Solitary Reason

Check out 1. Erä

2011-12-18T12:50:00.001-06:00

1. Erä

This album kicks.

1. Erä

Giant Räbät

Hip Hop/Rap

Released: 2008

iTunes for Mac and Windows

Please note that you have not been added to any email lists.
Copyright © 2011 Apple Inc. All rights reserved

Sent from my iPad

CIA : Operation Ajax

2011-12-11T19:23:00.001-06:00

CIA : Operation Ajax

Highly highly recommended. If you ever wondered why the terrorists hate us, this app (graphic novel) teaches about the history of how the US & Britain conspired to overthrow the government in Iran in 1953.

Check out this application on the App Store:

CIA : Operation Ajax

Cognito Comics

Category: Books

Updated: Nov 07, 2011

104 Ratings

iTunes for Mac and Windows

Please note that you have not been added to any email lists.
Copyright © 2011 Apple Inc. All rights reserved

Sent from my iPad

My Twitter follow back policy

2011-02-07T12:41:00.000-06:00

I started on twitter back in April 2007 - and it has since grown into the beast that it is today - not that that's a bad thing, but one has to set guidelines these days with follow-backs.

I used to feel, and still do feel as though some respect should be given to someone who follows you on Twitter. I also have a sense that if I am following you and you don't follow back, it exudes an air of arrogance - an I will explain this when I explain my follow back policy:

If you follow me I will follow you back if:

You are a real person and not an artificial life form.
You are not trying to sell anything.
Your account passes my bull shit detection. Examples:

You have 0-2 tweets in total but yet you follow 200+ people including me. How on earth did you decide to follow me?
You have nonsense tweets to start, and have an avatar of a "hot chick". I have seen far too many scams from so-called "software" devs trying to "feed their family" writing bullshit crap ware like tweet-tornado.
Your profile is about something I just tweeted about. I once tweeted about the bible being bullshit and this person started @ mentioning me. I looked down the persons tweets and it was obviously a bot and the person once in a while came to respond to @ mentions to them. Their lame bot message? It was a variation of the current one : "I'm trying to get people to follow @the140bible for some biblical tweets, are you interested?" Instead she said something like "Have you heard of the @the140bible? check it out" Just because I mentioned the bible in one of my tweets.
I click on your link and it takes me to bullshit. The photo I used for this blog post is a screenshot of a person that just has followed me this morning. Their web link takes me to this SEO bullshit. (figure 2)

You have something interesting to say (offer). This one has a huge grey area. I am not interested in tweets that have nothing but links, thats an obvious feed for a blog. If I see you personally interact as well, this is a huge plus. I admittedly place a feed to this blog in twitterfeed, and I sometimes go a while without posting. anything but @GetGlue updates. But if you scroll down long enough you'll see some interaction with other people or you will see what I believe Twitter was meant for in the first place, and thats short, messages - micro blogging - thats highly interactive.

(Figure 2. Russian SEO Bullshit)

So, there you have it. I get 3 -5 followers per day and I can't always give each immediate attention, but if you are real, and have something meaningful to say, you will be followed back.

-C

Ahhh Monetization

2011-02-07T12:00:00.001-06:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Last.fm <no-reply@last.fm>
Date: Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 11:59
Subject: Changes to our radio service
To: Chris1051 <dogstar1288@gmail.com>

Dear Chris1051,

We want to share with you an important update about our radio service:

From February 15 you will need to be a subscriber to listen to Last.fm Radio stations on devices, including your Last.fm Android app.

No other features are affected by this change.

In taking this decision, we have given a lot of thought to how this impacts some of our early adopters and long-time users like you. We truly appreciate what you have meant to our growth and success, and offer you the following as a token of our thanks;

A free 3 month subscription to Last.fm

This will start automatically on February 15th 2011. As a result you will continue to be able to use Last.fm as you do today until the end of your subscription. If you'd like to see the other benefits of your free subscription, please visit the subscription page.

We appreciate you may have questions about this announcement, so visit our blog to read more about these changes and offer feedback.

We value your support and hope you continue to enjoy using Last.fm.
You can visit your profile at http://www.last.fm/user/Chris1051

– Team Last.fm

Last.fm Ltd, Karen House, 1–11 Baches Street, London, UK, N1 6DL

Thievery

2011-02-03T21:00:00.000-06:00

At work we have been having a little burglary problem. There was an "office creeper" who would get his jollies off by breaking into our suite at 7 AM and look for shit to steal. He went through a colleague's m&m candy jar and through everyone's office, before he was caught by our office admin who happens to come in at 7 AM each morning. It is scary - at the same time pretty damn annoying. The guy probably used a coat hanger to get in. Since then we have upgraded the security on all doors, started locking everything up in cabinets as well as changed the code on the cipher. Still everyone feels uneasy. I was told yesterday that the 3rd floor got broken into on Tuesday night. Several laptops were stolen among other things. Nashville Metro crime lab was on hand to process the scene. On the 5th floor - oddly enough there are several Metro Police who use that office space. The burglary took place after hours though.

Well today when arriving to work I was chatting to one of the building owners and they told me that the police were reviewing the cctv video of Tuesday night. One of the officers saw me on the video walking out. Of course, off I go, the gadget guru, with my backpack, and another laptop case, as well as a cup of coffee, and my water jug. So I have my hands full. Fortunately the building owner recognized me and told them: "No. That's just Chris." haha

Apparently though - these thieving thugs (yes there were three) had been stealing shit before, during and after I exited the building. I was even asked if I saw anything or could identify anyone. Of course my mind was on the hellish commute home - or I may have been thinking about bills, etc etc so I was miles away. I felt shitty for not having a good enough memory to help them out.

I understand times are desperate, but I can only imagine this kind of shit is going to continue. back in 2009 one of my bosses had a lot of stuff stolen from his Explorer in the parking garage. Vanderbilt Police caught his dumb ass on West End with all the stolen property. The idiot was a meth head and was desperate for a fix. The dude broke his window and took the stuff in broad daylight.

Oh well, I definitely think twice now about working late. As a kid walking to school in Tacoma, I had to maintain situational awareness more often. I had to learn that skill the hard way. You have to not appear scared, or the thugs will pounce. Thats just one of my conscious raising lessons. People will never stop stealing shit, we just have to learn to deal with them.

Art time

2011-02-03T19:45:00.001-06:00

I love art time with my daughter. She is already a talented artist at 6. I have always liked to draw but she draws at a level I have never been able to attain - at the age of 6. We draw animals, (mostly dogs) and I usually color them. Being away from home from 7 am until nearly 7 pm for five days a week, its a special treat to come home and spend some quality time with her. I hope (with permission) I'll be able to post some of her drawings here. Keep an eye out

Buy this track

2011-02-03T17:16:00.000-06:00

Juno - Kukka Kedolla

The awakening

2011-02-03T15:56:00.001-06:00

Breathing new life into a blog left for dead. I am anxious to revive SR. With the help of a new app from google android.

Stay tuned.

Jungle Book

2011-01-22T12:36:00.000-06:00

Otter box gives a satisfactory reply

2010-08-16T10:45:00.001-05:00

Update for Case #xxxxxx - "HTC Incredible"

Each of our cases has a unique team working on it and has an individual timeline based on many factors including complexity of design, access to the device, demand, production, shipping, etc. We are still working on cases for the Droid Incredible and did not stop work on them for the iPhone 4 cases. However, we were able to push the iPhone 4 cases through quickly because the demand for them was 5 times greater than for any other case. It's not that we as a company place more emphasis on Apple products over HTC. It's simply that we place emphasis on delivering what the majority of our customers are asking for and at this point in time the majority were asking for iPhone 4. Again, we are still working diligently on cases for the HTC Droid Incredible as well as other HTC devices and we hope to have them available soon. I understand your frustrations and appreciate your patience as we work to have the cases available as soon as we can.

Thank you,

Name Withheld

Otterbox FAIL

2010-08-10T12:30:00.001-05:00

HTC Incredible release date = 29 APR 2010

Apple iPhone 4 release date = 24 JUN 2010

Otterbox for Apple iPhone 4 = 1 AUG 2010

Otterbox for HTC Incredible = ????????????

WHY!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!

Disabled Comments

2010-07-14T17:45:00.000-05:00

At least I think I did. I was sick and tired of all the Japanese Spam bots and I dont have the energy devoted to this blog to continue.

Find me on http://twitter.com/Chris1051

Deplorable

2010-05-13T10:33:00.000-05:00

True story:

A friend of mine does handy-man work. That's what he does on the side - in addition to being the maintenance guy at several office buildings around here. He knows several people who were affected by the Nashville floods, and was willing to lend a hand with his handy-man skills. He quoted a woman in a local subdivision that had about 6 feet of water in the first floor house, a certain dollar amount, that was - we'll call it $1600. The only work to be done was dry wall replacement and prime painting. So materials for this job were relatively inexpensive and labor would add to that cost. The woman asked him to verify his cost because the other people whom she had gotten quotes from had quoted her twice that amount or more.
Turns out that some cunting asshole from Atlanta was scoping out work in this neighborhood, passing out business cards, sub contracting the work out to a sub contractor and collecting double the cash. How someone could see dollar signs in the wake of a tragedy is deplorable. I am sure you will see a story on WKRN soon about this greedy son of a bitch from Atlanta. I will try and get info on it and send it to WKRN myself.

They need to publicize this dickheads name and plaster his face all over the TV. There was already a post about scammers that doesn't go far enough.

I am extremely mad about out of towners coming in looking to collect some coin.

So that settles it then

2010-04-13T11:35:00.000-05:00

Attention British people (and British Colonists)

Wikipedia entry

The earliest citation given in the Oxford English Dictionary for any word used as a name for this element is alumium, which British chemist and inventor Humphry Davy employed in 1808 for the metal he was trying to isolate electrolytically from the mineral alumina. The citation is from the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London: "Had I been so fortunate as to have obtained more certain evidences on this subject, and to have procured the metallic substances I was in search of, I should have proposed for them the names of silicium, alumium, zirconium, and glucium."^[47][48]

Davy had settled on aluminum by the time he published his 1812 book Chemical Philosophy: "This substance appears to contain a peculiar metal, but as yet Aluminum has not been obtained in a perfectly free state, though alloys of it with other metalline substances have been procured sufficiently distinct to indicate the probable nature of alumina."^[49] But the same year, an anonymous contributor to the Quarterly Review, a British political-literary journal, in a review of Davy's book, objected to aluminum and proposed the name aluminium, "for so we shall take the liberty of writing the word, in preference to aluminum, which has a less classical sound."^[50]

The -ium suffix conformed to the precedent set in other newly discovered elements of the time: potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and strontium (all of which Davy had isolated himself). Nevertheless, -um spellings for elements were not unknown at the time, as for example platinum, known to Europeans since the sixteenth century, molybdenum, discovered in 1778, and tantalum, discovered in 1802. The -um suffix is consistent with the universal spelling alumina for the oxide, as lanthana is the oxide of lanthanum, and magnesia, ceria, and thoria are the oxides of magnesium, cerium, and thorium respectively.

The spelling used throughout the 19th century by most U.S. chemists ended in -ium, but common usage is less clear.^[51] The -um spelling is used in the Webster's Dictionary of 1828. In his advertising handbill for his new electrolytic method of producing the metal 1892, Charles Martin Hall used the -um spelling, despite his constant use of the -ium spelling in all the patents^[44] he filed between 1886 and 1903.^[52] It has consequently been suggested that the spelling reflects an easier to pronounce word with one fewer syllable, or that the spelling on the flier was a mistake. Hall's domination of production of the metal ensured that the spelling aluminum became the standard in North America; the Webster Unabridged Dictionary of 1913, though, continued to use the -ium version.

In 1926, the American Chemical Society officially decided to use aluminum in its publications; American dictionaries typically label the spelling aluminium as a British variant.

The name "aluminum" is derived from its status as a base of alum; "alum" in turn is a Latin word which literally means "bitter salt".^[53]

So some douchebag decides that “aluminum” had a “less classical sound”. When the Humphry Davy himself published it as “Aluminum”.

Today's WTF!

2010-03-17T09:33:00.001-05:00

Link

I was reading my google reader this morning and a frequently read blog Nashvillest I came across a seriously F’d up story, and I am wondering WTF is going on. Firstly, the article is written very poorly leaving out many details. Let me dissect this one quickly.

