teh Mephisto's Rants

Beating a dead horse

2009-06-04T09:47:00.005-04:00

Its a sad time indeed for the N&O. Weeks ago, they uncovered evidence that Former Gov. Mike Easley flew on his friend's plane for free. But apparently former governors are not allowed to have friends with planes, or so they say. We've finally moved on, but not to anything better. It's starting to seem like the N&O has a grudge against not only the Easleys but NC State as well. A year ago, Mrs. Easley got a pay raise along with a pretty big promotion. But the N&O conveniently left that last detail out. Now she is getting heat because a friend of hers, a certain former Chairman of the NC State Board of Trustees, recommended her for a job. That was four years ago. But apparently the N&O holds grudges for a long time. Their incessant campaign against the former first lady and her husband has lead to a FBI investigation, an ethics investigation, and so far has claimed the jobs of at least two people who just got caught in the cross hairs. But apparently its not enough for the N&O that Larry Nielsen, resigned from his position as provost at NC State because he was getting pestered by reporters (how many do you think were from the N&O?) so badly he couldn't do his job. Now they want his pay too. Where do you draw the line? When does investigative reporting go to far? I think its when someone has to give up their job, not because they did anything wrong, but because it has become impossible for them to do their job with all the people scrutinizing every detail of every decision they made. Nobody is infallible and if anyone should know that, its the N&O. Its time for this to stop. I believe Larry Nielsen has earned the right to take a few months leave before they cut his salary. If you left your job, your vacation time would get paid out (it is a federal and state law after all.) Its time to move on. It's not like there isn't anything else to report, with President Obama nationalizing banks and socializing our formerly capitalist country (65% stake in GM seems a bit much). Maybe if the reporters stopped digging through piles of papers to find the stuff that's hidden, they should open their eyes and report on the stuff that's right in front of them. Everybody is tired of this witch hunt, and its time for the N&O to grow up. Nielsen's only mistake was qualifying their questions with a response.

Edited version submitted to N&O June 7, 2009

A Letter to the Editor: Smoking Bans

2009-01-29T10:50:00.002-05:00

In response to the article of 1/29 "Lawmaker pursues smoking ban":

It started with banning smoking within 25 feet of state buildings. Now the NC Legislature is trying to ban smoking in "workplaces, bars, restaurants, and other public places. This is a sever turn around for the "most tobacco friendly state." It goes against every personal and business right to ban smoking across the board in all these places. If Rep. Rick Glazier thinks the bill should be passed because it saves businesses money, let the businesses decide if they want to save the money by ending smoking. The state does not work to force their own beliefs of benefits on businesses. If I owned my own bar, I would not want the state telling me how to run it. Would you? In America, we believe in the freedom to run your own life. The government has no right to take that away from us. You don't need to be for or against tobacco to see that this bill steps all over the rights of the people.

Submitted, N&O 1/29/2009

A Letter to the Editor: Obama's Former Pastor

2008-03-17T15:51:00.006-04:00

If I take a step back and look at those people I respect and admire, I see many who do not believe as I do on many topics. So why should Obama be hammered for having a friendship with a pastor with somewhat “controversial” ideas? (“Obama’s Ties to Minister May Be ‘A Big Problem’ Some Say”, USA Today, News, Monday)

Not every person we keep company with will express the same ideals as ourselves. In some cases, those ideals may be quite the opposite. Why should we dig into Obama for his company when chances are we all have at least one person who we hold in high regard that disagrees with our ideals?

This “controversy” is nothing more than a rouse by Hilary Clinton and the Republican Party to try and stop Obama’s campaign. They are obviously getting desperate, and the fact that stories such as these are being taken seriously is very disturbing. Instead of focusing on who’s (former) pastor holds “controversial” ideals, let’s focus on the issues and what each candidate wants to do with his/her presidency.

Submitted, USA Today: Monday, March 17, 2008
Edited and Published: Friday, March 21, 2008
Read it Here

Cary - A town of whiners

2008-02-25T14:38:00.002-05:00

Looking at the News and Observer from day to day, one thing keeps popping out at me.

Cary.

The past few newspapers I have gotten have all had an article about someone in Cary whining about something. From school reassignment last week, to the Bodies exibit this week, Cary just doesn't know how to accept reality.

Cary folks, listen:

There are poor people in the world. These poor people require an education so they can rise above their class. This is classism at its worst. Cary, a predominatly middle to upper class community, apparently has a problem with Wake County busing in low-income students to their schools. Guess what Cary. Creating your own school system is not the solution. Get over it. Your rich white asses are going to have to learn to live with poor black people in your schools. Its a fact of life. Its called diversity. There is nothing wrong with adding a little color to your life.

Secondly, there are people in the world that would rather put the greater good ahead of their own personal ideals. That being said, don't go bitching about people who donate their bodies to science. It is not your place to tell the scientific community that they can't accept donated bodies to use for science. The Bodies exhibit is just that. It is unclaimed bodies and people who have donated their bodies for scientific research. The scientific value inhearant in the Bodies exhibit may not be immediately apparent but it is there. The Bodies exhibit is there to teach. It is there to show normal people who may not have any knowledge in a medical field the body. It is there because people have decided to put their bodies up for the entire world to benifit. I would do the same. I WILL do the same. And just because some of these people don't have a name, does not mean that they shouldn't be given for research. If they are unclaimed, chances are they were not anyone important. For all you know, their inclusion in the exhibit is their one claim to fame. Don't take that from them.

Cary: Pop a couple of pills, pull the dildo out of your ass, and accept the fact that things happen and no one cares but you. GET THE FUCK OVER IT.

Policing the Internet

2007-08-10T15:30:00.000-04:00

Ok so after what I just wrote about Net Neutrality, your going to be like "what the fuck, Daniel what are you thinking"

Let me explain.

As far as censorship goes, the internet does not need regulation. However, there are these pesky things called viruses, trojans, and crackers that I did not address in my previous post.

To that end, there needs to be an international, non-political group put together that is comprised of individuals of ALL countries, preferably internet security personnel. This group should have the power to bring down all crackers who make terrorist threats to the internet. This group should have authority in ALL countries to make arrests and hold an international trial for crimes against the internet.

This group can NOT be able to regulate the information or content on the internet, however they must be able to bring down those criminal organizations that seek to bring down the internet, or individuals on the internet.

I nominate Tom Liston ;)
http://isc.sans.org

Net Neutrality

2007-08-10T15:19:00.000-04:00

Net Neutrality.

Many people have no idea what it means, however it is something that you need to know about.

The internet is a communication medium that does not recognize international boundaries. It is a community within itself. Since the internet is not bound by any country, no country can nor should be able to regulate its content. That is the reasoning behind Net Neutrality.

In that same respect, the internet is maintained by thousands of companies. You have companies that build and maintain all the connections to make the internet work. You have the companies that build the hardware for the internet to work. If one of these big companies, say Cisco, decides that they are no longer going to allow any traffic across their routers and switches that contain the word "shit" that will effectively censor over 90% of the traffic across the world.

The great thing about the internet is the ability to say what you want, when you want, without having to worry about being censored. However, many governments, most notably China, Russia, and the United States, have the belief that they can and must control this communications medium. Just because the information that i'm typing out right now is being sent across the world, and may end up on a Russian switch somewhere doesn't mean they have the right to censor what i'm typing. In that same respect, just because what i'm typing right now will go across a Cisco router or switch at some point before you see it, doesn't mean that Cisco has the right to censor what i'm saying.

The internet can not be controlled or censored by any one company or government. The internet was designed to be anonymous. It was designed to be free of censorship. It was designed to be the ultimate communications medium.

The ONLY regulation the internet requires is self regulation. If you get offended when someone says something thats anti-Bush, don't listen to artists music that dislike Bush. If you don't like hearing (or seeing) the word 'shit' then you really don't have any business on the internet at all.

The internet is a great thing. Don't let companies or governments change that.

More to come.

Things to think about....

2007-06-30T02:34:00.001-04:00

So its 2:30 in the morning, and I'm sitting here listening to Tool, bored out of my mind when one of Maynard's Lyrics catches my attention:

"Listen to the tales as we all rationalize
Our way into the arms of the savior"

And of course, my mind starts thinking.... and thinking... and thinking....

So here are some things to think about next time your up at 2am and bored out of your mind.

How can one religion claim to be the only true religion? There are hundreds of thousands of religions that have been around, from Greek Mythology to Scientology, how can one of them say they are correct when there are so many other religions that could just as easily be the real one?

Here is a break down of the three major religions.

Jews worship God.
Christians worship the son of God.
Muslims worship a prophet of God.

So then the Jews are the only people who's entire belief system doesn't break the first commandment "I am the lord your God [...] You shall have no other gods before me" Exodus 20:2-3

But the Christians rationalize their beliefs by claiming the Holy Trinity, which seems to be pretty hypocritical in itself. Jesus is God, although Jesus continuously talks to God during his brief stay on earth, and God talks to Jesus.

I have no idea how the Muslims rationalize theirs (if anyone can explain their belief system to me, I would appreciate it)

Inevitably my mind will wonder into thinking about the possibility of there being a God. That is one hell of a thought process there. How can something exist omnipotently? Well that was easy enough, as an energy life form. Can there be such a thing? Who knows, maybe, maybe not. If there was such a thing, could it really manipulate everything that happens? Could it really have created our world? Doubtful. It may have planted the seed for life, but the earth was already here. Should this energy being be worshiped? Well, why not, if you need something to believe in that bad, go right ahead and worship it.

And don't get me wrong, I don't want to turn anyone away from their beliefs. I just want to make you use your brain while on summer break.

Maybe this will help you to understand my thought processes and why I dislike religions. They are way too hypocritical for me. I think it is fully possible, although highly unlikely, that there is a God, and therefor chose not to believe in him.

Maybe you can share your beliefs, and why everything I'm saying is absolutely wrong. I've hardly ever seen a well constructed rebuttal to something of this nature (I wonder if its possible?) Maybe one of you can indulge me.

Sanctiity of Marriage

2007-06-07T00:17:00.000-04:00

Those three words are a huge part of the upcoming election. And almost all the presidential candidates are all for defining Marriage as a union between a man and a woman. But why? Who does it hurt to allow gays and lesbians to get married? Why shouldn't they? Is it just the homophobe inside them all or is there something I don't get?

If marriage needs a legal definition, define it as a union between two people. It hurts more people not to define it as a union between two people than it does to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Quotes: Religion Part 1

2007-05-07T09:54:00.000-04:00

Here are some good quotes you should mull over.

Anyone who can worship a trinity and insist that his religion is a monotheism can believe anything just give him time to rationalize it. Forgive me for being blunt. ~ Robert Heinlein (in Job: A Comedy of Justice)

Government oppressed the body of the wage-slave, but Religion oppressed his mind, and poisoned the stream of progress at its source. ~ Upton Sinclair

I believe that religion, generally speaking, has been a curse to mankind — that its modest and greatly overestimated services on the ethical side have been more than overcome by the damage it has done to clear and honest thinking. ~ H. L. Mencken

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. ~ Galileo Galilei

Incurably religious, that is the best way to describe the mental condition of so many people. ~ Thomas Edison

In the long run, nothing can withstand reason and experience, and the contradiction religion offers to both is palpable. ~ Sigmund Freud

Life in Lubbock, Texas, taught me two things: One is that God loves you and you're going to burn in hell. The other is that sex is the most awful, filthy thing on earth and you should save it for someone you love. ~ Butch Hancock

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters."
It's an oral history. It was passed down, word-of-mouth, father to son, from Adam to Seth, from Seth to Enos, from Enos to Cainan, for 40 generations, a growing, changing, story, it was handed down, word-of-mouth, father to son. Until Moses finally gets it down on lambskin. But lambskins wear out, and need to be recopied. Copies of copies of copies of copies of copies of copies of copies of an oral history passed down through 40 generations.
From Hebrew it's translated into Arabic, from Arabic to Latin, from Latin to Greek, from Greek to Russian, from Russian to German, from German to an old form of English that you could not read. Through 400 years of evolution of the English language to the book we have today, which is: a translation of a translation of a translation of a translation of a translation of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of an oral history passed down through 40 generations.
You can't put a grocery list through that many translations, copies, and re-telling, and not expect to have some big changes in the dinner menu when the kids make it back from Kroger's.
And yet people are killing each other over this written word. Here's a tip: If you're killing someone in the name of God — you're missing the message. ~ Nick Annis in the preface to God is Good.

The WakeCARES Fuck-up

2007-05-06T21:29:00.000-04:00

The idiocy of the American public has hit again, this time with damaging affects throughout the county. WakeCARES has decided, in all its infinite wisdom, that new Apex residents are MUCH smarter than any Wake County resident has ever been. The group that 3 Apex "soccer moms" has started managed to sue the School Board, trying to block the mandatory conversion of 22 schools to year round calenders. They were just lucky enough to get a judge who is big into changing the school system (Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/1061/story/207966.html). Judge Manning Jr. ruled for WakeCARES, who has a whopping, grand total of 10% of the parents in Wake County (Source: http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?SOSWAKE1). 10%. Thats all it takes? I would think that it would take at least 25% for the problem to even be considered. But of course anyone can win in the courts. What boggles the mind is, what makes these three moms, who just moved into the county, think that they can sue the school system to stop a change that NEEDS to be made? And with the support of only 10% of the parents in the system at that! Can you really be that delusional?

Lets just weigh in some of the facts shall we?

North Carolina has the 13th lowest property taxes. That is the tax that puts money into education.
Wake County is ranked 524 out of 775 counties in percentage property tax based on income.
(Above stats, courtesy of the Tax Foundation
Wake Country is 11 out of all school districts in the country in enrollment growth (http://www.ed.gov/pubs/bbecho00/table5.html)

Hmm. Lets see. 13th lowest property taxes..... 11th fastest growing? Anyone ELSE see a problem with that? Obviously something has to be done. God forbid they raise taxes, our children arn't THAT important. If we did that, one of them might beat out the current people and then where would we be? Probably better off than we are now but the people we have now would be out of a job, and we certainly can't let that happen. So obviously the only option is to do Mandatory Year-Round conversions. But wait. They can't do that now. WakeCARES says so. Oh well I guess we just get to either do the split scheduling and let students goto school from 1:30-7 every day... Or just shove an extra 10 children in every classroom and hope that fixes it. As many people have said now, I really feel sorry for the School Board. But not really, because they got themselves into this on their own. Maybe if the people had voted on the nice big cushy bond to begin with............. (Oh wait, we couldn't do that either. WakeCARES said so.)

A Letter to the Editor: Necessary Credits

2007-05-01T09:55:00.000-04:00

Regarding the May 1 City & State article, “Building a better curriculum”:

As a senior at Southeast Raleigh High, I understand the importance of the CTE classes. Our school was founded to be a CTE school, designed to prepare students for the work force. The Career Focused Learning Communities (CFLCs) in our school, of which I am a member of the IT CFLC, help put students on track for a career. As such, the new CTE course requirements are a little disturbing. The article states that for the CTE requirements “Students can now also get a four-credit endorsement in foreign language, AP/IB or some other area.” This severely downplays the role of the CTE courses, allowing you to count your AP US History, French 3 and other such classes as CTE courses when they are not. This is unacceptable because it allows students to bypass the CTE credits, narrowing their mind instead of expanding it. Students should be required to dabble in CTE classes so that they can come away with the knowledge to do more than just math and writing. And who knows, maybe a few students will find that they like computers or construction or agriculture more than they first thought.

Sent 5/1/2007 to The News & Observer
Published 5/4/2007 http://www.newsobserver.com/580/story/570435.html

A Letter to the Editor: Gun Control

2007-04-18T16:25:00.001-04:00

It seems that politicians manage to turn every great tragedy to their advantage. I'm sure this time will be no different. As a people, we must remember to oppose the gun control legislation that is bound to come out now, in response to the VT Shooting, because although such legislation may seem to be the right thing to do, you must remember: The Constitution specifically protects the People's right to bear arms. Do not let our politicians, as anti-constitution as they are, remove that right, even if your only reason for doing so is to prevent the future removal or limitation of other, more necessary rights. If you let one right, guaranteed by the constitution, to be removed or limited, you are paving the way for our government to remove other rights, including the right to free speech that is already in jeopardy. Let us not forget: "It takes a lot of degeneration before a country falls into dictatorship, but we should avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings." (Sandra Day O'Connor)

Sent 4/18/07 to News and Observer
Published 4/20/07 http://www.newsobserver.com/580/story/566087-p4.html

Censorship strikes again!

2007-04-10T10:53:00.000-04:00

http://wral.com/entertainment/story/1266 875/

ya. again.

Imus has every right to say what ever he feels like saying, and the Rev. Al Sharpton can just get over the fact that he can say it. The first amendment guarentees you to free speach. That means that Sharpton can say whatever he wants. That also means that Imus can say whatever he wants. Imus should not be suspended for saying anything, especially if it is in the context of a joke. End of story.

US Government and Religion

2007-02-02T16:33:00.000-05:00

While digging around, I have found an interesting little tidbit of information that may interest those of you who keep insisting that the US Government was founded on the christian religion.

"As the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen [Muslims] ... it is declared ... that no pretext arising from religious opinion shall ever product an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries. ... The United States is not a Christian nation any more than it is a Jewish or a Mohammedan nation."

This statement was found on the Treaty of Tripoli and signed, as fact, by President John Adams and approved (unanimously) by the United States Senate on January 4, 1797.

So the next time you want to say that United States was founded on the Christian religion, remember this statement, signed by one of our founding presidents! Who better to judge the constitution than those who helped write it?

NRA Membership

2006-12-10T00:23:00.000-05:00

Apparently I'm a member of the NRA... Who woulda guessed?

Forced Faith?

2006-11-19T19:21:00.000-05:00

Ok so I know what your thinking. How can you force Faith?
Thats what I want to know. But its more common than you might think. Think back to when you were in middle school, almost definatly before then. Now if your parents were religious, what did you do every sunday? Did you ever say "I don't wanna go mom! (or dad, whatever the case may be)?

Well I know I did, and I am glad that my parents were good enough to not force me to go to church every sunday during my entire childhood. But unfortunatly some people arn't so lucky.

Now I can understand making the kids go with you to church when they are in Elementary school, maybe even the first year or two of middle school. But when your child reaches a certain age, lets say 13, and still does not want to go to Church, why make them? What is the purpose of forcing someone into your faith?

Speaking off a specific, unnamed example, a friend is a teenager in high school. Her entire family is catholic. She is of the age that her church is doing conformation. She is not big into religion at all, but her parents are forcing her go to youth group every sunday. She hates it but there is nothing she can do.

What is the purpose of this forced practice of religion? What benifit does it have on the child or the parent, other than to further alienate the child and dissappoint the parent when the child doesn't follow through?

I see those as the only reasonable outcomes of "multiple forced encounters with religion"... (maybe it should be a crime!)

Parents, heres another thing you need to do. You can add it to your list. If you want i'll start your list out for you.

THINGS PARENTS NEED TO DO
1. Pay attention to your kids! If your daughter gets really fat in a period of 9 months, don't be suprised when a baby pops out. If your kids really fat period, don't go buying the extra fatty steaks at the grocery store.

2. Don't place the blaim for your inadaquicies on media. It is not Kelloggs' fault that your 6 year old is fat from stealing your car keys, driving to the nearest supermarket and buying all their sugary cerials with your credit cards. Also its not Rock Star Productions fault that you had no idea your kid was playing with guns and was planning to shoot up a school (see also, #1).

3. Accept the fact your kid might not be as religious as you want. Lets take our age of 13 again. When your child turns 13, there are a few things you need to talk to them about (Sex, drugs, etc etc). Be sure to include weither or not they want religion to be a part of their life. Make the case for whichever side you prefer, but let them make the choice. It will be better for all of you.

The argument to end all arguments: A hardline stance for abortion

2006-10-24T22:02:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this Rant are NOT entirely those of my own. I in no way believe in the hardline stance taken for abortion, although I do believe in the woman's right to chose.

Parasite - An organism that grows, feeds, and is sheltered on or in a different organism while contributing nothing to the survival of its host. (American Heritage Dictionary)

Guess where i'm going with this. Fetuses, by the definition of parasites, are a parasite. Medically, doctors have an obligation to treat the parasite, by removal of it which generally results in the death of the parasite. Therefor, not only should abortion legal, it should be general practice for doctors to perform it.

Like I said, this is a VERY hardline stance for abortion. I am all for the woman's right to choose, however I in no way believe that fetuses are parasites and that we should kill them all. And to head off any bad feedback I might get, no where does it say that parasites can not be human beings. There is no limitation to what kind of organism the parasite is, as long as it is an organism. It doesn't even have to be alive.

Republicans and Democrats debunked!

2006-10-05T20:25:00.000-04:00

I'm alive, I swear. Just haven't had time to put my rantings down for a while.

On with the Rant!

The two party system we have is bunk. The only way you can ever get elected into an office is to be either a Republican or a Democrat (or be really lucky like the two Independents we have in the Senate). This is utter idiocy. Neither party can get anything right. The Republicans scratch and bite and fight their way to the top while the Democrats actually manage to keep their heads on their shoulders and try to make changes.

The Republicans are fundamentally fundamentalists who aren't really fundamentalists except when they say they are. Make since? Republicans are going for the "family" and "moral" side of everything which really doesn't work in a country such as ours. The Republicans seem to forget that our country has this thing called a "Constitution", and this "Constitution" has a "Bill of Rights" attached to it. They are mostly people from the Bible Belt that have learned from their religion how to push crazy ideas on people and make them actually believe it. That is why they are doing so well right now.

The Democrats are the weaklings. They have many of the right ideas but chose to go on the tree hugging side of many issues. If the Republicans are abusive Fathers, the Democrats are the beat up mothers. Some of their ideas lead to the conclusion that they have at least herd of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights but probably have not read them.

Then you take the two greats and divide them up. There are the Radical Right-wing Republicans that our country really needs to avoid right now, and there are the moderate conservative that might be ok, then the moderate Democrats and the Radical Left-Wing Democrats. But the only people that make the ballots are the Radicals. And since everyone votes along party lines, we are pretty much screwed.

So I say lets get rid of the parties. Lets split them up. Hell if we get rid of all parties than we are set! You don't have to worry about what will happen if someone like Vernon Robinson gets into office because people see hes the republican and vote for him without realizing hes one of the biggest idiots on the face of the earth. You also wouldn't have to worry about people seeing Hilary Clinton on the ballot and voting for her because shes the Democrat without realizing shes probably worse than Vernon Robinson (but maybe not...).

Do it like the Courts, party-less so that you actually have to go and look at what they stand for to know who to vote for. Sure it might make your job a little harder, but when it comes to the future of this great nation, don't you think you can give up 30 minutes of your day before going to vote to figure out who would actually be best?

Public Service Announcement #1

2006-09-18T08:09:00.000-04:00

"Roadway of four lanes or more with a center turning lane:
When school bus stops for passengers, only traffic following the bus must stop."
NC DMV Hand Book

Please remember this the next time you go to stop for a school bus. If you get plowed over by a cement truck because you didn't know any better, its not my fault.

A letter to the editor

2006-08-19T16:06:00.000-04:00

Dear George W. Bush,

Congratulations, Mr. President! With the help of the Republican Party (and even the Democratic Party), the national and several state legislatures, as well as the Supreme Court, you have finally succeeded in taking us one step closer to having an authoritative government.

I suppose you are going to be the one who will take over as the dictator of our fine democracy once your second term of your legal presidency is up, but if not you, Mr. President, than someone surely will soon. Your excellent use of acronyms, Mr. President, has shown that a clearly unconstitutional program can be easily be passed in the name of patriotism. You have made our country so receptive to your beliefs through your political party that even some of the democrats legislation is being passed to prohibit sales of violent videogames.

I must also congratulate you on your ability to have our state governments follow in your steed, Mr. President. Thirty-four states passing a law requiring the mandatory recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance is impressive. Your use of the word "patriotic" has really caught on.

Most importantly, Mr. President, I must commend you on totally screwing up for my generation. The impacts of your actions, Mr. President, will have this country in a dictatorship by the time I am 30. This war that you have thrown us in, Mr. President, will have me paying 50% taxes just to get us out of debt, but that’s assuming we will still have a country by then. With Iran getting nuclear weapons and you doing what you do so best, I seriously doubt our nation will last for more than 15 years.

So congratulations to you, Mr. President, on finally succeeding in something that all presidents before you have so desperately tried to do... Totally fucking up our country.

Your Most Loyal supporter,

teh Mephisto

P.S.

I like how you took my letter and change it around to blast those Fascist Democrats, Mr. President. Please, feel free to turn your down fallings on them as much as possible.

tM

34 down, 16 to go!

2006-07-29T22:35:00.000-04:00

"To Require the Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags, and to Require the Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. – Local boards of education shall adopt policies to (i) require the display of the United States and North Carolina flags in each classroom, when available, (ii) require that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance be scheduled on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age-appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom."

So reads the law that put North Carolina as the 34th state to require daily recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance in all public schools.

Does anyone have a problem with this?

First off let me just point out that just because you live in a specific place, doesn't mean you have to love the place you are. Just because you disagree with what is happening in the place you live, does not mean you are "unpatriotoc".

A lot of people like this law. They think it helps make their kids more "patriotic" but for me, its just making me hate our government even more. Out national government has manipulated us all to believe that if someone disagrees with the president or anything he does than that person is unpatriotic. The USA PATRIOT ACT is an example of this. The USA PATRIOT ACT is actually the initials of the full name of the law that was obviously made just so it could fit their little catch phrase. The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 was one of the more obvious signs that the current administration is retooling our minds to think that if you disagree with their policies than you are "unpatriotic". Our States arn't helping any.

The State Government is put there as even more of a check/balance of the national government. If something happens that should not be, it is the States job to say "Wait thats not right" and have our legislative leaders fix the problem (or file suit in the courts, whichever actually works) but this isn't the case. 34 states so far have a law requiring the daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. They are bringing down the ideas of patriotism on kids, just leading for this mass hysteria to continue on past our current aging representitives and government officials.

This law is designed to alienate those people who disagree with everything that is going on in our country. This law is designed to pickout those of us who are "unpatriotic". This law is just a feel-good, bandwagen law that is totally pointless.

I do not need to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day to know what I believe in. We do not need to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day to reassure the air that we will always be with our country. And just because you say the Pledge of Allegiance every day, doesn't mean you believe in what its saying and actually mean a word of it. This bill is pointless, unnecessary, and most of all, damaging to a culture that is already paranoid of becoming "unpatriotic".

I implore you all who read this, stand (or rather sit) with me in not saying the Pledge of Allegiance, because as I have said, you do not have to say the same thing every day to prove that you are "patriotic". Being patriotic is something that will come naturally. And for those of you who have fallen into the "patriotic" propaganda, just remember that it is the so called "unpatriotic" people that will lead to the best changes in our country.

Violence and Video Games – Is there a connection?

2006-06-27T00:22:00.000-04:00

In Miami, there is one man who does not like video games, attorney Jack Thompson. He predicted that a school shooting may occur by someone who likely played video games. Eight days later, two kids opened fire at Columbine, killing thirteen students. Both of them liked to play Doom. Three weeks before the Beltway sniper was apprehended, Mr. Thompson predicted that he probably trained using a game set to sniper only or god mode. It turned out that the sniper in question played Halo with sniper only and god mode.
Video games are leading to a massive increase in violence from everyone who plays them. Or are they?
I am a competitive rifle shooter, placing fifth place in the state games. I like to go paintballing and I like to shoot my airsoft gun with my brother. I've been hunting before and I love it. I also play video games. Could this be why I love to shoot things? Jack Thompson would probably say yes. I disagree.
Anyone who has ever played a video game, whether it be Halo or Duck Hunter, and who has shot a gun before, will tell you that the two are no where close to being similar. The mastery of your breathing, the ability to control your muscles, and the mindset required to shoot anything can not be compared to the skills required to run around shooting everything you see in games such as Counter-Strike and Unreal. Besides, moving your mouse around or positioning a cross hair using joysticks is a lot easier than holding, aligning the sights, and aiming a real gun. Then hitting what you are aiming at is a whole other matter.
There is more than first hand experience driving this argument. Since they first came out, video games have been violent. From Donkey Kong, where you throw barrels at a Gorilla, to Pac-Man where you run around eating ghosts. These classic games have been around for at least a generation. They are the type of games our parents played when they were teenagers. Has Pac-Man turned us all into cannibals? Do our parents go around throwing barrels at everyone? Violence in video games has been there from the start, and it has never affected us before.
But then again, Grand Theft Auto hasn't been out for years.
I can guarantee you that most children you know have played Grand Theft Auto. How many of them have shot police officers in the face with shotguns, shot rockets at cars or run over pedestrians for fun?
It has gotten to the point that if your weapon accidentally discharges and shoots someone, the first thing prosecutors look for are video games. If they happen to find video games at all, they will automatically blame the shooting on them.
But maybe I'm just crazy, maybe video games are what drove those teenagers to open fire at Columbine. After all, their parents were too busy to tell that their children were getting violent. And there’s no possibility that anyone at the school knew, I mean the counselors are just there to be there, right? There was no way this could have been prevented.
What if video games are the cause of violence in America. Are there ways to stop it? Of course there are, and guess what, they all fall back to the parents and school officials. Video Games are rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). They rate all video games into one of these categories: Early Childhood (EC), Everyone (E), Everyone 10+ (E10+), Teen (T), Mature (M), or Adult Only (AO). Any violent game will be rated from T to AO. If it is rated M, a parent must be present to allow the child do purchase the game. Here is where the parent steps in. If your child has shown violent behavior or if you for whatever reason don't think a violent game would go over too well for them, DO NOT LET THEM BUY IT. It is that simple.
But of course, kids find ways around everything. So what do you do then? When you come home from work and see your child sitting there playing a video game, instead of just walking on, watch him a little while and make sure its something you would approve of. If not, you have every right as the parent to take it away. Once again, its that simple.
What if they still are playing those games? Thats when the school officials step in. It is the job of any School Administrator, specifically the counselors, to know their students and know what is happening at their school. For example, at my school they know who all the members of a certain gang are. If some gang activity is going on, they know exactly who to watch. You may think that it is just more work I am saying you should do but it is part of your job and you should be doing it anyway. Also, isn't that right there one of the main duties of a school counselor?
But maybe I am just crazy, maybe its impossible to keep track of everything thats going on. No one knew that an attack was going to be made against the World Trade Centers. After all, those CIA documents were really only blank pieces of paper, were they not?
People like Jack Thompson exist to find excuses for those negligent parents and the school administrators. No one wants to admit that they could have done something to prevent it. But if you work to do something to prevent it, you wouldn't be in that position to begin with would you? Just like the dog ate my homework excuse, this one is getting old.

10% increase?!?

2006-06-14T18:57:00.000-04:00

Of corse!

A little more than a week after I posted that rant, the House of Representatives voted to increase the indecency fine by 10%

This is just annoying.

A call to arms... against Censorship

2006-06-05T00:52:00.000-04:00

Theres this little sound that you here everywhere. While you are listeneing to your favorite song on the radio. While you are watching TV. It crawls under your skin and vibrates until you can't stand to hear it any longer. Then scarcely less than a second later (although it seems like ages) it stops. Its the beep. You know the beep. The one they use to take all the "profanity" out of whatever medium you happen to be paying attention to at the time.

Censorship doesn't stop there.

In Mississippi, Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was banned because the word "nigger" was used over 200 times (but everyone knows its because the book was making fun of them).

Censorship is only one of the plagues that are threatening our society. On February 1, 2004 Janet Jackson showed the world just how ugly she has gotten. But she really didn't show any more than you can see watching the "Girls Gone Wild" commercials on Comedy Central. Because of that "wardrobe malfunction" 'live' events are being delayed so they can censor anything that might happen again. CBS affiliates around the United States were fined by the FCC. And it caused a crackdown by the FCC. All of the sudden, radio stations won't play Pink Floyd's "Money" because it has the word 'shit' in it.

The FCC has decided to tell us, the free people of the United States of America, that we are too stupid to know what offends us. The FCC has decided to tell us that we don't know how to turn off something that is offending us. The FCC has decided to tell us what we can and can not see and hear. And we are letting them.

In our glorious age of over 900 channels of TV, dozens of local radio stations, the FCC has decided to say that we lack the ability to change the TV channel, or switch radio stations when something we think is offence comes on. THAT IS WRONG. If I want to watch "The Daily Show with John Stewart" without having to hear all the bleeps, then I am up the shit creek without a paddle. Never mind the fact that these are channels I have to pay for so I obviously want. Never mind the fact that I can always just push one button on the remote (or TV) and change the channel if I don't like it. If someone doesn't want to hear John Stewart say the word 'shit' than damn if anyone else can hear it too.

The sad thing is, we are letting them do this. WE MUST STOP! If you want a legal reason to kick censorship, cite the first amendment (although I have already established that the government has no idea what the bill of rights is) where it says, quite clearly, "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press..."

There is your legal reason to fight. Censorship is more than just wrong. In these United States of America, it is ILLEGAL. All we have to do is fight it.

Domestic Spying's a Bitch

2006-06-05T00:49:00.000-04:00

I hate Bush.....

Its not that he doesn't know how to talk....
Its not that he is a wannabe redneck.....
Its not even the fact that he is lying to the American People (at least not at the moment).

Its the fact that he is walking all over the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and getting away with it.

The latest hitting the American people, is the Domestic Spying program. It is "probably the most classified program that exists in the United States government" (Attorney General Alberto Gonzales) and it got leaked to the media.

The Domestic Spying is walking all over our 4th amendment rights guarenteeing us the right to be secure in our possessions. "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." (4th Amendment)

Fuck This doesn't requre any arguing..... Its so obviously fucking up our rights that I don't even need to talk about it anymore. And if you can't see it, maybe you should go back and take Civics class again. I'll be sure you get put in the same class as Bush.

To everyone: Race isn't everything

2006-06-05T00:47:00.000-04:00

The views expressed in this rant may lead you to believe that I am a VERY racist person. I want it known from the get go that I am not racist, I just comment on my observations..

Now, on to the rant.

NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT RACE!
Those ignorant people somehow manage to find something wrong with every single thing anyone ever does. I was watching a news report on the Duke Lacross crap, and they have arrested two players who "participated in the assualt and rape". Except for one thing. One (or both) of them WERN'T EVEN THERE! And yet the "victim"'s cusin was on the news saying how she was glad they finally arrested those responsible and she was confident that they were the people who did it because she "picked out their pictures" More importantly; however, this whole thing has SOMEHOW managed to become a race thing. I'm sure that when the lacross players hired a "Exotic Dancer" they had no idea of her skin color, much less gave a damn. Even still, the NAACP is "watching it very closely" because god forbid those two white boys get free, they need to be there to file a civil suit (which, I will get into at another time).

Unfortunatly, this is a problem that runs much deeper than just the Duke stuff. Have you noticed how those exact same ignorant people are the ones causing the biggest rucous about the Mexican's "taking American jobs"? THE JOBS THE MEXICANS TAKE ARE THOSE JOBS THAT NOONE WANTS TO BEGIN WITH! I'm willing to bet money that if for some reason we kicked all the mexican's out, those people would be the last people to try and get those jobs, and would probably start complaining about how nothing is getting done..

Then there is New Orleans and Bush. I must admit I hate George Bush a lot, and I blame him for a lot of things, but theese people have gone too far. "George Bush didn't help New Orleans because the people there are poor blacks". IT'S NOT ABOUT RACE! Even if you were a city of white people, the help would have been lacking. Maybe if they got off their fat lazy asses more than once a year (Mardi Gras!), you could get out! Sure there are a lot of hurricanes, but how often does a Category 5 hurricane go directly over New Orleans... add to that the city is under water, there should have been no hesitation. George Bush didn't have anything to do with New Orleans, it was the FEMA Director, and he didn't help New Orleans because he didn't understand the meaning of "Category 5 Hurricane".

And of corse I have to add in the thing with the Congress woman from Georgia. She walks through a check point at the capital building and doesn't stop. Hrm. Lets see here. If I drove past a check point without stoping, what do you think the police are going to do? Let me go? Anyway the security guard tried to stop her, so he put his hand on her sholder. She then threw her Cell phone at him and started swinging at him.

Lets see now......... what do you think the Congress woman did? Apologize? Of corse not. She called a press conference and told everyone that she was being harassed for being a black woman. The sad thing: Those Georgians believed her! It has nothing to do with race. They were stoping everyone. It was just that she was too ignorant to notice.

Is it just me or do these people always manage to find a way to turn everything into something about race.