Is that a rock exploding in your pocket or are you...Oh.

You may have heard an interesting story last week of the lady who picked up some rocks on the beach, placed them in her pants pocket, and later found that they exploded...even if you didn't, that's the story, and it happen.

It does sound quite bizarre and funny, but the woman suffered burns when it happen, leading her to being placed in a hospital. What has been determined is that it is the result of the rock being coated in phosphorus.

... By Friday, California environmental health officials had an answer, or at least part of one: two of the rocks were covered in phosphorus, an element that’s known for igniting into a fierce white flame when it’s exposed to air. Near as they can tell, as long as the rocks were wet with seawater, the phosphorus didn’t ignite, but after they’d dried out in the woman’s pockets over the course of the day, the phosphorus reacted explosively. 

...

So...that can happen... Still, glad that was cleared up so as to prevent other wild stories of the exploding rocks of California...granted rocks can be caused to blow apart in other ways so it isn't the strangest of stories.

What isn't clear yet is where the phosphorus came from.

The most common way more reactive phosphorus is found is within the military, where it is used quite often in flares, though it has also been made use of as a deadly weapon. So there is so interest now about if some flares washed up on the beach, or if there is another, possibly natural, answer.

If this does come from old or more recent ordinance, it would be a wise thing to try and clean this stuff up to prevent further injuries.

4 Comics Walk Into A Bar

Or, 4 comics walk into a Salon.

Salon has a new page called, I Read The News Today, oy vey!...I'm sure the name is the result of an improvisational committee meeting...But it fits well the onw...the dread the morning news often brings.

But what is it? It's short videos dreamt up by comic minds on events of the day, from today's look at the Bush endorsement to the earlier look at Bristol Palin's political parental analysis.

Currently, David Feldman, Merrill Markoe, Frank Coniff, and Judy Gold are offering up their barbed thoughts. And it is worth checking out.

Here is one:

Mormonism critiques.

It is an odd state to be in. As a skeptic and atheist, I find Mormonism to be such a load of crazy bull. But I feel the same of all religion. It is all silly time.

So seeing people join in on criticism has a certain positive quality. It reminds of when issues with some Muslims and Islamic culture became more of an interest and concern in the mainstream, following 9/11. It is great to see an interest in harmful beliefs and practices, or just in the ideas and beliefs that fill the world.

Some it was actually about being unaware and wanting to really learn, but for many it was about the mob. It wasn't really about it's history and tales, or troubling traditions & certain religious leaders. It was about fearing others. It was about separating out the other. And in some cases make the other suffer.

Thankfully the sniping at Mormonism is not so hostile. But it is about ganging up. They're weird, they have different beliefs, different clothes, so you can't trust them. But the same can be said of so many groups, but Romney has helped get some added focus on "them" for now.

Again, like every faith, people should be more aware, and be willing to talk about oddities, and social issues of a faith. But as some have noted, some of the attacks aren't even relevant. Once Mormons openly engaged in polygamy. But they no longer do this. Whether they secretly promote it, or say it is still heavenly mandated, I don't know. But I see no proof they are. And yes they have break off sects doing it still, but they broke off. It is  a false and ignorant claim against them.

Worse it distracts from actual current and more wide spread social troubles in the Mormon community, and there are some severe ones that are worth getting out, like the treatment of women and many children. 

But this stuff isn't as fun as a funny polygamy joke, or a magic underwear quip.

Don't get me wrong. There are some funny joke in that. I love a good joke. But I get bummed at all the cheap and easy jokes. Particularly when they are more like everyone getting together to take turns picking on someone with a funny name.

But we are talking about Mitt Romney. And Mitt is an asshole. He has lived a pretty damned privileged life. He has never had to go without, but likes to pretend he get's it. But through his life, from his teen years to his business success, he has repeatedly shown a disconnect when it comes to the feelings or needs of others, particularly those that are an Other. The gay kid. The blind teacher. The family dog. The girls with his friends. The poor pensioners under the sway of Bane. They all seem foreign and alien to him. And all along the way as he mistreated people, he was forgiven, cheered, or just had people look the other way. It is creepy to think of him with power over a country (granted he is already rich, so he has plenty of power of government already). Even GW Bush didn't seem as disconnected as Romney does.

So Mitt has a huge satchel of bad karma built up, so it's hard to not enjoy jokes at his expense. But there are still cheap jokes. And hating him for being a Mormon seems so wrong and disingenuous. He wears "magic underpants". And this means what for the presidency? He believes differently about aspects of Jesus's will when compared to other Christians. And this will mean what for the economy?

Romney's surrounded himself with GW's Team Bad Idea. He, in a quest for power and glory, is willing to sell more and more out to the most Right Wing radical thinkers in this country. He shows no real moral center or principles.

He is the very creepy guy that Conservatism has decided to rally to because...it's an election year.

People need to realize and have it explained just why he and the GOP will be taking the country backwards if they get further control. More over, it is important to show the benefit of getting more Democrats in to tilt the balance.

And if you want to discuss Mormonism issues, focus on actual issues in it.

What's the Tower of Babel?

Humanity is a funny little thing.

