Mexican Evangelists Pray for 'Evil' Marilyn Manson

Yahoo! News - Mexican Evangelists Pray for 'Evil' Marilyn Manson

This pleases me, it really does. I'm always happy when my people make the news, and especially when it's for joining together in such a positive manner. My grandmother Rose was from Monterry, Mexico, so the story is even more meaningful to me.

The part about Marilyn Manson... pfft, who cares? {yee-awn} Of course Marilyn M. probably does need the prayers of one hundred evangelical Christian Mexicans, although it would be better, in my opinion, if they were still Catholic, as God intended them to be. Still and all, the one prayer that Marilyn M. really needs includes a delivery of about 25 gallons of makeup remover, a pound of cotton balls, a nice day at the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon, and then maybe, just maybe, I would let him hang out with me. Big maybe, though.

Bush Insists He's 'In Charge' of Iraq Policy

Yahoo! News - Bush Insists He's 'In Charge' of Iraq Policy

Yes, yes, the footstomping is implied. And just for kicks, let's all take a moment to visualize the Iraqi people shouting, in unison, "YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!"

Amount of drugs sold was incorrect

The Charleston Gazette - Editorials

:::right-click the link to open it in a new window so that you don't lose your place here!:::

You have to read this article ("Amount of drugs sold was incorrect"). Not only is it amazing (to me) that this guy actually wrote in to correct the "amount of drugs" he was convicted of selling, but also his views about the favoritism shown to whites (as opposed to Latinos & Blacks) in WV. He's probably right about that (although I've done no studies as of yet, so can't say for certain), but given that the population is something like 95% white, it's probable.

So... read away!

PS: I forgot to mention that the letter below this one is also interesting ("ACLU like Stalin, Hitler") -- once again, I say, these folks need to get crackin' on their amendments to the Constitution to have the separation from church and state thing changed.

Baghdad Ambush Kills Two U.S. Soldiers Dead, Wounds Four

No comments on this other than that "kills two US soldiers dead" sounds so... repetitive.

Bush Discusses Leaks

Yahoo! News - Bush Has Doubts Leaker Will Be Caught

Will everyone who had an image of Dubya passing gas please raise their hand? MmHmm. As I suspected!

Moving on from the gross to the absurd, why is it that this news item did not surprise me in the least? Hmm? Could it be that I pretty much counted on Dubya to shut those lips tight and hold his breath until we all left him alone about this? This is a pretty serious situation - not only was the CIA agent put in a dangerous spot, but so was (is) everyone associated with her. C'mon, Dubya! It's not funny! These are people, not Fisher Price toys!

Anyway, here ya go, read about Dubya talkin' about leaks.

Yahoo! News - 'Deeply Sorry' Schwarzenegger Apologizes to Women

Yahoo! News - 'Deeply Sorry' Schwarzenegger Apologizes to Women

Soooooooo... Let's see now. Ah-nold is sorry that he did things that he later discovered were offensive. ("Later" as in just the other day when it came up -- and not via his conscience.) I am glad that I haven't been a California resident for a bazillion years, because I'd have to be all up-in-arms (and legs and toes) about this recall business. As a spectator, however, it does have an entertainment value - actual dollar amount as of yet undetermined.

My favorite quote from the article: "Republican political consultant Allan Hoffenblum said that for the issue to harm Schwarzenegger's campaign, "they would have had to come up with something completely new. This is not a new issue." He was referring to past allegations about Schwarzenegger's behavior on movie sets."

Now you see, this is not new; Ah-nold has been offending women (and other people, no doubt) for years and years. We're used to Ah-nold offending women, being sexist, a womanizer, all that- it's old, baby! Let's get something that will really hurt the campaign, something new! Hell, if the facts of his past are so unimportant, why not let him be president? Eh? Why the heck not? We've got George W-stands-for-White-Boy-Network Bush in office. His drinking and drugging past have had no impact on his popularity (although I hear he's not doing as well with the crack dealers as he did in earlier polls), and the fact that his cash 'n carry education was courtesy of his good ol' pops and company doesn't seem to ruffle any feathers. So yeah, apparently, when you are a republican, your past does not count.

Hmph, I say!

FelineWarrior

Ruslan Sharipov: Letter from Prison (September 5, 2003)

Ruslan Sharipov: Letter from Prison (September 5, 2003)

"Ruslan Sharipov, a gay journalist in Uzbekistan who was sentenced to jail for 5 years under that country's sodomy laws simply because the US-supported dictatorship in Uzbekistan didn't like Ruslan's articles critical of local government corruption." - from HateWatch.org.

There are letters to be written about this! Please email all of the following Uzbek contacts on behalf of Ruslan:

clamm@whitecase.com
presidents_office@press-service.uz
prokuratura@lawyer.com
office@ombudsman.gov.uz
consulate@uzbekistan.org
embassy@uzbekistan.org
info@uzbekconsulny.org
Aucc@erols.com
Gcfurlong@aol.com

This list compliments of John Aravosis of Hate Crime.org See the HateCrime web site for news of other horrific stuff going on.

Yahoo! News - Laura Bush Heads to Europe to Polish U.S. Image

Yahoo! News - Laura Bush Heads to Europe to Polish U.S. Image

This oughtta be rich.
Entertainment value: High.
Productivity: Low.

What can I say? I'm pessimistic about such things.

What's up with the suicide theme here?

