Maybe Liberal Guilt

A great op-ed by Charlotte Allen of the Los Angeles Times.
I can not remember the last time I picked up a newspaper. It has been even longer since I have read the opinion section of a newspaper, but seeing it on the internet is much easier. I began reading the article based on the title alone, "Keep Your Self-righteous Fingers Off My Processed Food." How great is that? In this extremely well-written article Allen decries, and rightfully so, a group of authors and critics who think we should be paying more for goods including foodstuffs, furniture, and basically anything at Walmart. One author she points out, Ellen Ruppel Shell, wrote a book entitled "Cheap" where she lays out her liberal guilt in a how-to sort of way. Never mind that America has the highest jobless rate in recent history. What she proposes is plain inconvenient. Isn't that what publishers are for? To hold a book back when the timing is wrong? Shell, your book is not going to change anyone's mind. Masturbate your liberal guilt ego within your own group where someone may care. I also dare to say that some of the thinking behind the ideals laid out by Ellen Shell and others like her is rather socialist. Damn it, Joseph McCarthy was about 60 years too early. He would be shooting red fish in a freaking barrel in today's America. And "Keep Your Self-righteous Fingers Off My Processed Food."

Obama Praises Islam-Not a Big Deal

A sitting president praising Islam is the kind of thing that gets right wing extremists' panties in a bunch- and how! President Obama has done just that during a dinner on Tuesday to celebrate the Islamic holy month of Ramadan (which always makes me think of Ramada Inn.) The part of this story from Foxnews.com that surprised me is that we currently have 2 Islamic congressmen. Wow. Soak that in for a minute. I can see so many people overreacting to our president saying anything positive about Islam when, let's all be honest, we are basically in a war with what we understand people who follow that religion's ideals to be, even though that's not necessarily how every muslim feels. I'm speaking of perceptions here. It may come off as our president stabbing us in the back a little. President Obama saying that also may add credence to some people's suspicions that he is a "closet muslim." What he said about Islam does nothing of the sort for me. Let me summarize what the president said. 1. Muslims contribute to American society. 2. Islam is a great religion and has a commitment toward justice and progress. 3. American is not at war with Islam. That's just from the quotes pieced together in the Foxnews.com story, but I can't say I vehemently disagree with any of those statements. There are muslim people in America who pay taxes, teach, are doctors, and do other things that fit into the definition of contributing to society. Many people follow Islam, so in that sense it's pretty great. I don't follow that religion, but the extremism inside of Islam is just that-extremism (that's why we call it extremism- because most muslims do have a commitment to justice and progress.) And America is not at war with Islam. Some people assume we are. We have Islamic countries as allies and many who we are on diplomatic good speaking terms. Isn't that where people lashed out at former President Bush? I heard cries of more diplomacy often, and when President Obama tries to bridge a gap Foxnews wants to jump on him to fan flames of rumor. Fox News is pitiful in moments like this, and I am no fan of our current president. At least they have enough balance to point out that President Bush held these types of get-togethers for Ramadan, called iftars, during his time in office.

Sarcasm: This Ad Changed My Mind

"Hey, this ad will raise a few eyebrows." "I think the shock value alone will really get the message across."
Shocking the consumer public is not the most important thing in life. The worst part of this advertisement is that it is for the World Wildlife Fund. No amount of advertising is going to make me stop and think, much less change my mind about your organization, especially and advertisement in such poor taste. No one gives a crap if you guys invent 5-D or flying fucking cars. You're the World Wildlife Fund. We don't care. You don't even need ads to make the people care about you. They do that already based solely on your name and their misplaced sense of ecological hierarchy.