We have certain predilections. We like big things. We like bright lights. We like shiny red buttons. We like things that go boom.

Sure, we don't actually all like this crap, but it is how we as a species seem to continually hove.

Is it really that important that the new towers in New York be the tallest around? Fuck yeah!

How about crucifixes? We need them big right? If they aren't big enough, we might think they're trees, or telephone polls. Hell, no! That's a cross, an ancient tool for torture and execution. It's like how we used to build humorously large electric chairs, so death row inmates would look like Edith Ann.

But that's when executions were funny.






Anyway, giant comedy crucifixes...

Yes, someone had a vision from Gawd. And it is to build a giant, over 17 story tall, cross. Giant cross? Yeah, just the sort of thing I bet Jesus loves seeing.

"Oh, are you living by my message of loving and helping your fellow man? No? Just giving money to preachers? Building a multimillion dollar tourist trap based around the imagery of my grisely death...that's great."

Where do you think they would build a huge gaudy cross, where would that fit in too well? Mecca? Jersusalem? New York City? Hooterville?

No, Branson, Missouri. Only trouble will be all the people lining up outside assuming there will be a buffet inside it. ...As big as it will be, there may actually be a buffet in it...


And remember how this started. A guy had a vision in which God showed in a large phallic symbol, then he continued to obsess over larger and larger phallic symbols, now his son continues the vision...

And that is how our civilization advances...

Bad Journalism

In the world of journalism, and even the world of "journalism", there are lows that are a sight to be seen.

The Andrew Breitbart site is a place to see such epic lows that, really, you should stretch a bit before trying to read. But they are a great example of how to do journalism poorly and pompously. Sure, Drudge Report is horribly wrong at a rate that it should surprise you that major media sources use it as a source, but Breitbart...it is a pageant of bad.

Look at their excitement recently that they have PROOF that Obama is not an American. [Cue dramatic sting]

Yep. Apparently the proof was in front of us the whole time.

You see, when he was promoting one of his books, which chronicled his alleged life, as an American, brilliantly creating a cover story no one could break, his literary agent, accidentally...published a booklet that exposed the shocking truth of his client's past...

...

Okay, a good test of skepticism here.

Why would this prove Obama's illegitimacy?

Is there any valid explanation for this booklet?



The answer is it doesn't, to the first, and yes to the latter.

This proves nothing. A booklet with information contradicted by EVERY other source, made casually by an underling for a book launching is not proof. It's an excuse for bad journalism. When you have one source, that contradicts others, you don't throw away the main sources, you determine why their is a difference. And by determine, you do not declare it is a conspiracy.

So, why was the booklet saying Obama was Kenyan? Was this determined? No. Maybe, someone delegated a basic job to an underling who didn't really care about this book launch anymore than the other dozen or so that were happening that week. And, maybe, they did half ass work for the event for a guy with a funny name talking about his ties to Kenya. Based on all the facts we actually know, how is this not deemed more likely than a deeply hidden secret shared and typed up in a publishing house? How is this not considered before conspiracy?

Because bad journalism isn't about sussing out the truth. It's about selling a claim. It is about not looking for the evidence, or acknowledging genuine and serious disputes over facts.

Breitbart's people excel at this sort of bad journalism. Once, they actually found a genuine scandal. But that followed after a long string of false scandals. Real or fake, they don't care. They are a tabloid, minus the self respect or dignity.

Knowing more about history.

Here's a fun and short video introducing you to the truth about 5 misconceptions of history. From Open Culture:

... 

Viking helmets had horns, Napoleon was quite short and Lady Godiva rode through Coventry naked. Most of us accept these tales as facts because they’ve been told for many generations. But C.G.P. Grey took a closer look and compiled this short video in which he debunks not only these historical misconceptions but also two myths surrounding the Roman “Vomitorium” and Columbus. 

...

Getting to know The Stimulus.

A sad expectation in news coverage these days is it's dull acceptance that Obama's attempt to stimulate the economy were a failure.

Now facts disagree with that. But those angry conservative pundits and talking heads disagree, and far be it from any news reader to challenge such vim and vigor.

But so you can have some facts on hand in future for your own conversations, here are some useful charts. If this doesn't help, as your conversation buddy won't shut up and won't take their fingers from their ears...print the charts up, roll up the paper, and hit the freaking idiots with it.

From Electablog (thanks to LOLGOP, at @LOLGOP) (w/ charts and video):

... 

The good news is: The people who still propagandize against the Stimulus are only doing so because their paycheck or their sanity depends upon it. 

The fact is: The Stimulus has had the singularly most impressive positive effect on the American economy of government intervention since World War II. Simply: It worked. 

The ONLY argument against the Stimulus is an argument for it. It was too small. Krugman said so in 2009. Seriously, the one argument the anyone has against the Stimulus was: Bush’s economy in late 2008 was much worse than we wanted to admit. 

At the time, it was difficult to say how bad the economy was. Was it Iraq bad? Afghanistan bad? Katrina bad? We were constantly testing new lows. Also there was a cautiousness about overestimating the damage for fear that it could spin completely out of control. 

