Monthly Archives: October 2011
Real Time with Bill Maher: New Rules 10/28/11
@ “Let Barbie be Barbie.” Enjoy!
New Rules 10/28/11 230, posted with vodpod
Scott Olsen and Stereotypes
It’s the end of another work week. I’ve been thinking about this Occupy Wall Street movement – the 99% and the 1%. Especially Scott Olsen. I learned more about him. In addition to being an Iraq veteran, he worked as a network engineer. He went to work every day, and then joined the protests at night. He had a nice apartment overlooking the Bay.
Right Wing pundits like to look down on the protesters as “parasites on parade” (Mark Levin’s affectionate description). It’s easy to dismiss the protesters by painting a broad brush. So what would they have to say about Scott Olsen. Lazy and on unemployment? Nope. He has a really good job. Unpatriotic and America-hating? Nope. He was a Marine with two tours in Iraq under his belt.
To the Right Wing pundits, Scott Olsen is their worst nightmare. He doesn’t fit the stereotype they love to perpetuate. Surprise! He isn’t an entitled, dirty hippie who smells like B.O. and patchouli.
And there are more just like him. A lot more. Regular people. Of course, the media and pundits won’t show and tell you that. I wonder why that is. To keep us divided? Liberal vs. Conservative. We may see and want to approach issues in a different way, but as regular Americans we have a lot more in common than they want you to believe.
I don’t know. Maybe that’s the point of my rambling Friday post. Left, Right, Center, Apolictical, Whatever. We’re Americans and just regular people trying to get through life.
Occupy Oakland and The OPD
OK I’m just disgusted with the Oakland Police Department right now, so I’m going to attempt to unspin my head in this post. I live in the Bay Area and have been hearing about what happened Tuesday night.
I get that the conditions at Frank Ogawa Plaza were deteriorating rapidly and something needed to be done. They have been warned over the past week that the encampment would be cleared. And they did just that. But throwing flash-bang grenades at protesters? Are you frickin’ kidding me?
Scott Olsen, a member of Veterans for Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War, got hit in the head with a police projectile. When other protesters came to help him, OPD threw a flash-bang grenade. Of course, they denied, denied, denied. Video doesn’t lie:
Oakland Police Throw Grenade Into Crowd That Is Trying To Help Injured Protester
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They were just helping the guy. I don’t get it. They did get him to Highland Hospital. He’s in serious condition with a skull fracture and swelling in his brain. He’s sedated and waiting for an examination by a neurosurgeon.
Message to Scott: Thank you for your service. I’m sorry you came back from two tours in Iraq only to get injured by those sworn to protect and serve.
Herman Cain Has His Very Own Marlboro Man!
I guess that’s what you get someone who has everything for Christmas.
His strange ad has been all over:
The fact that his campaign manager Mark Block is smoking doesn’t faze me. It was the placement. The sequence seems off too:
1. Talk up Cain as the best thing since the pizza wheel.
2. Take a drag.
3. Cue chick singing “I Am America.”
4. Enter Cain smiling the “vote for me, I’m presidential” smile.
It didn’t really make sense to me. I could understand it if Block and some constituents were sitting around, smoking, and chatting about the candidates. Then, Block pushes how wonderful Pizza Man is.
Anyway, the explanation for the ad was equally strange:
“There was no subliminal message,” Block said. “In fact, I personally would encourage people not to smoke. It’s just that I’m a smoker. A lot of the people on the staff said ‘Just let Block be Block.’ That’s what it was all about.”
Hmm. The only message I got is to make sure you look past the smoke and see exactly what it is he stands for:
When the smoke finally clears, it’s obvious that his bizarre ad is the least disturbing.
Sunday Evening Thoughts on Occupy Wall Street
I love this picture. The dogs are the cutest, and apparently, the movement is spreading far and wide. Maybe we’ll see Occupy the Arctic and Occupy the Sahara signs soon.
I’ve been thinking about the movement lately because protesters will probably be kicked out of the Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland. There are sanitation issues and rat problems. Also, violence and grafitti. This is what the notice said:
“We believe that after 10 days, the City can no longer uphold public health and safety,” the notice said. “In recent days, camp conditions and occupants’ behavior have significantly deteriorated, and it is no longer manageable to maintain a public health and safety plan.”
This is what pisses me off. People can protest without being gross. Clean up after yourselves. Don’t tag the walls. Kick out the troublemakers. When I read about Occupy sites being trashed, I think, “It’s not doing anything for the “dirty hippie” stereotype.”
That’s the thing. There are so many people from all different backgrounds. If the occupiers would keep the places clean and police themselves, there wouldn’t be many negative incidents that the media can exploit.
Check out the different faces of the 99% in this advertisement for Occupy Wall Street. I found this at Dusty’s site, Leftwing Nutjob. I hope this gets shown on TV.
I support this movement and love that we “little people” are finally speaking out.
Real Time with Bill Maher: New Rules 10/21/11
@ “Flame Out.” Enjoy! 
New Rules 10/21/11 229, posted with vodpod
A Lot Can Happen…
When work drama takes you away for a couple days.
1. A Dictator Dies
Wow. I didn’t think it would happen this fast. Dude’s dead. After 42 years of tyranny, Qathafi was killed. I’m glad that’s over so we can get the hell out of Libya now. I wish them well with their new government. Maybe tribes can appoint one person to represent them in Tripoli, and they can work it out that way. Whatever happens, transition is hard. And despite what some say, the Arab Spring is a good thing. The regular people will have more input into the government they create.
2. A War will Come to an End
Double wow and a “SHUT UP!” The pull out of the 40K troops from Iraq by the end of this year was nearly unbelievable. It’s finally ending after 9 years. We have enough problems here. I think I’ll be extra excited on January 1, 2012, and they’re all home. Part of me is holding back from true elation until it actually happens. I’ll believe it when I see it.
3. A Little Earthquake has Strange Timing
Here in the Bay Area, there was a small earthquake 3.9/4.0 last night around 8:00 PM. It was a jolt and then a little swaying. The epicenter was in Berkeley. The Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill was held at 10:20 AM yesterday morning! A lot of companies and schools participated, and people learned what to do when an earthquake hits. Looks like some of them got to test those new skills last night.
I’m so happy it’s Friday. Time to rest up and read up on your guys’ takes on what happened in these past couple days. Have a great weekend, everyone!
The CNN GOP Debate: Vegas, Baby!
The best prize fights are held in Vegas. I caught the Hopkins-Mosley fight at Mandalay Bay a few years back. Anyway, the GOP Debate at the Venetian tonight resembled one, but there were a lot of low blows and Anderson Cooper wasn’t the best referee. My “favorite” GOP candidate, Jon Huntsman, decided to boycott the debate and held a town hall in New Hampshire instead. I also found myself agreeing with Ron Paul a lot tonight. 
Because of all that, my head’s spinning again. I’m going to wrap a hot towel around it and lie down, so please enjoy the highlights:
Michele Bachmann
1. Obama’s aunt and uncle are illegals! Which is why I will build a double fence and drown anchor babies.
2. Hang on, mommies. I will save your homes by turning the economy around. It will be too late by then, though, so start feathering other nests now.
3. Ahmadinejad, your ass is mine. I got your back, King Abdullah.
Herman Cain
1. All y’all on this stage don’t understand crap about 9-9-9 because oranges aren’t apples.
2. I’m not going to apologize for wanting an electrified border fence. The one who promises to zap the most illegals wins.
3. Sure, I’d trade some al Qaeda prisoners for an American hostage. Wait. No one else likes that idea? Then I will never negotiate with terrorists.
Newt Gingrich
1. Individual mandates? It wasn’t my plan. It was The Heritage Foundation’s. Well, yeah, and mine too. Back off. I was saving this country from Hillarycare.
2. Mormons? It’s the Atheists that suck. I don’t trust a President who doesn’t pray to their Creator Who endowed us with our rights. Because we’re a Christian nation. But then we get back to that whole Mormon vs. Christian thing. Forget it. Have I mentioned Obama sucks?
3. I hate you, Anderson Cooper, and the rest of the media sponsoring these debates. We should duke it out without a moderator. Get your tickets at newt.org.
Ron Paul
1. I wouldn’t even keep the pre-existing condition clause in Obamacare. Anyone with chronic illnesses has my best wishes.
2. Don’t blame the protesters, Cain! They were the victims of the Federal Reserve. Wall Street got bailed out. The middle class got sold out. Why does that sound familiar? Bottom line. The government sucks.
3. Foreign aid. Gone. Yes. Even Israel. I think Michele’s head just exploded.
Rick Perry
1. Governor Goodhair is back in the game! I’ll interrupt Romney constantly. That irritates the crap out of him, and he gets rattled.
2. The only 9% I am concerned with is the 9% unemployment rate. That was good, huh? Oh, I forgot. Go OIL.
3. Romney is the real magnet when it comes to illegal aliens. Because of his guy with the leaf blower. Hypocrite.
Mitt Romney
1. If you shut your pie hole, Santorum, I can tell you and everyone else again that Obamacare was not based on my plan.
2. Poor Perry has had a rough couple of debates, which is why he’s pissy tonight. Calling me a failure and an illegal alien lover is better known as projection.
3. Let all homes foreclose and watch the economy grow. Or something like that.
Rick Santorum
1. You wrecked MA with Romneycare, which was the model for Obamacare. You’re all about socialized medicine.
2. Perry wrote a letter begging Congress to pass TARP. I saw it, liar! And you people call Romney a flip flopper?
3. I can beat Obama. I’m 3 and 0 when it comes to beating Democrats. I got the swinger vote too.
Spin the Globe
