Worth a Read

Op-Eds are an important part of a healthy diet.

Condi Rice is an Evil Bitch. Anyone surprised?

Condoleeza Rice has been caught with her pants down (ew). Turns out she had a much larger role in okaying torture than she led on (oh my goodness, I'm so surprised a Bush Administration official lied to Congress). I've always had a vast, vast distaste for Condi Rice. I'm not sure anyone has betrayed her own, for a lack of a better word, people, on two fronts, by being so supportive and infatuated with Bush, Jr. If I were a woman, I would absolutely despise Condi Rice and perhaps burn her in effigy on a weekly basis. If I were black, I would absolutely despise Condi Rice and perhaps burn her in effigy on a weekly basis. If I were a black woman, my head would explode with anger and frustration. 

Thankfully, at least in this sense, I am neither a woman, nor black. Still, Condi Rice is evil and possibly has no soul, much like the rest of her cohorts in that clusterfuck of ignorance and destructive radicalism. 

What's that? Guantanamo is still open? We aren't bringing anyone to justice over the torture stuff? No one in the military is being held accountable for ordering torture? Dick Cheney is still allowed to be on television? Rush Limbaugh isn't in prison for being a drug addict?

What is this, Soviet Russia?

US and Lebanese elections not so dissimilar

Votes in exchange for hospitals, paved roads and so on? Candidates providing their own ballots to voters instead of one ballot provided nationally? Weak campaign finance laws that are easy to circumvent? Money being spent on candidates reaching into the hundreds of millions? 

How is this any different from what goes on in this country? 

The only thing Lebanon has that we don't is people over there aren't afraid to literally sell their vote.

Devendorf is GONE!

He's planning to sign with an agent.

I predict SU's turnovers to decrease by 40% next season because of his departure.

Torture

No oversight and no investigation into it's history or how effective it was. No interest in the opinions of those who objected to its sue with actual, sound reasons for not using it. Sounds exactly like the Bush Administration to me!

Old News...But Still Important to Know

Abusing Prisoners is systematic, from the CIA on down.

This is not new. There have been plenty of books and documentaries about this. Of course, most people probably haven't read/seen them because the collective "mainstream" does a great job of ignoring such things to keep them out of the spotlight.

This is Some Scary Shit!

Hackers are hacking the US to pieces!

First the computers that control the electrical grid, now the most expensive Air Force Fighter Jet project in the history of the Air Force. Awesome.

Perhaps we should cut a chunk of the $300 billion budget to build these planes and use it to secure the computer network holding all of the information about building these planes. Just a suggestion. What do I know about warfare other than it's usually not a good thing when spies from other countries obtain secret information from your country about military projects and are able to hack into your electrical grid?

Schizophrenia Drugs in My Drinking Water!

I find this highly disturbing.

It's not new. The AP reported on this last year. But it is still a major concern that isn't being addressed and it should be. Perhaps all of these trace drugs are contributing to an enormous spike in cancer diagnoses. Maybe pain killer addiction is higher in regions where codeine levels are higher. No one will ever know because none of this being tested or regulated. 

What I do know is that every time I drink from the tap in my kitchen here in Queens, I'm taking anti-depressants, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, hormonal drugs, anti-seizure medication and sexual aides. Awesome. 

It may turn out that these small amounts don't harm humans at all (although evidence seems to show that they do). As of right now, there is no way to know. We should know. If there is anything we have learned from this financial debacle, it's that when money is involved, companies can't be trusted to regulate themselves. 

Sarah Palin still a fucking moron!

Gotta love this.

I don't normally condone "disappearing" people, but if the GOP ever wants anyone to take them seriously again, this woman needs to be disappeared.

She nominated a dude for State Attorney General of Alaska who was on record as saying, "If a guy can't rape his wife...who's he gonna rape?" Oh, he also voiced support for a KKK statue. 

She was also overruled by her own Republican-led legislature who took all $400 million in stimulus funds. She was adamantly against taking any of the money. 

I suppose I'm validating her by writing about this, but I don't care. I suppose as a progressive voter I should be ecstatic that the seemingly backward Republican Party thinks she is the future of the party. But as a progressive person who cares more about the actual progression of the human race in total and this country specifically, anyone in any position to change the course of progression for the worse is bad news, even if they make a joke out of themselves and their respective political parties. People out there still like Palin, for reasons beyond my comprehension. 

