fucked. Unless you're already rich from the last couple decades of wealth transfer..
We shall see..

They love to sit on their hands:

Democracy, we hardly knew ye:

2010-01-22T09:46:00.000-08:00

Watch this video below, but I also have a few thoughts.
Let's be clear, an opposite ruling would not have been a strike against business or corporations, but in fact a much needed check. If that.
In this 21st Century, "the corporation" wields far to much power in the USA. When they act in their own self interest, it is most likely not in the interest of the country at large, the community, employees and often not even in the interest of their stockholders. And this decision makes this behavior even more dangerous. It in fact creates a situation that is the very opposite of democracy.
Imagine a world where polluters are now in control of the EPA. Or where brokers are running the SEC. We have come very close to that in the last decade as is, given the appointments to oversight organizations. But this ruling can take us even further.
The very struggle and state of the USA right now per the economy and one could argue our wars, lie right at the feet of power in the hands of very few. And that's prior to the Roberts Court and their decision. This is no new struggle. we've been struggling with the concentration of power in the world for quite some time as well as living with those consequences. A new blow was struck at the heart of democracy this week.

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Merry Christmas from Patton Oswalt

2009-12-23T10:15:00.000-08:00

Perfect:

2009-12-09T22:31:00.001-08:00

Well, it's about time, I say.

2009-12-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

Finally, someone is setting about to ban divorce in California.
I sincerely hope all people who are against gay marriage will support this effort.

Because if you are so concerned about the institution, then surely you have to be against divorce AND gay marriage.
If you're only opposed to the latter, that just makes you a bigot.
Come on, prove you're not a bigot.

Keep up the pressure on Washington for real health care reform. (also with video below)

2009-11-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

The deal is that we have to join the rest of the civilized world.
I'm tired of all the fighting and the calls for letting the "free market" take care of things. I'm tired of the tea party protesters and all the conservatives that are all of sudden worried about the money aspect.

First of all, there is no free market. There never has been one, there never will be one and there isn't one now. A true free market cannot exist purely due to human nature, end of story.
Second, I find if fascinating that within DC and the tea parties, all the conservatives are agreeing that we need health care reform and that it's terrible what's happening to working people, but.. what did they do for 10 years? Nothing. They allowed it to get worse.
Third, no one is going to have to deal with so-called government run health care. What there will be will be an option to have a government payer. What we REALLY need is universal care something along the lines of medicare for all, but that's a different issue.

It's not about the money. Never has been about it. Otherwise, the same people taking to the streets for "tea parties" would have been protesting our involvement in Iraq. Wouldn't they? Wouldn't anyone be against that clearly illegal invasion and occupation where the US handed over pallets of money to contractors to do nothing? One of which that had a conflict of interest with some guy named Cheney. Wouldn't they be against invading a nation to secure the control of oil fields for Exxon and Shell?
I bet if we'd not invaded Iraq, that could have paid for some care.
But I already know it's not about the money.
Where were all these people worried about the devaluing of the USD when Greenspan turned on the spigot and lowered interest rates BELOW the rate of inflation to create a false bubble when Bush took office?

Talk to health care PROVIDERS as in doctors and nurses.
They will tell you that what we have now is NOT WORKING and we need reform. Larger numbers of them believe we should have a single payer system as well. Not "government run health care" but a single payer rather than hundreds of them in the form of for profit insurance companies they have to deal with now.

We need reform top to bottom, private and public.
The profiteering on the backs of the sick, the dying and the working class needs to stop.

San Diego living = Indian Summer

2009-10-25T18:18:00.000-07:00

In other words, the grill gets no rest around here.
None at all.

I made some spareribs recently, and this is what they looked like when I was done.
I did a really basic dry rub with chili powder, salt, pepper, brown sugar, garlic, etc.. and cooked indirect on my Weber.
For some liquid, I just add some apple cider vinegar to the dry rub and brush on.
At the very end, BBQ sauce. If you check the back of the Grandma's molasass jar, you CANNOT go wrong following that one to the letter. If anything, it just needs some more heat if that's your thing (it's mine).
Here's to sunshine!

gimme dat nicotine!

2009-10-04T18:08:00.000-07:00

Jeebus, just gimme something.

It's not like I don't like smoking. Why would you smoke if you don't like it??
Coffee and cigarettes. Sitting at a bar (in the past or outside, of course) drinking and smoking. Relaxing after a meal with the last of your wine; these are the things that make life as an adult more enjoyable.

Yea, but I hadda quit. I'll be 45 in a couple years and I don't want to be one of those old farts that never quit and you look all scary and can't walk or whatever. Or you're like that guy in that movie they showed us in the 6th grade with the man that can't blow out the match. The irony of that was probably lost on 12 year olds..
That probably wouldn't happen to me, though. I exercise and eat well and didn't really smoke that much. Not even half a pack a day. Half a pack of delicious American Spirit tobacco. Of course I have tried and failed in the past. Maybe I'll be making this post again. Who knows.

Why does everything fun have to come at a cost? I don't mean fun like what Donnie and Marie think of as fun, but what Hunter S. Thompson found enjoyable. I guess you have to make those vice choices and try to keep them under control.
Fucking bloody hell if anyone thinks I'm giving up my ice cream, though.
Or Kentucky Bourbon.

The end of an era

2009-09-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

About 12 years ago I adopted yellow lab litter mates that were 2 years old.
Nala and Sierra. And man were they a handful. Anyone that's been around labrador retrievers knows what they can be like. But, of course with all that high energy and massive naughtiness is a smart, loyal and sweet dog.
Sierra was a little high strung at times, but Nala was the sweetest thing in the world from day one and for her whole life. Have a look at that face. That's just what she was like 24 hours a day.

A week ago, after some old age ailments were really starting to get the best of her, we had to have her put to sleep.
When you've had a dog for so long, it's sad, but also a little weird when they are not around anymore. No more strawberries in the morning anymore, no more stepping over her bed at night if I have to get up in the dark. But mostly, there's that empty place in the house where your friend used to be.

I miss our girl very much. She was everything you'd ever want in a big doggie and more.
If there's another side, I hope she's got nothing but the most tasty dog food, squirrels to chase and warm water for swimming all day long.

Poppy and Otis are the new era.
They loved their sister who welcomed them in the last couple years into the house and I'm sure they miss her, too.

Dogs are the best people ever.

Birthers, Deathers, Socialism.. OH NO!

2009-08-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

*UPDATED* with great video below the photo. Thank you, Rep. Frank!

