I am kinda tired and don't really feel like writing a long detailed post about the various facets of torture that have come out over the last couple of weeks. This will read like a bunch of random thoughts.
To the people who call things like waterboarding and slamming people's heads into walls something that isn't torture I just want to ask why would we be doing it if it wasn't torture?
What I find more appalling then the fact that we actually torture people is the fact that we employ such matters when it is not even an effective way to gather information from suspects. Most of the information we get from torturing people is unreliable because people will reveal anything you want to hear just to get the pain to stop. Also if you waterboard an individual over 180 you're either really fucking bad at torturing someone or its not an effective method of gathering intelligence information.
Right now Bill O reilly is going crazy about how Obama is putting out memos and pictures about prisoner abuse that we are putting various American people and interests at home and abroad in danger and that Obama is the worst person in the world for letting this happen. You know what fuck Bill-O and every other fucking hack piece of shit host on Fox News and talk radio who advances this retarded four year old logic. The worst part is that Bill-O just admitted that the U.S. is guilty of committing prisoner abuses. Let me get this straight. So the previous administration is guilty of horrible acts that break not only our laws but international laws and it is somehow Obama's fault for revealing how corrupt the previous administration was? Makes perfect sense.
What is also something that makes me mad is that the same people who either dfend America's implementation of torture or who don't agree that we have tortured would probably advocate bombing the fuck out of a country who employed the same methods we have on citizens from our country. It is kind of hypicritical just like it is when those who say they are pro life actively cheered when Israel bombed the shit out of the Gaza Strip and employed hard core fucking shit like white phosperus in populated areas (and if you want to see how horrific that shit is click on this link). It basically burns your skin to the bone.
Oh and I guess I should say that not all Fox Hosts are idiots.
All though this has nothing to do with torture a while ago I posted a video by the group Matt and Kim called Daylight and this is their new video. I kind of like this song almost as much and the video is pretty cool. It even has a surprise ending.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Miss USA
The talk of the town now is this Mrs. U.S. competition that happened a weekend or two ago. I'm sure you heard about it since it deals with hot chicks and same sex marriage though the hot chicks are not actually the ones having the same sex.
My immediate thought was what is the difference between Mrs. America and Mrs U.S. Is Mrs America just the continental United States. A co-worker told me they are two different competitions where the Mrs. US winner goes on to compete in The Mrs. Universe competition. I am sure once we master interplanetary travel that the winner of Mrs. Universe will go on to compete in Mrs. Galaxy and so on. If you ask me nobody will be able to beat that blue chick in Jabba's palace.
The big controversy is that Perez Hilton asked one of the contestants what her thoughts on same sex marriage were. Hilarity ensues.
First things first Perez Hilton is an untalented hack who gained popularity because he knows enough HTML code to put pictures of celebrities on his website with pictures of penis on them. Why he is judging this pageant is a question I would like answered.
That being said Miss California is being bashed by Perez and other people who are for same sex marriage and they are angry at her. I guess Perez makes a good point saying that she is supposed to represent all of America and not just people who fuck people of the opposite sex. He apparently called her various names like "bitch" and "cunt". I guess that's bad. Even though Perez is a hack I must say that I agree with his sentiments.
Conservatives are up in arms and it is all the same bullshit. Fucking losers called the Sean Hannity Show saying this is typical liberal thing to do. Liberals can't debate points so they report to name calling. Those liberals are so intolerant of other viewpoints. It's funny how the conservatives who want to limit peoples personal freedoms and rights get all up in arms about tolerance.
Of course Miss California can say whatever she wants to say. I would even say it takes immense courage to actually say she is against same sex marriage while she is a participant in competition where all of the judges and most of the audience is gay. That being said I don't want any of these conservative crybabies who whine about how people complain about how we are such not a PC culture when they say something intolerant about any group of people who are not white Christians but get mad when anything bad is is said about them. I say if she wants to be close minded I should be able to call her close minded.
