Posts
This guy is...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081015/ap_on_re_us/king_confidant_charged;_ylt=Aql2Lvd6Ez90vbbPMafFHdxvzwcF
Read the whole article for yourself. It's bizarre. I'll touch on some highlights.
James L. Bevel was once a top man for Martin Luther King Jr. He organized the Children's Crusade in Alabama back in the 60's. The nationwide reaction to seeing children beaten, sprayed with fire hoses, and attacked by police dogs led to a lot of pressure being applied to pass the Civil Rights legislation. The guy's a hero.
Oh... wait. He fucks his daughters.
Bevel evidently parents under the notion that it's his fatherly duty to 'sexually-orient' his children. Yeah, it'd be a shame if they grew up to be lesbians. Nothing like a little dad-rape to get your head in the right place sexually.
Bevel was defiant when asked about apologizing. Hey, if you've been doing the sex with your daughters for decades, you're dying of cancer, and you've just been sentenced to 15 years in the joint, I can understand the 'fuck 'em all' attitude.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Voting Doesn't Make You Hero. It Makes You a Non-Prick
As I was logging into the Myspace just now, I saw one of their featured videos was Maggie Gyllenhaal imploring young people to vote. The caption said something to the effect that she wanted YOU to be a modern day hero, a status that could ostensibly be achieved by registering to vote. I thought 'Holy Ass I have got to see this.' Here's a link to the vid.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=44403943
To the actresses' credit, she never makes the assertion that voting makes you a hero. Also to her credit are the delicious sex scenes she has with Spader in 'The Secretary.'
It was the douche waffles that run the Myspace that make the outrageous claim that voting is heroic. It most certainly NOT heroic, it represents the bare minimum.
In my opinion voting ought to be mandatory. If you don't vote, you don't get the benefit of citizenship. You can't mail anything, you can't receive any government assistance, you can't even use the roads.
You may think that such a draconian policy runs counter to American traditions of democracy and freedom. To be honest, it's not much of a democracy and you're not all that free. If freedoms are limited for bad reasons, why shouldn't they be limited for a good reason? People should be forced to vote.
Not only that, but INFORMED voting should be mandatory. Citizens should be required to complete a pre-election, non partisan election primer course that covers local, state, and national issues.
It shouldn't be a choice.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=44403943
To the actresses' credit, she never makes the assertion that voting makes you a hero. Also to her credit are the delicious sex scenes she has with Spader in 'The Secretary.'
It was the douche waffles that run the Myspace that make the outrageous claim that voting is heroic. It most certainly NOT heroic, it represents the bare minimum.
In my opinion voting ought to be mandatory. If you don't vote, you don't get the benefit of citizenship. You can't mail anything, you can't receive any government assistance, you can't even use the roads.
You may think that such a draconian policy runs counter to American traditions of democracy and freedom. To be honest, it's not much of a democracy and you're not all that free. If freedoms are limited for bad reasons, why shouldn't they be limited for a good reason? People should be forced to vote.
Not only that, but INFORMED voting should be mandatory. Citizens should be required to complete a pre-election, non partisan election primer course that covers local, state, and national issues.
It shouldn't be a choice.
All This... For a Fucking Dog
WASHINGTON (AP) - A rescue group left Baghdad without a puppy
adopted by a Minnesota soldier, and blamed the U.S. military for
not clearing the animal in time for the flight out Wednesday.
The military responded that it did not hold "Ratchet" the dog
or order it to stay put at the U.S. military base.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
International says the military finally agreed to clear Ratchet to
leave the country. But that clearance came only 30 minutes before
the flight out - too late for the dog to make it.
The next rescue operation could come as soon as Sunday.
Army Sgt. Gwen Beberg, 28, of Minneapolis, who adopted Ratchet,
plans to return to the U.S. next month. More than 45,000 people
have signed an online petition urging the Army to let the puppy
come to the U.S.
This is insane.
You've got 45,000 people signing an online petition. If all those people moved to Bonesteel Souf Dakota, Bonesteel would easily become the third largest town in the state with a population of 45,250 people.
You've got a 'rescue group' flying into an ACTIVE WAR ZONE, and now planning a return trip.
All for a dog.
It's difficult to pick a place to start... Ok, say they get the dog, bring it back to the States, and hold it for Sgt. Beberg. What if she gets extended? What if something else happens? That means another homeless animal in America. Like there aren't enough of those. Why don't these people fly here and grab some of the 30 or so cats that are constantly running around Main Street?
The difference is those mangy ass cats weren't flown halfway across the world. I'm sure that if something happens there will be no problem finding a home for the dog, Ratchet, because now he's a celebrity, so to speak. This reminds me of Elian Gonzales in the 90's. You've got a cute little kid from Cuba who is photogenic and all of a sudden no one cares that he's an illegal. The same people who piss and moan about individuals who sneak into this country to 'put food on their families' thought that this kid had to be saved from the evils of his Cuban homeland. THEN the government sends and SWAT team into the house (I can only hope that this Ratchet situation wraps up in as entertaining a fashion). It was a total non story, just like this is, yet it gained traction in the media because people in America have no idea what is and what is not important.
At this point, it's unreasonable to expect anything more from the American people. The lines between 'news' and 'sensationalism' have been irreversably blurred. The millions of homeless animals in America that are put down in a year aren't news to anyone but PETA, but a tasty little story about ridiculous 'rescue operations' flying into Iraq to save one damn dog? That's front page material.
Can we get 45,000 people to sign a petition to ban corporations from shipping American jobs overseas? How about signing a petition to actually capture Osama Bin Laden? The soldier and her dog are not the point. I hope they have a very happy life together, considering the amount of effort that has gone into all of this. It's simply disturbing to consider the decisions being made by the people who control the output of information in this country.
Look, I know that all the people in Guantanamo Bay simply MUST be terrorist assholes who don't deserve fresh water to drink, let alone any semblance of personal rights. Yet, I can't help but be disturbed by the fact that people have been held for years (YEARS) and have never been charged with anything. This is rarely pointed out in the media. That, in a word, is atrocious. Something that people don't understand about this country's Bill of Rights is that it doesn't grant citizens any special protection. What it does is recognize that there are basic rights inherent to every person, and pledges that this govenrment will never interfere in those basic rights. In other words, you don't have the right to a fair and speedy trial because you are an American, you have that right because you are a human fucking being. I guess it doesn't count for brown people. That is a strong American tradition. It's the land of the free as long as you are white and believe in Jesus.
No one gives a shit, though. They want to watch CSI and dress their dogs up in little sweaters.
adopted by a Minnesota soldier, and blamed the U.S. military for
not clearing the animal in time for the flight out Wednesday.
The military responded that it did not hold "Ratchet" the dog
or order it to stay put at the U.S. military base.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
International says the military finally agreed to clear Ratchet to
leave the country. But that clearance came only 30 minutes before
the flight out - too late for the dog to make it.
The next rescue operation could come as soon as Sunday.
Army Sgt. Gwen Beberg, 28, of Minneapolis, who adopted Ratchet,
plans to return to the U.S. next month. More than 45,000 people
have signed an online petition urging the Army to let the puppy
come to the U.S.
This is insane.
You've got 45,000 people signing an online petition. If all those people moved to Bonesteel Souf Dakota, Bonesteel would easily become the third largest town in the state with a population of 45,250 people.
You've got a 'rescue group' flying into an ACTIVE WAR ZONE, and now planning a return trip.
All for a dog.
It's difficult to pick a place to start... Ok, say they get the dog, bring it back to the States, and hold it for Sgt. Beberg. What if she gets extended? What if something else happens? That means another homeless animal in America. Like there aren't enough of those. Why don't these people fly here and grab some of the 30 or so cats that are constantly running around Main Street?
The difference is those mangy ass cats weren't flown halfway across the world. I'm sure that if something happens there will be no problem finding a home for the dog, Ratchet, because now he's a celebrity, so to speak. This reminds me of Elian Gonzales in the 90's. You've got a cute little kid from Cuba who is photogenic and all of a sudden no one cares that he's an illegal. The same people who piss and moan about individuals who sneak into this country to 'put food on their families' thought that this kid had to be saved from the evils of his Cuban homeland. THEN the government sends and SWAT team into the house (I can only hope that this Ratchet situation wraps up in as entertaining a fashion). It was a total non story, just like this is, yet it gained traction in the media because people in America have no idea what is and what is not important.
At this point, it's unreasonable to expect anything more from the American people. The lines between 'news' and 'sensationalism' have been irreversably blurred. The millions of homeless animals in America that are put down in a year aren't news to anyone but PETA, but a tasty little story about ridiculous 'rescue operations' flying into Iraq to save one damn dog? That's front page material.
Can we get 45,000 people to sign a petition to ban corporations from shipping American jobs overseas? How about signing a petition to actually capture Osama Bin Laden? The soldier and her dog are not the point. I hope they have a very happy life together, considering the amount of effort that has gone into all of this. It's simply disturbing to consider the decisions being made by the people who control the output of information in this country.
Look, I know that all the people in Guantanamo Bay simply MUST be terrorist assholes who don't deserve fresh water to drink, let alone any semblance of personal rights. Yet, I can't help but be disturbed by the fact that people have been held for years (YEARS) and have never been charged with anything. This is rarely pointed out in the media. That, in a word, is atrocious. Something that people don't understand about this country's Bill of Rights is that it doesn't grant citizens any special protection. What it does is recognize that there are basic rights inherent to every person, and pledges that this govenrment will never interfere in those basic rights. In other words, you don't have the right to a fair and speedy trial because you are an American, you have that right because you are a human fucking being. I guess it doesn't count for brown people. That is a strong American tradition. It's the land of the free as long as you are white and believe in Jesus.
