Friday, October 31, 2008

Best Pro-8 ad EVER...

As I'm pulling into work this morning, a radio advert tells me that homosexuals now have every right straight people have. They can vote. They can own property. They can even walk down the street without being lynched in most places. Isn't that enough?

The "do they really need to be equal" argument is not new to me, probably because I remember hearing adults use it about black people when I was a kid. "Do we have to let them live in our neighborhood and marry white women?" they'd say. The answer was a resounding, "Yes, and shut the fuck up."

If you find yourself asking if homosexuals really deserve all the same rights as everyone else on election day, remind yourself just how petty, intolerant, and outright ignorant you sound, punch yourself in the mouth really hard, and vote NO on 8.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The more they stay the same...

I hit the gym this morning - looks like the sun refused to get up early enough for a bike ride in the morning, for a while at least. So, I'll have to start hitting the gym pretty regularly. It was nice, though. All this cycling has kept me fit enough to start jogging and cycling in the gym with no trouble at all. It's nice not to wheeze and pant.

Anyway, they had Fox News up on the screen - the biggest reason NOT to go to 24 Hour Fitness if you can help it. I already have a membership, which is so cheap I basically just have to suck it up. Still, I hate watching Fox News.

That said, it's nice to know they are still running as far from truth and honesty as before - which leads to my political comment for the day.

The Republican Party and their ilk have been going so amazingly out of control, I'm surprised no one speaks out. George Will, where are you? First, they claimed that Obama was the most liberal member of Congress, which put the joke on Kucinich. Then, they claimed he was a Socialist, which is laughable when you see how centrist his politics are. But then, they made the jump to the "most liberal politician ever" (a quote yesterday from McCain) and claims that Obama is a Marxist.

Marxist? As in "Proletariat Revolution"? Nyet, Komrad! Say it ain't so, Joe! Seriously, has anyone asked the Communist Party how they feel about this? Most likely, they see Obama's politics as positively oppressive! Anyone who claims Obama's a Marxist just learned the word and obviously does not know a thing about Marxism.

But this goes even deeper, I think. That they believe they have to make their claims against Obama more and more extreme, taking headers into claims that he is on par with terrorists, shows a basic distrust of their party's message. Think about it. The Republican attack against Kerry was that he couldn't make up his mind. Against Gore, it was that he was too liberal and tied to Clinton. Against Clinton, it was that he was too liberal (it's a popular refrain). Against Dukakis, it was that he made hasty decisions. But go back as far as you want and you won't find such absurd claims made by a major party's candidate. You won't see one candidate saying of another that he "pals with terrorist" or that he "is a terrorist". You won't see a candidate embracing race baiting to create fear of the other candidate. It's not enough for them to say "We're the party of small government" because it's obviously not true. They can't say "We're against special interests"; look at their energy policy.

The Republican Party has become the party of war, of tax cuts for the rich, of squandered opportunity, of economic turmoil, of lies and deceit, of creationistic denial of science on a scale not seen since the flat earthers, of hypocrisy on a grand scale, of Orwellian NewSpeak, of intolerance and hate. And I am left to wonder how anyone could call themselves Republican. How could anyone who believes in the right to life because of religious faith call themselves Republican when the Republican Party is responsible for a war against a nation that never did anything to harm us? How could anyone who believes in fiscal conservatism call themselves Republican when the Republican Party squandered the surplus, giving it away to the wealthiest one percent? How could anyone who works for a living call themselves a Republican when the Republican Party platform provides tax breaks to the rich and increases taxes on the middle class? How could anyone with a conscious vote Republican?

You probably expect me to end this with an endorsement for Barack Obama. Okay. I won't let you down. But let me begin by stating that I am not a Democrat. I'm a member of the Green Party, having left the Democratic Party when they sided too many times with the Republicans, when they allowed themselves to acquiesce to those ethically lesser and drive our nation into a far darker place. So, with that said, why am I supporting Obama? Necessity. I told Vicky when the primaries began that I would vote based on a simple criteria: truth. During this election, only one candidate remained true. Only one refrained from telling the most outrageous lies to win a vote. Only one stayed true to the American people. Only one stuck by his principles of decency and refused to make truth the first victim. McCain and his Hockey Mom have found themselves caught in one lie after another. They laugh them off with contempt for truth and for the American people. But Barack Obama passed my criteria: he told the truth.

