Damian's Random Ten, 11/30/2007

It's the Friday Random Ten, and it transcends history and the world.

Hit the Party Shuffle in iTunes and what do I get?

• Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Zephyr Song
• The Eagles - Hotel California
• Naoki Maeda - Brilliant 2U
• "Weird Al" Yankovic - That Boy Could Dance
• Masato Nakamura - Oil Ocean Zone
• Sota feat. Brenda V. - Saturday Night Love
• The Beatles - Hello, Goodbye
• Third Eye Blind - How's It Gonna Be
• Garth Brooks - Friends in Low Places
• Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends

The Day After

Happy Smug Sense of Moral Superiority Day.

Damian's Random Ten, 11/23/2007

It's the Friday Random Ten, and it's ready to start the shopping.

Hit the Party Shuffle in iTunes and what do I get?

• System of a Down - Chop Suey!
• Train - Calling All Angels
• JULIA - Heaven is a Place on Earth (German Election Mix)
• "Weird Al" Yankovic - JJurassic Park
• Akira Yamaoka - Inside Your Heart
• The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
• The Advantage - Wizards and Warriors
• Eminem - Kim
• Barenaked Ladies - Who Needs Sleep?
• Masato Nakamura - Chemical Plant Zone

Happy Thanksgiving

So today is Thanksgiving.

I'm sure lots of people have things to be thankful for. Myself? I'm just thankful I have somewhere to go since I can't be with my family.

Mike Pence: "Discrimination or Nothing!" Paper: "STFU"

Rep. Mike Pence calls himself “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order.” This isn't surprising - people with extremist views like to see themselves as being part of their extremism before they're anything else. It also lends an air of "oh-what-a-damn-surprise" to his vote against Head Start. Why would he vote against it? Why, because the money it gives couldn't be given to programs that discriminate.

Thankfully, the Richmond Palladium-Item realizes that Pence is a jackass for his vote, and calls him on it:

But Pence's objections, like those of the White House, are troubling to us because they grant faith-based organizations the right to practice discrimination at the same time they receive federal funds.

Specifically, the White House, Pence and a few other conservatives sought language that would allow religious groups receiving federal money to administer Head Start programs to hire or fire staffers based on religious affiliations.

Now, let us be clear in our belief that religious groups and organizations should be permitted to place religious tests on whomever they choose to hire or fire without interference from government.

So long as they are using their own money.

Therein lies the problem. A higher or at least more public standard needs to be met when tax dollars are at stake, as they are in this case.

Damian's Random Ten, 11/16/2007

It's the Friday Random Ten, and it's all about grabbing stars.

Hit the Party Shuffle in iTunes and what do I get?

• Garth Brooks - Against the Grain
• Eminem - Still Don't Give a Fuck
• Tatsh - Xepher
• "Weird Al" Yankovic
• HALCALI - LOOK
• The Birthday Massacre - Horror Show
• UZI-LAY - Put Your Faith In Me (Saturday Night Mix)
• The Eagles - Ol' 55
• Aqua - Bumble Bees
• All Girl Summer Fun Band - Daydreaming

Mark Souder: "Anyone Who Disagrees With Me Is A DFH", Groups: "STFU"

From Blue Indiana: Rep. Mark Souder's personal drug war catches some big name flak

I am so glad I didn't vote for this one-issue jackass.

Rep. Mark Souder hates drugs. He also hates the people who use drugs. He also hates the people who don't hate the people who use drugs.

Under current law, students with drug convictions are ineligible for financial aid for at least a year, maybe more, depending on the conviction. A group opposed to this penalty has been lobbying for years to eliminate it and will get a chance this week when the House Education Committee takes up reauthorization of the Higher Education Act on Wednesday.

Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.), a strong supporter of the drug penalty, tried earlier this month to preempt the effort to repeal it with a Dear Colleague letter. It warned members of Congress not to heed the word of the "small but determined coalition of drug-legalization groups" that opposes the penalty. "Before you are bombarded by the talking points of such groups, I wanted to make sure everyone has the facts straight," he wrote.

There's just a small problem: The letter that Souder sent out as a warning of the "small but determined" pro-drug hippies got a response from some of those aforementioned groups. And unfortunately for Souder, they aren't small, and they aren't happy.

The group, however, did its own straightening of facts. Sixteen of its members replied with a letter that's going out today asking that Souder "retract" his characterization of them. Among the hippies to fire back: the American Federation of Teachers, American Friends Service Committee, National Association of Social Workers, Union for Reform Judaism, etc.

Once again, I am so glad I didn't vote for this man. Mark Souder is something worse than those one-issue voters - he's a one-issue legislator. Nearly every time he opens his craw, he's wailing about drugs and how everyone who uses drugs is evil and anyone who doesn't want them DFHs locked up for life is a horrible person. Other than the occasional blurb about things that don't really matter for shit around here (and don't affect the people he should be concerned about), that's seemingly his entire platform.

Once again, I say, "Don't blame me, I voted for Hayhurst."

The Podium: One libertarian's View.

This week/whenever I do one of these. Ron Paul.

