____Lindsay Rants

Penitent State

2011-11-15T03:40:00.000-08:00

I just listened to Bob Costas’ interview with Jerry Sandusky and it made me want to vomit. His nonchalant attitude made me positive he deserves a public castration. If you were falsely accused of this horrific thing I think you would be a little more vehement in your denial. Bravo Bob for calling him a monster to his face.
As many as 18 boys are accusing him of molestation and/or rape and he has the audacity to deny it instead of putting a gun in his mouth? And calling rape ‘horseplay’ makes me wish a slow agonizing death on this man. Ever see or read “A Time To Kill?” I’m not threatening Mr. Sandusky, but I hope he is not protected when he goes to jail and the other prisoners dish out some real justice.
Anyone with knoledge of these crimes deserves a lifetime of shame and derision for not acting. McQueary may not deserve jail time by law, but anyone with a conscience knows he should have stopped what he saw.
I have been a long-time admirer of Penn State football and Paterno’s adherence to the ‘purity’ of the game, but fuck him and fuck all Penn State fans that protested his firing, because putting the “program” before the welfare of a child is a hell-worthy trespass.

It's About F--king Time

2011-09-20T02:59:00.000-07:00

Today marks the official end of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy of the United States military. This is of course long overdue, as DADT and has forced many heroes and hard-working Americans to resign their posts. Still, I applaud the Pentagon, Pres Obama and Congress for finally making it happen. The truth is, whether or not someone is gay has been a non-issue for most soldiers (airmen, marines, sailors, etc) for quite some time. If you do your job well, no one worries about your gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. Being in the military forces people to get to know their peers very well, and they know who is gay and for the most part, they just don't care. The only problem was the DADT policy forcing military personnel to continually lie to their commanding officers, which of course violates their code of conduct, creating a Catch-22. I think that prejudice has a half-life and I'm optimistic that it will continue to degrade with each generation.

Arrogant Cartography

2011-06-30T00:47:00.000-07:00

I was looking something up on Google Maps today when something significant struck me. Most countries spell and pronounce the name of their country completely different from the American/English version. I dunno...seems pretty disrestpectful in this modern globally interconnected world.

Check out Europe for a taste of what I mean. -I do give Google props for putting the correct name in a larger font.
http://maps.google.com/?ll=45.336702,17.094727&spn=24.427528,46.494141&z=5

I'm Feeling Judgmental

2011-06-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

I believe people hide behind cultural sensitivity in order to avoid being judgmental of those who need judging. The word ‘judgmental’ most often has a negative connotation, but when it comes to human rights, I think we all need to get a lot more judgmental. We don't have to be tolerant of a cultural practice of repressing women or philandering with the knowledge of your positive HIV status. This is not about perpetuating ethnocentric dogma; this is about knowing right from wrong.

People like to go on diatribes about crossing lines into gray areas and descending slippery slopes, but that’s bullshit. Human rights are black and white. If you abuse the rights of others as a country or a culture or an individual, then you should be punished. I’m not saying we send missile strikes against all ethically archaic cultures, just stop financially supporting evil. Stop turning a blind eye to dictators that have dissenters killed and theocracies that punish women for having the audacity to learn.

The U.S. gives billions in foreign aid to countries that condone female circumcision, allow mobs to murder religious rule-breakers (no irony there), and even tolerate modern slavery. As educated citizens of humanity we should say, “Hey, we used to make these mistakes, but now we are more evolved and we’re not going to tolerate these abuses from anyone else. Knock off the murdering, repression, and mutilation or you get nothing from us.”

America and other progressive nations don’t do this because they don’t want to upset the fragile balance of their key allies. I say call their bluff- they need us much more than we need them. We can pull the plug on foreign oil or key shipping partners and still survive as a nation long enough to get our point across. How long do you think it would take for them to start leaving pathetic messages on Obama’s voicemail promising they’ll change if we’ll only take them back?

Does Smaller Equal Efficient?

2011-04-27T06:18:00.000-07:00

If so, then I pity Marge the time when fake Homer gave her a night of "efficient" German sex. I'm pondering the small size of many items here and questioning the notion of German efficiency. Cars I understand; the roads are narrow and gas is expensive. But why are appliances small? German washers and dryers have 1/3 the load capacity of American models. Our built in fridge is small and freezerless, so we just turned it off and use it as a spice rack. Luckily, we have U.S.-style loaner appliances courtesy of Uncle Sam. The lawn mower I just purchased is roughly the size of one I owned at age 5 (it blew bubbles). I have been mowing my overgrown lawn for 3 days and I'm still not done...c'est la vive.

A Plea for Cooperation

2011-04-08T02:15:00.000-07:00

I am currently disgusted with both US political parties because the members of congress are not doing their job, which is to act in the best interest of those that elected them. They are acting only in their own self-interest in a fruitless effort to consolidate power for their respective parties. It has been the same scenario for decades-as soon as an election is over the losing party gets to work to derail the winner’s agenda. Even if that agenda will benefit America, it will be subverted to make the incumbent politician look incompetent and therefore unelectable. When will they realize this will not work? The only thing that American voters have shown consistently is that they don’t want one ideology to have complete power. That makes us strong because checks and balances prevent oppression, but unfortunately it has also bred stagnation. If we can not fix our problems because no one can agree on the method, then the U.S. will become unsustainable.

Run Sarah, Run

2011-03-15T05:27:00.001-07:00

Well, your friendly neighborhood political junkie is back. I’ve been on hiatus dealing with the complications of moving my family to a foreign country. Things have finally calmed down, so I decided to check in on US politics today. It looks like my boy Barry had a majority of “approval” for a fleeting moment recently. Hopefully, by the end of the year more Americans will realize that Black + CINC ≠ 3rd anti-Christ, and that he is pretty damn good at doing the toughest job in the world.
It’s too bad that Sarah Palin is fading away and being dismissed (even by conservatives) as the uneducated narcissist that she happens to be. The 2012 Presidential debates would be highly entertaining if she was the pachyderm candidate, and Obama deserves to play a little wiffle ball after all the stressful issues he’s been handed.
I guess it is up to the Mormons to produce an easily defeatable GOP candidate. Jon Huntsman Jr. and Mitt Romney are both intelligent men, but let’s face it-a Mormon is unelectable. I’m not saying it’s right; I think it is just as wrong that a Jew, Muslim, or atheist (heaven forbid our leader make decisions based on logic as opposed to divine providence) is unelectable. Mitt is a good businessman, but he is also a power-hungry snake oil salesman that tells whatever constituency he is speaking to whatever they want to hear. Jon Huntsman seems like a good leader with a tendency to find the middle ground on issues-Evangelicals and Tea Partiers hate that.

Fahrvegnugen

2011-02-14T08:01:00.000-08:00

I don’t mean to sound like slaggy Eurotrash already, but the German driving laws are much better than the U.S. They are actually designed to keep traffic moving. There are yield signs unless a STOP sign is absolutely necessary, their traffic lights turn yellow before green so you can prepare to get moving and then there is the fabulous autobahns, which are equivalent to U.S. freeways. Here, the right lane is the cruising lane and the left lanes are passing lanes, not fast lanes. Trucks are not allowed to pass cars if there are only 2 lanes, which is sweet and keeps everything moving. Contrary to popular belief, there are speed limits on many autobahns, but when there is no reason for a speed limit, there is none. And damn, people do haul ass.

Germans take driving very seriously. No one eats, smokes, talks on a phone, or texts while driving. You don’t have to be aggressive to survive the roads in Germany (unlike Las Vegas), but you do have to be very alert.
To sum up in a very stereotypical way, the Germans are just more efficient when it comes to driving.

Just Repeal it Already

2010-09-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has the same origins and ramifications as “Separate, but Equal,” and the former will ultimately go the way of the latter. They were both implemented as compromises to hotly debated issues. On one side, there was group that thought we should tolerate, accept, and love our fellow human beings regardless of how God made them. On the other side we had devoutly religious people. These pieces of legislation were steps taken to get a foothold for certain groups to get equal civil/human rights. At the time of implementation, the conservative opposition to empirical logic was too great, so progressives took what they could get. Ultimately however, all of us must realize on some level that neither of these policies were sustainable long term. The ban on openly gay Americans serving the military is going to lifted eventually, so how about we just get it over with an move on to other issues.

I Still Believe in Hope

2010-07-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

What is with the "I told you so" attitude of conservatives these days? The right wing media has brain-washed their followers into thinking Obama is a constitution-hating tyrant that is destroying America. I've seen signs with a picture of George W. Bush with the caption "Miss me yet?" Umm...no. Bush bankrupted America and accomplished nothing besides inciting the ire of the world with his wars. Obama has stopped the bleeding of the economy and passed lankmark legislation improving our healthcare and financial regulation. These pieces of legislation are far from perfect, but at least he is doing something constructive.

President Obama tried to make progess in a bi-partisan fashion and his outreached hand was slapped away time and again. Watch out conservatives, because while you are busy trying to campaign for 2010/2012 and overturn the progress that has been made, our President just might fix our climate policy or God-forbid, improve education.

BP=Big Problem

2010-05-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

BP: The oil company formally known as British Petroleum currently goes by Beyond Petroleum. They've moved beyond petroleum because they never thought about how to cap a leaking oil well. Really?! They figured out how to drill a mile deep in the ocean, but never had a contingency plan to stop a leak? No, they don't have a high tech sealant, but maybe golf balls and shredded tires will stop it. Wow.
The part that kills me is that people are holding Pres. Obama responsible. A recent poll showed 69% of Americans think he is doing a poor job of handling the crisis. They are calling it "Obama's Katrina." First of all, no human lives are in jeopardy and second, what the hell do you want him to do? Maybe he could go to the beach and drive golf balls into the ocean. That's how W. would have handled it. On Bush's watch the Minerals Management Service accepted cocaine and sexual favors from oil companies in exchange for lax inspections. Let's keep some perspective and blame those actually responsible.

