Intent and Purpose

2006-11-07T03:44:00.000-05:00

Hahaha

2006-09-20T17:01:00.000-04:00

BUSHFLASH

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This Is a Real News Headline

2006-09-14T11:26:00.000-04:00

Backup punter may have stabbed starter

I love it when the real news is more funny than the fake news--just another sign that our country really is going to hell. SOON.

Hey Folks

2006-09-14T11:17:00.000-04:00

Hey Folks, sorry there haven't been any new entries this week--it has been a busy one, and I promise something new in the near future.

Evan

2006-09-08T12:37:00.000-04:00

Fatboy Slim - Weapon Of Choice

This one stands the test of time

2006-09-08T12:23:00.000-04:00

Steve Irwin

2006-09-05T11:09:00.000-04:00

Steve Irwin, Rest in Peace

The Five Year War (And Counting)

2006-09-04T10:31:00.000-04:00

Five years ago, the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil was in its final stage of preparation, while we went on with our daily lives without a care in the world. By the time September 11th rolled around, a lot more people cared--one such man being our President, George W. Bush. While it is acceptable for U.S. citizens to get complacent, particularly during times of peace, it is inexcusable for our President to feel that way.

In all honesty, I think Bush felt personally responsible for what happened on 9-11. He KNEW that there was more he could have done, and because of this guilt, he completely mis-handled the entire situation by starting his "war on terror." I have the same question today that I had five years ago--How do you fight a war against an idea? In truth, it isn't possible. History has shown us that one cannot kill ideas and dreams. In fact, the death of one terrorist, in my mind, is just as likely to create two "new" terrorists to fill the void.

The facts back this idea up. Since the War on Terror began, there has been an increase in the levels of terrorism throughout the world. An estimated 72,265 lives have been taken, most of whom were Iraqi civilians. That leaves, according to U.S. figures, about 30, 626 people who have been killed as the direct result of terror attacks and the following counter-insurgency actions by the United States and its allies. In short, we are killing almost as many innocent people as the terrorists are, and yet the President continues to make us out to be the heroes of the situation.

The problem is that the United States really was able to wipe out the Taliban regime and Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party in a matter of weeks. This is a problem because it gave the world the impression that the United States had already won the war on terror, when in fact it had barely started. As I have said before, you cannot fight fire with fire when you are dealing with terrorists, because terrorists are not afraid to die, and if you kill one, his son, and his son's best friend are going to take up the reigns themselves. In other words, terrorism is a vicious cycle that cannot be broken via open warfare.

Speaking of vicious cycles, try this one on for size: Terrorists hate the United States because the U.S. puts itself in the position to police the world. They attack the United States because the U.S. presents itself to the world as a model society that believes that everybody should live as they do. So what do you think the terrorists think about our war on terror? To them, it is much of the same--simply another reason to want to commit acts of terrorism, and as I said before, the facts confirm this idea--since this "war" began, the terrorism levels around the world have soared.

So, next week, as we observe the five year anniversary of 9-11, try also to remember that the United States is not always right. In fact, in this case, the United States is completely wrong. If we really want to end terrorism in the world, we need to be more tolerant of all cultures in our world. We need to stop acting as though we have the power to police EVERYBODY. If we are nice to everybody, then nobody will have a reason to terrorize us.

The End of an Era

2006-09-03T19:26:00.000-04:00

Andre Agassi's on-court speech to the crowd after the final match of his pro career, a loss to Benjamin Becker in the third round of the U.S. Open on Sunday:

"The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn't say is what it is I have found.

"And over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I've found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed sometimes even in my lowest moments.

"And I've found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could have never reached without you.

"Over the last 21 years, I have found you. And I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life.

"Thank you."

Check This Out

2006-09-01T21:09:00.000-04:00

For the first time in my life, I think I have found a music-streaming website that is good enough to give a chance. Upon searching for many artists, most turned up, and had decent to great playlists. Hopefully, it will prove to be a good way to discover new music down the road.