No one gives a shit, though. They want to watch CSI and dress their dogs up in little sweaters.
Monday, October 13, 2008
You Just Don't See Stuff Like This Outside of Iowa
OSAGE, Iowa (AP) - A Minnesota man is under arrest after
allegedly stealing a combine and taking it for drunken ride through
several yards and crashing into a garage.
Dominic Andrew Bjerke, of Leroy, Minnesota, has been charged
with first offense operating while intoxicated, third-degree
burglary, third-degree theft and criminal mischief as a Class C
felony.
According to the Mitchell County Sheriff's Office, deputies were
dispatched to a residence south of McIntire around 2:30 a.m. on
Sunday after receiving a complaint that a combine had driven
through several yards, striking numerous vehicles and a garage.
Deputies say they found the combine down the road and identified
Bjerke as the driver.
Authorities say the combine did significant damage to three
residences as well as several street signs and a bridge. Bjerke is
being held in Mitchell County Jail on a $26,000 bond.
I love this story. I can't really improve it with comment, so I'll let it stand. I'll simply say that some people know how to have a good time.
RUTLAND, S.D. (AP) - Rutland's homecoming queen was supposed to
bring in the game ball on a helicopter. But instead of landing on
the football field, the chopper went down in a corn field and
Ashley Olson wound up with a bump on her head.
Rutland Superintendent Carl Fahrenwald said the school wanted to
"have some fun with homecoming and make it a special event." A
crowd waited Friday night for the helicopter to bring Olson and the
football.
But the pilot, Brian Woldt, lost power and decided to make a
"cautionary set down" in a corn field northwest of town. He
suffered a cut to his ear and Olson's tiara cut her head.
School officials said Olson made it to the game, just a little
late and a little shaken up.
The idea of a helicopter dropping off a game ball at a high school football game is, in a word, awesome. Too bad this didn't work out.
allegedly stealing a combine and taking it for drunken ride through
several yards and crashing into a garage.
Dominic Andrew Bjerke, of Leroy, Minnesota, has been charged
with first offense operating while intoxicated, third-degree
burglary, third-degree theft and criminal mischief as a Class C
felony.
According to the Mitchell County Sheriff's Office, deputies were
dispatched to a residence south of McIntire around 2:30 a.m. on
Sunday after receiving a complaint that a combine had driven
through several yards, striking numerous vehicles and a garage.
Deputies say they found the combine down the road and identified
Bjerke as the driver.
Authorities say the combine did significant damage to three
residences as well as several street signs and a bridge. Bjerke is
being held in Mitchell County Jail on a $26,000 bond.
I love this story. I can't really improve it with comment, so I'll let it stand. I'll simply say that some people know how to have a good time.
RUTLAND, S.D. (AP) - Rutland's homecoming queen was supposed to
bring in the game ball on a helicopter. But instead of landing on
the football field, the chopper went down in a corn field and
Ashley Olson wound up with a bump on her head.
Rutland Superintendent Carl Fahrenwald said the school wanted to
"have some fun with homecoming and make it a special event." A
crowd waited Friday night for the helicopter to bring Olson and the
football.
But the pilot, Brian Woldt, lost power and decided to make a
"cautionary set down" in a corn field northwest of town. He
suffered a cut to his ear and Olson's tiara cut her head.
School officials said Olson made it to the game, just a little
late and a little shaken up.
The idea of a helicopter dropping off a game ball at a high school football game is, in a word, awesome. Too bad this didn't work out.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
How Do I Know Islam Is The Light? My Wal-Mart Doll Told Me
When are these Muslim assholes going to stop? First they try to get Barack HUSSEIN Obama elected president. As crazed fearful white woman Gayle Quinnell knows, Barack HUSSEIN Obama is little more that an arab terrorist
http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/30747614.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUs
THEN they try to indoctrinate American youth via a doll sold by that most American of retailers, Wal-we get our merchandise from China-Mart.
http://www.parentdish.com/2008/10/10/doll-pulled-over-islamic-message/?icid=100214839x1211357358x1200687659
Religion, in general, is ridiculous. Islam is exceptionally ridiculous, even by the high standards that other religions set.
You think I'm going to drop everything I'm doing, face Mecca, and pray five times a day? Piss off. I've got important shit to do.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Cat Owning Spinsters of Minnesota! Prepare For Glory!
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (AP) - The Animal Humane Society in the
Twin Cities is asking the public to adopt a cat.
The organization says it's overrun with stray cats and kittens
that came in over the summer.
Nearly 10,000 cats came in from June through September. So far
this year, the Animal Humane Society has received more than 16,000
cats. That's an increase of 6 percent from the same period a year
ago.
Warmer weather in the spring and fall is increasing the number
of litters produced each year by cats that have not been spayed or
neutered.
Humane Society president and CEO Janelle Dixon says the
organization has more than 350 cats at its five location ready for
adoption right now.
Once in a lifetime, fate and circumstance collude to bring out the very best of a segment of the population. In October of 2008, the trumpet has sounded and lonely old cat women in the Twin Cities have been summoned to answer the call to greatness.
You! Yes, you! In the urine stained sweater. Will you accept additional cats into your home? Will you say 'I refuse to not have even more cats in my home?'
Saddle up and ride, you spinsters! Your time is now.
Twin Cities is asking the public to adopt a cat.
The organization says it's overrun with stray cats and kittens
that came in over the summer.
Nearly 10,000 cats came in from June through September. So far
this year, the Animal Humane Society has received more than 16,000
cats. That's an increase of 6 percent from the same period a year
ago.
Warmer weather in the spring and fall is increasing the number
of litters produced each year by cats that have not been spayed or
neutered.
Humane Society president and CEO Janelle Dixon says the
organization has more than 350 cats at its five location ready for
adoption right now.
Once in a lifetime, fate and circumstance collude to bring out the very best of a segment of the population. In October of 2008, the trumpet has sounded and lonely old cat women in the Twin Cities have been summoned to answer the call to greatness.
You! Yes, you! In the urine stained sweater. Will you accept additional cats into your home? Will you say 'I refuse to not have even more cats in my home?'
Saddle up and ride, you spinsters! Your time is now.
Be Careful Who You Invite to Watch You Masturbate On The Internet
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A 45-year-old Trumbull man is facing felony
charges after allegedly encouraging someone to watch him commit a
lewd act on a webcam.
Attorney General Jon Bruning charged Kevin Fullerton with four
counts of enticement by electronic communication device.
Bruning said Thursday in a news release that Fullerton contacted
an Attorney General's Office investigator who was posing as an
underage girl on an instant messaging Web site. Fullerton
identified himself as a 45-year-old man living in the Hastings-Clay
Center area.
Bruning says Fullerton encouraged the investigator to view a
live video stream from his webcam of him masturbating several
times.
Each enticement charge carries a penalty of up to five years in
prison and a $10,000 fine.
Talk about a buzz kill. One minute you think you are wowing some teenage chippy with your masturbatory skills, the next you are getting busted by the Attorney General's Office. Sucks. Just goes to show, you have to be careful when you're a pedophile.
Is Fullerton being charged with seperate enticement charges for each masturbating session, or can he get a group rate? Also, I think he deserves some sort of pedo-credit for not lying about his age. Too many perverts lie about their age, and I for one think that is poor form.
In other news, the psychos from Westboro Baptist are back in the news
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A Kansas woman accused of flag desecration
and child endangerment is asking a Sarpy County judge to dismiss
the charges against her.
The attorney for Shirley Phelps-Roper argues that the case
against her amounts to persecution.
Authorities say Phelps-Roper let her 10-year-old son stand on an
American flag at the funeral of a National Guardsman in June 2007
in Bellevue. They also say she wore a flag as a skirt that dragged
the ground.
Phelps-Roper is a member of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka,
Kan., which routinely protests the funerals of U.S. soldiers.
Church members contend that U.S. soldiers' deaths are punishment
for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.
I almost have to hand it to the WBC. There is probably not another group of people in America that are as aware of their constitutional rights as they are. Too bad they choose to use their powers for evil.
Here's a question. In a war between the Westboro Baptists and NAMBLA, who would you want to win? Not sure what NAMBLA is? Here's a link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAMBLA
The membership of NAMBLA is no doubt much larger than the WBC, which is made up mostly of the immediate and extended family of insane turd sniffer Fred Phelps. However, the WBC have to be the craziest fucks in America and they are fearless.
This guy may be an ally for the WBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7655585.stm
charges after allegedly encouraging someone to watch him commit a
lewd act on a webcam.
Attorney General Jon Bruning charged Kevin Fullerton with four
counts of enticement by electronic communication device.
Bruning said Thursday in a news release that Fullerton contacted
an Attorney General's Office investigator who was posing as an
underage girl on an instant messaging Web site. Fullerton
identified himself as a 45-year-old man living in the Hastings-Clay
Center area.
Bruning says Fullerton encouraged the investigator to view a
live video stream from his webcam of him masturbating several
times.
Each enticement charge carries a penalty of up to five years in
prison and a $10,000 fine.
