Mikeb302000

Captain Beefheart Festival 2011-2012 - 4th Night of the Living Van Vliet

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:39:00 +0000

Here's the explanation of the origin and the dates.

Thanks to Microdot for the title of the Festival.

Zen Comix has joined the festivities.

Gimme that harp boy
Ain't no fat man's toy

You hear what he is saying
You hear he's saying today
harp cry harp smiling
Shiny moon white note
Give me room
Ain't no time to Rock no boat gimme room

Harp sing time and playin ohm....
(Cocle-doodle-doo)

Gimme harp this harp harp this harp bite
harp this harp kiss harp money
Gimme that harp boy don't just stand around
Gon' blow pure joy -girl you wear this crown

Gimme that harp boy gimme that harp girl
Gimme that harp girl gimme that harp boy
Harp string harp ring
harp toke harp smoke
Harp float harp broke

If it's all about private firarms outside of the militia context, then why are they saying these things?

noreply@blogger.com (Laci The Dog) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:22:00 +0000

People haven't read any of the serious material material on US Military history which is what the real root of the Second Amendment is if they are going to assert that it has nothing to do with the militia or militia service.

Otherwise, why is there all the talk about militias, standing armies, religious exemption, compelling military service and so on?

As LegalEagle pointed out the Madison Resolution, June 8, 1789.

Resolved, that the following amendments ought to be proposed by Congress to the legislatures of the states, to become, if ratified by three fourths thereof, part of the constitution of the United States... The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; a well armed, and well regulated militia being the best security of a free country; but no person religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, shall be compelled to render military service in person...

For more of the debates where they talk a lot about this stuff, but rarely mention private arms see:
http://constitution.org/mil/militia_debate_1789.htm

Virginia — SEVENTEENTH, That the people have a right to keep and bear arms; that a well regulated Militia composed of the body of the people trained to arms is the proper, natural and safe defence of a free State. That standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, and therefore ought to be avoided, as far as the circumstances and protection of the Community will admit; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to and governed by the Civil power. EIGHTEENTH, That no Soldier in time of peace ought to be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, and in time of war in such manner only as the laws direct. NINETEENTH, That any person religiously scrupulous of bearing arms ought to be exempted upon payment of an equivalent to employ another to bear arms in his stead... (Amendments proposed to the body of the Constitution).... NINTH, that no standing army or regular troops shall be raised or kept up in time of peace, without the consent of two thirds of the members present in both houses. TENTH, That no soldier shall be inlisted for any longer term than four years, except in time of war, and then for no longer term than the continuance of the war. ELEVENTH, That each State respectively shall have the power to provide for organizing, arming and disciplining it's own Militia, whensoever Congress shall omit or neglect to provide for the same. That the Militia shall not be subject to Martial Law, except when in actual service in time of war, invasion, or rebellion; and when not in the actual service of the United States, shall be subject only to such fines, penalties and punishments as shall be directed or inflicted by the laws of its own State.

New York — That the People have a right to keep and bear Arms; that a well regulated Militia, including the body of the People capable of bearing Arms, is the proper, natural and safe defence of a free State; that the Militia should not be subject to Martial Law, except in time of War Rebellion or Insurrection. That standing Armies in time of Peace are dangerous to Liberty, and ought not to be kept up, except in Cases of necessity; and that at all times, the Military should be under strict Subordination to the Civil Power. That in time of Peace no Soldier ought to be quartered in any House without the consent of the Owner, and in time of War only by the civil Magistrate in such manner as the Laws may direct...that the Militia of any State shall not be compelled to serve without the limits of the State for a longer term than six weeks, without the Consent of the Legislature thereof.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT; September 8, 1789

That no standing army or regular troops shall be raised or kept up in time of peace, without the consent of two thirds of the members present in both houses. That no soldier shall be enlisted for any longer term than four years, except in time of war, and then for no longer term than the continuance of the war. That each State respectively shall have the power to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining its own militia, whensoever Congress shall omit or neglect to provide for the same. That the militia shall not be subject to martial law, except when in actual service in time or war, invasion or rebellion; and when not in the actual service of the United States, shall be subject only to such fines, penalties, and punishments as shall be directed or inflicted by the laws of its own State.

From DEBATE ON THE MILITIA AND RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR IN THE HOUSE (Senate debates were secret).

