As I write this, nine members of a "Christian" militia group have been arrested for allegedly plotting to first kill a police officer and to then kill many more--along with their families and friends--by planting bombs at the funeral of said officer.
The scariest part? These folks all lived within a 50 mile radius of me. This wasn't some isolated survivalist cult living in the mountains of Idaho or the deserts of New Mexico or Arizona--this was a group living in southern rural Michigan, less than 50 miles from 2 major urban population centers (Detroit and Toledo). A co-worker of mine lives less than 10 miles from where these arrests happened.
And these were not Muslim fanatics, born overseas and in this country on expired student visas. These were U.S. citizens, born right here, and educated--if that word can be used--right here.
These are AMERICAN CITIZENS who apparently have no problem with thinking that extreme violence against the government of the country they were born in is perfectly acceptable. I wonder what they would think about such a plot being hatched against American troops deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
But that's not the biggest irony in this whole affair. No. The biggest irony is that all nine of the defendants have asked to be represented by public defenders. These nine people. who seem to despise the government and everything it stands for, have no problem with that very government defending their rights.
To paraphrase quotes from The West Wing*:
"What do you say about a government that defends the rights of all of its citizens, even when they want to destroy it?"
"God Bless America".
Amen.
*Check out Season 2, Episode 3
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
In Memoriam
Robert Martin Culp--August 16, 1930 – March 24, 2010
Most folks who are, on average, about 10 years or more older than me, will remember him as the star of I Spy, the TV show that is perhaps best known as being the first network TV show to feature a black actor (Bill Cosby) in a leading role. It was the show that launched Cosby's career.
I mostly remember him from his role as FBI agent Bill Maxwell in The Greatest American Hero, a TV show probably better known for it's title song than anything else (Believe it or Not)
But to a much younger generation, he will be forever known for a far more obscure, and yet also far more notorious role: The voice of the evil Dr. Wallace Breen, the puppet administrator of post-invasion Earth installed by the Combine between the events of the FPS games Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Few game villains have ever been more reviled--a sleazy, smarmy opportunist who manipulated events that took place after Earth was conquered by invading aliens to seize the kind of power he never would have gained otherwise. (For those non gamer-speak savvy folks, FPS stands for First Person Shooter.)
It's a role that probably gained him more fame than he ever got from his other roles. After all, Half-Life became one of the most popular FPS games in history, and its sequel, Half-Life 2 and its follow-up episodes became one of the biggest sellers in video game history, and it earned over 40 Game of the Year awards. I'm not ashamed to admit I played the game. I still play it on a regular basis. It's one of those games that never gets boring.
It may not be the greatest legacy in the world to be known to gamers far and wide as the voice of one of the biggest villains ever created, but I think he probably enjoyed the notoriety.
Farewell Dr. Breen!
There was no one that we members of the human resistance loved to hate more than you!
Most folks who are, on average, about 10 years or more older than me, will remember him as the star of I Spy, the TV show that is perhaps best known as being the first network TV show to feature a black actor (Bill Cosby) in a leading role. It was the show that launched Cosby's career.
I mostly remember him from his role as FBI agent Bill Maxwell in The Greatest American Hero, a TV show probably better known for it's title song than anything else (Believe it or Not)
But to a much younger generation, he will be forever known for a far more obscure, and yet also far more notorious role: The voice of the evil Dr. Wallace Breen, the puppet administrator of post-invasion Earth installed by the Combine between the events of the FPS games Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Few game villains have ever been more reviled--a sleazy, smarmy opportunist who manipulated events that took place after Earth was conquered by invading aliens to seize the kind of power he never would have gained otherwise. (For those non gamer-speak savvy folks, FPS stands for First Person Shooter.)
It's a role that probably gained him more fame than he ever got from his other roles. After all, Half-Life became one of the most popular FPS games in history, and its sequel, Half-Life 2 and its follow-up episodes became one of the biggest sellers in video game history, and it earned over 40 Game of the Year awards. I'm not ashamed to admit I played the game. I still play it on a regular basis. It's one of those games that never gets boring.
It may not be the greatest legacy in the world to be known to gamers far and wide as the voice of one of the biggest villains ever created, but I think he probably enjoyed the notoriety.
Farewell Dr. Breen!
There was no one that we members of the human resistance loved to hate more than you!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
How Far Will They Go?
Teabagger activists posted the home address of Democratic Congressman Tom Periello on the web and told people to "stop by and thank him" for his yes vote on the Health care reform bill.
Apparently someone took this advice at face value. At this address, the main gas line that feeds the house was found cut.
One problem: The address they posted was not the Congressman's but his brother's. A married man with 4 young children.
I have been increasingly concerned about the Tea(bag) Party. It was Mahatma Gandhi that once said, "First they ignore, you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
Well, first we ignored them. Then we laughed at them. Now we are fighting them.
The difference, however, between the Mahatma's situation and ours, is that he was fighting for a good cause. He was fighting for the independence of his country, against a tyrannical colonial power that was oppressing his people.
In this case, however, progressives are fighting against a health care system that has placed profit over people. We are fighting against a health care system that can drop you from coverage the moment you get an illness that might cost them too much money. We are fighting against people who are opposed to big government spending only when a Democrat controls the White House. And we are fighting against people who are in favor of states seceding from the union, and who seem to like it when an AMERICAN CITIZEN loads a small plane full of too much gasoline and crashes it into a Federal government office!
These people are NOT on the side of good, or right. There is nothing about these people that is to be admired. And we cannot lose the fight against them.
Apparently someone took this advice at face value. At this address, the main gas line that feeds the house was found cut.
One problem: The address they posted was not the Congressman's but his brother's. A married man with 4 young children.
I have been increasingly concerned about the Tea(bag) Party. It was Mahatma Gandhi that once said, "First they ignore, you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
Well, first we ignored them. Then we laughed at them. Now we are fighting them.
The difference, however, between the Mahatma's situation and ours, is that he was fighting for a good cause. He was fighting for the independence of his country, against a tyrannical colonial power that was oppressing his people.
In this case, however, progressives are fighting against a health care system that has placed profit over people. We are fighting against a health care system that can drop you from coverage the moment you get an illness that might cost them too much money. We are fighting against people who are opposed to big government spending only when a Democrat controls the White House. And we are fighting against people who are in favor of states seceding from the union, and who seem to like it when an AMERICAN CITIZEN loads a small plane full of too much gasoline and crashes it into a Federal government office!
These people are NOT on the side of good, or right. There is nothing about these people that is to be admired. And we cannot lose the fight against them.