Blogmusik

Agassi

2006-09-01T08:33:00.000-04:00

Last night, Andre Agassi gave us yet another tennis match for the ages, and as always, when he hit those impossible shots, the announcers could merely say "Agassi," because that is all the explanation needed.

This match went the distance, despite the fact that Agassi took a 2 set to love lead, having never lost after being up by 2 sets at the US Open in 58 matches. THAT is an absurd fact, but by the time the fifth set rolled around last night, it was looking like that stat was going to end up at 58-1. Then Agassi got his break--his opponent, the formidable Marcos Baghdatis, started cramping up in his legs, and when he took a medical break in the fifth, it allowed Agassi to rest a bit and come up with a better game plan. From that point on, Baghdatis didn't even have a chance, and Agassi went on to win the set 7-5, after being broken in the very first game. THAT is the Agassi we will remember. The Agassi that always fights until the very end, and more often than not somehow pulls off the miracle in the process.

Andre's third round match should be a bit easier, and if he does win it, he will most likely have to face Andy Roddick in the fourth round. Perhaps we will get another match for the ages, or perhaps the torch will finally be passed. Either way, Andre Agassi will be going out on top in my mind.

Legal Free Music Downloads?

2006-08-29T23:41:00.000-04:00

According to the NY Times online, Universal, the world's largest record label, is going to start offering free music downloads from its rather extensive back catalogue. The catch? It will take 90 seconds to download each track, no matter what connection speed you have, and during that time, ads will be displayed. That's it, and if this works, I think iTunes and Napster might have some changes in store.

While I think that this is a potentially good idea, I have very mixed feelings concerning how this may affect the music business. Let me start by saying that my opinion on music downloading has changed a lot over the last six years or so. When I was a freshman living in the dorm, I was so excited by the high speed connections and the popularity of Napster-like programs that I downloaded huge quantities of music without paying so much as a dime. At that time, I had no issues with getting music for free, and I still believe that today, to a point. I'm all for being able to try music for free, but I also think that once you find something you like, you should help support that artist by purchasing their albums.

That brings me back to Universal, whose new music-downloading program sounds to me like a good idea, assuming that the artists receive at least some of the money from the ad revenues. SpiralFrog, the company that will be handling the website feels confident that they will make enough money from the ads alone. Robin Kent, the chief executive of SpiralFrog, said, "We are absolutely confident we'll be able to make money through ads alone. Notice that he does not mention the artists themselves, though for the time being I'm going to assume that it is an issue thataccidentallyly" slipped his mind.

So there you have it--the music industry may finally be starting to understand how they can use the internet to their advantage. They wasted several years, not to mention millions of dollars trying to fight something that is simply too widespread to fight. If you allow people to download free music according to your terms, people are much more likely to steer clear of more illegal options that could potentially get them in trouble. Perhaps the label execs aren't as stupid as I once thought.

2006-08-28T19:35:00.000-04:00

Best card trick in the world

Pretty damn cool

GO DODGERS!!

2006-08-28T10:04:00.000-04:00

The Dodgers are entering a crucial time--they start a three game series with the Reds tonight, and starting at the end of next week, they have a four game series against the Mets. In short, they play two of the toughest opponents in the National League in a period of less than two weeks, and the outcome of these series' could very well make or break the Dodgers season.

This year, the Dodgers have been a team all about the streak, particularly since the All-Star break, when they started off something like 1-14, only to turn around and lose only two games in their next 19. Since then, they have fallen back into a somewhat more normal pattern, which is ok when facing lesser opponents. Ok will not cut it against the Reds and the Mets. The Dodgers simply must play their best to win these games, and if they do, they WILL win the west. If they struggle through these games, well, there will still be plenty of hope, but it'll be a much more difficult road. I have faith they can pull it off.

GO DODGERS!!

