Facemonkey

Why can't  I be this succinct?  Warren Buffet on trade deficits and eternal borrowing.

I have been thinking in terms of  intergenerational inequalities recently to understand the coming shitstorm.  I guess the Silent and G.I. generations were correct.  Baby Boomers are simply the worst generation ever. They managed to pass on their traits of  selfish over-consumption and complete lack of concern for the future to my generation, so that most people born after 1964 have no idea how to live a net positive life in any fashion. 

And now I have to pay for these asshole's retirement.  They  will de-invest so much wealth that Martha and I will be lucky to have a cardboard box to call our own when we become old toads.  It is a shame that there are just too many boomers to mulch them all. Damn hippies.  I'll take gate number two, please.

I worked with the guy at :49 when I was a tour guide here in Philadelphia. I curled up into a ball and hid my face when he sang. It was that bad. Nice guy, but I really don't know what he was thinking. I watched the show Tuesday night because I got the heads up he was going to be on tonight. It was a painful experience. James. C'mon.

I can't let my wife janeorben show me up considering I started the ball rolling with a late night email. Here's my letter to the Honorable Chaka Fattah. And yes, I stole two of her lines. My footnotes don't show up. Just as well.

Edit: I need to make changes. Better arguments pop into my head...

December 15, 2007



The Honorable Congressman Chaka Fattah
4104 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, Pa. 19104

Dear Chaka Fattah,

Subject: H. Res. 847: Recognizing the Importance of Christmas and the Christian Faith

Why does this one religious group, which is already the vast majority, need the government's special acknowledgment, support, and respect?

This resolution is meant to show official favoritism to Christianity. This is the only logical interpretation of the statements of its sponsor, Representative Steve King,

The foundation of this nation and this culture is Christian. ... ‘I think there's an assault on Christianity in America [.]” …

Speaking with FOX News Wednesday, King said he was motivated to push the resolution because of liberal activists and ‘secularists in the country who are trying to eradicate Christ from Christmas.’

“It's time we stood up and said so and said to the rest of America, ‘Be who you are, and be confident, and let's worship Christ and celebrate Christmas for the right reasons',” he said.


Or simply watch him at www.youtube.com/RepSteveKing.

This Resolution violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment, and subverts the intentions of the founders of this nation. The language in this resolution that claims Christian doctrine as part of the essential nature of the United States, was not used in the similar resolutions, H. Res. 747: Recognizing the religious and historical significance of the festival of Diwali and H. Res. 635: Recognizing the Importance of Ramadan, only shows how incompatible this resolution is with the vision of Jefferson and Madison,

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world;

(2) expresses continued support for Christians in the United States and worldwide;

(3) acknowledges the international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith;

(4) acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization;

(5) rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians, both in the United States and worldwide; and

(6) expresses its deepest respect to American Christians and Christians throughout the world."

I am not religious, but I am not ant-Christian. I am pro-religious freedom. In the words of Rabbi Sherwin Wine,

There are two visions of America. One precedes our founding fathers and finds its roots in the harshness of our puritan past. It is very suspicious of freedom, uncomfortable with diversity, hostile to science, unfriendly to reason, contemptuous of personal autonomy. It sees America as a religious nation. It views patriotism as allegiance to God. It secretly adores coercion and conformity. Despite our constitution, despite the legacy of the Enlightenment, it appeals to millions of Americans and threatens our freedom.

The other vision finds its roots in the spirit of our founding revolution and in the leaders of this nation who embraced the age of reason. It loves freedom, encourages diversity, embraces science and affirms the dignity and rights of every individual. It sees America as a moral nation, neither completely religious nor completely secular. It defines patriotism as love of country and of the people who make it strong. It defends all citizens against unjust coercion and irrational conformity.

This second vision is our vision. It is the vision of a free society. We must be bold enough to proclaim it and strong enough to defend it against all its enemies.

I urge you to consider these visions when the next item appears on the floor that invokes the vision of coercion and conformity and remember the true roots of our nation.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

I guess we can't have habeas corpus back. Nothing like an indefinite suspension.

"On January 17, 2007, Attorney General Gonzales asserted in Senate testimony that while habeas corpus is "one of our most cherished rights," the United States Constitution does not expressly guarantee habeas rights to United States residents or citizens."

So much for the sixth amendment. I guess I got used to not being throw in jail for an unspecified amount of time for an unspecified reason based on evidence I am not allowed to see. I'm spoiled.

The vote on S.Amdt 2022 to S.Amdt. 2011 to H.R. 1585. (One needs 60 votes to bring the bill to a vote. Then 50 to pass it.) At least my senators (Spector and Casey) voted for it.

