Soldier's Story & Constitutional Amendment?

I want to start of with a little bit on the latest book I'm reading. I finished Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck this weekend. It was excellent, not quite as good as Cannery Row, but in the same vein.

This portion should please some of my more right wing friends :D, Although this well esteemed Senator was truly one of the first great Moderates.

I'm reading Bob Dole's Memoir "One Soldier's Story" and I'm only a couple chapters into it at this point. The story is absolutely riveting, and, I swear there are times when I'm reading it where I feel like tearing up. I've just gotten to the point where Dole had his paralyzing accident that left his arm virtually unusable. He really captures the horror of war, and the sacrifices made by people in those tormented times.

By comparison I feel that today's world is still very placid by comparison, however I do feel that there is a storm brewing. I honestly don't think the problem will likely arise from Iran, as many do, unless our stellar American Diplomacy backs the ugly dog into a corner, which sadly would not surprise me.

I'm more concerned about a huge military build up by China, & the Taiwan dispute. I think it is only a matter of time before something happens. The economic pressures of oil are going to catch up with countries. For China to continue growing at their current rapid rate, some unconventional Old World tactics could ultimately come into play. They may be expanding and becoming more democratic and capitalistic, however they still have leadership that trends towards the traditions of the People's Republic.

They are building the largest military arsenal for a reason.

Not since WWII has the U.S. had to contend with a foe of equal or even greater strength. (I exclude the USSR, aside from the Cuban Missle Crisis no "major" shots were fired in that battle) I don't know if we, or the rest of the Western World for that matter, would put up much of a fight.

The vivid imagery in Dole's accounts brought this to mind, how different the battles were from the Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts and even Vietnam. And if we can't be successful or plan properly in those encounters how could we ever expect to stand up to a giant.

Hopefully China's leaders will realize that they are just as likely to surpass us with peaceful economic tact, than with violence & threats. Hopefully they'll realize that they'll be more prosperous when we are purchasing their exports.

Now, onto my more controversial portion, although it shouldn't be.

Yeah I know this part of the post will bring scowls to the faces of some of my friends, but I'm sorry. This is what I believe is right. This is a new civil rights issue, and I hope that one day we'll all look back on it as such.

Looks like Bush and & Friends are at it again. I find it amusing that Laura Bush
just did the talk show circuits saying that she didn't think there should be a ban. I also find it amusing that both of Bush's daughter's have voiced their opinion that there should not be a ban. I find it amusing that the Vice President, does not think there should be a ban. Even Samuel Alito, Bush's latest Supreme Court nominee reportedly supports gay rights. And yet the zealot has to continue to pursue this ludicrous amendment, in the face of support that thankfully will fall short.


I think it is nothing more than an awful, but effective political move on the part of W.

The sad thing is politically speaking, in an increasingly fundamentalist country, this could be an ingenious move. Use the politics of yesterday, the politics of bigotry and hate to align otherwise democratic voters to go for the republican ticket, just so they can prevent a couple of people who love each other from getting
cheaper healthcare. They'll go for it in droves, its the new abortion ticket, although sadly I bet this issue will invoke even more passion, and even though I'm pro choice, I'm going to come right out and say, Gay Rights is cut and dry. There is no reason to penalize people on the basis of their sexual orientation. Homosexuals do not harm people. Most "older" folks who are against this will use the "Its just wrong.. they are sick" defense. They'll even start spouting off ridiculous lies if you prod them enough such as Gay people created AIDS etc., etc. And younger people, unless you are somehow far removed from the mainstream world, I don't understand how someone could passionately get behind a ban in gay marriage. It goes against what our country was founded for, a place where the persecuted, the immigrants, the tired, the hungry, could live with the promise of a greater tomorrow.


It is irritating that our government is once again wasting time on frivolous crap rather than dealing with problems at hand. If they want to bring this up they should have an amendment to ratify same sex marriage rather than ban it, but that sadly is at least 20 years away I would guess.

