Category: venting

is it just me?, listen up!, politics, tragic, venting, well?

and how is that any different from the last 4 years?

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Bush is getting all prissy pants, and saying that he will definitely veto the bill that Congress is putting forward, because, wait for it, it has conditions that he doesn’t like. He demands that the bill have no strings or he will certainly veto it. Um, listen you little cry baby, you don’t get to make all of the decisions! Congress and the Senate were also elected BY US, and they represent us when you get all high and mighty. Don’t forget that.

Also, I love that he is all,

The secretary of defense has warned that if Congress does not approve the emergency funding for our troops by April 15, our men and women in uniform will face significant disruptions — and so will their families. (source)

So, Mr. Bush, can you please explain to me how their lives haven’t faced significant disruptions up until now? How is this any different? Sending your son or daughter into a war zone is a significant disruption. Telling a troop that they are going into battle when they have not received proper military combat training is not only amazingly like a death sentence, I would beg to use rationality to realize that it is at least disruptive to that troop.

Additionally, Bush said that he was worried that this spending bill would deflect funds away from providing the troops with the supplies that they need.

UH, seriously? So you are telling me, that for the last 4 years we have been providing the troops with everything they need? Wow. You are way more in the dark than I had previously thought. Why not, instead of keeping your head so firmly buried in the sand, listen to the many men and women that are screaming at the top of their lungs about this war. Listen to the troops that you say you are so concerned about. LISTEN! (Where’s Beyonce when you need her?!) Stop your namby-pamby priss priss crap, and be a real man. A real man doesn’t pout when he doesn’t get his way, and stomp his foot saying that he will veto a bill because “it’s not fair!”. That is so 3rd grade, Mr. Bush, and it is scary enough that you run the country, but to think that you are acting like a 3rd grader is even more frightening.

For the sake of the troops and their families… LISTEN!!!!

Also, for anyone of the Republicans and conservatives that are saying the most awful and slanderous things about Edwards and his wife, you should be supremely ashamed of yourself. If this is an example of what it means to show compassion the Christian way, I want nothing to do with Christianity. I thought Christianity was supposed to be there for your neighbor, and show love and compassion when someone is in a time of need, NOT go around making fun of a woman that is in the 4th stage of metastasized cancer. That is not only heartless, it is disgusting. Edwards deserves a break on this one, because I know that if my partner was going through what his wife is going through, there is no way that I would even be able to operate properly from day to day, and he and his wife have decided to still campaign. If you were really Christians, you would feel sympathy for his wife, and have nothing but the utmost respect and support for their family. Because they are truly in a time of need. Shame on you.

is it just me?, listen up!, movie musings, tragic, venting

when is a stone more that just a stone?

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When it’s a diamond.

Last night, we watched Blood Diamond for the first time and it was shocking. After doing research about conflict diamonds when the movie came out in the theaters, I was excited to see this movie, and I have to say, that I was literally horrified when I saw the things I have read about conflict diamonds portrayed so realistically in the film. What makes the portrayal even more shocking, is that there are people in Africa are actually being killed, maimed, enslaved, and tortured all because of a little clear rock.

But why? Well, the De Beers diamond cartel has created a perception of rarity by controlling and manipulating the world’s supply of diamonds. The prospect of wealth from obtaining and selling these stones drives people to kill and maim (like the hand-less boy pictured here). These stones provide money to rebel organizations that go around doing this merciless killing, and all we have learned about diamonds, is to focus on the 5 C’s. That’s just awful. We’ve been duped, and people are paying for it with their lives.

It’s interesting that this continues, because diamonds are not precious or rare; they are actually found in abundance throughout Africa. But because of the control of those like the De Beers cartel, the value of an otherwise worthless stone fuels greed and destruction. It is a fact, that most of the diamonds that are mined and discovered go into vaults, so as to keep the supply of diamonds on the market very low. This makes the demand for diamonds high. High demand means they are worth more; and with that, owning a diamond has become a symbol of wealth.

