WHAT I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE WRITING ABOUT.......TODAY

Chances are you are expecting some diatribe with facts and what have you, that's not happening. I'm giving you a top ten, make what you will and enjoy it.

1. Obama
2. Death
3. Kim Kardashian
4. Kanye West
5. Religious Wars
6. Iraq
7. The Economy 
8. Tulips
9. The OJ Trial
10. Hostage exchanges

Have a great Saturday!

BASIL MARCEAUX WILL BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT

Perhaps I am a bit late in my jump on to the Basil Marceaux bandwagon. Fuck it this is my blog and I do whatever the hell I want. I think Basil is the man to lead this country after Obama is gone. I am proposing that Mr. Marceaux build a grass roots campaign through an advent known as crowd funding. I feel that given his  strong stances on religion, the oath, the flag and vegetation, he would be a breath of fresh air in the US. Let's look at why Basil would run this country right:

This mean has conviction he has a stomach that shows both a great ability to withstand massive quantities of strong mexican beer. Basil is a strong believer in the legalization of marijuana because god's plants should not be illegal as evidenced by his extremely eloquent explanation at a 2010 gubernatorial debate.

That's right, Basil wants people to be happy and relaxed and to be careful with their guns. America, we need this man to lead us, like the captain of the Titanic, the pilot of the Hindenburg. I shall make it my business to get us this man, let's change it up in Washington.

This man will not buy his way to our hearts, no sir, he will steamroll his way through the red tape in Washington take take a literal dump on the hill. Let's get Basil America, before it's too late.

LARRY FLYNT TRYING TO SAVE THE MAN THAT SHOT HIM

I don't particularly care for Larry Flynt mainly because of his line of work. I do think Flynt has an interesting side specifically when it comes to talking about rights, politics, and what have you. Most recently Flynt has made headlines by stating that the man who shot him in 1978 should not be executed. While the man that shot him is actually being put down for murdering someone in 1977, and not for the Flynt shooting, there are some interesting points Flynt is bringing up here.

Flynt feels that there should be greater scrutiny in so far as who is a part of the team that's responsible execution. There's also the name of the pharmacy and whether or not that compound pharmacy faces scrutiny from the state on other fronts. I don't think Flynt is trying to grab headlines so much as he is trying to hold systems accountable.

Should states where there is a death penalty for felons and lethal injection is the method of death be more open about the process? Flynt seems to feel this way about Missouri and chances are he feels this way about other states as well. The question is valid simply because Flynt is asking more for the reason of keeping other people and businesses in check.

I wonder how far Flynt will go here, considering how far he's gone in the past for other causes. Flynt did state that life in prison is a worst punishment than the quick release of death by lethal injection, I actually agree with that. I think Flynt has an uphill battle here only because he is Larry Flynt, the Hustler guy.

WHY I SAY THANK YOU

I'm not a war monger, I don't go around saying let's bomb this place and that place all to hell. I wish that conflicts could be settled through communication but human nature prohibits that. I am still very thankful for veterans and today, on this veteran't day I say thanks. Veterans have always primarily fought because of an intense belief in the idea that the whole world deserves to be free of oppression.

Veterans do fight for the idea of democracy, every veteran I have met has always expressed a belief in making things right for others. Let's face facts, for every imperfection in our society, America on its worst day is still a gold standard. No, there is no perfect system, but considering the opportunities we have in this country, we can't really complain.

Every veteran is also willing to sacrifice a part of themselves in combat, something not everyone can really begin to comprehend. I never spent a day in a field of battle so I will never make a derogatory statement about a veteran, like so many idiots tend to do. People need to remember that veterans don't go into conflict with agendas, veterans are not politicians.

On this day, even if you don't believe in conflict, don't attack someone for doing what you never would. It's important to be grateful, servicemen and women often make a sacrifice that carries a high price and an almost non existent reward. There are reasons to say thank you to our veterans, too many of them to mention. Today I suggest a thank you because it's the least that can be done and lets our veterans know we understand what they gave up.