I'm going to reiterate, that contrary to popular belief, the Republicans will retain control, definitely over the House, and possibly even the Senate.

We are upon the cusp of a dangerous time in our country, where corruption and debt are spilling over. Many ignorant people are looking for someone to blame. I'm afraid for us, and afraid for who our next scapegoat will be.

A couple of prominent articles from the past couple days:

Same-sex marriage issue is close to home for Tennessee couple

Bush urges gay marriage ban enshrined in Constitution

Will gay marriage and flag burning rally the GOP base one more time?

Driver's Test

Monday is always a good day to bitch on. Having to go back to work, the drudgery, etc. Soooo.... I thought I'd bring up driving tests since the Northeast was ranked with the worst drivers.

See article: Test scores are in: Northeast still has dumbest drivers

On the state by state ranking Rhode Island is the worst, and Massachusetts is second. They are basing this on performance by taking the test:

Drivers test

While no one would question that the drivers in Massachusetts are "Bad", I would question this test. It is horribly out of date, and several of the questions are vague and circumstantial. I would argue that RI fared worse than most because there is no rural living, and several questions "answers" could not be realistically applied to city driving. I think insurance providers and the government need to sit down and seriously reconsider the test. If anything, I think following some of the "correct" answers would cause more accidents than they prevent.

The first question:

Where should you park when you need help after your tire suddenly deflates while driving on a highway? (Select one)

a. In the right hand lane

b. Off the pavement

c. Where your car will be visible for 200 feet from the front

This does not even make sense to me, the answer is "Off the pavement" but in the city, this would mean driving over a curb, parking on someone's lawn, driving beyond the breakdown land, (which is illegal). There are definitely circumstances where "In the right hand lane" is your only option, or where "Off the Pavement" might put you in a ditch, or put your life in danger. Option c. makes even less sense, as you would want people from behind to see you, not the front, but your first two answers are so circumstantial that it might even cause someone to select c in desperation.

Next: I got the road is most slippery when, question wrong, merely because I didn't know. The answer "When it just starts to rain after a dry spell" is probably one of those things I knew 13 years ago when I studied and took this drivers ed test, but have since forgotten. I grant them that question.

Moving on,

9. On a sharp curve, you should use your brakes to slow your vehicle: (Select one)


a. During the entire time you drive through a curve

b. Before you enter the curve

c. Just after you enter the curve

The answer is not a, although one would expect that it should technically be a combination of a & b. So you hit the breaks before the curb, but then proceed through without your foot on the breaks? Sorry, that one's lost on me. I'm a little slow what can I say.

11. If your vehicle starts to hydroplane, you should: (Select one)

a. Drive at a constant speed to gain better traction

b. Apply the brakes firmly to prevent your vehicle from sliding

c. Slow down gradually by easing the gas, and not applying the brakes

The answer is c. In drivers ed, they'll contradict this question out right and say pump your breaks, or press firmly if you have power brakes (which most cars have now). So we have a question worked for some one ton steel 70s cutlass supreme and not for today's honda civic, or even a toyota tacoma for that matter. I can just here the conversation now... "why did you slide off the road?" "Gee officer, I don't know, I didn't apply my breaks, just like the drivers ed test said and I went right off the highway, I just don't get it!"

And I'm saving the best for last. Try following this one as worded if you live in civilization.

7. When waiting to make a left turn, you should give the right-of-way to vehicles coming from the opposite direction: (Select one)

a. Until at least two vehicles have passed

b. Until dangerously close cars have passed

c. Until all of the cars have passed

Answer is NOT b. The answer is c. That's right, ignore those honking horns and NEVER go if you can see a car coming. It's nice that the guy in the left hand lane is stopped to let you go, but I'm afraid you just can't do that. According to drivers ed, and the insurance companies, all traffic must have passed, so you better sit there until 3 AM, or until some driver got out of a car behind you, rips you out of your seat and bashes your head in with a crow bar. Hey, Safety first!

Mr. Bean's expensive parking garage solution:

Super heroes, atrocity, presentation, & psychedelic delusions

Batwoman is a lesbian...? Batwoman is a lesbian! Enough said...
New Batwoman is a lesbian
I actually didn't know there was a "Batwoman" I just knew about "Batgirl". Oh and batboy of course.
Apparently there is a "Batboy" musical as well. It's a mad mad mad world :D. The most amusing thing about the article, the "tongue and cheek" response of some critics: "Wouldn't ugly people as heroes be more groundbreaking?" asked one poster. "You know, 200-pound woman, man with horseshoe hair loss pattern, people with cold sores, etc.?" Well, I'm sorry D.C. comics, even kinky ravishing lesbian superheroes probably aren't going to get me reading comic books. Perhaps if they made a movie with a cameo by Catwoman, where Batwoman and Catwoman have an exchange of the highest intellectual nature of course, then, I might go to the matinee. Then again I wasn't interested in that "Catwoman" movie in the slightest.

Check this out!
Man severs penis to prove faithfulness

Brings to mind the King Missile song: Detachable Penis

I woke up this morning with a bad hangover and my penis was missing again. This happens all the time; it's detachable. This comes in handy a lot of the time; I can leave it home when it think it s gonna get me in trouble, or I can rent it out when I don't need it. But now and then I go to a party, get drunk, and the next morning, I can't, for the life of me, remember what I did with it. First I looked around my apartment, and I couldn't find it, so I called up the place where the party was, they hadn t seen it either. I asked them to check the medicine cabinet, cause for some reason, I leave it there sometimes, but not this time. So I told them if it pops up to let me know. I called a few people who were at the party, but they were no help either.

I was starting to get desperate I really don't like being without my penis for too long, It makes me feel like less of a man, and I really hate having to sit down every time I take a leak.

After a few hours of searching the house, and calling everyone I could think of, I was starting to get very depressed, so I went to the Kiev and ate breakfast. Then as I walked down Second Avenue, toward s St. Mark s Place, where all those people sell used books and other junk on the street, I saw my penis lying on a blanket next to a broken toaster oven-some guy was selling it! I had to buy it off him. He wanted 22 bucks, but I talked him down to 17. I took it home, washed it off, and put it back on. I was happy again: complete. People sometimes tell me I should get it permanently attached, but I don't know. Even though sometimes it's a pain in the ass, I like having a detachable penis.

-King Missile 1992

I had to present today at the data club meeting. I had the markers labeled wrong on one of my SDS PAGE gel photos.. woops, and of course on my reduced gel I mistakenly verbally referred to bands outside of the product as "aggregates" rather than "non-covalent impurities", and an associate made sure to make a point of this booboo, even though the probability is near 100% that the "non-covalent impurities" are merely detergent reduced derivatives of the aggregates themselves, which was admitted by this associate in some real-time asynchronous communication :D (a supposedly legitimate consultant/business term that seems to contradict itself... its jargon talk for unplanned conversations, Jason Duplissis taught me that one)after they "undermined" my presentation to some extent during the actual meeting. Arrrghh irritation. I'm totally glad when my mistakes are pointed out, they need to be. However this particular person makes a sport of it, and the delivery is deliberately antagonistic, and I think this person does it to everyone. I hope it was seen that way by others, the big cheese did say "good job" when I finished, so that's always reassuring. If anything it may go over well in academia, but I'm not certain its the way to win friends when you are all supposed to be team players... but hey perhaps I'm smoking crack.

Study finds rapid pre-Katrina sinking in New Orleans But lets rebuild it? Seems like a flawed plan to me... but hey perhaps I'm smoking crack.

This quiz result made me snicker, according to this, I'm not smoking crack.

Your Personality Is Like Acid

A bit wacky, you're very difficult to predict. One moment you're in your own little happy universe... And the next, you're on a bad trip to your own personal hell!

What Drug Is Your Personality Like?