The sad fact, is that these stones are used to pay for guns and ammo, which are used in rebel wars. In these wars, people chop off other people’s hands, kidnap their children and brainwash them, turning them into killing machines, and kill anyone that gets in their way. They enslave people to mine the diamonds for them, producing more and more wealth to fuel their wars. But why are these conflict diamonds being bought? Isn’t there a way to stop this? Well, thankfully, the UN and most of the African countries that have diamond supplies have made efforts to require authentication in order to sell diamonds. Unfortunately, the reality is that the conflict diamonds are smuggled out of the region, and their origin is faked in order to obtain “proper documentation”, thus “proving” that the diamonds are not conflict diamonds. Conflict diamonds are supposed to be illegal, but they are still bought and sold every day.

Until there are no more conflict diamonds, many, many people will suffer and die. All for a stone. All for that coveted engagement ring. I never thought about it before, but now, I can’t help but wonder how many people actually died or were maimed every time I see a sparkle from someones diamond ring. Sure, they are pretty, but they are virtually worthless without the supply and demand that De Beers has created. Africa has been producing tons of diamonds over the years, and the cartels control them, so this problem goes on. I for one will be steering clear of diamonds, because I can’t bear to stomach the thought that a diamond that I bought cost someone their hands or their life. Something to think about, isn’t it?

Here is some more information to check out, if you want to learn more. The whole thing just makes me sick, really, that an insignificant stone can be so deadly. A guess a diamond really is forever… but so is death.

Also, sorry if you think the image is graphic, but it struck me, thought it was appropriate. It isn’t mine, it comes from the internets.

hmm interesting, is it just me?, politics, venting, well?

covering your ass and why I hate cell phones now (apparently)

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Minor, not-even-worth-paying-attention-to-if-I-were-you-update: the coward parade gains a new member! LOL It must be hard to be so right and awesome all of the time, because keeping that up means that you feel the need to pick on others to make yourself feel even more awesome and right. How cool! LOL!!!! Pathetic.

First the cell phone thing, because it will be brief. This morning, driving to work, I saw what I always see, some asshole driving like a maniac, that I or other people have to avoid to prevent an accident. In this morning’s case, it was a woman that ran a very red light at a very precarious intersection, because she was blabbing away on her phone, and couldn’t be bothered to notice. Be it running a red light, stopping suddenly to make a turn with no turn signal, whatever, the point is, these idiots are putting our lives, and my car, in danger. What is the one factor that I notice about 99% of these people? Just like the woman this morning, they are on cell phones when they are doing this shit. HANG THE FUCK UP AND DRIVE. I rarely talk on the phone when I am driving, and if I do, I keep it short, and get off as soon as I can. I want to be able to focus, and it appears that I need that extra focus, because those that refuse to put down the phone and drive are actually trying to have an accident with me. That is why I now hate cell phones. The end.

Now, I haven’t really said anything about the firing of the US attorneys because I really don’t care that much, but after reading what Mr Bush said this morning, I really want to applaud him for an amazing ability to cover his own ass. Not only is he saying that investigating this beyond what he is willing to turn over is a partisan fishing expedition, but he also is confident that it is an unnecessary confrontation that the Democrats are trying to bully him into. Wow, Mr. Bush, you really know how to prevent people from seeing what really happened. You are great at covering your ass!!!

Basically, if the people that had a hand in this do get supeanaed, they are going to have to admit that they did indeed fire these people because they weren’t investigating Democrats as much as they wanted them to be. The attorneys that were fired have come forward and said that they were pressured to investigate Democrats more than Republicans, and in some cases, as much as a 7 to 1 ratio, so let me ask you, Mr. Bush, who is the one that is doing the partisan confrontation now? These attorneys can’t just be fired because they are investigating stuff that you and others in government have done wrong in the middle, or beginning, of an investigation… oh wait! You covered your ass!! You got Gonzalez to fire them so that they wouldn’t investigate what you didn’t want them to, something that the other ones have been compellingly convinced to stay away from (or else, get fired themselves!)!!! I get it now… you are just covering your ass. (Keep in mind that we KNOW that no other president has fired US BI-PARTISAN attorneys mid-term. It’s cool to fire them when you come in to office, but if you fire them while you are still there, because they may (or already have begun) investigate something one party has done illegally that is currently sitting, well, that just reeks of guilt. That’s practically a confession.)