THE POLITICS OF LIFE

Politics is a nasty word with controversial connotations. When you think politics you think democrat vs. republican and extreme positions colliding. Politics is also a word applicable to life. It's amazing how people with ego driven agendas employ politics. Politics are a nasty business whether you make money off them or not.

I have found myself situations where politics rule and very often they make me smile. To me politics are the lowest common denominator in life. People use politics as a way to stand above and over others, it's almost like politics are a way to point a finger that spews salt into open wounds. I hate politics and more than hate tapioca pudding, and I really hate tapioca pudding.

In short this entry is my rant against a nasty practice and behavior. I hate politics but it seems like politics are necessary in this life, like the ying to the yang, good to evil, some sort of bullshit like that. In short it's my way of saying fuck politics.

SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN

We look back at the closure of the US government and we can safely say that not a single thing has changed. Let's look at this from a simplistic perspective:

• The affordable care act is still a troubled piece of legislation 
• The site for insurance exchanges has been a joke
• The parties are still pointing fingers without really doing a damn thing
• The medical device tax will likely bring forth a wrath of special interest battles

So, to sum it all up we got screwed as a nation for 16 days with nothing to show for it. I remember hearing a zealous conservative say it was a liberal thing while also watching liberals say it was a conservative thing. Let's face facts for a minute, liberals and conservatives are not working for anything other than their own legacies, the constituency always comes last. 

A few years ago I read a book that was written by Samuel Pettengill, who served in the US congress for 8 years during the great division. I remember his book Smoke Screen was an insider's view into Washington politics and essentially served as the counterpoint to The New Deal. If we look at the Affordable Care Act, it's really the med version of the new deal. 

It doesn't matter if you are for it or if you are against it, it's the law of the land. This law like any other law requires expenditures and said expenditures have to come from forms of taxation we as a nation may not agree with. In the end if it works or if it doesn't is going to depend on fund allocation and proper execution. The fact is that politicians could care less, they want the ability to cater to someone in order to have fall back money because the hundreds of thousands that they make every year is not enough. 

Obama was a community organizer and is now a millionaire like every other US president to come around. It doesn't matter what you think, opinions of the masses are unimportant at this point. The Affordable Care Act will likely stick around and present problems like the insurance exchanges site, for one. It's time we wake up, smell the coffee and realize that are interests are not that important to our 535 legislators. 

THE MEANING OF INNOCENCE

I was sitting down having a cup of coffee the other day and looking around. The mall I was in had a basketball court nearby and some children were playing. To my left just outside the coffee shop some tables were set up and two gentlemen in wheelchairs were talking to some ladies. I thought nothing of it and thought nothing of the kids playing either because that's what kids do.

One of the gentlemen made his way to the court and when I looked up he was across from the small child and they were tossing the ball around. I looked at the kid and he had a huge smile on his face. I knew the kid was not poking fun, he was just having fun without judging a man in a wheelchair. There was a second when the world slowed down to the point where I could only focus on that brief interaction.

I saw just the man and the little boy passing around a ball and shooting baskets and thought " Why can't it always be this easy?" The kid smiled with such joy and the gentleman in the wheelchair seemed to revel in the child's joy. There was no difference, just a wheelchair, no crippled man, no scared child, just two fellow humans enjoying a common interest. That brief moment to me was the very definition of innocence.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING?

I usually try to stay away from certain issues only because hot buttons tend to create animosity and I'm not all about that. Having said that let me ask: Who in the fuck does Charles Rangel think he is? Who in the fuck does Sheila Jackson Lee think she is? Why won't all these fucking republican and democrat whores shut the fuck up about one another and stop politicizing everything just so they can make a point.