Monday, March 22, 2010
March Insanity
It never fails.
Every year, I scoff at the silliness of the NCAA basketball tournament. 65 teams, most of whom have no business being there, play each other in a single elimination tournament that completely captivates the entire country for two and a half weeks.
The first bit of silliness is the play-in game. 2 low level teams that have no business being there in the first place play each other for the honor of being eliminated by a number one seed.
The second bit is matching the 16th seeds with the 1st seeds. In the 25 years since the tournament was expanded to 65 teams, not once has a 16th seeded team beaten a 1st seed.
And the final bit is the inevitability of a first-seeded team or two falling by the wayside. Everyone from the professional sports commentators to the people at the water cooler seem amazed by it. This never ceases to amaze me. How can anyone expect the opponent of a favorite to bring nothing less but their A game to the battle?
And the game itself is silly. It has become not so much a sport as a circus sideshow. After all, how can anyone possibly be that tall?
But I always fall for it. I dutifully fill in my brackets every year. I don't put any money on it--learned that lesson the hard way a long time ago--but I do follow it. And inevitably the choices I make are wrong. Case in point: Only one team I picked to be in the Final Four is still in the running.
But there are stories to be proud of too. I have spoken with a man I work with who attended Cornell. He says that for Cornell to have a competitive team is unusual. The reason for this is that Cornell does not offer athletic scholarships. Imagine how hard it must be to put together a competitive basketball team with nothing but athletes who are not only smart enough to attend an Ivy League school but also talented enough to compete on the higher levels.
Yeah. It can't be easy.
That's why I fall for it every year.
Every year, I scoff at the silliness of the NCAA basketball tournament. 65 teams, most of whom have no business being there, play each other in a single elimination tournament that completely captivates the entire country for two and a half weeks.
The first bit of silliness is the play-in game. 2 low level teams that have no business being there in the first place play each other for the honor of being eliminated by a number one seed.
The second bit is matching the 16th seeds with the 1st seeds. In the 25 years since the tournament was expanded to 65 teams, not once has a 16th seeded team beaten a 1st seed.
And the final bit is the inevitability of a first-seeded team or two falling by the wayside. Everyone from the professional sports commentators to the people at the water cooler seem amazed by it. This never ceases to amaze me. How can anyone expect the opponent of a favorite to bring nothing less but their A game to the battle?
And the game itself is silly. It has become not so much a sport as a circus sideshow. After all, how can anyone possibly be that tall?
But I always fall for it. I dutifully fill in my brackets every year. I don't put any money on it--learned that lesson the hard way a long time ago--but I do follow it. And inevitably the choices I make are wrong. Case in point: Only one team I picked to be in the Final Four is still in the running.
But there are stories to be proud of too. I have spoken with a man I work with who attended Cornell. He says that for Cornell to have a competitive team is unusual. The reason for this is that Cornell does not offer athletic scholarships. Imagine how hard it must be to put together a competitive basketball team with nothing but athletes who are not only smart enough to attend an Ivy League school but also talented enough to compete on the higher levels.
Yeah. It can't be easy.
That's why I fall for it every year.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
It's Got my Vote!
It's been a few weeks now since the Supreme Court officially announced it's decision that corporations could buy as many elections as they want to (In case you didn't notice, I don't sugarcoat things. I call them as I see them).
And now, one corporation has decided to follow that decision to its logical conclusion.
The saddest part? You only THINK it's a joke. Trust me when I say it's not.
What really grinds my gears the most is the blowhards who claim that the decision also means unions are free to support candidates of their choice. The fallacy in that argument is that unions and other people-powered movements don't have a fraction of the spending power that corporations can bring to bear.
Government of the Corporation, by the Corporation, for the Corporation.
And Chief Justice Roberts has the gall to criticize the President for chastising the supreme court's decision during the SOTU. With all undue respect, Mr. Chief Justice, screw you. I hope you somehow catch a painful, crippling, venereal disease. Of course, since you've probably never been laid in your life, that's not likely to happen.
I told you I don't sugarcoat.
And now, one corporation has decided to follow that decision to its logical conclusion.
The saddest part? You only THINK it's a joke. Trust me when I say it's not.
What really grinds my gears the most is the blowhards who claim that the decision also means unions are free to support candidates of their choice. The fallacy in that argument is that unions and other people-powered movements don't have a fraction of the spending power that corporations can bring to bear.
Government of the Corporation, by the Corporation, for the Corporation.
And Chief Justice Roberts has the gall to criticize the President for chastising the supreme court's decision during the SOTU. With all undue respect, Mr. Chief Justice, screw you. I hope you somehow catch a painful, crippling, venereal disease. Of course, since you've probably never been laid in your life, that's not likely to happen.
I told you I don't sugarcoat.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Celebrity Deaths
The past 2 weeks have seen the deaths of Corey Haim, Merlin Olsen, and, just yesterday, Peter Graves.
Many people have pointed out the tendency of celebrity deaths happening in threes--three not necessarily all well-known, but usually notable, celebrities all dying within a two week period. If there is any doubt that this theory exists, simply search "celebrity deaths in threes". You'll get tens of thousands of results.
Many have devoted much effort to explaining this theory, proving or disproving it, or even gambling on it.
Many theories to explain it have been advanced, but my own personal one is this, without any research or whatnot:
Celebrities simply cannot subconsciously allow anyone to hog the spotlight alone, even if they do it by dying.
Meh. Whatever.
Many people have pointed out the tendency of celebrity deaths happening in threes--three not necessarily all well-known, but usually notable, celebrities all dying within a two week period. If there is any doubt that this theory exists, simply search "celebrity deaths in threes". You'll get tens of thousands of results.
Many have devoted much effort to explaining this theory, proving or disproving it, or even gambling on it.
Many theories to explain it have been advanced, but my own personal one is this, without any research or whatnot:
Celebrities simply cannot subconsciously allow anyone to hog the spotlight alone, even if they do it by dying.
Meh. Whatever.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
As if I Needed Another Reason...
...to not be a Catholic.
Let me say, as I have said time and time again, that I do not have a problem with Catholics in general. I know many and am friends with some good Catholics. Our Vice President is Catholic--And he is a good and kind man, as far as I know. Most Catholics, as far as I can tell, are kind, honest, decent people. Not all that different from most people of other faiths.
What I cannot tolerate, however, is the rigid intolerance of the leaders of that faith, as graphically displayed in the story linked to above.
Figures of authority in any given organized religion by their very nature hold tremendous sway over their congregation. They have the power to declare what is right and wrong, with the full power of the faith supposedly behind them.