I seriously wish that someone, anyone, would go after uncovering the crookedness that is going on in the White House, without the big “hell no” that is coming from them. I don’t think that anyone in this country is immune to investigation if there is reasonable suspicion that they have done something wrong, and that includes members of congress, senate, and especially those at the White House. Mr. President, can you please stop trying to cover your ass, because it is getting more and more obvious that you are scrambling to do so, and, calling the Democratic effort to call you out on your shit a partisan confrontation for political gain, is both laughable and pathetic. If you do something wrong, you need to be cooperative, because it is well known that not do is almost always the first sign of being guilty; and low and behold, you don’t want to cooperate. Maybe, you aren’t covering your ass at all… Hmmm… maybe you are just covertly admitting your guilt. Interesting thought. I hope that you and the rest of your office aren’t able to sweep this away like you want to. I hope that it gets the attention that it deserves.

Finally, I know that there are several of you that are all “bomb the fuck out of Iran”, but I am seriously terrified of what will happen if we do. I seriously can’t afford $5 a gallon for gas, and I don’t know many that can. I also don’t want to see us pulled into more war, especially since we have such a broken military right now (and I especially don’t want to see ANY MORE lives lost to this war). The best way to put out a fire is NOT to throw more fuel on it, and that is exactly what we will be doing if we bomb Iran. Yes, they are dangerous. Yes, they can cause more and more harm, but NO, we should not go to war with them. That is going to make things WAY worse. The ONLY thing that comes out of war is death and destruction (well, unless you are a government contractor, because then it is wealth and fortune, but that is beside the point). We have got to figure something else out, and stop occupying the middle east already!

Alright. Vent is over for now. Discuss.

civil rights, is it just me?, politics, venting

who decides what’s moral and what’s not?

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Well, first it was a general, and now, we have a presidential candidate throwing around his “moral clout” saying that homosexual acts are immoral. Basically, he feels being homosexual is fine, just not the acts that come along with it. (link)

What puzzles me is, who are these people that gives them the right or stature to be the deciders of what is immoral? Obviously, homosexuality is a polarizer in this country, but I don’t think that either of these men have the place, or frankly the right, to decide that homosexual acts are immoral. Immoral for themselves, fine I’ll give them that, but not immoral period, end of story. Sorry, that just doesn’t work, especially when you are basing your beliefs on religion, and this country is not supposed to be governed by religion. (I know you are going to play the free speech card, but that is baloney, especially when he is deciding a particular lifestyle is wrong, and will do his best to enact legislation to prevent it from happening, or to punish those that live that way.)

I also love how people attempt to use that “hate the sin but not the sinner” shit. Basically, if you say that you are fine with homosexuality, but are against homosexual “acts”, then I hate to break it to you, but you are against homosexuality, because without the “acts”, you aren’t much of a homosexual. If you don’t agree with it, that’s fine by me, but shut the fuck up about it already, and keep that to yourself, I’m tired of hearing it. I completely echo and applaud Barack Obama for what he said, because that is part of the point I am trying to make here:

Obama issued a statement on Thursday, saying, “I do not agree with General Pace that homosexuality is immoral. Attempts to divide people like this have consumed too much of our politics over the past six years.”

This issue is to often used to fuel people to vote one way or another, and it is just time to get over it. What we do in our bedrooms is none of your business, and it certainly shouldn’t be something that a presidential candidate is focused on. There are far too many other more important issues that need our time and focus. Now, this does not mean that I think that it is appropriate to parallel this suggestion (that we quit the finger pointing and deciding what is “right” or “wrong”) with ignoring the rights of gays and lesbians altogether, and preventing the same civil liberties that are granted to every other citizen of this country. The main reason being that gay marriage isn’t a gay or lesbian issue, it is an equal civil rights issue. Nothing less, nothing more.

