Generation Gap

It seems to be that every older generation looks down on every younger generation. Perhaps due to lack of wisdom even though the elder once suffered the same lack. At times I feel as though I have been here longer than the rest of my generation, because of that I look down on them. Not necessarily because of more experience, but because I’ve heard enough stories in my time to have a good idea. Though there are members of my generation who have more experience and are wiser than the rest, I find these people interesting and they make for good company. I look down on the majority of its members for their “I don’t care” attitude. They take the future itself, an enormous power, and wield it like a child who’s found his father’s gun. Now I ask myself, “Did the generation before me have the same attitude?” or is ours simply unique in its lack of consideration for anytime but the now. This leads me to be ambitious to see what leaders will arise; will they have the same attitude? Will they only shrug their shoulders and turn on the television, and wait for someone else to shape the world. In this time, old policies are falling, leaving the canvas clean for us to make the first swipe with a brush or line with a pencil; but everyone needs to make their mark and spread their colors so that we are all represented. We can change the world, all I’m asking is that you help.

People v.s. Persons

I can get along with a person
But I can’t stand people.
A person is smart…
Rational…
Level-headed…
Most of the time.
People are stupid…
Obnoxious…
Daft…
And mean…
Most of the time.
If I ever dislike a person
Its because they exude a quality that I share
But would like to rid myself of
And if I ever enjoyed the company of a person
Its because they exude qualities
That I would like to aspire to
People have a habit
That as people
They try to find reasons why they deserve a resource
More than another people
Even if they have no hope of obtaining or retaining said resource
Or have no use for it
And yet people are seen as the greater good
Why?
A singular person is what holds the potential to be the greater good
But it’s easier for a people
Because the collective potential is easier to wield
Though sometimes irrationally
He who deems himself leader wields it
So that the leaders personality is conducting the people
His people
Like puppets
He is able to take on its power
Its responsibility
As well as its credit
Whilst a person
Singular
Maintained
Is in charge of their own potential
And claims its own credit
And its own responsibility
Lest it be more effortBut there is no limit short of time.

Lack of peace

Although this is a little off topic but I thought I should say something: WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO SELECT CUTTING? This is ridiculous, when I walk through public land I see young live trees cut for lumber but never harvested and dead trees are still standing because it isn’t the same quality. The clear cutting has also made for an endless sea of briers where it turns a nice leisurely walk into a very painful ordeal. It ruins that walking in the leaves to an old foundation for a farmhouse that’s in the middle of nowhere and you feel like you’re the only one that knows about it and it’s your own place. Or sitting on a cliff looking across the forest, across the valley, by yourself, it’s amazing. But clear cutting ruins this, to see a barren patch in the woods or loud machinery ruining your peace. Although the logging roads do make the walk easier.

Awwwwwww..... They're holding hands.

Iraq foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari and Syrian foreign minister Walid Muallim have now stated that ties between their countries have been repaired after more than twenty years. This alone has helped restore my faith in humanity, I hope that the peace began with these meeting with help bring more stability in Iraq though it may be naïve to hope so. But nonetheless, with the help of Syria this will be a giant step forward in the development of a new Iraqi government so I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

Do you know where I am?

Do you know where I am?
I’m lost in the crowd
Pushed one way
Shoved another
Pulled deeper in the crowd
I should have brought a map
It’s like a moral mosh pit
Everyone is yelling
Like the man in front
He’s saying things that I don’t like
But I’m still trying to be polite
Tapping on shoulders and quaintly asking “excuse me?”
But I’m not being heard
In this crowd
Of yelling
Of screaming
Of pushing and shoving
But I’m still here
Still being polite
Though not being heard I think I’ll keep trying
Until the noise starts dying
Maybe then I’ll be heard
Instead of tapping on shoulders
Trying to get to the head of the crowd
To talk to the man in front
About the things he says
And the things he does
Without yelling
Without screaming
Without pushing or shoving
Just being polite.

A spout of anger

All right, now I’m becoming impatient. The other night I was at work, listening to the radio when a political ad comes on. It consisted of a right wing man (whom of which had the worst country bumpkin accent I have ever heard) come out and criticize the left wing candidate for supporting gay marriage, saying that first it will be gays, then lesbians, then pedophiles. Then, (this is what I really have a problem with), he brought it to religion, stating that gays threaten the sanctity of marriage and that we need to keep it the way God meant it be: one man, one woman. Then he went on the spree that it was Adam and Eve; not Adam and Steve, and it was Romeo and Juliet; not Romeo and Julio, (what Shakespeare has to do with the bible, I don’t know).

