Libya Campaign Could Violate War Powers Law

Libya Campaign Could Violate War Powers Law
For all the follow-blinding, party over everything crowd who said I didn't know what I was talking about when I questioned the legality of the President's actions in Libya...as Jeff Foxworthy used to say: "Here's your sign."

OMG Comcast! Pick on Someone Your Own Size

Hi chloebe. You're comparing apples to oranges here. 1) Comcast is a publicly traded company. 2) The Comcast matter is a response to blatant, in-your-fa­ce corruption and cronyism i.e. business ethics not core business. One can make fabulous cupcakes while also being utterly corrupt. These issues are not mutually exclusive. 3) The fact that its media we're talking about adds another layer of difference since media's role is informatio­n to the public for the greater good. Obviously, the greater good paradigm is dead at Comcast (and many others), but that business doesn't shield them from criticism. They are free to response to such criticism in this manner, but business ethics tell us not to because, in this case, it represents a manner of oppression and fascism.



Think of it this way: Do you want to live in a world where a media company can deny someone media service (cable, internet, and phone) because one criticized them...bec­ause that's the logical conclusion of your analogy put to this situation.



Business Ethics 101.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Approved!

It's official: I am moving. June 11th.
Stay tuned and subscribe to stay informed when I reveal the reason for this change.

"Hell Breaks Loose"

I love Dexter...and this is one show I will watch should I get me own apartment with a Tee-Vee.

Quiet

Looks like I'm definitely moving my digs and stepping out on my own again. So much for my financial plan, but shit happens and I'm prepared because I've saved. So if I'm quiet for the next month or so, never fear, OOB2 will still be here to tell all...just as soon as I'm on my own.

Until then, I just have a shitload of work to do...

Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory

Michael Moore on CNN via The Huffington Post

With all due respect to Mr. Moore, learn to pick your battles, Mike. This one is not winnable and it lessens your stature for the good fights you fight, like the oh-so-more-important labor battle that is winnable.

That being said, while I appreciate the argument, I 100% don't agree. Here's why: Bin Laden, himself, declared war on Americans--all of us. Beyond that, he certainly proved himself on multiple occasions to be a clear and present danger to the United States of America. There is no doubt that if Bin Laden could have continued to strike us he would have--and he would have continued to target civilians when he did so. Bin Laden and his organization drew no distinction between military and civilian personnel; he had signed no binding treaty and pledged no allegiance to any flag or law, save for those he created at his personal whim.

Like it or not, our country is actively engaged in war--a long damn war against Bin Laden and his organization. During this time he has continued to speak out; he has shown no remorse or given any indication that he would ever be taken alive. Due to these circumstances, and the fact that the Congress authorized the use of force against those responsible for 9/11, the President not only had the right, he had the duty to not give up until the people responsible were brought to justice...either dead or alive. This is not Libya.

Yes, we tried Nazi war-criminals, but we did not try all the SS and we did not try Adolf Hitler. Maybe Hitler killed himself; maybe someone killed him--who knows? The point is that we will try terrorists like KSM, but not Bin Laden because keeping him alive means he continues to be a symbol and, thus, a far greater threat to our security, including, especially, economically (as he, a billionaire, intended). The smartest thing to do was to do exactly what the president did...and that's his duty and his job.

So, sorry, Mike, but galloping on a high horse without considering the real and present pitfalls of trying to imprison and try someone like Osama Bin Laden is misguided. The world, however created, is a dangerous place, full of predators. It's always been that way and it always will be, and sometimes you have to kill the adult leader to stem the slaughter and save the children.

Let's invest our efforts to undo some of the harm we've done to ourselves since 9/11, not wring our hands over the logical consequences of pissing off the jungle's biggest lion. The fact of the matter is: Bin Laden would be alive and well today if he hadn’t made the decisions he did to attack us, so I say good riddance to bad rubbish.

P.S. According to the Bible, Jesus martyred himself by allowing his enemies to kill him in order to save mankind from itself. So, be careful when you invoke WWJD…by that analogy, we should destroy ourselves in order to keep the moral high ground.

Netflix Instant Viewing - Ghost Adventures

I love Netflix instant viewing, especially when I'm drawing or shopping online. One of my favorite guilty pleasures on Netflix is Ghost Adventures. I like the guys because they're unpretentious and harmless. They take what they do seriously without taking themselves too seriously. I also like the techie-nature of the show with some of the equipment they use.

