tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961362294746291452024-02-07T14:50:32.463-05:00Project MJet Powered. Monkey Navigated.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-49821834297523089052008-03-13T09:34:00.002-06:002008-03-13T09:39:57.400-06:00The Logic Of Hillary Clinton<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SiAULycPHyQ&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SiAULycPHyQ&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dinkjdPGagg&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dinkjdPGagg&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FTY_bp1dTA4&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FTY_bp1dTA4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eM5obt1EuHo&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eM5obt1EuHo&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eNOODxWI9qY&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eNOODxWI9qY&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UZmj3_OH2BU&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UZmj3_OH2BU&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-39188266413191501552008-01-29T10:12:00.000-06:002008-01-29T10:58:47.483-06:00Mitt Romney Vows to Eat Bug<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://thephoenix.com/OutsideTheFrame/content/binary/060425_Pol_MittRomney_ex.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://thephoenix.com/OutsideTheFrame/content/binary/060425_Pol_MittRomney_ex.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>As last ditch effort in an ever tightening Florida Primary, Mitt vowed to eat a bug if you will vote for him. Romney highlighted his years in the business community doing whatever is necessary to please the customer and promised to apply that same experience his campaign, up to and including eating a live insect. "Voters in this state want change, I am the man to give it them. And should the voters want me to eat this beetle, then I will do so with a smile on my face. Really. I totally will." Romney went on to criticize his rivals John McCain and Mike Huckabee for their unwillingness to commit to eating anything the people want them to, saying that it exposed their lack of commitment to this great nation and whatever juvenile stunts happen to amuse it. "For too long Washington has<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.ent.iastate.edu/images/hemiptera/stinkbug/brown_stink_bug_nymph.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.ent.iastate.edu/images/hemiptera/stinkbug/brown_stink_bug_nymph.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> ignored the will of the American people. And I have noticed that will sometimes includes the desire to watch people eat bugs on television. I make a solemn vow, that if America will elect me there president, I will eat any bug that it asks of me. Yes, even that creepy looking green one over there." Political strategists were unsure if the bold move would be enough to deliver Florida into the Romney camp, though he was said to be close to receiving the endorsement of Johnny Knoxville. Romney refused to comment on what his post Florida strategy might be, but campaign revealed that are considering a Super Tuesday blockbuster that may involve their candidate licking a toilet seat.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-85313426733025866922008-01-19T18:02:00.001-06:002008-01-23T11:51:49.821-06:00Hillary Set to Become the 1st Woman to Lose the Presidency<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.aolcdn.com/ch_bv/hillary-clinton-howard-u-400a062907.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.aolcdn.com/ch_bv/hillary-clinton-howard-u-400a062907.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>After her victory in the Nevada Caucus, Hillary Clinton inched ever closer to her historic goal of becoming the first woman to ever lose the Presidential Election. "I can't believe it", said Hillary Supporter Elaine Chavez from Reno "It's so exciting, we've never had woman lose before. I can't wait until she actually gets to be defeated by John McCain!" Many Hillary supporters explained their support by noting the fact that past Democratic Presidential Losers had always been men, and they felt it was high time a women broke through the "Glass Ceiling of Failure." Clinton supporter Gloria Steinem cited the revolutionary candidate's potential "Surely Hillary can run a presidential campaign that can be every bit as feckless, calculated, uninspiring as John Kerry, Al Gore, or even Adlai Stevenson!" Ms. Steinem went on to explain that with Hillary's high negatives, a campaign dominated by soulless corporate lobbyists, and Ms. Clinton's unique ability to unite an otherwise fractured Republican party, there was an excellent chance she could become the Democrat Party's biggest loser since Walter Mondale. "Let's face facts" said political analyst Mark Sheilds, "The Democratic Party is in terrible danger of winning this election. The failures and scandals of the last Republican administration exposed a weak, bitter, and divided Republican Party thus creating a treacherous environment for Democrats where virtually anyone they nominate would be a shoe in to win the White House." Confronted with such a hopeless scenario, Democratic voters responded with confusion and the early primaries had been relatively close. However, Sheilds pointed out that in the end, there was only one candidate in the entire field who could deliver the two things that matter most to democratic voters: meaningless token gestures rather actual political change, and of course, crushing electoral defeatBuckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-51238451362254597902008-01-03T12:18:00.001-06:002008-01-03T16:00:27.813-06:00A Brilliant Idea Which Will Fix Everything<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bostonist.com/attachments/boston_josh/Lottery.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.bostonist.com/attachments/boston_josh/Lottery.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>One of my favorite things about American politics is the Punditocracy's resignation to ridiculousness. Fundamentally unjust and undemocratic aspects of our political system are treated like a wacky uncle at Thanksgiving dinner. "Isn't the electoral college just zany in way that removes power from the public at large and places it the hands of "swing states" and unaccountable electors intentionally unbound to those who voted for them? Ha, and now it's spilled it's wine again. What a nut!"<br /><br />On caucus eve, I can almost hear Chris Mathews giggle as yet again world energy policy will be held hostage to the economic desires of a handful of Iowa farmers who are irrationally given a massively disproportionate influence on the national politics of the most powerful nation on earth. Oh, the wackiness<br /><br />I have a idea: let's not do that.<br /><br />Now is the time for change as other states have finally taken a look a Iowa and said "Hey I'd like a massive disproportionate influence on national politics too!" and have threatened to move their primaries as early in the election cycle as Inauguration Day.<br /><br />Luckily, I have a solution.<br /><br />I present to you: The Primary Draft Lottery<br /><br />It's a little bit of the NBA draft, a little bit American Idol, and a little bit of genuine democracy.<br /><br />On January 3rd of each election year both Parties hold a lottery to see which 3 states will go first in the the primary. But the draft is weighted; the higher your state's voter turn out rate, the better their chances of winning.<br /><br />The three lottery primaries begin the first week February with a week between each. After that, you have four regional primaries with the order of each again determined by the voter turnout rate of each region.<br /><br />So, what would the Lottery accomplish?<br /><br />1. The early primaries return to their function as a screening/getting to know you process rather than the current "We hold more power than God" status. Candidates will not be able to saturate the early States or put all their eggs in one basket. Sure each State will have it's particular issues but they will no longer have utter blackmail ability Iowa currently enjoys with ethanol. National elections will be truly about national issues. Remarkable!<br /><br />2. It cuts the length and cost of campaigns. No longer will the media be able to cram as much useless crap down our throats two years before and election because the just won't have a much to work with. The crucial details are unknown. And since the campaign season necessarily starts later and finishes quicker, primary campaigns become cheaper and Mitt Romney won't be able to waste 1.3 billion dollars to lose Iowa, thus saving his great-grandchildren from a jetski-less existence.