But I guess what really gets my goat is when the deity that I personally choose to believe in is used in order to not only excuse, but also back fascism. It may say in the bible that it is wrong but people don’t realize how much was added during the dark ages by the roman catholic church in order to control the population, but one thing in the Bible that stands true, something that dates back to the original scriptures is that we are all sinners, all equal and should be held equal in this world may we be judged in the next. And to add insult to injury religion is not even supposed to be part of the governmental process.

Note that these are my own personal beliefs and it is not my intention to impress them upon any of you for fear that I may be bludgeoned to death by a large blunt object.

PROTECT THE PROPAGANDA!!!

This is possibly one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. Mr. Cheney came out and stated that the recent violence in Iraq was the result of Islamic insurgents trying to influence the American people to vote Democrat, saying that they’re trying to “break the will of the American people”.

The truth of the situation is that this has been one of the most violent months in the war and will be yet another staple in the upcoming mid term elections but I think what they fail to see is that the Islamic holy month, Ramadan, just ended on the 23rd so do think that this may be more in tune with that rather than the elections? Dick says no, he says that Al-Qaeda (which is a completely different faction that the insurgents so I don’t know why they got dragged into this but they did) are very interested in our election and that they use the Internet to keep base with the polls. “There isn't anything that's on the Internet that's not accessible to them. They're on it all the time. They're very sophisticated users of it” He says, as if they have some sort of terrorist MySpace. It is true that al-Qaeda uses the internet to spread propaganda which is why the Pentagon is creating a special team to “create” messages to set the record strait on news stories in a 24 loop website, sort of anti-propaganda propaganda. So remember, a vote for democrats validates the terrorist's agenda. (just kidding)

Well that’s the situation, read the BBC article http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6101178.stm, come up with an opinion and let me know.

It's our resposibility.

I know I haven’t posted in a while so I going to share with you my personal thoughts on patriotism; here they are. Patriotism in a sense is loyalty to one’s country or wherever they call home, should be more the ideas that a country stands for not the concrete and dirt that it sits on. Patriotism should not be followed blindly; you are the citizens of a country and it is your obligation to see that the decisions being made are in the favor of the general population, not just people in power. Not participating in the process of government frankly because you don’t care is no excuse, government affects ALL of us and we ALL must face the consequences for its mistakes. No government should pressure you into living a certain way, or one that says disagreeing with them is unpatriotic. The government is not our country, WE are our country and it is our right and obligation make sure that everyone is held equal in our society, no matter race, beliefs, or lifestyle. Yes, I know that a society needs to be able to change over time in order to meet the needs of change but the ideas laid down of freedom and equality are universal and we need a government that no matter what the situation can still protect these. Don’t be afraid to be heard, speak your mind that’s what freedom of speech is supposed to be for.

I can still remember the first time someone asked me if I didn’t like my country. I thought about it for a while and replied, “No”. As I sit here typing wondering what the replies will be I think about where this country is headed, it’s nowhere fun. So like I said; speak up, be heard then maybe instead of the American dream it could be the American reality.

I'm giving up...

I’m giving up.
I’m joining the bandwagon.
This thinking, writing, typing,
It’s getting me nowhere,
Fast.
I want to be stupid,
Ignorant,
Intolerant,
Have someone else do my thinking for me,
Like a man sitting high in a chair
With dirty hands
Right with blood
Left with oil.
The rest of the people look happy
Maybe I will be too.
The news is too complicated,
Propaganda is simple.
I like simple.
The man in the chair seems nice,
He says he had to get his hands dirty…
… For or freedom.
Because the bad people will come
If he leaves his chair.
The propaganda says that I need to help,
By also getting my hands dirty,
For the sake of patriotism.
The propaganda says that if I don’t agree with him then I am helping the bad people.
That’s simple.
I like simple.
The man in the chair follows an old book,
He says I should follow the old book too,
If I don’t then I’m helping the bad people.
That’s simple too.
I like the bandwagon.
It’s simple,
Simple is nice.
You should join with me.
It would make the man in the chair happy.
Then he doesn’t have to make his hands dirtier.

We are all immigrants...... or at least our ancestors were.

In the last few years’ immigration has been a rather big deal. The accusation that immigrants come here to steal our jobs and take our welfare, first of all, America has preached itself to be a land of opportunity, of jobs, of freedom and even the people who come here legally get treated like dirt. The jobs they take are because they need to support themselves and possibly their families and usually they are jobs that the bourgeoisie American middle and upper class think they are “too good” to do. I mean, would you work in a slaughterhouse if you had the choice? Probably not, but it’s good money if you know what you’re doing; the thing is, it’s dirty work.