While most of the time I don't hear or see half of the stuff they do, and don't find it frightening, I do find it amusing. Every once in a while something on the show is truly striking, though. I've always been interested in the paranormal, and Ghost Adventures is just enough science with just enough reality TV to keep me watching...at least on Netflix. Oh, and I'm totally jealous of Zak's hair.

Victory Lap?

Laying wreath at Ground Zero
from Huffington Post / Photo AP

I can't say I'm surprised that the "conservative" pundits and politicos are criticizing the president FOR VISITING GROUND ZERO! after KILLING OSAMA BIN LADEN, but, really, HAVE YOU NO SHAME?!?!

I mean, I know the answer. I answer is no: they have no shame. They are self-righteous and self-serving arrogant bastards. The world is full of them, but sometimes I wish they would all drop dead.

For the record, I remember how grateful I was to see Mr Bush, who I did not vote for, at Ground Zero shortly after 9/11. I was stuck in Canada and all I wanted to do was to go home, but I couldn't and it brought me comfort...so, please, tell me HOW THE HELL is what Mr. Obama did today ANY DIFFERENT?

It's not. The only difference is that I'm an American, not an American asshole.

Geronimo!

OK, what bonehead thought it was a good idea to use the name of a Native American folk hero as the code name/call sign/handle of Osama bin Laden? Seriously. Did they think this was going to happen in a vacuum?

Sometimes I'm amazed at the stupidity of people...like George W. Bush calling the War on Terror a "crusade" or using the operational name of "Infinite Justice" to the invasion of Afghanistan. No, there's no religious connotations to be considered with there...

I am not personally offended by the use of the name Geronimo, but I am frustrated by the stupidity of its use...and I can empathize. How would non-natives feel about the use of the name Elvis? Or Johnny Cash? Or Dale Earnhardt? Or Babe Ruth? Or MLK Jr.? Or Malcolm X? Or Harvey Milk? Or Cesar Chavez? Or Gandhi? Or Confucius? Or Columbus? Or Flo Jo? Or Tupac?

I think you get the point. It's not about being overly sensitive. It's about being overly stupid and self-centered. It's 2011. The death of Bin Laden was live-tweeted before the world even realized it.

Widen your gaze, America...or, at least, stick with animals or Sesame Street puppet names.

New Poll - OBL Approval Bump?

Bit of talk recently about what seems to be a no-brainer: no I don't mean the expected reaction from one-trick media whores like Sarah Palin and Glen Beck about the killing of Osama bin Laden, but I mean the bump in the President's approval rating...you know, considering he took out OSAMA BIN LADEN!

Anyway, check it out on the right and make yourself heard, whatever your point of view.

$4.39

The price I paid for mid-grade gas today in Corona, CA at the Chevron station on Ontario Avenue.

I Believe That We Have Won!

Since news broke of the killing of Osama Bin Laden, I’ve needed to take a little time to reflect on my feelings regarding the president’s policies before I got distracted with the trials of my personal life that I must remain tight-lipped about for the time-being. I will soon write about the situation, but, for now, I can’t.

I don’t believe in blind support. I will challenge a Democrat just as fast as a Republican just as fast as a Green Party member or a Libertarian. Because of that I have been critical of Mr. Obama on many of his policies even though I certainly like him better than Mr. Bush or his challenger, Mr. McCain. In fact, I believe it is my duty to stay informed and to do so.

In the past when he has deserved credit for something, such as ending Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, I have been quick to acknowledge that; and, the in the past, when his critics have attacked him for illogical, irrational, hypocritical and racist reasons, I have come to his defense by calling them out. That’s also my duty to do so.

I have also been really personally disappointed. I’ve said things in rebuke of him, like when his Justice Department defended DOMA and equated homosexuality with incest, I remarked that “Today I hope Barack Obama is a one-term president”. You see, I am a victim of molestation and attempted-incest by heterosexual men, one of whom joined the Armed Services as a Chaplin. Still to this day I think only my mother (on her side of the family) believes me—at least those who know. So, that kind of outrageous bullshit is where I draw the line and where I will withdraw my support, no matter what else a politician may or may not have done because nothing else affects my daily life more than the inequality and discrimination of me and others like me, not as a victim but as a homosexual. Literally nothing, not even the economy and gas prices (even though those certainly do affect me too).

