My life is still not that interesting, except for the fact that I suck at my job. I got home after my 8 hours of answering phones and wondering if the best years of my life are all that they're cracked up to be. As I drifted off while making my short commute from the office, I thought that perhaps I am making a journey that many people that I have had the pleasure (or other less favorable experience) of meeting in my life have also made.
Then I began to wonder, why the fuck am I so stupid and can't get the simple shit down? Do I need more sleep? Maybe I should cut down on caffeine or something. I blame my pontificating on a future that hasn't happened and my inability to live in the here and now at times. Finally, I was thinking about how emo I was, and decided that I need to do whatever it takes to make my own way in the world. Work has to be done effectively, not quickly. I am not one of those people who can catch on by watching someone do something, also the cripplingly low self-esteem and confidence level I have doesn't help things either.
So, it's decided! I will go out and say "Fuck you world! You will not break me!" I've been massively depressed before and let me tell you that it's not fun. Nothing seems like it's going right at all and everyone around you can't do anything to rouse you from this somber environment you shroud yourself in... in other words, it sucks. FUCK YOU WORLD! I WILL OWN YOU!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Update: I'm still here
So, I keep forgetting the password for my blog, maybe because I have so many accounts and other things that I have to remember that I have to change my password to the blog everytime I say to myself "Hey, you know what I should do? Write something on the blog!" Maybe that makes my accounts less likely to be hacked, somehow I doubt that. But, I can assuage myself with the thought of my forgetfulness is somehow helpful in the inter-world. So, for about the fourth or fifth time, I have changed the password, and this time I have stored it. Expect more frequent and hopefully more exciting updates!
My social life isn't that exciting, I usually just hang out around my town and see a couple of friends that I have known since before high school, but I make some trips to Virginia (exotic, I know!) to see the former college roommate or a friend of my time in Egypt. I have picked up a really expensive addiction to Carmen's Italian Ice. I am a particular fan of their Black Raspberry, Mango and Melonball, their Cherry is also very good. Other than that, I am still trying to make life plans! It feels like everyone else has their shit together except me, at least now I am working, which makes my parents a little less angry with our family situation.
I am making plans for some of the spoils from this job, like an international getaway of some sort. My friend Jenny is in Ireland and she is totally cool with people coming to visit her, I know that when I was living overseas, I would have loved for some of my friends from back home to come and visit. It was a lot different for me because my friends were in college and Egypt, in the minds of some is just a giant Muslim terrorist training camp. But, it'll be interesting to be on the other side of that experience. Plus, a lot of people have been telling me about how awesome Ireland is, and I think my parents will be happy that I have chosen to travel to a place that is not extremely dangerous or is very close to a war zone.
I do have a question for the internets: Can you smuggle cookies onto the airplane? Or, more appropriately, am I allowed to bring cookies onto an airplane? There is a reason that I am asking, I plan on taking a trip (the first one in quite some time) to Ireland after Christmas and would like to talk the haul of cookies that I make every year. I don't think that baked goods would be a national security matter, but people have gotten a little crazy about brown people on planes with bags.... so I am not planning an interrogation while traveling overseas.
Well, I have nothing else really... sorry for the lameness of this post! I promise for more awesome in the future when my life gets more exciting or more things happen.
Cheers!
My social life isn't that exciting, I usually just hang out around my town and see a couple of friends that I have known since before high school, but I make some trips to Virginia (exotic, I know!) to see the former college roommate or a friend of my time in Egypt. I have picked up a really expensive addiction to Carmen's Italian Ice. I am a particular fan of their Black Raspberry, Mango and Melonball, their Cherry is also very good. Other than that, I am still trying to make life plans! It feels like everyone else has their shit together except me, at least now I am working, which makes my parents a little less angry with our family situation.
I am making plans for some of the spoils from this job, like an international getaway of some sort. My friend Jenny is in Ireland and she is totally cool with people coming to visit her, I know that when I was living overseas, I would have loved for some of my friends from back home to come and visit. It was a lot different for me because my friends were in college and Egypt, in the minds of some is just a giant Muslim terrorist training camp. But, it'll be interesting to be on the other side of that experience. Plus, a lot of people have been telling me about how awesome Ireland is, and I think my parents will be happy that I have chosen to travel to a place that is not extremely dangerous or is very close to a war zone.