An Improbable Victory

2010-03-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to congress for taking a giant step toward securing better medical care for all Americans. We should keep the momentum going and get at some of the roots of our soaring healthcare costs. We need tort reform, stricter fraud enforcement, and we need to plainly live healthier. Health is a human right, and like most rights, it comes with responsibility. We should have the right to be treated for unforeseen accidents and genetically or environmentally induced ailments. We should also be treated for conditions caused or exacerbated by our choices, but we should pay for it. Cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana (once legalized), and even fatty foods should have ridiculous taxes levied on them, and that money should go directly into subsidizing health care. Yes, I believe that french fries, Doritos, Twinkies and the like should be taxed at ridiculous levels. Americans will continue down the self-destructive path of obesity as long as it is cheaper to eat unhealthy. As Americans get fatter, health care costs will go up astronomically.

We do have the best doctors and hospitals in the world, but we do not have best system of delivering care. Canada and other countries with socialized medicine have their problems, but their systems are sustainable, and no one in Canada will be financially ruined by a health problem. Some paranoid citizens say they don’t want the government to get between them and their doctor. Do they really prefer stockholders who make more money if a patient dies or doesn’t receive treatment at all? Capitalism cannot be trusted when it comes to our health and safety. Profits=cutting corners. So, if you are really going to call socialism a great evil, then from now on you must boycott it. That means home-schooling your kids, delivering your own mail, putting out your own fires, policing your own streets, and growing and inspecting your own food.

Haiti...

2010-02-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

The earthquake in Haiti is the worst natural disaster I can remember. The human suffering is unimaginable. Please don't forget about them. It will take a decade at least for them to recover and the aid workers on the ground are simply overwhelmed.

This is the best depiction I have found to actually get a sense of the enormity of this disaster. Look at these photos and really try to imagine what these people are going through. Subtleties like children with bandaged faces that are still covered in ash made my heart sink. Someone put a bandage on them, but didn't have time or water to clean their face first because so many others are waiting for treatment.

Yes, they had the audacity to put a commercial in front of it, but watch it anyway. There are almost 300 photos and if you can get through it without tearing up, you are stronger than me.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/01/12/GA2010011203712.html?sid=ST2010020803656

Haiti Needs Help

2010-01-12T15:26:00.000-08:00

I just found out there was a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, not far from the capital, Port-au-Prince. I haven't seen any casualty numbers yet, but my heart is aching for those people because I know it is currently hell there. It was already one of the most impoverished nations on Earth, and now the gods apparently think it's funny to level hospitals treating people for diseases they aquire while living on piles of garbage.

For those not aware, it is a relatively small nation that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. The size of Haiti lets me know that there was no corner of the country unaffected by this disaster. A magnitude 7 earthquake is not twice as powerful as a 3.5 (which are not uncommon in California), it is 5000 times more powerful.

I hope the world rallies to their aid quickly. I'm sure OxFam, Doctors Without Borders and many others will be on the ground soon and needing resources. If you can help these charitible institutions, please do.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34829978/ns/world_news-americas/?GT1=43001

What's In A Name -Part III (see 2008)

2009-10-27T16:02:00.000-07:00

So a hotel owner in New Mexico is under fire for asking some employees to change their name. Actually, he was asking employees (presumably from Old Mexico) with hard to pronounce names to go by something else while answering the phones.
Is that really so wrong? He wasn't asking them to literally change their name, but just to pick a nickname for work. I don't think it is racist to try to provide good customer service. We are all off-put when we are talking to someone and have no idea how to pronounce his or her name.

In grad school the Asian kids and the Indian kids didn't mingle much outside their own groups and I think the hard-to-pronounce names were part of the problem. How do you start up a conversation with someone when you are afraid of offending him or her by slaughtering the name?

When the waves of immigrants first came to America on boats the U.S. officials didn't tolerate difficult names. If your name was unpronounceable to an American you were given a new name.
Immigrant: "Mhy neme esk Petrovich Groskyovski."
Customs Official: "Peter Grossman, welcome to America."

I think this really helped in the assimilation process. When you have a melting pot, you need something to tie all the flavors together. In our case it is the English language. If your name just doesn't work in English and you want to live the the United States, come up with a nickname. And for God's sake learn the language. If I decided to go live in Japan for some reason, I'm pretty sure I would be fluent in Japanese within a year.

Reform is a good thing.

2009-09-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

I figured out why people who watch Fox News want to retain the right to die or go bankrupt if they need medical attention. They are conservative, and change frightens them. They are willing to protest loudly to keep things the way they are, or better yet send things back to the way they were. Glenn Beck is rallying the right wing troops to take things back to the beginning of America when things were so great. Let me clue you in; things sucked back then for average citizens. Apart from the top tier of society, people were repressed and led miserable existences until we had reform.

In the past, before any major reform occurred in the U.S., be the issue slavery, civil rights, or labor rights, brave people had to stand up for what they believed in and often suffered for doing so. They suffered at the hands of those that wanted to maintain the status quo benefitting their interests. Whose interests are the conservatives defending this time? Pharmaceutical companies are supporting health care reform, so it seems only insurance companies have something to lose. So, why are average people protesting the mere attempt to improve our health care system? The only logical argument I have heard is that it may further burden the deficit. Obama stated plainly that he would not sign a bill that increased the deficit, so why not hold him to that and let congress try?

Beck’s solution for America’s problems is to incite people to gather together to make sure nothing gets done. Um…what? Seriously, he is telling his automatons to protest any legislation until Washington promises to not be corrupt anymore. What a charlatan.
Politics have not gotten more corrupt since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. There have always been corrupt politicians and there always will be, because positions of power attract the corrupt. Luckily, the founding fathers were bright enough to put checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution, but they didn’t have all the answers back then (e.g. blacks were counted as 3/5 of a person for census purposes). All we can do is try to make our country a little better each generation. Please don’t protest progress just because you fear change.

H.R. 3200, Stick to the Facts People

2009-08-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

The spokespeople for middle America are a pack of fickle mush-heads. Instead of offering alternatives to the health care bill or saying “Hey, we think adding this or getting rid of that part would be a good idea,” all they can come up with is misinformed, fear based rhetoric. Those protesting the Health Care Reform Bill apparently think there is nothing to fix. If you like your health care, what are you protesting? No one is trying to take anything from you, because all current coverage is protected under the bill.

Those people with signs depicting Obama likened to Hitler have never read the proposed bill. I know this because a mind that could make that connection is clearly illiterate. I have read much of the bill (it's over 1000 pages), and I assure you there are no provisions for “death squads”. What the barely-literate Ms Palin was referring to is offering people the opportunity to speak with a physician or nurse practitioner in order to make informed decisions about long term care. This would include providing information about services and benefits, living wills, hospice, etc. - sounds like the Gestapo, right? My only concern is that the bill does increase the availability of vaccines, so the mind control drugs that our government infuses in flu shots will be more widespread. In truth, it is a very good piece of legislation that protects our rights, and the majority of Americans should be applauding it to drown out the extremists.

Critics of reform are saying, “We already have the best health care in the world.” True, the United States has the best technology and the most skilled surgeons, but that argument is being made by those that can afford it. Now, because Pres Obama wants to offer a little of the best to the poor, he is being called a racist socialist. Excuse me?! Because there are more rich white people than rich minorities and he wants to tax the rich, apparently that makes him racist? His mother is white for hell’s sake. It is not socialism, because no one is talking about leveling the playing field. The wealthy will still be wealthy and in control, but I think it’s great that the IRS is finally cracking down on hiding money in foreign accounts. Don’t get me wrong because I love capitalism, but our Constitution was created to promote fairness in all things (when you include the amendments, of course).

Idiots and lobbyists (is that redundant?) are clamoring so much that the White House is backing down from insisting on a public option. The public option is the only way to give all Americans access to decent health care. Anything less would just be a reshuffling of the current failing system. Just as I feared, it seems we are going to get some watered down reform bill that will be criticized for not doing enough even though it will be the fault of the critics if it doesn’t.

By the way, Limbaugh and Beck…get bent.

Way to go Bill

2009-08-04T17:43:00.000-07:00

Fitness Tip

2009-07-30T16:53:00.000-07:00

Don't dive into cold water with overworked muscles.

I found this out the hard way last weekend. A couple of friends and I hiked in about 7 miles to an alpine lake. Prior to this, I was sedentary for about three weeks due to having minor surgery. It was a beautiful day and when the fish weren't biting, we decided to go for a swim. I swam out to an island and felt great until I started back.... Both my calves completely knotted up and I had to flail back to shore using only my arms. The hike out was excruciating and I'm still sore.
The only way I'll ever sign on for a triathlon is if it involves a heated pool.

Gender Relations

2009-07-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

I was reading Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States," and it describes the culture of the Iroquois Indians, which is fascinating. The Iroquois had a matrilineal society, which should not be confused with matriarchal. Family lines were traced through the mothers and when a man would marry he joined the family of his wife. Chiefs and tribal leaders were men, but they were selected by the women and could be ousted by the women. If a woman wanted a divorce, she simply left her husband's things outside the hut. Women grew the crops and men hunted.
I reflected on this and thought... maybe they were on to something.
What if our society functioned like that? What if men held all the political offices, but only women could vote? I'm not advocating it, but I think it could work.

Men would govern, but if they deviated from the will of the women they would be replaced. It would provide a balance like two kids sharing a dessert; one gets to cut and the other gets to choose the first piece.

Some feminists want everything to be exactly equal for the genders in every aspect of society. No rights denied, but also no special treatment. The Equal Rights Amendment was never ratified because rational minds prevailed. It is OK for men and women to be different, because we are different. I'm not just talking about extra appendages or lack thereof. We are wired differently. Women are more empathic and therefore better able to console an upset child. Men are stronger and are better able to build things and defend their families. Obviously, these traits lie on a bell curve. There are women out there who could kick my ass, and there are men out there that weep openly when a fictional character in a movie loses a loved one. I'm talking about the gender differences of the majority, which are many and beneficial to our society; I say embrace them.

It’s Time to Stop Coddling North Korea

2009-07-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

I am aware that we are fighting actual wars on other fronts, but the North Korea threat must be addressed.

We spent years negotiating the shut down of N. Korea’s nuclear program, but they obviously never had any intention of giving up their nuclear ambitions. It is likely that they have acquired enough weaponized plutonium to make a few nuclear bombs, but they do not have the technology to deliver a nuclear attack by missile…yet. Maybe, just maybe, we should nip this one in the bud.