Baby OK After Being Left In Oven

Man Charged With Wanton Endangerment

POSTED: 2:53 pm CDT March 16, 2010

UPDATED: 7:57 pm CDT March 16, 2010

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Authorities in western Kentucky say a man left his infant son in a cold oven, probably for a matter of hours.

The Paducah Sun reported 33-year-old Larry C. Long told police he had smoked marijuana at a Paducah restaurant where he works and then came home and drank alcohol.

Ok stop right there. This kind of information needs to be shown in the latter part of the article – and I suspect it’s a hit-piece on marijuana The more likely culprit for such stupidity is alcohol, he probably got mad at the baby crying and placed him in the oven, alcohol makes you do stupid things. Alcohol makes certain people aggressive. Pot doesn’t make people aggressive. I am speculating here but I don’t have much to go on based on the small amount of details in the story. Why is this even relevant? Why not report on the conditions of the home, living standards, past criminal record? Anything?

McCracken County Sheriff Jon Hayden said the mother of the 5-week-old boy was awakened by his cries Monday morning and found him the oven. Hayden said the baby was taken to a hospital where doctors found no injuries.

Information gap #2. WTF! The mother was awakened by his cries. WTF! Where was she all night? Was she working the night shift? No, it says she was “awakened”. This leads me to believe she was in the house when the baby was placed in the oven. Was she incapacitated? Who knows?

Long shares the home with the child's mother, 33-year-old Brandy S. Hatton.

The newspaper reported child welfare officials placed the infant and his 10- and 14-year-old siblings in the care of one of Hatton's relatives.

Long is charged with wanton endangerment.

So this leads me to believe the mother should also be charged with wanton endangerment. But of course we don’t hear a single word about her except she was awakened by the cries.

Awful writing and an awful story.

People who do not deserve to have kids - issue 6

2010-01-15T11:55:00.000-06:00

Woman allegedly tries to trade 2-year-old daughter for gun

by Alicia E. Barrón

Posted on January 13, 2010 at 5:01 PM

Updated yesterday at 10:15 AM
******

PHOENIX – A woman is accused of trying to trade her young daughter for a gun.

Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 33-year-old Tanya Nareau for allegedly trying to trade her 2-year-old daughter for a gun.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to a home in the 9200 block of Apache Trail after receiving a tip that a woman gave her child away so that she could get a gun in exchange.

While at the home, deputies talked to a family friend who had the toddler and told deputies Nareau had traded her 2-year-old girl to him in exchange for a gun.

Nareau reportedly called the family friend and stated she still wanted the gun. The suspect reportedly also said the family friend would “do a better job in raising the child than she would.”

The suspect also told her friend she is unable to purchase a gun herself because she is prohibited by law to do so.

Nareau is at the Fourth Avenue Jail and faces charges of unlawful sale of a child and solicitation to commit possession of weapon by prohibited possessor.

This is just unreal.

Why the Luke Wilson at&t ads are stupid & a mobile handset rant

2009-12-30T11:15:00.001-06:00

A) He is misleading. He says that at&t’s map really covers the whole country, or 90% of all Americans. While this may be true, its not countering the original charge of Verizon – which is at&t’s lack of 3G coverage.

B) He makes a claim and doesn’t cite evidence. The claim is “at&t is the nation’s fastest 3G network” yet doesn’t back his claim with any evidence. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

C) He claims talking and surfing at the same time is necessary. On Verizon you currently cannot do this, however it doesn’t say that you can using a wifi connection. Besides, I use about 100 minutes per month on voice calls –if that. I for one don’t see it as a problem to say to the person on the other end that “I will call you back”, check whatever, and then re-dial. To me I don’t think its that big of a deal. Its hardly something to brag about.

D) He says at&t has the “most popular phones”. This is only because of Apple’s sweetheart exclusivity deal with at&t (and also the Garmin nuvi phone lately). Take away exclusivity and the mobile carrier is S.O.L. at&t built their backbone on wired plant. They get a lot of money from people like me who pay them for their DSL.

I disagree with handset exclusivity to begin with. And on that, I disagree with Verizon having exclusivity to the Droid. You don’t buy a Dell Studio 17 and have Dell say you can only use the computer on at&t DSL service at home. That would be stupid. So why not end this bullshit already and let us buy the handsets we want regardless of what provider we pay? Let the providers sell us on their service not exclusive handsets. And while I’m at it, lets do away with this bullshit 24 month contract business eh? Can’t we just switch as we please like we already do with our home internet service providers? Or our cable/satellite tv providers? I am buying access to a network, not buying a freaking car here. End wireless contracts NOW!

Of course those things I spoke about will never be changed any time soon. I have hope though. It’s kind of like DRM.

Halloween Candy Proselytizing

2009-11-21T16:18:00.000-06:00

This is beyond poor taste. I am just now still pulling Halloween candy out of my daughter's bag, and found two of these bible tracts in zip lock bags with the candy given by two different people. The way these are given to and marketed towards children with cartoons is nothing new, but to me, incredibly offensive. It would be the same as if someone were to draw political talking points as cartoons and handed out to children as young as two. You would say that's in poor taste wouldn't you?

proselytize much?

click the images for full size

And this one takes the cake:

Bible Verse of the Day

2009-11-17T11:29:00.001-06:00

There is some good stuff in the bible. I will not deny it. It is few and far between, but it is there.

1 Corinthians 13

13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

This is America?

2009-11-17T08:20:00.001-06:00

I was very moved by the piece on last night’s Countdown – a story about free clinics, ordinarily reserved for third world countries. But this was in New Orleans, LA. Another one is scheduled for Little Rock, AR.

I will repost the story of Rich Stockwell who was there. If this isn’t a case for healthcare now, I don’t know what is.

Health reform's human stories

Countdown producer bears witness to America's health care shortcomings

MSNBC

updated 6:39 p.m. CT, Mon., Nov . 16, 2009

Rich Stockwell

Senior producer, 'Countdown'

New Orleans, La. — - It happened as I watched a 50-something woman walk out, after spending several hours being attended to by volunteer doctors. "She's decided against treatment. A reasonable decision under the circumstances," the doctor tells us as she heads for the next patient. The president of the board of the National Association of Free Health Clinics tells me why: "It's stage four breast cancer, her body is filled with tumors." I don't know when that woman last saw a doctor. But I do know that if she had health insurance, the odds she would have seen a doctor long ago are much higher, and her chances for an earlier diagnosis and treatment would have been far greater.

After watching for hours as the patients moved through the clinic, it was hard to believe that I was in America.

Eighty-three percent of the patients they see are employed, they are not accepting other government help on a large scale, not "welfare queens" as some would like to have us believe. They are tax-paying, good, upstanding citizens who are trying to make it and give their kids a better life just like you and me.

Ninety percent of the patients who came through Saturday's clinic had two or more diagnoses.

Eighty-two percent had a life-threatening condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or hypertension. They are victims of a system built with corporate profits at its center, which long ago forgot the moral imperative that should drive us to show compassion to our fellow men and women.

Health reform is not about Democrats or Republicans or who can score political points for the next election, it's about people. It's about fairness and justice in a system that knows none. I'd defy even the most hardened capitalist-loving-conservative to do what I did on Saturday and continue to pretend that the system in place right now is working.

Countdown chose to highlight and raise money for the Association of Free Clinics because we knew the work they do is so vitally important and we wanted to show in real terms how great the need is. We invited several politicians to attend so they could see first hand how critical the situation is. All declined. Some explained that they talk with constituents all the time and know very well of the need for reform.

I have news for them, these people didn't need to speak. Their actions spoke far louder than any words. Having to get a check up and diagnoses at a free clinic because they have no other option tells you all you need to know. There are no words that can accurately describe the quiet desperation on the faces of the patients. Every single one I spoke to, and every one I heard talking with doctors, expressed their gratitude for the event and wished that they were held more often.

They have been given the resources in their local communities with which they can get follow up care, but they are also the few. Over 700-thousand people in Louisiana alone have no health care, most of them with jobs that don't offer insurance.

Or, worse, they have to decide whether to pay for that or food and housing. Four patients were taken out on stretchers and admitted immediately to hospitals. One woman who didn't know why she was feeling bad had a blood pressure of 280 over 180, numbness in her right arm, and "a slight headache." She now has a shot at survival, but without her attendance at the clinic, it was a matter of time before the inevitable happened.

I spoke with a nurse who was there not as a volunteer, but as a patient. He works two part time jobs at hospitals providing quality care to those who have the one thing he doesn't. Many of his patients share his condition of high blood pressure, but they are fortunate to have insurance to pay for him to care for them while he goes without.

His situation is not uncommon, he has tried for years to get more hours at one of his jobs so he will be eligible for benefits, but it hasn't happened yet. Our system of for-profit health care can't afford to give him and others benefits - might make the stock price drop a penny or two.

The last time the media gathered at that convention center, it was for a natural disaster in which our government was rendered useless due to incompetence.

This time we were there to cover a man-made disaster of even larger proportions. This is a disaster that goes largely unseen by most Americans. It is not too late for our current government to show that they are competent, and can do what the vast majority of Americans are asking them to. The incredibly dedicated people at the Association of Free Clinics told me the clinic would change me and I knew it would. None but the most hardened and heartless among us could watch that event and not be moved to action.

I have changed. I am gratified that just over one thousand people were able to get the minimal amount of care and resources for follow up. But, I am heart-sick for the many more like them who didn't have the time or didn't know that they could get care on Saturday.

They walk through their lives not knowing when the ticking time bomb might go off.

Politicians continue to tell us we are the most compassionate and caring people, and clearly we have done much good in the world. I left the event overwhelmed by the hard work and dedication of the volunteers, doctors, nurses, other medical professionals, as well as ordinary citizens who came to help. I am left with one overwhelming question: what does it say about us as a nation of people who can live in a country so rich and yet allow this to continue?

People who do not deserve to have kids - Human Trafficking edition

2009-11-16T10:12:00.001-06:00

Police: Search is on for N.C. girl's body

By Gabriel Falcon, CNN

November 16, 2009 10:24 a.m. EST

(CNN) -- About 200 people were searching Monday in North Carolina for the body of a missing 5-year-old girl after "reliable information" indicated that she may be dead, Fayetteville, North Carolina, police said.

The search focused on land near a roadway because "reliable information received that the body of Shaniya Davis may have been dumped there," the Fayetteville Police Department said in a statement.

Investigators have been searching for Shaniya for several days.

Police charged the girl's mother, Antoinette Nicole Davis, with trafficking and other offenses, authorities said. Davis was "prostituting her child," said Fayetteville police spokeswoman Theresa Chance.

Other charges against the mother include felony child abuse, prostitution and filing a false police report, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.

Road Closures tomorrow (2009-11-11)

2009-11-10T21:08:00.000-06:00

Some kind of Country Music thing in conjunction with a Veterans Day Parade.

Click Images to view Large

Try to contain your laughter

2009-10-31T23:03:00.000-05:00

And if you have a drink, put it down.

FW: Did your senator vote for the "thought crimes" bill?

2009-10-28T16:54:00.003-05:00

Dear AFA,

No, my senators didn’t vote for the hate crimes bill because they are bigoted homophobic white-boys from Tennessee. They both did vote for the gang-rape bill though. How about them moral values?

From: AFA Action Alert
Sent: 2009-10-26 20:21
To: Chris
Subject: Did your senator vote for the "thought crimes" bill?

Did your senator vote for the "thought crimes" bill?
See how your senators voted and send an e-mail of complaint or commendation.

October 26, 2009

Dear Chris,

The United States Senate voted last week to criminalize thought by passing the so-called "hate crimes" bill.

This is simply the first in a line of morally repugnant pro-homosexual bills that are on the horizon, such as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a bill to repeal the prohibition on homosexuals serving in the military, and a bill to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act.

We must let every senator who voted for the "hate crimes" bill know that his vote will not be forgotten when he stands for re-election.

And we must let those senators who voted against this dangerous bill know that we appreciate and support their vote and will likewise remember their vote when they stand for re-election.

The "hate crimes" law not only criminalizes thought, it creates a judicial caste system in which those who engage in non-normative sexual behavior perversely get more protection than heterosexuals.

And it could put your pastor in jail if his biblical teaching on sexuality can be connected in even the remotest way to an act of violence against a homosexual or a transsexual.

(Click here if you'd like to see how your representative voted when this bill was before the House.)

Take Action

Send your senators an e-mail of complaint or commendation based on how he or she voted on the "hate crimes" bill.