However, in this day and age, when narrow minds hold such power, they are beginning more and more to find themselves on the wrong sides of an issue.
I am a heterosexual. Personally, I find the idea of homosexuality repellent (except in certain cases of hot lesbian porn--but let's not go there!). But that's my opinion, and--most of the time anyway--I keep it to myself. If, however, I were a teacher at the school referenced in the news story, and I were assigned to teach the student in question, I would have no problem with it.
The job of a school is to provide a quality education for every student who wants it. It should not and can not matter who any student's parents are. And, in the case of a private school, it should by no means deny the quality education it can provide to any student whose parents can afford to provide it. On the contrary--any parents that want to provide quality private education for their child(ren) should be applauded, not forbidden due to vagaries of faith!
Catholics as a whole need to step back and take a good look at what they are being told by their leaders, both locally and from The Vatican. The current doctrine of the Catholic church was laid down in medieval times, and little has changed since. Such dogma simply cannot thrive in this day and age.
Let me say, as I have said time and time again, that I do not have a problem with Catholics in general. I know many and am friends with some good Catholics. Our Vice President is Catholic--And he is a good and kind man, as far as I know. Most Catholics, as far as I can tell, are kind, honest, decent people. Not all that different from most people of other faiths.
What I cannot tolerate, however, is the rigid intolerance of the leaders of that faith, as graphically displayed in the story linked to above.
Figures of authority in any given organized religion by their very nature hold tremendous sway over their congregation. They have the power to declare what is right and wrong, with the full power of the faith supposedly behind them.
However, in this day and age, when narrow minds hold such power, they are beginning more and more to find themselves on the wrong sides of an issue.
I am a heterosexual. Personally, I find the idea of homosexuality repellent (except in certain cases of hot lesbian porn--but let's not go there!). But that's my opinion, and--most of the time anyway--I keep it to myself. If, however, I were a teacher at the school referenced in the news story, and I were assigned to teach the student in question, I would have no problem with it.
The job of a school is to provide a quality education for every student who wants it. It should not and can not matter who any student's parents are. And, in the case of a private school, it should by no means deny the quality education it can provide to any student whose parents can afford to provide it. On the contrary--any parents that want to provide quality private education for their child(ren) should be applauded, not forbidden due to vagaries of faith!
Catholics as a whole need to step back and take a good look at what they are being told by their leaders, both locally and from The Vatican. The current doctrine of the Catholic church was laid down in medieval times, and little has changed since. Such dogma simply cannot thrive in this day and age.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Reflections on a Trip to Paradise
Back on the Mainland of the U.S., during winter, I want to share a few observations about the only U.S. state that is a chain of tropical islands.
* Hawaii is a United State. It is also the only one that cannot be reached via land vehicle of any kind.
* It is the only state that you are required to fill out an immigration form to visit. It may be disguised as an agricultural information form, but let's call a spade a spade...
* It is the only one of two states where you are warned that prices advertised on TV do not apply. Case in point: Subway's $5 footlongs cost $6.99 there.
* It is a state where primetime TV starts at 6 PM.
* It is a state where travel between some of the cities requires traveling either by plane or boat.
* It is a state where you can observe people living in conditions you would expect to see in a 3rd world country. Sadly, the state is by no means unique in this regard...
* It is a state where 70 degrees Fahrenheit is considered a "cool day". Wimps.
* It is a state where residents often speak a foreign language that is spoken regularly in no other state in the country.
* It is a state that desperately needs a lot of help that it will probably never get, due to its geographic isolation and lack of political power.
And, it is a state that I recommend everyone visit at least once in their lives, if they can. There are few things in life that don't disappoint. Hawaii is one of them. For all the negatives mentioned above, it's hard to be unhappy when visiting a state where it is sunny and warm when every other state in the country has snow someplace. I'd live there if I could afford it.
Mahalo, Hawaii, for a wonderful vacation experience. I hope to return to your sunny shores again. Hopefully, it won't take another 42 years before that happens.
* Hawaii is a United State. It is also the only one that cannot be reached via land vehicle of any kind.
* It is the only state that you are required to fill out an immigration form to visit. It may be disguised as an agricultural information form, but let's call a spade a spade...
* It is the only one of two states where you are warned that prices advertised on TV do not apply. Case in point: Subway's $5 footlongs cost $6.99 there.
* It is a state where primetime TV starts at 6 PM.
* It is a state where travel between some of the cities requires traveling either by plane or boat.
* It is a state where you can observe people living in conditions you would expect to see in a 3rd world country. Sadly, the state is by no means unique in this regard...
* It is a state where 70 degrees Fahrenheit is considered a "cool day". Wimps.
* It is a state where residents often speak a foreign language that is spoken regularly in no other state in the country.
* It is a state that desperately needs a lot of help that it will probably never get, due to its geographic isolation and lack of political power.
And, it is a state that I recommend everyone visit at least once in their lives, if they can. There are few things in life that don't disappoint. Hawaii is one of them. For all the negatives mentioned above, it's hard to be unhappy when visiting a state where it is sunny and warm when every other state in the country has snow someplace. I'd live there if I could afford it.
Mahalo, Hawaii, for a wonderful vacation experience. I hope to return to your sunny shores again. Hopefully, it won't take another 42 years before that happens.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
A Trip to Paradise, Part 7
Day 7
My last day on the island paradise of Hawaii.
My dad had an early flight to Los Angeles, so he could catch the train back to Toledo
(My dad loves the train. If there was a train to Hawaii, he would have taken it there.)
I had a late afternoon flight. I managed to spend as much time as possible soaking up some sunshine. The shuttle to the airport was 1/3 of the cost of a cab ride. The only way I can think of that cab drivers survive in this state is that they prey on the naive tourists. Lesson to learn: Don't be a naive tourist.
Before I left, I threw the two flower Leis we received into the Ocean. We kept them in our hotel refrigerator for the week. Tradition says that they should be thrown off the boat as you leave the island, However, since neither of us was leaving by boat, and since throwing things off a moving airplane is frowned upon, I threw them off the breakwater at the beach. Tradition also says that if the Leis you throw off return to shore that you will be back. Both of them did, about 5 minutes after I threw them. I guess we'll both be back there someday. (I gotta say that I hope to return there one day.)
My return flight took me back to Detroit, by way of Atlanta. The return flight was a LOT shorter than the trip out there. Tailwinds.
Upon my return to Detroit, there was 6 inches of snow on my car. Welcome back to winter in the Midwest. Welcome back to reality. Crap.