She also said that she believes in no same sex marriage because she was brought up that way by her parents. Do you think her dad sat her down one day and said "I always want you to make your bed. Always remember to look both ways when you cross the street. And remember to always deny equal rights to same sex couples."
This is another video where Miss California reacts to Perez calling her a cunt by saying she will pray for him. Just thought I would post it.
The reason I don't like Mrs. California is that I know she is most definitely not a lesbian but would probably still not fuck me. Oh and if you find that statement misogynistic remember I was not the person who was in a contest that judges people just based off of looks. Wait I think that word would be narcissistic.
My immediate thought was what is the difference between Mrs. America and Mrs U.S. Is Mrs America just the continental United States. A co-worker told me they are two different competitions where the Mrs. US winner goes on to compete in The Mrs. Universe competition. I am sure once we master interplanetary travel that the winner of Mrs. Universe will go on to compete in Mrs. Galaxy and so on. If you ask me nobody will be able to beat that blue chick in Jabba's palace.
The big controversy is that Perez Hilton asked one of the contestants what her thoughts on same sex marriage were. Hilarity ensues.
First things first Perez Hilton is an untalented hack who gained popularity because he knows enough HTML code to put pictures of celebrities on his website with pictures of penis on them. Why he is judging this pageant is a question I would like answered.
That being said Miss California is being bashed by Perez and other people who are for same sex marriage and they are angry at her. I guess Perez makes a good point saying that she is supposed to represent all of America and not just people who fuck people of the opposite sex. He apparently called her various names like "bitch" and "cunt". I guess that's bad. Even though Perez is a hack I must say that I agree with his sentiments.
Conservatives are up in arms and it is all the same bullshit. Fucking losers called the Sean Hannity Show saying this is typical liberal thing to do. Liberals can't debate points so they report to name calling. Those liberals are so intolerant of other viewpoints. It's funny how the conservatives who want to limit peoples personal freedoms and rights get all up in arms about tolerance.
Of course Miss California can say whatever she wants to say. I would even say it takes immense courage to actually say she is against same sex marriage while she is a participant in competition where all of the judges and most of the audience is gay. That being said I don't want any of these conservative crybabies who whine about how people complain about how we are such not a PC culture when they say something intolerant about any group of people who are not white Christians but get mad when anything bad is is said about them. I say if she wants to be close minded I should be able to call her close minded.
She also said that she believes in no same sex marriage because she was brought up that way by her parents. Do you think her dad sat her down one day and said "I always want you to make your bed. Always remember to look both ways when you cross the street. And remember to always deny equal rights to same sex couples."
This is another video where Miss California reacts to Perez calling her a cunt by saying she will pray for him. Just thought I would post it.
The reason I don't like Mrs. California is that I know she is most definitely not a lesbian but would probably still not fuck me. Oh and if you find that statement misogynistic remember I was not the person who was in a contest that judges people just based off of looks. Wait I think that word would be narcissistic.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Discusing a Movie That Enjoyed Popularity Years Ago
On a previous post on this blog I have discussed some movies such as Transformers that are marketed at a certain demographic. There are many movies like this mostly comic book adaptations and cheap looking Nicholas Cage movies where most of the budget went into his hairstyle.
My problem with these movies is that complex themes are replaced with loud noises and quick cuts. There are no adult themes or complex ideas going on in these movie. No Transformers is fucking Sweet Sixteen with robots.
It is too much to ask to have a movie made by adults for adults. That is why I will say one of the great action movies to come out over the last decade had to be The Matrix because it revolutionized the way movies are filmed and also for the fact that it was a movie with complex ideas and weighty issues that adults could enjoy without having to turn their brains off.
For instance the following scones dealed with complex issues like how humans need misery and how it defines not only how we see the world but how it defines our experiences, the way humans seem to consume and define reality. I find it most interesting when the Agent Smith character tells the guy from Higher Learning that he is not even sure if he hates the smell since smell is an aspect of life that humans have defined.
