Blogcritics Author: Peter J

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

The Scent Of A Life

Peter J — Fri, 8 Dec 2006 00:13:03 EST

I think this morning that I may be tripping. Not the chemically induced head trip, but simple electronics -- Deja vu, the mind's trigger which fires you deep in to the crevices of your grey matter. Although it’s Sunday near noon, December 2006, the ambience, the atmosphere itself has become early morning summer 1971. Pleasantly warm in the sun, noticeably cooler in the shade. The morning dew has already burned off, but the grass was still pliant under my feet as though it was carrying me to another time. It’s an all too familiar feel, but this time it seems almost surreal. As I walk my dogs toward the lake I close my eyes, just for seconds, although it seems like an eternity. I smell light sweat mixed with suntan oil, and even a bit of the salt air although we’re 50 miles inland either way, combined with that unmistakable light stench of orange blossoms. Now, even as I open my eyes, it feels like a hundred years has been lifted from my back, before the weight of responsibilities, before the weight of heavy decisions, before the fires of love and the desolation of heartbreak, pre-careers, mortgages, and children, before I really started to live life, real life. It almost seems as if the entire country was as innocent as I.It’s an odd notion, that we were once anything but innocent. We were mired in the midst of a no-win civil war, we were trying to bring democracy to the good people of Viet Nam whether they wanted it or not. We always did know what was best for everyone else. This morning's news from Iraq rang quietly in my head. The sixties had proved that the people in this so-called democracy, yeah, the same one we were still trying to shove down everyone else’s throats, didn’t have one word to say about the workings of our government. You know, "of the people , for the people and by the people?" They just never said which people. It seemed each time a leader spoke for the “people,” he wound up with a bullet in his head. Strange co-incidence? No stranger I suppose than all of the conspiracy theories.I really hadn’t considered the parallels of the past. In this light it all began to look like a poorly scripted espionage movie. You know the one where you sit there and yell at the screen, “how stupid can you be?” I almost said it out loud. At least back then we did have a clue, no matter how innocent we may have seemed, no matter how futile our so-called revolution, we kept on fighting, refusing to give in to the propaganda. Oh, you don’t believe that this country engages in propaganda -- only the bad guys would stoop to that level, I mean, that’s lying, Right? Now though, with all of our advances, all of the lessons learned, we seem more naïve of the government's intent than ever. Imagine our shock to learn that our vice-president, an ex-employee and shareholder of Halliburton had awarded generous contracts to said company. ‘Shades of Lyndon Johnson/Bell Helicopter’!My dogs had stopped short, and I absent-mindedly had kept on until a sharp jerk reminded me of the challenges of the morning. I had to get these dogs to crap. I was still muddled in the conflicts of the now and then when it occurred to me: what I had mistaken for innocence was an absence of technology. We had “pong” and it blew our minds. A car phone meant millionaire, and a DVD sounded like something you needed a shot of penicillin for. Yeah, in that way we were quite innocent. But politically? It wasn’t so easy for us to swallow several assassinations and dump them on lone nuts, middle easterners who were disenchanted with a man's stand on Israel and a pretty criminal who decided to destroy his life completely and step up to murder, then flee to England. Especially when everyone surrounding these assassinations had major ties within the CIA and other government agencies. These days, with all of our accrued finesse, we cannot bear to assume the possibility of governmental transgressions. Lazy minds or programmed just that way intended? So much has changed, and so little is new. Now I think sadly that those today who are so easily given to the word of authority, were once the proudest, most defiant, generation of our times, always the challengers of authority.As I’m shuffling dreamily along, dogs in tow, I draw on another image of those times.A passing car, tossing a beer can toward me, “get a job”! Ah, more that never changes. Our judgmental segment of society. This is the primary reason for the lack of a haircut, it flushed out the morons; I always knew where I stood. .Don’t get me wrong. I had a job. I always had a job it seems. Those days I was working construction at Disney World just as it was opening. As usual, as one particular job ended, you waited at the union hall for the next. Now I was waiting. I never was one for sitting around indoors waiting for anything. This was a fantasy life, at least by today’s standards, contrasted with the realities of present day, without all of the embellishments of “real life.” Back then it was the only reality I knew. I felt a slight sigh.Now, as I near the lake, I stop and close my eyes again and inhale a bit more of the past, still heavy, still lingering, and now mingled with the cypress at the edge of the water. I was so young, yet it’s such a strong memory it stays clear I can almost touch it. Everything is so easy on this day. We’re just knocking around, no particular place to go. We never planned too much anyway. Days just sort of happened. We’re in front of the 7-11 with our Frosties and beers, sitting on my 64 Mustang convertible with its drab green paint and wide rear tires. That 289 was like a hornet, it wasn’t too big but it could sure sting your ass. I lost very few races run. Yeah, there was actually room on the roads to race those days. It was exhilarating to cut loose, lots of room to move around. That is as obsolete as the concept of every American working hard and achieving that American dream. Right now I’d much rather glide through the past. Look at this. No wonder I ‘m so content in those days.My girl was a slight, blue eyed, shaggy blond in a perpetual bikini top and tattered jeans shorts. She was propped up on the fender with her legs folded under her, sucking on a straw. I’m sitting by her with the door open and on the edge of the seat, a beer in one hand, a cigarette in the other. What a pair we were. She, half naked and loving life and me, my brown hair, near blond from the sun, pulled in a pony-tail tipped just below my shoulders wearing the same "wife beater" t-shirts I wear today and my beat-down bellbottom jeans. For some reason we seemed to piss people off just by our existence. Who cared? We were probably going to wind up at the beach today. They could stay pissed, we would be, well, we would be having fun in the surf. The others were in the store still, stocking up on more beer and ice. I used to drink beer heavily, as I consumed all else in my life. How could I have stayed so small then, just muscle and tanned skin? Soon we’ll be making decisions, important decisions. Cocoa beach or Daytona? Maybe New Smyrna since Cocoa was slammed with jellyfish last week-- what a pain in the ass that was. No matter, it would be a fine day in any event. Still, as I’m coming around the lake and down the road to my house the aura remains, almost refusing to diffuse. It’s so much more than just a memory. It was a life, a real piece of what was before this calloused and scarred remnant, the ruminations of the best and worst of all of those days, any of which I would never trade one. All of those days, good or bad, have brought me to where I’m at today. I’m surely not wealthy. You can’t stick by those values, my attitudes, and get wealthy. I have no complaints though, not for myself. I made my choices. Fighting for myself is moot, it’s a bit late for a change to affect me but I still fight, still shout out at injustices, there are plenty who still need help.Now, I begin to tire. As I approach my house it’s as though the days are speeding by in reverse, such a blur, washing over me like a waterfall, until I arrive at edge of my drive, dogs in tow. I close my eyes one last time and there I am, sitting on the edge of my seat, with my head back and eyes closed, inhaling my life with no idea of what was to come.

In the words of one of the deepest philosophers of the 20th century; "I am what I am and that's all that I am". I think "-/-" therefore, I think.

"If I Did It, Here's How It Happened." Can This Really Be Happening Now?