2006-08-26T11:14:00.000-04:00

Even Stevphen- Medical Marijuana

Vintage Daily Show

Who Cares

2006-08-25T13:15:00.004-04:00

Based on the attention this story is getting, you would think that there is little else going on in the world (of course, we know this to be untrue). A bunch of scientists gathered in Prague to re-define exactly what constitutes a planet, and under their new rules, our solar system loses one member--Pluto.

This seems to be a highly contested issue, to which I reply, "who cares?" Personally, I didn't care about Pluto when it was a "planet," so why would I care now that it is not a planet? It is still the same frozen orb of rock and gases that it always was--it just has a different classification. Considering that Pluto is actually smaller in size than Earth's moon, I actually found myself wondering how it was ever classified as a planet in the first place.

OK, perhaps I care a little bit.

As it turns out, Pluto should never have been called a planet, even under the now out-dated system. When the planet was first spotted from Earth, it was initially thought that it was considerably larger in size than it actually is. Thus it was called a planet, and so when scientists were finally able to accurately define Pluto's size, it was too late. Until now. Under the new guidelines, scientists can now pretend that the mistake never happened in the first place.

On a side note, I imagine textbook publishers are REALLY happy right now, seeing as how they stand to make a shitload of money off of all the new "updated" textbooks they will be selling to replace the old "outdated" editions.

Well there you have it--Pluto is not a planet. It never really was a planet. Do you care? Probably not. It would seem that a bunch of people do however--I'm just yet to encounter a single one of them.

2006-08-23T19:19:00.000-04:00

2006-08-23T14:50:00.000-04:00

Daily Show (Threat Down)

CNN, I love you, but you gotta stop this shit. This whole "Target USA" mess sounds like something FOX News would create to prove why us liberals are all going to die because we value our basic rights to privacy and freedom of speech. CNN, I will keep watching, but please stop trying to scare us. There is nothing to be afraid of.

I Saw This One Coming

2006-08-23T14:26:00.000-04:00

Well, it took a few days, but somebody has finally released snakes into a movie theater during a screening of "Snakes on a Plane." While I don't personally find such an act to be at all amusing, I am amused that it hasn't happened in more locations that have been reported. To me, this seems like the perfect prank (although one even I would probably not attempt), and so I really expected a whole slew of similar occurrences. Oh well, there is still time.

Anyways, as you may (or may not) have noticed, I have been very quiet lately, after promising to post more often about more topics. Whoops. My bad. Things have been a bit on the hectic side of late--classes started today, and I wasn't registered for any of them until two days ago. That in and of itself was a challenge, since many of the classes I need in order to graduate were already full, and thus I had to register in person, which is never a fun experience to those of us with the nasty habit of putting stuff off until the last minute. Needless to say, there were lots of people trying to talk to one woman, and it took a long time.

I had the same experience when I (attempted to) see my academic advisor, who basically told me to leave unless my needs were immediate. Sadly, they were not, and since there were a million people waiting to talk to the senior advisors, I said "fuck this" and went on my way, but not before wasting a good two hours of my day. Hence, it is now Wednesday, well over a week from my last post, and I still don't really have anything to say, because I have been busy enough to not really follow the news.

On that note, I will take my leave--I have little to do this afternoon, and so within a few hours, I should have ample material to bitch about. I'm sure you can hardly wait.

...

Liquids On A Plane

2006-08-13T17:49:00.000-04:00

Snakes on a Plane hasn't even come out yet, and already I have a great idea for the sequel. "Liquids on a Plane," starring Samuel L. Jackson. I mean honestly, what could be more frightening than being attacked by a bunch of common household liquids? Led by their fearless leader, TerrorPaste, him and his army of shampoos and beverages would wreak absolute havoc on screaming, pathetic airplane passengers, who have no place to hide, because they are on a fucking airplane, flying at 30,000 feet.

