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Thursday, March 31, 2005

Passed On

Terri Schindler left her body less than an hour ago. She has now gone to a far better place than she has ever been, or so I believe. Though I agreed with the LEGALITY of what took place, I in no way relish her death.

My heart hurts for her family and those who love her, it has since the story broke first. I hope that some day they can reach a sense of resolution, of closure. But I know it will be a while.

But from my best understanding of all the medical evidence here, she did not suffer in anyway. She went to God softly.

And tonight, regardless of what's happened over the last 15 years, she'll be eating at the biggest table she's ever seen

Report From The AP On Terri's Passing


Rest In Peace

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Re: A Recent Comment

She shouldn't starve to death. Nor thirst. That's that. We give death row next-in-line's a going away meal. I'm through trying to listen to people reason this tragedy. There is no validity in any of these decisions to kill her. They are brought about by liberal idiots who have no souls. I hope the radical death-lovers who made this happen are plagued with sadistic nightmares that drive them to suicide. Then they can rest with their SS, goosestomping brethren.

Ok, first, this is not a tragedy. Well, I should say it is no more a tragedy than the death of anyone's loved ones.

Removing one's feeding tube is, according to doctors who specialize in geriatrics, hospice, and end of life treatment, is not inhumane.

You say the people who made the "decision to kill her" and "made this happen" are "liberal idiots who have no souls" and "radical death-lover"s. First, the main person who brought this on is Terri herself, as it was her wish not to live in the state she is in. Second, Judge Greer, the main judge involved, is the pastor of a Southern Baptist Church. Hardly what I would call a "liberal idiot with no soul" or a "radical death-lover".

Your statements, though I know they are heartfelt and passionate, are not very helpful to the discourse. Nor do I find them representative of the good Christian folk who are fighting so hard for this woman's life.

Personally, I don't really care what happens. I have no stake in it. I think what has happened so far has been so completely investigated and litigated that it was inevitable.

I guess I'm just saying, you might want to think before you call a Southern Baptist preacher, and other decent folk a bunch of Schutzstaffeln.

Much love regardless. You know I don't mean any of this personally. And I've always got your back.

Leaf River Boys 4 Life

RM

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Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Words To Live By, For The Southern Man (and most other folk too, probably)

These are partial lyrics to a song written by Jason Isbell of Drive By Truckers. The song is based on advice from his dad.

OUTFIT

You want to grow up to paint houses like me, a trailer in my yard till you're 23 You want to be old after 42 years, keep dropping the hammer and grinding the gears

...

Don’t call what your wearing an outfit. Don’t ever say your car is broke. Don’t worry about losing your accent, a Southern Man tells better jokes. Have fun but stay clear of the needle. Call home on your sister’s birthday. Don’t tell them you’re bigger than Jesus, don’t give it away.

...

So don’t try to change who you are boy, and don’t try to be who you ain’t. And don’t let me catch you in Kendale with a bucket of wealthy-man’s paint.

Don’t call what your wearing an outfit. Don’t ever say your car is broke. Don’t sing with a fake British accent. Don’t act like your family’s a joke. Have fun, but stay clear of the needle, call home on your sister’s birthday. Don’t tell them you’re bigger than Jesus, Don’t give it away.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2005

The New Spectator Sport Sweeping The Nation!

NASCAR, America's heretofore most favorite talent-optional televised sport has been supplanted by Who's More Sanctimonious!. It seems to have peaked now with this Schiavo business, as it was going strong before. I think it’s been syndicated on every station. I’m sure you’ve seen it. Jeb Bush is looking pretty good this season, but Tom DeLay has been coming up strong on the last few laps.

Sadly though, many fans actually believe the sincerity of the competitors. The viewers trust that the players actually have compassion and feelings for Mrs. Schiavo.

But hey, ratings are great, so who cares?

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Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Wow

Ok, yeah, there was a court order. Fine, she was trespassing. But handcuffs? Come on.


Yahoo! News Search Results for Lana Jacobs: " St. Francis Catholic worker Lana Jacobs (R) is arrested by Pinellas Park, Florida police officers and is handcuffed by Pinellas Park Sheriff deputies for trespassing. Jacobs tried to take a bottle of water into the Woodside Hospice for Terri Schiavo in Pinellas Park, Florida on March 22, 2005. Schiavo, the brain-damaged woman who resides at the Hospice had her feeding tube removed last Friday, March 18, 2005 by a court order. REUTERS/Rick Fowler
Reuters - Mar 22 11:28 AM"

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Random quote of the day:

America may have some problems, but it’s our home. It’s our team. And if you don’t want to root for your team, you should get the hell out of the stadium.

Go America.

Go Broncos.



-Stan Marsh

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Friday, March 11, 2005

No Catchy Title

I was watching one of the talking head shows tonight and one of the right wing goofs said something I thought was silly. And please, pardon my non specificity in that sentence; all those shows run together.

Anyway, this guy was all pissed that some Republican Congressmen and Senators weren't being supportive, or as supportive as he thought they should be, of all of the President's proposals. I'm sorry, I must have misread the part of the Constitution about the purpose of the Houses of Congress.

