Entries Tagged 'Plain Old Stupid' ↓

As this American nation enters the same end state that Rome did before it fell, we begin to see signs and portents. When guns are not readily available, battleaxes will do in a pinch.

Two men were arrested Tuesday by Salt Lake County sheriff’s deputies after investigators say they attacked a teenager with a medieval battle ax.

The key to catching the men was their apparent affiliation with Juggalos.

The men, both 21, were booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated assault. The two were at the home of a 17-year-old Kearns boy at about 4:30 a.m.

One of the men was jealous of the victim text messaging a girl, according to jail documents. He also believed he contracted a sexually transmitted disease from the girl, which she in turn got from the victim, jail documents state.

During the altercation with the victim, that man stabbed the teen with a knife and the other man struck him with a medieval battle ax type of weapon in the back of his neck, said Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Lt. Paul Jaroscak. Doctors needed about 300 stitches to close the wound, he said. He was last listed in critical condition at a local hospital.

Ah, for sweet lost morality. In the age of easy porn and functionally illiterate fucktards with the attention span of the common gnat, we are bound to see many more such cases in coming years.

When children are raised by the state and by television and by the Internet they will find a four sided battleaxe, a bucket of STDs and a banal existence more often than not.

A Marietta, Georgia man is stirring up controversy because he has printed up some t-shirts that say Obama in ‘08 with a monkey picture above the text.

I find it funny that none of the media furies are comparing this instance to the many images I’ve seen in past years of George W. Bush depicted as a monkey. I guess it is OK to show a white man in America as a monkey. When you do the same to a black man different standards are applied. Makes perfect sense if you are a mentally retarded person I suppose.

Typical Democratic whining. To be in their party you have to play the victim role throughout your entire life. Here are some photos of the double standard in action.

Why is it OK for one man to be shown as a monkey but not the other? Why is it racist to portray Barack Obama as a monkey but a matter of free speech when you do the same thing to George W. Bush? I Googled and could find only one incident of protests related to images of George W. Bush portrayed as a monkey. The protests, not surprisingly, were in favor of the artist who depicted the President in an image made entirely of smaller images of monkeys.

As the man in the middle caught between the two political gorillas that comprise American politics in 2008, I know why I tend to side with the less whiny of the two simians most of the time. Both of these large hairy beasts have bad breath. Both of them steal my bananas. Both of them are rude and smelly. But only one never quits whining about how unfair life is while it steals my bananas from me.

UPDATE: I am not alone. Scott thinks along similar lines when it comes to Barack Obama’s monkey factor. As he points out in his comments section many of the Obama supporters whining about having their candidate compared to a monkey are the same people who perpetrated comparisons of George W. Bush and various chimpanzees. You can’t have it both ways. If the white guy can be compared to a monkey, so can the black guy and any other candidate.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://youtube.com/v/bqOLjEli6yY" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

No self-respecting firearms instructor stores a weapon with any type of system remotely resembling the idiotic one the TSA has devised. Only from the minds of bureaucrats who don’t know shit about weapons.

When you allow strangers to be completely entrusted with your safety you set yourself up for disaster. That’s why I’ve always felt somewhat uncomfortable with public transportation. Sure, the pilots have a vested interest in a smooth, uneventful flight. The TSA idiots on the ground, however, don’t really suffer if the plane crashes or is hijacked, etc. They just make up some new rules for all the rest of the flying lemmings to follow. Sometimes, the stupidity of these rules gets people killed.

If the TSA was a practical, efficient organization several things would happen based on this video. First, senior administrators at TSA would find out the individual or board responsible for the disgustingly stupid locking mechanism policy currently in place. They would dismiss those persons. Then they would change the policy. Pilots should be allowed to carry the weapons from point to point. In the air, on the ground and everywhere. The weapon should be a part of their daily routine. That is the best way to ensure responsible handling.

I flew from Atlanta to Dallas Monday. The trip is normally fairly boring. This particular trip held no major surprises. As always, though, I people watch when traveling. I had ample opportunity at the Atlanta airport because the “security” line was more than an hour long. In fact, it was so long that the geniuses running the fool’s game we pretend has something to do with security routed us around every luggage conveyor belt in the place. The experience of walking in a giant conga line consisting of a few thousand people winding in and out between the baggage retrieval belts was sort of surreal.