Talk about a buzz kill. One minute you think you are wowing some teenage chippy with your masturbatory skills, the next you are getting busted by the Attorney General's Office. Sucks. Just goes to show, you have to be careful when you're a pedophile.
Is Fullerton being charged with seperate enticement charges for each masturbating session, or can he get a group rate? Also, I think he deserves some sort of pedo-credit for not lying about his age. Too many perverts lie about their age, and I for one think that is poor form.
In other news, the psychos from Westboro Baptist are back in the news
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A Kansas woman accused of flag desecration
and child endangerment is asking a Sarpy County judge to dismiss
the charges against her.
The attorney for Shirley Phelps-Roper argues that the case
against her amounts to persecution.
Authorities say Phelps-Roper let her 10-year-old son stand on an
American flag at the funeral of a National Guardsman in June 2007
in Bellevue. They also say she wore a flag as a skirt that dragged
the ground.
Phelps-Roper is a member of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka,
Kan., which routinely protests the funerals of U.S. soldiers.
Church members contend that U.S. soldiers' deaths are punishment
for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.
I almost have to hand it to the WBC. There is probably not another group of people in America that are as aware of their constitutional rights as they are. Too bad they choose to use their powers for evil.
Here's a question. In a war between the Westboro Baptists and NAMBLA, who would you want to win? Not sure what NAMBLA is? Here's a link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAMBLA
The membership of NAMBLA is no doubt much larger than the WBC, which is made up mostly of the immediate and extended family of insane turd sniffer Fred Phelps. However, the WBC have to be the craziest fucks in America and they are fearless.
This guy may be an ally for the WBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7655585.stm
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Shut Up and I'll Tell You How to Vote (Initiatives)
Like any good American I picked up a sample ballot from the Tripp County Courthouse in advance of the election so I have ample time to review the proposed amendments and initiatives, as well as make myself familiar with all the candidates for office. I took a long look at it, and since America is such a lazy nation that barely 50 percent of it's eligible citizens will vote, I know damn well that precious few of you will bother to review the ballot before the election. So... I did it for you. Now, shut up and I'll tell you how to vote.
Initiatives
There are three initiatives to consider.
Initiative 9 deals with outlawing the practice of 'short selling' stocks. I'm man enough to admit when I don't have a clue what something means. I've read as much as I can find about the new law, and I'm still not sure what it means. I do know that short selling means selling stock that you don't own, with the understanding that you will buy back the stock later. If the price drops you make a lot of money. Conspiracy theorists point to the short selling of many airline stocks directly prior to the 9/11 attacks as evidence that something foul was afoot. If the price goes up, like what happens to the villain in the Bond film 'Casino Royale', you lose your ass. As evidenced by the film, the practice of short selling often leads to stripping British Secret Agents nude, tying them to chairs, and clubbing them in the nuggets with a length of rope with a knot tied in the end of it. Then you will get shot by a mysterious operative for losing a hudred million clams of terrorist money.
Verdict: Evidently there already federal laws on the books outlawing this practice, though they often go unenforced, so even if the law is passed here, it will be struck down because the federal laws preempt it. I'll vote against it, simply because it seems superfluous.
Initiative 10
This one deals with prohibiting government or tribal entities from donating to campaigns, stopping tax money from being spent to promote proposed laws or campaigns, and prevent legislators and their families from benefiting from their stations.
Verdict: I'm all about accountability. Not from me, of course. From other people, politiicans in particular. This seems like a no brainer. Unfortunately, the leadership of the both the major state parties say that this bill is very poorly written, full of loop holes, and could cause a lot of trouble for a lot of people. Still, this could be the fearful mutterings of stodgy old politicos. I say fuck em, put it through. I'll vote yes.
Initiative 11
This is the big rodeo. It would prohibit abortions in the state of Souf Dakota, except in the case of rape or incest or in the case of a threat to the mothers health.
Verdict: There is a notion among the religious right in America that there exists a large segment of the population that just cannot wait to get pregnant so they can go have another abortion. I'm sure that segment does exist, just as there exists a segment of the population that will murder their families with a claw hammer. The truth is that abortions are not a whimsy. They aren't something you do for fun on a Tuesday afternoon. Souf Dakota already makes it harder than any other state do get an abortion, and requires doctors to tell women seeking an abortion that they are essentially killing a baby. I've switched sides in this debate in recent years. I used to be firmly pro-life. Now I think that I will never have to make this decision and I won't make it for someone else. I'm voting no.
Initiatives
There are three initiatives to consider.
Initiative 9 deals with outlawing the practice of 'short selling' stocks. I'm man enough to admit when I don't have a clue what something means. I've read as much as I can find about the new law, and I'm still not sure what it means. I do know that short selling means selling stock that you don't own, with the understanding that you will buy back the stock later. If the price drops you make a lot of money. Conspiracy theorists point to the short selling of many airline stocks directly prior to the 9/11 attacks as evidence that something foul was afoot. If the price goes up, like what happens to the villain in the Bond film 'Casino Royale', you lose your ass. As evidenced by the film, the practice of short selling often leads to stripping British Secret Agents nude, tying them to chairs, and clubbing them in the nuggets with a length of rope with a knot tied in the end of it. Then you will get shot by a mysterious operative for losing a hudred million clams of terrorist money.
Verdict: Evidently there already federal laws on the books outlawing this practice, though they often go unenforced, so even if the law is passed here, it will be struck down because the federal laws preempt it. I'll vote against it, simply because it seems superfluous.
Initiative 10
This one deals with prohibiting government or tribal entities from donating to campaigns, stopping tax money from being spent to promote proposed laws or campaigns, and prevent legislators and their families from benefiting from their stations.
Verdict: I'm all about accountability. Not from me, of course. From other people, politiicans in particular. This seems like a no brainer. Unfortunately, the leadership of the both the major state parties say that this bill is very poorly written, full of loop holes, and could cause a lot of trouble for a lot of people. Still, this could be the fearful mutterings of stodgy old politicos. I say fuck em, put it through. I'll vote yes.
Initiative 11
This is the big rodeo. It would prohibit abortions in the state of Souf Dakota, except in the case of rape or incest or in the case of a threat to the mothers health.
Verdict: There is a notion among the religious right in America that there exists a large segment of the population that just cannot wait to get pregnant so they can go have another abortion. I'm sure that segment does exist, just as there exists a segment of the population that will murder their families with a claw hammer. The truth is that abortions are not a whimsy. They aren't something you do for fun on a Tuesday afternoon. Souf Dakota already makes it harder than any other state do get an abortion, and requires doctors to tell women seeking an abortion that they are essentially killing a baby. I've switched sides in this debate in recent years. I used to be firmly pro-life. Now I think that I will never have to make this decision and I won't make it for someone else. I'm voting no.
Shut Up and I'll Tell You How to Vote (Amendments)
Like any good American I picked up a sample ballot from the Tripp County Courthouse in advance of the election so I have ample time to review the proposed amendments and initiatives, as well as make myself familiar with all the candidates for office. I took a long look at it, and since America is such a lazy nation that barely 50 percent of it's eligible citizens will vote, I know damn well that precious few of you will bother to review the ballot before the election. So... I did it for you. Now, shut up and I'll tell you how to vote.
Amendments
Not all the proposed constitutional amendments warrant considerable comment here.
Amendment G has to do with the amount state legislators are reimbursed for travel. Like many things in Souf Dakota, the amount per mile has not changed since 1891. A vote for this measure means the reimbursment restrictions from the state constitution will be removed.
Verdict: It's funny that the amount has not changed in over a century. I think if the amendment is not passed legislators should insist on traveling to Pierre on horseback.
Amendment H has to do with outdated (imagine that, in Souf Dakota) language in the constitution regarding corporations. It's a completion of a process begun in 2005.
Verdict: The state of Souf Dakota must have a firm policy of updating the language of the constitution every ten decades or so. Go ahead and cast your 21st century vote to bring the constitution into the 20th century. Up next... Color Televisions! Soon you'll be able to enjoy the latest Bob Hope special the way the show was meant to be enjoyed.
Amendment I deals with expanding the legislative session to a maximum of 40 days every year. Right now, they meet for 40 days in odd numbered years, and 35 in even years. Why? Who the hell knows.
Verdict: The state has a full time governor and a part time legislature. Granted, the concept of checks and balances and executive restraint has become a bit of a chuckler nationally in the last eight years. The whole idea is kind of cute, a quaint memory of the way things used to be, like your addled, bigoted great uncle who uses slurs at the Thanksgiving dinner table. The expanded session could put a financial burden in excess of 100 grand on the state, no laughing matter as they can't find enough money as it is to pay all their road construction bills. Me? I'll be voting in favor of the amendment. I like things to be even.
Amendment J is a big one. It would remove the voter approved term limits for legislators from the state constitution.
Verdict: Given my disdain for most politicians, it may be easy to assume that I am in favor of term limits. It's not as simple as that, sadly. No state legislator can serve more than 8 consecutive years. With such high turnover, you run the risk of the real power being turned over to lobbyists and special interests. There's no term limit for scum baggery. I think the real solution would be expanding the term limits from 8 to 16 years. If you can't figure out what the hell you are doing in 16 years you are an idiot and shouldn't be in office anyway. Since that is not an option I imagine I'll vote against the amendment to keep the term limits for the time being.
Amendments
Not all the proposed constitutional amendments warrant considerable comment here.