Please note that our system automatically recognizes how your senators voted on this bill contructs the proposed e-mail message accordingly.

Take Action Now


Send your senators an e-mail of complaint or commendation based on how he or she voted on the "hate crimes" bill.

It is very important that you forward this alert to your friends and family members.

Sincerely,

Tim

Tim Wildmon, President
American Family Association


Help us Financially
Donate Online to AFA

One-Time


Monthly

$25


$15

$50


$30

$100
(free gift)


$50





A Holy Land Tour
with Tim Wildmon

Travel with Tim Wildmon to Israel in March 2010. The Bible will come alive before your very eyes.

www.twholyland.com

Its a Trap!

2009-10-21T21:59:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Inspiration For Every Day Life
I immediately knew that it was a scam, one of those bait and switch deals. It was a mailing from a local car dealer that said I was a "finalist" in a $10,000 contest. The problem is, I never entered any contest.

Point is, its a scam and if you ever get a mailing to go to a dealership to claim a prize (just a bait & switch to get you in the door). I knew for sure this was a scam because of the obvious bullshit they sold on the website.

Just check out the google links. On the prize card, it says "go to our website directly, do not enter our website in a search engine" RED FLAG hahaha

When typing in selectyourgifts.com into google, google suggest suggests "selectyourgifts.com scam" as its first page. I hope with more and more people making blog posts and posting to ripoff report. The saddest thing is, many people will be drawn in and duped by this scam.

Billboard wars

2009-10-21T17:25:00.000-05:00

How can the secular community ever stand a chance of competing with the Christians when the Christians don't even have to post billboards themselves? They get some country artist to post religious ads for them. They have lots more money than us, but also have that atvantage of not having a fundamentalist movement trying to vandalize and bitch and moan and complain about their billboards like we do.

A test of the Blogger Email system

2009-10-14T15:47:00.001-05:00

I know It’s been quite a while since I have posted anything and blogging has been pretty useless lately. With all the tools available to me. I realize that I never set this blog up to be published via email. (A tool available since the first blog started in Sept 2004)

Anyway this is a test. Lets see if it works.

You can be good without god(s)

2009-10-14T15:41:00.001-05:00

Granted, the data is old,

link

How about those so-called “Judeo-Christian values” we keep hearing about so much about? Here is a breakdown of those Judeo-Christians in Prison versus atheists in prison:

Judeo-Christian Total 62594 83.761%

Atheist Total 156 0.209%

Although making up 12-16% of the total population, atheists are demonized for being “evil” from the Christians.

Sarah Palin Videos

2009-07-04T01:57:00.001-05:00

Time to bring these back methinks:

Video 1 (embedding disabled)

The Birds

2009-06-28T22:32:00.002-05:00

Pinnacle birds and thunder cloud
Originally uploaded by Chris1051

Was waiting to get into the Ryman and saw this amazing Cumulonimbus and also saw a perfect set up - Pinnacle to the left, tree, and Cumulonimbus - so equipped with my mobile phone (no recording devices or cameras were allowed for the Bill Maher show) I snapped one, saw the birds flying through, and thought they ruined the shot. So I took another one. But decided this one was better. I love the gracefulness of the birds. You can see several of them in various stages of flight. I am quite happy with the way it turned out. Best viewed large.

Time to end the mobile phone gulag

2009-06-20T14:58:00.002-05:00

20.06.2009 19:58 UTC

Air Temperature 34ºC
Relative Humidity 52%
Wind Velocity 4.02 m/s
Wind Direction 20º
Air Pressure 1010.9 hPa

Came across this so I would like to pass it on.

New mobile phones have been called “the Internet in your pocket,” but they’re not. Through exclusive deals for phones like the iPhone and BlackBerry Storm, wireless companies have curtailed innovation, crippled applications, and stuck users with the bill. We demand the freedom to use our phones as we choose — on wireless networks that offer true high-speed Internet and real consumer choice.

Been Looking through old posts

2009-06-20T00:02:00.002-05:00

Funny When I started this whole blogging thing nearly 5 years ago I started every post with a

Air Temperature
Relative Humidity
Wind Velocity
Wind Direction

And then I would go on to write whatever. Maybe I will channel my inner geek and start it up again.

So here it is, June and its hot as hell.

20.06.2009 04:36 UTC

Air Temperature 28.5ºC
Relative Humidity 67%
Wind Velocity 2.2 m/s
Wind Direction 222º

Tired and going to bed. How things change. Yeah I am out of shape but I am also a night owl. That data is is from South Nashville, where its slightly hotter than here at home.

Going to fall asleep to some Aphex Twin again. I don't remember a single dream at all but if I could Lucid Dream and listen to the Selective Ambient Works, Vol, 2 (of which I highly recommend) I bet the dreams would be awesome.

See ya on the other side.

Arguing with a believer

2009-06-10T23:21:00.002-05:00

Banyek - Music for dreamland

2009-06-10T23:09:00.004-05:00

Always been a fan, came across another set to fall asleep to. Awesome ambient sounds.

More than happy to share Download the set here

Many thanks to _applejux_ for sharing.

singularity.bat

Tracklist

1> XRC - Aprilis 6 (bitlabrecords.com/cod)
2> LOMOV - Snodd (bitlabrecords.com/cod)
3> SOL- Cabin (bitlabrecords.com/cod)
4> SOUTIEN GORGE - Erkezes (bitlabrecords.com/cod)
5> DIA- Resad (bitlabrecords.com/cod)
6> ON_14 - Distance (bitlabrecords.com/cod)
7> RENNIAC - Earth night (stadtgruenlabel.net)
8> SOUTIEN GORGE - Zuhause (2063music.de)
9> COOLER- Sunset on planet Mars (chiware)
10> ESA - Environmental(03) (sinewaves.it)
11> UNKNOWN - Microwave drugs (quiet zone)
12> SOUTIEN GORGE - Ende (2063music.de)

Turquoise Hexagon Sun

2009-06-10T21:50:00.002-05:00

Was browsing around and came across this video. I remember seeing this film years and years ago. A brilliant marrying of the original concept of the film and one of my all time favorite songs.

The film is called Koyaanisqatsi and its from 1982. Its been so long since I have seen the film that I can't even remember the original music that went with it. But I do remember the powerful message that it gave. Sad how not many have listened to it since the film was released.

File under WTF!?

2009-05-31T17:23:00.002-05:00

Clear Channel included "What a Wonderful World" on a list of songs that might be inappropriate for airplay in the period just after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

wikipedia

People who do not deserve to have kids - issue 5

2009-05-26T16:52:00.002-05:00

AP story :( (boo)

Basically a woman was confronted by a loss prevention officer at Wal Mart and the dumb bitch threw the baby -car seat and all- at the guy and ran away, whereby the baby landed face down and was knocked unconscious.

(would have really loved to republish the story but the AP are dickheads and won't allow it without getting sue-happy, sorry)

Getting our soldiers killed

2009-05-26T12:12:00.002-05:00

I heard about a report some time ago of some moron in the army making a personal crusade of his deployment to Afghanistan. I was mad but didnt think much of it. Then I got to thinking that this kind of behavior is what is going to harm our troops overseas. The whole fight to the radicals is religious, do you really want to bring that kind of fight to them?

The idiot in question is called LTC Gary Hensley.

Background

The man goes on Al Jazerra and says this lovely gem:

"The special forces guys -- they hunt men basically," Hensley said. "We do the same things as Christians, we hunt people for Jesus. We do, we hunt them down. Get the hound of heaven after them, so we get them into the kingdom. That's what we do, that's our business."

No sir. your business is to obey the orders of the president of the United States, and to obey the orders of the officers above you. Not to inflame the already radical Muslims in Afghanistan by going on Al Jazerra and spouting such nonsense.

You have some religious nuts in the army who will do this on their own accord, against Central Command General Order No. 1. Yes we have rules for a reason people not because we are just hard asses. Your actions are going to pour gasoline on to the fire that is radical Islam. The troops say thank you.

Little

2009-05-17T10:35:00.001-05:00

Little
Originally uploaded by Chris1051

I may be little and can't decide where I stand on politics but when it comes to religion, I am never too little to have my religion decided for me by my parents.

People who do not deserve to have kids - issue 4

2009-05-14T15:58:00.003-05:00

Woman arrested after 5-year-old caught driving

By MARK BELL • GANNETT TENNESSEE • May 14, 2009

MURFREESBORO — A Lebanon woman was charged with felony reckless endangerment and her fourth offense of driving on a suspended license after a witness spotted a 5-year-old boy driving her van on Lokey Avenue at Memorial Boulevard.
Advertisement

Jessica Lynn Fistunenko, 26, later told police she had driven her van to a Memorial Boulevard store Tuesday and left the keys in the ignition while she ran in to get groceries.

A 5-year-old boy and 6-year-old girl were left in the vehicle, according to the report. The report did not indicate if Fistunenko was the children's parent.

Fistunenko told police that when she came out of the store the boy started her van and put it in reverse, according to Murfreesboro Police Officer Michael Payne. The van then traveled to the middle of Memorial Boulevard in the midst of rush hour traffic around 6:20 p.m. No one was injured.

"Fistunenko stated that the boy has behavioral problems," Payne reported.

The female witness who spotted the boy and called police said she saw him in the driver's seat in the middle of Memorial Boulevard when Fistunenko walked out of the store with boxes in her hand. The witness said she called because she feared for the boy's and the girl's safety.

"I placed Fistunenko into custody and transported her to the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office without incident," Payne reported.

She is scheduled to appear in Rutherford County General Sessions Court July 21 to face the charges. Her bond was set at $10,000.

The report did not indicate whether child protective services were investigating, nor whether the children were turned over to a friend or relative or placed in state custody.

Here's a fucking thought... Step one: Don't leave the kids in the van. Step two: Don't leave the kids in the van... with the keys!

It is unknown if the kids are hers or not, but this deserved a mention in my long running series "People who do not deserve to have kids".

Rain

2009-05-06T10:03:00.002-05:00

Been raining quite a lot lately, I managed to get the lawn mowed after work yesterday in time before it started raining.

My neighbor across the street and diagonal - he has a sign that he faithfully puts in his lawn that says something along the lines of "Only through faith are ye saved NOT OF WORKS" and some bible verse underneath. He places this sign within 2 feet of the street - so as to let people driving by see it like its a road sign. No matter what happens to it, if it gets blown down by a storm for example, he will diligently raise it back up. When he mows his lawn, he makes sure the sign is in order.

I don't have a problem with someone having a Jesus in their front lawn - tacky and ugly it would be -esp. on my street- but that and a simple cross or whatever I wouldn't have a problem, cause its their private property.

When you get ridiculous GIANT CROSSES that flank the interstate and shock billboards and signs like that that are meant to communicate a message I think these are in poor taste.

Yes I had an Obama sign in my front lawn but it was within 2 feet of my house. And I took it down the day after the election.

Ah well, I know I am not making much sense here I am just typing this out on my break -back to work.

The National Day of Prayer has been hijacked by the Religious Right, which uses it to promote religious bigotry.

2009-05-06T09:59:00.001-05:00

Another interesting read, I got it in an email from Charles (AU)

Think of it as a re-tweet.

In recent years, most NDP activities have been coordinated by the “National Day of Prayer Task Force,” an organization based in Colorado Springs and run by Shirley Dobson, wife of Religious Right radio broadcaster James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family.

Despite its official-sounding name, the NDP Task Force is a private group with no connection to government. Nevertheless, the organization has taken the lead in sponsoring Prayer Day events in many cities and states. The Task Force is exclusionary and does not permit participation by non-fundamentalist Christians. The materials it distributes promote a rigid fundamentalist outlook not shared by most Americans.

On the NDP’s Web site, volunteers are required to sign a statement of faith reflecting fundamentalist tenets, list church affiliation and provide clergy references. Volunteers are ordered to make sure no non-Christians speak at NDP events. (Non-Christians may only attend as long as they agree to remain silent.)

“The National Day of Prayer Task Force was a creation of the National Prayer Committee for the expressed purpose of organizing and promoting prayer observances conforming to a Judeo-Christian system of values,” reads the Web site. “People with other theological and philosophical views are, of course, free to organize and participate in activities that are consistent with their own beliefs.”