A woman with postpartum depression and an apparent bi polar disorder ends up going of the deep end and that's the fault of republicans? What the hell? Is there nothing sacred anymore? The woman got shot because she was seen as some sort of threat and suddenly the big thing answer is " This was a cause of the lack of the republican action." I think politicizing someone's mental illness is the lowest form of shit.

I have a better idea, how about democrats and republicans stop pimping our economy like a garden variety whore and do their jobs. Miriam Carey was a mentally unstable person and as a result of her problems she ended up making a mistake that would cost her her life and almost cost her her 18 month old's life. Please, don't use this as yet another manner of finger pointing, all of do need to shut the hell up and do your job.

I'M YOUR DADDY LUKE

I love Star Wars and I always have, in part I love it because there was nothing like it and to this day there is nothing like it. I always wondered if there was a way to create a real lightsaber because I was really down with the idea of having my own lightsaber. I would not use my lightsaber on anything other than plastic bottles and Somali pirate ships.

Apparently I may have my big chance because it seems like scientists may be close to creating my dream device. The following link will take you to an article about the near creation of the lightsaber:

http://www.i4u.com/2013/09/56020/real-lightsaber-created

What I think is amazing about this development, besides the fact that I may now battle Somali pirates, is the fact that it's only been 35 years since this was first conceptualized. I'm almost certain that this type of development will meet with serious political and religious opposition. On the flip side of the equation I am certain that science advocates will welcome this with open arms, just because it means that we can eventually master anything we can think of.

Read the article, make your conclusions and may the force be with you.

TELLING SOMEONE TO FUCK THEMSELVES HAS LOST ITS MEANING

I know the title of this entry and the picture are both kind of raunchy. I have to tell you that I think it's worth it in order to make my point. We are living in some seriously sick times. If you tell a person to fuck themselves you are not insulting them, you are giving them ideas for nasty sexy time. To say fuck off to a person is really not an insult either.

The word fuck has become the gee golly gosh of today's society, no one is offended anymore. I think we have all become desensitized in terms of filth. We are not offended by anything unless it actually hits our own preference or visual appearance. I miss the days when fuck you was a badass insult that was enough to keep people in their place.

Today when you say " fuck you" or " fuck off" it's the equivalent of the old " your mom" standard. I think part of the problem is that nothing in society is sacred. Everything now is blurred into one impossibly difficult pile of goodness. Saying fuck is almost like a compliment so in that spirit I'd like to hand out a few, nah fuck that.

KEEP IT IN PERSPECTIVE PEOPLE

So there is a big huge deal about the clown that wore the Obama mask in a rodeo. I can sort of understand how this would be disrespectful to the president but I think taking into race waters can be a stretch. This is what I think with respect to that, let's keep it in perspective. Not everyone in America is a democrat and not everyone voted for Obama. Obama's presidency has not been that effective, just like Bush's presidency nearly bankrupted the US.

The best chance that democrats had to pass comprehensive reform was with the senatorial super majority and that was wasted. The election was very narrow and it demonstrated that Romney and Obama were weighed as two necessary ills with one being the lesser of two evils. I understand that the whole " Who wants to see a bull run Obama down?" question was over the top but still, that's the way it goes.

The very normal voting majority is never very happy about how the country is run. Now unemployment is very high, housing values are down, and medical reform is questionable and never fully enforced. I am a democrat but I see this as the perspective of a very unhappy group of people. I don't see this as racism and neither should anyone else. Let' not take politics to black vs white in situations that don't call for it.

THE MYSTERY OF NICK BEEF

The long lingering mystery of Nick Beef has finally been solved. The mysterious dead man is actually some jackass that decided to buy the burial plot next to Lee Harvey Oswald's because it meant something to his history. I think it's ridiculous to do something like that in order to observe personal history. If I were Nick I would have purchased a paper or some sort of commemorative coin. This guy bought the grave next to Oswald's for a total of $167.50, in 1975, and put his stage name on there. Mr. Beef doesn't have any plans of being buried next to Oswald.