Amendment G has to do with the amount state legislators are reimbursed for travel. Like many things in Souf Dakota, the amount per mile has not changed since 1891. A vote for this measure means the reimbursment restrictions from the state constitution will be removed.
Verdict: It's funny that the amount has not changed in over a century. I think if the amendment is not passed legislators should insist on traveling to Pierre on horseback.
Amendment H has to do with outdated (imagine that, in Souf Dakota) language in the constitution regarding corporations. It's a completion of a process begun in 2005.
Verdict: The state of Souf Dakota must have a firm policy of updating the language of the constitution every ten decades or so. Go ahead and cast your 21st century vote to bring the constitution into the 20th century. Up next... Color Televisions! Soon you'll be able to enjoy the latest Bob Hope special the way the show was meant to be enjoyed.
Amendment I deals with expanding the legislative session to a maximum of 40 days every year. Right now, they meet for 40 days in odd numbered years, and 35 in even years. Why? Who the hell knows.
Verdict: The state has a full time governor and a part time legislature. Granted, the concept of checks and balances and executive restraint has become a bit of a chuckler nationally in the last eight years. The whole idea is kind of cute, a quaint memory of the way things used to be, like your addled, bigoted great uncle who uses slurs at the Thanksgiving dinner table. The expanded session could put a financial burden in excess of 100 grand on the state, no laughing matter as they can't find enough money as it is to pay all their road construction bills. Me? I'll be voting in favor of the amendment. I like things to be even.
Amendment J is a big one. It would remove the voter approved term limits for legislators from the state constitution.
Verdict: Given my disdain for most politicians, it may be easy to assume that I am in favor of term limits. It's not as simple as that, sadly. No state legislator can serve more than 8 consecutive years. With such high turnover, you run the risk of the real power being turned over to lobbyists and special interests. There's no term limit for scum baggery. I think the real solution would be expanding the term limits from 8 to 16 years. If you can't figure out what the hell you are doing in 16 years you are an idiot and shouldn't be in office anyway. Since that is not an option I imagine I'll vote against the amendment to keep the term limits for the time being.
You Know It's Over When They Send the Robots After You
It is getting harder and harder to get a fix these days...
SYRACUSE, Neb. (AP) - The Otoe County sheriff says a 27-year-old
Syracuse man is in stable condition at a hospital after his capture
ended a nearly 5-hour standoff inside a downtown pharmacy.
Sheriff James Gress says in a news release that any charges
resulting from the incident will be determined by the county
attorney.
Authorities say the man walked into the Town & Country Pharmacy
around 3:30 yesterday afternoon, brandishing what looked like a
semiautomatic pistol. The man demanded drugs.
Five people in the store left safely.
Gress' deputies soon responded, set up a perimeter and called
for help from the Nebraska State Patrol.
The man was apprehended after a patrol bomb robot was sent into
the pharmacy, and its surveillance camera showed the man was
face-down on the floor.
America is becoming a police state. All the guy wants to do is party with some prescription pills, just like our fore fathers would have if they had had oxycontin back in the 1770's, and the fascists send a robot in after him. Unbelievable.
In more news...
MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) - After serving for nine years, Pam
Engelland, the director of the Corn Palace Convention and Visitors
Bureau has been fired. And she doesn't know why.
Engelland says she just had a positive job review and got a
raise.
She says she was handed three months' severance pay and given no
reason for her firing during a Friday meeting with her supervisor.
Engelland says the only thing she can think of is that she's --
in her words -- a "get 'er done-style person" and will confront
issues with co-workers head on.
She says she doesn't think her firing was related to tourism
numbers or a lack of success, pointing to a 75 percent increase in
scheduled group tour business this summer.
The lesson that we learn from this is that anyone that will refer to themselves as a 'get 'er done style person' does not deserve to be employed in any capacity anywhere. Even in Mitchell Souf Dakota.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A 25-year-old Omaha woman accused of showing
her 4-year-old daughter how to smoke marijuana has been sentenced
to probation.
Lisa Schuchard pleaded no contest in August to misdemeanor child
neglect.
Douglas County District Judge Russell Bowie sentenced Schuchard
on Wednesday to two years of intensive supervised probation. If she
fails to comply with the terms of the probation, she must serve a
90-day jail sentence.
Schuchard was arrested in February after police found her two
young children living in a filthy home with drugs and a gun within
their reach.
According to police, the girl told officers Schuchard and her
boyfriend would offer her and her younger brother marijuana, then
laugh with friends when the children smoked.
Wow. Even someone like me, who already has an exceptionally low opinion of the nature of humans, can get caught off guard by how stupid and criminal some people are. The tragedy of this is not only that there are kids who have to suffer abominable fools for parents such as these clowns, but what the future holds for the kids. What are the odds that they will grow up to be anything other than what their parents are? At the age of 4 this girl is damned to a life of poverty, drug use, and generally being an ass hat.
There's a chance that the kids can change their fortunes through hard work, but very few under the age of 30 want to work hard in America these days.
SYRACUSE, Neb. (AP) - The Otoe County sheriff says a 27-year-old
Syracuse man is in stable condition at a hospital after his capture
ended a nearly 5-hour standoff inside a downtown pharmacy.
Sheriff James Gress says in a news release that any charges
resulting from the incident will be determined by the county
attorney.
Authorities say the man walked into the Town & Country Pharmacy
around 3:30 yesterday afternoon, brandishing what looked like a
semiautomatic pistol. The man demanded drugs.
Five people in the store left safely.
Gress' deputies soon responded, set up a perimeter and called
for help from the Nebraska State Patrol.
The man was apprehended after a patrol bomb robot was sent into
the pharmacy, and its surveillance camera showed the man was
face-down on the floor.
America is becoming a police state. All the guy wants to do is party with some prescription pills, just like our fore fathers would have if they had had oxycontin back in the 1770's, and the fascists send a robot in after him. Unbelievable.
In more news...
MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) - After serving for nine years, Pam
Engelland, the director of the Corn Palace Convention and Visitors
Bureau has been fired. And she doesn't know why.
Engelland says she just had a positive job review and got a
raise.
She says she was handed three months' severance pay and given no
reason for her firing during a Friday meeting with her supervisor.
Engelland says the only thing she can think of is that she's --
in her words -- a "get 'er done-style person" and will confront
issues with co-workers head on.
She says she doesn't think her firing was related to tourism
numbers or a lack of success, pointing to a 75 percent increase in
scheduled group tour business this summer.
The lesson that we learn from this is that anyone that will refer to themselves as a 'get 'er done style person' does not deserve to be employed in any capacity anywhere. Even in Mitchell Souf Dakota.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A 25-year-old Omaha woman accused of showing
her 4-year-old daughter how to smoke marijuana has been sentenced
to probation.
Lisa Schuchard pleaded no contest in August to misdemeanor child
neglect.
Douglas County District Judge Russell Bowie sentenced Schuchard
on Wednesday to two years of intensive supervised probation. If she
fails to comply with the terms of the probation, she must serve a
90-day jail sentence.
Schuchard was arrested in February after police found her two
young children living in a filthy home with drugs and a gun within
their reach.
According to police, the girl told officers Schuchard and her
boyfriend would offer her and her younger brother marijuana, then
laugh with friends when the children smoked.
Wow. Even someone like me, who already has an exceptionally low opinion of the nature of humans, can get caught off guard by how stupid and criminal some people are. The tragedy of this is not only that there are kids who have to suffer abominable fools for parents such as these clowns, but what the future holds for the kids. What are the odds that they will grow up to be anything other than what their parents are? At the age of 4 this girl is damned to a life of poverty, drug use, and generally being an ass hat.
There's a chance that the kids can change their fortunes through hard work, but very few under the age of 30 want to work hard in America these days.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Shut Up And Let Me Tell You How To Vote (State and National Reps, Senators)
Like any good American I picked up a sample ballot from the Tripp County Courthouse in advance of the election so I have ample time to review the proposed amendments and initiatives, as well as make myself familiar with all the candidates for office. I took a long look at it, and since America is such a lazy nation that barely 50 percent of it's eligible citizens will vote, I know damn well that precious few of you will bother to review the ballot before the election. So... I did it for you. Now, shut up and I'll tell you how to vote.
U.S. Senate
The battle in Souf Dakota is between Tim Johnson (D) and Joel Dykstra (R). Johnson is an incumbent Democrat in a Republican state who has enjoyed some of the highest approval ratings in the entirety of the United States Senate. This race wouldn't even be worth mentioning if it weren't for the fact that Johnson suffered a titanic stroke that has left him barely able to verbally communicate.
I realize that I'm looking at this situation differently than most people, but it's like this... Tim Johnson has replaced Strom Thurmond as the face of the 'lifer' politician. With no term limits there are some motherfuckers who won't release the reigns of power until handlers are wheeling their corpse out of the Sentate chambers when their bodies, finally, die. Tim Johnson could have designated his successor and they could have taken this election in a walk. He didn't, because it's not about what's best for Souf Dakota and it's not about what's best for the nation. It's about party politics and the refusal to step back no matter what happens.
That, and no other reason, is why I'm voting for Joel Dykstra. I doubt it will matter, I think Johnson will roll come November.
U.S. Congress
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D) is your incumbent here, opposed by Chris Lein (R). I like Herseth Sandlin, I like that she went against her party and initially opposed the bailout. She'll be getting my vote.