As I write this, my travel bag across the room has started to edge towards me--I think my deodorant can read my mind, and is out to get me

Of course, Samuel L. would save the day (doesn't he always?), but not before a whole host of innocent men, women and children die horrible deaths at the hands of their own hygiene products. I mean come on, is this really any more absurd than a bunch of fucking snakes on a plane? OK, maybe, but aren't sequels always even more stupid than the films that they follow?

I should note that I intend to see "Snakes on a Plane," merely because it looks so
stupid that I can't help but feel that the trailers are leaving something crucial out,
something that will make the entire premise suddenly make sense.

On a serious note, I am glad that the potential terrorist threat was stopped, though I am concerned about the fact that many are claiming this as a victory for Bush and his whole Homeland Security budget busting terrorism fighting bullshit department. Let me put it this way--Terrorism happens. It sucks, but it happens. I think that terrorism is horrible. However, Americans don't seem to realize that we have it pretty good here in America--Europeans have been dealing with this problem for far longer than we have, and for the most part have had very little success in halting the spread of terrorism. If enough people really want to perform terrorists deeds, than eventually they will succeed. In mind, this is not a victory at all, rather another example of a high-profile news even that makes it look like we are winning the war on terror. (Which of course, we are not, because you cannot wage war on a fucking IDEA)

What Bush and his oil empire buddies don't realize is that the reason terrorists want to attack America is because we are assholes who aren't living up to the American Ideal in any way, shape, or form. We claim to be the defenders of liberty, when in reality we are merely the defenders of our own damn interests. That is why we are at war in Iraq. That is why we support Israel, even though there is no rational reason so assume that they are the good guys. To truly fight terrorism, we first need to get rid of our current system of politics, because it is broken, and it needs to be fixed.

Terrorists hate us because we as a nation are hypocrites--In short, we claim to the tolerant of all beliefs (Hell, it is in our constitution), but we put ourselves in the position to determine what beliefs are worth fighting for, and what beliefs should simply be drowned out, merely because they aren't Christian enough. We need to fix out problems here at home--doing that will go a long way to fixing our problems with the rest of the world, and the logical result of that should mean less terrorism all around.

Mr. President, there is still time to redeem yourself. Don't fuck it up. In the meantime, I'll be on the lookout for killer liquids. They could be anywhere.

Note: In the hours since I went on this rant, I realized that I used the F-word a few too many times, even for me. Thus, you may find a few of them to now be missing--I think my deoderant may have been involved.

I'm Back (And Well Rested)

2006-08-13T17:35:00.000-04:00

I have rejoined the online universe, after a blissful week at the beach, where I was so far away from the internet and tv news that I didn't even know about the terrorism ordeal in London until my mom told me about it on the phone the next day (more on that in future posts).

It was particularly nice to get back to Charlotte just in time to catch the Panthers first pre-season game, and to see our first string offense and defense be as dominant as they were. My only worry is that our second string seems to need some work, but hopefully we can simply remain healthy this year, and not have to worry about that.

(By the way, now that the NFL is in full swing, you can expect more posts about the Panthers than most of you probably care to see--if you have a problem with this, oh well. Not my fucking problem)

I'm also thrilled to report that the Dodgers continue to rock the NL West, having won 14 of their last 15 games, and taking over first place, albeit by a mere 1.5 games. You can expect many more posts about the Dodgers in the coming weeks as well.

Anyways, now that I'm about, I intend to expand the "Intent and Purpose" universe a bit, so expect to see an exciting new array of topics in the coming weeks.

Peace out.

Time for a Vacation

2006-08-05T08:36:00.000-04:00

Well, I haven't posted in almost a week, mainly because I got tired of talking about the Mid-East, and the rest of the news has pretty much been depressing as well, so I decided to just say nothing at all.

At least the Dodgers seem to be getting their act together, winning their seventh game in a row last night, and pulling back to within two games of first in the NL West. Keep it up Dodgers!!

I head to the beach for a week today, and hopefully, this shit between Israel and Lebanon will blow over in that time. I fully intent to not give a fuck as long as I am on vacation (I won't have my computer, nor will I be watching tv). I promise a plethora of posts upon my return.

