Today the trees are bending under 25 mph wind gusts. The road sand is tapping like hail against the window and I’m certain the car will be jostled from side to side. It's reminiscent of Gaza with its rocket attacks and the retaliatory bombing.
The Israelis and Palestinians are fighting (again or still, I suggest reading a history on the area) over the same thing they always fight over, sovereignty, over a hatred which neither side remembers how it started and neither side wishes to end. Now people, Israeli and Palestinian, are dying.
This isn't war:Neither is this:
War isn't tanks and artillery. This is war:
It is sad that this will probably be the last post for 2008. This year is ending in the midst of a downward spiral with wars, the economy, genocide in Africa, and Dancing With the Stars still on the air. Obama has preached hope, I wonder how long hope can holdout before the middle and working classes are pressed into despair.
10. Joe The Plumber - Joe whose real name is Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, was used by the McCain campaign as a symbol of middle America's worry about President-Elect Obama's tax policy. Joe was found to not be a licensed plumber, but just an ass who wasn't working class. He apparently has written a memoir that will surely help heat houses here in New England.
(you could get a tan standing next to that melon)
9. Joe Satriani- Joe is a late addition to the list. He is suing Coldplay for copyright infringement claiming the song "Viva La Vida" copied parts of one of his. Joe, does anyone that isn't a guitar student or 15 and pimply faced really know your songs?
8. Trader Joe's - Joe, you continuously have the cheapest most flatulent beans in the area. I am right now saluting you in the unique way that only your beans could be a part of.
7. Joe Sixpack -Joe's name was used more times during the presidential election than Iraq and economy, you know the important things. Supposedly the Sixpack brand is a metaphor for the middle and working classes. (spoiler alert) Joe, is like Santa Claus - not real).
6. Joe Torre - Joe told the Yankees where to go after being unappreciated for getting a team in turmoil to the playoffs. He went to the Dodgers and subsequently brought an otherwise lackluster team to the playoffs.
5. Joe Biden - Joe, your the Vice- President elect and not such a horrible white guy. You managed to keep your mouth from vomiting up the crazy things your brain wants to say and helped get Obama elected. Also your not from Alaska, but you do look like what I always imagined former Secretary of State Seward looked like.
($5 Foot Long)
4. Joey Lawrence - for not putting out anything that I know of this year- whoa! you suck. Hmm. How come every Joe that sucks is bald?
(Yuck!)
3. Joe Leiberman - Joe had a big year. He flirted with the Republicans and even spoke at their convention. When Obama won, he came crawling back to the Democrats for forgiveness and got it along with the red imprint of every Democratic Caucus members hand on ass.
2. Cup-A-Joe - Joe without you constantly by my side, I could never do these inane posts, function alertly, or continue to be regular.
According to liscence plate manufacturers, the state of Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 lakes . The states official motto is L'Etoile du Nord” or “The Star of North.” A few famous people who grew up in the state include Bob Dylan, Prince, F.Scott Fitzgerald, and of course this former Minnesotan governor:
(Jesse "The Body" Ventura)
However, more importantly the state has yet to figure out if Republican Senator Norm Coleman will retain his seat or if Democratic challenger and former comedian Al Franken will become a congressional freshman.
The problem as it stands is disputed ballots. Each side has of course hired a team of lawyers the size of which the rest of us will only see at a law school graduation or in line at a cocaine house.
As it stands Dirk Johnson of The New York Times reports Mr. Franken in the lead by a narrow margin, which means it can still go eather way. If it comes down to a few votes, I wonder which side will be laughing at the votes that were made for God, Al Frankenstein, Mickey Mouse, and several for Chuck Norris.
In the meantime, here's some of both candidates best work.
The company execs at Burger King must have been on a food high from the consumption of too many Whoppers when they ok'd their new fragrance. I say new, but apparently if you walk into any Burger KIng you would smell that fragrance or if you sat next to a Burger King worker on the bus.
Yes, the fragrance smells like flame-broiled meat.
(being a non-mammal eater, I never thought I would have a picture of hamburgers on this blog)
The Whopper sandwich is America's favorite burger. Flame by BK captures the essence of that love and gives it to you. Behold the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat.
