Welcome back

Well, the holidays are over and I'm back to work, as I'm sure the rest of you are.  I enjoyed my holiday in Kentucky, where my wife lives (don't ask, it's a long story.  This time next year we will be living in the same state).  It is a really beautiful place with so much history and I LOVE history.

It's about a twelve hour drive across Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and finally the Louisville metro area, so I drove and listened to podcasts.  Specifically the humanist hour, the American atheist, and the Joe Rogan experience (side note; listen to this dude.  He's very intelligent and well-reasoned).  I also spent a lot of time thinking.

My path all the way to St. Louis was pretty much paralleling, and occasionally intersecting with, U.S. Route 66.  It made me think about those times past when Rt. 66 was the mother road of lore.  How things have changed. It made me ponder just how different the world will be for my kids than it was for me.  I came up with this list:

1. Technology- Big shocker here.  "He mentioned technology..what a fresh take."  Yeah, yeah, I get it but it's so true.  The big technological advances of my days put video games in our hands, but it was the "Coleco Bowl".  Just a bunch of red dashes that moved.  AND I WAS THRILLED BY IT!!  My kids have Ipod's, and Nintendo DS's.  Sometimes I bring my Nook and they can play games on that or (heaven forbid) read.  Failing that I have an in-car DVD and they can watch what they want all the way to wherever we go.  And to think; I remember it being so cool to have a freaking Walkman so I didn't have to listen to dear old dads' favorite radio station; K-OLD!
2. Safety- this is a big one.  Just think of all the advances in safety there are today; 3-D surround sound airbags, crumple zones in cars, and such highly advanced child safety seats (my youngest daughter's has reading lights)!  My kids will never know what it was like to ride in the comfort that was my dad's 78 Chevy conversion van.  Powder blue with a dark blue stripe on it.  It had two swiveling chairs in the middle and a big ol' fold down bed in back.  There was even a table with drink holders in it.  We drove across the country in that thing, and I don't think anything behind the "captain's" chair had anything resembling a restraint device.  My brother and I logged many a mile racked out on that fold down bed.  Sure, the occasional bump in the road made us lose contact with the mattress, but I don't think we ever hit our heads on that roof.
3. Speed- I'm still old enough to remember when the nation wide speed limit was 55 MPH.  I believe that was imposed at the behest of Jimmy Carter.  Sure, state's didn't have to adopt it, but it sure made it easier to get any kind of federal highway funding.  I'm a believer in climate change, and conservation, which I'm sure was the intention of this law.  I happen to like President Carter and the things he has done in his retirement.  This was a bad one and rightfully changed. As far as the safety argument goes, I get it and it's a valid point.  But we can't out-legislate stupidity.  Cars and roads are so much safer than they were in the 70's and 80's.  During my trip I found the most frustration driving through Illinois with it's 65MPH speed.  This one may come back, but I hope my kids never get to see it.
4. Cell Phones- yeah, I know...could have covered this under "technology" but I think it deserves a mention all it's own.  My daughter's will never remember a world in which texting did not exist.  They will barely remember a world in which the Internet was not reachable via your phone.  It is truly amazing to think about.  You are able to stay in touch with loved ones while you are barrelling down the road, no need to stop and find a pay phone.  You can find out about an historical landmark you just passed, or who a section of highway was named after.  I used mine to find an obscure street in Mt. Vernon, KY and it took me right to it!

I don't want to be to coy or trite about it all, but we truly do live in amazing times.  I know more about Canada now because I watch the Rick Mercer Report from the CBC on YouTube.  I found out about some really cool Australian bands, that get no radio play here, from chatting with people from Oz on the Internet.  Everyone's on it and you can find almost anything or anyone all from the comfort of wherever your mobile phone happens to be.

And BTW: Just found out today about the death of my former uncle "Rapid" Robert Seifert.  He was married to my mom's sister and lived in Joppa, MD.  I hadn't heard anything from Bob, except through the grapevine, in probably 30 years.  He and my aunt divorced some 20 plus years ago.  Still I always had a fondness for him.  He raced funny cars and to 10-year old me, that was the coolest thing in the world. I still remember him giving me several 8X10 publicity photos for him and other racers in Maryland.  I'm sure he's not in any record books, he was no John Force by any stretch, but I was still a little sad to hear of his passing.  RIP Rapid Robert.