I do have a question for the internets: Can you smuggle cookies onto the airplane? Or, more appropriately, am I allowed to bring cookies onto an airplane? There is a reason that I am asking, I plan on taking a trip (the first one in quite some time) to Ireland after Christmas and would like to talk the haul of cookies that I make every year. I don't think that baked goods would be a national security matter, but people have gotten a little crazy about brown people on planes with bags.... so I am not planning an interrogation while traveling overseas.
Well, I have nothing else really... sorry for the lameness of this post! I promise for more awesome in the future when my life gets more exciting or more things happen.
Cheers!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Hot or Not?
http://gawker.com/5615573/republican-babes-are-smokin-hot-dems-are-definitely-not-says-minnesota-gop?skyline=true&s=i
I was reading one of my favorite blogs today, Gawker, and on the top of the main page, there was a link to some video made by the Minnesota GOP. First, I should have stopped right there because when I saw a poorly photo-shopped picture of Rosie O'Donnell's head of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's body, it wasn't going to be anything to be taken very seriously. I was wrong! The point being made by the video was deadly serious, whether or not American politics come down to voting for the attractive person or the intelligent person (not that they are mutually exclusive)
The first message given in the video was "America: vote Republican because our women are hotter" You have to be fucking kidding me! I don't care about how hot Republicans may or may not be because voting based on personal appearance stopped happening when people stopped being teenagers, or at least that's what I thought. Listen, I get that the GOP is in the political wilderness after a trouncing in 2008, but this route that you're going isn't growing the base.
Let's get one thing straight, any partisan shill who is attractive is still a shill and their long legs, double D's or fluttering eyelashes won't block all that bullshit coming out of their mouth. Any network that calls on a pundit who relies on their good looks, limited analysis and certain talking points should be wary of their intentions because the job of a pundit is different than that of a scholar or journalist. Pundits are called to explain events through the lens of their political affiliations and/or organizational associations and they are not held to an obligation of impartiality. Time and time again, they have proven that they know so little about so much. This is not solely a Republican problem, but it seems that the GOP calls on their bench of pundits more often!
Should I watch Megyn Kelly or Fox and Friends rather than Rachel Maddow because Rachel Maddow is not conventionally "pretty"? Fuck no! The factual errors and added commentary which doesn't add to informing their viewers makes the show almost unbearable to watch. News shows should inform people about issues that are very dense and complex, not be about some icy blond that barely understands what she's reading off the teleprompter.
Back to the ad, this ad is a bunch of bullshit! Calling people that you can't attack on legitimate issues ugly is fucking childish and shows that you shouldn't be allowed to have any responsibility until you start acting like adults. Also, for a party that adheres strongly to the ideology of family values, there is quite a bit of objectification of women. The ad doesn't talk about the various qualifications of the women featured, like Michelle Malkin who is a graduate of Oberlin or Ann Coulter who has a law degree from the University of Michigan, instead, the Minnesota GOP has shown that they don't really give a shit about what these bitches have to say! They're hot and that's all that matters!
One last note about the use of an ad populum attack, having a popular TV show is nice, but if you keep pandering to visceral reactions of unstable, fearful or ignorant people, then it doesn't make you right, it makes you irresponsible. In these uncertain political and economic times, establishing straw man arguments and stoking fear over immigrants, people of color, and greater uncertainty in the future doesn't help anyone, except you and your fucking meaningless ratings. SUCK ME BILL O'REILLY!
I was reading one of my favorite blogs today, Gawker, and on the top of the main page, there was a link to some video made by the Minnesota GOP. First, I should have stopped right there because when I saw a poorly photo-shopped picture of Rosie O'Donnell's head of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's body, it wasn't going to be anything to be taken very seriously. I was wrong! The point being made by the video was deadly serious, whether or not American politics come down to voting for the attractive person or the intelligent person (not that they are mutually exclusive)
The first message given in the video was "America: vote Republican because our women are hotter" You have to be fucking kidding me! I don't care about how hot Republicans may or may not be because voting based on personal appearance stopped happening when people stopped being teenagers, or at least that's what I thought. Listen, I get that the GOP is in the political wilderness after a trouncing in 2008, but this route that you're going isn't growing the base.
