Thursday, July 31, 2008

'The Dark Knight' co-starring Barack Obama as Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman and John McCain as Harvey Dent a.k.a. Two-Face

Corruption is out-of-control, and it's time America receives the justice it deserves, Bruce Wayne thought to himself. We need to bring down the crime families responsible for this. Stroking his chin with his hand, he moves closer to the glass window atop the Sears Tower. He presses his hands against the glass.

"Just think, that down below me, among all those people (pedestrians walking along the sidewalk and street), there is one out of six of them who has no health insurance. Someone down there has just been laid off after his company moved overseas. We need these employers to keep these jobs here at home," Wayne continued thinking to himself.

Meanwhile, Harvey Dent stands behind a podium inside a convention center. The crowd roars as Dent acquieses to their needs and concerns. He holds his hands up, signaling he wants silence. The noise dissipates.

"My friends, we are here on this historic day, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans. I'm here to bring about change. It's time Washington returns to an open, honest government. Along with my colleague in the Senate, we co-sponsored a bill that will bring about campaign finance reform. (Crowd cheers). It's time we find new, renewable energy sources. We will begin this technological advancement on Day 1 of my administration. (Crowd cheers again). I believe in running a campaign focused on the issues that avoid negative attacks. It's time we turn the corner and move ahead from the politics that has divided this country. I will be that leader who will bring this country back together. (crowd roars). Thank you and God Bless America."

The Phil Gramm crime family is at it again. This time, they're ready to seize control of the oil supply. Every barrel of oil can get into the wrong hands. Gramm signs a document that will allow he and his thugs to take the oil away from all Americans.

"Where's Dent," Gramm asks, shaking his head and looking over at his righthand man, Tom DeLay.

"He just gave his speech. Give him another hour and he should be here," DeLay said in his feminine, gentle Southern accent.

Wayne walks outside and heads to his Batmobile. He positions himself inside and suddenly hears his phone ringing. He picks it up and it's Alfred (David Axelrod).

"Mr. Wayne, we have a major problem. The Gramm crime family is looking to receive a major shipment of oil barrels tonight that will take away millions of gallons of oil from Americans. He must be stopped."

"I'm on it Alfred."

Wayne drives the Batmobile underneathe a bridge in a remote area. He puts on the Bat suit and heads to Galveston, Texas where Gramm and his thugs are ready to receive the shipment. They will be brought to justice, he said to himself.

Meanwhile, Dent leaves the convention center. He suddenly feels a hot flash, followed by another. The sun's intense rays are too much.

"AAAAAARRRRGGGGH!"

Half of Dent's facial skin begins peeling off. He howls again in agonizing pain. Now, there's nothing but blood and bones exposed on half his face.

"Why? Why me?"

He calls Wayne on the phone.

"You did this to me. You wanted me to run a clean campaign as your opponent. Now, that's not going to happen. I will say and do anything it takes to get elected; you hear me?"

"You'll never get away with it Dent. Americans will look beyond your lies. They won't be fooled by your tricks."

"Ha, ha, ha, ha. Just wait and see Wayne. I'm headed over to see Gramm right now. Good luck trying to stop me."

Dent arrives at Gramm's fortress in Galveston. DeLay sits under a dim, flourescent light at a round table counting dollar bills. It's the money he stole from a Native American owned casino. He snickers and continues marveling at his feat. Gramm continues pacing back and forth, until he sees Dent enter the room.

"What on earth happened to your face, Dent?"

"It's the sun. It's Wayne. He drove me into this madness."

"This isn't the time for your self-pity crap, Dent. We've got this shipment coming in less than an hour. I need you to pull yourself together."

"We'll see who gets this shipment."

Dent charges Gramm, grabs him by the shirt, and begins gnawing on his face. Gramm collapses on the floor, as DeLay's facial expression is frozen. Dent charges DeLay, drags him down to the floor, and begins punching Delay in the face over and over. DeLay struggles, but he's no match. Dent gnaws on DeLay's face, until he is motionless.

"Dent."

"Well, well, well... If it isn't the Batman."

Batman grabs his long, suspension cable and thrusts it at Dent. The cable begins twining around and around, until Dent is stuck. He squirms but to no avail. Batman walks closer and closer to Dent. With a stern glare, Dent's eyes widen.

"It's over."

"You think it's over. It's never over. I'll run attack ad after attack ad on you. Everyone will believe me, not you."

"And I'll be there to make sure your ads get you nowhere Dent."

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Warren Buffet's wisdom and support for Obama is a big lift

Billionaire investor and Chairman and CEO for Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet, isn't your stereotypical wealthy individual who splurges his money and only associates himself with other wealthy individuals. He dines at some of his favorite steakhouses in Omaha and often mingles with everyday people. His home is just off Dodge St. Nestled behind some oak trees, one can see an ominous shade cast over his home on a clear afternoon. It's a two to three-story brick home that is large in size but isn't overly lavish. It was several years ago that I drove by his home, and I still saw his white Lincoln parked in his driveway.