As as a Libertarian, I've had people make the assumption I would support Ron Paul. After all he's a former Libertarian candidate for president, a principal supporter of smaller government, and lower taxes. What's not to like for someone of a more conservative fiscal slant, such as myself?

Answer: Quite a bit.

While I shall not lie to our dear readers, neither about my political leanings, nor my ideas in the forum of economics - I for one cannot, will not and encourage everyone out there NOT to give two rat's asses about this man. An economic view that I agree with means nothing in the face of the proposed destruction of this nation's social structure. Nor do I accept this fear that has became rampant of our economy being on the brink of complete desolation - unless of course we elect our man Ron! No sir, sell that crazy elsewhere.

I do however fear what could happen to the social structure of our nation under the hand of Ron Paul -not that the man has a snowball's chance - and even if elected, I doubt he could strong arm his ideas through. I am most thankful for that. However the concepts he puts forth are most dangerous, and I would like a moment to discuss just a few with you, our dear readers.

I could go on about his idea of repealing Roe v. Wade, but what Republican worth his salt in Fundy-dollars hasn't pressed that issue? Let's instead focus on his more unique ideas.
(All quotations from RonPaul2008.com)

1: "End birthright citizenship. As long as illegal immigrants know their children born here will be citizens, the incentive to enter the U.S. illegally will remain strong."

This is not only a poor idea, the concept of removing our 14th Amendment, but a DANGEROUS one. This Amendment came about because States were refusing citizenship to freed African slaves, thus preventing them from being recognized as citizens of these United States. It is dangerous to forget that we as a people have not always been so welcoming to those who live within this country - and that humanity could take a turn for that direction if allowed. I wish it were not so, I prefer the notion of self-management, but it's simply unrealistic at this point. It only takes the corrupt getting power for a few years to turn us on our heads, lets not give them the weapons necessary to screw us.

2: "Years of centralized education have produced nothing but failure and frustrated parents. We can resurrect our public school system if we follow the Constitution and end the federal education monopoly."
and
" I will veto any legislation that creates national standards or national testing for home school parents or students. I also believe that, as long as No Child Left Behind remains law, it must include the protections for home schoolers included in sec. 9506 (enshrining home schoolers’ rights) and 9527 (guaranteeing no national curriculum)."

What precisely does this mean? It means that as his voting record shows, he does not support national testing of students. Couple this with his love of home-schooling and idea that a home schooled student showed be regarded the same as a non-homeschooled student (And this is coming from someone who WAS homeschooled for several years.) and we're going to see students who are not getting anywhere even NEAR a proper education. "The stupid shall inherit the nation." Not a concept I particularly enjoy. What can I expect? His particular brand of crazy only works on the uneducated masses, so let's work to further those numbers. UGH.

3: "I have always supported the Second Amendment and these are some of the bills I have introduced in the current Congress to help restore respect for it: H.R. 1096 includes provisions repealing the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and the Federal Firearms License Reform Act of 1993, two invasive and unconstitutional bills."

The Brady Act? THE FUCKING BRADY ACT. I am personally for gun control revision, as I think it's confusing, and could be greatly simplified with a little thought to what does and doesn't work. But this? This is pure madness. How many people really need a gun RIGHT THE FUCK NOW? Think about it, there is no reason to not have a waiting period. None. It prevents people who are upset and working from rage and impulse from doing something stupid. It allows for checks to ensure that a dangerous individual isn't handed a life-threatening weapon. It's a GOOD IDEA. Insanity.

I could go on. But I'm running long as is, in short - from this (l)ibertarian's perspective Ron Paul combines the worst aspects of Neo-Conservatism with the dark-side of Libertarianism and creates a beast that should not be supported.

To steal from the War on Drugs: Just say no.

/Phage out./

PhageTunes!

It's the Friday Random Ten.

Hit the Party Shuffle in iTunes and what do I get?

• It's Still Rock and Roll to Me - Billy Joel
  
• Nemo - Nightwish
  
• So Sorry to Say - Celldweller
  
• Up is Down - Hans Zimmer/Pirates of the Carribean 3
  
• Split Seconds - Zeromancer
  
• Kids With Guns - Gorillaz
  
• What I see - Lacuna Coil
  
• The Odyssey - Orgy
  
• Name Der Rose - Qntal
  
• Suck - Nine Inch Nails
  

Right-Wing Mailbag, "Damn Those Smart People" Edition

Yesterday's J-G Letters Page

What I learned from Indiana University-Purdue University Sociology Department: George W. Bush thinks lying, cheating, torture, taking away peoples’ rights, neglecting the poor, being a religious hypocrite, killing, incompetence and cronyism are all OK. Would you be surprised if I said this list was hanging on the door of a professor at the IPFW Sociology Department?

Honestly, whiner? I wouldn't be surprised - because people who don't fool themselves into believing that W is the Second Coming realize he's all that was listed there and more.

Then again, a letter like this appearing in the Journal-Gazette doesn't surprise me much. With more and more people realizing that our country has gone to shit, the 28%ers have to crank the anti-intellectualism into high gear, lest they lose even more people.

Besides, I'm sure that the folks sending their kids to IPFW want their kids to be educated - which means finding out the truth.