Great moments in Christian Persecution (he said sarcastically)

Well, it's happened again.  Yet another monument to the christian god was raised at the Oklahoma State Capitol.  I searched and couldn't find a listing for the number of states which have such an endorsement of religion on property owned by all of the people.

Here's the thing...I believe man can and does find morality absent religion.  It's called humanity.  Its equity, fairness, and it's present within all of us.  I don't require a set of rules based on the writings of some men from  centuries ago.  This country was founded on the basis of religious freedom, that includes freedom from that religion.  I don't like to be in anyone's face about this, but it's silly to argue this doesn't endorse christianity over other faiths....and quite frankly a thinly disguised non-truth (AKA; a LIE).

The secret hope of fundamentalists is that the words of god written on that tablet will in some way open the heart of at least one non-believer and bring them into a life with christ.  That's pure and simple and the truth.  It is a method to proselytize and not a means of "honoring our heritage" or some such drivel.

The people in support of this are some of the same people who couldn't back Mitt Romney early on because he was Mormon.  The deem Mormonism a cult, and rightly so, but so is your faith.  Joseph Smith finding some rocks that he could read with some magic glasses is no more ridiculous than a burning bush talking to a man in the desert.

The people in support of this are the same people who passed the law specifically forbidding Oklahoma judges from considering sharia law in any of their rulings (which by the way had never happened before). The same who would give much hew and cry would an Islamic group want a monument to Mohamed or a Buddhist group a statue of a big fat guy.  In other words; intolerant, religious bigots!!

Why is it only intolerance and persecution when someone opposes a christian idea?  Why is anything to do with ANY other religion an attack on "traditional judeo christian values?  Hypocrites, one and all.

In reason,

Sugarpooh.

And BTW:
A funny side note to this story.  Possibly showing yet another christian prejudice; that towards traditional learning in evil public schools who teach, among other things; spelling, grammar, and (gasp) science

A-hole of the week November 11-17, 2012

Welcome, faithful readers to the semi-non-regular post naming the biggest a-hole of the week.  We will be scouring the world to find the man or woman who most closely resembles the behavior of a walking sphincter with ears.

In our inaugural edition we head to our country's most northeastern state.  The home of the lobster roll and Hawkeye Pierce; it's the pine tree state, beautiful Maine and the deluded mind of GOP chairman Charlie Webster.  From the Bangor Daily News:

Do what??? Wowza! later in the interview he went on to say "None of these locations in Maine are known for their fried chicken or watermelon.  Well, maybe watermelon but that is totally out of season right now!  What would all those people eat?" I may or may not have made that last part up.  Who can be sure? I wasn't there and neither were you.  And would it be that shocking if he did?

I'm from Oklahoma...I don't really know where we stand as far as locale designation. We can't be called the south, certainly not the midwest..but can anything east of the rockies qualify as the west?  I don't know but I do know this; this is one bigoted and racist place.  We still see the appearance of the confederate flag now and then by those showing "pride in their heritage".  But seeing something like this from the liberal (i.e. communist) New England area kinda made me do a double take.

He actually DID go on to invoke the white guilt tri-fecta; "I'm not a racist, I know a lot of black people.  I even play basketball with a black guy."  Now that's not a direct quote, but it was some variant of that.  Really.  I am not making that up.  And in this day and age.  And from a man in such a position as his. Any wonder the republicans are losing ground with any group with skin-tone?

And BTW:
This was a tight race this week with misogynist Pat Robertson weighing in on that innocent CIA director being tempted by that harlot of a biographer of his and Mitt Romney still making excuses for why those stupidhead unwashed masses didn't pick him.  Both gave commendable efforts and I will name them both runners-up.

In reason,

Sugarpooh

Who knew?