I'll make this short and sweet.
You know all these weirdos with their "theories" and signs? And by theories I mean the rantings of rabid squirrels, with their not so subtle racism, the crying "I want my country back" and tribunals for grandma.
They need to be marginalized. The end.

It's like people that think the earth is flat. Screw them, they're nuts.

Let the adults do what needs to be done and just plain leave the fruitcakes out of the "discussion". They can stand on the street and hold their grammatically challenged signs. Fuck off.

You want to hold a sign, here I have a fucking sign for you. This is one I can support.
Oh, yea. Have a good weekend. :)

Blondes are more fun

2009-08-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Nala is our yellow lab and she's pretty old now.
Most of her life, she's definitely been what you call your quintessential Labrador retriever.
Meaning that she would lick all faces, stick her nose in all crotches and chase any and all balls thrown (preferably in the water).
Not a mean bone in her body, she always welcomed everyone along with her sister Sierra who passed away two years ago.
Poor old Nala is winding down now, though. She's got some physical problems that are just compounded by her age, though she still loves to eat (particularly in the morning when I share my strawberries with her) and get pats.
I know that a lot of the time, she's not too keen on her day as our slippery wood floors and linoleum in the kitchen are too much for her back legs, and her fatty tumor (benign) on her side makes it tough for her to get around.

"Quality of life" is what the vet says when they tell you that's when you know you have to let your pet go, or at least be considering it seriously. Of course a dog or a cat can't say, "hey, man, I've just about had enough" or whatever. Hell, people don't necessarily do that, either.
We had to do just that twice in the same year in 2007 and it's not easy. And I know that it won't be too long that we'll have to do the same again. I'll tell you, she's a tough one for such a sweet dog, though.
She barks to make sure I know to get over there and help her get up so she can power over into the kitchen in case something falls from the heavens especially made for dogs. Meaning anything. And she's right there waiting at dinnertime as well. Some things have not changed, as I noted..

My [f]unemployment has been a mixed blessing in one respect. I have been able to be with her far more than I would have normally, of course, but also in that I have NEEDED to be here at times when she just plain can't get up when stranded in the middle of oak floorboards or needs a hand back inside the house after a quick trip for a drink or one more landmine.

That's one thing about life, I've noticed. Just when you think you're cruising along, reality can and will punch you right in the balls.
But I'm glad that I have been able to spend more time with my dog; she's certainly brought a lot of light and love into our lives and those memories will always be there.

I had a look in the fridge a bit ago. There are just enough strawberries left for the two of us tomorrow morning.
Lucky me.

Master Thespian, Bill Shatner!

2009-07-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

[F]unemployment Photos

2009-07-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

So I took the day off during the week before the 4th and headed down to Mission Beach to check out the rides and take photos. You may click on any of them to see a larger version in a new window.
The weather was warm, changing back and forth from gray to clear the whole time as is usually the case along the coast.
I also made time to get a burger and a glass of beer which really only makes the most sense. I also learned a hell of a good recipe from the bartender for a bloody mary that I'll have to try.
Here we see the Chaos ride at Belmont. No, I did NOT get on that thing.
I'm fine with roller coasters and what have you, but these contraptions that spin like that.. no thanks. Breakfast on me! And you sitting next to me.

Mission Beach is an interesting part of the city.
It's very popular with the tourists because it's a huge beach, there's Belmont Park and the long, long promenade(?) that runs the entire length of the beach for walking, bike riding, skateboarding, etc..
For some reason, it also seems to draw a fair amount of losers and tough guys with other assorted weirdos and nutcases. No idea why.. Meth-heads and Raider fans. That's one way to look at it.
Ocean Beach is meth-heads and smelly hippies. I'll take that over the other if I have to choose.
But check out the hibiscus painting on the electric thingie. That's pretty cool.

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend.
We bbq'd, went to a party, had some family over and just relaxed for the most part.
I also spent a couple of days trying to wrap my brain around the idea that poor Sarah Palin won't be around to kick around anymore. Oh, the horror.
Did anyone read the transcript from her rambling resignation? I'm still trying to figure out what the hell she was going on about. That was very bizarre.

One more photo to close it out. You can see them all here should you like to have a look.
Note, these are not real California license plates. Real ones are made in prison and are boring.
They should come up with a new design. We've had those old white plates for a really long time now, time for something new.

Enjoy the week, get some summer sun.

Hanging with the dogs

2009-06-04T10:30:00.001-07:00

Well, this continues to be an interesting time for me. This whole out of work thing. This look on Poppy's face is pretty rad. That's what you feel like right after getting shitcanned. Ha!
Maybe I'm going about it the wrong way. The LA Times had a story about people enjoying their "funemployment". I wish I could take it that way the whole time. But as my wife will attest, I'm not really stressed or anything, it's just sort of a bummer sometimes. Hell, even when I went to the beach to read and take some pictures on the 3rd, it fucking rained! :) We don't get rain in San Diego between April and Nov for Crissakes. Thunder and lightening, too. Crazy.

The 4 of us chill around the house a lot. When you talk to the dogs, they don't talk back. If they do, I'm fucking out of here.
They like having people around, though sometimes I wonder why because we're always telling them what to do, or what not to do. At the moment, it's please don't chase the disease-infested possums that have been skulking around the yard the last week or so. Or eat the babies.
Note, if there is an animal that is NOT a cute baby, it's a fucking possum. Also, they do in fact play dead. Otis pulled one out of the bushes the other day and dropped it in the grass. Looked dead as a doornail. Ten minutes later the little shit was gone. Non-city people can laugh, but how the hell am I supposed to know!

If all the resumes that I have sent out were paper instead of electronic, I'd have to buy carbon footprint something or others. Whatever that's called.

My mom and stepdad came down last month and we painted the exterior of the house. In four days! Not bad from start to finish with all that prepping and stuff. All of us were really sore by the end, I'm sure. But the house looks a lot better now, and that was really awesome they helped us get done what we have wanted to do since like the day we moved in here Aug of '02.
Procrastination is pretty nice. Should you like to see a start to finish photo montage taken right after we began prep following the powerwash, check this out. All those are thumbsnail jpegs that get bigger if you click on them.

My goal between now and when I find a job shall be more funemployment, less time being bummed out. But I have promised my wife that I shall keep the house spotless during the week, so I have to time my fun properly. I'll shoot for spotless. We have 3 dogs that shed all day every day, what the hell can I do??
Peace.

Hey, who knew SNL was still funny?

2009-06-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

Goes down as a classic for sure:

Just trying to lay low, man

2009-04-22T10:25:00.000-07:00

So when I got up this morning, it marked the third Weds in a row that I awoke without a job.