Those of you who know me know that I am passionate about politics and I know what I'm talking about. I take it very seriously and would never endorse someone I did not believe was the best person for the job. It's never an issue of "who has the best chance to win" because that is the fastest route to pandering. It's also not a matter of "who is the most popular", though Obama is; I won't deny that. Vicky believed in Obama long before me, believing in him the way some people find religion. But I stayed back, watching as lie after lie was cast upon him and as he brushed them off and refused to let them tarnish him.

Will he make mistakes? Undoubtedly. All people do. But I believe he will face every challenge with an honesty and decency that his Republican opponents couldn't find with both hands, a map, a sherpa, and a GPS. He'll face them true to the American people, something his opponents have shown they are not capable of. Finally, he'll face them with a spirit of honesty that has him prepared for the worst without sinking to the worst. That's what matters most. That's why he has my vote.

That is why I am asking you to join me in supporting Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Thanks for reading.

Monday, October 27, 2008

A Vote for 8 is a Vote for Hate...

I've been seeing some pretty fucking dumb pro-8 signs lately. Proposition 8, for those who might now know, takes the right to be married (the merits of which are arguable) and removes it from men and women in California, based on who they love. Under Proposition 8, you have to love who the government tells you to love or you can't be married.

The signs I've read so far have read:

Prop 8 = Free Speech, because intolerant hate-mongers should be allowed to say whatever they want...

Prop 8 = Parental Rights, because intolerant hate-mongers should be allowed to raise their children however they want and restrict their childrens rights however they want...

Prop 8 = Religious Freedom, because intolerant hate-mongers should be allowed to force you to believe however they want you to believe...

With this in mind, I thought I'd help out where I can. I'm always here to help.

Prop 8 = Democracy, how can this be a democracy if we can't take away your rights...

Prop 8 = Freedom, because you don't want to see intolerant hate-mongers like us angry... you wouldn't like intolerant hate-mongers like us when we're angry...

Prop 8 = Less Traffic, we will get out of our cars and walk away if you don't vote the way we want you to vote...

Prop 8 = Right to Bear Arms, think about it, you think we haven't already started stockpiling guns...

Prop 8 = Air, that's right, bitch, you like to breathe, mother-fucker...

Prop 8 = Life, we will fucking kill you if you don't vote the way we want you to vote...

There you go. My mind is changed. Everyone should vote for Proposition 8, to respect the rights of hate-mongers whose world-view is so fragile and fucking whacko that they can't permit someone to do something that in no way effects them at all.

Wassup Now...

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Political politics politically politicking...

I haven't mentioned anything political in a while. I haven't had to. McCain and Palin are such obvious parodies of themselves, nobody is listening, so I haven't had to worry. Obama/Biden make a decent choice as far as moving in the right direction, so.... I mean, I'd prefer a strong, Green candidate but since those terms seem contradictory at this point...

Still, there's one thing I do want to mention. For those of you in California, that's Proposition 8.

Before I mention that, however, I'd like to quickly cover the issue of gay marriage. What the fuck is wrong with you idiots? The universe did not implode the second homosexuals got the right to marry and dogs and cats aren't living together so why don't you pack away your bigotry in your old kit bag and shut the fuck up.

Now... to Proposition 8.

I hate having to vote against being for something that's against something. It pisses me off.

Prop 8, a vote for hate, removes a person's right to get married. So, if you vote for it, you're voting against equality. If you vote against it, you're voting for equality. You see how fucked up this is? I hate it. I just want to tear the fucking thing right out of my sample ballot.

But I can't.

It's at home.

The thing is, it made me look like an idiot to my wife the other day. I said, "Hey, did you hear that Obama doesn't support 8? That's nearly enough to make me vote against him."

"Why would you vote against him?" she asked.

I went "Buh buh buh"...

She said, "A vote for 8 is a vote for hate. Didn't you know that?"

Fucking backwards laws. I hate 'em!

Can we just have equal rights? Do we need these fucking idiots who will do anything to keep their bigotry?

... oh wait. Sorry. I live in America.

Monday, October 20, 2008

So, I guess I'm the dick...