As if the nuclear issue was not enough, Kim Jong Il's government in Pyongyang is currently holding two American citizens prisoner for possibly stepping over their border. These female journalists have been sentenced to 12 years hard labor. Why are we standing for this?

Also, N. Korea recently launched a cyber attack aimed at shutting down U.S. and S. Korean government websites, and it’s not the first time. How is that not an act or war, or at least cyberwar?

Nearly all of congress backed Cowboy W. when he said we should invade Iraq based on: they probably have chemical and biological WMDs; this foreign country’s leader had threatened the United States; and the leader of this dictatorial government was brutally oppressing his own people. I think the argument against N. Korea is far greater. I am not suggesting that we repeat our mistakes and go it alone, but we need to do much more than politely suggest the world should tell them they are being naughty. We need to economically pressure China to force N. Korea to back down. Maybe we should launch a cyber-counteroffensive. President Obama announced he would appoint a chief cyberguardian, but maybe what we need is a Secretary of Hacking Jerk Countries. The best defense is a good offense.

Something needs to be done now, because if we don’t, then our greatest fear of the Cold War could be realized. We could have a psychotic, dulusional supervillian with his finger on the button holding the world hostage.

People Who Need to Go Away

2009-07-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

Sarah Palin- bless her she may by trying. Please don’t resurface in 2012. You are a joke of a public servant, and your offspring should be poster-children for sterilization, not abstinence.

Dick Cheney- you had your chance and you f#$ked up America. Now sit down and shut up! If you are that bored, go back to your lair, put on a monocle and hatch plots against Adam West, but leave Obama the hell alone.

Joe Jackson- this man is one of the most worthless humans alive. We’ve all heard the stories about how he was physically and mentally abusive to his children, and that he exploited them for profit, but he has sunk to a low off the charts on Newsweek’s Indignity Index since his son’s death. A reporter asked how he was holding up and he said “Great…but we lost the world’s biggest star.” Not his son, but his meal-ticket. To another reporter he used the moment to hype his newest record label-disgusting. I was never a Michael Jackson fan, but I do pity him and blame most of his immaturity and narcissism on his father.
So media, please let him rest in peace after the memorial. I really hope they aren’t digging up dirt for the next year. It’s not a slow news year-there are plenty of relevant things on which to report.

Lastly,
Thank you Norm Coleman for going away gracefully (if not expediently), and not taking your legal challenges any further. Coleman had every right to take it as far as he did; it’s just unfortunate that MN has been missing a senator for 8 months. Congratulations to Al Franken. You are good enough, smart enough, and doggonit, people might eventually like you, Senator.

Turn to Dust Already

2009-06-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

Isn’t it time to force Larry King into retirement? “But he’s a national icon” you say. Well, when the Washington Monument becomes unstable enough to be a danger to the public, they’ll tear it down. The dinosaur King has outlived his usefulness, assuming he was ever useful. I think 7 or 8 wives have found him worthless or maybe they just wanted his net worth. Anyway, I got on this rant because this morning I clicked on CNN to get recent news on post-election unrest in Iran and the latest brinksmanship threats from a nuclear armed N. Korea, when up popped Larry F-ing King hyping his latest guests, the Jonas Brothers. Really?! You have nothing better to contribute to society than hyping homely asexual douchebags who would cry if ever forced to sing in front of Simon Cowell?

I am in no way promoting American Idol, by the way. I think it’s ridiculous that millions of Americans waste 2 hours a week watching amateurs compete for the right to sing music that will be forgotten in a decade. You could spend those hours at the symphony listening to music that is actually capable of reaching your soul. Or you could at least watch Afghan Idol which is actually poignant because last season a girl was assailed with threats of an honor killing because she dared to do a little dance after she was voted off.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105528017
-Wait I’m on a serious tangent …back to Larry King. Why is he still on my TV? His recent guests include Kathy Griffin, David Cook, the American Chopper guys, and the spokesperson for the octuplet mother. That is pandering to the nth degree.

And while we’re on the subject of worthless media personalities, we all need to boycott Nancy Grace. That disgusting woman sensationalizes stories of missing children for her own personal fame. She doesn’t investigate the crimes, she just preys on our deepest fears and exploits details of child abduction that do nothing to help solve the cases, only to shock viewers and grab ratings. If I ever see her on the street, I'm going to kick that bitch in the nuts.

A Sad Day for Democracy

2009-06-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

My deepest sympathy goes out to the Iranian people. They are currently being beaten and jailed for daring to hope for a better tomorrow. It saddens me that so many people had their dreams of a brighter future crushed by governmental corruption. They were so optimistic last week when it looked like the reformist party of Moussavi was ahead in the polls 3 to 1 over Ahmadinejad. Then, as you know the “President” just made up a number for the results on election day and threw out the real ballots. At least he wasn't stupid enough to give himself 100% like Saddam used to report.
Iran is a unique mixture of theocracy, democracy, and dictatorship. Although I was pleased at the optimism displayed recently, I knew there would be no real changes in Iran as long as Ayatullah Ali Khamenei remains Supreme Leader of the country. Ahmadinejad, or whoever is President, ultimately answers to him and he is the one who sets national policy. The president of Iran is like a manager charged with keeping the store running, but when it comes to deciding whether or not to stock plutonium on the shelves the Supreme Leader is the store owner and makes the call. Khamenei is calling for an investigation into the election results, but he’s probably the one who rigged it because he didn’t want to deal with someone who wants to deviate from the hardliners.
The U.S. certainly can not and should not act militarily against Iran, but it is time for the U.N. to get serious about punishing them.

All play and no work make Lindsay...something, something

2009-05-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

Some days it's hard to draw the line between work and play. It is always satisfying to enjoy your day of work or to have worked really hard to have fun on your day off.

(I am working in one of these pics-can you guess which one?)

Fitness Tip of the Week

2009-05-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

Drink water, and lots of it. Always bring more than you think you'll need when working or playing outdoors. Temperatures shot up here last week and I got seriously dehydrated while working outdoors. During the winter I had been bringing a 1-liter bottle to get me through the day, but in the heat it was not enough. Dehydration makes us stupid and lazy, so even if you are just sitting on your couch, drink fluids (besides beer) to give yourself a fighting chance of ever getting up.
The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking 2 liters a day to replace lost fluids, but of course you may need more if perspiring.
Also, ditch the throw-away bottles. Even if you recycle, they are incredibly wasteful. If you hate the taste of your tap water, sink-mounted filters work well and are cheaper than buying bottled water long-term. Nearly all reusable bottles now sold are Bisphenol A (BPA)-free, so there are no excuses not to use one. Get one for your coffee while you're at it.

-Stay active and play hard-

Ms. Hasselbeck, kindly shut up

2009-05-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, it’s time Elizabeth Hasselbeck got her comeuppance. I assure you that I do not watch The View, but I saw a video clip of an interview in which she claims to be “peeved” at the fact that liberals were “giddy” over Bristol Palin’s pregnancy. Sarah Palin’s daughter is actually going on tour promoting abstinence as a viable option. Really?! That’s like...like an unwed mother giving a lecture on abstinence! -I couldn't think of anything more ridiculous as an analogy.

Yes, it does please us to see hypocrites called out, but I don’t think it is schadenfreude as much as taking satisfaction in justice being done. When a conservative U.S. Senator with a history of voting against gay (civil) rights gets busted for soliciting gay sex in a public bathroom or from one of his paiges, that is karmic. When an ultra-conservative radio personality turns out to be a drug addict, it is a poignant reminder that he does not have the right to pass moral judgment on others (although he continues to do so). These people hide under the guise of protecting morality but they are themselves repressed, and taking it out on people who just want tolerance and equality.

Ms. Hasselbeck went on to say that the pageant contestant (Miss CA, I think) was being unfairly criticized for voicing her opinion against gay marriage.
I’m sorry Elizabeth, but believing some people should be denied the same civil liberties as you is not an opinion, it is amoral. This country is strengthened by people of faith, but America’s true resilience comes from our tradition of separating church and state. Many religions do not place women on equal ground with men, but because of that separation from our government, women have equal rights in all things. Churches may discriminate however they wish, but when it comes to legal secular rights, no one can be excluded.

I won’t stoop to using the names that pop into my head whenever I hear one of Elizabeth’s uneducated rants, but it’s really a shame that the sweet girl we were all rooting for in season 2 of Survivor turned into a raving hateful zealot.

I've said this before, but the true irony is that moral conservatives have been on the wrong side of human rights issues many times throughout American history. Looking back forty or fifty years from now, the defenders of civil rights will be vindated over the gay marriage issue, just as they were when they stood against the moral majority and made them understand that differences such as skin color and gender do not make people inferior.
I am encouraged by the fact that each generation is more tolerant and accepting. We just have to wait out the haters and hope that their death bed will allow us to wake up to Dr. King’s dream.

100 Days

2009-04-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

Before we begin to rate our new President, let us not forget the colossal weight on his shoulders.

The following is my updated version of Billy Joel’s song,
“We Didn’t Start the Fire”

Dick Cheney, Condi Rice, Red China, World Trade
The Decider, Don Rumsfeld, Iraq was a no-go

Bin Laden, Taliban, Climate Change, Pakistan
North Korea, South Korea, Flu from Mexico

Detroit broke, vaccine, England's got the same queen
Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Somali Pirates, Mafia

Iran wants The Bomb, Baghdad, Pyongyang
Banks fail, Hunger swells, Poverty in Africa

CHORUS
He didn't start the fire
W. left it burning
with our heads all turning
He didn't start the fire
Obama didn't light it
But he’s trying to fight it

Vlad Putin, Medvedev, Russians still in Georgia
Mogadishu, Failing States, Never-ending Wall Street slide

Foreign debts, Injured Vets, AIDS, Crack, Pricey Jets
Palestine, Israel, Jihadists taking sides

Drug Cartels, Pope Benedict, Bathroom Politician sex
Troop withdrawal, Suicide, China owns the USA

Trading Gap, Afghanistan, Budget Gap, Sudan
Benazir blown away, what else do I have to say!

CHORUS
He didn't start the fire
W. left it burning
with our heads all turning
He didn't start the fire
Obama didn't light it
But he’s trying to fight it

The Addict

2009-04-17T19:13:00.001-07:00

As I sit at my work desk,
my body begins twitching.
It does not want to be still,
there is a mental itching.

