WTF?!?!

Recently, thanks to the Google ads you see to the right and my own curiousity, I stumbled across a website by A World Ahead Publishing for their "Help!Mom!" book series. The particular book being advertised was Help! Mom! There are LIBERALS Under My Bed! The premise of this children's book for conservative parents is that there are two children who want to start a lemonade stand so they can earn enough money to buy a swing set. However, they encounter obstacles when liberal figureheads in their town try to "tax and regulate their dream away." Honestly, WTF?!?!?! Is their method for winning future elections to brainwash children? Seriously, what are they teaching? Taxes provide us with necessary public resources and regulations help prevent the corrupt from taking everything from us (though they still get away with too much...probably because of books like this teaching 'regulation bad, corruption good').

In response, I would like to offer a book idea: Help! Mom! Bush Jr. Sent My Big Brother Away to be Killed in Iraq to Avenge Bush Sr.! Perhaps this one would be better: Help! Mom! All My Lemonade Money is Going to Oil Company Profits and Rich Republican Tax Breaks!

Credit Card Minimums Increase & I'm Becoming a Sell-Out

As you may or may not have noticed, the minimum payments on credit cards are being increased this year. It's due to government crack-downs and an attempt to help consumers get out of credit card debt faster. Honestly, it's a good thing. It forces me to pay more on the principal balance of my card than I may have in the first place. Hopefully, this will help our nation reduce our nagging credit card debts since we'll be paying more than just the finance charges. The problem it has caused me is that the extra money I was putting toward the higher rate card is now used to meet the minimum on the lower rate card, causing me to be charge more interest than I would have under my payment plan.

My cards have always haunted me. I don't have a horrendous level of debt by any means, but it's there and it bugs me. Not to mention the fact that it seems to keep growing, though very slowly. The problem is these damn holidays; everything's good until they come around. You would think I would learn to be prepared. Now that minimums are increasing, I'm taking another look at that haunting debt and trying to think of ways to make it go away faster. Since my employer doesn't want to give me a reasonable raise, I am left to find ways to get a small supplement from the internet.

The best way to do this without getting sucked into some kind of scam? Why, sell-out, of course! My sell-out is to Google and Amazon, as you can see with the adds on the right. I thought I would be smart for the holidays and order my gifts at Amazon through the link on my page. However, I now have reason to believe that they were smarter than me and will reduce my earnings by the affiliate fee I earned off my own orders. Cunning! So, what is my response? I invite anyone that wants to place an order through Amazon to use my links. When you do so, send me an email telling me you have used my link and let me know on what page you have a link. The next time I make an order through Amazon, I will use your link.

I've also looked into paid surveys and the like, but they all want you to give them $30-$100 to use their database (scam alert!) or pay $1-$2 per 15-30 minute survey, which really isn't worth the effort when your available time is next to nothing. If anyone out there has suggestions or ideas (legitimate suggestions or ideas; no scam spam!), leave me a comment.

Happy Holidays!

It is that time of year; time for joy, merriment, family, and gifts! Oh, and don't forget fighting about the 'real reason for the season'. Here is the gift I ask for this holiday season: Stop Fucking Fighting! Why must everyone try to convert everyone else to their beliefs? Just because you believe in Christ, I have to say 'Merry Christmas'? The whole point to the season is peace and the spreading of joy. Instead, we all spend our time spreading hatred and anger. Well, stop it. Everyone agree to disagree. Don't be insulted if I say 'Happy Holidays'. I can assure you I have never been insulted when someone else said 'Merry Christmas', even though I am more inclined to celebrate the winter solstice (which was the original holiday, after all), if I am to celebrate anything.

Let's all be happy and friendly and stop fighting. Happy Holidays!!

Why We Cannot Blame the Military for the Administration's Handiwork

In a recent press conference:

A questioner asked whether the United States and its allies might be deemed responsible for preventing mistreatment of people under arrest in Iraq, given that the U.S. and its allies train Iraqi forces.

"There are a lot of people involved in this, dozens of countries trying to help train these Iraqi forces. Any instance of inhumane behavior is obviously worrisome and harmful to them when that occurs," Rumsfeld said. "Iraq knows, of certain knowledge, that they need the support of the international community. And a good way to lose it is to make a practice of something that is inconsistent with the values of the international community."

He added: "Now, you know, I can't go any further in talking about it. Obviously, the United States does not have a responsibility when a sovereign country engages in something that they disapprove of."

Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked what orders the troops have to handle such incidents. He responded: "It is absolutely the responsibility of every U.S. service member if they see inhumane treatment being conducted, to intervene, to stop it."

He said soldiers who hear of but don't see an incident should deal with it through superiors of the offending Iraqis.

That's when Rumsfeld stepped to the microphone and said, "I don't think you mean they have an obligation to physically stop it. It's to report it."

Pace then repeated to Rumsfeld that intervening when witnessing abuse is the order the troops must follow, not just reporting it.

I put emphasis on what I feel are key items within that exchange. The first being Rummy's comment that the US does not have to step in when it disagrees with a country's actions. However, the administration he is part of said that we had to intervene when we disagreed with Saddam's Iraq. Seems contradictory to me.

The even more important part is the exchange between Rumsfeld and Pace. Pace says troops should step in and stop inhumane treatment when they see it. I support him and our military for that. Rumsfeld says troops should allow the inhumane treatment to continue and run off to tattle to someone who should do something about it (though they may not). That is one of millions of reasons I do not support this administration or their actions. I could go on for pages about all the contradictions, hypocracies, and other ills that arise from this, but I'll let the words above speak for themselves.

A Good Word for Hagel

From The Raw Story:

"The Iraq war should not be debated in the United States on a partisan political platform," the Nebraska senator remarked. "This debases our country, trivializes the seriousness of war and cheapens the service and sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. War is not a Republican or Democrat issue. The casualties of war are from both parties. The Bush Administration must understand that each American has a right to question our policies in Iraq and should not be demonized for disagreeing with them. Suggesting that to challenge or criticize policy is undermining and hurting our troops is not democracy nor what this country has stood for, for over 200 years. The Democrats have an obligation to challenge in a serious and responsible manner, offering solutions and alternatives to the Administration’s policies."

He also suggested the members of Congress who failed to question the war could be responsible for another Vietnam.

"Vietnam was a national tragedy partly because Members of Congress failed their country, remained silent and lacked the courage to challenge the Administrations in power until it was too late," he added. "Some of us who went through that nightmare have an obligation to the 58,000 Americans who died in Vietnam to not let that happen again. To question your government is not unpatriotic – to not question your government is unpatriotic. America owes its men and women in uniform a policy worthy of their sacrifices."

This is from Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE). I am impressed and appreciative of his words. This administration does everything in its power to suppress those that question its authority. It is wrong for the administration to attend only to their own perogatives, ignoring and keeping everything secret from the public they serve. It is the duty of Congress to keep the Executive in check, not follow behind like little lap dogs.