With a $3.95 price tag, the fragrance actually smells like a veiled attempt at a PR scheme. The news of the fragrance is all over the blogosphere and on the news just because of its absurdity. Look at the ad in all its uncomfortable consumer sexism.
Perhaps the marketing campaign will work and people will buy it just because it's hokey. I can't fathom why there is any other reason to purchase such a scent. Even if you wanted to smell like broiled-meat wouldn't it still be easier to rub steak sauce on yourself and stand next to a fire - I bet the scent will last longer.
On Friday, Dec. 19, workers at 30 North American automobile plants will punch out for an extended period of time.
The New York Times, Nick Bunkley reports Chrysler is shutting down all its plants for at least a month due to the dwindling money in its reserves and no sign of a government bailout.
Is this a political move by Chrysler to force the government to concede a bailout package in order to save union jobs and wages? These jobs are made up pf men and women from the working class, the so-called blue-collar workers who have often been said to be the backbone of this country, yet they constantly get used for political or monetary gain and usually end up with their heads flushed in the toilet. These workers are the ones that will suffer first and severely, long before the Caucasian CEO's. Unless, the CEO's had their money tied up with Bernard L. Madoff who is now under house arrest with an ankle bracelet in his $7 million home (now that's American justice).I think in this picture Mr. Madoff, a former chair of the NASDAQ is gesturing how much he cares about screwing his investors who have pretty much lost their money to his ponzi (pyramid) scheme.
It is always rare for a corporation to admit and/or correct its failures.
In a statement Wednesday, Chrysler said tighter credit markets are keeping would-be buyers away from its showrooms. The company said its dealers are unable to close sales for buyers due to a lack of financing, and estimate that 20 to 25 percent of their volume has been lost due to the credit situation. Sales in November slid 47.1 percent.
What Chrysler won’t say is their crisis (along with GM and Ford) also has to do with the choices they made in car design and efficiency. They messed up and now like scared spoiled children they have come back like prodigal sons and rainy day relatives looking for a handout.
"Corruption is not a party liability—if you can ignore your accusers long enough, or play martyr.” -Frank Richardson Kent, political pundit of the Baltimore Sun.
Christopher Wills of the AP reports, the Attorney General of Illinois, Lisa Madigan, has asked the state Supreme Court to declare Governor Rod Blagojevich unfit. The governor has been accused of trying to sell President-elect Obama’s senate seat for cash or political favors. although no audio of the FBI’s wire has been released, you can read the criminal complaint at the Smoking Gun website with full expletives for you kids out there that like your politics to use the F-word as every part of speech.
The governor who is more worried about his moonlighting gig as Plastic Man, has been praying to God with a bunch of ministers and you know those people aren't corrupt, just ask Martin Luther or read his 95 Theses.
But, eh, I guess we can just blame corruption on these people:
Governor Blagojevich has said he is innocent of the charges and will be soon vindicated. Illinois and Chicago especially, have had a long history with corruption. For example, William Hale Thompson in 1927, was reelected mayor because of Al Capone's support. According to Wikipedia (I know, but the quote is good), after Thompson's defeat in 1931 by Democrat Anton Cermak, the Chicago Tribune wrote (The Tribune may not be writing much of anything soon):
For Chicago Thompson has meant filth, corruption, obscenity, idiocy and bankruptcy.... He has given the city an international reputation for moronic buffoonery, barbaric crime, triumphant hoodlumism [sic], unchecked graft, and a dejected citizenship. He nearly ruined the property and completely destroyed the pride of the city. He made Chicago a byword for the collapse of American civilization. In his attempt to continue this he excelled himself as a liar and defamer of character.
In an AP article by Deanna Bellandi and Christopher Wills in The Star Tribune of Minneapolis states Governor Blagojevich's approval rating at 8%. 8%? President Bush's approval rating is 25%. Vice-President Cheney has an 18% approval rating, and even this guy has an approval rating of 10% (this is not comedy!):
Yet, this is politics. Blogojevich just happened to get caught like a scalper at a REO Speedwagon reunion concert.
