And Just for The Record, This Shit Stinks Too, I say.

If the resolution against Moveon.org was a douchebaggy move, so is this move:

"I’ve just learned that Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) will be introducing a resolution in the House of Representatives on Monday condemning Rush Limbaugh for his “phony soldiers” remark."


http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/13051.html

Now I thought the moveon ad was worthy of criticism because it seemed more like a dirty, sleazy, Rovian GOP trick than I ever want to be associated with. Then the conservative/republicans pulled their asshole, shithead trick with that bullshit showboat resolution, and I had to criticize that for being an asshole, shithead trick. And now some dumbass democrat is planning to pull the same sorta crap?

Tit for tat? Is this the Legislative Body of the so-called Leader of the Free World, or is it Romper-freaking-Room?


(Edited/Shortened. This much gets the core message accross.)

The Hard Truth About Soft Bigotry.

Well, anyone who has been viewing this blog, only infrequently, should be expecting me to go off on Bill O'Reilly. Ok. So before I go on to the real point here, let me say that yes I think he is a racist. No, I do not think he is among the worst of the violent hate-mongering shithead brand of racists, but no doubt, boy is a racist. And that leads to the real topic, as hinted at in the title here, and that is the fact that this week I am way more disgusted with the O'Reilly apologists than him. Honestly. I say that the apologists (a) have no reasonable basis for minimizing such an obvious racist's obvious racism, and (b) are actually doing more to perpetuate the continuation of racism in America than the racist trash, like O'Reilly, who are too ignorant, and too deep into their prejudicial biases and bigotry to keep from saying such racist things in public.

Now I more than hinted at the idea I am about to express in my prior post dealing with "white victim hood." There, my point of departure had been the weird trend out there to pump up the (mostly imaginary) idea of reverse racism. In my discussion of that I mentioned how sick I am at conservatives and republicans changing the meaning of the word "racism." You can add "racist" to that.

Anyway, here is the definition of the word racism:

racism

One entry found for racism. Main Entry: rac·ism Pronunciation: 'rA-"si-z&m also -"shi-Function: noun

1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

2 : racial prejudice or discrimination - rac·ist /-sist also -shist/ noun or adjective


So here is my main point. If you can read that, and then consider the bigoted and prejudiced things O'Reilly said, and not conclude that O'Reilly had some deep and warped prejudices about black people, and therefore qualifies as a racist, you are missing the obvious.

The definition of racism or racist is not reliant on the ideas of violence, or hate or even mere disapproval. All that is needed, at minimum is prejudice (based on, likely, ignorance.) Prejudice against people from another race is the core idea behind racism, and is the core of what it means to be a racist; to hold (irrational, and or bigoted) pre-judged opinions about someone (or any grouping thereof) of another perceived race. That is the baseline kids. Do not add in some extraneous requirements like hanging nooses from a tree, burning crosses, actually committing violent acts, or advocating mandatory segregation, sending "them" back where the came from. All that other shit is just what separates the soft racist bigots from the hardened racist bigots.

Got it yet? Please for the love of God, start getting it. Otherwise the soft bigotry non-violent prejudicial racism is never going away. So please, do not excuse it. Now if condemning the malefactors is not your thing, at least do not excuse them who think that way. Instead please excuse yourself from their company, and if they come back and ask you why you are keeping your distance, then tell them something like . . . . "Well, you might not be the worst racist I have ever heard of/met, but you got a lot of prejudices and bigotry there. Now you don't have to change any of that on my account, but I do not associate with even them who are the softer kind of racist bigots, leave alone the really nasty kind."

Well, you don't have to use that specific line; that was merely for example. Point is, I do not see our society defeating the persistent softer brand of racism unless and until tolerance for it is wiped out. And we will never get to that much-expressed-desirable state where all people are judged only by the content of their character, rather than the color of their skin, until soft racist bigotry is no longer considered an acceptable and tolerated way to think and act, in our society.

Makes sense, don't it?

Living in the past . . . but sheeeit I had a funky assed past!

Ok.

I am doing the EWF videos tonight, having a nice 1970's flashback, after doing my drill on my new musical instrument, my Telecaster six-String. But back in the high school days I was a jazz/rock/funk/punk/and Disco drummmer. And of course, the EWF charts get me in that disco R&B Highwater Mark days frame of mind. And then my mind can wander some too, even when grooving to the tight funky grooves that EWF are famous for.

My point (rushing ahead here) is that I admit I was spoiled with gifts; I had the gift of musical ability from my earliest days. Among my favorite memories of my life (SINCE I did not go for a career in music, got my B.A. in Theatre instead of Music, dumbass) are those High School Spring Concerts. I can say that I have in the past got over a hundered people out of their chairs, and shaking their asses (but to be honest the school band was over 100 strong but the "Stage Band" was small and I did my best sheikyurbooty playing during the "Stage Band" segment of the concert. Oh, and the rest of the orchestra would run up to the balcony to watch the Stage Band portion. I am sorta both pumping up and minimizing the thing but still. Follow me here. )


Now if I sucked, it would not matter what I was doing, right? But among my favorite memories was doing the back up for the soloists girls who would sing the disco hits of that year . . . hey ya remember Donna Summer's "Last Dance?" Ok so when Angela did the intro (and girlfriend could sang) she got props for her chops but when the ballady intro stopped and it was my time to drop the disco bottom, and get the party going, and I could hear the roar from the balcony and see the rest of the orchestra getonup and get it shakin' and grovin', ya? YA. That was good times. That was as good as good times as my life has ever got.

Hmmm, and ya know over the past few years I keep on asking myself why I DID NOT choose to study music and go pro? Damn it, I can't really remember why I chose otherwise.

Dumbass.

But I still can make it to the back-up career; to be an old bluesman. I am basically old now, and I can play the blues on drumset, with bass guitar and now almost decently with a six sting. Sheeit . . . . today I was just now working on doing the blues chord progression, but taking the fifth out to the seventh, for that authentic delta feel. Way cool. There is hope for me yet!


Oh. Here is your Disco Flashback. Enjoy:

A Latino-Centric Prime Time Soap Opera?

Buenos!

Just what we need right now; a tv show with a Reggaetón Soundtrack and lots of bonitas latinas.

Hmmm. Maybe I ought to start wishing for the latino take over of Los Estados Unidos. Not that my wishing will speed it up. It is inevitable, es verdad! I am not worried about the changes in American society. I already know how to fake a decent Salsa step, and well my Espanol is weak but I am just below conversational; a little effort and I will be muy bueno. No estoy mentiroso.

And given my disdain for the current American Ruling Class, one that is so hypocritical that it panders to low-class trashy values(despite said Ruling Class' disdain for shopping at Wal*Mart and watching NASCAR races) in order to retain its strangle hold on American Lady Liberty. Are you at all surprised I rather see mi latino primos take over? I mean who do you think throws better parties? A bunch of Caribbean Latinos, or the home grown vulgarians who think that going to either Shoneys or Dennys, or even more to the point, the all ya can eat buffet out on Route 45, is living large?

Get real.

Personally, if given the choice between Spicy Shakira, and trashy bland Britney Spears, well I will go for the one who's hips do not lie.

¡Me Gusta!

Meglomania, a Delusional and Isolated Leader, a Pathological Sense of Entitlement . . .

manufacturing false intelligence, manipulation of evidence, willful avoidance of facts that contradict the "beliefs" of the leader and his staff, sending too few troops into the battle, sending them in with out the necessary equipment, a level of delusional incompetence that leads to dead Americans.

Stated generally, a instance where the bastards were unable to see 5 minutes past their prejudices.

You might think I was bashing Plastic Turkey Man and his band of misfits, but no. I am talking about Douggie McArthur in late 1950, right before (oh and immediately after) the Chi-Coms crossed the Yalu River and caused much hell before the UN forces were able to even properly get back in the fight.

Reason I have American Caesar in mind is this rather interesting article in this month's Vanity Fair. I would link it, but the article I read in the hard copy of the October issue, does not seem to be on the website. Anyway, point is the article is good evidence for heaping scorn, contempt, and ridicule on any "General Cult," or even let us be clear here, any "Military Cult," for that matter.