There’s a lady struggling with her three carry-ons. And that lady over there just watched her kid almost get crushed by a bumbling fat man so distracted by his cell phone you could place a giant fan blade in front of him and he would walk right into it. Mixed in between the stand out idiots like fat man on cell phone and the luggage idiot are the other polyglot varieties of people you see in an airport. There are smartly dressed business people with looks of stolid resignation on their faces. Men and women alike with their leather briefcases containing who knows what corporate secrets shuffle slowly toward their aluminum transportation cans. They are used to this lunacy we call the modern American airport. They have submitted to the idiocy although some of them may be growing the seeds of revolution in their hearts. None of them likes being herded like a cow, but most of them aren’t going to moo loudly about it. The travelers are easy to spot because they are dressed so slavishly. Teenage girls in clothing so tight it might as well be glued on compete for the furtively admiring glances from unhappy middle aged suits who like a little eye candy. Couples fight quietly on the transport tram between terminals, their tans already fading as they are whisked back towards their boring little lives full of rampant consumerism, crushing debt and ho hum sex with each other. Ancient octogenarians recline with heads lolling in courtesy wheelchairs as they are rolled through the hallways on their way to somewhere they hope to die surrounded by people who care more than these airport denizens. Few make eye contact even when they brush one another in the overcrowded walkways or lock suitcases or collide trying to navigate in and out of the too narrow restroom entrances. The modern America airport is not a friendly place.

Through this mix of misguided human mutts wanders the homeless man. Only he knows his destination. His luggage consists of the leaves and dirt matted into his dreadlocks. His ancient trench coat is stained with good honest red Georgia clay. He has no cell phone like so many of his rude airport neighbors but he is muttering quietly under his breath just like they are. He wanders nimbly through the endless line of harried, harassed and oh so jaded commuters. The only flying he will do today will happen when he gets high. I see him once, then twice, then a third time. He and I are both moving towards the area where taking off our shoes will be mandatory. He is zig zagging and I am shuffling. Suddenly, his path is blocked by a woman on a cell phone. He motions that he wants to pass through the line. Everyone else has taken pains to let him by - they back up and give him his space. But not this woman. She is on a cell phone and she isn’t moving. In fact, cell phone business lady has decided that homeless man doesn’t even exist. He wants to get through. She wants him not to be a part of her reality. He waves a grizzled hand in front of her face; he is pointing in the direction he wants to go. Cell phone lady hunches over and cradles her cell phone protectively with one hand while grabbing her carry-on more tightly with the other. She is not letting him through. Homeless man gesticulates again! He raises the volume on his muttering activity. Things look like they might get ugly. Without warning, the stalemate is broken as the line shuffles forward and cell phone lady moves toward her date with an overweight idiot in polyester pants, a clip on tie and a nickel-metal badge. Homeless man zips through and continues his mad wandering. I will never see him again. I shuffle towards my own meeting with the people who keep me safe from myself.

As I do I think about who is more free. Is it homeless man or cell phone lady? And how free am I? I’m not feeling it.

First they poison our pets and now they’re trying to kill Central Americans with toothpaste! Damn the Chinese and their unregulated use of toxic chemicals.

I’m actually suspicious this is yet another CIA campaign to topple a government. Speaking of which, can anyone name a CIA campaign to topple a government that actually led to a better government springing up in the old one’s place? If so, I’m willing to consider endorsing such foolish methods of enacting foreign policy. Otherwise, I think we’re stupid for using the CIA to try and overthrow Iran’s religious dictators. Must not have learned anything from our mistakes with the Shah. I don’t like the idea of playing Pakistan against Iran much either. Pakistan already has nukes, so we pay her strongman off with bribes. That’s certainly not ideal.

Again, if someone can point me to one or more clear cases of positive long-term results that came from CIA meddling in foreign affairs, I would love to digest the information!

I realize that Iran as a nuclear power would probably end badly for everyone. I’m not debating whether or not Iran’s current rulers represent a threat to Americans everywhere. They do. They remind us every day.

Neither the Chinese or the CIA should use poison carelessly. 

