The GOP VP Pick: Ooo-La-La

Difference Between The 2 Parties? One Is Quicker To The Knees

For those of you who still can’t grasp the real issue and why I believe Ralph Nader is the far better candidate, listen to Ralph explain the difference between the two parties and what his ticket would do to bring real CHANGE:

All Is Well At Last

Bruce Gagnon did it again at Organizing Notes.

I explained to a friend this morning that what happened last night was basically Obama showing the world that he is a fan of America’s Empire and has no purpose set to minimize the over-spending or any real means of bring respect back to America. he is missing the biggest issue facing us today and I don’t believe for a second that it is over-sight.

If you believe that our Military needs more, that we need to add anything, whatsoever, in funding or personnel, you haven’t a clue what is really driving the problems of this country.

Bruce lays it out perfectly for me. Read and understand:

I watched the Obama speech last night with three other people. Our consensus was that it was a corporate funded display of nationalism and militarism. One housemate remarked that Obama never once talked about our place in the world in a real and holistic way.

The first thing I noticed when Obama approached the podium was that he was wearing the controversial flag pin. Everyone in our small group kept asking, “What is that stage set supposed to be?” Throughout the speech this question kept emerging. I kept responding that it was designed by Hollywood with some purpose in mind, but I could not “pin” it down.

Obama started with the domestic issues. He mentioned in passing that he supported nuclear power and that everyone who does not have health care today (that would be me) would be getting “the same health care that Congress has.” I can see the long lines now at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington as those of us without health coverage stand at the locked doors saying, “Mr. Obama sent me.”

Obama went on to his foreign policy track and mentioned the obligatory opposition to the war in Iraq and then of course said that he had “Argued for more resources and troops to finish the fight” in Afghanistan. Finish the fight or expand the fight into Pakistan? Small detail – no need to worry.

Obama also said he would “Rebuild our military to meet future conflicts.” Just how much will that task cost us at a time when our nation is busted?

He took a rightward turn down the street called nationalism by declaring, “I got news for you John McCain, we all put America first. Our universities and culture are the envy of the world….We must always march ahead…..and never turn back.” Wild cheers, just what are those convention delegates and guests thinking?

I have a confession. Watching the cheering crowd, waving their flags, some crying as they listen to Obama, my mind flashes to Hitler’s famous speeches before flag waving and cheering hoards. There Hitler told the masses that they were god’s chosen people. They were destined to liberate the world to bring them peace and prosperity – or as it is explained these days – freedom. When you are an American it is hard to see this similarity but if you can allow yourself to emotionally detach then you see that despite a few cultural differences, the end result is the same misplaced nationalistic frenzy. How else can you explain that self described “liberals” would cheer the declaration that we are going to send more troops and more military hardware to Afghanistan knowing that just this past week the U.S. military had killed 90 civilians, 50 of them children? “Yes, give me more,” they seem to cry to Obama! No reflection allowed, this is a corporate coronation, and you my dear citizen, are a willing victim.

As Obama concluded, a country western song rang out over the stadium sound system with a chorus that went, “Only in America.” Yes, I thought, only in America would we find such a corporate funded extravaganza of lights, fireworks, paper streamers, music, flags, color, totally scripted and choreographed. Even the ties of Biden and Obama were planned – Obama with red tie and Biden with blue. Bridging the red state-blue state divide I am sure. Nothing left to chance.

At the end the families of the two conquering candidates came onto the stage for hugs, kisses, and waves and then they moved toward the back of the stage and entered the subtly lit doorway that had a vague familiarity. Then it dawned on me.

The stage set was designed to remind one of the White House – the huge stone pillars of power on each end and in the center what appeared to be the Rose Garden where the president often holds news conferences. And after each news conference is over the president, and his guests, always move behind them to enter the French doors back into the halls of power.

The set was designed to emotionally connect us with the notion that Obama-Biden do indeed fit in the White House, and in our hearts and minds, are already there. They have attained the crest of the mountain. Peace and prosperity are restored in the land.

