America Stays "Competitive"...

...AND WHAT THIS BILL WON'T TEACH YOU

So follow along: I'm gonna show you, step by step, how to read between the lines of modern political bullshiting. I'm into PR and marketing; I know what I'm talking about here.

Step one: don't skim. Never. Read every sentence. Read it twice. The Truth is in there, and it hurts. (The other steps aren't numbered just follow...)

I admit I don't check my general email in-bin as well as I used to. It gets far too many emails (most political not strictly spam, though I include several politicians in that category), and the people I NEED to talk to have their own filters.

But during cleanup today, this subject completely caught my eye, like a giant gnat dive-bombing and sticking to my cornea:

"Keeping America Competitive"

You KNOW when you read something like that, you're gonna read some real entertaining (if it weren't reality) 1984-style word-spinning (just trust me--this gift for BS ID will come naturally to you later). And it didn't disappoint. I got so dizzy, I nearly threw up:

A few weeks ago the Senate passed the America Competes Act -- legislation I helped write to ensure our country remains competitive in the global marketplace for decades to come.

The bill was a result of two years of bipartisan cooperation, and I was proud to be a part of the process -- it's the way lawmaking is supposed to work. The final bill passed the Senate by a vote of 88-8.

Uh, how about just kill NAFTA already? It took y'all two years to figure out how to fuck up our nation's economy more than it is? Oh, and NEVER trust a person using the word "bipartisan". I mean NEVER. Especially when the next word is "cooperation". Why don't you just say "turnkey solution" so I can post you on my PR Wall of Shame, already, for bad-marketer horse-beaten word-spinning. The two words together are MEANINGLESS.

And thanks for ensuring me there's little I can do, by adding "for decades to come".

I'm being surly; don't listen to them. There is no such thing as a bill that can't be repealed. Don't forget it.

And please don't miss how much self-back-slapping happened in just two, short paragraphs. Like him, already?

The America Competes Act addresses a very serious problem: the fact that we are losing our technological superiority to nations such as China and India.

Uh, NAFTA? Remember that little thing the "bipartisans" passed that killed all our manufacturing jobs, but no one paid attention until it hit the tech sector? And by that time, those five little letters were forgotten.

And making burgers at McDonald's are still not manufacturing jobs, no matter what my dear Brother says. Sorry.

The reasons are twofold. Right now we’re investing too little in the basic science that yields technological discoveries, and we’re not preparing the next generation of scientists, mathematicians and engineers to carry out future research endeavors.

OH! That's the issue! It isn't that you SOLD US OUT for cheap labor.

And what's missing here, as usual?

ART.

I don't agree with Tolstoy. Neither did most other famous philosophers. This is a real sticky point for me, and not because I'm an artist.

As I'm also both a gifted mathematician and scientist. I scored perfect in math in all testing in college, and follow the movie Pi in nearly real-time (I'm not THAT fast). My husband regularly credits me for being my own best researcher and scientist when anything goes wrong.

No, that isn't weird; ALL THREE COME FROM THE SAME PART OF THE BRAIN. If you can do one, you can probably do all three.

So why leave out art? Why has it's funding become NIL over time in America?

Artists make shitty robots. THEY WANT ROBOTS. They want you to build better weapons and better technology to help their cronies make more money, not you. And they don't want you to ask questions; just take your check home and shut up. It ain't about bettering the world. WAKE UP. And by that I don't mean go get more espresso.

Even if you don't think yourself an "artist", art teaches several dangerous (to their goals) things anyone can use, including:

1. Critical thought.
2. Creative problem-solving.
3. "Outside the box" thinking, where a real solution (but not the one they're trying to craft) usually lies.
4. Being able to see the trees and the forest, so to speak, at once.
5. Spiritual/material balance.
6. A sense of self.

Heaven forbid we have a country of people working on technologies that can also independently THINK. No way. So no funding.

Fortunately, the America Competes Act addresses both of those problems, ensuring that we retain our position as the most innovative country in the world.

Whew! And I was worried about the war, jobs and healthcare. Silly me.

First, the America Competes Act ramps up the quality of K-12 instruction by focusing on teachers at every level of their careers. [editor note: OH SHIT! You POOR teachers!] For example, it provides incentives for colleges and universities to ensure teachers-in-training better develop their skills in math and science. It also provides opportunities for teachers already in the classroom to strengthen their math and science skills by, among other things, training at the National Science Foundation and at our national laboratories.