I'm pretty new at this blogging stuff and don't quite get how it works.  So the other day I was at work and decided to enter "bible dumper" in my Bing search.  Now obviously this brand new blog didn't show up but this definition from the urban dictionary did. Someone who uses the bible or god as an excuse for ending a relationship.  "I didn't break up with Julie because I found someone prettier, I prayed about it and god spoke to me and told me I should date Jane."

I chuckled upon reading that.  Here I was trying to describe myself as being someone who has dumped the bible as a blueprint for my life, and there was already a description of this phrase that involved christians doing mean things.  It made me think about how christians use that excuse that can neither be proven nor disproven; "It's god's will." 

Christians LOVE this caveat.  It makes every thing they do okay and everything that happens (good or bad) not their fault.  Why did that woman get raped?  Why do all these children starve? Why does Adrian Peterson have the ability to run so fast?  Why do good things happen to bad people?  We can never know, but god has a plan.  What a bullshit, cop out!  It leaves no one accountable for anything! 

An embarrassing confession; I sometimes watch the Real Housewives franchise on Bravo.  Don't ask me why, because I don't know.  It makes my wife happy and gives us something to talk about. The people on that show are truly ridiculous!  My favorite of all the Housewives is probably the Orange County variant. One of the couples, Jim and Alexis, are truly ridiculous and phony christians.  He's a misogynist (like any good fundamentalist), she's a bimbo with ambitions to work as TV news personality.

There was one episode where he wanted her to stay at home with the kids.  She wanted to go forward with her "career" and take lessons.  They had both prayed about it, and lo and behold; god told Alexis what she wanted to hear and Jim what he wanted! What does that tell you about that "still, small voice"?  It's in your head! Not your heart.  Who was god lying to?  Oh, well...it must be god's will to leave that issue unresolved.

And BTW: All the uproar over this shirtless FBI agent is just a bit ridiculous.  It's just another example of how BOTH sides just look for ways to foment outrage against the other.  Who doesn't look at this and see the obvious joke?



Ahhh...American politics...gotta love it!

Huckabee on the Daily Show

Former Arkansas governor, and 2008 GOP hopeful, Mike Huckabee was on The Daily Show on Monday the 12th.  Now before I made this transformation into a bible denying, "vote Obama", I heart socialism, loser that I am today; I thought I could vote for Mike.

The year was 2008.  I had just voted for whatever Libertarian candidate that party had fielded (I vote in Oklahoma...vote Republican or your vote doesn't really matter).  I was a republican but I couldn't get behind McCain/Palin (Sarah Palin?  Really?), and didn't feel the GOP ticket really spoke for me, so in a fit of moral activism I voted Libertarian, knowing full well the futility of that act.  Then I heard Huckabee speaking post election.  I hadn't really paid attention to him up until then.

He sounded like a reasonable candidate.  Someone I disagreed with in some respects, but not enough to make me vote Libertarian or god forbid Democrat.  He seemed to endorse government for all, not just those who believed the way he did.  Election 2012, and super PACs, changed that.

During The Daily Show they played a commercial Huckabee did during the campaign.  He makes some semi-vague religious references, the point being "You know who God would vote for...and it ain't the colored fella."  At the end he has the balls to say something like, "cast a vote that will stand the test of fire."

Now; I'm no conspiracy theorist (which is what most conspiracy theorists say right before they tell you their conspiracy), but am the only one who agrees with Jon Stewart?  The implication is; vote Romney/Ryan, or face hell.  Now to his credit Huckabee tries to explain he was referring to a bible verse about "purifying with fire" or some such bull shit.  I think that ad was a clearly targeted campaign to subtly, or not so subtly, imply god is on the GOP side and/or "a vote for Obama equals a vote for satan."

Sure, you can say..."unh uh sugarpooh...thats a well known bible verse and you're just persecuting us because of our faith," (news flash, you're white, you're christian, and you live in America...you have not tasted persecution for your faith).  But I'll submit this: Americans as a majority are pretty uninformed.  About world events, about science, and yes..about the bible.

