Hey remember that post about Racism?

Remember that?  Hmmm?  Yeah I had some libertarian friends of mine comment on Facebook how I was wrong, how I was amping it up, over exaggerating the problem. Actually I do not think I am.  If anything I am understating the problem. 

I took part in an online conversation...

Well this is nothing new.  I often take part in online conversations with people, typically the conversations range from which is true creation or evolution, the supernatural, aliens, poverty, and any number of political and or social discussions that can happen online.  Lets face it, if it can be discussed, you will find a thread, a chat room, message board, or whatever you can imagine on any subject you want to find.

Remember that war on Christianity...?

If you recall I made several entries here about the War on Christianity, and they are some of the more viewed entries on this blog.  I have also commented at times on bullying, not viewed as much, but commented less on.  Believe it or not, while they were viewed, they were not commented on much.  I do not censor comments, so I figured I would get a bit of backlash, but nothing came about, so I assume you, dear readers, are finding something to what I said.  But here we are several weeks later, and well the war has fired up again.

Good Ole Boy

You know there is one thing in this world that just runs stuff right through me.  I can deal with someone being a hypocrite.  I can deal with a liar and a thief.  I can even hold my tongue when it comes to bible thumpers, but that one is hard.  What I have no tolerance with is the Good Ole Boy network.  It is something you see in police departments, when cops won't rat each other out when one has done something wrong, but it goes deeper.  It was a mainstay in politics, and probably still is, you know people have done each other favors, so they do other people favors as repayment.

Its been a roller coaster of a week.

Here we are on Wednesday.  For Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans, the week started off great, but with some troubles.  I mean the Daytona 500 had a six hour delay courtesy of Global... I mean typical Florida weather.  Yeah, man, that was a good start to the week for fans of NASCAR. 

Google Fiber?

So, while a few friends of mine were discussing their problems with Comcast, and I was telling of similar issues with Suddenlink, someone brought up Google Fiber.  This was after I lamented about the death of net neutrality, and the fact that a small handful of providers control the bulk of the internet.  I admit it, I am not the front runner of technology these days, the price I pay for living where and how I do.  But as always Google is a handy tool, so, here is what I found out.

Here we go... Thankfully this one won't be running again...

So, here we go again.  It shows the priorities of the conservative party in the United States, on Monday our former President of the Senate, or Vice President of the United States, came on Fox News, and started opening his mouth.  As we are accustom to a conservative speaks, and we are left to wonder...  What is going on in their brain?

Church Fleeces Elderly, and Molests Children Combined

This is something that I have been sitting on for a while now.  More information about this will follow shortly, but for the time being this is the beginning of the story.  I posted this once a while back, but it was broken into two parts, now it is combined since the first time it was written.  It is as it originally appeared, and here, will be the only alteration, the time frame has increased from 18 months to around 20 months in a tent, with an additional month floating from place to place.  Imagine spending two Christmases, two Thanksgivings, two of every major holidays and birthdays in a tent or otherwise homeless.

BYU Video Ad.

So, I was strolling my Facebook wall and I see this post about an anti-jerking off video.  No fears, it is safe for work.  But this is just out there, even for the LDS Church.

Harold Ramis

When I was a kid, I saw a movie about ghosts that was not scary, it was funny.  These guys appeared to be like everyone else would be, dealing with the reality of a spirit.  Even though they believed in such things, their epic failure as they began showed us how most of us would deal with such a situation.  I have and will always hold out hope for a third movie in the series...

Socialism

This distinguished gentleman pictured before you is John Steinbeck, a few years before his passing.  Most of us read some of his work while in primary school, it was poignant even in the mid-90's as it was when he wrote his stories.  I feel that his work will stand the test of time, and invoke thought provoking emotions in young adults and teens for decades to come.

Doomed to Repeat the past

In recent days I have seen a few versions of this meme.  It is sad to see it at this time in human history.

And another one opened his mouth...

So, some people got to talking and Mr. Boehner came up.  Outside of walking around your entirely life with a name that can so easily be pronounced as... Well, I can imagine that he had a lot of dick jokes tossed at him while growing up. 

The visitors

"When you arrive on the site, you need to contact the individual in charge of the site, it doesn't matter how you do so, they will know you are there."  Said the boss to the man, as he sat quietly in the chair. 