WHAAAAAAT?!?!?! Okay, if you don't smell "how to build a better A-bomb" by now, get your nostrils out of your gas tank. Why in the WORLD would I trust a national Institute (capitolized on purpose, and so is that spelling error) to train anyone?!

America Competes also encourages students to pursue studies in math, science or engineering, both at the K-12 and postsecondary levels. It increases opportunities for students to take Advanced Placement courses in math and science and participate in internship programs at the national labs. America Competes also provides an array of scholarships and fellowships for students to pursue postsecondary degrees in math, science, or engineering.

Oops! Left out, "Cuz we're already behind on fulfilling the ROI to our cronies at Haliburton and Lockheed Martin, so we need to fast-track these kiddies before they're old enough to think and evaluate their life decisions properly..." Get 'em while they're young, I like to say. Good thinking, but you forgot to mention it. The rest of the kiddies can make their McDonald's burgers so you can use the "technology" to make better diabetic drugs to sell them.

Kids, hold out for a better deal. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. No, it really is. A pink-and-blue-haired bitch wouldn't lie to you on that one.

The bill also renews our investment in basic science research. It would double the authorized funding levels for the National Science Foundation over five years and set the Department of Energy's Office of Science on a path to double over 10 years. The National Science Foundation and DOE together have given us some of the most important scientific discoveries in the past few decades. Work carried out under the Office of Science is developing a new artificial retina that gives blind persons the ability to make out shapes. [always put the human interest bit first.] Other research is helping to understand the basic behavior of the polar ice cap and the effects of global warming.

What's to UNDERSTAND? I actually don't think it takes a rocket scientist to know, but for some reason we remain the only country in the world that doesn't think global warming is happening? If rolling blackouts were real (they aren't), may they take out your air conditioning, you seedless cucumber. Oh sorry, that's Monsanto.

Ask New Orleans what the effects are.

The idea behind the America Competes Act is to guarantee that the best paying jobs of the future would be developed right here in our own country. But it has the added bonus of helping us tackle some of our most pressing concerns, such as our strong desire to become more energy independent.

Oh boy, this is gonna be good... never trust the phrase "energy independent" without checking their voting record at VoteSmart.org.

Already, Sandia and Los Alamos national labs are doing extremely valuable research in the area of clean and efficient energy technology...

Sorry to break this paragraph, but also never, NEVER trust "clean and efficient energy". It's gonna be followed by coal or nuclear, not anything already known to be "clean" nor "efficent". Their cronies ain't building solar panels nor windmills.

They can't even leave the REAL "clean and efficient" alone. You know ethanol (corn--pushed thanks to ADM) is produced by coal plants that pollute like mad, right?

...Scientists at Sandia are working on research to replace the light bulb with highly efficient light emitting diodes. And at Los Alamos, engineers are working on technology that will allow us to burn coal [HA! Told you!] without releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. America Competes will make an even greater investment in our labs, tapping them for even more energy-related research.

In the coming months, I will be working with the House of Representatives to finalize America Competes and get it to President Bush's desk for signature. [that should be easy it's bullshit] It's one of the most important pieces of legislation we can enact for our nation’s future.

What is America competing for? Friendliest Fascism in the World?

Not of This World

Now, I neither believe, nor disbelieve.

But I have firm reasons, which I either will or will not get into here, to think certain public officials are not human.

Not at all.

You've seen "They Live", right? If not, rent it. It's real good for at least reference sake, including Consolidated's "Friendly Fa$cism" repeatedly samples it:

Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen
to the end of the twentieth century
and the arrival of friendly fascism.
Regrettably, millions will die as before.
But just think of the tremendous selection and savings you'll gain.
Of course the loss of freedom and democracy are tragedies, I know,
but consider the entertainment value contained within
and to remind you,
it is you, the people, who have mandated this course of our fate
so please come with me...

SO I honestly think some of these people ARE NOT HUMAN. They include, but are not limited to:

1. CONGRESSMAN LLYOD DOGGETT (and his whole family). For some reason, on our side, but not of this origin. They make me feel funny. Funny, funny. And I've touched them. And their heads are too big. They just have this presence...

2. VP DICK CHENEY (but unfortunately, not Bush: he's human). Definitely one of the "others", and I wouldn't be surprised if a forked tongue came out of his mouth or his skin "randomly" turned blue-black else sprung scales outta "nowhere" at some point. Not at all.