Peter J — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 22:06:59 EST

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson not only made history but took the greatest step ever in the way of improving race relations in the United States as he stepped onto Ebbets Field with the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first African-American ever to play in the previously all white American league. Just several months later, on July 9, 1947, in San Francisco, Cal., another great sport figure would be born, Orenthal James Simpson. Orenthal grew up on the streets of San Francisco’s projects known as Petrero Hills where he spent much of his time playing sports in the projects rec center.When Orenthal was just seven years old, on May 17, 1954 the Supreme Court ruled on the case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kans. recognizing that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Although it wasn’t recognized at the time, this was the beginning of Orenthal’s future in education.In August of 1955 Emmett Till from Chicago was visiting family in Mississippi when he was kidnapped, tortured, and shot, his body then dumped in the Tallahatchie River. Two white men were tried for the crime and were acquitted. Although the case was lost, it kicked off the Civil Rights movement which would continue to fight for equality for all races.On December 1st, 1955 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to white man and was arrested. Her arrest led to a year-long boycott which led to the desegregation of busses in the South. Orenthal was just eight years old, and the fight was on.In Jan. and Feb. of 1957, Orenthal was ten years old when Dr. Martin Luther King, along with Charles K. Steele and Fred L. Shuttlesworth, formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the SCLC. Dr. King was made president. He established the guidelines of dignity and repose with which the organization would conduct itself, paving the roadway which Orenthal would travel, a gift, so to speak for Orenthal and all blacks to achieve a higher status than their fore-fathers.Sept. of 1957 in Little Rock Ark. nine black students found themselves blocked from entering all white Central High School on the orders of Governor Orval Faurbus. President Eisenhower sent in federal troops and the National Guard to intervene on behalf of the students who become known as the "Little Rock Nine." 1960 found more blacks and white sympathizers continuing to protest for rights across the south. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was formed under the leadership of Stokely Carmichael. Core, The Congress of Racial Equality, begins sending student volunteers called “Freedom Riders” to test the implementation of new laws banning segregation. They too have many dangerous encounters, including a run-in with a mob in Alabama who set their bus on fire. James Meredith becomes the first black student to register at the University of Mississippi, which sparked rioting and violence resulting in President Kennedy sending 5000 federal troops to quell the unrest. Through 1963, as Orenthal was turning 16, the fight for desegregation had reached explosive proportions -- Martin Luther King was arrested for his part in a demonstration; fire hoses and police dogs were unleashed on demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama; in Jackson, Miss., Medgar Evers, a field agent for the NAACP, was murdered outside his home; in Wash. D.C. approximately 200,000 people congregated at the Lincoln Memorial as Martin Luther King delivered his famous I Have a Dream speech; on the 15th of September in Birmingham, Alabama, four young girls are killed when a bomb explodes at the Sixteenth St. Baptist Church, causing riots which leave two more black youths dead. Then, in November of that year, the nation collectively had the wind knocked out of them with the assassination of John F. Kennedy.In 1964 the 24th amendment abolished the poll tax which had been instituted to make it difficult for poor blacks to vote. The Civil Rights movement was in full swing, Civil Rights organizers had launched a mass effort to get black voters to register, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the most important piece of legislation of its time, which banned all discrimination on basis of race, color or creed.And in Mississippi three civil rights workers, one black and two whites, who had been working to register black voters were arrested for allegedly speeding, held for several hours, and then released into the hands of the Ku Klux Klan who murdered them. By this time Orenthal was playing football for his high school team the Galileo Lions.In 1965, Malcolm X, founder of the Organization of Afro-American Unity was murdered in Harlem, N.Y. Watts, an impoverished section of L.A. is besieged by riots, leaving 34 dead and causing $200.million dollars in damage. Later that year President Johnson issued Executive Order 11246, which enforced affirmative action for the first time. The groundwork on which young Orenthal will build his life was being laid.On June 12, 1967, in Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court ruled that prohibiting interracial marriage is unconstitutional. Sixteen states that still banned interracial marriage at the time were forced to revise their laws.In a major blow in the fight for equality Dr. Martin Luther King is murdered in Memphis, Tenn. On April 4, 1968. Later that same year Bobby Kennedy, who was instrumental in much of the Civil Rights Movement, was also assassinated.By now, Orenthal had played football in Junior College at the City College of San Francisco before he was discovered and landed at the University of Southern California, where he won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award along with the nickname “The Juice” and the distinction of being the first player selected in the 1969 professional football draft after winning the Heisman Trophy. On June 24, 1967 Simpson married Marguerite L. Whitley. Their first child, Arnelle was born December 4, 1968, Jason was born April 21, 1970 and Aaren Lashone was born September 24, 1977. In 1979, Aaren drowned in the family's swimming pool a month before her second birthday. That same year O. J. and Marguerite were divorced. Through it all young Orenthal James went on to become the legendary “OJ” Simpson. His achievements in football were his own, nothing was given to him -- he was a natural. But the luxuries he enjoyed, the tolerances of his tastes would never have been accepted without the sacrifices and the lives lost in the Civil Rights movement.OJ lived his life as though there were no such thing as black inequity, no racial tension. What tension? He sat high above it all in a Beverly Hills Mansion, dating only white women, and preferring the company of rich old white men at country clubs and golf courses. When OJ left the “ghetto” life of Petrero Hills, he never looked back. He was no longer a black man. There was no need to be -- plus he just didn’t have the time. The only black people in Simpson’s life were either star athletes or cops, the latter having “hung” around Simpson’s home so frequently, it was ludicrous to assume that police framed him for the murders of his wife and Ronald Goldman. From the moment that Orenthal James Simpson was born to the day he murdered two people in cold blood, the black substructure worked for him. Emmet Till, Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, The Freedom Riders, Stokely Carmichael, on and on, fought and gave their lives so that the likes of an Orenthal James Simpson could grow up to become “OJ”, to live in the white world and enjoy all of its benefits without ever looking back, or ever giving back to his heritage. Simpson himself even said “I’m not black, I’m “OJ”!One day OJ woke up. All of a sudden that white world turned on him. He had committed a crime, the absolute worst crime any man could commit. He took, in cold blood, two lives. Although it doesn’t matter how it was contrived or committed, due to the sheer monstrosity of the crime it is worthy to note the savagery, the absolute evil and premeditation of the deed as it demonstrates the cold, calculating traits of the man and lends credence to his ability to maintain his innocent persona while everything around him pointed to his guilt. A very strange thing happened that day, as he led a low-speed chase through Los Angeles. As he held a gun to his own head in dismay, realizing that these white people weren’t his buddies now, OJ became a black man. Only OJ and Al Cowlings, his lifelong friend and fellow football player, know what was said during that ride but whatever it was turned OJ’s head around.Suddenly, he hid behind every single act of defiance, every beating with a club, every hanging, burning, shooting, every single drop of blood shed by men, women and children, every civil rights worker, most black, some white, since July 9, 1947, the day that Orenthal James Simpson was brought into this world. Overnight he became the poor, oppressed black man who struggled his whole life to overcome adversity of being an African-American. OJ was an innocent man, his million dollar lawyers claimed, framed by the entire Los Angeles police department and a District Attorney because they had it in for the black man. These were the same police who, in the past ,would hang out with the man and, when taking calls for abuse from his crazy wife, would just give him a wink and a nod and tell him not to do it again. The only thing that OJ Simpson was guilty of was being a black man.At the time of the trial approximately seventy percent of blacks saw an innocent black man. It didn’t matter whether or not he was guilty, and I get that. For all of the years that blacks were mistreated, or worse, they would finally get their justice, even if it was in the form of the whitest black man there ever was. Was OJ right to call in the race card to escape prison? Absolutely not! In his life he never gave back to the community from which he came. Did this act work for him? Absolutely! Much more than he ever worked for his race. Quickly, this trial became less about murder and more about two colors, black and white. The heritage of 47 years of lives dedicated to bringing black Americans to where they belonged was diminished when the “not guilty” verdict was read aloud. There was a collective cheer across the country from African-Americans. They had won, finally. All of the injustices suffered personally by each and every one of them were vindicated. At the same time, there was a silence of disbelief across white America. A murderer was just turned loose, not because he was black but because he was rich. I can't speak for the entire white race, but, for myself, it wasn't a racial issue, no matter how hard it was pressed. It was strictly money. If I, a white man with no real money to speak of, were charged in that case, it would have been over in one day, and I would be locked away for life. This is what got my ire. It was proof that, in this country, no matter who you are or what you did, everything will be alright just as long as you can pay the dues. I just couldn't understand how the entire African-American community didn't get that. Although he escaped serving jail time, the Simpsons and the Goldmans sued in civil court where Simpson was found “responsible” for the deaths and ordered to pay fines. This decision, with the evidence presented without all of the shenanigans delivered the truth, the man was a muderer, final.Now, twelve years later this man has the audacity to co-author a book who's title says it all, If I Did It, Here’s How It Happened. It’s been called a confession by his publisher. FOX TV had planned to air an interview with Simpson but that plan has been pulled. Apparently even Fox has its standards, even though it was due to a majority public outcry. Is it possible that there has been some healing, that the nation as a whole, black and white, finally gets it? Was this reaction not so much about OJ, but about the insult cast upon all African Americans? Has this country finally taken off its race-colored glasses to see, for the first time, that this pathetic piece of humanity only wears the color of comfort no matter what the cost? Has this convenient chameleon finally lost his charm? Or maybe this country has regained its senses. I hope for the latter.