The rest of my family still lives in Nebraska. We're the outcasts. Truman Capote's observations of Kansas in his classic In Cold Blood resonates with this Midwestern state -- many people you find are unpretentious, honest, and hard working. Family life is highly valued, since many live in rural areas requiring children to work on the family's farmland. These same characteristics fit Buffet.

When we lived in Omaha for two-and-a-half years, I remember my seventh grade class watched a motivational video by Buffet on success. He was truly inspiring. During this time, he owned a majority of shares for Coca-Cola. He discussed at length how to avoid some of the common pitfalls. "Don't put your eggs in one basket," is a cliche often used and it applies to his speech as well. He said you should set goals for yourself and persistently work to achieve them. However, these goals should be attainable before moving on to higher ones.

Buffet also used the "don't put your eggs in one basket" when referring to the stock market. Alright, I was only in the seventh grade, but he discussed some basics on wisely investing. Don't settle for one market and expand. Study what the company is doing -- expanding its operations, introducing a new product line that will receive high demand, etc. Today, Buffet continues reaching out to people of all ages, and he said he enjoys speaking with younger people. He has spoken at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, and you could see a Cheshire cat-like grin on his face afterward.

Yes, his personal life has had some turmoil in it, but that's life. We all have our obstacles and pitfalls. Much of those problems were attributed to his rigorous work ethic.

He continues reading multiple newspapers per day. There's no doubt the differing views read from these newspapers has helped him come up with thoughtful, conscientious decisions. It's this work ethic that has led him to becoming one of America's great success stories.

Obama is fortunate to have Buffet as a supporter. Like Obama, Buffet said we live in a great country and believes it can be "even greater." Yesterday, Obama met with the likes of Buffet and other successful economic experts in a closed door meeting. I think having Buffet as a supporter will have a tremendous positive impact on Obama's economic policies moving forward.

Here is a video posted more than a year ago when Obama and Hillary Clinton were still vying for the Democratic Nomination. Buffet said people need to invest wisely as consumers to avoid one of the biggest problems facing this country right now -- homes going into foreclosure. I think their combined judgements makes for a very powerful tandem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWz_moZ6U0U

Thursday, July 24, 2008

More Scatterbrain McCain

Well, well, well. John McCain is taking the high road once again. This time, his gaffe was on CBS with Katie Couric. Why did CBS initially edit his comment? Throwing tired rhetorical jab after rhetorical jab at Obama's lack of understanding of the Middle East and Obama's willingness to "lose a war" to get elected, McCain said the Anbar Awakening happened after the surge. Perhaps, McCain needs a surge of energy in that punch-drunk brain of his. Talks of the surge began and it was months later before more troops were deployed. Are you convinced he has the foreign policy credentials to become our next President? Oh, and where was Joe Lieberman for Obama? He could've tapped Obama on the shoulder to remind him the difference between Iranian extremists, Shites, and Sunnis. Nah. Obama actually reads and understands conditions before he arrives. McCain, on the other hand, doesn't know what's going on before, during, and after his overseas visits.

Here's a hilarious video. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs&feature=PlayList&p=0FA6E5898474DBF8&index=0

Monday, July 21, 2008

Boycott the Quackage Dr. Michael Savage

In 2003, Dr. Michael "Weener" Weiner was fired from MSNBC after telling a caller who said he was a homosexual the following, "Oh, you're one of the sodomites! You should only get AIDS and die, you pig!" Today, he is widely known for this same invective. He's a disgraceful, venomous human being who has called for the assasination of former Secretary of State, Madeline Albright, said the Middle East should be turned into a parking lot, repeatedly has used radical factions throughout human civilization to paint a broad stroke on an entire demographic, and continues spewing bigoted comments at Muslims to spread a hyper-xenophobic mindset onto his listeners. No one has benefitted more after 9/11 than Savage. He's a vulgar fraud, but how ironic that his background as a plant nutritionist has led him to calling the "autism community" a "fraud and racket.

Come down here to Augusta, Ga. and let me show you what autism is. My family has endured 30 years of triumphs and travesties with my younger brother, Matt, who is on the severe end of the spectrum. One can't fathom what it has been like to tend to Matt's needs on a daily basis and just how fortunate so many others are who can bathe, clothe, feed themselves, and overall are self-sufficient. Matt needs supervision for the rest of his life. And this (sigh) plant nutritionist comes on the airwaves with no specialization in neurology and vaccination research to spew his venom once again for his own self-fulfillment.

Here is a transcript of what Savage said on his July 16 broadcast of the Savage Nation from Media Matters for America. Before reading this, let me preface by saying Savage has written several memoirs on his life. In one of his books, he recalls how his father used to call him a "sissy" for wearing a shirt deemed too bright and colorful. That repressed anger has inevitably carried over into adulthood (childhood for the vast majority of us).

"I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot.' " Savage concluded, "[I]f I behaved like a fool, my father called me a fool. And he said to me, 'Don't behave like a fool.' The worst thing he said -- 'Don't behave like a fool. Don't be anybody's dummy. Don't sound like an idiot. Don't act like a girl. Don't cry.' That's what I was raised with. That's what you should raise your children with. Stop with the sensitivity training. You're turning your son into a girl, and you're turning your nation into a nation of losers and beaten men. That's why we have the politicians we have."

