Who You Are

“Ask yourself these three questions and you will know who you are: What do you believe in? What do you hope for? What do you love?”

-- Paullina Simons, "The Bronze Horseman"

I'm feeling kind of blank myself.

Who You Are

“Ask yourself these three questions and you will know who you are: What do you believe in? What do you hope for? What do you love?”

-- Paullina Simons, "The Bronze Horseman"

I'm feeling kind of blank myself.

Lady Gaga: A Druggie Slut?

A Staten Island politician has decide to make a big issue out of the glamourization of drug use and has focused on Lady Gaga:

Molinaro made his remarks in Borough Hall on Monday at a launch event for Staten Island's Tackling Youth Substance Abuse program. He stood alongside a poster board with the legend "Stop glorifying drug use in the media" and two photos of the pop singer lighting up, as he launched into his criticism. "Also, we have to understand that there's a tremendous influence with our youth, which I didn't have as a youth. And there's the influence right there," he said, gesturing to the photos. "Stop glorifying the drug use. "There's Gaga. Here's this ... this ... I would call her a slut. This slut is influencing many, many children ... and it's right to do. It's fine, it's part of it," he noted sarcastically. "My niece has two daughters, 12 and 14, [and] they love this woman. Why? Why?"

He's an old guy and it is a generation that is fading away. We like sluts. Especially when they are high.

(Source: ONTD)

Lady Gaga: A Druggie Slut?

A Staten Island politician has decide to make a big issue out of the glamourization of drug use and has focused on Lady Gaga:

Molinaro made his remarks in Borough Hall on Monday at a launch event for Staten Island's Tackling Youth Substance Abuse program. He stood alongside a poster board with the legend "Stop glorifying drug use in the media" and two photos of the pop singer lighting up, as he launched into his criticism. "Also, we have to understand that there's a tremendous influence with our youth, which I didn't have as a youth. And there's the influence right there," he said, gesturing to the photos. "Stop glorifying the drug use. "There's Gaga. Here's this ... this ... I would call her a slut. This slut is influencing many, many children ... and it's right to do. It's fine, it's part of it," he noted sarcastically. "My niece has two daughters, 12 and 14, [and] they love this woman. Why? Why?"

He's an old guy and it is a generation that is fading away. We like sluts. Especially when they are high.

(Source: ONTD)

The Republican Crack-Up

David Brooks gives us a nice discussion on the recent history of Republican politics, laying out a case for what could be seen as its cracking up at this point. He argues that there used to be two strands of conservative thought between traditionalists and the market conservatives, that is, between those who saw an importance in communitarian politics and in tending to the general welfare of the nation as a whole as against those for whom libertarian thought dominated. He notes how the market conservatives won out, practically obliterating the communitarian conservatives, and thus alienating most Americans, since most Americans don't have the money and wealth that would make libertarian/Any Rand politics that attractive.

Of course, in so far as these communitarian conservatives also tended to push narrow, intolerant Christian ideas, it is perhaps not altogether bad that they have been weakened. On the other hand, it may be fair to say that there is at least one way in which our market conservatives have striven to stay in touch with the larger American population and the communitarian Republicans of old, and that is by pursuing stringent anti-abortion politics, which we might consider to be about the worst part of the old communitarian Republicans.

What Republicans have really been banking on, though, is the racial prejudice of poor, white Americans. In spite of their Wall Street policy program, Republicans have been counting on winning majorities by virtue of being the White Party with the Democrats being the Darkie Party, buttressed with some of that old fashion superstition by also being the Christian Party as opposed to the secular Democrats - hence the Republicans are the real Americans and the real patriots, while the Democrats are rather alien and even anti-American (a point further enhanced by having a black Democatic president named Barack Hussein Obama).

The main problem is that the Romney gang have been so blatantly plutocratic and thick-headed that they have been dropping a lot of support, despite their handy racism and faux-Chistianity.