What scares me with regards to people like general Pace spouting off his two cents, is that the gay people that do chose to serve in the military are not ones that can just ignore this as “just another person saying homosexuality is wrong”. In fact, when people like Pace take this stance on things like this, it puts every one of the 60,000 gay and lesbians serving in the military in danger. I personally have no problem saying fuck off to a government that doesn’t want me to serve, but those that do don’t deserve to be placed in additional danger because of who they are. Don’t ask don’t tell is just another way in which oppression is used to turn your head and look the other way when people are persecuted and harmed because of ignorance. It just isn’t right. And people like this just make it worse.

I am just sick and tired of having the fact that I like to fuck a man being used to justify what’s wrong with the world, and that there is something so different about me that I don’t deserve to be an equal citizen of the country. I say, that if you want to deny me because of who I am, then every single one of us that are gay/lesbian/transgendered/bi-sexual/etc should secede from this fucking country and get the hell out. If we are really that unwanted and that unsavory, perhaps that is what should happen, because there will always be fuckwits like these two that want us gone. I know that this isn’t realistic, and that I am not going anywhere, but it is something that definitely crosses my mind from time to time. I know that you can’t argue logic to someone who thinks illogically… and that is what these two, and those that are like them are doing, thinking and speaking without logic. As such, it makes me want to just pack up and move, but since that isn’t an option, and someone needs to speak on our behalf, here’s a big shut the fuck up from someone who does think logically, since me trying to convince you that you are wrong won’t work. You don’t have to place to decide whether homosexual acts are moral or immoral, so get off of this issue already. Focus on protecting our country, our civil rights, and our citizens. There are much more important things to focus on, and it makes me wonder why these men spend so much time focusing on homosexual acts in the first place. I don’t even think that much about man on man sex!

all about me, hotness, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, near and dear, politics, the catch-all-egory, venting

the wednesday run-down

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Today, there are 5 distinct thoughts running through my head, so I thought I would give you a run down. In summation, here it is: 1) come on Dems!, 2) get this CD NOW, 3) examining relationships, 4) buying too much stuff?, and finally 5) comments on TV things. Let’s get started, but let’s keep it brief.

First of all, most people don’t think that I am critical (enough) of the Democrats actions. They are wrong. This is just great; now we can EXPECT an attack on Iran. Why were these guidelines abandoned? This just seems to keep getting worse and worse; if we don’t at least put caps and regulations on things, then things will continue to go in the same direction, and there will be NO changes. That can’t be allowed to happen! We need to send a message, that is LOUD and CLEAR to the president; no more occupation! No more war! Things just seem to be idling along, while real action needs to be taken. This is seriously disappointing, to say the least. UGH. We need some people that will take real action, fast.

In lighter fare, I am proud to announce the American release of a GREAT UK artist’s sophomore disc, entitled Back to Black. It is none other than the fantastical Amy Winehouse, and you must do yourself a favor and buy this CD today. It is only $8 at Target and Best Buy, and it is definitely $8 well spent. Let’s show our appreciation for bringing great artists to our shores, rather than leaving them as imports. Amy’s voice is an old classic voice, much like Billy Holiday, and it has power, class, soul, and life. The music is fantastic, like a hip hop jazz, and you will enjoy this if you enjoy great music. Do yourself a favor and pick it up today!

Relationships. UGH. Sometimes they are great. Sometimes they suck. Sometimes you realize that certain relationships in your life are not worth fighting for, but for whatever reason, they go on, because you let them. You don’t want yourself to be like them, so you do your part; even when they don’t do theirs. All that leads to is frustration, and the occasional cryptic portion of a blog post. I am just wondering what I will do next time they take it upon themselves to call. Perhaps I will just let it go for months on end, as it seems they prefer to do themselves; or maybe I will do what I did this time, and just suck it up, and sit through another fake attempt to maintain something that isn’t really there in the first place. Oh well… we’ll see. Relationships can really take it out of you. Thank God for the good ones.

I spent a lot of money yesterday and goodies that made me feel better. Sometimes, you just gotta pull out that card and swipe it. I am glad that I did, but I need to calm down. This is kind of a suggestion and a reminder of that need. Retail therapy! WOO!