People who say the Stimulus could have been larger or better spent forget that it passed by one vote—one vote as the President faced a Republican Party that refused to even offer a plan to save the economy. 

Yes. That was what the Stimulus was designed to do: SAVE THE ECONOMY. 

It was the winter of 2009. As we were high on electing a sane president, we were also in absolute FREE-FALL. Every month it got worse. Bush/Cheney’s stench of failure had metastasized into actual economic wildfire. 

...

Follow the link and look at the shift in in GDP (Gross Domestic Product), Employment, and Averages of Initial Claims (of unemployment).

Knowledge is power. But the depth of the bullshit filling the media pool is deep. Get those hip waders on now.

David Gregory does what David Gregory does.

As a surprise to no one that regularly watches David Gregory and/or Meet the Press, Gregory is going to be a keynote speaker for a conservative political group. The group NFIB, National Federation of Independent Business, which runs GOP friendly ads during the last election, and has been a leading attacker of health care reform and environmental regulation.

Add to this, the day before he is speaking, the group is having both Karl "MC" Rove and John "Red Martian" Boehner speaking.

Mixing and using his name with a political group and rubbing elbows with Rove?

Helping this group, effectively, raise money and improved legitimacy to as it preps to have an impact on the 2012 elections?

Really?

But this is his norm isn't it.?

No. I doubt any of us are surprised.

George Lucas, "Pray I don't alter it any further."

Briefly saw this story, but didn't know if it was true, but Ragnell (at @Ragnell on twitter) reTumblred it.

George Lucas (of Radioland Murders fame) has been trying to build a massive studio complex on his massive tract of land in Marin County. But his neighbors, the Richie McRichersons, aren't having it. And they have stymied efforts to build up the site, bringing a lot of money to the company...and those pesky working class people. They finally won against Lucas, and the studio won't be built.

Instead Lucas has decided to do something else with the land, instead of trying to have it re-purposed as industrial, he wants to now use it for residential ends. So he is looking to have it made into low income housing, or housing for seniors on fixed income. Lovely. It is one part a middle finger at the prigs in the neighborhood, and a flaming good deed. The force is strong in this one.

Super Friends need a new name.

DC has decided to focus it's animated interest for the moment in an hour block on Saturday mornings. The results have been so so. But what has been fun has been some of the shorts done during commercial breaks.

Including a request for all the non-Trinity members of the Super Friends for a name change, as none of them get any love from the Big Three.

Also there's been the Super Best Friends Forever, starring Batgirl, Supergirl, and Wonder Girl, a young, energetic, and lovable trio.

These shorts are the high point of DC Animation right now. Telling.

Just in time to still be Mother's Day

Have a few minutes left of this day, Mother's Day...the Internet's clock is broken. Sure a commercial holiday of sorts, but you want to start that with a mom? ...Didn't think so.

Ragnell (at @Ragnell on twitter) points to a lovely image of motherhood, via DC Comics. The many different types of moms who have inhabited the comics over the years. Sad, that so many of them were wiped when DC rebooted their books. ...I'd put the image here, but...I'm scared on Tumblr.

DCWomenKickingAss (at @dcwomenkickingass on twitter) also looked at DC moms. The Trinity. And the mom's lost to comic continuity.

Avengers Nitpick!

The Avengers…sigh. I would be tempted to review this movie…no one else has done that online yet, right?

Rather I will try to focus on a few points, and try to move on with my life somehow. Oh, yeah…SPOILERS!!! I talk about what happens in the movie. Shocking.

First, The Whedon. Sometime I will have to elucidate on my opinions and thinking on him. But simply, I like his work…and find it annoying at times. Sorry, I don’t find it perfect, and, yes, I was thinking this before it was cool. He can create amazing and fun stories, and this is a good example of it. It is big and fun. Yeah! But also it has Whedon’s habit of at times putting words in character’s mouths that aren’t theirs. Whedon often thinks of a real funny quip in writing a script and then picks someone to give the line, regardless of if it’s really that logical for the character to say. Like, in Avengers, when Thor talks of Loki, after being told of his mass murder, replies, “He’s adopted.” That is funny! But it also isn’t something that sounds entirely wrong coming from Thor. It in fact feels contradictory. But Whedon and others thought it was funny, so it stayed. Whedon does this all the time. But still fun story. Great effects. Good character moments. So I do credit Whedon a lot. I just have issues in general.

Second, what was Loki’s plan? Not overall. That was to conquer the world, duh. What was the point of getting captured by SHIELD? To distract from the heist or the objective of his scientists? Why? He could have grabbed that guy in a less obvious way. Or he could have vanished with his team and left everyone to try suss out what he’s up to. Would they really have caught up quicker? It wasn’t to knock out the carrier, as Hawkeye got aboard and almost brought it down on his own. To set off the Hulk? Was that important? And couldn’t he have come aboard with Hawkeye, and used his illusions directly to set Banner off to become the Hulk? …The point is, after watching the movie, the gambit by Loki seemed pointless. Maybe it was hubris. Maybe it was just needed for the story, so as to allow as series of confrontations with our main villain and different heroes. Whatever the reason it feels incongruent.

