Green Mountain Jamie

The Weekly Update

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:45:00 +0000

The Weekly Update

Our Weekly Featured Poem is: I have less now than I had before by Karla Bardanza

Weekly Prompt #55: Ends May 11, 2011
Hypnosis

Try to imagine you attend a public hypnosis demonstration. Your friends set YOU up as the subject. We prompt you to write a poem about what then happens, using strong imagery. Be original, avoiding clichéd hypnosis acts.Let your imagination flow and have FUN writing.

Registration & Membership in Poet Share is always free! Join today and post your response to the prompt in our Forums at:
http://poetshare.forumotion.com/

Beaten, Shot, Burned, & Buried

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:31:00 +0000

I'm all for judicious use of the death penalty, but when there are several of these creeps involved, and more than one direct witness to such a horrible, horrible, crime . . . I say burn them all alive.

When Jackson arrived Sunday afternoon, authorities said Soto told them, Bargo and the 16-year-old boy emerged from a spare bedroom and began to beat Jackson. The 16-year-old told authorities that he and Soto struck Jackson with wooden objects.
Bargo then shot Jackson several times, several defendants told investigators.
Authorities said Soto told them that when Jackson tried to escape, he struck him with an ax handle and restrained him. Investigators say Soto acknowledged helping place the victim in a bath tub, where he said Bargo beat his kneecaps and, realizing Jackson was still alive, shot him again.

Afterward, some group members hog-tied Jackson and put his body in a sleeping bag, which was placed in the backyard fire pit and burned for several hours, authorities said.
His ashes were then put into 5-gallon paint cans and disposed of, authorities said. The house was then scoured with bleach to get rid of the blood.

Jesus can forgive them if he wants to. He was always a better man than me anyway.

Follow-up

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

I found this cartoon on McClatchy and it goes so well with what I posted the other day about Birthright Citizenship that I just had to share it with you:

How To Make A Stone Knife

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:48:00 +0000

RIP Kevin

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:24:00 +0000

Life is not at all fair. Not in the least, tiniest little bit. I just found out that Kevin (of KevinandPatrick Blog) passed away last week while I was on vacation.

Too young. Way too young. I don't know what else to say except he was loved and will be missed and a lot of other cliches that miss the mark.

Damn shit and hell.

Birthright Citizenship

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:45:00 +0000

I just had to point this out for my "traditionalist" "the way it's always been" "family values" friends. From the Wall Street Journal:

Proponents of repeal argue that the 14th Amendment was passed after the Civil War to guarantee citizenship to freed slaves, and that it was never intended to grant rights to the offspring of illegal aliens. But this argument is a non sequitur. At the time of the adoption of the amendment, there was no category of "illegal alien" because immigration was unrestricted and unregulated. If you secured passage to the United States, or simply walked across the open border with Mexico or Canada, you could stay permanently as a resident alien or apply to be naturalized after a certain number of years. And if you happened to give birth while still an alien, your child was automatically a citizen—a right dating back to English common law. (Emphasis added by Jamie)

For all of your "traditionalist" yearnings for what you think the Founders believed, you might want to consider things like the harkening back to English common law cited here, the printing of the Declaration of Independence on Hemp paper, etc. Much like religion, it may suit you to pick and choose from our history what is sacred and what isn't--but that doesn't make you right. Calls to alter the US Constitution every time you don't like something (abortion, same sex marriage, immigration) serve only to demonstrate your lack of comprehension of what the word Freedom really means.

It means freedom from people like you.

When The News Is Made For Mocking

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:54:00 +0000

Looks like Rachel Dratch should be getting a call to go back to SNL pretty soon. The resemblance is uncanny.

Have a Laugh at Lifelock

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:37:00 +0000

Remember that guy who put his social security number on trucks and said it was safe because his company, Lifelock, made those numbers "useless" to anyone trying to use them? Major fail. From Wired:

Apparently, when you publish your Social Security number prominently on your website and billboards, people take it as an invitation to steal your identity.

LifeLock CEO Todd Davis, whose number is displayed in the company’s ubiquitous advertisements, has by now learned that lesson. He’s been a victim of identity theft at least 13 times, according to the Phoenix New Times.

Read More here

Caveat emptor, baby.

Wherein I Tell The Bigots To Go To Hell

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:34:00 +0000

I caught this link at Towleroad and it's sticking with me like a bad hangover; I want to get the taste out of my mouth but the pain is too strong to ignore:

http://www.nclrights.org/site/PageServer?pagename=issue_caseDocket_Greene_v_County_of_Sonoma_et_al

Clay and his partner of 20 years, Harold, lived in California. Clay and Harold made diligent efforts to protect their legal rights, and had their legal paperwork in place—wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives, all naming each other. Harold was 88 years old and in frail medical condition, but still living at home with Clay, 77, who was in good health.