This is my last entry on my trip. Next post, I go back to being the cynical curmudgeon I usually am.
My last day on the island paradise of Hawaii.
My dad had an early flight to Los Angeles, so he could catch the train back to Toledo
(My dad loves the train. If there was a train to Hawaii, he would have taken it there.)
I had a late afternoon flight. I managed to spend as much time as possible soaking up some sunshine. The shuttle to the airport was 1/3 of the cost of a cab ride. The only way I can think of that cab drivers survive in this state is that they prey on the naive tourists. Lesson to learn: Don't be a naive tourist.
Before I left, I threw the two flower Leis we received into the Ocean. We kept them in our hotel refrigerator for the week. Tradition says that they should be thrown off the boat as you leave the island, However, since neither of us was leaving by boat, and since throwing things off a moving airplane is frowned upon, I threw them off the breakwater at the beach. Tradition also says that if the Leis you throw off return to shore that you will be back. Both of them did, about 5 minutes after I threw them. I guess we'll both be back there someday. (I gotta say that I hope to return there one day.)
My return flight took me back to Detroit, by way of Atlanta. The return flight was a LOT shorter than the trip out there. Tailwinds.
Upon my return to Detroit, there was 6 inches of snow on my car. Welcome back to winter in the Midwest. Welcome back to reality. Crap.
This is my last entry on my trip. Next post, I go back to being the cynical curmudgeon I usually am.
Monday, March 08, 2010
A Trip to Paradise, Part 6
Day 6, continued
After lunch, we headed up towards Volcano National Park. On the way, we stopped at the plant orchard that features the orchid valued at $20,000.
Please, in the name of all that is holy, do not ask why this plant is valued at this. Trust me when I say that it's a claim that does not stand up to careful scrutiny. I bought a $.79 key chain at this store that is more valuable to me than this plant.
We eventually entered the national park. This is a park that contains ACTIVE volcanoes. No one knows when they might pop off again. This is a picture of a caldera of an active volcano. You might notice it's the size of a small town...
The park is also peppered with steam vents. If you recall your basic high school physics, you know that steam is actually invisible. The white stuff that you see is actually water vapor that has changed from complete gas to partial liquid. So visible steam is cooled enough to be harmless. Observe...
(An aside: yes, that is me. Aren't you all glad I don't post pictures of myself more often?)
We headed back down the mountains after this. We stopped at an exit where we could walk through a lava tube. If you ever get a chance to walk through a tube of solid rock that once upon a time had red hot molten lava flowing through it, then do it! You won't be disappointed.
We returned to Hilo, Hawaii, and I was disappointed to find that Wal-Mart had invaded.
At the airport, after traveling through security, we spent our time in the Hilo airport departure lounge. Note to Homeland Security--who will soon surely ship me to Guantanamo--check folks who wear cargo shorts! I had in my pocket a 6 ounce bottle of sunscreen that went through security undetected. I am kidding about this by the way.
I have to say that of all the airport lounges I have been in, this one was the most comfortable by far! The chairs and couches were all fitted with comfortable cushions, and it was very easy to become so comfortable you didn't want to leave, especially after spending a day in constant motion. We nearly missed our flight!
We finally arrived back at our resort at nearly 11 PM...
After lunch, we headed up towards Volcano National Park. On the way, we stopped at the plant orchard that features the orchid valued at $20,000.
Please, in the name of all that is holy, do not ask why this plant is valued at this. Trust me when I say that it's a claim that does not stand up to careful scrutiny. I bought a $.79 key chain at this store that is more valuable to me than this plant.
We eventually entered the national park. This is a park that contains ACTIVE volcanoes. No one knows when they might pop off again. This is a picture of a caldera of an active volcano. You might notice it's the size of a small town...
The park is also peppered with steam vents. If you recall your basic high school physics, you know that steam is actually invisible. The white stuff that you see is actually water vapor that has changed from complete gas to partial liquid. So visible steam is cooled enough to be harmless. Observe...
(An aside: yes, that is me. Aren't you all glad I don't post pictures of myself more often?)
We headed back down the mountains after this. We stopped at an exit where we could walk through a lava tube. If you ever get a chance to walk through a tube of solid rock that once upon a time had red hot molten lava flowing through it, then do it! You won't be disappointed.
We returned to Hilo, Hawaii, and I was disappointed to find that Wal-Mart had invaded.
At the airport, after traveling through security, we spent our time in the Hilo airport departure lounge. Note to Homeland Security--who will soon surely ship me to Guantanamo--check folks who wear cargo shorts! I had in my pocket a 6 ounce bottle of sunscreen that went through security undetected. I am kidding about this by the way.
I have to say that of all the airport lounges I have been in, this one was the most comfortable by far! The chairs and couches were all fitted with comfortable cushions, and it was very easy to become so comfortable you didn't want to leave, especially after spending a day in constant motion. We nearly missed our flight!
We finally arrived back at our resort at nearly 11 PM...
Sunday, March 07, 2010
A Trip to Paradise, Part 6
Day 6
My dad and I scheduled a tour of the big island of Hawaii this day. For those of you who don't know, the island of Hawaii is the BIG island that you can see on every map of the U.S. It is the biggest--and newest--island of the island chain. It is the one that still contains the bulk of the active volcanoes that formed the islands in the first place.
The first step was getting there. We flew out of Honolulu airport via Go! airlines, which is a VERY small regional airline that has dreams of being a LOT bigger. It never will be, though, because it believes in friendly customer service, arriving and leaving on time, and thinking that the comfort of your passengers is more important than making a profit.
We boarded the tour bus for our tour. Our first stop was Rainbow falls. Sadly, due to the extreme drought being experienced by the islands, the falls was more like Rainbow trickle.
We then visited the Mauna Loa Macadamia nut factory and store.
If you've never had a Macadamia nut, then you don't know what you are missing. they are delicious, sweet, and not to be missed. If you do nothing else in this life, taste a Macadamia nut before you die. (I recommend the Maui onion and garlic flavored ones.)
We journeyed up the steep island slope. It is important to remember that the Hawaiian island chain was formed by volcanoes. Those volcanoes are still active, and are doing their best to add to the land mass of their island chain. We stopped for lunch at a drive in that resides at the base of a lava plain that covered over six square miles of what was once open Pacific ocean.
TO BE CONTINUIED
My dad and I scheduled a tour of the big island of Hawaii this day. For those of you who don't know, the island of Hawaii is the BIG island that you can see on every map of the U.S. It is the biggest--and newest--island of the island chain. It is the one that still contains the bulk of the active volcanoes that formed the islands in the first place.