"[W]hy was there an asthma epidemic amongst minority children? Because I'll tell you why: The children got extra welfare if they were disabled, and they got extra help in school. It was a money racket. Everyone went in and was told [fake cough], 'When the nurse looks at you, you go [fake cough], "I don't know, the dust got me." ' See, everyone had asthma from the minority community."
Talk Radio Network, which syndicates The Savage Nation, claims that Savage is heard on more than 350 radio stations. The Savage Nation reaches at least 8.25 million listeners each week, according to Talkers Magazine, making it one of the most listened-to talk radio shows in the nation, behind only The Rush Limbaugh Show and The Sean Hannity Show.

Autism -- everybody has an illness. If I behaved like a fool, my father called me a fool. And he said to me, "Don't behave like a fool. Don't be anybody's dummy. Don't sound like an idiot. Don't act like a girl. Don't cry." That's what I was raised with. That's what you should raise your children with. Stop with the sensitivity training. You're turning your son into a girl, and you're turning your nation into a nation of losers and beaten men. That's why we have the politicians we have."

Let me take you into a 360 degree direction. An Athens, Ga. girl and her family recently won a lawsuit proving that her autism was triggered by vaccination poisoning. People in the autism community are now beginning to believe there is a link between autism and vaccination harm. However, none of us are saying, "Don't vaccinate." Vaccinations should be administered to prevent fatal diseases -- mumps, measles, rubella, polio, etc. The problem is the vaccines are administered at high dosage levels and too many are given to infants in a very short time span.

Genetics and enviornmental factors are obviously the most accepted explanations to a disorder that has gone from 1 in 10,000 cases in 1987 to 1 in 150 today. The genetic component is triggered by what medical researchers and scientists say are a lack of protein in a woman's chromosome. Environmental factors that can trigger this disorder are exposure to high levels of mercury, aluminum, and other heavy metals. Here is an article I wrote for a local magazine-style publication a few years ago, taking the perspective of a grandmother who believes vaccination injury led to her grandson's autism:


Breaking Autism Silence: How a North Augusta woman and her grandson fight the biggest and most costly medical mistake in U.S. history

Joshua Murphy loves swimming. His grandmother, Maurine Meleck, takes the 8-year-old to the YMCA a few times a week.

In the pool, Joshua is at peace with himself. His lanky, olive-skinned body moves through the water with graceful, synchronized movements.

"He would swim all day," Meleck said.

For now, the water is clear. But Joshua knows what it’s like when everything around him isn’t clear. Meleck said this frustrates him. He repeatedly slaps his forehead or stares off into space. She wants him to tell her what’s wrong. Nothing. He has autism.

A boy who loves trains

Inside the second floor hallway of their two-bedroom apartment in North Augusta, Joshua runs upstairs with his friend. He swings open the door and flashes a beaming smile. He knows he’s going swimming later in the day. A toy train set lies on the den’s floor.

"His two favorite things are swimming and trains," Meleck said. "I went to the local library and received several videos about trains for free. He enjoys watching them, but I don’t want him to watch them too much."

Meleck walks towards her master bedroom. She sits in a black reclining chair beside her flickering computer monitor. Joshua and his friend continue playing with the toy train set.

Meleck’s happy-go-lucky visage suddenly turns solemn and focused. Her dark, brown eyes become fixated in thought. She points to a bookcase where shelves are filled with published books — books she continues to read to try to determine what caused Joshua’s autism and how to treat it.

"I’ve printed out so much information. Now, I have nowhere to put it," she said as she pointed to her computer’s printer.

Joshua’s friend eventually leaves and Joshua enters his mother’s room. He wraps his arms around his grandmother and emphatically says, "Grandma, I want to go to the new pool later." She pats his arm, gives him a kiss on the cheek, and reassuringly responds, "We’re going to the pool later."

Bad days and head bumps

This was a good day. But, there have been so many other days when Joshua’s autism takes over. Some of his outbursts would rattle the average observer. Meleck doesn’t approach it that way.

"I want to provide him with a stress-free environment as much as possible," she said.

Meleck said Joshua’s aggressive behavior troubles her the most. For example, he became very angry a few months ago. He couldn’t communicate what was troubling him. He threw one of her lamps on the floor and broke it. Later in the day, he threw his shoe across the room and hit Maurine.

"These are moments that truly test my patience. But we got past it," she said.

This is an obsessive-compulsive behavior, another characteristic of autism.
Joshua's one-day outburst pales in comparison to another alarming behavior, which occurred when he was younger, Meleck said. While outside when Meleck's attention was diverted, he would bang his head against the sidewalk. His stoic facial expression appeared as if he were in a trance. There was no painful cry or even a whimper, as his hands gripped the curb and he persistently banged his head. She tried to physically restrain him, he pushes her away.
Only her patience and calm tone of voice can break through to finally grasp his attention. At that point, he stops and continues showing a blank stare as if the whole incident never took place.

The Autism Society of America says, "Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.

The society says people with autism usually have difficulty with communication, social interaction and play. It advises people that autism affects each individual differently and in varying degrees.