Distraction provided for us instead:

 Ooh, big scary print add... the Republic is in peril. Who gives a damn.

... iam pridem, ex quo suffragia nulli
uendimus, effudit curas; nam qui dabat olim
imperium, fasces, legiones, omnia, nunc se
continet atque duas tantum res anxius optat,
paneum et circenses. ...
(Juvenal, Satire 10.77-81)

I guess somethings never change.
The next election is the first one where I don't feel like it's worth the bother.

I just saw the most beautiful thing. Bein' as this is Philadelphia, there are many Benjamin Franklin impersonators wandering the streets of Old City, where all the colonial era buildings are. I was walking to my second job, giving tours in the area around Independence Hall, when I saw the two of the ersatz Benjamins heading for the same corner. These weren't just any Benjamins, these were Archibald and Frank. Archibald considers himself to be the only legitimate Benjamin in town; he has been around for twenty years, done movies, expensive as hell to get for events, in general, an all around ass. Frank, well, Frank looks more like Benjamin Franklin than Benjamin Franklin, also been doing it for twenty years, etc.

Archibald and Frank despise each other.
The conversation goes like this,

"This is my corner."

"No, it's not, it's mine."

" You bastard, you know it's my corner, move yer ass!"

" Make me, ya fat-ass."

Then the two large, old men in full 18th century costume start pushing each other around in front of the tour groups. I left before any punches were thrown, but it still was a wonderful sight to behold.

Donald Trump is building a new 15 acre casino about a mile away from my house.

That sucks.

I hoped the empty store fronts in my neighborhood would be filled. I just didn't want them filled with the pawn shops and rub 'n' tugs that seem to sprout around casinos. My part of Philly is filled with shambling wrecks of humanity, but they are homey, shambling wrecks of humanity. They aren't drunk, gambling wrecks.

Well Elwood, I think this trumps (Ha! or as the kids say these days KeKeKe ^__^!) yuppie condos. And I'm sure more condos will be part of the afterbirth of the monstrosity that Trump is going to spawn in my 'hood.

I liked it here, too.

On a positive note, I am ditching Road Runner. Forget cable and DSL, I'm moving to fixed wireless next week. Gonna get me some 7 Mbps microwave radio lovin' (soon to be mobile broadband lovin' too) for $20 a month. Sweet.

Current Mood:

Current Music: Tzama L'Chol Nafshi / Matisyahu

Took the politics test on ok cupid. The results are pretty much what I expected.

You are a Social Liberal (63% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (6% permissive) You are best described as a: Socialist Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

I don't know who did this, but it is beautiful.

I wrote a few entries back that I would try to adopt a more sober, measured approach to my entries. A chronicle of my daily life. Well, I'll try.

I saw a marathon run by me Sunday morning and I was filled with nausea and a violent temper. Maybe it was because I just finished a 13 hour third shift and I was reacting to the evil Yellow Face in the Sky. Upon reflection, I am now certain that my loathing was caused by those trotting buffoons. I had to think a bit about why I hate marathon runners so much. I hadn't given them much concern before. They ranked down there with Wiccans and Libertarians, you know, the idiots.

While I walked home from my piss stinking train station (it hadn't rained yet to wash the night's urine away) I gave my anger some thought. I thought who the hell has the time to run a marathon? The money to buy those ugly shoes? Those creepy shorts? Who would want to waste their time running on their day off, when sensible people are sleeping or at least masturbating? Then it hit me as I was passing a construction site building condos for rich yuppies. It was those rich yuppies that inflict marathons upon us.

The Maoist that lives in my heart of hearts never really died. You have all of these rich people parading their wealth and leisure time in front of the rest of us. Loud, thundering herds of bourgeois adversing the economic superiority of their class. Oh, they'll let some prole run with them as a sort of pet or sideshow, but it is always the same. The leisure activities of the bourgeoisie always serve to reinforce their distance from the working class. Besides, where do they have these marathons? In their gated enclaves? No. In the poor neighborhoods which don't have the clout to be exempted from this plague or through the commercial districts where they throng like vermin the rest of the week.

They try to hid this with charity. "I'm running for AIDS or Cancer or Dead Babies!" Whatever. They run to strike home the message that they believe that they are better than the rest of us.


Man. Maybe I should sleep more.

"The oppressed peoples and nations must not pin their hopes for liberation on the 'sensibleness' of imperialism and its lackeys. They will only triumph by strengthening their unity and persevering in their struggle." - Mao

Made a t-shirt design. Sellin' it. Simple store at the moment, more later if I am not too lazy.




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