7.31.2004
He made us realize that our electoral system is pretty messed up...
I admitted a while back that I thought handing over 'sovereignty' 2 days ahead of scheduled was clever. Now that's IF it was Bush's idea, I suppose there is some credit due. But as I illustrated, sovereignty is just a word....it means nothing.
Molly Ivins:
Nice to see President W. employing the tactic Texans got so familiar with under Governor W.: the "Gee, I'm really for it, but I can't be bothered to expend one iota of political energy trying to help it pass." (He uses the reverse ploy by announcing he opposes something he can't be bothered to spend an iota of energy on.)
This is the game Bush is playing on the assault weapons ban, which he officially favors renewing (soccer mom vote there), but -- surprise! -- since he won't do anything to get it renewed it will be allowed to lapse (NRA vote there). Just what we need in this country, more automatic assault rifles.
....
Ivins shows how its very hard to factually agree or disagree with Dubya. The facts are misconstrued and distorted constantly. To me, supporting Dubya for his policies/issues/doctrines, requires almost a leap of faith.... due to the conflicting information we receive.
George Bush lied to the nation for personal gain.
R's would say... "its not lying if he didn't KNOW he was lying"
Delusional?
I'm sorry, but any intelligence that pointed toward 'immediate threat' was completely and totally fabricated by parties that stood to gain personally, politically, and socially from war.
Those are the conclusions I have drawn.
In fact, I invite anyone to show me something good Dubya has done that I cannot refute.
Molly Ivins:
Nice to see President W. employing the tactic Texans got so familiar with under Governor W.: the "Gee, I'm really for it, but I can't be bothered to expend one iota of political energy trying to help it pass." (He uses the reverse ploy by announcing he opposes something he can't be bothered to spend an iota of energy on.)
This is the game Bush is playing on the assault weapons ban, which he officially favors renewing (soccer mom vote there), but -- surprise! -- since he won't do anything to get it renewed it will be allowed to lapse (NRA vote there). Just what we need in this country, more automatic assault rifles.
....
Ivins shows how its very hard to factually agree or disagree with Dubya. The facts are misconstrued and distorted constantly. To me, supporting Dubya for his policies/issues/doctrines, requires almost a leap of faith.... due to the conflicting information we receive.
George Bush lied to the nation for personal gain.
R's would say... "its not lying if he didn't KNOW he was lying"
Delusional?
I'm sorry, but any intelligence that pointed toward 'immediate threat' was completely and totally fabricated by parties that stood to gain personally, politically, and socially from war.
Those are the conclusions I have drawn.
In fact, I invite anyone to show me something good Dubya has done that I cannot refute.
Something I was thinking about...
Can the Bush administration do ANYTHING right?
I will pause for a moment to let that sink in...
When it has sufficiently sunk in, you will realize that there are actually two questions that I wrote, with the same words, but with different implied meanings.
In one sense, people ask the question with a twinge of exasperation, as in the negation of "Why does the Bush administration continue to do these things that I think are wrong?". In another sense, it is a serious question that I ask all chronic and vehement critics (self-styled "dissenters" - another topic I will address later). As in "Have you prejudged or demonized the actions of the Bush administration such that any action they take is immediately labeled as wrong?"
The second question is the one I am getting at, and I think it is a good one. I think that even if you disagree with many of the things that someone has done, there are things that you should agree with. It seems amazing to me that anyone would do the exact polar opposite thing that a group of people (who themselves do contradictory things) would do at all times. It is logically impossible if you think about it. I think that if you can't come up with at least a few good things (or things you agree with) that a person has done you are not thinking about them objectively.
So I guess the challenge I leave you with is to come up with a list of things that Bush has done that you liked or agreed with. This is not homework, just a personal food-for-thought thing, but it would be interesting to see what you guys come up with. In the end, dubya is not a unthinking automaton indwelt by Satan, however much people of a leftward bent paint him to be.
In the end, be nice.
Oh... I almost forgot. Just a personal rant here... I am getting very tired of everybody who wants to hurl accusations and rhetoric at or about Bush taking on the mantle of dissenter. First of all, there is a real difference between dissenter and crank. A dissenter goes against the normal flow of thought in a particular group. When you get to many of them, they cease to be dissenters and become a faction. They can't help it... that is just logically what they become defined. A dissenter is a whistleblower at a company, not the collective group of people who also bear the label "Democrat" (Or republican or independent or environmentalist or any other list of "dissenters")
I guess what is bugging me more is when people take the approach of "dissent" to be "This person or group who loudly and vociferously rants against The System is intelligent and well informed and someone I look up to, so therefore if I loudly and vociferously rant against The System I will become someone intelligent and well informed and someone looked up to."