We can now return to life as normal. All is well at last.

Take A Crap… Lose Your Seat… The Hard Way

The Police State never ends, does it? I truly believe that down here (the deep south) that the police are much more attuned to hiring brawn over brains. Hire some big country asshole for hardly any money, who barely can spell his name and give him a gun and tell him how important and powerful he is… a recipe for disaster.

But it ain’t just the redneck rent-a-cops that act as if they have the brain the size of a hummingbird. Apparently, this is the recipe the entire country is cooking.

Jonathon Turley has another example of the Police State gone awry:

Potty Patriotism: Atheist Thrown Out of Yankee Stadium for Trying to Go to Bathroom During the Singing of God Bless America

A rather fluid first amendment controversy is brewing over police conduct at the Yankee stadium. Fan Brad Campeau-Laurion says that when he tried to go to the bathroom during the singing of “God Bless America,” he was roughed up a bit and then thrown out of the stadium. It appears that this has been a long complaint by fans over a sing-or-get-out policy by George Steinbrenner.

Campeau-Laurion recounts an encounter during the seventh inning stretch in the Yankees-Red Sox game. “God Bless America” was playing when nature called. An officer allegedly told him, however, that he could not leave even on such an urgent matter because he had to sing or at least listen to the song. When Campeau-Laurion said that he didn’t care about “God Bless America” right now, the officer allegedly twisted his arm behind him and eventually with the help of another officer tossed him out.

Here is his account:

As I attempted to walk down the aisle and exit my section into the tunnel, I was stopped by a police officer. He informed me that I had to wait until the song was over. I responded that I had to use the restroom and that I did not care about God Bless America.
“As soon as the latter came out of my mouth, my right arm was twisted violently behind my back and I was informed that I was being escorted out of the stadium. A second officer then joined in and twisted my left arm, also in an excessively forceful manner, behind my back. I informed them they were violating my First Amendment rights and that I had done nothing wrong, with no response from them.

“I was sitting in the Tier Level, and of course this is the highest level of the stadium and I was escorted in this painful manner down the entire length of the stadium. About halfway down, I informed them that they were hurting me, repeated that I had done nothing wrong, and that I was not resisting nor talking back to them. One of them said something to the effect that if I continued to speak, he would find a way to hurt me more.

“When we reached the exit of the stadium, they confiscated my ticket and the first officer shoved me through the turnstiles, saying ‘Get the hell out of my country if you don’t like it.’”

This would appear facially ridiculous except for the fact that others have apparently objected to the same policy and treatment. The subject is an atheist who, for obvious reasons, is not a fan of the song.

The New York Times wrote about the policy which Steinbrenner said was the result of citizens complaining that people were moving about during the singing of “God Bless America, here. The security guards are off-duty police officers.

Of course for an atheist at the limit of his bladder, singing about “To the oceans, white with foam” can be excruciating. It does present in interesting legal issue. While these are police officer, they are off-duty. This is, therefore, a private action and not governmental action under the first amendment. Without state action, the constitutional question is difficult to raise. There remains tort and statutory options, however.

For more on the story, click here.

Cindy McCain’s Half Sister: I’m Voting for Barack Obama

My friend, Blog Queen, at Sagacious Rambling has an interesting post up this morning explaining that US Magazine has an article with some very interesting news about Cindy McCain’s half sister voting for Obama:

Cindy McCain’s half sister is planning on voting for Barack Obama, she tells Usmagazine.com.

“I’m not voting for McCain,” Kathleen Hensley Portalski tells Us. “I have a different political standpoint.

“I’m voting for Obama,” the Phoenix resident says. “I think his proposals to improve the country are more positive and I’m not a big war believer.”

Read more at UsMagazine.com….

Freaky Sex Friday: Bear Lap Dances

Orangina Naturally Juicy French version

Bouncing furry breasts, pole-dancers, sexy music, ass-slapping, exploding bottles and much more. Only in France.