Oh yeah, and Floyd--sucks to be you.

2006-08-05T08:33:00.000-04:00

travis pastrana doublebackflip x games

Everybody else should just quit

Dear Israel

2006-07-30T12:48:00.000-04:00

Dear Israel,

Hezbollah is making you look like a fool. Today, one of your air strikes accidentally destroyed a four story residence that was occupied by refugees, with at least 60 people now being confirmed dead, many of them children. The intended target was a Hezbollah rocket launch site that was located nearby, and so while I do believe that this was a mistake, it was a very costly mistake, and it needs to serve as a wake-up call--Hezbollah has you exactly where they want to.

If we have learned nothing else about terrorist organizations in the years since 9-11, we have learned that terrorists are more than willing to die for their cause. I believe they know that in the end you can overpower them, so Hezbollah has carefully placed itself in the vicinity of the innocent wherever possible. Because of that, it was almost inevitable that this was going to happen eventually, and it can be counted as a victory for Hezbollah.

More than ever, a cease fire is needed. At the very least, give us a few days to provide aid and get the innocent out of the way, because these people don't deserve to die for your cause. This battle has been raging for nineteen days--certainly you could afford a few days rest, and in doing so you just might get at least a few more people on your side, because as it stands right now, people are finding it hard to sympathize with you. Dead children make for very bad press, and that is something you can ill afford.

You claim you need 10-14 more days to defeat Hezbollah, and you are probably right. As I said before, Hezbollah knows it is out-matched, but that is not going to stop them from inflicting as much damage as possible. You are fighting a war with a terrorist group, and terrorists don't follow the rules. Terrorists don't care if civilians get killed, which is why they have located themselves as they have. The worst part is that they aren't the ones pulling the trigger--you are, because they planned it that way from the beginning. Yes, you will probably win this war, but the price may very well be a complete loss of respect for you by the rest of the world. Just because Hezbollah doesn't follow the rules doesn't give you the right to do the same. You'll come out looking just as bad as them in the end.

So we implore you to listen to reason--this war has gone too far, because in the case of terrorism, you cannot fight fire with fire. Your enemy has to fear death for that to work. You killed children because Hezbollah set you up to do so, and they aren't done yet. A temporary cease-fire can help your cause if you choose to use it to your advantage. Conversely, choosing to turn a deaf ear to reason may very well, in the end, be your ultimate undoing. The ball is in your court--please do the right thing.

Sincerely, Earth

Say It Ain't So

2006-07-27T18:09:00.000-04:00

Floyd Landis had a urine sample taken on the day of his stage 17 miracle comeback test positive for elevated levels of testosterone. According to SI.com, he says he didn't dope, and I really want to believe him. So while we all anxiously await the results from his second sample, I can't help but wonder what the future holds for all sports, because I feel like I can't trust anybody who achieves beyond expectations.

It is important for me to say that elevated levels of testosterone don't necessarily mean that he was doping--there are some men who have higher than normal levels on a regular basis, and if his second sample comes back positive like the first one, he will be tested again to see if he is one of those men. That being said, very few men fall into that category, but in this case, I'm willing to be optimistic. This was such a great story, and an even greater comeback, and to think that it was all because he cheated is something I'm not willing admit until there is absolute proof. Floyd, they say you cheated...

Say it ain't so.

Enough is Enough

2006-07-25T23:26:00.000-04:00

I feel the need to clarify myself.--I don't care about Israel. I don't care about Lebanon. Hell, when it comes down to it, I really don't care about the United States. I care about people, and this situation in the Middle East has gone too far. Today, an Israeli airstrike killed at least two U.N. observers (two more are missing), and while some claim that Israel did this on purpose, I would like to believe that it was an accident. However, that does not remove the blame for the incident.

