This is quite possibly the worst idea I've ever heard. I drive about 100 miles a day or so, and I would still only save around 50 bucks. That's assuming that the tax holiday doesn't otherwise drive the price up as suggested in the article. And it would cost the government billions of dollars. Like we're not going to have to pay for that later? Stupid.
Pastor Roger Byrd said that he just wanted to get people thinking. So last Thursday, he put a new message on the sign at the Jonesville Church of God.
It reads: "Obama, Osama, hmm, are they brothers?"
Byrd said that the message wasn't meant to be racial or political.
"It's simply to cause people to realize and to see what possibly could happen if we were to get someone in there that does not believe in Jesus Christ," he said.
When asked if he believes that Barack Obama is Muslim, Byrd said, "I don't know. See it asks a question: Are they brothers? In other words, is he Muslim ? I don't know. He says he's not. I hope he's not. But I don't know.
Despite some criticism, Byrd says that the message will stay on the sign. He took the issue before his congregation Sunday night, and they decided unanimously to keep it.
I don't give a fuck how old Miguel Tejada is. I'm not sure why anyone else would either, outside of the Astros' front office. They have a legitimate reason to be concerned about it, since they're paying him a contract that seems to be based in part of a misrepresentation. Beyond that, I don't think this is a big deal at all. And while I certainly think it's a story that should be reported, it seems to me it's worth maybe a mention and a comment from him or his agent, and the team and that's about it. It's not like the guy is Danny Almonte trying to play in the Little League World Series or something. The way ESPN ambushed this guy, and acted like they had just caught him lying about scamming old people out of their social security checks or something. But from the way the interviewer seemed so pleased with himself, you would think that was exactly what he uncovered.
People love to make fun of politicians. They lie all the time, they never give straight answers, they use silly hand gestures, they care more about marketing themselves than anything of real substance. Well, the older I get, and the more political campaigns I follow, the more I realize that they don't have any choice, that's the only way to get elected to anything anymore. Of course, that's not news to anyone, but it just really struck me with this debate how much crap we're wrapped up in that no one should give a shit about.
I didn't watch the debate, but I did follow along in a couple different places on the internets*, and it was ridiculous. How are we ever supposed to fix any of the problems in this country when no one will let anyone focus on the problems because they're too busy talking about elitism and flag lapel pins? Honestly, if you care at all about whether a candidate wears a flag lapel pin, then there is something wrong with you. I mean like seriously wrong. Do you wear a flag lapel pin all the time? Somehow I doubt it. I certainly don't, and I don't know anyone who does. Yet people waste time caring about whether Obama does. If the Muslims ever do plant a secret agent into our society to someday run for President, as some people seem to be worried about, I can pretty much guarantee you that he will be wearing a flag lapel pin. That was a question from a regular person, you would think that the actual "journalists" would ask more important questions. But apparently they didn't.
About the only good thing I can say about this debate is that people actually seem to be upset about the bullshit questions that ABC decided to waste everyone's time on. Everyone at ABC News should be ashamed of themselves. And let's not forget the other debates which I don't think were all that much better. Tim Russert was especially bad.
And of course, it's easy to blame the media, but I've heard way more people in real life talking about the bullshit going on in this campaign than about any important things. The only way we'll get better out of our media and our candidates is to demand better. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening any time soon.
UPDATE: I was reading about the debate over at The Carpetbagger Report and I saw this:
At one point, Stephanopoulos asked Obama, “[D]o you think Reverend Wright loves America as much as you do?” In fact, Stephanopoulos asked it twice.
The NFL season can never get here fast enough, so it's always nice to have some off season activity. Today the schedule came out. It looks like the Cowboys are on national TV six times. Of course, I wish it were 16, of course, but I think six is pretty good. Also, none of their games will be called by Bryant Gumbel this season, so that's great.
And the draft is coming up soon as well.