3. THE POPE. I have no other idea how a body of people supposedly for the Good could be so Evil.

4. SENATOR KAY BAILEY-HUTCHINSON. The only way a woman could be so cold, without being a closet lesbian. If you're just a lesbian, come out already, will you? We'll still hate you, we swear, but on more honest grounds.

5. EVERY SCIENTIST THAT SAYS GLOBAL WARMING ISN'T HAPPENING. Absolute conspiracy. You're trying to kill us. It ain't funny.

Abbott's a Cabbit

I've actually seen a cabbit. It's a freakish cross-bred cat and rabbit; mainly it looks, talks, and kills like a cat, but has long hind hare legs, no tail for balance, and has to constantly hop to get around. You kinda feel sorry for it when you look at it and want to take it in as a pet; but your heart still sinks to the pit of your stomach, because it simply shouldn't exist.

I wouldn't call it cute. It's a freak of nature, created by warped human beings. Kinda like an Abbott.

While I know you all know I worked on the campaign of his competitor for the AG seat David Van Os, it never ceases to amaze me what comes directly out of the horse's mouth--or that of his penmates--spun as "cute" when it's just so freaky my jaw hits the ground.

In an American Statesman article Abbott on hot seat in '07 legislative session, one such penmate actually praises him for being a career politician:

Dallas lawyer Deborah Hankinson served on the Texas Supreme Court with Abbott, who was appointed to the court by Gov. George W. Bush in 1995.

"I didn't like raising money," she said. "He likes doing that. He enjoys the strategizing, the campaigning, the fundraising. . . . every aspect. Greg enjoyed every day, whether he was going to be out doing politics or he was going to be working at the court."

Abbott likes raising money? No news flash here; just ask Bob Perry, who's contributed insane amounts of bribe money to continue protection from home buyers complaining of his real estate empire's shoddy and overpriced work. $520,265 last election cycle, to be exact (Statesman).

The audacity that he is praised and proud of being a "career politician"--that is, doing whatever it takes to move up the ranks and pocket even more money--rather than serve the people in this state, is enough to make my teeth gnash.

Cuz LOOK OUT! The dude who does nothing but sit collecting cash wants to be Governor. Or Lt. Governor, whichever the Republican party will let him have without a fight. Which also shows where his priorities are: and it isn't you.

But not two paragraphs later--man, if it doesn't drop you may have lockjaw:

Abbott also enthralls Christian conservatives, Masset suggested. His office defeated a lawsuit that challenged the legality of keeping a monument listing the Ten Commandments on the Capitol grounds. In June, Abbott talked up his defense of the law.

"It doesn't matter what the Clintons and Kennedys do on the East Coast; it doesn't matter what the liberals do on the Left Coast," Abbott told delegates to the Republican state convention. "On the Gulf Coast, our children proudly say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning, the Ten Commandments still stand on the Texas Capitol grounds, and marriage will always be between one man and one woman."

Like he actually SAID that?! And I wonder which children he's referring to? Certainly not those of Hispanics, with a one-in-two dropout rate from Texas high schools, not to mention we're now number one in general, with just over one in ten dropping out before graduation.

And last I noted, the Hispanics tend to be pretty Christian, so why aren't they a priority, Greggy?

Even more gag-reflex caused by same article (I just can't believe they print this and no one seems to notice):

Though Abbott is constrained by the law and his duties as the state's chief civil lawyer, how his advice affects legislative issues could figure in any run he makes for higher office...

So he's making all decisions based on whether it'll look good for his next bid, not whether or not it actually serves the public for the job he's currently "elected" for?! BUNK!!!

...Abbott boasts two advantages on any legislator considering a run against him: no voting record on legislation subject to nitpicking and a hefty warchest. He started this year with nearly $6 million in campaign cash, more than any other state officeholder...

Oh, like that's a good thing? No accountability? First thing I ever do picking someone to back is CHECK VOTING RECORD; this is the whole reason he's gone AG not House nor Senate... get it? Career politician to the core. The cash he pocket's nearly a given, so I don't think I need to elaborate.

...Asked about plans for his campaign kitty, Abbott hearkened the freak accident that left him partially paralyzed in 1984. He was jogging in Houston when a tree fell on him.

"We'll wait and see," Abbott said. "I don't know if, by the next election cycle, a tree is going to fall on me..."