The Congressional Register, 17 August 1789

Mr. Gerry — This declaration of rights, I take it, is intended to secure the people against the mal-administration of the government; if we could suppose that in all cases the rights of the people would be attended to, the occasion for guards of this kind would be removed. Now, I am apprehensive, sir, that this clause would give an opportunity to the people in power to destroy the constitution itself. They can declare who are those religiously scrupulous, and prevent them from bearing arms. What, sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. Now it must be evident, that under this provision, together with their other powers, congress could take such measures ith respect to a militia, as make a standing army necessary. Whenever government mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins. This was actually done by Great Britain at the commencement of the late revolution. They used every means in their power to prevent the establishement of an effective militia to the eastward. The assembly of Massachusetts, seeing the rapid progress that administration were making, to divest them of their inherent privileges, endeavored to counteract them by the organization of the militia, but they were always defeated by the influence of the crown.

Well, it's evident to everybody except LegalEagle45

Mr. Gerry — Replied, that he meant to make a motion, as he disapproved of the words as they stood. He then proceeded, No attempts that they made, were successful, until they engaged in the struggle which emancipated them at once from their thralldom. Now, if we give a discretionary power to exclude those from militia duty who have religious scruples, we may as well make no provision on this head; for this reason he wished the words to be altered so as to be confined to persons belonging to a religious sect, scrupulous of bearing arms.

Militia duty? I thought this was all about private arms of citizens.

Where was any mention of private arms in those quotes? If you read the actual debates, where are the mentions of private arms?

Compulsion to Serve? Militia duty? what does that have to do with owning guns for non-militia purposes?

Were these people speed freaks just babbling nonsense?

Just wait:

On August 24, 1789, a House Resolution and Articles of Amendments were passed and sent to the Senate. The Amendment then read: "Article the Fifth. A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the People, being the best security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed, but no one religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, shall be compelled to render military service in person."

On September 4, 1789, the Senate disapproved a motion to insert at the end, "that standing armies, in time of peace, being dangerous to Liberty, should be avoided as far as the circumstances and protection of the community will admit; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by the civil Power. That no standing army or regular troops shall be raised in time of peace, without the consent of two thirds of the Members present in both Houses, and that no soldier shall be inlisted for any longer term than the continuance of the war."

On August 17, a motion by Gerry to insert "trained to arms" at this point failed for want of a second.

Oh here's something that mentions personal uses:

7. That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and their own state, or the United States, or for the purpose of killing game; and no law shall be passed for disarming the people or any of them, unless for crimes committed, or real danger of public injury from individuals; and as standing armies in the time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up: and that the military shall be kept under strict subordination to and be governed by the civil powers.

But if this is about private ownership of firearms, why say "standing armies in the time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up: and that the military shall be kept under strict subordination to and be governed by the civil powers".

And they also point out that people can be disarmed "for crimes committed, or real danger of public injury from individual"

All this just doesn't fit with the view of reality that LegalEagle45 wants me to buy into.

WHY GUN NUTS ARE DANGEROUS - Just One More Example

noreply@blogger.com (dog gone) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Here is just one more instance of WHY it is we don't believe you when you insist you are safe. I would call your attention to the fact that he had a CCW permit!

Here is one more example of why we don't want you around us, armed and a danger to us, even when you don't understand or believe or recognize that you are such a danger. Here is WHY we don't want people carrying, either open or concealed, without a serious and compelling NEED to do so, and why we don't want your guns in church, school, the post office, or any other public places.

You lot REFUSE to recognize or acknowledge just how many incidents like this occur, including being shot by your own DOGS while out hunting, and shooting yourselves.

It is not surprising that this occurred in Florida.

From MSNBC.com and the news services:

'Tragic accident': Pastor's daughter shot at Fla. church
Worshipper accidentally fires gun through wall
msnbc.com staff and news service reports
updated 2/13/2012 3:22:22 AM ET 2012-02-13T08:22:22 You bozos are dangerous. WE have a right not to have our safety threatened by you and your firearms.YOU have no natural right, no god-given right, no human right to those firearms, or to endanger us on the pretext of self-defense.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A pastor's daughter was accidentally shot in the head at a church in St. Petersburg, police said.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office was called to the Grace Connection Church at about 12:24 p.m. Sunday.
Investigators told The Associated Press that Moises Zambrana was showing his gun in a small closet to another church member interested in buying a firearm. Zambrana reportedly took out the magazine of the Reuger 9mm weapon but did not know there was a bullet in the chamber.
'We're all praying for her' The gun went off and fired through a wall, striking 20-year-old Hannah Kelley. She was transported to Bayfront Medical Center to undergo surgery and remained in critical condition late Sunday.
WTSP quoted church member Tony Diehl as saying that there was "a big level of concern" for Kelley.
"We're all praying for her and, right now, I guess that's the best we can do," Diehl added.
Deputies said Zambrana has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
No charges have been filed.
Sheriff's office spokeswoman Cecilia Barreda told Tampa Bay Online that the incident appeared to be a "tragic accident."
The Associated Press and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.

Propaganda: Nobody Does It Better Than America.

noreply@blogger.com (Laci The Dog) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:04:00 +0000

http://www.purewatergazette.net/propagandainamerica.htm

Over the years, I have had the privilege of meeting and having discussions with people who came to America from countries known for their adherence to totalitarianism: China, Russia, and former east European satellites of the Soviet Union. When we discussed how the state managed to control public opinion under totalitarianism, these people would usually produce a weary, knowledgeable, cynical smile and point out that propaganda in those countries was really done quite incompetently. If you really want to know propaganda, they said, you need to study American propaganda technique. According to them, it is, undeniably, the best in the world.>Over the years, I have had the privilege of meeting and having discussions with people who came to America from countries known for their adherence to totalitarianism: China, Russia, and former east European satellites of the Soviet Union. When we discussed how the state managed to control public opinion under totalitarianism, these people would usually produce a weary, knowledgeable, cynical smile and point out that propaganda in those countries was really done quite incompetently. If you really want to know propaganda, they said, you need to study American propaganda technique. According to them, it is, undeniably, the best in the world

Unfortunately, one needs to leave the USA to find any serious questioning of right wing propaganda.

"How can that be?" I asked, honestly puzzled.

Propaganda in those countries was too obvious, they told me. As soon as you read the first sentence you knew it was a bunch of propaganda, so you didn’t even bother to read it. If you heard a speech, you knew in the first few words that it was propaganda, and you tuned it out.

"But," I then queried, "How do you know when it’s just propaganda?"

The expatriates explained that bad propaganda uses obvious terminology that anyone can see through. Anyone hearing the phrase "capitalist running dogs", knows he’s listening to incompetent propaganda and tunes it out. Lousy propaganda, these knowledgeable but jaded individuals would tell me, appeals to an abstract theory, to a rational thesis that can be disproved. Even though communists had total control of the press, the people just tuned it out (except for those who were the most mentally defective). Most people, they assured me, just went about their lives as best they could, paid lip service to the state, and just tried to keep out of the way of the secret police. But hardly anyone really believed the stuff. The result, after many decades of suffering, was the eventual collapse of the old order once The Great Leader expired, whether his name was Brezhnev, Mao, or Tito.

American propaganda, however, is much cleverer. American propaganda, they patiently explained, relies entirely on emotional appeals. It doesn’t depend on a rational theory that can be disproved: it appeals to things no one can object to.

American propaganda had its birth, so far as I can tell, in the advertising industry.

It's an interesting read for anyone who wants to understand the culture wars.

Natural Rights, Natural Sex, and PoliticsORSex and Windex ( - cross posted from an old Penigma post of mine)

noreply@blogger.com (dog gone) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:40:00 +0000

As the culture wars against women waged by the right accelerate in this election cycle, I think it is worthwhile to recycle an old post of mine from 2010 that I think pertains to our current events in 2012.

The figure that 98% of women have used artificial contraception has been in the news. I wanted to know where that number came from; I also like fact checking. So I was pleasantly surprised to find a good challenge that substantially approved those numbers at politifact.com, along with the study itself that was mentioned - which saved me further checking on my own. I personally have always found the Guttmacher Institute to be an excellent research organization in the past, and have read other studies as well as this one.

I'm not the only one who finds the Guttmacher Institute to be reliable. The politifact.com article noted that the Catholic Medical Association has found the source credible in earlier studies of the same question, and found a pretty consistent percentage of use of contraception among Roman Catholics over time. This is not a new development or trend. While the Roman Catholic bishops may oppose the Obama administration, not all of the Roman Catholic hierarchy does so. The Catholic Hospitals Association, the Catholic Health Association, and Catholic Charities all support the Obama accommodation, including a petition signed by 600 doctors and medical students doctors, including 70 doctors who specifically identify themselves as Roman Catholic, who support the Obama administration's position on contraception.

So as I watch the GOP presidential candidates trying to exploit for their own political advantage the very real health and family planning concerns of Catholic Hospitals, Catholic health care providers, and the overwhelming rank and file of those who are the Roman Catholic church in this country as congregants, I am appalled that a few bishops and some prudish antiquated out-of-step politicians are trying to make this an issue about religious freedom. It is entirely about religious conscience, including following one's conscience to differ with their church hierarchy's dictates, as clearly a huge number of Catholics actually do.

I would argue that the right to religious freedom is a right of the individual, not institutions. Institutions are not people any more than corporations or other organizations are people.

I would argue that Obama should not have caved in to the minority position of the Bishops at all, but that he did so in a way that embraces tolerance for a spectrum of religious belief and practice, including the ACTUAL spectrum of belief and practice among Roman Catholics. The representations made by the right are false, misleading, and their usual bullshit misrepresentation, not an honest engagement over the role of religion in our society or government. Shame on them, and shame on the Bishops, and for that matter, shame on the Roman Catholic church which is promoting a policy that is not founded in either the Bible, or any real traditional teaching. For example, the Roman Catholic church didn't make masturbation - relating to the issue of sex must be for reproduction - a sin until the 6th century.

The legitimate argument that the Roman Catholic church is interested not in the status of their follower's souls as much as in maintaining their numbers regardless of the personal harm to their coreligionists in contending with hardships due to an inability to exercise effective control over their reproductive choices. I find that the right, particularly the religious right, as personified especially in this election cycle by Rick Santorum, are waging a war not only against women, but apparently against people enjoying sex.

I personally am strongly opposed to the imposition of the views on sex of hypocrites like Gingrich or apparent prudes and sexually uneducated asses like Santorum trying to dictate to men and women that they must conform to religious views of when and how and with whom to engage in sex. Rather I would argue that my sex life is my own, and so long as no one who is vulnerable or unable properly and fully to give consent is involved, everyone else but particularly the right and the religious right should BUTT OUT of sexual matters and reproductive matters. Get the hell out of my body and out of my bedroom and quit violating my right to follow my conscience in these matters. The right is all about dictating to others a conformity to their ideas and conscience, denying those who differ with them the right to their own choices.

So, without further ado - here is Sex and Windex:

Sex and Windex

"Cleanliness is next to Godliness."
2nd century Hebrew proverb
Rabbi Phineas ben-Yair
(per Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 14th ed.)

"Honi soit qui mal y pense."
Motto, English chivalric Order of the Garter,
founded 1344
King Edward III of England

I have been following the Simon-Simpleminded-Simon-purity statements that are enjoying a new resurgence in the right-wing culture wars of the current season of political campaigns with alternating amusement and distaste.

While I bless and thank my parents often in my heart for having insisted that an attention span and ability to concentrate is like a muscle which must be exercised to remain strong, a premise I bring to many tasks..........there are certain activities which produce for me a tedium which is almost physically painful to endure. It is just one of the reasons, I - along with many people - dislike the necessary task of washing windows. Unlike other domestic tasks, there is no 'domestic godess' gratification in it; it is an annoying necessity to be reluctantly endured and gotten over with as quickly as possible.

Until recently, I just cringed when thinking of the smirking, leering pseudo-purity promoted by professional right wing political parasites like Christine O'Donnell who make a living off of saying any dreck the right wants to hear. Instead, in response to a news item about her anti-masturbation crusade on the news in the background, I played an old CD while washing windows, selecting the most lust-inducing music available in my collection. In this case it was from 1991, a local group, Mick Sterling and the Stud Brothers. My friend Sara introduced me to their music a few years ago (thank you Sara!) simply describing Sterling's vocal quality as 'beefy', but said with an edginess in her expression which implied much more. I would describe the mixture of rough and smooth in his delivery as the auditory equivalent of a caress followed by the feel of a lover's fingernails lightly but firmly dragged across one's skin, making it tingle.

The mixture of Sterling and the instrumental accompaniment of 'Squib Cakes' built nicely through 'Turn Me Loose'; but it was the lyrics and energy of of 'Bump and Grind' which carried me through cleaning the big living room window. It was "I want to bump and grind and get on down, hold your body next to mine" that generated the knot of energy just forward of the small of my back, taking me into the moment and away from my usual attempts to distract myself from boredom. I conjugate irregular french verbs while standing in grocery store check out lines waiting for overflowing carts of necessities to be processed through, in order to block out screaming toddlers having temper tantrums, for example. But that doesn't do much to get the blood pounding or the libido blazing. It doesn't have that pounding, elemental power of human sexuality that centers you in the moment, in the wonderful feeling of moving your body it takes to carry you through washing windows.

So, as I look up from the computer at the morning sun shining through the oh-so-clean windows, unmarred by even the tiniest streak, I can smile, and raise my cup of black coffee in a toast to Sterling and sexuality. Because the better lessons of sex is not that we are evil for having sexual urges, or that God will frown or punish us for them, but to exalt in the humanity of it, in the energy of it, the JOY of it, because we all share it, so long as we control and direct it positively, and do not lose that control of it.

Sex, and even lust is not dirty, especially not if you use it with a little Windex. Because, in the wise words of a religious man from the second century, cleanliness is next to godliness, in mind and body. It is the attitude that sex and sexual impulses are evil except for the narrowest possible expression which makes it dirty and sin-foul. If I may be allowed a somewhat loose translation that conveys the meaning more than the precise equivalent word for word, the motto of the order of the garter is that the evil is in the mind of the person who seeks to find evil, in things, in actions; an example would be the pseudo-purity espoused by people like O'Donnell that equates auto-eroticism with adultery.

I hope you enjoyed 'Sex and Windex'; other titles I considered were 'Lust and Dusting', and ............well, I will leave it to readers to come up with their own, because my list is too long to share here, and in any case was probably deficient in masculine chores that were analogous. Have your own fun with it, and try to be aware of all the ways in which sexuality enriches our lives and mundane experience.

Or, if you are having trouble putting down your beverage and walking away from the computer, if you are procrastinating your own tedious tasks, you might want to check out the youtube video of Mick Sterling, performing "You Don't Know What Dirty Is".

Gun Friendly Kansas

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:43:00 +0000

LJWorld published a letter to the editor by Jack Ozegovic

I read, with dismay, the Feb. 1 article in the Journal-World that there is a move in the Kansas Legislature to allow concealed weapons on college campuses. I’ve always been wary of the concealed carry law, but to expand it to college campuses seems a bit extreme to me. What’s next? Nursery schools? Day care?

I remember when concealed carry was passed, but I was totally in the dark until I read this article that it allowed people with vision disorders and physical disabilities to also carry a gun. A few years ago, I had major corrective ocular surgery. I think of myself before that and there was little chance that I could have used a concealed weapon effectively. At the least, I would have needed scattered birdshot, at best, a cluster bomb to ward off an assailant. I think the same limits would apply to anyone afflicted with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis or any other physical disability that restricts bodily movement and quick response to a dangerous situation. I question this section of the law, and the law itself, which does not consider the time of reaction for a disabled person to ward off an attacker and may bring greater danger to the disabled person.

When I moved to Kansas 22 years ago, I knew its residents to be straightforward, hard working, and with a broad streak of common sense. Now, it seems many have been duped and shoved aside by wild-eyed ultraconservatives, and pseudo Christians whose actions seem orchestrated by the Mad Hatter.

Constitutional Carry in Georgia

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:07:00 +0000

We discussed this a couple months ago, I suppose it's progressing.

The Times-Georgian reports

District 18 state Rep. Kevin Cooke is a co-sponsor of legislation which would allow law-abiding citizens in Georgia to carry handguns without a permit.

Under current law, in order to carry a concealed weapon, a Georgia resident must be 21 years of age, be fingerprinted and submit to criminal and mental health background checks to obtain a carry permit. The license fee is $76 and it must be renewed every five years.

I hate to say this, but it seems to me they've already got such minimal requirements, it won't make all that much difference. They need to move in the other direction. The police who are on the front lines in fighting crime know this.

Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills spoke at the hearing, saying the Georgia Sheriffs Association membership took a vote that opposes anyone being able to carry a handgun without a license.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Murder - Suicide Ends at South Florida Gun Range

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:51:00 +0000

The Miami Herald reports

A suicide at a South Florida gun range led to the discovery of a second dead body in a Tamarac home as BSO investigators discovered it wasn’t just a suicide but a murder-suicide.

According to BSO investigators, a 52-year-old man walked into the Arizona Shooting Range, located at 4317 North State Road 7 around 10:40 a.m. where he rented a gun and shot himself in the head. No one else was hurt.

He was taken to Broward General Medical Center where he died.

When investigators went to his home to notify his 45-year-old wife, they found her body inside the house. Investigators have not said how she was killed or how long ago the murder took place.

This incident combines the best of our favorite stories. Guns are bad news for women, once again. Shooting ranges, especially in Florida, are anything by safe places. Of course the gun-rights crowd will defend a person's right to kill himself rather than admit that gun availability plays a part.

Another humorous aspect of this story is that although Florida is the number one most baneful state around, this particular gun range was named for the second place contender.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Every time I read LegalEagle45's comments...

noreply@blogger.com (Laci The Dog) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:11:00 +0000

this song comes to mind

Humor in the Push Back Against the Right Wing Culture War on Women

noreply@blogger.com (dog gone) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:43:00 +0000

Apparently we have returned to those glorious days of yesteryear, as old-timey radio used to say.

And we have George Carlin's riff on the War on Women, that right wing attempt to keep us barefoot, and pregnant, and in our place, the one that wants to weaken the description of rape, the one that wants to repeal equal pay for equal work laws, the one that wants to make it more difficult and costly to control our reproductive rights.

There is a great deal to be said for the push-back against right wing reactionary politics using humor.

We have the Virginia state senator, Janet Howell who tried to amend legislation that would force costly, non-medical procedures on a woman by linking a similar measure that would force men who wanted erectile dysfunction medication to get a rectal exam. Actually, that makes sense, because of the typical age of men who actually need, rather than simply want for recreational purposes, that kind of medication and prostate cancer and other diseases. Lets call out the hypocrisy of the pro-freedom from government intrusion crowd for what they are, liars and hypocrites for interfering with medical care and legal procedures to force their religious beliefs on the rest of us.

Now we have another female state senator who has beautifully used humor again in a similar way. Constance Johnson, a state senator in the Oklahoma legislature, addressed the insanity of trying to give equal personhood to zygotes at the instant of conception. As a point against the legislative attempt by the right to wrongly redefine personhood, I would point out that we don't and cannot ever determine the moment of conception. I could write here at some length about the process known as spermatozoon activation or the acrosomal reaction, because I actually read about things like this extensively in pursuing my interest in theriogenology. But this blog is about politics and current events (and anything else we feel like writing about) so I will save my other hobbies for a different niche. The point is -we don't know, and with the exception of some very specific kinds of artificial insemination, NEVER know in the natural course of things, when the moment of conception occurs. It takes us a while to be able to tell THAT it occurs, and that requires separate processes, including uterine implantation. So on the face of it, the very premise of this legislation is poor. But Howell does tie in to the obvious attempt to force on the rest of us, in a violation of church and state, one of the premises of the catholic church, that masturbation is a mortal sin.

I agree with my high school biology teacher, who gave us the most comprehensive sex ed classes imaginable; 95% of men admit to masturbation, and the other 5% are liars. I would posit that the numbers for women are similar.

Captain Beefheart Festival 2011-2012 - 3rd Night of the Living Van Vliet

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:43:00 +0000

Here's the explanation of the origin and the dates.

Zig Zag Wanderer

Zig zag wanderer, zig zag wanderer (rep.)
You can huff, you can puff
You'll never blow my house down
You can zig, you can zag
Whoa I'm gonna stay, gonna stay around (rep.)

You can jump, you can holler
Never lose what I found
Heaven's free 'cept for a dollar
You can zig, you can zag
Whoa I'm gonna stay, gonna stay around (rep.)

The zig zag wanderer had a zigzag child
Zig zag traveller for the mercy mile
Found his wheels and nature scene
Quenched his thirst, (in a?) way it never been
Zig zag wanderer (rep.)

You can dance, you can prance
Freeze those timbers, drop some beams
Hide my shield, throw away my lance
Zig zag child, mercy mile
Zig zag dream, zig zag dream
Zig zag

Lionel on the Police

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:27:00 +0000

via Fuck Conservatives

What I was wondering is where are all the gun owners. Don't they continually tell us they are the last line of defense against tyranny? What the hell are they waiting for?

The fact is they are powerless to stop the terrible slide which is ongoing. The United State is less free than it has ever been and all their guns are useless to stop it.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Gun 2010 The Film

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:40:00 +0000

Safe to say this won't be a romantic comedy. 50 Cent filmed the movie with Val Kilmer last year and had this to say about the film, "It's one of my biggest accomplishments, obviously. I wrote, produced it and I'm actually acting in the project. So this is exciting for me."

I watched it last night and enjoyed it immensely. The entire story revolves around the gun dealer's desire to "step up to the next level." What was that? Well, that's when he would meet and begin distributing guns directly for a big-time gun manufacturer played by John Larroquette.

This goes even further than the Josh Horwitz (and my) belief that gun manufacturers plan their sales strategies around the fact that a certain percentage of their product will end up in the criminal world. In this film the gun makers actually participate actively in that process.

Since art follows life, I believe it's true. What about you? What do you think?

Please leave a comment.

Wayne's World - Crazy as Ever

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:24:00 +0000

Looking into his crystal ball, he had this the say:

Should President Barack Obama secure a second term as president it will “break the back of the Second Amendment” and excise the right to bear arms from the Constitution, the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre tells Newsmax.TV.

Forgetting about the Patriot Act and the indefinite detention of American citizens and the secret wiretaps, he had this to say:

“I spent 30 years looking around corners spotting threat and not being spun and the fact the NRA has done that is why we still have our freedoms the way we do today. They could have all been lost like England, Canada and Australia.”

and this jingoistic nonsense:

--That gun ownership was at an all-time high “because Americans love their freedom. It’s one of the great benefits of American freedom, that law abiding people in this country can protect themselves. It’s one of the strengths of our country.”

--That “the Second Amendment is a metaphor for freedom. You’re not free if you can’t protect yourself.”

What do you think about Wayne? Is he still crazy after all these years, or what?

Please leave a comment.

Guns on Campus to Prevent Rape

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 07:47:00 +0000

via Packing Pretty

My comment over there:

She's a brave young woman and a wonderful spokesperson for you cause. She is however mistaken. Although she did admit she asks herself the big question, what would have been different had she been armed, and that it keeps her up at night, the entire video was based on the presumption which she stated clearly at the end, that having a gun would have saved her.

That's wrong. In that kind of attack, it's very unlikely that a gun would help. But by preparing for that very unlikely event by carrying day in and day out, the chances that the gun will be misused someday are far greater. Sometimes the misuse of a gun is as devastating as what happened to her.

The gun is not the answer to this. Parking in a better location, better campus security both video and personal, longer sentences for violent offenders, etc., these are the answers.

What's your opinion? Are the pro-gun women mistaken to think they're safer carrying a gun? Isn't this the same mentality that drives the concealed carry movement in general?

Some of our commenters are fond of pointing out that the violent criminals are the problem not the guns. But now they say the violent criminals are not the problem it's the lack of a gun. Is there some double-talk going on here?

What do you think? Please leave a comment.

More on Medical Marijuana and Gun Ownership

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:59:00 +0000

This came in by e-mail. What do you think he's saying and what's your response to it?

I refuse to join blog sites as I know it will consume more of my time, yet as I am doing research, I have stumbled across your blog and feel the intrinsic need to voice my opinion.

You have voiced your opinion on drug laws prohibiting gun usage and thus your view that a medical marijuana user should not be permitted to own or use a firearm.

If this is incorrect, please forgive my misperception.

The Gun Control Act bans "unlawful users" of controlled substances from possessing a firearm, and marijuana is a schedule I substance which does not grant lawful use as there is no federally accepted medical benefit. Well, unless you are using marijuana through a FDA study, which has not occurred in my research in about 20 or more years, or if you are one of the FOUR-ish remaining federal marijuana patients. Sadly, I digress, but my point is simple.

COCAINE AND OPIUM are Schedule II drugs which is defined as having a medically accepted purpose. This means that lawfully, an individual may be a medically prescribed cocaine or opium user and still maintain full gun ownership protection, while state licensed medical marijuana users do not.

Protecting the security of society must always be the focal point of liberty restricting legislation, but be sure that you understand the full reaching grasp of this legislation before you educate readers.

Bumpersticker Gun Nut Words of Stupidity and Violent Gun Culture Philosophy

noreply@blogger.com (dog gone) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:36:00 +0000

The Gun Nuts expect us to trust them when they tell us how much they believe in not using deadly force if it can be avoided ---- except they appear to be almost drooling with eagerness when they comment on a situation where they could use their fetish object. It rings hollow. Here's why.

I saw a few of these bumper stickers today on actual vehicles in my neighborhood.
Just to give you a few examples of how widespread the sentiment is.

There are more. Many many many more versions.

So, WHY is it do you think that WE are less than persuaded when YOUtry to assure us how serious you are about not using lethal force if you can avoid it.

You can avoid it easily. Don't use your gun INSTEAD of a cell phone or an alarm system or pepper spray or a stun gun or surveillance equipment or any of the many other possibilities INSTEAD of gun violence.

And don't exalt that gun culture of violence by advocating or yourself using one of these, or anything like it. It is as much your lack of condemnation as it is your glorying in this kind of violence which makes your assurances so very unconvincing. Gun culture: long on guns, short on culture.

The Definitive Answer to the 2.5 Million DGU Nonsense

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:35:00 +0000

The Propaganda Professor put it all together.

All told, these facts shoot a big gaping hole in one of the gun culture’s prime tenets: that guns are used in self-defense more often they are used to commit crimes – some even claim ten times as often or more! In the Phoenix sample, however, the score was 78 to 3 in favor of the Offense. Granted, these were actual shootings and most defenders don’t open fire – but neither do most offenders. While there are only a few hundred confirmed DGUs per year, there are at least 400,000 gun crimes per year.

The rest of the article is wonderful. He even gave us a mention.

At least one blogger out there is making an effort to chronicle the destructive use of firearms, both intentional and accidental – there are thousands of accidental gun deaths and injuries every year, but I’ve yet to hear of a gun accidentally preventing a death or injury. He seems to be waging a war of anecdotes with the gunsters, but it’s not much of a war. Despite their persistent claims of vastly superior firepower, he’s been blowing their asses out of the water.

How do you like that? Please leave a comment.

Captain Beefheart Festival 2011-2012 - The 2nd Night of the Living Van Vliet

noreply@blogger.com (mikeb302000) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:55:00 +0000

Thanks to Microdot for the title of the Festival.

Well I was born in the desert came on up from New Orleans
Came up on a tornado sunlight in the sky
I went around all day with the moon sticking in my eye

Hey hey hey all you young girls wherever you're at
I got a brand new Cadillac I got a Ferrari too
Sure 'nuff baby sure 'nuff 'n yes I do

Got the time to teach ya' now, bet you'll learn some too
Got the time to teach ya' now, bet you'll learn some too
Sure 'nuff baby sure 'nuff 'n yes I do

Hey hey hey all you young girls whatever you do
Hey hey hey all you young girls whatever you do
Well come on by and see me I'll make it worth it to you

.....with me and I'll ..with me and you
Sleep with me and I'll sleep with me and you
Stick with me and I'll stick with me and you

The World Turned Upside Down

noreply@blogger.com (Laci The Dog) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:35:00 +0000

Since we are getting into how screwed up things can be when one forgets the lessons of history, or succombs to a more pleasing revised version of history, I present the ballad The World Turned Upside Down.

This was first published on a broadside in 1643 as a protest against the policies of Parliament relating to the celebration of Christmas. Parliament believed the holiday should be a solemn occasion, and outlawed traditional English Christmas celebrations. There are several versions of the lyrics. It is sung to the tune of another ballad, "When the King Enjoys His Own Again".

Listen to me and you shall hear, news hath not been this thousand year:

Since Herod, Caesar, and many more, you never heard the like before.

Holy-dayes are despis'd, new fashions are devis'd.

Old Christmas is kicked out of Tow