I was laid off on Tues March 31st (with a shitload of other people) in what was a very surreal morning in which I was at my desk around 6am and home about 9am or so wondering "WTF?" while I stared at a box of crap that I packed up from my desk. Not much. A piggy bank, picture of my wife and me having pizza in Brooklyn, a CD or two and my headphones. Oh, this is the funny part, my framed milestone certificate that I got last year for my 5 years of service.

So I joined the masses (literally) around the country now looking for work. In one respect, I should be grateful: My wife is still gainfully employed and I have a severance. There are a lot of people worse off than me.
But it's an odd thing being a grown man with a mortgage and all that to be sent home packing after getting up before the sun pretty much every day - other than vacation time - to all of a sudden be here at home.

The first week I was a fucking machine. I cleaned, painted and worked in the yard and cooked like a mad man. Walls, door trim, replaced knobs, new vegetables in the ground, roses clipped, grass mowed, dog shit picked up in a super-timely fashion. Like a fucking whirlwind, man.
Week two, eh. Some things here and there, picking up, touching up some paint again.
Last week I was a little more bummed out, though I had a good meeting with a recruiter that cold-called me.

I'm trying to do the usual thing "make it a job to look for a job" like everyone says. So I don't sleep too late. But I don't get up before dawn like I did before. And I surf the job boards and updated my resume post haste.
My wife has been very supportive and we could live a much lower standard of living off what she makes, but still.. I'm very thankful for her.

I've never NOT worked for 25 fucking years, now.
I got my first job right after high school was over for me in 1984 and have always worked. It has a bizarre feeling. I'm not like Kramer on Seinfeld. I doubt good fortune would just drop in my lap without ever having to work for a living.. :)
And I'm also not like a couple losers I have known over the years that somehow just sort of squeak by without ever having to really do anything. Of course, one of them was in his 40's and lived rent free with mommy and was a little nuts, so there is that..

Here's to all the job-hunters. May your paychecks start again soon and Dilbert cartoons come to life right there in your office.
Peace.

Best persons in the world. Roger Ebert edition. Special Bill O the Clown content

2009-04-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Make sure you read Roger's great article from the 7th here.

And now, the best people in the world:

2009: Scary, but good year so far

2009-03-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I have taken the time to sit down and write anything of substance on my blog. Although I'm sure there are detractors that would say nothing has been of substance. Though any detractor of mine probably has more free time on their hands than I may have..
It's scary living in a recession. This is the first time in my life that I am living within a full-blown long recession as an adult 100 percent on my own (married, though). The first started in '73 when Nixon was Prez, but I was just 7 that year. The next in the 80's I was a teenager, the next was small in the early 90's and the next in 2001 was small after the "dot com" bust.
I'm still working as is my wife. I hope that doesn't change, and I hope that does not change for you.
Having new leadership in Washington at this moment does make a difference to me now. Long readers of my blog and those that know me understand my feelings for the previous administration and their reckless behavior on both the domestic and the international fronts. Hell, I STILL cringe when I turn on the tube and hear a reporter say, "the president noted today that... " my first instinct, is still to say, "that fucking asshole Bush, I don't care what he says!" Oh, right. He's gone, now.
Obama was not my first choice for President out of the pack that ran, I was a Kucinich man, but you can't have everything.
There are things I wish he was doing different, but I feel that his overall ideas and the change of investing more in the rebuilding of the nation and the middle class can and will work if done right.
I don't have a problem with a class war. I think it's healthy, as a matter of fact. The very wealthy have pretty strong voices working on their behalf. No reason for everyone else to not work to change the direction. In the last decade, productivity was up, CEO salaries are up and so were profits. But jobs were shipped overseas and salaries for working people were flat or down. fighting for change against that tide is a good thing.

As we move on past the horrible last 8 years, it would be easy to forget and move on, and I agree in a sense. But certain actions of the BushCheny regime MUST be investigated and punished if necessary. If you haven't already read the NY Times article about the new info on the "torture memos", I encourage you to do so. I'm sickened that John Yoo is a tenured law professor in the University of California system at Berkeley. Let's hope those that went too far get theirs some day. I won't hold my breath, but I'll wish for it anyhow..

Some people think I voted for a "socialist" last November. Most of them couldn't define the word on their best day, of course.
I don't believe that, but I do believe in government working towards making this nation a better one for all of us, in regulation of the private sector, national parks, good roads, lot of well-paid public safefy officers and healthcare for all. That's not socialism. That's a place I want to live.

I haven't posted much in the last little while maybe because I got what I wanted and took a break. But I have not taken a break from staying informed and making sure those that I elected into office are doing what I want. I suggest you do the same.
There's a better day ahead. Even the chairman of the Fed says so. :)
Peace, more in the coming weeks.
And now, a shameless happy dog photo.

2009-02-24T08:24:00.001-08:00

Vote for Poppy!

Condolences, your revolution is over!

2009-02-01T12:30:00.000-08:00

Heck of a first week for the new Prez!

2009-01-23T14:47:00.000-08:00

Wow, this guy gets right down to work.
And in a positive way.
Can you even believe that we had that idiot Bush for 8 years??
Ah, it's now just a fading memory.

Great work this first week Mr. Prez. Keep it up.

President Obama

2009-01-20T17:40:00.001-08:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Happy post

2009-01-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

So that was my rant below.
As for a non-rant, I thoroughly enjoyed the big hokey concert from DC yesterday.
I know it was a bit goofy at times, and other times confusing (George Lopez?), but people sure looked happy as hell to be celebrating out there on the river under Lincoln's gaze.
Which is damn cool..
And you'd have to be completely heartless to not enjoy Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen singing that silly old Woody Guthrie tune.
Looking forward to tomorrow when we can start trying to move forward.

Religious cults

2009-01-19T08:18:00.000-08:00

So last night (Jan 18th 2009) we were watching this show on the National Geographic Channel about this cult in New Mexico led by a now convicted perv.
One wonders how exactly a person would get involved with something like this, living out in the middle of nowhere, listening to some nut who tells you he's the Messiah.
Note, I didn't say some nut who THINKS he's the Messiah, because I'm sure he's just a huckster. Because when a guy says, "you need to lay down here naked with God. And by God, I mean my penis" (I made up the last part of the quote, can you tell?) I have a feeling that he's not really the Messiah.

I guess in real life (whatever that is) we do have to abdicate a little bit of ourselves in order to get along or just have a roof over our heads. The bank holds the title to your house, but you don't have to offer up your wife or daughter to the loan officer just for the privilege of having a mortgage.. And in the big picture, I suppose living out in the sticks with no responsibilities other than planting trees and growing tomatoes has a certain lure. Until the "Messiah" makes you un-clog his toilet or something.