In the words of one of the deepest philosophers of the 20th century; "I am what I am and that's all that I am". I think "-/-" therefore, I think.

Do You Know If Your Friends Are Armed And Would It Matter?

Peter J — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 00:45:22 EST

Before you go on reading this, I ask that you consider this situation: You have a very good friend, someone whom you respect, in judgment, perceptions and attitudes. This person is pretty easy going but you just know somehow that if there was a bad situation developing that he would be the one to get in front of it and put it to an end.One day, you and he are driving through a downtown area, not the best side of town but it's the direction to the expressway. All of a sudden you hear a loud hissing and thumping. You have a flat tire. “Great” you think. “Of all places, the worst part of town to be stuck in."You’re climbing out with some trepidation, but you’re trying to be cool. You walk around to the trunk where your buddy has the spare already out and bouncing it to his side where the flat is. You grab the jack and walk around to his side, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings. There aren’t many people around, an older couple walking, a girl walking up the street, obviously no threat. About a half a block away a crowd of kids acting kind of rowdy, a couple of them leaning into the window of a car talking to some guys. Shit, they’re looking this way and then back at the car, and now they’re getting in and coming this way. That’s it, you think, we’re going to get the crap beat out of us. You’re looking down to your friend with the corner of your eye trained on the oncoming car. You’re concentrating on the car so much that you hardly notice the rottweiler charging at you from your left, but your pal sees him and has jumped to his feet. Before you even have time to react and shift your fear to the dog which is now about fifteen feet away, you realize your pal has a gun drawn and his arm straight out toward the dog, shouting firmly “back off, back the fuck off.” Holy shit, you never even knew he carried a gun.The dog stopped less than five feet away, still snarling with gums rolled showing teeth which you realize would very likely be sinking into one of you in a different situation. You feel a wave of relief mixed with a surge of adrenalin.You just had a double shock. You were nearly mauled by a very dangerous dog (as the car full of kids had already rolled by, no threat at all) and you’ve witnessed a side of your friend which you’ve never seen before. You don’t know what to feel. Although you’ve never discussed it with him, you are pretty much anti-gun, you believe that they’re un-necessary and much too dangerous to have around. Now, what to say? Neither one of you have said much as he finished changing the tire.You both climb back into the car, still quiet, your heart still pumping a mile a minute, and your head still confused. You glance at your friend who has both hands on the wheel as he finally breaks the silence. “Man, that was too close.” You realize his voice is cracking, and now you see that his hands are slightly trembling. What’s that about? A minute ago he was a rock. Totally without fear and as sure of himself as you’ve ever seen anyone. Now he’s visually shaken, the situation has obviously moved him. “I never knew that you carried a gun -- have you had that long?” "No reason for you to know," he said. "Do you know what type of underwear I have on? This isn’t a toy."“Yeah, but you should have told me that you had it.” "Why, what difference would it have made? It has nothing to do with our relationship. Do you feel differently about me now?"End of StoryI have a concealed weapons permit and I’ve carried a gun most of my adult life. I don’t usually let people know as I don’t believe that it’s necessary. I practice gun safety and follow all rules about how and where to carry and store it. I surely don't want to hurt anyone, and I don't go out looking for a reason to use it, but I realize that if I've made the decision to draw, it will end in one of two ways: The sight of it will defuse the situation, or I will have to fire. One of the most important things you need to know when carrying a handgun is that you will recognize a situation, make a split second decision, and be able to fire without hesitation. I've had three occassions to use my weapon. Two of those were dogs, but still, very tense moments. I've had one situation which was particularly harrowing as it involved both my wife and I and four bangers inside my body shop at night. I'm not going into details except to say it saved my ass and whatever would have happened to my wife had I been shot. It was not easy to deal with but I did. When it was over I was shaking so badly I could barely talk. So, if you think that those of us with weapons are cowboys you are very wrong.Now, for those of you who say that you've never encountered any of these situations, I say great, I hope that you never do, but how many people may have died simply because there was no one there with a gun to help change the outcome? For those people it's too late to consider the option. I am not advocating gun ownership, but if you are considering it I suggest you ask yourself two basic questions. First, "am I afraid of guns?" If so, go to the local range and take some lessons on safety and handling, even if you decide that carrying is not for you, you can still have a great time at the range. The next question should be "am I capable of taking a life if it comes down to it?" If the answer is no then don't ever touch a gun except on the range. Because you don't care for carrying is not a reason to exclude yourself from releasing some pressure and having a good time at the range. Guns are not only for killing. I’m not going to try to turn your head around, just giving a bit of perspective you may have missed. And I'm not telling you anything else to consider other than if you even think about owning a weapon to carry, don’t just get one and stick it in your belt. It will probably get you arrested or worse, killed. Take a good class on carrying a concealed weapon and apply for your permit. Those who are just looking for a reason to pull a weapon like dirty Harry, you should never have a gun, for those who have children, besides all other criteria, you had best have a very secure safe and never leave any weapon of any sort around the house, and last but not least, for those who like to drink heavily or do drugs, for Christ’s sake do not ever touch a gun. You’re the type who decides it’s cool to play Russian roulette.Guns can be extremely dangerous but so can an automobile, a butcher knife, or any number of items that could potentially be used as a weapon. You may also keep in mind that a responsible person concealing a weapon may well someday save your life from one of the hundreds of thousands out there who don’t give a shit about laws, permits, or proper gun safety. A person who concienciously carries a gun and has gone through proper handling and safety classes may be a real asset in a dangerous moment.There you have it, perspective from a properly trained, experienced gun owner and carrier. Not out looking for someone too shoot, not drawing the weapon and showing off, following all rules of safety and handling and understanding the feelings of people who are anti-gun. I don't want anyone to disregard other formats of self defense. There are many formidable methods of self protection which don't involve firearms, and I would suggest that these be investigated along with weapons use. Until recently I had the capabilities to defend myself with street fighting methods but a worsening pulmonary condition pretty much prevents me from physical combat any more.I will say this though. I will surrender my weapons when I’m assured that there is not a single weapon in the hands of another person in the country. As long as there are guns to be used by someone gone over the line, law enforcement included, I have the God given right to protect myself and my family from any and all dangers, perceived or otherwise. I hesitate to cite the second amendment as it has and is being interpeted to fit everyone's rights. Personally, I find the simplicity of its wording and the use of the word "peoples" to suggest it was meant to serve the general population. Why would it have been added to arm the military? Wouldn't it be obvious that an army or military would bear arms without an amendment to back it up and would it not be logical that the people should be prepared to, if neccessary, regain control of their freedoms in the event of a government coup, which has of late been demonstrated to be a very possible occurrence? Remember, anything's possible.