I think this is some morbid way to get attention, I don't care that he witnessed Kennedy's assassination in 1963. To me the sad thing is that he seems to identify with Oswald in some way, even if he won't admit it. If this "performer" attached importance to the actual event he would likely just write about it or talk about his early memory of that day. I think this is something of a tasteless way to get attention for yourself.

Can you imagine going to a party and meeting this guy? Hi I'm Nick Beef, alive in New York, dead in Texas, terrible lover to al my exes. To me this is ridiculous but we do live in a free country so to each their own.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL MORNING

It's  morning on a Saturday and I'm feeling pretty good. I have made the decision to use today as a sort of journal day. The news are depressing, uninteresting and frankly they just piss me off. Why talk about reality television, murders, and politics when you can look out a window and catch a lovely view of the sun. I think politics were designed for conversation more than anything else, and I don't like to talk quite as much as I like to write. It's funny how sometimes life is so disappointing in terms of what you see in the mediums that you find yourself getting re-aqcuainted with nature and what have you. Perhaps today will be a day of discovery, and then again I will probably comeback and shoot bullets at everything I dislike.

HILLARY

I have been hearing a lot about Hillary Clinton making a run in 2016. I am not one to really go into politics often but I will say this, I think Hillary's chances are not as great as people make them out to be. Hillary Clinton is a brilliant woman and it's clear she was not a run of the mill first lady. I admire her 1994 push for a universal healthcare plan as well as her 7 year US senate run. I think Hillary is one of the great first ladies, proving that a difference can be made in that spot, beyond a symbolic diplomatic role.

I don't think that with her history of recent health issues, and the much publicized Benghazi issue, Hillary can really make a strong showing for herself. I do believe that the right time would have been in 2008, I believe she had far more experience than Obama and was better suited to handle the economy. I think another issue that will really cripple Hillary Clinton's chances in 2016 will be her age. The last three US presidents elected have all been under 55. This country has yet to openly accept the possibility of a female president.

I do think that republicans will face an uphill climb in 2016 simply because there is no visibly strong candidate out there. I will say this for republicans, 76' did not have a darker horse than Jimmy Carter and he beat Gerald Ford, granted that Ford was weakened by his pardon of Nixon as well as the loss of Nelson Rockefeller, who chose not to run on the Ford ticket. Right now 2016 will be determined by how the economy, job market, and healthcare legislation all look.

While I do think that a female president would help the US re-establish its credibility as the world's lead power, I am almost certain that it won't be Hillary. I could be wrong, however I don't care because in the end I don't think in terms of party lines, I think in terms of what's best, and lately nothing really seems to work.

WHY AM I STILL UP?

It's late and I am still up writing, I really have to question my sanity. I have a meeting in the morning and need to be sharp but I am so interested in other things at the moment. I wonder if night brings about hubris and makes people feel invincible. I am tired, I am thirsty, I know what my day will bring tomorrow but I just don't feel like letting that get to me. I am thinking of so many things and so many things I am thinking of make such little sense, even to me.

An hour ago I was thinking of what it must have been like to be David Sarnoff back when he was delivering flowers to the may mistresses of Marconi out in New York. Then I think back to previous hours and how thrilled I was with the latest installment of the HBO drama Newsroom and how cool it is that Jeff Daniels will likely have an iconic role to define his outstanding career. Here I am, it's late as fuck and I am still writing, and yet I don't know why.

This blog is such a medium for expression, often times I express raw emotion without any real attention to accuracy and I wonder how many mistakes I have made in the process of creating volume. I don't give a shit about what people think of my mistakes because this is my forum and yet I want reactions, I want to push buttons and get people talking. Yes I know what I'm saying because I read and read carefully but often times I write recklessly because I am fully invested. I look forward to numbers, ideas, reactions and I love when I have the opportunity to prove assholes wrong.