Looking over Article I, I can't seem to find the part where it says that Congressmen and Senators must be the lapdogs of their party leaders. Maybe I should read it again.

I choose who for to vote for, as Congressmen and Senators, based on who I believe would do the best job taking care of my district, my state, and my country. I am certain that sometimes their decisions as to what is best for their constituency goes against the partyline. And when it does, I expect my representatives to do what they think is best, regardless of party affiliations. When they do, they earn my respect. When they walk the line for party's sake, they lose my vote.

Have I mentioned that I hate party politics?

RM

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Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Bill's Ire Of The Day

I was listening to O'Reilly tonight, and he had two guests on that had graduated from the Islamic Saudi Academy. He began quoting from one of the current textbooks used at this school. While searching for an adequate quote to confront these young ladies with, he muttered "I'm looking for the most incendiary quote in here." The quote he found said, basically, that Islam is right and that Judaism and Christianity are incorrect (note that it did not suggest that Jews and Christians were evil or bad, just mistaken). This incensed him terribly. He said that it was terrible for a school to teach such things and questioned whether the school should be shut down.

I find it sad that that was the most "incendiary" quote he could find in the textbook used by this school that he called (and tried to paint as) "Al Qaeda High". Pretty lame.

I've attended a Christian school. In that school, and in most other Christian schools I know of, it is taught that Christianity is the only true religion and that all others, including Judaism and Islam are incorrect. I've yet to hear Bill rant about these 'evil, intolerant' Christian schools.

The reality is that almost all religions claim to be the "one true religion" and they tell their followers the same. Think of this what you like, but I believe that we can agree that that fact is hardly incendiary.

RM

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Sunday, March 06, 2005

An Interesting Cartoon From K. Bendib




Taken with a grain of salt my friends, please.

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Was Bush Hypocritical To Lecture Putin On Democracy?


Taken fromThe Information Clearing House.

Bush a hypocrite to lecture Putin

BY ANDREW GREELEY

03/04/05 "Chicago Sun Times" - - Suppose that Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Canada and announced that the United States was retreating from its principles of freedom since the World Trade Center attack. The United States, he might have said, has denied due process of law to some American citizens. It has established a concentration camp in Cuba. It has tortured prisoners, indeed often and in many places. It denies aliens the right to trial by jury -- indeed, it acts like the only ones who have Mr. Jefferson's inalienable rights are American citizens, and not always.

Then he says, while I'm at it, there are a lot of flaws in your democracy. You certainly don't think your Electoral College is democratic, do you? Neither is your Senate, with its disproportionate representation of smaller states. Rhode Island is as big as California? Gimme a break!

And what about your gerrymandered congressional districts (presumably he knows about Elbridge Gerry) which guarantees the re-election of incumbents, especially if they are conservative Republicans? What about Tom DeLay's open theft of Democratic congressional districts in Texas? Is your House of Representatives all that democratic?

And all the capitalist dollars that are poured into your campaigns? And the false attack ads aimed at the character of an opponent? And the endless spinning of the truth so that it no longer means anything? Would Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Madison approve of that?

How dare, he might conclude, the American pot call the Russian Samovar black?

It is not my intention to say that Russia is more democratic than the United States. Patently it is not. Nor do I propose to argue that American democracy is far from perfect. Patently it is far from perfect. Rather, I am suggesting that for President Bush to come to the edge of Russia (Slovakia) and preach about democracy to Putin is rude, crude and undiplomatic. It is an insult to Putin and to Russia and to the Russian people.

It is also hypocrisy.

Putin seems by all accounts to be popular with his people. He is the strong leader that Russians have always wanted, most recently after the drunken confusion of Boris Yeltsin. The Russians show little inclination to imitate their neighbors in Ukraine. The Gulag is over, the rule of law is aborning. Russia has a long way to go, but it is struggling, however imperfectly, with the development of its own brand of democracy -- and without much of an internal historical model to imitate.

Did Bush lecture the Germans and the French about their treatment of Muslims? Did he lecture the English about their continued failures in Northern Ireland? Hardly. He understood--or the people around him did--that it was inappropriate for him to intervene in the domestic problems of other countries. What made him think it was appropriate to lecture Russia like it was a spoiled and obstreperous schoolchild about its failings?

Did he expect Putin to accept his insult and promise to do better? Did he think that the Russian people would say that it was time for the Russian leadership to shape up in response to the criticism of an American president? What good would come of his criticism? Why did he bother to make such a big deal out of it?

The answer is that his conservative base expected, indeed demanded that he criticize Putin. Probably Karl Rove, his gray eminence, insisted that he do it. Conservative Republicans don't really believe that Russia has changed. They're waiting for Russia to renew the Cold War. They expect a Republican president to be ''tough'' with the Russians. Russians are still the bad guys, and Bush should ''crack down'' on them. For Bush, lecturing Putin on the failures of Russian democracy is a no-lose situation. He doesn't lose any votes in Russia and solidifies some votes in the United States. He enhances his cowboy image in Europe, but what's wrong with that?