Quite involuntarily,
random muscles are firing,
They want not to be idle,
knowing what I’m desiring.

The urging is visceral,
to deny is futility
The growing monster within,
he demands utter parity.

I give in to the burning,
and go where no one can see.
All my paperwork can wait,
to the locker room I flee.

I open up my satchel,
and get all that I will need.
I strap music to my arm,
and I eagerly proceed.

It takes several minutes,
for the feeling to kick in.
Then I start to perspire,
and feel quite flushed in my skin.

Biochemicals do their work,
and I start to feel weightless.
My body is powerful,
for my soul is now gateless.

As I begin to come down,
off my endorphin-laced high,
Pain mixed with tranquility,
is my reward and the why.

I can feel a throbbing pulse,
slowly fade behind my eyes,
My escapist drug of choice,
is in fact just exercise.

Farm Subsidies Do More Harm than Good

2009-04-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

Farm subsidies are an outdated response to the Great Depression, but in this global recession, the last thing we should do is undermine global trade by over-subsidizing our farmers and giving them an unfair advantage over poorer nations.

Subsidies may help some struggling small farmers, but the vast majority (3/4) of these tax-funded handouts is given to the largest 10% of farms. This program needs to be revamped, scaled back, or just plain cut from the budget. In this recession, demand and production of food will drop, but we fat-assed Americans eat twice as much as we need to be healthy so there is no danger of famine.

Farmers in western desert states are given incentives to grow thirsty crops that require flood irrigation, which is just asinine. Water is becoming our most precious resource and we need to rethink all the wasteful practices in agriculture when in comes to water rights. States are allowed to set their own rules, but perhaps the EPA should step in when states have decades old policies than are detrimental to the global environment.

Last year, $687 million dollars was given to farmers in CA and AZ alone. Through loopholes in the law, some wealthy Americans who don’t even farm or happen to be deceased still collect subsidies. If we intend to make any headway in paying down the national debt and jump starting our economy, maybe we should stop giving the “Haves” more money to hide in offshore accounts and create healthcare-bearing jobs for the “Have-nots”.

Assault Weapons?!

2009-04-03T11:13:00.001-07:00

In the wake of the hostage situation in NY and the news of U.S. weapons being used in the Mexican drug wars, I decided to look up current gun laws. I'm sure many of you are aware, but I was shocked to find out that Congress let the assault weapon ban lapse in 2004. What?! They didn't even try to extend it. I remember in 1994 Pres Clinton signed the bill banning semi-automatic "assault style" weapons which have no practical use other than to wage war or commit terrorism. The ban was a good thing, but apparently in was only in effect for 10 years.
This is an issue that needs to be taken up again. It is as if we all got tired of fighting the powerful lobbist of the NRA and just gave up. Now don't get me wrong, because I am not proposing that we ignore the 2nd Amendment.

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

I am suggesting, however, that the words 'Arms' and 'infringed' can be interpreted to benefit the common good. Some things must be regulated and kept out of the hands of private citizens for the safety of us all. No sane person would argue that private citizens should be allowed to own a nuclear weapon. If we can't constitutionally prevent people from owning assault weapons, we should at least stop selling them. People have the right to bear arms, but the government has the right to dictate which weapons should be sold to the public. Just block the selling of guns and ammunition for these extreme weapons which were designed for the sole purpose of killing as many humans as possible.
Responsible people with a clean background check (criminal and mental) should always be allowed to purchase guns for hunting and home defense. However, no one needs to defend his home with an AK-47 or a TEC-9, and hunting with these weapons is just absurd.

Let's Go Green!

2009-03-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

Mr. Obama is facing a ridiculous number of challenges all at once. I have an idea that could tackle several of them at once: immigration, prison overcrowding, budget deficits, and drug-related violence in Mexican border towns.

I would like to preface this by saying I do not condone drug use in any form and am not an advocate of using marijuana. I think the drug makes one lazy and I don't use it or like it. Of course I have tried it; anyone who says they haven't tried it is either lying, over 50, or a fundamentalist religious zealot.

Here's my Plan:

1-Let's legalize marijuana in the U.S. and convince Mexico it would be in their best interest to do the same. Of course it should only be legal for persons over 21 and law enforcement could focus on more serious problems. This would loosen the stranglehold of the drug cartels. Sure, they will continue to smuggle and sell other drugs, but weed is a major source of their income.

2-Let the FDA regulate it so it is safe (to my knowledge, no one has ever overdosed on pure marijuana).

3-Tax the sh!t out of it. Revenue from taxing marijuana could drastically stimulate the economy.

4-Release all non-violent criminals who are in prison for possesion or use of marijuana. It costs tax payers much more to house a criminal than to keep tabs on him on probation.

5-Let Mexico grow the marijuana. It would create jobs there and lessen the need for Mexicans to cross the border to find work.

Some say you should not legalize marijuana because it is a gateway drug, and if you legalize one drug it will be a slippery slope to legalizing all drugs. Where do you draw the line? I'll tell you- you draw the line at marijuana. It is less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco. Most other illigal drugs are synthetically produced and create a physical addition (weed is merely a mental addiction). Chemical dependence like on meth or heroine leads to an increase in the crime rate because junkies will do anything for the next fix. Potheads on the other hand or nonviolent. They may not ever amount to anything, but they are not hurting anybody. Why not let them them help pay down the national debt?

Snowplay

2009-03-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

A friend and I took advantage of perhaps the last major storm of the season and got out in the backcountry powder.

Exhausting and exhilarating.

On the lighter side

2009-03-05T16:12:00.000-08:00

I was upset today by stories emerging from Sudan and Zimbabwe and considered penning my thoughts on the subject, but it was making me physically tremble, so I switched gears to maintain my sanity and thought of pleasant memories. There’s nothing wrong will forgetting about the ills of the world occasionally, right?

So here is something on the light side, or rather the wrong side of the light-read on.

I thought back to one of the best weeks of my life (before I knew of the absolute joy and contentment of marriage), my senior trip. The year was 2 B.C.* and my friends and I were 18 with the accompanying gallons of hormones built up. There were about a dozen of us (half of which were female) from my high school that had convinced our parents we deserved a week in Hawaii for a graduation present. This was it; the big show. The first time any of us would be left completely up to our own devices for a whole week with no parental supervision. Luckily, my older siblings had worn down my parents’ resistance to things that were physically or morally dangerous. Before I got on the plane my Mom gave me a hug, gave me that all-knowing-mom glare and told me to “be good.” My friend Craig’s mom on the other handed each of us guys a bandolier of condoms and told us to stay safe and have fun.

Oh yes, there would be underage drinking and debauchery; we were on a mission to do everything we had never been able to get away with before. It was the Mormon equivalent of Amish Rumspringa.

Actually, my fondest memories of that week are the wholesome activities we engaged in and not the checking off of the seven deadly sins. We did it all: snorkeling, sailing, surfing, cliff diving, dancing (both at night clubs and at a luau), shopping (for the girls’ sake, of course), and we visited the Dole pineapple plantation and Pearl Harbor (not to equate the two in significance).

We were on the island of Oahu, and we heard about a great spot called Hanauma Bay, so we rented some scooters and took off for the beach. I have no idea why any company would rent anything to an 18 yr-old male, let alone a vehicle. For some reason the rental fee didn’t include helmets, but we were indestructible so that didn’t matter. A couple of my buddies raced motocross back home so these poor little scooters were pushed far beyond any safety and durability standards they may have had. We were jumping off curbs playing cat and mouse with maniacal grins on our faces. I happened to get the fastest scooter which topped out at a blinding 40 mph. We eventually found the bay and had a great time playing in the water all day. In the evening, we hiked around to a point overlooking the ocean and stopped to watch the majestic beauty of Mother Nature. –Then she tried to kill us.

We were on a cliff 20-30 feet above the ocean when a rouge wave suddenly appeared 10 ft higher than the cliff. I instinctively crouched down and grabbed a hand hold on the rock. I was able to hang on, but I watched helplessly as three of my friends were being pushed on a water slide of death toward the edge of the cliff. One of them was about a foot from the skull-crushing drop when the surging sea finally relented. If you want to see where we almost died, cut and past these coordinates into Google Earth or Maps.

21 16' 8.5"N 157 41' 24.8"W

Here’s the Aesopian lesson: enjoy nature, but never turn your back on it.

Shaken, but laughing by the time we remounted our hogs (the scooters, not the girls with us who were very cute) and headed back to the hotel. Once we regained the city, we decided to drag race. If you have ever been to Waikiki, Hawaii then you know that traffic lights are on the side of the road, rather than overhead-I did not. At least that was my excuse to the cop, because I must have noticed the lights when we used one on the previous block as a starting gun. I was way ahead of everyone laughing over my shoulder when I heard the pull-over siren. Apparently I had gone 38 mph through a red light without even slowing down. It really sucks to be pulled over on a scooter because you can’t even slink down in your seat to hide your face from passersby. Luckily, I only got a warning a great story out of it.

I could go on and on about the strip poker game or the party cruise, but we all took an oath on the flight home…What happens in Hawaii, stays in Hawaii. You know, long flights are surprisingly enjoyable when you are with a group of your friends and there are enough empty seats on the plane to comfortably lie down. Ah, memories- thanks for listening, I feel much better.

*Before Cindy

Bobby Jindal...

2009-02-25T15:46:00.000-08:00

....is a douchebag.

His 'response' to Pres. Obama's speech last night made me a little ill. First of all, it wasn't a response at all because it was just an attack on the stimulus that was obviously prepared before Obama's speech was ever delivered or even read. That means Republicans aren't even listening. How can our President breech the partisan gap when the other side is metaphorically sticking their fingers in their ears and humming while he is trying to speak sense?

Secondly, "Bobby" isn't even his real name, it just plays well in Louisiana. His name is Piyush Jindal, but he couldn't put Piyush on his gubernatorial election signs because it sounds like a terrorist name to elderly white folk (kinda like Barack). Sure people might have thought "Barry" was more accessible, but that would be pandering and Barack Obama is above that.

Republicans are sooo pleased with themselves that they have an Indian-American poster boy. Too bad he's an insincere self-serving prick. I just got a creepy feeling from him, like it was all rehearsed and part of his long-term plan to become President. This is not partisanship talking because I got the same vibe from John Edwards between the last two elections when he was on his well choreographed crusade to help poor people.

