Question: is water boarding torture?

I do not like to get caught up in sensationalism. I’ll read about it, but I try not be the subject of pandering—for example, I’ve seen maybe 60 seconds, when added all together, of 9/11 footage. Whenever it’s on the screen, I turn away. I don’t see the point of gawking.

Same with this water boarding. There’s been plenty of clips on the internet of people getting the treatment, and I have avoided them if possible. But the other day I watched one, since curiosity had gotten the best of me. Go watch it for yourself (link goes to Huffington. I still haven’t made up my mind about that website). Read the rest of this entry »

Miss California claims it’s her religious beliefs that inform her opinion on gay marriage. And her religion claims that’s it’s a study done by a discredited scientist that justifies their bigotry. I’d like to know when people are going to start thinking and speaking for themselves.

Via Reddit, I’ve just finished reading an article about how Miss California’s church is saying, among other things, that homosexuality is linked to pedophilia. The writer of the article points out that this link is established via poorly researched and purposefully misused science. Go read the article for the details. Suffice it to say, the Prejean-Perez scandal has now become the story of a cop-out behind a cop out behind a cop out. Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone else is talking about it, so why not me? Actually, I’ve only heard about it on lefty radio. I’ll check with Rush and the boys later, if I feel like it. I mean, I’m trying to care. So a top government official got busted soliciting gay sex. So what. So he’s a republican. Big deal. So that means all republican are hypocrites. Yawn, I wonder what’s on TV.

Yeah yeah. I’ve only heard one thing about this that was both interesting and informative. a gay blogger mentioned that the atmosphere created by conservatives in this country result in such self-hatred among the gay ones that they are more or less forced to seek sex in these very dangerous ways. Now, I don’t know if I agree with that statement as an extreme point of view, but it’s got potential for discussion.  If nothing else, what one take away from that point of view is yes, being gay is something one is born with. It seems to me, though, that such an argument is not going to work with the conservatives. Just because it’s “natural” doesn’t mean it’s right. Afterall, we’re all born sinners.

And they’re not going to bend on the hypocricy of it all, because they’ll just point their fingers in a different direction. And we all know this, so what’s that leave? Nothing but the sensationalism of it. So this is not one for debate or policy, this one for the tabloids. That’s the saddest thing about these scandals: they have little power to shape public debate on important issues, any more than Britney Spears’ shenanigans will start an intelligent discussion about child welfare.

Yawn. I wonder if I could give them money to NOT put stuff in the newspapers? How about that? 50 cents a day to not be told stuff you don’t care to know?

(Article of inspiration: Inside Edition – Senator Pleads Guilty in Airport Restroom Arrest)

Students Trade Bibles for Porn – XBIZ.com

Not sure how I feel about this one. I mean, one the one hand, hurray for porn. On the other hand (the one I don’t use for porn, I guess,) I don’t see this converting anyone, helping anyone who is struggling with the evils of zealous fundementalism, or even being anything more than a way to fob off old Gideons lying around. If anything, it’s just going to rally Christians together, make them stronger in a united front. In sense, the ‘Smut for Smut’ traders are just preaching to the choir, pun intended. Now, if they were to trade Bibles for versions that pointed out the inconsistency, rampant hypocrisy, and downright foolishness, that might be worth the effort.

(PS using the Word Press “press-it” function to link articles of inspiration, which is why the link is now at the top.)

 I’m a cynic, I know, but still, who couldn’t have predicted what a hyporcritcal mess Live Earth would be. The problem with the human population on this planet is that there’s too many of us in any one place. Now, I’m not here to talk about population control or anything like that. But where, exactly, do we see the most devestating enviromental impact? In places with significant population density. So getting people together is going to necessarilly have serious enviromental impacts. I think the word we’re looking for is “duh.”

I’m a cynic, yes, and I can’t stand Bono for some reason. Nevermind that I don’t like U2’s music. Never mind that I think they’re overrated to the point of absurdity. I think it goes back to some awards show that they couldn’t attend, so the did an acceptance speech via satellite from back stage at one of their concerts. And they were piss drunk and sweaty, with these prissy little grins on their faces, cause they are worshipped by millions for making schlock rock. So it’s no surprise I can’t get behind Bono’s causes. I can’t get behind Bono. The man’s a joke.

Sure, he’s trying to do good. Credit for that? No. Read the article. I don’t care if the concerts have a zero-sum carbon imprint. My ass– you can’t get away with creating that much pollution just by planting some trees in Madagascar. All those celebrities can just bite me. I’ve never been into hero worship. I just don’t get it. I like this band’s music, that director’s films. But why should they be treated with any kind of reverence? If anyhing, they’re servants. I’m not going to suggest we need to bring back a kind of class system. But they work for me. I pay them to do that. I’m not going to worship them too.

And I’m certainly not going to give them credit for having their hearts in the right place. Just stick to what you do. You make the music, which will help me relax, and then I’ll go make the world a better place. And if not me, than the guy I work for will do it, since I freed him up by doing some of his chores for him. See how the chain works? You’re at the bottom, rock stars, quit screwing things up by acting like you’re on the top.

(article of inspiration: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=466775&in_page_id=1879)

It’s getting to be almost entirely too easy to point out what a ridiculous clown Bill O’Reilly is. That’s not hyperbole, folks, that’s just the plain truth. Bill’s latest nonsense is to report on roving gangs of pink-pistol carrying lesbians, who go around attacking straight men, raping little girls, and recruiting 10-year-olds to a life of homosexuality.

I’m not making this up, or exagerating in anyway. What must it be like for Bill on a daily basis? Does he not have anyone around him who isn’t a complete yes man and a toady? I guess the gigantic size of one man’s stupidity is a testemant to his success. I mean, obviously, he makes enough money that no one wants to contradict him, for fear of losing access to his table scraps.

They can’t last, though– he’ll reach a critical mass of dumbness, and no one but the subscribers to The Weekly Sun will bother tuning in. Bill, at least dress your silliness up in the sort of Michael-Moorish rhetoric that makes us feel smarter for paying attention. Just hearing about Bill O’Reilly is making me feel dirty– the same depravity I feel knowing that facts about Paris Hilton are stored in my brain forever. (Sweet sweet Alzheimer’s, release me!)

Bill, you went from credible to discredible, and are moving into incredible. Next stop, well, as Michale Jackson (Alzheimer’s, where are you?)

(article of inspiration: http://www.splcenter.org/intel/news/item.jsp?site_area=1&aid=274)

According to Fox News, and online columnist Jerry Bowyer, universal healthcare in the United States would breed terrorism. Yeah, that’s an easy one. You see, if the state ran healthcare, there would be bureaucracies, and terrorists are really good at hiding in between the cracks of bureaucracies. Just look at how they foiled the INS! Bowyer says, “And if one of your guys is a jihadist, if one of your doctors is spending all the time online reading Osama bin Laden fatwas, someone’s going to notice that.” Now, I’m trying to see how that’s relevant… I guess if you work for a government beauracracy, no one is allowed to watch your internet activity? Whereas now, private citizens can be monitored? Oh wait, that’s right, the good old Patriot Act. Silly me.

Sigh. Terrorism today is sort of like halitosis– it’s been invented by the powers-that-be to take your money. Listerine invented the term “halitosis” to scare people into thinking their stinky breath was a disease. Some people DO have stinky breath. There’s just no such disorder as halitosis– it’s like saying that being ugly is a disease. And there are acts of terrorism in the world, but it’s not based on this large international-scaled super network. It’s certainly not something that befits going to war over. It is a police matter. Let the police handle it. Investigate, interrogate, incarcerate. Done. And let me gets some healthcare.

(article of inspiration: here)