While I’m bitching about our government, fellow blogger Acidman wrote a posting that reminded me of another one of my pet peeves...
Asset Forfeiture.
”A Quincy woman who apparently stuffed $46,950 in cash in her bra before trying to board a plane to Texas for plastic surgery has sued a federal agency, demanding the return of her money.
The money was seized from Ileana Valdez, 26, after a security check at a metal detector at Logan International Airport on Feb. 3. Valdez told authorities she was heading to Texas for plastic surgery on her buttocks and breasts.
"I don't know why she was carrying it (the cash) in her bra," said Boston lawyer Tony V. Blaize, who filed the suit Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Boston on behalf of Valdez.
In her suit, Valdez said a male Drug Enforcement Administration agent told her she had a nice body and didn't need surgery — and then seized the cash, claiming it was drug money.”
This (asset forfeiture) is a little ditty that the government has invented as part of their “War on Drugs.”
Here is the idea: take away the criminals “ill gotten gains” and “assets and machinery”—cash, houses, cars, airplanes, boats, etc.—and they won’t be able to transport and sell drugs.
You know what the only problem with this idea is?
What if the government is wrong, and the asset that they seize is legitimately that of the person it is taken from? Once they have your money, you have to go to court to get it back. The laws even give the local police jurisdictions an incentive to seize assets—if they can successfully prevent you from recovering your property—they get to keep it.
Thus the dilemma.
Take Ileana Valdez’s situation. The woman sells some stuff, but maybe she doesn’t have a bank account.
What does she do? Even if she does have a bank account, with the proliferation of counterfeit checks these days, you can’t even trust a cashiers check or money order to be valid when you need to go from point A to point B with large sums of cash. Buying cars, boats, and airplanes comes to mind.
Now the government has authorized it's police force to look at you and on the spot decide how much money they think you should be allowed to have in your pocket. Having long hair and needing a shave (which I do most of the time) could eliminate me from being allowed to carry around $2000 in my coin purse in some up-tight-assed cops' minds.
Talk about legal profiling...
I once bought a 32’ boat in south Florida and had to travel from Atlanta to inspect and take ownership of the vessel.
The owner had published a price and I was pretty sure that we were going to be able to strike a deal, but instead of getting a certified check for the exact amount, I low balled the number and then brought cash (more than $5,000 worth) and believe me I worried about having that much money on me, not so much from the standpoint of losing it or being robbed, but fear of being stopped by police and having them take my money.
After all, interstates 75 and 95 in south Florida are notorious as drug trafficking pathways, but they are also the sources of horror stories of law abiding citizens having their hard earned cash taken by over zealous members of our law enforcement community.
Where is it going to end?
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Amendment Schmendment
Regarding the proposed constitutional amendment to outlaw burning or otherwise desecrating the American Flag, I'd like you to consider the following points.
First, it is important that you understand that my family and I are probably more patriotic than nine out of ten people you’ll find wandering around a football stadium before kickoff.
I know the words to the Pledge of Allegiance, the lyrics to the National Anthem, I was a member of the Boy Scouts, served time in the Navy, and I know how to fold and handle a flag. I own one of the flags that flew here on St. Simons during the 2004 G-8 Summit when President Bush and Tony Blair attended the meetings across the marsh from our home.
My mother flies an American flag at her home almost every day of the year and when her flags become faded, tattered, and worn, she saves them and respectfully burns them in a manner reminiscent of that described by our founding fathers.
Having said all of that, regarding the illegality of “flag desecration” I still have to ask:
Where would you have government power stop?
I mean, if it's my flag, why can’t I burn it? If it’s my Koran, why shouldn’t the government allow me to flush it down the toilet? If it’s my bible, can the government force me to honor my father and mother or not covet my neighbors’ ass?
Evil Kinevil rode motorcycles in a Elvis-like jumpsuit adorned by the American flag. I’ll admit that I found his attire to be in poor taste, but I do not believe that he was committing a felony.
Get my point here?
No? Well let me elaborate further.
Say I go out to Wall Mart and buy some paper, some white cloth, and an authentic pre-manufactured American Flag.
I finish my shopping trip and bring my purchases home, spending the afternoon drawing several dozen accurate copies of the American Flag on my paper and dying my cloth to resemble a large copy of the American Flag. I then lose my mind and I privately burn all twenty-six copies—including the “real” flag I purchased—in a fit of rage and hate protesting our country’s involvement in the United Nations.
Should my actions cause me to face spending time in jail or otherwise risk punitive legal consequences?
What about if I brought my flag and my home-made flag copies over to a neighbor’s cookout and burned them up on the grill in front of ten guests? Should doing my flag burning in public result in San Quinton time for me?
Should the police be able to come to my house and, upon finding a flag laying on the ground in my back yard, arrest me and haul me off to the slammer? What about finding the charred remains of a flag in my fireplace that I burned while chanting “George Bush has large, funny shaped ears?”
Do you understand now?
The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that "this land isn’t my land," and now the US Congress wants to tell me that “this flag isn’t my flag.”
I’m sorry, but if I want to be a boorish pig and burn my flags and flush my Korans, or wish to risk the lightening bolt that will surely follow any abuse of the Bible, it’s between me, my God, and my conscience—and my government needs to just BUTT THE HELL OUT OF MY BUSINESS.
First, it is important that you understand that my family and I are probably more patriotic than nine out of ten people you’ll find wandering around a football stadium before kickoff.
I know the words to the Pledge of Allegiance, the lyrics to the National Anthem, I was a member of the Boy Scouts, served time in the Navy, and I know how to fold and handle a flag. I own one of the flags that flew here on St. Simons during the 2004 G-8 Summit when President Bush and Tony Blair attended the meetings across the marsh from our home.
My mother flies an American flag at her home almost every day of the year and when her flags become faded, tattered, and worn, she saves them and respectfully burns them in a manner reminiscent of that described by our founding fathers.
Having said all of that, regarding the illegality of “flag desecration” I still have to ask:
Where would you have government power stop?
I mean, if it's my flag, why can’t I burn it? If it’s my Koran, why shouldn’t the government allow me to flush it down the toilet? If it’s my bible, can the government force me to honor my father and mother or not covet my neighbors’ ass?
Evil Kinevil rode motorcycles in a Elvis-like jumpsuit adorned by the American flag. I’ll admit that I found his attire to be in poor taste, but I do not believe that he was committing a felony.
Get my point here?
No? Well let me elaborate further.
Say I go out to Wall Mart and buy some paper, some white cloth, and an authentic pre-manufactured American Flag.
I finish my shopping trip and bring my purchases home, spending the afternoon drawing several dozen accurate copies of the American Flag on my paper and dying my cloth to resemble a large copy of the American Flag. I then lose my mind and I privately burn all twenty-six copies—including the “real” flag I purchased—in a fit of rage and hate protesting our country’s involvement in the United Nations.
Should my actions cause me to face spending time in jail or otherwise risk punitive legal consequences?
What about if I brought my flag and my home-made flag copies over to a neighbor’s cookout and burned them up on the grill in front of ten guests? Should doing my flag burning in public result in San Quinton time for me?
Should the police be able to come to my house and, upon finding a flag laying on the ground in my back yard, arrest me and haul me off to the slammer? What about finding the charred remains of a flag in my fireplace that I burned while chanting “George Bush has large, funny shaped ears?”