In the words of one of the deepest philosophers of the 20th century; "I am what I am and that's all that I am". I think "-/-" therefore, I think.

Hey Kiddo, Can Ya Help A Poor Old Country Get Back On Her Feet?

Peter J — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:54:46 EST

What has become of this country when the best that we have to put forth is a George Bush or the likes of a John Kerry? What have we become when we rate our leaders by who can make the most incredible, unsubstantiated claims against their opponents faster than they can be authenticated?Will history, in a hundred years, be as kind as we have been with our leaders of a hundred years past or will the ball unravel and reveal the contemptible truth. The conspiracy theorists of our time have warned us, but we would believe as we would rather live our lives like a blind man eating an apple ravaged by worms, satisfied with the taste, not seeing the substance?Could we have admired any man so much, could he have made such a first-look impression that no matter what rides in his wake, we keep our eye on the man? Never mind the trail of rotted garbage left behind, fodder for his followers, so appreciative for the meal. Has no one ever stepped in front of him, face to face, and challenged his motives, questioned his sincerity? We all know that he must be a good man. How else could he have gained such stature; how could his God love him so much? I suppose, judged on a political curve, he is average, at best, but how can he maintain even that stature without being aware of his subjects' dilemma? Is it because he’s so wealthy, he could never conceive of the lives he lives above? Is this the reason that we’ve gradually come to expect so little from so many? Could all who reach those plateaus have forgotten the life, or never experienced the lives of those not at their heights? Do they not care to look back and remember or do they refuse to learn and relate for fear of being burdened with the responsibility to become just and remedy society's ills?Maybe this is how we’ve evolved to a world where politicians and CEO's live their lives in un-deniably excessive luxury, while assuming that we all enjoy such trappings -- just on a lower scale. What is it called when one CEO's bonus is over fifteen hundred times an average employees yearly income? Would anything change if each of them had to experience a year as an average American, making weekly earnings stretch to pay rent, throwing away such a valuable commodity as equity as they can afford no other choice? Or using a high-interest credit card to make car payments on their precious third owner, barely affordable automobile while praying that those tires hold out for two more paychecks, and that’s only if the check written for groceries yesterday clears the bank, because one more NSF charge will pull them under? Would anything be different?That is not the exception, that is the rule. Can this be fixed? I believe it can. As quickly as the government loves to give tax cuts to big business and as they say ”small business is the backbone of America, would it not be appropriate to “put their money where their mouth is" and assist so-called lower middle class workers with additional funds or benefits? Big business has had all of the breaks they need, they’ve proven only that they have the happiest and most well-fed CEO’s around. Maybe it's time to force their hand, not with pathetic band-aids such as token minimum wages. This is not an answer, it's an insult.A rock band once wrote a song called “Eat the Rich." I would prefer it doesn’t come to that, as the fat bastards would probably taste rather gamey, or maybe I’m being too harsh. They might be as succulent as veal if prepared properly. But surely this is the final resort. When the greedy have much more than can be used for anything more than their own personal consumption, it’s time to gut the pig. Capitalism is a wonderful concept as long as it retains its humanity. Without heart it is no more than a board game where one person wins all, and everyone else is left homeless. I would hope that our society is above all of that. Government by the wealthy, for the wealthy, without regard, without compassion, no matter what form of government one calls itself, can only be called a plutocracy. It's time to flush the toilet.How can a country concerned so much with people being treated unjustly on the other side of the world be so oblivious to her own? How can a government of well-to-do people be so cold as to draw up charts and balances to show how a family of four can live comfortably on twenty thousand dollars a year? I would think that they would be shamed by the insult to their own integrity, hiding behind their little charts and figures of life in the real world where there are dire financial emergencies, automobile breakdowns, illness, no vacations, their only luxury being to break down and buy much needed new clothes, barely living a modest life with the never ending threat of financial disaster. Not the kind of disaster such as a failing stock but the terrifying threat of homelessness. Why would one rather live a life of excessive opulence than to know that, because of their humanity, there are people who have been lifted up to a standard they‘ve never known, people who have worked hard, most likely at least as hard as they themselves, and are finally getting a small taste of what America has promised.I can’t imagine that anything said here is new to anyone. To the same “old money” pencil pushers who had to walk twenty miles a day, uphill both ways, barefoot, through the freezing snow to get to school, I say an emphatic “Fuck You”! I didn’t buy the story about the fish and the bread or the water to wine, and I’m surely not going to even consider listening to your unmitigated bullshit. And to anyone earning two hundred thousand dollars a year in that “small” business and not paying your lowest paid employee at least a healthy livable wage with benefits, shame!Lately I’ve even heard many of the Hollywood crowd, some of the more politically active, admit that, as rich people, they think it’s deplorable how they are privy to special tax cuts and benefits. I believe that, as public figures who are aware of these problems, it should fall on their shoulders to make themselves more aware of just how deeply, beyond just tax issues, the problems of finances affect so many of the population. There is no one else who has the publics ear who can rally support to cure this disease of society. This is a cause for a major movement.There were elections this week and there was a major upset in congress, many Democrats replaced Republicans in the house and the senate. Iraq is the major platform for most of the candidates. Herein lies the problem. There are dozens of issues, not a single candidate has offered any sort of example of their solution for the underpaid middle class. Will bringing the troops home fix our unemployment problem? Oh yeah, we don't have an unemployment problem, unemployment is down. Until you take into consideration those who’ve been on the unemployment roster until it ran out for them, or count all of the troops called to duty leaving a vacancy to fill. Count them and watch the numbers rise. Bring them home and unemployment skyrockets. Or until you count employees who lost a twenty thousand a year job, which is almost as lousy as a salary can get, only to settle for a twelve thousand dollar a year job for lack of anything better. Maybe for that person unemployment is down, but so are his wages. Another problem fixed with a pencil on paper. You can take a pencil to paper and draw me as Elvis but when we meet, the reality would be a disappointment, as is our economy for the real so-called middle class. This is the biggest issue facing our country and is the least addressed.This country can be what it was always supposed to be with very little effort. If government and big business worked together realizing that their greatest commodity is the American worker and offered tax breaks, rewards, and raises to help them have an opportunity at a decent life. I believe that this country would come alive, as a living, breathing entity. No one could touch us. We could once again be the nation we used to be, united and proud, and our citizens would jump at the chance to serve in the military to combat unjust dictatorships and murderous regimes wherever they may arise.What I wouldn’t give to see it happen in my lifetime.

In the words of one of the deepest philosophers of the 20th century; "I am what I am and that's all that I am". I think "-/-" therefore, I think.

And It's One, Two, Three, What Are We Fighting For? What ARE We Fighting For?