People scream and shout and rant and rave and really have no idea what they are ranting and raving about. They get a little information that is immediately digested and taken to be absolute unslanted truth and don't critically (as in believing almost nothing they see/read because it is obviously fake) examine it and the opposing side to determine what the truth (and not merely their own thoughts on The Way Things Should Be) is.
Ok... that was my personal rant.
Can the Bush administration do ANYTHING right?
I will pause for a moment to let that sink in...
When it has sufficiently sunk in, you will realize that there are actually two questions that I wrote, with the same words, but with different implied meanings.
In one sense, people ask the question with a twinge of exasperation, as in the negation of "Why does the Bush administration continue to do these things that I think are wrong?". In another sense, it is a serious question that I ask all chronic and vehement critics (self-styled "dissenters" - another topic I will address later). As in "Have you prejudged or demonized the actions of the Bush administration such that any action they take is immediately labeled as wrong?"
The second question is the one I am getting at, and I think it is a good one. I think that even if you disagree with many of the things that someone has done, there are things that you should agree with. It seems amazing to me that anyone would do the exact polar opposite thing that a group of people (who themselves do contradictory things) would do at all times. It is logically impossible if you think about it. I think that if you can't come up with at least a few good things (or things you agree with) that a person has done you are not thinking about them objectively.
So I guess the challenge I leave you with is to come up with a list of things that Bush has done that you liked or agreed with. This is not homework, just a personal food-for-thought thing, but it would be interesting to see what you guys come up with. In the end, dubya is not a unthinking automaton indwelt by Satan, however much people of a leftward bent paint him to be.
In the end, be nice.
Oh... I almost forgot. Just a personal rant here... I am getting very tired of everybody who wants to hurl accusations and rhetoric at or about Bush taking on the mantle of dissenter. First of all, there is a real difference between dissenter and crank. A dissenter goes against the normal flow of thought in a particular group. When you get to many of them, they cease to be dissenters and become a faction. They can't help it... that is just logically what they become defined. A dissenter is a whistleblower at a company, not the collective group of people who also bear the label "Democrat" (Or republican or independent or environmentalist or any other list of "dissenters")
I guess what is bugging me more is when people take the approach of "dissent" to be "This person or group who loudly and vociferously rants against The System is intelligent and well informed and someone I look up to, so therefore if I loudly and vociferously rant against The System I will become someone intelligent and well informed and someone looked up to."
People scream and shout and rant and rave and really have no idea what they are ranting and raving about. They get a little information that is immediately digested and taken to be absolute unslanted truth and don't critically (as in believing almost nothing they see/read because it is obviously fake) examine it and the opposing side to determine what the truth (and not merely their own thoughts on The Way Things Should Be) is.
Ok... that was my personal rant.
7.27.2004
Hello everybody...
I am in AK now, have been for awhile. I have been busy since I got here. Working, getting school stuff ready to go. It is odd to be signing up for school *again*. But comforting in a way. It is good to have a goal to work towards again instead of just grind my way to work and back home again and pretend I am having a good time at it. But work sucks here for the mean time. But I only have a few weeks left and then school starts again, and I will be able to complain about that instead.
I have a TV, but I don't watch it. Purposely so. Being the summer before a presidential election, there are only two things on TV. Campaign gibberish (compare CNN/MSNBC/FOXNews/whatever to ESPN - a little scary sometimes), and Friends reruns. I am looking forward to the day when we go back to only having Friends reruns on TV. 24 hours of sitcom mediocrity a day, all channels. Nothing numbs the brain like sitcoms.
Have you ever sat and *not* watched TV? Just sat and looked at the blank screen? At first it seems a bit pointless (but still less so than when the TV is actually on), but after a bit it becomes unnerving. You would swear it is looking back at you. All you see in it is your distorted reflection superimposed on its own gray nothingness, but yet it seems alive.
It is worth a try.
