Roflsaurus-Rex

The War on Drugs?

2009-08-21T08:01:00.001-07:00

Mexico, in the midst of a supposed "war on drugs" has just passed legislation legalizing possession of small amounts of drugs including marijuana, cocaine, heroin and amphetamines. Despite the obvious ridiculousness of this move, officials and prosecutors in Mexico claim that they made the right choice, saying, "the new law sets clear limits that keep Mexico's corruption-prone police from extorting casual users and offers addicts free treatment to keep growing domestic drug use in check." [1] So my question is, when did arresting casual drug users become a bad thing? They're still drug users. And any sane policy maker would agree that being a drug user should make you a criminal.
Espino del Castillo, of the Mexican Attorney General's Office says, "We couldn't charge somebody who was in possession of a dose of a drug, there was no way ... because the person would claim they were an addict," [1] Hold on. You're saying that by claiming that they are an addict, a person in possession of drugs can just get off free of any charges? It's only illegal if you aren't addicted? How can any drug user of an addictive drug not be addicted? Possession of illegal drugs is a crime, whether you're an addict or not.
So, the real question is, are the Mexicans just plain stupid? Do they really not see the gaping holes in their logic? Well, they can't because there is no logic whatsoever to back this up. In my opinion the Mexican government hasn't completely lost its collective mind. The real problem is corruption, at all levels. The whole world knows that practically the entire Mexican police force is corrupt, and that a major problem in dealing with the drug war. So its not much of a stretch to come to the conclusion that the Mexican government is also corrupt. Why else would they make a law that benefits the drug dealers and kingpins?
And they had the nerve to tell us our guns were the problem. Well, they were part of it, but come on.

I Guess I Missed That Memo...

2009-07-22T04:55:00.000-07:00

Rahm Emmanuel stated in an interview with The New York Times about Obama's news conference tonight that Obama would talk about "how we rescued the economy from the worst depression." and then outline the case for health care reform.

First of all, Obama & Co. haven't rescued anyone from anything. If the recession ended, that's news to me. Maybe Obama should have pulled some strings with his media buddies and tried to publicize that story a little.

It's funny how Obama, Emmanuel and every other chump in Obama's cabinet fully realize that healthcare reform is actually a worse idea than the stimulus bill was. Anyone can see that the health care bill is a bad idea and will put an unfair tax burden on the rich-especially the small business entrepreneurs that we need to really save us. To get around this obvious idea, it seems that the people running our nation have decided that the best plan of action is to tell the American people that the recession is over. Obama saved us! Everything's okay now!

Rahm Emmanuel described tonight's press conference as a sort of six-month report card for Obama. Well, what happens when Obama has to go show that report card to his parents?
This sort of irresponsibility and blatant disregard from the truth, whether it was intentional or just a slip of the tongue, represents what this administration is all about: messing things up with no regard to common sense or the future. First the stimulus bill, then the climate/energy bill, and now the proposed health care "reform" have or will do nothing but hurt the nation in a dangerous time.

The U.S. is a Muslim Country?

2009-06-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

President Obama, now waving his middle name "Hussein" like some strange banner in his jaunt around the Middle East, has recently stated that the United States, if one were to actually look at the percentages is one of the largest Muslim nations. If I were a Muslim, I would take this as an insult to my intelligence.
Let's get this out of the way first. .6% of Americans identify themselves as Muslim. Out of approximately 300,000,000 people, this means that there are 1,800,000 Muslims in the United States. The United States Muslim population could match the overall population of New York City...if it were multiplied by 4.5. Also, to address any claims that Obama was correct in saying that by percentage the number of Muslims in the U.S. is at all significant, take a look at the facts. At its highest estimate, there are approximately 1.8 billion Muslims in the world. You can do the math.
Now, something else about this just bothers me. Obama's middle name and vague Muslim background have been the skeleton in his closet since his campaign began. And now that he visits the Middle East, he bares all in an attempt to win favor? This is a terribly transparent move. It is widely known that this past election has been the most globally followed election in American history. Has Obama forgotten so soon? The Middle Easterners know what Obama's been up to, because they saw it all just a few short months ago. This is a tactless move on Obama's part. Either you're a Muslim or you're not. Either the United States is Muslim or it's not. (Quite honestly, there is no question that neither Obama nor the U.S. is Muslim) But please, Mr. President, don't go putting on masks when you travel, because it makes us all look like fools.

Noob of the Month: Kara DioGuardi (Is that spelled right?)

2009-05-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

So, I tuned in for this week's American Idol, pretty pumped to watch Slash do his thing, but what struck me most about this Tuesday's show was the fact that Kara DioGuardi is an idiot. Now, Paula used to be the show's resident loony, but since Kara's arrival at the beginning of this season, Paula has actually looked more intelligent in comparison.
Anyone who watches the show will surely be familiar with Kara's lack of original commentary, annoying "girl from da hood" phrases, tendency to lean back with a smug grin after making a "point", and generally having no idea what she is talking about. Tonight, for example, Kara had the audacity to label Adam Lambert as a "Rock God". First off, Kara is in no way an authority on rock. In fact, I'm beginning to doubt that she is an authority on music in general. But she would be the last person who I would deem worthy to dish out titles such as that. Second, Adam Lambert is not a "Rock God". Sure he can hit ridiculous notes and he's a great entertainer, but he's new to the scene, he's competing on American Idol (definitely not the road to becoming a Rock God), and he simply hasn't show that he has what it takes to join the likes of Led Zeppelin (especially after his somewhat underwhelming performance of Whole Lotta Love), The Rolling Stones, Slash, etc. The camera didn't show it, but I'm sure Slash at least chuckled when Kara said this.
Also, does it seem like Kara likes Adam a little too much? She fawns over him, praises him unnecessarily, and actually plays down the accomplishments of the other singers in an attempt to glorify Adam. Why? Who knows. We shall see...
The way she talks, dropping words and phrases in an incoherent jumble, seems like some last-ditch attempt to sound intelligent and knowledgeable, but especially tonight, on Rock Week, Kara has instead exposed herself for the noob she is.

Props to Mahmoud

2009-04-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

What's up with me lately? I've been complementing those who I usually deride. But hey, they deserve it...for now.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran and all around crazy dude has called on his own government and legal system to take another look at the cases of American Journalist Roxana Saberi and Canadian blogger Hossein Derakhshan who have both been held captive by the Iranian government. Roxana has been charged with spying on the Iranian government, while Hossein has been held since November without charge.
Sure, he might be doing it for purely selfish reasons (painting himself as a defender of human rights, making Iran and himself look good, and protecting U.S.-Iran relations), and he doesn't technically have any power over the judicial system in Iran, but regardless of his motives, he's doing the right thing, and I can't fault him to that.So here's to you Mahmoud.

Props to Obama

2009-04-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

I must say, though I have criticized him in the past, President Obama made the right decision in sending in the Navy Seals to rescue Captain Richard Phillips from the clutches of Somalian pirates today. Most importantly, Captain Phillips is safe. But, I must also praise Obama in that his decision to use force to bring about swift and efficient retribution to those who attack Americans did make our nation look good in a time when our image has been tarnished. President Obama did exactly what needed to be done in this situation.
Granted, there will be consequences. Many fear that the pirates will harm or kill some of the other 200 hostages they now hold on land. They shouldn't, but they just might be stupid enough to try and harm hostages. If this happens, Obama must continue with his chosen course of action and lead an international military operation and shut down the pirates once and for all. As usual, America has led by example, and the global community has now seen how these pesks should be handled. We crushed the Barbary pirates, and we can do it again in Somalia.

Noob of the Month: Ban Ki-Moon

2009-03-12T18:28:00.000-07:00

"General" Ban Ki-Moon of the United Nations made an offhand remark the other day calling the United States a "deadbeat donor" to the organization, and criticized the United States for making late payments on membership dues.[1] Well, hearing these ridiculous remarks, I went and did some research. Surprise surprise, as it turns out, the U.S. is the number one contributor to the U.N. budget,contributing 22% of the U.N.'s budget (followed closely by Japan, with 16.62%) [2] Naturally, my curiosity led me to inquire as to how much Ban Ki-Moon's own nation, South Korea, only contributes 1.8% of the organization's $5 billion budget. People in glass houses, Ban...But really, I find this man's remarks a sad reminder of how pathetic and ineffective the United Nations really is.

Alienable Rights

2009-02-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

So now there is talk within the Obama administration of banning the sale and ownership of automatic weapons. Why? Apparently, to reduce violence in Mexico. Mexico. Not New Mexico. Regular Mexico. My first reaction to this piece of news was 'why should I give up my supposed unalienable rights for people in another country? Why doesn't the Mexican government deploy competent police officers to crack down on the cartels and root out the corruption within the government and military? Obviously that is a daunting task, but quite honestly, that won't persuade me to give up my rights. However, I soon realised that Mexico's problem is in a way our problem. The cartels are pouring drugs into the U.S. over our ill-kept border. This is obviously not good. But is it enough to cut and paste our constitution to fit the Obama administration's whims and fancies? No. It's just not.
The problem here is that the Mexican drug cartels are buying automatic weapons here in the U.S. and by using them have become too powerful. They then send drugs back into our country. The solution to this problem is not to limit our right to bear arms. True, I don't need an AK-47 to go hunt bears. But it is my right to buy one.
Anyway, here's my solution: First, finish constructing the border fence. If we don't let Mexicans in, they can't get guns or sell us their drugs. Second, DON'T TOUCH THE SECOND AMENDMENT. What can we possibly use automatic weapons for? Shooting Mexicans that try to cross the border. And third, stop raising taxes. But that's another story.

There is a third step to my plan. However, I don't know enough about international law to explain it. As that is, I will do my best. Look at Darfur. A government sponsored genocide has occurred, and is still occurring, and all the world does is send food, which is often hijacked, stolen, and burned by Janjaweed nomads. Admittedly, the fighting forces of our own country are too busy to play peacekeeper in the Sudan, but still, one important value of this nation is that the people who have the means to help have a moral obligation to help those in need. What do those people need? Yes, they need food, but even the food we send is stolen. The rebels need support in terms of strength, guns, ammunition, and fighters. When the government's of the world are too slow to act, the citizens of the world must act for them. There are very few things I would like to do more than organize my local Amnesty International chapter or whoever wants to go (probably just my World Literature Class), buy some serious firepower and tons of ammunition and head on down there to do whatever I can to help. Whether it's protecting U.N. food convoys or "villages" of displaced Africans, if I had the means, that is what I would like to do. Is it legal? Probably not. But it should be, and that is one excellent reason why Obama CANNOT assault weapons. (Yes, that was a ridiculous reason, but you know I'm right)

Obama's Tax Hike

2009-02-26T15:54:00.000-08:00

For anyone interested, here's the breakdown.

Chicago Tea Party

2009-02-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1039849853 Just check out that video. It's amazing.