The first step was getting there. We flew out of Honolulu airport via Go! airlines, which is a VERY small regional airline that has dreams of being a LOT bigger. It never will be, though, because it believes in friendly customer service, arriving and leaving on time, and thinking that the comfort of your passengers is more important than making a profit.
We boarded the tour bus for our tour. Our first stop was Rainbow falls. Sadly, due to the extreme drought being experienced by the islands, the falls was more like Rainbow trickle.
We then visited the Mauna Loa Macadamia nut factory and store.
If you've never had a Macadamia nut, then you don't know what you are missing. they are delicious, sweet, and not to be missed. If you do nothing else in this life, taste a Macadamia nut before you die. (I recommend the Maui onion and garlic flavored ones.)We journeyed up the steep island slope. It is important to remember that the Hawaiian island chain was formed by volcanoes. Those volcanoes are still active, and are doing their best to add to the land mass of their island chain. We stopped for lunch at a drive in that resides at the base of a lava plain that covered over six square miles of what was once open Pacific ocean.
TO BE CONTINUIED
Saturday, March 06, 2010
A Trip to Paradise, Part 5
Days 4 and 5.
It would be nice to say that we did something on these days, but it would be a lie.
I live in Northwest Ohio. From October to April, this is a city that gets maybe 5 days of sunlight during that entire six month period if we're lucky. So on these two days I spent most of my time lying on a chaise or swimming in the resort pool or lagoon. I applied 30 SPF sunblock in a futile attempt to obtain a tan, but my combination of Scandinavian and Irish genes rendered that attempt futile.
Suffice to say that nothing itches more than second degree sunburn.
I am a simple creature, with simple tastes. I am happiest when I am doing nothing. And nothing is what I did for 2 days on Hawaii.
If any of the 3 readers of this blog have a problem with that, then I invite them to take a week away from their jobs and travel to a place that requires nothing of them other than to lie down and soak up sunrays.
It's not something that's easy to pass up.
It would be nice to say that we did something on these days, but it would be a lie.
I live in Northwest Ohio. From October to April, this is a city that gets maybe 5 days of sunlight during that entire six month period if we're lucky. So on these two days I spent most of my time lying on a chaise or swimming in the resort pool or lagoon. I applied 30 SPF sunblock in a futile attempt to obtain a tan, but my combination of Scandinavian and Irish genes rendered that attempt futile.
Suffice to say that nothing itches more than second degree sunburn.
I am a simple creature, with simple tastes. I am happiest when I am doing nothing. And nothing is what I did for 2 days on Hawaii.
If any of the 3 readers of this blog have a problem with that, then I invite them to take a week away from their jobs and travel to a place that requires nothing of them other than to lie down and soak up sunrays.
It's not something that's easy to pass up.
Monday, March 01, 2010
A Trip to Paradise, Part 4
Day 4
Returning the rental car was on today's agenda, after a morning spent fat-assing around the hotel doing as little as possible.
Returning the rental car meant going back to Honolulu airport. There were a few ways to get back to the resort once I returned it. My choices were a cab ride, or relying on Hawaii public transportation (= The Bus).
Cab: $30
The Bus: $2.25
(By the way, "The Bus" is not my name for Hawaii's public transportation system--it's theirs. Seriously. It's simply called "The Bus". It's not terribly original, but why should they call it anything else when it's the only one available?)
Easy choice.
It's quite a remarkable thing. Riding a bus in Honolulu is a lot like riding a bus in any other city in the country. Crowded, smelly, and with non-existent shock absorbers. I have experienced being completely dependent on public transportation before, though, and it is not fun.
But hey, the price is right. And I did my small part to help keep Hawaii green.
After day four, we had little to do except a lot of nothing...
Returning the rental car was on today's agenda, after a morning spent fat-assing around the hotel doing as little as possible.
Returning the rental car meant going back to Honolulu airport. There were a few ways to get back to the resort once I returned it. My choices were a cab ride, or relying on Hawaii public transportation (= The Bus).
Cab: $30
The Bus: $2.25
(By the way, "The Bus" is not my name for Hawaii's public transportation system--it's theirs. Seriously. It's simply called "The Bus". It's not terribly original, but why should they call it anything else when it's the only one available?)
Easy choice.
It's quite a remarkable thing. Riding a bus in Honolulu is a lot like riding a bus in any other city in the country. Crowded, smelly, and with non-existent shock absorbers. I have experienced being completely dependent on public transportation before, though, and it is not fun.
But hey, the price is right. And I did my small part to help keep Hawaii green.
After day four, we had little to do except a lot of nothing...
Sunday, February 28, 2010
A Trip to Paradise, Part 3
(Day 3--Tuesday)
A drive up the East coast of Oahu was on our agenda this day.
We started late, much later than I would have preferred. But we got going. Eventually. Please understand that I have now gotten to the point that whenever my dad and I have to be somewhere, I always tell him we have to be there half an hour earlier than we are supposed to be. That way, we sometimes get there on time. But I digress.
Our ultimate destination was the Polynesian cultural center. The problem was that we were often sidetracked by stops at several scenic pullouts and beach sites. As a result, we did not arrive there until almost 1:30 PM. This caused us to miss a lot of the shows put on by the various students of the center from the many Polynesian islands represented at the center.
Not to worry, though. We arrived in plenty of time to view the 2 PM canoe pageant. This is when all of the Polynesian islands represented at the center bring dancers out to perform on flatbed double-hulled canoes in the center of the main canoe lagoon. This is also apparently when they decide that any first-time canoe-poler should be impressively dunked in the lagoon, much to his annoyance.
We enjoyed a fine Luau with our dinner. Dinner was amazing. The philosophy behind a Polynesian Luau dinner is not that you should eat until you are full—you should eat until you are dizzy. It didn’t disappoint. I think I gained 5 pounds.
This was followed by an equally impressive show in the main theater. The highlight of the show was the fire spinners—and if you’ve never seen them, then let me just say that there are only a few things in life that live up to the hype that surrounds them—this was one of them.
(That's 9 different fire spinners performing there, some of them with 2 torches apiece. And they would often throw them back and forth.)
Spending a day at the Polynesian cultural center is expensive--the full ticket plus other expenses can easily cost over $150. However, while this place is a first-class tourist trap, it is for a good cause: Polynesian students from all ages from Kindergarten to old age attend school there. They get an education, learn to value their rich heritage, extract many dollars from tourist, and (hopefully) take their educations and skills back to their homeland to help others. And the fact that the tourists are entertained is merely a by-product.