Be they Generals with chests full of ribbons and medals, or some poor grunt, eating the dust and trying to help keep his and his buddies' asses from getting popped on any given day, remember they are human. They are not gods, or demigods or even unnaturally talented fearless warriors. They are not beings of heroic proportion, like some comic book hero. Far from it. The actual reason we ever have cause to name them "hero"when they go "Above and Beyond, " is because they are NOT super-gifted, exceptionally-empowered, magical creatures. We call them heroes because they are humans, who under times of extreme stress and times of dire necessity for more than the ordinary effort, they came through.

Respect them, yes, but do not worship them.

Particularly, keep it in perspective, when you have a narcissistic and megalomanical type like with McArthur, as anything that encourages those dysfunctions are bad. Several hundred members of the 1st Cav. paid the price, either with fatal wounds or capture, during the five day battle, due to Douggie's arrogance. He did not think the Chi-Coms would invade, so evidence to the contrary was ignored, until it was too late to stave off the disaster.

Oh, and this was not that egomaniac's only bad call. Back during the battle for the Philippines? The first one? McArthur basically had his head up his ass for the first few hours following the invasion by the Japanese. Not that McArthur could have repulsed that attack, but his ill-timed indecision made it that much easier for the invaders to seize the initiative and well we all know how that ended don't we (Bataan Death March?)

Anyway, I am not saying that McArthur was a total douche, here, just as much as I am not making any direct comparison to any current or other generals. Just making the point. Keep it in perspective will ya? No more idolatry. Ya'll supposed to be judeo-christians right? What are that first two commandments anyway?

Something about only one object of worship, and not setting up idols? Does any of that ring a bell?

(Ok I admit the GOP/Con bullshit about worshiping Gen. Paetreus is likely loosing its steam, but I do not expect all of this worship the troops bullshit to die off, any time soon. So that is why I am still on it. Like I said, respect, yes, worship no. You worship the warriors and you end up with a society that resembles either Sparta, Imperial Rome, or even The Third Reich. Let us NOT go down any of those roads, hmm kay?)

The Cult Of White Victim hood, and More on Sanctimonious Douchebags. Expect Overlap.

I actually googled that sentiment/phrase today; "The Cult Of White Victim hood," as I was basically floundering around for a new way (or at least new seeming) to point out the dangerousness of the douches like Hannity, pissing and moaning about how "Black on White" racism is the most prevalent and dangerous kind. Well how can a rational mind come to that conclusion? (Not that I believe Hannity is operating on that level. He makes a living and a damn $$ good one being a pandering whore, so well . . . rationality has nothing to do with him, on his shows.)

Well, on the one hand you have that oft-used pet peeve of mine, and that is the disgusting way the GOP/Con Politicians, hacks, cracks and pundits will just butcher the language and change the definition of words to suit their arguments. And in this context, they are warping and mutilating the meaning of the word RACISM way off of its core, dictionary meaning (leave alone, from the crucial sociopolitical context of the powerful abusing the weak.) And beyond that, you have the fugly, ignorant child-product of the union between the Rhetorical Rapists of the Right, and the not dead enough but rancid body, Jim Crow. That is what spawns "The Cult Of White Victim hood."

Not let me be clear, do not misunderstand me. I am not not saying that no blacks think racially bigoted thoughts, or perform racially bigoted acts. But excuse me? What about the math?

Or let me say it in a deliberately raw manner (as sometimes the raw data says it best):

Do you really think I am going to believe the assertion that the 237,854,954 white folk have any cause for being scared, as a general matter, of being victims of racism at the hands of the 37,909,341 black folk?
(figs from the 2005 census. U.S. Pop., by Race)

I could say more on that topic, but for now I want you to divide 239,000,000 by 38,000,000, find the figure for what percent of the greater is the smaller, and then think about how reasonable it is to think that a minority group who's total numbers represent 16% of the total of the majority are the ones making victims out of the majority?

Well, I would have to just guess (as I admit, I do not have the data) but I would guess that a lot of the same people who think there is a War on Christians in America, despite the fact that 75% of all Americans consider themselves some flavor of Christian, likely think that the crushingly huge white population of America need be afraid of being the victims of racism, at the hands of the blacks, who numbers are only 16% of the total of whites (in America.)

Um. Maybe it is not just the language the GOP/Cons leaders and minions are trying to kill. Maybe math is on their hit list too. And, shit. Need I even mention that they really wanna kill some ( I resist saying all ) science?

Ok. Looking for the door, here.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


And to think; all by myself, I linked up Naomi Wolf's excellent book on the (frighteningly resembling more real) fascist threat to America, with my deep disdain for the "Don't criticize the General," sanctimonious douchebags. (And I need to say, all who voted for that piece of shit resolution get to share Douche of the Week dishonor, IMO.)

Anyway, here is a nice chunk of her essay re that abomination, as published on HufPo today.

Yeah, I didn't like the wording of the ad either. But the attack on MoveOn.org by the Senate last week is not an aberration but is part of a dangerous -- and accelerating -- trend of echoes from the past.


Students of history know that the National Socialists in Germany, before they came to power, made multiple assaults on democracy by pushing for laws and that expanded penalties for opponents' speaking out against certain subjects. What they -- and then Stalin, who studied Hitler -- perfected was the identification of a `third rail' of untouchable subjects that one could never approach critically without facing escalating penalties -- job loss, personal attacks, or, just a little later, criminal charges. These subjects were the war, the party itself, and the military. Making these subjects sacred and untouchable allowed National Socialists to commit any number of crimes by explaining that the abusive actions were taken in the name of the off-limits-to-criticism ideals.

Then once they came to power, they developed an ever-expanding network of laws criminalizing ever expanding minor actions critical of the state or of the military or the paramilitary forces; they developed broad definitions of `treason' and of what it meant to `impugn the honor of the nation' -- so that soon it became a crime against the state, defined as an assault on patriotism and a form of treason, to listen to the BBC or to speak up for an imprisoned Jew or communist.

The precedent set last week, of the U.S. Senate saying that we in America face possible state censure for what can be ANY criticism of the military -- on the basis that such criticism can `impugn the honor' of the military -- is dangerous in the extreme if you know your history.

Naomi Wolf: The Attack On Moveonorg


It is nice to know that there are intelligent people with a greater audience, who truly love liberty who are fighting for the Grand Gal more than they are for partisan hack bullshit policies and personalities.

I usually (If I am Talking about Any Person) am Heaping Scorn. Let Me Instead Praise Ken Burns.

Tonight was the first installment of his docu-series about WWII.

Now you have likely heard me gripe about the bullshit sellers and language abusing pundits and political hacks, but Mr. Burns respects language and uses it intelligently.

(As alluded to, in his interview on Chris Wallace's show) he has shifted the usual title attached to WWII from the "Good War," to the "Necessary War." Granted, he was not trying to make some connection to the war de jour -- most of the interviews for this docu-serise were complete before 9/11, but still even if not, it does put the thing in sharp contrast.

As Mr. Burns says . . . there is no such thing as a "Good" war as they all are ugly and about death and destruction and fear and all that horribe stuff.

The real matter and the real question is whether a war is necessary.

I will end there. I will shift my attention to the program.

Maybe I Should Not Have Called Him a Douchebag (Only).

Not that I do not think that Sean Hannity is either a genuine douchebag or just plays one on TV and the Radio. I mean he does come across as emotionally not-exactly-stable, too often, and he seems to have that excessive level of narcissism that could be either borderline psychosis or generalized sociopathy, and even if he has that reputation for being the boy next door, let's get real. His is a Jeckyl/Hyde, bi polar sort of personality; he really is not charming, but he will ass-kiss when it suits him, and he will go into rabid attack-toy-dog mode, when it suits him, such as when someone dares disagree with him. At best his charm is superficial and the result of obviously-weak acting skills.

Anyway, the reason I am back on his case is I just saw a vid of some recent segment from the "Hannity and Colmes Show." And I endured Hannity yet again and pompously arguing that we can not criticize a four star general (um but it is ok to give one a virtual blow job, eh Sean?)