Noob of the Month: Rev. Sharpton

2009-02-19T11:08:00.000-08:00

Al Sharpton blew his top after seeing this cartoon in the New York Post. Come on Al, don't you read the news? Didn't you hear about the chimpanzee that mauled a woman and was then shot to death? And you think this is racist? You know, it is possible that this cartoon could have racist undertones, but it's just not very likely. This is a classic example of a hothead misinterpreting something and making a big deal about it. It's not racist, the cartoonist is just insulting the intelligence of the President, his cabinet, members of Congress, and anyone else who helped write the stimulus bill.
And that brings up another point. Are they all black? Is everyone who wrote the stimulus bill black? No. In fact, the vast majority are white. Al, I hate to burst your bubble, but Obama didn't write the whole 1000 something pages himself.
So, most Honorable reverend, stop being a noob. As soon as someone attacks your golden boy, you whip out the race card? Very mature. I had actually hoped we were past that. I guess not.

(Oh, and to back up my claim that this is in no way racist, here' an article from The Post itself.)

Politics, Politics, Politics

2009-02-16T05:03:00.000-08:00

North Korea has decided to test-launch a missile, again claiming that they are actually launching a satellite. Yeah right. This has met harsh criticism from the US, Japan, and South Korea, and has increased the already high tension on the North/South border. What this seems to be is an attempt by Kim Jong to intimidate, or at least draw the attention of President Obama, so that he can waste our new President's time with futile talks in an attempt to receive concessions.

Meanwhile, in South America, Hugo Chavez has followed the example of Ecuador and Bolivia in removing term limits for government officials. Nicaragua plans to follow suit. Hugo has pushed forward social(ist) reforms, and provided cheap food, and free education and healthcare for the people, but far too often to the detriment of the rich. Many Venezuelans fear that he will become a dictator (like he's not already?). "If he wins he'll be unleashed and he'll make us like Cuba, because that's what he really wants," says Adrianna Hernandez, a 19-year-old student. "He'll create laws by decree, and go after private property."[1] His overall plan is to slowly transform Venezuela into a socialist nation, a recurring theme in South America, but personally, I believe his plan is to stay in power until that process is complete.

Here, in our own country, former astronaut and New Mexico Senator Harrisson Schmitt claims that the global warming scare is purely political. He argues that scientists are being "intimidated" to agree with the very political theory of global warming, and are especially scared as they see their colleagues, who stood up and questioned the idea, lose grant funding for their "heretic" beliefs. The 74 year old man recently resigned from The Planetary Society after it jumped on the global warming bandwagon. Schmitt claims that Global warming is "a political tool used to increase government control over American lives, incomes and decision making." [2] I of course agree with Schmitt. The very fact that questioning or skepticism is demonized proves that this argument has no basis in science, for what is science, but questioning the world around us? Schmitt will be speaking at the International Conference on Climate Change in New York.

It's My Choice!

2009-02-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

I was recently discussing with a fellow scholar the macabre humor in the paradox that many PETA members, or Animal Rights Activists are also Pro-Choice. (That is to say, for all of you who speak the language of common sense, Pro-Abortion). It is extremely hypocritical and absolutely ridiculous that someone who will campaign for the rights of animals, that is to say, not humans, will stand up for a mother's "right" to kill her child. So I went and did some research into the topic, to find out what other people think.
I took this from http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/469667:

Question:
How come many people who support PETA seem to support abortion rights also? Isn't it hyporcritical? Not moralizing, just curious.

Top Answer out of 17 by redcatt63 wears a COAT of Diversity80 on Nov 8, 2007 at 7:27 pm Permalink:
I guess I wasn't aware of that, but, yeah, that would seem so!just like people like Bush are pro-war and pro-death penalty, but against abortion rights. It's OK to kill an adult, just not a fetus?

I couldn't help but wonder what this "redcatt" was thinking when he/she wrote this. Of course people who are pro-war and pro-death penalty would be Pro-Life. War is a tool used to protect ourselves and national interests. The death penalty is used to remove people from society who are too bad to be kept in prison. Abortion, however, is a tool used to remove an inconvenience, that is to say, a child. A unborn child cannot have committed any crime. If this was possible, then the child would be eligible to receive the death penalty. But this is impossible, as the child is unborn. While deaths that result from war or the death penalty happen (for the most part) to people who have wronged the nation, a child is the epitome of innocence. Redcatt is a fool, and quite bad at making analogies.

Here is a conversation from the belly of the beast itself: http://www.peta.org/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6206
One woman said:
Hey... So I have been a long time 'pro-choicer'. I had also been a long time meat eater. You can see how this develops.... I was pro choice because I was never seriously faced with making that choice. I still believe it is ones right to choose... and regardless of whether you are anti abortion or pro choice, its still a choice! You chose to be against it. Right? Anyways, I was worried that I may be pregnant, and my bf and I have always said that if an accident were to happen we'd abort. It was our agreement. I went to the doctor today and I am not in fact pregnant. However, for the past two weeks I had been going over in my head how I was going to tell him that if I was..... I was keeping the baby and going the route of adoption instead. Since becoming involved with animal rights and welfare, I could not think of one rational reason why I would murder my own unborn child, when there are parents out there that are praying every night for a baby to adopt. All while upholding no-kill ethics regarding animals. How can I value a chickens life, but not a babies? This is where my decision lies. I am no way fit to raise a child right now and I know that, but no sense to kill it. PLease dont get me wrong Im not preechinging my journey. I am happy that I'm not "with child" right now... its a relief, thats for sure. Anyways just thought I'd share.
Another peta-er replied:
While I'm not knocking you choice to give up your baby for adoption, but just so you know, there's roughly 150,000 children in foster care in North America at any given time. So it isn't like there's a shortage of children up for adoption. To me, until it could survive on it's own, side of the mother's womb, it is not a baby and not an individual human being, but a part of the mother and she should be able to do whatever she wants to her body. I'm pro-choice, and I doubt that would ever change.
So, let's dissect this man's argument. Aside from his grammatical/spelling errors, which we will forgive, his logic states that "(until a child) could survive on its own, (out)side of the mother's womb, it's not a baby and an individual human being," Well by this flawed reasoning, no child under the age of, let's say ten is a human being, and can be killed at any time. How old do you think you were when you think you gained the ability to survive on your own? Cook your own food, work a full-time job, etc? To be honest bud, I'm not even sure you could survive on your own. But hey, why not, let's go out and kill some inhuman toddlers. They're not contributing to society. Just another mouth to feed.
So, now that I've seen with my own eyes the absurdities, the nonsense, the outrageous chains of "reasoning", my opinion of mankind has forever changed. I now realize the extent to which logic has died out among our race. It greatly saddens me. I suggest, however, that if these people will not see the light for themselves, that we show it to them. Let's start a Pro-Choice To Be Cruel To Animals group. We'll meet Wednesday nights at seven, at my place.
Just kidding, of course. But do you see how ridiculous that sounds? Now apply it to mankind.

Digging Our Own Grave

2009-02-05T14:14:00.001-08:00

Obama's Marvelous Bailout Plan and Waterslides is fast approaching the $1 trillion mark. "Where is this $1 trillion dollars coming from?", the enlightened American may ask. Should we borrow it from Bear Sterns? No, I don't think so. You see, Obama's Bodacious Bailout Bill is resembles in some ways some of the very problems that were at the root of our current financial crisis. Banks lent money to people who simply couldn't pay them back. Now, it seems the American government is on the other side of the coin. We are planning to spend a gargantuan amount of money that we just don't have.
Obama has warned that,

"This recession might linger for years. Our economy will lose 5 million more
jobs. Unemployment will approach double digits. Our nation will sink deeper into
a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse,".

Thank you, Mr. President, for doing your part in sinking us deeper. I don't believe for one minute that a vote against this bill "will sink us deeper", in fact, I think it will the opposite. Congress is on the verge of passing a bill that could dig the nation, and by extension, the world, a grave. And once we're in the grave, the Obama administration will wield the shovel to bury us forever.
Now, I don't think that we are in , or will be in a situation that "we may not be able to reverse,", I just think that a bailout bill, laden with blatant pork-barrel spending, and driven by the sheer force of liberal controlled Legislature and Executive branches, will make reversing the crisis quite difficult indeed.
What do I, with all my criticisms suggest? I suggest we scrap the bailout plan completely. Then, we lower the wage of high-level government officials, such as Congressmen and Cabinet members, and, yes, even the President himself, and then use that money to give tax breaks to all Americans. This would not be enough however, on its own. Tax breaks would have to occur on the state level, and although the Federal government can't force State Legislatures to lower taxes, I suggest that an exception be made in this case. State taxes have spiraled out of control. States like New York have obscenely high taxes, and this has to be stopped. We have to put tax caps, much lower than the current tax rates in NY, and leave them there, to protect all the citizens on the State level as well. (Because it does no good for the Federal government to lower taxes while the corrupt and dysfunctional state governments raise them). Then we take this opportunity to lay off, yes, lay off and consolidate useless government jobs. Fire the people that should never have been hired in the first place, and instead, use the money that would have gone to pay them to fund government paid infrastructure and urban renewal projects. Finally, offer tax incentives to companies that build factories here in the U.S., and operate them too. Obviously, it has some rough edges, and may be incomplete, but I'm open to suggestions. And, unlike our president, when I say that, I mean it.

The First Days

2009-01-25T05:38:00.000-08:00

So Obama, in one of his first acts in office, has stated that he will close Guantanamo Bay. In light of recent events, this idea of his really does seem a bit foolish. It has been discovered that two ex-detainees have rejoined the ranks of Al-Qaeda, both in senior positions. These are just two out of a known 61 released terrorists that have just picked up where they left off. What's the point of a prison if we release the prisoners? These aren't car-jackers or pickpockets, these are terrorists. Men bent on the destruction of the Western World. Men who wish to force Islamic rule on all humanity. And what do we do with them? We complain that they are being held, we complain that they are being tortured, and then our government releases them. What do they do? They start plotting away in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, thinking of more ways to overthrow the West.
Personally, I believe that the death penalty works in our society. It is rarely used, and then only on the worst offenders. It is used to stop people who are a danger to society. And again, it is very rarely used. This is because if it were used, it would be used on citizens of this great nation. But these terrorists, however, are not citizens of the United States. They are foreign enemies. Our soldiers would kill them on the battlefield, why can't we kill them in our prisons? If our government releases these people, they will continue to be a danger to us. And the many liberals are screaming for the closure of Guantanamo Bay, not to mention the release of all the prisoners. Do they not see now why that is a horrible, horrible idea? Look, I'm certainly not suggesting that we should line all the hundreds of detainees up against the wall and let the firing squad have a go at them, but I do suggest, that is imprisonment for life will not be allowed by the ignorant public, then we should kill them so that they can't come back to hurt us.
At least Obama seems now to grasp the difficulties in closing Guantanamo Bay; he has stated that it will be closed a year from now. Hopefully within that time period, he will realize how bad that idea is.