Whaaaaaaa. I'll cut that oak down myself if I have to, and I'm a tree-hugger: HYPOCRITE!

This is the same man that took $10 million--tax free--for said tree, then helped to pass "reform" restricting anyone else this exact scenario happens to from collecting more than $250,000. Which is SPIT MONEY when for the rest of your life, you can't walk. I'm not even sure that pays for the wheelchair, in today's messed up for-profit "healthcare" system.

It won't be a tree this time, Greggy. It'll be a meteor with the names of the Alamo fallen carved into the side of it.

Can it get any worse? Or any better?

Phonelines tapped by Bush, Inc. Opt-ins sold to opt-outs. Cameras at every intersection and in most establishments I don't patronize.

Like for instance, after my husband was fired (and with no proof of anything nor warnings preceding it) he took the same job at the same money he'd spent six years working towards, for a competitor.

This is just a grocery store, y'all. Keep that in mind.

He had to go through three interviews, a background check, a drug test, and several morning brainwashing sessions to get it in the first place.

If you didn't keep it mind, this isn't the FBI nor an airline pilot position; this is a grocery store.

They then made him buy his own uniform he looks crappier in than if he wore his own clothing (Joe's a damn fine dresser, I admit). He has to use his fingerprint to clock in and out, and is on camera 24/7 while in the store because they believe their own employees to do nothing but steal from them. Maybe if they actually offered even a 10% discount to their own employees, that wouldn't happen at all, hmmm?

No benefits. Just bullshit, and shut up or get fired. He was dragged nearly by ear to the front of the store (he's an intelligent and sentient being, mind you) for not "fronting" some stupid plastic containers, instead busy trying to get a palette blocking a whole damn isle (anyone with half a brain would make this a priority call) off of the store floor.

Needless to say, if he comes home (working right now) saying he's quit or fired, I'm not surprised, and stand by him. It's just a GROCERY STORE what's your paranoid delusion?!

...Okay, an aside. Maybe you don't get this cuz you've got "911 Disease". If you can, remember September 10 instead. If you weren't born yet, or are too young to remember, I swear this isn't the USA, the land of the free and the brave, that I remember at all. This is a warped, malfunctioning, Stepford Wife version of it. There is nothing to fear except what they spoonfeed you into believing at all. We used to EXERCISE our rights, not PRETEND that we have them while staying silent under 'unknown penalties'...

How did he get here? FIRED BY WHEATSVILLE MANAGEMENT. Why? FOR STANDING UP TO HIS FELLOW WORKER'S RIGHTS.

You can't touch me Management. You have no recourse here. You're doomed.

Management of your beloved Austin food co-operative Wheatsville, is nothing but a punk-ass corporate ass-kissing piece of shit. Let me explain that further, as I fucking mean every damn swear word in there.

Know why you couldn't get the food you wanted during the ice storm? How about Management's turned everything (this is a CO-OP mind you) over to a single vendor in Denver, that was SNOWED IN. If it was still coming from multiple local sources (part of the mission statement originally but I haven't yet read the charter re-write: you realize it's being rewritten, right? And not to include your input as member anymore, unless you're already on the "A" list that doesn't rock the boat), Texas would have had food.

With over 20,000 Texas family farms still working (but not a part of "The Co-op Advantage", dumbest thing I've ever heard and nothing but a marketing slogan for a single distributor from Denver, not here--don't be fooled there's no "advantage" it's a marketing slogan), this is deemed "not profitable". Starvation is better? When food's a mile and a half away?

FIRE THE JERK. You got a Wheatsville card in hand, you can do it. Move for a "no confidence" petition. If board won't listen, move they be removed too, while you still can.

Want a few notes about your beloved staff?

I was angry with Management at least four years ago, for firing a woman crying in their "open-door" office about being sexually harrassed.

Just this week, an employee was fired for standing up for another employee just fired, and off the clock when they argued their position. In fact, shopping the store as a customer.

Nearly no one but the lapdogs to Management working more than two years still exist. This is a rampant squash-the-workers-who-speak-up/ long-term-workers-quitting-in-disgust situation. That amounts to 25% of staff in general, and damn near 90% of those with more than two years of service (less than a dozen), lapdogs excluded.

One of which I could bitch-slap, but another story.

