Thou shalt Remember You’re on Tape.

Man, how stupid does Pat Robertson think people are? He’s that televangelist who has been known for saying all kinds of weird things like feminism will cause women to kill their own babies and government buildings should be blown up with a nuclear device. After he sat up there on his TV show talking about how Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela should be assassinated, he tried to say he didn’t. He tried to say he meant something else by “take him out,” like kidnapping. But try denying this.

“You know, I don’t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he
thinks we’re trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to
go ahead and do it. It’s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war.”

Hmm, try squiggling out of that one. Done squiggling? Try squiggling out of video footage. Go here, and then click on take him out…and tell me if my ears are deceiving me.

WhatI think is the funniest is that he tried to say he never said assassinate. Then after two days of criticism, he said he was sorry. Maybe the old age has set in and he’s forgotten he’s on TV. Oh well, I don’t think it really matters, most people have already realized he’s a total nut bar and his audience is getting smaller and smaller. At least one can hope that’s the conclusion people are reaching.

Spread Your Tiny Wings and Fall Apart.

Well I guess this should be expected, knowing how much our military sucks. Yesterday, just while warming up for a show, one of the Snowbirds, ya know, one of the planes supposed to be able to do really cool flips in the air and show off, crashed. While warming up! Isn’t that a fine statement? That conjures up images for me of a runner doing stretches and breaking a leg. At least in the last accident, the things were actually in the middle of a flight. But then again, somebody was killed in the last accident. Thankfully everybody came out ok in this one.

Apparently, like everything else in the military, they’re in need of repair. But things aren’t looking good. I actually saw a guy on the news who said they’re going to run out of spare parts soon. Doesn’t that inspire confidence? And the government doesn’t want to replace the planes for another 15 years. Although I don’t mind them not splurging on the planes, maybe we don’t need our pride repeatedly wounded by more crashes right now, especially since they’re supposed to be a symbol of what we *can* do. Maybe they should just give it a little rest.

As a funny aside, the google ads on the page I linked to cracked me up. Nothing like ads to eliminate your fear of flying on a page about a plane crash.

Total Bummer!

I got my Rogers bill today, and in it it said I could get a free gift for each of the services I have with them. So I got all excited and went to see what they’re giving away, and it looks like I can’t use any of the stuff they’re giving out.

For cable, they’re trying to get people hooked on digital cable. NO thanks. The box is too damn complicated and there’s too much of a chance for them to change the packages and make the price go up. For internet people, they can get 30 pictures printed for free. Well I can’t really do that. And for the cell phone users, they offered a free polyphonic ringtone or a free graphic. Well my phone can’t do ringtones, and the graphic isn’t gonna work, coach. What the hell is that? A big rich company offers me stuff for free, and I can’t use any of it!

In My Day…

What is happening to me? Am I aging too fast? I feel like a grandmother because of what I’m about to say, but I’m going to say it anyway.

Holy crap how lazy are we getting? I see commercials for egg yolks already pre-cracked and in a carton. Eeewww. how hard is it to go tap tap tap, break? The idea of pre-broken eggs just grosses me out.

Then I saw one for this thing you put into your wash that keeps colours from running, so you don’t have to sort your laundry. The only practical purpose I can see for that is if you’re in an apartment with coin-operated laundry machines and you’re too cheap to sort your laundry into separate loads, or maybe if you’re blind and have no idea which clothes are brightly-coloured, but in that case, you have bigger problems to worry about because you could be wearing an orange shirt when you think it’s blue. The rest is purely laziness. “Now I don’t have to sort my laundry. This thing will keep my clothes ok.” I’m waiting for the first lawsuit when it fails.

And then there are these weird self-heating coffee cans. You break something and then these chemicals heat up your coffee on their own. That’s too weird. What is in them? How hard would it be to just, um, make your coffee?

I think I’m done now. All I have to say is at this rate, the future freaks me out.

You Said it was Ok, I Should Have Known It Wasn’t.

Ok, since the creative juices seem to be flowing, why don’t I get an idea down that’s been bugging me for a while? Why do people have to play such games, especially when they start dating? Girls seem to love this, so much so that sometimes I’m ashamed to be one.