Finally, I just want to say this, if you watch 24, were you not extremely excited that Martha came back this week? Even more than that, can you BELIEVE what she did to Logan?!?!? I LOVE YOU JEAN SMART!!!! YAY! Also, if that Sanjaya Malakar makes it through, I will be PISSED. Melinda, girl, you are my favorite, and I hope you win. Lastly, I wouldn’t mind having a three-way (or a four way if James wants in) with Chris Richardson and Blake Lewis. Those boys are hot AND they can sing!

Hope everyone is having a great hump day! That’s the run-down! I’m out!

civil rights, is it just me?, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, podcast, politics, venting

POPcast episode 2, more soldier nonsense, and why Fox “news” is evil

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A few weeks ago, I recorded the second episode of the Atlanta POPcast; a podcast where I highlight music that I want to get the word out about. As of yesterday, that podcast is now up, and ready for you to download, listen to, and enjoy!! Make sure you check it out. In this episode, I expose you to the greatness that is Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens, and Jamelia, as well as a few fantastic singles. If you are hankering for some new pop music, this will definitely wet your appetite! I hope you enjoy my podcast, and know that I am already getting materials ready for episode number 3! I never thought I would like doing this, but it totally encourages me to find new music, as well as lets me share music I love with all of you. I am having fun with this, ya’ll!

Alright, seriously, I read this today, and I really hope that it is an awful farce, or at best, an extreme exaggeration. If they are really sending troops that are deemed unfit for battle back to Iraq, that is unacceptable. I am disgusted and appalled that the soldiers that are risking their lives in this war are continually being treated so badly. I never thought that it was so dreadfully awful to be in the military (well, I definitely don’t want to be in it myself), but unfortunately, I am being shown more and more everyday what an awful position it must be for those that have no other choice but going into the military. Those that choose to serve our country deserve much more than respect, they deserve to receive our fucking support already. Shame on anyone that had anything to do with this, as well as the other injustices that continually come to light about the troops. I just can’t believe that serving your country seems to get you continually shit on. It doesn’t have to be that way, and it has got to change.

Finally, THIS is the reason why Fox “news” is not ever going to be right, unless you follow that “right” with “wing” and “propaganda”. Seriously, I have said it before, and I know that at least one person watches this program for his news, and I just don’t get it. This is an organization that “predicted” the election back in 2004, and as a result, threw a huge fuck up in the air, causing doubt, and an eventual turn of events. Making the false into something true is what Fox “news” is really good at. If you don’t want to be given false information, steer clear of Fox “news”, please. And if you do watch/read it, I hope that you are intelligent enough to question things that don’t seem to add up, especially when they are the opposite of what the rest of the media is saying. And get over this “the media is leftist liberal” bullshit. It isn’t.

all about me, listen up!, politics, venting

frustrated

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Sometimes… this is how I feel. Completely and utterly frustrated with things, so much so, that I just want to throw my hands up and scream.

For the past two days, things that I have said have caused a handful of people to just go on the warpath, and continually berate me about how wrong I am, and why. What is missing from what they have decided to argue with me about, is what I believe, and why my opinion is just as valid as theirs. I am all for having a discussion with anyone about their views, and I am all for someone disagreeing with me, but my desire to continually go back and forth with someone ceases when the person with which I am speaking continually tells me I am wrong, and they are right, if for no other reason, than because they are right. Also, when people say that I am a certain way, and that they have determined this based on one thing that I have said, I get extremely irritated, especially when this picture they have painted of me simply isn’t true. I want to be fair and say that I enjoy people coming to this site and expressing their opinions, this is in no way a request for that to end. I am totally fine with you saying that you don’t agree with what I am saying. I am even fine with you pointing out how I was wrong, and helping me to see a different perspective. But what I am not fine with, is coming here, taking things that I say, and then using them to describe me as delusional, irrational, and living in a dream world, because that simply isn’t true.