My cigarette production shipped to China. My state lottery threatening to now benefit a private company not the schools. My every friend fired for simple "disagreements" with Management (first to go, and after 10 years of service, for saying 'shut up' to inappropriate butt-fuck jokes by another department manager [who's a closet gay, I swear; making it even less stomachable] about one of his direct employees).

Wanna make a snarko happy again? MOVE FOR NO CONFIDENCE. Management deserves it, no question.

Can it get any worse? Really, until Bush and the illegal war are gone, all I want is the right to buy real food from real people. You're not real, Management. You're as plastic as it gets.

Greenling Organic Food Delivery is the Best Online-Based Service Since Kozmo

aaaaaaaaaaaaah.

Just like that. Because the old-school dotcommers (the ones that actually created websites that did something you WANTED, and kept it simple--unlike the new-wave that were just business people and didn't even GET the internet) are being reborn!

Once upon a time, whilst I was living in San Francisco, there existed this online-based company that actually provided a real service I wanted and would gladly pay money for. Actually there was another--my online-only bank that got bought out and quickly ruined--that I also still lament.

I forget the name of the bank, even though I raved about them in my Maximum PC column when I'd compared online bank services and websites; it was henceforth my bank, and I continued to rave about them to everyone I knew. It was a shining star in a sea of "just another bank"s. Best thing since the free toaster, for those that remember when banks used to give incentives--rather than penalties--for opening an account.

They were physically located in Georgia somewhere, which made transactions done by ATM or credit card real slow in California (phoneline distance thingie). But they actually gave 6% interest on checking... can you believe that cake?! Icing: the online interface itself had every feature you could imagine to make managing your finances easier, and genuinely user-friendly. Like you could direct-deposit your checks, have THE BANK receive your bills, and automatically pay them for you on specific dates, unless they were over an amount you specified, in which case you'd get an email alert marked "urgent", but it really was.

Yes, I wanna review a $600 electric bill before it's paid! And so user-friendly, you could set this up this complicated array of "what ifs" in minutes.

Capitol One put an end to it. Day one, while my account was still valid as a previous customer, my return was now 1.5%, most features I enjoyed were cut or harder to do in a few minutes, and the interface was so java/ advertisement-heavy, it regularly crashed my computer. Nice "improvements", guys. I mean, you wanna quickly check your account balance, that's all you wanna do. K.I.S.S.

Kozmo. God and goddess I loved my Kozmo.com.

Imagine: it's a cold and rainy night. You feel kinda sick, low energy, and all you wanna do is watch a dumn feel-good movie, but you don't want to get in the car, either, and head over to the video store.

Tada! Kozmo. Go to the website which has realtime availability of your chosen DVD or VHS, and it's delivered to your door in one hour. Delivered in plain brown paper bags; the driver didn't know what you chose at all (great for porn fans). You can return it in any number of dropboxes found in convenient locations throughout the city. Or at least could. ACLU put an end to that; I'm a member, but this one pissed me off as the issue wasn't racial profiling at all.

Those were the 90s. 2007: enter Greenling.

I'm one of those people that votes with their dollar since money is all politics/ corporations (same thing) care about these days; that's a different article. But food-wise, I try to eat as organically and locally grown as possible. I'm too much a night person to get to the farmer's market that ends at 2PM (no good stuff is left then--gone by 10AM--yeah "worm" joke me), Central Market and Whole Foods are both way too corporate and huge for my taste, and well, my husband was just fired from the supposed co-op (the short: for standing up for the workers and members; that's also why I love my husband), so I think it obvious why I don't want my dollar-vote there. It's no longer one, and hasn't been for a while. They're currently rewriting the charter, even, cuz they know there could be smack-down (even a license revoke) for their actions.

You should have voted the four political, cooperative, and farmer activists to board of directors instead of those laurel-crushing incumbents. That's another story too. But if you're a Wheatsville member, get involved, FAST. They're re-writing it so you can't be involved. It'll be nothing but a buyer's club; that's NOT the same as a co-op.

SO where the hell DO I buy food--a NECESSITY--without feeling like a shithead cuz I just voted with my dollar for a Republican/ Corporation?!?!

Greenling to the rescue! Austin only, and here I won't say "sorry" cuz this is one category where I want local, local, local! Locally owned and run, supports local farmers FIRST, and all money stays local, boosting local economy (yes, I can get along with Libertarians on this, and why Greens and Libs don't clash as much as you think. We picked a dumb name you can't take seriously, but aren't just a bunch of "tree huggers").

