Actually took an hour out of my life to listen to the Pres give his State of the Union speech.
Much applause and cheering by his slobbering sycophants in congress—these guys cheering his pledge to veto overly-earmarked bills even tho they are responsible for much of that. And of course when the Re-pubic-ans were in charge he signed earmarked bills without complaint.
It was amusing in a sardonic sort of way to hear him saying "We have to trust the American People…" to take care of their own money, buy their own health care, etc. This word "trust" coming from a guy who started a war with a fairy tale, and ignored the Constitution and International agreements in the treatment of prisoners and spying on Americans.
Don't forget folks, your librarian knows what you read and if the Feds ask, S/he has to tell.
Sure George, you trust us.
I've had enough. it's bedtime.
Monday, January 28, 2008
OOPs!
Your curmudgeon has been a little absent lately because of a slip on the ice. A little bounce off my head led to a brief hospital stay. Due to being cut off from civilization, as it were, (and boy was it nice) and due to a supply of percocet (and boy is it nice) I've missed out on a few worldly developments.
Dennis Kucinich, my favorite presidential candidate, dropped out, before I got to hear anymore about his UFO sighting, and his meditation retreat in the mountains of Colorado.
He would have brought the hottest first lady ever to the White house. He's a symbol of hope to short, homely men everywhere.
Billary got her shorts frosted in South Carolina by the Obamarama movement.
Etcetery.
Dennis Kucinich, my favorite presidential candidate, dropped out, before I got to hear anymore about his UFO sighting, and his meditation retreat in the mountains of Colorado.
He would have brought the hottest first lady ever to the White house. He's a symbol of hope to short, homely men everywhere.
Billary got her shorts frosted in South Carolina by the Obamarama movement.
Etcetery.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
yesterdays news
From the Washington Post:
News Alert 2:39 p.m. ET Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Thompson Drops Presidential Bid
After string of poor finishes in early primary and caucus states, former Tenn. senator quits race.
zzzzzzz, Huh, whazzat? somebody say something? Lemme sleep. zzzzzzzz
News Alert 2:39 p.m. ET Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Thompson Drops Presidential Bid
After string of poor finishes in early primary and caucus states, former Tenn. senator quits race.
zzzzzzz, Huh, whazzat? somebody say something? Lemme sleep. zzzzzzzz
Friday, January 18, 2008
Musings on a Friday night
An NPR article on S. Carolina talked about the dirty tricks played in GOP primaries there. It's so sleazy, and no one seems to be embarrassed by it. I suppose they excuse it with "Well, the founding fathers did it," which is true. The founding fathers didn't bathe a whole lot either, so should we emulate that?
One of the reasons this trickery goes on in S. Carolina is that after Iowa and N. Hampshire it can be a make or break state for GOOP, I mean, GOP, candidates. One Rod Shealy of S. Carolina said in the NPR article, seemingly with some pride, that political operatives like him were all protoges of Lee Atwood, the "great" GOP hatchetman. Mr. Atwater built a career out of destroying, or attempting to destroy, candidates' reputations.
These new wingnut weasels who are so happy with their work seem to have ignored Atwater's last days, when dying from a brain tumor at the age of forty, he repented of his former evil ways and sent letters of apology to those he had maligned.
A quote from the man in the February 1991 Life Magazine issue: "What power wouldn't I trade for a little more time with my family? What price wouldn't I pay for an evening with friends? It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in its ruthless ambitions and moral decay, can learn on my dime. I don't know who will lead us through the '90s, but they must be made to speak to this spiritual vacuum at the heart of American society, this tumor of the soul."
You'd think that there would be an object lesson here for those who would follow his path, but that would assume they cared something for integrity as opposed to lust for power and influence.
I propose a solution: Pass a federal law that S. Carolina must be the absolute last state to hold a primary for the next ten years or more. Deprive the snakes of their source of sustenance.
(http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18227997)
Speaking of GOP primaries and candidates, how come every time I see Mitt Romney I think of that line from "Hannah and her Sisters" where Maureen O'Sullivan playing Norma, Hannah's mother, complains about her husband—"This…this haircut that passes for a man"
One of the reasons this trickery goes on in S. Carolina is that after Iowa and N. Hampshire it can be a make or break state for GOOP, I mean, GOP, candidates. One Rod Shealy of S. Carolina said in the NPR article, seemingly with some pride, that political operatives like him were all protoges of Lee Atwood, the "great" GOP hatchetman. Mr. Atwater built a career out of destroying, or attempting to destroy, candidates' reputations.
These new wingnut weasels who are so happy with their work seem to have ignored Atwater's last days, when dying from a brain tumor at the age of forty, he repented of his former evil ways and sent letters of apology to those he had maligned.