Peter J — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 14:58:49 EST

We're about two weeks away from a national event. Normally, this wouldn't be such a critical election as to be called an event but with an administration in office which has been extremely divisive and controversial, not to mention prone to excessive use of the word "terror", it's anyone's guess how this will play out. If the election were held tomorrow, it would most likely go to the Dems. And if it were held the day after, it would be anyone's guess. Not that the Democrats are winning any popularity contests, but they haven't put us in the middle of a holy war that's been going on for two thousand years. This just demonstrates the fickleness of the American people. This is not an attractive attribute, it's shameful.Take this one step at a time. This president brought us to a war in Iraq, purportedly to search for weapons of mass destruction, even though no other country, aside from England, agreed such weapons existed. Every other country in the U.N. had up-to-date information (information our agencies, the USA's agencies, had wrong, in the sense that it wasn't the information the White House wanted to hear) the weapons didn't exist and Iraq didn't have the means to devise them. Nonetheless, "W" decided we would go and find them, stating it would be a relatively easy operation, lasting weeks rather than months. We went to war. In approximately six weeks, this President made a grandstanding appearance as he landed, as though he himself made the flight, dressed in a full flight suit, on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. There he stood, below a banner stating "Mission Accomplished" and reached way the fuck around and patted himself on the back, stating the war was over, and we had won and could now begin Iraq's "reconstruction" phase. Not that he had found any WMDs, but no matter, so long as we were there, well there's always Saddam Hussein, who tried to kill his daddy once. We booted him out of power, but might not have been enough.That was May, 2003. He managed to make the appearance in time to clean up Iraq a bit and begin the hunt for Saddam Hussein, releasing the Iraqi people from Saddam's reign of terror, giving himself enough time before his next election to put his ducks in a row. He did that, and won the election only because the Democrats were such a bunch of spineless weasels they couldn't cut it, plus they appeared to stop campaigning a month before the elections. For this, the Democrats are almost as responsible as Bush. Still, it was Bush who lied to this country and illegally entered Iraq under false pretenses, strong arming the CIA, the FBI, and his own staff to "find" evidence there were WMDs and provide him with the evidence he needed to invade the country. The Bush administration argued the people of Iraq would welcome our presence and would welcome us, throwing flowers at our soldiers' feet. Now, three-and-a-half years later and with some two thousand eight hundred of our troops dead, (we call them troops, as it doesn't sound so humanizing), many more injured, countless innocent Iraqis killed and injured, this war doesn't sound quite as appealing as it did when we wanted to fry someone for 9/11. Now, with the country torn by rebels and no real police force aside from American soldiers, it's estimated that one and a half million Iraqis have fled the country so far. What could Bush possibly do two weeks before an election, which could have such a tremendous bearing on the results that it would secure his place in history as the precious fifth head on Mt. Rushmore? The Bush camp has become so used to saying "it's so" and then "it" becomes "so" that they're pretty confident they'll reel this one in, even though the polls are suggesting it might not be working anymore. It looks as though the election could swing either way. Most Americans are tired of this war and now realize there is no end in sight. Others have finally become disillusioned with this so-called leadership.However, never underestimate the gullibility of the American people. He's in office now -- you don't think that's an accident, do you? But to pull out now and desert the Iraqi people, who we swore to help when we invaded, leaving them with no military or police force would be sinful and even the most outspoken opponent of the war should realize this is not an option. We may as well carpet bomb the country, killing everyone in it. That would be more humane than withdrawing now. Mostly though, this would not be an option for Bush. This maneuver would not only display his lack of judgment, it would prove once and for all there was no plan and what he initially believed he could accomplish can never be accomplished, at least not from outside forces. The so-called "elections" in Iraq were no more than a sham. The only way Iraq will ever have its own government will be by selecting its own leaders and holding its own elections, guarded by its own police force. Not very likely in the near future as there are more Iraqis being killed in random attacks than under Hussein. We are an arrogant bunch, we are.So now, what are our options in Iraq? Well, Bush has it all figured out, and he'll let us know right after the elections. At this point, we have none (which means, in Bushspeak, "we haven't had time to fabricate one yet"). This doesn't reflect well for the "W". This is not a good time at all. With no feasible plan to be had, not even one that could be concocted in time to have any real effect, there must be another distraction.As it turns out, there is a small matter of the Jack Abramoff case. This week, Congressman Bob Ney enters a plea, and in two weeks, former White House official David Safavian will be sentenced. This doesn't amount to much, but it may muddy the water some. Then again, there's always fear.Fear is one thing that has worked, tried and true -- fear. My surprise. Apparently, this is a country full of pussies. Forty years ago, foreigners saw the United States as a country full of badass mothers. Forty years ago, I did, too. Now? Obviously, we've become a country full of spoiled, frightened yuppies. How absolutely fucking embarrassing. Is this really what we've become? Some twit from Connecticut who likes to pretend he's a cowboy and play little kid dress up says "be afraid" and we are? I suppose we are. If not, why are we following this man? Why would otherwise seemingly intelligent people with balls buy what this guy is selling? Is everyone so naive they don't know the signs of a liar? The stammering, hesitant voice, repeating the question asked over and over. Donald Rumsfeld was finally put on the spot by reporters in a recent press conference (nice to see the press is finally growing some cherries).We need to recognize "fear" for what it is. What do we really have to fear in this so-called "war on terror?" Individually, we each have a better chance of winning the lottery than being attacked by a terrorist. I think our time would be better spent fearing those who would have us distracted from our real problems, members of our government who would have us voluntarily surrender our rights. Isn't it obvious that this is the plan? It must be; it's been working right along for five years now. When did the Bush camp decide we could be motivated more by fear than anything else? Was it on 9/11 or before? There's a question that could start a whole new discussion, but that's not the intention here. The question I pose is whether the Bush administration is using fear to manipulate and distract the people. Not only are U.S. citizens subjected to terrorism as a tool to manipulate public opinion, to fund institutions, or to pass such bills as the recently signed Military Commissions Act, which could be used to charge anyone as an "unlawful enemy combatant" and deny them rights they would otherwise have as a U.S. citizen. This would be comical if it weren't such a serious and deadly issue. Bush declares, in time for the upcoming November elections, that Democrats could not be trusted to control Congress because they have no idea how to win in Iraq. There's some supposition there, supposing the Dems don't take back Congress in the elections, and supposing he knows what the entire Democratic party is thinking. He's also under the wrong assumption he knows how to win in Iraq, seeing how the fighting, torturing, and dying has reached critical proportions in Iraq under his plan. What was his plan again? Oh, yeah. "We must stay the course". Now he claims never to have said "stay the course" Other than those 90 or so times. How are we to take this administration seriously? The outright lies, the moronic statements, a stammering Secretary of Defense when put on the spot caught in a lie. Is this really what we are, how we want to be seen around the world?It inevitably comes down to fear. They've used it continuously to skirt many of the real issues plaguing this country. Other promises and programs are blatantly disregarded. Where is education compared to six years ago? Public college tuitions are up 40%. His "No Child Left Behind" bill fell short by 40.2 billion dollars and countless broken promises are ignored as the country is constantly being distracted by the word "terror." All in all, I believe right now our biggest fear is that, on November 7, we don't have a Congress prepared to impeach this president and the vice president. We don't have two more years to let our country be misled by the likes of these lying, fear-mongering megalomaniacs. They perceive their powers to be infallible, but they are not. They only have the power that we, the people, allow them to have, and it's time for us to appoint new leadership. And if they don't get it right, then we will do it again until we do have it right. There may indeed be a just cause for the United States to be involved in a war in the Middle East, perhaps in Iraq. There may be implications which have never been divulged. Maybe if this matter were put to the people and proper branches of the government, we might discover an absolute need for an intervention in the Middle East, to intercede with a plan, with the support of the people. But for these thugs to make a mockery of our rules and our systems, to lie, cheat, and possibly mis-appropriate funds, to appoint themselves so powerful they feel no need to include the people for whom they work in life and death decisions affecting us, our children and possibly generations to come is unconscionable and a crime of the highest order. These people need to be discarded just as they have discarded our trust, our laws, and our lives. These values are too important for us to allow them to be made a mockery of by the likes of these clowns. Not Republican, not Democratic, not Independent. We are the United States of America. We were the most honored, respected, and feared country in the world. Now, we are not.

