It’s Time to Stop Coddling North Korea

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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.