One evening, Harold fell down the front steps of their home and was taken to the hospital. Based on their medical directives alone, Clay should have been consulted in Harold’s care from the first moment. Tragically, county and health care workers instead refused to allow Clay to see Harold in the hospital. The county then ultimately went one step further by isolating the couple from each other, placing the men in separate nursing homes.

Ignoring Clay’s significant role in Harold’s life, the county continued to treat Harold like he had no family and went to court seeking the power to make financial decisions on his behalf. Outrageously, the county represented to the judge that Clay was merely Harold’s “roommate.” The court denied their efforts, but did grant the county limited access to one of Harold’s bank accounts to pay for his care.

What happened next is even more chilling: without authority, without determining the value of Clay and Harold’s possessions accumulated over the course of their 20 years together or making any effort to determine which items belonged to whom, the county took everything Harold and Clay owned and auctioned off all of their belongings. Adding further insult to grave injury, the county removed Clay from his home and confined him to a nursing home against his will. The county workers then terminated Clay and Harold's lease and surrendered the home they had shared for many years to the landlord.

Three months after he was hospitalized, Harold died in the nursing home. Because of the county’s actions, Clay missed the final months he should have had with his partner of 20 years. Compounding this tragedy, Clay has literally nothing left of the home he had shared with Harold or the life he was living up until the day that Harold fell, because he has been unable to recover any of his property. The only memento Clay has is a photo album that Harold painstakingly put together for Clay during the last three months of his life.

With the help of a dedicated and persistent court-appointed attorney, Anne Dennis of Santa Rosa, Clay was finally released from the nursing home. Ms. Dennis, along with Stephen O'Neill and Margaret Flynn of Tarkington, O'Neill, Barrack & Chong, now represent Clay in a lawsuit against the county, the auction company, and the nursing home, with technical assistance from NCLR. A trial date has been set for July 16, 2010 in the Superior Court for the County of Sonoma.

~~

Now I don't know what possible excuse these people have come up with to defend their actions, and I don't care. If you work for a municipality in any capacity and in the course of your official duties you decide to ignore legal documents such as these two poor men had set up ahead of time because it's "against your values," then I hope someone runs you over with a truck. Inject your morality into your own lives instead of CONSTANTLY stepping on ours.

The only way to stop these people is with the threat of actual incarceration, physical JAIL time for interfering with medical or legal directives, regardless of their "moral grounds."

Excuse me while I go kick something now.

New Symbol

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:42:00 +0000

The New Symbol of the Republican Party:

Love That Revisionist History

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:51:00 +0000

Here's a great article complete with handy dandy chart that covers past use of Reconciliation to get all sorts of Partisan Bullshit Bills passed.

And Rachel Maddow points out here what Republicans have said about Reconciliation in the past. Is Rachel a partisan? Of course. But she also happens to be right--video doesn't lie.

You know, it's impossible for me to respect people who talk out of both sides of their mouths.

Ringtone, Please

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:57:00 +0000

Anybody any good at making ringtones? Specifically, about 2:01 in this clip: http://rawstory.com/rawreplay/2010/02/18/beck-barks-like-a-dog/

Wurd Uv The Dae

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:03:00 +0000

I can't help it. People who add suffixes where they are not needed tick me off more than is probably sane. So I've got to let it out.

Todays Wurd is fascistic. The source:

The belief system of conversion therapy, that gay people aren't just ungodly and wrong but are inherently damaged and that they can be "healed" or reprogrammed constitutes a fascistic, fundamentalist ideology.

Fascist is both a noun and an adjective. The "ic" added to the end in Strudwick's quote above is unnecessary. Make a f'ing note of it. I don't care what the "online dictionaries" say, every day someone adds a new unneeded suffix to a word and pretty soon you're all going to be speaking gibberish if someone doesn't stand up and say something. Dammit.

Grrrrrr.

Quotes of Note

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:58:00 +0000

Jefferson:

I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country.

Lincoln:

The money powers prey upon the nation in times of peace and conspire against it in times of adversity. It is more despotic than a monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, and more selfish than bureaucracy. It denounces as public enemies, all who question its methods or throw light upon its crimes. I have two great enemies, the Southern Army in front of me and the Bankers in the rear. Of the two, the one at my rear is my greatest foe.. corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money powers of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in the hands of a few, and the Republic is destroyed.

Corporation To Run For Congress

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:51:00 +0000

Ha Ha Ha.

Case In Point

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:32:00 +0000

Some have become so enamored of their blatent partisanship that not only do they refer to the Democratic Party as the "Democrat" party, but Jim DeMint has apparently excised the word "democratic" (small 'd') from his lexicon entirely--listen to him in this clip.