The third reason Mr. Jindal is a douche is that he painted funding items such as volcano monitoring and magnetic levitation trains as silly and wastful. FYI-Volcanoes, unlike earthquakes can be predicted, which can save thousands of lives and millions of dollars. Yellowstone is currently in a state of unrest and if it blows it will make our anthropogenic contribution to climate change seem like chump change. Maglev trains have been used successfully for years in European and Asian nations and are a very viable solution to the gridlock between LA and Las Vegas.

So 'Bobby', you can take that folksy smarm and shove it up your ass.

Endangered Children

2009-02-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

This is not light reading… sorry.

I heard a very disheartening story on the radio yesterday about child prostitution. Like any rational parent, it made me uncomfortable so I almost switched to some mindless music, but then I thought “this problem exists because people don’t want to hear about it, let alone address the underlying causes.” I forced myself to listen as a young woman recounted her days on the street as a twelve-year-old prostitute. Her mother had abandoned her and she ran away from a group home and found herself in the company of evil, opportunistic people. She was taken in by a pimp and forced to have sex and use drugs. Eventually, she had to endure one of the most inhumane things imaginable when her pimp traded her to a dealer for drugs.

You may be thinking this story takes place in a third-world country, but no…these events took place in the United States, and similar stories of horror are currently being imposed upon the innocent in many countries the world over.

The girl in this true story was saved from probable death when the drug dealer was pulled over by police while she was in the backseat. The police did not initially behave as rescuers and she was jailed as a criminal. Eventually, she spoke to an empathetic counselor who realized she was a victim. She endured the most horrific crimes humans are capable of, and sadly, she is one of the ‘lucky ones’ who made it out.

The part of the story that made me the angriest was that of nearly 50 recently rescued children, only a few had even been reported missing. How could these parents not care about the fate of their child? Some have used the term ‘throw-away children’ to describe these poor souls that have no one to love them. A label that harsh should never be necessary to describe a fellow human being.

This must not be tolerated. The vulnerable must be protected and the criminals must be punished. The parents who irresponsibly have children, then give up on parenting when it proves to be hard are also criminals. There needs to be more education, prosecution, and possibly intervention. I am not suggesting a pro-Big Brother agenda, but I would like to live in a world where becoming a parent by birth took as much effort, responsibility, and dedication as adopting a child. A child is the most precious thing on this Earth and it saddens me that anyone could ever think of discarding them.

Save Saturn!

2009-02-20T15:38:00.000-08:00

In 1990 a new car company was launched that claimed to be a “Different Kind of Car Company.” I was skeptical until a friend asked me to accompany her while shopping for a car because she was afraid the salespeople would try to bully her. The salesman who greeted us was the opposite of the stereotype you’d expect. He informed us that he did not work on commission and that Saturn had a no-haggle policy. If you have ever been car shopping you know how stressful it can be to negotiate a price. They incentivize their employees by offering them ownership (stock) in the company, so that it is in their own interest for the company to thrive. A fair sticker price was set and you either chose to pay it or not (as all retail should be in my opinion). He did not try to pull us into a back room to talk about monthly payments or force a test drive on my friend. He was enthusiastic about his product and proceeded to tell us how his company had designed and built the engine, chassis, and body of their cars all from scratch with safety and reliability in mind. He answered all our questions and then smiled and gave us his card and a farewell handshake. My friend thought it over at her leisure with no pressure and eventually bought one a few days later.

I bought a used Saturn sedan several years ago and have been very happy with it. We also bought a Saturn mini-van last year after we realized our wagon wouldn’t accommodate 3 car seats. I emailed the dealer and the manager personally responded and said he didn’t have one, but would try to find one for me, which he did. He went out of his way to track one down at auction and presented me with a vehicle in immaculate condition and charged me $3,000 dollars less than I was expecting to pay based on the Kelly Blue Book.
I talked my mom into buying one several years ago and she recently bought a newer one and is very pleased with the reliability.

I have always been impressed with Saturn and am saddened that GM is dragging them down with their shortsighted policies. GM will stop making Saturn cars in 2011, so the dealers are scrambling to find another manufacturer to produce their vehicles so they can save the Saturn name. It’s unfortunate that if this American company is to survive it will probably take a foreign manufacturer to step up.
This company truly is "different" so the next time you need a new or used vehicle I urge you to give Saturn a visit. Also, whenever we make purchases these days we should think about buying products that will help keep and create jobs in America.

Bailout gone awry

2009-01-29T13:24:00.000-08:00

I was incensed to learn that Wall Street employees were paid out $18.4 billion in bonuses last year. Why in THE hell are the taxpayers funding bonuses to Wall Street bankers?! Average people are being laid off with no job prospects and executives are getting extra $$ for running their businesses into the ground and losing money for their customers.
The New York comptroller stated that it is unclear whether taxpayer money was used for the bonuses, but the paper trail is irrelevant; companies that got bailout money from the U.S. Government because they claimed to be on the verge of collapse gave their executives reward money on top of their grossly overinflated salaries. They should be reprimanded, not rewarded.

The only conceivable reason I can think of for the bonuses is to keep around executives who fully understand how we got into this mess, so they can dig us out. I'm sorry, but that's like beating a dead horse with the poisonous snake that bit him.

The concept of a bonus is to reward a person for doing his or her job well. Guess what, ya didn't do your job well. I hope Pres Obama & Sec Geithner send some heads rolling because it is unacceptable that these people are getting extra while the rest of us get bent over a barrel for their mistakes. I say take the money back. Fine these companies and let them sink or swim on their own.

Fitness Tip of the Week

2009-01-21T13:28:00.000-08:00

Get out and play!

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN

2009-01-20T16:41:00.000-08:00

As I listened to our new President this morning, the words to "God Bless The USA" kept popping into my head. I remember singing that song as part of a children's choir and feeling a warmth in my chest and tears in my eyes. Today that visceral experience was revisited as I absorbed the palpable patriotic pride flowing from millions of my fellow Americans.

If tomorrow all the things were gone I'd worked for all my life
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife
I'd thank my lucky stars to be livin' here today
Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can't take that away

And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend her still today.
Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God bless the USA.

...Lee Greenwood

Fit New Year

2009-01-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all! It seems like forever since I have been part of the Blogosphere (I am referring of course to the blogging community and not Rod Blagojevich's Lego head).

How is everyone doing with their resolutions? I think it is a great tradition to give up something bad for you to begin the new year. Identify the thing that is most prominently preventing you from reaching your fitness goals and ban it from your life; it could be french fries, beer, sugar-soda, cigarettes, chocolate, white bread, cheesecake, mayonnaise, chicken wings... whatever it is dragging you down, 86 it and you will feel better.
I managed to maintain my weight during the Holidays and now I am back on track with my exercise program.

My stats: 217#, 28%

Team of Rivals

2008-12-19T10:26:00.000-08:00

With the exception of the AG, Obama’s appointments have received broad approval and even applause. He has nominated at least 2 Republicans to my knowledge and a wonderful sampling of the melting pot is represented. I don’t think the President-elect is pandering with the diversity of his choices for the cabinet. The Cabinet will be made up of men and women of various ethnicities and backgrounds, but they were all chosen based on credentials. Pandering would have been making Hillary VP. I think President Obama (we may as well drop the ‘Elect’ since Shoe W. Target has no right to make policy anymore) has chosen to surround himself with patriots who will challenge him instead of bullying him or cowing to him and bring honest ideas to the table while striving to restore the American dream.
While the road ahead will be fraught with hardship, we should be optimistic that our leaders have our long-term interests in mind. We should be patient during the coming years and not blame the recession on the incoming administration. They will be building a ladder to get us out of the Bush-hole and it may take several years.

By the way, getting worked up because the invocation at the inauguration will be given by a preacher that once said something negative about gay rights is a waste of energy. Of course I am appalled by the passing of Prop. 8 and am a proponent of gay rights, but Obama is trying to heal this nation by bringing people of different beliefs to the same table. A man giving a prayer has no bearing on national policy.

P.S. – OMG, Deepthroat died! Maybe now the media will stop adding ‘Gate’ to every stupid scandal that comes up.

Random Tag

2008-12-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

Rules are: Anything you have done has to be in bold.
How much have you done?
1. Started your own blog -obviously
2. Slept under the stars -meteor showers rule
3. Played in a Band -I played the sexy saxophone
4. Visited Hawaii - senior trip (we all vowed never to discuss the details)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland -back when Michael Jackson was still trusted with children (Captain EO)
8. Climbed a mountain- best was Mt. Whitney (highest in lower 48)
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris- does Vegas count?
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea -spectacular if you are in a cove-not so cool in open water
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child-one of our best decisions
16. Had food poisoning -stupid McD's gave me salmonella
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables - very satisfying
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort- snow caves are even harder
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping -Myrtle Beach, SC
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset -recharges the batteries
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise- Honeymoon to Mexico
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language- I intend to learn Amharic before I go back to Ethiopia
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied- I'm satisfied, but we could always use more $
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing -not as much as I'd like since children...
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke -In the Philippines (nobody knew me, so no stage fright)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa- highly recommend it
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted -If you count a characature at an amusement park
48. Gone deep sea fishing -commerical salmon seining
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling -snorkeling in Hawaii and Mexico
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater -usually not in the trunk
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business- shovelling roofs and driveways in winter
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching -Alaska and Oregon
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma -I'm not allowed back until Mar '09, since Ethiopia is a malaria zone
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter- I even got paid to do it! -freakin' sweet
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - I won't admit what
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar -I ordered a salmon 'roll' at a sushi bar recently and the waiter thought I said salmon 'roe'. We were brave and ate it anyway-delicious!
72. Tied a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone -I tried, I swear
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book- does a thesis count?
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper -If you count my backside playing football. Also wedding anouncement.
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life -little boy drowning
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - not really, just a couple of lesser known NBA players
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby -by proxy
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake -stinky but fun
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy- Rome tarmac, but it counts.

I thought this was a fun tag. It brings back memories and helps you add to your bucket list. -Try it.