Sadly, this was the last day we had a car as part of our package, so we were unable to really explore further by vehicle. We were left to depend on local transportation for the rest of our trip...
A drive up the East coast of Oahu was on our agenda this day.
We started late, much later than I would have preferred. But we got going. Eventually. Please understand that I have now gotten to the point that whenever my dad and I have to be somewhere, I always tell him we have to be there half an hour earlier than we are supposed to be. That way, we sometimes get there on time. But I digress.
Our ultimate destination was the Polynesian cultural center. The problem was that we were often sidetracked by stops at several scenic pullouts and beach sites. As a result, we did not arrive there until almost 1:30 PM. This caused us to miss a lot of the shows put on by the various students of the center from the many Polynesian islands represented at the center.
Not to worry, though. We arrived in plenty of time to view the 2 PM canoe pageant. This is when all of the Polynesian islands represented at the center bring dancers out to perform on flatbed double-hulled canoes in the center of the main canoe lagoon. This is also apparently when they decide that any first-time canoe-poler should be impressively dunked in the lagoon, much to his annoyance.
We enjoyed a fine Luau with our dinner. Dinner was amazing. The philosophy behind a Polynesian Luau dinner is not that you should eat until you are full—you should eat until you are dizzy. It didn’t disappoint. I think I gained 5 pounds.
This was followed by an equally impressive show in the main theater. The highlight of the show was the fire spinners—and if you’ve never seen them, then let me just say that there are only a few things in life that live up to the hype that surrounds them—this was one of them.
(That's 9 different fire spinners performing there, some of them with 2 torches apiece. And they would often throw them back and forth.)
Spending a day at the Polynesian cultural center is expensive--the full ticket plus other expenses can easily cost over $150. However, while this place is a first-class tourist trap, it is for a good cause: Polynesian students from all ages from Kindergarten to old age attend school there. They get an education, learn to value their rich heritage, extract many dollars from tourist, and (hopefully) take their educations and skills back to their homeland to help others. And the fact that the tourists are entertained is merely a by-product.
Sadly, this was the last day we had a car as part of our package, so we were unable to really explore further by vehicle. We were left to depend on local transportation for the rest of our trip...
Saturday, February 27, 2010
A Trip to Paradise, Part 2
Day 2 (Monday)
A trip to Pearl Harbor was on our itinerary. This was my first trip to the Aloha State. I wanted to see where the great cataclysm began. We began our tour with a walk through the permanently moored submarine USS Bowfin.
(In the foreground of that picture you can see 2 of the memorial plaques to submarines lost during the war.)
The United States submarine fleet in World War 2 completely decimated the Japanese merchant marine fleet, one of the primary reasons America won the war in the Pacific. It managed to do this despite continuous problems ranging from supply shortages to malfunctioning torpedoes to total lack of any support from the surface fleet. 52 American submarines were lost in WW2, and 3,505 sailors are known lost--"On eternal patrol". The American submarine fleet suffered the highest per capita mortality rate of all branches of the U.S. military during World War 2. WW2 submariners earned 7 Medals of Honor, 3 of them posthumously. Despite all of this, this part of history is not well known. There is a reason it is called the "Silent Service".
Then, we entered the USS Arizona memorial theater. We viewed a short film on Pearl Harbor, and then boarded the Navy launch to the memorial.
Once there, we saw the hull of the sunken ship. I entered the memorial. My eye immediately moved to the Johnson surnames, and I saw the name “E.R. Johnson” (My initials.) I was quite surprised. I looked over to my dad, who had seen it before, and he simply smiled at me smugly.
According to a National Park Ranger, the sailor’s name was Edmund Russell Johnson. I can safely say after a small amount of research that the man was no relation to me. It was still a bit freaky though. Other than the man’s name, I can find no other information on him. Apparently just one of the many killed on the ship.
1177 American servicemen died on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. The hull of the ship lies on the bottom of the harbor, holding whatever remains of them. The U.S. Navy considers them all honorably buried at sea.
Currently only 21 known survivors of the disaster are still alive. Survivors, when they die, have the right to have their cremated remains interred in the sunken wreck with the rest of their former shipmates. The last one will die some day.
We then took a tour of the USS Missouri, the permanently moored Iowa-class Museum battleship that was one of the ones built to avenge Pearl Harbor. It was on this ship that Japan signed the documents of surrender that ended WW2, and the exact spot where it happened is clearly marked. The ship itself still contains the refits it was given when it was re-commissioned under the Reagan administration (Harpoon missile tubes, Phalanx AA gun mounts, etc.), refits that were performed even though the Battle of Pearl Harbor had graphically demonstrated the obsolescence of the Battleship 50 years before its re-commissioning. Still, it was quite a sight to stand on top of the ship’s flying bridge and gaze out over the giant 16-inch guns that now stand as silent guardians of the remains of the Arizona. The sunken ship, where 1177 men lost their lives in the worst disaster in U.S. Navy history, is where the war began for America. And the ship that served as the stage for the end of that war now stands permanent watch over them. I'm sure they are all resting a little easier knowing that.
Afterwards, we drove up the west side of Oahu. We managed a brief stop at the Dole plantation. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, it was too late in the day to really explore and it will have to wait until the next time I manage to make it out to the Aloha State to see what that is all about...
A trip to Pearl Harbor was on our itinerary. This was my first trip to the Aloha State. I wanted to see where the great cataclysm began. We began our tour with a walk through the permanently moored submarine USS Bowfin.
(In the foreground of that picture you can see 2 of the memorial plaques to submarines lost during the war.)
The United States submarine fleet in World War 2 completely decimated the Japanese merchant marine fleet, one of the primary reasons America won the war in the Pacific. It managed to do this despite continuous problems ranging from supply shortages to malfunctioning torpedoes to total lack of any support from the surface fleet. 52 American submarines were lost in WW2, and 3,505 sailors are known lost--"On eternal patrol". The American submarine fleet suffered the highest per capita mortality rate of all branches of the U.S. military during World War 2. WW2 submariners earned 7 Medals of Honor, 3 of them posthumously. Despite all of this, this part of history is not well known. There is a reason it is called the "Silent Service".
Then, we entered the USS Arizona memorial theater. We viewed a short film on Pearl Harbor, and then boarded the Navy launch to the memorial.
Once there, we saw the hull of the sunken ship. I entered the memorial. My eye immediately moved to the Johnson surnames, and I saw the name “E.R. Johnson” (My initials.) I was quite surprised. I looked over to my dad, who had seen it before, and he simply smiled at me smugly.