<br /><br />3. Create a little excitement and motivation for every state. Who wouldn't tune in to see which state goes first? Which state party wouldn't amp up their voter drives in hopes of increasing their odds? It sprinkles in a little bit sports and pop culture and almost makes politics - fun! Parish the thought.<br /><br />So, as you watch the returns role in tonight, keep in mind no matter who wins, it's high time to admit our crazy uncle primary system has moved beyond quirky and endearing, and crossed over into dangerous irresponsibility. We need to do the mature, difficult thing and and take away the keys before somebody drives America into a tree.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-18604656149193377482007-10-16T16:47:00.000-05:002007-10-16T17:36:38.007-05:00GOP Questions Legitimacy of Kitten “Cuteness”<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://kittenwar.com/c_images/2005/06/22/21034.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://kittenwar.com/c_images/2005/06/22/21034.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>After successfully defending the nation from the threat posed by sick children, Republican operatives today attacked the Democratic Party for what it called a “Pre-911” mindset toward the adorability of kittens. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell cited what he referred to as shocking and appalling naiveté exhibited by the Democratic Leadership towards kittens endearing tendencies to chase string and pounce on brightly colored objects.<br><br />“Can’t they see the murderous intent in the eyes of Mr. Whiskers? I find it amazing that the Democratic <span style=""> </span>Party is more concerned with protecting animal loving extremists than they are with safe guarding the Homeland against these blood thirsty felines. Did Siegfried and Roy teach us nothing as a nation?” Right-wing bloggers picked up the theme posting pictures of alleged kitten atrocities including several dead mice, and a lizard missing its tail, as well as posting the home addresses of several of the cutest and deadliest kittens. Staffers in McConnel’s office also stated that the "Anti-Kitten" proposal was only one part of the GOP's efforts to win back the hearts and minds of voters and suggested that he may offer a resolution in the fall condemning the Dickens character "Tiny Tim" for his appearance in a MoveOn.org ad.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-29987696843746225292007-09-10T15:17:00.000-05:002007-09-10T15:31:42.461-05:00The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men: Part II<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.parrishart.org/gallery/programs/343.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.parrishart.org/gallery/programs/343.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A few weeks ago I went to the see the the Italian film "La Strada" by Frederico Fellini. The plot revolves around the sweetly naive, clownishly angelic Gelsomina whose family marries her off to the brutish Zampano: a cirus strong man traveling with his ramshackle one-man show from village to village. Eventually one of Zampano's drunken rampages lands him in jail and Gelsomina, free for the first time in her life seeks the advice of Zampano's impish rival known only as "The Fool" to help her choose between staying with Zampano, or fleeing with another traveling circus. Though "The Fool" never clearly offers her a path, he assures her that everything has a purpose. Even the smallest pebble resting beneath his shoe. Even Gelsomina. It is the one uplifting moment in an otherwise bleak film.<br /><br />I hated it.<br /><br />Nothing against the film itself. It just that I always hate it when people say, "there is a reason for everything." I realize that its supposed to be comforting and sweet, and I try not to hold it against people when they say it to me. I know their hearts are in the right place. But what they don't realize is that this kind talk is really no different from the <a href="http://themproject.blogspot.com/2007/08/best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-men-often.html">conspiracy theorist's</a> dark fantasies. Far from being some sort of profound wisdom, stating "everything has a purpose" is nothing more than the sentimentally optimistic side of the coin to the conspiracy theorist's paranoid need to impose a sinister order on a frighteningly uncertain universe.<br /><br />People forget what "everything" includes. Everything means <span style="font-style: italic;">everything</span>, including some of the most unpleasant and evil things you can possibly imagine. So when people say there are "reasons for everything" they are saying, there's a purpose behind child abuse, a meaning behind murder, a function behind genocide.<br /><br />Of course they don't really mean that, but it's only intellectual laziness that keeps them confronting that very unpleasant consequence of what they say. And all too often they mean something very close to exactly that. I remember reading an article on Iraq, where a soldier was interviewed about an explosion that killed his comrade standing only feet away, but left him untouched. He replied that the experience had reinforced his belief in God's plan, stating that divine intervention is the only possible explanation for his survival. On one level he was simply asserting an unshakable faith that God had special plan for him, but on some level he had to understand he was equally asserting that God's plan was perfectly OK with his buddy being blown to a million pieces.<br /><br />Like the conspiracy theorist's secret world controlling cabal, the soldier is using "divine intervention" to keep at bay what he fears most: That there is no order to the universe, that there is no good reason whatsoever why he survived instead of his buddy. To confront that fact would be to acknowledge that it could have been him; that his death could be just as random, instant, and unavoidable as his fellow soldier's was.<br /><br />The arbitrary nature of mortality is a hard fact to confront and it's application isn't limited to soldiers on the front line. It can be utterly paralyzing if you look it straight in the eye and I can understand why people perform so many mental gymnastics to avoid dealing with it. What perplexes me is that those gymnastics can lead to much more dangerous and difficult places than the admittedly hard challenge of simply confronting the chaos of life head on. Like most things in life, the consequences of avoiding difficulties are usually worse than the difficulties themselves.<br /><br />The question remains though: how do you accept the uncertainty that rules our existence and still retain the courage to move forward? I will attempt to tackle that question in Part III of this discussion, but for now - I'll leave you with a piece of wisdom from two of my favorite <a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/xstabex/Appreciate.jpg">philosophers.</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/xstabex/Appreciate.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 803px; height: 548px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/xstabex/Appreciate.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Dylan/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpg" alt="" />Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-71511757832804599382007-09-06T13:20:00.000-05:002007-09-06T13:41:36.940-05:00File under: I Wonder What Canada Is Like This Time of Year?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blogs.ocregister.com/lansner/archives/blog-canada-flag"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://blogs.ocregister.com/lansner/archives/blog-canada-flag" alt="" border="0" /></a>In any sane country <a href="http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2007/09/06/bush_wmd/">this</a> would be front page news and the President would be forced to resign in disgrace. However in the good ol' U.S. of A., yet another confirmation that our President took us to war based on the discredited ramblings of a pathologically dishonest drunken ex-cabdriver while ignoring CIA vetted information from the highest sources within the Iraq government has to make way for a detailed examination of exactly how wide Senator Criag's bathroom stance could reasonably be.<br /><br />God Bless America.