I'm very critical of Fox News because I don't think they present news. When I learned of this incident this morning I imagined what it would have been like if this same incident occurred on the Fox News Network. Would the same people that think MSNBC "overreacted" be outraged if a Fox contributor would have been suspended? I can imagine some of them would, but only because they would have demanded he be fired instead.
If, during any step of analyzing this ordeal, you need to compare the conduct of this particular network against that of another then you are no different than the network you claim to despise. Sure, there are degrees involved (just like with every other thing in this universe) but that doesn't make it different. Blowing into a breathalyzer after wrecking into another vehicle and recording a blood alcohol level of 1.10 as opposed to a 2.50 doesn't change the fact you would be arrested for being under the influence. In a recent interview Chris Wallace went at Jon Stewart by comparing his network to Stewart's network, a comedy channel. And now, when MSNBC finds itself in the hot seat they, or at least their supporters, opt to compare their network to a comedy channel, Fox News.
That there is controversy over this issue is very troubling to me. On a national news network one of the paid contributors called the President of the United States a dick and was suspended. Where is the controversy? Some have argued that everyone is protected under the rights afforded in the 1st Amendment. This is complete nonsense. Freedom of speech is an amazing right but if one thinks it doesn't have limitations then they aren't very knowledgeable on the topic. Freedom of speech is limited in the press, on television, on the radio, and even in public.
MSNBC recently suspended a host for calling a conservative female a "right-wing slut". Another host was let go for continually violating network policies, the last being contributing to campaigns and not divulging that information. In the recent past another anchor was suspended, and eventually fired for a different reason, for saying "pimped out" when referring to Chelsea Clinton. Evening Joe Scarborough was suspended a while back for dropping the "f-bomb" on air.
Both MSNBC and Fox News are two sides of the same coin. Because the content is different or the viewership levels vary doesn't change this fact. Because one tells more egregious lies and misrepresents facts for different reasons than the other network doesn't change this fact. A news channel that simply reports the news no longer exists. They used to exist back in the day when the networks didn't demand the news generate revenue, but times have changed. The people on these channels are paid big salaries. They goad the people on air to make outrageous comments and then act surprised when they happen.
The most surprising thing of this latest ordeal was the weak excuse offered by MSNBC as to why the seven second delay didn't bleep the comment: the show's new executive producer was not familiar with the seven-second delay button. The two hosts of the show encouraged Halperin to speak his mind, let it fly, there is a seven second delay in place they assured him. Ironically, the network adopted the delay because of Scarborough. They, the guys in the control room, even showed a shot of themselves sitting there with their finger on the button in anticipation of the comment while Joe was encouraging Halperin to tell us what he "really thought". I think Halperin should face some consequences and suspension seems reasonable but I believe the executive producer should be fired. He's incompetent at best.
Jon Stewart recently claimed the media was lazy and dealt in sensationalism and not news. This seems obvious. What doesn't seem so obvious is our role in this reality. The press used to represent all of us. It was a nice check in a system that was based on checks and balances. It was another, nicely created extension, that enabled more of the people's will to be done. It was created to make sure our politicians don't think they can get away with lying to us and could be held accountable for their actions. We have squandered that all away and have embraced a system that no longer holds these values and concerns. Instead, the news is just like everything else in this country, based on making money. A profession that was created to make sure lies didn't go unchallenged now lies to us and we tune into the channel we want to believe the most. When we argue over what network is worse or what network is more balanced we cement our role in the nonsense. When we argue over whether or not someone should be punished for even saying the word "dick" , let alone calling the President one, on the airwaves we are nothing more than sheep being herded along in whatever direction the corporations wish us to travel.
Luckily for us we have this incredible front row seat to the freak show.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." ~ Voltaire
A few hundred years ago people that treated sick or ill patients were required to understand astrology and astronomy.
People used to be certain they could fall off of the planet.
Not too long ago people were so certain that other people were witches they would burn them at the stake.
Owning another person and having them do all of your chores was accepted until about 150 years ago.
Less than a hundred years ago scientists were certain of their understanding of gravity.
"Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating." ~ Karl Von Clausewitz
When I was a child I believed a man kept track of my actions throughout the entire year and would fly around the globe on reindeer, enter my house through a chimney (which we didn't have), and leave me gifts.
When I was a child I thought I was good every single year because Santa always gave me gifts.
For the first eleven years of my life I was certain jukebox was pronounced jutebox and volleyball was pronounced bolleyball.
When I was in high school I was certain I would never get fat.
When I was in college I was certain I would never vote for a Democrat.
When I became a deputy I was certain I would tow every single car if the driver was an illegal immigrant and didn't have a license.
When I inherited a little bit of money I was certain I would never blow it.
Not too long ago I was certain I would never buy a can of chew if it went above three dollars.
The last time I cleaned out the inside of my truck I was certain I would never let it get that way again.
"I am certain there is too much certainty in the world." ~ Michael Crichton
A few hundred years ago people that treated sick or ill patients were required to understand astrology and astronomy.
People used to be certain they could fall off of the planet.
Not too long ago people were so certain that other people were witches they would burn them at the stake.
Owning another person and having them do all of your chores was accepted until about 150 years ago.
Less than a hundred years ago scientists were certain of their understanding of gravity.
"Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating." ~ Karl Von Clausewitz
When I was a child I believed a man kept track of my actions throughout the entire year and would fly around the globe on reindeer, enter my house through a chimney (which we didn't have), and leave me gifts.
When I was a child I thought I was good every single year because Santa always gave me gifts.
For the first eleven years of my life I was certain jukebox was pronounced jutebox and volleyball was pronounced bolleyball.
When I was in high school I was certain I would never get fat.
When I was in college I was certain I would never vote for a Democrat.
When I became a deputy I was certain I would tow every single car if the driver was an illegal immigrant and didn't have a license.
When I inherited a little bit of money I was certain I would never blow it.
Not too long ago I was certain I would never buy a can of chew if it went above three dollars.
The last time I cleaned out the inside of my truck I was certain I would never let it get that way again.
"I am certain there is too much certainty in the world." ~ Michael Crichton
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Obama Health Care Law
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/29/us-appeals-court-upholds-obama-health-care-law/
Three judges, appointed by Carter, Reagan, and W. Bush, upheld the constitutionality of President Obama's Health Care Law today in a 2-1 vote.