What I found most interesting about this movie when I randomly watched about fifteen minutes of this weekend because it was on TNT was after a training simulation program which the two main characters were using to do kung fu it was revealed that even though The Matrix is not real your brain is processing it to be real so it treats it as being real.
This made me stop to think and really examine how the human mind works. Many immediate thoughts went through my mind such as that our own perception is what we use to gauge reality but in actuality it is not reality and only is what our mind can comprehend. But iF this was true does that mean because I perceive something to be true makes it reality; the paradox being there can be no true universal reality. But that can't be true because there are basic understanding of what reality is. Even movies that aren't as fully realized but make me think about concepts such as these will receive higher praise from me then it might be warranted.
What made me think the most was how if you do die in The Matrix you do in real life because as the guy from Higher Learning told the guy from Speed that the "body needs the mind to live." Basically if you get shot in the Matrix you will die because your mind will process the gunshot like it actually happened. This gave me the most pause. Could a human brain actually convince your body that you were shot. Can it simulate the loss of blood and damage to vital organs and the body going into shock? This seems unlikely unless we go back to a point earlier in how our mind will actually define reality.
These are all weighty issues that I know I have not discussed in any sort of detail. I guess my main point is that I would like to see more movies with complex ideas such as The Matrix instead of movies about a guy who has claws in his hands. I would like to see more movies like this and less shit like Transformers. I'll never be able to perceive why anyone would like a Michael Bay movie.
My problem with these movies is that complex themes are replaced with loud noises and quick cuts. There are no adult themes or complex ideas going on in these movie. No Transformers is fucking Sweet Sixteen with robots.
It is too much to ask to have a movie made by adults for adults. That is why I will say one of the great action movies to come out over the last decade had to be The Matrix because it revolutionized the way movies are filmed and also for the fact that it was a movie with complex ideas and weighty issues that adults could enjoy without having to turn their brains off.
For instance the following scones dealed with complex issues like how humans need misery and how it defines not only how we see the world but how it defines our experiences, the way humans seem to consume and define reality. I find it most interesting when the Agent Smith character tells the guy from Higher Learning that he is not even sure if he hates the smell since smell is an aspect of life that humans have defined.
What I found most interesting about this movie when I randomly watched about fifteen minutes of this weekend because it was on TNT was after a training simulation program which the two main characters were using to do kung fu it was revealed that even though The Matrix is not real your brain is processing it to be real so it treats it as being real.
This made me stop to think and really examine how the human mind works. Many immediate thoughts went through my mind such as that our own perception is what we use to gauge reality but in actuality it is not reality and only is what our mind can comprehend. But iF this was true does that mean because I perceive something to be true makes it reality; the paradox being there can be no true universal reality. But that can't be true because there are basic understanding of what reality is. Even movies that aren't as fully realized but make me think about concepts such as these will receive higher praise from me then it might be warranted.
What made me think the most was how if you do die in The Matrix you do in real life because as the guy from Higher Learning told the guy from Speed that the "body needs the mind to live." Basically if you get shot in the Matrix you will die because your mind will process the gunshot like it actually happened. This gave me the most pause. Could a human brain actually convince your body that you were shot. Can it simulate the loss of blood and damage to vital organs and the body going into shock? This seems unlikely unless we go back to a point earlier in how our mind will actually define reality.
These are all weighty issues that I know I have not discussed in any sort of detail. I guess my main point is that I would like to see more movies with complex ideas such as The Matrix instead of movies about a guy who has claws in his hands. I would like to see more movies like this and less shit like Transformers. I'll never be able to perceive why anyone would like a Michael Bay movie.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
FTN
So I started thinking about Ted Nuggent today. I really hate him.
You might remember the band Goldfinger. They were some third wave punk ska group that had a pretty big song in the 90's called Here in Your Bedroom. They also had a song in a Tony Hawk video game but I can't remember which one.
Well Goldfinger had a song called FTN. By viewing the video I think you will what these initials stand for by watching the video.
So I don't like Ted and I think the video sums it up rather nicely. It should also be noted that the only thing worse than some of the abhorrent and ugly statements/opinions he has are his songs.
