The World Turned Upside Down

I was twenty years old on September 11th, 2001, just a few days into my junior year of college. In the closing hours of that day, my dad suggested I take some time to write down how I was feeling, to record my immediate reaction to the seismic events of that day for the sake of posterity. I took his advice, and did so. This morning, in the wake of another, possibly even bigger, seismic shift in the history of the world, I remembered his words, and as an act of both posterity and catharsis, tried to put into words how I was feeling. I did my best to limit the histrionics and hyperbole in what I wrote, while still capturing the essence of what I feel (which is very much filled with hyperbole & histrionics), so as not to drown out my very real concerns and fears.

Back in 2001, I wrote my reactions by hand, in a journal I was keeping at the time. I'm putting this here now because this website is a bit like a journal, and because, in part, it represents a sort living body of my work. Today is a day I will probably always remember, so it feels appropriate to work this recollection into that body.

Generally speaking, I try to avoid making things too political on this site; there are plenty of places online that are good for that, and it's not what anyone really comes here for. But I'm also not shy about my opinions, and any regular readers who have been visiting this site for a long time shouldn't be surprised by how I'm feeling today. I contemplated not allowing comments on this post, not because I want to shut down discourse but just because I'm not really in the mood to get into it with anyone who's celebrating today. But I'm leaving them on, because some people might need a friendly place to vent as well. If not, that's fine. And if you comment, I may respond, and I may not. But if you're a Trump supporter, congratulations, and I hope we can find a way to work together. But right now, today, I really don't want to hear it, so please, keep it to yourself.

Anyway, here's how I'm doing today. Tomorrow, we'll be back to talking about how crappy X-Force is right now, and continue to do so for as long as we're able.

Faith in Leadership

Lots of promises were made in this past election season, however, I can't help but wonder what has been accomplished.

Have we been protected from menacing mystical forces and the dread Dormammu?

Where is all the evidence of indiscriminate smashing?

This next election cycle be sure to vote for a person (or entity) you can trust to follow through on his/her/its promises.

A message from Kitty Pryde.

Quick Hits by Dr. Bitz

Visanthe's Shiancoe - First of all, this story is hilarious to me. From the fact the network producer completely missed this before putting it on the air to the fact that Childress appears to be sneaking a peak to the fact that Visanthe Shiancoe asked "How'd it look?" to a female reporter (My personal favorite part of the story).
The interesting thing is that I was at a football party that Sunday and after the Vikings won we stayed on Fox for a while until I decided to switch to another channel. Just as I was switching the channel I saw that Fox was showing the Vikings locker room, but the channel changed and I didn't bother to change it back. I'm still trying to decide if this was a good thing or a bad thing. Seeing the event unfold, so to speak, would have lead to some interesting conversation. And probably some insecurities among the guys. Except me...of course...because I got nothing to be ashamed of....so....yeah.

God bless America...and you best be acknowledging it! - I think we all know how I personally feel about that story. But it really does seem stupid to me. This isn't some motto for the Department of Homeland Security, like "In God We Trust", this a law that says the 'duty' of the Department of Homeland Security is to acknowledge God.
So basically, it's saying that in Kentucky, if you work for the Department of Homeland Security, a government job, you MUST acknowledge God's role in protecting the US. The first question is, of course, "Which God?" But secondly, isn't this a clear violation of the separation of church of state?

Politics as Usual? - Alright, call me naive, but I never thought I'd see in my lifetime a politician THIS corrupt holding any sort of high office. It's not just one bad thing he did, it's a myriad of absolutely appalling behavior. But what's really bothering me is trying to decide who Rod Blagojevich looks like. I'm thinking a cross between Christopher Reeves and an older Christian Bale...
By the way, this is the list of the last 3 governors of Illinois: Rod Blagojevich (Accused of auctioning off a Senate seat, amongst other things, and will soon to be serving time in prison), George Ryan (currently serving time in prison for illegally selling government licenses, contracts, and leases), Jim Edgar (tried to declare an "L. Ron Hubbard Day" and thus SHOULD be serving time for that in prison). Way to go, Illinois.

Dr. Bitz is no Peter Pan - Well, two things I never wanted to happen are happening. First, I'm growing old. Second, I'm becoming a shameless profiteer. Thus, if you click on that link you'll see me selling some of precious, precious toys. Only 3 things are up there right now, and feel free to bid, but more is to come so check back often...if you like toys...er...collectables. Soon I will be selling such awesome things as Star Wars miniature figurines with exclusive Boba Fett or skateboarding Dragon Ball Z characters. Of course, I haven't grown up too much since I'm still keeping some of my toys...mostly of a giant robot persuasion.
My favorite toy in the current things for auction has to be the 'Trasformer Ambulance Auto Robot'. It's a cheap Mexican knock off I got duped into buying when an Ebay seller pawned it off as an actual Ratchet. Bastard. But the packaging is pretty hilarious...trasformer...hehehehe.