The Republican Crack-Up

David Brooks gives us a nice discussion on the recent history of Republican politics, laying out a case for what could be seen as its cracking up at this point. He argues that there used to be two strands of conservative thought between traditionalists and the market conservatives, that is, between those who saw an importance in communitarian politics and in tending to the general welfare of the nation as a whole as against those for whom libertarian thought dominated. He notes how the market conservatives won out, practically obliterating the communitarian conservatives, and thus alienating most Americans, since most Americans don't have the money and wealth that would make libertarian/Any Rand politics that attractive.

Of course, in so far as these communitarian conservatives also tended to push narrow, intolerant Christian ideas, it is perhaps not altogether bad that they have been weakened. On the other hand, it may be fair to say that there is at least one way in which our market conservatives have striven to stay in touch with the larger American population and the communitarian Republicans of old, and that is by pursuing stringent anti-abortion politics, which we might consider to be about the worst part of the old communitarian Republicans.

What Republicans have really been banking on, though, is the racial prejudice of poor, white Americans. In spite of their Wall Street policy program, Republicans have been counting on winning majorities by virtue of being the White Party with the Democrats being the Darkie Party, buttressed with some of that old fashion superstition by also being the Christian Party as opposed to the secular Democrats - hence the Republicans are the real Americans and the real patriots, while the Democrats are rather alien and even anti-American (a point further enhanced by having a black Democatic president named Barack Hussein Obama).

The main problem is that the Romney gang have been so blatantly plutocratic and thick-headed that they have been dropping a lot of support, despite their handy racism and faux-Chistianity.

Lady Gaga, the Bod

Another Lady Gaga item today. Apparently she is coming out about having eating disorders - anorexia and bulimia. She has posted a few pics that I think are supposed to show how she no longer cares about trying to be perfect and is trying to be brave about living with her perceived flaws.

But I don't know. Aside from the tattoos, what I see looks pretty damn delicious to me.









Bravey would be me posting pictures of myself in a thong. But fear not. You shall be spared that indecency.

(Source: ONTD)

Lady Gaga, the Bod

Another Lady Gaga item today. Apparently she is coming out about having eating disorders - anorexia and bulimia. She has posted a few pics that I think are supposed to show how she no longer cares about trying to be perfect and is trying to be brave about living with her perceived flaws.

But I don't know. Aside from the tattoos, what I see looks pretty damn delicious to me.









Bravey would be me posting pictures of myself in a thong. But fear not. You shall be spared that indecency.

(Source: ONTD)

Obama at the UN

President Obama spoke at the UN. Recall that this comes fresh from the killing of Ambassador Stevens and in the midst of continuing riots in the Middle East over that anti-Islam film, in what can look like the turning of the Arab spring into the winter of our discontent, as problems with Iran and Syria also continue to boil over. Obama is trying to help to hold the pieces together, the but Middle East is not exactly a great source for optimism.

Let it be noted that the region is highly volatile and anything can happen on any given week, and we still have over a month before we have our elections. The Middle East continues to be a wild card.


_ _ _

Now, I know that not all countries in this body share this particular understanding of the protection of free speech. We recognize that. But in 2012, at a time when anyone with a cell phone can spread offensive views around the world with the click of a button, the notion that we can control the flow of information is obsolete. The question, then, is how do we respond?

And on this we must agree: There is no speech that justifies mindless violence. There are no words that excuse the killing of innocents. There’s no video that justifies an attack on an embassy. There’s no slander that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant in Lebanon, or destroy a school in Tunis, or cause death and destruction in Pakistan.

[...]

The future must not belong to those who target Coptic Christians in Egypt -- it must be claimed by those in Tahrir Square who chanted, “Muslims, Christians, we are one.” The future must not belong to those who bully women -- it must be shaped by girls who go to school, and those who stand for a world where our daughters can live their dreams just like our sons.