(Also if anyone knows where I can find it there was also a different version of this song that instead of Jenifer Lopez that talked about Farrah Fawcett. If anyone knows where to find that versionI would be so happy)
You might remember the band Goldfinger. They were some third wave punk ska group that had a pretty big song in the 90's called Here in Your Bedroom. They also had a song in a Tony Hawk video game but I can't remember which one.
Well Goldfinger had a song called FTN. By viewing the video I think you will what these initials stand for by watching the video.
So I don't like Ted and I think the video sums it up rather nicely. It should also be noted that the only thing worse than some of the abhorrent and ugly statements/opinions he has are his songs.
(Also if anyone knows where I can find it there was also a different version of this song that instead of Jenifer Lopez that talked about Farrah Fawcett. If anyone knows where to find that versionI would be so happy)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
America Rules!
This post has to do with a post I want to do on how America views the world and their notions on how America is the greatest country in the world. I will write that post someday. Let's just call this what they do in the strip clubs; a cock tease.
I don't know if you have read or heard about this but Spain was thinking about prosecuting top Bush aides for what they claimed were acts of torture of five Spanish citizens that were held in Guantánamo.
It is now being reported that Spanish prosecutors will recommend against opening an investigation into whether six Bush administration officials sanctioned torture against terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, the country's attorney-general said Thursday.
Which brings me to the conservative website Hot Air. I am using them as an example because this is how a lot of people in this country think. After quoting some of the text from the associated press report linked above the author of this post wrote this:
"Spain likes to consider itself omnipotent in criminal matters. They have the notion that they can apply “universal justice” by trying people for crimes committed outside of their own sovereignty. That’s a tremendously arrogant notion, one that challenges American sovereignty in this case. We declared our independence from European oversight 233 years ago, and we don’t answer to Spanish courts. The proper channel for issues concerning public officials between two sovereign nations is diplomatic, not prosecutorial."
This is typical American thinking if you ask me. All this talk about Sovereignty like we are the greatest country ever (as a country we aren't bad I guess but take a look at where the U.S. ranks in most major categories such as life expectancy, education, health, but more on this in another post). True we did declare our independence years ago (not from Spain) but we are responsible for following the Geneva Conventions which says torture is bad. I am sure if the shoe was on the other foot instead of people crying about holding Spain responsible for torturing a U.S. citizen we would call for bombing them.
I get so sick of this antiquated notion that America can do anything they want and other countries can shut up and take it. Somehow the fattest nation who is responsible for such iconic things like the blanket with sleeves, Creed and Red Bull can go on about Sovereignty but I guess this is what happens when people are fed a steady diet of steroid injected fast food and Fox News (and Hot Air).
"If Spain moves forward, the Obama administration must defend American sovereignty by imposing stiff diplomatic consequences for this national insult."
So let me take a stab at this. The past administration endorsed tactics that are defined to be torture and these tactics were implemented on Spanish citizens who were probably innocent so their country wants to hold us responsible for such actions and that is the national insult? I would think the national insult would be that America as a country uses acts of torture that have been proven to be ineffective and people still champion it but apparently Spain is at fault here. I mean fuck, I meant to say America rules!
(I should also say that this Ed Morrissey also says in his article that Conde-Pumpido as saying that this was a political issue when in fact it was one of the human rights lawyers who brought this case to Spain who said his decision was politically motivated.)
And how about this for a laugh. Check out the comments section. this one jumped out at me:
DL13: Isn’t Spain the country that murdered millions of Indians in North/South America during the 1500-1800’s? Perhaps we should have sent our Gitmo guards to them for training, or something. OK, just kidding on the suggestion…..
Because The United States has a great track record when it comes to treatment of Native Americans. Ok, just kidding... I mean seriously what the fuck.
I don't know if you have read or heard about this but Spain was thinking about prosecuting top Bush aides for what they claimed were acts of torture of five Spanish citizens that were held in Guantánamo.