(By the way, I'm stealing this post title from Reverent & Free's Craig, who seems to have retired his site. I'm hoping he won't mind.)

Let's Play Money-Making Game (Okay, so there's no money involved, just self-respect)

Anyone out there want to start a pool on what day we start seeing letters in the local fishwraps about the "War On Christmas"?

I'm saying three days after Thanksgiving.

A Further Study of Ron Paul's Insanity

As much as I've been trying to articulate the dangers of voting for Ron Paul, I've been simply unable to do so well.

Now I don't have to: Dave Neiwert of Orcinus sums up everything I've been meaning to say in yet another of his well-written posts.

A highlight, to hopefully get you to read it if you haven't already (and to read it again if you have):

The skins' reasons for opposing the war are, in fact, wholly different from those of the much larger antiwar left, who are opposed largely on humanitarian grounds; the far right, however, opposes the war because it's perceived to be fought on behalf of Israel and the Jews -- which is why, when you hear them talk about "neocons", you know that they are in fact using it as a code word for "Jew." So the association, such as it is (it seems largely to occur at Paul events) is purely coincidental, accidental, a nonsequitur, and largely irrelevant (though it hopefully gives antiwar liberals pause about the way they talk about Israeli influence in the matter).

However, the fact that they do so in the name of supporting Ron Paul is neither merely accidental nor irrelevant. After all, Paul himself is inclined to rail against "the Israel lobby" and "the neocons". But that's only scratching the surface of his appeal to this sector. Unlike the antiwar left, there's more than an abundance of common ground between Ron Paul and the far right.

Hat tip to Amanda at Pandagon for pointing me to this.

A Moment of Reflection

Today is the observance of Veteran's Day, also called Armistice Day.

We honor our veterans old and young with a day in which we remember all those who died in wars the world over.

And all I ask on this one day is that, somehow, we make it so we don't make any more veterans.

Some would say it's a fool's dream, that it'll never happen.

I think it's noble.

An end to war.

No more battles.

Peace.

It's a dream that everyone should work toward.

What Would You Do?

Every night, a group of older women comes into our store. They buy food, they sit tehre for several hours, and we live with it because they're regulars who are on good terms with us.

The problem is, they're serious GOP Kool-Aid drinkers. They apparently actually believe the lies about Vince Foster and the zillions of other people that the Clintons supposedly had killed. There's no proof for any of it, but that doesn't stop them (and plenty of other fools) from loudly proclaiming it as the Gospel.

What do you do in a situation like that? I find it helpful to just tune them out, but sooner or later they're going to lie to someone who will actually BELIEVE this gibberish. And then it'll be too late.

So, then, what would you do?

Jeff Gannon: Spamming Troll

Hillary apparently took questions from a planted reporter at an event. Now, this is bad, no doubt, but at least she's owning up to it. Of course, the right-wingers are just frothing over this, pounding their chests and screaming about how EVIL AND WRONG that is. Never mind that they've done it themselves, not least of all in the case of manwhore/fake reporter Jeff Gannon/Guckert.

But it doesn't stop there. Jeff Gannon/Guckert (or someone claiming to be him) is trying to sell himself as a real journalist on sites that mention him. When people call him on being a planted fake journalist (not even getting into the fact that his day job involved sucking dick for money), he just reposts his list of so-called "accomplishments" and dismisses everyone criticizing him as being beneath him.

Perrspective put it all into, well, perspective.

Thank you for the update on your latest accomplishments. We're all very proud. We're especially happy that you were able to escape the National Press Club luncheon with Dick Cheney without getting shot in the face.

Thanks also for asking about what's new on this end. To recap, among other things, I have been:

1. Wondering what happened to your former employer and media outlet, the GOPUSA-sponsored Talon News, which shuttered its site following your resignation. I found a convenient Talon News web archive here. Ironically, the original domain is now being used for a parody of journalism.

2. Searching for the web archive of the 500 articles you wrote during your two years as a White House correspondent. Your previous and current blogs do not contain any content from before your February 2005 resignation, and the GOPUSA site only seems to have some of your prodigious output in its forums. Any information you could provide about the whereabouts of those 500 journalistic gems, such as "League of Women Voters Advocates Liberal Agenda" or "AP Reporter has Kerry Ties," would be greatly appreciated.

3. Hoping for some enlightenment on how and from whom you and Talon News received a White House press credential. Could Scott McClellan shed any light, or would he just say "Go ahead, Jeff" and ask you to provide the details. Or perhaps Ari Fleischer could help, since he claimed you were "just as legitimate as some of the fringe organizations in the room" and that you asked him a question at a February 2003 briefing held before the existence of Talon News.

4. Blogging on the ongoing PR fraud of the Bush presidency here, here and here. Any insight you could provide into the White House's use of rented reporters, purchased pundits, rigged rallies, scripted sessions, fake news and pseudo-science would again be much appreciated. Then again, I should probably just read your book; I'm sure the details are in there.

Thank you also for taking the time to visit and comment at Perrspectives. Please don't worry about me "feeling slighted" by your drive-by spamming of the site to, as President Bush once said, "catapult the propaganda." That's what Americans expect from the organs of the right.