I don’t have sympathy for illegal immigrants though; I feel that if you must come into this country, do so legally. I guess I do feel some sorrow in that they were unable to do it initially legal. In retrospect, they’re not all here to steal ours jobs, take our welfare, and sell drugs. They’re here to earn money doing the things you probably don’t want to do, raise a family, and live the American dream; but that’s the problem: it’s the American dream, not the American reality. Let’s work to make it so, because if you think back all our ancestors were immigrants, even if you’re American Indian your ancestors migrated from Asia during the Ice Age.


My ancestors came from Norway and Germany, where did yours come from?

Foley "cover-up"

Well, I guess I had to post about it sometime, the Mark Foley e-mail scandal. Now this has been a main subject in the news for a while because of its importance to with its effect on midterm elections. I’m afraid though that if it weren’t so close to elections it would have been covered up like it supposedly was for the last 3 years, which is why, republican house leader Dennis Hastert is under fire now because he was believed to have known about it all that time. Mr. Foley’s former chief of staff, Kirk Fordham, made the allegations saying that he had warned Hastert of such behavior at that time. Hastert defended himself stating that he had no idea of what Foley was doing and Mr. Bush defended the statement after criticizing Foley for his actions, which I think was perfectly warranted, in fact, I think that it was the only warranted thing Mr. Bush has done in the last 2 years.

Mr. Foley resigned on Friday after admitting to the illicit e-mail conversations with a 16 year old boy and said that he had been molested as a teenager. He was one of the main representatives for the caucus of missing and exploited children, which is sad because he claimed to care about the safety of children and then this happens.

It’s sad that this had to happen for the Democratic party to get a foothold in this election but maybe a Democratically controlled congress, so something might come out this.

Tell me what you think.

Kinky Friedman for governor!!!!!!

I read a story this morning about Kinky Friedman, the Jewish country singer turned detective novelist who is running for governor in Texas. Personally, think sounds like a reality TV show but that’s just my opinion. Anyhow, yeah, it’s weird.

This surprisingly left-wing candidate wrote such wonderful songs, as “They don’t make Jews like Jesus anymore”. I think would be good for Texas then, possibly, the country because we need an unconventional leader for these unconventional times. He takes pride in his habit for being politically incorrect and for supporting the separation between church and state. “I’m not afraid to offend people,” he says. Let’s hope not, in this time we can’t be worried about niceties, but we can still have a sense of humor because that’s what separates us from our enemies: extremists, is a sense of humor. So what I’m saying is let’s rest the right wing, because they’re getting full of themselves, and lets fly with the left and if Texas starts it off; lets face it, it will be a big blow to the right wing theocracy.

In conclusion, I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Kinky can get into office, and I hope my fellow left-wingers will do the same. I’m still laughing.


read the whole story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5393522.stm

Tell me your thoughts.

Bush is still in the defence.

Well once again I’m discussing the intelligence report that’s got everybody stirred up. The report that has our ‘beloved” president and the rest of the White House cornered with accusations and I’m lapping it up. The White House argues that only a portion of the report was declassified and reported on. I would have sympathy for them if there wasn’t a second intelligence report that dealt fully with the war in Iraq but will not be declassified until after the November elections, so basically they’re saying “Were not going to show you this report because I may make you mad at us… but vote for us anyway, please?” So I’m still laughing at it.
In response to Mr. Kennedy’s comment on my last post, I believe that the war in was unnecessary and a mistake and the administration needs to acknowledge that. Though I also believe that the war now is an obligation we promised these people something better and all we’ve given them is violence, and unless we change the direction that seems to be the events that will keep unfolding. We are treading on areas that we should not be treading on; I think that we are going to fix this we need to start here at home. I say this because I hear people still use terms like “towel head” and say things like “we should have just nuked them to begin with”; the amount of ignorance in this country is phenomenal, and the main reason is lack of education, its no more complicated than that. Maybe it’s a represented culture that this country has that if you aren’t Christian you don’t belong here, I say this because we live under an administration that uses the Bible as a moral guide for a multi-cultural country. Yeah, it sucks. The only thing I can think of is an obese woman sitting in a lawn chair in front of a Chevy Astro holding a little American flag while repeatedly asking “ Have you found Jesus?” and I just want to say “ No, is he in the van?”
Oh well, back to the intelligence report. Bush stated in his defense *"I think it's a mistake for people to believe that going on the offensive against people that want to do harm to the American people makes us less safe," Wait, when, prior to the war, did the “republic” of Iraq ever want to do harm to the American people. Once again, oh well.

