funny...

In a Serious Kinda Way.

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

It's amazing how many famous people are in this one...they must all be gay, right? LOL

Just Thinking,

Keith Olbermann

Eloqent...as usual.

A Lot of Thought

I've been thinking a lot lately about the big election we had nearer the beginning of the month.

History. Honestly. Being. Made.

The good and the bad.

It amazes me that a nation that could so readily elect our first black president (and i use black rather than "african-american" because he does.) can also so easily vote to remove (take away, deny) rights from a single group of people. Astonishing and heart breaking.

If the issue had been directed at black americans, or latino americans or other groups, we would have all been appalled. The news would have been screaming about discrimination and hatred. Everyone would have found it laughable that there was any serious consideration to do "that" to "them"

But because it was directed at gay americans, we turn our heads, close our ears to the reality of what was done there on that November Tuesday in California.

What the hell?

It wasn't so very long ago that it was illegal for women to vote. It was illegal for blacks to vote too. It was illegal for blacks and whites to marry (among other racial pairings).

So why do we so easily accept it when a group chooses to REVOKE rights from citizens living in California (that I frankly believe should be nationwide, but I digress). They didn't just vote to add working to a state constitution.

They literally TOOK AWAY RIGHTS ALREADY GRANTED.

What the hell?

I don't care how you feel about gays, or gay marriage or marriage at all for that matter.

But I do care that as a nation we aren't up in arms when a group is targeted so blatantly to have rights removed. It's hatred, plain and simple.

Regardless of what people would have you believe, civil union is not the same thing as marriage. There are nowhere near the same rights, privileges or responsibilities between the two parties involved. It's a second class status at best, and pure discrimination at worst.

And if it's the term "marriage" as is applied in a religious context that has you worried, then change it. Not just for one group though, but for everyone.

Marriage is a blatant mingling of church and state. We use the term to define two entirely different things. The religious idea of marriage and the civil or legal idea. Find another word if you want, but apply it to all citizens, gay or straight. People will call it what they want anyway, but frankly, if you need to go to the state (government) to get a license, then it's not a religious issue anymore. You don't need a religious ceremony to be married, but you DO need a government issued license along with some kind of public agreement to the joining.

Let's just do away with "marriage" as a legal term at all. For everyone. And those that worry about the religious aspect of whether or not gays should "marry" in the church can deal with it their own churches and synagogs or ashrams or temples or whatever you call where you go.

Then, we can let people that want to commit and have the responsibility and privileges thereof, do so.

No one would vote to have those rights women and other minorities have gotten be taken away. This is no different.

We aren't talking about whether or not you like that the Supreme Court of California decided that all it's citizens deserved the same civil rights. We aren't talking about whether or not you think that being gay is a choice or a sin or right or wrong.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE HAVING RIGHTS ALREADY BESTOWED TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.

WHAT
THE
HELL????

I have dear friends (family really) that voted with the liars and bigots. I don't think that they are that way, but I have to wonder what they were thinking. Did they buy into the lies? Did they just vote without thinking, because it didn't effect them personally (as far as they know)? I don't know, but I do know that I was shocked and saddened by how cavalierly they voted to take away the rights of others. I know this because I asked. Not a big deal to discriminate. I think that they'd be appalled with themselves if they thought about it without all the lies and emotional bullshit - but I project my own feelings on to them here. Maybe they really do believe that this shot at "them" isn't a shot at "us". I still am confused about it and working through it. To me, it's so damn clear. I suspect that my myopic view makes it hard to see what I can only think of as a ridiculously easy decision. I'm trying to understand though.

I guess that in a country that so easily gives up basic rights of personal freedom in exchange for a feeling of safety (see all the executive orders that were signed without so much as a ripple in the ether), it shouldn't be a surprise to me.

But dammit, it is.

What is the matter with us? Why do we take things so lightly as to not understand that what is ok to do to one group is ok to do to all groups. What we do to "them", we do to "us". Are we so complacent that we don't see what is happening?