There's nothing, really, with the suicide theme, to be honest. I mean, there's a thing, but then again, there's not. It's a wee thing if it's a thing at all. {Forgive me, Professor Doss, for using "thing" so many times!}

You are wondering, "How do suicide and GW Bush relate to each other?" Well, there are many answers to that question. Or at least two that come to mind right now. One answer --the obvious one-- is that one wishes, at times, that she were a Kevorkian niece. You know, some family ties can really pay off (just ask Dubya), and having a professional in the mix might be handy. And why die a slow and painful death under the Bush administration when Uncle Jack could send me to my maker in just a few drowsy moments?

{By the way, even though I am speaking of Dr. Kevorkian in a semi-humorous tone, I truly do admire him and believe in the work he did. Some day, when you are old enough to hear it, I will tell you my own Kevorkian story.}

So there's that connection between suicide and Bush. And now that I think about it, having Dubya in charge of things around here is almost like assisted suicide, anyway. If you're not a rich, white guy, that is. If you are a rich white guy, then you're probably pretty stinkin' happy right now and wish that someone would send me to my maker. To that I say, "WhatEVER!" {Note Valley Girl tone}

Another connection might be this: throughout our relatively short history, fine American folks have been taking off for other countries to avoid putting up with some of the crap that goes on around here. From James Baldwin and Gertrude Stein to Johnny Depp and a zillion others, people have said, "I'm not gonna take this anymore! Let's head to France, where it's more relaxed and the coffee is better." So then the message, hidden though it may be, is that anyone sticking around is asking for it and basically signing up for a suicide mission.

These are just some of my thoughts on how the suicide-Bush connection might be made. Frankly, I just really liked the title, "ups and downs of suicide (burning bush)" and so I went with it. Sometimes a title is just a title, eh?

And no, I am not planning to take off for France or anywhere else. I have cats and it would be an enormous pain in the ass to have them quarantined for however long they make you do that. They'd be miserable and I'd be miserable, and our combined misery would chafe the buzzes of thousands of French people. I have too much stuff to be switching countries at this point in life. Visits, yes. Long-term or permanent moves, no. It is best for some of the discontented to stick around and yammer and holler and wave signs about in the air and blog and write essays and letters and shake their fists. Someone's got to do it, right? Right.

Finally... and this is really away from the suicide-Bush thing... I do not hate my country. No. There are those who might interpret my words and actions as hatred, but they would be wrong. Those people don't like anyone who thinks differently about, well, just about everything or anything! There are many events and policies that really stink, and that's my opinion and even the opinion of many others. There are also many good events and policies, and far more than "many" good people, and so we hang on to those in order to maintain and build a better US. (That could be read as "US" as in "we," or as "US" as in United States" - take your pick.)

Not agreeing with the government is hardly a new phenomenon. It's always happened and it's happening now. So snap out of it and listen up!

AlterNet: Bush's Other Lies

AlterNet: Bush's Other Lies

Great article, but one pauses to wonder {pause--pause--pause} if David Corn isn't pointing out the obvious.

I'm kidding, don't throw your empties at me! It's nice to have so many of the lies catalogued and in one tidy place. Makes it easier for me when pointing out the obvious to others.

MmHmm.

Bush Defends Destroying Life on Earth!

Yahoo! News - Bush Defends Change in Environmental Rules

Please someone, stop the madness! There is no foresight here, this man cannot see beyond his nose. First sends our people marching into Iraq, starts a big huge deadly fight, then with a finger up his nose, realizes he don't have a PLAN. Or friends. Or anyone who is nodding approvingly. Oy, vey!

Now our boy Bush is lifting everything but common sense (which is soon to be outlawed, just you wait and see) and saying, "Hey, polluting corporations! Go ahead, pollute! 'Sno big deal, 'cause, see, we'll be helping the economy!" Except for the part where hundreds or thousands of citizens will develop pollutant-related illnesses which they won't be able to have properly treated because they can't buy medicine from Canada where the prices are regulated, and those very same medications are ridiculously priced in the USA!

And is this war not the priciest hard-on you've ever witnessed?! Puh-leeze! Why can't Dubya visit one of the public bathrooms at Dupont Circle (in NW Washington, DC) and wank off with some boys? Wouldn't that save lives and money and good air and... Well, you get the picture. It's just about more than I can stand. It really is.

ARG!

It seems to me that one of the biggest downsides of suicide is that you don't get to observe the effects of the deed. So many people must imagine, at some point in the planning of their own demise, that alarming moment of discovery; the pain and agony that their untimely end will bring to those left behind must flash magnificently in his or her mind.

I'm not talking so much about the evil thought, "Ha-ha! Now they'll be sorry!" because I really think that's cliche. Think about it - there's no glamour in such a quip. No, there must be at least one rich scene played out in the mind of the suicidal one; something like watching an overly dramatic play, wherein a note is read, tears are shed, hands wrenched, and so forth.

But alas, even those dramatic scenes played out in the mind prior to suicide are dismally sad because, as is clear at least to me, there will be no balcony seat from which to watch (smugly, perhaps) the aftermath of the suicide. Maybe the joy of the suicide is in knowing that it's over --life, pain, a certain situation, something-- and not really in the observation of reactions to the findings. By "findings" I mean a body, hanging, perhaps, or with wrists shredded red, or appearing to be asleep but really cold and dead. Or even the colorful yet horrifying brain matter spattered about a room, the top of a head blown off. You see my point, though.

The other big --perhaps bigger-- downside of suicide is that there are no second chances. Whatever was wrong cannot be set right because it's over, that life is done. There are no balcony seats for observation purposes and there is no encore or second act. Once you draw that curtain shut, it does not open again.