According to a National Park Ranger, the sailor’s name was Edmund Russell Johnson. I can safely say after a small amount of research that the man was no relation to me. It was still a bit freaky though. Other than the man’s name, I can find no other information on him. Apparently just one of the many killed on the ship.
1177 American servicemen died on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. The hull of the ship lies on the bottom of the harbor, holding whatever remains of them. The U.S. Navy considers them all honorably buried at sea.
Currently only 21 known survivors of the disaster are still alive. Survivors, when they die, have the right to have their cremated remains interred in the sunken wreck with the rest of their former shipmates. The last one will die some day.
We then took a tour of the USS Missouri, the permanently moored Iowa-class Museum battleship that was one of the ones built to avenge Pearl Harbor. It was on this ship that Japan signed the documents of surrender that ended WW2, and the exact spot where it happened is clearly marked. The ship itself still contains the refits it was given when it was re-commissioned under the Reagan administration (Harpoon missile tubes, Phalanx AA gun mounts, etc.), refits that were performed even though the Battle of Pearl Harbor had graphically demonstrated the obsolescence of the Battleship 50 years before its re-commissioning. Still, it was quite a sight to stand on top of the ship’s flying bridge and gaze out over the giant 16-inch guns that now stand as silent guardians of the remains of the Arizona. The sunken ship, where 1177 men lost their lives in the worst disaster in U.S. Navy history, is where the war began for America. And the ship that served as the stage for the end of that war now stands permanent watch over them. I'm sure they are all resting a little easier knowing that.
Afterwards, we drove up the west side of Oahu. We managed a brief stop at the Dole plantation. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, it was too late in the day to really explore and it will have to wait until the next time I manage to make it out to the Aloha State to see what that is all about...
A Trip to Paradise, Part 1
Recently, I spent a week in the beautiful state of Hawai’i on vacation. I’d like to share with you the 3 readers of this blog my experiences there.
Day One: Sunday, February 14th: This was the day I flew to the state. My day began at 5 AM. I had a 9 AM flight out of Detroit, which meant I needed to arrive there no later than 7:30 to make it through security. If anyone has not yet experienced the new airport security checkpoint, let me try to describe it:
Take off your shoes. If you wonder why, I have two words for you: Richard Reid.
Remove all items from your pockets that have any trace of metal in them.
Make sure your carryon has no bottles in it larger than 3 ounces.
Remove your laptop from your carryon and place it in a tray.
DO NOT wear a sweater or a bulky sweatshirt. I learned the hard way that this is just an invitation to be pulled from the security line and wanded, at the very least.
Got a bottle of water on you? Drink it. The claim is that this is for security, but it’s really to make sure you have to buy one or more in the stores ($2.00+) past security. It won’t matter if the bottle is sealed or not.
Once we finally got on the flight, I flew from Detroit to Minneapolis/St. Paul for my connecting flight. I was on a DC-9. This plane is probably the smallest commercial airliner that can still be considered an airliner and not a commuter jet. We arrived in M/SP on time, but another plane was still at our gate, so we had to sit on the taxiway for nearly a half hour before we could pull up. And then, there was no one available to pilot the jetway to hook it up to our plane (the mind boggles at trying to figure out why). Combine all this with a severely claustrophobic female passenger who nearly had a full-scale panic attack while waiting to get off, and I had only 20 minutes to make my flight to Honolulu. Suffice to say that it was close.
The flight out took slightly over 8 hours, thanks to a strong (80+ MPH) headwind. At least it was on a big plane, with individual video monitors for each seat. Movies, music, TV shows, and other entertainment are available.
Upon arrival in Honolulu, the outside temp was over 80 degrees. I quickly shucked my long-sleeved shirt and gloried in the warm weather.
I arrived at the car rental agency, and was given a free upgrade to a convertible. Nice choice for Hawai’i, if you discount the fact that the stored car top requires so much space that the back end of the car is twice as large as a normal sedan, and trunk space is virtually nonexistent.
Traffic in Waikiki is horrendous. If you ever get out there, try to find somewhere else to stay...
Day One: Sunday, February 14th: This was the day I flew to the state. My day began at 5 AM. I had a 9 AM flight out of Detroit, which meant I needed to arrive there no later than 7:30 to make it through security. If anyone has not yet experienced the new airport security checkpoint, let me try to describe it:
Take off your shoes. If you wonder why, I have two words for you: Richard Reid.
Remove all items from your pockets that have any trace of metal in them.
Make sure your carryon has no bottles in it larger than 3 ounces.
Remove your laptop from your carryon and place it in a tray.
DO NOT wear a sweater or a bulky sweatshirt. I learned the hard way that this is just an invitation to be pulled from the security line and wanded, at the very least.
Got a bottle of water on you? Drink it. The claim is that this is for security, but it’s really to make sure you have to buy one or more in the stores ($2.00+) past security. It won’t matter if the bottle is sealed or not.
Once we finally got on the flight, I flew from Detroit to Minneapolis/St. Paul for my connecting flight. I was on a DC-9. This plane is probably the smallest commercial airliner that can still be considered an airliner and not a commuter jet. We arrived in M/SP on time, but another plane was still at our gate, so we had to sit on the taxiway for nearly a half hour before we could pull up. And then, there was no one available to pilot the jetway to hook it up to our plane (the mind boggles at trying to figure out why). Combine all this with a severely claustrophobic female passenger who nearly had a full-scale panic attack while waiting to get off, and I had only 20 minutes to make my flight to Honolulu. Suffice to say that it was close.
The flight out took slightly over 8 hours, thanks to a strong (80+ MPH) headwind. At least it was on a big plane, with individual video monitors for each seat. Movies, music, TV shows, and other entertainment are available.
Upon arrival in Honolulu, the outside temp was over 80 degrees. I quickly shucked my long-sleeved shirt and gloried in the warm weather.
I arrived at the car rental agency, and was given a free upgrade to a convertible. Nice choice for Hawai’i, if you discount the fact that the stored car top requires so much space that the back end of the car is twice as large as a normal sedan, and trunk space is virtually nonexistent.
Traffic in Waikiki is horrendous. If you ever get out there, try to find somewhere else to stay...
Friday, February 12, 2010
What Does it Take?
To be an actor?
Let's list the few things we all know about, shall we?
1) Every day you work, you have to wake up, and then pretend you are someone other than yourself.
2) You must become a master of multiple languages and dialects, even if you don't have a clue what you are saying when you speak them.
3) You must completely transform your personality, to become someone totally opposite from who you are.