But because of all this patently fake military worship (and if there is anything that should be seriously RESTRAINED in a true republic is worship of the military. That is what killed the Roman Republic and lead to the Imperium, but I digress there . . .) I am hoping that people on my side of the fence start calling 'them' as they seem to be, and I mean the GOP/Cons being so sanctimonious that it makes me want to projectile vomit (well makes me think that it is that sickening) I think Hannity, the not even mediocre actor, is the poster boy for GOP/Conservative Sanctimony.



*******************************
sanctimonious
One entry found for sanctimonious.

Main Entry: sanc·ti·mo·nious Pronunciation: "sa[ng](k)-t&-'mO-nE-&s, -ny&s

Function: adjective1 : hypocritically pious or devout 2
obsolete : possessing sanctity: HOLY -
sanc·ti·mo·nious·ly adverb - sanc·ti·mo·nious·ness noun


**********************************

Ya, this is some pretty sick (in the mentally unhealthy sick sense) shit they are spewing. But there is at least some entertainment value here. These sanctimonious pettifoggers actually think they are not coming across as total fakes and phonies.

Well you know, this is what happens when you spend too much time either sniffing your own farts, or those who's farts smell most like your own. Some actually come to believe theirs (and their buddies') do not stink.

Ha Ha. They do!

Ok. I confess. I was looking for just the right image to portray the sort of sanctimony I see on the Right with the stop picking on the general shit, and found this. It reminds me that even if sanctimonious fools obviously look like fools, they do often spout some very dangerous ideas.

Which is why I am going to pimp Naomi Wolf's new book here, while I am at it.

"The End of America: A Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot."

Before I Actually Get to the Thoughts for the Day, What I am Passing on, for Topics . . .

I am going to skip that whole "Jena 6" thing, but to say, people have actually given me shit for being way too hair-trigger happy to accuse SOME conservatives of being too racist (or not not racist enough.) Granted, the beat-down of that last victim was a serious crime and should be handled seriously (and in the Juve System, at least that is what the Appellate Court said in that one case that made it that far.) But remember . . . . you do not defend the beat-down, you do not give the assailants a pass, when you recognize the simple fact that this whole sordid racist shit storm started NOT with the hanging of the nooses in the tree, but when one black student DARED QUESTION some (and perhaps not, I would bet) last vestige of JIM CROW white privilege in a SEGREGATED and racist-run (or just way too damn tolerant of such bigotry) town.

Ya, I confess I went long there with the thing I was not supposed to talk about, and jeezum, I did not even get to not talking about those racist shits on Fox News, particularly Sean Hannity. GAWD I really really think he is one of the worst, and do to his popularity, dangerous racist douchebags out there.

And before I go off on another tangent, that racist douchebag Hannity did not necessarily inspire, individually, today's selected quotes topic, but he is a poster child for the first of them.

Quotes on Cowardice, and Hate:


“A half-truth is the most cowardly of lies.”
-Unknown

"The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.”
- Rollo May


"Many people love in themselves what they hate in others.”
-E. F. Schumacher


"Nothing Brings People together more, then mutual hatred."
-Henry Rollins

"Love is blind; hate is deaf."
-Unknown


"Now hatred is by far the longest pleasure;
Men love in haste, but they detest at leisure.
-Lord Byron

(and something we all need to remember, myself too!)

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
-Martin Luther King

"Control Freaks, with Social Problems. The're My Bread and Butter."

What does your hobbies/interests say about you? This came to mind while watching tonight's repeat of CSI, last season's last episode, which features the plot line of the case of the "Miniature killer." At one point in the show, the two top CSIs are at a model maker/hobby shop, asking the shop owner about some piece of evidence, and in the conversation, he describes his 'clientele' as I have it, up there in the subject line.

Hmm. I would guess that sort of hobby would attract not only control freaks but obsessives? Not that I am saying every one who does that kinda thing is a control freak and/or obsessive.

But now that it is my head, I find the question intriguing. What does what we like to do say about who we are?

Now myself, I used to be into computers a lot, but the innovation in the technology actually hit a plateau a few years back. Nowadays, computers are just a tool or an appliance to me. I still do my own upgrades, but it is mostly limited to necessary upgrades. And I should say, I am on the Internet a lot, but I sorta hate the net. For me, the main purpose of and use of the Internet is for getting data.

Now other than that brief list of what are not my hobbies or interests (really) let's get to what I actually do really like. I like to look. I like to look at pictures gpx and vids, And what I like to look at most, is I like to look at women. Um I will stop there but to say that hmmm what I am most interested in is actually women, likely.

What does that say about me, if that is my favorite thing?

Well that is not all that I am interested in. I am into music, and I play bass and am learning guitar.


Chicks dig that, right?

Ok. so that is me. What about you? What do you like to do and what does that say about you?

I Confess. This is a Major Tear-Down of the First Version of Today's Post.

I started with a semantics and rhetorically flavored argument. Then I went looking for stats, and added the stats. Then I realized, the argument was redundant. All I need to post here are
the stats:

QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATORS

Iraqis Displaced Inside Iraq, by Iraq War, as of May 2007 - 2,135,000
Iraqi Refugees in Syria & Jordan - 1.3 million to 1.75 million
Iraqi Unemployment Rate - 27 to 60%, where curfew not in effect
Consumer Price Inflation in 2006 - 50%
Iraqi Children Suffering from Chronic Malnutrition - 28% in June 2007 (Per CNN.com, July 30, 2007)
Percent of professionals who have left Iraq since 2003 - 40%
Iraqi Physicians Before 2003 Invasion - 34,000
Iraqi Physicians Who Have Left Iraq Since 2005 Invasion - 12,000
Iraqi Physicians Murdered Since 2003 Invasion - 2,000
Average Daily Hours Iraqi Homes Have Electricity - 1 to 2 hours, per Ryan Crocker, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq (Per Los Angeles Times, July 27, 2007)
Average Daily Hours Iraqi Homes Have Electricity - 10.9 in May 2007
Average Daily Hours Baghdad Homes Have Electricity - 5.6 in May 2007
Pre-War Daily Hours Baghdad Homes Have Electricity - 16 to 24
Number of Iraqi Homes Connected to Sewer Systems - 37%
Iraqis without access to adequate water supplies - 70% (Per CNN.com, July 30, 2007)
Water Treatment Plants Rehabilitated - 22%

RESULTS OF POLL
Taken in Iraq in August 2005 by the British Ministry of Defense (Source: Brookings Institute)

Iraqis "strongly opposed to presence of coalition troops - 82%
Iraqis who believe Coalition forces are responsible for any improvement in security - less than 1%
Iraqis who feel less ecure because of the occupation - 67%
Iraqis who do not have confidence in multi-national forces - 72%

IraqNumbers.htm

Special "HUMP DAY" Triple Post. I like West African Warrior Tribes, since I am a Descendant of Them.

Oh and I like Euro-Barbarians too, as I am a descendant of Euro-Barbarians.

Specifically, I am a descendant (on account of my Portuguese blood) of Visigoth, Swebi, and Keltoi. At least. Now I likely got the Roman blood too, and well they though themselves the paragon of Civilization, but they even have to admit (should at least) that before they were Romans, they were simple warrior tribes.

Oh and allegedly I even have some Asian blood. Woo Hoo for dat!

What is my point here (I mean haven't I posted enough today?) Here is my point. As far as the ethnic thing is concerned, I have no bias no prejudice really as to do so is to insult myself, indirectly and my ancestors, specifically. So who do I heap scorn and contempt on, when I heap scorn and contempt on anyone say them that actually directly and clearly and personally abuse me?

Well Ya I confess, I am likely to heap contempt on the obviously and contemptuous people out there. Them that seem to GET OFF on being abusive for the malicious joy of it, and them they if not only that, also get paid to do it.

"What do you do for a living, stranger?"

"Well I am a radio talk show host/pundit. You could say I am a professional douchebag, but I prefer partisan asshole."