Do you understand now?
The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that "this land isn’t my land," and now the US Congress wants to tell me that “this flag isn’t my flag.”
I’m sorry, but if I want to be a boorish pig and burn my flags and flush my Korans, or wish to risk the lightening bolt that will surely follow any abuse of the Bible, it’s between me, my God, and my conscience—and my government needs to just BUTT THE HELL OUT OF MY BUSINESS.
Friday, June 24, 2005
It’s Sad But True
I was shocked to learn this morning that both president Bush AND John Kerry were crappy students in college, earning grades in the mid “C” range while attending college at Yale.
During the presidential campaign the press loved to portray Bush as a dumbass and Kerry as some nuanced master of vast intellectual complexities.
Finally, after Kerry signed the form 180 allowing the release of his military records to three reporters, we learn that his college transcript was included in his military file.
Bush’s military and college records were released during the campaign and are old news.
I’m not saying that either guy is stupid based on their grades, but I’m sorry to say that, speaking from my own personal experience with college, I believe that there must have been some serious beer drinking and womanizing going on in the lives of both Kerry and Bush—maybe even some dope smoking.
And based on the pictures I’ve posted below, who would you trust YOUR teenaged daughter with on prom night?
During the presidential campaign the press loved to portray Bush as a dumbass and Kerry as some nuanced master of vast intellectual complexities.
Finally, after Kerry signed the form 180 allowing the release of his military records to three reporters, we learn that his college transcript was included in his military file.
Bush’s military and college records were released during the campaign and are old news.
I’m not saying that either guy is stupid based on their grades, but I’m sorry to say that, speaking from my own personal experience with college, I believe that there must have been some serious beer drinking and womanizing going on in the lives of both Kerry and Bush—maybe even some dope smoking.
And based on the pictures I’ve posted below, who would you trust YOUR teenaged daughter with on prom night?
Do you know the difference?
What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector?
The taxidermist takes only your skin.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
A Very Sad Day In American History
You mark my words, in fifty years people will be looking back to today, June 23, 2005, as a day that changed life in America.
You don’t’ know what I’m talking about?
Well, if you currently own real estate or ever intend to buy a house or land in the future, you damn well better start paying attention to the issue that I am talking about.
Today the US Supreme Court has issued a 5 to 4 ruling substantially changing the legal definition of Eminent Domain Laws, and the new ruling doesn’t help you and me.
In the past, the government, under the constitutionally granted power of Eminent Domain, was allowed to take away your land and pay you whatever they think is the fair market value if they decided that they needed YOUR land to use for construction of a road, power line, lake, a sports stadium, or any other facility designated for public use.
Now, according to the five liberal judges on the US Supreme Court, a Connecticut city will be allowed to take land away from the RIGHTFULL OWNERS and sell said land to an office park developer, simply because the property taxes paid on a office park will exceed the property taxes paid on the existing modest homes currently located on the OWNERS’ LAND.
With this interpretation of the law, no one is safe. You can forget about buying land when you are young and selling it when you are old to pay for your retirement. You can forget about inheriting land that has been in your family for 150 years and enjoying it in your old age or selling it to fund your medical needs in your old age.
Why?
Because the f**king imperial federal government of the United By God Damn States Of America says that, even if YOU own YOUR LAND, that you paid for with YOUR MONEY that YOU earned and that you already paid FEDERAL TAXES on, is going to allow a developer to come in and take YOUR LAND, tear YOUR HOUSE down, and build fancier houses or office building—all because someone else is willing to pay more taxes on the new buildings than you pay on YOUR HOUSE.
What complete and total crappola.
Do you see where this country is headed?
You don’t’ know what I’m talking about?
Well, if you currently own real estate or ever intend to buy a house or land in the future, you damn well better start paying attention to the issue that I am talking about.
Today the US Supreme Court has issued a 5 to 4 ruling substantially changing the legal definition of Eminent Domain Laws, and the new ruling doesn’t help you and me.
In the past, the government, under the constitutionally granted power of Eminent Domain, was allowed to take away your land and pay you whatever they think is the fair market value if they decided that they needed YOUR land to use for construction of a road, power line, lake, a sports stadium, or any other facility designated for public use.
Now, according to the five liberal judges on the US Supreme Court, a Connecticut city will be allowed to take land away from the RIGHTFULL OWNERS and sell said land to an office park developer, simply because the property taxes paid on a office park will exceed the property taxes paid on the existing modest homes currently located on the OWNERS’ LAND.
With this interpretation of the law, no one is safe. You can forget about buying land when you are young and selling it when you are old to pay for your retirement. You can forget about inheriting land that has been in your family for 150 years and enjoying it in your old age or selling it to fund your medical needs in your old age.
Why?
Because the f**king imperial federal government of the United By God Damn States Of America says that, even if YOU own YOUR LAND, that you paid for with YOUR MONEY that YOU earned and that you already paid FEDERAL TAXES on, is going to allow a developer to come in and take YOUR LAND, tear YOUR HOUSE down, and build fancier houses or office building—all because someone else is willing to pay more taxes on the new buildings than you pay on YOUR HOUSE.
What complete and total crappola.
Do you see where this country is headed?
Telephones
Ah, the telephone.
Consider it with me for a moment.
What a truly amazing invention. My family had two of them—mounted of all places, on the walls of our house—when I was growing up.
I worked at the Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta in their maintenance department when I was in college. What amazed me, a simple country boy, back then was that the Omni Hotel had telephones beside the toilet in the bathrooms of the guest rooms, in 1980. I wondered to myself “who are these people that are so important that they can’t go to the BATHROOM without having a telephone?
Are YOU that important?
Having a telephone is both a pleasure and a royal pain in the arse because if you have a telephone, people expect to actually be able to talk to you. Back in the old days, if they couldn’t speak to you on your telephone, they had to call you back again later.
Not any more.
Somebody—I forget who—invented the answering machine…
and Voice Mail, two other pains in the arse.
These inventions created a new game people love to play:
Phone Tag.
And then, not long after all of the above happened, along came the Cellular Telephone.
It’s supposed to be better, because you can take it (the cell phone) with you.
I think that it’s not (better), but I’ve had one (a cell phone) since 1990.
It seems that everybody’s got one (a cell phone) these days, and there must have been a memo put out that if you have one (a cell phone) that you must use it…
CONSTANTLY.
Are these things (the cell phones) glued to people’s ears or something?
No?
Oh, you’re right, those that don’t have the wireless “Bluetooth” headsets on them (their cell phones) like my friend Wayne has are stuck actually having to hold them (the cell phones) against their heads with their hands, so they (the cell phones) are not actually glued to people’s ears.
I woke up this morning hearing a FOX News story about president Bush being interrupted by the loud ring of a reporter’s cell phone during a White House news conference with the Vietnamese Prime Minister.
It seems that President Bush hates cell phones and that the reporters had been admonished to turn off their pagers and cell phones before the event started.
Did I mention that I like him (President Bush?) We have something in common—President Bush and I both hate them (cell phones, and public cell phone users.)
Back in 1997 I saw comedian James Gregory solve a lady’s cell phone addiction at the Punch Line comedy club in Atlanta.
Here is what happened.
Before the show the MC came out and made an announcement saying blaa blaa blaa, and please turn off all pagers and cell phones.