Finally (THIRDLY), the Black Widow…uh. I like the character of the Black Widow. Fun character, grand history. A long time classic character of the Marvel Universe, she can be a great fit for an Avengers team. But Scarlett Johansson… It may be me (and probably is), but I have never been impressed with her film work. I feel bad saying it, but I just have never been whelmed by her work. Maybe I haven’t seen enough yet. Still putting her in the role of a cunning Russian spy is asking a lot. I found Smulder playing Maria Hill, Fury’s second, a more impressive and energized role (And as a comic fan I don’t like Hill’s character in the books.) (I have to agree with The Cinema Snob, would have been interesting to see Smulder play Black Widow). Now, when SJ was speaking in Russian she actually seemed more alive. But overall...she was just underwhelming. The little we got w/ Renner as Hawkeye was stronger. Plus, all of the Widow’s characterization in the movie felt either forced rushed, or crammed in. 

Also, seeing her in the last battle with the little pistol actually makes Hawkeye and his bow seem more dangerous. Why not just make her wrist weapons one of those new SHIELD cosmic cube/tesseract produced weapons, and have them be blasters? I mean, it's like seeing:

"Avengers, ready to charge that alien army! Hulk! Thor! Iron Man! Captain America! James Bond! ...uh, James? Yeah... We really appreciate all your spy work that helped us get here...but what why don't you just take a break...'kay?"

Comic Black Widow is always great in a brawl. But she doesn't take a the equivalent of a Walther PPK with her. Right? Next movie, she needs better treatment in the script.

...And I hear they are pushing for a Black Widow movie...Maybe SJ can prove me wrong...But a Widow movie, but no Hulk movie to take advantage to the amazing actor you have locked in? …Why? (By which I mean why no Hulk movie, not that there can’t be both movies. How are they jumping on one idea, but not the other?)

Again. The movie is great fun. It is a comic book movie. People take hits and get right back up (except for one case), massive property damage with little to no life loss, and suspect super science, are all abound. But, so what, it's a comic movie, a really good one. But it is flawed. Nolan's Batman is dark, noirish, and largely down to earth (eyeing you flying batmobile in trailer), and Avengers is big bright and larger than life. Both are different and both are good.

Be sure to go an enjoy Avengers, if it's your cup of tea. For me, having this, The Hobbit and a Batman movie this year is just grand.

Now I'll just wait for people to line up to kick me in the balls.

Going postal. Getting constructively mad.

When you hear about the sad state of the US Postal Service, the idea to slice down the number of postal workers, the need to shut down post office across the country, and the need to end weekend services, remember 2006. That year Congress placed on the USPS the stressors needed to finally crack and break a perfectly functional government service.

Crooks and Liars:

… 

Rolando lays out the real root of the problem: "The problem lies elsewhere: the 2006 congressional mandate that the USPS pre-fund future retiree health benefits for the next 75 years, and do so within a decade, an obligation no other public agency or private firm faces. The roughly $5.5 billion annual payments since 2007 — $21 billion total — are the difference between a positive and negative ledger." 

…

The Post Office is self-funded, and still keeping down the expense of mail services. But it is government, so conservatives deem it an evil to be purged. Having a healthy union also makes it an easy target.

This is the problem with the conservative movement, government is bad, except for the areas we like and want to bloat and expand. No social security for you or meat inspectors. But we need enough power and operations enough to ensure that no woman has an abortion, that no gay people live together with common legal protections, and so that we can fight off the whole world.

That is the illogical worldview and self-destructive leadership we face in this election year. The country is hurting and conservative politicians don’t want to face or real problems, rather gifting their friends and fighting their phantom battles.

Get active this year, get informed, and get out and make people aware.

Every election is important, but the Senate is at risk of sliding to Republicans eager to push deeper austerity, and the House could stay in the hand of those you have been more concerned with growing tax cuts and shrinking safety nets.

BUT, until electoral changes are possible, stay on the back of what representation and leadership we have now.

• Find your Representative, be sure they know what you are really worried about.
• Find your Senators, and let them know what you expect of them.
• Contact the Executive Branch, and be heard on where the country needs to go.

Oltermanni Halloumi Yaroslavsky Edam Armola Havarti

Well...oh, not a full year...lost that bet.

Well, fuck! A lot of important topics. Lot of fun topics missed. And as I noted in listening to a good talk on the difference in old and new media, no I can't just go back, without some convoluted reason and need. Or I can and just be old hat...I do like old hat.

But no.

So back to the seriousness.

True...True, could be a little silly.

On Spirit Day

Today is considered to be Spirit Day.

This is about offering support to the LGBT community. In particular, it is about supporting the youth in the community. It is for those that are unable, or scared, to come out and be open about who they are. It is about the bullying so many LGBT persons face in their lives.

As was sadly seen recently, one young man did one of the series of It Gets Better videos, meant to bolster and support these young people. He then proceeded to get bullied and was driven to suicide. It was a tragic event. And it was a clear example of just how cruel society can be to a minor and misunderstood group.