"Um later, ya ho bag. Not that I expect it to happen, now, but if the world was to end right now or if the second coming of Jesus were imminent, I would much prefer to be standing next to a crack ho than a talk radio host or general pundit. I mean I don't wanna be near where either the lightning bolts are gonna strike or alternatively where the crack in the time space continuum will open up to suck your evil bullshit ass down to the lake of fire."


Ya I confess. I think bullshit people are the worst (well next to felons that is). And the mark of what makes a person a bullshit person is (a) what they think, (b) what they say, (c) what they do, and (d) whether they tolerate the company of them that fail the test for items (a) - (c).

JMO!

Back to my Opprobrium for Plastic Turkey Man.

"Both suffer from the same delusion; their absolute sense of certainty that they are not only right, but righteous, no matter the fact that the bodies are stacking up like cord wood."

Hold that thought. Oh, and that is my creation (even if there are bits and pieces there, like the cord wood reference, that are so old they are stock components of wanna-be homily.)

Anyway, something did come to mind to me today; the topic that I noticed on some particularly vulgar message board (Come for the Freak Show! Stay for the Train Wrecks!) And the topic was based on one of those phony, rhetorically-disingenuous either/or choices; "Bush or bin Laden: Who is More Evil?"

Now at this point I am going to not only restate, by reference, the fallacious framing of the topic, I will reincorporate the first sentence of this post as my basic argument for the proposition and conclusion that it was a Trick Question; both are relatively evil men.

So let us consider the cost of the Iraq War, and I do not mean the $ 500 Billion. But we have lost about 4000 American Service Personnel there so far, and let us not forget the over 27,000 wounded. Additionally, conservative (and I do not mean in the political sense of the word) estimates put the Iraq civilian war dead at 72,596 – 79,187.

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

That figure is supposed to be the real core figure. That figure is the nuts and bolts "military grade" figure. As opposed to the non-military, dead is dead, no matter if by bullet, bomb blast, or lack of access to antibiotics and dying from an infection that even an uninsured American would get over and survive, epidemiologists' figure. That figure is suggested by some to be 655,000.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/10/AR2006101001442.html

But honestly, my mission here is not to present the highest death count figure and make Plastic Turkey Man answer for that. I mean, I do have the option to saddle him with the figure he stated himself: "On Dec. 12, 2005, Bush offered his first and only number of Iraqi casualties: "30,000, more or less."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/18/AR2007031801587_2.html

And that 'owned' figure is almost 2 years old. Never mind that. It serves the purpose of showing the callous level of evil in his nasty little ego-driven bloody misadventure.

Now I know that anyone who is still married to the idea of this abomination of a unnecessary war will likely not all a sudden change their minds, but hey. I got time to kill before dinner, and I do love to express myself, so here goes.

Imagine it is January of 2003.

Imagine Plastic Turkey Man was making his case for the war, not based on the bullshit he (claimed to) believed then, but based on what we know now. Imagine how it would sound. I will give you the rough summary of the rough outline of the rough draft.

My fellow Americans. As of today, Saddam Hussein's stock of what can be called Weapons of Mass Destruction is so insignificant that the Presidents or Chancellors of Harvard, Yale, MIT and CalTech all, and individually, have effective control over more dangerous chemical and biological matter than Saddam does. Furthermore, there are absolutely no reasonable grounds at all to connect either Saddam Hussein or Iraqi forces to Al-Qaeda, in a currently minor, limited operational or support level, nor in any way assisting them with the attack against America on 9/11.

But what the hell, he is a bad man, he has killed many people in his country in the past, and I don't like him. His government is oppressive and dictatorial, and he is an evil-doer, so I say we commit American Lives and American Treasure and America's reputation on the line to take him out, to reinvent the government there and make it (more) democratic, and maybe get a nice juicy big American Base there in the Middle East.

Now most of the people who live in the region do not want the USA to have a long term military presence in that region. And despite cultural differences, the only thing that is likely to make a Middle Easterner more willing to risk his life to kill Americans then the presence of American Military in the region is when American Military wounds or kills near about anyone from that region, either intentionally or accidentally as 'collateral damage.'

But still, he bad man let's take him out. Never mind the fact that invading Iraq will take down a functional (even if we do not like them) government and society there. Never mind the fact that the region will become less stable if we do it, and encourage others in the region to cross the border and enter Iraq for the sole purpose of killing Americans. Never mind the fact that after four years we will have a non-functioning government in Baghdad, 4000 dead Americans, nearly 30,000 injured Americans, 30,000 dead Iraqi citizens, killed on account of the invasion and subsequent "deployment." Oh and we will spend $500 Billion Dollars and not only will we the USA be no safer, but honestly as a general matter, most of the country of Iraq will be in clearly worse shape 4 years later than it is now.

But hey, let's do it anyway?

* * * *

Now ya. I said no to it even when they spun it in the best possible light. Now I am asking those of you who supported this horror. If you knew then what you know now would you have supported it? And for the follow up question. If you would not have supported it then if you knew how it was going to be here in September of 2007, why do you still support it now, and I mean at minimum support Bush's Handling of it?

Ok that is all I will say. I have gone long but I have not been too judgmental . . . . except on Plastic Turkey Man. From my pov he is not only as evil as OBL but let's be honest here. Based on his own dead civvy count, his pile of dead innocents is far larger than OBLs.

Not Exactly Sure Where My Mind is, so More Quotes.

"A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.”
-Mahatma Gandhi


"Virtue, like a dowerless beauty, has more admirers than followers.”
-Marguerite Gardiner


"Getting rid of a delusion makes us wiser than getting hold of a truth.”
- Ludwig Borne


"Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.”
- Mark Twain


"A ''just war'' is hospitable to every self-deception on the part of those waging it, none more than the certainty of virtue, under whose shelter every abomination can be committed with a clear conscience.”
-Alexander Cockburn


"The ingenuity of self-deception is inexhaustible”
-Hannah Moore


"There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.”
- Howard Zinn


"The more you are willing to accept responsibility for your actions, the more credibility you will have”
-Brian Koslow


"A man of honour should never forget what he is because he sees what others are.”
-Baltasar Gracian


"It is the nature of the ego to take, and the nature of the spirit to share.”
- Proverb

And Now For Something Completely Different . . . .

(Well not entirely different. But before I say how much so, I should give props to the geniuses, those mountains of silly-walking, parakeet-whacking, Spam eaters, from whom I have jacked the title of this piece. Python rawks, do'od!)

Anyway, here is a new spin on quotes. I will do some random ones, and see where my efforts lead, when I tire of fetching and finally hit the submit button. At this point I have, only, the first, and will do some sort of scatter-shotty, haphazard stream of unconscious method, to find the rest.

So are you ready for internet history (I keed)?

Ok, here goes:



"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups."
- George Carlin


"Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion."
-Jim Rohn


"Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo.”
-Ambrose Bierce


"The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.”
-Benjamin Franklin


"Real charity doesn't care if it's tax-deductible or not.”
-Dan Bennett


"A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway."
- Fr. Jerome Cummings


"Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


"The beginning of wisdom is found in doubting; by doubting we come to the question, and by seeking we may come upon the truth."
-Pierre Abelard ( I have to wonder if Heloise agreed with him on this point? Sorry, I could not resist the reference to Abelard's equally famous lover.)


And lastly . . . .


"Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.”
-Spencer Johnson

Special Too-Four Monday. Why I think SOME Right Wingers are Smoking Some Pow-a-ful Shit . . . .

Ok. Someone 'splain the following to me. How is it that Right Wingers can consider the Less Than 25% of Americans who do not consider themselves christian or religious or follow any 'faith' as some sorta of all-powerful boogey-man force that is At War With, and threatens the Very Existence of the 75% of Americans who clearly and solidly identify as either christian or some thing similar

AND with that same statistically-divergent mind think that the More Than 2/3rds of Americans who disapprove of GWB's handling of the War in Iraq, and want to see genuine efforts towards a draw-down of troops soon (not an immediate full withdrawal, but get the party started, at least) are moonbats, and anti-americans, and hate the troops, and are out of touch and just plain wrong, Wrong, WRONG (if not evil Commie Pinko bastards?) *

Hmm. Come to think of it, I see an odd string of consistency between the two irrational, unhinged beliefs.