Then the opening comedian, I forget his name, came out and did his thing. He was actually pretty funny.
Two overpriced drinks later, it was finally James Gregory’s turn.
James came out and was his usual funny self. About half way through the performance, an audience member’s cell phone rings. She answers it, then hangs up. Mr. Gregory paused and gave her a dirty look.
A few moments later, the lady’s cell phone rings, AGAIN, and she answers it, AGAIN.
Mr. Gregory stops his performance, and asks her “Is everything OK?” “I know that it must be an emergency because the club told you to turn those damn cell phones off.”
The lady answers him.
She says “I’m sorry, but my kids are at home with a sitter.”
James says “Can I talk to her?”
THE LADY ACTUALLY WALKS UP TO THE STAGE AND HANDS HER CELLPHONE TO JAMES GREGORY.
James takes the phone, puts it to his ear, and says “can you hear me?”
He then says “well, see if you can hear this…” and smashes the phone to pieces as he bangs it against the sidewall of the stage.
The crowd roars its approval.
The lady that owned it (the cell phone) rises from her seat with indignity, utters some profanity laced statement of complaint, turns to balance of the guests in her party, and demands that they leave the club.
She (the cell phone owner) and her date (husband, boyfriend, escort, someone else’s husband, or otherwise) then stomp out of the club, accompanied by a few of their party.
The crowd roared their approval.
She (the cell phone owner) came back inside the club to admonish the balance of her party to leave with her.
They look at each other, have a brief discussion, but they wouldn’t leave.
The former cell phone owner leaves again.
The crowd roars their approval, AGAIN.
I loved every minute, and I sincerely hope that the FAA and the airlines do not allow them (cell phones) to be used in flight, because commercial airliners are the only place on this planet that are safe from them (cell phones.)
Consider it with me for a moment.
What a truly amazing invention. My family had two of them—mounted of all places, on the walls of our house—when I was growing up.
I worked at the Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta in their maintenance department when I was in college. What amazed me, a simple country boy, back then was that the Omni Hotel had telephones beside the toilet in the bathrooms of the guest rooms, in 1980. I wondered to myself “who are these people that are so important that they can’t go to the BATHROOM without having a telephone?
Are YOU that important?
Having a telephone is both a pleasure and a royal pain in the arse because if you have a telephone, people expect to actually be able to talk to you. Back in the old days, if they couldn’t speak to you on your telephone, they had to call you back again later.
Not any more.
Somebody—I forget who—invented the answering machine…
and Voice Mail, two other pains in the arse.
These inventions created a new game people love to play:
Phone Tag.
And then, not long after all of the above happened, along came the Cellular Telephone.
It’s supposed to be better, because you can take it (the cell phone) with you.
I think that it’s not (better), but I’ve had one (a cell phone) since 1990.
It seems that everybody’s got one (a cell phone) these days, and there must have been a memo put out that if you have one (a cell phone) that you must use it…
CONSTANTLY.
Are these things (the cell phones) glued to people’s ears or something?
No?
Oh, you’re right, those that don’t have the wireless “Bluetooth” headsets on them (their cell phones) like my friend Wayne has are stuck actually having to hold them (the cell phones) against their heads with their hands, so they (the cell phones) are not actually glued to people’s ears.
I woke up this morning hearing a FOX News story about president Bush being interrupted by the loud ring of a reporter’s cell phone during a White House news conference with the Vietnamese Prime Minister.
It seems that President Bush hates cell phones and that the reporters had been admonished to turn off their pagers and cell phones before the event started.
Did I mention that I like him (President Bush?) We have something in common—President Bush and I both hate them (cell phones, and public cell phone users.)
Back in 1997 I saw comedian James Gregory solve a lady’s cell phone addiction at the Punch Line comedy club in Atlanta.
Here is what happened.
Before the show the MC came out and made an announcement saying blaa blaa blaa, and please turn off all pagers and cell phones.
Then the opening comedian, I forget his name, came out and did his thing. He was actually pretty funny.
Two overpriced drinks later, it was finally James Gregory’s turn.
James came out and was his usual funny self. About half way through the performance, an audience member’s cell phone rings. She answers it, then hangs up. Mr. Gregory paused and gave her a dirty look.
A few moments later, the lady’s cell phone rings, AGAIN, and she answers it, AGAIN.
Mr. Gregory stops his performance, and asks her “Is everything OK?” “I know that it must be an emergency because the club told you to turn those damn cell phones off.”
The lady answers him.
She says “I’m sorry, but my kids are at home with a sitter.”
James says “Can I talk to her?”
THE LADY ACTUALLY WALKS UP TO THE STAGE AND HANDS HER CELLPHONE TO JAMES GREGORY.
James takes the phone, puts it to his ear, and says “can you hear me?”
He then says “well, see if you can hear this…” and smashes the phone to pieces as he bangs it against the sidewall of the stage.
The crowd roars its approval.
The lady that owned it (the cell phone) rises from her seat with indignity, utters some profanity laced statement of complaint, turns to balance of the guests in her party, and demands that they leave the club.
She (the cell phone owner) and her date (husband, boyfriend, escort, someone else’s husband, or otherwise) then stomp out of the club, accompanied by a few of their party.
The crowd roared their approval.
She (the cell phone owner) came back inside the club to admonish the balance of her party to leave with her.
They look at each other, have a brief discussion, but they wouldn’t leave.
The former cell phone owner leaves again.
The crowd roars their approval, AGAIN.
I loved every minute, and I sincerely hope that the FAA and the airlines do not allow them (cell phones) to be used in flight, because commercial airliners are the only place on this planet that are safe from them (cell phones.)
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
It's A Roux!
It's 8:15 AM and I've got three eyes lit up on my stove right now. I've been cooking since about 7:00 AM but this is not breakfast food.
One eye has a big cast iron skillet on it in which I've already browned two pieces of Andouie sausage. It's now full of butter, vegetable oil, and flour on it's way to making a nice dark brown roux.
Another eye has a big heavy stainless steel skillet full of the holy trinity--diced onions, celery, and bell peppers (red and yellow.)
The third eye has a big boiler full of water with two chicken breasts cooking away.
Can you guess what's for dinner tonight?
Did I mention the Okra that will be added later?
You're right...ITS GUMBO!
Excuse me while I loosen my belt...and wipe your chin--you're drooling.
One eye has a big cast iron skillet on it in which I've already browned two pieces of Andouie sausage. It's now full of butter, vegetable oil, and flour on it's way to making a nice dark brown roux.
Another eye has a big heavy stainless steel skillet full of the holy trinity--diced onions, celery, and bell peppers (red and yellow.)
The third eye has a big boiler full of water with two chicken breasts cooking away.
Can you guess what's for dinner tonight?
Did I mention the Okra that will be added later?
You're right...ITS GUMBO!
Excuse me while I loosen my belt...and wipe your chin--you're drooling.
Turban Durbin Apology—Take Two
Chicago Mayor Richard Daily said that he should apologize—but I’m sorry to report that Senator Durbin just can’t seem to be able to find the words to do it properly.
At least he tried again yesterday:
“WASHINGTON (AP) - Under fire from Republicans and some fellow Democrats, Sen. Dick Durbin apologized Tuesday for comparing American interrogators at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp to Nazis and other historically infamous figures.