I know I was.  You went to church and for the most part you are told, "this is what the bible says about that."  And that becomes your answer..no one really bothers to check the context, the authors, the history of the time in which some of these words were written. They just take at face value what their pastor has told them the bible says and what it means.

Now I say all of that to say this; they had to have known that VERY FEW people watching a nation-wide commercial like that would say to themselves, "Ohhhh...like that bible verse.  I get it."  No.  I believe that was PURELY intended to say what I mentioned above, Obama = Satan.  Of course they have that plausible deniability based on that verse, "what? Oh no no no....you silly little liberal man.  You obviously don't read your bible that much if that's what you thought we meant."

Let's face it....both sides are guilty of that kind of game.  That's why our system sucks sooooo badly.  Shit like that works!  And if you call them out on it, they have a convenient excuse as to what the ad should have been taken as, if only you weren't so close-minded to understand. Then somebody like Jon Stewart calls bullshit on that, and he's a liberal who doesn't believe in their right to religious freedom or speech...And the vicious cycle continues.

Anyway, I respect Mike Huckabee for having the courage to go on a show like the Daily Show and face a guy as sharp as Stewart.  But I just can't believe I thought only four short years ago, "I could vote for that guy!"

And BTW: if you are from Oklahoma and looking for a good read about politics and whatnot in the Sooner State check out The Lost Ogle.  It's kinda like the Daily Show.  Only in a blog.  And almost exclusively about Oklahoma.  If you are a TOSH.0 fan The Lost Ogle is who first brought us Oklahoma City's own Sweet Brown.  It can be entertaining even for those not from Oklahoma.

In Reason,

Sugarpooh

Have you seen this???

Been having a Breaking Bad-athon on Netflix the past couple of days.  I was slow coming to this show. I've lived in the dark ages up until this year with no DVR and no Netflix.  It was usually on past my bedtime or against something else I'd rather watch. If you haven't watched this show, you really should.  Put aside your prejudice about the subject matter, which admittedly made me a bit uncomfortable, and watch this!

Brian Cranston is unbelievable in his role!!!  His character just seamlessly goes from evil, murdering, meth cook to an average guy.  I wonder if Walter White has some shades of Walter Mitty, he can seem so meek.

And to see it all in the way I've seen, season after season, it is so great.  To watch the stories and the characters evolve.  And Aaron Paul...I never thought I would cheer for a drug dealer.  It's just so weird to find myself being repulsed in one scene and next scene hoping the battery to the RV will start so they don't die.

Really I just can't praise the writers and actors on this show enough.  Well done!  And quite addictive.  I'm in the middle of season 4 and really looking forward to what is to come.


And BTW: Big things are happening in College Station, TX.  I am a die-hard fan of the Texas A&M aggies and I am elated at how they are doing in the big, bad SEC.  When they made this move last season I was soooo despondent! I didn't figure they would crawl out of their decade long hole for some time.  Even this season I have been less than pleased watching them give away some important leads in the second half.  But to see what they did on Saturday against the NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE NATION! One of the greatest things I've ever seen!

At any rate; Farmer's Fight!!

How'd I do?

So as I have said I am a police officer working as a patrol sergeant, have been for just about 20 years.  During that time I have worked nearly every single weekend and probably 90% of all holidays.  Sure I got the occassional christmas or Thanksgiving off, but all of those three day weekends that  everyone else got never meant anything to me.  Well lo and behold here I am on a 3 day weekend!

Growing up I spent a lot of time in southeastern Oklahoma, particulary Coalgate.  Most of my family is either dead or moved away from the area.  Yesterday I took the day and drove to Ada, Coalgate, and finally sulphur.  The part of Oklahoma I live in is rather featureless, but the whole state is not like that.  Particularly the eastern part of the state.  So I took some time and stopped for some photos.

I'm trying to become a better photographer.  I use that term loosely.  I only have a a little Kodak pocket camera.  I'm going to post a few photos to share with you.  I hope you enjoy.

and BTW: I would like to hear anyone with any experience comment on the composition of any or all of these.  I'm trying to learn to use Picassa, but having a tough go of it.  Would something look better in B&W or sepia or anything?  Please mention in the comments and thanks!