Here is the odd string of consistency between the two irrational, unhinged beliefs.

Both irrational, unhinged beliefs, these patently obvious misinterpretations of otherwise seemingly crystal clear statistical data-sets have something in common, and that is that


the nature of the irrationality, and core feature (if not genesis of the irrational misinterpretation of the data-sets) of the irrational misinterpretation is a total failure to appreciate the natural value due and owing to the the weight of the overwhelming majority, as opposed to the minority.

In other words, they don't know the difference between a mountain and a mole hill.


I will skip saying they do not know their asses from their elbows. That would be a cheap shot, and I just got on Moveon.org's collective and composite ass for that, so I have to pass. However, I can jack the line from one of Prince Hamlet's speeches, and say . . . they don't seem to know the difference between a hawk and a handsaw, no matter if the wind is southerly, or not.

"I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw."
--Hamlet, Act II, scene ii

*Oh. One last thing. If someone says (a) they hate Commie Pinkos, and (b) consider the 2/3rds of Americans who disagree with the small minority who are in favor of Plastic Turkey Man's war as "Commie Pinkos, is if fair to say something to them like (c) We the Two Thirds, the Vast Majority of Americans (Commie Pinkos, or not) are the Vast Majority so We get to say what is the Will of the American Nation. We are The American Nation, and either you are With Us or Against Us. Get with the program, or get out. America (our majority). Love it or leave it!

Now OF COURSE that is not fair. It is not fair when the Right Wingers spew that shit, so of freaking course it is not when people on my side of the divide say it. But every now and then I like to jack that mindless shit the Right Wingers spew, tweak it just so, and then throw it right back at them. But only as a "for example," if not as a joke.

I Thought Right Wingers Were Against Welfare, and for Free Markets???

Ok, and before I get into the sales pitch here, what I have really been thinking about since last night, is this. Even if I think that the idjits who deny that we are involved in Iraq because of the oil there, are idjits (I mean are they the only oppressed nation that is being prevented from its democratic destiny? Gimme a freak'n break.) I can cut them, and I mean the dumb clucks, not the ones who should know better, just a little slack.

And to be clear, I am cutting only the tiniest bit of slack. I mean there really could be adult-aged people in this country who do not appreciate the fact that the BEST way to make money in the oil business is to NEVER touch the stuff. Just make a nickel or dime, or even better, a dollar, off each transaction of a barrel. Low overhead equals more profit. But that is not even the real point, here.

Anyway, here is the other tiny area of misunderstanding that I am willing to grant some tiny amount of slack over; that pesky fact that the USA does not really import Iraq oil. Ok. Now if you are one of those unsavvy people who thinks that the fact that Iraq oil does not get shipped here in some great and meaningful way negates that the oil resources of Iraq are CLEARLY the largest reason our misguided misfit leaders got us into that war (instead of all that bullshit about liberation and democracy), GO BACK and read what I just said about low-overhead, high profit taking by making money on the transactions with out touching the stuff.

Wassa-matter withyew? Don'tchaknow what Arbitrage is? How about brokerage? If not, go rent that Eddie Murpy movie, "Trading Places," and look for the scene where the greedy old coots explain brokerage to Billy Valentine; "So what you are telling me is that no matter if your clients make money, you do?" "Exactly!" Not that I am saying that an Oil Brokerage works exactly the same as a general commodities brokerage. Anyway . . . .

Here is the real point, the real deal here. Let us (those who need to, at least) accept the following facts:

(a) The Global Energy Market, specifically Oil, is truly global, meaning, a screw-up in one large Oil Exporting Country affects the world market, and that can mean all people all over the world, and

(b) even if we as a Nation do not drink off Iraq's teat, so to say, much, trouble with Iraq can affect not only the American Oil/Energy market, but as the fluctuations of the Energy Market can affect all other markets, from Agr., to Mfg., to housing, to retail, to shipping, to even the amateur porno market, and that means that

(c) hmmm, EVEN IF we are not getting a pay off in lower gas prices from invading Iraq, that does not mean that the bastards who got us involved in that shit were not trying to (in their iddy biddy minds with their weak skills) prevent what they assumed could be future disruption to the World Oil Market.

We will never know if they actually fawked it up more, but ya know? I can't see how The World Oil Market is in better shape now than 5 years ago. But then again, I am not making a living either brokering oil trades or exploiting the difference between spot markets like the arbitrageurs. I am just aware of the fact that it is very good work, if you can get it.

Ca-Ching!

Well if I Hate That Shit When Karl Rove Does it???

Yes, I am sure you have been waiting for my 'splanation for taking a couple whacks at Moveon.org.

Simple answer; if I hate that shit when Karl Rove does it, I must hate it if Moveon.org decides to crawl around in the gutter too. (Leave that sleazy shit to the GOP. We should strive to be better than them, damnit!)

And for a second reason?

It has served as a softball for the Right Wing Noise Machine; they were given the perfect little slow moving target to bash, perhaps not a homer but at least a double, and they have been sorta effective at shifting attention away from the bullshit report to the bullshit about the 'reporter.'

Gen. Petraeus is not the story. The bullshit report about the bullshit situation in Iraq is the damn story! Damnit!

Smart political operatives DO NOT give their opponents that sort of gift. So Moveon.org gets my Political Dumbass of the Week award.

Disrespectful! Chaka Khan, Re, and Current Politics, and Why You Should Not Treat Me So Disrespectfully, Damnit!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpQGuNsvOak

Link is to a Fan Vid of Chaka Khan's A Capella version of her recent song, "Disrespectful," featuring The Magnificent Queen of Soul, Aretha (on your knees peasants, you are definitely NOT WORTHY!)

Point is, that I feel that I am not getting any respect from you my readers. All THREE of you!

Ok. Seriously here is the latest polling. And I am going to give you the results of the FOX (not) News people. Well, here is the link (The formatting was all messed up when I tried the copy paste):
http://www.pollingreport.com/iraq.htm


So I will now recap:

ONLY 17% of respondents to a FOX poll thinks that (and I quote) "the recent increase in U.S. troops has led to major improvements in the situation in Iraq."

And, only 35% of respondents to a FOX poll thinks that (and I quote) "General Petraeus's report (was) truthful and objective."

And, 22% of respondents to a FOX poll thinks that "Based on General Petraeus's new report . . . . think the United States should pull out all troops immediately," and as many as 42% think the US "should pull out gradually," and only 24% think the US should "pull out after Iraqi troops are capable of taking over," or in other words, are in favor of some indefinite but longer than shorter duration of the Mission to Iraq.

NOTE to you war supporters. The mere fact you are in the small minority of opinion does not naturally mean you are 100% wrong. It just means that that is highly likely here.

Oh and why did I bring Chaka and Re into this? Well hell, I love the song (original version is Goddess Chaka with Mary J. Blige, Praise her R&B Chops), and because of, specifically the title, and the lyrics:

(First Verse)


Disrespectful
Hey, you don't wanna treat me
You don't wanna Play around', Cause
You Could be history

Don't mess around with me
I'm too good to you
Yeah.
What the hell,You take me for
I'm nobodies fool

(Jump to chorus)


I remember when you used to love me
(Through the good And bad - What a good thing)

I remember When you Use to love me
(Why you so brand new? What happen to you?)
I remember when you used to love love me.





Ok this is the song that is in my head more than any other lately. Love it!

Quotes on Thinking

Now that is a topic that is often on my mind; thinking, and well, er, hm, them that can't seem to get their shit together enough to find two brain cells that can form a thought. Or, consider the people who are basically full of shit. Now it would be inaccurate of me to say that bullshitters can not think, but their thinking is artificially retarded (I use the word in the sense of the discipline of chemistry; we are talking about brain chemistry if we are thinking about thinking, right?) I mean, why the fawk would someone allow them self to look like a total idiot in public by holding on to some discredited if not dis proven opinion, if they were not experiencing some sort of bio-chemical-related damper of their cognitive functions?