Then again, people in this country elected a Bush family member three times. To say I'm surprised that Palin still draws a crowd would be a lie. Even idiots and degenerates have fans (see:  American Pop Culture). 

Texas to Become Part of Mexico

Not really. But if it secedes from the U.S., that's probably where it will end up. I do not oppose this move. It will tip the scales in the electoral college to (hopefully) more progressive sides. Hopefully.

Obama does the right thing.

Check it out. Releasing legal documents and other affiliated documents about CIA interrogation techniques. Seems like at least some part of Obama's promise of transparency is coming true. Hooray for that.

In regards to not prosecuting the CIA douches that used these interrogation methods...it's a shitty situation because no matter what you do, it sucks. Justice isn't being served, but because of those idiotic legal arguments, TECHNICALLY no one broke the law. So there is no justice to serve. Or something like that. It's a shitty situation and my thoughts are moot because they aren't going to change anything. I don't agree with it, but I do understand.

Jonny Flynn Hired an Agent!

Syracuse Orange men's basketball team will go from #2 preseason rankings to like, #35. 

And not-so-rumor has it that Paul Harris Eric Devendorff are planning on declaring for the draft but haven't hired agents. Balls.

"Conservatives" Upset Over Taxes Prove They Know Nothing About Taxes

...or Government...or history...or politics.

A. You can't fund a government without taxes.

B. Bush's last budget was $3.1 trillion and DIDN'T include the costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Obama's is $3.6 trillion, completely accounts for the Stimulus Bill, the two wars, and the TARP Funds.

C. Obama is taxing those in the upper most income brackets at a rate LOWER than Reagan did during his administrations. Thus, according to the standards of these "Conservative Tea-Baggers," Reagan was much more a socialist than Obama.

D. Apparently Texans want to cede from the U.S. No offense to my Texas-based friends, but I say let them. They will significantly drop the number of executions on record for the U.S. and help swing the rest of the country to a more progressive mindset. I see few downsides. Well, the Mexican drug cartels might end up taking over Texas, but there are enough guns in that state to put up a damn-good fight.

E. The funniest thing about this is that the majority of those polled have no problem with the government spending money and people paying more in taxes. The Tea-baggers are the minority...which makes sense because they lost the elections in 08. TS for them.

Gail Collins Making Sense

New York Times does my thinking for me.

Just Kidding.

I trust no one.

The Government is Spying on You. Are you surprised?

Interesting article in the NY Times about the NSA grossly overstepping its surveillance boundaries. Worth a read-through. It'll give you the creeps.

TeaBaggers Unite to Stop Taxes

First of all, taxes fund all of the wonderful things you get from the government. Lose your job? Your taxes pay your unemployment. And that pleasant 65% of your COBRA that you can't afford for your health insurance. 

Kids go to school? Government pays for that. Kids go to college? Government subsidizes that. Utilize a police force in your home town? Government helps pay for that. Have roads/subways/buses/ships/trains in your home town? Government pays for those.

Stop the bitching about taxes. First of all, none of you tea-bagging Conservative fucktards were complaining about the government spending too much money when it was being spent by a reckless, hooligan Republican and his amoral Administration. Now that there are logical arguments and concrete goals attached to the spending being done by a Black Democrat, all of a sudden it's a socialist trying to turn the country into Commie-loving Trotskies.

Here's the skinny:  The Black Democrat is trying to save you ungrateful douches from complete destitution that is the very real impending doom as a result of 40 years of irresponsible governance and regulation (Clinton included). However, most of the last 40 years were controlled by Republicans, like Reagan. And according to the Tea-Baggers standards, Reagan is a Socialist, because the income taxes during his administration were HIGHER than not only Bush's, but Obama's.

Memories and history are constructive and convenient. We all seem to forget when history doesn't fulfill our aims. Those that know the truth know the past cannot be manipulated. Taxes ARE NOT TOO HIGH! We're just paying for the irresponsible excess and greed from the last eight years. It's not fair, but it's what needs to be done. Stop bitching. You lost. Your way doesn't work. Deal with it. 