But even this is not accurate. The use of the term “Judeo-Christian” is deceptive. In fact, the Task Force promotes Christian fundamentalism at every turn. There is nothing “Judeo” about the Task Force’s outlook. Volunteers are told, “In both public and private life, we ask that you demonstrate the commitment you have made to Jesus Christ in the following areas: spiritual maturity, emotional stability, healthy personal relationships, financial responsibility, and a stable living situation.”

Volunteers, says the Task Force, must show “a passionate devotion to advancing Christ’s Kingdom and the cause of prayer in our nation.” They are required to affirm that they will “ensure a strong, consistent Christian message throughout the nation” and must endorse a statement reading, “I commit that NDP activities I serve with will be conducted solely by Christians while those with differing beliefs are welcome to attend.”

The Task Force’s Mission Statement reads that it seeks to “communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, mobilizing the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership in the seven centers of power: Government, Military, Media, Business, Education, Church and Family.”

The group’s “Vision and Values” include: “foster unity within the Christian church” and “publicize and preserve America’s Christian heritage.”

The National Day of Prayer Is Unnecessary

2009-05-02T10:06:00.002-05:00

Originally authored by an acquaintance -Charles. (consider it a Re-Tweet)

America does not need an official, government-mandated “National Day of Prayer.” Religious individuals who feel strongly about the country are free to pray for it at any time. They do not need to be directed or encouraged by government.

Government should refrain from sponsoring religious worship. It would be best if the National Day of Prayer were ended entirely. If that is not possible, the event, at the very least, should be pried free from the suffocating grasp of the Religious Right.

Religious freedom
At a loss
When one religion
Is the boss.
KEEP CHURCH & STATE SEPARATE AND FREE!
AMERICANS UNITED

Interesting

2009-04-29T12:45:00.001-05:00

The first criminal prosecution arising from Twitter posts began in April 2009 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Daniel Knight Hayden, a supporter of the Tea Party protests against the policies of President Barack Obama. Hayden was allegedly sending tweets threatening violence in connection with his plan to attend the Tea Party protest in Oklahoma City.

Wikipedia

more tests

2009-04-24T00:39:00.001-05:00

Maemo WordPy info

testing out Maemo WordPy

2009-04-24T00:35:00.001-05:00

using this application for N810 its a blogging app. You can write posts offline etc. gotta figure out how to add photos looks like you add them separately. Sorry for punctuation mistakes... its late

Why I don't publish my last name publicly

2009-04-16T13:07:00.002-05:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
1
or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Wal Mart cleaning music lyrics

2009-04-13T22:41:00.004-05:00

Wal Mart had a policy whereby they would take an artists work, and demand a "clean" version of the music. Cause hearing the occasional "fuck" or "shit" or "bitch" was too harsh for their prudish ears. They wanted to make Wal Mart a more family friendly place. They blocked out COSMO magazines talking about "how to drive him wild in bed" and an occasional boob poking through a dress on the cover of Redbook.

So what sort of books do you think they would allow / disallow to be sold in Wal Mart? Yes they do sell Christian books. They also sell Dr. Phil Books. They sell Self help books, and the "Purpose Driven Life".

They also think its perfectly OK to sell this:

I don't have a problem with trashy romance novels but what was the point of them editing out an Eminem Album. When a book like the above describes in great detail sex acts that would make the prudes blush.

The Alabama christian strikes back

2009-04-13T22:29:00.003-05:00

Here

Proudly in Alabama and SAVED by the Lord's grace! says:

The Bible specifically says the death penalty is to be applied in certain cases as punishment for horrific crimes. These babies committed no crimes, unlike the long line of child-rapists and murderers sitting on death row.

Applying the death penalty is definitely killing, but it is not murder. Murder is non-justified killing (i.e. one person killing another out of petty personal rage, which is a sin). The death penalty is justified since God specifically commands that it be carried out (and gives the specific crimes for which it is to be done). The Bible is God's word, and God is perfect and makes no mistakes, hence there are no contradictions in the Bible...and any "interpretation" thereof which would lead to there being contradictions is therefore logically incorrect on its face (something you'd know had you actually read a Bible before spouting off about it - or had an IQ higher than a pop-tart).

You think silence would be better than this sign, which is a form of protected peaceful speech and an expression of conscious objection? Who would you have to be an advocate - a non-violent voice - for these babies which have done nothing wrong, and are defenseless, yet are killed anyway?

My response:

"The Bible specifically says the death penalty is to be applied in certain cases as punishment for horrific crimes"

Yeah, like

If you are gay - Leviticus 20:13
If you are a rebellious child - Deuteronomy 21:21
If you are a "false" prophet - Deuteronomy 13:6
If you try to entice your family to "worship other gods" - Deuteronomy 13:8-9
If you are a stranger and tell people to "worship other gods" - Deuteronomy 13:15-16
Practice magic - Leviticus 20:27
Drink Blood - Leviticus 7:27
If you don't get your son circumcised - Exodus 4:24-26
Needlessly slaughtering innocent CHILDREN - Exodus 11:5
If your son hits and curses you the bible says you should kill them - Exodus 21:15

And God decides to kill everything on earth for no particular reason - everything from newborns to Koala Bears - Genesis 7:21-23

There are over 900 instances of cruelty and violence in the bible. And yes in the New testament too. It would take me all night to type out every single one. So the question is, what are you doing in the 21st century reveling in a book that is so violent?

I honestly typed that out before even reading about his "pop tart" comment. I don't think he has room to talk. If he believes that the earth was flooded and covered with water and that the earth is only 6000 years old.

I don't mean to sound critical, but...

2009-04-11T23:14:00.005-05:00

Photo by RussSwift

There were several deadly tornadoes that blasted through middle Tennessee on Friday. Two people died including a nine week old newborn. (Apologies for the resource-hogging website from Channel 5) This was a tragedy for the surviving husband and father. I cannot even imagine what it must be like for him to lose his wife and his newborn like that. My thoughts are certainly with him though I don't know him.

I heard a lot of delusional talk from people whom I would call friends. Disclaimer: these people are religious. They said things like "I just got home and am SO thankful to say that we don't even have a trashcan turned over. Thank you, God." and "I prayed hard that there wouldn't be many deaths." and this doozy: "Well God must be looking after us because there were only two deaths"

After doing a spit-take on that last one, I thought to myself, out of respect, and as a part of my lets-bend-over-backward-to-respect-other-people's-religion policy.

I thought: If God existed wouldn't it be better to simply pray for no more tornadoes? How about no more hurricanes? Or How about no more earthquakes? No more tsunami's? No more famine? No more slaughter of the innocent? No more malaria deaths (currently 1-3 Million per year from a parasite. A parasite the creationists would have you believe God himself designed.)? No more child murder? In which a Sunday School Teacher killed an 8-year-old girl whose body was found in a suitcase dumped in an irrigation pond. Give it up for that Christian Morality We always hear about!

Or how about ending Child rape? (More of that Christian Morality I have been nagged about because us atheists don't get our morality from anywhere, if we don't get it from the bible)

If god does exist, doesn't this just show how much of a sick bastard he is? That woman and that nine week old newborn did not deserve to die from an "Act of God". You have to sit and think for a minute of why God would allow 25,000 children to die every single day of starvation. How is this in any way demonstrable of "God's Love"?

The world is full of suffering. In the animal kingdom, which includes us - yes we used to hunt and be hunted -more on this in a later blog post, the creationists would have you believe God "designed" the cruel day-to-day occurrence of predator hunting prey. And the incredibly cruel goings on of parasite and host. Why would God design a cruel system of perpetual suffering? Why would God design organisms that can experience pain and suffering and will all eventually die when he himself is immortal? For fun? Because he is one sick bastard?

It may seem tough to question these poor desperate people's faith. But isn't bracing truth better than false hope?

Stuff you should know

2009-04-09T22:19:00.003-05:00

Hat tip to Cameron Reilly

Lucilio Vanini

Lucilio Vanini was extremely brave to "come out" as an atheist. After which he was arrested and tortured to death.

On wikipedia:

In November 1618 he was arrested, and after a prolonged trial was condemned, as an atheist, to have his tongue cut out, and to be strangled at the stake, his body to be after wards burned to ashes. The sentence was executed on the 9th of February 1619.

Isn't intolerance wonderful? From the religion of peace™ -Christianity.

Hard to blog

2009-04-08T23:16:00.001-05:00

Its hard to blog, esp. with a full time job and other duties. Its now 23:17 as I type this. With all the tools available to me, mobile web, the S10, offline blogging, I still find it hard to make posts.

So now I am going to bed as the end of another day. Here is a video of an old favorite song of mine. Sound quality is not tops but the music is flawless.

Poor Guy

2009-04-07T21:48:00.003-05:00

Or I don't know if this was a male or female. Any help is appreciated. More on flickr.

I ran into this bee on my truck and it was moving very slowly (probably cause it was cold and got caught out thinking it was going to warm up. Notice in the other flickr photos I use my leatherman to pick it up (because again, I didn't know if it was male or female and did not want to get stung). So I got it and took photos, and then placed it back on the ground to maybe warm up in the sun. (maybe it will survive tonight's freezing temperatures and live on into the summer. I believe it was fooled by Sunday's warm temps, then got a shock after the storms blew through.

So I guess it makes up for my Velvet Ant Murder, that I let this one live.

Hey I also captured a house centipede and released it outside without killing it. So I guess 1 for 3 is a good start eh?

Fun bible verse: rape and pillage edition

2009-03-31T22:18:00.002-05:00

Numbers 31:15-18

And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.
Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

Read the Constitution: Lesson 2

2009-03-31T21:47:00.003-05:00

Article 2, Section 1, Clause 5:

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

Yep. Nowhere does it say anything that the President has to be a Christian. Nowhere does it say the President can't be a Muslim. Nowhere does it say the President can't be an atheist.

Article 2, Section 1, Clause 8:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

No mention of God or any religion. No mention of any bibles or anything. This is the presidential oath.

Treaty of Tripoli

2009-03-31T21:29:00.002-05:00

Most notably Article 11:

Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

According to wikipedia

The Senate's ratification was only the third recorded unanimous vote of 339 taken. The treaty was printed in the Philadelphia Gazette and two New York papers, with no evidence of any public dissent.

Featured Artist: The Searcher

2009-03-30T22:19:00.004-05:00

Beginner's Bible Coloring Book!
Originally uploaded by The Searcher

Thanks to The Searcher for making such beautiful art. Check out the photostream for some amazing work. I have been honored that this piece was added to the Bible Belt Pool. The Searcher is from Seattle. So go check out the wonderful art.

Bible Belt Finds: WARNING + Jesus is boss + Gay bashing

2009-03-30T21:56:00.002-05:00

Thanks to howieluvzus.

Again I had to laugh out loud at this sign. "Rebellious women"? "Sports nuts"? "Pot smoking little devils"? Down at the bottom it says "God will judge you" I think these nutters do the judging for god.

Thanks to Gigi Elmes. As noted looks like a driving hazard to me.

Thanks to דודdavid.

Don't forget you can join the Bible Belt Group today. Then keep your eyes peeled. Its so much easier here in the south to find this stuff. But it is everywhere. Would love to have your bible belt-isms added and posted.

Attack of the Rednecks (part 4)

2009-03-30T20:50:00.002-05:00

Ok so I am driving home. I see some debris in the road. With caution I try to avoid it but cannot cause I am in the 3rd lane from the left and there is traffic on both sides of me. I can't go anywhere. Then I see a can of orange paint which had exploded and was bouncing down the interstate. headed straight for me. It hits my bumper and sprays my windshield. I immediately hit the windshield washer and wipers. It does nothing.

So a can of orange paint hit my truck (a work vehicle) And sprayed orange paint all over. Pissed, I continue my drive home. I eventually catch up to the dumbass who was responsible for the orange paint mishap. It was a semi-trailer. A flat bed, with a shit load of loose cans of paint falling off one by one. On the trailer was what looked like furniture but then looked to be like metal cabinets and storage bins for -say a warehouse or a manufacturing floor. About 30 cans of spray paint were rolling around on the back. I didn't have my DSLR with me so I didn't attempt a photo while driving. The semi was red. On the door it said "Alabama Motor Express" Or something similar. And so, be it a conspiracy or not, a redneck caused some paint to spray all over my vehicle. The stuff was hard to get off (I have only gotten it off my windshield and headlights. The rest is still on). After a hard day's work, I come home and no I can't relax I have to clean up paint. I had to use a razor blade on the window and alcohol on the headlights.