But it got me thinking, how the hell are these nuts any worse than any other organized religion? The big ones just happen to maybe be on TV and have better lawyers.
I have the same contempt for all of these modern Elmer Gantry-types. How many times have we seen some perv with a Brioni suit say that God told him via his dick that he needs to have sex with - insert abused parishioner here - in order for all to be right in the world??

Which brings me to the Obama inauguration.
I voted for the guy for obvious reasons, not the least of which because McCain is crazy and his running-mate was a fucking moron. I'm happy about the win and everything and overall think it's pretty awesome.
But how he went about choosing that crazy asshole from that Orange County Brokeback Church or whatever to give the big inauguration prayer is beyond me.
This guy is everything that is wrong with this country and with religion all rolled up into one. He's a fucking charlatan and a joke. It's kind of embarrassing.
We've had enough embarrassment in the last 8 years, we don't need anymore.

Can we keep the religious crazies at bay for just a little while, please??

Even Dr. Seuss hates Bush

2008-12-27T18:49:00.000-08:00

Yea, I voted for him. You betcha.

2008-12-17T21:26:00.000-08:00

Vacation photo blogging: Amsterdam

2008-11-22T08:22:00.000-08:00

Best video ever. Watch the whole thing

2008-11-13T17:43:00.001-08:00

America says no to Joe and Sarah

2008-11-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

I'm not one to rub faces into it (ok, I am sometimes) but this is an exception.
The historic election of Nov 2008 was not a repudiation of republicans, or of conservatism (whatever that is) or even of John McCain.
In a sense, it was a rejection of Joe The Plumber and Sarah Palin. And regressives in general.
When McCain decided to hitch his wagon to these two, it was doomed from that point on.
Joe the fucking plumber? This arrogant, angry, ignorant fucking dipshit? A guy who is mad at Obama for possibly taxing some hypothetical income in his never-to-come-true future?
America took one look at this guy whom McCain called a "roll model" and collectively shook their heads.

And Sarah Palin. Caribou Barbie. Florence Gump. She's cunning, no doubt. But she is as stupid as the day is fucking long. 5 times and she still can't get it right what the Veep does according to the Constitution?
The press calling her out is like taking away her First Amendment rights? OK.
I hope this Alaskan hillbilly had a good taste of some good taste. 'Cause America don't like losers. Like the great philosopher Dandy Don Merideth used to say "turn out the lights, the party's over."
I suggest that you regressives that got a boner over her go out and buy a copy of Nailin' Palin. There were no press "gotchas" with this idiot. She's just an idiot.

No doubt that we've come a long way as a country and it was an amazing night to see our first black man get elected president. But people can also "do the math" as they say.
4 more (or more) years of regressive, neoliberal/neoconservative rule was not in the cards. We all said it's time to move on to something else and swing that pendulum the other way for once in 40 years.
Let's go about moving things in a better direction.

Bring it on Home, baby.

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

LANDSLIDE!!

2008-11-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

LANDSLIDE!!!

All I can say is this is one of the greatest nights in the history of this great nation.

Peace,
Mike

Make sure you

2008-11-01T14:02:00.001-07:00

VOTE!!!

They prove they will try and take your vote in order to win

2008-10-30T17:07:00.000-07:00

Below, as reported by the LA Times this morning (read the whole story) is a snapshot of the legal battles in several "battleground" states.
What it shows is that the modern Republican party wants to win by stealing votes, or by keeping people from not voting.
I guess if they succeed, it's technically winning. If by winning you mean hating America and her citizens, then let that be their label.
Because the tactics being used by them are nothing short of hateful and wrong.
There were even reports in some states that they wanted to try and challenge voters that have had their homes recently foreclosed on the technical grounds that their address as of now does not match. Imagine that. That is how much they hate America.
The McSame smear campaign can try and make it sound like a couple idiots buying packs of smokes for homeless guys is some giant democrat conspiracy, but sorry. Fighting to keep valid voters off the rolls by the hundreds of thousands if not millions is just a little bit more important.

As reported:

COLORADO
Voting rights groups sued, asking a federal judge to reinstate 30,000 names purged from the state registry in what they argue was a violation of federal law prohibiting removals within 90 days of a federal election. In a compromise, those stricken will be allowed to cast provisional ballots.

FLORIDA
Voter advocacy groups sued last year to challenge a "no match, no vote" law, but failed to revoke it. About 10,000 voters remain on a list flagging them for identity checks on or before election day. The state is also one of five against which the Justice Department has filed complaints alleging misconduct related to minority voting.

GEORGIA
A three-judge federal panel ruled that election officials needed Justice Department approval to check voters' immigration status. The ruling didn't make clear, though, whether the checks must cease.

INDIANA
A Republican Party lawsuit alleging registration fraud seeks to shut down early voting in four counties.

MICHIGAN
A federal judge struck down the state's voter removal program and ordered election officials to cease purging names from the rolls when their voter identification cards were returned by the Postal Service as undeliverable.

MISSISSIPPI
A Justice Department complaint alleges misconduct related to minority voting.

MONTANA
After the state Democratic Party sued to halt challenges to the eligibility of 6,000 registered voters, a federal judge deemed the challenges frivolous.

NEW JERSEY
A Justice Department complaint alleges misconduct related to minority voting.

OHIO
State Republican Party leaders are negotiating with election officials to resolve a dispute over what to do about more than 200,000 voters whose registration data don't match other records. The U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled against efforts to strike the names from voter rolls, but the issue was raised again in state courts.

PENNSYLVANIA
Civil rights groups filed suit asking a federal court to order election officials to have on hand emergency paper ballots on election day in the event that a majority of voting machines become inoperable amid record turnout.

SOUTH CAROLINA
A Justice Department complaint alleges misconduct related to minority voting.

TENNESSEE
Justice Department complaints allege misconduct related to minority voting and disenfranchisement of overseas military voters.

VIRGINIA
The NAACP sued Gov. Tim Kaine, alleging that the state failed to prepare adequately to accommodate a record increase in voter registrations. The suit asks the federal courts to put the federal government in charge of the election.

WISCONSIN
A Dane County judge threw out the state attorney general's lawsuit demanding that election officials validate the identities of hundreds of thousands of new voters by election day, ruling that the checks weren't justified by law. An appeal is pending.

Olberman: "Palin, are you smarter than a 3rd grader?"

2008-10-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

Survey says.. NO!! She's not! She's a fucking moron that STILL does not know the role of the Veep. Nice going, ~~Caribou Barbie~~ Florence Gump.