"This is why early diagnosis is so crucial," the society says.

Vaccination Connection

Joshua began showing regressive developmental traits after receiving his vaccinations. When he was one day old, Joshua received a hepatitis-B shot. As Meleck recalls, "It was an easy birth for my daughter." There were no known problems.

Now looking back, Meleck sees the day Joshua received the shot as "simply crazy." The only way hepatitis-B is contracted is through the mother, sexual contact, or intravenous drug use.

"Well, of course they’re not sexually active or taking intravenous drugs while they’re still in the nursery."

Why is Meleck upset about this shot? The shots Joshua received are intended to protect him from a variety of potentially fatal illnesses. But Meleck believes these vaccinations had a life-altering effect on Joshua. And she believes a common additive in the vaccines may be to blame for why autism in America has dramatically increased over the past two decades, rising from one case in 10,000 children in 1987, to one in 166 today.

David Kirby, a contributing science and health writer for The New York Times, wrote a 2005 New York Times bestseller entitled "Evidence of Harm." In this book, Kirby documents several families who came to the conclusion. They believe their children were affected like Joshua — from Thimerosal.

Thimerosal is a toxic heavy metal used as a vaccine preservative. It contains 49.6 percent mercury. "Thimerosal had been developed by Eli Lilly & Company in the 1920s, though Lilly no longer made the product. But the company still licensed it to other producers, reportedly earning a profit in the bargain," Kirby reported. Thimerosal began appearing in vaccines in the 1930s.

Today, Thimerosal has been banned in the European Union and several states. These states include: California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New York, and Washington.

Kirby provides some relief saying, "Thimerosal has been removed from most routine vaccinations given to American children. But it is still found in the majority of flu shots, which the U.S. government now recommends for pregnant women and children between six months and 23 months of age. Mercury is also found in some tetanus, diphtheria-tetanus, pertusis, and meningitis vaccines, which are sometimes, though not routinely, given to children."

Many parents of autistic children no longer routinely vaccinate their children. But after his birth, Meleck said Joshua received whatever vaccinations were required at the time. Some DTP shots and 90 percent of the flu shots contain Thimerosal.

Signs of autism

Joshua was frequently sick up to age 1. Meleck said he had reflux, respiratory problems, and pneumonia. "He was on continual antibiotics."

Meleck was alarmed but didn’t think these early problems were connected to autism. He walked when he was nine months old and "was fine" after his first birthday. However, around 14 to 15 months of age, signs of autism appeared. He began exhibiting fussiness, more temper tantrums, and lack of appetite.

"After his second birthday, he was gone," said Meleck with a distressed tone.

Meleck lists the autistic symptoms she began observing by Joshua: " He started exhibiting other classic signs of autism, such as not pointing, not looking at us in the eye, being very unaware of his immediate surroundings, poor language skills, toe walking, hyperactivity, inability to sleep well, poor eating habits (wanting to eat the same two or three things over and over) repetition of words he did know, playing inappropriately with toys, difficulty making changes, hating his shoes, haircuts, (sensitivity to) touching, frequent tantrums, unhappy, crying all the time and aggressive behavior such as throwing toys."

Meleck went on to say the word "autism" passed through her mind long before Joshua’s diagnosis, which came before he turned 3. But she wanted to dismiss the thought. It was denial. Like any reasonable parent, she had faith and hope Joshua would be just fine. This wasn’t the case.

She began learning more and more about autism, specifically about the Thimerosal-autism connection, from local parents of autistic children and Internet groups. One Internet group is titled, Eoharm, which stands for evidence of harm.

She admits she didn’t obtain all the answers and says there is so much more she can learn about autism today.

"We probably know more than the doctors," she said, referring to all of the research she and other parents have done. "We had a very dreadful experience at MCG after the diagnosis. The psychiatrists there told us his IQ would never be more than 45 and that we should move elsewhere because the services in this area weren't very good."

There is still one lingering discovery that torments Maurine and many parents of autistic children. The nation’s most trusted and established medical governing bodies have dismissed the Thimerosal-autism connection.

Views of the FDA, CDC and AAP

To this day, the Food and Drug Administration, Center for Disease Control, and American Academy of Pediatrics all parrot the same line: "There is no evidence of harm" when children are exposed to mercury in vaccines.

Meleck and others were alarmed to read a document published in 1999 by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Public Health Service. It was a joint statement released dismissing any potential harm mercury can cause to children. The document was titled, "Thimerosal in Vaccines: A Joint Statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Public Health Service."

Kirby cites one statement in the document, "And there was no data or evidence of harm ‘by the level of exposure that some children have encountered.’" Although the document went on to say, there should be "a clear plan to eliminate or reduce (mercury content) as expeditiously as possible," it didn’t happen. Kirby found this to be double-talk and, more importantly, a cover-up.

The CDC released a question and answer forum to provide some insight into its view of thimerosal and its safety. Here's what the CDC wrote on Sept. 22, 2005:
"What is thimerosal?"
"Thimerosal is a very effective preservative that has been used since the 1930s to prevent contamination in some multi-dose vials of vaccines (preservatives are not required for vaccines in single-dose vials). Thimerosal contains approximately 49 percent ethyl mercury. There is no convincing evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site."