I fear for us all.

I pray that our new leadership can figure out a way to make us all care again.

Care about the stuff the supposedly makes this country great.

Freedom of Speech (lost that with exec order)
Freedom of Assembly (lost that one too)
Freedom of Religion (not when one group is targeted using religion as a weapon of emotion)

Here's a list of all the executive orders issued by our current and thankfully lame duck president. Some are standard business things...some aren't, but all happen without any due process or checks/balances. Scary stuff, some of it.

What we do to one, we do to all, people. Wake up! Today's "them" is tomorrow's "us". We are, every one of us, a "them" to someone else.

Maybe, just maybe, this passage of discrimination in California has finally lit the fires under us that will make us truly a society that values diversity and holds onto the idea that we are all first class citizens of this nation.

We can hope.

I'd like to hear what you think...let me know, or I'll get all "sound and fury" about it all.

Just Thinking,

Whether or Not She's 82

This blogger has a point:

http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/bitch-there-i-said-it/

"Sarah Palin Is A Bitch...There, I Said It"

"Who can turn the world on with her smile?
Who can take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?

Well it’s NOT you girl…

Look. I am going to say what everyone at CNN, CBS, ABC and NBC is thinking but is afraid to say. Governor Palin is a stupid, conniving bitch. And it’s not because she is a strong woman - I like strong women… worship them… It’s actually the opposite. She is a weak, pathetic woman who thinks big hair, winking, baby talk and self deprecation is somehow becoming of a woman who wants to lead the free world. My god, where is Margaret Thatcher when you need her!

But what really makes me mad is the hypocrisy. She claims to be a Washington outsider and yet is the worst kind of politician. She will say anything and avoid answering any question instead choosing to spout whatever line or soundbite some adviser put into her mouth a few hours earlier. And exactly when did sounding like a hick make someone “more like us”. Last time I checked we were a country striving to educate our children to be intelligent and honest. I think I would die if my daughter came home from school and said something like “I gotta tell ya. Change is a comin’.” At the very least I would remove the Beverly Hillbillies from her approved TV viewing list.

And then there is Alaska. Have any of you been to Alaska recently? Although the largest State geographically, it has less than a million people - about 700,000. (The city I live in now is bigger. )Fewer population issues exist for lawmakers to address. And because they make so much money from the oil companies, the Alaskan government actually gives it citizens an annual dividend check (this year $3,200). Exactly what Governor wouldn’t be popular under those circumstances? No wonder they can afford to elect a governor who ony has an undergraduate degree in journalism and a few beauty pageant awards. By the way, when you got that journalism degree did they teach you that some journalists actually ask hard questions like what newpapers do you read?

Fact: Sarah Palin is stupid. Maybe not stupid by Alabama standards but stupid enough that she managed to get herself elected Governor while never bothering to educate herself on little things like the Constitution, foriegn affairs or appropriate debating practices. She is stupid enough to have accepted a VP nomination for which she is completely unqualified and stupid enough not to admit it - even though the future of our great nation could be irreversibly damaged by the decision.

When exactly do we all get to call “bullshit”?

She loves to talk about being a mother but the last time I checked, having your newborn on national TV at 11PM instead of in bed wasn’t considered “good muthering“. Neither was making your child’s unexpected teen pregnancy the talk of the nation because you desperately wanted to be a politician in Washington DC - or isn’t that exactly what you said you didn’t want. From where I sit, it appears you would sell your soul for the position. Kind of the way that Elisabeth girl on The View sold her soul for fame. Please god get her off the airwaves - she became famous because she ate a rat… but I digress…

Oh and my favorite - my husband Todd (the first dude) and I sit around the kitchen table wondering about the cost of college like many of you… oh really. Your oldest son went from high school into the military. Your next oldest is pregnant with plans to be married to some hockey jock at age 17. Seems to me you’ve got lots of time before you have to worry about college tuition especially being college doesn’t seem to be a priority in your family.