I am in AK now, have been for awhile. I have been busy since I got here. Working, getting school stuff ready to go. It is odd to be signing up for school *again*. But comforting in a way. It is good to have a goal to work towards again instead of just grind my way to work and back home again and pretend I am having a good time at it. But work sucks here for the mean time. But I only have a few weeks left and then school starts again, and I will be able to complain about that instead.
I have a TV, but I don't watch it. Purposely so. Being the summer before a presidential election, there are only two things on TV. Campaign gibberish (compare CNN/MSNBC/FOXNews/whatever to ESPN - a little scary sometimes), and Friends reruns. I am looking forward to the day when we go back to only having Friends reruns on TV. 24 hours of sitcom mediocrity a day, all channels. Nothing numbs the brain like sitcoms.
Have you ever sat and *not* watched TV? Just sat and looked at the blank screen? At first it seems a bit pointless (but still less so than when the TV is actually on), but after a bit it becomes unnerving. You would swear it is looking back at you. All you see in it is your distorted reflection superimposed on its own gray nothingness, but yet it seems alive.
It is worth a try.
7.25.2004
7.18.2004
a lonely android
lead by the big light
into a sea of androids
to mingle in silence and blinking
and be revealed the draft of the future
lead by the big light
into a sea of androids
to mingle in silence and blinking
and be revealed the draft of the future
7.11.2004
I must say I am impressed with the current administration. Orchestration of the return of "Iraq *sovereignty", at least PR wise, happened early as a precaution... you know...to "outsmart" the terrorists - whomever is labeled with that title this week.
At least thats the story we're given.
Of course the very nature of the '**sovereignty' bestowed upon the conquererd nation of Iraq is up for debate. Curious how we preach unflinching anti-terrorist Bush doctrine, and criticize Spain for pulling their soldiers back. While at the same time we run around rescheduling important world events. As if to catch the terrorists off guard. My questions is: when will this stop... what is the limit?
November 2, 2004 will be an important day. Record turnouts for sure. The entire world has a stake in this next election. Now some memebers of Bush's Tehas posse are talking of mixing things up a bit. Diebold is counting the votes. Who knows how many states are outsourcing voter roll cleansing to private firms. Following in florida's footsteps? There is no way to logistically move an election day. In fact there would be no use for it.
Firstly, the masses would need to be duely notified. Not just an announcement in the paper. The election has been on the first Tuesday in November for quite some time now.
Secondly, how do you inform every voter of the change AND keep it secret from the bad guys?
The only effect I can think of is just a general shake-up of the state electoral process, perhaps Bush is hoping his family friends on the Supreme Court will once again crown him emperor. An emergency election day change would almost certainly confuse some stoners and a few old people. Is it not valid to apply for Amnesty to the UN on the grounds of the USA falling victim to a terrorist regime run by a brutal dictator>
*sigh*
Life is like bad reality television:
Saddam will likely appeal to the International Court of Justice on the grounds that the war was not cleared by the UN - hence - no basis for invasion. President Hussain has a legal team the size of a small army, and he has even been schooled in law himself. Back in the states the people watch on television. Hussain questions the courts jurisdiction/authority. The american people laugh at this celebrity "bad guy" - now weak and WMDless - as he claims Bush is staging a trial to boost his election campaign. Bush himself chuckles at his claims.
{insert obligatory "yes saddam is a bad guy" disclaimer here}
That is irrelevent. We went to war without the UN's approval. The burden of proof is on us. It was never on Saddam. The war was never pitched as "free Iraq"... it was WMDs that sold the american people, and the allied nations. You can't prove that you DON'T have something. It is up to us to prove that he DID have WMDs. At least that is what I understand to be JUSTICE in our culture. Saddam knows this. The Arab world agrees, and is steamed. I honestly would enjoy a full fledged Scopes-like trial. Bringing charges against the USA and the illegal war profiteers. Of course the US would never submit to the authority of the world court. Because our leader takes orders direct from the ONE TRUE UNQUESTIONABLE god of western culture.
God bless america... oh yeh... and Israel too.
**2b: freedom from external control
At least thats the story we're given.
Of course the very nature of the '**sovereignty' bestowed upon the conquererd nation of Iraq is up for debate. Curious how we preach unflinching anti-terrorist Bush doctrine, and criticize Spain for pulling their soldiers back. While at the same time we run around rescheduling important world events. As if to catch the terrorists off guard. My questions is: when will this stop... what is the limit?