In the words of one of the deepest philosophers of the 20th century; "I am what I am and that's all that I am". I think "-/-" therefore, I think.

When Will All Of This Terrorism End?

Peter J — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 20:57:59 EDT

Five years ago yesterday a horrible thing happened to America. We were terrorized. Osama Bin Laden claims (and it is the general consensus as we are told by our officials) that he organized attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center which killed approximately 3000 people. This act changed the direction of our nation's government from dealing with long-standing needs, such as health care, tax reform, and the increasing disparity of incomes which will eventually eliminate the middle class entirely, to dedicating all of our resources to fighting the war on "terror".Our leaders act as though "terrorism" is a word they created and they don't hesitate to use it whenever a diversion is needed. This particular time is a legitimate opportunity for the nation to commemorate the tragic losses of that day but today is 9/12 and time to get back to work as usual. No more chanting, "They're terrorizing us because they hate our freedom!" (Just what exactly does that mean?) "We must fight "terrorism" at every turn." "We must fight these terrorists over there so we don't have to fight them here". That's gotten stale. If we don't want to be terrorized we won't be -- just simply ignore people who would distract and "terrorize" you at every turn. Go to work, travel, have fun, live your life. Ignore the doom and gloom of this administration. Fighting terrorism is the government's job and they supposedly work for us. Imagine yourself at work with several tasks needing to be addressed. Now imagine that instead of doing your job you were fixated on the toner in the fax machine because it may run out any day now. Do you think that your boss would accept that flimsy excuse for not having gotten any work done that day? It's not likely.We now have a color-coded terror alert to keep us on our toes and it seems that every time Bush's ratings begin to wane, which is getting more and more often, the color goes up a notch. Almost every week we're coming up with a new substance or article banned from flight. We are reminded every day how much danger we would be in if Bush were not in office. Bush has dedicated his entire administration to "fighting the war on terror" and neglected all else. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition terrorism is "the systematic use of terror, violence, and intimidation to achieve an end." Would this not mean then that we, the prople, are being terrorized? After all, there is no one else making us more afraid than the government who reminds us constantly how much danger we are in and how much we need them to protect us.Has any other foriegn entity actually committed or attempted to commit an attack of terror on the United States in the past five years? The answer is categorically no. Is this a result of tighter security measures being implemented at our airports and public buildings? I'm sure it has some minor impact but the fact is it's been shown time and again that specific banned items have been succesfully carried on board planes. Is this because we have faulty security systems? I don't think so. I believe that dangerous articles, often times quite innocuous, are impossible to detect 100% of the time, so it's safe to say that if someone wanted to attack us, whether in the air or in our country, it could have been accomplished many times over.If you agree with this so far, than it should be easy to deduce that no one has even attempted an attack on America in the past five years. So, are we succesfully fighting a war on terror? It appears that the only terror in America is "the systematic use of terror, violence, and intimidation" being used by our leaders on us.Why, you should ask, to what end is the government committing such a deceptive act on its own people? That answer is very obvious. In the first nine months of the Bush administration, our president could be found most of the time on his ranch in Texas, clearing the brush and playing with his dogs or making his pals rich. He had absolutely no idea as to what duties his position demanded. The events on 9/11 were his "manna from heaven", so to speak. He immediately (after the initial confounded horror wore off and he recognized the potential of the events) hopped over to New York, pulled on his 'fireman' jacket, grabbed a bullhorn and threw his arm over a fire chief's shoulder (I believe the fireman was there for Bush to pull in front of him if things were thrown or shots fired) and began his long journey of photo ops and his "War on Terror".Had 9/11 never happened, I believe it's safe to say that Bush would have never won another election for anything in his life. He had no plan; he believed, as he obviously still does, that as president, he answered to no one. He could do anything that he wanted, he was above it all, "top of the world, Ma", even above his own position as president. He could make up new laws, throw tons of money to his cronies, even invade a few countries he didn't like. (Saddam tried to kill my Daddy!)It never occurred to him that sooner or later someone would question his actions, that even fellow Republicans weren't hanging on that evangelical limb mixing the law with their own religious morals and would eventually distance themselves from him. That's fine though, he would survive, he was on a mission from God. He confused blind luck with divine intervention, seeing that whenever he was at his worst God would throw a lightning bolt from heavan to distract his detractors.Yeaterday, as we mourned the five year anniversary of the attack on 9/11 it should be noted that the only terror occurring in America is on our streets in the form of drive-by shootings, car-jackings, robberies, rapes, etc. We should not turn our backs on danger but we can't walk around spinning in circles, afraid that an attack may occur from any direction.We are each responsible for our own safety. We should speak out and tell the government that we have a police force to provide for our safety on a local level, and would prefer that they direct their attention to other matters which we cannot control and which is what we elected them to do. We did not elect Texas Rangers or military combatants to protect us 24/7; we need our communities mainained, our schools and teachers held up to higher standards, our local economies adressed -- these are the jobs of our politicians. Protecting us is a job for our police.We are facing, as we always have, death, disease, attack, every day of our lives. Now, if you want to call that terrorism and let this administration terrorize you into submission, that's all well and good. Like a bully in a school yard, as soon as they see that you have been terrorized, they own you. Stand up for yourself. Make the government accountable for what they were elected for and do not elect anyone whose platform is terrorism -- that's like walking up to the bully and saying "hit me." Now, that wouldn't be a smart thing to do, would it?The terrorism will only end when we stop allowing the government to frighten and distract us.

In the words of one of the deepest philosophers of the 20th century; "I am what I am and that's all that I am". I think "-/-" therefore, I think.

Living and Dying Dangerously: Steve Irwin's Death

Peter J — Mon, 4 Sep 2006 10:19:19 EDT

My wife just called for me from the front of the house, "Steve Irwin's dead!" "No," I said, "that's been around before, another 'myth' to gather attention." I wondered what kind of moron starts these things and to what purpose."I don't think so," she replied, "it was just on Good Morning America." Another unreliable news source I rarely watch. I did what we all do when we want to verify information -- I went to online news. I always thought Steve Irwin was a bit over the top, but I got it. He got kids interested in the world of animals, made them care about conservation, and taught them why it was so important to protect even the smallest and ugliest of the world's creatures. I also was aware of the risks he took. I felt that at any moment this guy could become history but, no, I'm sure that every precaution was in place to prevent that from happening. Again, I was wrong.Reading the news describing his encounter with a stingray, an animal which I was always taught was docile unless you actually stepped on one, left me thinking, sadly, that of all the times he handled the deadliest snakes and spiders, made contact with the most dangerous and ferocious of beasts, his life was finalized by an animal which is known for its ferocious appearance but rarely for being dangerous.I tried to find some lesson here, but there was none that wasn't so cliché it was worth mentioning. So I'm feeling sad for a man I never met and his wife and two kids and what the world has lost, not only an entertainer but also a teacher to all of us. Even if you couldn't stand his staccato bursts of speech or his overly enthusiastic delivery, I think we all learned something about the creatures of the world that we hadn't known before.Later, Steve!

In the words of one of the deepest philosophers of the 20th century; "I am what I am and that's all that I am". I think "-/-" therefore, I think.