Russia's Gamble

2009-01-07T07:35:00.000-08:00

The EU is up in arms about Russia's latest show of strenght, because now, it affects them. Russia has cut off gas to many European countries because of a dispute with Ukraine over prices for the new year. Last year Ruissia charged $179.5 per 1,000 cubic meters, and now wants to charge $250, though Kiev has vowed not to pay a cent more than $201. At first glance, this looks like a desperate company (Gazprom) owned by a desperate nation, attempting to increase profits after a hard economic year. Gazprom is knee-deep in debt and would naturally want to increase profits to curtail this. Then things get interesting when Russia demads an astounding $450 per 1,000 cubic feet. This number is completely irrational, and personally, I don't believe that Putin expects anyone to pay.

The Czech Deputy Prime Minister, Alexandr Vondra has criticized Russia, saying "It is impossible to hold other countries hostage." Actually, I think it is. And that's what Russia's doing right now.
The nations of Europe aren't in a very good position to be bargaining with Russia. It seems Putin's holding all the good cards. Obviously, he doesn't expect Ukraine to pay $450 for gas, and he will probably relent, once the mounting pressure of a below zero winter without gas starts to hit parts of Europe. These nations will respond perhaps by blocking Ukraine and Georgia from entering NATO. After all, Putin has been outspoken about his opinion in this. Who knows, but a lot of European non-powers making fiery speeches and bold statements will lead them nowhere.

Maybe There's Hope After All

2009-01-03T19:49:00.001-08:00

While at times the world seems to be spinning out of control and everyone in power is either incompetent or oblivious, we are gifted with rare glimpses of hope. One such glimpse is the new President of the EU, Vaclav Claus of the Czech Republic. He doesn't believe in the Hollywood farce that is "global warming". Finally someone on the top who listens to science, reason, logic, and not Al Gore. The Czech government, however, is trying to limit his role to that of a figurehead, and keep him as far away from power as possible. Typical.
In other news, Israel has launched a ground invasion of Gaza. It is heartening to see another nation stand up for itself on the world stage. While France has condemned the campaign, just about everyone else is giving it the green light. Not that Israel was waiting for the world's go-ahead, which is one of the reasons I really respect that nation. Sure, If a man slaps you you can turn the other cheek, but if a radical Islamist group of nutjobs starts killing your people, you crush 'em.
Sarkozy suggests a ceasefire, but he seems to have forgotten that there already was a cease-fire...that Hamas broke by launching missiles into Israel. These peace treaties will not work if one party doesn't respect them. They had their chance, now the must accept the consequences of their actions. Besides, peace through unity is far better than peace through an unstable treaty between two factions that either hate each other or just really, really disagree.

A Messed Up "Holidays"

2008-12-26T07:55:00.000-08:00

Today I read an article off the Drudge Report about a woman who claims she was fired from her job for not saying "Happy Holidays" when she answered the phone. She, a Christian, refused to say Happy Holidays, but would offered to say either "Merry Christmas", or nothing at all (she would use a generic 'Hello" or something). Now she is suing over lost wages. I have to side with her on this one. Partly because the phrase "Happy Holidays" is a pet peeve of mine. I mean, Christmas celebrates the birth of the savior of mankind. Hanukkah celebrates some oil lasting longer than a bunch of guys thought it would. In the Jewish culture, Hanukkah is a lesser holiday compared to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, but you rarely hear "Happy Holidays" around those celebrations. Hmmm...
And Kwanzaa. A celebration of African heritage and culture. FOR SEVEN DAYS! Maybe to some people this makes sense, but then, to be fair, all the people of the world must now recognize my new holiday. Caucasian Month. The month of May is now Caucasian Month. All Caucasians can take off from work and celebrate their collective culture. Oh, and don't forget Asian Week, Latino Fest, and the Pacific Islander Festival. Does any of this make sense? Please, understand that this made up holiday should not rank with either Christmas or Hanukkah.
Aside from that, to each his own. If a Jewish person says "Happy Hanukkah" to me, you won't see me throwing a temper tantrum. But in a primarily Christian country, it shouldn't be taboo to say "Merry Christmas".

In other news, Gov. Patterson wants to tax, among other things (so, so many other things) all non-diet pop. I drink regular pop. Diet pop tastes bad. And I don't want to be forced to drink diet pop if I am perhaps, on a tight budget, or am only carrying a small amount of pocket change. Diet pop isn't better for you either. It's packed with artificial chemicals that can be harmful, especially to children. I feel that this is blatant discrimination against healthy (not fat) people. Anyone who wants to join my new organization, the National Association for The Rights and Liberties of Healthy People, please post a comment. Our movement will receive the national attention it deserves. I already wrote a letter to Colbert asking to appear on his show. Now I am only awaiting his reply.
You know what else gets on my nerves? The plows in my godforsaken city. They come down my street two full days after a huge storm, and then do a horrible job. They come back to neaten things up another three days later, after another storm has already come and gone. And then they block in my driveway. Byron Brown, you are a noob. Go buy some new plows, or tell your drivers to actually work.

Shocking Update: Russian Technology

2008-12-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

Yes, Russia has made it clear to the world that it ,in fact, build ships. To prove this, they are sending one through the Panama Canal to visit Venezuela. Americans should be shocked and appalled by this. We should view this as an act of aggression. Putin thinks it is.
It will be only a matter of years before the Russians learn to build airplanes too. No doubt they will fly them of Brazil in a tour de force.
In all seriousness, how should we, as Americans, react to this blatant insult from Russia? A preemptive strike perhaps? Or should we wait and see what they do? Personally, I think that Putin and Medvedev have shown to the world that they are too immature to run a country. (They claimed the North Pole last year, it will only be a matter of time before the South falls into their hands as well. From there, the moon is only 238,857 miles away!) Really, we should just exclude them from all international organizations (except the U.N., it would be tough to kick them out of that) and ignore them until they do something bold enough to actually draw out attention. These "joint maneuvers" with Venezuela are just meant to intimidate us. The Kremlin is angry at our deployment of warships to Georgia, so this is the reaction, much like a child throwing a temper-tantrum when he is put in time out for stealing another kid's lunch.

Noob of the Month: Hillary Clinton

2008-12-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

I have decided to start a new series. Much like "Rofl-Moment of the Month", in "Noob of the Month" I will write about someone who is a noob.
As happy as I am to see Hillary Clinton leave us, it isn't without a bit of regret. Actually, bit is far too weak a word here. Perhaps "magnitude" would be more appropriate. Where are the 200,000 jobs she promised? During her time in the Senate, New York actually lost 35,800 jobs. Not that I ever expected her to deliver on her promise. But now she scampers off scot-free to go play little Miss Secretary for a while. New York was just a rung on her ladder to the top. I hope she falls off.
Hillary Clinton is a carpet-bagging, arrogant, clueless, feminist, manipulative woman. She is a vampire, sucking NY dry and moving on.
She voted for the Iraq War, but now demonizes the very people she voted with.
Clearly, she is a powerhungry old bag. No questions there.
She's pro-abortion. Nuff' said.
She's certainly ambitious.
Again, where are the jobs?
Whatever hallucinogenic drugs she was taking caused here to believe she was under fire in Bosnia.
There you have it NY. That's our girl, the next Secretary of State. I'm so proud I could cry.

The Wii Owner's Lament

2008-11-25T18:23:00.000-08:00

I sit here in silence,
a sad little boy,
sighing and writing,
about a little white toy,
we've had some great times,
The Wii and I,
Eating Metroid, Mario, Smashbros,
and Legend of Zelda pie,

But in recent times,
When I have come back for more,
An ominous air,
hangs about the videogame store,
I look at the shelf,
and my eyes start to tear,
for it seems to be realized,
the Wii-owner's greatest fear,
that we would be abandoned,
in the master-sword shrine,
for the casual line-up,
for the common gamer swine,

I have heard lies,
from a gal named Denise,
That Animal Crossing,
Is a hard-core release,
No it is not,
stop feeding us lies,
Just rake in your money,
As the true gamer cries,

And what about Wii Music?
That embarrassment of nature,
it is about as exciting,
as binomial nomenclature,
Where you see a game,
I see a blank disc,
that someone just dumped on,
never taking a risk,

Yes, go Nintendo,
to your casual gamer,
and make some more games,
They can't get any lamer...
I'll go to my 360,
or maybe PS3,
no never mind,
not the PS3,

But I see a glimmer,
Of hope in the sky,
Some third party developers,
Perhaps the gamer will not die,
Games like The Conduit,
Sin and Punishment 2,
make me happy,
no more am I blue,

A new Kid Icarus,
and House of the Dead,
are like a far-off pillow,
to my weary head,
yes the journey is far,
deep into '09,
But we must venture forth,
we have all seen the sign,

Here's to the future,
and the long road ahead,
until then we'll deal with,
this unleavened bread.

Contorversial Global Warming Film Aims to Expose Al Gore

2008-11-17T14:26:00.000-08:00

Irish journalists and film makers Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer aim to expose global warming for the Hollywood orchestrated hyperbole that it is in their film "Not Evil Just Wrong". Sadly, the film, as of yet, lacks approximately the $3 million that it needs for a full cinema release. Here is the trailer:

This documentary will point out the many errors of the global warming theory and also point out why the actions that Al Gore and others are suggesting the human race take could bring us to our knees. I particularly like the quote the African woman makes about comparing people to birds. Would we rather save the birds and kill the people?
On a side note, Al Gore is truly fascinating person. he seems to be mixing two opposite ends of the political spectrum. He is a radical, in that he wants quick, devastating, and widespread changes, and he is in a way a reactionary, in that he wants to bring the human race back to where we were centuries ago.
Anyway, go to the website, http://noteviljustwrong.com/ and please, please donate. This movie would do a whole lot of good for this world to see. Too many people have covered their eyes and ears to the truth about global warming, so I hope this will bring real facts into the spotlight.

Striking Similarities

2008-11-05T12:39:00.000-08:00

Well, Obama won, and Congress is now more than ever in the grip of the liberals. The man with the most liberal voting record in the Senate now in the White House, backed by a like-minded House of Representatives and Senate (Not to mention the media). This is a potent combination.

Anyone who has been paying close attention to the election may have been startled by some of Obama's words and ideas, not to mention his past acquaintances. I had read George Orwell's "1984" for school just as the real election was getting under way. Unwittingly, my very liberal English teacher (aren't they all?) opened by eyes to the true danger of Obama's words-and the striking similarities between him and "Big Brother".

Obama used government computers to research "Joe the Plumber", the one public individual who dared to stand up to him and miraculously got through the palpable media filter. What's next, telescreens? If this is how he treats his enemies now, how will he treat them when actually in power? One also can't forget the incident with the Florida TV station WFTV. Obama's campaign pulled all relations with the station, including an interview with Jill Biden, after Joe Biden was asked tough questions by a reporter. Is this the real Obama? Cracking under pressure? Not facing up to his opponents?