"Some may believe that my remarks crossed the line," the Illinois Democrat said. "To them I extend my heartfelt apologies."
His voice quaking and tears welling in his eyes, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate also apologized to any soldiers who felt insulted by his remarks.
"They're the best. I never, ever intended any disrespect for them," he said.”
As a member of the group of the “some” that feel that Durbin’s “remarks crossed the line,” I have this to say about that.
Sorry Mr. Turban…er, I mean Durbin…An apology isn’t offered with qualifications.
Either you ARE SORRY, or you ARE NOT SORRY.
So which is it, Senator Durbin?
I suspect that Senator Durbin is sorry that he has been called out on this issue, but that he is not truly sorry for the stupid partisan ideology that he vocalized and that caused the uproar in the first place.
Now people are calling for him to step down as the Minority Whip position as the number two Democrat in the Senate. After all, a few years ago comments made by Trent Lott when he was the Senate Majority Leader in a private venue—the birthday party for South Carolina Senator Strom Thurman—ultimately forced him to step down from his Senate leadership position.
I have to ask this question:
Are we responsible adults, are we all kids in Kindergarten here?
The simple fact is that the mainstream media is not going to hype Turban Durbin’s comments made publicly and officially (in a prepared speech delivered on the Senate floor) in the same manner that they hyped Trent Lott’s comments made in a non-official capacity at a private party.
What I would like to see happen is for our elected officials and our paid professional media to reach down, grab their pants or socks or some otherwise favorite body part, and get a large, industrial strength sized grip on a large portion of reality—enough to temper their own words and actions and/or their reaction to the actions of others.
Why can’t we run this country like a business instead of a junior high school class election?
At least he tried again yesterday:
“WASHINGTON (AP) - Under fire from Republicans and some fellow Democrats, Sen. Dick Durbin apologized Tuesday for comparing American interrogators at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp to Nazis and other historically infamous figures.
"Some may believe that my remarks crossed the line," the Illinois Democrat said. "To them I extend my heartfelt apologies."
His voice quaking and tears welling in his eyes, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate also apologized to any soldiers who felt insulted by his remarks.
"They're the best. I never, ever intended any disrespect for them," he said.”
As a member of the group of the “some” that feel that Durbin’s “remarks crossed the line,” I have this to say about that.
Sorry Mr. Turban…er, I mean Durbin…An apology isn’t offered with qualifications.
Either you ARE SORRY, or you ARE NOT SORRY.
So which is it, Senator Durbin?
I suspect that Senator Durbin is sorry that he has been called out on this issue, but that he is not truly sorry for the stupid partisan ideology that he vocalized and that caused the uproar in the first place.
Now people are calling for him to step down as the Minority Whip position as the number two Democrat in the Senate. After all, a few years ago comments made by Trent Lott when he was the Senate Majority Leader in a private venue—the birthday party for South Carolina Senator Strom Thurman—ultimately forced him to step down from his Senate leadership position.
I have to ask this question:
Are we responsible adults, are we all kids in Kindergarten here?
The simple fact is that the mainstream media is not going to hype Turban Durbin’s comments made publicly and officially (in a prepared speech delivered on the Senate floor) in the same manner that they hyped Trent Lott’s comments made in a non-official capacity at a private party.
What I would like to see happen is for our elected officials and our paid professional media to reach down, grab their pants or socks or some otherwise favorite body part, and get a large, industrial strength sized grip on a large portion of reality—enough to temper their own words and actions and/or their reaction to the actions of others.
Why can’t we run this country like a business instead of a junior high school class election?
Some People Just Need To Get A Grip
Or Possibly a clue…
So now they’re making Marijuana flavored candy?
"Marijuana-flavored lollipops with names such as Purple Haze, Acapulco Gold and Rasta are showing up on the shelves of convenience stores around the country, angering anti-drug advocates."
And now some people are objecting to there being candy flavored like marijuana?
“New York City Councilwoman Margarita Lopez introduced a resolution condemning the candies when she saw them at convenience stores near schools in her district. She plans to hold hearings this summer.”
Without going into too much detail or revealing too much personal information, just let me say that this stuff can’t taste good and the MARKET FORCES should be allowed to determine if it is a success or failure, not some stupid hyperventilating idiot like Councilwoman Lopez.
Making offensive named and flavored food seems perfectly legal to me. Tootsie Rolls and Baby Ruths could be renamed and repackaged as “Kitty Poos” and “Caddy Shacks”.
And regarding marijuana flavored food, “Hey Rusty…how about a nice ice cold glass of Bong Water? Mmmmmm Mmmmmm Good”
So now they’re making Marijuana flavored candy?
"Marijuana-flavored lollipops with names such as Purple Haze, Acapulco Gold and Rasta are showing up on the shelves of convenience stores around the country, angering anti-drug advocates."
And now some people are objecting to there being candy flavored like marijuana?
“New York City Councilwoman Margarita Lopez introduced a resolution condemning the candies when she saw them at convenience stores near schools in her district. She plans to hold hearings this summer.”
Without going into too much detail or revealing too much personal information, just let me say that this stuff can’t taste good and the MARKET FORCES should be allowed to determine if it is a success or failure, not some stupid hyperventilating idiot like Councilwoman Lopez.
Making offensive named and flavored food seems perfectly legal to me. Tootsie Rolls and Baby Ruths could be renamed and repackaged as “Kitty Poos” and “Caddy Shacks”.
And regarding marijuana flavored food, “Hey Rusty…how about a nice ice cold glass of Bong Water? Mmmmmm Mmmmmm Good”
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel Repya Writes Home
Lt. Col. Joe Repya is from Minnesota. He got out of the Army some years ago, but he re-enlisted at the young age of 58 and is a regular correspondent with my blog friends/idols over at Powerline.
Today the Minneapolis Star Tribune wrote an editorial supporting "Turban" Durban's speech on the Senate floor last week.
Here is what Lt. Col. Repya had to say in a letter to the editor of the Star Tribune:
"Your editorial "Durbin's Message/US Must End Prisoner Abuse" proves beyond any doubt that the Star Tribune Editorial Staff has no idea of who we are fighting and why! As a soldier in Iraq, I was highly insulted by the comments of Senator Durbin and his pathetic excuse of being "misunderstood." So I offer a suggestion. Let's divide up these victims of "the hellhole America's military has created" at Guantanamo and allow them to spend a weekend at the homes of the Star Tribune Editorial Staff and Senator Durbin. America's military will anxiously await the report on the impression they will make on you and your families.
Joseph Repya
LTC, Aviation
MNC-I LNO101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Camp Victory South
Baghdad, Iraq"
Just as I wrote in X-Ray Vision last week before I had read about Durban's chest pounding fit:
"Senators Martinez, Hagel, and Leahy are pompous, arrogant, useless, vote whores that don’t have enough spine to finish anything that they start. They couldn’t care less about the ramifications of their criticisms, they are just trying to get “ahead of the curve” by predicting the failure of US intelligence efforts.
If they are so concerned about the well being of these "detainees" why don't they each move couple of "insurgents" into their home and buy them a case of box cutters..see how innocent they really are."
Since Repya is actually fighting the insurgents, I believe that he is better qualified than I to make similar suggestions.