"Congress had a rational basis for concluding that the minimum coverage provision is essential to the Affordable Care Act's larger reforms to the national markets in health care delivery and health insurance," Judge Boyce F. Martin wrote for the majority in the 2-1 ruling.
"We're gratified by today's ruling, which came from judges appointed by Democratic and Republican presidents who agreed that the law's individual responsibility provision (sometimes called the minimum coverage provision) is constitutional," wrote Stephanie Cutter, an assistant to the president and deputy senior advisor.
"Today's decision upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act's expansion of health coverage to tens of millions of people is a victory of common sense," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA.
"Every step of the way the health care debate has been polluted by partisan politics," said Ethan Rome, executive director of Health Care for America Now (HCAN). "Today's decision, made by judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents, is immune to that criticism. The court ruled on the merits, and it's as simple as that."
"Throughout history, there have been similar challenges to other landmark legislation such as the Social Security Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act, and all of those challenges failed," Justice spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said in a statement. "We believe these challenges to health reform will also fail."
Three judges, appointed by Carter, Reagan, and W. Bush, upheld the constitutionality of President Obama's Health Care Law today in a 2-1 vote.
"Congress had a rational basis for concluding that the minimum coverage provision is essential to the Affordable Care Act's larger reforms to the national markets in health care delivery and health insurance," Judge Boyce F. Martin wrote for the majority in the 2-1 ruling.
"We're gratified by today's ruling, which came from judges appointed by Democratic and Republican presidents who agreed that the law's individual responsibility provision (sometimes called the minimum coverage provision) is constitutional," wrote Stephanie Cutter, an assistant to the president and deputy senior advisor.
"Today's decision upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act's expansion of health coverage to tens of millions of people is a victory of common sense," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA.
"Every step of the way the health care debate has been polluted by partisan politics," said Ethan Rome, executive director of Health Care for America Now (HCAN). "Today's decision, made by judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents, is immune to that criticism. The court ruled on the merits, and it's as simple as that."
"Throughout history, there have been similar challenges to other landmark legislation such as the Social Security Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act, and all of those challenges failed," Justice spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said in a statement. "We believe these challenges to health reform will also fail."
Google Attempting To Take On Facebook
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/google-launches-plus-to-takefacebook/440963/
The battle for the eyeballs of social media network users is intensifying, with Google launching a demo version of 'Google+' (called Google Plus), the search engine giant's renewed attempt to take on Facebook in the social networking arena.
While designing the new service, Google has kept in mind social circles, called plus circles, and a Twitter-inspired feature that resembles real-life social interactions. It allows users to selectively share information with specific groups within defined circles, rather than sharing it with all their social connections at once. One can create as many circles as one wishes to, for whatever categories one wants, adding friends and contacts simply by clicking and dragging names onto various circles.
Google is also featuring a web conferencing option, in which up to 10 people can join in simultaneously. A feature called Sparks would provide users with web content on various topics like sports or fashion, allowing the user to subscribe to categories of interest, create custom categories, and share content with friends. Google would also release Google Plus mobile apps for Android smartphones and iPhones. This would include special features like cloud-based photo storage and group messaging. With its instant upload feature, one's photos and videos automatically upload themselves to a private album on Google+. Its 'Huddle' feature turns different conversations into a group chat.
The battle for the eyeballs of social media network users is intensifying, with Google launching a demo version of 'Google+' (called Google Plus), the search engine giant's renewed attempt to take on Facebook in the social networking arena.
“This is just the beginning...We're just getting warmed up...launching what we call a field trial period, an invitation-only approach to help smooth out the rough edges,” said an official Google post on the demo site.
While designing the new service, Google has kept in mind social circles, called plus circles, and a Twitter-inspired feature that resembles real-life social interactions. It allows users to selectively share information with specific groups within defined circles, rather than sharing it with all their social connections at once. One can create as many circles as one wishes to, for whatever categories one wants, adding friends and contacts simply by clicking and dragging names onto various circles.
Google is also featuring a web conferencing option, in which up to 10 people can join in simultaneously. A feature called Sparks would provide users with web content on various topics like sports or fashion, allowing the user to subscribe to categories of interest, create custom categories, and share content with friends. Google would also release Google Plus mobile apps for Android smartphones and iPhones. This would include special features like cloud-based photo storage and group messaging. With its instant upload feature, one's photos and videos automatically upload themselves to a private album on Google+. Its 'Huddle' feature turns different conversations into a group chat.
Google, however, has its work cut out. Facebook leads the global social media networking pack, with nearly 750 million users (including 500 million active users), followed by LinkedIn (around 100 million), Twitter (around 75 million), the 100-odd million Orkut (Brazil and India accounting for most users) and MySpace, with 30 million-odd users
.
Google's earlier attempts saw feeble success in the social networking space. It could not create a 'Wave', generate a 'Buzz' or make 'Orkut' grab eyeballs in markets outside Brazil and India. Even in India, Orkut has been steadily losing marketshare to Facebook. Compared with against Facebook's 31 million users, Orkut has around 18 million. Various Google social products —Orkut, Lively, Google Friend Connect, Wave and Buzz—just haven't caught on, say social media experts.
Last February, Gmail users impulsively clicked on Google Buzz. Where else could one get such a massive installed base with a single click? By building Buzz directly into Gmail, the service had an instant audience of nearly 180 million users.
Similar to Google+, Buzz was said to be a stream of status updates, pictures, links and videos from friends. One could 'like' these and comment on them. If one used Flickr, Picasa, Google Reader or Twitter, you could automatically import these into one's stream. Buzz also recommended items one might like, based on the activities of one's friends. However, Google was reprimanded for abusing the privacy of individuals by pushing-in Buzz to all its users, after which it had to backtrack. Today, there's hardly any buzz about the product.
Amen
"I think we have to get to a time in which people are embarrassed to pretend to know things they don't know." ~ Sam Harris
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Lame Stream Rock Legends
Renowned rocker Tom Petty hit Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann with a cease-and-desist letter Monday following the congresswoman's decision to close out her campaing announcement to the tune of "American Girl," Rolling Stone reports.
It's not the first time Petty has fought back against a politician using one of his songs. During the 2000 presidential campaign, Petty insisted that George W. Bush not use his hit "I Won't Back Down" to promote his run for the White House.
Don't let that discourage you, Michele. Certainly there are other songs out there that you can make your theme songs. Here are a few ideas...
I'm not sure any of these artists would get on board with Bachmann either, maybe the Scarecrow, but it's worth a shot. Or maybe she could make ammends with Petty and ask if he'll allow use of this song...
It's not the first time Petty has fought back against a politician using one of his songs. During the 2000 presidential campaign, Petty insisted that George W. Bush not use his hit "I Won't Back Down" to promote his run for the White House.
Don't let that discourage you, Michele. Certainly there are other songs out there that you can make your theme songs. Here are a few ideas...
I'm not sure any of these artists would get on board with Bachmann either, maybe the Scarecrow, but it's worth a shot. Or maybe she could make ammends with Petty and ask if he'll allow use of this song...
Chicken Pox
“Chicken pox,” which, to reiterate, has nothing to do with chickens, is a virus more precisely known as Varicella zoster, a member of the herpes family. Chicken pox is a very common childhood disease that produces itchy bumps (“pocks” or “pox”) on the skin and can be very unpleasant for a week or two. But while chicken pox can produce serious complications in adults (especially pregnant women), most cases resolve themselves fairly quickly and thereafter confer lifelong immunity to the disease.
The relative mildness of chicken pox is striking in contrast to another “pox” disease, smallpox, probably the deadliest disease in human history before it was eradicated (at least “in the wild”) in the 1970s. This contrast probably explains the name “chicken pox,” which connotes mildness and safety as opposed to the virulence of smallpox. It has also been suggested that “chicken” in the name refers to a supposed resemblance of the pox to chickpeas, or that the skin of a sufferer looks as if it has been pecked by chickens. But the “not dangerous” sense of “chicken” is the most likely source, especially given that chicken pox was for many centuries considered an innocuous form of the deadly smallpox. ~ The Word Detective
http://www.word-detective.com/
The relative mildness of chicken pox is striking in contrast to another “pox” disease, smallpox, probably the deadliest disease in human history before it was eradicated (at least “in the wild”) in the 1970s. This contrast probably explains the name “chicken pox,” which connotes mildness and safety as opposed to the virulence of smallpox. It has also been suggested that “chicken” in the name refers to a supposed resemblance of the pox to chickpeas, or that the skin of a sufferer looks as if it has been pecked by chickens. But the “not dangerous” sense of “chicken” is the most likely source, especially given that chicken pox was for many centuries considered an innocuous form of the deadly smallpox. ~ The Word Detective
http://www.word-detective.com/
Albert Einstein or Adyashanti
Tonight we feature Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist, and Adyashanti, spiritual teacher of the Taizan Maezumi way to enlightenment. Below you will find 28 quotes attributed to either Albert Einsten, born in Germany and known as the father of modern physics, or Adyashanti, born in San Francisco and known for his wonderful Satsangs.
***
1. Knowledge and ego are directly related. The less knowledge, the greater the ego.
2. Love moves without an agenda. It just moves because it is its nature - to move.
3. Imagination is more important than knowledge.
4. The truth is the only thing you’ll ever run into that has no agenda.
5. Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
![]()
6. Don't go spouting out an answer, just be the answer.
10. Life doesn’t need to decide who’s right and who’s wrong.
11. The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.
12. All things—all beings and all activities, no matter how ordinary—are equal expressions of the infinite.
19. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.
20. Once you've put everything on the table once all of your currency is gone and your pockets are full of air all you've got left to gamble with is yourself.
21. A finely tempered nature longs to escape from the personal life into the world of objective perception and thought.
22. The one that’s interpreting is the one that’s in pain. And that’s the one who suffers. That’s the one who causes others to suffer.
![]()
23. A human being is a part of a whole... He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest… a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.
***
1. Knowledge and ego are directly related. The less knowledge, the greater the ego.
2. Love moves without an agenda. It just moves because it is its nature - to move.
3. Imagination is more important than knowledge.
4. The truth is the only thing you’ll ever run into that has no agenda.
5. Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
6. Don't go spouting out an answer, just be the answer.7. A person starts to live when he can live outside himself.
8. An enlightened man expresses freedom through being ordinary.
9. Sometimes one pays most for the things one gets for nothing.10. Life doesn’t need to decide who’s right and who’s wrong.
11. The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.
12. All things—all beings and all activities, no matter how ordinary—are equal expressions of the infinite.
13. Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.
14. The truth is that you already are what you are seeking.
15. The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.
16. Has it ever occurred to you that you are seeking God with His eyes?
17. The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.
18. We should come to know that there is more reality and sacredness in a blade of grass than in all of our thoughts and ideas about reality.19. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.
20. Once you've put everything on the table once all of your currency is gone and your pockets are full of air all you've got left to gamble with is yourself.
21. A finely tempered nature longs to escape from the personal life into the world of objective perception and thought.
22. The one that’s interpreting is the one that’s in pain. And that’s the one who suffers. That’s the one who causes others to suffer.
23. A human being is a part of a whole... He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest… a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.24. The only thing that’s important is, “What is my life really serving?"
25. Love is a better mastery than duty.
26. All pathes lead away from truth. The truth is already here. Where are you going?
27. When you trip over love, it is easy to get up. But when you fall in love, it is impossible to stand again.
28. Our imagination is a very powerful force in determining what we perceive.
This Is How You Lie
The numbers are correct as Pelosi phrased them, but she is cherry-picking. Her selection of time periods for the comparison produces a picture that's as flattering as possible to the Democrats. We think a listener hearing this would assume that President Barack Obama's job creation record stood in "stark contrast" to Bush's, when in fact the time periods Pelosi uses put Obama's record in the best possible light -- because it skips all of 2009 -- and puts Bush's in the worst possible light."This year, we have added an average of 200,000 jobs per month, a majority in the private sector, a stark contrast to the Bush Administration record of losing an average of nearly 750,000 jobs per month in its last three months." ~ Nancy Pelosi
In all, then, the Speaker's portrayal of the numbers is technically accurate, but the general impression she gives -- that the record under a Democratic president and a Democratic Congress stands in "stark contrast" to the record under Bush -- is political spin based on selective choices about what data to use. We rate Pelosi's statement Half True. ~ Politifact
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jun/04/nancy-pelosi/pelosi-touts-democratic-record-job-creation/
This is my favorite way to tell a lie. Instead of completely making up stuff, just make up about half of it. It's "technically accurate" but provides a misleading general impression. Hey, the impression part of it's on you, the accuracy part is on me. Well done, Nancy.