Why not be rude and crude and patronizing? Why not act like an evangelical minister preaching to South American heathens? Why not act like the campus evangelist who tells Catholics that they are not Christian? Why not act like a Catholic bishop refusing the sacraments to a political candidate?

Copyright 2005, Digital Chicago Inc.


Yeah, I believe Mr. Greeley has some excellent points here.

"When WE curb freedoms, it's good, but when you do it, don't misunderestimate my sincerify here ok? When you curb freedoms, it makes you a evul doer."

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Relevant Stolen Phrase For The Day

Goth Kid:

"If you want to be one of the non-conformists, all you have to do is dress just like us and listen to the same music we do."

Conformo kid:

"Ok."

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Saturday, March 05, 2005

NJ Teacher Looses Mind, Media, Pundits, School Blame The Students

This whole incident really pisses me off. The following is excerpted from http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/wabc_030105_classroomoutburst.html. Because I'm to lazy to sum up the story myself, that's why. The video of the incident can be found at the above link as well.

Here goes:

Voice of Stuart Mantel, teacher: "I don't wanna hear a sound! Not a sound!"

Students at Brick Township High School secretly recorded a video in their third period electronics class. The teacher, Stuart Mantel, was yelling at the students to stop fooling around during the nation anthem. But Mantel's angry tirade didn't end there. When one student refused to stand up for the national anthem, Mantel yanks the chair out from under him.

Voice of Stuart Mantel, teacher: "I am damn well serious!" Corey Zappo, seen mugging for the camera, was suspended for 15 days following the taping. It was his camera, hidden in a sweater, that captured the outburst that Corey then posted on his personal website.

Corey Zappo, Student: "We knew he was gonna go crazy. He frequently yelled at us. He used to slam the hammer on the desk when we wouldn't shut up."

Corey's father showed us the letter explaining his son's suspension, in part for skipping class and in part for misbehaving in electronics class. Brick school officials will not revel whether the teacher faced any sanctions for his behavior.

Peter Zappo, Student's Father: "Maybe they shouldn't have videotaped him but yet the teacher acted inappropriately - they put it on film - and it seems the only ones who suffered the consequences for this was the kids."

Stuart Mantel the electronics teacher had no comment. Brick's Superintendent says the student was well within his first amendment rights to stay seated during the national anthem, but it was the covert videotaping that really bothered him.

Dr. Thomas Seidenberger, Brick Township Superintendent: "You hope that kind of stuff doesn't happen in the classroom. It's certainly something that we don't advocate." In response to this incident, Brick school officials are reconsidering total ban on cell phones in the school and they plan to restrict the use of all cameras inside as well.

Brick Township police say they are investigating the students for other images caught on videotape. The school would say only that they are cooperating with the investigation and that the release of their video was not the only reason the students were suspended.


The first thing that sticks out here is what a lot of the people are bothered about the most: a student was video taping stuff in class. This blows my mind. We are under surveillance all the time. And especially students are today. Is it not fair for someone to keep an electronic eye on the authorities as well.

Second: to the best of my knowledge (and I could be wrong here, if I am, please let me know) a federal court decided a few years ago that students in public schools could not be forced to sing or salute during the Pledge of Allegiance or the National Anthem. They must remain respectful, but they can not be forced to stand. Therefore, this teacher’s demands and his assault on the student are unfounded on their face. This fact makes his actions even more abhorrent.

The STUDENT WHO WOULDN’T stand has now been suspended. As you read, there were 2 reasons fro the suspension: Skipping class, and not standing for the Anthem. Now, suspending a kid for skipping classes is quite fine and necessary, though I suspect the main reason for the suspension was the anthem episode.

Now I’m not saying these kids were angels, obviously they weren’t. But the teacher crossed the line, and crossed it further into criminal assault. If he can’t handle the kids, bring in a better teacher. If they are uncontrollable, you kick them to a reform school or alternative school. Yelling and assault is not a good plan.

I want this teacher fired, I want his pension gone, and I want charges filed against him for assault. Of course, what I want doesn’t matter and none of that will ever happen. I just really hate when authorities get power mad and do crap like this. Cop beatings, sadistic teachers, it’s all power madness. And worse, they rarely if ever are held accountable.

Have fun in school next week kids.

RM

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Thursday, March 03, 2005

US and France demand Syria leave Lebanon

Staff and agenciesTuesday March 1, 2005

Washington and Paris sought to capitalise today on the upheavals in Lebanon with a strongly worded joint statement calling on Syria to withdraw its troops from the country.
A day after street protests forced the resignation of the country's pro-Syrian prime minister, Omar Karami, and his government, the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, and the French foreign minister, Michel Barnier, demanded Damascus end its influence over its southern neighbour.

"The Syrians are out of step with where the region is going," Ms Rice said at a London summit on Palestinian reform. "The Lebanese people are beginning to express their aspirations for democracy, that they be able to carry out their political aspirations without foreign interference."

Hundreds of protesters waving Lebanese flags returned today to the central Beirut square where 25,000 opposition supporters celebrated the government's surprise resignation last night. ...

Please find the entire story here.

Wow, the Syrians are out of step with modern political and social progression. Please pardon me if I'm not shocked.


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