Let's get one thing straight, any partisan shill who is attractive is still a shill and their long legs, double D's or fluttering eyelashes won't block all that bullshit coming out of their mouth. Any network that calls on a pundit who relies on their good looks, limited analysis and certain talking points should be wary of their intentions because the job of a pundit is different than that of a scholar or journalist. Pundits are called to explain events through the lens of their political affiliations and/or organizational associations and they are not held to an obligation of impartiality. Time and time again, they have proven that they know so little about so much. This is not solely a Republican problem, but it seems that the GOP calls on their bench of pundits more often!
Should I watch Megyn Kelly or Fox and Friends rather than Rachel Maddow because Rachel Maddow is not conventionally "pretty"? Fuck no! The factual errors and added commentary which doesn't add to informing their viewers makes the show almost unbearable to watch. News shows should inform people about issues that are very dense and complex, not be about some icy blond that barely understands what she's reading off the teleprompter.
Back to the ad, this ad is a bunch of bullshit! Calling people that you can't attack on legitimate issues ugly is fucking childish and shows that you shouldn't be allowed to have any responsibility until you start acting like adults. Also, for a party that adheres strongly to the ideology of family values, there is quite a bit of objectification of women. The ad doesn't talk about the various qualifications of the women featured, like Michelle Malkin who is a graduate of Oberlin or Ann Coulter who has a law degree from the University of Michigan, instead, the Minnesota GOP has shown that they don't really give a shit about what these bitches have to say! They're hot and that's all that matters!
One last note about the use of an ad populum attack, having a popular TV show is nice, but if you keep pandering to visceral reactions of unstable, fearful or ignorant people, then it doesn't make you right, it makes you irresponsible. In these uncertain political and economic times, establishing straw man arguments and stoking fear over immigrants, people of color, and greater uncertainty in the future doesn't help anyone, except you and your fucking meaningless ratings. SUCK ME BILL O'REILLY!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Gays are Icky?
So, I want everyone to remember the name Ike Skelton (D-MO) The representative of the 4th Congressional District in Missouri is the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and was one of the most important voices in the discussion regarding the crafting of DADT (Don't Ask Don't Tell) in 1997, which disallows open homosexual behavior among all ranks in the United States military. This man, Ike, told reporters yesterday that he opposes the overturning of DADT because the topic of homosexuality is not "family-friendly"
I don't even know where to begin on that! His exact words to the press were:
"What do mommies and daddies say to their 7-year-old child?" Skelton asked journalists at a media breakfast. "My biggest concerns are the family."
This ignorance about how homosexuals interact with straight society is confounding. His biggest concern is the family defined within a socially conservative framework, and it consists of one (presumably) heterosexual male and one (presumably) heterosexual female parent along with any number of children ranging from 1 to ∞. The biggest disservice to our families is to not discuss sexuality and sexual orientation in a frank and serious manner. The world is full of people who are different than one another, and to be able to function in that world, we have to be aware of difference amongst ourselves. Families have homosexual members and that will not change in the forseeable future, ignoring their identity can be devastating. To deem the topic of homosexuality unfit for discussion because of your sensitivities is not helping anyone, and insults the intelligence of everyone around you.
Ike Skelton, you're a grown man. I didn't think that you are willing to accept the dismissal of qualified Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, and Sailors so that our military can be cleansed of homosexual elements. But, you are. Get over yourself, and don't let other people suffer because you are too afraid that you might catch the gay.
I don't even know where to begin on that! His exact words to the press were:
"What do mommies and daddies say to their 7-year-old child?" Skelton asked journalists at a media breakfast. "My biggest concerns are the family."
This ignorance about how homosexuals interact with straight society is confounding. His biggest concern is the family defined within a socially conservative framework, and it consists of one (presumably) heterosexual male and one (presumably) heterosexual female parent along with any number of children ranging from 1 to ∞. The biggest disservice to our families is to not discuss sexuality and sexual orientation in a frank and serious manner. The world is full of people who are different than one another, and to be able to function in that world, we have to be aware of difference amongst ourselves. Families have homosexual members and that will not change in the forseeable future, ignoring their identity can be devastating. To deem the topic of homosexuality unfit for discussion because of your sensitivities is not helping anyone, and insults the intelligence of everyone around you.