21st Century Turn Around

2008-10-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

Return of the Progressives (I hope)

I'd argue that the 60's were the end of the modern progressive era, and we turned from that and have never looked back, much to the damage to our nation.

Our nation was a progressive, liberal democracy post WW2 save for civil rights abuses, of course, but that again shook out by the end of the 60's for the most part.
From FDR to Truman to Eisenhower to JFK and into the era of civil rights fighters, these were the true heroes of the 20th Century. Not Saint Ronny.
All of them forward thinking with regards to their NATION, not for selfishness.

We led ourselves dangerously into a possible path to a new Gilded Age which I hope will be stopped.
And instead of focusing on real issues that affect our nation as a whole, there's so much hand wringing over "wedge issues" that do not have anything to do with my life.
Conversely, while folks are wringing their hands about who can marry who (WHO CARES!!!) their pockets are being picked to transfer wealth from their paychecks to the very machine that Eisenhower warned of, or to the very men that helped bring down Wall Street.

Here's to the new progressives.
Whomever they may be, we need them again.

McSame to Joe the Plumber's wife:

2008-10-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

You may not have the constitutional rights you now have under a McSame presidency.
And he will nominate a judge (or more depending) to the Supreme Court that feels the way that he does about abortion, etc..
Also, nice air quotes around "health of the mother". Classy.

Loud and clear, McSame.
I'd like to think that would clear it up for the undecided ladies (at the least) out there.

Other than that, I'd say that McSame again failed to try and find a way to dig out from under the current poll numbers.
At this point, idiot Palin is not even part of the equation.
She's just a fly buzzing around. Everyone knows she's a moron, which is why Obama rightly just brushed off the question about her and the very unlikely chance she becomes VP/Prez.
Then again, he just pals around with terrorists and Palin is a "real american" so what does he know..

Racism, fear, hate, mud.. politics

2008-10-10T13:16:00.001-07:00

Boy, it's become ugly out there on the regressive side of politics.
The McSame campaign is getting close to needing life support so they are resorting to sad and tired mud-slinging and a wink and a nod to fear and racism.
Here in CA, they are pleading with rubes and bigots and religious freaks to vote for Prop. 8 so gays can't get married. What do you care if your neighbors are a gay couple?

Bigotry and racism are the gutters where the ignorant wallow in their arrested development.
The political "leaders" and campaign staffers that fill the gutters with this slop are the lowest of the low. Hell, even McSame is getting booed at his own events by his hate-filled supporters when he dares to back up a bit and say that Obama is a good man. Sad.

It's gotten so the regressives are so fearful of a change in policy both here and in the Middle East, that they are trying to tie "low income buyers" to the wall street meltdown. Read: The Blacks.
If you think that incentives to get low income people into homes (as stated purely as such) has even a red cent in the big picture to do with the financial troubles we see now, you need an education. Try reading about Mortgage backed securities and Credit Default Swaps some day if you can understand big words..

What's even more sad is that so many people that wallow in these fearful and bigoted gutters are being pissed on in the end by those that are using their hate and ignorance against others.
It's called "voting against your own best interest".
You might want to stop that some day.

WOW.

2008-10-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

First of all, Biden completely crushed Caribou Barbie in the debate.

"Hey, can I call ya Joe?"
What an embarrassment, with her folksy horseshit and her winking at the old republican men jerking off at home. "Darn right!" puke. "We're a couple of mavericks!"
That being said, she barely answered one fucking thing (thanks, moderator for keeping them on topic!) and when she "answered" she was usually wrong.
She flat out said at the beginning that she was going to talk "straight to the American people" and then proceeded to basically ignore the format.
All she did was come on stage and recite a bunch of talking points.
It was staggering to watch her plow forward with string of memorized lines that at times I don't even think she understood.
Palin never told us how McSame is going to be different than Bush and she believes that Cheney is correct about the larger powers of the office of the VP. Or did she just not fully understand the last part? Who knows with this dipshit.

Look, she's clearly out of her league with Biden, but this was a travesty.
Unbelievable.

Debate

2008-09-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

I'd say that both men were fairly articulate, so it comes down to policy.
Based on what I heard tonight, it's clear that McCain is not in the world of reality when it comes to foreign and domestic policy.
Iraq is a failure and was the wrong policy. The end. McCain does not get it.
What defines "winning" in Iraq? We need to get the fuck out of there.
I'm glad that Obama opposes the boondoggle of Nukes, as well. We need to spend money on CLEAN energy.
McCain uses clever language, but he basically wants to continue FAILED regressive domestic policy.
Obama was pretty damn clear there. He wants to rebuild from the inside out.
I only fault Obama for letting McSame slide on the issues of Veterans and Torture both of which Mr. JJ is a FAILURE.

One thing this debate made me think about:
I can only imagine how bad Palin is going to look debating Biden. I mean, really.

Where's old man McSame?

2008-09-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

Dave wants to know. More after Letterman:

Seriously, not only is the fucking economy cratering, it sounds to me like the McSame campaign is as well.
Dave makes jokes, but he's got a damn good point. And in fact it's not really "where's McCain", but wheres Caribou Barbie?
She's not needed to save the economy like a Super Senator in Depends.
She should be out front and center, yea?
I don't see Biden hiding from the press.

Want my prediction? They (the McCain campaign collectively) knows that as the days go on, they are in deep doodoo with young Miss Runner-up.
Not only does the campaign want to cancel the prez debates, they want to postpone the VP debates, too. WTF??

It's so damn obvious these two idiots are in NO position to lead this country.
Can SOMEONE, anyone tell me why on God's green earth anyone should cast a vote for JJ McSame and the Jesus Freak?

The Palin experiment

2008-09-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

We can dispense with the arguing about whether Caribou Barbie is qualified to be the Prez (which ultimately is the test if you take any vice presidential choice to its possible logical end) because she is clearly not.
The End.
She proved that last week when she sat down with Gibson. She doesn't know a goddamned thing.
"Shit? Shinola? I just don't know!!"
She's a creationist. Which means that she's either:
A) Insane
B) Ignorant/stupid
C) Lying
D) All of the above.
She knows dick about domestic and foreign policy. She thinks Iraq has something to do with 9-11.
So those that have been trying to paint her as a picture perfect VP can blow me.
They also fall into those above categories, strangely enough.

So, the question is whether or not this highly cynical choice for VP on the part of McGramps will work for his campaign.
I'd like to think "no", but America was presented with a similar choice for Prez in 2000...
The Obama campaign and those that want to shore up HIS base have to frame the debate around which pair is the better choice for the country.
Both Palin and McSame have presented themselves as a continuation of the BushCheney bootheal on the collective necks of the world at large. End of story.
Obama and Biden are not my first choice, but given the ballot in November, they are the obvious choice at this point.
Both are FAR and away more knowledgable when it comes to the issues that face us today and what they have to offer the country and the world will make us stronger than a McCrazy/Moosewoman 4 years (or God forbid eight).
I look forward to the debates.