{Um. Come to think of it there is an alternative answer to that. They might be unfortunately and ill-advisedly confederated to some deviant and bigoted group that only admits the like-minded, and rejects those who are not 99% pure. Or, they might not want to take the risk of breaking ranks with their bigoted group and loose that perverse and unnatural sense of belonging one gets when one is ensconced in the bosom of a narrow-minded, too-similar, basically shallow and ultimately valueless but group think-reinforcing gang of dysfunctional delusionals. For the record, all points of the political compass have such bigoted, group-deluding, narcissistic clubs. So for the record I am saying that Moveon.org is every bit as much a shameless group that thinks thier own farts smell sweet, ever as much as the American Talibans over at Focus on the Family or the NRA, or the John Birchers, or any of them other narcissistic fart-sniffers, be they well know or not even on the grid! }

Ok, I confess (as there is NO POINT in denying it, after that side bar) that I am still sorta under the influence of the politics of the day, even if I have been merely a rubber-necker in the conflicts of the week. In any event, sorry.

I am trying to get my head out of the gutter and at least up to street level. So here goes, with quotes:



The greater part of mankind may be divided into two classes; that of shallow thinkers who fall short of the truth; and that of abstruse thinkers who go beyond it.
- David Hume

Thinkers are scarce as gold; but he whose thoughts embrace all his subject, and who pursues it uninterruptedly and fearless of consequences, is a diamond of enormous size.
- Johann Kaspar Lavater (John Caspar Lavater)


The profound thinker always suspects that he is superficial.
- Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield


Every thinker puts some portion of an apparently stable world in peril.
- John Dewey


Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.
- Henry Ford


Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


Small is the number of people who see with their eyes and think with their minds.

Time and space are modes by which we think and not conditions in which we live.
- Albert Einstein


Where all think alike, no one thinks very much.
- Walter Lippmann

Some Things Just Don't Change.

Ok.

I am even getting tired of myself being hostile to the death mongers. And there was this little speech from the Plastic Turkey Man last night all about how . . . . Um. Ya. I am not even going to get into the details.

However I am going to jack some of a Washington Post article about Plastic Turkey Man from not only BEFORE the infamous serving of a plastic turkey to hungry troops incident, but from before the actual start of the damn war:



For Bush, Facts Are Malleable
Presidential Tradition Of Embroidering Key Assertions Continues

By Dana Milbank
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 22, 2002; Page A01


President Bush, speaking to the nation this month about the need to challenge Saddam Hussein, warned that Iraq has a growing fleet of unmanned aircraft that could be used "for missions targeting the United States."

Last month, asked if there were new and conclusive evidence of Hussein's nuclear weapons capabilities, Bush cited a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency saying the Iraqis were "six months away from developing a weapon." And last week, the president said objections by a labor union to having customs officials wear radiation detectors has the potential to delay the policy "for a long period of time."

All three assertions were powerful arguments for the actions Bush sought. And all three statements were dubious, if not wrong. Further information revealed that the aircraft lack the range to reach the United States; there was no such report by the IAEA; and the customs dispute over the detectors was resolved long ago.

As Bush leads the nation toward a confrontation with Iraq and his party into battle in midterm elections, his rhetoric has taken some flights of fancy in recent weeks. Statements on subjects ranging from the economy to Iraq suggest that a president who won election underscoring Al Gore's knack for distortions and exaggerations has been guilty of a few himself.

Presidential embroidery is, of course, a hoary tradition. Ronald Reagan was known for his apocryphal story about liberating a concentration camp. Bill Clinton fibbed famously and under oath about his personal indiscretions to keep a step ahead of Whitewater prosecutors. Richard M. Nixon had his Watergate denials, and Lyndon B. Johnson was often accused of stretching the truth to put the best face on the Vietnam War. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, too, played with the truth during the Gary Powers and Bay of Pigs episodes.

"Everybody makes mistakes when they open their mouths and we forgive them," Brookings Institution scholar Stephen Hess said. Some of Bush's overstatements appear to be off-the-cuff mistakes. But, Hess said, "what worries me about some of these is they appear to be with foresight. This is about public policy in its grandest sense, about potential wars and who is our enemy, and a president has a special obligation to getting it right."


http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A61903-2002Oct21?language=printer


Oh, I must mention the latest stinky cow-chip from the White House Bullshit Factory: "Return on success?”

I have read other's reactions. When I read that nugget, my thought was, this is what we get when we have a mediocre MBA grad, and failed businessman as POTUS. And now that I think about it, the guys who run this website should add that phrase to the slide show:

http://members.aol.com/matt999h/bullshit.htm


But I am not going to belabor the point or the topic, for that matter.

Ok. So now what should be my end comment?

Should I just say something crass but seemingly accurate like . . . "Well Plastic Turkey Man might not be spouting nothing but bullshit all the time, but he is historically full of shit, " or should I just repeat that quote about how for anyone else that would be a new low but for him it is just a new medium?

I will let both stand. I can not choose.

Why Colin Powell Can Not Be Chosen as a GOP Candidate for Prez. or VP in the Near Future. He Now Speaks the Truth!

Ok, more honestly, he is at least making sense now. Funny how getting away from the Bush Administration can cause formerly-smart seeming people who had been seemingly-lobotomized while involved in the bullshit-generating Partisan Plastic Turkey Man's gang, to "Snap Out of It," and remember that,"Gee whizz I am smart after all. I can think for myself. Yea!" But that is another story.

Oh, and as an alternative title, I could have said something like:

Trust the (Ex)General, and (Ex) Sec'y State, now that he is speaking for his own self (instead of for Plastic Turkey Man.)

Anyway, here is the pay-off:


"What is the greatest threat facing us now? People will say it's terrorism. But are there any terrorists in the world who can change the American way of life or our political system? No. Can they knock down a building? Yes. Can they kill somebody? Yes. But can they change us? No. Only we can change ourselves. So what is the great threat we are facing?

I would approach this differently, in almost Marshall-like terms. What are the great opportunities out there—ones that we can take advantage of? It should not be just about creating alliances to deal with a guy in a cave in Pakistan. It should be about how do we create institutions that keep the world moving down a path of wealth creation, of increasing respect for human rights, creating democratic institutions, and increasing the efficiency and power of market economies? This is perhaps the most effective way to go after terrorists."

http://men.style.com/gq/features/full?id=content_5900&pageNum=3

Ok, that is not exactly saying exactly what I have been saying since I started this blog (well before that really.) But please note the important line there. I colored the line orange. "Only we can change ourselves." So I ask you, dear reader, do you agree that it is we (as a people/nation) who can do the most harm to ourselves? If so, please be equally as vigilant against them who are our fellow citizens who seek to change the nature of our society and our government away from a liberty-loving, Constitution-based federal republic, where no one is considered above the law, and no one gets a free hand, or otherwise is beyond question.

On second thought, be MORE on the lookout for that sort of domestic enemy. I mean, get real here. Your chances of getting within 100 miles of a foreign terrorist (if you are here in the USA) are millions to one, against it ever happening, leave alone thwarting one.

How to Avoid Looking Like a Total Moron, While Arguing a Point. (lesson one)

Don't express ANY opinion that you can not support with facts and evidence. And to be clear, I mean real facts and evidence. I mean, have real facts at your disposal, like statistical data from a seemingly legitimate source which has a reputation for conducting its research in line with the professionally-recognized standards and practices for Statistical Research and Analysis. (Note: all alleged Statistics are not equal; that is why I mentioned 'professionally-recognized standards and practices.') Otherwise, be sure if you make some sort of 'common knowledge' argument, that it really is universal common knowledge based on evidence. Such as saying, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. There seems to be no end to observational evidence that says that statement is true, and not one tiny bit of evidence that it is not true.

Now if your expressed opinion can not be backed up with (citation to) evidence, or is of such a generally-accepted to be true nature that denying it is to deny generally-accepted reality on planet earth? I suggest you hold off on saying -- BUT FOR if you say, right then and there, "Now this is only my opinion . . . . . I could be wrong . . . ," or some other qualifier indicating that you are willing to accept, right at the get-go, that what you say can (if not should) be considered nothing more than runny nasty stinky bullshit.

