The Abortion Issue

I wish I knew why this was an issue. Unless a woman is being coerced to abort a pregnancy, it's nobody's business!!! Granted, she should probably make that decision early on, because I imagine the procedure could present serious complications later on. Although, at any point the pregnancy presents a significant risk to the woman's own life, she should be able to decide.

As for those folks who think the fetus is a living being at some point during the pregnancy, please devote more effort in changing the tax laws, so we can start claiming the little deduction a few months earlier. Children born before June 30th, for example, could be claimed as a deduction for the previous year. Then, you would have a case to establish a cutoff point in the mother's decision making process. Good luck with that, by the way.

Finally, for the folks who think it's OK to murder a medical doctor trained to perform abortions, please get help. You are a walking contradiction. And, if you are also against Capital Punishment, a lifetime of therapy may not be enough.

Sometimes, when the overwhelming majority says you are wrong, you just have to get over it and move on. Set up a BLOG, and start whining. You'll feel better!!!!

9/11 - What is it Really?

This seems time-appropriate. What really happened on 9/11? This question has been answered probably thousands of times with a multitute of responses. In my view, it boils down to this.... America got its biggest wake up call to date that some really bad people hate our guts, and they will go to any lengths to prove it. The sad irony of it all is that these people truly believe they are doing something good.... in the name of their god!!! (Please refer to my Religious Wars!!!! topic below) My point is that they are as right and justified (in their eyes) as we know they are wrong (in our eyes). We will never rehabilitate them, or make them see things through our eyes. And, they will never change our beliefs or way of life. Absolute stalemate!!! Neither group will ever negotiate or concede. And, neither group will ever be completely defeated. Our offense is weak, but at least we try. And, we do manage to stop some of them. But, their resources are endless, and their "weapons" are limitless. They will find a way to strike again, and it will surprise us, because they will use a method for which we are unprepared. We may think of our terrorist enemy as Barbaric, but they are truly shrewd.

So, can we put 9/11 behind us and move on? There are two right answers. Yes! We already have moved on. Our freedoms are as available as they ever were, and we continue to grow and thrive. And, No! We will not allow ourselves to forget that many innocent lives were lost that day. This is especially true for relatives and friends of those who died in connection with those attacks. And, although the memory is destined to fade as the years pass, the legacy of 9/11 will become a part of history joining the likes of Vietnam, WWII, and the Holocaust.

So, what is 9/11, really? To many, it will most likely be a vivid reminder that horrible things can happen on a very large scale. And, most of us have no real control over them. So, be aware of your surroundings, don't take anything for granted, and take every opportunity to show the people you care about just how much you care. None of this advice should be new to any of us.

Safety and Terror....

Sad that we are threatened by such cowards as Bin Laden, but that is today's truth. A question was posed on the news tonight regarding how safe we feel now. Of course, the political answer depends on the party.... Republicans are taking credit for improved safety measures, and Democrats say it isn't enough. If we take a moment to step out of our political "boxes", it is clear that they are both right. And, regardless of who is in office, this would probably still be true.

Of course, the reality is that we are (and will probably always be) at risk of a terrorist attack(s) right here in the good ol' US of A. You see, these folks don't think anything like we do, and have a completely different set of beliefs and values. That's just a fact, and nothing we can say or do will change that. No matter what you believe, they will never be happy while we exist (and neither will we, while they exist). Another fact; neither side will ever eliminate the other as long as the earth still has people on it. This isn't anything like the Hitler thing. But, I digress....

How safe are we? Probably safer than we were before 9/11. Are we safe from future attacks? No! And, I don't think anyone truly believes we are. We may have made it more difficult to repeat an event like 9/11, and we need to continue our diligence on that effort. But, it doesn't take a genious to realize that these terrorists are pretty shrewd, and it's just a matter of time until they unleash some horrific attack using a method we are not prepared to defend against. No doubt, loyalists to terrorist entities are currently among us. And, all we can really do is keep our eyes open to suspicious activity and report them. And, perhaps most important, we need to face the reality that when any of these folks are caught, and we are certain of their terrorist intent, they are not allowed to continue to terrorize. Hint: Dead terrorists stop terrorizing!!!

Of course, there are always going to be a few people who think taking a life is wrong (even if he would kill them in a heartbeat). So, they would be perfectly welcome to let some one of these guys live with them. That would be fun!!!

Political Offering

Just curious why anyone would vote Republican. Obviously, we are a two party nation, for the most part. Personally, I approach elections as "Undeclared." That way I can usually choose from everyone, based on their qualifications and history. Novel approach, I guess, to be able to think freely without party ties. Anyway, I usually vote for Democrats, just because things typically work out better when they are in charge. Relax, I didn't say always....

But, I really got fed up with the Republicans a few years back. Remember how much money they cost the country when they went on their "witch hunt" for Bill Clinton? Several million on a Special Prosecutor over something called "White Water" that failed to accomplish anything. And, then the biggie..... They actually pursued the Impeachment process against Clinton. Now, I'm not a lawyer, but it was crystal clear that this would never succeed. Again, millions wasted. Surely, there were more important issues in the world, besides the President lying about getting blown in the Oval Office!!!! Now, for the that incident, I admit Clinton was an idiot in the way he handled it. But, the Republicans clearly surpassed idiocy for their action. Hey, if you want to throw millions away, send some to me, and I'll reconsider my voting approach. Oh, that's right. It's all going to the Iraq "conflict" now!!!

Religious Wars!!!!

I know these conflicts go back a long way. But, the concept still perplexes me. Most religions teach that killing is wrong. Yet, many wars have been fought in the name of some religion!!! And, the goal is to convert or kill people who do not believe in (or, at least, support) their religious cause. Am I the only one that sees a huge flaw in that logic????

I guess my only logical response should be.... Thank God, I'm an Atheist!!!! OK, for those who didn't get it, that's a play on words. Subtle humor..... I'm probably more of an Agnostic. You see, I believe something pretty awesome created life as we know it. I just don't think it was a single person.... and, that whole Virgin Mary thing.... How naive can we be? Anyway, that's what I think. You want to fight about it??? Again, just kidding. I don't care what you believe in. Just treat each other with respect. Peace, Brotha....

Murder and the Legal System...

Kinda sounds like a 70's sitcom title, and sadly, that's kinda how it plays out in much of this country. Some states have a death penalty, and a few of those actually carry it out. Obviously, opinions vary alot on this subject, as do the laws from state to state. But, the vast majority of folks want a vicious killer to fry. Now, back in the day, some cases may have been hard to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt. And, we certainly wouldn't want to fry an innocent person. Of course, modern forensics and DNA remove most of that doubt in many cases of murder.

OK, this subject could spin out of control. So, I'm just going to raise two points that I think should be removed from the contraversy, if the laws were updated and upheld:

1. Some Death Penalty opponents say that it does not deter murders. Obviously, the fried murderer will not be able to repeat the offense. Furthermore, if justice were truly swift, I think the message would clearly make a few potential offenders choose other options. One innocent life saved seems worthwhile to me.
2. Parole for a convicted murderer should never be an option. But, since it is sometimes, I think the releasing judge should be required to have the parolee live with him/her for at least a year. Never happen, but it would be interesting to see how many paroles were granted with that little contingency attached.

I'll probably revisit this topic in the future. For now, these two items should be put to rest.

Choose Your Very Own Disorder!!!

Since we now live in a society where you apparently no longer have to accept responsibility for your own behavior, maybe it's time we just pick the disorder that best suits our situation. I mean, we're all dysfunctional to some degree, right? Of course, no medical professional can just slap you in the face, and tell you to just use some common sense. It's much easier (and very acceptable) to just stick a label or two on you, prescribe some meds, and send you on your way!!! If you are real persistent, they may even refer you to a shrink, so you can REALLY rack up some serious medical expenses. And, those folks can get you on some real cool meds that will keep reality so far away you may never have to face it. Ahhhh, the serenity of it all....

Maybe we should just redesign the hospitals to include a vending machine for psychological disorders. Choose the item that best describes your situation, and a prescription drops into the tray:

• Short attention span? - you have ADHD
• Short fuse; always angry? - you have ADD or ADHD
• Sleep with virtually anyone? - you have OCD
• Reject all authority? - you have.... ahhh, you wouldn't believe me anyway

I wonder what would happen if the doctor just said, "Well, your parents left out the part about consequences for you actions. Snap out of it, and move on."

Lawsuit Abuse!!!!

Apparently, some folks out there who have been frustrated by their inability to hit the lottery, have decided the odds are better in the courts. There should be a trap door in front of the window where you file a lawsuit. And, if your lawsuit is stupid, the door opens, and you "go away." You know the one like the burglar who sued the homeowner, because he slipped on a skatebaord while robbing the guy's house.... swoooosh - buh-bye!! Or, the one where someone sued the fast food company, because they got fat from eating there.... (may need a bigger trap door). Anyway, my point is that you should not be allowed to sue someone for your own stupidity. Maybe we should amend our Constitution to allow each person a maximum of three lawsuits in a lifetime. And, if any one of them is frivilous (or what I call stupid), they are penalized. Make 'em wear a sign in public - "I'm the moron that filed the (dumbass description here) lawsuit." Maybe they would choose more wisely.

Then, there are the lawyers who actually take these cases to court. Aren't there some rules? (I smell another amendment). I mean, after all, isn't that abusing their profession? But, there is no consequence for their action. Maybe we should consider something similar to the rules for reporting suspected child abuse. A doctor or school teacher are required by law to report suspected child abuse to the authorities. Let's make lawyers and judges accountable for lawsuit abuse. I'm not saying these things are equal, but surely you can see the similarities....

Slower Traffic Use Right Lane

I thought I'd start out with something simple. Since so many people have apparently never seen what is perhaps the most common road sign in the country, I thought it deserved some attention. I don't suggest anyone should exceed the speed limit. Most of you do that without consulting me, anyway. But, I do suggest more people should heed the "Slower Traffic Use Right Lane" traffic LAW. Regardless of the speed you are driving, this sign always applies!!!

Here's the basic math concept. You're driving on a multi-lane highway, and there's no one else on the road. You are the slower traffic; use the right lane. Even if you are going 10 MPH over the posted speed limit, this is still true. If you come upon slower traffic (in the right lane), you can merge left to pass, and then return to the right lane (unless there is another slower car a few hundred feet up ahead). Now, if another car comes up behind you going 20 MPH over the speed limit, they can merge left to pass you. No one ever gets mad, and all you (or the other guy) might get is a speeding ticket. Who knows, this may result in a reduction in road rage.... or even avoid an accident.

Initial Post and Disclaimer

This site is dedicated to my rantings (and ramblings) regarding people's inability to function in society without making some idiotic choices along the way. Please don't misunderstand. I do not suggest that I am super-intelligent, or that I never do stupid things myself. Quite the contrary; some of my topics will be based on personal experience. But, many issues will be based on observation or media reports.
DISCLAIMER: Any names used are fictional, unless I'm quoting some media source. Any similarity to you or someone you know are purely coincidental. If you think I am referring to you, you may want to consider changing your behavior, before other's reading this also think the item is about you!!! Also, I do virtually no research on any issue, so don't try to defend yourself in a court of law with any solutions I may describe. (Besides, I'm sure I will bash the legal system/process along the way, too)
So, basically, this site is FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY!!!! Please enjoy it.