Lead singer Kevin Cronin's hair reminds me of a friends in High School.
You'd think that since Illinois is known for the Cubs always blowing it and political corruption that the politicians there would be honest and not wear blue caps with a red letter "C" embroidered on it.
H.M. These initials were all that was public of a man who wouldn’t remember your name. An operation to rid him of his acute form of epilepsy left him without his hippocampi, amygdoid nuclei, and the adjacent cortical regions.
In his obituary in The New York Times, Benedict Carey writes:
"In 1953, he underwent an experimental brain operation in Hartford to correct a seizure disorder, only to emerge from it fundamentally and irreparably changed. He developed a syndrome neurologists call profound amnesia. He had lost the ability to form new memories. He became one of the most renowned and studied neurological subjects. Scientists studied his brain and learned more about it than ever before."
A December 6, article in the San Diego Union-Tribune by Scott LaFee says, “H.M. was the object of hundreds of studies, some of which fundamentally changed science's understanding of brain structure, memory function and neurological disease.”
H.M. whose real name is Henry Gustav Molaison, died on November 30, at a Connecticut Nursing Home likely not remembering the past 55 years. Yet, neuroscience will never forget Mr. Molaison’s help in its advancement.
I do wonder what the legal implications of his study were and the legality of studying his brain after his death at The Brain Observatory at the Unniversity of California San Diego. To continue to study a man who was relatively emotionless, could not remember the stranger in the mirror and who more than likely had to be told everyday of the study is questionable.
I'm not one to write about sports often and rarely do I show my allegiance. However, I love the New York Giants. I love them more than any other team in any sport. I was elated when Plaxico Burress caught the final touchdown in their superbowl win over the Patriots, but Mr. Burress what the heck has happened to you this season. You've been suspended, fined, injured, and now you shot yourself? You now face possible charges on your invalid and expired gun permit by the NYPD. The NFL will look to see if you violated its Personal Conduct Policy and if you did you will be suspended. You just signed before the start of the season for five-years, $35 million, please don't continue to spiral into the newest Giant's nuisance 'a la Jeremy Shockey. Our Giants are 10-1 don't screw it up for the rest of us.
For most of us westerners it is easier to believe in a hard boiled egg bearing bunny than modern pirates hijacking oil tankers. But, pirate activity has been rising around the world due to unstable governments, which can not supply the needs of its citizens.
So what do modern pirates look like?
nope. Although I wish he were so people who really like music could get together and make him eat 1000 cheesburgers.
nope.
Nope. However if this were 1717 Edward “Blackbeard” Teach would be a real pirate. Blackbeard apparently “wove hemp into his beard and lit it on fire to scare his adversaries and to take the edge off. He was a bad ass
For most of us westerners it is easier to believe in a hard boiled egg bearing bunny than modern pirates hijacking oil tankers. But, pirate activity has been rising around the world due to unstable governments, which can not supply the needs of its citizens.
According to Robert F. Worth’s report in The New York Times, there has been over 80 ships attacked off the coast of Somalia this year. “In September a Ukrainian freighter packed with tanks, antiaircraft guns and other heavy weapons was captured," writes Worth.
These pirates armed with modern guns take over ships over 100 times their small sailing vessels size.
The most recent standout amongst pirate conquest is the Saudi Arabian oil tanker with more than $100 million worth of crude oil.
The International Chamber of Commerce lists pirate encounters each week and has a map showing where piracy has taken place.
These pirates are not taking over ships because they’ve seen Pirates of the Caribbean 10 times and definitely not any of the sequels, which frankly turned me off to piracy for good and has me considering Johnny Depp to be a pandering jester to the masses. Really in the movie he’s like a clown without a red nose. A movie whose tag line is “Prepare to be blown out of the water” should give you the same disgusted feeling as walking in on your parents in the hot tub. Every time after, when they ask you how come you haven’t been using it you say, “I just don’t want to, ok” and then run straight to the toilet and dry heave for a couple of minutes, all the time knowing the only way to forget about it is to have sex in their bed while their away (you know you did that).