Challenging the CDC’s convictions are Dr. Mark Geier and his son, David. The Maryland scientists have published more than 80 articles. Geier and his son are world-renowned in the autistic community as genetic and vaccination researchers. These are two of many experts Meleck has turned to.

"We have published 11 peer-reviewed epidemiology papers linking Thimerosal to the autism epidemic. Thimerosal is unnecessary in any vaccine. All except the Japanese encephalitis vaccine in use today can be obtained without Thimerosal. Thimerosal as an anti-bacterial additive does not even work and this has been published by the CDC themselves. It is highly toxic and there have been literally thousands of articles published on its toxicity. It is neurotoxic and is a carcinogen(causes cancer). (Also,) it is a teratogen (causes birth defects) and is far more toxic to human cells than it is to bacteria (numerous published papers on this)."

One of Mark’s most notable accomplishments is his 2004 article, "A Comparative Evaluation of the Effects of MMR Vaccination and Mercury Doses from Thimerosal-Containing Childhood Vaccines on the Population Prevalance of Autism" for the Medical Science Monitor. It was among the top 10 most frequently downloaded articles, totaling 1,998.

In Kirby's writing, he shows how easily young children could be given excessive doses of thimerosal. Kirby writes that the CDC and FDA estimated the safety limit for ethyl mercury (mercury in vaccines) between 0.3 and 0.4 micrograms per kilogram. The EPA sets it at 0.5.

"For example, a two-month-old weighing 5 kilograms could have been exposed to 62.5 micrograms of mercury in a single day," Kirby says. "This would have been 125 times more than the EPA limit for that child."

Meleck continues to move forward despite her fears of medical negligence on this issue. That's why she began trying new innovative treatments for Joshua to purge the mercury from his system. The treatments were recommended b y others in the autistic community, such as the Geiers. She continues to apply them today.

Joshua's treatments and his future

Meleck said Joshua has been on biomedical treatments for five years now. He has been on and off of chelation therapy for two years.

There are two steps to chelation therapy, as Kirby describes it. "First the loosely bound body mercury must be eliminated, usually with dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). This is typically given orally, in a one-week-on, one-week-off pattern, with dosages administered every four hours. Excreted mercury levels are measured in the urine. Once urine levels have come down and stabilized, some doctors then chelate (scrape) the mercury that is tightly bound within the cells. This is typically done using a substance called lipoic acid."

Joshua's diet may seem crummy to him at times, but biomedical treatments have proven to vastly improve his cognitive behavior. Josh eats a starch-free and sugar-free diet. When autistic individuals absorb sugar and starch, they sometimes begin to act and behave like someone who is on a heroin high and can become comatose.

Meleck said she often visits the health foods store and serves Joshua an abundance of fruit, peanuts, chicken breasts and other foods, avoiding sugar and starch. Meleck said there is still so much more information to learn about biomedical treatment. However, chelation therapy and biomedical treatment provided Joshua with signs of improvement.

"The biggest improvements are an increase in language skills, cognitive skills and improvement in behavior -- less aggression and more cooperation with children and adults. It has really been a gradual process. For him, it was not something that came overnight. For most kids, it isn't, although there have been cases of recovered children who made drastic improvements over a period of weeks," Meleck said.

Meleck and others continue their fight to expose the dangers of thimerosal in vaccines. In February, the Republican-controlled Congress passed a bill requiring vaccines to be administered due to threats from bioterrorism. Its language leaned towards bioterrorism but it also has allowed pharmaceutical companies who produce thimerosal to be protected from liability. This was a battle Meleck and others lost.

But they believe the biggest loser has been the public.

"The Thimerosal caused epidemic is the worst catastrophe in U.S. history easily exceeding WWI, WWII, Vietnam, the AIDS epidemic, and the current war combined. The U.S. Congress has estimated the damage to exceed 20 Trillion dollars. There are currently and will soon be numerous lawsuits on this matter. I strongly believe a great many criminal acts have been committed in this epidemic and its attempted cover up," said Dr. Mark Geier.

In June of 2007, a causation hearing will be held in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims for the more than 5,000 families who have filed suit against vaccine makers accusing them of lacing children's vaccines with thimerosal (mercury) and thereby causing their children's autism.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Finally, 'The Dark Knight' premiers and the long wait for Robin is over

Robin's (girlfriend) first word was Batman. It's ironic mine was Sears, since I'm probably one of the worst when it comes to consumerism. As a kid, I loved getting some quarters from my parents and grandparents to slide in the slots of the arcade game stop at a local mall. Can you picture Dick Cheney's grandkid asking him for a quarter one day when outside an arcade venue? "No," he'll huff and puff with that breathy inflection of his. "You'll have to pull up your boot straps and earn it yourself."

As a kid, I didn't read comics. My favorite cartoon was Transformers. The recent film adaptation to the cartoon was great. I loved "Soundwave" for that beebopping music that blared on his stereo speakers. Honestly, I was agnostic to Batman when first meeting Robin a little over seven years ago.