Attack of the rednecks (part 3) (Afternoon LOL edition)

2009-03-30T14:00:00.004-05:00

A big thank you to all the redneck persons out there on flickr that keep providing me with good blog material. You guys never let me down :)

Check out this week's winner.

He goes by the flickr name of Proudly in Alabama and SAVED by the Lord's grace!

He comments on this photo of mine from 2007-08-02

I will post a screen shot of his comments below (click to embiggen)

So let me quote him:

First thing he says is:

After seeing that stinger, it's going to be about a week before I can sleep again.

You could hit bone with that thing!

Fair enough. I come back at him with:

Yeah well, They are very aggressive if handled. Looking back I really should have just left it alone. At the time though I didn't want to risk it getting in the house for my (then) 2 year old to pick it up so this thing had to go.

They have them down in your neck of the woods too so watch out for them. I live by a philosophy now that if they dont pose a threat to you -they should be just left alone. After reading about how rare these things are I regret killing it. They are rare. I have only seen 4 in a 15 year time span. Granted most of that time I was not living in the south.

He then replies:

Look son, I don't know what hippie kool-aid you've been drinking, but -- THE RARER THE BETTER, extinct would be preferable. Short of these things holding the cure for cancer (which they don't), keeping them around serves only as one more source of a horrific death for innocent and unsuspecting babies and children, the elderly, and the anaphylactically allergic.

Traditional American philosophy is: if it doesn't serve a clear and important purpose which benefits the human race, a benefit which only it can provide us -- and if, on top of that, it kills or creates damage or pain -- then TO HELL WITH IT, IT'S A BUG FOR PETE'S SAKE!

And I agree.

I LMAO and then type out:

@Proudly in Alabama and SAVED by the Lord's grace!

Firstly, you aren't my dad.

Hahaha you really make me laugh dude. How do you know for sure they don't hold the cure for cancer? Also I would like to dispel the rumor that these velvet ants kill, -they don't. They produce a very painful sting. But they do not kill. MAYBE someone who is allergic, but really its a rare thing. It seems (and I am totally making an assumption here) that you are they type of person who would kill something just to kill it. Do you like to hit deer in the road just to kill it and take its antlers as some sort of redneck trophy? Again I am making assumptions here and I do apologize if I am wrong but I have seen real rednecks here in Tennessee do such a thing.

I suspect that your feeling of importance of the human species above all other creatures stems from your heavy Christian faith and how in the bible it says its ok to kill and torture animals for our own means.

Lastly, what do you agree with?

Thanks for keeping the subject alive. Great to have your comments man.

I mean holy shit, look at his flickr profile and tell me if you think this guy and me would disagree on just a few things.

I believe in the OLD-FASHIONED, FIRE-AND-BRIMSTONE, SOUTHERN, KING JAMES BIBLE-BELIEVING, "OLD TIME RELIGION"!

*

Complete this sentence: "If I were to die tonight, my soul would be in H______ tomorrow morning".

"A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't."

"There is an appointment that all men will keep" (with God upon death); what will be seen there with you that day?

*

I am a worthless sinner, undeserving of the crucifixion and bodily death of Jesus Christ, but by the GRACE of THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, it was done and I am SAVED and my sins are under the BLOOD at CALVARY and I am HEAVEN-BOUND! THANK YOU LORD for MAKING A WAY for me by sending your sole Son to die for my sins at Calvary! My sin-debt has been paid! It's only by YOUR WONDERFUL GRACE that I'm saved!

I am from a RURAL part of the Deep SOUTH, where there's still a trace of DECENCY left in most white people.

*

This is a LOST and DYING world FULL OF SIN -- murder, liberalism, rape, starvation, disease, sickness, death, love of darkness, hatred of light, selfishness, gluttony, anger, perversion, molestation, addiction, pain, shallowness, deceit, prostitution, ALCOHOL, drugs, poverty, greed, self-indulgence, dictators, humanism, hedonism, atheism, evolutionism, homosexuality, corruption, interracial marriage, etc. -- and it's not my home, I'm just A-PASSIN' THROUGH, HALLELUJAH! How tragic it would be if this Earth were all there was!

God SPECIFICALLY said not to be deceived by what the liberals are saying: homosexuals, alcohol drinkers, non-Christians, etc., will NOT be getting into Heaven the way liberals say they will - {1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-10}

There is only ONE way to HEAVEN, and that is through the shed BLOOD of JESUS CHRIST {JOHN 14:6}. You can be SAVED only through His GRACE, not your own works (what kind of 'loving' god would send his only son to die a horrific death if there was any other way?) - you're a sinner and thus you fall FAR short of the Grace and Glory of God {ROMANS 3:23}, and are UTTERLY incapable of paying the debt of sin you've racked up. You can't earn a ticket into Heaven by doing nice things for people or having your heart in the right place {EPHESIANS 2:9} - you NEED Jesus! You need to TURN from your SIN, REPENT, BELIEVE on His name, and ask GOD to SAVE YOU so that you can be BORN AGAIN into the SPIRIT and filled with the HOLY GHOST and go the HEAVEN instead of HELL! READ THE BIBLE!!! -- it's God's word, and this is EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS!...and that's how it USED to be preached all over this land, the GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FIRE and BRIMSTONE way! {REVELATION 21:8}

*

There are NO CONTRADICTIONS in the Bible! It is the infallible, inerrant, all-sufficient, inspired WORD OF GOD - and it is to be taken LITERALLY, as PERFECT GOD WROTE IT, not as sinful man wishes it were! I believe the WHOLE BIBLE, exactly as written, with NO APOLOGIES TO "SCIENCE" -- and no, there are no problems with eating shellfish and also shunning homosexuality, ignorant liberals!

*

Jesus created an INDEPENDENT church, each local church UNAFFILIATED and UNASSOCIATED with any sort of man-made larger organizational body -- hence I am an INDEPENDENT FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST. If your church is affiliated with ANY sort of organization or association -- be it the Southern Baptist Convention, the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church in America, the Roman Catholic Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, whatever it may be -- you are in a BIBLE-DENYING, LIBERAL CHURCH. Churches: if an association has you on their rolls, Jesus doesn't have you on His!

Most people who self-identify as "Christian" aren't, no matter how loud they may insist -- "SAYIN' IT DON'T MAKE IT SO!" -- the BIBLE shows the standard of who's a Christian!

*

We the SAVED are on a MISSION to preach to the impenitent lost, to convert all the atheists and pagans and hippies and vegetarians and Moslems and Jews and Catholics and Mormons and other unsaved (why? Because we CARE about the fate of their eternal, everlasting souls and thus don't want to see them end up in HELL FOREVER because they died without Christ's blood covering their sins - the Jesus of the Bible said that through Him is the ONLY way to Heaven {JOHN 14:6}), to stamp out homosexuality {LEVITICUS 20:13} and feminism {1 TIMOTHY 2:11-12} and all other forms of Bible-denying liberalism, and to reclaim America for Christ and hold the people of this secular liberal land to God's STANDARDS and COMMANDMENTS. These God-hating liberals will get their due - JUDGMENT awaits, and it will be a TERRIBLE DAY when the TRUMPET OF THE LORD SHALL SOUND!!!

HELL is NEVER-ENDING TORTURE and suffering and death; it's a DEMONIC place -- and it's where YOU'LL SEND YOURSELF by and for your SIN if you refuse CHRIST before it's eternally TOO LATE! Do you want to PERISH IN AGONY...or not? Christ died for YOU!

TURN from your sins or BURN in hell for FOREVER, UNSAVED SINNER! YOUR CHOICE, so choose LIFE over DEATH!

My YouTube channel
I live in the Deep South, in the most deeply conservative, old-fashioned, fundamentalist Baptist state in the union - whose very name strikes fear in the hearts of liberals: ALABAMA ... where freedom still matters!

Endless material -these Christian fundamentalists provide.

HP customer service hell

2009-03-30T13:56:00.000-05:00

At work, we have an HP plotter, and also an HP color Laser Jet. In the past, when the 5550DN went on the blink, I had to call them up and –even though it’s under a warranty they require someone to troubleshoot the device on the phone before they will send someone out. So, today, the Design Jet 1055cm plus dies. I have to call these people again which resulted in a huge pain in the ass and a waste of time. Before calling, I had already known it was the network card that failed, because I did my own troubleshooting. Knowing this, you would think that this call should take very quickly. I already know what the problem is, I just say yes, yes, yes, to the people when they ask me “have you tried … ?” Here is what went down:

11:25 - Call Start - using complicated voice-recognition automated system. Was advised that design jet support is online only. And to have a nice day. *click* Call ended.

11:29 - Call Start - tried to connect with a representative by hitting 0 repeatedly (about 8 times). Told to wait on hold while a representative would be made available.

11:34 – Finally connected to a representative. This one is from Costa Rica. He hears my problem, and then promptly places me on hold to transfer me to design jet team.

11:36 - On Hold.

11:41 - Connected with design jet team member -this one is from Canada (eh). He records our care pack number and info. Listens to my problem and also agrees that it is a network card issue. He places me on hold to start a conference call for network card specialist.

11:45 - On Hold.

11:58 - Now in conference call with Design jet team member (from Costa Rica) and network card specialist. Troubleshooting device at the insistence of the woman from Costa Rica – who seems to think I am some sort of idiot.

12:14 – Woman from Costa Rica determined that indeed the card was bad (as we had initially suspected). She begins to setup a case number. She can’t start one because she needs to enter the serial number of the old card. The man from Canada (eh) takes over and says he will order the card for me.

12:28 – The rep from Canada (eh) is ordering a new card. He tells me all the info etc etc etc.

12:39 - End of call. I can eat lunch YAY!

So, more than an hour wasted on the phone to get something I already knew was bad, bearing in mind, that a year of “care pack” service is $1,649. The man from Canada (eh) was extremely helpful and repeatedly apologized for placing me on hold. The personnel from Costa Rica however always seem to irk me, cause they constantly ask me “Have you tried … ?” That in combination with their very thick and heavy accents and the broken English make it extremely difficult to deal with them. I am not at all pleased.

The thing that pisses me off more, is we are supposed to have, included in this “care pack” service a tech to come out to fix problems. HP will not even send a tech out unless you sit on the phone for hours on end to troubleshoot with someone. (that is usually from Costa Rica who is hard to understand yadda yadda yadda) I can’t see why they can’t just let me call a number and get help. Here is how a call should go:

I call HP and say “Hey Joe, come on out we got a problem.”

And Joe says “Ok Chris, I’ll be there at 4 PM”.

Then I say “OK”.

Why? Why do they make people jump through hoops of fire in order to get some help and SERVICE that they PAID FOR? I am pissed and its not even my money that paid for it. (Its my work) but for fuck sake HP! Why not make it easier for us normal people?

Bible Belt Finds: "Truckin' for Jesus" + "One Way" + "3-handed salute"

2009-03-26T10:22:00.003-05:00

Thanks to s t e p h e r

Thanks to NC Cigany

Thanks to mr*sha*mme*r

Of course, if you find any "bible-belt-isms" in your neck of the woods, photograph it and add it to the Bible Belt group. If you aren't already a member join today.

Don says "Don't watch Family Guy"

2009-03-26T09:58:00.006-05:00

Fox's 'Family Guy' goes too far; file a complaint with the FCC

File an official complaint with the FCC against the FOX network and your local FOX affiliate station.

March 25, 2009

Dear Chris,

On March 8, Fox network aired Family Guy, a perverted and sickening program, into the homes of millions of Americans. This episode was rated TV-14 DLSV by FOX, meaning that in the network's opinion it was appropriate for 14-year olds. It aired during prime-time.

The content of this program was so explicit that I can't even begin to describe it here.

Click here to watch these scenes or read our detailed review. WARNING: These scenes taken from the Fox program Family Guy are highly offensive.

The review:

WARNING!!

The following information is offensive! It is offered as informational evidence of the sickening material broadcast on FOX Network.

The March 8 episode of Family Guy, a disgusting cartoon that airs Sunday nights on Fox network, condoned bestiality, gay orgies and babies eating sperm.