"Is that really needed, I worked there for several years, one of the other guys will hazard train me, walk me through the process of checking the place.  If it was not for you paying me triple what I previously earned as a supervisor, I would refuse to go back."

Long Term Unemployment

Long term unemployment.  What seems to be the problem with people who loose their job, or jobs, and they seemingly cannot find another one.  Some say it is laziness.  But it is something else entirely. 

Go to college or...

Ah, the good ole days.  Right out of high school, you could go somewhere, get a job, work your way up in the world.  Or if you were smart enough, you could go to college, come out of college get a job, work your way up in the world.  Such a simpler time, you could have a decent life with just a high school diploma.  Alas, now, you going to need at least a BA/BS degree, and in the near future a Master's Degree of some kind.

Why do they insist on talking?

So just when we think it is safe to turn on the cable media, the internet, or pick up a newspaper or magazine...

Bernie Sanders

I am a huge fan of Bernie Sanders.  The man speaks to the majority of what I support.  If the man ran for president, I would vote for him, all other candidates might as well sit down, shut up, or outright vanish.  Be thou of the people, I think it is safe to say Sanders is the closest we have seen in several decades, if he isn't the real deal.

Global Illumination Council

(Taken from the Global Illumination Council's Facebook page)

Appreciate what you have.

I am probably the last person who should be commenting on this, but given where I have been in the past, given where I am heading in the future, it burns me.  It runs pure fury through my veins, and I find it insulting in a sense.

I love me some pizza

Mmmmmm... Pizza... The food of the gods.  Sorry folks, I am calling it how I see it.  One can never go wrong with pizza.  Well unless you got it from Papa John, and only because he is a cheap S.O.B.  So, yeah, pizza is good. 

Capital One...

Several years ago I got an offer from Capital One, and for the first time I had a credit card that did not charge me to use their service.  You know that monthly fee.  I was on top of the world, I admit it, I had made it to the big time in credit cards.  Given previous entries here, you might understand that without good credit, doors are barred, locked, and have a bank safe pushed against them if you don't have any.

The try amount of Minimum Wage

Alright, I just want to leave this here. This is the approximate take home pay by hourly wage, assuming your tax rate is 25% and you are working 40 hours a week. I started at the current Federal minimum wage, and will end at 15.25 an hour.  This is not a rant against taxes, social security or anything like that, just a breakdown of the numbers, and it should be pretty clear why the minimum wage is nothing more than slave pay.

Nascar

Ah, the sound of car engines running at Daytona, the signal for the new NASCAR season is about to begin.  Pictured above is the #3, last piloted at the Daytona 500 in 2001 by the late Dale Earnhardt.  This go around it will be piloted by Austin Dillon, grandson of Richard Childress, owner for the late Dale Earnhardt.  I mention this for several reasons...

Meh, Bah, Boo!

I had a post all thought up this morning about 3 am.  Yeah, I tend to do my best thinking in the wee hours of the morning.  All those years of working the dead shift at night.  In case you are wondering the "Dead Hours" fall between 11 pm and 4 am (2300-0400).  Basically, they are the dead hours because nothing except spooks (ghosts, spirits, etc) and phantasms (delusions of the mind) move around at those hours.

Give me liberty, or give me death

So you think you are free?  You think you have freedom?  Are you sure?  How sure are you that you are free?

The Richardson Family Charity - Family Update

Excerpt posted via The Richardson Family Charity.  Family Update

This was the Richardson Tent 24 hours ago.

Keep people in your mind

As this newest, latest greatest storm rolls across the nation, always keep those who are homeless in your thoughts, and try to help them anyway you can.  Where I am they are calling for 15+ inches of snow, something to keep in mind for all those people who are without a home.

Another off topic entry

2013 Hurst/Trans Am Depot Trans Am Blackbird

 

Many people do not know this, but I am a car junky.  I love my cars, well most cars except Fords.  I dislike Ford cars.  If its owned by Ford, forget it, it can rust in hell for all I care.  But Mopar and GM, oh some of those cars are the most beautiful someone can see.  Not to take anything away from Lamborghini, Ferrari or McLaren, and many others.

Time for some humor

So, I have come to a conclusion.  When it comes to dealing with livestock, most people are idiots.  Above is a picture of a bunch of animals people would consider goats.  However, one of these things doesn't belong here, one of those goats just ain't quite right.