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-2261068172623719762007-08-28T10:57:00.000-05:002007-08-28T10:17:04.040-05:00"No Proof of Wrong"<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/T-8_1-lSROM"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/T-8_1-lSROM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br />Ding Dong - Gonzo's Gone! Project M is still celebrating yesterday's resignation of Attorney General Alberto "Fredo" Gonzales. Finally, the most corrupt and incompetent Attorney General this country has ever seen threw in the towel on his portion of the Bush Administration's chicken fight with Congress. I must admit, I didn't think it was gonna happen. Even Slate magazine took down their Gonzo watch earlier this summer based on the discouraging signs that Gonzo would never surrender. Tellingly, the Decider did not comment on the resignation with Fredo at his side, but did spit out this classic “This is a man who has testified, he’s sent thousands of papers up there. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/27/washington/27cnd-gonzales.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1188237913-LZutDZzhB3TQKGz+2cmvlQ&oref=slogin">There’s no proof of wrong.”</a> <br />Taking aside the traditional Bush grammatical massacre, it's as if Bush is daring Congress,taunting them to "catch" him and his band of criminals. It's "Na, Na Na, - You got Nothing on me!" It represents the administration's attitude perfectly - that they can skate above the law (or entirely decimate it) trample the Constitution and generally engage in whatever version of morality they want because their opponents technically "got nothing" on them. <br />And this talking point has worked in the past. The Right Wing noise machine was already in over-drive on the media coverage yesterday, moaning about "What crime did Gonzales actually commit here?" But this technique (already overplayed from the Valerie Plame scandal) faces some very "pesky" facts with everyone from Monica Goodling, to FBI Director Robert Muller contradicting Fredo, and irrefutably revealing his status as a serial perjurer. That Bush finally did throw his beloved Fredo overboard, signifies that despite his very public bravado, Congress is closing in. <br /><br />Although elated, I'm also a little wary of the timing on this one - it's not looking as pretty the morning after. After all, Turd Blossom and Fredo resigning within mere weeks of each other - what diabolical recess appointment could possibly be in the works? I'm sure Democrats will find a spectacular way to squander their momentum here (probably by immediately confirming some other retarded Bush water carrier like Chertoff as his replacement). <br /><br />Nevertheless, Project M must rejoice in whatever semi-victory lap the cosmos throws our way however brief. It has put a smug smile on my face the past two days and an extra spring in my step (although when I tried to explain why - I get the usual "Alberto who?" from my co-workers). Sigh. God Bless America indeed.Ginny Tonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01842289433637113347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-16990388627930381012007-08-27T12:56:00.000-05:002007-08-27T14:23:47.383-05:00Gonzolas Resigns to Spend More Time Not Recalling His Family<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/homepage/hp8-27-07a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/homepage/hp8-27-07a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Alberto Gonzales announced that he is stepping down today to spend more not remembering crucial information about his family. In a written statement the Attorney General claimed that he was proud of his misservice to the American people, and would look back fondly on the good work that he had profoundly undone during his tenor. "Though I am unable to confirm at this time whether or not the damage I have inflicted on the constitution and rule of law is permanent, I leave knowing that I have done all I can. Now I must resign from public life, so I can devote my time to throughly undermining the relationships I hold most dear: my wife, and presumably my children, if I have any, though I can not specially recall any of their names, ages, or locations, I can assure you that if they do exist, that they were raised in an appropriate fashion." Administration officials confirmed that his bubbling maladministration would be greatly missed, and his utter lack of leadership would be hard to replace. Still, they say that Mr. Gonzales is ready to begin the quite life of forgetting birthdays, anniversaries, and middle names, and hopes to one day have the opportunity to commit perjuy in a private civil matterBuckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-32617968833761135042007-08-13T09:20:00.000-05:002007-09-05T13:22:03.420-05:00Desperately Seeking a New "Turd Blossom"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/bloggraphics/wanted.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/bloggraphics/wanted.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>When Project M first heard the news this morning that Karl Rove had resigned "to spend more time with his family" we were shocked. "<em>Karl Rove has a family</em>? Do <em>they</em> know that?"<br /><div> </div>We'll let others compile lists of Karl's infamy. For us, there is a more pressing concern that needs to be addressed. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Rove's</span> resignation leaves a gaping hole in our national body politic that must filled immediately:<br /><div> </div><br />Who will the Democrats be irrationally terrified of now?<br /><div> </div><br /><div>They must be <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">devastated</span>. The Democrats desperately needed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Rove's</span> alleged omnipotent "<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">genius</span>" to justify their instinct to wimp out at the first sign of ANY <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">confrontation</span> no matter how much the public/facts/law/human decency was on their side. Rove has been such an effective boogie man for so long, and the Democrats are such perfectly knee-jerk sissy pants, they were seemly made for each other. Rove was Lucy to their Charlie Brown, Jack Nicholson to their Shelly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Duval</span>l, Old Man Withers to their <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Scooby</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Doo</span>.<br /><br />Oh, what will the Dems do now? What will be their excuse the next time they down flush their principles down the toilet? That they had to - or else John Boehner will.. start crying again?<br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ir1UABBe1v4"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ir1UABBe1v4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /></div><div> </div>We feel it is truly the destiny of this Blog to help the Democrats in this hour of need. For the rest of the week, Project M will be taking suggestions for the new Democrat-pantswetter-in-chief and we'll <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">announce</span> the winner next week. I'll get this party started with our own top five suggestions<br /><br />The Democratic Party will now shred the constitution at Cheney's whim because they are deathly afraid of....<br /><div> </div><br /><div>1. Lactose</div><br /><div>2. Mitt Romneny's Magic Underwear<br /></div><br /><div>3. The Number 13</div><br /><div>4. Dennis <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Hastert's</span> sweat stains<br /></div><br /><div>5. The the dreaded "Double <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Guantanamo"</span></div><br /><div><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span> </div><br /><div><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span> </div>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-1051279287916007722007-08-08T21:15:00.000-05:002007-09-05T13:21:36.112-05:00“The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men Often Go Astray”<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/filmnotes/images3/strangelove10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/filmnotes/images3/strangelove10.