So today, and everyday on, think better. Watch out for, and support those that are bullied for just being different, help them out and let them know they do not need to feel alone. And where some purple to show solidarity with them today. But think and act better from her on out.

'
Addendum:
Forgot to place a link to some nice words from actor Zachary Quinto on these issues.

Immunization Myths

Mamamia.com has a nice list of the myths that still often pervade thinking on vaccination. Please give it a read to be better informed on the issues, and misunderstandings.


MYTHS (and these are MYTHS)

• Myth 1: Vaccines cause autism.
• Myth 2: Vaccines contain mercury.
• Myth 3: Vaccines contain toxic ingredients.
• Myth 4: Vaccines have never been tested.
• Myth 5: Vaccines don’t work because children who are vaccinated can still get the disease.
• Myth 6: Improved living standards, not vaccination have reduced disease.
• Myth 7: Infectious diseases are not serious; children are meant to get them.
• Myth 8: Vaccines cause or spread the diseases they are supposed to prevent.
• Myth 9: My child’s immune system will be overwhelmed.

Occupy Wall Street, the continuing

Before I go on to another topic I thought it was best to return to Wall Street.

Occupy Wall Street has continued, despite some confusion in the media.  There has been some rather sad and smug (Really?  Does Erin Burnett have to mouth the Streets thinking, try being a journalist?  You are not trying out for The Tonight Show, and Jeanne Moos job at CNN is currently filled by Jeanne Moos.  Thankfully there was some internal counter.) hostility in the media.  They've had blows from the police.  And they've got the regular outright contempt from the conservative mouthpieces.

I am jaded, but I can hope it has a way to hold on there, or ensure it stays bigger than a bit of real estate and echoing voices.  It has like-minded events popping up around the country.  We will see.

Salon has done some good work on the protest for those coming in late, or looking to better understand.

The Origins of Occupy Wall Street Explained
Occupy Wall Street: A Historical Perspective

Also to hear from people resonating with the protest, and the concerns and anger at the top tier in the country look through, We are the 99 Percent.

This was a nice graphic put up to explain the concern and problems of banking: (There really are no options being left in the system) (Wait until you see how uniform the news media is...)

And Jeff Sharlet put up some nice pics from the current NYC events.

GOP - At Work...for somebody.

So what are Republicans doing for us all?

In Florida, they are trying to put smaller folk to work, hurtling briefly through the air.  Yup.  Republicans want to restore the Floridian sport of dwarf tossing.  It is apparently a matter of freedom, to be able to take someone smaller than you and throw them as far as possible...for AMERICA!  The fact that the Republican governor is backing this speaks to how sad his reign has been.

In New Jersey, the governor, and almost national primary loser, is continuing his brilliant work of costing his state millions while benefiting none. Really, it is quite amazing Christie has done it again and again. From right after taking office up to right now. This time it is a needed rail tunnel to NY. But know it won't happen AND NJ has to pay. After getting over $270 million from the federal government, he decided the project was to expensive. The government decided it wanted the money back then (The villains!). Christie balked, he doesn't return money he grabs, even when it isn't his own. But know he has agreed to return $95 million. So he welshed on a debt to the American people, and also has cost NJ nearly $100 million.  And the state of NJ is left with only an antiquate rail tunnel to service its transport to and from NY.

In Tennessee we see the continuing effects of a national effort by Republicans to deny the vote to...well, everyone if they could just be given office by fiat.  Among Republicans it seems to have become accepted that they can not win in the long run. Hispanics are a threat. African Americans are a threat.  The poor are a threat. Even the military, it seems, can be a threat to their electoral destiny.  So they have moved to remove them (the voters) from their path.  In the past we have seen the electronic voting booths deployed to effect. Misinformation is a go to way to get people to the wrong polls on the wrong day.  But the current method is reworking how you get a ballot to vote on. New restrictions are being given, more and more id's are needed, or a specific one.  And, as you can imagine, they aren't rushing to inform voters.  So now, and as we go into the more serious election year many voters are going to be in for a cruel surprise. Or people can stand up in their states and say no to this. Stand up for people like the 96 year old voter who is no longer an acceptable without hunting down an old marriage certificate from decades past, for a husband long since buried. The truth is voting fraud is rare. The crime against the electoral system comes in the mass of legit voters kept from engaging in their rights.  Maybe 5 million Democratic voters will be lost.

In the Senate the leader of the Republicans is too busy to work out an acceptable jobs bill.  Why?  They are playing PR games.  He was trying to push an old version of the jobs bill. Through this Democrats would have to vote down the presidents bill, which would make the papers.  Then the proper bill would pass through, but the half truth talking point would be born, the senate Democrats oppose Obama's job's bill. Not true. But wha tis the truth to Republicans these days when you've got optics.

In the House Boehner is tripling the tax dollars being spent to preserver the Defense of Marriage Act, and keep gays from marrying. Meanwhile he and Cantor fret about paying to help disaster victims.

In the creepy end of the Internet Beck continues to descend into his role of Col. Kurtz.  Sure he sounds like a weirdo. Sure he shoots out purely maddening conspiracies. But to add to that Beck is doing a kid's show, to teach the real history of American...just stew on that.