Great minds think alike...
and all I have to say is Amen, Brother…
Today the Minneapolis Star Tribune wrote an editorial supporting "Turban" Durban's speech on the Senate floor last week.
Here is what Lt. Col. Repya had to say in a letter to the editor of the Star Tribune:
"Your editorial "Durbin's Message/US Must End Prisoner Abuse" proves beyond any doubt that the Star Tribune Editorial Staff has no idea of who we are fighting and why! As a soldier in Iraq, I was highly insulted by the comments of Senator Durbin and his pathetic excuse of being "misunderstood." So I offer a suggestion. Let's divide up these victims of "the hellhole America's military has created" at Guantanamo and allow them to spend a weekend at the homes of the Star Tribune Editorial Staff and Senator Durbin. America's military will anxiously await the report on the impression they will make on you and your families.
Joseph Repya
LTC, Aviation
MNC-I LNO101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Camp Victory South
Baghdad, Iraq"
Just as I wrote in X-Ray Vision last week before I had read about Durban's chest pounding fit:
"Senators Martinez, Hagel, and Leahy are pompous, arrogant, useless, vote whores that don’t have enough spine to finish anything that they start. They couldn’t care less about the ramifications of their criticisms, they are just trying to get “ahead of the curve” by predicting the failure of US intelligence efforts.
If they are so concerned about the well being of these "detainees" why don't they each move couple of "insurgents" into their home and buy them a case of box cutters..see how innocent they really are."
Since Repya is actually fighting the insurgents, I believe that he is better qualified than I to make similar suggestions.
Great minds think alike...
and all I have to say is Amen, Brother…
It’s here—free—for the taking, how about using it?
I absolutely love the Internet.
I sometimes sit paralyzed in front of the computer—paralyzed with indecision over what topic to look into. The news is a common area of interest, but there are long lost hobbies like model airplanes, and long lost family members to be researched—thus my dilemma.
Some of the stuff you find on the internet is total crap. If your thing is naked body parts or cheep drugs causing 4 hour erections, there is a web site for you out there somewhere that can satisfy your needs—for only $19.95. I would rather spend my time in more productive (and less reproductive) areas of investigation.
When I read a news story, I almost always do multiple Google searches on key words in order to fact check the article and determine the viewpoint of the author. For this same reason I also include links in my writing that I hope you will follow in order to verify the accuracy of my position.
The sad thing is that most news reporters are either stupid or so intellectually dishonest that all they ever accomplish is the spouting of partisan crap rather than actually covering world events and presenting the story in a fair, neutral basis.
We currently live in the greatest country in the world that ever existed, but if you listen to the domestic and international media we are simply a country half-full of total idiots and ego maniacs that prefer to live our selfish lives in luxury while ignoring the suffering and mayhem afflicting all of our less fortunate international neighbors.
The beauty of the internet is that it allows you to cut through the media static and instantly obtain additional information that is intentionally omitted from the news. Hear that the United Nations needs more money? Find out that the US already pays 22% of the total operating budget each year for the UN. Hear that John Bolton is stuck in limbo in a vote on the Senate floor? Find out that he is well qualified and the Democrats continue to be the party of NO—NO Social Security reform, No Judges, No John Bolton, and generally NO to anything that president Bush wants to accomplish.
I’ve previously commented on “Turban” Durban’s Senate floor bashing of US treatment of prisoners at Gitmo. Take a look at the play that his comments have gotten on the al Jazeera network’s website. The story has been #1 for a week now.
“Turban” Durban is sticking by his words, and as a result he is proving that he is a complete %$#*& idiot.
All you voters in Illinois should be totally embarrassed
I sometimes sit paralyzed in front of the computer—paralyzed with indecision over what topic to look into. The news is a common area of interest, but there are long lost hobbies like model airplanes, and long lost family members to be researched—thus my dilemma.
Some of the stuff you find on the internet is total crap. If your thing is naked body parts or cheep drugs causing 4 hour erections, there is a web site for you out there somewhere that can satisfy your needs—for only $19.95. I would rather spend my time in more productive (and less reproductive) areas of investigation.
When I read a news story, I almost always do multiple Google searches on key words in order to fact check the article and determine the viewpoint of the author. For this same reason I also include links in my writing that I hope you will follow in order to verify the accuracy of my position.
The sad thing is that most news reporters are either stupid or so intellectually dishonest that all they ever accomplish is the spouting of partisan crap rather than actually covering world events and presenting the story in a fair, neutral basis.
We currently live in the greatest country in the world that ever existed, but if you listen to the domestic and international media we are simply a country half-full of total idiots and ego maniacs that prefer to live our selfish lives in luxury while ignoring the suffering and mayhem afflicting all of our less fortunate international neighbors.
The beauty of the internet is that it allows you to cut through the media static and instantly obtain additional information that is intentionally omitted from the news. Hear that the United Nations needs more money? Find out that the US already pays 22% of the total operating budget each year for the UN. Hear that John Bolton is stuck in limbo in a vote on the Senate floor? Find out that he is well qualified and the Democrats continue to be the party of NO—NO Social Security reform, No Judges, No John Bolton, and generally NO to anything that president Bush wants to accomplish.
I’ve previously commented on “Turban” Durban’s Senate floor bashing of US treatment of prisoners at Gitmo. Take a look at the play that his comments have gotten on the al Jazeera network’s website. The story has been #1 for a week now.
“Turban” Durban is sticking by his words, and as a result he is proving that he is a complete %$#*& idiot.
All you voters in Illinois should be totally embarrassed
Don’t Worry, It Won’t Affect YOU…
I am so sick and tired of hearing the refrain “don’t worry, it won’t affect YOU” when it comes to discussing tax laws.
These were the words used by politicians and supporters of the income tax when it was originally sold to the American public in 1913 with the passage of the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution.
Thus my disdain for the warped logic exhibited in this NY Times story on the elimination of the estate tax.:
“Two months after the House of Representatives voted to repeal the estate tax starting in 2011, the pro-repeal camp in the Senate still doesn't have the votes to finish off the tax. Some senators, thankfully, are refusing to approve another wildly unaffordable tax cut for the wealthiest of the wealthy. But there is still cause for concern: with repeal doomed, senators from both parties are talking about changing the tax in ways that would be as bad as repeal itself…
Moreover, a low tax rate would starve the Treasury. A 15 percent rate, combined with a $3.5 million exemption, would cost 87 percent as much as repeal…
A reasonable compromise would be to keep the tax at the levels that will be in effect in 2008 - an exemption of $2 million a person, and after that, a tax rate of 45 percent. Under that formula, the estate tax would affect a fraction of the top 1 percent of Americans and would average less than 20 percent. Senator Schumer and his colleagues must realize that the need for tax fairness and fiscal sanity is greater than whatever political pressure they feel.”
The Times is passionate about the issue: “wildly unaffordable…starve the Treasury…tax fairness and fiscal sanity…political pressure”
Say what?
Think about this situation with me for a minute. Throw out your little hat saying Democrat or Republican, forget about all the crap that’s been force fed to you by government schools and the mainstream media your entire life. Try looking at things this way…
You start out as just some average slob that spends four years of your life and a bunch of your parent’s money going to college.
After college, you get that first job and spend the next twenty of so years working your way up the food chain. You eat bagels, drive ten year old cars, pay taxes, raise kids, and live your life like a good American.