4) You must toil for days, weeks, months, or years before someone notices that you have the talent to do what you want to do.
5) You must develop a skin of iron, that is completely impervious to criticism.
6) You must be willing to awake at any hour of any day, and work for the entire day, with no guarantee that anything you do that day will even matter.
7) You must be prepared to wear a bathing suit, or even nothing, and work outside when the temperature is below twenty degrees Fahrenheit. You must be prepared to wear a full Arctic outfit in one hundred degree weather.
8) You must be prepared to be constantly photographed by every single person on the planet.
9) You must be prepared to accept the fact that your career may only last 5 years--if you're lucky.
10) You must be prepared to accept the fact that you may NEVER have a career in your chosen profession.
11) You must be prepared to accept the fact that you will have to constantly diet and exercise to maintain your fame.
12) You must accept the fact that if you manage to somehow achieve success, other people will constantly be jealous of you for that fact, and will never, ever say anything nice about you again.
13) You must accept that whatever success you do obtain will be fleeting. It will not last.
If, after reading this list, you have any complaints about actors who have managed to obtain twenty million$ + contracts, well, then, I would invite you to go back yo your high school years. I invite you to remember the times you auditioned for your high school plays. I invite you to remember the rejection.
Unless you're George Clooney.
Let's list the few things we all know about, shall we?
1) Every day you work, you have to wake up, and then pretend you are someone other than yourself.
2) You must become a master of multiple languages and dialects, even if you don't have a clue what you are saying when you speak them.
3) You must completely transform your personality, to become someone totally opposite from who you are.
4) You must toil for days, weeks, months, or years before someone notices that you have the talent to do what you want to do.
5) You must develop a skin of iron, that is completely impervious to criticism.
6) You must be willing to awake at any hour of any day, and work for the entire day, with no guarantee that anything you do that day will even matter.
7) You must be prepared to wear a bathing suit, or even nothing, and work outside when the temperature is below twenty degrees Fahrenheit. You must be prepared to wear a full Arctic outfit in one hundred degree weather.
8) You must be prepared to be constantly photographed by every single person on the planet.
9) You must be prepared to accept the fact that your career may only last 5 years--if you're lucky.
10) You must be prepared to accept the fact that you may NEVER have a career in your chosen profession.
11) You must be prepared to accept the fact that you will have to constantly diet and exercise to maintain your fame.
12) You must accept the fact that if you manage to somehow achieve success, other people will constantly be jealous of you for that fact, and will never, ever say anything nice about you again.
13) You must accept that whatever success you do obtain will be fleeting. It will not last.
If, after reading this list, you have any complaints about actors who have managed to obtain twenty million$ + contracts, well, then, I would invite you to go back yo your high school years. I invite you to remember the times you auditioned for your high school plays. I invite you to remember the rejection.
Unless you're George Clooney.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Drop the Last Three Letters...
...and you get just exactly who uses TWITTER.
In a news story that should be a surprise to no one, it would seem that Twitter has lost the following of a considerable portion of its users.
I have to ask: Was this really a surprise to anyone?
This is a testament to the nature of the beast.
Twitter allowed no person to post a "tweet" that was more than 250 characters (character = letter)
In other words, this phenomenon encouraged people to have as short of an attention span as possible.
Is it any wonder they were a victim of their own success?
In a news story that should be a surprise to no one, it would seem that Twitter has lost the following of a considerable portion of its users.
I have to ask: Was this really a surprise to anyone?
This is a testament to the nature of the beast.
Twitter allowed no person to post a "tweet" that was more than 250 characters (character = letter)
In other words, this phenomenon encouraged people to have as short of an attention span as possible.
Is it any wonder they were a victim of their own success?
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Wow
Hey there you the three readers of this blog. I have a few questions for you:
Do you have an old website that you used to visit a lot?
Has it been a while since that website was updated?
Has that website recently been taken over by malware?
Well, I recently discovered a website dedicated to collecting and saving old pages from the web. They call it the Wayback machine.
Of course, the websites it collects are often incomplete and may contain unworking links. But at least someone out there is trying to save the world wide web from malware.
It may be a lost cause, but sometimes lost causes are still worth fighting for.
Do you have an old website that you used to visit a lot?
Has it been a while since that website was updated?
Has that website recently been taken over by malware?
Well, I recently discovered a website dedicated to collecting and saving old pages from the web. They call it the Wayback machine.
Of course, the websites it collects are often incomplete and may contain unworking links. But at least someone out there is trying to save the world wide web from malware.
It may be a lost cause, but sometimes lost causes are still worth fighting for.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
What Happened This Week
Well. It's been quite a week.
What may be the most progressive state in the country elected a REPUBLICAN to fill Ted Kennedy's seat for two years. Teddy is spinning in his grave.
The Supreme Court declared that corporations have the right to spend as much money as they want to elect candidates who will do whatever they say.
A court in Kansas began a trial that will no doubt end in a verdict that will announce to right-wing extremists that they have free reign to murder abortion providers and get off with only a few years in jail for doing so.
The world is going to Hell in a hand basket.
What do YOU think?
It is time for us to get off the dime.
"Somebody came along and said liberal means soft on crime, soft on drugs, soft on communism, soft on defense, and we're going to tax ya back to the stone age, because people shouldn't have to go to work if they don't want to. And instead of saying 'Well, excuse me, you right-wing, reactionary, xenophobic, homophobic, anti-education, anti-choice, pro-gun, leave it to beaver trip back to the fifties,' we cowered in the corner. And said 'Please Don't Hurt Me'"
From The West Wing, Season 3.
What may be the most progressive state in the country elected a REPUBLICAN to fill Ted Kennedy's seat for two years. Teddy is spinning in his grave.
The Supreme Court declared that corporations have the right to spend as much money as they want to elect candidates who will do whatever they say.
A court in Kansas began a trial that will no doubt end in a verdict that will announce to right-wing extremists that they have free reign to murder abortion providers and get off with only a few years in jail for doing so.
The world is going to Hell in a hand basket.
What do YOU think?
It is time for us to get off the dime.
"Somebody came along and said liberal means soft on crime, soft on drugs, soft on communism, soft on defense, and we're going to tax ya back to the stone age, because people shouldn't have to go to work if they don't want to. And instead of saying 'Well, excuse me, you right-wing, reactionary, xenophobic, homophobic, anti-education, anti-choice, pro-gun, leave it to beaver trip back to the fifties,' we cowered in the corner. And said 'Please Don't Hurt Me'"
From The West Wing, Season 3.
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