(look at the uncanny resemblance)
These pirates are after money. Why? Their governments aren’t working for them and piracy is a very lucrative endeavor.
Somalia has been an unstable country for the past 17 years. Its government has been in chaos and its people are starving. Poor government control has led to the rise of Somoli pirates who flaunt their money, buying businesses and constructing new buildings next to rundown shacks.
Somali officials say the pirates are on par to make a record $50 million in 2008 (hmm… sounds like a certain group who enjoy barrels in the United States).
So what does the world do? It sends warships from the United States, Russia, NATO, the European Union and India to patrol 2.5 million square miles of the Indian Ocean. So much for helping to stabilize a government and help its people out of poverty, violence, and starvation, I guess shipping lanes and protecting the oceans are more important. I think the whole thing resembles the war on drugs here in the United States. Instead of helping people with their circumstances, our government prefers the crack heads approach to keep the streets safe for sadly you and me.
Northampton, MA - The area LGBTQ community and their Allies rallied on the steps of City Hall yesterday to show their solidarity the country and world with the gay marriage movement in the 50 states.
A group of over 500 people, which overflowed onto Main street held signs and banners while listening to a number of speakers at the three hour event.
Lorelei, a powerful and passionate speaker, asked the crowd to support our brothers and sisters. “Let them get married,” she said.
The rally was part of the Join the Impact campaign designed to show solidarity and promote conversation between all members of society on equal rights.
Join the Impact calls themselves a grassweb campaign. The campaign along with Obama’s success showcases the power of the Internet to quickly gather people for a cause.
The results of California’s proposition eight and the success of four other states to ban gay marriage were a few of the many topics covered in the rally.
Reverend Emily Heath from the utilitarian church commenting on the threat that gay marriage poses to some people said, ”The threat is hate projected on two people that love one another.” “Threat is not two people who love each other,” she said.
The Raging Grannies made an appearance and led the crowd in singing, “Marriage is our right today, gay or straight, straight or gay.”
The actions central theme was about love that we as all humans share. Reverend Heath concluded her commentary by saying, “ Love Wins.”
The next action by Join the Impact is planned for December 10, International Human Rights Day and is called Day Without a Gay.
The organizers are encouraging the LGBTQ community to call in "gay" and not sick. Join the Impact would like the community to take the day to volunteer for nonprofits in the their area. The donation of their time is to show the world how the LGBTQ community loves the country and its fellow citizens.
In New England, in my liberal state of Massachusetts, it is raining heavily. The drops are knocking hard against the windows and the cars heading north and south are sounding those little wave like crashes from the water of puddles being displaced and uprooted from their dormancy by the rubber tires earnestly gripping then shoving the road behind causing the water to hit undercarriages and splash back down to the road.
In New York City, I am told it is also raining. There is a planned protest at City hall; 260 Broadway against the passing of California’s prop 8. The protest is simultaneously happening in over 300 cities including cities in 10 countries besides the US with an estimated turnout of over 1 million protesters. There are 4 locations in Massachusetts. The protest in Northampton is City Hall located at 210 Main Street. The event is organized by Join the Impact, a group founded the day after the election who write, “We've reacted to Prop 8 with anger, with resolve, and with courage. NOW, it's time to show America and the world how we love. “
On election day, the democrats in the New York state senate won a narrow margin of control. Eyewitness news 7 an ABC affiliate out of New York reports on November 8 that there are 4 democrats who may shift to the republican side.
The Rev. Duane Motley, founder of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, which opposes gay marriage, said they knew that with Republicans in control of the Senate that legislation to legalize it "was not going to come up." With Democrats in control, he said party members will be pushing for it, but he questioned whether they have the votes.
"I think there's at least four or five Democrats who wouldn't support it," said Motley, who said his group represents more than 2,000 evangelical churches and 500 other Christian organizations statewide. He believes the Republican senators will remain opposed.”
How something like marriage can become engulfed in political maneuvering is sickening. Government should not be able to deny rights to individuals. The Reverands NYCF in their "Petition to save Marriage in New York State," writes, "The institution of marriage provides the basic family unit within which children are born and nurtured. It is the essential building block of our society, not an archaic, outmoded tradition to ever be redefined or cast aside."