Cyclists: The Scourge of Our Roads

Like most Americans, I got my driver's license when I was 16. I had my learner's permit a year before that. That being the case I lost total interest in riding a bicycle when I was 14 and a half. I understand this is not the case for many Americans. Look at Lance Armstrong and how we halfheartedly lift him up as a sports hero. We glance over the fact that he has one nut. No one has the balls to make fun of him because he is a cancer survivor, and has gone to France many times to remind the Frenchies we can kick their ass at just about anything. That's admirable, so I'm not going to make fun of him either, but I will say I don't celebrate him nearly as much as I would because he has generated more interest in adult cycling. Why do I see this as a problem? It is a problem because I gave it up as soon as I was legally allowed to begin driving. I learned the proper context for roads in America. We don't have miles of paved roads for bike jumps, stickball, and playing basketball on. We have roads so motor vehicles can move around efficiently. Cyclists seem to like to use Saturday and Sunday morning for their group rides, and I sometimes use Saturday and Sunday mornings to drive places. Therein lies the conflict. They must know where they are in the road. The only thing they have to look at is the road in front of them so they must see how far over in the lane they are. They are mostly of legal driving age so they must know at some point this road made for cars may be occupied by cars and that they may be in the way of progress by riding their bike as if they own the road. You want to exercise- great! Ride a stationary bike or ride somewhere besides a road. They make mountain biking trails also. Here's who I say can ride bikes in the road: Tour de France or other significant road race where a detour route has been setup for cars to use, a road that has a huge bike lane, kids more than 6 months away from getting their learner's permit, people who can't afford a car but take up as little road as possible, people with a suspended or revoked license. That is all.

At Least Someone's Making Money

Wait, you say the Federal Reserve made money off of the bailouts, buying mortgage-backed securities, and the other clearance items they facilitated the sale of over the past two years, do you Financial Times via Reuters? File that in the obvious folder and move on. Why else would they have let Lehman Brothers fail or forced the sale of Bear Stearns except that it was in the bank's own self-interest. The Federal Reserve is a private bank. There is nothing federal about it except they print our money and the president appoints the chairman to their term. The Fed doesn't necessarily have any government accountability. People such as Ron Paul are trying their best to change that fact, but as of now the Fed is its own entity operating to make themselves a lot of money. They are doing a damn good job of it too. The headline in the story says $14 billion, but in the story it says they also made another $19 billion in interest on all of the loans to different companies over that two-year period. That sounds like a bank to me.

The Nonpopulist's Browsings of the Day

I don't guess you're racist unless you get caught. Well, let's just ask Microsoft. [From the blog Today @ PC World]

One of my top 2 favorite authors kitsch'ed into modern day motivational posters. It's not totally horrible, just a bit cheapening. They are still worth checking out. [The Art of Manliness]

Web comic. Short, funny, in other words the setup equals the payoff. A great comic taught me that back in... ramble... ramble... [Bots Can't See Captchas]

A different perspective on two short points in the new health care bill. I tend to agree with this guy that doctors and nurses should be forced to kill babies against their will. [BaumansBlog]

This website is great. [This Is Photobomb]

Work of 'Journalism' States 2/3 of Americans Will Get Swine Flu Vaccination

YEEAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!

I have held the contention for many years that polls conducted by the media or any group that chooses a micro percentage of a population and from those results extrapolates a macro projection are not scientific. My theory holds for political polls as well as any other such as this one being conducted attempting to learn how many Americans will get a vaccination for swine flu if/when it becomes available. 60% is a high number in my opinion. Every year I hear about how the regular flu vaccine that gets circulated ends up being the wrong strain. What freaking good does that do? I had my first and last flu shot when I was in high school. After the shot made my arm sore for a month during basketball season, and after I still got sick anyway I realized how pointless it was. I also don't put it past the government to be involved in some how influencing or suggesting what they would like the results to be so that people will see a large number of other Americans are getting the vaccine so they might as well also. Influencing mob mentality is an art and a science, yet it seems so easy to execute on the American people. Excuse me for having tin foil on my head, but you all can have your damn flu shots. I'll get ready in other ways for a pandemic- buying more ammo and trying to be as self-sufficient as possible.

