Rex Kickass

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 6, 2010 -> 08:39 AM) The idea that there has been this decrease in comity from an era like the last decade or two where we had things like the Willie Horton ad, the Southern Strategy, machines like the Kennedys, a Congress loaded with legitimate racists...etc. strikes me as wrong. There is a lot less comity these days than there was a generation ago, but not on the campaign trail. The lack of comity is in the Senate and the House, where there is an absolute lack of insulation from the campaign trail - and candidates these days are being seen as having to toss aside support for things that are right and make sense for fear of letting the other side get a political point.

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 5, 2010 -> 03:08 PM) this county should read "Nudge" I'm actually reading that right now.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 4, 2010 -> 01:15 PM) The only part that surprises me and that I find ugly is that the FD wouldn't take an offer of "I'll pay the full cost of you coming out". Same here. But your taxes do, at least, partially fund the cost of responders - if nothing else the 911 Dispatch center. The other thing I wonder about is what if you rent? Who is responsible for paying then? The tenant? The landlord?

http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/local/Firef...-104052668.html

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 3, 2010 -> 08:08 PM) My questioning the legality and methodology of the search doesn't mean I condone anything anti-gay. It is ignorant to imply that. Wasn't implying anything, was trying to figure out what you meant because it seemed unclear.

We'll miss you Nancy. Are they going to get a new organist? Or is this the end of live music at the Cell?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 3, 2010 -> 06:39 PM) And of course you turn it into something it isn't. Perhaps than you can specify exactly what it is?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 3, 2010 -> 06:24 PM) Is there an aerial estimate like there was for Beck's celebrating Beck rally? Haven't seen one. From what I've heard it was smaller, but not that much smaller.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 04:02 PM) Without more it's simply this guy using a blog to spout his opinions. Who cares if it's directed at one person or not? You think an environmental activist that wrote scathing blog posts about a particular person at the school and then "protested" at his house would be banned from the university? I doubt it. Whether this guy is wacko is beside the point. He's speaking his mind. Educational institutions are supposed to foster all sorts of speech, both positive and negative (think about civil rights speakers, anti-war speakers, the nut job professor in Colorado that said we deserved 9/11). This was a radio story, and there probably is more to the story. We don't know the nature of the protests. It is possible that the President of the U of M has a thin skin, but its also very possible that the level of "protests" that the crazy guy did bordered on harassment or threats. We don't know that at the moment. You really think that its the extreme fringe? I don't. I wouldn't call my parents extremist, but my mother told me that gay people were an abomination. Like last year. I had an ex who came out while we were dating and his mother almost disowned him. The last thing I would have called her was extremist. Prejudice and bias towards the GLBT community as a long ingrained history.

I didn't know that 34 was the "Firearm Anniversary" *makes note* This is a really horrible story. So sad to hear otherwise

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 10:58 AM) Again, my point wasn't that this doesn't happen or that it's not a problem that needs to be addressed. My point was that using one tragedy as an example of what every gay person in the country experiences is ridiculous. It's 2010, not 1950. I think your point was that these incidents are a microcosm of something larger. And the truth is that they are. It starts in school, it doesn't stop there. The difference is that when it happens in the professional world, more often than not someone responsible steps in. All too often, in schools, the support isn't there. There was a recent study about how safe GLBT students feel at a college campus. It's not that great. 1 out of 3 GLBT students leave or consider leaving their school because of what they perceive to be an unsafe environment. I think its a good sign that we can focus on this now, because although GLBT people have a long way to go to achieve equality, the situation has improved enough that we can realize that issues like this matter too. And matter for everyone, not just members of the GLBT community.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 11:47 AM) Also, your condescending response really added to the discussion. Thanks. Veiled insults don't help conversations on either side. So if you and StrangeSox could lay off the condescension and veiled insults, it would be appreciated thanks.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 30, 2010 -> 11:58 AM) I think it's ridiculous to point to these unfortunate events as a microcosm of something bigger. My point is that homosexuals are not the only "minority" that gets teased/ridiculed/outcasted to the point where the begin to suffer from issues like depression which may lead to suicide. To say that this one sad event is what it means to be gay in the United States equally "ruins" reasonable discussion on the issue. http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/michigan...from.U-M.campus