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I went out drinking with some friends last week and spent much of the time listening to a friend of friend spin an elaborate web of conspiracy theories. Several beers had been consumed by that point, and I couldn’t keep track of it all. The best I can hope for is to remember how the world lined up on the ol’ Good and Evil flow chart. <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <table class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 6.75pt; margin-right: 6.75pt; width: 258px; height: 384px;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style="">Evil<o:p></o:p></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">The Federal Government </p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Ms. Magazine</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Democracy</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">The CIA</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Child Protective Services </p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Military Industrial Complex</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place></p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Women’s Suffrage</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Marriage Licenses</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Birth Certificates</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Vaccinations</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Taxes</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Christianity</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Al Gore</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">The 9/11 “cover up”</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style="">Good <o:p></o:p></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">The Founding Fathers</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Gold</p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">The Free Market</p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I forget what his moral was. Perhaps he was simply angry that the Feds were attempting to regulate the sale of his miniature gold statues of Alexander Hamilton. None of this was new to me though. Growing up in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Utah</st1:place></st1:state>, I’m no stranger to conspiracy theories. La <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Verkin</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Utah</st1:state></st1:place> once tried to pass a city ordinance outlawing the U.N., completely thwarting that bastard Kofi Anan’s plan to institute one world government by taking over La Verkin’s precious sheep resources. I’ve had my fill of trying to reason with these people, and normally I don’t waste much mental energy attempting to refute these things, but the 9/11 ones really bother me. As a joke, my brother sent me this film “Zeitgeist” where it explains how 9/11 was really a plot by the military industrial complex to get whatever it wanted from the U.S. Government. Think about that for one second. 9/11 was <i style="">after</i> Bush/Cheney were already elected. Let's examine why that is significant in the form of a one act play</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal">Act 1</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal">Scene 1</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">January 2, 2001. The shadowy head of the Military industrial complex enters the oval office.</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">Shadowy Head of the Military Industrial Complex:<span style=""> </span>"<em>Hey, can we have everything we’ve ever wanted</em>?"</p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span> President Cheney: <em>"Sure."</em></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal">Finis</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">What bothers me <span style=""> </span>about this stuff isn’t how flawed their arguments are, it’s that so much time and energy goes into exposing the non-existence crime of the "9/11 cover up" when we had an actual documented conspiracy to start a war in Iraq, and no one has been held accountable for it. <span style=""> </span>To justify it’s chosen invasion of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the government, lied to us, spied on us, manufactured evidence, broke the law, and tortured American citizens. All of this has been openly admitted, or is supported by mountains of evidence. Where’s the conspiracy love? Why can’t <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> get some crazy theory action?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have a hypothesis as to why this is. <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> proves just how unbelievably difficult an actual conspiracy is. Here you did have supremely powerful forces. They had a specific plan to remake the entire Middle East. They were willing and able to break any and all laws to achieve their plan. They were willing to lie to the media, the military, and the American people to justify and drum up support for their plan. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">And what happened? It blew up in their face.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Reality interceded. The most powerful nation on earth was brought to its knees by 14 year olds with I.E.D.s </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">What the <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place> debacle proves is how chaotic and uncontrollable the world truly is. But that is exactly what conspiracy theorists don’t want to hear. That’s odd thing about them: they <i style="">want</i> the world to be controlled by dark and sinister forces. They want to be assured that everything is always planned, even if the plan is a diabolical one. That belief does two things: it both explains and excuses their own powerlessness, and it prevents them from having to confront what they really fear. Not that an evil cabal is running the world, but that maybe no one is. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">That’s the truth that’s really terrifying.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-48098289610682747472007-06-27T07:33:00.000-05:002007-06-27T14:34:18.160-05:00"See Dick Run"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3qrEW1T2fkxecFyqHMg0fefTV5nssLBFFzQj-n29cSXb0JIMGJOs0TGnyg3cVHwvSubvvWRMT_E1WSTbOivLYUEABX4JQw4-iQxX9SSEFrAanXssOm72NzAq8-LNaNWQ96__bfkA4v6F/s1600-h/SeeDickRun.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3qrEW1T2fkxecFyqHMg0fefTV5nssLBFFzQj-n29cSXb0JIMGJOs0TGnyg3cVHwvSubvvWRMT_E1WSTbOivLYUEABX4JQw4-iQxX9SSEFrAanXssOm72NzAq8-LNaNWQ96__bfkA4v6F/s320/SeeDickRun.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080825782211556402" border="0" /></a><br />He's neither here nor there. Depending on his mood, he is both in and not in his undisclosed location. He has no formal power, yet he's been running our government for six years. Our primitive journalistic techniques will never be able to precisely locate where the fuck he is in our system of government. He is the unstable particle of a radioactively decaying Presidency.<br /><br />He is: Dick Cheney: Quantum Douche Bag.<br /><br />Yes, Dick Cheney claims he exists in some metaphysical constitutional limbo. He claims to be neither within the legislative nor executive branch - but a governmental entity unto himself. He is a shadow, a vapor, a fog enveloping the Constitution in darkness, unknowable, untraceable, and unaccountable.<br /><br />Essentially, he has anointed himself, the fourth branch of government. This theory has been laughed off as ridiculously absurd by most of the mainstream media (What is he, part of the legislexecutive branch? Does he think that we are all five years old?) Unfortunately, this turn of events is not quite as funny as it should be. It serves to highlight the tragicomedy we are all living through in America where Cheney's other equally laughable claims—that the President is above the law, that secrecy equals democracy, that patriotism requires only silent obedience—have been treated far too seriously by the U.S. press.<br /><br />The fact that we even debated (much less implemented) the deranged theories of this cruel, paranoid, dishonest sociopath will stain our nation for a long time to come. But like a rabid dog stuck in a corner, Dick is scared. Whatever fucking position this Evil Emperor claims he occupies in the U.S. government is going to end very soon, and with it whatever claims of immunity he has - no matter how ridiculous.<br /><br />You see, Dick has been a bad, bad boy. He is the heart of darkness within this administration, and he knows the time of reckoning for his sins is near. How to get out of that trap? Simple - see Dick shred evidence. Cheney's actions aren't crazy. They're all too sane, and all too familiar. He will lie, cheat, and stonewall, like he's always done, and count on everyone to back off, as they always have.<br /><br />We must not let that happen. All of his dark secrets must come to light. It will be unpleasant, shining a flashlight on a roach motel always is - but if this country our ever going to recover from Cheneyism, we must know exactly how we turned to the dark side. Darth Cheney's story must be told, even if it means siting through the Democrats doing their best impersonation of Jar Jar Binks.