Glenn Beck Is a Tool

Glenn Beck calling Obama a racist in a recent television appearance has led to a parade of sponsors dropping their endorsement of his Fox News Channel program. I've tried to watch his show a few times at the behest of friends and have been completely unimpressed. The guy's a tool. I don't care about his politics because of how much of a smug bastard he is. He is like Rachel Maddow, but male. They are both close to unbearable in their deliveries and personas. In this article from the Associated Press, the author details how a political activist group has contacted the various companies who have had their ads run during the Glenn Beck program either by choice or by chance and have gotten many sponsors to contact Fox News to get their ads off of Beck's program. Translation: Let's all go through the motions until he apologizes. Don't get it twisted. Glenn Beck opened his mouth and stupid came out, but the "fallout" is what is funny to me. These people still don't realize we don't watch commercials anymore. DVR is the most important invention since the internet, and if I had a problem with something someone said on TV (keeping in mind that I am unoffendable because I don't feel weak emotions such as offense) I wouldn't watch the commercials and boycott everyone who advertises on the program. What if they are places I like? I'm not choosing personal beliefs over Buffalo Wild Wings or Walmart. Get real. Calling anyone a racist is just opening a can of worms that doesn't help anyone. I don't mind someone being inflammatory, but I prefer if it has a base in reality that can be proven empirically.

Speak on It

Check out the guy in this video.

You have to watch the whole video. I know it's long.

Now reaction: So many emotions. That is Pastor James David Manning, PHD of ATLAH Worldwide Ministries.

Yeh, I'm white. BFD. I think that I speak for all of the mad white people he is referring to when I say you are welcome with open arms, my brother. The situation this man is so passionate about is not a white or black thing, though. His diatribe proves it. Black, white, hispanic, asian, all Americans are tired of how this country's leaders are being poor stewards of what we have entrusted to them by electing them. We all do need to rise up and take this country back (whatever that means.) With that said, he uses some terms in the video which I don't really feel I have a place in repeating, but are funny as crap. He also asserts that Obama is not a citizen and the high-level people in Washington all know it. I can't make that claim because I don't have any proof, but he sure does assert it and emphatically. Wow, I'm watching the video as I am typing this and he is now saying Obama had a gay love affair. Wow, this guy has got balls. His church is in New York. **Note to self: Places to visit if I ever go to New York.**

Ain't no riot like a white person riot because a white person riot don't quit. I borrowed that from a song.

Modern-Day Nonpopulism at Its Finest

Alex Jones is cut from a different cloth. He is passionate about his opinions, and I like that. Here's a taste:

I have watched several of his documentaries and some of the YouTube videos from his radio program, and at the very least he is a compelling individual. He definitely follows his own ideals, has his own opinions, and is not owned by anyone. He is, in many ways, what a nonpopulist should stand for. Some of his ideas and theories are hard to swallow and need scrutiny, but I end up agreeing with a good portion of what he says. No one is perfect, after all. There is a movie that was done by IFC called "New World Order" that has already aired, apparently (I only recently got IFC) and is coming out on DVD in October 2009. I will pick it up for sure. Here's another video. This man is in his element with a bullhorn and an audience.

Nonpopulist's Browsings of the Day

A few cool links I have found or been sent recently. If you find something cool and would like to share it email nonpopulist@gmail.com.

This guy is so bad he kicks his own ass twice a day, and it's not the hamburger pimp- http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=591_1250131811. Crazy video.

A scary legal precedent has now been set for all bloggers. Skank vs. that guy. (The Times Online)

Cool lightning pictures from Clearwater, FL. I use to live near Clearwater and go to the beach there sometimes. Living about an hour away the sheer volume of lightning (multiple strikes every day) solidifies it as the lightning capital of the world.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/photo/2009/08/kaboom-lightning-over-clearwater-beach.html

Oliver Stone is doing something. I bet it will be liberally slanted with a tip-of-the-hat consideration to the right wing.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/oliver-stone-and-showtime-partner-for-the-secret-h,31872/?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=feeds&utm_source=avclub_rss_daily

Explain to me how good TV still gets on the air. Only through the magic of premium cable. Here's a preview of the third season of Californication. I enjoy this show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfxF6UkoX-g

The top 100 tracks of the 2000's. There's a top 500 list, but who has time? Of this top 100 I like

about 10.

http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7691-the-top-500-tracks-of-the-2000s-100-51/1/