Obama's tax plan has been changed numerous times now. He said he would raise taxes for those making more than $250,000. Then, in his last debate and in the ads following that, he said he would raise taxes for those making over $200,000. That's a hefty change. Now Joe Biden has been running around claiming that Obama will raise taxes on those making over $150,000 a year. From his original statements, that's a drop of $100,000! That's huge! Did he just think we wouldn't notice? This reminds me of the passage of "1984" when it was announced over the public telescreens that the chocolate ration had been raised to 20 grams a week, when in fact, it had been 30 the week before. Does Obama think that we will just forget his past promises? And what's to stop him from lowering the bar again?
In an interview, Obama said he would use the government to manipulate the people by fining companies, thus passing on the cost to consumers. He said, "I think it is important to send some price signals to change behavior." Come on! Are you for real right now? Yeah, sadly, he is.
His government run healthcare system is not a good idea. It's also socialist. It doesn't work in Cuba, it doesn't work in Canada, and it doesn't work in Europe. WHY WOULD IT WORK HERE?
The mainstream media is in almost complete alliance with Obama. As we've seen, he doesn't deal well with opponents. He has his very own "Ministry of Truth" (This also ties in with the "Truth Squad")
Obama had millions of "mindless-sheep" supporters, who are unquestioning in their devotion to "the messiah", and the worst part is, the majority of them don't really know why they're voting for him. Sure, some could say, "the economy" bu those people don't know anything about the economy, and definitely weren't paying attention when McCain was speaking during the debates. Sure, McCain's policy wasn't perfect, but Obama's was idiotic. To raise taxes in a recession? On the MIDDLE CLASS (That he supposedly supports?)!!!?! Thousands of pro Obama websites, the Truth Squad, insane volunteers, etc. Charismatic leader with bad ideas + loyal minions = bad news for America.
Obama wants to create a Citizen Army. And what the hell is he planning to do with that?! Come on people, wake up!

Look, the body of evidence suggesting that Obama will not only try to enforce socialist policies, but act like a dictator while in office is, quite plainly, huge. Liberals, take off those blindfolds, and Republicans, it's time to stand up and do something. I'm not saying Obama will declare himself dictator for life, but we can't let him get away with acting the way he has been.

What I did on Halloween

2008-11-05T12:17:00.000-08:00

Well, on Halloween Night, my friends and I left our abodes to enjoy a night of debauchery and excellent adventures. My initial goal for the evening was to film a documentary, finding out who people were voting for. However, my expert news team and I only managed to get footage of three people. In the end, it doesn't really matter, as the election was over, but I decided to post it anyway:

This intelligent woman truly enlightened me, and doubtless, had I released this footage before the election, Obama would have grabbed at least three and a half more votes. Here is the second interview:

In the end, my plan was overall unsuccessful, and soon my friends and I had resorted to other methods of entertainment:

Well, in the end Obama won. The philosopher I first interviewed was right. At least we've still got our fortune cookies.

Obama's Civilian Security Force

2008-11-02T07:34:00.000-08:00

And you thought his Truth Squad was bad.

Really, what purpose could this possibly serve?

Yeah, Cause That's Totally Fair

2008-10-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

Two men were arrested Thursday for hanging a life size effigy of Barack Obama on the campus of the Univerity of Kentucky. This was avery distateful act, wrong on every level. Wosre though, is the fact that a West California couple who displayed an effigy of Sarah Palin hanging from a noose were not made to take it down, let alone arrested. (They have since taken it down, though by free will, due to neighbors complaints). Why is this? I guess it just boils down to state law, but something must be said of the obvious bias.

Is this a glimpse of the (possible) future?

2008-10-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

After Biden's tough interview with Barbara West of WFTV's channel 9, the Obama campaign pulled an interview with Jill Biden from the station. One representative of the campaign, Laura McGinnis, said

"This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election,"

Here's a video of the interview:

This of course brings to mind the Obama "Truth Squad". It also reminds me of Obama's continuos attempts to silence all information regarding his past associations with Bill Ayers. Overall, Obama has tried to intimidate those speaking out against him to be quiet. he also supports "spreading around the wealth" and a universal health care system. Think about it, this sounds like a totalitarian regime to me. He says he supports the first amendment...as long as no one's criticizing him. And he will use strong arm tactics to hush his opponents. Well try and hush me Barack.

Rofl of the Month

2008-10-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

"Socialist"- Secret Code Word for Black Person?

2008-10-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

I guess you learn something new every day. Lewis Diuguid, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist, has criticized McCain and Palin for calling Barack Obama a socialist. What is the basis of his argument? He says that the term "socialist" means "black person". Lewis, sadly, is not alone. Many other crazy liberal bloggers and columnists actually believe that McCain is calling Obama a socialist, and actually meaning that he's a *gasp* black person. Last time I checked, Obama was a black person. I can't believe I'm even writing this.

"Socialist" does not mena "black person". Wikipedia defines socialism as such:

Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods, and the creation of an egalitarian society.
No mention of the word "black" or "African" anywhere. Dictionary.com defines socialism in similar terms:

1. a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the
ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital,
land, etc., in the community as a whole.
2. procedure or practice in accordance with this theory.
3. (in Marxist theory) the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles

Again, no connection whatsoever to black people. Perhaps I can help Lewis, as he clearly does not understand what socialsim is, nor how Barack Obama can be (accurately) called a socialist. Barack Obama is a socialist because:
He calls for a universal, government run healthcare system. This is socialist. It can be found in nations like Cuba. It can also be found in Britian. It was introduced by the British socialist Labor Party.
His tax policies reflect the idea of "redistribution of wealth." This is socialist. (Let's make everyone poor!)
He has a truth squad. Perhaps Lewis Diuguid did not read Orwell's "1984". if he did, then he completely missed the point.
These people have a lot to say about Obama's long socialist record.
Check out my very own Political Spectrum to help explain why Obama is dangerously socialist. (Top)

Obama is very liberal, in fact, he has one of the most liberal voting records in the Senate. As I illustrated, Liberalism is next to socialism (not "blackism"). Don't belive me? Look it up yourself. And as for you Lewis Diuguid, RESEARCH. There's a little thing out there called the internet. Use it. Jusging by the comments left after your article, I'm not the only one who thinks you're a biased, leftist, race-card palying fool.

Is the Taliban Inherently Evil?

2008-10-17T05:04:00.001-07:00

I attended Khaled Hosseini's lecture/interview at UB last night. It was very interestng, and Khaled came off as a down to earth guy. One thing that I found fault with however, was his defense of the Taliban. When asked if the Taliban was inherently evil, he said "No," saying that thier motives were practical, and while they have done evil things, they were not necessarily evil. If I could have posed a question to Khaled, I would have asked him, "Has the Taliban ever done anything good?" Maybe, but I've never heard of it. Adolf Hitler took power and began his blitzkrieg because he wanted Germany to be restored to its former glory. Still, no one can deny (Ahmedinejad excepted) that Hitler was evil. Therefore, the motives of a person do not decide whether their actions are evil, their actions do. This can be magnified to apply to a group of people as well. The Taliban may not do what they do out of a desire to hurt people (though many of them do, as Khaled admitted) but their decision to hurt people and to cause misery does make them evil.
Is it their religion that calls for them to do this? No. But do they believe that it does? Sometimes. Many would say then that I cannot question them or call them evil, because they do it out of a dedication to "Allah". To quote Mark Twain, "Loyalty to petrified opinion never broke a chain or freed a human soul."

Strong Arm Tactics from Obama Campaign

2008-10-15T05:08:00.000-07:00

The Obama campaign has been making headlines lately-but not for political reasons. "Fraud" is not a word that one would normally associate with Barack Obama's campaign, however, it's coming up in relation to him more an more frequently. First, Tony Rezko, personal friend of Obama's, was convicted of fraud. Then there's the ACORN buisness. And finally and most shockingly is the stroy of the Kansas City couple, both McCain supporters, who found a mysterious $2300 credit card charge listed as a donation to the Obama campaign on their bill.

A Deabte on The Debate

2008-10-07T04:47:00.001-07:00

I just thought it would be interesting to post a debate my friend and I had via email, mainly centering on the VP debate and the lies that were told there. Lots of interesting links. Enjoy:
____________________________________________________________________
From: ?????
Sent: Fri 10/3/2008 4:01 PM
To: Roflsaurus-Rex
Subject: Debate Facts
http://exchange.sjci.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://news.aol.com/elections/debates/article/some-facts-adrift-in-clash/199290

is that Palin's name that comes up more than Biden's on lies???
____________________________________________________________________
From: Roflsaurus-Rex
Sent: Sat 10/4/2008 2:48 PM
To: ?????
Subject: RE: Debate Facts
1.) How is this a lie?
PALIN: "Two years ago, remember, it was John McCain who pushed so hard with the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reform measures. He sounded that warning bell."
THE FACTS: Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska led an effort in 2005 to tighten regulation on the mortgage underwriters — McCain joined as a co-sponsor a year later. The legislation was never taken up by the full Senate, then under Republican control.

2.)
PALIN: "We cannot afford to lose against al-Qaida and the Shia extremists who are still there, still fighting us."
THE FACTS: She appeared to confuse the two main Muslim sects in Iraq. Al-Qaida is solely made up of Sunni Muslim militants. Through the course of the war, U.S. forces fought ferocious opposition from both the Sunnis and the country's dominant Shiite sects. Now, both groups are largely maintaining a cease-fire with the U.S. A much-diminished al-Qaida, mainly foreign fighters, remains the primary threat.

This little quote points out that Palin was in fact correct, in that Shia extremists were fighting our forces. It ignores the fact that they still are, regardless of where they are coming from.

3.)
PALIN: Said Alaska is "building a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline, which is North America's largest and most expensive infrastructure project ever to flow those sources of energy into hungry markets."
THE FACTS: Not quite. Construction is at least six years away. So far the state has only awarded a license to Trans Canada Corp., that comes with $500 million in seed money in exchange for commitments toward a lengthy and costly process to getting a federal certificate. At an August news conference after the state Legislature approved the license, Palin said, "It's not a done deal."

Clearly now, two months later, it is either a done deal, or close to being one. She would be the authority on this subject, correct? And regardless of when construction is scheduled to begin, Sarah was right when she said it is "North America's largest and most expensive infrastructure project ever to flow those sources of energy into hungry markets." Again, this article fails to point out where she was wrong.

4.)
PALIN: Said a McCain-Palin administration "will support Israel," including "building our embassy ... in Jerusalem."
THE FACTS: Moving the U.S. Embassy from its present location in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is a perennial promise of presidential candidates courting the Jewish-American vote. In fact, moving the embassy is actually required by U.S. law. But successive administrations of both parties, including President Bush's, have made the same pledge only to find that the realities of Middle East peacemaking have forced them to invoke a waiver to delay it. Jerusalem is claimed as a capital by both Israel and the Palestinians, and Israel's occupation of east Jerusalem is not internationally recognized. The city's status is a key issue of disagreement in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
This piece points out the difficulty of moving the embassy, but it does not state that it will not happen. If Palin says that that is what her ticket aims to do, then that is what her ticket aims to do. No one has presented any evidence to the contrary.