A quote from the man in the February 1991 Life Magazine issue: "What power wouldn't I trade for a little more time with my family? What price wouldn't I pay for an evening with friends? It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in its ruthless ambitions and moral decay, can learn on my dime. I don't know who will lead us through the '90s, but they must be made to speak to this spiritual vacuum at the heart of American society, this tumor of the soul."
You'd think that there would be an object lesson here for those who would follow his path, but that would assume they cared something for integrity as opposed to lust for power and influence.
I propose a solution: Pass a federal law that S. Carolina must be the absolute last state to hold a primary for the next ten years or more. Deprive the snakes of their source of sustenance.
(http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18227997)
Speaking of GOP primaries and candidates, how come every time I see Mitt Romney I think of that line from "Hannah and her Sisters" where Maureen O'Sullivan playing Norma, Hannah's mother, complains about her husband—"This…this haircut that passes for a man"
Monday, January 14, 2008
Answers
Dogboy wrote: Can you write my sister and explain the whole religion thing to her?
No, I don't have time for useless arguments. However, if I find a secularist who really likes to get it on, I'll refer her/him to your sister.
Jayna wrote: 1) what is this thing called "spirituality"?
Depending on your viewpoint it's:
A. A way to become one with the Divine
B. Indigestion
No, I don't have time for useless arguments. However, if I find a secularist who really likes to get it on, I'll refer her/him to your sister.
Jayna wrote: 1) what is this thing called "spirituality"?
Depending on your viewpoint it's:
A. A way to become one with the Divine
B. Indigestion
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Error? So what?
Someone pointed out to me that I misspelled Mr. Huckabee's name in my last post. Getting carried away with the "Huckleberry" name I called him Hucklebee. I kind of like that better, but since I gave him a new first name I will respect the last name in the future.
It's just that he's so nice, Hucklebee seems like a more likely fit.
On "Wait, wait, don't tell me" today, Paul Begala, political commentator, commented, (This as part of an explanation why he thinks Mitt Romney is a phony—but we in Massachusetts knew that already)."I respect the man, (Huckleberry) even tho I disagree with his beliefs—he doesn't believe in evolution, gravity, or photosynthesis…"
That about sums it up. Huckleberry's whole platform is basically that he believes the Bible is literal truth. Foreign policy, a sensible tax policy? Fageddaboudit.
Sigh. It just seems pointless to point out to people who believe in scripture's literal truth the contradictions, the impossibilities etc. "With God, all things are possible." Hmm, who was it said "Even God can't win a game of straight poker with five aces." Alan Watts or Richard Feynman? Or someone else.
It's our (i.e. the Hebrews, but we adopted it) creation story. The Navaho have one, the Hindus have one, the aborigines of Australia have one. Everybody has one and they are all different, but you know that already. The Huckleberry doesn't. And if he does, he knows they are WRONG.
There's a lot of good stuff in the Bible. Some of it does represent actual history (but not the story of Noah—no T.Rex's on the ark). And the fact that whatever you read can have different interpretations only adds to the value. The point is to use it to expand your mind (think of it as a Hebrew version of LSD) and see things in a new, hopefully better, way and adjust your thinking about the world you see around you. It takes work.
Those who latch on to a literal reading are only showing themselves to be the fearful, insecure people they really are. They DON'T REALLY believe, they are just afraid of being wrong, they are afraid of going to hell, they need the security. They are also taking the easy way out.
C'mon, what kind of a god assigns people to hell even if they are good people, just because they don't believe in a certain kind of doctrine? A righteous God would only send to hell those who disagree with ME.
This is kindergarten stuff, but megachurches are full of people who believe in literal truth.
Whether you are a literalist or a metaphorical interpreter of our religious writings and practices, consider this: Following the guidelines and becoming a good, generous, considerate and compassionate human being doesn't make you spiritual. It may make you a benefit to your community and a great person to know, but that stuff is there only to get you to the point where real spirituality can set in. It's like sanding and cleaning the siding before painting it. Before the good stuff there has to be preparation.
That's all for now.
It's just that he's so nice, Hucklebee seems like a more likely fit.
On "Wait, wait, don't tell me" today, Paul Begala, political commentator, commented, (This as part of an explanation why he thinks Mitt Romney is a phony—but we in Massachusetts knew that already)."I respect the man, (Huckleberry) even tho I disagree with his beliefs—he doesn't believe in evolution, gravity, or photosynthesis…"
That about sums it up. Huckleberry's whole platform is basically that he believes the Bible is literal truth. Foreign policy, a sensible tax policy? Fageddaboudit.
Sigh. It just seems pointless to point out to people who believe in scripture's literal truth the contradictions, the impossibilities etc. "With God, all things are possible." Hmm, who was it said "Even God can't win a game of straight poker with five aces." Alan Watts or Richard Feynman? Or someone else.