I am not really into political correctness, in fact I challenge that ridiculous and hypocritical norm which we enforce because honestly it's nothing more than fear, a blanket for the cowardly. It's late and I am opening up to perfect strangers because I am secure in my own feelings and opinions, I will agree, disagree, and stand up when it's necessary. I will attack people not for the sake of the attack but simply because I live in reality. It's late, I'm tired and open, and I will say whatever the hell I want to say.

MANDELA

When you are a 9 year old kid whatever history you know is usually limited to what you are taught in school or random places. The first time I heard of Nelson Mandela was after I saw the mini series about his life. Sometime later, about two years, I witnessed a landmark moment in world history. In 1990 Nelson Mandela was released after serving 27 years in prison. What I found interesting about his release was the kind of response that it brought.

I began to really understand the greatness of this man in terms of what he meant by the number of people and their reactions. I watched my parents and they both cried tears of joy. Mandela was 72 years of age upon his release and looked like a man that was tired but willing to fight. Mandela wore a gray suit with a red tie and his hair was white. Mandela was the man that went to prison for trying to do away with apartheid. During his period of incarceration Mandela went from being a rumored terrorist to a legend.

Mandela's struggle was against an unfair minority rule that often times reserved high privilege for whites while oppressing the minority. Figures like Peter Biko emerged during the struggle but perished, while Mandela endured until finally he would make history again. In 1994 Mandela would be elected President at age 75. Mandela's election would be a sign that the climate was changing in South Africa.

I remember being a 14 year old kid and following that election thing that at his age Mandela would have a hard time winning, the ignorance of youth. While Mandela would remain a polarizing figure he would often times ruffle feathers on the world stage be being honest and unapologetic. Today Mandela is in a hospital at age 94 and in serious condition. Mandela could die or he could live to be 100. In the end nothing will change the fact that he was the type of figure that comes around once in a lifetime. There will never be another one like him and because of his sacrifices not many, if any, will have to endure what he did.

FANATICAL PEOPLE

I consider myself a fairly level headed individual most of the time. I respect people's opinions and beliefs but I don't particularly respect the concept of pushing beliefs onto others. I really dislike that whole concept of " what I believe is absolute and impossible to challenge." To me people that have that view are the very personification of ridiculous fanatics. I have a fascination with fanatical people and their this skin. I mean how in the hell can you go wrong when you challenge the narrow minded fanatic?

The hotest button is religion and it's also the best one to push in order to test the skin of a fanatic. I recently wrote an entry taking aim at a Cardinal banned from the church. I got a lot of comments and most of them were attacking me for not kissing the ass of the good Cardinal. The fact is that I don't kiss ass so much as I like to point out truths. A fanatic does not see reason or valid points beyond their own beliefs.

I love how a fanatic will defend their religion, political stands, and ideas without real base. A fanatic will stick with a narrow minded point of view will until they feel they have convinced you to see things their way. I remember this woman by the last name of Kang calling me delusional. I wonder if she understands the meaning of delusional or if she was actually pick crap out of the dictionary without reading the definition. How am I delusional if I don't see things your way?

A fanatic is a wonderful thing when you think of the entertainment their stupidity provides. I will always enjoy pushing fanatical buttons because frankly I enjoy it almost as much as I enjoy eating shrimp.

RODMAN: THE ART OF WORM DIPLOMACY

Dennis Rodman is starting to really just piss me off. The guy talks shit like there is no tomorrow in his attempt at worm diplomacy. Since this guy went to North Korea he has been talking endlessly about how North Korea does not really have the desire to go to war with the US. What exactly makes Rodman an expert on foreign policy? I can respect his simplistic view on how things should be done but I think Rodman is forgetting a few things. There is an enormous amount of red tape that accompanies politics and I seriously doubt that Kim Jong Un is really going to listen to Rodman when it comes to matters of international diplomacy.