I'm not sure why this took longer than the first half of the first game that Gumbel did to get rid of him, but it's good news anyway. This guy was probably the worst play by play guy I've ever heard. I can't think of a worse one off the top of my head, anyway. Seriously, they could have fired him at halftime of the first game he did, went out in the hallway and grabbed the first guy to walk by, and chances are he would have been better than Gumbel. His brother Greg is awful, but he looks like Howard Cosell when compared to Bryant. And Bryant makes Cris Collinsworth look like a genius by comparison. It really doesn't matter who they get to replace him, it will be a upgrade.
I've never been much of a fan of the superhero Ironman at all, but this movie looks really good.
Everyone's heard about the Supreme Court's recent ruling in Medellin vs Texas:
The Supreme Court ruled that [treaties] are binding only if the treaty explicitly says so or if there is legislation to make that clear. For all of American history, many treaties have been deemed to be what is called "self-executing," meaning that their provisions are automatically binding. But not all treaties fall into this category. The Supreme Court's ruling set a bright line for which treaties are self-executing — namely, those that explicitly say so or have accompanying legislation that says so.
The court said the president, acting on his own, cannot make a treaty binding on the states.
Here's my bracket for this year (click for larger, readable version). I went with Georgetown all the way, though I'm not sure they have it in them. You may notice an overall Big East bias as well. That's because they're better than everyone else.
UPDATE: I was 14-2 yesterday. Of course, after talking up the Big East, the one team from the conference I picked to get upset won easily.
UPDATE: College Basketball sucks. Why does anyone even watch this garbage?
Everyone seemed to enjoy this the last time I did it, so when I noticed some more stupid comments today, I thought I'd share again. This time it's a TMZ article about naked pictures that are supposed to be of Kristin Davis from Sex and the City. I don't really think they look anything like her, but who knows. Most of the comments seem to be focused on her pubic hair.
2. FIRST
Posted at 1:39PM on Mar 19th 2008 by PUH-LEASE
5. well isn't that special. i am going to go throw up now and eat something else. if you stare at the light to long it could cause blindness. jeepers creepers where did anthony go. do you really care about this stupid article? i didn't think so..
Posted at 1:44PM on Mar 19th 2008 by HUMP BACK IN THE HOLE
7. I saw those pictures.
Somebody needs to buy her a weed-wacker!!!!
Posted at 1:55PM on Mar 19th 2008 by FABIO
23. I always shaved myself even in the early 90s and so did my friends. People were shaving in the 80s too. A hairy bush was in as "au natural" in the late 60s and 70s.
Posted at 2:34PM on Mar 19th 2008 by Anna
25. Me too. It is better to be bald and not get lice. *itch, itch*
Posted at 2:37PM on Mar 19th 2008 by Tiny Dancer
28. It DOES look well maintained !!! When you get ALL your hair waxed off it looks like a little girls vajayjay.....ewwwww!!!
It could also be what is known as a "winter bush"....LOL AND, when you remove all the hair it just looks and feels horrible when it starts growing back....and itchy, too. If you want more info, just go to "stop dissin' my vajayjay.com".....LOL
Posted at 2:47PM on Mar 19th 2008 by Hmmmmmmm
34. Hey Dumb a"ss: Why don't get take your stupid a ss to another site if you don't like this one? Especially that talks about hairy beavers>>>>>>>>>
Posted at 3:26PM on Mar 19th 2008 by Don't like it,lump it!
43. Not every dude wants an unmowed lawn. Get over yourself Brad.
Posted at 6:53PM on Mar 19th 2008 by I like mine manicured
44. Yeah, I don't want a thick hairy beaver. I guess you can floss after you are done with the meal.
Posted at 6:54PM on Mar 19th 2008 by Stan The Man
45. I like the burger without the fur.
Posted at 7:00PM on Mar 19th 2008 by Kent
27. OO it was only 5 yrs ago...I thought it was when she was much much younger...yea there is no excuse for a bush these days lol
Posted at 2:47PM on Mar 19th 2008 by Me
Go vote for your favorite Lost characters. I think I pretty much agree with most of the results so far, except I would have rather had Juliet ousted in the first round, that bitch.