In this perverted episode:

* Peter, the husband/father figure, turns gay after taking an experimental shot of the gay gene. He was paid $125 to take part of this experiment to prove that being gay is not a choice.
* Peter and his new lover make out in a restaurant.
* The lover tells Peter he has arranged an 11-way gay orgy.
* Peter helps his son with his math homework and turns the problem into an explicit conversation about “glory holes” and “circuit parties,” which are references to gay sex.
* Peter leaves his son Chris in charge of the family while he spends time with his gay partner. Upon his new role, Chris immediately passes gas in his sister’s face and knocks out his mother, Lois.
* Peter lies in bed with his rear exposed and moans in pleasure when a horse, which he assumes is his wife, licks his rear.
* Lois, wearing skimpy lingerie, is turned down by her now gay husband.
* Their child, Baby Stewie, eats cereal covered with horse sperm that resembled milk kept in the refrigerator.

Back to the "sound the alarm" email I got haha:

Even more offensive is Fox's view of Christianity. At a "straight" meeting, the speaker talks to gays about Jesus and tells them, "He [Jesus] hates many people, but none more than homosexuals." Incidentally, Pepsico helped sponsor this program (BoycottPepsico.com.

You really cannot get the full effect of the show's portrayal of Christianity without watching the video or reading our review. You will hear the tone and sarcasm very clearly.

The FCC has a duty to enforce the law and fine Fox for this sickening violation of broadcast decency standards. In addition, your local FOX network affiliate did not have to air this episode. Obviously, they do not care about your local community standards.
Take Action!

File an official complaint with the FCC against the Fox network and your local FOX affiliate station. It will only take a couple of minutes. Do it for your children and grandchildren.

They leave a link for watching the video too. I haven't seen it. I don't watch the show and don't really care about it. But I do know that it is hugely popular. Also, "boycotting" this is only going to make the show more popular. Complaining about toilet humor is one thing but I laugh out loud when organizations like this make it their sole agenda to combat every instance of the "homosexual agenda" with stupid "boycotts" and "Write to the FCC" nonsense. My last quick point, it makes me laugh out loud even more that this group finds it

Even more offensive is Fox's view of Christianity. At a "straight" meeting, the speaker talks to gays about Jesus and tells them, "He [Jesus] hates many people, but none more than homosexuals."

Um, Don, read your own bible there buddy. Tell me what it says about homosexuals. I know it doesn't link Jesus himself as having any hatred toward gays but Paul, showed a burning disdain for them and lesbians. And since Jesus is the same thing as God, what does it say about God's opinion on homosexuals in the bible? How is that being inaccurate then, in describing religious fundamentalists, such as yourself, as having a hatred of homosexuals?

Oh yeah and lets not forget, you can make your tax-deductible donation to AFA at ... cause we all know God needs MONEY!

Always makes me LOL

2009-03-23T22:46:00.003-05:00

A brilliant piece of writing from a brilliant man:

When it comes to bullshit...big-time, major league bullshit... you have to stand in awe, in awe of the all time champion of false promises and exaggerated claims, religion.
Religion easily has the greatest bullshit story ever told. Think about it, religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man... living in the sky...who watches every thing you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten special things that he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry for ever and ever 'til the end of time...but he loves you. He loves you, and He needs MONEY! He always needs money! He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money! Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes, and they always need a little more. Now, you talk about a good bullshit story. Holy Shit!

George Carlin

Volconvo

2009-03-22T14:36:00.002-05:00

Been trying to be more active on

A Message board I have been a member of since Dec 2004 I recommend.

Comment Gems from the article

2009-03-22T10:41:00.002-05:00

Ignotant dumbass (MTSUPsych) wrote:

These people want to be heard but they have nothing to say! Wow, does this make sense? I find it amusing that these "non-believers" have no religion or a need to proclaim their beliefs in the community, yet they are building a church of their own. How ironic. Some will say its not a church, and yes call it by a different name, but when it all comes down to it these people are gathering to discuss religion and God.

I have no problem with the fact that some people dont believe in God, Because I know they will someday!
3/21/2009 5:39:31 AM

neverneverland wrote:

I try not to besmurch the holy faithful too much but come on, the religious stories of miracles and resurrections and such are for children. Either you grow out of such nonseical beliefs or you remain stuck in a spiritual world that is all too often void of any spirituality and instead drown in religious fervor. Having given up my Christian faith many years back I now understand what Jesus really represents and I am a much better person spiritually than I could have ever been holding to a religious doctrine that is so fuzzy in its dictate {the bible, the Koran, the Torah} that it is beyond understanding. I have learned it is much better, and easier, to follow what Jesus represents {WWJD} that it is to have 'faith' in unseeable deity that is more like an angry father than he is a loving God. And I can look at other spiritual concepts without guilt and learn so much more about the spiritual soul. Christians, Jews, Muslims talk a good game but when it comes to walking the walk, well Jesus would be heart broken to see how religious folk live in this day and age. Faith without deeds is about as good as a car without gas. You may look good on the outside but inside you are empty, without true spiritual understanding, being led by the nose by religious dogma that is myth. If one could only understand what Luke Skywalker really meant by using the 'Force' there would be a true spiritual 'ncommunity' where everyone is accepted as human being and not as an 'unbeliever'. But alas, the dark side works in mysterious ways and probably the darkest is to be found in religious dogma. I challenge anyone to compare their spiritual deeds to mine. I may lack the faith but my actions are much more closer to what WWJD is than 90% of the so called faithful. God is a force of nature beyond good and evil. But more important is that I have learned God is a 'force' of nature, period. The rest is pure myth.

3/21/2009 6:09:32 AM

Tennessee wrote:

"No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this State," reads Article IX of the state constitution.

This law is dead and should be buried. It violates the U.S. Constitution and is unenforceable.

"government should not prefer one religion to another, or religion to irreligion". US Supreme Court, Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village School District v. Grumet, 512 U.S. 687 (1994),

3/21/2009 6:47:43 AM

voiceofsanity wrote:

Some of these comments just prove the point of the article.
3/21/2009 7:13:38 AM

Ignorant dumbass (bobbyrjw) wrote:

Replying to Tennessee:

"No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this State," reads Article IX of the state constitution.

This law is dead and should be buried. It violates the U.S. Constitution and is unenforceable.

"government should not prefer one religion to another, or religion to irreligion". US Supreme Court, Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village School District v. Grumet, 512 U.S. 687 (1994),

You confuse a Supreme Court ruling with the US Constitution.

Hey bobby! Read this buddy:

Last, the Judicial branch interprets the law

godlessasyou wrote:

As I read these post, I wonder why Christians hate Atheist so much.
3/21/2009 11:25:41 PM

ThreeCrowns wrote:

Replying to michaelo:

"Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle". George Washington. I realize that it might be a stretch to conclude that George Washington existed. After all, I haven't personally seen him.

No one is claiming that George Washington is alive, is active in our daily lives or holds the key to afterlife.

Stay relevent. . .
3/21/2009 11:46:31 PM

georgia.dawgs@hotmail.com wrote:

I can't believe that my parents actually brainwashed me into believing in god.

I find athiests to be more morally concerned about society than the godlovers. Where a godlover will pray for help (and do nothing else) an athiest will get up and do something for themself.
3/21/2009 11:59:13 PM

australiax wrote:

Replying to Harlowfan:

I can't imagine how cold and lonely life must be without God.

I hate to break it to you but I am an Athiest and my life is full and happy. Instead of wasting my energy trying to please a god and get into heaven I am free to enjoy the life I have and do the most with it.
3/22/2009 10:57:32 AM

I of course haven't had time to read through all of it, but to those who read this blog and logged on to comment THANK YOU. I guess I will try for a second time for an account (never got that confirmation email)

Life Affirming

2009-03-21T23:44:00.002-05:00

Reading the comments on the secular article that ran in today's Tennessean I found something that forced me to respond. I went through the register process at the Tennessean but it seems there is some delay, so I will respond here.

The Article

Harlowfan says:

I can't imagine how cold and lonely life must be without God.

Well let me tell you Harlowfan, Atheism is LIFE AFFIRMING in a way that religion can never be. The here-and-now is not something to be endured before the after life of eternal happiness. The Here-and-now is all we have, so we make the MOST OF OUR LIVES here and now on earth. Without superstition. We lead moral lives without the threat of hell fire, unlike religion, we are moral and good because of the inherent humanism in us all. No threats of hell fire, no threats of "If you don't be good you will burn forever"

Guess what Harlowfan, I realized the bible was written by men, and that there is a very good chance that god doesn't exist. And guess what, I am not going to go and kill someone because the 10 commandments were written by men instead of god. Because Religion isn't the basis of morality. It says a lot about someone who needs the threat of hell fire in order to be good. If you found out that there wasn't a "Thou shall not kill" would you go out and kill someone? I don't think so.

The article

2009-03-21T23:24:00.002-05:00

I joined my fellow seculars in a meeting with a reporter from the Tennessean. We discussed atheism and non-belief in the bible belt. The story was supposed to run tomorrow on the front page but instead ran today on the front page. I am reading comments from people on their online version. I would appreciate any comments from the few of you that do read this blog. Post them on the Tennessean.

30,000 plays

2009-03-21T22:42:00.002-05:00

I know it pales to insignificance in comparison with other last.fm junkies but I hit 30,000 plays on Last.fm

The 30,000th Track: The Beatles - You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)

An interesting commute in today

2009-03-19T21:54:00.004-05:00

I had to leave early so I could make an appointment to get some electrical work done on my work vehicle. The trip was uneventful until I notice a grey Honda nearly hit me after weaving in and out of the travel lanes. She was weaving in and out as if she was alone and in labor and dying to get to a hospital but somehow I doubt that was the case.

What to do... hmmm... Do I

Just let it go and carry-on driving normal speed?
Try and catch up to her and tailgate her and when she looks give her the finger?
Try and catch up with her to take her photo and post it on the internet for ridicule?

I unfortunately didn't have my DSLR (not been taking it in to work lately) so I used my mobile phone. I am sorry this is the best I can do with creative cropping and editing (it was still semi-dark)

I wonder if at all she will get in an accident driving like that. Which would be tragic.

The next funny thing I saw was a truck, with a George W. Bush Sticker. Not just any Bush sticker, but one from the campaign of 2004. So even after 4 more years of Bush failures does he seem to think its ok to keep the sticker on the vehicle. I just thought that was funny. Not as awful as those stupid Black "W" stickers.

So, I am sitting in the waiting room of a place that's doing some electrical work on the work vehicle.

An odd thing and this is the first time I have seen this is that they have a tv with a dvd player in the waiting room. With a handful of DVDs on the table. (really cool)

Got a story

2009-03-19T16:31:00.001-05:00

...which I wrote here in the waiting room of a place I was at this morning but will post it tonight. I will warn its not very good. I seem to be fresh out of ideas here. Or just busy. Got deadlines and little or no progress for this work. So you can be assured I am working from 8 to 6 pm every day with an occasional Gmail check. The good news is it is getting warmer again. I had a spare 10 minutes now (2009-03-19 16:29 CDT) so I figured I would use this neglected mobile blogging tool from Blogger. Will log on tonight.

Seeking Mary Kay Info

2009-03-18T08:03:00.003-05:00

Can someone (anyone!) with info on Mary Kay please let me know what the real deal is. I posted this photo of a rare sighting of a Mary Kay edition Cadillac SRX and had did some very small digging and found out (and perhaps wrongfully concluded) that Mary Kay was nothing more than a Pyramid Scheme. I had a comment from some Tyra H about how I "know nothing".

I have had one (1) first-hand account of how Mary Kay is not really a money-making tool but is a sticky spider-web trap (Pyramid Scheme). I would LOVE to hear more info first-hand on what it is and if it is indeed a trap as one person I know has already confirmed.

Attack of the rednecks (Part 2) (Language warning)

2009-03-17T22:02:00.009-05:00

If I didn't get enough laughter and side-splitting goodness from Wallandboy7777, I log in to flickr and look at the latest activity in my photostream. Now I have taken quite a lot of photos, some I even forgot about, and some that should probably be taken down. So what kind of comments would make me laugh so hard tonight?

Meet big_ford84. Now for me to just flat-out call someone a redneck is not very common. Well, lets just say I do it out of respect. Hell, even Wallandboy7777 proudly proclaimed it in his profile and his favorites are filled with "redneck and proud" confederate flag art (and lots of naked chicks). So Forgive me if I offend Mr. big_ford84, but if you aren't a redneck, you are simply a fucking dumbass.

Exhibit A (click photo to enlarge)

Creative comment. I wasn't too harsh with him in my response. Ok name calling was probably unnecessary but I digress...

Exhibit B (Click photo to enlarge)

oops. I really lost my cool there, but this kind of thing, not even worthy of a response warranted a serious smack down. If this escalates I will probably just block his dumb ass and leave it. After all rednecks do have guns! And ignorant dumbasses have been known to go kill people because they were "liberal" .