Decision 2008: Red, White and BLUE

This election, the choice in running mates is clear.

Kitty Pryde, on a platform of bi-partisan independence, is running alongside a barely-literate alien dragon with questionable ties to the Strange political machine...


while Dr. Strange continues to discriminate against man-bulls by offering the second-highest office in the land to a creature than vacillates wildly between child-like intelligence and city-destroying rage.

Are these truly the best candidates to cast the tie-breaking vote in the event of a senatorial deadlock? Can Americans truly trust that such candidates won't just fall in love with larger, city-destroying dragons or declare themselves Master of the World should the President be incapacitated?

Cyclops believes there's a better candidate for the job: Hank McCoy, the bouncing, bucolic and brilliant Beast.


Unlike SOME candidates this election, Beast served his country proudly as a long-standing and effective member of the Avengers and has never declared himself master of the world.


Beast also has extensive real world political experience, having held a cabinet post in previous administrations


where he proved to be tough on illegal immigration


and determined to keep an eye towards the future.


Beast is a genius who helped develop a cure for the Legacy Virus


and devised a plan that will increase government funding to needed programs like education and the fine arts while balancing the budget and eliminating the national debt, all without raising taxes AT ALL.

=

He's THAT smart!

When it comes to a choice between an alien, an engine of destruction, and a genius with proven political experience and a record of service to this country, Cyclops believes the choice is clear, and hopes you will too.


On November 4th, vote for the team with a clear and direct vision for the future and the smarts and experience to make it a reality.

It's time America mutated into something better.
Vote Cyclops and Beast in 2008.

I'm Scott Summers...and I approve this message.

Anyone for a 3-way?

She's stood up to an oppressive regime.

She has vast experience with foreign affairs.

Her running mate knows how to handle terrorist threats.

She's a certified genius.

And she's hot ! ! !



Do you really want another stubborn white guy in the oval office?

It's time to put Pryde back in politics.


Kitty Pryde - guaranteed to NOT stop a bullet.

A Strange New World for America

Did you know: Doctor Strange claims to speak for the "average American?" How many "average" Americans do you know that have man servants?

Did you know: Doctor Strange's apprentice is a man-bull. Can America withstand a cabinet stuffed with man-bulls?


Did you know: Jesus Christ died for our sins; what have Hoggath, Ikthalon, Agamotto, and Watoomb done for us lately?


Did you know: "Doctor" Strange is no longer licensed to practice medicine?


Did you know: when Doctor Strange was a doctor, he wouldn't help poor people; he was only concerned with making money for himself?


Did you know: Doctor Strange's wife isn't American? She wasn't even born in this dimension.


Did you know: While Doctor Strange claims to be against tax increases, he plans to raise "fees" to help fund the arts? And not the fine arts, but the "mystic" arts?

=

Did you know: Doctor Strange is friends with the Hulk, who repeatedly destroys American cities, the Silver Surfer, who once led the world-devouring Galactus to our planet, and Namor the Sub-Mariner, who has repeatedly declared war on the surface world?

Do you know where on the world America is? That's right, the surface.


Does America truly want to be part of the "strange" new world promised by this candidate? Can America afford to trust the trippy and surreal vision of this "doctor?"

On November 4th, vote for the candidate with a clear and direct vision for the future.

Isn't it time America "mutated" into something that was beneficial for all?


Paid for by Mutatis Mutandis and People For A Strange-free America.

I'm Scott Summers...and I approve this message.

Decision 2008

This November 4th, remember:

Only one candidate has the requisite leader ship experience...


Only one candidate cares enough about education...

Only one candidate can keep a cool head in a crisis...


Only one candidate is willing to look our enemies in the eye and say...blast!


The days of fear, recession and domination by bald parapalegic telepaths will soon be over.

On November 4th, cast your vote for the one candidate with the vision to lead America into a better future:


In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man can be ...President.

I'm Scott Summers...and I approve this message.

"I can see Russia from my house!"

Bitz'n'Pieces

Conservative Media Strikes Back:
boots~ had a post about a news article he found and I made a comment about the 'liberal' media. It got me thinking, and that's never a good thing.
You see, I'm always amused by the term 'liberal media' because it's generally spewed by FOX News and conservative talk radio hosts who all seem to fail to realize that THEY are apart of the media themselves! It would be as if I said "God, Dr. Bitz never criticizes himself. What an arrogant jerk!"
Even so, the liberal media is at it again. This time in the form of Wikipedia. For those of you living in a cave with no Internet access (ummm....how are you reading this?) Wikipedia is an open source online encyclopedia that allows anybody to edit any entry. The theory is that everybody knows something about something, right? So let them write what they know online. Sure, somebody could write an inaccurate entry, but the theory is someone else would correct the entry. It's self policing. In my opinion, Wikipedia shoud not be cited in your thesis paper but is perfect for settling bets.
Anyway, like Wikipedia, what I said above is only mostly accurate. You see, not EVERYBODY can change entries in Wikiepedia. Apparently, only liberals are allowed to edit Wikipedia. Well, that's according to the people who started their own website, www.Conservapedia.com. It has become the alternative to the anti-American, anti-religion Wikipedia. Take that liberal media!