I have said it before, and I will say it again--war is not the answer in the Middle East. Sadly, I don't have an answer, which is why this problem has been going on over there for so long. War has been raging in the Middle East for centuries, and what has been accomplished? Nothing, of course, because war solves nothing. War kills the innocent, and that has become very clear in the current conflict, considering that U.N. observers have been killed. There is simply no excuse for that.

War is not the answer, because war kills the innocent. Whether the death of the U.N. observers was on purpose or not, it is not excusable. In war, effort must be taken to ensure that minimal civilian casualties occur. As far as I can see, that is not happening right now in the Mid-East, and that is my greatest concern. Yes, Hezbollah is bad, but so is killing the innocent, and thus a better solution to this problem must be found.

Enough is enough.

2006-07-25T18:58:00.000-04:00

The Daily Show - Standing room on planes

This is for you, Dad

Condi Rice in the Mid-East

2006-07-24T22:53:00.000-04:00

Condi Rice made a surprise visit to Lebanon today, giving me at least a little hope that the United States may still have at least some people's best interests at heart. However, as far as I can see, there are still far too many problems to solve simply through the humanitarian actions suggested by Rice. True, she also claimed to desire an eventual cease-fire, but it is clear that the U.S. has no intention of intervening as far as ending the war is concerned. In fact, it almost seems like the U.S. is simply standing by and waiting for total war to break out in the Middle East, which is exactly what will happen if somebody doesn't intervene soon.

Israel claims it has good cause for the initial attack, being the kidnapping of the two soldiers. However, their actions in this war thus far make it very clear to me that this was what they wanted from the beginning--a ready made excuse to wage war against Hezbollah. Israel has been targeting infrastructure and residential areas, inflicting major damage on these areas, in what seems to me an attempt to turn the citizens of Lebanon against Hezbollah. Let me make myself clear--I do not support Hezbollah, nor do I agree with any similar organization that feels that terror is the best way to rule. However, I firmly believe that Israel has made a critical mistake in their handling of this situation--they are trying to fight terrorism be being terrorists themselves, and that has never solved anything.

And still, the U.S. seems content to take a one-sided approach to the situation by continuing to support Israel without ever really asking them why they are doing what they are doing. In fact, the U.S. has even expedited an order for around 100 bunker-busting missiles, so that Israel may have them in time to use in this conflict. To me, that implies that neither Israel nor the U.S. have any intention of a cease fire in the Mid-East until Hezbollah is defeated. However, by taking this course of action, they risk a much more widespread war in the Mid-East, which could have far worse global implications.

A cease fire is needed, plain and simple. And yet, that alone wont be enough. Diplomacy has never been more important, and having Condi Rice in the region is a good first step, whether you agree with her politics or not. Providing humanitarian efforts to the region is certainly important, but that is like putting a band-aid on a flesh wound. We'll need a hell of a lot of band-aids before this mess is over.

Floyd, Tiger, and Dodgers, Oh My

2006-07-24T17:01:00.000-04:00

Floyd Landis won the Tour de France, after falling behind by over eight minutes last Wednesday. This means that an American has won the tour for eight years in a row (we have Lance to thank for that), so I'm sure the French are angry, and we can expect the drug allegations against Landis to come soon (Since the French can't win, they act like dicks instead). That being said, I'm glad to report that thus far people seem to be leaving him alone--it would be nice to have a hero avoid negative press for once. The bottom line--it was a great tour, and possibly the greatest comeback in bike-racing history, not to mention sports in general. Congratulations Floyd.

Tiger Woods won the British Open, in what was probably his most emotional victory to date, being the first since his father passed away a few months ago. While this victory may get overshadowed by Landis' tour comeback victory, it is only because we have come to expect the best from Tiger--this marks his 11th major victory, tying him for second on the all time list, and he is still only 30 years old. It is still to early to make any assumptions about his future career, but I think it is safe to say that there is a good chance he will be remembered as the greatest golf player ever by the time he retires. His victory this past weekend showcased his most consistent golf in months, and while some may complain about his conservative game-plan (he only hit one driver the entire tournament), one cannot deny that he was simply unbeatable this weekend--he hit over 80 percent of his fairways, and that is huge.

