Proof we're going to hell in a hand basket

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/fashion/07kids.html?hp

Another Democratic response...

First of all, I know almost no one will read this as it's been longer than a half a year since I posted. But, still, I've had it up to here (imagine my hand perpendicular to my neck)and had to vent somewhere.

Here's why I'll never understand conservatives: recently in the state in which I reside there was a massive tornado and there's about to be a shit fit out east because people aren't insured appropriately to qualify for FEMA help. That's all well and good, I mean if a whirlwind ripped through my house I'd have my hand out as well, waiting for some much needed funds. Here's the problem: no one wants their taxes to go up; everyone praises tax cuts. How are we meant to fund anything if people don't want to put money into something and then have their hands out waiting for help? No, it can't be someone else's money, it has to be all of our money. That's how government is supposed to work.

That example not good enough for you? Why is it then that as I've been listening to the city and the county attempt to adopt an annual budget that the public safety keeps getting the shaft? No one wants to hear their taxes are rising because we want another police vehicle or we need another officer to man the schools. But sure enough when the bomb threats come in, people wonder why there's not more staff.

I'm not saying I have all the answers and I certainly don't have the money to offer to the victims of the tornado or the sheriff's department, but I pay my taxes and don't bitch too often.

God, I miss the good ole days of FDR. Sigh.

My family is better than yours...

...and so are my friends!

First, I will tell you that my mom dresses cooler than me. She still gives me hand-me-downs, and they are way cooler than anything I own. Plus, she likes some pretty cool music and movies.

Second, I will tell you that my dad was happy about the mix CD I made because it included a band that he had really liked but didn't know who it was. Even better, he thought the band sounded like Iron & Wine. Does your dad know who Iron & Wine is?

Third, I will tell you that my brother has a very smart and nice girlfriend, which really doesn't make him better than your family but it is good news. He does again have good taste in movies and music and surely knows more actors than you do. And he got me severely drunk this weekend and that makes him damn cool in my book.

Fourth, my baby brother already likes music more than your average listener, which makes him cooler than most average listener.

Finally, my step-dad knows who Jeremy Piven is, which is pretty nice for a doctor.

These were in no particular order.

Now, on to my friends. Well, there's no real debating it that they're better than your friends but I will tell you what tops the list this week: one of my best friends in the world is first cousins with a friend of mine from college. Now, I didn't go to a college with 2,200 people, I went to one with 22,000 (well more), so me knowing this kid is not easy. And while there aren't many people in the Queen City, not too many foreigners end up here and certainly not ones who know people I know. Damn, my friends are awesome!

That's all the news for today. I missed the State of the Union so I'll have to read about it and catch up on it later to offer this year's democratic response. Yay politics!

The most OFFENSIVE forward I have ever received...

Text below:

This text is from a county emergency manager out in the western part of
Jefferson County after a snowstorm.

WEATHER BULLETIN

Up here, in the Northern Plains, we just recovered from a Historic
event--- may I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical Proportions" ---
with a historic blizzard of up to 44" inches of snow and winds to 90 MPH
that broke trees in half, knocked down utility poles, stranded hundreds
of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed ALL roads, isolated scores of
communities and cut power to 10's of thousands.

FYI:

George Bush did not come.

FEMA did nothing.
No one howled for the government.

No one blamed the government.

No one even uttered an expletive on TV.

Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton did not visit.

Our Mayor did not blame Bush or anyone else.

Our Governor did not blame Bush or anyone else, either.

CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX or NBC did not visit - or report on this category 5
snowstorm.

Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards.

No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House.

No one looted.

Nobody - I mean Nobody demanded the government do something.

Nobody expected the government to do anything, either.

No Larry King, No Bill O'Rielly, No Oprah, No Chris Mathews and No
Geraldo Rivera.

No Shaun Penn, No Barbara Striesand, No Hollywood types to be found.

Nope, we just melted the snow for water.

Sent out caravans of SUV's to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars.

The truck drivers pulled people out of snow banks and didn't ask for a
penny.

Local restaurants made food and the police and fire departments
delivered it to the snowbound families.

Families took in the stranded people - total strangers.

We fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Coleman
lanterns.

We put on extra layers of clothes because up here it is "Work or Die".

We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of
a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades
votes for 'sittin at home' checks.

Even though a Category "5" blizzard of this scale has never fallen this
early, we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves.

"In my many travels, I have noticed that once one gets north of about 40
degrees North Latitude, 90% of the world's social problems evaporate."
It does seem that way, at least to me.

I hope this gets passed on.
Maybe SOME people will get the message. The world does Not owe you a
living.

<span style="font-size:100%;">I cannot stand it when people try to pretend that other weather phenomena we've experienced since Hurrican Katrina even compares to that level of devestation. Yes, Denver had a bad snow storm. Yes, it more than likely screwed over a lot of residents and travelers. Did it cost thousands of lives? No. Was there something that could have been done beforehand, like say build better levees? No. Besides all that, having lived through a damaging blizzard in the last year, I'll be fairly confident that even though FEMA wasn't called in immediately (probably because it wasn't as damaging as the Hurricane), they're going to be giving money to the state and the city. It happened here. Finally, what makes this worse is there are devestating things like this all over the world - there was a tsunami last year at Christmas in Asia, a Hurricane somewhere else in Asia this year, a earthquake that people are probably still recovering from more than a year later in Pakistan; and still, poor pitiful us and our snow.

Tell me how a blizzard in Denver is on the same playing field with these events and I'll listen to how well you cared for yourselves and didn't require the same amount of assistance as these real disasters. But chances are good you can't come up with anything to match these natural disasters, so spare me your ridiculous forwards.

I don't think I'm single...

I just took a Mental_Floss quiz asking if I was single. I got 2 out of 5. Does this mean I'm not single or just it's more pathetic that I am? I'm confused.

incredibly pathetic

About the only reason I have to live anymore is The West Wing.

I can't tell you what an incredibly good show it is and how much it means to my faith in humanity (but it does help that the Dems just took control of both houses). But what I will say is that I've been watching the show at its peak (the second season, from what I've been told and read) and what I will say is the last two 'sodes have inspired me in every aspect of my life.

1) Episode 1 - "The Stackhouse Filibuster" - "Tonight, I've seen a man with no legs stay standing, dad, and a guy with no voice keep shouting; and if politics brings out the worst in people, maybe people bring out the best."

2) Episode 2 - "17 People" - Josh Lymon - "If you were in an accident, I wouldn't stop for a beer." Donnatella Moss - "If you were in an accident, I wouldn't stop for red lights."

It appeals to the romantic and democracy-lover in all of us. Now if I only had more of a life to care about something other than a drama that premiered eight years ago.

Sleep well and happy December.

Big Mouth strikes again...

Oh, Republicans, when will you ever learn? If you'd stop doing ridiculously dumb things, I'd stop thinking you were so ridiculously dumb. And stop dragging Boston University's good reputation through the mud. To read more, click here.

I guess the College Republicans at BU are trying to make some point about affirmative action. Something about awarding scholarships to specifically caucations. But I am not convinced that the BU campus is the right one to make such a point. If memory serves, it's one of the whitest schools on the planet. And while there were a lot more ladies, certainly there wasn't a lot of color. So whatever point they're trying to make, seems lost.

Further, since when does BU have Republicans? Again, if memory serves, everyone votes blue in Boston (except, probably, the former Chancellor).