First there’s the waiting game. I hear other girls saying they want equality, but then they still wait for the guy to ask them out. You have a mouth, use it! If he’s scared off by a few words, then he’s not worth it.

Then there’s the calling game. “No, I won’t call him, I want to see if he really wants me.” Piss off. What if he decided to play the same game? Wouldn’t that be a lovely pickle you’ve got yourselves into? Each of you waiting for the other, then each of you pissed at the other for not calling, then giving up on something that could have been good if one of you had stopped playing the chess game of dating, forgotten strategy and just made a fucking move? It would make a whole lot more sense, and then you’d at least know where each other stands.

If you manage to get past the asking and the calling, there’s the opposites game. First of all, what the hell’s with playing hard to get? The way I see it, playing hard to get only works with creeps who don’t really give two shits what you think and will push for their way anyway, people who can’t read people’s signals, and people who think they’re God’s gift to the opposite sex and will chase you like Peppy Le pew. Do you really want to date one of those anyway? The ones you really want will get your signal and promptly go away.

And here comes the fun, when they say the opposite of what they really mean. “Na, I don’t mind if we stay out late.” “Yeah, let’s go home.” When they really mean, “I can’t stand this place and your friends” and “I’d like to stay longer.” Say what you god damn mean! Don’t leave the guy to guess. Then there’s the “I’m fine” game. She says she’s fine, but her body language is saying “I’m going to rip your face off soon.” Even when the poor guy asks what’s wrong, she still says there’s nothing. And then the complaining about the guy being insensitive starts. Well what do you think? You’ve taught him not to care because you won’t tell him what the hell you’re thinking.

And if the two manage to talk in backwards speak and read each other’s reverse signals and stay together, one of them thinks they can change the other one with work. My question to them is, why are you bothering to date him/her if you don’t like what you see? It’s one thing to mention a couple things, or reach compromises if you’re living with them. But when you’re trying to “shape” them into what you want, to the point that you’re making them change who they are, nagging at them constantly, maybe you should rethink the relationship. What do you think that nagging crap does to the other guy? Do you really think it’s actually helping them?

And those are the big ones that make my head spin. Then again, I’m single, so maybe I’m the one who doesn’t understand.

Phew! That scared me!

I was walking home tonight from swimming, and it was getting a little late. I hate walking home in the dark. It creeps me out, and don’t start with the, “But you’re always in the dark” shit. You know what I mean. I just have this way too overactive imagination. it picks that time of night to dredge up all the old crime scenarios I’ve ever heard of and fling them at me in rapid succession. Then I hear theme songs from crime shows, clips from the spookiest urban legends you’ve ever been told, and everything else dark and freaky you can imagine. To add to the fun, sometimes I imagine I can hear footsteps following me, and then I realize it’s a leaf stuck to my foot. No really, I’m not paranoid.

But tonight I got a good scare. I got to my entrance…and opened it to find flashing lights! It looked like lightning striking in the inside of the little lobby thingy before my actual apartment. I guess the florescent light that is always on has decided it’s time to die…but why did that have to happen at night? Holy Jesus Murphy that scared me. And now that you’re all thoroughly bored, I’ll go away.

Maybe We should Do That Here

Turkmen President Bans Lip Synching

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan – He has outlawed opera and ballet and railed against long hair and gold teeth, but now the authoritarian president of Turkmenistan is determined to wipe out another perceived scourge: lip synching.

President Saparmurat Niyazov has ordered a ban on lip synching performances across the tightly controlled Central Asian nation, citing “a negative effect on the development of singing and musical art,” the president’s office said Tuesday.

“Unfortunately, one can see on television old voiceless singers lip-synching their old songs,” Niyazov told a Cabinet meeting in comments broadcast on state TV on Tuesday. “Don’t kill talents by using lip synching… Create our new culture.”

Under Niyazov’s order, lip synching is now prohibited at all cultural events, concerts, on television — and at private celebrations such as weddings.

Niyazov has led the former Soviet republic for 20 years, creating a personality cult around himself and issuing decrees regulating behavior in all aspects of life.