How is it being redefined using the definition the NYCF themselves and other like groups have written in the petition. The institution of marriage is all the things they say it is in their petition statement. Family is an interpreted substance. The family unit is evolving. How many kids are being raised by grandparents aunts, uncles, foster care, brothers sisters , etc.
In a letter to current Senate Majority leader, Senator Dean G. Skelos, Rev. Motley writes:
“New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms has always appreciated the fact that you do not surrender your core values for purposes of political expediency. I urge you and the Republican Majority Conference to continue to stand firm for the traditional definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman only.”
It’s always about tradition. It was tradition once to import African slaves and use them for labor. It was tradition for women to be owned by their husbands. It was tradition for Egyptians to continue to enslave the Jews and it is tradition for the majority in this country to oppress minorities.
Perhaps, the solidarity that the protest today will give to the LGBTQ and Ally community will propel the New York government to open their eyes to the reality that this is not only a civil rights issue, but an issue that weighs on our humanity. This rain is not a hinder on the protesters, but on those who refuse to give the same rights to all human beings. It is their ominous warning of our mobilization, of our coming together, of the true sense of morality: the equality, kindness and compassion that every human being on this planet has if they so choose. Choose well.
The passing of proposition 8 in California is a setback for gay rights in this country. As an ally of this movement I am deeply saddened. Keith Olbermann's sentiments echo many in the LGBTQ and Ally community.
On November 7, The Los Angeles Times reported on the anger Gay Rights Supporters have for the Mormon church who spent an estimated 20 million or more in support of the ban on equal marriage. A group supported by the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center protested outside the Mormon Church in Brentwood. Another overlooked problem for supporters is 53% of Latinos also supported proposition 8. Whether due to religious reasons or other, those votes could have helped. Perhaps they were overlooked by opponents of prop. 8 or thought of to vote along with their vote for President-elect Obama.
The next step will be litigation, litigation, litigation maybe until Congress and the President take a stand for the constitution and stop photocopying it onto rolls of toilet paper to wipe their asses with. I don't think we can rely on the supreme court.
This is Stephen Harper, Canada's Prime Minister or at least his wax figure from Madame Tussauds in London. Nonetheless Governor Palin should have known his name when she was pranked by 2 Montreal Disc Jockey's (what a strange word) who go by the moniker The Masked Avengers. Why 2 guys on the radio need to be masked is between the 2 of them and the laws of Quebec. The Avengers worked their way through Palin's staff by posing as a member of French President Nicolas Sarkozy's staff trying to set up a phone call between the French president and Palin. Somehow it worked.
Palin fails as most of us would to realize that the people the fake Sarkozy is mentioning are well known french figures. She really should have known the name of Canada's Prime Minster since she is more likely to see Canada from her yard than Russia and as she said deals with Canada a lot, probably due to the fact that traveling to the lower 48 from Seward's Folly is possible by going through Canada or the Pacific ocean.
The masked duo even manage to slip in a reference to a spoof porn video in the making, I'm sure some poor staffer had to tell her about. Hustler guru, Larry Flynt is producing the porn flick called "Nailin' Paylin" A typical pun the porn industry and my 13 year old friends and I would make up in line at the middle school cafeteria trying to off set the vomit inducing smell of sloppy joes and the sight of water disguised as iceberg lettuce. I have to hand it to Larry Flint, he takes free speech to new levels.
Can you really blame Flynt for giving this guy a bunch of shit? Mr. Falwell has passed on and now his hate and apocalyptic views are vomited to the masses by his 2 sons.
Desmond Ravenstone is an erotic author who's books include; Taken: A Story of Ravishment, the Atraxa Trilogy I, II, III, and The Principled Libertine: The Ethical Case for Sexual & Erotic Freedom which can all be purchased at Lulu.com.
The campaign slogan is - "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Orgasms!"