Are We As Safe As We Were Or Were We As Safe As We Thought?

Peter J — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 09:25:32 EDT

Are we safe? Do you suppose so? Are we safer than we were before? OK, how about before 9/11? Bottom line answer? No, shit no.Safe is nothing more than perspective. We only thought we were safe because nothing of this magnitude had ever happened before in the U.S. This was an actual attack on our soil.Things like that just don't happen here, not to us! So I'll personalize a hypothetical situation almost everyone in America can identify with. Work with this -- you're alone on an unknown street in a bad-ass neighborhood around 2 AM. Are you safe? Do you feel safe? Highly doubtful. Now you're in that same situation except you have a .45 auto with two extra clips on your belt. Do you feel safe? I'd bet you would, but are you really safe? You really just don't know. It's all just a matter of perspective.There was an incident in the early 60s involving the Russians, who at the time were our arch-enemies, which brought us literally to the brink of nuclear war. I bring this up as an example of our perception of 'safe'. How safe were we? A lot less safe than we knew, and we were still pretty scared. The government did not let on the absolute seriousness of the situation, but we were still plenty scared. So we were facing a nuclear holocaust, and we didn't even know how close we were. The government fixed everything though, no need to feel frightened, just climb under your desk, just as we practiced. That's right. The government told us that we could survive a nuclear attack if we would just listen to them and climb under our fucking desks. Yup!So, how safe were we before 9/11? I felt that we were pretty safe, so how come now I feel like there is something the government is not telling us, as was the case in the aforementioned Bay of Pigs incident? I assumed that our Federal Government was serving its most important function, protecting our shores and the people within. I assumed that all flights were being monitored and that there were certain "no-fly" zones which were impenetrable lest an alarm would immediately sound and response would be swift. I assumed that certain areas of the country were probably better protected than others, as they would be primary targets. I assumed that New York City would be high on that list but also that Washington D.C. would be absolutely #1, impossible to penetrate, being the home of all government agencies including the president, vice president, etc. Who would have dreamed that someone could penetrate that space and hit the Pentagon? That being the case, why even bother with New York? Hell, they could have crashed into the White House, the Capitol, the Pentagon, the Treasury, a veritable smorgasbord of targets which would have brought this country to its knees. How many political leaders, generals, possibly even the president or vice-president could they have taken out? At that moment we would have been open to takeover by Castro (that's meant tongue in cheek for anyone who's about to tell me how absurd that is). The hijackers could have done a lot more damage had they all flown into D.C. That sort of makes me wonder, really, why not? Why, if they truly wanted to set us in our place because they hate our freedom, did they waste time taking down a couple of buildings when they could have destroyed everything we have that represents our freedom by just focussing the attack on the Capital of our country? It reminds me of an incident which took place in Boston several years ago. A man shot his wife in the head, then shot himself in the gut and drove around talking to 911 saying he was lost. He claimed some black guys committed the assault. His wife died, he lived, suffering some damage but not near the damage that his wife suffered. Wow, what a great diversion. Almost like sacrificing a piece of the least penetrable building in D.C. while obliterating another target. I mean, if you are going to create such a diversion, why take out the White House or the Capitol building when the Pentagon is built like a literal fortress, able to withstand such a collision with minimal damage, compared to any other building in Washington? What a sick twist I must be to even think such a thing. I can't help myself, I'm one of those frigging conspiracy nuts everyone always talks about. I don't see it that way. I see a question, I ask it. Always question authority, before you find your authority is the grandson clone of Adolph Hitler. Of course, by even posing these questions, even daring to question the integrity of our so-called leaders, no matter what indications there are that something is very, very wrong, we put ourselves out there as outsiders, lefties, nuts, anything that does not sound popular at the time. But why is this? What do we owe to these people who end up in office, supposedly serving us, when there are indications that questions are appropriate? Is that not why our Constitution and Bill of Rights are in place? If so, why persecute someone who asks, simply suggests, that something's up in Dodge?But back to the original subject.So, do you still have the same answer? Again, how about before 9/11? Most people probably felt safe back then, I suppose, but only because they really didn't give it much thought. Now, since terrorism has come to our shores it's all the government wants to talk about. Now, it seems they're keeping us safe. We even have colors. I'm not sure what we're supposed to do with them; Code red, should we shit red? What the hell kind of elementary school crap is that? Did Bush think of that when he was reading the Little Donkey story? So, how come now that the government claims to be doing the job that they were supposed to be doing pre 9/11, do I feel less safe than ever? I just don't know whom to be afraid of now. Terrorists or our government. Hopefully it's just a bunch of horny, stupid, pimple-face geeks vying for 72 virgins and a bottle of wine. Stupid fucks. We'd all kill ourselves if that were the truth.If our government was doing only a half of their job, then 9/11 could never have taken place. Not even a single plane should have made it through. According to protocol those planes should have been monitored, contacted, and taken down, which is to say blown out of the sky within minutes. The fact that they weren't even noticed, even up until 20 minutes after the first plane hit the tower can mean one of two things: 1) Our government was criminally negligent in its duties, and there should have been indictments, arrests, and prison sentences galore, possible high level terminations, and even impeachment. Let's face it, this was the biggest screw up in history! There could be no possible excuse or explanation that could satisfy so much as a jury. I still can't believe that everyone has just swallowed this and it's back to business as usual. (I wish I could find a woman that stupid.) or, 2) Our government was involved.1) Stupid or 2) Involved. I can't think of a third.That's it! Now I'm a goddam left wing, liberal, Kerry-lovin', tree huggin', faggot piece of shit! Did I cover everything? Actually, I lean a bit toward the right in policy, not that I give two good shits what you may think or if it's even any of your business. Besides, all I want to know is are we safe?How about this scenario, you're a Pakistani, living in this country. It doesn't matter how long or if you were born here. Do you feel safe since 9/11? Does it seem that people are staring at you all of the time? That they'd love to see you get your ass kicked and your body bloodied?These are just suppositions, thoughts, ruminations, nothing more, nothing less. These are the things that occur in one's head if one is not fearful of falling outside the norm. So, whom should we be afraid of now? Hopefully it is just a bunch Muslim freaks.I almost prefer that answer, otherwise answer #2 looks pretty convincing, and it scares me a hell of a lot more than asshole suicide nuts.I have no agendas, I have no clue as to who I want our next president to be, as long as he or she's not a Bush or an affiliate (ok, so I have one agenda). At the moment I don't particularly care for anyone. I'm just waiting for someone to come along and make sense. Someone who has no family ties to oil conglomerates, no ties to defense contractors, Bell Helicopters, or any other war machines. Someone who is who he is, not a leftover from the cowboy in the Village People. Not standing on his military record in Vietnam, or who wants to see gays get married or no women to get abortions. These things don't have a damn thing to do with the presidency. I'm waiting for someone who is more concerned for the average American worker than for spreading our 'democracy' around the world, blowing them up, and paying his friends to rebuild them. Someone who isn't either going to piss off the craziest mother fuckers in the world and then go on vacation, or someone who is going to stop a repeat of 9/11 or worse rather than let it happen because he doesn't know how to do his job and the little devil on his right shoulder says it'll be a great platform, you'll go down in history.So, are we safe?

In the words of one of the deepest philosophers of the 20th century; "I am what I am and that's all that I am". I think "-/-" therefore, I think.

