One of the good (or bad, depending on how you look at it) things about traveling as much as I did for 15 years and not even having an address for the last 5 of those years, is that I have never been summoned for jury duty. Until now.
Don’t get me wrong. I was actually looking forward to the day I got to serve on a jury. It’s something I’ve always been curious about. The group dynamic and the whole deliberation process fascinates me (see below). Since I’ve actually had a real home now for 5+ years, I was wondering if they were ever going to “find” me. I’m a registered voter and I have a driver’s license, so I suspected it was only a matter of time (unless there was some felony in my deep dark past that I didn’t know about!) until my civic duty caught up with me. Unfortunately, that time has now come, and it’s…..drum roll please…
NEW YEAR’S EVE!!!???
WTF?? Who starts a jury trial on New Year’s Eve? Don’t they know about the fabulous “GLY group” of friends I’ve traveled all over the world with on New Year’s Eve for the past ten years??? Surely the must know about that? Don’t they read my blog? Who do they think they are??
Having no experience whatsoever with this, I had no idea what to do. The summons was quite clear about the consequences for not appearing:
Since horizontal stripes aren’t exactly slimming, I thought I had best respond, even though I would have a good alibi in the fact that I only open mail twice a year, LOL.
The stupid summons said nothing about postponement either. Basically what it said was that the only way you could get out of jury duty was if you were dead, or had one of these excuses:
Medical Excuses – Complete Section E of your summons. If you are over 70, a physician’s statement is NOT required, but you must provide your age, date of birth and the reason for your medical excuse in the space provided in Section D. All requests for excuse must be signed in Section G.
Financial Hardship – Financial Hardship requests are strictly scrutinized. The fact that your employer does not pay for jury service is not sufficient grounds for excuse. You must be able to demonstrate how service as a juror will cause you EXTREME hardship. Section C must be completed. Failure to complete Section C in its entirety will cause automatic qualification for jury service.
Transfer – To change to another court location within the county, you must provide a legally sufficient reason in writing indicating why you are prevented from appearing at the courthouse to which you have been randomly summoned by computer. A written request, briefly explaining your hardship, must be provided in Section D. Only a true hardship is grounds for a transfer, inconvenience is not.
I was scared to call the number to register because I thought once I was officially “in the system”, there would be no way to escape the Matrix.
Enter Google, to save the day! Once I learned that I could actually postpone my jury duty (one time only) by calling the number, I gladly called and was actually pleasantly surprised by the efficiency of the automated phone system! (There’s a first!) Bottom line, is now I don’t have to report for jury duty until January 22nd.
(Speaking of Google, did you see that they added a Hong Kong skyline theme to their theme menu, that changes in light and texture based on the time of day!? I LOVE it!! It’s almost as good as being there, or at least looking at Skunky’s photos! They also added the solar system, showing a new scene for each day of the week; a family of raccoons playing in a leaf pile; a tiger on Jeju Island, South Korea; and JR, the lovable monster who grapples with life in a city for which he is entirely too big.
Hong Kong skyline photo courtesy of master photographer Jeff (Skunky)!!
Google and its gadgets make my life so much easier. If you use Firefox (and why wouldn’t you? Except for the fact that embedded material like YouTube videos don’t show up in the Xanga editor, anyone know why??) you should also check out the Google toolbar add-ons for Firefox. I can highlight any word on any webpage and instantly search for it in Wikipedia, YouTube, the New York Times, dictionary.com, and so on. It’s a real time saver.
Another trick I just learned was that you could type “link:”any website url”" into google to find how many other webpages are linked to that site. Not sure how #2 got on mine, but it’s an interesting tool nonetheless. (Actually, I must have a Xanga entry tagged with “celebrities” just like “talky alex“) )
Sorry….that was a LONG parenthetical phrase….I digress. Back to, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, juries. I was recently thinking more about the whole “deliberation” process after receiving some advice I solicited from a good friend. The advice concerned how to respond to an emailed article that originally came from some military grunt forum that stated, among other things, that:
President Bush did not make a mistake in his handling of terrorism. He made the mistake of believing that we still had the courage and fortitude of our fathers. He believed that this was still the country that our fathers fought so dearly to preserve. It is not the same country. It is now a cross between Sodom and Gomorrah and the land of Oz. We did unite for a short while after 911, but our attitude changed when we found out that defending our country would require some sacrifices.
Ugh! Which way to the vomitorium?? After reading this, I wanted to send one of my sharply critical emails attacking the author’s position that people who don’t support the war (and the president) live an immoral life and that Muslims:
[sic] believe that it is okay, even their duty, to kill anyone who will not convert to Islam. It has been estimated that about one-third or over three hundred million Muslims are sympathetic to the terrorists cause…Hitler and Tojo combined did not have nearly that many potential recruits.
…This makes it OK for us to go to war with Iraq!!?? Lord & Taylor, where to begin???
So anyway as I started writing my response, I thought twice and asked the advice of a wise friend who I consider an expert in matters of diplomacy. I hope he doesn’t mind me paraphrasing some of what he told me:
The person who wrote this article, buys into a version of generational difference that makes me think he is a staunch supporter of patriotism, and that his brain is wired in well-defined systems of dichotomous information-processing. It would be difficult to engage such a thinker in a conversion mission—which is what I suspect you would like to do. Instead, I would approach this as an ideal jury deliberation:
Parties agree to discuss an issue, parties accept they may change their minds after hearing everyone out and deliberating collectively. Every person agrees that one can understand another’s opinion without having to accept their positions. Each person should lay out his/her opinion while everyone else does their best to listen carefully without passing judgment (recent research indicates only well-trained minds can do this at will). Closure only comes when parties feel they have said all they wanted, are at peace with their deliberations, and can at least understand other parties’ reasoning for differing views about the same subject.
In concrete ways, I would agree with several of the points in the article that were made about people coming together and then I would present my own counter-evidence. I would make the point that the same people did despicable things to fellow Americans during the same time exactly BECAUSE they saw the world, and America, in the dichotomous ways (us versus them) that allows for that type of unquestioned unity. For instance, Japanese American citizens were taken from their homes, put into concentration camps inside the United States, children were separated from parents, no explanations were given to parents or children, no order of the law was followed, no trials were conducted, and no amendments were made after years of such treatment. All this while using Japanese American soldiers to fight the war in the Pacific region.
Very similar things happened to Native Americans. The same generation took children away from families, by force, without explanation, to raise them in warehouses across America well into the 60s. Women were pushed out of jobs once the war was over. WWII GIs were given 2 years of salary with no questions asked for serving the nation in the war, then had their college education paid for 100% without restrictions of place, tuition cost, etc. This contrasts in extreme forms with the way Iraq War vets are being treated by the current administration (you know the details here). America did not follow a pre-emptive strike, but it was rather forced into the war by a strategy perceived by the population as cowardly (Pearl Harbor). There are a thousand points to be made here in rather objective ways.
Bravo!! This kind of goes back to my “Perceptions” post about generational differences and how they affect the way we see the world. It’s doubtful that the author of the article that sparked this will ever read this entry (maybe he’ll Google himself). If he does, perhaps it will spark a deliberation that I will now be better prepared for. Besides, as my wise friend also stated, I could always tell him that this email changed my life in such a profound way that I’ve decided to fly to Iraq and serve as a peace liaison because I felt the inextricable pull of patriotism! Hmmm…maybe deliberation isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Guess I’ll find out on January 22nd. Let’s hope it’s not a murder trial!!
After a week of staying up until dawn each night, laughing, crying and eating far too much, I will fly out of Portland tomorrow with the promise that our group of worldwide friends will meet again next month in Pacifica to commemorate our 10th New Year’s Eve together. Who would have thought that what started ten years ago as a bunch of connected strangers sitting around a pool in Brazil, eating mangoes and sharing life stories; would evolve into a globetrotting GLY family that continues to grow! Thanks especially to Marcelo & Emily for their undying hospitality and reciprocal altruism You guys are the greatest!! I hope you still feel the same about me after the heating bill comes!
I got the best e-card from Christine today. Anyone who can make something rhyme with “Careyfornia” is a lifelong friend in my book!!
A poem for you:
The pied piper, the voodoo donut lover, My 2nd husband, my converse wearing brother.
You may smooch Bassam, or asians galore, but my triangle friend it’s you I adore.
With stories of Quandetta and graciously giving gum; having to do what the group wants isn’t always fun.
3 holes or 2, hating ipod phones; Tawny Kitaen, 88′ camrys, and leaving Britney alone.
Hangin at the beach, singin Christmas tunes; food, friends, joy, and pictures of the moon.
Jim in Florida, pretending not to expect us; Turkey day as fabulous, even better than Festivus (he he)
Would love to see you soon and maybe I should warn you, you may be seeing me soon at hotel Careyfornia.
Love,
Christine
I also had a sweet drawing from Patrick (with some help from Mommy methinks) when we got home from dinner tonight:
We had dinner with Perry at McMenamins Kennedy School. It’s an old Portland school that has been converted into many “classroom” bars, a movie theater, a hotel and a restaurant. Before that I had lunch with Susan, and she gave me a wonderful countdown gift:
Here are the rest of the photos:
When she gave me this, it was set wrong. Thank goodness it WAS wrong!
Now THIS is how I remember Portland in November!!
LOTS of rain!
I stayed at the hotel connected to this restaurant, 150 nights one year!
I couldn’t resist comparing their TV to my cell phone, which I mounted over the fireplace to watch live TV!
I’m finally walking again…though trying to stay off my ankle as much as possible. It’s a whole lot better than it was last week though. So…not much new to report. I got an email yesterday from my friend Luci in Brazil. She sent me some pictures of her kids, which I just had to post:
Carey Anthony<careygly@gmail.com>
Fun in the Sun – News from Brazil!
From: Luciana
Tue, Nov 6, 2007 at 8:31 AM
To:Carey
Greetings from Sunny Brazil! Just wanted to share with you some pictures of our four day weekend in Buzios (near Rio) three weeks ago. Lucas is 2 years and 8 months old and Amanda is 1 year and 3 months old!
Hope all is well with you. Please send us news!
Luci Upper School Counselor/VHS Site Coordinator Graded – The American School of São Paulo, Brazil
From: Carey
Tue, Nov 6, 2007 at 10:02 AM
To:Luciana
Oi Lu,
I just got off the phone with Department of Children & Family Services. I’m not sure if their jurisdiction will reach Brazil, but I HAD to file a complaint about a possible crime. You see, depriving such BEAUTIFUL children the chance of fame and fortune by not sending them to live in Hollywood with their Uncle Carey and pursue a modeling/acting career, is tantamount to child neglect. I’m sorry it had to come to this, but it’s for the children. I hope you understand. Until my attorney contacts you, please kiss the children, and give yourself a strong hug for bringing such angels into our world!
Beijos,
Carey
Thanks so much to Albert, who pointed me to this great website that allows you to embed your Flickr photos anywhere you want. That’s Luci and her husband in the first picture, and a bunch of photos I took in Brazil the last time I was there. The neatest thing is that you can access any of my over 8000 Flickr photos all from this one slideshow. You just have to click “Info” and enter my Flickr name: CareyAnthony. Then just choose a set. I love it!
Update: I’ve left Flickr…they pissed me off. Stay tuned
Finally, I received some very disturbing news today. I don’t know how much press this is going to get, but I find it truly shocking that a promising HIV vaccine, designed to immunize people against the disease before they get it, actually might be increasing the chance for test study volunteers to contract HIV and therefore AIDS. I have a good friend who is enrolled in this trial. He received 3 vaccinations, though since it was a blinded study, he had no way of knowing whether he got the vaccine or a placebo. Merck, the company that conducted the trials, is going to un-blind the study, so soon my friend will know if he actually received the vaccine. If so, he is more at risk of contracting HIV than had he not enrolled in this trial.
He was guaranteed by Merck that the trial could in no way infect him. So, in essence, by trying to do a good thing and advance the study and science of HIV prevention, he now may be at risk. Of course this is all speculation at this point, but how dare a worldwide pharmaceutical company like Merck expose people to such a horrific possibility. My friend is beside himself with worry…nearly sick to his stomach. I wish the best for him and for the other 3,000 study participants nationwide. Here’s more, from Time magazine:
A T-lymphocyte white blood cell infected with AIDS virus (green).
After 20 years of defeat, it appeared that science may have finally
developed a viable vaccine against AIDS. Merck’s new drug, V520, was
being tested in a huge clinical trial, involving 3,000 people in 15
cities, and it was widely considered the most promising new candidate
in the field. But last September, when Merck analyzed its initial trial
data, it found that the vaccine had failed — and failed miserably. On
Wednesday, the company issued its first report on the V520 trials,
revealing that the drug did not protect against HIV, and more
disturbingly, actually increased some people’s susceptibility to the
virus. “I don’t think anyone imagined the results would be so
definitively negative so quickly,” says Dr. Gary Nabel, director of the
Vaccine Research Center at the National Institutes of Health.
V520 may have failed, but somewhere in the details of the drug’s
nonsuccess, scientists hope to find insight into what will make future
vaccines work. After all, V520 is just one of about 50 experimental HIV
vaccines that are currently being tested in clinical trials, and almost
all of them are designed to function the same way. While most vaccines
expose the body to weakened or killed viruses, or pieces of them, to
boost production of antibodies — proteins that recognize invading cells
and flag them for destruction — that tack alone was too feeble to fend
off HIV. The new class of vaccines, including V520, takes a more direct
route: They trigger cell-mediated immunity, which marshals killer T
cells that both recognize and destroy viruses and bacteria, and can
lead to a more robust, specific and longer-lived immune defense.
It’s not yet clear why V520 didn’t work, but one theory involves its
vector, or delivery vehicle. Like almost every other AIDS vaccine in
development, Merck’s drug used the common cold virus to transport its
payload — three synthetic HIV genes — into the body’s cells. What makes
the adenovirus ideal for the task is precisely the reason colds make us
so miserable — once inside a host, the cold virus infects cells and
starts to replicate quickly. The down side to that efficiency, however,
is that cold viruses are so common that most people have developed a
certain level of tolerance to them; if the adenovirus fails to excite
the immune system, then any bugs piggybacked on the virus, such as HIV
genes, will also slip past immune defenses. That’s exactly what appears
to have happened in the Merck trial: People with the highest
pre-existing immunity to the common cold also had the highest rates of
infection with HIV.
“It could be due to chance, or to differences in the populations we
studied, or to something related to the vaccine itself,” says Dr. Keith
Gottesdiener, vice president of Vaccine and Infectious Disease Clinical
Research at Merck. “The ‘why’ is still not well known.”
Researchers have already set about trying to figure it out. “We have
to remember that Merck’s was a single product testing a vaccine
concept, which is that T cell immunity can protect against HIV
infection,” says Nabel. “And we know there are other ways to stimulate
T cell immunity.” Nabel is ready to test one such method, a vaccine
similar to Merck’s that uses different HIV genes and a “prime-boost”
approach that involves two injections spaced a few months apart,
instead of one shot, to maximize the stimulation of the body’s T cells.
Other researchers, like Dr. David Ho, director of the Aaron Diamond
AIDS Research Center in New York City and the recipient of a $25
million grant from the Gates Foundation to study novel vaccine
strategies, think that the cold virus isn’t the best way to deliver
HIV. Ho is exploring the possibility that a different vector, such as
the chicken pox virus, or perhaps no vector at all — simply injecting
snippets of naked HIV DNA — could yield stronger immune responses.
At the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), a non-profit
group of public and private partners focused on funding and
accelerating AIDS vaccine research, scientists are studying the use of
crippled, live strains of HIV — based on the success of other such live
attenuated vaccines against polio and measles — which they think might
be critical to waking up the right immune system defenses. “There is
something magical about the replicating virus, because it has virtually
its entire genome,” says Dr. Seth Berkley, president of IAVI. His group
is also investigating ways to stimulate so-called neutralizing
antibodies, a special class of antibodies that appear to be able to
defuse HIV.
Despite the ongoing study, experts argue that none of it will
succeed without some basic changes in the way it’s conducted. Most
research occurs in isolation; there’s little coordination among labs
and no network through which data can be shared, making it difficult
for scientists to learn from each other’s missteps. Worse, it takes
years to get regulatory approval to start a human trial for a new
vaccine — not to mention enrolling the volunteers and training the
right personnel — so, by the time experiments get underway, the science
around which the vaccine was built has long since become outdated. “The
trials are not informing science at the moment,” says Dr. Alan
Bernstein, executive director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, an
alliance of independent organizations dedicated to accelerating HIV
vaccine research. “Science — and vaccine development — is an iterative
process, except that in HIV vaccine research, there isn’t a lot of
iteration going on.”
The Enterprise, which was founded in 2005, intends to change that.
With funding from the Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, National
Institutes of Health and the European Union, it will serve as a hub for
guiding worldwide HIV vaccine research. �We want to ensure that the
trials are done faster, better and smarter,� says Bernstein. And
hopefully, with more success.
For Merck’s official press release today, click here.
Arnold’s Constitutionality & Flickr Foibles
Please note that until the writer’s strike is over this blog will only contain photos. Just kidding. Though they say if the strike lasts a long time, it could have devastating and far-reaching effects on the local economy.
I got in to a 5 against 1 heated debate the other day with my friends over the following issue:
The “Arnold Amendment” Should we amend the Constitution to let foreign-born U.S. citizens become president?
BackgroundWhen the Framers wrote the Constitution in 1787, they feared theinfluence foreign powers and foreign wealth might have on the newnation. In Europe, royal families in one country often tried to put oneof their own on another nation’s throne. To prevent some powerfulEuropean nobleman from coming to America, buying up political favorsand seizing the presidency, the Framers adopted a clause makingforeign-born U.S. citizens (except those present at the time of theConstitution’s adoption) ineligible to become president. For most ofthe 216 years since the adoption of the Constitution, there has beenlittle debate about this provision. But now there are four proposals inCongress to permit foreign-born citizens to runfor president. Each allows a foreign-born American to run for presidentafter a lengthy period of citizenship. Arnold Schwarzenegger, has become anemblem for the cause. Advocates of change say the current provision isout-of-date and un-American. Millions of immigrants have made this themost diverse nation on Earth and contributed to its strength. As amatter of equal rights, proponents say, they should have an equalchance to dream about becoming president. Opponents say the Framers’concerns about the possibility of divided allegiances are still validand that the Constitution should not be changed.
Our debate wasn’t actually about Arnold, it was about a Constitutional Amendment to allow foreign-born US citizens to become president. I’m as liberal as the next Californian, but this is something I actually don’t support (which scares me, because it really is a red state/blue state issue). It’s not because I don’t like Arnold, and it’s not because I don’t think there are plenty of foreign born Americans who would make excellent presidents. I suppose I’m a bit of a Constitutionalist (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it) at heart. But I couldn’t articulate to my friends my reasoning. To be honest, I think they were quite flabbergasted at my perceived intolerance. (For the record, I’m also not in favor of a Constitutional Amendment to allow gay marriage (nor certainly one to ban it), though I fully support gay marriage. I just think it’s something for the states to decide, and it doesn’t belong in the Constitution any more than an amendment about the right to celebrate Christmas. But that’s a whole other blog entry.)
I, like most Americans (even the foreign born ones who went to US schools), grew up reciting the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at school:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands; one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
I believe that patriotism, like family bonds, are something we learn at a very young age. In most cases, we are bound by our countries of birth as tightly as we are bound by our families, inextricably. I can’t imagine that’s a typically American feeling. Surely this one country doesn’t cause everyone who comes here to want to pledge their allegiance to our flag. I’m an Italian American, and though I would love to live in Italy if my lifestyle could afford it, I would never pledge allegiance to Italy. (Though I did root for them to win the World Cup!) But maybe my thinking is too American. As the National Review pointed out:
One of the wonders of American culture, of course, is the spectacle ofpeople becoming American. We call this assimilation or, lessclinically, Americanization. It is a rough process that affects peoplein different ways. On an individual level, it includes successes,failures, and much in between. It also holds a special place in thepublic imagination-most Americans can name an immigrant forebear, and agreat many know immigrant ancestors as more than names. Their storiesof arriving here, learning English, and gaining citizenship are centralnot just to millions of family histories, but to the whole country’ssense of itself. As Harvard’s Oscar Handlin remarked 50 years ago,”Once I thought to write a history of the immigrants in America. Then Idiscovered that immigrants were American history.” By proposing toremove the single legal distinction the United States makes betweencitizens by birth and citizens by choice (their own or their parents’),an Amendment would fit inside a grand tradition of assimilation andacceptance.
But, as pointed out in The Spectator (God, now I’m quoting The Spectator! What’s happening to me??):
But the risk goesbeyond the potential of foreign powers planting someone in thepresidency or influencing a president born and raised abroad. Even aforeign-born president not subject to malign foreign influence is arisk not worth taking, given that unavoidably divided loyalties (due toan attachment to a country in which the president was born and raised,has fond memories of, family in, and so on) could make him eitherdangerous or ineffectual. Theframers’ concern about divided loyalties wasn’t nativist caprice but arealistic recognition that a president needs to have an extremely deepattachment to America in order to serve it effectively in times ofcrisis.
So is my thinking flawed? Not that it should matter, but 4 out of 5 of the friends that I had this debate with were not born in the United States. And the fifth is so liberal that she has a New York accent even though she’s from Texas! So my final question to my friends was this; “Would you want George W. Bush to be able to become president of your countries??” And besides, does anybody remember what happened the last time as Austrian became president of another country? Sorry (On no he di’nt!)
On a completely unrelated note, does anybody know how to embed Flickr sets in Xanga? It’s driving me crazy.
Update: I got this message on my myspace today. It’s nice to hear this come from a real Marine. Again, it’s comforting to know that people like Jimmy are out there trying to preserve our way of life. God love him!
Carey, I am also completely against the war…I know that might sound hypocritical, but joining the Marine Corps had nothing to do with the war. Thank you for all your compliments, although I don’t see my videos as anything more than me trying to make my siblings back at home laugh, maybe someday something a little bit bigger will come out of it. Either way, I’m happy.
It’s people like you, who support the troops despite how they feel about the war, who keep us going.
Thank you.
Jimmy Shea
After reading about Britain’s recent troop withdrawals and watching Jimmy’s YouTube videos from Okinawa, especially the one below in which he answers a few of the questions I wrote about several months ago, I’m reposting portions of an entry from last spring. It’s nice to know that we have Marines like Jimmy Shea fighting for the rights that even now I feel are slipping through our fingers. –Carey
391 days until the 2008 election!!
(564,403 minutes…how do you measure a year + of Bush?)
Ruin seize thee ruthless King! Confusion on thy banners wait Though fanned by conquest’s crimson wing They mock the air with idle state.– Thomas Gray, The Bard
“Betrayed Bush Said to be Seething Over Britain’s Iraq Troop Withdrawal”Read more…
The “Coalition” continues to erode – including Iceland’s 2 troops (one female) that have since been withdrawn. (Source: Wikipedia).
The numbers are telling:
United States: 250,000 invasion–168,000 current (9/07)
Iceland: 2 troops (deployed 5/03 – withdrawn date unknown)
I’m not a big fan of the traditional news outlets by any stretch, but for a truly excellent overview of the regional powerplay in the Middle East, take a look at this. So many Americans are ignorant to the centuries of conflict and geopolitical strife in that region. Yes, for Bush & Cheney it’s about oil, but for the millions of citizens of the Middle East, it’s about geography (and sadly, religion, but that’s another topic). If you don’t understand a Sunni from a Shiite, take a look at this presentation. Click to begin:
Haditha - Not easy to read, but important.
The Resistance in Iraq is now filling their improvised explosive devices (IED’s) with human feces so that if our soldiers don’t die in the explosion they will die from infection. Who did they learn this from? Ask Donald Rumsfeld. It is so clear that we are not wanted there…by ANYONE, Shiites, Kurds or Sunnis.
Don’t let the words of the title confuse you. They are the technical terms for an affinity for human urine and feces. I’m not talking about the practices as sexual fetishes of some people but as weapons in U.S. military operations.
Currently, a court case is being held at Camp Pendleton in California that concerns the killing of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq. The incident was buried in officialdom until a U.S. Marine came forward to challenge the party line that the dead were resistance fighters. All were innocent civilians.
Sgt. Sanick Dela Cruz, who took part in the bloody massacre, has been granted immunity for his testifying as a prosecution witness. According to a Reuters report, “Marine Says Urinated on Dead Iraqi at Haditha, “published on May 10, 2007: Read More…
I just don’t know what to make of this interview, but I think every serviceman in Iraq or Afghanistan should see it. And for those of us here, (especially the 110 pound soccer moms driving their 6 year old kids to school in a 3 ton, $45,000 Ford Expedition that gets14 mpg), it’s a rude awakening (and we wonder why they hate us so much!?). These ”soldiers” are children playing war games. Many of them are 18 or 19 with only a GED. One of the most frequently asked questions on the Marine Corp. website is “How far will I have to run?”. This is George W. Bush’s dirty little secret (well, one of them). My first reaction to the brutal slaying of innocent women and children is that this “soldier of misfortune” should be in prison for the rest of his life for his bloodthirsty rampage. Though when you watch the interview (Scott Pelley did an excellent job I thought), you can practically see this soldier’s demons haunting him, as I’m sure they will forever. The question then however, is who’s responsible? Obviously as the battalion leader he was responsible for ordering his men to “shoot first, ask questions later”.
But why was he a battalion leader if he had never seen combat? Though he had been in the Marines for years, he asked to go back to active duty,because, he wanted to see combat (??). The men under him had combat experience while he had none. So where does the ultimate blame lie? The Marines who train these kids, many of whom can’t get into college or find a decent job? The September11th hijackers? (We all now know, that Iraq played no part in that!). Donald Rumsfeld? George Bush? I think Bush’s reaction to this massacre in the interview is absurd (what else is new?). He has more blood on his hands than anyone in this “nation destroying war” (ours and theirs). When will it end?? Will we even make it to November 4, 2008??
This 2005 family photo provided by attorney Mark S. Zaid shows Frank Wuterich of Meriden, Conn. Staff Sgt. Wuterich, a Marine Corps squad leader, was charged with murdering 12 people and ordering Marines under his command to kill others during an incident that left 24 civilians dead in the Iraqi town of Haditha in 2005. (CBS)
“He fired and killed everybody. The American fired and killed everybody.”
Exodus 22:16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. Exodus 22:15-17 (in Context) Exodus 22 (Whole Chapter)
Golly, it’s too bad I’m not looking to get married, because I just found the perfect website to snag the perfect bride. www.marryourdaughter.net offers a full range of underaged girls to do with what I please. For a price, of course:
With a simple click of a mouse I can propose to my “Sweet 13″ and live happily ever after. Just listen to these fabulous testimonials:
“Thank God for your site! Our daughter was really nervous walking down the aisle, but she seems okay now and the money we got let us keep our farm and even add on a few acres.”
—Mrs. Addrien L.
“At first we were worried that Janine was too young to get married, but then her new husband bought her a house and a car and jewelry and the money we got let us buy a house for ourselves. Getting out of the trailer park at our age was the best thing that ever happened to us, and it’s all thanks to Marry Our Daughter!”
—Mr. Jack M.
“I was SO scared getting married so young, but my husband is an okay guy and I am SO proud that because of me my parents were able to get their first brand-new car and take the trip they always wanted to. I couldn’t have done it without your site!”
—Katrina K., married at 14
“Our 15 year old daughter Mary wasn’t very popular and did nothing but mope around the house bringing everybody down, so we decided to marry her off through your site. Now our house is a lot cheerier and we love our new swimming pool and Jaccuzi! We’ve told our youngest that when she turns 15 we’re going to marry her off too!”
—Mrs. James P.
“My mother thought I was getting ‘too frisky” and that I had to get married right away before I lost my purity to some high school boy. Marry Our Daughter found me a husband and my parents were able to keep their house and pay off my mother’s medical bills. I was so glad I could help them, and being married at my age (I’m 16 now) has a lot of advantages, like my own credit card!”
—Nancy A.
Did you believe what you just read? If so, you’re not alone. Luckily, this website is not real. It is simply one man’sinteresting attempt to draw attention to inconsistancies in state marriage laws. What’s fascinating though is that it’s not too “far out” to be believable. When you consider movies like Jesus Camp and events like Purity Balls, is this really a stretch? (Especially for the 50% of Americans who voted for Bush!) There are intelligent people who will look at this website, and think it’s real, and that’s what’s scary. When this type of thing is fathomable, we’re all in trouble.
Re: Customer Resolution Form Submission DAMAGED ITEM (KMM53688102I57L0KM) 1 message
Carey Anthony <careygly@gmail.com>
Mon, Sep 17, 2007 at 2:41 PM
To: US_CAG_Customer_Care <US_CAG_Customer_Care@dell.com>
Hello “Jaron” (if that’s your real name. Why do I have a feeling it’s Patel??),
OK, I’m REALLY getting irritated here. You told me someone would be calling in the next 48 to 72 hours, 2 WEEKS AGO! The only person who called was some crazy woman in India (I asked), trying to SELL me a warranty on a DEFECTIVE machine that I told you I wanted to RETURN WEEKS ago. I have called your Customer “Service” only to be transferred FIVE times, and HUNG UP on by someone foreigner with an accent so thick I couldn’t even understand them. Outsourcing American jobs during a time of war is tantamount to TREASON. You should be tried for war crimes you greedy corporate behemoth.