It is now being reported that Spanish prosecutors will recommend against opening an investigation into whether six Bush administration officials sanctioned torture against terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, the country's attorney-general said Thursday.
Which brings me to the conservative website Hot Air. I am using them as an example because this is how a lot of people in this country think. After quoting some of the text from the associated press report linked above the author of this post wrote this:
"Spain likes to consider itself omnipotent in criminal matters. They have the notion that they can apply “universal justice” by trying people for crimes committed outside of their own sovereignty. That’s a tremendously arrogant notion, one that challenges American sovereignty in this case. We declared our independence from European oversight 233 years ago, and we don’t answer to Spanish courts. The proper channel for issues concerning public officials between two sovereign nations is diplomatic, not prosecutorial."
This is typical American thinking if you ask me. All this talk about Sovereignty like we are the greatest country ever (as a country we aren't bad I guess but take a look at where the U.S. ranks in most major categories such as life expectancy, education, health, but more on this in another post). True we did declare our independence years ago (not from Spain) but we are responsible for following the Geneva Conventions which says torture is bad. I am sure if the shoe was on the other foot instead of people crying about holding Spain responsible for torturing a U.S. citizen we would call for bombing them.
I get so sick of this antiquated notion that America can do anything they want and other countries can shut up and take it. Somehow the fattest nation who is responsible for such iconic things like the blanket with sleeves, Creed and Red Bull can go on about Sovereignty but I guess this is what happens when people are fed a steady diet of steroid injected fast food and Fox News (and Hot Air).
"If Spain moves forward, the Obama administration must defend American sovereignty by imposing stiff diplomatic consequences for this national insult."
So let me take a stab at this. The past administration endorsed tactics that are defined to be torture and these tactics were implemented on Spanish citizens who were probably innocent so their country wants to hold us responsible for such actions and that is the national insult? I would think the national insult would be that America as a country uses acts of torture that have been proven to be ineffective and people still champion it but apparently Spain is at fault here. I mean fuck, I meant to say America rules!
(I should also say that this Ed Morrissey also says in his article that Conde-Pumpido as saying that this was a political issue when in fact it was one of the human rights lawyers who brought this case to Spain who said his decision was politically motivated.)
And how about this for a laugh. Check out the comments section. this one jumped out at me:
DL13: Isn’t Spain the country that murdered millions of Indians in North/South America during the 1500-1800’s? Perhaps we should have sent our Gitmo guards to them for training, or something. OK, just kidding on the suggestion…..
Because The United States has a great track record when it comes to treatment of Native Americans. Ok, just kidding... I mean seriously what the fuck.
Sex And The City
I must admit that I have not seen a whole episode of Sex And The City. I saw bits and pieces of one episode. I don't really know what it was about but the older chick was sexing up another women. I can't even tell you if they were two of the main characters.
What I don't get about the show is how the women who love it find it to be so empowering while it seems to cultivate every single stereotype men have about women. It just seems to me the show is very materially obsessed and just reinforces most notions that many men unfortunately have in regards to women; that they love and just have to have that new purse or dress or whatever it is that women love these days (which I am sure is not me).
I know some of the defenders of the show will say that the characters are well developed, that it shows girls can be like guys and sit around and chat about who they hooked up with, that these women have all the power in their relationships, or that women are just happy that one movie out of all the other crappy movies such as Transformers are being marketed to them as opposed to little kids or men who are in Arrested Development.
But if you ask me I don't see that. I just see a show that reinforces the old stereotype that women like shiny things and just want to settle down with some hunky guy, preferably one that was in Law and Order.
Again, I might be and probably am wrong since admittedly the only episode I ever watched was one where two women were having sex. Maybe that wasn't very representable of the whole show. If any women read this I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter.
(And I must say when the movie came out in the theater I defended the women who made their boyfriends go see it with them. I hated hearing how guys were like no way I'm gonna see that movie with my girl. Well fuck you guys, how many times did you drag your girl to see some shit sucking movie like Transformers?)