Finally, you get tired of the 9 AM to 5 PM routine and you manage to start your own business. Life is good.
You spend the next twenty years working 7 AM to 9 PM building your business and, to quote Missouri Democratic Congressman Richard Gephardt, you appear to have “won life’s lottery” because you’ve made more money than the rest of the “average working slobs” that you started out competing with.
You’ve also spent a hell of a lot of money on accountants and you’ve spent a hell of a lot of your money paying taxes—income taxes.
Then the day comes when your time on this earth is over with and you die, leaving slightly more than a moderate sum to your family. Isn’t that fair? After all, you’ve worked your ass off, you’ve paid income taxes on all of your money you’ve earned over the past FORTY YEARS, and now the government wants to step in and take nearly half—45%--of everything you have left in excess of $2 million?
Not no, but HELL NO.
The Times says that the senators need to “realize that the need for tax fairness and fiscal sanity is greater than whatever political pressure they feel.”
How much longer are we expected to believe that “tax fairness and fiscal sanity” is embodied in stealing money from people that EARN IT and giving it to people that DIDN’T EARN IT?
How much longer are we going to allow “bureaucrats” and “activists” to look at our society, decide what the living standards should be, and then steal the money they believe they need from the “wealthy” in order to impose these standards on the “working families.”
You want know what I believe?
LIFE IS A BITCH!
You Know?
You come into this world naked, in sub-Saharan Africa or the USA, you are smart or you are stupid, black or white, male or female, and there is no guarantee that you won’t be molested as a child, or raped as an adult, or have the opportunity to be college educated and work your entire career for NASA. You can either play the cards in the hand that life deals you, or you can walk away from the table, curl up in a hole somewhere, and die a miserable death.
It really gripes me when the politicians and “activists” come in and try to insulate people from this reality. Pass another law. Raise another tax. It’s just that simple in their minds.
If you saw a bum (excuse me, a “homeless person”) sitting on the street and you wanted to help him improve his situation, would you believe that it was ethical for you pick up a gun, come to my house, stick the gun into my face and demand that I give you $10,000 to help the bum find shelter and food?
No?
Then how can you support allowing the government to come to my home, stick a gun in my face, and demand that I give them $10,000 on your behalf in order to provide an entire sub-culture of bum’s food, clothing and shelter?
What about air conditioning and a cell phone? What about a PlayStation and high speed internet? What about an I-pod? What about health insurance and a retirement plan? What about a trip to Disneyworld?
Where does it all end?
There are too many people out there today that believe that THEIR happiness depends on MY money, and standing in a grocery store checkout line while you talk on a cell phone paying for your purchase with food stamps (or with increased dignity with your new Electronic Benefits Card) makes my head explode.
There is a potential solution out there.
One of my idols, Atlanta radio talk-show host Neal Boortz and US Congressman John Linder have written The Fair Tax Book touting the benefits of a National Retail Sales Tax.
What a great idea it is. The National Retail Sales Tax would allow you to bring home every dollar that you earn, and only pay taxes when you spend your money. Every citizen would get a monthly tax rebate equal to the tax paid on the basic necessities of life—food, clothing, shelter. Poor people would pay no income tax and no sales tax, other than at the level existing in the individual states.
The National Retail Sales Tax would also capture income earned in the cash only “underground economy” (illegal workers, drug trade, etc.) because it would capture the money when it is spent, rather than when it is earned.
Unfortunately, there are too many politicians out there that will refuse to give up the power of spending other people’s money on their voters and constituents to allow any substantial change in the tax laws...
And that's a crying shame.
These were the words used by politicians and supporters of the income tax when it was originally sold to the American public in 1913 with the passage of the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution.
Thus my disdain for the warped logic exhibited in this NY Times story on the elimination of the estate tax.:
“Two months after the House of Representatives voted to repeal the estate tax starting in 2011, the pro-repeal camp in the Senate still doesn't have the votes to finish off the tax. Some senators, thankfully, are refusing to approve another wildly unaffordable tax cut for the wealthiest of the wealthy. But there is still cause for concern: with repeal doomed, senators from both parties are talking about changing the tax in ways that would be as bad as repeal itself…
Moreover, a low tax rate would starve the Treasury. A 15 percent rate, combined with a $3.5 million exemption, would cost 87 percent as much as repeal…
A reasonable compromise would be to keep the tax at the levels that will be in effect in 2008 - an exemption of $2 million a person, and after that, a tax rate of 45 percent. Under that formula, the estate tax would affect a fraction of the top 1 percent of Americans and would average less than 20 percent. Senator Schumer and his colleagues must realize that the need for tax fairness and fiscal sanity is greater than whatever political pressure they feel.”
The Times is passionate about the issue: “wildly unaffordable…starve the Treasury…tax fairness and fiscal sanity…political pressure”
Say what?
Think about this situation with me for a minute. Throw out your little hat saying Democrat or Republican, forget about all the crap that’s been force fed to you by government schools and the mainstream media your entire life. Try looking at things this way…
You start out as just some average slob that spends four years of your life and a bunch of your parent’s money going to college.
After college, you get that first job and spend the next twenty of so years working your way up the food chain. You eat bagels, drive ten year old cars, pay taxes, raise kids, and live your life like a good American.
Finally, you get tired of the 9 AM to 5 PM routine and you manage to start your own business. Life is good.
You spend the next twenty years working 7 AM to 9 PM building your business and, to quote Missouri Democratic Congressman Richard Gephardt, you appear to have “won life’s lottery” because you’ve made more money than the rest of the “average working slobs” that you started out competing with.
You’ve also spent a hell of a lot of money on accountants and you’ve spent a hell of a lot of your money paying taxes—income taxes.
Then the day comes when your time on this earth is over with and you die, leaving slightly more than a moderate sum to your family. Isn’t that fair? After all, you’ve worked your ass off, you’ve paid income taxes on all of your money you’ve earned over the past FORTY YEARS, and now the government wants to step in and take nearly half—45%--of everything you have left in excess of $2 million?
Not no, but HELL NO.
The Times says that the senators need to “realize that the need for tax fairness and fiscal sanity is greater than whatever political pressure they feel.”
How much longer are we expected to believe that “tax fairness and fiscal sanity” is embodied in stealing money from people that EARN IT and giving it to people that DIDN’T EARN IT?
How much longer are we going to allow “bureaucrats” and “activists” to look at our society, decide what the living standards should be, and then steal the money they believe they need from the “wealthy” in order to impose these standards on the “working families.”
You want know what I believe?
LIFE IS A BITCH!
You Know?
You come into this world naked, in sub-Saharan Africa or the USA, you are smart or you are stupid, black or white, male or female, and there is no guarantee that you won’t be molested as a child, or raped as an adult, or have the opportunity to be college educated and work your entire career for NASA. You can either play the cards in the hand that life deals you, or you can walk away from the table, curl up in a hole somewhere, and die a miserable death.
It really gripes me when the politicians and “activists” come in and try to insulate people from this reality. Pass another law. Raise another tax. It’s just that simple in their minds.
If you saw a bum (excuse me, a “homeless person”) sitting on the street and you wanted to help him improve his situation, would you believe that it was ethical for you pick up a gun, come to my house, stick the gun into my face and demand that I give you $10,000 to help the bum find shelter and food?
No?