You Go Girl
You can say stupid stuff all day, and it appears everyday, if you're running for the Republican nod but one thing you can't do is admit you're wrong. Nicely done, Michele. You're doing fine, don't let the mainstream media get you down. More gotcha questions.
But More People Tune In To Our Channel
Are you a flake? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. Are you a liar, liar pants on fire?
"I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out then under another Democrat president, Jimmy Carter. And I'm not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it's an interesting coincidence." ~ Michele Bachmann
"I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out then under another Democrat president, Jimmy Carter. And I'm not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it's an interesting coincidence." ~ Michele Bachmann
The scare began in February 1976 when recruits at Fort Dix, N.J., came down with flu symptoms, and one died. This led to fears of a pandemic. The president in 1976 was Gerald Ford — a Republican. ~ Politifact
"Let's look at the number one. Number one, that's the number of new drilling permits under the Obama administration since they came into office." ~ Michele Bachmann
Prior to the gulf disaster, the Obama administration reported approving 217 new well permits. ~ Politifact
"President Obama's bill (Obamacare) won't bring down the costs for average Americans -- or really for very few Americans, if any." ~ Michele Bachmann
The CBO expects 114 million people to see their premiums go down at least a little bit. That's about 60 percent of beneficiaries. In the small-group market, 12 percent of beneficiaries would qualify for subsidies, the CBO projects. Proportionally, these subsidies would reduce premiums for an additional 1.5 million people. In the individual market, 57 percent would qualify for subsidies, according to CBO. That's about 18 million people who'd see their premiums drop. So, adding it up, nearly 134 million people should see their premiums go down when subsidies are factored in. That's about 70 percent of all privately insured Americans. What about the rest? By our calculations, about 45 million people would see their premiums stay the same. Adding them to the 134 million Americans who saw their premiums drop, you get 179 million people, or almost 94 percent of those on private insurance. ~ Politifact
Politifact is a Pulitizer Prize winner in journalism. Of the 23 statements they recently reviewed from Bachmann one, that's the number one. Look at that number. Number one, that's the number of statements that were deemed true.
I Can See Clearly Now
I remember sitting down for lunch with a good friend nearly four years ago and asking him how the GOP would right the ship. At the time I was a registered Republican. McCain had selected Palin as his running mate and it was fairly obvious at the time the GOP was headed in a strange direction. I cared about my party and it troubled me we (Republicans) were squandering our reputation as a respectable party.
Simply because the politicians might have different ideas on some issues, running mates, or tactics doesn't mean they're off track, that's politics. But what they represent and how they represent it is the main factor when I claim they have squandered their respectability. They no longer rely on fact, history, or compromise. Instead they pander to the fringe. They employ the Fox News business model for their campaigns and use the "I'm rubber, you're glue" defense when questioned about any of their nonsensical statements. You are either with them or against them and they are happy to give you the boot if you can't buy into rhetoric.
As I write this, even just a a couple paragraphs in, I know there are people that are reading it and already thinking about the Democratic Party and their shortcomings. Asking themselves why I'm blind to the left's mistakes and failed policies and this is exactly my point. Looking to the "other side" and pointing out their flaws is no form of self reflection. When I was having lunch with my friend a few years back I wasn't interested in what the Dems were doing wrong. I was interested in what my party was doing wrong and, more importantly, when and how we would start to do things right again. The good news is it seems I can finally envision a day where the train can get back on the tracks.
A few weeks back I predicted Sarah Palin would end up with the Republican nod for the presidential ticket. The reason I made this prediction had nothing to do with Palin per se. It was based more on the atmosphere and the dynamic the Tea Party brings to the table. That the Tea Party exists and people have rallied to form this group isn't of major concern to me. It would be more concerning if people couldn't unite and join groups they willingly wish to participate in. The troubling part about the Tea Party is the fact they've hijacked the Republican Party. Romney is the front runner but all indications are the GOP just can't get excited about him and rally behind him. This is completely false. It is the Tea Party that isn't excited and can't rally behind him.
It is the riff in the conservative party that I identified four years ago when questioning my buddy about the GOP. I was having trouble trying to envision how the party could reconcile this divide. I stress, it doesn't have anything to do with who is right or wrong, what is patriotic or Nazi, raising or lowering taxes, gay marriage or civil unions; it has to do with how these factions on the right come together again.
The Tea Party is looking to support anyone who will defend their ideas with vigor. That is why I predicted Palin, she is certainly capable of doing that. Now it seems Bachmann has emerged and filled that void while Palin toyed with her followers. And for the good of the Grand Old Party I sincerely hope she wins the primary. As long as the Tea Party loses and the "other guys" are in charge they will continue to be a force. However, when they finally get their way and their candidate is on the presidential ticket I can see reconciliation in on the horizon.
![]()
It won't be until their candidate is completely destroyed in a general election that the moderate lot of the Republican Party will be freed from the shackles of the Tea Party. If Romney or any other non Tea Party candidate wins the primary the Tea Party will continue to stick around and haunt the GOP. However, if Bachmann or Palin or Perry get the nod and then go on to completely get demolished in the general election, which seems inevitable, it will create a window of opportunity for the Republicans to reclaim their party.
With the national debt at historic levels, gas prices sky rocketing, unemployment at alarming levels and an incumbent victory in the general election the moderate Republicans will have all the ammunition they need to fight off the fringe element of the party. It will be darkest before the storm and, indeed, it will be a scary time when a Tea Party candidate makes it to the finals with only two remaining choices for ruler of the free world. And I will admittedly be nervous during the run up to the election with the likes of a Bachmann type nominee representing the conservative party. But it seems the only real way to rid this cancer from the Republican Party. When she loses we can all, Democrat and Republican, breathe a sigh of relief that the American public is smarter than what the Tea Party has to offer. If she wins we're all fucked.
