One Way to Read It

You don't need to register, just click: http://x96.com/local_bands/ Click the link to vote for Belly of the Whale so they can play the B.A.SH .! "And tell everyone you know to do the same baby!" - The Bassist

More on the torture memos : Torture doesn't work . There's a whole book written about this. This is America? When did it become acceptable to imitate the Spanish Inquisition?

Wow, dissent from a Fox pundit. "If we are going to be Ronald Reagan's shining city on a hill, we don't get to torture, we don't do it."

They hope Obama fails and the economy tanks so they can say I told you so. I hope their tactics backfire. I hope the Republican Party, as it is currently constituted with Limbaugh at its head, dies. I hope for a rebirth of a conservative party to oppose the reckless spending of the past twenty-five years. For a party that's not afraid to say that something is wrong even when their own party does it. I wish more Republicans were like Ron Paul

Obama released the Bush Administration torture memos : What a great way to release info. Huzzah. Many people were upset, not because the U.S. tortured people, but because we now know about it. The Daily Show With Jon Stewart M - Th 11p / 10c We Don't Torture thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor And Hannity is offered $1000 a second to endure waterboarding.

The songs from World of Goo. See here to download the sheet music.

Ron Paul lays out his take on America in this video where he announced his intent to run for president. Why did no one vote for this guy?

Glenn Becks 912-ers rallied en masse nationwide. I attended the Salt Lake City tea party, and took these pictures under a barrage of snow and rain. I intended to hand out anti-income tax fliers that I made using Ron Paul quotes, but I chickened out. These pictures show you the six groups represented at the event. Group 1: The Awesomes. They were few in number. This was my favorite sign, because it attacked both parties, and word-played "Don't taze me bro." This plays off of a Prince song, and about the only fact most Americans know about U.S. history, that the number 1776 is somehow involved. Yep, debt is bad. I am outraged . . . at your terrible spelling. Apostrophe e, dude. The Devil was there. There he is, with his funny hat, talking that guy with black hair, the black mustache, black goatee, and black ankle-length robe into signing away his soul. Group 2: The Crazies. Also few in number. These guys come to general conference every year. I should have pointed out...

Ron Paul seems to only get in the news when what he says sounds crazy. But what bothered me most about this clip, is that the Constitution is seen as outdated. The Colbert Report Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c Anger's Aweigh colbertnation.com Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Gay Marriage Commercial To disrespect the Constitution is to hold liberty cheap, and is thought common-sense in the political world. Though Colbert is a comedian, his satire pinpoints the general attitude toward our founding document. Because we ignore history, we're repeating it. Before the revolution we thought it tyranny that Britain would take our citizens and try them in foreign courts, where they had no chance of a fair trial. We have become the oppressive tyrant that is doing this same injustice to Somalis . Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse will be tried in U.S. courts despite the pleas of his mother, who said, on Tuesday that he had been coerced into piracy by "gangsters with money" a...

Ron Paul introduced the Industrial Hemp Farming Act on April 2, 2009. Excerpts: "Since 1970, the federal Controlled Substances Act's inclusion of industrial hemp in the schedule one definition of marijuana has prohibited American farmers from growing industrial hemp despite the fact that industrial hemp has such a low content of THC (the psychoactive chemical in the related marijuana plant) that nobody can be psychologically affected by consuming hemp. Federal law concedes the safety of industrial hemp by allowing it to be legally imported for use as food." "The United States is the only industrialized nation that prohibits industrial hemp cultivation ." "Industrial hemp is a crop that was grown legally throughout the United States for most of our nation's history. In fact, during World War II, the federal government actively encouraged American farmers to grow industrial hemp to help the war effort . The Department of Agriculture even produced a film ...

Texas Straight Talk A weekly column Responses to Piracy The recent episode with the Somali pirates has brought to the forefront many questions about maritime security. What is the best way to deal with a gang of criminals, not acting on behalf of any country, when they attack private vessels? Under whose jurisdiction are these types of criminals to be prosecuted? Most importantly, how do we deter such attacks in the future? Already the administration is saber-rattling with typical big government so-called solutions, like “diplomatically” threatening the weak Somalian government, or any government of any country where pirates are thought to live, with military action if they fail to control the situation. There are calls to increase the size of the navy until it is nearly omnipresent on the seas. I was pleased to see they got one thing partially right in stating that the government should work with shippers and the insurance industry to address gaps in their sel...

David Simon is the creator and writer of The Wire, the most honest portrayal of street life in urban Baltimore. Check it out . "A tale of corruption, despair, and betrayal as devastating as any Greek tragedy." "This is how an empire is eaten from within."

From Bizarro .

Chaffetz has vowed not to accept earmarks. Ron Paul says that cutting earmarks won't cut spending, but just give the authority to spend the money to the executive. Jason Chaffetz, thank you for supporting our president. Read The Revolution . Start watching at 2.08 It's not an accounting problem, it's a philosophy problem. This guy blows my mind.

The Republican party needs to get Limbaugh's clammy hand off of its policy decisions.

Money doesn't grow on trees, the Fed makes it out of air. Inflation: how the government steals your money without telling you.

Donald Duck For Taxes: I love that war is equated with freedom and democracy. I, too, have argued that paying your taxes is patriotic , and also that we shouldn't pay income taxes . I'm aware of the contradiction. Taxes are patriotic if you support our wars. You cannot be both pro-war and anti-tax, for that is cognitive dissonance. If your brand of patriotism is to be pro-war, and pro-tax, I disagree with you. If your form of patriotism is to be anti-war and anti-tax, I will vote for you. If you waver in between, you need to make up your mind. More propaganda: Donald Duck the Nazi And the Military-Industrial Complex is only a slave driver if you're making bombs for the Nazis. I also found this disturbing anti-war cartoon, which recreates Hiroshima: Apparently a survivor of the blast wrote the script for this.

I love everything this guy has to say: Self reliance is important.

When do I get a tazer? If they'll do this to a U.S. citizen without cause, image what they'll do to a suspected terrorist. Maybe because he's a pastor, his explanation sounds much what happened to Christ . Those given a little authority tend to abuse others.

The ability to see both sides of an issue can be an Achilles heel in politics.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a report that right-wing terrorists are an increasing danger.

Apparently Somalia is where we dump our nuclear waste. And they don't like that.

Limbaugh agreed that we shouldn't be so excited about shooting Somali pirates. His reason? They're teenagers. Apparently he thinks Iraq is full of middle-aged liberals. Limbaugh agrees with muh, muh, . . . excuse me. blorkgfek (throw up noise). Me. Unclean, unclean. Don't come near me. I'll be in the shower for the next thirty days. I also attended the SLC tea party. I'll post on it later, since I can't find the camera cord, so I can't upload the pics I took.

And made Simon Cowell smile . Everyone needs to see it. Susan Boyle Singer Britains Got Talent 2009 With Lyrics @ Yahoo! Video

In congress: Jason Chaffetz makes an appearance at 1:45, and appears to be reading from a script. Are you playing games Jason? Get back to work.

This metaphor was already posted on the end of a 9 minute video. I cut it out to 1.5 minutes and animated it. Bonus island metaphor by Ron Paul at the end.

These quotes are awesome enough to rock without guitar riffs: A little bit of music kicks in at the end, and a commentator reads a list of things that make Ron Paul awesome. Then a Ron Paul testimony meeting begins, after which everyone thinks they're Ron Paul.

Not that the pirates are scary, but that our policy toward them will hurt us. Being informed always seems to damper the bliss of ignorance. Ron Paul always assumes that the American people are intelligent and informed. Maybe that's why he lost.

I found this interesting series of videos that helped me understand our currency. As long as foreign countries keep buying our debt, we're okay. Suckers. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Awesome Ron Paul quotes set to rock music:

O'Reilly interviews Ron Paul, is a jerk. He doesn't "have time" to learn history. He thinks we should be afraid, not think.

Obama loosened restrictions on Cuba this week. Good job. In 2000, Paul voted to end trade restrictions on Cuba . [ 40 ] Better job.

This nytimes article explains Somali piracy . " These pirates are fearless because they have grown up in a culture where nobody expects to live long. Pirate cells often consist of 10 men with several ratty, roach-infested skiffs. They bring along drinking water, gasoline for their single-engine outboards, grappling hooks, ladders, knives, assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and the mild narcotic qat to chew. They live on raw fish ." And this article talks about pirates in Jefferson's day : " The Barbary pirates actually had an ambassador — who met with Jefferson and Adams, no less. The pirates worked for a government. The Barbary rulers commissioned them to rob and pillage and kidnap, and the rulers got a cut. It was all official. And open. It was truly state-sponsored terrorism. And the Western nations’ response was to pay “tribute,” a fancy word for blackmail ."

One pirate, Sugule Ali, said, "We don't consider ourselves sea bandits. We consider sea bandits [to be] those who illegally fish and dump in our seas." This article alleges that European countries are exploiting Somalia's ocean resources by overfishing and polluting. I knew there was something redeeming about them.

Some smart guy wrote that pirates were bastions of democracy in a day when monarchy was the norm. I earlier wrote in praise of pirates , and can't help but think that there are some redeeming characteristics in the Somali pirates. Perhaps in a world dominated by "first world" countries — that maintain their dominance by robbing and bullying the third world — it is appropriate that pirates from a third world country are taking something back.

If some guy was taking my wife out for dinner this often, I would be worried. Clearly our representatives are having an affair with lobbyists .

I just wrote about this link. From Crooks and Liars

I just wrote how we freaked out and gave the government a wide range of news powers after 9/11 to deal with terrorism. Ron Paul pointed out that the founders already gave us the powers necessary to deal with terrorism in the Constitution: the Letters of Marque . Article I, Section 8 (Powers of Congress): “To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water” Congressman Paul explained the use of Letters of Marque and Reprisal on the floor of Congress after September 11, 2001: "Authority to grant letters of marque and reprisal are provided for in the Constitution as a means of allowing Congress to deal with aggressive actions where a formal declaration of war against a foreign power is problematic. Originally intended to deal with piracy, letters of marque and reprisal represent an appropriate response to the piracy of the twentieth century: hijacking terrorism." The man had the answer back when we needed it, and no one...

If you are supported by a media giant, owned by one of the richest men in the world ( Rupert Murdoch ), you are not grassroots. Mad Hater's tea party, get it? From Crooks and Liars

Yeah, this stuff happens when you live in a culture that refuses to talk about sex. Once again , if they really had a pair, they would refuse to pay their taxes. The Boston Tea Party Send a strong message. Stop paying your taxes. Your time in jail might give you charity to those who languish in prison for opposing other stupid laws . was illegal, and the participants would have been jailed if caught.

I love our new Vice President

In fear after 9/11, we gave more power to the president, and we passed anti-terrorist laws to protect ourselves. Former president Bush abused that power, and Obama intends to keep it . Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News , World News , and News about the Economy And the laws that were supposed to protect us from terrorists are being used to subdue civil unrest . Acting in fear is unwise. We acted in fearful haste after 9/11, and we have approached the current economic crisis with that same mindset. Glenn Beck is trying to peg this tyranny on Obama. That way you will vote for a Republican next time around. And you will get the same result. This tyranny originated with Bush, and will not go away by voting for either party. They both want this power when they hold the reins. Tyranny is the natural result of a complacent and ignorant populace. Ron Paul promised to end this of unconstitutional abuse of power. But he will never become president. Why? Because he will not support the int...

This guy ripped off illegal immigrants by promising them green cards in exchange for about $1,700. He convinced them that he was an immigration officer, and then stole their money. They gave money to this guy? Maybe they deserved to get ripped off. - "Court documents allege he used what appeared to be a federal badge, ID and ICE jacket, and his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to convince undocumented immigrants to pay him thousands for work documents which never arrived. " He looked happier before he got caught. - He got away with about $25,000. Which looks like pennies compared to how much big government and big business have been taking out of our pockets lately. But they were pennies from people more desperate and needy than we. Utahns are notoriously gullible when it comes to getting ripped off. And Hillmar is not the first to use his LDS standing to rip people off. Former bishop Shawn R. Merriman just got caught running a ponzi scheme,...

He sounds, and kind of looks, like a cartoon character. But I agree with his anti-war rhetoric.

Jared Diamond speaks of religion from an anthropological perspective. Politicians use organized religion to justify their theft (taxes). Politicians use religion to justify war. The popularity of a religion does not say anything of its verity. These values are not the whole explanation for religions. I recommend Collapse by Jared Diamond Guns, Germs, and Steel is also excellent.

Booms unhealthy? Recessions healthy? Interesting. This guy was Ron Paul's economic adviser in the 2008 campaign. He likes metaphors. And hyperbole.

He made a surprise visit to Iraq this week.

State of Fear Former Peruvian president Fujimori just got sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing people he had labeled "terrorists."

Conservative pundits have inspired some of their nut-job listeners to murder. Most recently Richard Poplawski killed three police officers . He was a Glenn Beck fan, and posted Beck's videos on his own website. I'm sure Beck did not intend this, and will distance himself from this event. But he should take it as a sign that he needs to be more careful about what he says. If you go on TV, and make irrational claims that communists and fascists have taken over our country, and use negative emotional rhetoric, you have to expect an irrational, emotional response. My advise would be to use more positive emotional appeals, like humor, rather than fear. Otherwise we can expect more conservative nut jobs to keep killing people. Like this guy who decided to kill immigrants. Maybe rethink your anti-immigration rants, eh guys ? Maddow talks about Domestic Terrorists, who lash out in fear of Obama.

The Red Cross is my hero. They're the group of men and women who risk their lives to give medical care to those wounded in war. They have again come to the aid of the wounded. The Red Cross released a report that medical personnel (i.e. doctors) helped the CIA torture people . "Medical professionals working for the C.I.A. monitored prisoners undergoing waterboarding , apparently to make sure they did not drown. Medical workers were also present when guards confined prisoners in small boxes, shackled their arms to the ceiling, kept them in frigid cells and slammed them repeatedly into walls." There have been "70 cases worldwide after World War II in which physicians were punished for participating in torture or related crimes. Most were in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, he said. None have been in the United States."

Democrats from congress went to Cuba to " normalize relations ." I want to go on vacation to an illegal tropical island.

A Proclamation on the Economy The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints T HE EXPERIENCE OF MANKIND has shown that the people of communities and nations among whom wealth is the most equally distributed, enjoy the largest degree of liberty, are the least exposed to tyranny and oppression and suffer the least from luxurious habits which beget vice. Under such a system, carefully maintained there could be no great aggregations of either real or personal property in the hands of a few; especially so while the laws, forbidding the taking of usury or interest for money or property loaned, continued in force. O NE OF THE GREAT EVILS with which our own nation is menaced at the present time is the wonderful growth of wealth in the hands of a comparatively few individuals. The very liberties for which our fathers contended so steadfastly and courageously, and which they bequeathed to us as a priceless legacy, are endangered ...

Congress will get an automatic $4,700 pay raise next year unless Dr. Paul can stop them. Jerks.

BYU's newspaper ran this: A couple of the Brethren look like they're in on the joke.

They probably got suspicious because: 1. He claimed to be a Ron Paul supporter (Someone supports Ron Paul?). 2. He claimed the 4,700 bucks he had was from selling stickers and t-shirts at a Ron Paul event (There are other Ron Paul supporters?). We should start harassing everyone who has lots of money. It would provide a disincentive against greed. Someone asked good questions : "Exactly what security threat does cash pose to an airplane? Are suicide bombers wont to carry a lot of liquid capital in case they flub it and need to bribe their way out?"

The Colbert Report Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c Cold War Update - Russia, Cuba & Space comedycentral.com Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor NASA Name Contest

I once broke up with a girl by email. She was my first girlfriend. I was 21 or 22. I knew nothing about women. It was really frustrating, because we emailed back and forth for a while, and she seemed to misinterpret everything I said. It went from me wanting a break to her never wanting to see me again. And she kind of liked me. I've had an anonymous person posting on my blog for the last month or so. Today anon. went a little too far on a comment, so I rejected it. I've never rejected a comment before. Anon. is having the same problem my girlfriend had. She's misinterpreting everything that I write in the worst possible way. But in even worse ways, because she does not even know me, let alone like me. I'm sure if we could speak face to face, we would be more civil, and realize that we have much more in common. Or she might punch me in the face. I am weak in writing, so that you may misinterpret my words. And not everything I write is true. Not that I'm ly...