I'm glad there was so much good action on tv this weekend, or else I would be really depressed right now, considering that the Dodgers have flat out SUCKED since the all-star break. I don't even have the heart to check the standings right now, but I imagine we are at least 5 games behind first, and that just sucks. Period. And with the Braves suddenly pushing, the assumption that the wildcard would go to the NL west is no longer certain, so I can only hope that they get their shit together SOON.

So there you have it--my sports update.

2006-07-21T20:26:00.000-04:00

Daily Show: Net Neutrality followup

2006-07-20T21:19:00.000-04:00

piano

Possibly crossing the line...

2006-07-20T20:56:00.000-04:00

The Daily Show - 2006.07.19 - Bush vetoes stem cell research

Watch This

HaHa

2006-07-20T19:42:00.000-04:00

500

2006-07-19T12:13:00.000-04:00

At long last, the Dodgers have managed to win a game, putting us back at 500, and yet still 3.5 games behind the Padres. Hopefully this will be the end of our slump, and of our bad decision making, particularly during the St. Louis series. Not having a great closing pitcher for the time being really hurts, so we gotta get the bats swinging, and Nomar (seen at right) has the ablitity to make things happen. He certainly made things happen last night.

GO DODGERS!!

2006-07-19T12:05:00.000-04:00

Devo - Whip it

Hehe, I watched this video in my rock class yesterday, and I couldn't help but post it for your vast enjoyment.

2006-07-18T18:43:00.000-04:00

Stewart on Bush's open mic

Shit

2006-07-18T18:23:00.000-04:00

Yes, it is true--our wonderful President was caught on tape saying the s-word, and yet is anybody actually surprised? Shit, I'm not. We've all known for some time now that he isn't the upstanding man he wants us to believe he is--in fact, I think he should curse more often--connect with us young people a bit more by speaking our language. Not that it would actually work, but you understand my meaning.

In other news, the Senate has passed the stem-cell research group, but it is almost certainly going to be vetoed by President Bush. Shit, if we can get the Republican controlled Congress to pass this bill, than why the hell can't Bush just suck it up and realize that he is wrong. I know he thinks that stem-cell research is murder, and that is fine if that is what he believes personally, but when you are in public office, there are times when you have to do things that you might not agree with, and I think this is one of those times. Bush no longer has the support he once had in his fight against stem-cell research, and I think that a veto here (his first, if it happens) could be nothing short of political suicide. Granted, Bush is in his second term, so personally he has no reason to give a damn, but he should at least care about his party, and his party has given in (not the religious right, of course). Sadly, today's vote in the senate was four short of the needed majority to overturn a veto, so it is unlikely that the bill will every make it through, unless we can convince four more Congressmen to change their minds on the issue.

I don't think that will happen.

Shit

I Pity The Fool (with bling)

2006-07-14T19:39:00.000-04:00

So Mr. T has announced that he is losing his trademark chains. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about this, having been a huge fan for many years--the chains have been a large part of his personality and character, so it'll be a bit strange to see him without them. He decided to drop the chains after Katrina hit, because when he saw how many less-fortunate people there are down there, he realized that he was flaunting his success in many respects by wearing the chains, and as a spiritual man, he felt it was his duty to change. So now, instead of being upset of his decision, I am actually proud to say that somebody I have considered to be a positive role model for many years is still living up to that reputation.

2006-07-14T09:36:00.000-04:00

Jon Stewart on Net Neutrality

Clogged Pipes!!

2006-07-14T09:27:00.000-04:00

ZIDANE a new way to solve problems.. do it like zidane...

Finally, a more amusing approach to the Zidane head-butt

Damn Pujols

2006-07-14T09:16:00.000-04:00

You know, I find that Albert Pujols is a great player, and a likeable human being, and yet, I find him hard to like when he hits a homerun in the 14th inning to beat my Dodgers. That is not news that I want to wake up to. At least Barbaro is doing better today than he was yesterday--otherwise, all of the news this morning would have been depressing, and that just sucks.