Along with everyone else, I embraced all the hype surrounding Tim Burton's 1989 version of it. I still remember my middle school friends from North Carolina (lived there for two-and-a-half years) and eagerly standing at the front of the line waiting for a ticket. When looking behind me, the line literally stretched farther than I could see. We sat in the front row, acted like typical, rambunctious adolescents throwing a popcorn kernel or two at each other, and marveled at how much we enjoyed the film. The rest of this series; don't waste your time. George Clooney was interveiwed one time and when asked what makes him cry, he said watching Batman and Robin (when he starred as Batman).

Before meeting Robin, she rescued an Australian Sheppard-Border Collie mix (we can guess one of the two), Jack from a rural town about 45 minutes from where we live. She named him after Jack Nicholson for his portrayal of The Joker from that '89 film. Jack displays absolutely none of the characteristics of the wiley Joker character. He's extremely loving, passive, and demonstrates all the human characteristics of a peace activist, gay pride parading Liberal. When I visit Robin, he immediately wags his tail and nudges his 44 pound frame on my legs. Robin says, "Jesus. He'd have sex with you if he could."

Then, Bruce the Callous Conservative Cat came along. The night before moving to a town for my second journalist stint, Robin stopped at a gas station near her home. She heard a faint whimpering that sounded like it was coming from a cat. As she approached, she saw him between some shrubs. He wasn't skiddish and didn't run away. He let her pet him. Torn at the moment, she left and visited me to bid farewell before my move. After the visit, she couldn't stand having him left out there where he was subjected to any crazy nut or a vehicle hitting him. She used a large, cardboard box and placed him inside. He's stayed with us ever since. I think he was trying to tell me something about my "Funny Farm" experience in this town I worked in when running out the door one night just before leaving.

Bruce doesn't demonstrate all the characteristics of Bruce Wayne but has a similar background. He had to fend for himself at a young age, should be wary of others, considering his condition was so frail when Robin got him, and has the similar markings as the Batman costume. Since he was in the wild for God know how long, he still kills many insects. No concept of death though. After Bruce has punctured a vital organ with his claws, he still paws at it. He also enjoys taking a few swipes at Jack (claws aren't out, don't worry) and Jack just has a comical facial grimace and walks away. Every now and then, he'll run down Bruce and tackle him to the ground. That's when Bruce runs away. They're characters.

Enough rambling. Batman Begins completely surprised me. I thought it was going to be just another crappy adaptation to a comic book. That wasn't the case. Coming off a great performance in American Psycho as a cerebral, sociopathic businessman surrounded by egotistical, material-obsessed colleagues, and The Machinist, another cerebral portrayal of a down-and-out anorexic who hasn't eaten or slept in a year and experiences hallucinations, Christian Bale delivered another great performance with an all-star cast (gained 150 pounds in four months before he began filming for Batman Begins). All the Batman fans say this version, directed by Chris Nolan, fell much more in line with Bob Kane's comics. It was the best (X-Men comes close) comic adaptation I've seen thus far. Robin already could recite every line from the '89 version and this one was no exception.

Robin started screaming the first time she was Batman Begins when Lt. Gordon held up a Joker card. This is her favorite character and adamantly said another film is coming with The Joker in it. After it was announced, oh, I don't know, two years ago, she has constantly talked about the film (production, brilliant marketing, etc.). Then, the tragic news came of Heath Ledger's death.

Last week, I bought her an autographed picture of The Joker with Batman in the background. It's autographed by Ledger who by just about every notable critic, is receiving very high praise and Oscar buzz for his performance. I'm happy for Robin that her movie premiers tomorrow and anticipate going with her to see it a few times. I know how big of a role this comic series has played in her life.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

The 'McSame' label fits for John McCain

It's stunning we still have so many people in this country who don't get it. Latest polls show Obama with a slim and emphasize slim margin over John McCain. But it's also understandable considering how our so-called liberal mainstream media continues to ignore blunder after blunder McCain makes on what he would think would be cozy conferences and townhall meetings. Last week, McCain ignored a question by a veteran. The veteran asked him why he voted against benefits and health care for veterans since 2003. No straight response from scatterbrain McCain.

There's one radical policy McCain wants to implement that's different from President Bush. We're coming off the heels of the worst president in U.S. history based on more than half of all presidential historians and public opinion. Why one would think this guy's a "maverick," a guy willing to work on bipartisan legislation, and has an understanding of our world's real threats is disturbing. Please tell me where McCain and Bush differ on policies. I'm sure you can do better than this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJvqwGIYmDU

Monday, July 14, 2008

'The Karate Kid' effect

"No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher. Teacher say, student do. No questions," said Mr. Miyagi, played by the late Pat Morita in one of my favorite '80s films, The Karate Kid. Today, I can change that phrasing around to this: No such thing as bad supporters, only bad leader. Leader say, supporters do. No questions. Bush at times has acted less clever than a primate, and his supporters still love him. Love him. It's great to love him when you have to deal with (try to spill this out in one breath, but it definitely won't roll off my tongue) a tree hugging, tofu eating, enviornmental extremist, communist, socialist, tax raising, wasteful spending, babysitting, big government Liberal.