Ronald Reagan was a Socialist

Seems like an oxymoron. Ronald Reagan being a socialist. But according to all of these teabaggers having tea parties to protest Obama's plan to raise taxes on the wealthy, Ronald Reagan more than qualifies as a Socialist. Taxes on the upper-most income brackets were HIGHER during Reagan's administrations than the rate at which Obama plans to take them. Which, Obama only plans to let them go back to the place they were before the Bush Tax Cuts that helped lead to the financial devastation the Federal Government finds itself.

So all of you teabaggers (they're calling themselves that), know your history and do your research. Obama is LESS of a Socialist than your prize-peach Reagan was, at least according to your own standards. 

Someone Taped Me Doing Something

There are rumors of a video of me doing an open mic from yesterday (Thurs. 4/9). Once I can confirm these rumors and locate this "video," I will do my best to upload it for your viewing and listening pleasure. I hear it's pretty sweet and the guy on stage in it is pretty funny.

New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals

I think Andy Pettite's nose gets bigger every year.

Reason #1 Why I Will Never Live in Utah

It is illegal to sell beer in Utah that has an ABV above 3.2%. If you do, it has to be classified and sold in liquor stores. Lame. Silly Mormons. That's really the only reason I won't live in Utah. At least that I can think of right now. 

I shoot fire out of my nipples at you!

That would be awesome, but I would ruin a lot of shirts. So I guess it's good that I can't actually do that.

I traveled on down to Brooklyn not too long ago in a delightful evening downpour to see my friends, We Are Country Mice. And much like every other time I've gone to see them perform, they were amazing. And, of course, no one went with me. Again. Thus, the nipple fire in your general direction.

The thing I like about these guys is that they don't fit into a cut & dry genre. Rock people think they're too country. Country people think they're too rock. I think they have a delicious smattering of both. Not only that, but when I check out their shows and stick around for the other bands, We Are Country Mice usually outperform whoever else they share the stage with. And whereas most of the other bands performing fit into the Indie Brooklyn Scene, We Are Country Mice go against it, but still attract fans of the Indie Scene. Which, of course, makes for an awkward crowd experience for me as I don't generally fit into that mix of characters (picture a short, somewhat portly guy with a well-kempt beard and near-bald head in baggy jeans, t-shirt and hoodie mingling with tall, incredibly skinny people dressed in super-skinny jeans, vibrantly colored shirts and hair-styles and colors I didn't know could be produced). I'm not knocking the style. That's not how I roll. Do as you please with your life and your appearance. I don't care. What I am saying is that in between sets, if I started chatting up one of these people about college basketball and the upcoming baseball season, I'd have better luck getting a response out of the floor.

Anyway, We Are Country Mice are recording an EP. Which, much like the band, I am incredibly excited for. Except that I don't own a record player. Guess that means I have to keep going to the shows. Which in no way is that a bad thing. They're good people. Fun to hang out with and great on stage. I say, "Keep up the good work, gents." And to those of you who still won't go to a show with me, shame on your face. 

On a Lighter Note

I did another open mic last night. Went incredibly well. Did all new jokes except one. Got lots of laughs, which was great considering there were 5 other people there aside from me. Got excellent feedback and chatted up a few people. Unfortunately it seems that whenever I don't record the audio from the show, I do very well. Maybe someone will have to secretly record me or something.

Anticipating two open mics next week, probably Monday and Thursday. Monday at New York Comedy Club (East 24th St. I believe) and Thursday at EastVille (85 East 4th St.).

Hopefully see some people there.

Working on getting audio onto a computer. When you're dealing with a seven-year-old computer and six-year-old Mp3 player, it can be tricky. Things just ain't made the way they used to be.

Worth Taking a Look

Even at the less-pleasant pictures. For someone that grew up long after this occurred, it gives me a sense of the tragedy in a way reading about it never could.

I honestly believe that the world would be an entirely different place had Martin Luther King, Jr. not been killed. A much better place for everyone.

Same Corruption, Different Party

Check out this little ditty. 

Politics as usual. This time it's the Dems being manipulative bastards. Neither party is save from these people. Here's to hoping this doesn't become the standard for Dems over the next four years and instead is an aberration of the norm for Obama and his Democratic Congress. Former Sen. Stevens was a corrupt prick who used the system to funnel massive public tax dollars to fund pet projects in a state that no one lives in. He deserved to go to jail. Now he never will. 

On a different note, I've been lazy. More blogging coming soon!