Ahh well, we will see how it pans out. Again, this kind of shit is not worthy of a response and I would like to think I am better than that.

EDIT: (2009-03-18 07:59 CDT) OK I decided to go ahead and delete my comments and delete his and also block him. I don't need some dumbass coming after me (who may or may not own guns).

AFA update from Don

2009-03-16T11:07:00.002-05:00

Obama OKs embryonic stem cell research; actions are immoral and ineffective

March 10, 2009

Dear Chris,

President Obama has given the ok to destroy human life in the name of scientific research.

No. Obama has brought science back to its rightful place instead of banning things because of personal reasons (Bush's ban was reversed) Do me a favor Don, next time you are sick, skip the hospital and go to a church instead.

Embryonic stem cell research is immoral and ineffective. It is immoral because it destroys human life at its earliest stage of development by harvesting the stem cells for body parts.

Don, Don, Don. They use stem cells that were going to be tossed in the trash to begin with. We aren't talking about babies or even embryos here, we are talking about blastocysts! Secondly, they aren't being used for "Body Parts" I am sure glad you don't have a family member that suffers from a disease or spinal injury who could benefit from this research that has been hindered by someone else's "moral" beliefs. I would like you to take a trip down to St. Jude's Hospital and look a suffering child in the eye and tell her that she can't get a cure cause of your personal belief. You hypocritical coward!

It is ineffective because it has yet to be used a single time in any therapeutic application.

This is dumb. It hasn't been used cause we are still in the RESEARCH PHASE you ignoramus. There is a reason we are still in the research phase. His name is George W. Bush. With help from you lot. Who knows what an additional 8 years of progress on this front would have brought us to today?

Researchers must get their funding from taxpayers for embryonic stem cell research because they can't convince private sources to invest. Private investors know there are no proven uses for embryonic stem cells. It's all hype, hope and theory.

Bullshit. Who the F do you think is doing the research? The government?

But adult stem cell research, on the other hand, is ethically benign and is already being used to treat over 70 diseases and conditions. If taxpayer dollars are going to be spent on stem cell research, that's where it ought to go.

Don't lets get started on this. You think a blastocyst should be spared but seem to think its ok for people to be executed by the state in commission of a crime.

By reversing funding restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, Pres. Obama is making every American taxpayer complicit in immoral, life destroying research. This is a terrible example of political ideology trumping sound science.

The "sound science" has been trumped by 8 years of Bush "dark-ages" policy.

Read the constitution: Lesson 1

2009-03-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

Article VI, section 3:

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Very simple, 2000+ years ago

2009-03-15T22:31:00.002-05:00

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able, and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

Έπίκουρος (Epicurus) -circa 280 BCE

See what superstition does to you

2009-03-15T21:32:00.003-05:00

I have never seen this video before. Apparently its very old. Looks like its from Wife Swap. I came across it via God is Pretend. (thanks) I hate to be like other blogs and just re-publish old content, but when I watched this my jaw dropped. She makes her own daughter cry.

Tennessee state constitution is unconstitutional

2009-03-11T09:49:00.001-05:00

TN state constitution:

Article 9, Section 2:

No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this State.

Twitter problems again?

2009-03-11T08:38:00.002-05:00

I got a message saying that someone unfollowed me, so I was going to unfollow them... I navigate to their twitter page to look, and someone who I knew I was following (from almost the beginning of Twitter) it says I am not following them... WTF!? I didn't unfollow them. Something else unfollowed them for me. I know for sure I didnt unfollow. People are just randomly being dropped for no reason. I wonder what is going on. This person is not a spammer.

Bill Oreilly Remix

2009-03-09T22:52:00.003-05:00

I know I am late in the game with this but this made me laugh so hard the tears were streaming down my face when it was over (Language Warning)

Shozu Fail (again)

2009-03-09T22:13:00.003-05:00

EDIT: (DST confusion)

Sent to Shozu = 2009-03-06 09:45 CST
Shozu Uploaded to Flickr = 2009-03-08 14:49 CDT

Elapsed time from sent to Shozu to flickr upload = 52 Hours 4 minutes. = FAIL

I sure HOPE that we don't return to the days of multiple Shozu uploads.

Podcamp Nashville 09

2009-03-08T00:44:00.002-06:00

I am sitting here at home after spending some serious moolah on My wife's laptop and another present for myself (A lenovo S10) Feeling pretty good.

Today was really good, lots of interesting info at #pcn09 Podcamp Nashville. I uploaded a photoset to flickr.

My favorite presentation was "@#$* it we'll do it live!" I was LMAO at the Bill Oreilly throwback.

Anyway The whole point of this post s to provide an update. I started getting ill on Thursday and was seriously ill Thursday night. I was sent home Friday like a kid being sent home from the nurse's office.

So I rested Friday, and felt well enough to head to Pocamp today.

Part 2 of this post, its kind of important because there is a spamming dude out there that spells the end of Twitter!

I was reading Regravity and felt obligated to say something about it here as well as comment.

First off, this is an incredibly bad idea. We kill spam as soon as it comes across our desk. I don't know about you, but I have set my Gmail to forward to my phone on every twitter email. So I can immediately look at the user profile - who just followed me. If the person is trying to sell something, I send a direct message to @spam with that persons username. For example:

d spam @tweettornado

Killing these spam bots, cause they are many times more quick in following people.

Second, the nerve of this bastard to post a comment on Regravity as disrespectful and childish as he did is beyond rotten.

Earth Hour

2009-03-04T22:06:00.003-06:00

Thanks to great people like John Johnston I find out about stuff like Earth Hour. I started seeing billboards around town.

Also My work has gotten into it and is promoting it.

I saw that billboard while walking today. Before lunch I thought it was so nice out I decided to go for a walk. I walked from work down past the construction at the Hutton Hotel

(? - I did name that photo but stupid Verizon didn't rename it as such when I sent it to flickr from my phone) And then down to 21st, past Vandy and all the way to the Bellcourt, and back... So yes a very nice long walk. I was really trying to scout out the location for Podcamp which is this Saturday. I still don't know where it is, I would REALLY love some Long/Lat that would help a lot.

Oh and Twitter decided to shit a brick this afternoon. My SMS's weren't going through to Twitter and I was not receiving SMS's either. I tried to log in using my laptop, I was prompted for a password and after entering it in yadda yadda yadda, It redirected me to http://twitter.com/stautses

Which looks like this:

So I couldn't send or receive SMS's from Twitter and When I tried to log in using the web I got that. I tried to log in using my phone on mobile web and that was the only thing that worked. As I left work, I started getting SMS updates form BreakingNewsOn and did a test SMS but I find out that that SMS did not go to twitter.

I don't know what happened and the Twitter Blog offered no explanation.

So if anyone knows what happened I would love to know.

Ask me why you deserve hell

2009-03-03T23:36:00.005-06:00

Couldn't go to bed without sharing this. Another Bible Belt Find: Ask me Why you deserve Hell (Thanks to uglysheep)

Changed the description of Bible Belt

2009-03-03T23:06:00.003-06:00

I added three paragraphs to the description of Bible Belt. Would love if anyone who reads this, and comes across fundamentalism to document it in words and photos and share it with the group. Its free to join :)

I am a child of indoctrination. Growing up there wasn't a question of whether or not I was going to church, there was a question of what tie I was going to wear to church. If I dared speak opposition or requested to not attend church, I was met with harsh punishment and lecturing, and a few hours of bible study for good measure.

Growing up in that part of the country that isn't traditionally Bible Belt-ey (Puget Sound, WA) I had questions from the age of 12. The bible and Christianity didn't make sense to me. It was contradictory, and filled with violence and human suffering.

I was very apathetic towards Christianity even until recently. I believed in evolution and science (I have always been a fan of science) but I wasn't very vocal about arguing with religious nutters about evolution until lately. I figured I would just let them believe what they want to believe in. It wasn't until I moved into the south where I noticed a particular brand of evangelism that brought back painful memories of childhood. Its that in your face brand of preaching that I found particularly annoying. From 2005 onward (been living in Tennessee since 2005 now) I was bombarded with public displays, signs and also over the airwaves, tv and radio. All conveying the same message "If you don't believe in God, you will burn in HELL!" I said to myself enough was enough. I would start documenting this with photos.

If you are annoyed with the constant barrage of Christian fundamentalism being shoved down your throat, this group is for you. It can be an excellent tool to see fundamentalism wherever it raises its ugly head. There is no restriction on where the photos can be taken The "Bible Belt" can be anywhere. Billboards -makeshift or professional, Bumper stickers, Church signs that condemn you to eternal damnation. If you witness these or similar bible belt-isms in your local area, take a snap of it and share it with the group. It may be quite entertaining and scary at the same time.

Bible Belt Finds : Seattle + Cross

2009-03-03T22:47:00.004-06:00

Attention Yankees fans! God will judge you! (Thanks to lwolfe26)

Thanks to (tango.mceffrie)

More to see at Bible Belt.

AFA Update

2009-03-03T22:20:00.003-06:00

Your evening entertainment. Help! the Christians are being oppressed! They are being silenced!

My purpose in writing the book is to make people aware that Christians are being silenced all across America:

Any examples?

in the political debate,

Any examples?

the public square,

Ugh what gives them the right to use govt. property to show an established religion (unconstitutional)? No one is stopping them from holding signs and shouting bullhorns, or protesting in the public arena.

the schools,

You are perfectly free to preach all you want in private religious schools. But to do so in public schools is again, unconstitutional.

the workplace, and even in the sanctuary of their own churches.

Bullshit. If you are so lame that you want to start preaching in the workplace, that's called harassment people have a right to not be harassed. You still have a right to pray at work, but you don't have the right to harass people. And I would love to see how you are being "silenced" in your own churches.

Was reminded of:

Nothing to report

2009-03-03T20:46:00.002-06:00

Well I wanted to write a nice post with graphics and photos but I encountered three problems

a) I am feeling a bit ill.

b) I don't have any news to report. I have been working all day and have not seen any good news.

c) My daughter is home now and I have to take care of her. ( she is watching a DVR'd Care Bears episode now)

I may type something out tonight before bed. I am using my N810 now and have yet to get started on the laptop tonight.

You just don't do this to children. Let alone babies

2009-03-03T16:25:00.006-06:00

Taken from Mugs in the news

Defendant: Melissa Calusinski
(Lincolnshire Police Department photo / January 16, 2009)
Charge: First-degree murder and aggravated battery of a child

Melissa Calusinski, 22, of Carpentersville is charged in the death of 16-month-old Benjamin Kingan,who died after she allegedly threw him to the floor of a day-care center, cracking his skull, on Jan. 14, 2009. Authorities alleged she was frustrated because he was noisy.

Police said Calusinski, an employee at the Minee Subee in the Park day-care center in Lincolnshire, left the child to slowly die as he crawled to his chair. The day-care center has since been closed.

News Articles:

Accused Day Care Worker "Loved Kids"

Robert Koehler : The Human Franchise

Followers

2009-03-02T21:35:00.003-06:00

Well I have been doing some cool stuff tonight. I have already taught my four year old daughter how to navigate to ihasahotdog in Firefox. I also taught her how to highlight text on my laptop.

Next lesson : Copy / Paste :)

I have been looking at the widgets in Blogger and added "followers" of which I have one (Thanks Suzy). I didn't even know about this until I saw one on another blog. So I follow. And I see a follower.

Its not like Twitter following though.

Back to this post which is about nothing.

Subject One: Its cold again.

Now For someone who spent 3 long cold dark winters in Fairbanks, Alaska 15 Deg F (-9 deg C) is rather balmy.

For someone who spent many a winters' night shoveling 6 metric tonnes of wet, heavy snow off his driveway in Boston - the light dusting We got in Nashville was laughable.

But for someone who was enjoying 60 degree weather on Thursday and then has to be outside when its 20 degrees, 4 days later, sure it feels a little cold.

Hating the fact that its Monday, but I feel slightly better that its Monday night. Leaving only four more days until the weekend.