Gibson and Palin The Rube

2008-09-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

Forget all the God stuff, (though it's scary) how stupid is this broad??
We already know that she's about as dumb as a bag of hammers in the first place, because of her ridiculous statements this week about Fannie and Freddie. Quoting Palin, they had "gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers." IDIOT! I guess it's too "elitist" to understand all that funny US Economy stuff. Book learnin' That's the work of the devil!

On to the interview tonight with Caribou Barbie (I stole that and it rules)

In regards to Russia/Georgia - something she clearly knows nothing about - she actually said during the Gibson interview, "The support that we can show is economic sanctions perhaps against Russia, if this is what it leads to."
Seriously. Grammar aside, it's shocking that she would even say that.
Sanctions against Russia?
Has she read the news?
God, we're truly doomed if enough rubes and millionaires vote for her and Gramps.
Truly.

On Palin. And McSame and RNC

2008-09-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

I think Hannibal Lecter said it best:

"You know what you look like to me, with your good bag and your cheap shoes? You look like a rube. A well scrubbed, hustling rube with a little taste. Good nutrition has given you some length of bone, but you're not more than one generation from poor white trash"

Right?
You know they must have her hooked up to some sort of Rethuglican talking point version of the fucking Rosetta Stone tapes right now to prepare her for actually having to.. you know, actually answer questions and stuff..

As for McSame's speech last night, there were parts that were actually pretty good.
Taken out of context. He is the "Mavrick" of course>>
But the fact of the matter is that they want to continue the failed policies of the outgoing administration.
And McSame wants to do it with a person who is a member of the most radical side of the Religious Reich.
Also, note the buzz words on the republiturd blogs about Obama.
He's going to "raise taxes and spend it on entitlements". Entitlements. That's code word for The Blacks.
Note, no one from the Reich complains about all the money being tossed down the fucking Iraq rat hole.
Take just a fraction of what is being thrown into said rat hole and imagine what we could do here domestically. Roads, cops, healthcare, alternative energy, science, etc..
Sorry, McSame, no vote from me for you and The Rube.

LOL!!

2008-08-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

Also, note below the funny photo here, the foreign policy experience explanation from a talking headcase on Faux News.
Yea, he really said that. More in between: (UPDATE!!!)

In all seriousness.. I mean come on.
A former beauty queen and excessive breeder??
A part-term guv of Alaska and another oil shill with a mommy haircut?
Is this some kind of joke, or does JJ-McSame-shits-his-pants just want to lose the election?
All I can say is: Biden-Palin debate. 'nuf said..

Man, you can't make this stuff up.
Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder.
Are we living on some fucking parallel earth??

A True Patriot Speaks at the Convention Today:

2008-08-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

Dick Morris, Fox News. What else do you need to know?

2008-08-23T17:58:00.001-07:00

Dick Dick actually said this about half way through, so you'll have to wait for it (video below):

On Obama saying we shouldn't have gone into Iraq he says
"Where he’s wrong is that we went into Iraq at the invitation of the government. Not as an invasion."

Yes, I am afraid that he actually said that. Seriously.

This is one of those instances (and we need to pay attention to them) when some moron like Dick Dick comes on TV and spews a talking point more than once with the hope that it will later be repeated by the echo machine.
A point with NO basis in fact at all.
This is how they start. Spew a lie, repeat, get the echo chamber working.
How many fucking Reich Wing blogs will have this within 24 hours?
During the campaign, the “Obama Camp” needs to keep a running tally of these kinds of foolish statements and hammer them back into the ground where they fucking belong.

JJ McSame and Obama do a Q&A with preacher??

2008-08-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

Say what?
Once again, the bar is lowered on political discourse.
It's pretty sad that the two leading candidates for president of the United States feel they need to genuflect in front of some mega-church preacher in Orange County. It's embarrassing that this 21st-century Elmer Gantry is even taken seriously in our great state, let alone the nation.
This crowd has been given enough time to try and infect public policy with its ideas.

Have a great weekend!

2008-08-15T14:12:00.001-07:00

Peace!

Vets not being allowed to register to vote?

2008-08-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

Crazy, you say? Not in Bush's America.

Please read this NY Times piece.

Parts:

On May 5, the department led by James B. Peake issued a directive that bans nonpartisan voter registration drives at federally financed nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and shelters for homeless veterans.

The department offers two reasons to justify its decision. First, it claims that voter registration drives are disruptive to the care of its patients.

Bills that would require the department to repeal the ban have been filed in both houses of Congress. They need to be signed into law no later than Oct. 1, so that veterans in V.A. care don’t miss their states’ deadlines to register to vote in the fall elections.

But federal legislation shouldn’t be needed for the Department of Veterans Affairs to lift the ban on voter registration drives by state and local election officials and nonpartisan groups.

I'll say.

Not that I am one to go with conspiracies and the like, but could it be that the vets all over the country have seen enough of Bush and would probably register to vote and then vote to NOT carry that on this century with JJ McSame?
Nah, that couldn't be it. Right? Or Reich?

"there's no fool like an old fool"

2008-07-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

I always thought that saying was kind of sad. The implication and all.
I suppose maybe it is.
John McCain is now the definition of that phrase.

As the dog days are upon us and we backslide into the last couple months of the campaign, he's showing what a tired, stupid old fool he really is.
Can't get the Iraq/Iran/Pakistan borders right; doesn't seem to know who the Joint Chiefs might be; and is compelled, of course, to question Obama's patriotism on his war stance.
War stance. Whatever that is.
He also appears to be trying to make sure the Religious White likes him for loving Jeebus. So off to church he goes in AZ. Dickhead.
But over all, this tired old fool is showing why no one should consider voting for him. JJ McSame.
The one time "Maverick". Right.
He should be on the beach in his fucking bermuda shorts relaxing. What kind of dipshit wants to be president at 71 anyway?? A nutcase.

Obama was never my first choice for Prez. That distinction goes to the great Dennis Kucinich. A tireless public servant who works for the people. Working people. Not for the corporate class.
He's the only one that called for single payer universal health care for all.
He's the only one who has TRULY tried to stand up to the criminal Bush regime.
Sadly, it was not to be. I doubt it ever will. Even though most people in this country side with his stances (including his "war stance"), the media will always shun him.