Remembrance

Today is, in my opinion, one of the most important and least mentioned holidays in the USA; Veteran's Day. We should be especially mindful of honoring our veterans considering how many of them are currently in harm's way in Afghanistan.

To any veteran who stumbles upon this blog I say thank you.  I won't call you a hero, because I know your likely feelings on that matter.  I'll say this though; be proud!  Whether you served where the bullets were flying and shells were falling. Whether you flew a sleek and sexy fighter jet or a lumbering C130 carrying essential goods to our troops. Cooking, payroll, on a ship, on land...wherever or whatever you may have done; you have played an important role in the history of this country and this world. Know this; you served an eternally grateful nation.

I want to also confess.  I have been one of those ugly Americans in the past who didn't recognize the service and sacrifice of what I saw as "lesser" country than the good ol' US of A.  I speak specifically to the veterans of the Canadian Forces.  I have become enlightened as to the commitment of all Canadians to the security of our hemisphere and quite frankly my country.  You have been and are an integral partner with the USA and our shared security.  To all of you; my apologies for being so arrogant and most sincere gratefulness.  Thank you for your service to your country and to our world.  Happy Remembrance Day.

And BTW: This "fiscal cliff" we found ourselves poised on the precipice of..let's fix it congress!  Let this day steel your resolve to protect our veterans.  None of the benefits we give these brave men and women should be in jeopardy for political gain, and I'm looking at you Mitch McConnel.

The Next Left Wing Conspiracy to Steal the Election

Prediction time! One of the great refrains heard on Fox News is that of a vast conspiracy by the liberal media.  It is alleged that media has an inherent liberal bias and pay no heed to stories that would do harm to their agenda to take down "traditional America".  I must say, I do not see and have not seen such bias in the "mainstream" media.  If any bias is shown I think it is shown in editing themselves based on what stories, or angles for stories, serve best in protecting advertising dollars.

Watch for this one: The liberal media sat on the story of David Petraeus and his extramarital affair in order to preserve victory for Barack Obama. I feel certain someone, be it FNC, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity...someone has to think this was covered up until after victory was secured.  Facts matter little to these "news" organizations, presenters, or commenters who I have mentioned so I'm sure they will manufacture their own to merge with their opinion.

I will not defend General Petraeus.  In his position to be caught in such an affair is an affront to national security.  To have the head of the CIA captured in such a situation is to expose him to any number of chances for blackmail (silence in trade for secrets) or just general embarassment of the intelligence community.  On the other hand; I will not judge.  General Petraeus is but man...and subject to all the weaknesses that accompany that title.

And BTW: please feel free to comment, but please keep it civil and intelligent. Don't be an internet hero who feels in this forum you can be an a-hole without fear of being called to task.  Read often and agree or disagree. I won't always be as politically vitriolic or speaking out against religion.  I intend to post more lighthearted stuff.  Even pictures!  Good day to all.

Murderers and the death penalty

Jared Loughner was sentenced today to life in prison.  Loughner shot and killed 6 people and wounded 13 others.  Including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and U.S. District Court Judge John Roll.  Not to mention a 9 year old girl.

I remember this tragedy well.  I am a police officer for 20 years and I have often payed attention to this kind of stuff from a professional standpoint.  I was shocked at the depravity of such extreme behavior, and believe me when I say to you; extremism in any shape or form is the problem.  Not Democrat or Republican.

I remember having a conversation with a friend/co-worker about the Gifford's shooting.  This was before my transformation to liberal heathen was complete.  My friend, who was and is a conservative republican, said to me, referring to John Roll, "I guess that's one less liberal activist judge that will be legislating from the bench."

That statement took my breath away. Now don't get me wrong, I know for certain this officer would have acted the way a police officer should had he been there that terrible day in Arizona.  But this was shocking to me that a human can possibly think that way, if only for a moment.  Read John Roll's profile and you will see he was appointed by George H.W. Bush in 1991.  He was no liberal activist.  But put aside for a moment how you feel about politics.  Wouldn't a human reaction be one of grief or sadness for those victims; "Oh my god what a tragedy.  What kind of asshole would indiscriminately shoot and kill so many people?"