For the last month or so, I've been watching Smallville, which I never got into before. Since there's almost nothing on TV these days, I thought it was a good time to try to catch up with a show that's been on for several years. I just started season 5. It's a pretty decent show, though it has some silly formulaic things and some inconsistencies that I could do without. I've watched several shows now this way, either after the entire run (Alias), or caught up in the middle (Battlestar Galactica, 24, The Wire, Rescue Me, Nip/Tuck). Aside from the obvious benefits of no commercials, and not having to wait between episodes, particularly season finales with cliffhangers, there is another cool thing I've noticed about watching shows this way. You get to see a bunch of actors in smaller roles that you wouldn't have noticed otherwise. I watched several of the shows mentioned above around the same time, and noticed several people who had small parts in more than one show I was watching at the same time (like Callie Thorne from Rescue Me, The Wire, and Prison Break or Michelle Forbes from Battlestar Galactica, 24, Prison Break, Boston Legal, and Alias), that I would never have noticed if I watched it normally. Also, you see a lot of people who go on to larger roles later, that you don't remember from the smaller parts. I notice this a lot when I watch Seinfeld reruns as well.
Anyway, on Smallville so far, I've seen many people who have gone on to do other more noticeable parts, or at least parts I'm more familiar with. I never watched The OC, but there was a guy from that on one episode. The lawn boy who sleeps with Eva Longoria from Desperate Housewives was in a couple of episodes. From Battlestar Galatica, I've seen Chief Tyrol, Dualla, and Helo. DL from Heroes was in the episode I watched last night. Boone (AKA God's frickin' gift to humanity) from Lost was in a few episodes, and Kate had the tiniest (I had to rewind it to be sure it was her) little non-speaking part in one scene. Also, in the other direction, actors in the show who were previously in more noticeable roles, I've seen two of the three kids from Home Improvement, Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder (though it's obvious why they'd cast them in this show), and of course, Bo Duke as Jonathan Kent.
This seems to be going around lately, I'm sure someone tagged me with it, but I would do it anyway since it reminds me of when I used to do it every week, and it was a lot of fun. I don't know how difficult these might be, I just decided to go with movies I've seen recently, which may or may not be recent movies, since most of my favorites I've done before.
UPDATE: Answers to quotes left:
1. I am Legend
9. Transformers
11. Blades of Glory
Instructions: Look up 15 of your favorite films on IMDb and take a quote from each. List them below. When someone guesses the quote correctly, cross it off the list. Leave a comment with your answers. And NO CHEATING.
Fridge tagged me with this, so here goes.
Instructions: Look up 15 of your favorite films on IMDb and take a quote from each. List them below. When someone guesses the quote correctly, cross it off the list. Leave a comment with your answers. And NO CHEATING.
1. I do have a test today, that wasn't bullshit. It's on European socialism. I mean, really, what's the point? I'm not European. I don't plan on being European. So who cares if they're socialists? They could be fascist anarchists. It still doesn't change the fact that I don't own a car. (Chemist)
2. JUST a bit outside.(Chemist)
3. Rehabilitated? It's just a bullshit word. So you go on and stamp your form, sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because to tell you the truth, I don't give a shit. (Chemist)
4. Chief, I was just wondering: I suppose that mangy red-bone hound's got no place else to go either. [spits tobacco juice on the dog's forehead] (Mr. Furious)
5. But I think this is the only way to find that boy. Now that penis had a mole on it - I'd recognize that penis anywhere. In spite of the juvenile snickers of some, this is a serious matter. That seducer and despoiler must be stopped; he's extremely dangerous. (Angelos!!)