Rodman is now attacking Obama and frankly this is the part that bothers me. I think that it's commendable that he is trying to go back to North Korea in order to help free Kenneth Bae but the way he's going about it he's coming off like a total jackass. The fact that he talks to Kim Jong Un doesn't mean that Un is willing to do him a solid which would in turn into a PR nightmare for him. Rodman may have the right idea but this is more complicated because there are politics involved. Un has his advisors and they will voice whatever they need to voice in order to Keep North Korea's image as a badass military regime.

Rodman should try subtle instead of making every possible move into a media spectacle because this isn't the type of situation that calls for his press whore brand of entertainment.

THE A LA CARTE CABLE BILL

So I read online about John McCain's proposed a la carte cable service bill. I think that this proposed bill is a fantastic way to protect the consumer and also a great way to show media conglomerates that bullshit will not be tolerated. The cable industry is up in arms because they feel that they are being absolutely fair in charging close to two hundred dollars a month for their services. Cable providers are working under the impression that more is better but that's actually a lot of crap.

This bill is a clear example of someone with a position really trying to do something for the people. Republican or Democrat you have to commend the effort to step outside the scope of special interests and over the top capitalism. I think that McCains' bill will allow for a new weapon in terms of channels deciding they will charge a specific rate that will still make monthly cable bills astronomical.

I remember when I was a child growing up in the 80's, the regular subscription usually had  something close to thirty five channels and that was more than enough. Let's apply common sense for a minute here, do we really need over three or four hundred channels? Their are channels devoted to just playing music, they don't really even have programming. When I was a kid there was a device know as a radio that we used in order to listen to music.

I like McCain's approach to this bill, he is saying that not everyone wants a million channels that they do not watch. McCain is putting giants like Disney in their place by saying that if someone does not want ESPN, or The Disney Channel, they should not have to pay in order to be able watch ABC family. I think this bill is going to face stiff opposition only because there are a lot of people that are likely married or in debt to money from media conglomerates. I still hope that this is passed and that consumers are able to chose what they want. It's time we got a better deal than the one we have been getting.

Give them hell Senator, give them serious hell.

THE BOSTON TRAGEDY

So here we are again, a normal day and another attack in our back yard. This time the attack happened during a joyous occasion that was supposed to make the news for a million reasons non of which included death and injury. The number of deaths and injuries in this bombing pales in comparison to the deaths and injuries in the World Trade Center attacks of 9/11, but it was still a horrible tragedy. Let's break it down briefly and see what it all means.

Two young guys with a belief that the world should be Islam are the presumed guilty. A building came down and we are reminded that there is no longer a safe place and that we are no longer allowed to feel any sort of peace or levity. It was interesting how the venue for this attack was a marathon. The message here was clear and that message is that there is no finish line to cross. Do we blame someone? Do we blame a set of beliefs?

Once the guilty parties have paid for their crimes we are still left asking questions that can never be answered. The ideas and theories are now coming out of the woodwork like they did in 9/11. An aunt of the two suspects said this was "staged" and her angel nephews were framed. These events will cause that rift and idea that all immigrants are bad and that Islam is terrorism. There will be misunderstandings and insecurity, a clear example that the actions of a few misguided fools are enough to judge entire populations.

The ultimate statement is that terrorism no longer has a stereotypical face. Terrorism is no longer limited to an organized group but it could be anyone with a belief so extreme and ardent that that they are willing to kill, injure and die for their so called cause. Yes here we are again and once more the result is confusion, a universal question, and no possible justice or answers. We are living in a world that is no longer easily defined.

This tragedy can never be undone and the people deeply affected can never forget what happened. We as a nation are reminded of dark moments that serve as a definition to our history. The biggest reminder this tragedy is giving us is the reminder that we are a beacon of hope and the defining standard. We as a nation enjoy freedom, opportunity, choice, and many other advantages. While we are not a perfect nation it's our allowance to be imperfect that makes us function the way we do.