I’m going to quit rambling for today but tell me your side of the story.


Information and Bush quote from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5384366.stm

Citizens open their eyes to intelligence report

The New York Times wrote that a US intelligence report that the war in Iraq is only prompting more violence from Muslim extremists worldwide. A White House spokesman said in the defense of the Bush administration that the report was “not representative of the entire document”. This makes sense because that the Bush administration is once again defending themselves from accusations, and with people in Washington walking around with shirts that say “20 January 2009” (that’s the date Mr. Bush has to give up his power) I really don’t blame them. But when they call a war the front for the War on Terror fighting there should make the situation better in the long run, to put it bluntly. Maybe they think that with enough suicidal jihads that the extremists will just run out of people but it would only be at the cost of hundreds, maybe thousands of innocent lives. So I don’t see the point in choosing a front (because WE DID choose that front) that only inspires more extremists and makes the situation worse, but once again, it brings the question back to “Are we just protecting our oil interests?” The situation is becoming ridiculous, with the illegal wire-tapping, Illegal “secret” prisons overseas, and corrupt big-business/government relations, and a frankly fascist agenda (toward homosexuals), why is this administration still in office. The only politician with the balls to stand up to them was Rush Feingold and the rest of his party buried their heads in the dirt when he did, it was infuriating. I need some coffee.


Tell me your side.

Bush, his back, and a wall

President Bush is once again defending himself in a UN meeting against allegations that his methods in the middle were only making the situation worse. He defended himself by saying “This argument rests on a false assumption- that the Middle East was stable to begin with.” Wait, what? Just because a situation isn’t perfect doesn’t mean you can’t make it worse, which he has. An Iraqi public poll stated that the quality for an average citizen was better under Hussein then under the occupation. People, we need to wake up, how can a country who would rather watch American Idol than the news and only about 30% of us participate in the democratic process preach democracy to the rest of the world? It’s a shame.
Mr. Bush also spoke of the Iran nuclear situation, saying, “Iran must abandon its nuclear weapon ambitions.” Now wait again, who said anything about “weapons”, Iran said and still says that their nuclear intentions are peaceful. Russia and China have been quick to put sanctions on their neighbors and it seems that the rest of the UN is complying (except for France) who seems to be the only sane one out of the bunch. Not that Iran isn’t dangerous its just that while their intentions are peaceful we should focus on the problems we already have.

Is the Pope really infallible?

In recent controversy the pope apologized for insults to Muslims, the concept of jihad, and the prophet Muhammad in a quote. Although I think the apologies were needed questions rise about the pope’s infallibility, if the pope is never wrong then how could he make a mistake? Well, the truth of the situation is that the pope was not deemed truly infallible until 1870, not by God, but by the First Vatican Council but only if he was speaking ex cathedra and is addressing the morals, beliefs, and the church itself. Catholic historian Michael Walsh says that the pope has to make a dogmatic statement in ex cathedra while sitting in the chair of St. Peter for a statement to be infallible, while many pope also (I believe) pat their head and rub their belly at the same time, but that’s just to show of.
The Catholic Church works like a federation, bishops control their diocese, and the bishops answer to the pope who is the bishop of Rome. When a bishop has a moral question or bishops argue over church decisions the as the pope for a judgment who is “infallible” and is prevent from straying from the faith by the Holy Spirit. There’s five years of Catholic school and british news for you, believe me, I know.
*information from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/5355758.stm

France and the Iran nuclear situation

Well, French president Jacques Chirac believes that the nuclear sanctions imposed on Iran are not going to work. Unfortunately, I’m afraid I agree. The nuclear sanctions will not help because Iran will not comply somewhat like a rebelling teenager. Lets face it, Iran would have just as much to lose from a war as we do and there would be no chance for a victory, and I think they realize this. In addition, if Iran states that their intentions are peaceful we should comply because you could see that there’s a difference between peaceful and violent nuclear actions such as the mining of plutonium and the test firing of missiles, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have them under a microscope because despite their stated peaceful intentions they have a very violent past. I guess what I’m saying is let’s not be quick to add another war to our campaign, lets wrap thing up in Iraq, focus on the recent violence in Afghanistan, and keep our eyes on Iran and North Korea

* Information from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5355334.stm

WooHooo, Go Poland!