Revisiting my first ever Blog post. I re-read this and LMAO (Obviously written in an era before spell check)

I had to drive by Cambridge yesterday, they had I-93 NB blocked coming from the airport ... at 2pm on a weekday! Madness!I once had to go to Detroit, Michigan and come back on the same day. This was back in March, they had I93 blocked off going into East Boston so I had to go an a really bad detour. But This was at 5am and 1am -I can understand dismantling the old Green decks at night. But Yesterday I was driving back from the airport -they didnt say I-93 was blocked before the tolls, no they would rather collect money on the tolls and wait for me to emerge on the other side of the Sumner Tunnel pissed off- hell they already got their money! If I had known they would have blocked I-93 NB I would have just taken Route 1A. Anyway sorry for bitching but what normally would have been a 15 min ride turned into 45min. Cause once I got on 93 (in Somerville) there was NO traffic. But these idiots had me driving all throughout Boston, with poor detour signs that are posted right AT the place you are supposed to turn so I had to drive like a jackass cutting in front of people etc, pissing a score of people off.

So yesterday I had a shedload of bags I had checked on my flight from Detroit and so I had to buy one of those rent-a-cart things for $3 and since I had that cart I had to take the elevator. I flew Northwest Airlines so I was in Terminal E (International terminal) The best terminal at Boston, but when I came back yesterday, it was at the same time loads of Trans-Atlantic flights were coming in, so there was a line to get on the elevator. I had no choice but to use it, (again because of the rent a cart thing... I couldn't take the escalator or I would have) but some people were just holding their bags, and didn't even need to use it, (They could have easily used the escalator) so anyway this one lady was in front and kept hitting the button to go up. There was a total of 2 elevators, with 2 lines formed. Once the other elevator opened up to let those people on, they all loaded up and the doors were closing, but this lady failed to realize that if you hit the button while the other elevator's doors are open, -even if they are1 cm away from being shut -the other elevators doors are just going to re open and re open and stay. So I told her what the deal was and she got bitchy with me-I wanted to say something else to her but I kept to myself -don't want any trouble. She finally got in and when it came time to tell the person next to the buttons which floor this broad says "We all are going to 3" when in fact, I was not I was going to 4 (The walkway to Central parking) The elevator stopped at 3 and she got off. As soon as she got off I could tell she had gotten off at the wrong level and she probably meant to get off at 4. It looked as if she was picking up her dad from a flight. Some oblivious looking around and she started to come back to the elevator as the doors were closing. The elevator had emptied out a bit and I was at the front now next to the "Door open" button. The doors closed completely before they could get to the door. (revenge is sweet)
Anyway I got back to my car in Central Parking, paid the $66 to have my car there for 2.4 days and drove off and then you know the rest of the story.

So to sum up this complete waste of your time that is a blog post, I have a sore throat again, Its chilly outside which is bad for me but good for the money hungry fat pigs at the electric company.

Funny how on Rachel Maddow tonight, she is talking about Jean Shaheen and John Sununu in NH. Back when that first blog post was written the airwaves of Boston were filled with 2 of the most annoyingly mind-ingrained worthy commercials.

Jean Shaheen had one when the annoying radio announcer said "who knew? Sununu knew!"

It was an interesting election season.

GOD Part II

2009-03-02T09:31:00.007-06:00

On Sunday Morning I opened up my email and found that some random redneck dude had sent me a FlickrMail. I thought this was too good to be true, so I did a screenshot and posted it to flickr for a laugh.

I also have not responded to this man, because his letter is not worthy of a response. But it is worthy of ridicule. Which is why I blogged it.

Psyche Etoile pointed out something hilariously funny (thanks) -that all his favorites are of semi naked and naked women and young college-age girls in dorm rooms. HAHA! I see no problem with this (except maybe the creepy part that if this guy is the old dude with grey beard pictured in his photostream and he is going after college age girls) - but its rather funny how in one breath he damns me to HELL (all caps were his) for denying his God and then goes on to Favorite naked chicks on his flickr, something of which I am sure the church would not approve.

The funny thing is the Bible (not the basis of morality) has lots of sex, incest, rape, torture, and slavery in it and seems to think that's ok and fine.

Lastly,

Look at what we are presented with in his photostream (unless he took it down -screenshot buddy ha!) (click to enlarge)

Now it appears he is trying to pass off this as his own work. He makes no mention of the original photographer, and does not credit him. What's that you say? The original photographer? Yes. The Original Photographer (click to enlarge)

So now another possible reason of why he got "just got kicked of flickf." [sic] (he changed his profile since) Could it also be -in addition to flaming people you don't know, plagiarism ?

Wonder if Noe Cariillo Knows Bob?

GOD

2009-03-01T09:16:00.001-06:00

GOD
Originally uploaded by Chris1051

How do you respond to stuff like this?

Best viewed LARGE

thanks to wallandboy7777 for the FlickrMail! I haven't been threatened with hellfire yet this morning! :)

wallandboy7777 says he's a

Southernboy. I just got kicked of flickf. I am trying to find old friends and contacts, Thanks Bill

wow, thanks Bill.

What has happened to mornings?

2009-02-27T07:55:00.000-06:00

What I try to do is get to work on time. that is all I am asking for. It used to be ok on the highway. But lately I have been bogged down so much.

Michelle Bachman inserts foot in her mouth - Take 2

2009-02-19T09:08:00.006-06:00

After that train wreck of an interview with Chris Matthews last year we get this gem:

On the Chris Baker Show - KTLK - Feb 12, 2009

"ACORN is "under federal indictment for voter fraud," but the stimulus bill nevertheless gives ACORN "$5 billion."

Actually its only former temporary employees who were charged with voter fraud (of which ACORN was the victim) Also ACORN is not even named in the stimulus bill. (PDF link) ACORN are only eligible for grants in poverty and housing.

"The Census Bureau will report directly to the White House. Hey, for a community organizer-in-chief, that is the mother lode of all data, so that he can redraw all of the redistricting lines, so that democrats can control by a wide majority, every congressional seat across the country."

Redistricting was done in Texas by Tom Delay (R)
States have the right to redraw redistricting not anyone else.
The Census data is public
Democrats already control congress.

She falls for Betsy McCaughey's deception about Health care.

"So now we'll have a national rationing board, and your doctor will no longer be able to make your health-care decisions with you. Now a rationing board will be making those decisions."

Podcamp

2009-02-17T22:23:00.002-06:00

Admittedly no idea what I am doing or if I did it right. But I signed up for podcamp and plan to attend (hopefully something won't come up before then.

Bob Corker FAIL

2009-02-13T17:26:00.003-06:00

I wrote to Bob Corker expressing my outrage at the republican obstruction and cutting of the stimulus bill. I wrote of how tax cuts to the rich, trickle down economics and tax breaks for corporations have been tried and failed. I asked him (and Lamar) to stop obstructing and work for the American people for once. I also told both that I did not vote for them but expected them to vote for the people and not for Rush Limbaugh.

Here is Bob Corker's response:

Dear Mr. A..,

Thank you for contacting my office to share your concerns about the proposed economic stimulus package, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.

I agree with you the stimulus package introduced in the Senate will have little benefit for our economy and I voted against this bill. I am disappointed that we have chosen to spend nearly $1 trillion and still have not solved the issues that created this economic crisis - credit and housing.

To turn our economic crisis around, I believe our priority should be to address the problems in our credit markets and get banks lending again. Additionally, we need to take steps to improve the challenges in the housing market. Unfortunately, the proposal considered by the Senate would borrow hundreds of billions of dollars and spend this money on government programs, many of which will clearly not help us address the two challenges I mentioned above. Until the housing and credit markets are dealt with in a serious and real way, anything else we do for the economy is just throwing good money after bad.

I know right now our country is experiencing tremendous economic turmoil and people are hurting. My heart goes out to all those who find themselves in financial situations that in many cases are beyond their control. I assure you that the difficulties being faced by Tennesseans during these times of economic uncertainty and hardship are of the utmost concern to me, and my staff and I will be using all the resources and options at our disposal to help in the months ahead.

Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me.

Sincerely,

Bob Corker
United States Senator

Words resonate with me [VIDEO]

2009-02-12T11:22:00.000-06:00

May be taken down in future due to copyright.

Happy Darwin Day

2009-02-12T09:48:00.004-06:00

Before I forget, I should make people aware. That today is Charles Darwin's birthday.

Kudos to Google for pointing this out:

Kudos to the bank of England for honoring him on the £10 banknote (one of which - I saved and took a photo of the one pictured above)

In which I go off on a rant (what else is new)

2009-02-06T15:40:00.002-06:00

Wing nuts: To these people using stem cells that would ordinarily be thrown away (that are not living humans) is "killing the innocent". To them, aborting a blastocyst is murder, but killing a doctor who performed abortions, or killing a man for murdering someone as sanctioned by the death penalty is ok. Explain to me how this makes sense again? These people live on a different planet. They put up tasteless billboards similar to the one posted above.

To them its a black and white issue, They feel its ok to dictate, as men, to a woman about her body when they do not have that right. I disagree with abortion, I find it very sad indeed, but I have no place telling a woman what she can do with her body - unless I am the father. You do have the radical fringe feminists who use abortion as a form of birth control, which is of course wrong. But the issue we are dealing with here is you cannot paint all "pro choice" people with the same poop brush. They like to preach abstinence and sit on a moral high ground instead of teach something that actually works, PREVENTION.

When Bristol Palin was exposed as being pregnant the right wing nuts commended her for making the right "choice" when Sarah Palin wanted to make that choice for the rest of American women by banning abortion.

Roe Vs. Wade set the standard in 1973. We now have accountability, safe medical facilities to do these operations, and also COUNSELING (no one ever mentions that) none of which were present pre R.V.W. If someone tries to tell you a horror story about a botched abortion, firstly ask them if the person was born pre 1973 or after. Yes it is not a pretty subject nor is it happy. But it shouldn't be the political third rail that will either electrocute or propel a candidate. This is the year 2009, I would have thought that we would have advanced by now.

These people need to make a visit to St. Jude Hospital in Memphis and look one of those poor children in the eye -who within weeks will die of a disease. When treatment and the ever-advancing wave of medical science that benefits from stem cell research could very well PROLONG HER LIFE.

These people are the height of hypocrisy.

Important -

2009-02-06T08:24:00.006-06:00

I got this email from Shawn Otto and I felt I had to pass it on:

Dear Chris,

I am writing to alert you to efforts underway this morning to zero out a large portion of the science funding from the Senate American Reinvestment and Recovery Act as a part of a $77.9B reduction effort led by Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Susan Collins (R-ME).

As you know better than most, science and technology are responsible for half of the economic development of the United States since WWII and yet, if current trends hold, some, such as the Business Roundtable, have predicted that 90% of all scientists and engineers will live in Asia within 5 years.

The United States simply MUST renew our investment in the single greatest economic engine this country has ever known. Small federal investments in scientific research have helped produce things like the internet and the transistor that have consistently delivered multi-trillion dollar economies.

The United States is at a critical juncture, and if this concerns you we suggest now would be a time to contact your Senators and urge them to support science funding. Here is what is being proposed to be cut from the bill, according to TPM:

NASA exploration $750,000,000 = 50%
NSF $1,402,000,000 = 100%
NOAA $427,000,000 = 34.94%
NIST $218,000,000 = 37.91%
DOE energy efficiency & renewable energy $1,000,000,000 = 38%
DOE office of science $100,000,000 = 100%

Collins-Nelson Group Staff Paper Potential Cuts -- $77.9 Billion
02-05-2009

12:48CST EDIT:

1. WHAT TO DO: call and email your two U.S. senators. Contact from a constituent on a wonky issue like this will have enormous influence. Calling is better than email, but do both if you can.

Go here to find your Senator, and select your state in the drop down box in the upper right hand corner:
http://www.senate.gov/

Tell them in your own words to reject the reduction
effort in the stimulus bill led by Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Susan Collins (R-ME) when it comes to science.

Note that most Senator's web pages contain a form (e.g. - CONTACT ME) that you can fill out to contact the Senator. Also, use your own words since identical
messages get rejected by the Senators' staff. You can adapt language from my previous email or from below, but be sure to personalize it.

2. TALKING POINTS:

A) Science & technology have produced half of the economic growth of the United States since WWII.

B) Spending on basic research is the single greatest economic engine this country has ever known.

C) Funding to federal granting agencies is about as "shovel-ready" a stimulus as you can get. If the granting agencies lower their score thresholds for awards across the board the money will be flowing within months, leading to rapid hiring and increased purchasing from technical service and supply companies that are largely American, and creating thousands of the kinds of high-quality jobs the country needs.

13:02 CST EDIT:

I just fired off letters to both Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker. Expressing my disgust. I don't know if it will do any good or not though.