In my TV we learned that proudly right wing singers are fully able to spout right wing pap.  Hank Williams Jr. showed that while he does look like a country parody, he is one.  Though when I look at him he looks a good like that someone is reenacting Weekend at Bernies with him.  But enough with a guy that would compare Boehner with Netanyahu.  They are both screwing things up for their people in their own ways.

In the womb Republicans continue to push on to control and dictate use. One way they have worked to control reproduction rights is in defining life.  The effort is to at a minimum define life as starting at conception. Then they will demand that anything that risks or harms joined egg and sperm can be declared a crime. Then end result is that much of birth control will be criminal, as well as abortions.  You see some birth control acts to prevent implantation of the fertilized egg.  And most everyone accepts this birth control, but this conservative effort will kill the pill.  And the far right that started this know that is the result, they want birth control to be more limited and hard to use.  Because?  They want to control what you do in the bedroom.

Republicans at work, to toss dwarves, keep gays single, and control American wombs.

Occupy Wall Street - 3 Weeks in

So we enter week 3 of Occupy Wall Street. Has it been 3 weeks?  Partly it almost feels like it passes fast, from the comfort of home.  But also the lack of coverage from the start makes me feel vague about just when this began. I do remember a comment or two at the start.  A post here and there. But it was mostly a blip.

And that has been a problem (Just don't tell many of the protest supporters that.), communication out about what was going on. I heard about Occupy Wall Street and had no idea what it was. Some people planned to go an protest the big wigs...aaaaaand?  There are people doing protest all the time, is this a bigger one, what makes it stand out? Is it 5 people on a week long silent vigil? Is it 100 chanting? Is it 1000's...doing something?

You watch protest get setup all the time and you can become inured.  And of course those passionate and engaged in this protest hate that jaded quality, but what am I gonna do? I am not alone in this plenty of old hands in the progressive movement have tried to help and suggest ways to improve the work on the street.  And that has been banefully opposed for a long time.  Suggest contacting media with a formal explanation, is hissed at.  And that causes some sighing on the part of people like me.  It reminds me of a bit of work of Patton Oswalt where the hypothetical hippie wants to protest and want to be so standoffish, and subtle, that the protest is invisible. Not taking advantage of the media to get eyes on you is risky. Most of the time it means you can quietly fade away in the background, or go on years being more or less white noise.

Luckily that has changed. In not so good ways, as some cops have attacked protesters, which just helps the media get its rocks off. So the media is on board, until they get bored again. Then yesterday on the Brooklyn Bridge, the police did some mass arrest. This should get the protesters some later in the news show coverage, but still not stories that will open most news shows.

While the Occupy Wall Street concept is spreading some, sprouting up around the country, can it last?  Can it start gather up some more local interest?  Haven't seen it yet.  But it may come. Some more seasoned help may be good.

On Daily Kos they have now the first of the official statements from the protests. It's a statement voted on by people at the event to reflect the myriad of issues those present want to correct. Look it over.


TPM has a look at Week 3 of the Occupy Wall Streets, and considers where it is now.

But it is interesting to see the number of people online still pissed off when told that is unclear what the protest is aiming for. Sorry, the accomplishable goals still need to get lain out.  Media needs to get pushed into being engaged.  How aware is the country right now of it?  How aware is most of NYC?

Addendum 1:

Wanted to mention a good point made on twitter by @allisonkilkenny.  

Think when observers claim #OccupyWallStreet is unfocused, what they mean is the problems are "too big."

A good point. The issues we face are huge. And they are hard to express. So general anger can be good. But we have to be sure it does get positively focused at some point. Hopefully soon.

Addendum 2:
Also wanted to consider a good point made by Driftglass via the last The Professional Left podcast. In it he  noted the Million Women March from 2006. I remember it well. It had big political, social, and entertainment names down on the Smithsonian lawns speaking out. There were huge numbers. But there was no real coverage outside of CSPAN.

The idea that Driftglass posits is that  this is due to being unfocused, interested in all the issues that women face in the United States.

Seems like an interesting point, that I hope Occupy Wallstreet keeps in mind. But I do also wonder, did The Million Man March has a better focus? It got a lot of coverage, I think...All points to consider.

Doctor Who, coming to series end.

Well it is another Saturday. That means BBC is running another new episode of Doctor Who. And it turns out this is the series finale (of Series 6 of the new version of Doctor Who...it doesn't really matter). Doesn't feel like we've come to the end already, this half of the season went by so quick.

It speaks well for the series. The 13 episodes we get for a series seems to be never enough. But the brief taste of scifi fun keeps up from getting too complacent. But the latest run is ending, a race from the Western US and the death of the titular character, has taken us across time, through labor, through Hitler's window, and on back to London. Tonight should take us back to the United States, and back to the beginning of the current series.

I look forward to it. Right now the episode has finished showing in England, but in the U.S. we have to wait until tonight. I had hoped to start doing some analysis of the series before the second half started up last month...but...eh. And I wanted to jump in as the episodes passed...but...well, it is occurring to me that rushing in is not the best plan. We have until next fall (except for a Christmas special this year) before we get new episodes.