You refuse to give live interviews and then whine when your taped interviews get edited. Then you have a chance to be live in front of the nation during a debate and you respond by not answering the questions (proudly not answering the questions I might add) but rather by reading the cue cards given to you by a group of white old men who sold their souls to the political system when you were in…. I don’t know - 2nd grade maybe. Your insulting to a United States Senator who is so respected that his home state has elected him to office 6 times. And while I am on the subject of the debate - shame on Gwen Ifell for not making her answer the questions. Damn I miss Tim Russert.

Sarah Palin is an ignorant, ranting, whining bitch. There I said it. But lots more are thinking it.

Please take your ridiculous hair, your over lipstick-smacking mouth, your Lenscrafter look smarter glasses and your poorly fitted designer jackets back to Alaska. And when you get there, shove a piece of the pipeline up your considerable ass. I’ll be damned if we’ll put our children’s future in your hands. And the same thing goes for McCain - the ass wipe who gave her this national platform effectively pushing the woman’s movement back into the dark ages - knowing McCain that might have been his plan all along."

Just Thinking,

OK...I know it's a little one-sided, but it made me LOL

Just Thinking,

A funny little song for SP

why, if we have such creative people, are we in this mess?

Take a look...a few bad words, but what the hell? :)



Just Thinking,

IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

This country is in trouble.

Politically.

Economically.

Ethically.

Morally.

What the hell has happened to us?

Was it just 8 years ago that we were more concerned with whether or not 2000 was the change in the millennium than we were with nearly anything else? (The answer to the millennium question is "NO", it's 2001 according the Gregorian calendar we use in this country). Most of the world celebrated the millennium January 1, 2000 anyway, which goes to show how much group think influences our world...think of it...very (VERY) scary.

Did we worry about "Y2K" and how it'd blow up the world of computing...but the day came and went, and nothing much happened, so we forgot about it and moved on to more important things. Things like "Kathie Lee Gifford Calls it Quits on Regis & Kathie Lee". WOW! Earth Shattering.

There was also a little stir toward the end of the year when the Supreme Court effectively handed George W. the presidency. But most people just didn't believe that there was any "irregularity" in the elections - well, most lemmings anyway. It was the first time IN HISTORY, that the Supreme Court determined the election. Now if that's not scary, I don't know what is.

What is wrong with the "average" American? When the hell did we lose our ability to think in favor of...what? "Security"????

And throughout the last eight years, at every opportunity, our civil rights and the illusion of personal privacy have been eroded away without so much as a whimper. Impotent protests, but nothing loud or impressive enough to convince "Joe Sixpack" that it's bad to give up rights our founding fathers considered "unalienable".

This is, perhaps, the scariest thing of all. How docile we are as we lose the rights and privileges that our soldiers are supposedly out there fighting for.

For the first time in my life, I'm actually concerned that the world will not be ok. We won't be ok after all the dust has settled. We'll be diminished - and unaware of the realities unfolding around us. After all, the media tells us what to think - with direction from the government (just ask Dan Rather about that). Imagine...government controlled media?

I don't agree with everyone on politics at all. In fact, I generally spend a good deal of time avoiding the subject as it's too inflammatory for most people to be able to debate it without getting their personal worth confused with a differing opinion. I do support our right to be different, to think and speak our minds (although this isn't legal anymore if you protest the government). Check what goes on without anyone saying anything at all.. These things can run the gamut from benign to malignant...it's how protestors can now be thrown in jail and have their property taken away merely for the act of protesting. Now, they may not have actually done any of this (as far as we know), but it's legal for them do so for PROTESTING. Scary.

I don't know what will come of all this, but I feel like I need to tell all of you to get out and vote. It might not be the person I will vote for - or it might - but the point is: VOTE! We need to take back the responsibility that we've given up. We are our own worst enemies letting others tell us what is "best" for us, and doing nothing but quietly observe what that means.

Get out and vote...make a difference...it's your own damn fault if you don't.