Instead of stating my opinion on the stupidity of creating an alternative to Wikipedia, Mathew Sheffield states my opinion much better than I could have here: http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/aug/21/conservatives-miss-wikipedias-threat/

However, I do have a point of my own to make.
In order to do some research I delved into the depths of Conservapedia. It's pretty silly, really. Right down to it's refusal to accept any dates that are BCE/CE. They will only allow BC/AD dates, because those are good Christian dates. Well, actually, they say BCE/CE have no known historical context and thus make no sense. I would argue that while BC/AD originally began by referring to a historical event, it has since degenerated and is now as arbitrary as the BCE/CE dates. But I would first have to gather some more information on the modern calendar and its changes over the years before fully fleshing out that argument.
I also looked up Conservapedia's entry on atheism. The entry explained what atheism is and then proceeded to discuss why atheism is bad. The entry spewed statistic after statistic on why atheists are more likely to do evil things, less likely to give to charity, and so on. I have no idea how valid the studies that produced those statistics are, however I could listen to an argument saying that those statistics do belong in a purely informational encyclopedia entry. But at the end of the day the whole idea of Conservapedia and the whole 'liberal media' argument in general just makes me laugh and cry at the same time.
It's humorous to me because I'm all for eliminating biases in the media as far as information is concerned. There's a place for opinions in the media and there's a place for unbiased information. So I can actually get behind the idea of eliminating liberal biases from Wikipedia, if you such biases do exist. (Just like I can get behind eliminating liberal bias in cable news.) But like Fox News, Conservapedia doesn't eliminate bias from its information. All it does is replace liberal biases for conservative biases. As if to say, it's unacceptable to have a website with a liberal bias, but a website with a conservative bias is just fine. I guess the conservatives believe two wrongs do make a right.
It's saddens me though, because it feels like I have to choose which bias I agree with more and then go to places where the information given leans towards that bias. And in doing so, I simply feed my own ego and start to think I'm always right without my views ever being challenged. The idea of going to a place strictly to get straight information without any filtering or ulterior motives seems impossible these days.
Basically, if I want to get the straight facts on what's going on over in Iraq, I'd have to hop on a plane and go see things for myself. I long for a news source I can trust. But I guess this is just the world we live in.
All that being said, I've never found Wikipedia to be that biased in the first place. Then again, I'm a liberal, so I have the tendency to turn a blind eye to the inherent liberal biases in all "media".

Sarah Palin's hot...hot like Dr. Elsa Schneider from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/09/politics/animal/main4430259.shtml OK...comparing Sarah Palin to a book burning Nazi is going a bit too far. Well, way too far. I just can't resist a good cheap shot. Still, even if she didn't officially ban any books, just the thought of someone in power considering to ban books from a public library sends shivers down my spine.
What's next? Sarah Palin's against lesbian porn?

Speaking of the liberal media, this story just plain amused me: http://mediamatters.org/items/200809090009?f=h_latest

Oh, and finally, I read this story, there's no reason to lie about it, but I still refuse to believe it: http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hdxoX11mNeMos6lXUITnhxQQyy6w

I'm Tyler Durden

So I'm having trouble sleeping again and between reading cases from the SUPREME COURT website and checking Wikipedia I stumbled on the article below.

US INVADES PAKISTAN

I especially like the mention of "women and children". I can't image why parts of the world would hate the "civilized" WESTERN powers.

An Alaskan Affliction of Affection

It’s 1:16 A.M. on September 3, 2008 and I can’t sleep. I’m blaming the Iced Vanilla Nirvana I had at CIVICFEST earlier in the day but it could also be the Iced double shot Vanilla Latte I downed at work at 530 this morning.

So, what does Adam do when he can’t sleep? Yahoo search news articles and Wikipedia Sarah Palin of course!

My first impression upon hearing the news about McCain’s VP pick was instant recognition of the political “play” – Hillary wasn’t chosen as the Donkey VP so we’ll throw a woman up there and gain all the hardcore feminists and the brokenhearted who swooned for Clinton.

Then I saw Sarah for the first time. WOW! She’s really, really HOT! I’m thinking maybe I should move to Alaska and become a Governmental intern.

As I’m taking in current events and leaning more about her, things continue to grow. Compared to McCain she’s much more conservative and a Christian in the mold of Bush. Anyone who’s read my book, A BOOK CALLED LIFE – Containing the Answers to the Meaning of Life, should know about my peckishness for those Christian girls . . . Mmmmmm . . . salvation. Yummy.