But, as an American, my patriotism trumps myself, because I do believe that all of us should put country before self (at least when its righteous)…and regardless to the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, taking Bin Laden out was the right thing and the just thing to do. Let me be clear: I do not care where it happened; I do not care if he was armed; I do not care if their orders were to kill him. Osama Bin Laden was the enemy of this country. He was a twisted son of a bitch and I’m elated, relieved, and thankful that he is history. The president also had legal standing to do what he did, unlike with Libya.

I, furthermore, don’t need any further details. I don’t need to see pictures. I know and understand why some people need to, but I don’t. The picture of the president and the National Security Council in the Situation Room was really all I needed to see. The look on Mr. Obama and Ms. Clinton’s faces was proof-positive to me that most of what we are being told is true. Perhaps some details are shaded, but I don’t care.

This brings me to my conclusion. For this reason, and this reason alone, I will support Mr. Obama over any other candidate no matter what. I will still press and criticize him, but on Sunday he earned my vote in 2012…as an American. Yes, I will pull the lever for our president and do so proudly because under his direction, due to his policies and to his courage, as they say at Annapolis: I believe that we have won!

O Happy Day!

Front Page of Los Angeles Times on 9/11

TERRORIST BIN LADEN KILLED BY US NAVY SEALS IN PAKISTAN ON DIRECT ORDER FROM US PRESIDENT OBAMA.

via Huffington Post

For all the people around the world: O Happy Day!

http://a.yfrog.com/img615/4421/pt5nt.jpg

African Cats

Saw African Cats today with my father. It was formulaic, but a heck of a lot more interesting than the White House Correspondence Dinner, apparently known as #nerdprom. Still, I was glad to see the president skewer Donald Trump and all the racist idiots like him. I especially liked the "Lion King" bit. The humiliation on Trump's face was priceless. I hope that asshat wanders off like a real lion does once he's been beaten, never to be heard from again, but I doubt he has the required dignity.

I guess I'll just have to hope for a bad cause of laryngitis that lasts for the rest of his life.

Rainbow Roll

In honor of Japan - painted freehand with Brushes application

Coming along nicely...

I am working on a new painting. Thought I might share what I have so far...felt like doing something colorful besides a flower. Will post to Digital Art page when done.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod

10k and counting...

Not that anyone but me cares, but I just got my tax refund. With that, I am now less than 10k away from my savings goal (so I can move out and buy a nice little house). It's been a tough 2 years, I tell ya, but I'm in the home stretch, baby!

(And it'll be nice to get laid again)

(But still swearing off the ladies).

Speechless: More Thoughts on America's Shame

I guess we should have known that electing a non-white guy to the White House was going to bring out the worst in us. I mean: the 60's weren't that long ago, but I have to admit that I am shocked, stupidly, since for the very same reasons I am stupefied today, I am modulating between anger and depression over every other day as a lesbian woman.

Have we no shame as a nation? I mean I get that it's still funny to laugh at gays and talk about us as if we're a different species or a scourge, but I really thought that at least on national Tee-Vee it wasn't acceptable to give white supremacists a podium to spew their toxic and irrational hate. No one gives the KKK equal time at the microphone to state their case, right? So why do we let Pat Buchanan and Donald Trump onto the air waves? Why is Orly Taitz on a major cable network, even if she was thrown off? I don't know how many times she's been on TV, but I've seen pictures and know it's at least 3 different times.

And this isn't even woman's college basketball. This is the president of the country! Why does anyone feel its acceptable to permit these people to be on TV or to all citizens to purchase billboards questioning the citizenship of the President of the United states? We don't let the Klan buy billboards. We don't let overly graphic images to pollute the psyches of our children as they're being driven to school. So why do we allow this blatant and racist disrespect of the Commander in Chief?

More white people need to speak out--and do so strongly--against this. More white people need to boycott those journalists and their networks that allow this filth to pollute our air waves. You don't have to like Mr. Obama or his policies to show him the proper respect as our president and a fellow American. It's not politics and too many people are allowing it to be a right versus left issue.

Racism is a American problem.