Just Thinking,

SNL WEEKEND UPDATE

REALLY?!? Some really good points here...seriously messed up country is through the laughter!

Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers report the news...



Part 2 with Hall & Oates



Just Thinking,

(Not Really that) Funny Stuff

That's Not SO funny when it's mostly true. These are kinda long, (and NBC has thrown an ad at the start) but the fact is, they are worth watching as good satire (or is it?)

Here's Tina Fey and Amy Poehler goofing on Sarah Palin. It's scary...really



SNL on the last Presidential Debate...



And here's the Vice-Presidential Debate goofing...laugh, because if not, you will have to cry (seriously).



Just Thinking,

The View From Abroad

OK. Most of you know where my politics lie (or think you do), but here is an assessment of the phenomenon that is Sarah Palin, and a commentary on the sad state of the American citizenship.




Sarah Palin winks during the vice-presidential debate on Thursday in St Louis, Missouri. Photograph: J Scott Applewhite/AP

Cif America
Flirting her way to victory
Sarah Palin's farcical debate performance lowered the standards for both female candidates and US political discourse

Michelle Goldberg
guardian.co.uk, Friday October 03 2008 18.30 BST


At least three times last night, Sarah Palin, the adorable, preposterous vice-presidential candidate, winked at the audience. Had a male candidate with a similar reputation for attractive vapidity made such a brazen attempt to flirt his way into the good graces of the voting public, it would have universally noted, discussed and mocked. Palin, however, has single-handedly so lowered the standards both for female candidates and American political discourse that, with her newfound ability to speak in more-or-less full sentences, she is now deemed to have performed acceptably last night.

By any normal standard, including the ones applied to male presidential candidates of either party, she did not. Early on, she made the astonishing announcement that she had no intentions of actually answering the queries put to her. "I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people and let them know my track record also," she said.

And so she preceded, with an almost surreal disregard for the subjects she was supposed to be discussing, to unleash fusillades of scripted attack lines, platitudes, lies, gibberish and grating references to her own pseudo-folksy authenticity.

It was an appalling display. The only reason it was not widely described as such is that too many American pundits don't even try to judge the truth, wisdom or reasonableness of the political rhetoric they are paid to pronounce upon. Instead, they imagine themselves as interpreters of a mythical mass of "average Americans" who they both venerate and despise.

In pronouncing upon a debate, they don't try and determine whether a candidate's responses correspond to existing reality, or whether he or she is capable of talking about subjects such as the deregulation of the financial markets or the devolution of the war in Afghanistan. The criteria are far more vaporous. In this case, it was whether Palin could avoid utterly humiliating herself for 90 minutes, and whether urbane commentators would believe that she had connected to a public that they see as ignorant and sentimental. For the Alaska governor, mission accomplished.

There is indeed something mesmerising about Palin, with her manic beaming and fulsome confidence in her own charm. The force of her personality managed to slightly obscure the insulting emptiness of her answers last night. It's worth reading the transcript of the encounter, where it becomes clearer how bizarre much of what she said was. Here, for example, is how she responded to Biden's comments about how the middle class has been short-changed during the Bush administration, and how McCain will continue Bush's policies:

Say it ain't so, Joe, there you go again pointing backwards again. You preferenced [sic] your whole comment with the Bush administration. Now doggone it, let's look ahead and tell Americans what we have to plan to do for them in the future. You mentioned education, and I'm glad you did. I know education you are passionate about with your wife being a teacher for 30 years, and god bless her. Her reward is in heaven, right? ... My brother, who I think is the best schoolteacher in the year, and here's a shout-out to all those third graders at Gladys Wood Elementary School, you get extra credit for watching the debate.

Evidently, Palin's pre-debate handlers judged her incapable of speaking on a fairly wide range of subjects, and so instructed to her to simply disregard questions that did not invite memorised talking points or cutesy filibustering. They probably told her to play up her spunky average-ness, which she did to the point of shtick - and dishonesty. Asked what her achilles heel is - a question she either didn't understand or chose to ignore - she started in on how McCain chose her because of her "connection to the heartland of America. Being a mom, one very concerned about a son in the war, about a special needs child, about kids heading off to college, how are we going to pay those tuition bills?"

None of Palin's children, it should be noted, is heading off to college. Her son is on the way to Iraq, and her pregnant 17-year-old daughter is engaged to be married to a high-school dropout and self-described "fuckin' redneck". Palin is a woman who can't even tell the truth about the most quotidian and public details of her own life, never mind about matters of major public import. In her only vice-presidential debate, she was shallow, mendacious and phoney. What kind of maverick, after all, keeps harping on what a maverick she is? That her performance was considered anything but a farce doesn't show how high Palin has risen, but how low we all have sunk.

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2008

Just Thinking,

Some things that I just NEED to say

If these people are representative of the "average" American, we are in some deep trouble:



The sad truth is that they aren't all that unusual (on either side). Ignorance is out there people!

Just Thinking,

The latest and greatest...is it?

So...the new iPhone is out and guess what? I DO NOT HAVE ONE.

Bwahahaha...odd thought for you that know me. I generally am so on the bleeding edge of technology that I too bleed (money) into the ether.

I haven't decided about the new iPhone yet.

My old iPhone (the 600 8GB one - see what I mean about bleeding?), is working just fine, thanks.

AND, the new software is pretty cool too. There are even applications that I can download directly onto the phone (rather than using them web-based).

About the only thing that the new iPhone can do that the old one can't is:

faster internet service on the 3G platform and true GPS location.

For this, I'd need the new phone (duh), and would have to pay an additional $15/month for the same service level I have now (albeit slower internet) THANK YOU ATT!

I don't know that that is enough for me to make the jump. Apple sent out the 2.0 software update to my little first gen phone, and other than what's mentioned above, I'm all good.

I can even delete multiple emails at one time (which is a happy HAPPY thing).


so...for once, magic is sitting back and watching the show without being a part of it...

strange, huh?

LOL.

M

What are People So Afraid of?

Hmmmmm?

Voting Republican...yeah, right! LOL

OK, so this is over the top to an extent, but there are truths here...my politics lie somewhere between rep and dem...since I've never just bought any one viewpoint wholly. I think for myself generally. It's fun! You should all be sure to try it!

It's funny how some people are just lemmings, blindly following whichever "leader" they've attached themselves to...I've never understood that at all. They let someone else tell them what to think, what to do, how to vote, who to hate...

Doesn't sound much like me, does it? Lemmings is a video game as far as I'm concerned.

I like to think for myself and question things around me. Even if it turns out that I was mistaken in my thinking...it's good to work that out for myself.

I suppose that the lemmings would think that 'radical' and 'un-american'. I know that their leaders do.

Oh well...here's some video that I've enjoyed:



And you can find the entire playlist in chronological order here: Britethorn

So There!

Magic

Just So We are Clear...

...this is the blog where i rant and complain and bitch and celebrate those things that might be too much to put on the other blog.

I made a deal with Goofy long ago not to be political at the other place...

No such deals were made here, and it's sometimes going to go there

I don't care or want you to blindly agree with me about anything.

The only really interesting things in life are good, honest (non-violent) conversations where often people don't see eye to eye.

That's good. That's fun!

But we have to be civil and grown up about it, so if you have a comment, I wanna hear it, but if it's rude or crude or I just plain don't like it, I'm gonna delete it.

it's my blog, go start your own blog if you don't like it...

so there!

Magic

Aimless Venting

I find it interesting that all of the sudden -

- as the current administration is hurtling toward its end -

that many of the puppets are coming to a life of their own.

IT"S A MIRACLE! They've seen the light!

These former puppets are now turning on their puppet masters as they've been released from their prisons of cognitive dissonance.

Or is it?

I think it's appalling that these people, these 'guardians" of freedom and liberty, when faced with the truth of their actions, and the loss of the protection of a corrupt, involved administration, suddenly develop a conscience.

what the hell?

The former press secretary now admits he knew that his "briefings" were more lie than truth. He knowingly participated in lying to his "fellow" Americans in order to promote the agenda of the administration...but, hey, I'm admitting it now, and I am sorry, so it's ok, you can trust me now!

Frankly, the average American is pretty stupid, from the looks of things these days.

Long gone are my delusions of "common sense" and the general righteousness of the "American Way".

The average american wants to be misled, I think.

They want to believe that we are still living in the best, the richest, the strongest, the rightest, nation on the face of the earth.

We are the United States of America, and we know what's best.

How imminently pathetic we must all appear to anyone that takes the time to really understand what has been going on here the last 8 years.

how pathetic that we label those trying to tell the truth - trying to get the American public to SEE the truth of their government and its actions on behalf of US - as

terrorists
unamerican
evil
stupid

Who's a terrorist now? A war criminal? An affront to everything that we are supposed to have been all along....

I don't know about you, but I am a very patriotic American.

I love this country...enough to believe that we need to speak up when we disagree with what is going on.

I don't expect you to blindly agree with me. Hell, I hope that you never do anything like that.

You need to figure out what you think on your own.

i'd just ask, that you look around at all the people that are screaming out loud, and try to listen to them all with ears that look for the inconsistency and hidden agendas.

This country was founded by people that disagreed and said so. it's not Un_american to speak up, and it sure as hell doesn't make anyone a terrorist per se.

Wake up people...it's all gonna come out in the wash (well, the big stuff that can't be hidden, anyway).

Magic

Things that make you think

I dunno what that means, really. LOL

I'm working on rebuilding a windoze machine, and am loading stuff on it right now. No VISTA...let's say it together...nooooooooo viiiiissssssttttaaaa!

Geez, what a waste of coding that is. MS needs to just give up and admit it failed and keep supporting XP until they write a new OS from scratch.

I don't know anyone that has vista that likes it...most went back to xp.

I'm rebuilding (for the 4th time, I might add), this windoze box because there are something things that refuse to talk to Macs.

Snooty, I guess, or just jealous as hell that these little wonders just do their jobs...

With the advent of iPods that work with Windoze (marketing genius, btw), people are getting more and more comfortable with the whole idea of apples and macs.

A person can't get into an apple store these days without having to shoulder their way in...have you EVER seen a windows store like that? I haven't...ever...eVER...

It's just a matter of time, I think.

MS is dedicated to the idea that all ideas are sacred and need to be protected and safeguarded - NO SHARING ALLOWED.

It's not entirely unheard of...most companies guard their secrets for fear of losing a share of the market.

It's amazing, though, that apple builds it's stuff on a fairly open platform (bsd/linux? heard of these?), and still manages to make a profit...guess it's how they get all these computer nerds to work for free to make things better...

bwahahaha...what a concept...you share your basic code, and you still make a profit.

Brilliant!

Cheese Pizza

For years, I'd opted for other types of pizza than the simple cheese version.

What a waste!

I love it...plain old cheese pizza isn't so plain anymore...and the best cheese pizza in the Seattle area?

Spiro's Pizza on the Mukilteo Speedway...

Seriously beats Pagliacci - which I would have thought impossible.

That's my thought for today...

Cheese Pizza...yum!

M&G

Have you ever wondered

Why some little pieces of paper are worth more than others?

It's kinda transcendental in a way...kinda random.

I mean...why...is a one dollar bill worth only $1? It's printed on the same paper as a $100. It has the same general dimensions, the same inks...

It's only worth more because we give it that value.

It's the same with art or cars or clothes...

once the initial need is satisfied, it's all about perspective and assignment of value.

A shirt is a shirt. within reason, they all fulfill the basic need of clothing and warmth and whatever the hell else.

But an Armani shirt is "far more valuable" than a target shirt, right?

Right?

I'm not so sure...

Thinking Out Loud

So....here I am...

thinking out loud.

It's an awesome prospect