But political brewhaha aside, I pay no more for what I want, order it online, and it's delivered to my door! The interface of the website thinks of EVERYTHING you want in a real-life situation: "What if I'm not home?" "Can I just get the same things every week without reordering?" "What if I dunno what I want?" COVERED. The user interface is AWESOME; everything you want; nothing you don't. The only reason it took me ten minutes for my first order to be set up was I needed to explain our address issue so they could find us (our address says one street, but our door's on another; we have the "back" unit).

Irony: they're distributors to the major grocers and co-op as well. You might as well buy it firsthand.

And my sprouts were delivered so fresh, they were still standing upright. Same sprouts. I haven't seen them actually STAND unless homegrown, ever.

Another irony: a lot of former Wheatsville shoppers (wake up Dan; you're losing the non-deluded in your base, and fast) have recently tried to convert me to Greenling. But I'm already a convert. They even included related political actions with my first order, which Wheatsville used to be good about, but deemed no longer "profitable", just like "volunteers aren't profitable" (?!?!?!?!).

aaaaaaaaaaaaah. I can eat, and not feel like a shithead. Thanks, Greenling!

WEBMISTRESS PS: Website is FANTASTIC. You web designers (the real ones), go check it out for GUI reasons for the RIGHT way to do an e-com of this size, even if you don't live in Austin. Kudos to webmaster/mistress and/or designer on this!

Democrats for Sale

Hold your donkeys! This is a joke, this is only a joke. If it were a real issue, you wouldn't be laughing.

I unfortunately hope you'll just be laughing.

I just punched "texasdemocraticparty" into my browser's locator, cuz I needed some info off their website. But it went to one of those "placeholder" sites instead, since they don't own the domain. This is what it generated; I had to laugh!:

Featured Sites

Texas - Buy at DealTime.com! Save time and money on Texas every time you shop! DealTime lets you compare pro... http://www.DealTime.com

Top Sites

Texas Save up to 50% on Texas. Search over 15,000 sites with one click. Your... http://FindStuff.com

Find Texas Looking for Texas? Find it cheaper at ShopBrite. Your source for every... http://ShopBrite.com

Democrats Save time & money every time you shop for Democrats online: DealTime helps you find ... www.DealTime.com

Find texas democrats Shop and compare great deals on texas democrats and other related products... http://www.MonsterMarketplace.com

Look for texas democrats on eBay Search eBay for texas democrats. Bid on auctions or use Buy it Now to ... http://search.ebay.com/

AH, the future, today!

PS: Nowhere on this thing does it actually have a link to the TDP. Maybe they need "buy us now" buttons to hit searches better? The Republicans have em...

Jury Duty Scam - Identity Theft

The following has been sent to snarko! by a reliable source:

This has been verified on Snopes.com and by the FBI.

Most of us take those summons for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of scam has surfaced. Fall for it and your identity could be stolen, reports CBS.

In this con, someone calls pretending to be a court official who threateningly says a warrant has been issued for your arrest because you didn't show up for jury duty. The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Give out any of this information and bingo! Your identity just got stolen.

The scam has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma, Illinois, and Colorado. This (scam) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they're with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.

The George W. Bush Library - Action Alert

The man's not even literate, for Christ's sake. And that ain't the name of Lord in vain neither.

PLEASE HELP.

The Southern Methodist University--and quite against their will might I add--is about to get a library named for our arrogant, ignorant, POS President unless y'all help out a bit here. From their website:

We the undersigned express our objection to the prospect of the George W. Bush library, museum, and think tank being established at Southern Methodist University. As United Methodists, we believe that the linking of his presidency with a university bearing the Methodist name is utterly inappropriate. We urge the Board of Trustees of Southern Methodist University and the South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church to reject this project.

While yours truly is an atheist, I still respect you REAL church folk, and couldn't agree here more.

SIGN THE PETITION:

http://protectsmu.org/

Saddam Snuff Film

I'm kinda in shock. Or maybe not. But those of you participating in this are all sick. And should be arrested. Where are you, Greg Abbott and Cyber Crimes Unit, Inc. hmm? Cuz last I checked, airing video of an actual murder--well in this case execution but I'm pretty damn sure it COUNTS--is strictly illegal, and for good reason.

No, you get NO links to this shit. I hope the hell it's pulled off the internet completely within the next 24 hours.

In case you're more under a rock than I guess I've been for a few days (my own arrest helped with that), Saddam Hussein was apparently executed. I say apparently cuz with these folks, who can say they didn't just hang some poor look-alike? They've done it before.

(Sidenote: If I'm to believe this in the first place, what's wrong with Iraq that they have people in ski masks just push him over a stairwell with photographers and videographers around? Doesn't seem that "official" to me. Why isn't it in an "official" location; if "public", a public square?)

But like I said that's a sidenote.

THIS IS SNUFF. QUIT POSTING IT ALL OVER THE INTERNET!!!

Actual news story, fine. But the hang itself? You people are CREEPS.

I saw it by ACCIDENT. I'm sitting here uploading videos of kids playing rock 'n roll, hit the wrong "video" link, and find out that Saddam's been (supposedly, like I said I trust no one, especially not anymore) executed. So I watch the "news" footage and...

where in the world did journalism ethics go? So your title isn't "journalist"--dudes, you publish online, you're a journalist (to a degree), okay? Have some ethics about it. You DO NOT post stuff actually showing someone killed. SNUFF. SNUFF. SNUFF.

I admit I'm still on adrenal jack and madder than usual. But come on, guys. Knock it off. Pull it. Now. I don't care what the guy did--go ahead and slam him for what he did in life, because that he may deserve. But don't be posting his death like it's fucking "reality TV"; it's REALITY. You apparently don't understand the difference.

Law or not: unless it's for a real good reason, it's simply NOT COOL to be posting someone else's ACTUAL death. You want yours all over the internet?! You're inviting that possibility right now.

And I haven't even TOUCHED on the people making fun of it with made-up videos on subject--you are immature, inane, inappropriate--the dude's a jerk but he still deserves the same rights as anyone else. You are encouraging the publishing of your own death by supporting this, and it wouldn't matter if you were innocent or not--people would just be jerking off to your death throws. Think about that. And pull your stupid snuff films, yourself, now.

Or I, snarko!, have absolutely no respect for you.

This is ABSOLUTELY against all journalist ethics; pull it. This isn't "entertainment". If you've got the video for an actual reason, fine. But it doesn't belong on the internet for any person to randomly watch. Not at all. Have some respect for the dead--ANY dead--spit on his grave, personally, but publishing his hanging itself it simply INHUMANE. If you do, IMHO you deserve to hang right with him; his crimes "were against humanity" but so are yours.

PULL IT. NOW.

Santa Claus Supports Kucinich for President

While this isn't normally part of my holiday experience, my husband and I went to the mall with his mother. She's wanted a photo of the three of us with Santa Claus for years. Ten to be exact. I dunno how many times I had to hear that!

Anyway, I loathe the mall, but since it's that important to her, we agreed.

But since I get to ask for something for Christmas while sitting on Santa's lap, I said to him, "Oh, if you can swing it with the elves, I want Kucinich for President."

Which received a genuine "Ho, ho, ho!" and big thumbs up.

"One Kucinich for President. I voted for him last time."

"You know he's running again?"

"Oh, yes, me and the elves will make sure he wins this time. How else will we have peace on earth and goodwill towards men?"

He did this in front of all the kids and parents; it made my day.

Kucinich is Running for President!

I hope his website currently being down is a good thing? Hopefuly the links I'm providing work in a bit...

I just read the email and I'm SO excited! Excerpt from the email:

Today, I announced my candidacy for President of the United States in a quest to call my party to courage and integrity on this issue. This is a journey upon which I hope you will join together with me to ensure that our country calls forth our great potential with the same courage of our forefathers and mothers who birthed the vision for our great nation.

You can see a video of my Announcement speech on www.kucinich.us (Our site has undergone its own transformation!)

Our campaign will change the direction of the Democratic Party, the war in Iraq and our nation.

Please join me to help make this great turning possible.

If for some reason you were under a rock last Presidential election, Dennis ran the most honest, kick-ass, progressive, populist, exciting campaign of the bunch (though Dean got into the race first and stole a lot of the good activist's hearts). The small but mighty powerhouse of politics has absolutely no skeletons to speak of in his voting closet; check out the details at Vote Smart.

I am happy to endorse, right now, with no other people mentioned running, Dennis for President. I've actually had my t-shirts for 2008 up for a few years now. I'll bump him to top and add some goodies in a bit; all proceeds now go to him, since he's running again!

OH HAPPY DAY! THERE IS HOPE!!!