Simply because the politicians might have different ideas on some issues, running mates, or tactics doesn't mean they're off track, that's politics. But what they represent and how they represent it is the main factor when I claim they have squandered their respectability. They no longer rely on fact, history, or compromise. Instead they pander to the fringe. They employ the Fox News business model for their campaigns and use the "I'm rubber, you're glue" defense when questioned about any of their nonsensical statements. You are either with them or against them and they are happy to give you the boot if you can't buy into rhetoric.
As I write this, even just a a couple paragraphs in, I know there are people that are reading it and already thinking about the Democratic Party and their shortcomings. Asking themselves why I'm blind to the left's mistakes and failed policies and this is exactly my point. Looking to the "other side" and pointing out their flaws is no form of self reflection. When I was having lunch with my friend a few years back I wasn't interested in what the Dems were doing wrong. I was interested in what my party was doing wrong and, more importantly, when and how we would start to do things right again. The good news is it seems I can finally envision a day where the train can get back on the tracks.
A few weeks back I predicted Sarah Palin would end up with the Republican nod for the presidential ticket. The reason I made this prediction had nothing to do with Palin per se. It was based more on the atmosphere and the dynamic the Tea Party brings to the table. That the Tea Party exists and people have rallied to form this group isn't of major concern to me. It would be more concerning if people couldn't unite and join groups they willingly wish to participate in. The troubling part about the Tea Party is the fact they've hijacked the Republican Party. Romney is the front runner but all indications are the GOP just can't get excited about him and rally behind him. This is completely false. It is the Tea Party that isn't excited and can't rally behind him.
It is the riff in the conservative party that I identified four years ago when questioning my buddy about the GOP. I was having trouble trying to envision how the party could reconcile this divide. I stress, it doesn't have anything to do with who is right or wrong, what is patriotic or Nazi, raising or lowering taxes, gay marriage or civil unions; it has to do with how these factions on the right come together again.
The Tea Party is looking to support anyone who will defend their ideas with vigor. That is why I predicted Palin, she is certainly capable of doing that. Now it seems Bachmann has emerged and filled that void while Palin toyed with her followers. And for the good of the Grand Old Party I sincerely hope she wins the primary. As long as the Tea Party loses and the "other guys" are in charge they will continue to be a force. However, when they finally get their way and their candidate is on the presidential ticket I can see reconciliation in on the horizon.
It won't be until their candidate is completely destroyed in a general election that the moderate lot of the Republican Party will be freed from the shackles of the Tea Party. If Romney or any other non Tea Party candidate wins the primary the Tea Party will continue to stick around and haunt the GOP. However, if Bachmann or Palin or Perry get the nod and then go on to completely get demolished in the general election, which seems inevitable, it will create a window of opportunity for the Republicans to reclaim their party.
With the national debt at historic levels, gas prices sky rocketing, unemployment at alarming levels and an incumbent victory in the general election the moderate Republicans will have all the ammunition they need to fight off the fringe element of the party. It will be darkest before the storm and, indeed, it will be a scary time when a Tea Party candidate makes it to the finals with only two remaining choices for ruler of the free world. And I will admittedly be nervous during the run up to the election with the likes of a Bachmann type nominee representing the conservative party. But it seems the only real way to rid this cancer from the Republican Party. When she loses we can all, Democrat and Republican, breathe a sigh of relief that the American public is smarter than what the Tea Party has to offer. If she wins we're all fucked.
Winning
http://www.tmz.com/2011/06/27/charlie-haper-dies-tragic-death-charlie-sheen-two-and-a-half-men-chuck-lorre-ashton-kutcher-car-cliff/
"Two and a Half Men" will turn dark for just a minute or two when it premieres in September ... because Alan and Jake will learn Charlie Harper bit the dust.
Sources connected with the show tell TMZ ... Chuck Lorre's plan is to make sure Charlie Sheen can NEVER come back on the show. Although the first show won't be filmed until August 5, producers have been kicking around scenarios, which include Charlie driving a car over a cliff.
Of course, it would be art imitating life, because two of Charlie Sheen's cars went down a cliff on Mulholland Drive.
As for how Ashton Kutcher enters the picture, there's been talk that he buys Charlie's house after Charlie kicks the bucket.
Sources tell us ... the first script still isn't locked and Lorre often makes changes until close to taping, but it's pretty clear -- Charlie Harper is pushin' up daisies.
"Two and a Half Men" will turn dark for just a minute or two when it premieres in September ... because Alan and Jake will learn Charlie Harper bit the dust.
Sources connected with the show tell TMZ ... Chuck Lorre's plan is to make sure Charlie Sheen can NEVER come back on the show. Although the first show won't be filmed until August 5, producers have been kicking around scenarios, which include Charlie driving a car over a cliff.
Of course, it would be art imitating life, because two of Charlie Sheen's cars went down a cliff on Mulholland Drive.
As for how Ashton Kutcher enters the picture, there's been talk that he buys Charlie's house after Charlie kicks the bucket.
Sources tell us ... the first script still isn't locked and Lorre often makes changes until close to taping, but it's pretty clear -- Charlie Harper is pushin' up daisies.
Violent Video Game Ban Unconstitutional
The Supreme Court has struck down a California law that bans the sale and rental of violent video games to children. In a 7-2 vote, the justices ruled that the law was unconstitutional and that it violated the free speech rights of children.
Writing for the five member court majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said video games are like books, plays and movies, expression protected by the First Amendment and the government has no free floating power to restrict the ideas to which children may be exposed. California's ban on violent video games is just the latest in a long series of failed attempts to censor violent entertainment for minors, be it dime store novels, movies or even Superman comics, which in their time were portrayed as leading to juvenile delinquency. Joining him in the majority were Justices Kennedy, Ginsburg, Sotomayor and Kagan.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Stephen Breyer each dissented. Thomas said the framers of the Constitution did not envision any freedom of speech at all for minors, that indeed the founders believed that parents had absolute authority over their children.