She’s clearly anti-abortion (Mmmmm . . . un-dead babies), pro-gun (shoot babies once they’re no longer babies), and knows how to work a business suit.

She christened her children after their conception markers.

TRACK – conceived while riding a train back from the Alaskan Summer Marathon.

BRISTOL – Created underneath a freeway overpass.

WILLOW – Sperm penetrated egg immediately after a dance number in Buffy (Musical episode).

PIPER – Annual Salmon fishing expedition with Rowdy Roddy.

TRIG – Make-up sex following a heated argument after the trip down to the car dealership where she had to co-sign for her husband’s Tahoo.

During high school, Ms, Palin earned the nickname “Sarah Barracuda” for her intensity on the basketball court (Mmmmmmm . . . athletic chick).

She plays the flute (Mmmmmmm . . . easily thought of double entendre).

She resigned from her job with the Alaskan Oil and Gas Conservation Commission due to a “lack of ethics” of her co-workers (Mmmmmmm . . .same reason I quit my last job).

I’m sure we’ll be seeing and hearing more from Sarah within the next couple of months. I won’t be voting for her, but I’ll enjoy the experience.

Politics of Dancing: deuce

Hillary Clinton (Democrat) – In continuing my commentary on this year’s presidential candidates the next attribute of an effective leader shines brightly – sincerity. Hillary doesn’t have an ounce. Since her candidacy was announced, Clinton’s every word and action has been coldly calculated to the finest degree like only a typical politician’s machine can do. The woman doesn’t know how to speak from the heart because she doesn’t have one.

Do I think she’s experienced and intelligent? Sure. She’d have to be to get this far in politics. That’s her problem, though. She’s just like every other politician who’s come before her. Holden Caulfield and I label her a phony.

Barack Obama (Democrat) –

Fraggle baRACK.

“The chosen One”.

If you smell what Barack is cooking!

The media has painted him as the in-experienced candidate, but did you know that he’s also black? Or that Hillary is a woman? Anyone who follows the media and allows it shape their opinions has serious issues. Racism and sexism still exist in abundance because our society continues to categorize everything and asks questions such as, “Is America ready for a black/woman president?”

I’ll tell you what I’m ready for – a president with a non-Washington viewpoint. Every Democrat claims that they are the candidate of change who cares about every American. When Obama says it, I believe him. He has all the necessary traits – charisma, honesty, sincerity, and willingness to compromise. Unfortunately, his name conjures notions Islamic terrorism to those who are narrow-minded bigots. I don’t think those people will be able to stop his rise. An Obama presidency could turn this country back towards peace and prosperity.

At least until some extremist assassinates him. Maybe then we can have CIVIL WAR part two – THE SOUTH STRIKES BACK!

I’ve always been turned off by politics.

I grew up during the last golden era of Saturday Night Live when the cast included Mike Myers, Phil Hartman, Dennis Miller, Chris Rock and Dana Carvey. The last member mentioned had a George Hebert Walker Bush impersonation that imbedded in me the ludicrousness of the people who hold one of the highest offices known today.

“Not gonna do it.”

Politics piss me off, but the people who engage in it fascinate me. I’ve taken a keen interest in their actions, motives, and the influence they have over the average Joe.

My first vote was cast for Jesse ‘the mind’ Ventura for Governor. Did he agree with everything for which I stand? Hardly. Did I think he was genuine? Totally. If there’s one thing I can’t stand it’s lying. I don’t think Jesse ever tried to do anything in office he wasn’t open and forthright about. The guy may have been a dink at times but at least he didn’t lie about it.

My next two votes went to Ralph Nader, holder of one of the greatest lines in political history. In response to the media and the Democratic Party portraying him as a spoiler in the 2000 presidential election, Ralph responded –

“I do think that Al Gore cost me the election, especially in Florida.”

Many of Nader’s dedicated supporters ran away from him in 2004 despite saying they still believed in everything for which he stood. They were voting for John Kerry not because they believed in Kerry, but because they didn’t want Bush in office. I’m glad they lost. Easily wavered people like that are scum. Stick your morals and ideals. Don’t follow the lemmings.

No one’s vote should be taken for granted. Every vote should be earned and balloted from the heart. You’re not going to agree with every aspect of any candidate’s personality or stances. We’re all unique and beautiful snowflakes. We all make mistakes. The best you should hope for is the self-satisfaction of giving your vote to someone in whom you believe.

If you don’t believe in a candidate, DON’T VOTE!

If you don’t know anything about any of the candidates, DON’T VOTE!

Personally, I’ll only vote for those I believe are honest and trustworthy. Candidates like that don’t run for office much. This year there may be a couple. Whether they are nominated remains to be seen. If not, there’s always hope Nader will run again to give me the hat trick.