5.)Your article doesn't even mention Biden's blunder on climate change. He actually said that humans are the sole cause of climate change. He is completely ignoring the fact that, as Palin pointed out, the Earth goes through cyclical heating and cooling processes. Is he now denying the last seven ice ages?

6.) According to your article, Palin lied seven times to Biden's five. However, as I pointed out, four of Palin's "lies" weren't lies at all.
Original Lie Score:
Palin: 7
Biden: 5
Revised Lie Score:
Palin: 3
Biden: 5
Then, with the edition of Biden's (perhaps unkown) global warming lie:
Final Lie Score:
Palin: 3
Biden: 6

Check out the link to my finished blog about the debate:
http://www.roflsaurus-rex.blogspot.com/
____________________________________________________________________
From: ?????
Sent: Sun 10/5/2008 12:24 PM
To: Roflsaurus-Rex
Subject: RE: Debate Facts
im not going to the extreme to prove how many wrongs i see here, theres no sense arguing with a stubborn republican
____________________________________________________________________
From: Roflsaurus-Rex
Sent: Sun 10/5/2008 1:03 PM
To: ?????
Subject: RE: Debate Facts
Why don't you at least try? If you don't, one must assume that you can't.
Admittedly, I didn't take the time to point out which of Biden's supposed "falsehoods" were actually true (which could compromise the accuracy of my "final lie count"), but I didn't believe it necessary.
It is true that I am both stubborn and Republican, but regardless of the pointlessness of arguing with a liberal who is sadly unaware of any factual information regarding said argument, I will try to do so anyway, on the off chance that they are intellignent enough to see the blunders of their leaders. I believe that you are an inteligent liberal, ?????, and in your case, that isn't an oxymoron.
____________________________________________________________________
From: ?????
Sent: Sun 10/5/2008 8:16 PM
To: Roflsaurus-Rex
Subject: RE: Debate Facts
Alright then:

for starters

your #1, palin was quoted as saying "He sounded that warning bell." which would imply that he started it, which obviously as indictated by the article, he didn't and Chuck Hagel did

BIDEN: Warned that Republican presidential candidate John McCain's $5,000 tax credit to help families buy health coverage "will go straight to the insurance company."
THE FACTS: Of course it would, because it's meant to pay for insurance. That's like saying money for a car loan will go straight to the car dealer.

that isnt a lie, as a matter of fact, the article just seems to restate it

BIDEN: Said McCain supports tax breaks for oil companies, and "wants to give them another $4 billion tax cut."
THE FACTS: Biden is repeating a favorite saw of the Obama campaign, and it's misleading. McCain supports a cut in income taxes for all corporations, and doesn't single out any one industry for that benefit.

though misleading, it is still true despite the fact that more than one corporation will receive tax breaks

BIDEN: "As a matter of fact, John recently wrote an article in a major magazine saying that he wants to do for the health care industry — deregulate it and let the free market move — like he did for the banking industry."
THE FACTS: Biden and Obama have been perpetuating this distortion of what McCain wrote in an article for the American Academy of Actuaries. McCain, laying out his health plan, only referred to deregulation when saying people should be allowed to buy health insurance across state lines. In that context, he wrote: "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

again misleading yet not a lie, my defense on this one is a little weak so i have a cnn website here to defend me: http://exchange.sjci.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/02/fact-check-does-mccain-want-to-deregulate-health-care-like-banking/

Original Lie Score:
Palin: 7
Biden: 5
Revised Lie Score:
Palin: 3
Biden: 5
Then, with the edition of Biden's (perhaps unkown) global warming lie:
Final Lie Score:
Palin: 3
Biden: 6
Revised Final Lie Score:
Palin: 4
Biden: 3

so depending on whether you disagree with the one lie about the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, either Biden won or we can shake hands and call it a tie
____________________________________________________________________
From: Roflsaurus-Rex
Sent: Sun 10/5/2008 8:51 PM
To: ?????
Subject: RE: Debate Facts
Palin didn't mention Chuck Hagel, because Chuck Hagel has nothing to do with the debate. it may imply that McCain warned first, but the truth of the statement was that McCain did in fact warn the Senate About Frannie and Freddie, while neither Obama nor Biden did any such thing. Palin stated this to debunk Biden's claim that McCain was in favor of over deregulation.

BIDEN: Warned that Republican presidential candidate John McCain's $5,000 tax credit to help families buy health coverage "will go straight to the insurance company."
THE FACTS: Of course it would, because it's meant to pay for insurance. That's like saying money for a car loan will go straight to the car dealer.

that isnt a lie, as a matter of fact, the article just seems to restate it

True, Biden didn't lie, but he either a.) had no idea what he was talking about or b.) was trying to pass this statement off as something it wasn't. He tried to make it look as if McCain was giving American tax dollars to the big Health Insurance Corporations, when in fact he is giving the money back to the American people, on the condition they use it for health insurance. This wasn't a lie, but it was a clever manipulation of the truth.

BIDEN: Said McCain supports tax breaks for oil companies, and "wants to give them another $4 billion tax cut."
THE FACTS: Biden is repeating a favorite saw of the Obama campaign, and it's misleading. McCain supports a cut in income taxes for all corporations, and doesn't single out any one industry for that benefit.

though misleading, it is still true despite the fact that more than one corporation will receive tax breaks

The article failed to point out the reason for the tax cut: for the American corporations to stay competitive. While the rest of the world lowered corporate taxes, we stayed behind. This means for money for foriegn companies, and less for ours. (Check this link for the explanation in detail http://exchange.sjci.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.johnmccain.com/Issues/JobsforAmerica/taxes.htm)

BIDEN: "As a matter of fact, John recently wrote an article in a major magazine saying that he wants to do for the health care industry — deregulate it and let the free market move — like he did for the banking industry."
THE FACTS: Biden and Obama have been perpetuating this distortion of what McCain wrote in an article for the American Academy of Actuaries. McCain, laying out his health plan, only referred to deregulation when saying people should be allowed to buy health insurance across state lines. In that context, he wrote: "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

again misleading yet not a lie, my defense on this one is a little weak so i have a cnn website here to defend me: http://exchange.sjci.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/02/fact-check-does-mccain-want-to-deregulate-health-care-like-banking/

Your article agrees with me and your original link in that Biden manipulated the truth to make it look like whatever he wanted. Deregulation of the Health Care Industry in that Health Care can be purchased over state lines will increase competion, lower prices, and, contrary to the CNN blogger's beliefs, give less power to the Corporations.

Your link also "lied" in a certain sense of the word. Deregulation did not solely cause the Wall Street crisis. Yes, corruption within Frannie Mae and Freddie Mac were key contributers, as well as corporate and individual greed, but the Community Reinvestment Act, further regulating the industry, caused much more damage than deregulation did or could. You can read up about it here. http://exchange.sjci.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Reinvestment_Act
It was changed many times, each causing more damage down the road.

Here's a vid on it:
http://exchange.sjci.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgqfM5C8lY

Overall, Biden didn't lie as much as he told "white lies" or manipulated and distorted the truth. His biggest lie, as I said, was on global warming.
Original Lie Score:
Palin: 7
Biden: 5
Final Lie Score:
Palin: 3
Biden: 5
Then, with the edition of Biden's (perhaps unkown) global warming lie:
Revised Final Lie Score:
Palin: 4
Biden: 3
Witholding Information or Manipulating Truth:
Biden: 3
CNN: 1
___________________________________________________________________
From: ?????
Sent: Sun 10/5/2008 9:42 PM
To: Roflsaurus-Rex
Subject: RE: Debate Facts
well of course she didnt mention Hagel because she was trying to make it sound like McCain was responsible thats why the article did

also, global warming is bs (in my opinion), there are cyclical changes but indeed we are the cause of global warming (the problem) not global warming (the natural increase in temperature occuring from time to time)
he is most likely refering to the melting of the ice caps which just screws up the entire climate of the world
i wouldnt know why he would want to lie about natural climate change cause there is no chance of getting away with it

so even with the misleading information, yet true, its practically a tie, personally, i don't like any of the candidates, obama has bad ideas as well as McCain
i am not ever going to risk going into the army so Obama > McCain and Palin isn't ready, 2 years of executive experience doesnt qualify you to be vice president, but 35 years of experience in the government seems greatly more qualifying don't you think, so Biden > Palin
call me liberal, i do have certain issues where i would place my "vote" on, but these are ones that sway my opinion
____________________________________________________________________
From: Roflsaurus-Rex
Sent: Mon 10/6/2008 8:05 AM
To: ?????
Subject: RE: Debate Facts
The global warming thing: Humans have a minimal impact on Earth's climate. The melting of the ice caps is caused by the long and drawn out cyclical process of heating and cooling that the Earth undergoes. Biden denied this, and he can get away with it becaue of the extreme liberal hollywood media that all agree with him. Environmental activists are currently trying to sue major oil corporations for "spreading doubt" about global warming. The people that are doing the sueing are actually scientists. Doesn't this go against everythign that science stands for? Challenging the current stadard and ideas? So Biden can easily get away with his lies.

You are correct, currently the score is about at a tie, but I found another article correcting the blatant lies Biden told that your article missed. Some are quite amusing.

http://exchange.sjci.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122325448093406451.html

Here are some highlights:

1.) Start with Lebanon, where Mr. Biden asserted that "When we kicked -- along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, I said and Barack said, 'Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don't know -- if you don't, Hezbollah will control it.' Now what's happened? Hezbollah is a legitimate part of the government in the country immediately to the north of Israel."
The U.S. never kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, and no one else has either. Perhaps Mr. Biden meant to say Syria, except that the U.S. also didn't do that. The Lebanese ousted Syria's military in 2005. As for NATO, Messrs. Biden and Obama may have proposed sending alliance troops in, but if they did that was also a fantasy. The U.S. has had all it can handle trying to convince NATO countries to deploy to Afghanistan.
2.) Speaking of which, Mr. Biden also averred that "Our commanding general in Afghanistan said the surge principle in Iraq will not work in Afghanistan." In trying to correct him, Mrs. Palin mispronounced the general's name -- saying "General McClellan" instead of General David McKiernan. But Mr. Biden's claim was the bigger error, because General McKiernan said that while "Afghanistan is not Iraq," he also said a "sustained commitment" to counterinsurgency would be required. That is consistent with Mr. McCain's point that the "surge principles" of Iraq could work in Afghanistan.
3.) Then there's the Senator's astonishing claim that Mr. Obama "did not say he'd sit down with Ahmadinejad" without preconditions. Yet Mr. Biden himself criticized Mr. Obama on this point in 2007 at the National Press Club: "Would I make a blanket commitment to meet unconditionally with the leaders of each of those countries within the first year I was elected President? Absolutely, positively no."
4.) Closer to home, the Delaware blarney stone also invited Americans to join him at "Katie's restaurant" in Wilmington to witness middle-class struggles. Just one problem: Katie's closed in the 1980s. The mistake is more than a memory lapse because it exposes how phony is Mr. Biden's attempt to pose for this campaign as Lunchbucket Joe.
To sum it all up:
We think the word "lie" is overused in politics today, having become a favorite of the blogosphere and at the New York Times. So we won't say Mr. Biden was deliberately making events up when he made these and other false statements. Perhaps he merely misspoke. In any case, Mrs. Palin may not know as much about the world as Mr. Biden does, but at least most of what she knows is true.
____________________________________________________________________

From: ?????
Sent: Mon 6/10/2008 4:00 PM
To: Roflsaurus-Rex

interesting, but I still have to feel Obama - Biden 08

to be honest, i dont have the slightest care for anything about global warming because i'm a jerk and i won't be here when the real problems arise

but enough of global warming, its a pointless topic seeing we really cant do much about it

i don't feel like debating about anything, i've been walking from 3-3:45 because there was communication issues so my mom didnt tell my grandmother than i wasnt staying after today (Monday) so i was by ????? when my grandmother found me after she had a conversation with my mom which ended with, "I GOTTA GO!" so to make this story shorter, im tired
____________________________________________________________________

Biden and Palin Trade Blows, But Who Won?

2008-10-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

Last night's debate between Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen Joe Biden was very revealing. Upon first watching it I couldn't quite decide who had the upper hand, although I was leaning slightly toward Joe Biden. He is certainly an intelligent man, and he is at home on at a debate. He knew what to say and when to say it, and knew how to handle himself. Palin showed that she definitely does not lack experience in this format, and was miles away from her performance with Katie Couric. One aspect that influenced my indecision who won was the many claims that both candidates made regarding themselves, their running mates, and each other. I just didn't know who was telling the truth. Once I looked up the facts, however, the outcome was obvious. She smoked him. Period. Watching the video of Joe Biden saying he didn't think Obama was ready to be president was hilarious, and really shines a light on the instability of the Democratic ticket. It was a work of art.

A friend of mine, sitting next to me now has just commented that he completely disagrees that Palin won. Here's why he's wrong:

Palin obviously beat Biden on the issue of the economy. Biden, claiming to represent the middle class, was shot down by Palin's criticism of the Obama/Biden tax increase that would hit small businesses hard. Biden tried to pass this off as false by playing word games, but he was grasping at straws, and he knew it.
This video:
The energy issue. Palin is far more experienced in dealing with energy, and she knows what to do about ending foreign oil dependence. She knows that new drilling in Alaska would create jobs and help end foreign oil. People criticize her for her lack of experience on issues regarding the economy. This would bolster the economy, would it not? She is also for investing in alternative energy sources. You can't criticize her there. While the Dems ignore the present and look to the future regarding the energy "crisis", Palin shows that she has a plan of action both short term and long term.
Tying in with my last point, Biden's exposed his ignorance on the issue of climate change. He acted as if humans were the sole cause of global climate change. Palin is much more experienced and educated on the subject, and while she went the safe route by admitting to some human influence, she stated the obvious natural and cyclical process of the earth that liberal pseudo-scientists think doesn't exist. Hey Joe, do you actually not believe in those Ice Ages we've had? Yep, there were about seven. You might want to get your facts straight before talking about science. She also mentioned McCain's "all of the above" method in dealing with climate change and energy Independence. This is the best choice. Biden said: "If you don't understand the causes, it's impossible to come up with solutions." The irony is palpable.
Gov. Palin reinforced her and McCain's bipartisan record, and strongly contrasted it with that of Obama's. She didn't have to make Biden look like a fool (he was doing it for her) so she had time to go after Obama as well. She also shone the spotlight on the transparent fallacy that the Obama/Biden ticket is all about the middle class. Biden repeated this many times, as if repetition would make us believe it was true (sadly, for some of us, this will be the case) but when Sarah pointed out the holes in his argument and then displayed McCain's plans, it was clear to those watching that the McCain/Palin ticket is the true champion of the middle class. Hockey moms and Joe Six-Packs unite!
Lastly, Palin pointed out that while Barack Obama stresses change, he really falls under the category in which he tries to place John McCain: more of the same. Obama and Biden represent more of the same partisan, corrupt, lazy, and incompetent side of Washington, while she and McCain are mavericks and reformers, more than willingly to work on a bipartisan level to "get the job done".

For those of you that disagree, you can argue your points any way you want, but the fact remains that you are wrong, misinformed, ignorant, possibly brainwashed, and in denial of it all.

Obama's Truth Squad....Rofl?

2008-09-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

It's time for the first ever Roflsaurus-Rex Rofl Moment. This will be the first of many articles on topics that make us all Rofl.
Today's Rofl comes in the form of Barack Obama's very own Thought Police. However, he calls them his "Truth Squad". based in Missourri, consisting of regular volunteers along with two lawyers and a county sherriff. They will respond to any adds or information made public with their version of "the truth." This slightly Orwellian concept has caused outrage with the proponents of free speech throughout this entire country, although isn't really scary at first glance. In fact, it makes one want to Rofl. However, we can't ignore the presence of two prominent lawyers and a sherriff. If this "Truth Squad" only aims to promote their ideas as truth, why do they need these clowns? it also shows a lot about Barack Obama. Like some Big Brother, he thinks he can tell us what the truth is? This year's presidential election certainly will be interesting. John McCain vs. Kim Jong Il.
Rofl.

Gore Calls For Civil Disobedience?!

2008-09-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

Al Gore, in a speech at the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative, suggested that it was time for young people to use civil disobediance to stop the building of coal plants without carbon storage. Gore is right, we shouldn't be making new coal plants without carbon storage facilities, but it isn't necessary, and it definetly shouldn't be accomplished through violent or destructive means.
Also, in one statement, met with much applause, Gore said, "Tax what we burn, not what we earn." This was of course in favor of a carbon tax that would replace the income tax. Hey, I'm all for abolishing the income tax, but a carbon tax? That's just ridiculous. And, what's funiest about this is, Al would be paying a pretty hefty fine for his massive carbon footprint, but of course he has enough cash so that it wouldn't matter.
So, Al Gore: former Vice President, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, author, and now: ECO-TERRORIST. Yep, right up there with those nutcases in ELF. I mean really Al? May I call you Al? This is beyond silly. This is quite possibly the dumbest thing that has ever come out of your mouth, and that's saying something (Yep, this even beats, "I invented the internet."). Calling for civil disobedience? Well there's really not much more to say. We knew he was ignorant, we knew he ignored the scientific facts that would put the final nail in his enviromentally friendly coffin, but now we know that he's just plain stupid.

European's Criticize Wall Street, Blame Us For Their Troubles

2008-09-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

Our own stock market meltdown in the U.S. has naturally set off a tidal wave of economic troubles across the rest of the globe. Europe most recently was hit by the aftershocks of our last crash, and now they have begun to criticize speculators stockholders, and the U.S. government, looking for a target for their wrath.
And yet hardened U.S. stock market experts are acting the complete opposite. They aren't worried. And why should we be? And more importantly those self-righteous European slugs should get off our back and worry about their own problems. We can handle this. We are handling this. Our economy had been through low times before, but we rebounded then. This is natural, just listen to Led Zeppelin's "Good Times, Bad Times". Chill out. Europeans are acting like little kids, whining and complaining and trying to blame other people for their problems, citing "voracious selfishness" of speculators and "stupid sluggishness" of regulators as the cause of the economic crisis. If your economy can't stand up without ours supporting it, you probably shouldn't be too critical. The cause for this wasn't greed or selfishness, it was average people overestimating their wealth and defaulting on mortages. The last thing we need is panic.

Enough with the Waiting Game

2008-09-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

I'm quickly getting bored with this dragged out waiting game that the U.S. is playing no on two fronts. Iran is now going to hold war games lasting three days, while Israel continues to threaten an air strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. Rumors of a US strike have been brewing as well. On the other hand continued verbal battles have been going on between the US, NATO and Russia since the latter's invasion of Georgia last month. Now Russian war ships will be sailing to Venezuela to participate in their own Carribbean Naval demonstrations.
Is this what our world has come to? That the might of the powerful nations of this Earth go about playing little war games and trying to "show off"their might? COME ON! SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING ALREADY!!! I'm sick of the waiting around, the tension, and the non-news of "war games".
Enough with the games, let's go and tell Russia that because of their invasion of Georgia, we won't let them come as close to us as the Carribbean. We've been threatening them with sanctions, so Bush, put your money where your mouth is. If Russia refuses, we'll wave a little thing called the Monroe doctrine in their face, send out some of our own warships, and blast them out of the water if they don't leave. They're trying to mess with us, to prove that we won't do anything and that they can do whatever they want, like invade and decimate their neighbors like Georgia. You wanna play with the big dogs, this is what you get.
As for Iran, that's not our buisness just yet, so I'm urging Israel to hurry up and blast their nuclear facilities into ash. And I know they'll do it. They can stand up for themselves. But please, the sooner the better. These millitary demonstrations that will be taking place soon in Iran will be using anti-aircraft missles. Clearly a direct challenge. Do it now, before their little "show".
The West, collectively, needs to step up and be a man. McCain claims to wish touse Teddy Roosevelt as his presidential model. If McCain is telling the truth, I sincerely hope he gets elected. If not, move over and let someone who will pull the trigger take the job. I know Teddy would have.

Flustered Dem's Criticize Palin's...Hair?

2008-09-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

A clearly liberal reporter for the Boston Herald wrote and article criticizing McCain's VP nominee Sarah Palin's hairdo. The article quoted a few local hair stylists clearly, of questionable orientation. What makes this worse is that this article wasn't a joke. In fact, Lauren Falcone, the author of the article in question, actually claimed that she was reporting on a newsworthy issue.
This embarrassment to journalism does more to help than harm Sarah Palin. It shows that she cannot be criticized on any topics of importance, so instead liberals flustered by her fierce attitude search in vain for ways to attack her. Good luck with that.
Yes, anyone of political opinion differing from mine would say that they have a very good reason to criticize Govenor Palin: she is too inexperienced to be the Vice President. First of all, if you're going to play that horribly transparent card, maybe you should have nominated someone other than Barack Obama. Also, Obama and Biden were both Senators, serving in the Legislative branch of our government. Sarah was a Governor, and before that, Mayor. Does anyone know what a governor, mayor, and the President have in common? Yes, you there in the blue polo? Correct! They're all Executive positions! Sarah Palin could run alone against Barack Obama and still be far more qualified to be our nation's next President. So leave, n00bs. Leave now.

Amadinejad and Putin

2008-09-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, Amadinejad and Putin are both men who are either hated or feared (and quite possibly insane) but, despite all of the human rights violations they've committed, I have a strange sort of respect for them. These are two men play by their own rules and won't let anyone boss them around. How can you not respect that?
Amadinejad is determined to continue his country's development of a nuclear enrichment program, whether for energy or military purposes. The US and Israel are determined to stop him. He knows his entire country could be destroyed and he himself could be killed. Israel vows to attack soon, and the Dutch had planned an attack, but stopped short upon recieving intel that suggested that the US was ready to attack. But still, under overwhelming odds, this guy just won't take no for an answer. Sure, I don't like the idea of Iran having nukes, and I know that, as the most powerful country in the world, we have the right and responsibility to stop them. But they also have the right to fight back.
Vladimir Putin also is a maverick. Surging forward on the momentum of his popularity he has invaded another country, attacking its infrastructure and is now beginning to absorb two breakaway regions into Russia. He has now formed deals to tighten Russia's grip on Central Asia's oil welth, much to the dismay of the west. The US and many other European countries have vowed that Russia will face consequences, such as being exiled from G-8 and being denied entry into NATO, as well as lessened trade with many other countries. Putin has calmly pointed out how each of these claims is either false, or just doesn't matter. On top of that, he has been making demands of his own, calling for the removal of NATO warships from the Caspian. He knows his strength and is using it. Sure he was wrong to use such force in Georgia, and his demands are somewhat unrealistic, but does no one remember the Mexican-American War? We did the same thing as Russia has done here with Georgia. And in my book, that means they can do it too. Yeah, it was over one hundred years ago, but who cares? Obviously, this IS still the way the world works. If no one's going to stand up to you, why not?
Yeah, these are undeniably "bad" men, but I respect them immensely. I wish we had men of their caliber on our side.

Metro Fight

2008-08-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

In Buffalo NY, after a concert series called Thursday in the Square, civilians riding a crowded Metro train erupted into a brawl. The fight was captured on camera and was uploaded to Youtube. The video has since been taken down "due to terms of use violations". Channel 2 News of Buffalo reported on the story:

The line that I find to be odd is "Investigators are still looking to find the mystery photographer and why it was uploaded to youtube for the world to see." I don't see any problem with uploading the video. Do you? Vote now in my poll.

Poland Finds an Ally in U.S.

2008-08-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

An agreement between Poland and the United states was reached Thursday for strengthening of the bond between the two nations. Polish prime Minister Donald Tusk, having seen the ferocity with which Russia has attacked Georgia, realizes that if Poland is attacked, NATO will be too slow to come to the country's aid. "Poland and the Poles do not want to be in alliances in which assistance comes at some point later—it is no good when assistance comes to dead people. Poland wants to be in alliances where assistance comes in the very first hours of—knock on wood—any possible conflict," This basically sums it up.

The exact specifications of the agreement state that:

The United States will help Poland augment its defenses and come to Poland's aid if attacked

And/in exchange for the placement of U.S. 10 Patriot missle defense interceptors in Poland.

This agreement, which took around 18 months to come into being, has Russia angered. At the same time, Russia has openly dissregarded the ceasefire and has begun looting cities, and burning military bases, it's army sweeping across Georgia. A column of more than 100 Russian tanks has been reported to be currently moving toward Georgia's second largest city. Reports have also come in that Georgian soldiers fired on civilians. Clearly, total chaos reigns, and Poland certainly has a right to be concerned. George Bush has criticized the Kremlin and called for Russia to uphold the ceasefire agreement and to withdraw immediately from Georgia, but this seems highly unlikely. The United States did transport all of the Georgian soldiers in Iraq back to Georgia and has delivered humanitarian aid to Georgia. President Bush has so far only threatened with the exclusion of Russia from many international organizations, and has not yet delivered any ultimatum regarding military action if Russia continues on the war path. And all the while Russia's true motives for it's blitzkrieg war are still unknown...

Future Transportation

2008-08-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

Picture this: a world where transportation cost no energy. There is no gasoline, and no alternaticve fuel source. I'm talking about a costless, zero emmissions form of transportation. The answer is simple, but putting into action will be more difficult. I'm talking about electromagnets.

Maglev trains are an example of electromagnetic powered transportation. They do not pollute and they do not rely on nonrenewable resources. I think that this technology could be applied to everyday transportation. The technology is there, we just have to apply it.

First we would replace all roads with a series of electromagnetic rails for individually owned "Maglev" cars would run on. Of course the level of planning and the actual cost of of the infrastructure is ridiculous, and quite unrealistic if it were to be attempted today. However, I'm not proposing this for today. I'm simply saying that it can be done.

More on the "Fairness Doctrine"

2008-08-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

I was scanning the Drudge Report this evening and I cam across one bolded/red article title mentioning the Fairness Doctrine. (I have already blogged on this subject, but I feel the need for one more rant.) This article quoted FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell as mentioning birth of a new bill much like the Fariness Doctrine was possible in the future. This bill, however, would not only regulate radio, but also the internet.

Yes, the internet, the last safe haven for those of us who wish to do as we please and say what we want. A mystical realm with no rules, and no government interference (To a certain extent). This very utopia that all internet users have hepled shape is now in jeopardy because of control freaks like Pelosi in Congress. The mainstream media is already controlled by the liberals, and all we've got left is a few talk radio shows and the internet.

Any bill that would attempt to regulate what people say instantly infringes upon the First Amendment, but a bill that would try to make sure that equal time was given to both parties on already biased radio shows or blogs is horrendous.

And, to be clear here, I (usually) don't form an opinion until I've heard both sides of the story, and I like to dissect both sides, asses the pros and cons, etc, etc. But this is too far. This is verging on socialism. The next logical step is forbidding anyone to criticize the government. Please, readers, spread the word about this atrocity in an attempt to raise awareness, so the congressmen in favor of it won't be able to pull this one off.

Georgian/Russian Conflict

2008-08-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

The recent explosion of violence between Georgia and Russia has really got me wondering. There seems to be no reason whatsoever for Georgian forces to attack a region that separated form them 16 years ago, but at the same time the amount of force that the Russians are using to counter this attack is ridiculous. The Russians have every right to intervene in this situation (Really, no one can argue against that), but to bomb civilian areas, to attack communication lines and oil pipes seems like an act of war, as if their goal was to eliminate and/or absorb Georgia, along with South Ossetia. it seems that in this situation, there is no "good guy". They are booth extremely wrong. Georgia, though, has asked for a ceasefire, a request that Russia has so far ignored. I suppose for now we can only wait and see how this plays out, and whether it escalates into all out war, or simmers down. With Russia's response, I'm assuming it will be the former, unless external pressure stops Russia. Thinking about that, I'm beginning to believe that external pressure might actually push Russia farther into conflict. This could be some kind of proving ground for Russia, to flex its military muscles and show off a bit...

Pelosi Aims To Revive "Fairness Doctrine"

2008-06-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi aims to reinstate the "Fairness Doctrine". This ironic bill, which was terminated under the Reagan administration, would "regulate" media, and could be used as a weapon to silence conservative radio talk show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh. It seems that free speech is a popular target this week.

Pelosi has already opposed Rep. Mike Pence's (R-Ind.) Broadcaster Freedom Act, saying she wouldn't let it see the floor of the 2008 Congress. We'll just see about that Nancy.

Free Speech Under Attack Again

2008-06-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Free Speech has once again come under attack by the global warming fearmongers. As anyone who has ever questioned global warming or the part humans have or have not played in it knows, proponents of the theory are unusually brutal towards those who challenge them.

James Hansen, a NASA scientist, has now set his sights on major oil companies. He claims that they should be put on trial for "actively spreading doubt" about climate change. Excuse me "Jim", but isn't questioning current beliefs and theories a major part of science? Or would you rather have our schools teaching kids that the Earth is the center of the universe and that everything in the world is made up of water, air, earth, and fire? And free speech is a right that all Americans are entitled to. If you and the rest of Al Gore's henchmen can spew out that bull that humans are responsible for changing Earth's climate, then the sane half of this country can certainly challange your beliefs.

Mr. Hansen said, "The problem is not political will, it's the alligator shoes - the lobbyists. It's the fact that money talks in Washington, and that democracy is not working the way it's intended to work." Do you really mean that democracy isn't working the way it's intended to, or that democracy isn't working the way you want it to?

Mr. Hansen may be misguided both in matters of science and politics, but he isn't without at least one good idea. He "wants to see a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, coupled with the creation of a huge grid of low-loss electric power lines buried under ground and spread across America, in order to give wind and solar power a chance of competing." I believe this is a good idea, if not for the environment, for the economy. it will certainly help break our dependance on oil, and help supply for the eventual exhaustion of that resource.

Regardless, "Jimmy" is wrong. His suggestions, if followed, would cause the greatest travesty upon our nation and the principles it was founded on we Americans have ever seen. And this man calls himself a scientist. If all scientists were like him, our schools would teach that the Earth was the center of the Universe, and that everything in the world was made up of earth, wind, water and fire. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you James, but this is America, and here, we believe in free speech for everyone, not just the so-called experts, and just because you say something, doesn't mean it's gonna fly with the rest of us.

Another Proposal From John McCain

2008-06-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

In a fantastic show of capitalism at its best, Sen. John McCain has proposed a partial solution to our oil dependancy. He has suggested a prize of $300 million for anyone who can create a more efficient car battery that blasts current technology out of the water. On the individual level, sum is massive, but compared to the rest of the U.S. budget, it would be a relatively small sum. I think this is a brilliant idea. We need solutions, and what motivates people more than cold, hard cash? This proposal would grant the cas prize to anyone who could invent an automobile battery that would deliver power at only 30% of current costs.

This is just another example of McCain proactively proposing solutions to our energy crisis and our bleak economic situation. McCain has also recently proposed lifting bans on offshore drilling. Obama has strongly opposed both of these moves. And what does he plan on doing? Is he just opposing McCain because he's running against him, or is he actually that misinformed?

Keep Moving Forward

2008-06-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

It seems that the general plan for combating oil prices and the economy and energy dependence has been to complain, make wild speculations, do nothing, and doom-monger. Well isn't it time we faced the obvious? Things aren't just magically going to get better, so why don't we get to work.

The obvious long term goal is to discover a new more economical and environmentally friendly energy source. While steps have been made in that direction, we're not exactly close to finding the uber-energy yet. While we sit around experimenting and thinking about it, gas prices keep going up. What do we do? We buy time. I'm talking about drilling for coastal oil, tapping into Alaska and the Arctic Circle, etc. Discovering this "new" energy will take some time, and over time, oil prices will continue to go through the roof, and, as our economy "runs on oil" this doesn't bode well for anyone. We need to tap into our vast reserves of oil, causing a massive price drop, lessened dependence on foreign oil, and the ressucitation of the economy.

One move by such corporations as ExxonMobil, Shell, Total and BP brings hope to the situation. These companies are now moving back in to Iraq for comercial oil drilling, the first venture of this kind since Saddam Hussein nationalized Iraqi industry 36 years ago.

Also, we are completely ignoring nuclear energy. It's free of the "feared" greenhouse gas emissions, it doesn't pollute when properly managed, and is extremely cost effective. For some reason, most politicans are scared of nuclear power. That is with the exception of Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain. He has proposed the construction of 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030, a move that I firmly believe will be good for America. There's no reason we shouldn't, and countless reasons we should, and yet it will almost definetly be fought by Democrats.