6. Stupid, worthless, no good, goddamn, freeloading son of a bitch. Retarded, big mouth, know-it-all, asshole, jerk. You forgot ugly, lazy and disrespectful. Shut up bitch. Go fix me a turkey pot pie. No dad, what about you? Fuck you. No dad, what about you? Fuck you. Dad, what about you? Fuck you. (Angelos)
7. Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master. (Chemist)
8. It's K-K-K-Ken c-c-c-coming to k-k-k-kill me.(Angelos)
9. Since you're new here, I'm gonna cut you a break... today. So, why don't you make like a tree and get out of here? (Chemist)
10. When I was a lad I ate four dozen eggs (Michelline)
Ev'ry morning to help me get large
And now that I'm grown I eat five dozen eggs
So I'm roughly the size of a barge!
11. You know, I can't believe this, [...]. I'm so disappointed in us. I mean, all our lives we've been saying how great it would be if we went to parties, right? And now it's our party and we're in the john. We're in the john! (Chemist)
12. Think big, think positive, never show any sign of weakness. Always go for the throat. Buy low, sell high. Fear? That's the other guy's problem. Nothing you have ever experienced will prepare you for the absolute carnage you are about to witness. Super Bowl, World Series - they don't know what pressure is. (Angelos)
13. I don't know why they call this stuff hamburger helper. It does just fine by itself, huh? I like it better than tuna helper myself, don't you, ...? (John)
14. There's no way on earth we're going to get out of here tonight. We'd have more luck playing pickup sticks with our butt-cheeks than we will getting a flight out of here before daybreak. (Toast)
15. Look, I like you, I really like you, but I gotta tell you, I have become seriously and emotionally involved with someone who isn't my aunt. (John)
Chemist tagged me with this one and I've been putting it off, but here goes. The rules -
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. List 7 random/weird things about your favorite historical figure.
3. Tag seven more people at the end of your blog and link to theirs.
4. Let the person know they have been tagged by leaving a note on their blog.
Forget all the tagging. Especially since Chemist already tagged pretty much everyone I know in blogland. If you read this and haven't done it, feel free. And leave a link.
I don't really have one favorite historical figure. For this exercise, I'll pick Julius Caesar.
1. As a young man, he was forced into hiding to avoid being killed in Sulla's proscriptions.
2. He's rumored to have had an affair with King Nicomedes of Bythynia.
3. He was kidnapped by pirates for ransom. He later raised a fleet, hunted the pirates down and crucified them.
4. He had a long-term affair with Cleopatra.
5. He had seizures which have been speculated to be eplieptic.
6. He was not born by cesarean section, although that was rumored even during his life.
7. According to Suetonius, his last words were 'και συ τεκνον?', not 'Et tu, Brute?'. This is Greek for "you, too, child?". Educated Romans often spoke Greek rather than Latin.
Chemist tagged me with this meme. I've put it off for a week or so since, as Angelos said, it's more like homework.
The Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. List 7 random/weird things about your favorite historical figure.
3. Tag seven more people at the end of your blog and link to theirs.
4. Let the person know they have been tagged by leaving a note on their blog.
So, I did #1 without any trouble, but reading through the rules, I see that #2 is going to give me a problem. I don't have any favorite historical figures that I can think of off the top of my head. #3 also, will be a problem. I'm not sure I even have seven readers, but even if I do, Chemist and/or the people he already tagged have likely already tagged them. Finally, #4 is something I'm not a fan of anyway. If you don't read my blog, then why would you give a crap about what memes I might be tagging you with? So anyway, all this to say, there's no chance I'm going to do this meme very well anyway, so I've decided not to bother.
Welcome to a new feature* here where I wade into the cesspool of stupidity that is anonymous comments on the internets to make fun of the stupidity of others for my own amusement. What prompted me to do this, you ask? Well, I was reading through the comments at the link and just decided that some of this is too stupid to go by unremarked, and there was no one within earshot at the time, so I decided to share it with you instead. I realize it's not nice to make fun of people, but I think when you put this kind of stupidity out there for everyone to see, you deserve to be mocked. The subject today is an article from FOX News about recent polling regarding the election. Including, for some reason, some nonsense about who Osama would be rooting for.