State Senate and State Representative
It is my policy to vote against incumbents unless I like them, for example, I supported Chuck Hagel in 2002, but when it comes to state elections, I almost always vote for the challenger because I believe it's like sending a little 'Screw You, Work Harder' to the politicians. In my district the incumbents are Julie Bartling and Kim Vanneman, the challengers and John Koskan and Thomas J. Glover. I freely admit that I still have to educate myself on these candidates, but Bartling and Vanneman will have to really move me to get my vote. Doesn't matter, incumbents win the majority of the time.
U.S. Senate
The battle in Souf Dakota is between Tim Johnson (D) and Joel Dykstra (R). Johnson is an incumbent Democrat in a Republican state who has enjoyed some of the highest approval ratings in the entirety of the United States Senate. This race wouldn't even be worth mentioning if it weren't for the fact that Johnson suffered a titanic stroke that has left him barely able to verbally communicate.
I realize that I'm looking at this situation differently than most people, but it's like this... Tim Johnson has replaced Strom Thurmond as the face of the 'lifer' politician. With no term limits there are some motherfuckers who won't release the reigns of power until handlers are wheeling their corpse out of the Sentate chambers when their bodies, finally, die. Tim Johnson could have designated his successor and they could have taken this election in a walk. He didn't, because it's not about what's best for Souf Dakota and it's not about what's best for the nation. It's about party politics and the refusal to step back no matter what happens.
That, and no other reason, is why I'm voting for Joel Dykstra. I doubt it will matter, I think Johnson will roll come November.
U.S. Congress
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D) is your incumbent here, opposed by Chris Lein (R). I like Herseth Sandlin, I like that she went against her party and initially opposed the bailout. She'll be getting my vote.
State Senate and State Representative
It is my policy to vote against incumbents unless I like them, for example, I supported Chuck Hagel in 2002, but when it comes to state elections, I almost always vote for the challenger because I believe it's like sending a little 'Screw You, Work Harder' to the politicians. In my district the incumbents are Julie Bartling and Kim Vanneman, the challengers and John Koskan and Thomas J. Glover. I freely admit that I still have to educate myself on these candidates, but Bartling and Vanneman will have to really move me to get my vote. Doesn't matter, incumbents win the majority of the time.
Shut Up And Let Me Tell You How to Vote (Presidency)
Like any good American I picked up a sample ballot from the Tripp County Courthouse in advance of the election so I have ample time to review the proposed amendments and initiatives, as well as make myself familiar with all the candidates for office. I took a long look at it, and since America is such a lazy nation that barely 50 percent of it's eligible citizens will vote, I know damn well that precious few of you will bother to review the ballot before the election. So... I did it for you. Now, shut up and I'll tell you how to vote.
Presidential Election:
5 groups of electors, you've got the big boys (McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden), plus Constitutional party candidates Baldwin/Castle, Libertarians (even though they are listed as independant) Barr/Root, and the ever present Nader ticket. Let's break it down.
The Democrats: The concerns about Obama's lack of experience are legitimate but overblown. He's smart and a communicator, which this country deperately needs after 8 years of Forrest Gump's even more retarded cousin calling the shots. The only thing I like about Joe Biden is that waaaay back in the early going of the election when he was still in the running for president he described Obama as clean and articulate, providing one of the more amusing 'Bill O'Reilly went to Harlem and was Surprised That No One Threw a Spear at Him' moments of the campaign.
The lesser of two evils, they won't win Souf Dakota but hopefully they'll win the general election.
The Republicans: Cancerface McCain and Sarah Palin represent one of the most bizarre tickets in the history of American politics. John McCain can talk all he wants about being a maverick. He really talks with his voting record, and in the past 8 years he has sided with the Bush Administration 90% of the time. The most disturbing aspect of McCain is that even though he was the victim of disgusting political ploys (involving his family) courtesy of the Bushies in 2000, he has been tongue kissing Bush in public for five years now. I don't understand how anyone can vote for the McCain ticket and keep a straight face. That is BEFORE you consider the Veep candidate, Sarah Palin. Smarter, funnier people than I have already eviscerated the overwhelmingly unqualified Palin, so all I will say is that if the Republicans win in november, come 2012, the Democrats will tab a seal that can bounce a ball on it's nose as the vice presidential candidate. That is ONLY POSSIBLE stunt that could exceed the lipstick wearing pitbull in irresponsibility and audacity.
Hey, did you know that McCain was a POW during Nam? I wonder why he doesn't mention it more often.
Constitutional Party: I was intrigued when I saw these guys on the ballot, so I looked up Chuck Baldwin on the Google. I winced when I saw that he is a pastor with a bible degree from Liberty, which would qualify him for a position in the Bush Administration Justice department but nothing else, not even waiting tables at Denny's or being a squeegee man.
I then reminded myself that I was being a bigot dismissing the man based solely on his Christ-y-ness, so I read on. While skimming the paragraph detailing his reasons for running for President, I noticed the words 'God's Will', closed the page and never went back.
Do not vote for this man. He does have Ron Paul's endorsment, which will mean something to some people.
Libertarians: Bob Barr is a reformed republican who was one of the leading torch and pitchfork wielding villagers that impeached President Clinton in the 90's. He also used to be a big war on drugs and defense of marriage guy. NOW he's a libertarian, which means he thinks that the federal government should not have the authority to determine such things, that it should rest with the states. As I've become more bitter and paranoid I've found myself agreeing more and more with libertarian philosophy, so I imagine I'll probably be voting for Barr, even though I think he's a turd waffle. You should too. It's not like he's going to win, but if the Libertarians get enough votes they will qualify for federal election money which will help them mount a real campaign in four years. The deck is incredibly stacked against even the remote possibility of a legitimate third party ever rising, but if it's ever going to happen it will have to be the people that will it to be so.
Nader: I admire Ralph Nader. In fact, I believe he is a top notch American, one of the greatest men in the last 50 years. That being said, it's time to take Ol' Yeller behind the shed and shoot him. Is there no one, not ONE damn person who can take up Nader's mantle? That is a sad commentary on the state of this nation.
Bottom line: Vote Obama or Barr.
Presidential Election:
5 groups of electors, you've got the big boys (McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden), plus Constitutional party candidates Baldwin/Castle, Libertarians (even though they are listed as independant) Barr/Root, and the ever present Nader ticket. Let's break it down.
The Democrats: The concerns about Obama's lack of experience are legitimate but overblown. He's smart and a communicator, which this country deperately needs after 8 years of Forrest Gump's even more retarded cousin calling the shots. The only thing I like about Joe Biden is that waaaay back in the early going of the election when he was still in the running for president he described Obama as clean and articulate, providing one of the more amusing 'Bill O'Reilly went to Harlem and was Surprised That No One Threw a Spear at Him' moments of the campaign.
The lesser of two evils, they won't win Souf Dakota but hopefully they'll win the general election.
The Republicans: Cancerface McCain and Sarah Palin represent one of the most bizarre tickets in the history of American politics. John McCain can talk all he wants about being a maverick. He really talks with his voting record, and in the past 8 years he has sided with the Bush Administration 90% of the time. The most disturbing aspect of McCain is that even though he was the victim of disgusting political ploys (involving his family) courtesy of the Bushies in 2000, he has been tongue kissing Bush in public for five years now. I don't understand how anyone can vote for the McCain ticket and keep a straight face. That is BEFORE you consider the Veep candidate, Sarah Palin. Smarter, funnier people than I have already eviscerated the overwhelmingly unqualified Palin, so all I will say is that if the Republicans win in november, come 2012, the Democrats will tab a seal that can bounce a ball on it's nose as the vice presidential candidate. That is ONLY POSSIBLE stunt that could exceed the lipstick wearing pitbull in irresponsibility and audacity.
Hey, did you know that McCain was a POW during Nam? I wonder why he doesn't mention it more often.
Constitutional Party: I was intrigued when I saw these guys on the ballot, so I looked up Chuck Baldwin on the Google. I winced when I saw that he is a pastor with a bible degree from Liberty, which would qualify him for a position in the Bush Administration Justice department but nothing else, not even waiting tables at Denny's or being a squeegee man.
I then reminded myself that I was being a bigot dismissing the man based solely on his Christ-y-ness, so I read on. While skimming the paragraph detailing his reasons for running for President, I noticed the words 'God's Will', closed the page and never went back.
Do not vote for this man. He does have Ron Paul's endorsment, which will mean something to some people.
Libertarians: Bob Barr is a reformed republican who was one of the leading torch and pitchfork wielding villagers that impeached President Clinton in the 90's. He also used to be a big war on drugs and defense of marriage guy. NOW he's a libertarian, which means he thinks that the federal government should not have the authority to determine such things, that it should rest with the states. As I've become more bitter and paranoid I've found myself agreeing more and more with libertarian philosophy, so I imagine I'll probably be voting for Barr, even though I think he's a turd waffle. You should too. It's not like he's going to win, but if the Libertarians get enough votes they will qualify for federal election money which will help them mount a real campaign in four years. The deck is incredibly stacked against even the remote possibility of a legitimate third party ever rising, but if it's ever going to happen it will have to be the people that will it to be so.
Nader: I admire Ralph Nader. In fact, I believe he is a top notch American, one of the greatest men in the last 50 years. That being said, it's time to take Ol' Yeller behind the shed and shoot him. Is there no one, not ONE damn person who can take up Nader's mantle? That is a sad commentary on the state of this nation.
Bottom line: Vote Obama or Barr.