Writing for the five member court majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said video games are like books, plays and movies, expression protected by the First Amendment and the government has no free floating power to restrict the ideas to which children may be exposed. California's ban on violent video games is just the latest in a long series of failed attempts to censor violent entertainment for minors, be it dime store novels, movies or even Superman comics, which in their time were portrayed as leading to juvenile delinquency. Joining him in the majority were Justices Kennedy, Ginsburg, Sotomayor and Kagan.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Stephen Breyer each dissented. Thomas said the framers of the Constitution did not envision any freedom of speech at all for minors, that indeed the founders believed that parents had absolute authority over their children.
Congresswoman Giffords Makes First Public Appearance
http://www.space.com/12095-giffords-public-appearance-nasa-ceremony.html
![]()
HOUSTON – Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords made her first public appearance since January Monday evening (June 28), showing up unannounced at a public event honoring her astronaut husband and his space shuttle crewmates.
Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly attended the public NASA ceremony for the crew of the shuttle Endeavour's final mission STS-134, a flight that Kelly commanded in May. The event was the first time Giffords, D-Ariz., has been seen publicly since she was shot in the head during a January assassination attempt in Tucson, Ariz.
Seated in a wheelchair, Giffords was rolled into the nearly 600-seat theater at Space Center Houston, the visitor center for NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC), where her husband was waiting. It was standing-room only at the packed event.
Monday, June 27, 2011
So Sorry
I watched this interview and I felt like she handled the question well. She actually mentioned some very strong things about her background and demonstrated no signs of "flakiness" when responding. However, it appears many viewers and even some of Wallace's colleagues didn't appreciate the question. I thought the question was fine, she has made some outrageous claims and many people do think this (me included), but it was framed improperly.
Coffee With Two Scoops Of 3rd Degree Burns
First, let me start by admitting my love for the premium cable channel HBO, it is home to some of my favorite shows. Second, let me recommend a documentary that premieres tonight titled "Hot Coffee". I haven't seen it but HBO never seems to disappoint.
Most people have heard of the civil suit against McDonald's where hot coffee was spilled on a person and then awarded millions of dollars. But that's about all they know. Almost every late night comedian, if not all, has told jokes about the verdict. The tort reform movement began with and continually uses this case as an example of how ridiculous our civil justice seems to be. How ridiculous is it?
The woman that won the case against McDonald's was 79 years old. She was sitting in the passenger seat of the car and prior to placing her sugar in the coffee the styrofoam cup collapsed from the 180 degree beverage spilling into her crotch. She was wearing a sweatsuit, nylons and, of course, granny panties but still received third degree burns and required several surgeries that included skin grafting (skin from her thighs was removed and actually placed inside her genital area to help heal the wound). When she brought the lawsuit forward, her first lawsuit ever filed, she sought McDonald's to pay for the bills that her Medicare didn't cover.
![]()
During the lawsuit McDonald's agreed to settle the case for $800 (yes, eight hundred dollars). Prior to Liebeck's case McDonald's had paid out over 700 times for people that had also been burned by coffee. In a unanimous decision the jury found McDonald's liable and awarded Liebeck the equivalent of two days of coffee sales revenue from the large corporation. Jury members that were interviewed stated they were angered at the callous attitude displayed by Mickey D's during the trial.
Eventually, in part because of the public backlash toward the audacity of such a person to not know coffee is hot, the judgment was reduced by the judge to three times the medical bills. From there McDonald's agreed to settle for less than that amount and only if Liebeck would agree to a gag order. She died at the age of 91 and never got to publically share her side of the story. I haven't seen the documentary yet but I anticipate it will be gripping. That is if you find large corporations taking advantage of elderly ladies, demonizing them, and then lobbying to pass legislation that prevents people like Liebeck from ever "taking advantage of the system" again gripping. Luckily for Liebeck she could provide an American birth certificate during the ordeal so it couldn't be spun as an immigration issue.
Most people have heard of the civil suit against McDonald's where hot coffee was spilled on a person and then awarded millions of dollars. But that's about all they know. Almost every late night comedian, if not all, has told jokes about the verdict. The tort reform movement began with and continually uses this case as an example of how ridiculous our civil justice seems to be. How ridiculous is it?
The woman that won the case against McDonald's was 79 years old. She was sitting in the passenger seat of the car and prior to placing her sugar in the coffee the styrofoam cup collapsed from the 180 degree beverage spilling into her crotch. She was wearing a sweatsuit, nylons and, of course, granny panties but still received third degree burns and required several surgeries that included skin grafting (skin from her thighs was removed and actually placed inside her genital area to help heal the wound). When she brought the lawsuit forward, her first lawsuit ever filed, she sought McDonald's to pay for the bills that her Medicare didn't cover.
Eventually, in part because of the public backlash toward the audacity of such a person to not know coffee is hot, the judgment was reduced by the judge to three times the medical bills. From there McDonald's agreed to settle for less than that amount and only if Liebeck would agree to a gag order. She died at the age of 91 and never got to publically share her side of the story. I haven't seen the documentary yet but I anticipate it will be gripping. That is if you find large corporations taking advantage of elderly ladies, demonizing them, and then lobbying to pass legislation that prevents people like Liebeck from ever "taking advantage of the system" again gripping. Luckily for Liebeck she could provide an American birth certificate during the ordeal so it couldn't be spun as an immigration issue.
Journalism 101
The reporter on the news network rushed to the microphone and informed us he heard the judge say "guilty on some of the counts but I couldn't hear all of them", referencing the Rod Blagojevich verdict. When I clicked on the Chicago Sun-Times website the first line read, "guilty on the first 11 counts announced in court Monday, with verdicts on other counts still to be read." The other verdicts would be read in the next three minutes. I remember when I took a journalism class back in the day and the first thing they taught us was "don't get accurate information, don't wait to hear the entire story, and run to the camera to report what you know before anyone else reports it." It's this type of "reporting" that makes The Daily Show the best source of "news" on the planet.
"And now for breaking news in the Casey Anthony trial ..."
"And now for breaking news in the Casey Anthony trial ..."