I'm going to start by assuming that this may be something you can identify with. No, I don't mean ending a sentence with a preposition, I'm talking about...

A few days ago, I wrote about how tired I was of always being the guy who was there for people and nobody was there for me when it came to my birthday and how depressed it made me that nobody seemed to care about my birthday.

Then, I got an email from Rob, a very old friend. It came a day late and he basically said, "Sorry for getting this to you late but: Happy Birthday!" I thought it was nice. I was glad he remembered me.

And then, I realized I had no idea when his birthday was. I'd completely forgotten.

I had forgotten a lot of people's birthdays.

Here I was complaining about people forgetting my birthday when...

And there was that sickly moment of recognition.... oooooh....

Happiness is a fleeting thing but, then, so is unhappiness. I've gotten over my disappointment about my birthday. But one thing that comes with the realization that happiness is fleeting is also the knowledge that the little things really do go a long way. I mean, I wasn't depressed because of a lack of expensive gifts; it was being forgotten that was so sad - which tells me how my forgetfullness affects people. So, I've decided I need to be better about this. I need to be a little more active in making other people's lives happy, even if in a small way.

Anyway, I'd probably feel less like a dick...

Thursday, October 16, 2008

After 43 years - the verdict: FAIL...

I was reading about the FAIL meme this morning (over here for the unwashed) and I couldn't help but think: Yep, there you go. That's you.

I suppose I should explain. My birthday has long been my least favorite day of the year. It is a constant reminder of just what a joke my life has been and what a humiliating experience it is to be me.

Let me explain. I have lived my life and really worked hard to do the one thing I want to do with it; that is being a writer or even an actor. Okay, that's two - but an artist in one form or another. So, I've acted - or, at least, I've tried ot act. I've written 16 novels and 5 plays. And yet, I've been an abject failure at both. Some people think trying equals succeeding - but honestly, do you pass by the bum on the street and say, "You're the President of the United States!" No. You don't. And for that same reason, I don't see myself as a writer or an actor, no matter how much effort I have put into it and continue to put into it. In fact, the way things have turned out, the only thing my efforts have given me is a pretty crappy job at a pretty crappy company. Honestly, it's pretty pathetic.

I like to think of myself as a fairly decent, good-natured, nice guy. But I've never had a lot of friends. I've never been the guy who has the big birthday party. I can't even tell you how many birthday parties have been thrown for me because it's so embarrassing.

Which is probably why I just want to go home tonight - from work, cause abuse on your birthday is important I guess - and eat Ramen. Cause, really, what's the point? Vicky will probably want to go out, but mostly because she won't want to cook and will feel guilty about that. It's traditional at this point to say "Vicky is the one good thing I have in my life" - but the fact is she's a person in my life, not my life. She's doing fine - but we've been fighting so often lately I don't have the energy to make the platitude.

Of the few friends I have: One wouldn't even invite me to his wedding this month and when he asked me to be his friend in Facebook, didn't even say so much as "Hi". In fact, he still won't talk to me. Another one can't be bothered unless it's to tell me about his sex life - and that's what I want to hear. The rest can't be bothered. As much as I like to think of myself as a writer, nobody I know wants to read anything I write - which leads me to believe that you readers are strangers.

Nobody really gives a shit.

And there you have it: FAIL.

I'm staying away from EPIC FAIL. I don't think I'm there quite yet... but every year brings me closer.

I guess I'm saying all this to share the misery a bit. I mean, I know there are plenty who are worse off than I. That's obvious. There are plenty far better off, of course; they stopped reading after paragraph one... several years ago. But there may be quite a few at the same level of misery and I want you to know - I get it. I'm with you. We'll get through this Every day brings as much hope as it does just as much abject failure.

Today sucks. Tomorrow sucks ass. The day after sucks zombie ass.

But the day after that could suck a whole lot less. You never know. It's been 43 years now. Odds have got to turn one of these days...

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Self Assertion...

I'm normally a very compliant kind of guy. Easy going. Ready to lend a hand. When people need help, I'm there for them. Anyone - my friends, my family, sometimes people I don't even like - I'm there.

But, you know what I'm just beginning to realize? Nobody is there for me. Nobody. I try to make a list of people who have been there for me in the last few years and I get nothing.