So why rush into this. Better to do some post-series analysis of Doctor Who than give a rushed glib post. So that is the plan. For now I want to forward the idea of the Doctor being a fairy tale figure...later.

I may be late in returning, but Tucker is late in leaving already. One of us is being fashionable.

what..What! ...oh sh...say!

So...how about that...

...the hell! Tucker Carlson's The Daily Caller is still around. (I'll do you the favor of not linking.)

If you are not aware, and if so, apologies, but Tucker has a rather poor website he likes to imagine is a useful news source.It isn't.

Take a recent story they ran detailing a rapid expansion of employment at the EPA. Whether a massive influx of 230,000 jobs for the country. the real problem is the story was B.S. There was outrage at the growth of government, and the spending of over $20 billion. And, like with Drudge, news sources leaped at using the tall tale.

The Washington Post's Greg Sergeant has written about how wrong the site has been, and how hard it has worked to justify it's work. First the numbers were used by the EPA as a cautionary tale, a size that the EPA would not want to grow to. But The Daily Caller tried to blow this off. They claim that the EPA, and government wants to grow, expand, and just bulge out. The EPA really does want to balloon, everyone knows it, but The Daily Caller is the only one willing to say it. So the claim is right. What a load of codswallop. It reminds me of the News of the World in England trying to smugly claim that their phone hacks were just journalism. No. NOTW was in the wrong. And The Daily Caller is just plain wrong. The story was done wrong, the claims have been disproven, and everyone with a clue sees where the The Daily Caller is setting. How long will it take Tucker and his little rascals to fess up.

At this point, even the conservative National Review has criticized The Daily Caller for it's poor work.

But it is on par with what we expect from Tucker Carlson.

Republicans: Beyond Thunderdome

Hey! I haven't blogged in a bit and BLAH BLAH BLAH...

What the hell is it with the Republicans?

Yeah. really what is there deal. The nation needs to seriously discuss and debate our debt, our revenue, and our costs. Everyone knows that. But for some reason they feel the need to try and force the discussion to really omit talk on the debt, and talk on our revenue. It seems they want to try and tackle cost alone, and pretend that will fix it all.

Here is how this works. We have Debt (D), Revenue to the Government (R), and Costs the Government Pays (C). And they each need to address C and R, to lead to changes in D. Either debt can be payed off, or more debt needs to be taken on.

R + C = Change in D

Ideally, the result should be a shrinking debt. Ideally. But it doesn't often work that way. And we should work towards this. Trouble is, the time to bring this fight for debt cutting, and surpluses, like under Clinton, should come in stronger economic periods. Doing it now in a weaker economic period does not benefit us. It spreads suffering, deepens troubles, and creates long term strife and issues. The impulse is to cut into C, but that must be done thoughtfully, not as demanded by a given ideology.

R must also be carefully taken on. In this weaker economic period to heap on further trouble to those in distress makes little sense. Now those with deeper pockets can be turned to. How much? That is the debate. For Republicans it is a negative value. For Democrats it is up in the air. But I suggest at a minimum, you go look at the current tax rate in the country, and then look at what it was under Ronald Reagan. Look at the far far higher rates in the days of Reaganomics.


So consider today's Republicans. They have decided that the debt ceiling makes a wonderful campaign talking point. And through it they get to cry over the idea of the rich paying anymore taxes, or elderly people, or the poor, receive aid.

It is a sad sight. They treat the nation's financial state as a chance for theatrics. Eric Cantor last week met with the president to discuss the debt ceiling, but it was all so late in the week he could have a stages walk out in "righteous" indignation. For he and the rest of the Republican leaders this is all a chance to pose and pout. They talk of demanding that they are given a chance to build a plan with the president to so as to secure the future stability and growth of our economy. Everything should be on the table...except changing the debt ceiling, or raising revenue. So for them it is all slashing costs. Slash Medicare. Slash Medicaid. Slash social security. Slash, slash, slash. They are making quite a show of it. Any Republican that votes to increase the debt ceiling will be driven from offices, says one Republican leader.

This is a loud and clear declaration from the conservatives. No tax increase. No debt ceiling boost. And if they turn to allow them, they are on the record as hypocrites. If those that have promised to destroy those that vote for a ceiling raising don't act they will be hypocrites. So they are committed.

Either the nation will do what they want. Or they will break the nation. That has more and more proven to be the silent code and oath of the Republican faithful.

I don't like zealots.

And if it had happen...?

After the Rapture vid.

Truth in media

Pawlenty Presidental Campaign (2011-2011)


Dead on Day 1.

You can't buy publicity like this.

Why would you try?

Further into the sadness of Saturday's rapture cancellation.

In the wake of the aborted takeoff of all the pious, righteous, and true...more of the tragedy that befell some.

This is not about people who blew their cash, or sold homes. That is bad, and lamented. Like the person who dumps their car off somewhere because "they know" they have the lucky numbers that will be winning the lottery that night. But economic boondoggles can be come back from.

No. This is about the near death of children. A women seeing that the rapture and tribulation were nigh, slit her daughters throat, then her own. Then drove to a friend's home to die. Luckily this person had the sense to call for help, which kept them alive.