A Voting System For the People

Peter J — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 16:35:18 EDT

I don't like the current voting system in this country, and I don't believe that I'm alone. After the 2000 elections, the reason why is a no-brainer. It was a perfect example of what happens with a flawed system when all of the right people are in all the right places and prepared to take advantage of it. We managed to put the worst president in U.S. history in office, and we are still reeling from the outcome.I can't believe that this was an isolated incident -- things like that don't just "happen." A calamity like that has been brewing, gathering momentum for some time, the difference being that, in the past, there was most likely enough of a spread that the leader won by a wide enough margin that it didn't warrant a second look. Perhaps it has even happened before on such a large scale that the wrong man was seated, and nobody questioned the results. Scary thought? What is even more frightening is that we have elections coming up soon and not nearly enough has been done to correct this extremely critical problem. There have been several alternatives recommended but so far nothing has panned out. Time to get on the ball?There's another problem, probably of greater importance than the mechanism for counting votes -- voter turnout. Less than 50% eligible of voters cast their vote. Now we have two problems of major proportions looming for elections only two years away, yet nobody seems to care enough to put every effort into developing the most obvious, most promising solution for both of these situations, a system which is already available and in use throughout the country.I believe that the process of the future will involve the PC or home computer which would be the most reliable and simple form of taking part in a system in which all eligible persons should be involved, allowing a voter to make more informed choices without the pressure of time or unfamiliarity with the voting machinery that you find in the current system.The opposition offers arguments about how the system could be violated, hijacked, or otherwise manipulated into yielding false results. But given the current system and its known flaws, I don't see why we shouldn't investigate an option that offers ease and simplicity and which is already in use every day for financial transactions and the transmission of highly confidential information, with few problems. As long as there is any human element involved, there will always be a margin for error, and the more humans involved, the greater the margin. Home computer voting is a matter of developing the software, programming every possible safety device, and vigorously testing every angle for flaws. Once this has been accomplished, it's removed from human hands, the most flawed system there is, and becomes its own entity, securing itself, and walking a straight line to accomplish its charge. It has no other agenda and, programmed properly, would be absolutely impenetrable. If it's good enough for the CIA, FBI, IRS, and worldwide banking then it should be good enough for voting.A computer voting system would result in a greater voter turnout. Most people have access to their own computer or can have access at a library. In any event, accommodations for people without access can be more easily addressed than people who can't make it to a voting booth, and one avoids problems such as those occurring in South Florida where voters were turned away due to incorrect information at voting stations. Bottom line, voter turnout would probably double, placing the true people's choice in office. I'd like to believe that a high voter turnout is desired by the government. As the system is now, the same 45% vote in almost every election, leaving little question as to the outcome. I believe our system has become obsolete, and it's time for a system which will positively affect the largest segment of the population, this being the working American. Other opponents claim that it would leave the vote open to abuse by people voting more than once as there would be no check system. Well, I guess there wouldn't be a check system if if it was set up by shortsighted nay-sayers.A person would register, just as we do now. Everyone who has a social security card and a state-issued ID with a picture on it would receive a voter card which would provide the voter's full name, social security number and a six-digit security code, pretty much as it is now. When logged into the site and the information is verified, the voter would then be directed to the next stage where he or she could take all the time needed to make an intelligent, informed decision.Once this transaction has occurred you will not be allowed to access the site again. There would be no additional procedure than what we have now -- in fact, it eliminates a trip to the polls, lost time from work, and any confusion regarding voting machines.It seems it's always so easy to dismiss the thought without much thought at all.This is a non-partisan problem but it creates partisan divisiveness. We need to stand up in a world so filled with strife and be the leaders we once were. Being the most powerful country on earth carries great responsibilities. We have a job to do. Other countries rely on us to be sturdy, a source of aid or mediation as needed, but we cannot be of any real use to anyone if we're not capable of fixing ourselves.Healer, heal thyself!

In the words of one of the deepest philosophers of the 20th century; "I am what I am and that's all that I am". I think "-/-" therefore, I think.

The Left, The Right And Dragging In The Middle

Peter J — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 12:33:04 EDT

One of the biggest problems facing our nation today is dissonance. We have mostly, in the past, been represented by a two party system. Now, at one of the most critical points in our history, we've become a people divided by age, race, gender, sexual preference, religion and even political stance. It's not neccessarily just Republican or Democrat any longer; there are many factors which determine our selection and when lines of distinction cross one over the other a decision is not always an easy one to make.As if this is not enough to keep this country embroiled in bitterness we have at this time an administration whose very existance forces extemists from both parties to the surface where their hateful epithets seep into the mental fabric of our land.A person of moderation may feel strongly about abortion based on religious grounds. This will label the person as a Right Winger, a Conservative, and whichever derogatory remark that will accompany it. This same person however, may have very strong feelings toward a womans freedom of choice. Does this individual automatically become a liberal, Lefty or whatever hate provoking term it carries? How about a man who believes that their should be no prayer or representative of religious matter in any public school or building but also swears to his right to keep firearms. There are many people in similar situations where they are divided on the issues and, unfortunately, too many people who, rather than use their thought procceses and find a middleground, or even realize that there is such a thing, will file themselves into one particular category, closing their thought process to any issue that would create conflict in their own mind. This, no doubt, will cause underlying confusion and automatic extreme resentment to any one who holds a different opinion than they on the one particular issue that they ponder. The result is, rather than being able to carry a meaningful discussion with someone on any issue, the person indulges in a useless diatribe. The result is that one person loses sight of the subject and enters a contest where there is no longer an issue, there is only a belligerant attack, and even though they may share same opinions on other issues, there will never be resolve, only more bitterness. This is not an isolated problem. This administration has managed to divide this country on every level. Even many of the Republican party find themselves biting their lips over such issues as stem cell research. The Bush Brigade began alienating most people on election day, 2000. There was a problem with the ballot in Florida, where 'W's brother officiates as Governor. Also, Katherine Harris, who was not only Bush's campaign manager but the Secretary of State of Florida, made the final decision to end a very controversial recount, putting Bush in office. These were only a couple of instigating factors. He kept on with his divisive behavior when, after doing nothing to quell the countries anger over 9-11, he had his staff concocted stories of 'weapons of mass destruction' being kept and developed by Saddam Hussein in Iraq, a notion that was disproved when we sent troops in and placed thousands of our young people in harm's way, mostly for the sake of appeasing his father, whom Saddam had threatened in the 90's. When a prior chief executive lied on an issue of no consequence to our country he was impeached. Now we have an entire Executive Staff lie about a serious matter of WMDs, put our country at peril, and there is no recourse! That in itself is an affront to any honest, law abiding citizen as it appears the President puts himself above our law.These are not conjectures, they are facts, and the only reason they have a place in this article is to demonstrate some of the causes of the breakdown of common sense in our land which can only lead to more political squalor.There are many different points to be addressed -- more, I believe, than in any other decade I've seen. I also believe that this is no accident, rather a strategy of a very cunning Administration. This Administration uses the thing that makes us great -- our differences-- to divide us.For over two hundred years we have broken the barriers of our dissimilarities, come together as a nation, conquered our enemies, fought back to back, shoulder to shoulder with our neighbor because he is our neighbor.Now, when the real enemy is unrecognizable to most is when we have to agree, unanimously, that our neighbor is not our enemy and that for once, the best course of action in this war is binding with your neighbor and agreeing to disagree. Lose your anger, keep in mind that the issues are more important than how we feel about them. Absolutely nothing is gained by shouting profanities, castigating one for simply believing differently on our policies.We can hurt a lot more than feelings if this country doesn't pull together for a common ground. Understand that the players aren't important, especially when the players are the very ones creating the division!

In the words of one of the deepest philosophers of the 20th century; "I am what I am and that's all that I am". I think "-/-" therefore, I think.