Of course you can skip the qualifier, and in doing so, risk anyone else pointing out how baseless your opinion is, and call bullshit on you.

NOTE:

It is the act of leaving one's self open to the charge of being Bullshit, that primarily leads to one Looking Like a Total Moron, While Arguing a Point. If you neutralize the chances of anyone else calling bullshit on you you have begun the matter with the claim of being intellectually honest, and you do not in fact look like a moron. You will look like someone who understands the crucial difference between the shit people can believe, and what they have any basis for asserting is "THE TRUTH." Avoid arguing that you know what the truth is unless you can either prove it, or support it with facts and evidence sufficient enough to make your opponent have to concede . . . 'Well ya got a point there." Because people who claim to know the truth about anything who can't prove it, look like total morons.

Hey I am feeling generous. I will give you lesson two, also.

Consider these Three Levels:

likely, possible, and not-impossible.

Learn the meaning of these words/phrase. NEVER EVER blur the difference between:

Likely, as in the sun is likely to rise in the east and set it the west, as it has done so for millions and billions of years with out fail,

Possible, as in well I did not study much for that test, but I did most of the reading and I did not feel totally stupid while trying to answer the questions, so it is possible I did ok, and

Not Impossible, as in, I have never been able to beat my sister, Mensa member, PBK, PhD in Quantum Physics, in chess, but that does not mean it is not impossible. Not Likely sure but not impossible as a rule.

Now when you argue something is likely, and it is so likely it is as likely as the sun unsurprisingly rising in the east again, would be, ok, you are on solid ground (just don't try to pass off a merely possible or worse as a likely. You deserve mockery or insult if you do that!)

Next, is arguing what is possible. If you merely argue that the merely possible is merely possible, and really be sure you limit your meaning to that, well you are ok. Again, don't push your luck. Merely Possible is the land of thin ice, the second you move away from the limits of "merely" as in not a significant chance of it, but not out of law of averages.

Lastly we have Not Impossible. This category exists solely as a borderline between the possible and the clearly beyond a reasonable doubt not ever gonna happen, level. It is the safe zone for them who have pushed their argument beyond the usual boundaries of reasonable discourse, and allows a face-saving exit. "Aww sheeh . . . I did not say it was likely, or even possible but ya know . . . it is not impossible that aliens have landed on earth."

Avoid getting in to the position of using the Not Impossible if you can avoid it. You are definitely on the thin ice if you need to grab for that rope. Savvy?


Last bit of advice: If something is so important to you that you will react negatively to being told that is bullshit, and if you can not back it up and I mean triple back stop it? Don't even say it. I have seen so many arguments between people over the most petty and meaningless religious or theological and even doctrinal points that an objective viewer must think, "Hell if God can see that garbage, see these people get that ugly over the proper meaning of the Trinity, I wonder if He is thinking something like . . . I should have made the dolphins lords of the earth instead of these puny silly humans."

Or some such.

Now if anyone actually bothered to read this blog and were of a olde tyme religion stripe they could post a comment about how I should end up in a lake of fire for the blasphemy of indicating that God could make a mistake. Now I could say prove it, in reply but I would be more likely to argue that was not a matter of saying God makes mistakes, but it was an indication of God's love and patience, that he has let humans have dominion over the earth this long. Oh and all that Armageddon talk? What if the prophets got the nuance wrong -- that what the end times really are all about is the fact that from the get-go God's plan was to give humans time to prove their worth, but . . . if that worth is found to be lacking, just pull the plug?

Well it is possible! Well it is not impossible. Prove it is impossible. I double dare ya!

Delete, and Recycle the post space. RIP Troopers.

I was thinking about deleting what I had in this spot even before I got this news, and after I got it I decided this was more a more fitting use of the bandwidth than my rant, to honor these soldiers.



Two War Critic Soldiers Killed in Iraq

Omar Mora and Vance Gray, Who Died Monday, Were Two of the Seven Soldiers Who Penned a Controversial Op-ed About the War's Progress
http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3594058&page=1


Hell, I was just in a discussion with someone today about how we tend to listen to the soldiers we agree with more than those we do not. I definitely did that. I am not immune from that pull. I think we all fall prey to the old confirmation bias.

However the reason I am sadder than usual for death of American Servicemen in this instance, is because of that extra level of contact. I read their words, I learned their names while they were living humans and now they are dead.

This shit sucks, and this shit needs to end, I think.

RIP.

Damn, I was on a roll there . . .

but even the new auto save draft feature was not clever enough to save my screed.

(I am using my backup keyboard and for some reason I can accidentally delete things faster with this than my "real" keyboard. Anyway . . .)

Aw hell, I will say it plainly that I was off on one of my favorite topics -- my hatred of bullshit and how it is ruining the Nation, and I was tying it into the Iraq Report. But if you have been following this blog, you have heard it all before. No loss there, really.

The only really likely new bit was when I went on the tanget of how ego keeps people from abandoning the bullshit they get attached to, often. People can be so immature, and let themselves look twice, even three times as silly, by clinging to a steaming stinking pile of it, much more silly than they would look by merely abandoning the bullshit belief, or at least do a "Woops, my bad. Ya got me there bud."

So before I go too far with that, like providing examples, let me make my attempt at making a tiny joke here, and say:

Now Presenting The Human Ego!

Making Basically Smart people look Basically Stupid, and Basically Stupid People look No Smarter Than A Bucket o' Snot, for over 10,000 years!


(I had in mind that old commercial about the Incredible Edible Egg? Anyway . . .)

I am sorta proud of myself, I must say, for not making/taking a pointed shot at people of a political persuasion or opinions there. I am actually in a fairly neutra mood, for the time being. That could be because I am currently none too pleased with them on my side of the fence today. I could go long there, but suffice it to say, that I am clearly dissapointed that none of the dems at that hearing yesterday attacked the totally bullshit premise that a "SURGE" is an actual military tactic, leave alone strategy. If the argument had been made, and supported (as it could have easily been done by a moderately bright 6th grader) that the entire idea of a surge was basically bullshit, that could have been the best outcome (from my POV and oh the 2/3rds of Americans who think the war itself is totally bullshit.) But hey. It is not like people are dying there and getting blown up, loosing body parts, shit like that?

Ya . . . the (bullshit, never before in the recorded history of warfare since the time before Moses, tactic called) " Surge," is believed by some people, to be working.

Ok everyone, time to form a Conga Line and celebrate the success of the Surge.





















(Aww, hell, you know I had to take the shot. I mean, that is one of the main reasons for my blog; to call out the bullshit when I see it. This "Blind leading the blind," pic is pretty good for that purpose. Too bad it does not show the Conga Line heading off a cliff. That would have made the argument/joke that much more biting, I think!)

RIP Maestro

I never got to see, UM, hear him live.

My loss!

My GREAT loss!

Bonus Friday Double Post. America's Greatest General . . STILL . . .

George Washington.

Why?

Because he understood the difference between strategic and tactical. He knew what his political objective was, all those long and hard years. His mission was to keep relatively intact the always-struggling, always-outgunned Continental Army, in the face of the might and the glory of the Imperial Redcoats. Granted, the victories at Princeton and even Monmouth were salves to the fledgling rebellion, but it is not any major engagement that is the cause of our (and I mean SHOULD and RIGHTLY be) gratitude and respect for GW. It is the fact he met the short term strategic and political objective and that was to continue to field an effective fighting force (thereby allowing the diplomats to make that deal with the French, and well with out them there is no Yorktown and no USA.

Remember that.

Winning all the battles does not mean shit if you do not win the political war.

And you can win the political war with out necessarily being the dominant killing machine.

Ok?

Plastic Turkey Man Strikes Again!

I repeat what I said a few months ago. It was the quote from that tv sit-com, "How I Met Your Mother." It was the quote about how:

"For anyone else, that would be a new low, but for you it's just a new medium."

And our Boy Blunder POTUS, Plastic Turkey Man, has done it again. How he keeps on setting new records in the combined categories of Presidential Idiocy & Mediocrity I will never know; he has a gift for it.

