Raindrops on Roses

Yesterday I was at Target getting last minute Christmas gifts, and I just left there feeling so gross! I couldn't help but see myself partaking in some kind of weird sociological burp. Christmas has become something like how much stuff can you get, and what was your best gift... It really makes me wanna reassess this holiday as an adult. I don't wanna play this game of pass around the shit in the boxes and get happy! What happened to the spirit behind the holiday...monk-out people!

Megalomaniac, & other definitions

megalomaniac |ˌmegəlōˈmānēˌak| noun a person who is obsessed with their own power. • a person who suffers delusions of their own power or importance. adjective exhibiting megalomania.

sadism |ˈsāˌdizəm| noun the tendency to derive pleasure, esp. sexual gratification, from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others. • (in general use) deliberate cruelty.

liar |ˈlīər| noun a person who tells lies.

cronyism |ˈkrōnēˌizəm| noun derogatory the appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper regard to their qualifications.

greed |grēd| noun intense and selfish desire for something, esp. wealth, power, or food.

bullheaded |ˈboŏlˌhedid| adjective determined in an obstinate or unthinking way : a bullheaded belief that she is right.

evangelical |ˌivanˈjelikəl| adjective of or according to the teaching of the gospel or the Christian religion. • of or denoting a tradition within Protestant Christianity emphasizing the authority of the Bible, personal conversion, and the doctrine of salvation by faith in the Atonement.

born-again adjective converted to a personal faith in Christ (with reference to John 3:3) : a born-again Christian. • figurative having the extreme enthusiasm of the newly converted or reconverted : born-again environmentalists.

corruption |kəˈrəp sh ən| noun 1 dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery : the journalist who wants to expose corruption in high places. • the action of making someone or something morally depraved or the state of being so : the word “addict” conjures up evil and corruption.

neocon |ˌnēōˈkän| adjective neoconservative, esp. in advocating democratic capitalism.

neoconservative |ˌnēōkənˈsərvətiv| adjective of or relating to an approach to politics, literary criticism, theology, history, or any other branch of thought, that represents a return to a modified form of a traditional viewpoint, in contrast to more radical or liberal schools of thought.

evil |ˈēvəl| adjective profoundly immoral and malevolent : his evil deeds | no man is so evil as to be beyond redemption. • (of a force or spirit) embodying or associated with the forces of the devil : we have been driven out of the house by this evil spirit. • harmful or tending to harm : the evil effects of high taxes. • (of something seen or smelled) extremely unpleasant : a bathroom with an evil smell.

fascism |ˈfa sh ˌizəm| (also Fascism) noun an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. • (in general use) extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practice. The term Fascism was first used of the totalitarian right-wing nationalist regime of Mussolini in Italy (1922–43), and the regimes of the Nazis in Germany and Franco in Spain were also fascist. Fascism tends to include a belief in the supremacy of one national or ethnic group, a contempt for democracy, an insistence on obedience to a powerful leader, and a strong demagogic approach.

conservative |kənˈsərvətiv; -vəˌtiv| adjective holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion. • (of dress or taste) sober and conventional : a conservative suit. • (of an estimate) purposely low for the sake of caution : the film was not cheap—$30,000 is a conservative estimate. • (of surgery or medical treatment) intended to control rather than eliminate a condition, with existing tissue preserved as far as possible. • ( Conservative) of or relating to the Conservative Party of Great Britain or a similar party in another country. noun a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics. • ( Conservative) a supporter or member of the Conservative Party of Great Britain or a similar party in another country.

goat |gōt| noun a person likened to a goat, in particular • a lecherous man. • a scapegoat.

Bush: Constitution=God Damned Piece Of Paper

Bush is trying to renew the Patriot Act. This piece of shit act has made us lose:
our freedom of association (the gov can monitor us now), freedom from unreasonable searches (we can be searched and our stuff seized at any moment without probably cause and without warrant), loss of speedy public trial (we can be jailed indefinitely without being charged of a crime), loss of legal representation (we can be denied legal representation) all in the name of fighting terror. So, Bush is "protecting" us by taking away our constitutional rights and agitating the threat of terror with a bull-in-chinashop international relations? Can someone please hold this corporate monster responsible for his actions? I mean he is not a corporation, but he is serving everything to the machine, giving all our money, our security, our freedom, our natural resources, EVERYTHING to the machine. HE'S FUCKING BRAINWASHED BY THIS EVIL AGENDA! He really thinks what he is doing is right. I can't believe that he said that the Constitution is a God Damned piece of paper?!! Somebody STOP HIM PLEASE! Somebody do SOMETHING!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Exerpt from article (link):

GOP leaders told Bush that his hardcore push to renew the more onerous provisions of the (patriot) act could further alienate conservatives still mad at the President from his botched attempt to nominate White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.

“I don’t give a goddamn,” Bush retorted. “I’m the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.”

“Mr. President,” one aide in the meeting said. “There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.”

“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,” Bush screamed back. “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!”

I’ve talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution “a goddamned piece of paper.”

Bush The Very Rich AntiChrist

All the countries in Canada working hard right now on passing a worldwide climate control agreement are worried that President Bush will keep this from moving forward in a meaningful way. In fact, Stephen Byers, who heads the International Climate Change Taskforce has said that the Bush administration has made it clear that the U.S. will not be making any commitments on climate change. He then goes on to say that "President Bush must not be allowed to block the rest of the world moving forwards in a meaningful way." The talks were going really well, but rich countries are refusing to commit to addressing climate change and development. This is causing the talks to sour and setting forth that generations are being condemned, especially in the poorest nations because of rich mother fuckers who don't give a shit about anything except their narcistic little bubble.