<em></em>Ginny Tonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01842289433637113347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-35164163977790848532007-06-13T23:46:00.000-05:002007-06-14T13:08:02.236-05:00No Confidence in Current EventsOkay, I knew that this week was going to suck after suffering through <a href="http://cgi.doonesbury.com/cgi-bin/view_poll.cgi">"The Sopranos" series finale </a>on HBO Sunday night. <br />Not only was that episode totally bogus but I've had the very unpleasant side effect of that stupid Journey song being stuck in my head ALL WEEK LONG! David Chase is not a genius, just another sadistic asshole like our President, accountable to no one. <br />Then, on Monday the much anticipated Gonzales "No confidence" vote goes down in flames, and <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2168318/nav/tap3/">Gonzo lives </a>to fuck up another day. Tuesday revealed that Hilary is polling ahead among single women and young women - the two demographics LEAST likely to actually vote in any election. <br />On Wednesday, the Middle East was back in flames with the destruction of a revere red Shiite mosque in Baghdad. I ran a 5k, suffered through corporate consultants subjecting our entire office to "productivity personality tests," got a parking ticket, picked a fight with an evangelical Mother over school vouchers, and forgot to pay my water bill. By Thursday morning things were looking a little brighter with <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19221441/">Scooter Libby </a>actually going to jail (at least until the pardon) Paris Hilton is still in jail, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19209733/"> and Bush's approval ratings </a>sticking at an all-time low. Can't wait for tomorrow's document dump! We could end the week on a high note after all.Ginny Tonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01842289433637113347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-85433200242593591972007-06-08T12:11:00.000-05:002007-06-08T14:21:02.389-05:00Celebrities are Criminals too!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDAOtpunMpnuJNozBomeXMK3_sxtiaJ1vHn6hRTytLgylRzinK0D8BpXZl5fFYRrxUsQsly4iU_AbPG10DxHBnbkpailk0lF-Qr1jdh-UGrEUOaBiHpPMIoS8psOXjbz9MzToZ4-toe1t/s1600-h/c8e70dcc-236b-40d7-9a94-6dca5d729263.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDAOtpunMpnuJNozBomeXMK3_sxtiaJ1vHn6hRTytLgylRzinK0D8BpXZl5fFYRrxUsQsly4iU_AbPG10DxHBnbkpailk0lF-Qr1jdh-UGrEUOaBiHpPMIoS8psOXjbz9MzToZ4-toe1t/s320/c8e70dcc-236b-40d7-9a94-6dca5d729263.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073744840927907746" /></a><br />Not since O.J.'s fateful ride in the White Bronco has our pathetic "mainstream" media been collectively drooling at the prospect of non-stop coverage of a celebrity perp walk. Even CNN International has apparently decided to drop the facade that they still cover serious News, and resume live coverage of the order of Paris Hilton back to jail; or rather Judge Michael T. Sauer's <em>attempt</em> to order Paris back to jail, since we all know by now that rich blondes can't <em>really </em>be expected to actually sit in jail for breaking LAWS that apply only to mere mortals.Ginny Tonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01842289433637113347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-46060329899348812512007-05-30T10:56:00.000-05:002007-05-30T12:00:57.865-05:00And Marx is calling for offsides!This doesn't have anything to do with anything and there's probably only about twenty other people in the world with the right combination of nerdiness to think this is funny, but what the hell.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xrShK-NVMIU"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xrShK-NVMIU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-16620338009842203612007-05-24T14:45:00.000-05:002007-05-24T16:14:23.329-05:00Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.videodetective.com/photos/402/016925_24.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.videodetective.com/photos/402/016925_24.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />They blinked. I guess we shouldn't be surprised. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99UYVaW39yY">Blinking</a> is what they do best. The Democratic congress just ended their Mexican stand off with President Bush over the war funding bill. They backed down even though Bush was holding a toy water pistol and they were holding a .357 Magnum. Unbelievable. It takes a special kind of jelly fish to not to take a stand that is morally correct, strategically critical, and politically popular. It s a catastrophic failure of the very first order.<br /><br />Congratulations Harry Reid! After months of acting tough, you've revealed your self as the eunuch you are. We needed Churchill and you gave us Tom Daschle II: The Quickening. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Apparently Democrats can't even remember five years ago. Remember Dasch's brilliant strategy of caving in to the President on the war and then hitting on him hard on domestic issues? Remember how that turned out? Apparently Reid and Pelosi don't.<br /><br />Trading little victories for a big loss results in guess what? A big loss. That's all that anyone will take away from this sorry episode. You can't ignore the eight hundred pound gorilla in the room and expect everyone to be happy that you got a new puppy, no matter how cute it is. As always, Kieith Olberman says it all better than we ever could.<br /><br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YENEKDtxmRE"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YENEKDtxmRE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object>Bush is a bully. He always has been. He always will be. The only way to deal with a bully is to hit him back. Hard. Not pretend to hit him. Not talk about hitting him. Jesus Christ Harry, the whole school is in your corner cheering you on and the principal just gave you a pair of brass knuckles. HIT THE FUCKER!<br /><br />Well if they won't hit somebody I will. I will hit them. Call your Rep. Call Harry. Call Nancy. This was the existential moment for this congress. They failed. Make sure they know that.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-60912930512077851912007-05-09T20:15:00.000-05:002007-05-10T12:07:39.567-05:00Plan "Mitt" from Outer Space<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ukvPf3t9VwrMZNW6JY1r7tmdGWamwjPAAZfTHT5JsOhZQDhNtVzdGXQ_DqsHIA2aq8y_w8C9oZVGB65B1U1WoM5LWzzuJk4pyUcfn12QOXMS4nhI70JimTzmEkYw9urpgutnFgvl3XE/s1600-h/political2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ukvPf3t9VwrMZNW6JY1r7tmdGWamwjPAAZfTHT5JsOhZQDhNtVzdGXQ_DqsHIA2aq8y_w8C9oZVGB65B1U1WoM5LWzzuJk4pyUcfn12QOXMS4nhI70JimTzmEkYw9urpgutnFgvl3XE/s400/political2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062952070418302482" border="0" /></a><br />Mitt Romney has pulled ahead of John McCain in the ever tightening race for “who can make the most bizarre boneheaded statements in a single primary campaign.”<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Mitt’s been trying his best but, clearly had a steep hill to climb after McCain decided to turn nuclear war in the mid-east into his own private <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6eVMkd9GHQ">Broadway musical</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Romney’s no quitter though. He may have just fired the most impressive salvo yet in the Republican war of “anything you can do I can do dumber.” When a reporter recently asked what was his favorite novel of all time, the wannabee Republican nominee answered "Battlefield Earth" by L. Ron Hubbard.<br /><br />Yep, you heard right the Mormon candidate's favorite work of fiction is - the Scientologist's Bible. Just when you are trying to convince middle America that you are NOT a member of a wacky religious cult you admit that you love<br />literature written by - the controversial founder of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s wackiest religious cult. And as a bonus, you have now forever associated yourself with Tom Cruise and John Travolta in gold dread locks. Nice! Nothing says “Presidential” like dreadlocks and nose rings.<br /><br />I guess when your name is synonymous with a baseball glove your lack of dazzling intellect is bound to catch up with you. However, Romney has inspired us here at <strong>Project M</strong>. Who is wackier? Scientology? Mormonism? It’s a battle we feel obligated to resolve.