Anyway, it is not a earth shattering remark, however his remark during his trip to Australia about "Kicking Ass," in Iraq? Is it just me (opps, and I know it isn't just me -- I am just using an expression there) or does this man seem way too ignorant to be the leader in charge of more nuke weapons than any other in the world?

I don't really mean to insult anyone (well not personally) but I have heard it said that some people like the way he (gibbers on like a half-witted goat bugger) speaks so plain and folksy.

Since the FAWK, WHEN was anything like that part of the job description for POTUS? (Forgive me, since Reagan was POTUS. Shit, I keep forgetting, sorry!) Seriously, though? Never mind the fact that the actual facts of the situation on the ground in Iraq, while not a total tactical failure, are still objectively a strategic failure. Now is this . . . making such statements . . . just trash/macho talk, or does Plastic Turkey Man really totally NOT GET IT? Does he not understand that war is not about who you shoot and where the shooting takes place, but is all about achieving political goals (reached with violent tactics, if necessary)?

Hurts my head, sometimes, just thinking about the pointless and costly violence Plastic Turkey Man has done to the Nation, it's people, the geographic zone currently called Iraq, it's peoples (must use the plural, to be accurate), and the rest of the world, just so Plastic Turkey Man can say macho things to people.

I know he did not invade Iraq merely to be able to say them tough guy things. But point I am making (to be blunt) is that he might be enjoying himself, getting his kicks from talking like some shit-kicker. However, who else is getting something out of this disaster? That very well might be his gained-benefit from this monstrous mistake and continuing debacle, but who else is gaining from it? Ok. I am forgetting the corporate piggies who have been feasting on the taxpayers' dimes (countless billions of them). Ya, they are getting a benefit. But beyond that? Who benefits and what are they getting from it?

http://www.hbo.com/aliveday/

How many genuine American amputees has Plastic Turkey Man's abomination caused?

More than 500, as of January.

But Plastic Turkey Man gets to brag about how we are kicking ass?

I am not even going to risk being misunderstood. I just used the word a few sentences ago, and I will again:

abomination.

Just Trust Me. I Won't (*splatt*) on Your Face ( Again . . .)

Before I pick up on the "Most Common Lies" theme, I should say that yes, I have escalated the usual "war mongers" to the more stinging "death mongers," as of late. The reason for that escalation ( I hate that word surge, it is such total bullshit, when I escalate I do it honestly, damn it) is related to the following fact:

AMERICANS ARE DYING FOR NO DAMN GOOD REASON, THERE!

I don't mean to insult people (but there is a big but coming) BUT I do want to embarrass them into no longer supporting the death and wounding of Americans, over in Iraq for what seems to be no damn good reason at all. So I am comparing the mistake of giving any credibility to the Pro-Bush , death monger spin, to the most common and obvious lies out there.

"The Check is in the Mail."

"I'll pull it out before it is too late. Promise!"

"I won't (*splatt*) on your face. Not this time. Promise."


Point is, these bastards, these sociopaths, these lying, bullshitting autocratic, authoritarian douchebags have a proven record of being that way. They served Plastic Turkey to Hungry Troops, for crying out loud! They screwed up just about every aspect of their own dumb-assed plan to date, but you are gonna trust them when they say,"Oh yes the surge is working?"

Um. After a while, and I mean we are way past that point, here, those who still listen to these proven bullshit liars should look in the mirror. And if the effects of the delusional-state are thin, weak enough, or the person doing the looking is strong willed-enough, they should see a reflection sort of like this (and I don't mean a Filipina with a mediocre eye-job):

So you, you members of that less-than one-third of Americans who still believe in Bush's Debacle in Iraq? PLEASE! For the love of if not God, than for your nation's future, for your fellow country men (and women):

Take Off The Damned Tin-Foil Hats!

Take off the blinders!

Step into the light!

Light a candle and fight the dark!

Snap Out of It!

"But I'm Not Dead," says the allegedly Dead Person.

Cart Master: 'Ere. He says he's not dead!
Customer: Yes, he is.
Dead Person: I'm not!
Cart Master: He isn't?
Customer: Well, he will be soon. He's very ill.
Dead Person: I'm getting better!
Customer: No, you're not. You'll be stone dead in a moment.
Cart Master: Oh, I can't take him like that. It's against regulations.
Dead Person: I don't want to go on the cart!
Customer: Oh, don't be such a baby.


Now I post this chunk of the classic "Bring out yer dead" sketch not merely for the fun of a bit of some classic Python. This is my lead-in to the topic of the day and that is the question of whether Conservatism is dead, or is still in the process of dying, and who's to blame for it's current failing state?

Well, I think it would be fair to say, as I did use that particular sketch, that I believe conservatism is sorta close to being dead. Perhaps it is not quite yet a mere moment away from being stone dead, but as the customer in the sketch sorta seems to think about the old man? Ya, the stinking rotting body is too ripe to keep in the house anymore. Oh and would ya look-see? There is the Cart Master. Anyone got ninepence for the fee?

And just so it is understood that my interest in the topic of "Is that old smelly thing dead yet" is not partisanship, some of the most interesting commentary on the question and surrounding issues is coming from the right of center.

Take look at this one (this guy seems right of center, and the org is allegedly that sort of libertarian):

http://www.prometheusinstitute.net/opinion/mh62207.html

I think his strongest points are Nos. 1 and 5. The Iraq war is so anti conservative, from a purely philosophical point of view, that the effect of it on the movement was as rather like a massive stroke.

Oh, and No. 5? The morality question? Before we even get to the issues, I mean think of the scandals, like the male-to-male GOP pederast Congressman, and the johnny-cruising GOP Senator, and the Evangelical Christian Conservative Minister who was having gay sex while doing drugs with gay prostitutes, and the gay ex-porn star Marine that was wined and dined by the pro-war tinfoil hat-wearing pundits, and the gay conservative ho with the White House Press Pass? Well there is that whole Reality Thing. And by Reality Thing, I mean that even if most Americans are some sort of alleged Christian, most do not want anything resembling a theocracy. Most are not that Bigoted, THANK GOD!

But hey. Some people have trouble with the fact that even if they themselves HATE IT when anyone else tells them what to think, or what they can or can not do, they still feel So Special themselves that they claim it as a inalienable right to tell others what to think or what they can or can not do. Again, most Americans are not that Bigoted, THANK GOD!

But moving on to my guess as to why the smelly old body is that smelly, that old, and that decrepit? Well, I agree with that article, basically. I think that if the Iraq Debacle was like a massive stroke, the 'morality bit' is the life-impairing, life-endangering congenital defect. Granted, cons have always been a minority of the Right Wing, never mind the whole country. And you got the country clubbers and the holy rollers as the two main branches of cons. So the moralists, and I mean the loudly evangelical judgmental Bigots are a minority in the minority in the Right Wing. So reality is that that extremist shit that causes some cons to act like text book Bigots, acting as they are better than anyone else on acccount that they are the right sorta people, really and truly has not really been selling all that well, ever. I mean, Ya. Values issues is one thing, but LEGALIZED Religious Bigotry, and State-Mandated Recognition of the Christian Brand of Religion? Again, most Americans are not that Bigoted, THANK GOD!

Oh, and it is time for me to bring it back to my favorite thing to demonize: the incredible amount of bullshit that comes out of the Right Wing Bullshit Factory.

And that means that even if I can not say this man is the killer of the movement, damn, shit, he did a lot of damage to its nasty, smelly old body:

I am dead serious. Karl Rove me have never killed a fly in his lifetime, personally, but I believe the facts show he had done more harm to the nation than all of our foreign enemies, over the past 20 years.

A Plastic-Turkey-Pimping, bullshit-generating arch enemy of the factual truth, and hence, all of us, is what he is. Nope, he is not the killer of conservatism, but honestly, he is the ugly and natural child of it's failures, it's short-comings, it's excesses, and it's own dysfunction.

Good Gawd. I just had an awful thought. Could there be someone worse then Rove just waiting in the wings for his moment to bullshit himself to the rare heights of political power? Shit, now that I think of it, the answer has to be YES!

Shit!