Comment by Debra Harrington
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:19 am
I’m sorry but I honestly have a problem with a muslim being charge of my security when it is muslims that want to kill all Americans. The terrorist don’t care if you are republican or democrat. Doesn’t anyone else see a strange coincidence here? Obama will be so one sided on the terrorism issue that the terrorist will have a field day getting over on this guy. Obama is not going to take them seriously, either because he does’t “get it” or maybe he just won’t care.
As for the war lasting 100 years, that isn’t written in stone anywhere. Anyone with half a brain knows you can’t tell the enemy when you are going to end the war, because it doesn’t make sense. I would explain it, but I’ll let some excersise their minds.
Comment by Marion Raia
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:05 am
Well, it seems easy enough to guess at Usama’s choice for President of the United States. It is the candidate who looks, sounds, and smells most like a Socialist. That could be any of the current candidates, Democrat or Republican. However, in my opinion Hillary is that candidate and Usama wouldn’t go that way because of the obvious. Osama would definitely be the “MAN”, being the most qualified Socialist in the government today. Seriously, are the people of this country really crazy enough to put Hillary or Barack into the White House and put a name plate on the desk of the oval office that says “COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES”? Are there really that many Socialist, Communist, or Nationalist Socialist supporters in this country? It just can’t be so! Why did our soldiers fight and die in WWII, Korea and Vietnam? To put one of the enemy in the White House?
Comment by jason
February 22nd, 2008 at 10:35 am
Ron Paul 2008.
Comment by Military
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:31 am
To SIUE student:
Your an ass clown, plain and simple. Usama would vote for Obama because he wants to put us on the defense. WE in the MILITARY are voting for McCain because we trust him with our lives plain and simple. If it looks, smells, and tastes like a turd. Then guess what surrendercrats its Obama.
Comment by sue
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:51 am
I support Hillary and everyone I know would not vote for Obama. I hope your polls are better than they have been lately. I would not be relying on your polls. Fox news had a gentlemen on their show yesterday evening talking about how Racist Obama is, and hides it very well. Did anyone see that and if so do you know his name?
Hillary or McCain
Comment by TerryD
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:06 am
Bloggers don’t you just love how the Obama sheep all repeat the little
clichés that he has emphasized in his speeches such as
“We don’t want the same old, same old politics.”
No, what they want is the newbie’s running their country.
Well, if Obama does win the presidency, he will need the equivalent
of what President George W Bush has, he will have his own Cheney
like person telling Obama what to do and say. Gee I wonder who that old geezer will be?
Comment by TerryD
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:48 am
Barack Hussein Obama has a one trick horse;
I DID NOT VOTE FOR THE IRAQ WAR!
Of course, you did not vote for the Iraq war you were not in the senate now were you obliged
to vote for or against the vote.;which according to your past voting history you would have
voted present!
Stop beating a dead horse, you act as if you had insight or knew all of the circumstances that
President George W. Bush was talking about.
He showed the senators which included Ted Kennedy, highly confidential findings by United
States secret CIA’s and other agencies ie., British Intelligence to justify why they should check
into Iraq. And would you not believe your President, would you think he would be lying to you?
So, unless you were present in a highly critical stage in American history, you can not
pompously point out that I did not vote to go to war with Iraq.
Comment by SAY NO TO ARABIANS.....
February 21st, 2008 at 9:20 pm
HUSSEIN OBAMA ITS NOT JUST A MUSLIM-BORN BUT AN ARAB-AMERICAN TOO, ‘not
an AFRICAN-AMERICAN’
This is what it is:
His father Obama(Sr)was ETHNICLY ARAB, all his relatives are Arabs with only
1 relative African Negro. Obama’s Sr’s great grandparent.
True Obamas Sr. was born in WEST OF KENYA were the negro tribes were CHRISTIANS,
Obama Sr. GOT his ARAB name to disinguish himself from the CHRISTIAN african negro
tribes. Obama’s Sr. PARENTS WERE ARABIANS.