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> deserves nothing less. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tune in next week for the stunning conclusion.</p>Ginny Tonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01842289433637113347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-45343456224945316822007-05-01T09:46:00.000-05:002007-05-01T10:05:25.389-05:00Mormons: Raw and Uncensored<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/232/479889730_0a99e8bcb6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/232/479889730_0a99e8bcb6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The two part <a href="http://www.pbs.org/mormons/">Frontline </a>episode actually began last night but I was busy watching the Jazz lose to the Rockets . I'll be watching both halves later this week, but I'm a little sceptical. Frontline normally does great work, but I have a feeling this is going to be a bit of a puff piece. We'll see if they have the guts to mention cool stuff like <a href="http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/handshake.htm">secret handshakes</a> and <a href="http://www.mormon-underwear.com/">magic underwear</a>, as well as not so cool stuff like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hofmann">Mark Hoffman</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_massacre">Mountain Meadows Massacre</a>.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-55525588609608296102007-04-30T12:36:00.000-05:002007-04-30T23:32:30.428-05:00George Tenet Exposes Himself<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.warningsigns.info/images/raincoat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 152px; height: 221px;" src="http://www.warningsigns.info/images/raincoat.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />George Tenet’s half-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">assed</span> <a href="http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/04/29/george-tenet-breaks-his-silence/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mea</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">culpa</span></a> comes a day late and a dollar short. I really hope nobody rewards this spaghetti-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">spined</span> enabler by buying his book of completely yawn worthy revelations. Bush was hell bent on war with <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>? No! You don’t say! Bush fixed the intelligence to justify the invasion? Stunning. Only the <a href="http://www.democrats.com/bush-lied-polls">majority of American’s</a> have figured that out by now. And really, thanks for sharing all this now instead of when you were running the CIA in the build up to war and could’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ve</span> actually done something about it. Sorry George, history will be kicking your pathetic ass to the same gutter of disgrace as the rest of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">neo</span>-cons. Confessing to 60 Minutes <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ain</span>’t gonna change that. <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">However, Tenet’s book is extremely revealing in a completely unintended way. Not about the war, but about the media. What makes his “expose” utterly redundant is a far more important <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Whitehouse</span> official has admitted repeatedly that the President lied in the build up to the war. That man? Why none other than George W. himself. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Bush has stated repeatedly that “<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2005/12/15/wmd-irrelevant/">knowing everything he knows now</a>” he would still have invaded <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>. He’s said it many times to many different journalists. Yet not one ever asks the obvious and critical follow up question: “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Doesn</span>’t that mean you lied to the American people prior to the war?” Bush consistently asserted before the invasion that <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030308-1.html">war</a> was <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/08/1034061206821.html">not inevitable</a>. He promised if Saddam would just disarm then he <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">wouldn</span>’t need to live out his oedipal complex by one-upping daddy. Of course “what we know now” is when Bush was pointing to the escape hatch of disarmament, Saddam was completely, utterly armless.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">What Bush says now is that there never was an escape hatch. I’m no “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">logictian</span>” but it seems that Bush was either lying then or he’s lying now. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Hmmm</span>…the President publicly admitting to lying; that sounds vaguely important. Possibly even a “story” that would interest a “journalist” since the “war” has turned into a “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">clusterfuck</span> of horror” and the “stupidest decision in human history.” But the media, like W, are in their own little bubble where 9/11 apparently gave our fearless leader a coupon book of full of free passes for corruption, incompetence, and law breaking. Jack <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Murtha</span> mentioned impeachment on <a href="http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/04/29/murtha-uses-the-i-word/">Face the Nation</a> and Bob <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Schieffer</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">couldn</span>’t have been more horrified had <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Murtha</span> started masturbating live on camera. “What? Impeach the President? Just because he’s a dangerously incompetent moron who’s committed at least eight impeachable offensives? Are you crazy? He <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">hasn</span>’t even used his two-for-one assassination voucher yet!”</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-5827715301140716522007-04-27T10:15:00.000-05:002007-04-27T11:06:58.675-05:00Satan Also Against a Flat Tax.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.southparkx.net/gallery/data/media/2/satan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.southparkx.net/gallery/data/media/2/satan.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sometimes I wonder if I have it in me to update this site with enough humor and wit to keep y'all coming back. It is a real challenge with a full time job and Ginny out of town for two weeks. Thank God for my homeboys in Utah; they always come through in the clutch. I could spend a month on a post and not come up with something this <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5756635">funny</a>.<br /><br />Thanks guys, I couldn't do this without you.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-70339451355287429812007-04-23T19:55:00.000-05:002007-04-24T14:17:24.807-05:00The Douche Bag Responds<span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:12;" >I received an email from the one and only Dinesh D'souza in response to yesterday's post.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYNQipAP162Apuj8uhAFwJ5eHUhZyHDO49QAIwWkolYuz6a2yoDxqrDJVJi8JFKV-nM6vTPEd_YJ36ZSjqdjt7LKqDsWkOsE7HXMSFOs7GuYfb_D56LpgNG0qlyXTYO_uOJnhiPn-Abg/s1600-h/Untitled-1+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 413px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYNQipAP162Apuj8uhAFwJ5eHUhZyHDO49QAIwWkolYuz6a2yoDxqrDJVJi8JFKV-nM6vTPEd_YJ36ZSjqdjt7LKqDsWkOsE7HXMSFOs7GuYfb_D56LpgNG0qlyXTYO_uOJnhiPn-Abg/s400/Untitled-1+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056809930267885730" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:12;" >I admit it, Dinesh: you got me. My post wasn't exactly logical. I sacrificed cogent reasoning and took analytical short cuts in my quest for humor. Hell, that wasn't really even the ontological argument. But here's the thing, Dinesh: It was funny. And the strange thing is, your stuff is also chock full of logical errors, poor reasoning and deliberately dishonest arguments. I can only assume that you, like me, aren't really serious. The problem is, Dinesh -- and I hate to be the one to break this to you – you’re not funny.<br /><br />But take heart, friend. Maybe there's an opening at the <a href="http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/03/05/half-hour-news-hour-still-waiting-for-the-funny/" target="_blank">Half Hour News Hour</a> for you. I'm almost positive that being funny is a not a requirement for employment there.