It's our (i.e. the Hebrews, but we adopted it) creation story. The Navaho have one, the Hindus have one, the aborigines of Australia have one. Everybody has one and they are all different, but you know that already. The Huckleberry doesn't. And if he does, he knows they are WRONG.
There's a lot of good stuff in the Bible. Some of it does represent actual history (but not the story of Noah—no T.Rex's on the ark). And the fact that whatever you read can have different interpretations only adds to the value. The point is to use it to expand your mind (think of it as a Hebrew version of LSD) and see things in a new, hopefully better, way and adjust your thinking about the world you see around you. It takes work.
Those who latch on to a literal reading are only showing themselves to be the fearful, insecure people they really are. They DON'T REALLY believe, they are just afraid of being wrong, they are afraid of going to hell, they need the security. They are also taking the easy way out.
C'mon, what kind of a god assigns people to hell even if they are good people, just because they don't believe in a certain kind of doctrine? A righteous God would only send to hell those who disagree with ME.
This is kindergarten stuff, but megachurches are full of people who believe in literal truth.
Whether you are a literalist or a metaphorical interpreter of our religious writings and practices, consider this: Following the guidelines and becoming a good, generous, considerate and compassionate human being doesn't make you spiritual. It may make you a benefit to your community and a great person to know, but that stuff is there only to get you to the point where real spirituality can set in. It's like sanding and cleaning the siding before painting it. Before the good stuff there has to be preparation.
That's all for now.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
More (God help us) Politics
New Hampshire is over and now they're talking on the news about South Carolina and Nevada.
I was there once, Nevada. Saw Las Vegas and a ghost town. About sums it up as far as I am concerned.
Outside of Las Vegas and Reno there's what? A couple hermetic obsessives and a few communities of renegade Mormons and survivalist gun collectors, maybe.
I heard on NPR this AM that Steven Colbert had Huckleberry Hucklebee on his program and agreed (enthusiastically) to be his vice president. Colbert could bring new meaning to that title.
And a correspondent informs me that Obama was doing some kind of dance on Ellen Degeneres. This is only what I heard, didn't see it myself (don't think I want to) .
And so the madness really begins. This contest on the Democratic side will bounce back and forth between the Billary campaign and the Obamarama until we are sick enough to just want SOMEONE to win and be done with it.
Me, I'm praying for an alien abduction.
Having my privates probed by curious lizard-people has got to be better than eight more months of this.
Hell, it would even be more action than I've seen lately.
And Hucklebee—don't get me started. Can you imagine a President Hucklebee? Can you imagine him calling up Ahmadinejad in Iran? "Hey, Mr. Ahmad, cut it out with that nuclear stuff or you'll have to answer to me, President Hucklebee."
Rrriight.
That'll put the fear of Allah into him.
It's getting late, and I'm going to bed. Losing too much sleep lately, blogging.
Curse you Dogboy, for getting me started on this!
I was there once, Nevada. Saw Las Vegas and a ghost town. About sums it up as far as I am concerned.
Outside of Las Vegas and Reno there's what? A couple hermetic obsessives and a few communities of renegade Mormons and survivalist gun collectors, maybe.
I heard on NPR this AM that Steven Colbert had Huckleberry Hucklebee on his program and agreed (enthusiastically) to be his vice president. Colbert could bring new meaning to that title.
And a correspondent informs me that Obama was doing some kind of dance on Ellen Degeneres. This is only what I heard, didn't see it myself (don't think I want to) .
And so the madness really begins. This contest on the Democratic side will bounce back and forth between the Billary campaign and the Obamarama until we are sick enough to just want SOMEONE to win and be done with it.
Me, I'm praying for an alien abduction.
Having my privates probed by curious lizard-people has got to be better than eight more months of this.
Hell, it would even be more action than I've seen lately.
And Hucklebee—don't get me started. Can you imagine a President Hucklebee? Can you imagine him calling up Ahmadinejad in Iran? "Hey, Mr. Ahmad, cut it out with that nuclear stuff or you'll have to answer to me, President Hucklebee."
Rrriight.
That'll put the fear of Allah into him.
It's getting late, and I'm going to bed. Losing too much sleep lately, blogging.
Curse you Dogboy, for getting me started on this!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
New Hampshire redux
Well, at least something exciting happened last night. The Obamarama win in Iowa (Iowa, fer chrissakes) inspired Billary to come out in force and show her stuff. The ayuppers of New Hampshire gave her a boost. She may end up really deserving a nomination. Either Obama, the black Muslim, or Hillary the white woman Christian, is okay with me at this point. That may change. Not that you care, or should.