The future must not belong to those corrupt few who steal a country’s resources -- it must be won by the students and entrepreneurs, the workers and business owners who seek a broader prosperity for all people. Those are the women and men that America stands with; theirs is the vision we will support.

The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam. But to be credible, those who condemn that slander must also condemn the hate we see in the images of Jesus Christ that are desecrated, or churches that are destroyed, or the Holocaust that is denied.

Let us condemn incitement against Sufi Muslims and Shiite pilgrims. It’s time to heed the words of Gandhi: “Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.” Together, we must work towards a world where we are strengthened by our differences, and not defined by them. That is what America embodies, that’s the vision we will support.

Among Israelis and Palestinians, the future must not belong to those who turn their backs on a prospect of peace. Let us leave behind those who thrive on conflict, those who reject the right of Israel to exist. The road is hard, but the destination is clear -- a secure, Jewish state of Israel and an independent, prosperous Palestine. Understanding that such a peace must come through a just agreement between the parties, America will walk alongside all who are prepared to make that journey.

In Syria, the future must not belong to a dictator who massacres his people. If there is a cause that cries out for protest in the world today, peaceful protest, it is a regime that tortures children and shoots rockets at apartment buildings. And we must remain engaged to assure that what began with citizens demanding their rights does not end in a cycle of sectarian violence.

[...]

In Iran, we see where the path of a violent and unaccountable ideology leads. The Iranian people have a remarkable and ancient history, and many Iranians wish to enjoy peace and prosperity alongside their neighbors. But just as it restricts the rights of its own people, the Iranian government continues to prop up a dictator in Damascus and supports terrorist groups abroad. Time and again, it has failed to take the opportunity to demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful, and to meet its obligations to the United Nations.

So let me be clear. America wants to resolve this issue through diplomacy, and we believe that there is still time and space to do so. But that time is not unlimited. We respect the right of nations to access peaceful nuclear power, but one of the purposes of the United Nations is to see that we harness that power for peace. And make no mistake, a nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained. It would threaten the elimination of Israel, the security of Gulf nations, and the stability of the global economy. It risks triggering a nuclear-arms race in the region, and the unraveling of the non-proliferation treaty. That’s why a coalition of countries is holding the Iranian government accountable. And that’s why the United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

[...]

So much attention in our world turns to what divides us. That’s what we see on the news. That’s what consumes our political debates. But when you strip it all away, people everywhere long for the freedom to determine their destiny; the dignity that comes with work; the comfort that comes with faith; and the justice that exists when governments serve their people -- and not the other way around.

The United States of America will always stand up for these aspirations, for our own people and for people all across the world. That was our founding purpose. That is what our history shows. That is what Chris Stevens worked for throughout his life.

And I promise you this: Long after the killers are brought to justice, Chris Stevens’s legacy will live on in the lives that he touched -- in the tens of thousands who marched against violence through the streets of Benghazi; in the Libyans who changed their Facebook photo to one of Chris; in the signs that read, simply, “Chris Stevens was a friend to all Libyans.”

They should give us hope. They should remind us that so long as we work for it, justice will be done, that history is on our side, and that a rising tide of liberty will never be reversed.

Thank you very much.

-- President Barack H. Obama, speaking at the General Assembly of the United Nations

Obama at the UN

President Obama spoke at the UN. Recall that this comes fresh from the killing of Ambassador Stevens and in the midst of continuing riots in the Middle East over that anti-Islam film, in what can look like the turning of the Arab spring into the winter of our discontent, as problems with Iran and Syria also continue to boil over. Obama is trying to help to hold the pieces together, the but Middle East is not exactly a great source for optimism.

Let it be noted that the region is highly volatile and anything can happen on any given week, and we still have over a month before we have our elections. The Middle East continues to be a wild card.


_ _ _

Now, I know that not all countries in this body share this particular understanding of the protection of free speech. We recognize that. But in 2012, at a time when anyone with a cell phone can spread offensive views around the world with the click of a button, the notion that we can control the flow of information is obsolete. The question, then, is how do we respond?