Gov. Rod Jagov

2008-12-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

The story of Illinois Gov Blagojevich is almost comical. It reminded me of the Simpsons episode "Mr Lisa Goes to Washington" in which a congressman sells the right to drill for oil in Teddy Roosevelt's head (Mt Rushmore) to an undercover federal agent.
Ironically, the real story also takes place in Springfield. How stupid can one man be? Corrupt and evil is one thing, but throw in that level of idiocy and it boggles the mind. He knew he was the subject of a federal investigation. So, he thinks he can get away with feloniously profiting from the most high profile Senate appointment in history? -Really?!
In reference to Obama's Senate seat, he actually said that it's "a f---ing valuable thing. You just don't give it away for nothing. I've got this thing and it's f---ing golden and uh, uh, I'm not just giving it up for f---ing nothing."
I also have to wonder about the perceptiveness of Illinois voters. This governor's predecessor was also corrupt and Blagovich ran on a platform of cleaning it up.
It's sad that our leaders can be so corrupt, but also encouraging that this kind of thing does not go unchecked.

Fitness Tip of the Week: Work out all day

2008-12-04T09:38:00.000-08:00

As you move through your day, always be on the lookout for ways to burn calories:

As you walk down the street or the hall, flex your core muscles (abs, obliques, back).
When sitting at your desk or in your car, flex your glutes (largest muscles mass on the body) and/or pelvic floor (known as Kegels to you Lamaze students).
Bend with your knees (this prevents back injury and works the quads).
Park in the back of the parking lot.
Take the stairs.
Go home for a 'nooner' ; )

World AIDS Day

2008-12-02T13:56:00.000-08:00

I was reflecting yesterday on the progression of knowledge and perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS since the 1980's. When the U.S. public was initially told about AIDS, not much information was known other than it was sexually transmitted and was cropping up predominately in male homosexuals. It was originally dubbed GAIDS by some researchers-not as a joke or insult, but because they thought that only gay men could get it. It was a death sentence and the Moral Right said it was "God's Justice". That is until cases with children started appearing. Then everyone cared, and they were also terrified. Anyone who had it was shunned or worse by society, hearkening back to biblical attitudes toward leprosy. Strangers were eyeing each other suspiciously, and parents were dodging each other in crowds clutching their children like the pigskin in a game of flag football. No one knew if you could get it by kissing, sharing a bathroom, or accepting an innocent handshake.

Eventually, the virus that caused AIDS was isolated, and this knowledge led to the ability to test for it in blood. This made all the difference because the blood supply could be protected and those who had it could be identified and educated about safe behavior, right? Well, those receiving blood transfusions are now protected, but you can't force those engaging in high-risk behaviors to desist their vices and get tested. The problem is that symptoms may not manifest for years, all the while it is being spread to others.

We now know of course that one can not contract HIV through casual contact, but I think Americans have maybe become too casual about AIDS in general. It is just not in the news unless the story is about Africa. The ARV triple-cocktail is a wonderful advancement and it allows HIV+ individuals to live long lives, but this should not remove a healthy degree of fear toward the aggressive virus. For one thing, viruses can evolve relatively quickly and what works today may not work tomorrow.

One thing the current President Bush did right was to fund HIV/AIDS research and treatment in the form of President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). I read much of this piece of legislation and was very impressed. It is very progressive and aggressive. This program is treating 1.7 million people worldwide with ARVs and promoting prevention through education to the general populations and also targeting high-risk groups. The PEPFAR workers use an A.B.C. approach: Abstinence, Be faithful, and Condom use. -Good advice to anyone of any age on any continent.

Bail Out Main Street

2008-11-26T09:32:00.000-08:00

I think I am in the majority when I say I am fed up (no pun intended) with the government giving handouts to failing businesses. All this printing of money we don't have will eventually bite us in the ass when it comes to the value of the dollar. I understand that FNMA and FHLMC (I refuse to call them by their better known pseudo-acronyms) had to be helped out or else the global economy might collapse, and it makes sense for the government to help them since they were federally spawned out of the Great Depression. Now it seems any large company that had a bad year can ask for an 11-figure cookie, then ask for a glass of milk when it doesn't satiate them.

Many people are asking “How did this happen?” The short answer is ‘greed.’ Don’t get me wrong, greed is the fuel that capitalism runs on, but when greed and short sightedness bump uglies, then you get debacles like our current mortgage crisis. Here’s how it happened. The price of homes was rising on a mathematical J-curve for no reason other than people kept paying successively ridiculous prices.
Q: How were people able to do this? A: Sub-prime lending.
Basically, it was a case of one-upsmanship. In order to generate short-term revenue and entice investors, one lender would decide to give a particular loan that no one would have considered 10 years ago. Brokers from other companies would complain they were losing all their business to the company doing the crazy loan. So, all the other lenders were forced to offer the same crazy loan to ever more unqualified borrowers. This went back and forth until Cletis the slack-jawed yokel, with no job and a credit score of 43 was signing a $450,000, 50-year loan with variable interest and yearly balloon payments. Then, to everyone’s surprise, foreclosure rates went through the roof and nobody got paid. Come on, no one saw the glass ceiling? Really?!
Let’s do the numbers, shall we? In 2008, the U.S. government approved over $900 billion dollars to shore up failing lenders. Now the money is going towards enraging things like securing the salaries and bonuses of CEOs running these floundering companies.
Here’s one idea: There are approximately 112 million households in the U.S. and roughly 69% of them are homeowners. That means that instead of flushing billions down the toilet, the government could have given each homeowner ~$11,700 to use toward their mortgage and avoid foreclosure. This money could be given as a handout or as a loan with a very low interest rate (0 – 5%) on a sliding scale based on income. People would not be allowed to spend it on anything other than their mortgage and people without homes could be given a similar amount to put towards a down payment or in a down payment savings account depending on their credit. This way, foreclosures would stop and the lenders would still get the money and everyone would benefit. Maybe I’m naïve, but tell me that wouldn’t bolster the economy.

Fitness tip of the week: Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T08:07:00.000-08:00

For those of you already at your ideal weight and/or body shape, go ahead and gorge yourself for one day-you’ve earned it.
As for those of us working toward weight loss goals, we must avoid the following on Thursday:

Butter: Corn tastes great without it, as do rolls and mashed potatoes (which probably have some mixed in already).

Gravy: It is horrible for you-nothing but sodium and fat. Think about what happens to gravy when is sits too long and then think about that happening in your body.

Candied yams: Too much sugar.

Turkey skin: Pure fat-peel it off.

Sweets: You may have one small slice of pie. Just pick your favorite and be done. Don’t sample them all.

Have a Happy Turkey Day!

My current stats: 226 #, 29.8 %

Body by Mii

2008-11-18T15:32:00.000-08:00

This is a personal post. If you have seen me in the last year or two, you have noticed that I have become rather pudgy. Back in May of this year I actually broke the deuce-and-a-half mark (251 lbs)!- Ouch. Well, at that point I finally admitted that I had officially “let myself go” and something must be done about it.

Back in July my lovely and supportive wife bought me a late father’s day present of a Nintendo Wii Fit™. If you haven’t heard of this, it is an interactive balance board to be used with the Nintendo gaming system. A virtual trainer guides you through yoga poses, strength training, balance games, and aerobic activities. It is very cool, and I would highly recommend it for families or individuals to get you off the couch. The first thing you do after plugging in your Wii Fit is to make a Mii. A Mii is a virtual representation of yourself where you pick your eye shape, hair color, etc. One caveat though, it does not let you stay the slender virtual self you programmed in if you are actually a fatty. You see, the board is also a scale and it will know if you lied about your physique. I had to stand there powerless as the little Lindsay Mii blew up like a balloon. - I thought the Japanese were supposed to be polite!
Since then, I have been working out on my lunch breaks and with the Wii at home and have lost about 19 lbs. I was pleasantly surprised when the Wii told me I was no longer 'obese', merely 'overweight'. Of course muscle weighs more than fat, so one should never just go by weight to measure progress; body fat percentage is a much better indicator.
I decided to swallow my pride and put this embarrassing info out on the web for all to see, which will force me to either stay on track or become a shut-in. So, here’s the breakdown:

I started at 251 lbs and 34.5% body fat (I got this from a digital scale, not the Wii).
I am now 232 lbs and 30.4% fat (I am 6' 1", by the way).

I am far from my goals, but it is an encouraging start. Ideally, I would like to be back to my post-Alaska/wedding day weight of 190 lbs, but I will be happy with my high-school football playing weight of 205 lbs (I was the smallest guy on the line). If anyone out there needs my moral support for a similar goal, please feel free to contact me by blog, email, or phone (depending on how well you know me, of course). Despite my appearance, I do know something about nutrition, physical fitness, and weight training, thanks to classes taken in college. So, if you know next to nothing about these subjects and need help setting up a program, I may be of assistance.

*By the way Reena, I am very impressed that you lost all your baby weight and have managed to stay fit-‘cuz you were huge that first time around. Seriously, you are a great role model to us fatties.

charity: water

2008-11-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

The water that most of us drink every day is safe and we don't have to give it a second thought, but the next time you take a drink from your tap think about the fact that 1 out of 6 people (that's over a billion) do not have access to clean drinking water. Many of the world’s life-threatening diseases could be reined in of everyone had clean water. The mortality rates in Africa would drop significantly and young women and children could become educated instead of spending the daylight hours journeying miles through dangerous territory for unsanitary water.
If you can, please donate $20 dollars or more to charity: water. It is an upstanding organization that is drilling wells in Africa and has plans to drill many more if properly financed. You can also buy merchandise that just says ‘charity:’ or ‘water.’ The shirts will make a great X-mas present for your favorite charity-case or hydrophile. I'm getting a set for myself and the wife (I'm the water-lover, so guess what that makes Cindy-jk).
The charity's overhead is paid by sponsors so 100% of every dollar you give will go toward establishing and maintaining water wells for impoverished people. Please visit: http://www.charitywater.org/ and encourage others to do the same this holiday season. I'm planning on passing out free water bottles at my work with something similar to what I've just written.
Every little bit helps a lot.

Obama on the $5 dollar bill!