O.k. A brief synopsis of The Karate Kid: Daniel is a New Jersey teen raised by his single mother who move to Los Angeles. He has a hard time fitting in but does find a romantic attraction to a product of an upper-middle class family, Ali (Elizabeth Shue). There's just one problem. After they meet for the first time on a beach, her ex-boyfriend, Johnny (William Zabka), arrives with his possee. Perhaps, it was at this point in the movie, Daniel should've wooed a brunette. Johnny beats the snot out of Daniel with his high-flying roundhouse kicks. Daniel decides he needs to learn karate. And so an epic battle brews between one, scrawny teen and a pack of bullies. Daniel also befriends his apartment complex's maintenance man, Mr. Miyagi, who knows a little more than plumbing. Miyagi has a roundhouse kick of his own, and it's not solely used on his tool box.

In a previous post, I used a clip from Rachel Maddow's show on Air America. She pointed out how there's a view of how other countries perceive us. It's Conservatives and everyone else on the issue of international opinion. The average, rational American loves receiving praise by the international press for our innovation and tolearnace of multicultrualism. "This drives Conservatives nuts," she said in a wry tone, referring to the positive international press coverage Barack Obama received after securing the Democratic Presidential nomination. I'd like to take a different perspective from the one Maddow used.

Like Daniel in The Karate Kid, some of us are surrounded by a pack of bullies. A Conservative is like that kid in school who brought a ball to the playground. All the rest of the gym equipment is in use, and this kid only wants to share with his friends. His teacher reprimands him, but he still won't share with the rest of the class. "It's mine, it's mine, I can do what I want," he screams. Think about this. Isn't this aprapo for today's Conservative? It's mine, it's mine, I can do what I want, and you'll have to squeeze whatever you want from me out of my cold, dead hands. We have enormous deregulation (rich Conservatives can continue gouging off us working stiffs), 37 million of us living in poverty, record-breaking gas prices, resurgence of Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Conservatives are still complaining? I'd say they've been rewarded handsomely over these past several years. It's time the rest of us say: GAME OVER.

Daniel took the bullies on one at a time. I know you'll have Political Science professors, pundits, right-wing nuts, and apathetics who will say it's our American system at work as usual. Can there be anything more un-American than that thinking? We're just a limited, federalist republic (And Libertarians love that). As an optimist, I know we're better than this mindset. One voice can spread through a room and pour into the streets. There are many out there who have that power to demand change. It's then, and only then, we have a democracy (serves the best interests of ALL) that can eliminate this oligarchy to the point it becomes irrelevant.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

A parody of Keith Olbermann's Best Persons in the World

Incumbent Conservative representative for Georgia's 10th district Dr. Paul Broun for making a complete ass of himself once again. Broun wants to implement the recent disastrous Georgia State Law signed by Gov. Sonny "Daze" Perdue into a federal amendment, arguing gun owners have the right to carry firearms in public places, specifically parks. As I previously posted, Broun co-sponsored a bill that would take away soft porn from military bases. Every bill that actually gives a damn about the troops, oh say, revising the long overdue G.I. Bill, Broun has voted against. He also voted along with the hostile, "we do everything on our own without the support of allies" and racist, Ron Paul. You can view more: http://freedomfighterradio.net/?p=769

My girlfriend's doctor. More than a month passed and her previous doctor still couldn't provide her the results of her EKG test. This new one, was not only able to expound upon her previous diagnosis, but also gave her encouraging news about her condition. And how will universal health care bring down the quality of care in this country?

Best person for best meltdown and a failed idealogy -- Conservative country bumkin, Austin Rhodes. When not parroting the same talking points used by his role models and goofy talk radio hosts who air prior to his show, Neal Boortz and Rush Limbaugh, one can usually hear one of his many anti-abortion sermons he delivers (Would he support the radical ban if the government told him what he can and can't do with his body? Equal Protection, anyone?), Rhodes went on a blistering tirade over Broun's opponent. During an interview with the wife of Broun's primary opponent, Barry Fleming, Rhodes tried to sarcastically inject how she and her husband changed their denominations from Baptist to Methodist. Is there really that much of a difference? He also scorned her over her husband's role as an aide to former moderate Democrat Senator, Sam Nunn (potential Obama V.P.). "You wouldn't want your child working in Washington, D.C. if given the chance," she queried. "Not for a Democrat," he yelled. After the interview, Rhodes said that personal attacks shouldn't be used in this primary, citing Fleming for calling out Broun by not paying $400 in alimony. O.k. So, personal attacks are fine when it comes to Bush-bot Sen. Saxby Chambliss and the swift boaters having the tamarity to question long-time Sen. Max Clelland's military service, John Kerry's military service, and Rhodes' ad nauseum personal attacks on Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal. Since the Conservative brand of the Republicans are proving they have no solutions for moving forward, you can say it's likely Conservatives like Rhodes have a secret hard-on for Democrats. If you want more proof that this guy is a proponent for hate speech, not free spech, watch the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qQuLemPjhU&feature=related

Monday, July 7, 2008

Yes, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer played one of the greatest matches ever

The sports world is still buzzing after yesterday's marathon men's Wimbledon championship match, pitting defending five-time Wimbledon champ Roger Federer against defending four-time French Open champ, Rafael Nadal. Both men showed why they're two of the world's premier athletes. Throughout this match, both didn't show signs of fatigue. They continued running down shots and hit some of the most remarkable winners I've ever seen. This has become one of the greatest rivalries in sports today.