From an officemate today: Recycle Bin Laden

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 30, 2010 -> 11:58 AM) I think it's ridiculous to point to these unfortunate events as a microcosm of something bigger. My point is that homosexuals are not the only "minority" that gets teased/ridiculed/outcasted to the point where the begin to suffer from issues like depression which may lead to suicide. To say that this one sad event is what it means to be gay in the United States equally "ruins" reasonable discussion on the issue. You don't think its a problem because you didn't experience that.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Sep 30, 2010 -> 05:47 PM) I don't understand how someone can't fall asleep on an overnight flight that's longer than 5 hours. If I get tired then I fall asleep, longest flight I had was Atlanta to Rome (or Frankfurt whichever one was longer) and that wasn't as stupid long as Miami to Johannesburg or LAX to Sydney, but still almost a half a day. If I didn't sleep on that I'd probably slit my wrists. Fear of flying. The last time I fell asleep on a flight was in 2006 when I was flying home from Rio on a 13 hour flight. We were over the Venezuelan coast when we hit some moderate turbulence and I felt like I was plummeting to the ocean below with my eyes closed. Woke up and the call attendant lights were being reset and freaked out. Was convinced we were crashing for the next 5 hours until we passed Bermuda. Haven't been able to sleep on a plane since.

14/15. Apparently I slept through the great awakening.

Let's see what we're all listening to. Share your shuffle: 10 songs on your iPod/iTunes as they come up right now! 1. Stone Temple Pilots - Pretty Penny 2. Gorillaz - Glitter Freeze 3. The Gossip - Standing In The Way Of Control 4. Arrested Development - Blues Happy 5. Sublime - What Happened 6. Discovery - Osaka Loop Line 7. Oasis - Rock N Roll Star 8. Ted Leo + Pharmacists - Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone? 9. David Bowie - Little Wonder (Live) 10. The Clash - One More Dub

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 24, 2010 -> 03:23 PM) OK, then there it is. I just found it interesting that StrangeSox read an article which did not even contain the phrase "Tea Party", but applied the title to this racist buffoon. Did he know this about the guy from some other research before reading the article? If he saw the story on Google News, its likely "tea party" was in there somewhere, when I did a google search on the candidate, every other hit had Tea Party in the excerpt.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 24, 2010 -> 08:45 AM) Tea Party? The words Tea Party don't even appear in that article. It appears he's a racist, so I hope he loses, and it seems like he will. But let's be clear - there is no mention that he is in any way affiliated with the Tea Party. The GOP who backed him, though, may want to re-think that decision. I will say that a google search on him shows a website where he claims to be a founding member of the White Plains Tea Party and he is a member of it according to Facebook.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 24, 2010 -> 11:11 AM) Furthermore, planting a candidate across party lines is beyond stupid, if you are creating a fake. Because that would only matter if the GOP actually cared about the race, and if they did, the fake would be found out. There is no gain in this at all, and a lot to lose. And again, I am not saying candidates aren't sometimes planted - both by opposing party AND same party for various reasons. But I see no reason for the GOP or the Dems, in this case, to do it, because there is no gain in either scenario. Ask Jon Corzine how well funding a third party opponent in your own race works out for you.

Latter Day Taint

Peppermint Patty Hearst and the Stockholm Syndrome

Come up with your best band name. Part of the name has to be someone or something that is or was famous. The other half has to be something or someone objectively horrible. For example: Marilyn Manson. I'll start: Zsa Zsa Gabortion

Travel. Love to read but I don't have nearly the voracious appetite as I did a couple years ago. I used to read a book a week, easy. I also love bicycling, hiking, listening to music, creating really awesome names for bands.