Ike Skelton, you're a grown man. I didn't think that you are willing to accept the dismissal of qualified Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, and Sailors so that our military can be cleansed of homosexual elements. But, you are. Get over yourself, and don't let other people suffer because you are too afraid that you might catch the gay.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Beauty Pageants
So, I was Facebook surfing, as you do, and came upon an interesting fact, there is a pageant known as "Miss Beautiful Morals" in Saudi Arabia. I was intrigues, to say the least. I commented to my friend who brought it up on her comment feed that in a deeply religious society, the contestants would be judged on their piety. Instantly, I looked up this phenomenon, and the description is as follows:
"The idea of the pageant is to measure the contestants' commitment to Islamic morals... It's an alternative to the calls for decadence in the other beauty contests that only take into account a woman's body and looks," said pageant founder Khadra al-Mubarak.
Decadence is not the first word that comes to mind when I see beauty pageant contestants outside the Islamic sphere of influence. From what I have seen of Miss Universe or Miss America pageants, I see women who, for one reason or another, are on a stage wearing a smile (and not much else) They are asked questions, asked to do stupid human tricks, and then one is crowned as top dog. I do find it interesting that from the Saudi perspective, Western beauty pageant contestants are being oppressed, not being told to be authentic, or called to embellish themselves in some way. The Great Satan may be guilty of a great many things, but I declare that we are not guilty of having our beauty pageant contestants being decadent. Sure, some choose to get plastic surgery, but how is that being decadent? Also, when the contestants are being asked questions, those are meditations on the human condition, they're not fluff!
But, if people want to have their alternate pageant, have at it Hoss!
"The idea of the pageant is to measure the contestants' commitment to Islamic morals... It's an alternative to the calls for decadence in the other beauty contests that only take into account a woman's body and looks," said pageant founder Khadra al-Mubarak.
Decadence is not the first word that comes to mind when I see beauty pageant contestants outside the Islamic sphere of influence. From what I have seen of Miss Universe or Miss America pageants, I see women who, for one reason or another, are on a stage wearing a smile (and not much else) They are asked questions, asked to do stupid human tricks, and then one is crowned as top dog. I do find it interesting that from the Saudi perspective, Western beauty pageant contestants are being oppressed, not being told to be authentic, or called to embellish themselves in some way. The Great Satan may be guilty of a great many things, but I declare that we are not guilty of having our beauty pageant contestants being decadent. Sure, some choose to get plastic surgery, but how is that being decadent? Also, when the contestants are being asked questions, those are meditations on the human condition, they're not fluff!
But, if people want to have their alternate pageant, have at it Hoss!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Facebook!
I have a love-hate relationship with Facebook. I have to be on it because people want me to go to events, keep in contact with them, and socialize without any actual human interaction. It is the bane of my existence! Social networking sites are seeping into all facets of life, and it is now acceptable for people in my generation to think that texting, Tweeting, updating your Facebook status while using the toilet, having sex, giving birth, or other private activities.
I am by no means off the grid, I have a blog, a Twitter account, and a Facebook page. But, I have yet to check my phone while being intimate, live-blog a birth while urging someone to continue with their Lamaze breathing, or Tweet while on the toilet. When I deactivated my Facebook page, I felt like I had been severed from my group of friends and was a pariah. But, it felt GREAT! I wasn't constantly checking my page, and writing inane messages to people that I hardly talk to. My social life was thoroughly mine again, I was in control.
One day, I hope to ween myself of Facebook once again. I lasted one year off of the grid last time I shut it down, and it was a piece of cake.
I am by no means off the grid, I have a blog, a Twitter account, and a Facebook page. But, I have yet to check my phone while being intimate, live-blog a birth while urging someone to continue with their Lamaze breathing, or Tweet while on the toilet. When I deactivated my Facebook page, I felt like I had been severed from my group of friends and was a pariah. But, it felt GREAT! I wasn't constantly checking my page, and writing inane messages to people that I hardly talk to. My social life was thoroughly mine again, I was in control.
One day, I hope to ween myself of Facebook once again. I lasted one year off of the grid last time I shut it down, and it was a piece of cake.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Oil Spills, Immigration, and other stuff
So, within the last three weeks, there has been possibly the worst environmental disaster the US has ever seen, and a new draconian law has been signed by Arizona's governor to try to stem the tide of illegal immigrants coming across their border with Mexico. That's why the Chinese think that the phrase "May you live in interesting times" is a curse.
I find it odd that not even a month after President Obama lifted the ban of off-shore drilling, a rig exploded. I don't think that he was in any way responsible, but after touting their advanced technology and safety, eleven people die and a ton of oil leaks out into the Gulf of Mexico. It sucks, but it goes without saying that getting non-renewable sources of energy has risks. BP, the company that was leasing the rig said that they would pay for the cleanup, but they haven't even contained the oil. People's lives are being put in jeopardy because of the inaction and inability of BP, let's just hope they don't try to spin the American people.