Barack and all his relatives have arabian names. Barack Hussein Obama is a 50%
caucasian(white mother), 43.75% ARAB and 6.25% AFRICAN from his ‘great great
grandfather’s
side.
Barack HUSSEIN Obama is indeed an ARAB-AMERICAN. Its ALL CLEAR NOW!
Don’t believe me? , go to the colum of Mr cohen at the Washington post, you
will
read more there.
take your time and read the details here too:
http://kennethelamb.blogspot.com/2008/02/barak-obama-questions-about-ethnic.html
Please, not an ARAB-AMERICAN WITH ARABIAN NAME POR USA PRESIDENT!
Comment by proudparent
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Personally I can’t help but wonder where all of the money is coming from for Obama’s campaign???
al-Qaeda members, Iraqi insurgents, Hezbollah, Hamas, Ahmadinejad of Iran and Chavez of Venezuela.
Has anyone else noticed lately that every time there's an article or announcement for a new upcoming show, particularly if it's a comedy, they feel compelled to mention that it's single camera or multiple camera? Am I the only one who doesn't give a shit how many cameras there are? Just make an entertaining show, use however many cameras you need. Why did this start becoming important information for the viewer?
I just saw the trailer for Away from Her, and I can't think of a movie I want to see less. I can handle tragedies, but this just sounds so depressing - she has alzheimers and enters an institution while he has to cope with her illness and her absence. I think it might be that I can identify with it more than I can with a Miss Saigon-style tragedy. Alzheimers is scary because it really does happen to a lot of ordinary people. It looks like it's very well-written and acted, but I don't think I'll be seeing it anytime soon.
What the fuck? What could people possibly object to about nanotechnology? I really can't find any good reason to object to it at all, but I certainly don't see any moral dilemma. Surely this must be a flawed poll somehow. I don't have a lot of faith in the intelligence of people as a whole, but I can't really believe that people are stupid enough to have a moral objection to nanotechnology. I'm going to instead assume that they just have no idea what nanotechnology is and just figured that if someone was asking them if they had a problem with it that there must be something to object to.
I doubt there are many people perusing the archives here, but on the off chance someone does, you might notice that all my previous posts are now attributed to Michelline. Due to a convoluted history, my blogger/google account was associated with Michelline's yahoo and gmail accounts. Rather than ask her to give up her gmail address, I just gave her the blogger/google account and created a new one for myself.
Ezra has a very intersting post up with a comparison of the primary systems of the two parties. As you're probably aware, most of the Republican primaries are winner take all, whereas all the Democratic primaries (and caucuses) award delegates proportionally. The interesting result is that under a winner-take all system, Clinton and Obama would be in roughly the same position. However, under a proportional system, the Republican race would be even closer than the Democratic race. (Chart by Ezra, from Monkey Cage) 
Now, some people in comments have complained that this is too hypothetical, as candidates tailor their campaign strategy based on the system in place. True, but I really have a hard time believing McCain could have done much better regardless. He's been squeaking out wins over Romney and Huckabee as it is. The really interesting thing about this is that it really does illustrate that most of the Republican party doesn't want McCain. Of course, the same could be said of both Romney and Huckabee. Maybe it does help them, as the divisions in their party do seem to be much deeper than those on our side, and this gives McCain time to woo people, rather than going toe-to-toe with Romney for the next 3 or 4 months.
I was tagged below by Chris with this meme, courtesy of Toast (and Maurinsky).
1. Grab the nearest book (at least 123 pages long).
2. Open to page 123.
3. Go down to the 5th sentence.
4. Type in the following 3 sentences.
5. Tag 5 people.
From The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman:
They were quite close now, and seeing what was coming, some of the villagers looked up and called to each other to look. The party from the road slowed to a halt, and Mary clambered stiffly down, knowing that she would ache later on.
"Thank you," she said to her...her what?