UPDATE: Now They Are All Throwing Themselves in Front of Combines
Ah, the whimsical innocence of last spring, when flowers were blooming, birds were singing, and the economy was merely slumping and not pooping on everyone's living room floor.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A poll taken before the national financial
meltdown suggests that rural Nebraskans are far more optimistic
about their lives than they have been in years.
The Nebraska Rural Poll was taken in spring, before the economic
upheaval that some people say is the most alarming since the Great
Depression.
Surveys for the 13th annual University of Nebraska-Lincoln poll
were mailed to about 6,200 randomly selected households in 84 rural
Nebraska counties last spring. Results are based on 2,496
responses.
About 53 percent of the respondents say they felt better off
than they were five years ago. That's the highest number in the
poll's history. The figure was 44 percent in spring 2007.
I'd LOVE to see what the results would be now.
Personally, the effect of the destruction of our national economy hasn't made much of an impact on my life. Hell, gas prices are the lowest they've been in a long time. I haven't seen it today, but I heard a rumor around the station that gas is under three bucks a gallon. So... that's nice.
Nothing has changed for me because I'm poor. I don't have any tanking investments because I don't have any investments period. Sure I couldn't qualify for a bank loan tomorrow, but I couldn't qualify for a loan yesterday, either. My credit score is a joke and that won't change for years no matter what happens nationally. By the way, how effective was the 850 billion dollar bailout. The Dow Jones is only down about 1000 points since they passed the thing. Way to go guys.
The bailout was a stupid idea, and now it has become a stupid reality. Let me put it to you like this...
I am terrible with money. Terrible shitty stupid awful with money. I borrowed waaaaay too much in student loans for what is not even a nationally accredited degree. I should have gone to the University of Phoenix Online, it would have saved me a shit load of money and the degrees have about the same amount of credibility. Not only that but I have credit card debt, over drawn checking account debt, I have knowingly written bad checks, etc. I am the real deal when it comes to finances. Unethical, incorrigible, and not likely to change much in the coming years. In other words, I'm like AIG. Or Lehman Brothers. Or any one of the other monstrous corporations that now have the government saving their ass.
So where's my fuckin bailout? What makes the bankers worthy of salvation and me a scumbag? The difference is that I haven't done it on a grand enough scale. THAT is my problem. I am a fuckup and it means thousands in debt. These people are fuckups and it means billions in debt.
Bottom line, you can do whatever you want, and if you do it big enough not only will you not have to face anything even approaching a consequence, but the government will come in and wipe your ass for you. Unbelievable.
Like I said though, it doesn't mean much of a change for me. I'm too poor.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A poll taken before the national financial
meltdown suggests that rural Nebraskans are far more optimistic
about their lives than they have been in years.
The Nebraska Rural Poll was taken in spring, before the economic
upheaval that some people say is the most alarming since the Great
Depression.
Surveys for the 13th annual University of Nebraska-Lincoln poll
were mailed to about 6,200 randomly selected households in 84 rural
Nebraska counties last spring. Results are based on 2,496
responses.
About 53 percent of the respondents say they felt better off
than they were five years ago. That's the highest number in the
poll's history. The figure was 44 percent in spring 2007.
I'd LOVE to see what the results would be now.
Personally, the effect of the destruction of our national economy hasn't made much of an impact on my life. Hell, gas prices are the lowest they've been in a long time. I haven't seen it today, but I heard a rumor around the station that gas is under three bucks a gallon. So... that's nice.
Nothing has changed for me because I'm poor. I don't have any tanking investments because I don't have any investments period. Sure I couldn't qualify for a bank loan tomorrow, but I couldn't qualify for a loan yesterday, either. My credit score is a joke and that won't change for years no matter what happens nationally. By the way, how effective was the 850 billion dollar bailout. The Dow Jones is only down about 1000 points since they passed the thing. Way to go guys.
The bailout was a stupid idea, and now it has become a stupid reality. Let me put it to you like this...
I am terrible with money. Terrible shitty stupid awful with money. I borrowed waaaaay too much in student loans for what is not even a nationally accredited degree. I should have gone to the University of Phoenix Online, it would have saved me a shit load of money and the degrees have about the same amount of credibility. Not only that but I have credit card debt, over drawn checking account debt, I have knowingly written bad checks, etc. I am the real deal when it comes to finances. Unethical, incorrigible, and not likely to change much in the coming years. In other words, I'm like AIG. Or Lehman Brothers. Or any one of the other monstrous corporations that now have the government saving their ass.
So where's my fuckin bailout? What makes the bankers worthy of salvation and me a scumbag? The difference is that I haven't done it on a grand enough scale. THAT is my problem. I am a fuckup and it means thousands in debt. These people are fuckups and it means billions in debt.
Bottom line, you can do whatever you want, and if you do it big enough not only will you not have to face anything even approaching a consequence, but the government will come in and wipe your ass for you. Unbelievable.
Like I said though, it doesn't mean much of a change for me. I'm too poor.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Sorry Guys... I Think You're Terrorists
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - They pretended to throw firebombs at cars
and buildings. Met in training camps to talk about guerrilla
warfare, kidnapping and bomb-making. Drew up maps detailing
possible targets.
The eight people arrested ahead of the Republican National
Convention are members of an anarchist group called the RNC
Welcoming Committee.
They say they were just exercising their protest rights. But
each now faces a felony charge accusing them of advancing
terrorism. And that's raising questions about who qualifies as a
"terrorist."
Prosecutors say the defendants created fear in an attempt to
keep delegates from attending the convention.
But civil rights advocates say prosecutors are misusing a
statute that defines terrorism too broadly.
It's no small distinction. The defendants face up to
seven-and-a-half years in prison if convicted.
Look, mainstream republicanism is a fraud, as evidenced by the nomination of Sarah Palin, the most under-qualified major party candidate in the history of the universe, as vice president. I want bad things to happen to these people in that I want them to never sit in seats of power again.
I do worry, however, that the RNC Welcoming Committee went a step or two too far. How does one 'pretend' to throw a firebomb?
If these guys had brown skin they would already be in Guantanamo Bay.
LA VISTA, Neb. (AP) - A conference focusing on Latino student
achievement and challenges is expected to draw more than 600
educators, students and parents from across the state Monday.
The daylong Hispanic/Latino Education Summit will include more
than two dozen informational sessions focusing on everything from
college preparation to services for migrant students in Nebraska.
The Nebraska Department of Education and the state
Mexican-American Commission are partnering for the event at the
Embassy Suites Conference Center in La Vista.
Summit organizers say the state has seen a 171 percent increase
in Hispanic and Latino students since 1991.
Organizers have tried to gear many of the sessions to attract
students and families.
Everything I know about Latino culture I learned from 'West Side Story,' so I imagine that the hispanic education system has classes like 'choreographed rumbling' and 'advanced synchronized snapping.'
and buildings. Met in training camps to talk about guerrilla
warfare, kidnapping and bomb-making. Drew up maps detailing
possible targets.
The eight people arrested ahead of the Republican National
Convention are members of an anarchist group called the RNC
Welcoming Committee.
They say they were just exercising their protest rights. But
each now faces a felony charge accusing them of advancing
terrorism. And that's raising questions about who qualifies as a
"terrorist."
Prosecutors say the defendants created fear in an attempt to
keep delegates from attending the convention.
But civil rights advocates say prosecutors are misusing a
statute that defines terrorism too broadly.
It's no small distinction. The defendants face up to
seven-and-a-half years in prison if convicted.
Look, mainstream republicanism is a fraud, as evidenced by the nomination of Sarah Palin, the most under-qualified major party candidate in the history of the universe, as vice president. I want bad things to happen to these people in that I want them to never sit in seats of power again.
I do worry, however, that the RNC Welcoming Committee went a step or two too far. How does one 'pretend' to throw a firebomb?
If these guys had brown skin they would already be in Guantanamo Bay.
LA VISTA, Neb. (AP) - A conference focusing on Latino student
achievement and challenges is expected to draw more than 600
educators, students and parents from across the state Monday.
The daylong Hispanic/Latino Education Summit will include more
than two dozen informational sessions focusing on everything from
college preparation to services for migrant students in Nebraska.
The Nebraska Department of Education and the state
Mexican-American Commission are partnering for the event at the
Embassy Suites Conference Center in La Vista.
Summit organizers say the state has seen a 171 percent increase
in Hispanic and Latino students since 1991.
Organizers have tried to gear many of the sessions to attract
students and families.
Everything I know about Latino culture I learned from 'West Side Story,' so I imagine that the hispanic education system has classes like 'choreographed rumbling' and 'advanced synchronized snapping.'
So... Is Anyone Going to Drop off an Actual Baby Ever?
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Two more children have been left at hospitals
under the state's safe-haven law, bringing to 16 the number of kids
abandoned.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says two
12-year-old boys were left Sunday, one at Omaha's Immanuel Medical
Center and the other at Lincoln's BryanLGH Medical Center West.
The law lets anyone leave a child of any age at any
state-licensed hospital without fear of prosecution for
abandonment. It took effect in July.
All the children left to date have been teenagers or preteens.
Health officials continue to stress the need for parents to seek
other resources, including help from family, faith-based groups and
other community services before resorting to abandonment.
Bottom line: the safe haven law was passed with infants in mind. Leave it to Nebraska's Unicameral to leave a loop hole so huge you could drive a bus full of unwanted preteens through, but the fact remains that the law is intended to protect infants. Ammend the thing immediately.