In a recent NATO meeting our good friends in, surprise, Poland decided that they would be the ones to help fill the troop deficit. Of the already 100 polish ground troops, 1,000 more will be sent in but unfortunately not until February. Yet still its nice to see someone step up to help, which only makes me appreciate our friends over seas all the more because, face it, we do take them for granted and without our NATO friends we wouldn’t quite be the country we are today. Our allies do suffer a lot for our little campaigns if you recall that the first casualties of Iraqi Freedom were British troops in a helicopter that was hit with friendly fire (one our tomahawk missiles).
Although the 1,000 Polish troops will help a great deal, NATO still needs an estimated 1,500 more troops in southern Afghanistan. I guess it’s just important that we get a decision made by February, don’t ask me why that’s just what I think.

*Information from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5344596.stm

Afganistan: the center of attention once again.

For a few years now we’ve kept our eyes fixed on the war in Iraq and turned a blind one to Afghanistan. Is that because we wanted to draw attention away from the fact that we could find Osama Bin-Ladin? Well, once again our eyes are drawn to this region because of escalated violence and screams for reinforcements, but who will provide them? There are 18,500 of foreign, mainly NATO troops and about the same number of American troops. Canadian and British forces reside in the south with American aircraft support and Special Forces ground troops.
The violence has indeed escalated, not from Bin-Ladin’s Al Qeada but from local Taliban militant groups. The latest violence resulted in the death on of 16 Taliban fighter during a gunfight with Afghani police overnight.
Here are the current statistics on the ISAF troops stationed in Afghanistan. Even though the only countries that suffered attacks are the U.S. and the U.K. (subway bombings) still our brothers and allies aid us in the fighting and I say this because I think that we wrongly take our allies for granted. Even the French whom criticized our policies (with good reason) and yet they are still aiding us. So just remember when you start to get pompous remember that although our foreign policy isn’t the best, we still have friends that aren’t just fair-weather so lets not screw it up (remember Freedom Fries?).

Imformation and graphic from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5341654.stm

5 years and still looking for answers

Its been five tedious years since that day that two planes hit the World Trade Center buildings, one hit the Pentagon, and another, Flight 93, believed inteaded for the capitol was brought down by its passangers in a Pennsylvania. Five years of speaches, memorials, and searching for the man held responsible. Five years of being grabbed by the throat in fear of another attack. Five years, one day, four planes, 2,749 dead in New York, 179 at the pentagon, and the 40 passangers of Flight 93. An event that still rings in your mind like it happened yesterday. An event that sparked two wars and unfortunatly much discrimination against the Muslim community. I still remember that day five years ago, I was going to St. Patricks Catholic school and I came up from music class and our math teacher had the television on she explained what happened in shady detail because even she wasn't sure. The school day passed as we watched these events unfold on CNN. I didn't know how to act or what to think/ feel about the situation because never seen anything like this short of the Oklahoma City bombing and even then I didn't understand. When I finally got home my mom was sitting on the couch crying and i remember not understanding why. I don't remember what she said to me but whatever it was it didn't help, i was still confused, almost emotionless, everyone just kept talking as if it would make me understand; but i think it really just made them feel better but i'm still not sure. It was almost like when a friend or loved one dies. The confusion, trying to convince yourself it didn't happen, while others try to convince that everything will get better. The intelegence report prior to the attack warning the President of the attack was ignored. We started a world-wide manhunt of somebody we still cant find. Used it as a staple for political decisions. And used it to start another war in a different reason. Five years and still no real answers.

War on Terror lost its direction a long time ago.

The War on Terror has been a staple on elections and congressional decisions for nearly six years. In the 2004 election the Bush administration used there own form of terrorism (the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.)* to scare swing-states into voting red. So if you were told that this large influence on your loyalties was "misguided" where would your loyalties lie now? BBC World News stated today a U.S. senate report said that there are or were no connections between former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussien and Al Qaeda in Iraq. Now with no evidence of Weapons of Mass Destruction and no ties with Al Qeada it brings the issue back to an oil war and with a vice-president that has 31 million dollars of haliburton oil money in his back pocket (in case you didnt know Mr. Cheney is the former CEO of Haliburton), and that wouldn't be soo bad if Haliburton wasn't the first company to sign a contract dealing with oil lost in Iraq. So is $3/gallon worth aproximently 4,000 civilian lives lost?

* definition from www.dictionary.refrences.com