So Obama it is.
Much better choice than McSame.
At least I won't be holding my nose while I vote like I did with Kerry..

It's this rug I had, it really tied the room together.

2008-07-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

Last week, I went to the Lebowski Fest in Louisville, KY.
But, just to add to the fun, we flew first into Nashville for a couple days, with the plan on driving from there to Louisville, then flying back from there.

Nashville is a lot of fun. Great town with lots of friendly people, good food and more live music in more bars than you can shake a stick at.
At which you can shake a stick. Whatever.
Anyway, I stayed out way too late and drank too much booze than I normally would, but it was fun.

The bars are really cool because you can just walk in without cover charge all up and down the places along Broadway to hear different acts.
Including people that normally get paid to play at the Grand Ol' Opry and such.
Nice way to check out all kinds of performers.

It was nice to take a drive over to the Gibson Showcase.
You can play whatever you want from the staggering number of guitars hanging in the store. Everything from cheapo Epiphones to Gibson Custom shop guitars that run into the many thousands of dollars.
FWIW, I played a Black Beauty and a really, really nice playing R6.

The drive from Nashville to Louisville was pretty. The landscape in this part of the country is lovely. And man, oh, man did we have some good BBQ at this place called Jimmy D's in Bowling Green. Wow. Pulled pork cooked over a pit, served on corn cakes with Mac & Cheese and collard greens. Damn, that was good. With southern sweet tea, of course. :)

We caught the movie on Friday night with all the other achievers, stayed up late, then went out and about to Jim Beam and Makers Mark on Saturday.
The Kentucky countryside is truly beautiful. Much more green than I am used to here in San Diego.
Um, did I mention it was hot and humid? Yea, that's takes a bit of getting used to. And by getting used to, I mean that you don't and you change your shirt like 7 times a day.
The bourbon tasting and the touring was a lot of fun.

On a side note, since I talk lots of politics on my blog, I saw WAY more Obama stickers on cars during my travels. And I don't think I saw any BushCheney at all. That was sort of a surprise to me. Then again, maybe not. Who knows?

So, Saturday was happy fun time, bowling with all the other acheivers. Many of them very dressed up for the occation in all kinds of obscure costumes.
I even got a chance to bowl two games, which was nice.
There was all kinds of Dudes, Maudes, toes, and even agression not standing.
There were very few amatuers, thankfully.

Enjoy the photos, and check out all of them, a whole gallery full, over at my domain.

Have a fun week and then some.

Yoo and Addington, two to this great country.

2008-06-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

Listen to these two try and dance around the topic here.
Trying to keep themselves and their administration buddies out of jail.
A special fuck you goes out to them.
And a special fuck you goes out to the UC system for hiring Yoo.
They have disgraced this nation by supporting our outsourced terrorism and torture.
Rot in hell, motherfuckers.

A note to hipster boys. NO MORE PBR !!

2008-06-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

I went to a bar here in San Diego to see a friend's band not too long ago.
All the hipster boys were paying 7 dollars for big cans of PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon).
Note, I was paying 4 dollars a pint for Guinness.

Anyway, please stop drinking that crap.
It's fucking disgusting. It's worse than Bud. It's worse than Miller.
God Almighty, I believe it is worse than Coors Light.
Stop it. Now.
San Diego has awesome local beer.
Man up and buy that at the least.
The end.

Obama '08

2008-06-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that it's not a shock that I think we all should vote for Obama.

Just so we are clear, I'll go over this one time only.

Until McCain publicly repudiates the entire Bush administration, there is no way in hell that he deserves even one vote.
And since he has pretty much done the opposite (while in fact trying without success to paint himself as different than BushCheney) the only choice is Obama, not JJ McSame.

I'm a little bit (just a little) shocked that there are so many Americans - according to recent polls - that are considering voting for this old fool.
I guess they buy into the whole straight talk express and all that happy horseshit.

A vote for McCain is a vote for an extension of the failed Bush years, only with a geezer.
No offense to older people, or whatever, but McSame is too fucking old to be president besides being a damn fool.

McSame is the only reason I would have considered voting for Clinton.
He already has stated that he would appoint more assholes to the Supreme Court like the two Nazi's that Bush appointed.
You know, guys that hate America and our Constitution as much as the president.
No thanks.
More war time tax cuts.

Obama '08 means a chance at reversing the course we've been on.
Plus, as a bonus, he does not appear to be insane.

Malkin is crazy. Or, why some regressive pundits should just stick to blowing old guys.

2008-05-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

In a bizarre attempt to maintain relevancy(?) we see Michelle Malkin actually talking about a scarf worn by "celebrity chef" Rachael Ray in a Dunkin Donuts ad online and on TV.
In a weird turn of events, DD has pulled the ads. Chickenshits.

Reading the scribblings/ramblings/thoughts(ha!) of the morons that follow said shit-for-brains is even scarier than reading her foolishness. Some of them are so intuitive, that they can tell from Ray's stupid shows that she is a "moonbat". Amazing.

To think that anyone should spend even a nanosecond worrying about a paisley scarf is truly amazing.
I guess when you have been marginalized by the Darwinism of truth, you have to grasp at straws like a fucking mad person.

I suppose the fact that the bulk of the middle class and below in this country are being ground down by the boot heal of the bush economy is not really that important.

Silly regressives.
Trix are for right wing pundits and politicians.
In the mens room stall..

Meet Poppy

2008-05-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a new guy in the family.

We went up to meet a lady from a rescue org all the way in Corona on Saturday.
And she brought along a couple doggies that have been living with their foster parents and are up for adoption.
This little one came home with us.

He already thinks he runs the place.
Very confident dog, but also very sweet. He seems to love all other dogs and people.
He and Otis LOVE to play, play, play.

Nala is not to sure of him around here, but so long as she has her bed to lay on, she's fine. She lets them both know when they need to back off..

Here's all three, new guy first:

McCain's pastor buddy Hagee and friends

2008-05-23T11:59:00.001-07:00

Submitted without comment.
Because what else is there to say other than these people are fucking nuts and the media seems to have no problem with these assholes, yet Obama's pastor what's his face is the devil:

Newspapers are stupid.

2008-05-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

But what the fuck are you going to use to wrap up your fish?

Our paper is no exception, yesterday publishing the May 19th "column" by William "The Bloody" Kristol from the New York Times titled "Depite party, McCain still can win".
And by column, I mean the rantings of a lunatic jerking off onto a typewriter.

It's bad enough that the "paper of record" for whom Kristol works can't find the time to fact check his columns.
But it's particularly bad when our local paper publishes said column a day later with the same factual errors.