Now, listen, it's not like I'm not sympathetic. After I tried to kill myself, I'm sure people got tired of helping old Ken. But dammit, I've paid for that several times over by now and, quite frankly, I'm fucking sick of it.

So, I'm thinking about trying out the word: No. I'm wondering how that would feel for a change. Engaging in a little bit of self-interest. I'm not talking about robbing from the poor or anything; I'm just thinking it might be nice to stop trying so damned much to get the world to like me. Because, you know what? It doesn't work. It's not paying off. I get screwed every time.

So, I would warn you to watch out. Unless you're willing to give a little, Mr. Easy Going will be out of town for a while.

Some shit you just don't say out loud...

(These next two entries I just know I'm going to regret...)

Here's a phrase you don't hear too often: I'd fuck her into next Thursday.

You don't hear it too often because, well, it doesn't make any sense. I mean, how would you do that? Cause the bed to vibrate at 88 miles per hour?

And yet, that's what entered my mind when I saw a woman going into work this morning - cause I'm a guy and this is what we do! I thought, "Holy shit. I would fuck her into next Thursday." It just came out of nowhere, completely distracting me from tits, ass, legs - the entire woman - because I thought, "How the hell would you do that?"

Ah, for the good old days of "Boy, I'd like to fuck her."

Saturday, October 11, 2008

And don’t get me started on Sarah Palin…

I received an email from an ex-in-law today. She tends to send me some ape-shit-crazy-right-wing shit that… well, she’ll remain nameless… it’s an ex-sister-in-law… okay, Mannie. Anyway, she sent me this email today that just had me in stitches because it was so over the fucking top.

It seems that Muslims send their children to college and invest in their education for one reason and one reason only: To Take Over The World! It’s not because they love their children or because they value education or know how much a good education is worth. Oh no. It is To Take Over The World!

So now you know. Don’t trust any Muslim who dares become educated because you know that, in the end, they will Take Over The World. And that’s the last thing we want, a lot of educated people in charge!

But the kicker to the whole email was the end: “Please... I beg u vote Repulican this one time in your life. This guy is a front man for something worse 2 come.”

Yes, not only did the author misspell “Repulican”, they also said that this guy’s a front man for something worse “2” come.

That’s right. JOHN MCCAIN SURELY MUST BE A MUSLIM! It all makes sense! You heard it here first!

Hey, why not? The logic is just as twisted as anything they’re emailing out these days. But when all you have is fear-mongering, it probably makes sense.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

And I won't tell you what else they do together...

During tonight's Presidential Debate, McCain used his relationship with Senator Leiberman as evidence that he had worked "across the aisle". Vicky, on hearing this, exclaimed, "Leiberman's no Democrat! They shit in the same toilet!"

I don't know what this means but I thought it was a hell of a metaphor just the same!

Thursday, October 02, 2008

The art of the low-expectation...

(This was written long before the Veep Debate but I think it's still important to note.)

Quiz time: Does anyone remember the last time a Republican Presidential candidate was expected to do well in a debate?

For the last 20 years, the Republicans have made an art out of setting expectations subterraneanly low. I think the last candidate expected to debate well for the Repugs was Reagan - and not because of his ideas, of course, but because he had screen time!

This makes me wonder: What rationalization could Repugs possibly give for their continued existence? "Our ideas are so bad they can't stand a chance in honest debate - We must be right!"

You're not hearing the Dems say, "Obama can't string together an intelligible sentence. Biden has no command of his faculties." I'm no Dem but, in my mind, that's a good thing.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Taking it to the Street...

It might be too late for this rant from Alec Baldwin but you gotta give it a read:

If you give them the $700 billion, make them issue stock. Make every recipient of the bailout issue stock in return for our "investment." Don't give them the dough. Make them sell a stake in their companies. Banks, investment firms, insurance companies, you name it.

This bugs me...

The bugs were really out this morning as I was out on my ride. It was a lot like having someone throw buckets of bugs at you. You know - fun.

But if you want to know true terror, imagine getting a bug caught in your mustache. You're riding and you don't know if the little guy bounced off or is caught in the mass of hair... and if he's moving up towards your nose... or down to your mouth...

Damn, I must really like cycling...