Then how can you support allowing the government to come to my home, stick a gun in my face, and demand that I give them $10,000 on your behalf in order to provide an entire sub-culture of bum’s food, clothing and shelter?
What about air conditioning and a cell phone? What about a PlayStation and high speed internet? What about an I-pod? What about health insurance and a retirement plan? What about a trip to Disneyworld?
Where does it all end?
There are too many people out there today that believe that THEIR happiness depends on MY money, and standing in a grocery store checkout line while you talk on a cell phone paying for your purchase with food stamps (or with increased dignity with your new Electronic Benefits Card) makes my head explode.
There is a potential solution out there.
One of my idols, Atlanta radio talk-show host Neal Boortz and US Congressman John Linder have written The Fair Tax Book touting the benefits of a National Retail Sales Tax.
What a great idea it is. The National Retail Sales Tax would allow you to bring home every dollar that you earn, and only pay taxes when you spend your money. Every citizen would get a monthly tax rebate equal to the tax paid on the basic necessities of life—food, clothing, shelter. Poor people would pay no income tax and no sales tax, other than at the level existing in the individual states.
The National Retail Sales Tax would also capture income earned in the cash only “underground economy” (illegal workers, drug trade, etc.) because it would capture the money when it is spent, rather than when it is earned.
Unfortunately, there are too many politicians out there that will refuse to give up the power of spending other people’s money on their voters and constituents to allow any substantial change in the tax laws...
And that's a crying shame.
Monday, June 20, 2005
Excuse Me While I Have A Good Time
We had the most incredible evening yesterday. It was one of those events that is impossible to plan and could have been a weather disaster—but it wasn’t.
Our neighbor, 83 year old Mr. Harlan “Bucky” Strader, has a new “lady friend.” He and his “lady friend” wanted us to accompany them to Neptune Park adjacent to the St. Simons Lighthouse to attend a Celtic music concert Sunday evening. So far so good.
We watched The Weather Channel and looked at the National Weather Service Web Site all afternoon, basically assuming that the numerous thunderstorms to our north over Sapalo Island and Savannah would continue moving south and producing a washout—but they didn’t.
Being the optimist that I am, I slow grilled some boneless pork ribs and bacon wrapped shrimp on skewers and made up an Asian BBQ glaze that ended up producing an amazing flavor, a good contrast to my Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce that I use on half of the ribs and shrimp.
We wandered down to Bucky’s condo about 5:30 and headed over to the park for the 7:00 pm concert. The clouds were still holding off. We set up our little picnic with a couple of portable camp chairs and beach towels on the grass within thirty feet of the stone sea wall overlooking St. Simons Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. The clouds were still holding off.
The music started on time—a solo musician from Ireland—and the wine flowed and the food was consumed and the clouds retreated out of sight to the north. We watched the sun set over the Sidney Lanier Bridge and listened to the high tide retreating off of the rocks behind us and I could not have asked for better company or ambiance.
Pat and I came home about 10:00 PM, I collapsed into bed, and slept through the night without awaking a single time—thus my lack of posting last evening.
As I said before, “excuse me while I have a good time…”
Our neighbor, 83 year old Mr. Harlan “Bucky” Strader, has a new “lady friend.” He and his “lady friend” wanted us to accompany them to Neptune Park adjacent to the St. Simons Lighthouse to attend a Celtic music concert Sunday evening. So far so good.
We watched The Weather Channel and looked at the National Weather Service Web Site all afternoon, basically assuming that the numerous thunderstorms to our north over Sapalo Island and Savannah would continue moving south and producing a washout—but they didn’t.
Being the optimist that I am, I slow grilled some boneless pork ribs and bacon wrapped shrimp on skewers and made up an Asian BBQ glaze that ended up producing an amazing flavor, a good contrast to my Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce that I use on half of the ribs and shrimp.
We wandered down to Bucky’s condo about 5:30 and headed over to the park for the 7:00 pm concert. The clouds were still holding off. We set up our little picnic with a couple of portable camp chairs and beach towels on the grass within thirty feet of the stone sea wall overlooking St. Simons Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. The clouds were still holding off.
The music started on time—a solo musician from Ireland—and the wine flowed and the food was consumed and the clouds retreated out of sight to the north. We watched the sun set over the Sidney Lanier Bridge and listened to the high tide retreating off of the rocks behind us and I could not have asked for better company or ambiance.
Pat and I came home about 10:00 PM, I collapsed into bed, and slept through the night without awaking a single time—thus my lack of posting last evening.
As I said before, “excuse me while I have a good time…”
Sunday, June 19, 2005
If "Turban" Durban Wants To Bitch About Something...
let him bitch about this NY Times story about Iraqi torture houses.
“KARABILA, Iraq, Sunday, June 19 - Marines on an operation to eliminate insurgents that began Friday broke through the outside wall of a building in this small rural village to find a torture center equipped with electric wires, a noose, handcuffs, a 574-page jihad manual - and four beaten and shackled Iraqis.
The American military has found torture houses after invading towns heavily populated by insurgents - like Falluja, where the anti-insurgent assault last fall uncovered almost 20 such sites. But rarely have they come across victims who have lived to tell the tale.
The men said they told the marines, from Company K, Third Marines, Second Division, that they had been tortured with shocks and flogged with a strip of rubber for more than two weeks, unseen behind the windows of black glass. One of them, Ahmed Isa Fathil, 19, a former member of the new Iraqi Army, said he had been held and tortured there for 22 days. All the while, he said, his face was almost entirely taped over and his hands were cuffed.”
It’s obvious to me that the Times felt obligated to print this on the front page of their online edition, but just watch how much follow up they do and how many other media outlets cover the story.
The NY Times, LA Times, et. al. have almost daily stories about imagined abuses at Gitmo and Abu Grab-ass, but they won’t manage to waste much ink on stories of actual torture and abuse when they don’t fit their liberal propaganda template—stories making the US and George W. Bush look bad.
Idiotic Senator Dick "Turban" Durban will probably not utter a word in this direction.
Watch this story fade away as the hyperventilating continues about Korans and Geneva Conventions and toilets.
“KARABILA, Iraq, Sunday, June 19 - Marines on an operation to eliminate insurgents that began Friday broke through the outside wall of a building in this small rural village to find a torture center equipped with electric wires, a noose, handcuffs, a 574-page jihad manual - and four beaten and shackled Iraqis.
The American military has found torture houses after invading towns heavily populated by insurgents - like Falluja, where the anti-insurgent assault last fall uncovered almost 20 such sites. But rarely have they come across victims who have lived to tell the tale.
The men said they told the marines, from Company K, Third Marines, Second Division, that they had been tortured with shocks and flogged with a strip of rubber for more than two weeks, unseen behind the windows of black glass. One of them, Ahmed Isa Fathil, 19, a former member of the new Iraqi Army, said he had been held and tortured there for 22 days. All the while, he said, his face was almost entirely taped over and his hands were cuffed.”
It’s obvious to me that the Times felt obligated to print this on the front page of their online edition, but just watch how much follow up they do and how many other media outlets cover the story.
The NY Times, LA Times, et. al. have almost daily stories about imagined abuses at Gitmo and Abu Grab-ass, but they won’t manage to waste much ink on stories of actual torture and abuse when they don’t fit their liberal propaganda template—stories making the US and George W. Bush look bad.