2008-11-07T11:41:00.000-08:00

I was chatting with a co-worker about the election and she said she was happy America chose Obama, but said "I'm just afraid they're going to kill him." They being ignorant hate-filled racists. In the wake of JFK and his brother, this has probably crossed all our minds at some point over the last 2 years. Bobby Kennedy was a brilliant strategist and he may have gone down as one of the greatest presidents ever, but his fate does not have to be revisited. Barack has had secret service protection ever since there was a hint of his running for President (that's right, we're on a first name basis now). A potential assassination attempt is not something to focus on; we all need to be positive as we enter this new era. I was actually encouraged by the recent foiling of a group of neo-Nazis that had a plan to kill Obama and several other politicians. According to officials, the plan was ill-conceived and never could have succeeded. That made me realize that evil is dumb. People that hate others for no other reason than the color of their skin are not bright enough to even get close to the President of the United States in this day and age. I'm guessing that the secret service have learned a few things over the last 40 years and we should not give our President's safety a second thought.

I am so excited about the international response to our election. Europe was throwing parties and even Iran congratulated Obama. I think he will be able to heal many rifts in this world and start some positive dialogues. We may soon be able to travel abroad and not pretend the be Canadian, eh?

Lincoln has his face on a bill and a coin. I propose that after his 2 terms, we give the five to Obama.

Fear and Loathing in Los Angeles

2008-11-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

Okay, I just have one point to make about the gay marriage ban and then I will leave it for the courts to decide. In the 1940's there was a ballot measure banning mixed race marriages (anti-miscegenation law) in California. The measure was passed by a 95% vote. I imagine that most of these voters were conservatives who thought the idea of a black man together with a white woman was disgusting and immoral-sound familiar? The courts later struck down this law. Maybe today's conservatives should take a step back and realize that a legal contract (marriage) between two consenting adults will not affect them or their children and that it is really none of their business.

Inspri(red)

2008-11-05T08:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, maybe I was a little optimistic on the popular vote (52%-I forgot about the Greenies and the Libbys), but I was damn close on the electoral vote. Assuming that we get N. Carolina, that's 364 electoral votes. I really thought we could get Montana and N. Dakota, and Missouri was a squeaker-oh well. It was the most one-sided victory since LBJ.
You da' man Barack!
Kudos to John McCain for his inspiring and gracious concession speech.
Let the healing begin.

P.S. -BHO is my new BFF. I received this exclusive email yesterday.

Lindsay -- I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first. We just made history. And I don't want you to forget how we did it. You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change. I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign. We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next. But I want to be very clear about one thing... All of this happened because of you. Thank you,
Barack

Election Results - Predictions

2008-11-03T13:04:00.000-08:00

I know you are maybe tired of my ranting about the election, but of course that is the only thing on my mind today. I too am weary of this long, drawn-out process, but I am digging deep and forcing myself to stay excited through tomorrow night. Cindy said she was getting nervous about the outcome last night, so I am going to attempt to allay her fears. Now, despite McCain's delusions, this election is wrapped up and I'm going to have the audacity to tell you by how much Obama is going to win:

Obama will get 54% of the popular vote and 370 (out of 538) electoral votes. This, ladies and gentlemen, will be a clear mandate from the American people (not like that fake mandate of Bush's 4 years ago).

What am I basing this on? I think that every contest that is close will go to the Democrats because when it comes down to it, more undecided voters will conclude they have no choice but to hope for a better tomorrow and vote Obama because the alternative is stagnation. A McCain-Palin administration would get nothing done because our 'donkey' congress would fight them every step of the way. That means the current George Bush 'keep digging when you're in a hole' policies will remain in place.

Also, I think we are going to have a record turnout of 18-25 year-olds voting democratic, and many of them are not being included in the polls we are seeing. Watching the country slowly turn blue on the election maps gives me goosebumps.

http://www.pollster.com/

http://www.slate.com/id/2195956/

http://news.yahoo.com/election/2008/dashboard

CO and NV were battleground states-they now favor Obama. McCain's home state of AZ is no longer a GOP lock. Even UT, where a month ago 64% were voting for McCain, now only 54% want McCain (I'm so proud). Their 5 electoral votes will end up going for the Republicans, as will AK's 3 votes. But, even if you are a democrat living in a red state (or vice versa), go out and vote so that we can send a message that we care about the process and want a voice. Tomorrow, we need much more than half of Americans to provide their opinion on this historic day.

I'm Voting for "That One"

2008-10-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of attending a speech by Sen. (Pres-Elect) Obama. I had decided way back in primary season that he had my vote and I've listened to several speeches on TV, but I wanted to see the future President in person. What took me by surprise is how deeply I was moved by his words. He damn near brought me to tears!-S.O.B. I had heard many of the things he was saying before, but he is just so passionate about his belief that this great country can be repaired. He promised to improve our education system, but challenged parents to do their part and keep their kids on task. The stirring promise of a brighter future while calling all citizens to action evoked patriotic pride in the crowd of the kind Americans must have felt in 1960. BHO is definitely the heir apparent to JFK.

Obama spoke with an enthusiasm that belied his excruciatingly long campaign trail. He made spontaneous jokes and made us believe he cared about the issues important to working class families, such as health care and education. It wasn't just broad generalities either-he had real concrete ideas like providing college assistance to students willing to volunteer in their communities. No one denies that Obama is eloquent, but it is the sincere emotion and inspiration behind the words that gave me hope that this country will still be a grand beacon of opportunity and freedom for my grandchildren.

Religion

2008-10-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

I was listening to NPR recently and heard something very disturbing. They were talking to a panel of voters about race and one woman said she would not vote for Obama because she suspected he was secretly Muslim. Obviously he is a devoted Christian, but all I could think is "So what if he was Muslim?!" Why are we vilifying Islam? Haven't we learned from the Crusades? Islamic teachings are not inherently evil and Muslims as a whole are not our enemy. Fundamentalist extremists are our enemy. There are plenty of nutjob fundamentalist Christians inflicting harm on others because of their misinterpretations or exploitations of their doctrines.
Read Under the Banner of Heaven by Krakauer if you haven't.

America is supposed to be a nation of religious tolerance, but some are trying to make Muslim the new Communist. What does that say to Americans who happen to be Muslim? Should we put them in concentration camps until the Iraq war is over? (facetious, rhetorical question). Over 20% of the world is Muslim, and most of them just want to live in peace and raise their children to be good people. Over 30% of the world is Christian, and most of them just want to live in peace and raise their children to be good people.
You are not allowed to hate what you do not understand.

Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

-John Lennon

Tag- I'm it

2008-10-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

Fine, I’ll do the blog tag thing…thanks Sweetie , but I can't pass it on because I don't know any bloggers other than the ones Cindy just tagged.

1-I love my job. How many people can say that? As a hydrologist, I get to work outdoors much of the time and there is always something new or interesting to deal with, be it domestic beaver violence (they don’t like being dam evicted) or dodging shotgun pellets from crazed rural residents hurling epithets such as “the gov’ment put a chip in my brain, but I’ll be damned if it gets my water!”

2-I miss school. As I said I love my job and wouldn’t trade it, but sometimes I long for the simple life of a student. Sure, being a student costs you money instead of earning it, but after being in school for so long (yes, I went to college for 10 years and didn’t become a doctor) student life becomes comfortable and it is hard to give up. I miss the camaraderie of like-minded peers and the energy emitted from knowledge being dispensed and absorbed. If you have spent time on a college campus (other than Arizona State-jk) you know what I mean-it is palpable. I think if I went back for my PhD I would graduate a bachelor (Cindy was patient and supportive for long enough).

3-I enjoy Q-tips more than I probably should. There is almost no better way to start your day than a good ear-cleaning. I’m thrifty when possible, but Q-tip brand cotton swabs are one of those products where you can’t buy the generic store brand (I’ve tried and they suck). If we run out, it ruins my day.

4-I love my wife. That is not random, but what is inexplicable is that after 10 years of marriage and 3 kids, the passion has not dwindled. I’m talking about that intense spark that emerged the first time your looked into that person’s eyes and realized you wanted to spend your life with her. I realized we were right for each other when we spent a month back in ’97 driving across the country. We were together 24/7 and never fought once. It was blissful and I proposed on the way home in a secluded campsite in Illinois. Observing other married people I always assumed that passion evolved into a different kind of love that was just comfortable. My best friend tells me we are the exception to the rule, but I hope there are many other couples out there as happy as we are. Cindy and I are still guilty of PDAs, much to the irritation of friends and family.

5-I enjoy math (and many other nerdy things I won’t mention). When I’m on a long drive by myself I’ll come up with a problem that is hard to do in my head to pass the time. I take it as a personal challenge to not use a calculator when I’m doing field work. In high school I was the one that everyone cheated off of during tests. College calculus was a different story though. It’s strange to suddenly be average when you’re used to being the best at something. Higher education is good at humbling big fish from little ponds, then pushing them to strive even harder (or humiliate them until they drop out).

6-I like cold feet. Most people freak out if you put your cold feet on them under the covers…so I’ve heard…whereas I enjoy the visceral sensation, which works out well for Cindy because she always needs warming up. It’s a little odd, but I don’t think it’s a fetish or anything…right?

7-I’m a Bolts fan. I have never been to San Diego and have no affiliation with that city whatsoever, but I have been a San Diego Chargers fan for as long as I can remember. I vaguely remember my dad giving me a helmet when I was very young and that may have been the catalyst. Keep the faith-we’ll get over .500 yet!

Cheers

Aid

2008-10-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

I was pleased to hear Pres Bush say it would be a mistake to cut back on foreign aid even though our economy is floundering.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/21/AR2008102102523.html?hpid=topnews

Despite his many, many shortcomings, I will give W. props when it comes to providing assistance to impoverished nations. We should follow our nation's example and give when it hurts to do so.

The following is a partial reprint of something I posted awhile back on The Sweetest Thing:

I implore everyone to take action against the injustice of extreme poverty in the world. I understand that many of us are reevaluating our own budgets with the current economic downturn, but think about giving the gift of food and water to those that need it this holiday season. Every dollar you can spare will help a fellow human being. When you do give, make sure it is to an organization with a proven track-record of getting the money where it will do the most good, such as UNICEF or OXFAM, both of which allow you to buy tangible things such as bed netting, vaccines, and even farm animals for those in need. You can also give these things as a dual gift, by donating them in someone’s name. What do you get for the person who has everything? -A goat (that will provide food and/or milk for a starving family).