Facebook and A Sad Thing With Some Hope

Over the past several years, since I joined Facebook I have come into contact with a very eclectic crowd.  There is Michael, the horror film fanatic, Jared the Wiccan, Larry "the Faery" who writes here, Santana and his mother Sharron (whose heart is 10 times too big), Eden and Lisa who have both been homeless (and show the damage it does), Charles who I had referenced in some of the Psychology papers (imagine that) and a host of other people from the certifiably insane to the very sane with people of all stripes and colors in between.  Along the way, I met people like Susan, and Rino who provide interesting insights into different aspects of life.  Finally there is Lea, who I met well before the existence of Facebook, but has been one of my longest held friends.

I have been thinking.

Yeah I tend to think a lot.  Nothing new here, but when I am agitated and I just sit and start thinking about something, that is never a good thing.  Not for me, not for others, I create plans on how to mess with people, and how to word things, sometimes I can think myself out of saying something, sometimes I cannot.

Pull yourself up.

Today, I am going to speak to you all as a Rabbi, something that I do not do often, and even as I speak to you all in this capacity, I am not going to preach God to you.  If you want God, I suggest you speak to someone at your local church, check the dumpster behind Wal-Mart, or even go to prison.  Oddly enough many people seem to find God in prison, but that is a topic for some other entry.  But the fact is, God aside, this whole mentality of pull yourself up by the boot straps, or some other crap comments I hear.

Not Of God

Gays are #oppressed and terrorized in #Russia because of nothing more than #religion
Same goes for #Uganda #Nigeria The #MiddleEast and any other part of the world that#terrorizes and in some places #executes gays.

We must wage a war on religion. 

Not personal #faith. I found that those who posses a faith that is personal between them and their #God are usually at #peace with themselves and are not compelled to#evangelize the world rather share the source of their peace when inquired. I find those peoples faith sound and #worthy of #respect.

Organized faith I find #plastic and like plastic,#cheap.
#Doctrines #Dogmas #Writs #Rites and #Creeds

#Priest in Russia have #blessed stones for the masses to throw at the#queers...#literally

http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2014/02/06/sharlet-on-russias-anti-gay-violence/

Its was the head of #NOM (National Organization of Marriage) that encouraged the administration that brought about those horrific laws

#FRC (Family Research Council) and #AFA (American Family Association) were behind Uganda's #KillTheGaysBill

Scott Lively is being brought up on charges of crimes against humanity for his religious anti gay influence on many oppressive gay countries laws

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/08/15/2473391/judge-allows-ugandan-suit-charging-anti-gay-activist-with-crimes-against-humanity-to-proceed/

The last #Pope shook the hand of the legislator that drafted the bill in Uganda and said "Well done"

How much innocent blood will be shed before the God of destruction is satisfied

God is Love

That is not of God

Here we go again...

So it now appears that Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the distinguished lady from Washington state is under investigation for possible ethics violations.  The leading female voice of the GOP, who talked about herself during the rebuttal of the State of the Union, is now facing charges involving ethics violations.  Who would have thought it?

Ham vs Nye

So last night was the night.  Ham v. Nye in a battle of religion and science.  I will not review the debate between the two "experts" in their respective sides.  On one side we had Bill Nye "The Science Guy" and the other, Ken Ham "The Bible Guy".  Nye, and expert in my book, Ham....

Minimum Wage

Coca Cola did what? And Pepsi too?

I am not a huge fan of Coca Cola products.  The last time I drank something they made (Barq's Rootbeer) I managed to puke up things I ate when I was three or four years old.  It really stunk because I really did like that drink.  But last night, they earned a bit of respect from me, with a minute long ad that I did not see.  As with most Superbowl games, I did not watch it, I really was not interested.  I generally only watch when my team is playing. 

Credit...

Who here remembers watching Fight Club.  The ultimate goal of the lead characters, to put everyone on a level playing field once again.  Yeah, its not really that feasible, I mean they have so many copies of things, that within a month or two everything would be humming along as it does now.

No direction today...

Before the State of the Union I had started a post dedicated to Liberty Farms, in a place where I lived many years ago.  I forgot the specifics, but the owner was apparently in violation of several laws in the state, and well, flaunted her violations, and is now upset that she got hit with the fine hammer.  Go figure?