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><span style=""></span></div> <div> </div>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-89893079038444850872007-04-22T23:01:00.000-05:002007-04-24T00:21:57.127-05:00Dinesh D’Souza: Ontological Douche Bag.<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Never one to pass up the chance to exploit a national tragedy for his own twisted agenda, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Dinesh</span> D’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Souza</span>’s latest <a href="http://newsbloggers.aol.com/2007/04/18/where-is-atheism-when-bad-things-happen/">diatribe</a> lambastes atheists for being unable to find meaning in the Virginia Tech shootings. He says atheists simply can’t explain that level of ghastly horror.<span style=""> </span>Well, I’m going to take him up on his challenge by examining a source of awfulness a little closer to home: The douche bag that is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Dinesh</span> D’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Souza</span>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Impossible you say, there is no way to find meaning in D’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Souza</span>’s contemptible <a href="http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/01/17/colbert-nails-dinesh-dsouza/">shtick</a>. Damn it, this is an important experiment, just hear me out.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">You see, I have a theory that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Dinesh</span>’s mind bogglingly repulsive behavior is actually part of a heroic plan to sacrifice his own human decency to prove the existence of God through his version of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontological_argument">ontological argument</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">As far as I can tell the argument goes something like this:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Premise 1. I can imagine the most perfectly reprehensible vindictive douche bag there is. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Premise 2. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Dinesh</span> D’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Souza</span> actually is the most perfectly reprehensible vindictive douche bag that it is possible to imagine.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Premise 3. Only a perfect creator could create such a perfect douche bag.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Premise 4. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Dinesh</span> D’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Souza</span> exists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Conclusion: God must therefore exist because of the utter perfection of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Dinesh</span> D’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Souza</span>’s douche <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">baggery</span>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Sadly, the ontological argument actually <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">doesn</span>’t prove anything other than the contents of one’s own mind, so the only thing D’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Souza</span> ends up proving is that, in his mind, God is as big a douche bag as he is. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span></p>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-86268829390562861202007-04-19T16:02:00.000-05:002007-04-24T00:23:34.586-05:00The Amazing Powers of Alberto the GreatThe Senate Judiciary Committee's grilling of Alberto Gonzales provided fascinating insight into what the Attorney General believes his job as Attorney General actually entails. We at <strong>Project M </strong>learned a lot about what is included among the many duties of our country's top law enforcement official. Bucky and I managed to compile the following:<br /><br /><strong>Included</strong>: Delegation - the only skill you'll ever need<br /><br />Once you get to be Attorney General, you are the top dog. You needn’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff. From now on, all major decisions can be made by your staff. You need not have any knowledge of the decisions they make, the process behind those decisions, nor why there is even a need for the decisions in the first place.<br /><br /><strong>Not Included</strong>: Having a Clue<br /><br />No need to sweat when your Chief of Staff contradicts you under oath, you are far too clever to panic! The firing of the U.S. attorneys was a "plan you never liked" kind of like Dr. Evil's quest for sharks with laser beams on their heads. Don't these imbeciles at the Senate understand the burden of proof for your incompetence is in their hands? Your hands were tied. You were absolutely compelled to execute a "bad plan" from unknown decision makers you do not recall; you're only the Attorney General, it's not like you could just make the decision yourself.<br /><br /><strong>Included:</strong> Early On-set Alzheimer's Disease<br /><br />The lack of any recall faculty is an asset by which you can claim not remember meetings documented by your schedule, articles you wrote, statements you made, press conferences you held, whether or not your shoes are untied, your mother's maiden name, or the very definition of the duties of the Justice Department. The Department that you are apparently leading without your knowledge.<br /><br /><strong>Included:</strong> Poof! Magic!<br /><br />At the Justice Department, decisions are made by a combination of divine intervention and Scooby Doo criminal chicanery. In Gonzo world, purge lists aren’t made by “people.” They simply appear, wholly assembled, out of thin air and are passed down to phantom administrative minions for implementation without anyone knowing why, while Karl Rove runs around in the background, dressed in a pterodactyl outfit, making spooky noises and frantically deleting e-mails. And they woulda gotten away with it too- if it wasn't for you meddling <a href="http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A46876">Bloggers</a>!<br /><br /><br /><strong>Included: </strong>Non-Verbal Communication with Other Humans<br /><br />Once you reach <a href="http://www.xenu.net/archive/ot/">Operating Thetan</a> Level: AG, you no longer need to audibly converse with other beings. Gonzales repeatedly expressed "shock and awe" at the revelation that U.S. Attorney Carol Lam felt <a href="http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003064.php">blindsided</a> by her firing after all independent accounts verified her superior performance as U.S. Attorney representing San Diego.<br /><br />Sure, Gonzales never spoke directly to her, nor did anyone in the Justice Department mention to her the “immigration” cases that supposedly warranted her dismissal. Gonzo simply used the awesome power of his mind to feel <a href="http://www.jritson.demon.co.uk/bodythetan/engrams.htm">engrams</a> of disapproval at Ms. Lam. Sadly it seems only Sen. Orrin Hatch’s mind was receptive enough to “receive” Mr. Gonzales telepathic powers.<br /><br /><strong> Not Included: </strong> Vulcan Mind Meld<br /><br />Ms. Lam is not the only one immune the great Gonzo’s mental abilities. He has all the answers up there in his noggin but can’t impart that knowledge directly to Senators unless their name rhymes with "snorin". Instead he must use the outdated technology of “words” to communicate. He knows why he did what he did even if he can’t, at this moment, find in his mind where those reasons might be, for actions he doesn’t recall doing. And he would have done things differently, if he did things, since whatever he did he can't recall, but he knows that it wasn't improper, and he'd still like to get to the bottom of that thing he didn't do. “Words” are woefully inadequate to make sense of that. If only Spock were here.<br /><br /><strong> Not Included:</strong> The Unyielding Support of "The Decider"<br /><br />While you frantically gasp for air during your testimony to the mean busybodies of the Senate, the Decider crawled out of his bubble long enough to express his unwavering support. That's a Heckuva Kiss of Death. Will 'Berto keep his job? Well, as the great Rummsfeld once said "there are known unknowns that are unknowable knowns." Like the Donald before you, you are the only man for the job. Until you’re not. Loyalty is a one way street Fredo. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.Ginny Tonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01842289433637113347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-33964978700550217962007-04-16T23:03:00.000-05:002007-04-24T00:24:42.896-05:00Just in case you aren't feeling bad enough<p class="MsoNormal">Like everyone I was stunned and horrified by the shooting at Virginia Tech yesterday. My deepest sympathies go out to all the families. I do have some strong feelings on many of the issues involved, and I will try to post once we know more about what happened and I've had time to collect my thoughts. However, Juan Cole made an excellent point on The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Newshour</span></span></span> with Jim <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Lehrer</span></span> last night that urgently needs repeating. We as a nation are rightly sickened by the shocking, brutal, and pointless deaths to a degree where most us probably can't even really get our head around the scope of the tragedy.<br /><br />But as the professor rightly pointed out, horror on this scale happens everyday in <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place>. Every day. Sometimes more than once. See if that thought doesn't shut down your neural fibers. So the next time someone babbles on about the progress being made in Iraq, democracy being "messy", or the “good news" that is being ignored, think back on how you felt yesterday, think about how the whole country ground to a halt with grief and fear. Now imagine how you would feel if senseless, violent death of this magnitude happened in your city, every day, for years, with no end in sight, and feel free to punch that person in the face.</p>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896136229474629145.post-91039221174903288632007-04-15T23:46:00.000-05:002007-04-24T00:25:41.462-05:00Why Mormons Matter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.mikeditkastreetcrew.com/images/mormons.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.mikeditkastreetcrew.com/images/mormons.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Utah</st1:place></st1:state> is a very odd place, and lately its oddness has been standing out in a particular way: as a bell weather for the Bush Presidency. Last weeks naughty language inspired revolt at BYU aside, <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Utah</st1:place></st1:state> is still one of the last strongholds of support for President Bush. This has allowed the media to portray Utahans as unusually conservative, ignorant, or even stupid and the local populace hasn’t exactly helped with quotes like <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/washington/04believers.html?ex=1307073600&en=64d55b395455ad9f&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss">these</a>. But that is a very shallow understanding of the culture. The real root of the matter is a reverence for authority that emanates directly from the structure of the Mormon Church, and is so deeply engrained it <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Utah</st1:place></st1:state> society it permeates everything from politics to basketball. <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Every religion thinks God is on their side, but virtually all must rely on ancient texts God gave to someone else long ago to figure out exactly what he was saying. The problem of course, is someone else’s words are always open to interpretation; especially if that person is um…dead. Because their sources are “existentially challenged”, when most religious leaders claim the will of God, they have to reference it, explain it, justify it. <i style="">Argue</i> over it. This can’t help but create a culture with at least a minimum tolerance for debate. Hell, even Osama Bin Laden has to site passages in the Koran</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Not so the Mormons. Their founder Joseph Smith was a pretty smart dude. When you start a religion it’s always handy to give yourself a direct line to God. In fact, face time with Yahweh proved so much fun, he let other people in his flock take out the power for a test drive. That quickly proved a bad idea as God developed an unfortunate habit of saying different things to different people and much squabbling ensued. So Joseph took his God phone back, and ever since then it’s been the exclusive property of the current Prophet of the Mormon Church. Joe never made a smarter decision. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Seriously, can you imagine a better trump card? It’s the ultimate in dispute resolution. Can’t decide whose turn it is to take out the trash? “Hold on, let me call God…he says vacuuming the rug doesn’t count, it’s still totally your turn.” Game, set, match. God has literally spoken: you lose. Thank you for playing. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>How many other religions give the exclusive right to talk to God to one <i style="">living</i> being? The Pope? That’s really it. And the Catholic Church is simply too large, diverse, and bureaucratically unwieldy for the power to be truly effective. The Mormons however, are just small enough to move as a single organism and their uber centralized structure has allowed them to pivot on a theological dime in ways that are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy#Mormonism">truly</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacks_and_Mormonism#Blacks_and_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints">impressive</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>I ended up smashing head first into this anti-analysis brick wall during my own “coming out” story. I was fourteen years old and just beginning to realize that I knew everything. I proudly expressed my ever so impressive theological doubts to my Mormon Bishop, arguments that I had passionately believed in for at least ten minutes. His response? “I don’t think it’s your place to question the Prophet”. That was it. Not “You are sorely mistaken for reasons, x, y, and z.” No theological shoot out at the O.K. Corral in which my finely honed rhetorical bullets would win the day. Turned out my sin of apostasy was pretty meager in comparison to my sin of thinking the subject was up for debate in the first place. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>But look at the situation from his point of view. What’s the use of even discussing a controversy when we have a direct conduit to the big guy? Why argue about what is right and wrong when we’ve already have the answer, the Ultimate Answer. What purpose could debate possibly serve? Mormons aren’t particularly dumb or ignorant, but they have been taught from a very young age that critical thought is something that is simply unnecessary in certain situations. Mormons can be brilliantly analytical in many areas of life, but some subjects are simply walled off in their brains.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>This sanctification of not questioning authority has been hugely influential on Mormon (and thus <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Utah</st1:place></st1:state>) culture. <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Utah</st1:place></st1:state> has always been the most fertile ground for <a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_9_33/ai_78682188/pg_6">pyramid schemes</a> in the nation. The local basketball coach can make personnel decisions so inexplicably bizarre they’ve actually earned there own <a href="http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=10711196&sid=4311d3126eb8994e60649451d23eee98">nickname</a> from national sports writers. But no local reporter has even written a single story on the subject over the entire season. In any other market, it would be an on going saga endlessly quibbled over in the media, but in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Utah</st1:place></st1:state>, the coach is THE COACH, and so whatever he’s doing must be the right decision. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>So despite my heckling of them last week, the BYU students protesting Dick Cheney may well have produced a watershed moment. When the most authoritarian presidency in history can no longer count on the most authoritarian community in the nation for unconditional support, the jig may well and truly be up. After all, if the Mormons are starting to doubt you, you must have done some <i style="">serious</i> bullshitting.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p> </o:p></p>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13202126961958932200noreply@blogger.com0