The candidate stands unequivocally for a woman's right to choose whether and when to bear and beget a child, including the right to abortion as well as sexual freedom and equality. These are the things mainstream candidates refuse to talk about. After an exhausting effort to set up a meeting with the candidate at Mistress Samantha Anderson's place of business all that was there was the picture on the right. (ok, that's not true)
On The Ravenstone/ Darklady myspace page the mood is always horny. The amount of libido may be due to the friends the site has, which is made up of 3/4 of all the pornstars in the greater United States who if they along with their fans and pornography users voted would make up a number around "40 million: The number of U.S. adults who regularly visit porn websites" according to the Internet Filter Review. This number is roughly 13% of the US population and 18% of thevoting population. In the 2004 presidential election roughly 56% of eligible voters voted. If all the smut lovers voted they would have garnered 33% of the votes leaving only 81 million for Bush and Kerry to fight over. I say go for it Mr. Ravenstone! Make this country sexy for once.
If you can tell me about the Federalist Papers in particular the essays written by James Madison our 4th president, I will be surprised. The war of 1812 happened under Madison's administration including the British setting the White House on fire and the 1st presidential mullet.
Thaddaus Hill of The Madison-Federalist party is continueing Madison's vice that the Constitution needs to be microscopically adhered to in his run for the presidency.
"It means what it says, and it says what it means."
-- TH
Besides having an enviously over the top presidential name, TH as he's known on the corner of Pecan and Front Streets in his hometown of New Ulm, Texaswhere the population has grown from 500 people in 1930 to the current record of 650.
For the most part TH and the Madison-Federalist party are against big government and here in Massachusetts they would probably vote to get rid of the state income tax. TH would also repeal getting money from federal taxes to run FEMA and the Department of Education.
TH makes some good points and despises the right leaners and there marketing of stately travel mugs. The one thing that bothers me is the shadowy use of initials for TH's advisors or maybe gang members: JGH, DH, WLB and JRT.
Possible images of the gang:
From left to right: JGH, DH,WLB (no known picture) and JRT.
A few days ago Ashley Todd, a McCain volunteer in Pittsburgh told police she was robbed at an ATM and the assailant, a man of color, upon finding out she was a McCain supporter, beat her and carved a "B" on her cheek that stood for Barack Obama. Both candidates publicly deplored the act.
A few days later, Miss Todd confessed to the police that the "B" was self- inflicted as well as other parts to her story.
This story though rooted in politics and even used for a bit by the McCain campaign it is really about mental illness. As bad and as easy as it was to blame a man of color shows the racism this culture still possesses. However, I haven't read anywhere if the robbing was true or false and I'm not sure why no news source to the best of my knowledge has asked that question .
Some republican bloggers have said that even though the story was fabricated by Miss Todd, there has been a lot of Obama supporters using violence.
These acts are deplorable, but no more than a recent plot to assassinate Obama. All of these perpetraters are mentally ill in some way and need care. When I first looked at the picture of one of the alleged conspirators, I was horrified. The image disgusted me, but now I see that it is the collective fault of every American that this man and the other assailants mentioned have come to this. There is no dialogue about race, gender, class and homosexuality in most of this country and without it these situations will continue to occur.
So why did Samuel use his middle name instead of his first name? It may be due to his unlicensed vocation or perhaps to his back taxes or perhaps to protect his celebrity uncle.
seen here side by side as a now disheveled old man and his classic 2 dimensional self.
McCain keeps telling us that Joe the Plumber is an average working American. he is going to be making around $300,000. If 95% of Americans make less than $250,000 than how is Mr. Plumber an average middle class person?
Joe and McCain don't want to share. But, that's alright as sharing is not part of the "American Dream" just ask the Native Americans. They were told we could share. Lord Jeffrey Amherst (it has not been proved other than the letter writing that Amherst had anything else to do with the blankets) had an opinion on sharing with Native Americans, which was shared by many.
Since I have been talking about the Joe’s I know with the addition of Mr. Plumber I’d just like to introduce a Joe I have forgotten about to Senator McCain for consideration as the next Joe to occupy the Joe mascot position. Senator, I’d like you to meet Joe Mama.
Neither is this:
