more
I want to amend the post from two posts below. I really don't wish death on that horrible hate-church from Kansas. Apparently, according to several reports from the Topeka area newspapers and the Southern Poverty Law Center, almost everyone in that little family is a victim of a very abusive and evil Fred Phelps.
So instead I'll pray for their souls and hope that they work through their anger issues, which they all obviously have.
Stay away from the Capitol while they're here anyway. All they want is an audience. And most of them are lawyers (bizarre, isn't it?) so they will sue or find some legal way to make your life miserable if you antagonize them by spitting on them, giving them the finger or holding a counter protest with signs that says "Fred Phelps abuses his children" or something like that.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Hero of the Week
Sherriff Billy McGee
He diverted FEMA Trucks to a place that needed ice in Hattiesburg, MS after Katrina. He did this not for financial gain, but because people would have died without that ice. Some friends and I got stranded in Hattiesburg, MS, and I can say that the people there are among the nicest in the world. He's being prosecuted for doing so. I've heard that the Governor of MS himself demanded it so.
At any rate there's a letter writing campaign underway. Here's the address of the Prosecutor.
Dunn Lampton-United States Attorney: Southern District of Mississippi
188 East Capitol
Street One Jackson Place, Suite 500 Jackson, Mississippi 39201
Phone: 601-965-4480Fax: 601-965-4409email: dunn.lampton@usdoj.gov
Hattiesburg, MS has largely been ignored in the eyes of the press. Actually a large swath of Mississippi was devastated by Katrina, and an area the size of Great Britain was laid waste. It's amazing that the US economy was able to absorb this (and a large part of me thinks the real effects will show themselves later this year).
If you're so inclined you could also contact Senator Lott's office. Senator Lott did lose his Pascagoula home in Katrina and has been (surprisingly) amiable and angry about the government's response. Here's his DC office number: 1 202 224-6253
Sherriff Billy McGee
He diverted FEMA Trucks to a place that needed ice in Hattiesburg, MS after Katrina. He did this not for financial gain, but because people would have died without that ice. Some friends and I got stranded in Hattiesburg, MS, and I can say that the people there are among the nicest in the world. He's being prosecuted for doing so. I've heard that the Governor of MS himself demanded it so.
At any rate there's a letter writing campaign underway. Here's the address of the Prosecutor.
Dunn Lampton-United States Attorney: Southern District of Mississippi
188 East Capitol
Street One Jackson Place, Suite 500 Jackson, Mississippi 39201
Phone: 601-965-4480Fax: 601-965-4409email: dunn.lampton@usdoj.gov
Hattiesburg, MS has largely been ignored in the eyes of the press. Actually a large swath of Mississippi was devastated by Katrina, and an area the size of Great Britain was laid waste. It's amazing that the US economy was able to absorb this (and a large part of me thinks the real effects will show themselves later this year).
If you're so inclined you could also contact Senator Lott's office. Senator Lott did lose his Pascagoula home in Katrina and has been (surprisingly) amiable and angry about the government's response. Here's his DC office number: 1 202 224-6253
stuff
Some things do boggle my mind. The statistics on marriage in this country aren't good. About half fail. There's some regional variation around the country but it works out to about half. Yet for some reason 19 state legislatures find that the very chance that a very small minority of their citizens may decide that they would like to marry (or have the legal equivilance) and/or adopt constitutes a constitutional crisis. 89 Pennsylvania legislators seem to think this is a zarky idea. I call it "Operation Distract And Divide The Voters So They Forget About Us Stealing Their Money In An Illegal Pay Raise." 'Cause that's really what it is.
I'm positive that some cynical consultant who sees citizens as tools and idiots said to the three or four legislators who introduced this amendment "hey, voters are idiots. Get them to forget your illegal pay raise by stirring up the hate against the homos!" And the legislators, being the horrid individuals that they can be, said "why, that's a SPLENDID idea!"
It would be far more logical to ban things like divorce and make adultery a rather uncomfortable offense if marriage is to be saved. I'll tell ya what, my generation watched our parents get divorced, commit adultery and whatnot and we're all pretty cynical about the whole idea of marriage. And since my generation happens to be a very large demographic bubble (not as large as our parents, as our parents were not as fruitful as their parents were, but a big bubble nonetheless), this institution we call marriage really won't be saved by amending constitutions to deny very small minority groups the right to marry (or the legal equivilent.) In fact from hearing the things I hear, things like "I'ma get me a starter wife/husband and have two boyfriends/girlfriends/f*ckbuddies on the side" and the fact that this seems to be more than common, regardless of political ideology (I could tell you a thing or two about those Republican guys and gals from college) . . . it's pretty clear 19 states have really gone the wrong route with this whole marriage thing.
Just wait 10 years. I'll be saying I told you so. Just watch.
Oh, stay away from the Capitol on Thursday. That evil hate church from Kansas is coming to town to protest. I know it's evil to say, and it's bad for my karma and all, but the sooner G_d makes whatever they use to travel (I believe they own a bus or two) explode or fall off a bridge or steep cliff so we'll all be rid of these people, the better. It's a horrible thing to say, but these people are as evil as the terrorists who hit us on 9/11 (and probably just as fanatical.) In a lighter way, I sometimes wonder if Battlestar Galactica's Cylons weren't modeled off of the Westboro Baptist Church. . . the new series's Cylons being stark raving monothesist fundamentalists.
Some things do boggle my mind. The statistics on marriage in this country aren't good. About half fail. There's some regional variation around the country but it works out to about half. Yet for some reason 19 state legislatures find that the very chance that a very small minority of their citizens may decide that they would like to marry (or have the legal equivilance) and/or adopt constitutes a constitutional crisis. 89 Pennsylvania legislators seem to think this is a zarky idea. I call it "Operation Distract And Divide The Voters So They Forget About Us Stealing Their Money In An Illegal Pay Raise." 'Cause that's really what it is.
I'm positive that some cynical consultant who sees citizens as tools and idiots said to the three or four legislators who introduced this amendment "hey, voters are idiots. Get them to forget your illegal pay raise by stirring up the hate against the homos!" And the legislators, being the horrid individuals that they can be, said "why, that's a SPLENDID idea!"
It would be far more logical to ban things like divorce and make adultery a rather uncomfortable offense if marriage is to be saved. I'll tell ya what, my generation watched our parents get divorced, commit adultery and whatnot and we're all pretty cynical about the whole idea of marriage. And since my generation happens to be a very large demographic bubble (not as large as our parents, as our parents were not as fruitful as their parents were, but a big bubble nonetheless), this institution we call marriage really won't be saved by amending constitutions to deny very small minority groups the right to marry (or the legal equivilent.) In fact from hearing the things I hear, things like "I'ma get me a starter wife/husband and have two boyfriends/girlfriends/f*ckbuddies on the side" and the fact that this seems to be more than common, regardless of political ideology (I could tell you a thing or two about those Republican guys and gals from college) . . . it's pretty clear 19 states have really gone the wrong route with this whole marriage thing.
Just wait 10 years. I'll be saying I told you so. Just watch.
Oh, stay away from the Capitol on Thursday. That evil hate church from Kansas is coming to town to protest. I know it's evil to say, and it's bad for my karma and all, but the sooner G_d makes whatever they use to travel (I believe they own a bus or two) explode or fall off a bridge or steep cliff so we'll all be rid of these people, the better. It's a horrible thing to say, but these people are as evil as the terrorists who hit us on 9/11 (and probably just as fanatical.) In a lighter way, I sometimes wonder if Battlestar Galactica's Cylons weren't modeled off of the Westboro Baptist Church. . . the new series's Cylons being stark raving monothesist fundamentalists.
Friday, February 24, 2006
random
Okay, so there are these two commercials that absolutely irritate me on TV. Have you seen them? One is the Burger King "Cheesy" Commercial. The other is the "Urgent" Verizon Wireless commercial.
They make me want to scream. Last weekend that "Urgent" commercial was on every other commercial. If I owned a gun, I would have blown my TV away.
Oh, and at my new employee Orientation this wee (7-and-a-half-months post facto), I found out I can't really endorse any candidates here at "Terry in the Big City" due to the PA Civil Service Act which bans such things for Civil Service employees. However I where I work is federally funded, partially, so I'm also covered under the Hatch Act which does allow such things. So I'm covered under two conflicting laws. Now, for some reason (probably 10th Grade Government and Economics Class with Mrs. Hauger who got me interested in all things political in the first place), I believe Federal law trumps State law, so I guess that means I can endorse candidates here at "Terry in the Big City."
However I'll wait until I get some kind of promotion before I do anything like that.
I also, in recent days, took a look at a Capitol Heights townhome. Actually, I looked at the model homes on North Third St. They are out of my price range (and the ones up for resale are priced lower then the ones that are new. . . I find this odd) but I figured they were worth a look. They're pretty nice, well lit, decent size space. They appear to be better construtucted then the crowd on the morning bus thinks. However they do not have basements, and that is not a plus. The older townhomes in the area also have about 500 to 1000 sq. ft. more on average. However I made an appointment with their realtor to look at one of the completed homes that are empty.
As for the rest of my search, I've narrowed in on a tract of city bounded by Front, 7th, Reily, and North. Above Reily, I'm not sure if I would want to live much further east then Third . . . it is a neighborhood in transition but one downturn will end that transition.
That's all.
Okay, so there are these two commercials that absolutely irritate me on TV. Have you seen them? One is the Burger King "Cheesy" Commercial. The other is the "Urgent" Verizon Wireless commercial.
They make me want to scream. Last weekend that "Urgent" commercial was on every other commercial. If I owned a gun, I would have blown my TV away.
Oh, and at my new employee Orientation this wee (7-and-a-half-months post facto), I found out I can't really endorse any candidates here at "Terry in the Big City" due to the PA Civil Service Act which bans such things for Civil Service employees. However I where I work is federally funded, partially, so I'm also covered under the Hatch Act which does allow such things. So I'm covered under two conflicting laws. Now, for some reason (probably 10th Grade Government and Economics Class with Mrs. Hauger who got me interested in all things political in the first place), I believe Federal law trumps State law, so I guess that means I can endorse candidates here at "Terry in the Big City."
However I'll wait until I get some kind of promotion before I do anything like that.
I also, in recent days, took a look at a Capitol Heights townhome. Actually, I looked at the model homes on North Third St. They are out of my price range (and the ones up for resale are priced lower then the ones that are new. . . I find this odd) but I figured they were worth a look. They're pretty nice, well lit, decent size space. They appear to be better construtucted then the crowd on the morning bus thinks. However they do not have basements, and that is not a plus. The older townhomes in the area also have about 500 to 1000 sq. ft. more on average. However I made an appointment with their realtor to look at one of the completed homes that are empty.
As for the rest of my search, I've narrowed in on a tract of city bounded by Front, 7th, Reily, and North. Above Reily, I'm not sure if I would want to live much further east then Third . . . it is a neighborhood in transition but one downturn will end that transition.
That's all.
Thursday, February 9, 2006
letter
The Patriot News printed my letter!
So...that's twice I've been in the paper in the seven months I've lived here. I'm a star! ha ha!
The Patriot News printed my letter!
So...that's twice I've been in the paper in the seven months I've lived here. I'm a star! ha ha!
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