If I were constantly writing about crazy off the wall shit, that I believed to be factual and correct, then I can see where this would come from, but that isn’t what I have ever done on this blog, so this form of proving me wrong is a little confusing to me. Most of the time I write about something, it is to offer my opinion on what I think of something that is going on in the news or in the world. While that opinion may not work for you, it is MY opinion, and I am not delusional or irrational just because I don’t have an opinion that is a carbon copy of your own. If you want to continually think this way about anything or everything that I write about, that is fine, but I don’t see how it is productive to continually come here and see who can shout the loudest, causing us to go back and forth, all the while getting nowhere. If, on the other hand, you want to talk about my opinion, refrain from insulting my intelligence during the discussion, and avoid using an all or nothing allegory to describe what I have said, then I welcome your input on the subject. Don’t mistake this as a notice that I will begin moderating or removing comments that I don’t approve of; as I have said before, and I will always believe, the only time I will remove a comment, is when someone directly attacks me, which I find inappropriate, and since it is my blog, I can extinguish.

All in all, I am glad that you read my blog, and that you actually take the time to hear what I have to say. What I want for the future of this blog, is less of a dick measuring contest to determine who is the “rightest”, and more of a dialogue, which may result in a more well rounded perspective. I honestly believe that while we may not agree on something, there is definitely a gray area on every issue, and a “best” choice about something is definitely subjectively determined. While that is the case, I think that a happy medium is often the best stance, and given the way the past two days worth of back and forth guerrilla finger pointing have gone, I think that we can find a better way to converse, and ultimately, either agree, come to a middle ground, or agree to disagree. Remember, I have changed my views on things in the past based on being shown different perspectives, and by being open minded, and I can guarantee that the same thing will occur in the future. What I will not tolerate, is people continually twisting what I say, and using all or nothing comparisons to invalidate my opinions just because those opinions don’t work for them.

Again, thanks for reading my blog, and I hate writing posts like this, but this one has been actually very cathartic. I feel that this is a more civil and responsible way to express what I have felt continually for the past couple of days, and I hope that it is a step in a new, and better direction. Remember, I welcome your feedback, in fact, I look forward to it, but please realize that you don’t have to hammer it home that I am so wrong that I am delusional, just to get me to recognize that you have a differing, and equally valid, opinion. Thanks for listening.

is it just me?, listen up!, music musings, politics, venting

a brief coulter note, band notes, and a few words about veteren benefits/care

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I was going to call this post, Tuesday whatnots, but I have read that you are supposed to be clear about what your posts are about, so there it is. Enjoy the lengthy url as well, won’t you? Alright, let’s get this party started, shall we?

Based on the response to Coulter’s stupidity, and complete ignorance about what gay people go through as children “on the school yard”, people are pulling their ads from her website. Perhaps what I want to happen will happen; people will stop putting her in front of a microphone and cameras, and her voice will die out. That would be the best that could happen, in my opinion; although, I do agree that one great thing she does, is make the conservatives look even crazier. Even so, I would rather her be gone, because most conservatives do a great job of being crazy on their own. So whether or not you agree with the use of the word (which, I don’t really think should be up for interpretation, but whatever), people are obviously responding, and that is good, in my opinion. Maybe she’ll wise up? I doubt it.

Basically, the band notes are just a shameless plug on bands that I have discovered, and have been enjoying a lot recently. No one commented on the Mat/Matt post, but I figure that my music tastes may not be for everyone (even though Mat K is insanely good, so you are missing out if you ignore it). Either way, I have laud praise where praise is due. Right now I am spinning the Kaiser Chiefs newest CD, Yours Truly, Angry Mob. I fell into it through the single “Ruby”, and I have to say, it is bloody good. I have never really payed much attention to Brit-punk rock, but I am liking this. Also, I think the lead singer is pretty cute. Another CD I can’t get enough of, is Kellie Pickler‘s CD, Small Town Girl. I don’t usually go for country, but it is flawless. I love her voice, and I think she is super cute (and you know you agree… she totally owns the ditzyness). I think that if this is the direction her career is headed, she has a successful future ahead of her. And just think… she wasn’t even in the top 4 of American Idol.