Sense and Antivenin
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/06/with-massive-20-million-tv-ad-campaign-independent-group-attacks-president-obamas-economic-record.html
Crossroads GPS, the independent group founded in part by Karl Rove, today launched a whopping $20 million Summer TV ad campaign assailing President Obama’s economic record. “Obama’s $830 billion stimulus failed,” the ad says. The graphic for this claim cites the Congressional Budget Office.
In the CBO's report it stated in Q1 of 2011 the stimulus bill raised real (inflation-adjusted) gross domestic product by between 1.1 percent and 3.1 percent; lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.6 percentage points and 1.8 percentage points; and increased the number of people employed by between 1.2 million and 3.3 million. So besides not understanding words like "compromise, evolution, science, college, civility, American" it appears we can add "fail" to the list.
Crossroads GPS, the independent group founded in part by Karl Rove, today launched a whopping $20 million Summer TV ad campaign assailing President Obama’s economic record. “Obama’s $830 billion stimulus failed,” the ad says. The graphic for this claim cites the Congressional Budget Office.
In the CBO's report it stated in Q1 of 2011 the stimulus bill raised real (inflation-adjusted) gross domestic product by between 1.1 percent and 3.1 percent; lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.6 percentage points and 1.8 percentage points; and increased the number of people employed by between 1.2 million and 3.3 million. So besides not understanding words like "compromise, evolution, science, college, civility, American" it appears we can add "fail" to the list.
It Is What It Is
I remember watching this George Carlin interview a few years ago and being very impacted by it. Even though I agree with everything he says in the interview, I was extremely drawn to the last little portion where he talks about his "divorce" from the "freakshow". I was in a different place than Carlin at that point in my life and I didn't really believe him when he said he removed himself and "didn't have a stake in the outcome".
I find myself in a different place a relatively short time later. I now believe him. He talks about the idealist in him and even admits he wishes it would all change miraculously, but he's enough of a realist to understand that's not how it works. Change, the kind of change Carlin is talking about, is gradual and he puts it best when he says, "incremental change, it just seems like the pile of shit is too deep."
I spent a lot of my time invested in the outcome. And if you've ever spent a lot of time doing something that requires a fair amount labor and slowly come to the realization that your intended goal is impossible it becomes quite easy, in fact inevitable, to lose hope. In the video Carlin admits to being a cynic. I never wanted to grow up to be a cynic. Or did I?
A Cynic in Ancient Greece was a philoshper that held the notion that virtue was the only good and that its essence lies in self control and independence. Today we know a cynic to be a person who believes that human conduct is motivated wholly by self interest. Isn't it amazing how we can observe the evolution of the term and watch the Cynic become cynical, believing in virtue at the onset and then losing hope in his fellow man over time. And if one should truly find themselves a modern day cynic, why in the world would they place themselves in a position to have an emotional stake in the outcome? It would be a miserable existence. A much more enjoyable existence would be to observe it all, enjoy the "freakshow", laugh at and with it.
When one has an emotional stake in the outcome they tend to be become blinded by reality. Facts no longer have meaning, history is not a thing - it's just an ideology, and good and evil are forces that dictate outcomes. Yet, to an uninvested observer the picture looks different. It is what it is.
According to a recent story published by Fox News California spends $47,000 on each inmate over the course of a year and $9,000 on each student in the education system. New York spends $56,000 a year on inmates and $16,000 on students. Michigan $34,000 on inmates and $11,000 on students. It is what it is.
If you wanted to buy a house and pay with all cash you couldn't. It is what it is.
If you tell your bank you want to stop a payment to a service provider they can't stop it unless it is authorized by the company trying to collect. It is what it is.
Evolution is the change over time in one or more inherited traits found in populations of organisms. It is what it is.
Our Government deregulated the banks and the banks caused some serious damage. It is what it is.
There are people, millions of them, that truly believe they will get 72 virgins to enjoy for eternity (do they just keep getting new ones? I mean, they're not going to be virgins for very long. If they keep funnelling them in don't they really get infinite virgins for eternity? If you only get those 72 in a one time shot that's going to get old eventually. No man could stay stimulated by the same 72 women for eternity could he? I really think some PR work is in order here.) when they die. It is what it is.
Thousands of people, including children, die each year in this country from lack of medical attention. It is what it is.
Stupid people want representation too. It is what it is.
MTV airs a show that follows around pregnant teens. It is what it is.
People stand on street corners asking for food and money in almost every city in our country. It is what it is.
A four year old boy said he went to Heaven, his dad wrote a best seller, and we take him seriously. It is what it is.
Dancing With The Stars and The Bachelorette air twice in one week. It is what it is.
The United States spends more on it's military than all of the other countries of the world combined. It is what it is.
We have a Federal Holiday for a guy that didn't discover America. And most people have no idea who did. It is what it is.
Never once in our history as a nation did we challenge our countries President on his citizenship until a black man won the office. It is what it is.
Some people predict exact times and dates to the end of the world and other people take out their life savings to advertise it. It is what it is.
Some people like the Raiders. It is what it is.
Famous men that have a lot of money have sex with women that want to have sex with famous men that have a lot of money. It is what it is.
Over 95% of the scienific community and over 99% of the professionals in the specific field believe climate change (man made) is real. It is what it is.
Millions of people will tell you they've seen a ghost. It is what it is.
Mormons don't believe Jesus Christ was the Son of God and they believe God used to be a human. And they call themselves Christian. It is what it is.
OnStar could dispatch emergencies services to my wrecked vehicle if I pay them $12 a month. I don't and they don't. It is what it is.
The infant mortality rate in America has steadily gotten worse compared to the rest of the world since 1960. It is what it is.
The United States literacy rate ranks 20th in the world. It is what it is.
And for every "it is what it is" there are people looking at the same thing and seeing a different picture, painting their own scene, telling you the blue you see is green and telling you why it isn't what it is.
Cynic: a blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be. ~ Ambrose Bierce
Just Say No Like They Do In Those Nine Countries
"According to the Sheriff's Department, marijuana is the No. 1 crop of Tulare County," according to the Grand Jury report. It appears the good news is we are not alone. On the bright side, at least we still have the money to conduct the studies to see how well our "war" is working. Not true for Papua New Guinea that ran out of funds in 1993 to fund such surveys.