It's not that I don't get how hard it is to be a parent. I usually can't go more than five minutes around a kid, any kid, before I want to lock them outside. I have no idea how kids can be raised without hitting. Still, don't make your kids everybody else's problem unless it's an absolute last resort. Of course, if your kid is like this little guy
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,432085,00.html
then I understand.
Big ups to Tovi for the link.
Here's another tovi-licious link
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,432105,00.html
I would have tried the gum, myself.
under the state's safe-haven law, bringing to 16 the number of kids
abandoned.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says two
12-year-old boys were left Sunday, one at Omaha's Immanuel Medical
Center and the other at Lincoln's BryanLGH Medical Center West.
The law lets anyone leave a child of any age at any
state-licensed hospital without fear of prosecution for
abandonment. It took effect in July.
All the children left to date have been teenagers or preteens.
Health officials continue to stress the need for parents to seek
other resources, including help from family, faith-based groups and
other community services before resorting to abandonment.
Bottom line: the safe haven law was passed with infants in mind. Leave it to Nebraska's Unicameral to leave a loop hole so huge you could drive a bus full of unwanted preteens through, but the fact remains that the law is intended to protect infants. Ammend the thing immediately.
It's not that I don't get how hard it is to be a parent. I usually can't go more than five minutes around a kid, any kid, before I want to lock them outside. I have no idea how kids can be raised without hitting. Still, don't make your kids everybody else's problem unless it's an absolute last resort. Of course, if your kid is like this little guy
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,432085,00.html
then I understand.
Big ups to Tovi for the link.
Here's another tovi-licious link
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,432105,00.html
I would have tried the gum, myself.
Some People Are Just Asking to be Fleeced
KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) - Forget about going crazy during vacation.
Many Americans are using their vacation time to build on their
religious faith.
Kevin Wright is president of the World Religious Travel
Association. He will let the Nebraska tourism industry know how it
can get a piece of this growing market at the Nebraska Travel
Conference in Kearney.
The World Religious Travel Association says one in four
Americans rank church and religious travel as important.
Wright will teach people about the faith tourism market, which
includes pilgrimages, leisure vacations, short getaways and
retreats.
The conference will take place Oct. 21 through Oct. 23 at the
Kearney Ramada Inn and Conference Center.
Kevin Wright is president of the World Religious TravelAssociation. He will let the Nebraska tourism industry know how it can get a piece of this growing market at the Nebraska Travel Conference in Kearney.
Many Americans are using their vacation time to build on their
religious faith.
Kevin Wright is president of the World Religious Travel
Association. He will let the Nebraska tourism industry know how it
can get a piece of this growing market at the Nebraska Travel
Conference in Kearney.
The World Religious Travel Association says one in four
Americans rank church and religious travel as important.
Wright will teach people about the faith tourism market, which
includes pilgrimages, leisure vacations, short getaways and
retreats.
The conference will take place Oct. 21 through Oct. 23 at the
Kearney Ramada Inn and Conference Center.
There are a few aspects of this story that I think are funny. The first is...
What percentage of those pilgrimages are of the 'driving to Alabama to look at a cheeto that someone thinks looks like Jesus' face' variety? The only thing more insane than someone seeing an image of Jesus in their breakfast cereal are other people that travel to see it.
Funny thing number two...Kevin Wright is president of the World Religious TravelAssociation. He will let the Nebraska tourism industry know how it can get a piece of this growing market at the Nebraska Travel Conference in Kearney.
That's what it's all about, isn't it? 'How it can get a piece' is a perfect, one sentence representation of the religious experience in America. That is what the whole damn three card monte is about. You take the believers money and in exchange you sell them the hope that they will eventually find the red lady, and then all their sacrifice will be repaid ten fold. Just like a raggedy hustler on the street, all the mass and retreats and pilgrimages will leave you poorer with nothing tangible to show for it.
Here's the deal though. People are just fine with it. You know why?
Faith.
I wonder if the person who came up with the concept of faith realized that they had invented the perfect product. You can never have too much of it, and if someone questions it, you can berate them for not having enough of it. Millions of people go to church weekly, like drones when recalled by the mothership, and leave poorer in reality but 'richer in spirit,' whatever the hell that means.
Expoiting the faithful's finances is the only real use I have for them, which is something that I have in common with religious leaders everywhere.
By the way, if Nebraska wants a 'piece' of the pilgrimage industry, somebody should start sifting through boxes of Wheaties looking for Jesus' face, because I cannot FATHOM what in the hell is going to draw the religious to the Cornhusker state. I'm from Nebraska, I love Nebraska, but it has about as much religious relevence as... well... anywhere else in America. Maybe the state should build one of those ricockulous creationism museums with depictions of people riding dinosaurs.
In other 'People Practically Begging to get Ripped Off' news...
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Officials of groups that serve the deaf
say they're concerned the South Dakota Legislature has made two
withdrawals totaling $2 million the last two years from a special
fund that provides telephone services to the deaf and hearing
impaired.
South Dakotans pay 15 cents per phone line each month into the
fund, which started in 1989.
But lawmakers raided the fund at the request of Governor Rounds'
administration. The transfers are not illegal -- but they did take
earmarked money and put it into the state general fund.
Those who advocate for the deaf say the money could have been
spent on services and access. They also say a new federal mandate
requiring state relay systems for the deaf to include video relay
service will be expensive when and if it happens.
State Senator Jerry Apa (AY'-puh) of Lead (LEED), who chairs the
Appropriations Committee, says the fund had accumulated an
"excessive amount" of money and that the argument to put some of
it into the general fund was plausible.
Deaf people think they're so cool, with their secret hand language and their 'Muffaw muffaw muffaw' speech. It's like, 'Jesus, Helen Keller, like, nobody can understand you when you talk. It doesn't matter to you because you can't, like, hear how stupid you sound. Just, like, write it down or something.'
Screw the deaf. Take their phone money. I have no idea how phones for deaf people work, anyway.
This reminds me of a story I heard a LONG time ago. It was right after the Lion King came out in theaters. Jeremy Irons, the voice of Scar, was brought in to read to deaf people. Here's a write up I just culled from the Google
A number of publications, including the New York Daily News and Time, carried a story about the apparent refusal of actor Jeremy Irons to accommodate deaf members of the audience at a reading of Lolita at 40. Irons is quoted in both publications as saying, "Why would deaf people attend a reading? It's like a blind person wanting to attend a ballet." Hands On Theatre, the New York theater company that arranged for sign language interpretation of Irons' reading, reports further in its most recent newsletter that prior to the scheduled performance, Irons made a number of disparaging comments to the interpreter, Beth Prevor.
Writes Prevor, "While placement of the interpreter became an issue with Mr. Irons, much of the problem stemmed from rude and insulting comments Irons made to me, Beth Prevor, prior to the performance." According to the article, Irons said to Prevor, "Interpreting this event is ludicrous. . .why would deaf people attend a reading. . .it's like a blind person wanting to attend the ballet. . .it's ridiculous. . .why should 290 people be distracted for the sake of 10...just to give them scripts and a flashlight...this majority guilt for the sake of the minority is taking political correctness to the extreme. . .I might as well be able to bring my dog here!"
Why WOULD deaf people attend a reading? This reminds of the time I was stuck behind a group of blind people waiting to go to the top of the Empire State Building. What in the hell for? Just skip it, tell your friends that you did it anyway, and save yourself and the other 4000 people in line the goddamned time.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Stop Having Children!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24537885/
There are a lot of people in America who are worried that the population of hispanics in America will soon surpass that of decent, hard working, tax paying, god fearing white people due to the propensity of Mexican American (let's be honest here, illegal immigrant) families to be very large.
Enter the Duggars, valiant defenders of the white throne. They have 17 kids. Yes, 17 kids. They have number 18 on the way. Let's see you beat THAT, Javier!
The difference is, the Duggars are rich. They have to be. They own nine vehicles, including a 21 seat bus. They own a row of industrial size washers and dryers. They have an enormous home. I will say with only a hint of racism that 300 illegals could live in their house. I've seen pictures and it's more like a dormitory than a home.
The Duggars believe that every child is a gift from God and they will keep having them as long as they can.
I don't even know where to begin with this....
I don't even know 20 people. How can you be in a family that huge and even remember everybody's name, let alone anything about that person?
Also, what must the mother's vagina look like? You could roll a bowling ball up there and she wouldn't even notice, I'd bet.
Bottom line, stop having kids, even if you can afford it. It's disturbing, and if one of you kicks the bucket you could end up like these sad fuckers...
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Seven of nine children abandoned by their
father at an Omaha hospital last week under the state's safe-haven
law are headed back to foster care.
Juvenile Court Judge Elizabeth Crnkovich (SIR-koh-vitch) of
Douglas County ruled Wednesday the relative given temporary custody
is not properly set up to care for the children. Some are sharing
beds while others sleep on air mattresses.
The judge says the ruling will give the relatives time to better
prepare for the children.
The case is continued for a week to give the state time to
notify the father.
The children range in age from 1 to 17.
An aunt had stepped forward to take in seven of the children.
The two oldest children chose to go to another home to avoid
changing schools.
The guy abandoned his kids because his wife died and he couldn't take care of his kids with her gone. It's actually a very sad story. However, since he's essentially called a mulligan on this family, he better not meet someone else and start up another one. Otherwise, the state should be able to cut his nads off in public.