"Democrat" process? My point is proven once again. Sorry Patrick. I'm no partisan--remember how early and often I criticized a certain now-elected candidate.

Idiots are idiots, regardless of their political agenda.

Hey Morons

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:30:00 +0000

I'm tired of hearing the words "Democrat Party." Learn the english language and parts of speech instead of following Limbaugh's cues, would you? It's very straightforward, English 101.

Democrat is a noun. Democratic is an adjective. Party is a noun. To describe the party of Democrats, you would properly call it the Democratic Party, or Party of Democrats. "Democrat Party" just makes you look like a fool, no matter how you think you can justify it. If you have a valid point to make against the party of Democrats, you are pretty much alienating any critical thinker who may have otherwise listened to your point before they read the words "Democrat Party."

"Republican" is both a noun and an adjective, therefore there is no such confusion. Luckily for you.

Oh, and while we're at it, could everyone in the world please stop saying "Make No Mistake" before you spout an opinion? Jesus Christ, try some critical thinking for a change.

Despite the Fact

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:59:00 +0000

That I wash my hands about 20 times a day . . .

Created by Oatmeal

NASTINESS!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:03:00 +0000

"And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid ... And the angel said unto them, "Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings o great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord."

"And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men."

"That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." - Linus Van Pelt

Howard Dean On Fire

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:12:00 +0000

The American taxpayer is about to be fleeced with a bailout in a situation that dwarfs even what happened at AIG

This is the reason we elected him so many times. Knowledgeable and passionate and not easily bullied by those in his own party. Yet the media, and my conservative friends, painted him as a maniac for "the scream." God forbid we have a politician out there with both knowledge and passion.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/16/dean-landrieu-matthews-hardball_n_395137.html

He's right; this isn't a "Health Care" bill, it's a "Health Insurance" bill. Listen carefully to the politicians and you'll hear them slip and call it that once in a while (I've caught them twice but have no links, sorry). Medicare for all would've been far simpler to implement, and equitable across the board. Right now it looks like they're going to force us to buy health insurance--when the people without it can't afford it in the first place. Re-freaking-tarded.

UPDATE: Just noticed his Op-Ed today in the Washington Post. He gets to the nuts and bolts of it immediately:

Any measure that expands private insurers' monopoly over health care and transfers millions of taxpayer dollars to private corporations is not real health-care reform. Real reform would insert competition into insurance markets, force insurers to cut unnecessary administrative expenses and spend health-care dollars caring for people. Real reform would significantly lower costs, improve the delivery of health care and give all Americans a meaningful choice of coverage. The current Senate bill accomplishes none of these.

Listen to the Doctor. Whose wife is also a Doctor, btw, so you can be damned sure they've discussed this ad nauseum.

And then check the comments on Americablog as well.

Think before you speak. Don't say "That's So Gay."

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:58:00 +0000

Think before you speak. Don't say "That's So Gay."

Poet Share Updates!

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:28:00 +0000

As you may or may not know by now, I'm not posting much--if at all--here anymore because my time is gradually becoming more consumed by moderating at The Poet Sanctuary and running my own set of Poetry Forums at Poet Share. With over 60 members and 10,000 posts now, Poet Share (with accompanying Poet Share Blog) is shaping up as a full-time project, so I don't foresee posting much here anymore, except perhaps to update on the site.

If you're at all interested in reading or writing poetry, come check us out! We have writing prompts that change each week, and numerous boards that appeal to different aspects of our community. Like the Kitchen board where we swap recipes, the Fun Stuff board with games and jokes, or the Meeting House where all sorts of revelry goes on. There are even writing contests that members get to vote on, and December will be our 2nd Bi-Annual cross-board competition.

I encourage you to stop by Poet Share Blog to get the scoop, and Poet Share Forums to join in the fun!

Matt Drudge Lies

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:43:00 +0000

To me, this is plainly crossing the line between sensationalism and outright fabrication. The pic and caption from TheDrudgeReport:

And the text of the WashingtonPost article the above picture links to:

President Obama will call attention to the existence of the underground facility in an early-morning statement to reporters here before the opening of the G-20 economic summit, and will say that Western intelligence agencies have been tracking the facility for years. U.S. officials said Obama decided to disclose the program's existence after learning that Iran had become aware that it was no longer a secret.

So who, exactly, was caught by surprise?

Portia De Rossi Is A Man?

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:01:00 +0000

Gotta love that Huffington Post. :)

Computer Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:48:00 +0000

I got my new Dell Mini last week (and one for Norm as well) and they are freakin' great! 2.6 lbs, 160 GB (that's 3x what my other laptop had) and perfect for what I need. Mostly web-browsing and writing poetry. :)

I had to share this with you as well: the prototype for Microsoft's new tablet. They ought to have the bugs worked out by the time I can afford one . . . in ten years. lol