And on this we must agree: There is no speech that justifies mindless violence. There are no words that excuse the killing of innocents. There’s no video that justifies an attack on an embassy. There’s no slander that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant in Lebanon, or destroy a school in Tunis, or cause death and destruction in Pakistan.

[...]

The future must not belong to those who target Coptic Christians in Egypt -- it must be claimed by those in Tahrir Square who chanted, “Muslims, Christians, we are one.” The future must not belong to those who bully women -- it must be shaped by girls who go to school, and those who stand for a world where our daughters can live their dreams just like our sons.

The future must not belong to those corrupt few who steal a country’s resources -- it must be won by the students and entrepreneurs, the workers and business owners who seek a broader prosperity for all people. Those are the women and men that America stands with; theirs is the vision we will support.

The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam. But to be credible, those who condemn that slander must also condemn the hate we see in the images of Jesus Christ that are desecrated, or churches that are destroyed, or the Holocaust that is denied.

Let us condemn incitement against Sufi Muslims and Shiite pilgrims. It’s time to heed the words of Gandhi: “Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.” Together, we must work towards a world where we are strengthened by our differences, and not defined by them. That is what America embodies, that’s the vision we will support.

Among Israelis and Palestinians, the future must not belong to those who turn their backs on a prospect of peace. Let us leave behind those who thrive on conflict, those who reject the right of Israel to exist. The road is hard, but the destination is clear -- a secure, Jewish state of Israel and an independent, prosperous Palestine. Understanding that such a peace must come through a just agreement between the parties, America will walk alongside all who are prepared to make that journey.

In Syria, the future must not belong to a dictator who massacres his people. If there is a cause that cries out for protest in the world today, peaceful protest, it is a regime that tortures children and shoots rockets at apartment buildings. And we must remain engaged to assure that what began with citizens demanding their rights does not end in a cycle of sectarian violence.

[...]

In Iran, we see where the path of a violent and unaccountable ideology leads. The Iranian people have a remarkable and ancient history, and many Iranians wish to enjoy peace and prosperity alongside their neighbors. But just as it restricts the rights of its own people, the Iranian government continues to prop up a dictator in Damascus and supports terrorist groups abroad. Time and again, it has failed to take the opportunity to demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful, and to meet its obligations to the United Nations.

So let me be clear. America wants to resolve this issue through diplomacy, and we believe that there is still time and space to do so. But that time is not unlimited. We respect the right of nations to access peaceful nuclear power, but one of the purposes of the United Nations is to see that we harness that power for peace. And make no mistake, a nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained. It would threaten the elimination of Israel, the security of Gulf nations, and the stability of the global economy. It risks triggering a nuclear-arms race in the region, and the unraveling of the non-proliferation treaty. That’s why a coalition of countries is holding the Iranian government accountable. And that’s why the United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

[...]

So much attention in our world turns to what divides us. That’s what we see on the news. That’s what consumes our political debates. But when you strip it all away, people everywhere long for the freedom to determine their destiny; the dignity that comes with work; the comfort that comes with faith; and the justice that exists when governments serve their people -- and not the other way around.

The United States of America will always stand up for these aspirations, for our own people and for people all across the world. That was our founding purpose. That is what our history shows. That is what Chris Stevens worked for throughout his life.

And I promise you this: Long after the killers are brought to justice, Chris Stevens’s legacy will live on in the lives that he touched -- in the tens of thousands who marched against violence through the streets of Benghazi; in the Libyans who changed their Facebook photo to one of Chris; in the signs that read, simply, “Chris Stevens was a friend to all Libyans.”

They should give us hope. They should remind us that so long as we work for it, justice will be done, that history is on our side, and that a rising tide of liberty will never be reversed.

Thank you very much.

-- President Barack H. Obama, speaking at the General Assembly of the United Nations

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