And, no, white lesbians shouldn't wait for the black community to step up and speak out against hetero supremacists and sexism in much larger numbers. As Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

That means all of us. MLK Jr's dream was for everyone. So, what are we gonna do about it? Keep fighting our own personal battles or come together and win the war?

New Glory
by Trace Cook

Everyone is a bigot.
Just admit it, and
Grow
Living beings do that
Are you dead? No!
Then today is the time
To start something small
And let it crawl
Until it flies,
Forever young
Flapping free:
You, me:
Our banner still left to wave!

Static

Available from Democracy Now!

On a lighter note, my new book came in the mail today. It was a nice surprise as I'd forgotten I'd bought it several weeks ago.

And it's even signed.

So, I now, officially, have too many books to read. Wish that was my only problem in life.

Allied Apathy

As I tweeted yesterday before bed, yesterday was a sad day for America. First, the sitting president was made to prove his citizenship; then, 9 soldiers were murdered in Afghanistan; next, the Radical Roberts court again handed a major victory to massive corporations, and, finally, the tornadoes.

By the links above you can see that the only thing I didn’t blog about were the soldiers. 

I get very angry and depressed when I think about it, truthfully, so I generally just have to stay away from it like I try to stay away from blogging about hate crimes and sexual assault. There is so much of it that if I let it in, it just consumes me.

Maybe that’s cowardly, but I already have scars on my wrists that prove I’m serious. 

At the end of the day, I’m not ready to die unless I’m dying to defend my own self…because my own self is the only person who has never abandoned me. That’s sad but true—not my mother or father, not my sisters, not my friends or my lovers. Everyone left me or put themselves and their happiness over my best interests from way back when I was a baby, so I refuse to sacrifice myself for anyone now. Should I one day marry, that will change, but until then that’s just the way it is and why, sometimes, I have to just check out and tune out things that bring me down…including my family’s problems and problems with our world. 

Yesterday was one of those days. Today is not. 

You know, when I heard that President Obama had released his birth certificate, I immediately went numb. I knew it was bad that such a thing happened (even though I certainly don’t pretend to have any idea what it is like to be non-white), but I didn’t want to let it in. I didn’t want to believe that we really are that fucked up. 

At lunch, as I was still rapt in horror at the thought. That was when I composed my brief response to the incident, wanting to make a point that I was repulsed without giving the so-called controversy, or that gluttonous asshole with the horrible comb-over, any further publicity. For a while I was satisfied until I went home and was able to log into Twitter. Naomi Klein retweeted something from Van Jones, who was sharing an emotional You Tube video from Baratunde. After watching it, I realized two things:

1. I’ve become detached from the black community since leaving Michigan 
2. My silence was bad 

I would like to talk about the world in which I grew up to give this post more perspective, but in doing so I would be biting the hand that feeds me: ergo, sacrificing myself, which I’ve already explained that I’m not willing to do. Once I move out, I will, but, right now, all I can say that it wasn’t my parents who taught me not to be a racist. It was not Jesus, either; although, Jesus did so more than my parents. Mostly, though, it was my fine public education and myself as a free-thinking person who grew up in a diverse, working class neighborhood.

What this post is about is #2. 

Baratunde’s vblog really affected me. As he was talking, I heard myself having the exact same feelings about being female and being gay. And, as much as I wanted to, I knew that I could not fully appreciate his pain, just like he can’t fully appreciate mine as a lesbian woman.

I think what has to be hard for Black Americans at this time is the silence of much of white America who doesn’t give a shit about the president’s birth certificate. I understand that because it’s exactly how I feel about much of straight America who doesn’t give a shit about someone else’s sex life or desire to be married. They won’t spit on me or try to kill me or even vote against me, but they won’t speak up or do anything to help me because they can’t identify with me.

The world will be a better place when we all only identify as part of the human race. Obviously, we still have a long ways to go, but since I do understand the frustration of allied apathy, this is me not being silent. And this is me promising to start speaking out about this disgusting disrespect for the president and to make sure that I do not unintentionally support any of the racists still pushing this, including journalists.

Oh, and if you didn’t see Maddow last night, this part, especially, was worth a look:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

No, podcasting an uber smart and geeky cutie like Rachel is not the same was watching TV. A single woman living at home to save money has got to get her lady-lovin' jollies somehow. Peace.

Tuscaloosa Twister

Seriously unreal.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost