Where are we going so fast? And why are we in this handbasket?

I'm going to rant for a bit. I apologize in advance.

I don't know about any of you, but I see our country slowly becoming a police state.

Our freedoms are slowly being taken away from us, and nobody seems to notice.

It is now legal for you to be strip searched if you are arrested for anything whatsoever. You don't even have to be charged with a crime. The don't even have to suspect you of any wrong doing. The just have to think that, perhaps, you were doing something wrong, can arrest you for it. Take you to the police station, strip search you and hold you for 24 hours.

There's a bill being proposed in the House of Representatives called CISPA. It's a "cyber-security" bill. Basically, it states that any website that has your personal information (facebook, etc.) can go through your personal correspondence, save it, give it to the government for any reason. They can even intercept it, and block it's destination. This is all in the name of "something might happen, so we'd better fix it now." They don't even mention what agency of the Government would handle this traffic. NSA? FBI? CIA? They all have different responsibilities.

Any phone that I have had in the past 13 years has been tapped. This is not paranoia, it's a fact. I had a Top Secret security clearance for the Army for a long time. They listen to make sure I'm not giving away any secrets that I've learned since I joined. Obviously, I'm not, because I don't know any of them. Well, maybe a couple. But, that's a reason to spy on me. I had access. A 14 year old girl in rural Arkansas is not a threat the the Federal Government. Her messages on Facebook really don't need to be forwarded to the NSA. I don't think they give two shits about her problems with her boyfriend.

There are actually people in this country who support Presidential candidates like Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. Mitt is a con artist, and Rick is a bigot.

Both of these men will make abortion illegal. Now, whether or not you would actually have an abortion is up  to you. But, the option is there. Even in cases of rape or birth defects, they still wouldn't let a woman make their own decision.

 

Mitt Romney is a multi-millionaire who only wants more power and money. He has said things that are completely untrue, then went back and changed them because he got caught in the lie. His poll numbers didn't go down. In fact, they went up! He's been caught bold face lying, apologized, and more people support him? WTF?

Rick Santorum once said, IN PUBLIC mind you, "Homosexuality is a threat to the American Family."

How?

To quote Lewis Black:  "Well, maybe there is a group of 'Gay Banditos', who wander the countryside from village to dell. And slowly, they make their way to that cul-de-sac, where only one house stands. They don their black capes and hoods... and matching pumps (very tasteful), and sneak up to that house. And when they get there, they start FUCKING EACH OTHER IN THE ASS!! And another family is destroyed!"

Makes perfect sense. They just use religion to back up their opinion that is coming purely from a place of hate and fear. I lump Rick Santorum in with the Westboro Baptist Church.

That's right, I said it. Those people are loony. "God hates fags, so we're going to protest military funerals!"

What?

So, the military is gay, and you hate gay people. No? Oh, so, God hates fags and soldiers dying abroad is punishment for this. Yes? That makes no sense. Oh, so, just the soldiers who died are gay. No? I'm having trouble following your message. 

Now, I understand crazy. I'm fluent in it. Some guy talking to himself? I get it. Somebody thinks that I'm on of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Ok, I can see where you're coming from. The problem is, these people seem to try to make logical arguments out of non-nonsensical beliefs. Even Neo Nazis wouldn't get behind their rhetoric. Mostly because Nazis know they're full of hate, and go with it. 

At what point with we, as citizens learn to keep our opinions and beliefs away from other people? I mean, I'm agnositic, pagan, Pastafarian. Those aren't completely my beliefs, but partly. Now, I have friends of a lot of different faiths. Jews, Protestants, Catholics, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, etc. They're all my friends. The don't judge me because I don't believe the same way they do. According to most religions, I'm going to hell. I guess I am. However, these people don't treat me differently because of that. I'm still here, and I have an effect on their lives, a positive one, at that.

I read this the other day... I'm Christian. Unless you're gay. Very well written, and I agree with it. Not the statement itself, but the message of the article. Just read it, you'll understand. What I found even better, was the response from a 15 year old boy to this article. It's on the same blog HERE. 

Here's my point on this point:

For over 100 years, we've been trying to live up to the Constitution. Civil Rights act of 1875. Civil Rights act of 1964. 14th Amendment. 15th Amendment. Disabilities Act. This is just to name a few. We've almost rid ourselves, as a nation, of racism and sexism. Hell, we even made it so we can't discriminate against sexual orientation when hiring people for a job. Now, they want to ban them being happy? Isn't that a GIANT step backward?

George Zimmerman wasn't immediately arrested. Even though he just killed someone. Don't even get me started. I could go off for days about the racial and sociopolitical implications of that case.

Soldiers in Afghanistan have murdered civilians and EACH OTHER.

After Whitney Houston died, the Governor of New Jersey ordered that all flags on New Jersey public buildings be put at half mast. For a singer. Not a public servant. Not a hero. Not a soldier. Not a former President. A singer that had so many drug problems that 4 different trips to Rehab didn't help. Now, I'm not saying that she was a bad person. I didn't know her. the 15 soldiers that died in a helicopter crash that day barely got any press. It wasn't news worthy because shit like that had been happening for the past 8 years. It's not news anymore. It's not sensational. However, some person who had a singing talent, and died of a drug overdose was more important than soldiers who laid down their lives? I don't think so.

Ok, my rant is at an end. I can't think anymore. I'm going to get a drink. After work.

Reunited

Well, my roommate is finally off the ship for good. I"m glad to have him back.

There's just one little thing, though.

He bitched to me about how the apartment looks. It's not bad at all. I don't have clothes everywhere, the dishes were either done, or in the sink.

Apparently, since he has been away from me and the rest of society for a couple of months, he feels the need to be an asshole. So, I asked him what exactly he thought was the problem with our apartment. What isn't clean?

He told me a few things, and I let it go. These are things that cannot be helped, unless you clean it every single day. I don't do that. Neither does he.

So, today, I woke up before he got home, crushed some beer cans, scrubbed the toilet, and washed the dishes. That was all. Before he left to go out tonight, he told me, "The place looks much better. Thanks, bro." I think he just likes to bitch at me for nothing.

Sometimes, I even feel like he thinks I'm his sidekick. That may not be true, but it does feel like that a lot.

When someone doesn't listen to what you say, and tries to tell you what to do at all times? Yeah, I think I've made my point.

Anyway, I'm almost off work. Just about time to go home and get a nap in. I'm heading to the Emerald City Comicon with my friend Leuq tomorrow. Should be a blast. I haven't seen him in a long time.

Old friends, new problems

So, it was a rather interesting day for me.

I slept a couple hours, and got a call from an old friend of mine. We stopped talking to each other for several reasons, but those aren't important right now. We've made up. He called to me ask if I wanted to go play a poker tournament with him. I agreed, and he came to pick me up.

We played in the tourney, and both failed. So, on the way back, we decided that we wanted to shoot craps instead of play poker. The closest place is Snoqualmie Casino, just off of I 90. We drove at about 105 mph on the way up there, and had some fun shooting craps. We didn't do very well, but that's ok. We had fun.

On the way home, traffic was terrible. We got to Mercer Island, and cars were at almost a stand-still. So, in his slightly inebriated wisdom, my friend takes the next exit, cuts about a 1/4 mile of the worst traffic from in front of us, and speeds past a cop before we get back to the on-ramp.

He is not amused.

"Dude, I hope he's not pulling me over.... Shit, he is. I'm going to jail."

"Man, it can't be that ba......"

He interrupts me..."Seriously, I'm going to jail, dude."

Turns out, he sped past another car at 45 mph, when the speed limit was 30. Also, he has a suspended license, no insurance, registration isn't in his name, the tabs are expired as of LAST June, and he is on deferred prosecution for his SECOND DUI.

It doesn't take the cop any longer than having a second officer come back him up to arrest my buddy, and put him in the car.

I'm calmly still sitting in the passenger seat, rolling a cigarette. I haven't done anything wrong. I have no warrants, I wasn't driving, and I'm not drunk.

The second officer walks up to my window, and asks how I am doing today. "Extra Medium", I tell him. He asks me to step out of the car and talk with him. A very small part of me thinks that I'm going to jail with my buddy, but I easily stifle his tiny stupid voice.

"Sir, you don't have any weapons on you, do you?"

I always carry a pocket knife with me, so I say yes. He asks if he can hang on to it while we talk. I tell him that's perfectly acceptable, and slowly hand him my knife. The second officer explains that my buddy is going to jail, and they can't release his car to me because I don't have a valid license. I tell him that it's not a problem. I have a bus pass, and there's a stop about a 1/4 mile up the road.

He seems taken aback by my candor, and how easily I'm taking this information. I mean, my friend is being arrested, I have to take a bus home from Mercer Island and I have to walk.

I think it's because a lot of things don't really faze me anymore.

So, the officer gives me back my knife, and I walk to the bus stop. I don't even stop to say goodbye to my friend, as he is engaged in conversation with the first officer. I walk the quarter mile to the bus stop, and wait about 20 minutes for a bus to get there.

I catch the bus without any problems, and on the way to downtown, I get a phone call. From my buddy. The cops let him use his phone to make a few calls, and organize someone coming to get his car. He called me to apologize for him getting arrested, and for me having to take the bus home.

"Dude," I explain, "I take the bus every day. Don't be sorry for me that you got arrested. Be sorry for you. We're cool. I'll see you when you get out."

Hmmmm

I've noticed lately that when I actually have someone to talk to, lately, I have a tendency to talk. And talk. And talk.

I just can't seem to shut up.

Seriously. I even talk to strangers, or homeless people who ask me for change, anybody on the bus that will listen for a couple of minutes, or my friends when I get a chance to see them. I seem to be rambling on and on about whatever comes into my head.

I'm not sure if it's just the fact that I don't have much human contact anymore, or if I'm just lonely, and starting to go crazy.

One of the problems I see with this, is that I don't remember what I tell them. I know that I'm usually telling stories, but I don't remember what stories I tell them. I wish I would, that way I could write them down on here.


Oh, well. Guess I'll have to just carry around a pen and paper, and start taking notes.

Tooth Fairy

So, Wednesday, I had my top right wisdom tooth removed.

I know, I know. Most of you reading this now just cringed a little bit. It really wasn't that bad. I ended up having 11 shots of Novocaine. It didn't hurt at all.

However, the aftermath hurts pretty bad. I don't have dry socket, thankfully, and the 2 stitches the dentist put in there have started to unravel. That's more annoying than anything.

The right side of my head hurts, though, as would be expected.

Here's the fun part. When I was numb, I was able to see him, but not what he was doing in my mouth. So, I have this vision of him on one side of my head with that little mirror in one hand, and what looks like a screwdriver in the other. He looks like he's trying to drive a screw into the side of my face. But, he's just separating my teeth, so he can get in there and clean them better.

I had to stifle the giggles.

And what's funnier is that he gave me candy before we even started. HAHAHAHAHA


But, now I'm in a bit of pain. After all, I do have a new hole in my head. My mouth is getting used to it, though. Here's hoping it doesn't get too bad tonight, as I have to work late.

Been a while

You know, I thought that when I started this blog, I would be writing nearly every day about things that happen, or my life in general, or possibly even have some great insights on life.

The problem is, my life is pretty boring now.

I used to be pretty exciting. I used to do things. I used to go places. I went to Iraq. I drove to Vegas in a convertible by myself. 17 hours straight through. I partied in St. Louis. I've been to DisneyLand.

Now, I ride the bus. I drink at home, but not very much. I sleep very little, but for no reason. I don't go on trips.

Christ on a crutch! I'm boring!

What happened? Some people would say that I've grown up. Well, I am 34 now, but I wouldn't consider myself grown up. I still have the same views about life that I did when I was a child. I like to play, but I'm bored with a lot of stuff.

However, next month, my work is joining a softball league. Guess what I'll be doing? You guessed it. Drinking at home.

Just kidding. I really want to play softball. We had a league when I was in Iraq. They made me play outfield, even though I don't have much of an arm. I played about 12 games, and had only 2 at bats where I didn't get on base. What's that average? .944 or so? Yeah. I'm good. I'm gonna see if they let me play first base. That's my position. That, or shortstop. It's more fun.

Not much else to tell, so, I'm gonna get back to work until I can think of something else to write.

Title of a Slaughter song...

Only not for me. I'm up all day, up all night, and occasionally get a nap in between.

I've officially been awake for 36 hours, and I'm exhausted. I just know, though, that when I get home from work today, I still won't be able to sleep for 3-4 hours. Not that I don't want to, it's just that my body has decided that when it gets comfortable, it wants to enjoy that comfort in a conscious state.

So, I'm going to go to the VA this coming week, and see what they can do about helping me sleep. I know they probably won't, but at least I'll have it on record. 

Oh, and while I'm there, I'm going to file for disability. If it works out like I want it to, I would get a disability check every month. Perfect. I'd still work, mind you. A man has to have a hobby.

You have to turn up your speakers to hear this one. Kind of quiet.