There are a lot of people in America who are worried that the population of hispanics in America will soon surpass that of decent, hard working, tax paying, god fearing white people due to the propensity of Mexican American (let's be honest here, illegal immigrant) families to be very large.
Enter the Duggars, valiant defenders of the white throne. They have 17 kids. Yes, 17 kids. They have number 18 on the way. Let's see you beat THAT, Javier!
The difference is, the Duggars are rich. They have to be. They own nine vehicles, including a 21 seat bus. They own a row of industrial size washers and dryers. They have an enormous home. I will say with only a hint of racism that 300 illegals could live in their house. I've seen pictures and it's more like a dormitory than a home.
The Duggars believe that every child is a gift from God and they will keep having them as long as they can.
I don't even know where to begin with this....
I don't even know 20 people. How can you be in a family that huge and even remember everybody's name, let alone anything about that person?
Also, what must the mother's vagina look like? You could roll a bowling ball up there and she wouldn't even notice, I'd bet.
Bottom line, stop having kids, even if you can afford it. It's disturbing, and if one of you kicks the bucket you could end up like these sad fuckers...
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Seven of nine children abandoned by their
father at an Omaha hospital last week under the state's safe-haven
law are headed back to foster care.
Juvenile Court Judge Elizabeth Crnkovich (SIR-koh-vitch) of
Douglas County ruled Wednesday the relative given temporary custody
is not properly set up to care for the children. Some are sharing
beds while others sleep on air mattresses.
The judge says the ruling will give the relatives time to better
prepare for the children.
The case is continued for a week to give the state time to
notify the father.
The children range in age from 1 to 17.
An aunt had stepped forward to take in seven of the children.
The two oldest children chose to go to another home to avoid
changing schools.
The guy abandoned his kids because his wife died and he couldn't take care of his kids with her gone. It's actually a very sad story. However, since he's essentially called a mulligan on this family, he better not meet someone else and start up another one. Otherwise, the state should be able to cut his nads off in public.
Ron Gardenhire- I Would Have Your Babies, 'Junior' Style
Sorry to the sports disinclined. Today's entry is about the one and true love of my life, baseball.
...
You have to give it to Joe Maddon. The culture of losing in Tampa was practically woven into the uniforms, practically a built into the roof of the ridiculous stadium they play in, practically smeared on the hot dogs served at the games. They had never failed to lose at least 90 games in a season. To describe the (D)Rays as doormats in the AL East for the entirety of their history is probably unfairly disparaging the good name of doormats. Yet, in 2008 the Tampa Bay Rays won the American League East. They did it by refusing to fold down the stretch despite going toe to toe with the defending World Series champs, the Boston Red Sox . The Rays also beat out the Yankees, who have a payroll larger than a third world nation's yearly budget, and the Toronto Blue Jays, a team that had legitimate playoff aspirations before the season and began to play like it under Cito Gaston.
How good was the East? Toronto finished fourth and lost one game to the White Sox and Twins... combined.
I suppose you could say that all Joe Maddon did was win with one of the most talented teams in the American League. That's true. Picking at the top of the draft for the past ten years has created a glut of young talent in Tampa.
Still, those kids didn't have any idea what it's like to win. They hadn't been involved in a September scrap with a team like the Red Sox.
What does all that mean? It means Joe Maddon ought to be the 2008 American League Manager of the Year, hands down.
Unfortunately, that means that Ron Gardenhire is once again on the outside looking in. That is a real shame. It is my belief that this season represents the best work of Gardy's career.
I was fully expecting the Twins to be bad this year. I had prepared myself for them to be REALLY bad, like 70 wins bad. I wasn't sure they'd sink quite that low, but, I was prepared for it to happen. THEN, after the season started...
- Delmon Young failed to mature into the star the Twins no doubt were hoping for when they acquired him. He finished the season better than he started it, but, all in all, he was a disappointment.
- Michael Cuddyer, inked in the off-season to a nice extension, struggled to stay on the field and was ineffective when he was out there.
- Pat Neshek was lost for the season, Matt Guerrier remembered he is Matt Guerrier, Juan Rincon's never ending melt down finally came to a climax, Boof Bonser lost his spot in the rotation and struggled in the bullpen as well, and some guy named Brian Bass ended up logging entirely too many appearances. The bullpen was a disaster. Even Joe Nathan, who seemed invincible most of the year, sputtered down the stretch, most notably on that hellish road trip foisted on the Twins late in the season by the RNC.
- Livan Hernadez started out strong before he started pitching like a fat man with a rubber arm. Which he is.
- Carlos Gomez proved two things: he is a frighteningly talented athlete, and he is not even close to being a baseball player.
- The left side of the infield was an absolute cartoon. Not a funny cartoon, either. It was more like 'Family Circle.' Howie Clark was starting at third base briefly. Howie. Clark.
That's just what leaps to the top of my head. If you had told me, going into the season, that not just one, but ALL, of these things would happen, I would have thought that perhaps 70 wins was being generous.
Yet, the Twins won 88 games and were one game away from the postseason. Amazing. Credit is due to shockingly effective young starters, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau (both of whom deserve serious MVP consideration), and the coaching staff.
Going back to 2002, Gardenhire has built a stronger resume of doing more with less than any other manager in the league. It's not even close. Name one other manager who even deserves to be mentioned in the same breath when it comes to getting blood from a stone.
The Twins win. They win despite being saddled with an uninspired fan base, terrible facilities, a farm system short on positional prospects, and ownership that is, to say it nicely, among the worst in sports. The players change, but Gardenhire stays the same.
I'm sure that there would be a strong inclination to say that the best manager this decade has been Terry Francona, and that has merit. He has won two titles and it's not like the decade is over yet.
Let me ask you this... if you were starting a franchise, and could pick anyone to be your manager, who would you pick?
I'd pick Gardy.
...
You have to give it to Joe Maddon. The culture of losing in Tampa was practically woven into the uniforms, practically a built into the roof of the ridiculous stadium they play in, practically smeared on the hot dogs served at the games. They had never failed to lose at least 90 games in a season. To describe the (D)Rays as doormats in the AL East for the entirety of their history is probably unfairly disparaging the good name of doormats. Yet, in 2008 the Tampa Bay Rays won the American League East. They did it by refusing to fold down the stretch despite going toe to toe with the defending World Series champs, the Boston Red Sox . The Rays also beat out the Yankees, who have a payroll larger than a third world nation's yearly budget, and the Toronto Blue Jays, a team that had legitimate playoff aspirations before the season and began to play like it under Cito Gaston.
How good was the East? Toronto finished fourth and lost one game to the White Sox and Twins... combined.
I suppose you could say that all Joe Maddon did was win with one of the most talented teams in the American League. That's true. Picking at the top of the draft for the past ten years has created a glut of young talent in Tampa.
Still, those kids didn't have any idea what it's like to win. They hadn't been involved in a September scrap with a team like the Red Sox.
What does all that mean? It means Joe Maddon ought to be the 2008 American League Manager of the Year, hands down.
Unfortunately, that means that Ron Gardenhire is once again on the outside looking in. That is a real shame. It is my belief that this season represents the best work of Gardy's career.
I was fully expecting the Twins to be bad this year. I had prepared myself for them to be REALLY bad, like 70 wins bad. I wasn't sure they'd sink quite that low, but, I was prepared for it to happen. THEN, after the season started...
- Delmon Young failed to mature into the star the Twins no doubt were hoping for when they acquired him. He finished the season better than he started it, but, all in all, he was a disappointment.
- Michael Cuddyer, inked in the off-season to a nice extension, struggled to stay on the field and was ineffective when he was out there.
- Pat Neshek was lost for the season, Matt Guerrier remembered he is Matt Guerrier, Juan Rincon's never ending melt down finally came to a climax, Boof Bonser lost his spot in the rotation and struggled in the bullpen as well, and some guy named Brian Bass ended up logging entirely too many appearances. The bullpen was a disaster. Even Joe Nathan, who seemed invincible most of the year, sputtered down the stretch, most notably on that hellish road trip foisted on the Twins late in the season by the RNC.
- Livan Hernadez started out strong before he started pitching like a fat man with a rubber arm. Which he is.
- Carlos Gomez proved two things: he is a frighteningly talented athlete, and he is not even close to being a baseball player.
- The left side of the infield was an absolute cartoon. Not a funny cartoon, either. It was more like 'Family Circle.' Howie Clark was starting at third base briefly. Howie. Clark.
That's just what leaps to the top of my head. If you had told me, going into the season, that not just one, but ALL, of these things would happen, I would have thought that perhaps 70 wins was being generous.
Yet, the Twins won 88 games and were one game away from the postseason. Amazing. Credit is due to shockingly effective young starters, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau (both of whom deserve serious MVP consideration), and the coaching staff.
Going back to 2002, Gardenhire has built a stronger resume of doing more with less than any other manager in the league. It's not even close. Name one other manager who even deserves to be mentioned in the same breath when it comes to getting blood from a stone.
The Twins win. They win despite being saddled with an uninspired fan base, terrible facilities, a farm system short on positional prospects, and ownership that is, to say it nicely, among the worst in sports. The players change, but Gardenhire stays the same.
I'm sure that there would be a strong inclination to say that the best manager this decade has been Terry Francona, and that has merit. He has won two titles and it's not like the decade is over yet.
Let me ask you this... if you were starting a franchise, and could pick anyone to be your manager, who would you pick?
I'd pick Gardy.
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