Just as the TSA and DHS are doing little to prevent terrorism, the "breakthrough" immigration bill will do little to fix what’s broken about immigration in the United States. The fact that the bill has bipartisan support is irrelevant. Most of humanity used to believe the earth was flat. That a dumb idea, not to mention a wrong one. This bill is also a dumb idea that is predestined for failure no matter how many people think its the best thing since the invention of the electric toaster. The media can coo and fawn all day, and they will, but they’re still wrong.

Among the bill’s most constructive elements are provisions that would provide legal protection for hundreds of thousands of migrant agricultural workers; a fast track to permanent residence for immigrant college students and members of the military who entered the country as children; tighter border security; and a system for employers to verify that job applicants are here legally — with penalties for employers who fail to do so.

If the nation wants to have an honest discussion about amnesty, immigration and government, here’s what I would suggest doing before we bring the millions living here illegally "into the fold."

• Eliminate Social Security and Medicare
• Privatize education
• Dismantle HUD

Only after these initial steps have been taken will it be feasible to discuss how to deal with immigration. We have to eliminate the free candy before we can talk about why we’ve got so many uninvited visitors in the house. It ain’t rocket science. However, after educating generations of Americans in public institutions, it might as well be.

Before I went to war, the State of Georgia failed to pay my promised educational benefits because a) I filed paperwork too late b) no federal funds were available and c) any other excuse they could think of. Long story short, as far as I am concerned, I went to war short $4,000 I was promised. Now that I’m back from Iraq, the State of Georgia still doesn’t want to fund my college education. Typical.

ME:

I am a college student at University of Phoenix Online as well as being an E5 with the 124th MPAD in Georgia. I need to know what is required for me to be reimbursed for classes I have completed this year.

State of Georgia Education Officer:

SGT,
You can’t be reimbursed.  You must apply for tuition assistance at https://nationalguardbenefits.com prior to the start date of your courses.

When you join the National Guard your recruiter will probably tell you how great all the benefits are. What the recruiter will not tell you is how hard the bureaucrats make it to collect any of those benefits. The recruiter also will not tell you that those benefits really aren’t all that ironclad. Here’s an example of just the first page of the crap forms you have to fill out to (hopefully) collect partial reimbursement for taking a college course. The recruiter probably won’t be there to help you wade through the bullshit when it comes time to actually collect on what the government should owe you.

The rest of the process is just pages and pages of convoluted crap. Half the links you click don’t open, or result in various cryptic errors. If you call one of several listed "help" numbers, they just direct you to somewhere else. Each department blames another for why you aren’t receiving any actual monetary compensation in exchange for your blood, sweat and indentured servitude to Big Brother.

After talking to Steve and Mike at the VA this morning, I can say it isn’t all bad. Those two were competent, but they still had to direct me to forms, forms and more forms. You would think that the benefits would be automatic. Hell, the government has my damn DNA on file somewhere - you’d think they already know everything there is to know about me, including the fact that I’ve spent seven years serving in uniform.

The State of Georgia and the federal government are not making it easy for me to collect the education benefits I am entitled to. I consider myself of above average intelligence. I can only imagine how many veterans who might benefit from a college degree give up before they get started when confronted with the massive bureaucratic maze that must be navigated in order to receive "tuition assistance." Maybe that is the true measure of importance in awarding someone an advanced degree - their persistence, tenacity and sheer stubborn refusal to be defeated by a bureaucrat.

Now that I’ve wasted my entire morning trying to collect education benefits (not to mention the other hours fruitlessly spent filling out paperwork and trying to navigate a maze of officials, bureaucrats and monkeys throwing paperwork from every direction) don’t say you were not warned! If you are considering joining the military for education benefits, they are available if you have the patience of Job and the persistence of the devil. Good luck to you.

The Washington Post today gushes over the amazing new and "improved" Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Act of 2007. 

Under the current hate-crimes law, federal prosecution is permitted only if the offense occurred while the victim was engaged in a federally protected activity, such as voting or going to school. This bill would eliminate that requirement. To ensure that the law would be used only in exceptional circumstances, the U.S. attorney general or key senior Justice Department officials must certify in writing that state and local law enforcement were consulted and that the state lacked jurisdiction or did not intend to exercise it, requested federal assistance or did not object to federal intervention. And the bill would provide financial assistance to local law enforcement agencies investigating hate crimes under their own laws.