If you simply can not find spare money to give, then at least lend your voice to the cause. Visit http://www.one.org/ and join the cause of ending extreme poverty and the associated diseases. The ONE campaign is an unprecedented mass-scale grassroots campaign initiated by Bono and others using the power of the internet. The ONE campaign does not solicit money. Instead, they educate and alert via email about issues where the public voice can make a difference. When important legislation issues are moving through congress that will impact the impoverished, you will be presented with the facts about the bill and asked to sign an electronic petition or contact your local representatives, exhorting them to do the right thing when it comes to international and domestic aid.

One thing we cannot do as citizens of the humanity is proverbially stick our heads in the sand. Some Americans say we should be isolationist as a country and just 'protect our own'. That type of ethnocentric sentiment is ignorant and completely unfeasible in the modern world. “Where you live should no longer determine whether you live.” -Bono.
We all need to educate ourselves and stay informed on global issues because the butterfly effect is real, and if our generation does nothing to alleviate the beating wings of starvation occurring half a world away, we will surely be judged harshly by future generations when the hurricane is at their doorstep.

What's In A Name? -Part Deux

2008-10-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

I think it is fantastic that Barack Hussein Obama is proud of his name and his heritage. I've actually heard people say that his name is a major turn-off to his campaign and that it may affect his or her vote. It sounds insane, but I think we are all guilty of name discrimination at one time or another. I remember hearing that the new President of Iraq would be Jalal Talibani and thinking "that's a terrible person to put in power, we are fighting the Taliban." Of course names like Hussein are incredibly common worldwide, but I think many Americans are guilty of tunnel vision when it comes to name association. Ask yourself, would you leave your kids with a nanny who had glowing references and happened to be named Lizzie Borden? Would you eat at a 5-star restaurant if you heard the chef's name was Jeff Dahmer?....food for thought.

What's In A Name?

2008-10-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

This is a plea to all mothers to stop stealing boy's names for their baby girls. Anyone who knows me personally has heard this rant before, but it makes me feel better, so here goes. If you don't know me and just happened across this site by accident, you are probably thinking Lindsay Rants has a female author. NO! I have man gear that I was born with (don't make me prove it). My ancestry is part Scottish and my father had actually lived there for 2 years as a young man where he became good friends with a guy named Lindsay, who I am named after. In Scotland, Lindsay is a very common, very manly name. In America, the name was fine and masculine until that damned Bionic Woman (Lindsey freakin'-Wagner) came along. The Bionic Woman aired the same year I was born (1975) and thousands of mothers started naming their babies Lindsay, usually with some basterized, cutsey spelling. My wifes laughs at me because I still fume whenever her stupid dial-a-bed comercials come on the TV.

I've never met a female Lindsay older than myself and I've only met a handful of male Lindsays (all older than me). Despite being a Republican, Lindsey Graham (Rep-S.C.) helps my cause a bit. I actually know a guy who is so embarrassed of his name Lindsay that he goes by his middle name...get this, Ashleigh. Which starts the long list of names abducted by girls: Sidney, Leslie, Marion, the list goes on and on. Once a name is feminized then those of us men who already have it get sissy jokes hurled at us our whole lives. Actually, Marion Butts and Leslie O'Neal probably didn't get too much crap...or, maybe it made them the hard-hitting NFL stars they turned out to be. The unfair part is that is doesn't work in reverse. If it did I would have named my first boy Stephanie out of spite. The truth is, being teased as a child made me swear I would never give my children androgynous names....'bout that..somehow my two boys ended up Justice and Tristan, which are both considered unisex names-whoops.

I used to have I crush on a girl named Tyler-what if we had ended up together? It just wouldn't work on paper. I've also met girls named Ryan and Devon-where does it stop? Please mothers, there is an endless list of beautiful girl names out there, so stop pilfering from the boy list. If you want to be original, go with something nutcase like Talulabelle or Apple.

Just for Grins

2008-10-20T11:09:00.001-07:00

This is one of my favorite desktop backgrounds.

Try to look at this picture for one minute and not think of anything naughty.

...couldn't do it, could you? They're clouds, just wholesome clouds! What's wrong with you....sinner.

Actually, these cloud formations are known as mammatus derived from mamma, which is Latin for breast. The photographer, or whoever put this pic out labeled it "tight jeans."

Vote Early, Vote Often

2008-10-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

I found out that 50% of my audience is clamoring for my thoughts on the final debate, so I will indulge her. I enjoyed the format of the last debate more than the others. The fact that they were sitting across from each other and allowed to respond directly to comments made for a lively interaction. At first it almost seemed as if Obama was tired-literally worn out from getting his message across for 20 grueling months. But then I realized he was just comfortable, cool, at ease...presidential. The debate was won by Obama because he was speaking to swing voters-people who are struggling financially and need some good news. McCain was speaking to his base-people who would vote Republican even if the candidate had sex with an underage page in an airport bathroom shortly after declaring unilateral war against a stable nation because his running mate needed to pay off some political favors with defense contracts! Sorry...got a little worked up there, but my point is that McCain is not persuading anyone who is on the fence.
The candidates both came across well at last night's Alfred Smith dinner. It was nice to see there was no ugly mudslinging, just humor. With that last meeting together out of the way and no horrible gaffes, we can finally breath easy. Early voting starts tomorrow in my state; I say let's get this thing over with. Let's put McCain out of his misery before Nov 4th. Let's face it, I was right-Obama is going to win and it's going to be a landslide. Woo-HOO!
P.S.- Does anyone know how to make an animation morphing Pres. Bush into a mallard with a broken leg?

Terrorism

2008-10-10T10:02:00.001-07:00

I watched the flick "Catch a Fire" recently and it made me pause and rethink my perception of terrorism. In the movie the 'terrorists' were fighting against South Africa's apartheid regime. These freedom fighters were opposing injustice, but they were terrorists because they were causing destruction and subverting the government. I realized that not all terrorists are inherently evil as our fear-promoting government would have us believe (if you haven't read "Culture of Fear" by Glassner, you should). It seems like whenever the Bush administration wants to get some controversial foreign policy item past the U.S. taxpayers or congress they just say "go along with it or the terrorists will gain strength!"
(I'm paraphrasing of course).

Yes, many terrorists commit atrocious acts, sometimes against innocent civilians, and this must be condemned and combated. However, in order to combat terrorism, I think we need to understand the root causes of it: terrorism is bred from oppression; terrorists perceive a threat to their country, family, or ideology and believe it must be defended to the death; and every terrorist we take out becomes a martyr to his or her cause. In the movie, the protagonist was just trying to raise his family and do his job but he was taken by the government, questioned and tortured under groundless suspicion of a terrorist act. By the end he felt he had no choice but to join the freedom fighters, because no one could live peacefully until the oppressors were ousted.

I believe the U.S. military has good intentions, but every time civilians are inadvertently killed we are producing more terrorists in the form of those that cared for the fallen. If a foreign power occupied my city and a member of my family was killed by a stray bullet in a firefight, I would become blind with rage and take up arms against that force and do everything in my power to undermine their cause. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have died since this war/operation has begun and no one in America talks about it. Yes we should honor and pay tribute to our fallen soldiers, but we should also apologize for destroying Iraqi families. I think these endless military strikes are like trying to beat out a fire with a lit torch. We need to try more diplomacy because this war can't be won by technological superiority.

My point is that most Americans live relatively privileged lives and some are quick to pass moral judgement on others, when we should in fact try to see the other side and get some perspective. Being American does not make you right. It makes me sad when I hear about our government disregarding the Geneva Convention because those in our custody are not technically prisoners of war. I love my country, but I long for the feeling I had as a young boy when I was 100% certain that we were the 'good guys.'

OBAMA WINS!!!

2008-10-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

That's right, I'm beating the networks to the punch and calling the election for Obama. Everyone is so tentatively hopeful right now, saying things like "do you think...he could really...win?" Yes!-and I for one am elated as hell about it. I don't want to jinx the man as in 'Dewey defeats Truman', but since the Broncos won last week and the Chargers lost, I don't believe in jinxes (see Sweetest Thing blog). Actually, I never believed in curses or bad juji-I'm just sorta rational that way.
The thing is, the American people are starting to see the truth about what this country needs and Obama is surging in the polls. It looks better everyday, but as of now McCain would have to win every swing state (of which Obama has slight edges in), as well as the tentative red states in order to win 269 electoral votes. pssst...that's not enough John.
As for those states that are still boldly red (I won't name any names, but you know who you are), they can't honestly believe that McCain's economic plan will be good for the majority of Americans. I think they habitually vote Republican out of fear:

Fear of a black man in the White House-He's qualified, get over it.

Fear of abortions-On this issue, no matter who is elected the status quo will remain. John McCain is pandering by saying he will fight to overturn Roe v. Wade. If he does happen to outlive a Supreme Court justice, he could never get an ultra-conservative appointment past a Democratic congress.

Fear of losing their guns-You won't. Obama supports the 2nd amendment. He of course would uphold the current ban on assault rifles, but would never strip anyone of their hunting rifles and shotguns. Obama also believes it is the right of local communities and states to make laws concerning handguns (e.g. Sarah Palin once opposed an ordinance that would prohibit carrying guns in bars and schools).

Fear of terrorism-Some think that McCain would combat terrorism better because he was in the military. The problem is McCain has a reputation as a hot-head and when international threats arise, we don't need a President who makes knee-jerk reactions. We need someone with diplomatic skills who isn't afraid to use force as a last resort-I believe that is Obama.

Eight years ago, I really liked John McCain and I may have voted for him against Al Gore. McCain fought against corruption in congress and did much to bring compromise amidst a bitterly partisan atmosphere. However, I think he sold out his convictions in order to secure the nomination and get the backing of the religious right or uber-conservatives.

Conservatives see liberals as morally corrupt. I like to think of liberalism as willingness to change. Conservatives have been on the morally reprehensible side of some the most important issues in American history. I'm not talking about a difference of opinion-history has judged them to be wrong. Conservatives opposed the following based on fear of change:

Allowing black people to be free
Allowing women into institutions of higher education
Allowing women the right to vote
Allowing black people the right to the same educational opportunities and public services as whites
Allowing black people the right to vote

If you can't bring yourself to Stand for Change, then at least allow yourself to hope for it.