Speaking of, yesterday more tax cuts for rich investors were being passed. And yet, somehow tax breaks for the average home owning Americans are being taken away?! What do we think is going on here? Are we paying for the rich to be richer?

CLEANING A DUSTY DESKTOP MAC

I just cleaned the dust out of my (G4 desktop) mac--I'm amazed how much there was! My computer over the past year has started this thing where it would kick on some super loud fan, and it had me worried that the computer was gonna blow up or something. It definitely sounded overheated. So, I decided to do some home dusting, and lo and behold the computer now doesn't turn on that super loud fan anymore!

During the process, I came to find out that my ancient 3 year old G4 desktop has this vent where it collected tons of dust, its underneath the computer, under the four little vent holes on the front of the computer (see photo below). Its easy to remove the dust underneath, just pull it out or better yet have a vacuum suck it out so you don't push any dust further up the vent and into the computer.

Also, I opened the thing up, very carefully, by pulling on the handle on the side of the computer. Then I got two of those compressed air canisters and was VERY CAREFUL not to tip them while spraying, because liquid comes out and could damage the inside of the computer. So, holding them upright, I shot air throughout the inside of the computer at a distance of maybe 6-12 inches. I had an air purifier sitting next to the table that I had the computer up on, which served to catch the dust flying out.

I also had a little mini vaccuum (link) to use to vacuum up any difficult areas. I did NOT touch any of the card or circuitry. I focused on what looked like the various ventalation areas, and the little dust bunnies laying around.

But, again the most important area is that area under the computer (once it is all closed up) right below those front panel vents. The little mini vaccuum was really helpful throughout this process, so was alternating the compressed air blower cans (they get cold and slow after a little bit of spraying so you'll want another one to pick up and spray--remember NOT TO TIP THEM AND DO NOT SHAKE THEM or you'll get freezing liquid pooring out!)

What else, I was REALLY careful throughout this process not to touch any of the cards or circuitry. Um, that's all...

Wanking Organized Religion

Women are being raped in Africa.(link) In fact, it is such a problem there, that a device has been invented that attaches to a rapist's weiner and can't be removed except through surgery.(link)

The reason I mention this jarring subject is that our evangelical President Bush(link) has decided that U.S. tax payers will fund Christian religious groups efforts to help stop the spread of AIDS in 12 countries in Africa. 15 billion dollars over 5 years (12 billion more than the U.S. was giving before) to preach to the people of Africa about Christian sexual values.(link)

The group A-B-C will encourage citizens to abstain from sexual activity or remain faithful to one partner, and at last resort, use a condom. In general, talking about safe protected sex is taboo throughout Africa. It sucks that Bush is doing little to address that, keeping the conversation of sex based on religious repressive values. Let's just hope that evangelical Christian organizations can get their heads out of the guilty sandbox about sex enough to have an impact on the suffering there.

I'd like to be optimistic about this. But, given his relatively extreme religious roots, I think we can safely assume that all Bush really cares about is funding the growth of Christian values and churches in Africa and elsewhere. I see this news as Bush taking advantage of his position again, only this time its not for his oil interests, its to plant more fucked up, guilt-oriented, fear of God, Christianically Modified Seed around the world.(link) Do we really want the United States to endorse, with our tax dollars, religious missionaries spreading Christian guilt as a solution to fight AIDS?

The church will do little to help prevent the spread of AIDS; that's my opinion anyway. Where am I coming from? Two words: ex alter-boy. In fact, in 1989, I was an alterboy for the Pope for a mass that was initially meant to turn Father Junipero Serra, buried in the church I grew up going to, into a Saint (which he didn't end up doing because Native Americans protested that Serra was a fucking tyrant who killed thousands of natives to build his missions.) So, I have my well developed opinions about living under the guilted hand of organized religion.

Organized religion builds up God as a judgmental, finger-pointing, all-powerful parent who will torture you if you are shameless about your life of "sins." This kind of religious perspective really cuts out all the good stuff about our spiritual existence. Namely, that we all can stop right now, have compassion for ourselves no matter what has taken place on our paths and we don't need some all powerful church to enable this. Everyone has the capacity to be a heavenly creature; heaven starts here on earth, right now, in this moment!

Also, organized religion, as in the Vatican, demands more and more money in the name of this judgmental God's forgiveness of our "sins." And what are our sins? They are part of our path, they come from our very natural existence as animals on this wild planet of ours. Guilt does nothing to help us, guilt just represses. Compassion is the answer, guiltless compassion for ourselves and the planet.

Not to mention that the wealth of the church sets a precedence that money is part of the path to God. What would happen if people stopped giving these large religious institutions money and realized that the true path to God is right here in this Universal moment within and around ourselves, that no worship or money can help us reach that place of spiritual enlightenment (its all about reflection and a compassion within).

Read Harpers "Jesus Without The Miracles." (link)


A great article talking about the Jefferson Bible(link), where Thomas Jefferson took the bible and he cut and pasted what he thought were the most important teachings of Jesus. Totally aside from the whole Christian guilt, miracle factor, just his teachings (compassion, treating others as you would want to be treated, etc..) The article goes into that there was a lost gospel according to Thomas (another Thomas!) that focused on the same thing, and it wasn't found until after Thomas Jefferson's death.(link) The Vatican totally denies that this lost gospel is part of the bible, because it doesn't focus on the Jesus that they push in the bible, the one who died for our "sins", the miraculous son of God. In fact this gospel speaks more of Jesus being a human being, and that Thomas might have been related to Jesus in some way (his brother?) This news actually makes me interested in Jesus again. It makes me want to learn more about him and what he had to say!

Anyway, I digress, but whatever, its my blog and I can do that!