Serves Them Right

2006-07-13T16:33:00.000-04:00

According to CNN.com, former CIA officer Valerie Plame is suing Karl Rove and Dick Cheney, claiming that they and other White House officials conspired to destroy her career. Perhaps they will finally get what they deserve. Lets not forget that when the New York Times first published the leak, it was not known that Dick Cheney and Karl Rove were involved, and that President Bush swore that he would deal with whomever the informant ended up being. Well, it happened to be one of his closest aids, so what did he do? He did the same thing he has done all along--he downplayed what is a major issue in favor of keeping his friends in high places. So, good luck Ms. Plame--you are fighting an uphill battle, but it is one I think you can win. I will be cheering you on.

The wrong side?

2006-07-13T10:26:00.000-04:00

According to VOA news online,

"President Bush and Germany's Chancellor, Angela Merkel, called Thursday, for an end to the rising tide of Mideast violence, the release of captured Israeli soldiers and a halt in rocket attacks against Israel."

Last I checked, Israel was the one doing the bombing, and so I find funny (though not unexpected) that the United States continues to support Israel, despite having no good reason to do so. Now, before my Jewish friends get pissed off at me, I will simply say that I support nobody in this conflict, because nobody deserves support. Everybody is the bad guy, and it has been that way for centuries. For some reason, the current White House administration feels that it can help bring peace to the region, and yet peace is something that region has not seen in a very long time, and since it is unlikely anybody will be changing their religious beliefs any time soon, that trend will continue for many years to come.

In other news, according to Guardian Unlimited, hundreds of people showed up yesterday in Massachusetts to either support gay marriage or to defend "traditional" marriage. Once again, the fate of our freedoms hang in the balance, and yet not that many people really seem to care. To me, any decision by a court or a legislative decision regarding same-sex marriage is huge, or it is if you consider the right to choose to be a basic right, as I do. Opponents of gay marriage say that the world is going to hell, and I agree, though they are the ones to blame. If you are against gay marriage, fine--it isn't for you, but it also isn't for you to decide the fate of others. That would be like--playing God.

So there is my ranting for the time being. Peace out.

Panic Rocks On

2006-07-12T19:28:00.000-04:00

I purchased Widespread Panic's most recent album (Earth to America) yesterday, and it rocks. Not that I ever had any doubts.

Damn American League

2006-07-12T12:08:00.000-04:00

Syd Barrett and the National League died yesterday. Syd Barrett, rest in peace, wont be back, but we can only hope the damn National League gets its ass in gear sooner rather than later. The National League hasn't won an all-star game since 1996! That also means that since MLB instituted the home field advantage rule a few years back, the National League also hasn't had home field advantage in the World Series in several years!!

That being said, I think there is a lot of young talent in the National League, and that the future looks bright, but if we keep taking our time, it isn't going to matter. As much as I hate to say it, the American League is better right now, and it isn't because of the DH (although the DH can still go to hell), but rather they simply have the more developed talent. The National League may have some stars, but what they actually need is teams with more depth, because no star (perhaps with the exception of Albert Pujols) is capable of bringing the kind of success needed to be on the same level with the best teams in the American League. Again, the National League has a lot of young talent, so I believe the by next year, we can turn things around. We just gotta step it up a few notches.

I have to say a brief word about the late Syd Barrett, who died yesterday, having spent the last several decades of his life sheltered from his own psychedelic creation--Pink Floyd. Syd, you may not have been there for the greatest moments, but it was your sound, and you will be missed.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond

Greetings

2006-07-08T10:01:00.000-04:00

Hello!! For all intent and purpose, this blog is my space to speak my mind. Feel free to post in reply to what I say, especially if you do not agree with me, for that provides the foundation for excellent debate.