The lack of humanity in that statement helped to bring me to think the way I think today.  It made me remember christians and their reactions to abortion clinic snipers.  I have actually heard christians say something to the effect of "they had it coming" upon hearing of some poor innocent doctor just making a living, saving women's lives, and doing it all legally and legitimately. How sad the "religion of peace" would give a lukewarm condemnation for such a horrible act.  Sure, disagree with his stance on abortion, but murder of anyone is murder.  It doesn't matter how they made their living.

This is America.  The land of the free. And people here are allowed to perform abortions, allowed to be Democrats.  They are allowed to disagree with you and you with them!

And BTW: can the NHL and NHLPA please just get along?  I have only recently started a new assignment at work that allows me weekends off and I was SOOOO looking forward to the winter classic, which I understand is in jeopardy.

So glad to see America speak clearly on election night.  I was worried, I'll admit, but it seems the best man available (not THE best) pulled it out.  I'm happy, considering the alternative, to call Barack Obama my president for the next four years.  I am not hopeful things will change in Washington as far as the way they do business, but hopefully we can move

I hope to see taxes going down on me, squarely in the middle class, and to see health care moving forward.  I think the economy is going to turn, especially if republicans will back off of their strategy of only making the president fail.  

And BTW: If I could wave a magic wand over our government I think it would be to change the face of our government's committees involving science and technology.  Todd Akin is gone, which makes me question my doubts about god's existence.  But we still have house science and technology member; Georgia congressman Paul Broun. How much damage does it do to our economy to raise our children in a society that questions scientific fact?  No wonder we fall behind in the world with our educational system infected with this kind of nonsense.  I leave you with the words of Bill Nye the Science Guy

Howdy yall

I'm no bleeding heart..but I have become a liberal.  I used to think that a dirty word...a slur against someone.  You see; I was once a conservative christian republican.  Now I never really got into the tea party stuff. That came about during the time I was starting to re-think things.

I used to be Southern Baptist (SB), and let me tell you; I am ashamed to say I ever thought that way.  I was one of those who actually believed homosexuals posed a threat to American society, to our status as "greatest nation in the world.  I believed, as SB's do, that a person would chose to live a life of unreal persecution and hatred.  They always preached to me "love god, hate sin", but I never really saw that in action.

I once believed Islam, Mormonism, Jehovah's witnesses, and even Judaism were all evil cults that had the most outrageous stories for how there religion came about or what they had to look forward to in the afterlife.  I now realize; Joseph Smith finding golden tablets in New York, Mohamed flying on a horse to Mecca, or the Maccabees's having oil for the whole of Hanukkah, all of that..ALL of it is no less ridiculous than a burning bush or an ark holding EVERY living thing.

Today I am fed, full up with the hypocrisy that is embodied in nearly every right-wing, conservative, fundamentalist Christian.  I've had it. This is America and we should be allowed to do what we want to ourselves; in spite of what the bible says.  This country was not founded on the bible....it was founded on the desire to be free of tyranny.  Christians today would have us replace the tyranny of King George with that of the King of Kings, all because THEY believe him to be real and his "word" to be how we all should live.

I disagree with that.  Am I pro-abortion? No.  I am in favor of a woman making her own decision, not a bunch of men sitting in a position of power.  I am in favor of a person choosing to love who they wish in spite of whether or not it offends you. "Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right."

That's a basic synopsis of who I am.  If you read this and are offended, please go somewhere else.  I don't want to hear your testimony.  I have accepted Jesus Christ as my lord and saviour, and if you believe the bible he will never leave me nor forsake me, so I don't need your prayer and I don't want to hear you tell me the devil has blinded me with science (cue the Thomas Dolby song).  I'm just looking for a place to express myself.  I don't mind disagreement or correction, I just don't need your proselytizing to me.