In 2001, Niyazov banned opera and ballet as not corresponding with the national mentality. Last year, he called for young people not to get gold tooth caps and urged authorities to crack down on young men wearing beards or long hair.

Freedom? Normality? What’s that?

I saw something on the news that scared me. Apparently, because of a few numbnutses who like to make Crystal Meth, which can be made by using ingredients in common cold remedies, they want to restrict common cold remedies. What kind of stupid solution is that? Where does it stop? Next, are we going to ban common cleaning supplies because they can be used to make bombs? Cell phones because they can have explosives put in them? And oh, we can’t fly planes because they’ve been hijacked! Anything and everything can be used for bad purposes if someone thinks hard enough. The solution is not to ban the thing, because the people with the meth labs will just find another thing to use. How about solving the problem instead of wrecking everything for everyone else? The only people who suffer in this are the people who just have a bad cold and need some medicine.

Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Why is it these days that people have to make something more complicated than it needs to be? Why can’t something just be what it is? Why does there have to be an excuse? A disorder? Something to explain it all away?

Here’s an example. I met this guy who was…a total asshole! He had no respect for his girlfriend, he was in the military and liked to throw his military weight around, to solve problems, he liked to fight, and he often got barred from places because of this crap. When I described him to another friend, she said, “He must have some self-esteem problems, or he mustn’t be wel.” Ok, maybe he isn’t, but until I see some sign of that from him, the answer is simple! he’s a dick! End of story! Can’t some people just be assholes? We know the world is full of jerks, must their behaviour be explained away? Don’t people have to take responsibility for their own actions anymore? No no no, it’s someone else’s fault, always. I should know that already judghing by the piles of stupid lawsuits out there.

Another thing I heard was some stupidity when that thing happened with that lady they called the runaway bride. Some people were trying to say she did all of that because she had hyperthyroidism. Whatever. Sure a condition can make you do things a little out of wack from the normal you, but the mind in that body has to come up with the idea to run away and lie about getting kidnapped and all of that. That didn’t all just fly out of her overactive thyroid.

The way I see it, people have to earn my understanding to some degree, and if they earn something else before they get that, it’s even harder to sympathize with them. And I’m not going to assume immediately that they’re sick and that’s why they’re doing whatever they’re doing to be a total moron/asshole/idiot/knob. I mean, if I know a person and they’re not usually a dick, then it’s perfectly normal to assume something’s wrong and show concern. But if I meet them on the street and they go above and beyond the call of duty to show me they’re a jerk, then forget it. I’m all for the benefit of the doubt, but some people take that way too far.

This saddens Me.

I got a message from the company, Computer Associates, that makes the antivirus program, ETrust EZ Antivirus, I used to use before I got my new computer, which was pre-loaded with Norton. Otherwise, I would have still used it today. But this message I received made me think twice about this company. it’s like they have sunk to the lowest of the low.

I quote:

New Computer Worm Damages PCs Worldwide
  
Dear Insert my name here,

Without eTrust EZ Antivirus you are vulnerable to this worm! Purchase your eTrust subscription now to stay safe.

Security experts are warning that Tpbot.A the latest strain of the recently released Zotob.B worm is shutting down computers and is affecting hundreds of
major companies around the world.

Unfortunately, our records indicate that you have not yet purchased eTrust EZ Antivirus. PURCHASE NOW before it is too late. Tpbot.A is a clear and present
danger – don’t risk everything on your hard drive: photos, MP3s, archived e-mails, saved files and more…

Tpbot.A could be in your inbox by the time you go to sleep tonight. Get a good night’s rest. Purchase eTrust EZ Antivirus today for just $29.95.

Sincerely,
The eTrust™ Security Team

Unquote

Ok, isn’t that poorly-written message, um, a little like fear-mongering? If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was one of those circulating hoaxes that tell of certain doom because of a given virus that was found by Microsoft. Computer Associates is supposed to be a reputable company. Why are they acting like the filthiest of rogue anti-spyware software? The ones that say, “You’re infected, you need us now.” Please, guys, leave scare tactics to those who actually need to use them to survive, er, bottom-feed. Let your name stand for itself. If I haven’t renewed your product, I’m a big girl, I can handle the consequences.