November 2, 2004 will be an important day. Record turnouts for sure. The entire world has a stake in this next election. Now some memebers of Bush's Tehas posse are talking of mixing things up a bit. Diebold is counting the votes. Who knows how many states are outsourcing voter roll cleansing to private firms. Following in florida's footsteps? There is no way to logistically move an election day. In fact there would be no use for it.
Firstly, the masses would need to be duely notified. Not just an announcement in the paper. The election has been on the first Tuesday in November for quite some time now.
Secondly, how do you inform every voter of the change AND keep it secret from the bad guys?
The only effect I can think of is just a general shake-up of the state electoral process, perhaps Bush is hoping his family friends on the Supreme Court will once again crown him emperor. An emergency election day change would almost certainly confuse some stoners and a few old people. Is it not valid to apply for Amnesty to the UN on the grounds of the USA falling victim to a terrorist regime run by a brutal dictator>
*sigh*
Life is like bad reality television:
Saddam will likely appeal to the International Court of Justice on the grounds that the war was not cleared by the UN - hence - no basis for invasion. President Hussain has a legal team the size of a small army, and he has even been schooled in law himself. Back in the states the people watch on television. Hussain questions the courts jurisdiction/authority. The american people laugh at this celebrity "bad guy" - now weak and WMDless - as he claims Bush is staging a trial to boost his election campaign. Bush himself chuckles at his claims.
{insert obligatory "yes saddam is a bad guy" disclaimer here}
That is irrelevent. We went to war without the UN's approval. The burden of proof is on us. It was never on Saddam. The war was never pitched as "free Iraq"... it was WMDs that sold the american people, and the allied nations. You can't prove that you DON'T have something. It is up to us to prove that he DID have WMDs. At least that is what I understand to be JUSTICE in our culture. Saddam knows this. The Arab world agrees, and is steamed. I honestly would enjoy a full fledged Scopes-like trial. Bringing charges against the USA and the illegal war profiteers. Of course the US would never submit to the authority of the world court. Because our leader takes orders direct from the ONE TRUE UNQUESTIONABLE god of western culture.
God bless america... oh yeh... and Israel too.
**2b: freedom from external control
7.10.2004
Too many puppies are being shot in the dark.
Too many puppies are trained not to bark.
At the sight of blood that must be spille dso that
We may maintain our oil fields.
Too many puppies
Too many puppies are taught to heal.
Too many puppies are trained to kill.
On the command of men wearing money belts that buy
mistresses sleek animal pelts.
Too many puppies.
Too many puppies with guns in their hands.
Too many puppies in foreign lands.
Are dressed up sharp in suits of green and
Placed upon the war machine.
Too many puppies are just like me.
Too many puppies are afraid to see.
The visions of the past brought to life again,
Too many puppies, too many dead men.
--les claypool
Too many puppies are trained not to bark.
At the sight of blood that must be spille dso that
We may maintain our oil fields.
Too many puppies
Too many puppies are taught to heal.
Too many puppies are trained to kill.
On the command of men wearing money belts that buy
mistresses sleek animal pelts.
Too many puppies.
Too many puppies with guns in their hands.
Too many puppies in foreign lands.
Are dressed up sharp in suits of green and
Placed upon the war machine.
Too many puppies are just like me.
Too many puppies are afraid to see.
The visions of the past brought to life again,
Too many puppies, too many dead men.
--les claypool
7.09.2004
i learned the other day that trent resnor has agreed to do the score to a possible "fight club the musical"
did you see the giants tonight adam?
did you see the giants tonight adam?
7.06.2004
through the window the crickets sing their familiar tune
the drug out addiction some have to fireworks booms over their song every few minutes
and
though i've never really drawn enjoyment from these explosions, it's nice that these children are enjoying themselves. as long as my home is not harmed.
is ambition somthing that one is born with, taught, or tricked into?
it seems soometime ago, i lost the fear of going to hell. on a long timeline pain and pleasure become numb and accepted as almost the same.
i've shut the window and the cricket songs are mute to me.
the drug out addiction some have to fireworks booms over their song every few minutes
and
though i've never really drawn enjoyment from these explosions, it's nice that these children are enjoying themselves. as long as my home is not harmed.
is ambition somthing that one is born with, taught, or tricked into?
it seems soometime ago, i lost the fear of going to hell. on a long timeline pain and pleasure become numb and accepted as almost the same.
i've shut the window and the cricket songs are mute to me.
7.03.2004