Now Obama has to do some serious politiking to show he has the stuff to be Pres. This is good all around. Make it a real horse race. Make'em work. I think the winner on the Democratic side will have to face McCain—you heard it here first— (c'mon, even Repubicans can't be stupid enough to nominate any of those other losers—I admit I may be wrong here). And that will take some work. He's no slouch, and he's one of the few Repubicans I can respect (Mitt Romney?—c'mon, he was gov. here in Mass. and didn't say boo about any objection to homosexuality or any of those other good old eastern liberal sinner proclivities). Hey, a few years of loving care at the Hanoi Hilton and McCain can still function? Give the man some credit.
Still, he is getting on in years. We already had one Alzheimer's President, don't need another, but the Repubican faithful will latch on to him, anyone, to defeat the Bitch Goddess Billary (Tom Toles has a good cartoon showing what it's like for women in politics http://www.uclick.com/client/nyt/tt/).
So it's a horse race between her and him—you know who I mean. I just hope they don't cripple each other so much that they damage a chance for a Democratic President. We need one, I think there are a few of those Supreme Court Justices looking at retirement. Too bad Scalia and Thomas aren't among them. What a pair of wingnuts (at least Scalia has a sense of humor).
But I'm getting off topic again. Time for bed.
Now Obama has to do some serious politiking to show he has the stuff to be Pres. This is good all around. Make it a real horse race. Make'em work. I think the winner on the Democratic side will have to face McCain—you heard it here first— (c'mon, even Repubicans can't be stupid enough to nominate any of those other losers—I admit I may be wrong here). And that will take some work. He's no slouch, and he's one of the few Repubicans I can respect (Mitt Romney?—c'mon, he was gov. here in Mass. and didn't say boo about any objection to homosexuality or any of those other good old eastern liberal sinner proclivities). Hey, a few years of loving care at the Hanoi Hilton and McCain can still function? Give the man some credit.
Still, he is getting on in years. We already had one Alzheimer's President, don't need another, but the Repubican faithful will latch on to him, anyone, to defeat the Bitch Goddess Billary (Tom Toles has a good cartoon showing what it's like for women in politics http://www.uclick.com/client/nyt/tt/).
So it's a horse race between her and him—you know who I mean. I just hope they don't cripple each other so much that they damage a chance for a Democratic President. We need one, I think there are a few of those Supreme Court Justices looking at retirement. Too bad Scalia and Thomas aren't among them. What a pair of wingnuts (at least Scalia has a sense of humor).
But I'm getting off topic again. Time for bed.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
New Hampshire
Well I see that Billary is running a little ahead of the Obamarama.
Meanwhile the Great Jesus Hope, Huckleberry Huckabee, is coming in third on the repubican side (that's a deliberate misspelling, so I don't want to get a slew of emails from my vast readership. All three of you). And McCain leads. Hell that guy is older than me.
I love it that Wonkette calls Rudy G., Rudy 9IU11ANI
Actually I like Hillary. It's not the experience that she brags about so much as it is her experience of getting in there and working with the Washington sleaze. I like a little oil on my politicians. I mean, as much as I like Obama, I wonder just who he is going to have for advisors. And he'll need some experienced ones if he's going to get in there and slide around on that greasy floor of Washington politics.
I still can't figure out why that bunch of farmers, cranks, hermits, yuppie refugees and malcontents up north of us is so important to the nominating process. Maybe we should just let New Hampshire choose the president. Think of the trouble it would save.
This whole process is annoying. It's already been going on too long. All these stupid states trying to be first to express their opinions. Why don't they all agree to have their primaries in June? It would spare us all listening to a lot of gas. And save wear and tear on the candidates.
Meanwhile the jazz programming on WFCR has been preempted. This does not please the curmudgeon.
I'm going to bed.
Meanwhile the Great Jesus Hope, Huckleberry Huckabee, is coming in third on the repubican side (that's a deliberate misspelling, so I don't want to get a slew of emails from my vast readership. All three of you). And McCain leads. Hell that guy is older than me.
I love it that Wonkette calls Rudy G., Rudy 9IU11ANI
Actually I like Hillary. It's not the experience that she brags about so much as it is her experience of getting in there and working with the Washington sleaze. I like a little oil on my politicians. I mean, as much as I like Obama, I wonder just who he is going to have for advisors. And he'll need some experienced ones if he's going to get in there and slide around on that greasy floor of Washington politics.
I still can't figure out why that bunch of farmers, cranks, hermits, yuppie refugees and malcontents up north of us is so important to the nominating process. Maybe we should just let New Hampshire choose the president. Think of the trouble it would save.
This whole process is annoying. It's already been going on too long. All these stupid states trying to be first to express their opinions. Why don't they all agree to have their primaries in June? It would spare us all listening to a lot of gas. And save wear and tear on the candidates.
Meanwhile the jazz programming on WFCR has been preempted. This does not please the curmudgeon.
I'm going to bed.
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