Ads and Germans
Thousands and thousands of posts, comments and notes on Facebook and never did a company feel the need to put ads on my wall. Within a few hours a couple of ads pop up on my new site and I can't help but wonder if I've been missing the boat for the past few years. Along with the ads came strict instructions for me not to click on the advertisements on my own site. Then why did they put up commercials of delicious looking food, to see if they could break me? And I can't instruct my viewers to click on the ads either so I won't do that. Also included in the package was a tracker to see where the audience resides and which browser they use. With that I would like to send a shout out to my German fan. Frieden meine deutschen Freunde.
Two Cupcakes For You
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/57815.html
WATERLOO, Iowa—Michele Bachmann riled up hundreds of Republicans in a banquet hall June 26th, but perhaps the biggest cheer of the night came when she mocked President Barack Obama for his reliance on teleprompters.
WATERLOO, Iowa—Michele Bachmann riled up hundreds of Republicans in a banquet hall June 26th, but perhaps the biggest cheer of the night came when she mocked President Barack Obama for his reliance on teleprompters.
The crowd went wild when, toward the end of her 25-minute speech, the Minnesota congresswoman bragged that she was not speaking from a teleprompter.
“President Bachmann may be retiring that thing, by the way, when I get to the White House,” she said.
“We may not have a teleprompter in chief,” she added, after cheers.
Bachmann paced a makeshift stage with a big blue Bachmann for President sign behind her.
A crush of supporters surrounded Bachmann after she finished speaking, eager to pose for photos.
She told the group that she will, as expected, officially announce her candidacy in a speech in Waterloo Monday morning.
Eight Year Old Girl Used In Suicide Attack
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13919946
No-one else was killed in the explosion, in Uruzgan province.
The incident came a day after an attack on a hospital which killed at least 38 people in the east of the country.
Dozens were injured. Elderly people, pregnant women and children were said to be among the casualties.
'No respect'
A statement by the ministry described the Uruzgan incident as a "crime and a shameful act".
The area where the alleged incident happened is very remote, and it was not possible to independently verify the reports.
"The child, pure-hearted and in good faith, took the bag and moved towards the police vehicle," it said.
"As she got close to the police vehicle, the enemy detonated the bomb by remote control, killing the innocent child."
The governor of Char Cheno district, where the attack took place, told the BBC the girl was from the nearest village.
She was told nothing would happen to her, he said, adding that the perpetrators had "no boundary, no respect for anything".
Correspondents say insurgents have recruited both adult women and recently male children to carry out suicide attacks, though the Taliban denies recruiting children.
An eight-year-old girl has been killed after insurgents used her in a bomb attack on police in southern Afghanistan, the government has said.
The interior ministry said insurgents gave the girl a package and told her to take it to a police vehicle, detonating it as she approached.No-one else was killed in the explosion, in Uruzgan province.
The incident came a day after an attack on a hospital which killed at least 38 people in the east of the country.
Dozens were injured. Elderly people, pregnant women and children were said to be among the casualties.
'No respect'
A statement by the ministry described the Uruzgan incident as a "crime and a shameful act".
The area where the alleged incident happened is very remote, and it was not possible to independently verify the reports.
"The child, pure-hearted and in good faith, took the bag and moved towards the police vehicle," it said.
"As she got close to the police vehicle, the enemy detonated the bomb by remote control, killing the innocent child."
The governor of Char Cheno district, where the attack took place, told the BBC the girl was from the nearest village.
She was told nothing would happen to her, he said, adding that the perpetrators had "no boundary, no respect for anything".
Correspondents say insurgents have recruited both adult women and recently male children to carry out suicide attacks, though the Taliban denies recruiting children.
Could The Gipper Win A Primary?
"One thing is certain in this hungry world, no regulation or law should be allowed if it results in crops rotting in the fields for lack of harvesters." ~ Ronald Reagan
"...and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here." ~ Ronald Reagan
President Reagan signed the Simpson-Mazzoli Act in 1986, granting amnesty to nearly 3 million illegal aliens.
Raised taxes three times as President in '82, '83, and '86.
Sought to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
"...and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here." ~ Ronald Reagan
President Reagan signed the Simpson-Mazzoli Act in 1986, granting amnesty to nearly 3 million illegal aliens.
Raised taxes three times as President in '82, '83, and '86.
Sought to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
Sounds Libertarian To Me
" The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world ... Break the taboo on debate and reform. The time for action is now." ~ Global Commission on Drug Policy
Jon Stewart Interview With Chris Wallace
"...if you were a liberal, you thought that [Stewart] just wiped the floor with me. And if you were a conservative, you thought I just wiped the floor with him." ~ Chris Wallace
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Our Lives Begin To End The Day We Become Silent About Things That Matter
Facebook was, is, and probably always will be an amazing site. I was able to connect with people that have made me a better person. However, I was also able to connect with people that drove me nuts and made me want to shoot myself. No doubt, I probably drove them crazy as well but instead of wanting to shoot themselves they wanted to shoot me too.
It had been a long time coming but last week the camel's back finally snapped from the weight of the straw. I had periodically taken breaks in my three years on Facebook but no more than several days at a time. And at no time during my tenure on the great social network had I ever deactivated my account. In fact, I have had several "friends" deactivate their account and reactivate it and I found it odd. I could have just went silent and not made any posts or commented on any threads but that wouldn't have been much fun.
I decided I would become a blogger. In essence, I was already doing it but my audience wasn't necessarily there to see me, at least not the majority of them. By creating the blog I could be assured each reader went out of their way to cross my path, hear my views, and share my world. Plus, this has red curtains and a counter at the bottom of the page.
Let the adventure begin.
It had been a long time coming but last week the camel's back finally snapped from the weight of the straw. I had periodically taken breaks in my three years on Facebook but no more than several days at a time. And at no time during my tenure on the great social network had I ever deactivated my account. In fact, I have had several "friends" deactivate their account and reactivate it and I found it odd. I could have just went silent and not made any posts or commented on any threads but that wouldn't have been much fun.
I decided I would become a blogger. In essence, I was already doing it but my audience wasn't necessarily there to see me, at least not the majority of them. By creating the blog I could be assured each reader went out of their way to cross my path, hear my views, and share my world. Plus, this has red curtains and a counter at the bottom of the page.
Let the adventure begin.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)