Other CDs I am IN LOVE with as of late: Lily Allen – Alright Still (LOVE her… seeing her on March 19th, and I can’t wait), Amy Winehouse – Back in Black (Is is me, or is her voice like one of the most amazingly beautiful things ever? And the music… wow), The Good, The Bad, and The Queen (YAY! Damon Albarn gets back to more of a Blur feel! And it’s good!), Dashboard Confessional – Dusk and Summer (Um, first of all, the lead is HOT, and I don’t know why I ignored them before now… love them! I know… I’m so emo), and of course, Katharine McPhee’s CD is great… but I already told you that.

Now, at the risk of making this kind of long post longer, I have to say, I have been following this Walter Reed/soldier benefit atrocity, and I have to tell you, it makes me sick to my stomach. Regardless if you believe in socialized health care or not, if ANYONE deserves the utmost respect and full financial support from this country, it is the troops. First, we don’t give them the training they need for combat. Then, we don’t give them the equipment to safely patrol a war zone. Then, when they get hurt, we fuck them over again, by making them stay in a hell hole. Then, when they try to get their benefits, they don’t get what they need, or worse, they get rejected or denied benefits. What the fuck is going on??? People that keep saying that they support the troops need to throw a TON OF MONEY at them… NOW. It is unacceptable that people that fight for our country come home battered, bruised, suffering from disease (mental and physical), and we turn our backs on them? How can that be possible? Some of those billions and billions of dollars need to be going to these awesome men and women, and NOW. I am sick of hearing about soldiers that are homeless, denied benefits, denied care, and whatnot; that is just sick, and you can’t point the finger at anyone but the government. SO DO SOMETHING, GOVERNMENT! They are counting on you!

And that is what I am thinking about today. You?

is it just me?, politics, tragic, venting, well?

why are these people the ones that continually get heard?

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And who is listening to them? What I am talking about, is those people that, for whatever reason, have been given the ability to spread their views and opinions to the public, via books, speeches, etc; and regardless of free speech, are people that I believe really shouldn’t be heard at all. Alright, while I know that I can ignore them, and that I know that we all can, I can’t help but wonder why they are even given the mic in the first place? I wonder this, mainly, because I know that I am not the only one that goes “WTF?” at pretty much everything they say, because if that were the case, people would stop listening to them, and take the mic away from them.

What pisses me off about people like Ann Coulter (who is pretty much the focus of who I am talking about when I say “those people”), is that they really have nothing to add, other than their bitchy, and often hate-driven, rants and raves about stuff they do or don’t agree with. While I am all for someone stating their opinions on something, I just don’t think people that always have something completely off the wall, totally negative, completely untrue, and often batshit crazy to say, should continually be given any of the public’s attention. These people are often not very intelligent, they often make claims that are untrue, they usually base things on their own personal beliefs rather than the truth, and they often speak about things in the past that didn’t happen, or in cases where they state that they did, they tend to add or subtract facts as necessary to “prove their points”. Ann Coulter is an easy one to call out for this, because she does all of the above effortlessly; yet, she continues to remain popular among conservatives, regardless of the fact that she is just an ignorant loud mouth. What I wonder, is how people like her have managed to place themselves firmly in the media, and continually pop up with their opinions; whether they are wanted or not. I ask, because if it is so easy for people like her to go out and spread their stupidity, why can’t other people, like me, go out and do the same thing (except, I wouldn’t spread stupidity… she’s already got that covered)? Why can’t I just go around calling Bush a fucking idiot all of the time, and have ABC news eat it up? Why can’t I get on c-span, giving a speech all about how Cheney is actually Satan, and say that he is causing global warming so that the earth will be warmer and more comfortable for him and his other demons? Because that is pretty much what Ann Coulter, and others like her do over and over again.

Now, I do understand, and fully agree, that when Ann Coulter, Jerry Falwell, Zell Miller, and the other people I am referring to in this post, open their mouths, they almost always say something completely daft and void of any fact or relevance to anyone other than themselves, and most of what they say can be completely laughed at or ignored; I wonder why so many others still listen to them long enough, to give them more and more forum to spread around their nonsense. There are very few people that I can think of that are at the polar opposite side of these types of people and continue to garner significant attention from the media; and I for one, would like to at least see the playing field levelled, if we can’t get rid of the Coulters of the world.