As for the immigration bill, I find it funny that lawmakers that are elected to the House and the Senate are quick to blame the federal government, which they are a part of of neglecting the responsibility that Federal officials have of securing the borders. That must mean that they are dropping the ball, and that political expediency would make you consider some reform. So, the bill basically says that a police officer is obliged to pull over anyone if the officer suspects them to be an illegal immigrant. Also, if a legal immigrant or a citizen is pulled over and not able to prove their status, they face six months in prison and a $1000 fine. I have read the bill, and it specifically says:
B. FOR ANY LAWFUL CONTACT MADE BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL OR AGENCY
OF THIS STATE OR A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS
21STATE WHERE REASONABLE SUSPICION EXISTS THAT THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN WHO IS
22 UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES, A REASONABLE ATTEMPT SHALL BE MADE,
23 WHEN PRACTICABLE, TO DETERMINE THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE PERSON. THE
24 PERSON'S IMMIGRATION STATUS SHALL BE VERIFIED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
25 PURSUANT TO 8 UNITED STATES CODE SECTION 1373(c).
26 C. IF AN ALIEN WHO IS UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES IS
27 CONVICTED OF A VIOLATION OF STATE OR LOCAL LAW, ON DISCHARGE FROM
28 IMPRISONMENT OR ASSESSMENT OF ANY FINE THAT IS IMPOSED, THE ALIEN SHALL BE
29 TRANSFERRED IMMEDIATELY TO THE CUSTODY OF THE UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND
30 CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT OR THE UNITED STATES CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.
Apparently, facing the problems that border states are facing and offering greater federal assistance makes too much sense, and they're going to bitch about how this is a bad time because of one reason or another. Next time I go to Yuma, I will make sure to bring all of my pieces of identification because there is a chance that some police officer may pull me over because I look like an illegal immigrant.
I find it odd that not even a month after President Obama lifted the ban of off-shore drilling, a rig exploded. I don't think that he was in any way responsible, but after touting their advanced technology and safety, eleven people die and a ton of oil leaks out into the Gulf of Mexico. It sucks, but it goes without saying that getting non-renewable sources of energy has risks. BP, the company that was leasing the rig said that they would pay for the cleanup, but they haven't even contained the oil. People's lives are being put in jeopardy because of the inaction and inability of BP, let's just hope they don't try to spin the American people.
As for the immigration bill, I find it funny that lawmakers that are elected to the House and the Senate are quick to blame the federal government, which they are a part of of neglecting the responsibility that Federal officials have of securing the borders. That must mean that they are dropping the ball, and that political expediency would make you consider some reform. So, the bill basically says that a police officer is obliged to pull over anyone if the officer suspects them to be an illegal immigrant. Also, if a legal immigrant or a citizen is pulled over and not able to prove their status, they face six months in prison and a $1000 fine. I have read the bill, and it specifically says:
B. FOR ANY LAWFUL CONTACT MADE BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL OR AGENCY
OF THIS STATE OR A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS
21STATE WHERE REASONABLE SUSPICION EXISTS THAT THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN WHO IS
22 UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES, A REASONABLE ATTEMPT SHALL BE MADE,
23 WHEN PRACTICABLE, TO DETERMINE THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE PERSON. THE
24 PERSON'S IMMIGRATION STATUS SHALL BE VERIFIED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
25 PURSUANT TO 8 UNITED STATES CODE SECTION 1373(c).
26 C. IF AN ALIEN WHO IS UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES IS
27 CONVICTED OF A VIOLATION OF STATE OR LOCAL LAW, ON DISCHARGE FROM
28 IMPRISONMENT OR ASSESSMENT OF ANY FINE THAT IS IMPOSED, THE ALIEN SHALL BE
29 TRANSFERRED IMMEDIATELY TO THE CUSTODY OF THE UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND
30 CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT OR THE UNITED STATES CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.
Apparently, facing the problems that border states are facing and offering greater federal assistance makes too much sense, and they're going to bitch about how this is a bad time because of one reason or another. Next time I go to Yuma, I will make sure to bring all of my pieces of identification because there is a chance that some police officer may pull me over because I look like an illegal immigrant.
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