Idiotic Senator Dick "Turban" Durban will probably not utter a word in this direction.
Watch this story fade away as the hyperventilating continues about Korans and Geneva Conventions and toilets.
The PC Crowd Can Just Kiss My Lily-White Derrière
Finally we hear about some sanity creeping back into an insane world being dominated by hypersensitive, politically correct (PC) "activists."
What am I talking about?
Let me explain…
Back in 1992, when the Atlanta Braves baseball team finally decided to begin what has turned out to be a thirteen-year domination of the National League Western division of Major League Baseball, my ex-wife and I wandered down to the old Atlanta Stadium with $120 in our pockets, hoping to buy two playoff tickets from a ticket “scalper.”
I didn’t manage to buy any tickets because the prices were higher than my $60 per seat budget, but what I did manage to witness (instead of a baseball game) was a protest being staged by a pitiful little band of Indians…er, excuse me, make that “Native Americans.”
What issue were these “Native Americans” Protesting?
They waited until Atlanta finally made the playoffs to start publicly protesting the use by the Atlanta MLB team of the name “Braves.”
MY HEART WAS BREAKING, AS MY HEAD EXPLODED AT THEIR STUPIDITY!
The sad thing was, these ‘Native Americans” were all decked out in their “Native American” attire—feathers and moccasins and face paint—they looked like extras in a 1950’s “Cowboy and Indian” movie.
These morons had waited for 25 years while the Braves languished in the cellar of Major League Baseball (something well worth protesting,) they watched silently while the Braves had a fake Indian Teepee erected out in the left field bleachers, and they were silent while the Braves had a caricature of an Indian as a mascot, “Chief Knockahoma,” who greeted kids in the Teepee and did a little dance every time the home team hit a home run.
Only when the national media arrived at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium did they decide to get up the energy to protest the Braves’ use of a term relating to “Native Americans.”
What about the term “ticket scalpers.” Where is their outrage over that obvious negative “Native American” reference, Kemosabe?
In the end, no one really paid any serious attention to the protesters, and the Braves still call themselves the Braves as of today.
I thought that the sensitivity to “Native American” sports team refrain had died down a little, and then it came to my attention that the NCAA is having a meeting next week about the “appropriateness” of naming college sports teams using “Native American” references.
I did a little checking and guess what?
The Seminole Indian Tribe in Florida has come out with a statement supporting Florida State’s use of their tribe’s name for their sports teams.
"Miami--The Seminole Tribe of Florida said it still backs Florida State University's use of the Seminoles nickname, just a week before the NCAA meets on the appropriateness of American Indian nicknames.
At it's regular Friday meeting, the Tribal Council voted unanimously on a resolution in support of Florida State's nickname, the first time the Tribe has taken an official public step to show support for the Tallahassee school's mascot.
"The resolution is a formal document that puts into black and white the sentiment of the Tribe, because we feel that it is an honor and a reflection of the university to represent the spirit of the Seminole Tribe of Florida," said Max Osceola, a Tribal councilman."
It’s about time some minority group saw the light and didn’t let the PC crowd of “lily-white assholes with nothing better to do” tell them what they should think and do.
The use of Native American names does not automatically fall into the category of exploitation or denigration. It is all in the way the terms are used. A stumbling, drunken, cigar-store Indian caricature could be considered insulting, but the way Florida State and other modern college teams use their “Native American” references is polite and reverent.
I hope the NCAA keeps their noses out of this issue and lets the individual schools decide their own fate. If they don’t, the next thing you know a bunch of ancient Romans will be running around USC protesting their use of the name “Trojans” (or maybe the condom manufacturer will have something to say on that one.)
Maybe I’ll form a PC group and start running around holding news conferences and demanding that no one name their basketball team “The stumbling, lead footed, stupid-assed, lazy white boys that can’t jump Crackers.”
Then again, maybe not…
What am I talking about?
Let me explain…
Back in 1992, when the Atlanta Braves baseball team finally decided to begin what has turned out to be a thirteen-year domination of the National League Western division of Major League Baseball, my ex-wife and I wandered down to the old Atlanta Stadium with $120 in our pockets, hoping to buy two playoff tickets from a ticket “scalper.”
I didn’t manage to buy any tickets because the prices were higher than my $60 per seat budget, but what I did manage to witness (instead of a baseball game) was a protest being staged by a pitiful little band of Indians…er, excuse me, make that “Native Americans.”
What issue were these “Native Americans” Protesting?
They waited until Atlanta finally made the playoffs to start publicly protesting the use by the Atlanta MLB team of the name “Braves.”
MY HEART WAS BREAKING, AS MY HEAD EXPLODED AT THEIR STUPIDITY!
The sad thing was, these ‘Native Americans” were all decked out in their “Native American” attire—feathers and moccasins and face paint—they looked like extras in a 1950’s “Cowboy and Indian” movie.
These morons had waited for 25 years while the Braves languished in the cellar of Major League Baseball (something well worth protesting,) they watched silently while the Braves had a fake Indian Teepee erected out in the left field bleachers, and they were silent while the Braves had a caricature of an Indian as a mascot, “Chief Knockahoma,” who greeted kids in the Teepee and did a little dance every time the home team hit a home run.
Only when the national media arrived at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium did they decide to get up the energy to protest the Braves’ use of a term relating to “Native Americans.”
What about the term “ticket scalpers.” Where is their outrage over that obvious negative “Native American” reference, Kemosabe?
In the end, no one really paid any serious attention to the protesters, and the Braves still call themselves the Braves as of today.
I thought that the sensitivity to “Native American” sports team refrain had died down a little, and then it came to my attention that the NCAA is having a meeting next week about the “appropriateness” of naming college sports teams using “Native American” references.
I did a little checking and guess what?
The Seminole Indian Tribe in Florida has come out with a statement supporting Florida State’s use of their tribe’s name for their sports teams.
"Miami--The Seminole Tribe of Florida said it still backs Florida State University's use of the Seminoles nickname, just a week before the NCAA meets on the appropriateness of American Indian nicknames.
At it's regular Friday meeting, the Tribal Council voted unanimously on a resolution in support of Florida State's nickname, the first time the Tribe has taken an official public step to show support for the Tallahassee school's mascot.
"The resolution is a formal document that puts into black and white the sentiment of the Tribe, because we feel that it is an honor and a reflection of the university to represent the spirit of the Seminole Tribe of Florida," said Max Osceola, a Tribal councilman."
It’s about time some minority group saw the light and didn’t let the PC crowd of “lily-white assholes with nothing better to do” tell them what they should think and do.
The use of Native American names does not automatically fall into the category of exploitation or denigration. It is all in the way the terms are used. A stumbling, drunken, cigar-store Indian caricature could be considered insulting, but the way Florida State and other modern college teams use their “Native American” references is polite and reverent.
I hope the NCAA keeps their noses out of this issue and lets the individual schools decide their own fate. If they don’t, the next thing you know a bunch of ancient Romans will be running around USC protesting their use of the name “Trojans” (or maybe the condom manufacturer will have something to say on that one.)
Maybe I’ll form a PC group and start running around holding news conferences and demanding that no one name their basketball team “The stumbling, lead footed, stupid-assed, lazy white boys that can’t jump Crackers.”
Then again, maybe not…