If Ann Coulter can go around using the F word, while in the same breath exclaiming that she is not anti-gay, and then in her next breath, reinforce stereotypes about gays in her reasoning, while still pointing out gay marriage is an abomination; why can’t there be public figures that bash her and those that are like her, in the way she bashes everyone she doesn’t agree with? I am all for free speech, but just about anything that comes out of her, and her fellow crazies mouth’s, shouldn’t be making its way to c-span, the front page of any paper, and certainly not a book shelf. I guess I just see an inequity when it comes to loud mouthed conservatives, whose messages seem to reach a wider audience, and liberal minded people that don’t slander people to get their views across being represented similarly. I know that many of you will think, “well, the media focuses on scandal, and those people provide it”, but shouldn’t we stop listening to those people if most of what they are doing is spreading hate and ignorance?

I know that there will be at least two people that disagree with me on this, but I don’t care, because this is how I see it. Frankly, I think that if people can really love those like Ann Coulter and Jerry Falwell so much, and think that they deserve the right to spread their hateful nonsense all over the front page, then they should have no problem realizing that those people, in many ways, represents the “conservative” views of the party they belong to. By allowing them to continue on their rampages in the name of the conservative Republican party, it solidifies my belief, and the belief of many others, that many conservatives really are hateful crazies. Getting them to shut the fuck up might actually work to the conservative advantage, in my opinion.

listen up!, venting

OMFG! I can’t believe this!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Hey, listen up, W.H.O., before you say things like,

Circumcision is the most potent intervention in HIV prevention that has been described.

CAN YOU PLEASE PUT THE INFORMATION YOU REPORT INTO CONTEXT BEFORE YOU REPORT THAT TO THE WORLD?????? The studies that were done on this issue were done in the regions of Africa where infection is the most rampant and there is currently little to no prevention that is working, so the findings from these studies ONLY APPLY in those areas!!!!!! Let me state that again, this study was done, and the findings that came from it, apply ONLY to areas where there is LITTLE OR NO other methods of HIV prevention available, and where HIV incidence is way higher than normal, and it should only be viewed as an applicable method of prevention in those areas!!! This should not be taken out of context and used in populations like the US, where it does not provide up to 60% prevention for HIV, and it is certainly NOT the most potent intervention!!! Again, it does not apply to anywhere but Africa! And should only apply as a last ditch effort when other prevention methods are not available, or are not working!!!!

This makes me want to scream, puke, pull my hair out, and scratch someones eyes out. Ignorance on a level like this is completely inexcusable, especially from an agency as powerful and knowledgeable as the W.H.O.. I can only hope, that the article where this is being reported (source) is the ONLY place that this insane level of misrepresentation is being told. If not, I certainly hope that people that hear this misinformation can be intelligent enough to realize that a cut cock is NOT enough to protect them from HIV; that is, unless they have NO OTHER method of prevention, AND happen to live in the areas of the world were prevalence is at its highest… See, that is the ONLY way that they could statistically come up with that 60% figure!!!! And I can almost guarantee that the people that will read that article, or hear that information ARE NOT the people that will benefit from this “protection”! I am so appalled and disgusted by this outrageous lack of proper reporting and utter absence contextualization that I could just burst.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE: Tell everyone you know that thinks this is true; USE CONDOMS!!! Circumcision certainly IS NOT the “most potent intervention in HIV prevention”!!!!! IT IS NOT TRUE!!! THIS ONLY APPLIES TO AFRICA (notice that ALL of the studies were done in Africa, but they totally downplay that by making such fanciful statements)!!!!

I really, really hope that by writing this post, that if I stop even ONE person from stupidly thinking, that circumcision gives them a 60% protection against HIV, that I have done more than I could hope for. Why educated and powerful people continually do things like this completely shocks me, as this is seriously the difference between life and death for many that will misinterpret this information, and thus, put their lives at risk for no reason at all.

I really hope that they realize what they have done in this misrepresentation of findings, and at least follow up in a manner that illustrates the severe lack of contextualization that is necessary when stating findings such as this; the public health ramifications can be disastrous. I am in complete and utter shock, and I just can’t even begin to express my level of rage right now.