This is horrible. What this women did was sick and demented. But she was driven and taught to believe that they were both in trouble, and horrors were coming. That is one important trick to many religious groups, promise horror, torture, and unending pain, unless you walk a very narrow line that the group defines. This woman, presumably believed that it was coming. If she did not end her daughter's life, she would have, literally, hell on earth.

And that is messed up. Messed up for her to do. And messed up that in global society we have this tripe sold and coddled by government, media, and the rest of us (to some varying extent). We try to laugh, but it can't be forgotten that things like the Rapture are a cottage industry. They are big bucks because many people take it on faith that events will soon come to pass. Remember how Christianity starts, with the promise of the end of days just around the corner (from 30-something C.E.). People have been drawn into a belief the end is nigh, time and again, before that time and ever since. Sometimes these people are driven or pushed to dark ends.

Now we may learn that she has various psychological issues, medication she needed to be on, etc. But many churches teach that their is a Rapture. That is you are not on their god's right side...you are screwed.

So we need to be aware of this. Joke. Laugh. But keep an eye out in your family, and among your coworkers. Reach out as any compassionate rational person should.

Welcome to my world...world.

Now is when I turn and give some sympathy to those that awaited the rapture yesterday.

Yes. To embrace the idea that some supernatural event was coming is silly. And because a person who spends too much time in their preferred supernatural storybook, and then crafts a mathematical formula around it to countdown to all "good" people being teleported to a magical land...yeah, really?

So everyone had a good laugh. I did.

But what the rest of us? Yes, including myself in this.

There are plenty of joke worthy ideas, causes, beliefs.

• Bible/Torah/Koran codes - Take a given translation trace around words and letters, or just pick them at a chosen interval...and you know the future...No. But it is embraced.
• 2012 - Mayan Comeuppancepaloza. So apparently the Mayans created a super special calendar that charts the major events of the future leading right up to the end of the world. Or not. It points to major events, when you squint at it. Doesn't really point at the end in 2012 even. And the calendar end can also  be, and is by Mayans today, as the end of an era. Not the world. But people are selling it to you. And you may, or someone you know, is lapping it up.
• I-Ching - Works about the same as above...or Nostradamus.
• Anti-vaccination - People are being sold on how vaccination will kill or poison a baby or child. Or how it won't work so they don't pursue shots or updates to protection. And as a result old illnesses are coming back.
• Science denial - In the USA we have to struggle to get comprehensive science to be taught. Evolution is often an anathema. Alien and foreign, barred from conversation. Science is what it is. The results follow where nature leads. But we seem to fear and loathe nature's arrogance with it. We too often see science as a servant to ideology. Evolution is bad, why? GM foods are bad, why? Irradiation is bad, why? A biblical view of history and science is sound, why?

Like I wrote before. Take some time after these ridiculous events like this Saturday. Look at how contorted these people were driven to become. Look at how they believed, and how they have been hurt.

Then look at your own beliefs and ideas, and think thoughtfully.

Been off for a bit.

I haven't been doing much in the way of blogging for awhile. Well as you may have heard the world'd coming to an end, and stuff.

Winds, rains, and storms...and stuff. Plus the nice holy man, and all of his people, his groups, and his billboards say so.

So it's all kinda depressing.

End of the world. And I haven't even finished my laundry, or vacuumed.

.
.
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Damn. Apparently the world already ended earlier. Knew I shouldn't have taken that nap. I always miss out on these sorts of things.

Yeah. Not so much for the logic.

End of the world...come on.

But, of course, most nobody was paying serious attention to this. To this one. But not always.

First consider this lot with the billboards. They are not some small unfunded church. This group is all over the country. They have some reasonably deep pockets (they have the money to put up more signs than atheist groups do, and more forbearance from locals than atheists get). So this is more than that Terry Jones lot. Remember that these folks were more . And these folks thought the world was ending. They aren't alone in that.

For example:


Jehovah's Witnesses
1914 - That's the key date when everything changes and Jesus comes into his own. Now a century has passed.


Seventh-Day Adventist
1844 - The day that Jesus returns to Earth (the end). Of course once that didn't happen it became a "spiritual" event. You know, like how God answers prayers in indirect ways, how prayers and saints help medicine after the fact, etc.


General Christians
How did it all begin? With a a promise from Jesus that those he met would see him again in their lifetimes. Meaning, the end was coming damn soon. And...two thousand years later...eh. Of course, we then got the Wondering Jew, an immortal at the crucifixion who walks the Earth as an immortal. So the words of Jesus still stand as he's alive. How freaking weak.


And of course we have had tons of "crazy cults" (cause the main ones are the respectable sort).


Shermer on it.



Brett Erlick on the Rapture



That is the point though people always come up with an end event and obsess. Sometimes a small group buys punch and sneakers and heads off. Sometimes a religious movement embraces it. Or a religious movement is birthed from the dates given.


The thing to remember is whether you ignore this one, or laugh at it, when one comes that you feel like just buying into...Step back. Look around. Think. Research. Don't be Homer Simpson.