Muslims Barred From Obama Photo

2008-06-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

In a photo shoot taken Monday, June 16th at Barack Obama's Detroit rally, two Muslim women wearing headscarves were barred from standing in a picture with the presidential hopeful. This realy doesn't seem like the all-embracing, uniting Obama that has so far been shown to the public. In fact, this is the complete opposite of the image he would want to display.

Called "Barry" by his friends he reverted back to his formal name of Barack during college. Some of those who oppose him do so in part because of his full name, Barack Hussein Obama, giving them reason to fear that he is too Muslim in a time when Islamic extremists threatens the world. He, of course should not be ashamed, but proud of his name and heritage, but here he does an about-face and casts away his Muslim supporters like unwanted relatives coming to stay for the weekend.

One of the (then)supporters, Shimaa Abdelfadeel said she felt, "let down that the Obama campaign continuously perpetuates this attitude towards Muslims and Arabs — as if being merely associated [with] one is a sin.”

Obama, who's book, "Dreams From My Father" explains his quest to find his identity with his father's African culture now shuns both his Muslim supporters and his former Pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

Two words: Flip-Flop.

Vegetarians, Not So Enviro-Friendly

2008-06-17T15:53:00.000-07:00

If you really think about it, Vegetarians are eating up all our good oxygen-making plants. Vegetarians are single-handedly causing polution, global warming, the rice shortage in Asia, the destutrction of the ozone, the endo of biodiversity and are generally killing our planet.

Character Building

2008-06-05T18:16:00.000-07:00

Everyone who has ever lived has come across the term "character building" at one point or another. Whether it came from a parent or a boss or any kind of superior, we've all experience it. But what does it really mean?
Where I go to school, I have to do 20 hours of community service every year. I usually do this over the summer. When I commemted once on how my summer was being wasted by this and other activities, my father told me that he would make my summer meaningful by filling it all up with community service, and making me get a job. Well, at fifteen, there aren't many job opportunities out there, but I would happily get a job this summer if I could find one. Community service, however, is a different story. 20 hours is the requirement, so why do more than necessary? I asked my father this, very much expecting the response I was soon to recieve: "It builds character."
What, doing things you don't want to do builds character? "Yes" my father replied. He went on about setting long term goals that took effort to achieve, and I got to thinking, what really builds character?
I don't believe that community service will build character. If you have a certain orginazation that you really believe in and respect and support, then yes, it probably will. Forced labor teaches you that sometimes you have to do things you don't want to, but again, it doesn't build character. Community service is a nice thing, but it doesn't build character for those who don't want to do it.
My father said one thing that helped me, if not him, understand what character building was all about. he said, "If you were on the beaches of Normandy, we would all be speaking German right now." Well, this is a ridiculous statement, but it helps one to understand the true meaning of character building. Character building isn't work for the sake of work, or tedium for the sake of tedium, or time wasted at something you don't want to do. Character building isn't even work for the sake of character building.
Character building is working hard to achieve something that you want, that you believe in or that you hold dear, whether the end results help you or the ones you love, or even people you don't know. Sacrifice for the sake of sacrifice is meaningless. it's what the sacrifice is for that gives it substance.
So shut up and let me enjoy my summer.

U.S. Recession: The Truth

2008-05-29T18:10:00.000-07:00

There's been a lot of talk about recession in the U.S. lately. Everyone loves to claim that we are in a recession, the economy is tanking, and the world will soon end. Well, I've got news for you: while the U.S. economy may be weakened, we are in no way in a period of recession. Here, for anyone who would wish to contradict me with a lot of "factual" information and fancy numbers, is the definition of recession.

Recession: a decline in a country's real gross domestic product (GDP), or negative real economic growth, for two or more successive quarters of a year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recession

People have been claiming that the United States had entered a depression months ago, with no real facts to back up these claims. Well, the results are out, and, guess what? The GDP has grown. Whaddaya know.

I'll admit, it grew by a ridiculously low number (.09%) but it grew nonetheless. So don't go making claims that you can't back up.

Here's an article on the recent growth:

In other news, an Italian Opera of "An Inconvenient Truth" is in the works, and slated to open in 2011. Why God, why?......WHY!!!??!

I Want Star Fox!

2008-05-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know if and when a new Star Fox game will be coming out for the Nintendo Wii? We've seen a new Zelda game, we got Mario Galaxy, there's a new Super Smash Bros. and mario Kart, but no Star Fox. I really hope they come out with it soon. Please post in the comments section if you have any information.

Intrepid Aversion: Rumors and More

2008-05-12T06:08:00.000-07:00

You all know that I'm a big fan of Intrepid Aversion. Lately, they've been up to a lot. Their new single, "You Had Me at Pizza" is being recorded in their New York studio this weekend, and should be available for download early next week.

Tim O'Donnell, who used to play keyboard with the band, is rumored to have contributed to this new song, which raises the question of his possible return. If he does return, can we expect a new album this year? I sure hope so.

Also, Intrepid Aversoin is really tearing up the Internet. The recent launch of the band's official website, http://www.freewebs.com/intrepidaversion/ourmusicians.htm has now been followed by the launch of the band's bassist, "Big Hen's" new website, Intrepid Aversion Bass Station. While the band's official site is more for general purposes (It contains a brief history of the band, profiles of the band and staff, press releases, a contact page, FAQ's, a set list, and a guestbook) Intrepid Aversion Bass Station is a more fan oriented site, giving the band's back story in more detail, along with more detailed profioles, interviews, and more. The site is completely run by Big Hen, and, in an official statement made on Intrepid Aversion's Official Website it will offer tips and video's from Big Hen himself, with which he will offer insight into the atr of bassing. Rumor has it that in one of the first videos, The Big Hen will demonstrate his grounbreaking techniques, the Omega-64 Manouver and Smack-A-Bassing. We can only hope.

In other news, Jake Spitler, longtime friend of the band, has been seen entering and leaving Intrepid Aversion's New York headquarters and recording studios with a guitar and amp on multiple occassions these past few months. One can only speculate as to why. Wild rumors have been spreading, not the least of which that Jake will be joining the band. I personally think that this is unlikely, but one must speculate.

I'm probably gonna be dissapointed, but...

2008-03-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one who wants Bush to do something really crazy right before he leaves office?

New Band Breaks Barriers in Music Industry

2008-03-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am speaking, of course, about Intrepid Aversion, the relatively new band formed in 2007 by drummer Aidan and guitarist Dan. The band quickly grew and has gone through a number of members, some of the most prominet being Tim O'Donnell on keyboards (mysteriously dropped out), Bob Evans (not the restaurant)on vocals and harmonica, and Johnny Thunder on guitar. The current lineup is as follows:

Dan-Guitar
Aidan-Drums
Italo-Guitar
Henry?-Bass (rummored)
John-Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
Sean -Vocals and keyboard
Trevor-Xbox

[Note: Many have noticed that the current band members only go by their first names. This is because they don't wish to be tracked down and bothered by insane groupies/fans. This has happened before.]

The reason that this until now unknown band has been making waves in the music world is its largely internet based fan community. Like the Arctic Monkeys before them, Intrepid Aversion's music has spread like wildfire across the internet, with hundreds of downloads of their original music per day. Also, their covers of music by such a wide variety of bands as Nirvana, Mountain, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers are highly popular on Youtube.

The band is quickly climbing the ladder of success, and it doesn't look like they'll be stopping anytime soon. They continue to put forth new music frequently, with their latest single, "Won't You Be My Garungarung" up for download later this week.

Common videogame stereotype under fire.

2008-03-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, a recent study made by Finnish scientists suggests that videogames do not desensitize players to violence, or even bring about violent reactions. Insteasd, the controversial study found that players playing violent videogames (007 Nightfire was used in this study) actually exhibited negative emotional reactions when killing enemies in the game.

So what makes this one study any better than all the studies done that supposedly "prove" that videogames have a negative affect on players and cause desnsitivity to violence? This study has a wider scope and broader perspective on the issue. In this study non-violent games were used as well (Super Monkey Ball 2) and both violent and nonviolent games displayed similar reactions form the players. Challenges in Super Monkey Ball and the action of killing in Nightfire both were met with stress, and not any positive reaction.

Another study, this time by the American Sociological Association completely goes against most other studies done on the subject, pointing out that many other studies contradict themselves or are inconsistent, and instead suggests that videogames are not in any way connected to homicidal tendencies in juvenilles, and rather that a plethora of other elements are the root causes. Some interesting facts on the subject:

Students have a seven in ten million chance of being killed at school.
Many reviews actually conclude that it is in no way possible to accurately determine if videogame violence affects aggressive behavior.
In the ten years following the release of popular FPS game Doom (which many opponents of videogames hav tried to link to school shootings) homicide arrest rates among juvenilles fell y 77 percent.
While videogames have been proven to improve everything form spatial skills to problem solving skills to rection time, no study has as of yet proven a connection between violonce in videogames and violent behaviors in juvenilles.

What does it all mean? Do violent videogames make killers out of our children? Or are videogames being used as a scapegoat for real issues, and asking as a mask for more more concealed problmes in society? I don't know, and while there are a lot of studies that have been done that point to a negative affect of videogames, specifically FPS's on players, if videogames really influenced us, wouldn't we all be running aroung dark rooms eating pills and the occasional ghost, listening to monotonous music? And while I will admit to dressing up as an Italian plumber every once in a while, I assure you that I've never battles a giant turtle/dragon or save a pricess named after a fruit.

http://www.asanet.org/galleries/default-file/Winter07ContextsFeature.pdf

With ice caps melting on Mars, will Gore push for hybrid rovers?

2008-03-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

An article written in National geographic just may be the final nail in Al Gore's coffin. The article, which can be found at Nationalgeographic.com, says, "Mars's southern polar ice cap ...has shrunk in recent years due to planetary warming—similar to what's happening on Earth." However, despite this obvious flaw in the generally accepted "truths" about global warming, many scientists still can't see the light. As the artcile goes on to explain, "But the vast majority of experts maintain that humans are responsible for Earth's climate changes and that the Mars phenomenon is mere coincidence." Mere coincidence? I think not. And neither does my homeroom teacher, Dr. Charles Breem. After watching a news story on global warming one mornign, he decided to explain to us the truth about global warming. Doc Breem, who has a Ph. D. in Chemistry and Physics, listed some facts about global warming that won't come up in any of Al Gore's power points:

One volcanic eruption spews out more greenhouse gasses than the entire city of Los Angeles does in 6 months.
The earth has had approximately seven ice ages since its creation-all of which have been followed by a long period of increasing warming.
The sun is burning more brightly now than it has in the past 1000 years. ( Don't believe me, read this.)
And to top it all off, the Earth has recorded the coldest winter in over 200 years.

Make of this what you will, but the facts, and I maen real information, not skewed numbers or baseless theories point to not only a less deadly global warming, but also one that isn't caused by humans. Quite frankly, I think that we as a species think to highly of ourselves, believing that we can alter so drastically a planet that we have only been on for a few thousand years, compared to the few billion years that the Earth has been around.