Can we all get serious for just a minute here? I don’t know which of the retarded quorum members over at the Post wrote this editorial.  Maybe it was generated in their hive mind. Who cares? They actually titled it "Protection From Hate" as if the federal government protects Americans efficiently. Since when have they done that? This fine, fine piece of garbage legislation ensures our land will grow kinder and gentler (yeah, right!) When that nice young gay man in your neighborhood is murdered by having his head beaten into pulp with a brick the protections from hate kick in as follows:

. . .the law would be used only in exceptional circumstances, the U.S. attorney general or key senior Justice Department officials must certify in writing that state and local law enforcement were consulted and that the state lacked jurisdiction or did not intend to exercise it, requested federal assistance or did not object to federal intervention. And the bill would provide financial assistance to local law enforcement agencies investigating hate crimes under their own laws.

It’s so simple. So clear. Everyone will feel safer at night. More people will be holding hands in public again, secure in the knowledge that should something bad happen nearby, a member of Congress will appear at their moment of need brandishing a freshly minted copy of a modern day knight’s sword AKA the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Act of 2007. I look forward to the miraculous reduction in crime that is about to become a reality.

Remember criminals and those who aspire to crime - the next time you are going to pistol whip someone, have them fill out the simple survey first. Get them to sign an affidavit stating that they realize you are not committing the crime based on ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR DISABILITY. That way you’ll catch a break at the sentencing. And by the way, all those words were capitalized because that is how they are written in the bill. They must be important!

Someone remind me how our social and political lives have improved because of Congress? I can’t think of anything.

This is the kind of garbage that does nothing to improve our daily lives but complicates our legal system to the point that people see it as a joke. The only people who benefit from this type of junk legislation are the legislators who make their living writing this trash.

Something tells me that M. Levy, the Health Academy Dean, may need a tutor. Luckily, my children do not attend L.S. 51 Markham Middle School, in Staten Island. Thank God!

Two things make me think this letter might be fake. A) Even in a public school, such poor copy editing is still unacceptable right? B) The letter isn’t printed on letterhead. Don’t schools still use letterhead?

I called the phone number and it just rang and range and rang. I guess the school is too busy teaching a makeup spelling class to answer the phone.

UPDATE: Further research reveals this is a real letter!

A dean at a Staten Island middle school was so fed up with the food fights at lunch that he hastily sent home a letter riddled with meaty errors that most of his students wouldn’t make.
Intermediate School 51 Dean Michael Levy explained to parents that the "caferteria" had garbage "an all tables."
This behavior, he wrote, was "unexcecpable," and all eighth-graders in IS 51’s health academy could lose out on senior "activates" like the prom and class trip.
In addition to at least 16 spelling or grammatical mistakes, the letter - first reported in the Staten Island Advance - was never approved by Principal Emma Della Rocca.
"I would never have anticipated that … Mr. Levy would actually write something that would have not been readable," Della Rocca said.
She’s investigating both the letter and the food fight that started it all. Though the letter told parents that all eighth-graders in the health academy - one of three theme-based academies in the school - would be punished for Monday’s food fight, Della Rocca said only kids found responsible will be disciplined.  

That guy is so fired. Or he should be. And parents, if your kids go to I.S. 51 Markham Middle School, you should be aware it only got a 4 out of 10 rating from GreatSchools.net.

Sometimes, I come across a decision so stupid I’m momentarily rendered speechless. Today was one of those days.

Wired has published an article claiming:

The U.S. Army has ordered soldiers to stop posting to blogs or sending personal e-mail messages, without first clearing the content with a superior officer, Wired News has learned. The directive, issued April 19, is the sharpest restriction on troops’ online activities since the start of the Iraq war. And it could mean the end of military blogs, observers say.

Are you kidding me? I hope so. We live in a society where information flow is critical. The Pentagon and the Executive Branch are losing the hearts and minds battle. There is no doubt about that. The uncensored voices of our military personnel via blogs have been one of the few sources of positive, thoughtful information from the ground.

Why? Why would officials effectively choke off the thin trickle of spin free information coming from the war zones? An OPSEC review prior to publishing anything, per the new regulation supposedly now in place, will effectively kill any desire by our troops to publish what’s happening in their daily lives.

The unfathomable arrogance and stupidity of military bureaucrats overwhelms me. A micromanaged war is a war lost. Perhaps Harry Reid was right after all.