I had a rooting interest all tournament for Nadal. He's charismatic on the court and works for every single point. I think his serve is underrated. Everyone marvels at his court coverage, looping topspin groundstrokes that are often proceeded by a hard flat winner, and his extraordinary counterpunching abilities. Yesterday, his serve proved to be the difference in the match. He was only broken once, while Federer's vaunted serve was broken three times. Nadal is able to hit a high percentage of first serves with a slicing, topspin serve that at times tops out over 125 mph. That's incredible to be able to hit a serve with that much action at that velocity.

After taking the first two sets, it appeared Nadal was on cruise control for finally getting the monkey off his back. The third set was no different. Nadal had Federer down 0-40 at 3 games all but failed to convert the service break. Subsequently, Federer held on and forced a tiebreaker which he eked out.

The fourth set also went to a tiebreak with Nadal at one point up 5-2 and two match points. Federer hit a courageous forehand that went for a winner to save one match point. Nadal's second opportunity was questionable. He had Federer on the defenisve and the entire court open. However, he hit another hard, topspin groundstroke right at Federer. Federer was able to nail another great groundstroke and extend the match to a fifth and deciding set.

Once the match reached the fifth set, I said to myself, "Nadal looks like he's going to choke again." The match was somewhat reminiscent of last year when Nadal was up a break in the fourth set, serving for the match but couldn't come through. Any other player probably would've been so mentally frustrated he or she would begin hitting silly shots for errors; not Nadal. He was able to stave off a relentless Federer and earned every bit of his newfound championship glory on a surface other than the red clay.

Matches of yesteryear just didn't have this type of play where both players grind it out during each point. All-time leader for most grand slam wins, Pete Sampras, is a perfect example. He heavily relied on a huge serve and volleys to win many easy points. Fans would often see Sampras as stoic, placid, and frankly, boring on the court. Still, he was a class act like Federer who displays Sampras' characteristics. The closest a match came to this type of drama would have to be the 1980 final between John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg when McEnroe won an epic fourth set tiebreak to force a fifth set before eventually losing to Borg. Those points in the tiebreak were incredible as well, but nothing could top an entire match that featured those types of points. Tennis' popularity should increase once again for what these two guys bring to the game. Expect this rivalry to continue for a long time.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Shoot 'em up Georgia

How do you define terrorism? If you watch Fox "Fascist" News, I'm sure you have a mental picture embedded in that hollow head that terrorists only come in the form of tanned skin, Middle Eastern, machine gun holding, black mask wearing Muslims. I take a little more of a broad approach to this near eight-year-old loosely defined term. Georgia Gov. Sonny "Daze" Perdue just signed a bill into law that will allow gun owners to carry their guns into restaurants, bars, and many other public areas where large groups of people gather. This is one of the most idiotic, reckless forms of legislation I've ever seen.

In light of one of our most recent Supreme Court rulings, all the Conservative Cons thought they did the right thing and struck down the Washington, D.C. gun ban. No guns were allowed even in homes. Justice Antonin Scalia, the most incompetent justice to ever serve on the Supreme Court (i.e. read his dissenting opinion on trying Gitmo detainees in American courts after coercive depositions were entered into the court record in the military courts), led the charge on this one and those Pro-Life values voters just cheered as America's 2nd Amendment was obliterated. The 2nd Amendment allowed Americans to carry guns, primarily to defend themselves from British militias. It specifically says all those in "militias" have the right to bear arms. I don't see anywhere in this amendment that allows handguns to be carried around like their toys. Yet, Scalia said banning ownership of guns violates an American's personal freedom and "individual right." The Supreme Court's ruling pales into comparison to the one right here in Georgia.

Watch what happens in light of this. Trust me when I say some out-of-control nut is going to shoot up an establishment (someone who can't control his or her alcohol tolerance, fighting over a girl, etc.). The solution to owning a gun is simple in my opinion and I even have Conservative colleagues who agree with me on this: Allow those who wish to bear a rifle to use it for hunting purposes for a 72-hour time span only. Outside of that, there's no purpose. The argument from Conservatives is this: "What if some nut breaks into my home? Just let him kill my family." If we rid guns from the marketplace, that would make it more difficult for the intruder, right? Modern technology has plenty of other devices that can incapacitate someone without the use of deadly force (won a debate on this in high school judged by Conservative-minded kids). Handguns serve no beneficial purpose in a civilized society. Read more about other shenanigans from gunguys.com. They, along with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, cite the same Georgia House Representative who co-sponsored this bill is now advocating for guns to be carried around in our nation's busiest airport, Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport. Can we all say redneck terrorism is brewing?