What I don't get about the show is how the women who love it find it to be so empowering while it seems to cultivate every single stereotype men have about women. It just seems to me the show is very materially obsessed and just reinforces most notions that many men unfortunately have in regards to women; that they love and just have to have that new purse or dress or whatever it is that women love these days (which I am sure is not me).
I know some of the defenders of the show will say that the characters are well developed, that it shows girls can be like guys and sit around and chat about who they hooked up with, that these women have all the power in their relationships, or that women are just happy that one movie out of all the other crappy movies such as Transformers are being marketed to them as opposed to little kids or men who are in Arrested Development.
But if you ask me I don't see that. I just see a show that reinforces the old stereotype that women like shiny things and just want to settle down with some hunky guy, preferably one that was in Law and Order.
Again, I might be and probably am wrong since admittedly the only episode I ever watched was one where two women were having sex. Maybe that wasn't very representable of the whole show. If any women read this I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter.
(And I must say when the movie came out in the theater I defended the women who made their boyfriends go see it with them. I hated hearing how guys were like no way I'm gonna see that movie with my girl. Well fuck you guys, how many times did you drag your girl to see some shit sucking movie like Transformers?)
The Last Post On Taxes I Swear
One last post on taxes before I forget about the issue forever or until the next time I have to pay them. Hopefully the Tea Parties were so successful that the IRS will be disbanded and we can go on with our merry lives.
Matt Taibbi, an editor for Rolling Stone magazine (who blogs for a different website for some reason) has a post about the tea parties and the absurdity of it all. His basic point is that there is all kinds of wasteful government spending that use tax dollars but those who got pissed off enough about it to attend one of these Tea Parties only did so when the government pushed through a bill that included a massive public works package and homeowner aid probably which was directed at them.
His main argument is that these tea baggers did not start complaining until these programs were aimed at them. From his blog post:
"In other words teabaggers don’t mind paying taxes to fund the salaries of Bolivian miners, Lou Gerstner’s stock options, deliveries of “sailboat fuel,” the Hermes scarves on Sandy Weill’s jet pillows, or even the export of their own goddamn jobs. But they do hate it when someone tries to re-asphalt their roads, or help bail their slob neighbor out of foreclosure. And God forbid someone propose a health care program, or increased financial aid for college. Hell, that’s like offering to share your turkey with the other Pilgrims! That’s not what America is all about! America is every Pilgrim for himself, dammit! Raise your own motherfucking turkey!"
An interesting fact from his article is that according to a poll that 39% of respondents who make only 30,000 dollars a year felt federal income taxes were to high but only 32% of the respondents in that category will pay any income tax in 2008. Wow!
Taibi's blog post can be read in it's entirety here.
Matt Taibbi, an editor for Rolling Stone magazine (who blogs for a different website for some reason) has a post about the tea parties and the absurdity of it all. His basic point is that there is all kinds of wasteful government spending that use tax dollars but those who got pissed off enough about it to attend one of these Tea Parties only did so when the government pushed through a bill that included a massive public works package and homeowner aid probably which was directed at them.
His main argument is that these tea baggers did not start complaining until these programs were aimed at them. From his blog post:
"In other words teabaggers don’t mind paying taxes to fund the salaries of Bolivian miners, Lou Gerstner’s stock options, deliveries of “sailboat fuel,” the Hermes scarves on Sandy Weill’s jet pillows, or even the export of their own goddamn jobs. But they do hate it when someone tries to re-asphalt their roads, or help bail their slob neighbor out of foreclosure. And God forbid someone propose a health care program, or increased financial aid for college. Hell, that’s like offering to share your turkey with the other Pilgrims! That’s not what America is all about! America is every Pilgrim for himself, dammit! Raise your own motherfucking turkey!"
An interesting fact from his article is that according to a poll that 39% of respondents who make only 30,000 dollars a year felt federal income taxes were to high but only 32% of the respondents in that category will pay any income tax in 2008. Wow!
Taibi's blog post can be read in it's entirety here.
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