Kristol proclaims: "I can't find a single recent instance of a candidate who ultimately became his party's nominee losing a primary by this kind of margin" (referring to Obama losing by 41 point in WV).
By the late morning of the 19th when the column was first published, numerous websites had already corrected Kristol:
Romney beat McCain in Utah by 85 points.
Huckabee beat McCain by (put your irony hat on) 41 points in Arkansas. So did Romney in Colorado.

For the life of me, I cannot figure out why the New York Times hired this person to begin with given everything he's been wrong about. Not the least of which, his views of the so-called "war on terror" and the Iraq debacle.
Fine, they hired him.
Why do other papers have to publish his foolishness?

Shouldn't everyone get to be miserable??

2008-05-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

OK, in all seriousness, this was a nice headline to read today:

California's top court overturns gay marriage ban

I'm sure the uber regressives and the religious freaks and bigots will flip out.
But so long as the state is in the business of marriage, gays and lesbians should be allowed to get hitched.
What the fuck do you care?

When I was younger and immature (and probably used even MORE curse words) I used to be bothered by teh gays gettin' married. I also voted for St. Ronnie Raygun, so there is that.
That's another story..

So one day I asked myself, "self, what do you care whether two guys or two girls can get married or do whatever seeing as they are adults?"
And the answer is, I shouldn't give a shit. And I don't.
So get over it. And stop with the crap about what "they do" makes you feel funny in the stomach.
I don't like looking at two guys kissing in public.
But I also don't want to see you and your spouse do it either, so fuck off.
I'd like to see Selma Hayek and Penelope Cruz kiss, though.
That would be hot.

More proof (like we needed it) that BushCheney hates America

2008-05-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

And, not like they care.
This is pretty good, though:

Government asks court to block wider testing for mad cow

"WASHINGTON - The Bush administration on Friday urged a federal appeals court to stop meatpackers from testing all their animals for mad cow disease, but a skeptical judge questioned whether the government has that authority.

"The government seeks to reverse a lower court ruling that allowed Kansas-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef to conduct more comprehensive testing to satisfy demand from overseas customers in Japan and elsewhere."

Consumers, BushCo knows best.
Fucking live with it, motherfuckers.

Art Test. Mission Accomplished Week Version

2008-05-01T12:53:00.001-07:00

I thought I would just try something fun this week.
I already expect tons of other people are going to talk all about Bush and his Mission Accomplished.
At this point, I'm sort of like "what the fuck is the point" on a good number of things. Anyone that still supports the Prez in 2008.. congrats, you're an idiot. I'm not changing anyone's opinion on that sociopath asshole. And with that...

Anyway, so here is the test.
I was up in the Bay Area over the past weekend, and while in San Francisco, I visited the De Young Museum where we saw some lovely art. We also visited my nephew.
My brother and my sister in law, proud parents they are, showed me some wonderful art as well that my nephew had created.

So, you tell me, of the works of art in this post, what is hanging in the De Young, and what is hanging in their house?
You may click on any one of them and it will open in a new window in larger size so you may examine closer. Don't cheat and go to like the De Young site or whatever.

Bill Maher on the Pope.

2008-04-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

So, what exactly is the problem?
Everything he said was 100 percent on the money.

"How does the Catholic Church get away with all their buggery? Volume, volume, volume."

And so it goes:

Hate to see the young ones die.

2008-04-17T12:37:00.002-07:00

I hadn't heard of Sean Costello until recently.
He died this week.
This kid could rock. Man he was awesome.
Check out this video with him on a remake. If you don't like this, something is wrong with you:

Write your Senator and Rep. (though it may do no good)

2008-04-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

I hesitate to even do it, but I suppose NOT doing it is worse?
Does that make sense? Who knows...
But if Americans DON'T show a little outrage at the revelations that have come (holy crap, even from the Main Stream Corporate Media, fer crissakes!!) out about the fascist little cocksucker John Yoo and his "torture memo's", and what could only be called a conspiracy to commit war crimes, then what is there to be outraged about?
We have all known for years that the entire CheneyBush administration is corrupt and full of sociopaths.
I'm not even going to argue with people about all the reasons anymore.
Either you're with me, or you're against me. If you support GWB and his administration and policies, then fuck you. Like I'm going to pretend that I can like someone that thinks it's OK that our country has been ruined by these fucks?? No thanks. Fuck you, again.
You're an idiot.
Or you're benefiting from the largess that is the money laundering from working people to the military-industrial-complex and others.

So, in light of the news about the latest findings about the CheneyBush Administration and the Lawyer John Yoo - and by lawyer I mean filthy sociopath scumbag that shouldn't be teaching at Bob Jones let alone a law school in the University of California system - below is text of a letter that I found within an article on the Smirking Chimp today.
Kind of a good catch all.
Send it on.
If you care..

You're no doubt aware of the ABC News report alleging that current and former senior Bush administration officials were actively involved in dictating specific acts of torture from the White House to be used against various terrorism suspects.
As you know, torture is a violation of domestic and international law.
I strongly urge you to convene hearings and demand the appearance of those officials named in the ABC report—Condoleezza Rice, George Tenet, Porter Goss, Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and John Ashcroft—for the purpose of determining whether they committed war crimes and, in the case of Mr. Cheney and his immediate supervisor, whether their actions constitute impeachable offenses warranting removal from office.
The image presented by top US officials authorizing and managing the torture of US prisoners from the White House is both nauseating and immensely harmful to the interests of our country, and only a prompt and thorough investigation can begin to mitigate the damage. I know that you take your oath of office seriously; if there is ever to be a moment when the Constitution requires your defense, it has arrived.

Sincerely,

Lord only knows if it will do any good with the spineless Congress we have now.
If you do send it, at least you tried! Peace. Have a warm weekend.
Mike

Tell me again why BushCheney should not be impeached

2008-03-30T19:20:00.000-07:00

If you saw the first story on 60 Minutes Sunday night, you probably hate your government just a little bit more.
This segment was about a German citizen that was via bounty sold into our shadow prison system in the "War on Terror".

I suggest you check this out when you get a chance.

In case you're wondering why OTHER people around the world also hate our government just a little bit more every day. And rightly so.

At the top of the heap you have BushCheney the fucking war criminals.
Add to that years of a rethuglican congress continually sucking them off, and now a spineless democratic congress doing nothing about the criminals.

This is not my country when citizens of other countries can be rounded up and thrown away for years with no charges and with no evidence of any wrongdoing.

What I want to know is where the hell is the oversight?
Where the hell is the outrage and the investigations in Congress over these things?
Do we have a Constitution and do we abide by the treaties that our country have signed or not??