You have sent UPS to my house THREE times now, with NO explanation of what they are here for. NO ONE from Dell has contacted me as promised, regarding this return I’m ready to call my credit card company and dispute the bill for this piece of crap computer you sold me. I always loved Dell and always loved your customer service. I recommended you to my friends. Now you’re just like everyone else, selling computers that catch on fire, and investing in 3rd world economies instead of your own. You should be ashamed of yourselves. How do you even sleep at night? I DEMAND a PERSONAL reply to this IMMEDIATELY (if not sooner). If my complaint is not resolved, I will call my credit card company, the Better Business Bureau and other online feedback sites, and post this letter on my blog which gets more hits than your lame website that’s down half the time. It’s time to FIGURE IT OUT Dell, and quit treating your customers like the garbage you sell. You represent the worst of corporate America and you disgust me. I await your reply.
Carey
Re: Customer Resolution Form Submission DAMAGED ITEM (KMM53688102I57L0KM) 1 message
Dell apologizes for any inconvenience your damaged keys and screen may have caused you. Dell considers every customer important and values your business.
Because of the complexity of your issue we have forwarded your message to a Customer Care Specialist who will be contacting you in the next 48 to 72 hours to help resolve your situation.
When responding to me, please use the *REPLY* function of your e-mail program. This will keep the SAME SUBJECT LINE of our e-mail. Otherwise your message may be delayed or lost.
Original Message Follows: ———————— “* * * PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE SUBJECT WHEN REPLYING * * * “* * * This is a feedback Message from the Dell Online Communications Center. * * * “*********************************************** First Name: Carey Middle Initial: Last Name: Anthony Email Address: careygly@gmail.com Phone Number: Ship To Address1: Order Number: 778627185 Problem: DAMAGED Questions: Is the product within 30 days of the invoice / ship date? = yes Is the product functioning properly? = no When you received your shipment was the box damaged? = no Would you like to chat? = no
Comments: I’d like to return this. The keys were damaged when I got it. They don’t all work properly. The screen is not what I ordered, and the shipment was over a week late. I don’t plan on paying to ship it back and I certainly don’t plan on paying you a “restocking fee” (which is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard). I’d like a full refund and instructions on how to return it. Wrong Comments: Referring URL: Support.dell.com/dellcare Date Submitted: 8/30/2007 5:33:07 PM “* * * END Feedback * * *
Last night we went to a DVD signing for Margaret Cho’s latest movie. It’s called Bam Bam & Celeste. I just bought it yesterday, so haven’t seen it yet, but it looks interesting. Margaret was very nice and funny, and you might recognize the actress next to her, Jane Lynch, from The 40 Year Old Virgin, A Mighty Wind, or several TV shows including The Practice.
If you’re not familiar with Margaret Cho’s stand up, here’s a taste:
And speaking of George Bush, Monday had to have been one of the best days ever in this administration.
Karl Rove, the evil Svengali, exits with his “usual M.O.: delusional, fanatical and deceptive”. The Guardian said it best:
In the end, though, Mr Rove has failed. He has failed because he was only interested in winning 51% of the votes. Having won them, he wanted Mr Bush to govern America (and even the world) with pure self-interest. For a while that is what Mr Bush did. Everything about the federal government was politicized, boosted by the post-9/11 mood. But the mounting evidence of failure in Iraq, a succession of partisan scandals and the administration’s indifference to Hurricane Katrina wrecked Mr Bush’s standing among non-aligned voters and alarmed the dwindling minority of liberal Republican voters. The electorate revolted. Mr Rove became the Democrats’ hate figure. After the 2006 elections, the whole Rove strategy of engineering a paradigm shift towards hegemonic conservative government appears in ruins. Read more…
So good riddance to 1/3 of the most evil American Politburo that ever existed.
Here are a couple of photos of dinner with Laura and Sarah:
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE “Seeing what Prada has in orange jumpsuits.” — One of David Letterman’s “Top 10 Ways Paris Hilton Is Preparing for Jail.”
“Bush Seeks to Double Spending for AIDS Program” blared the headlines this week. “President Bush should be commended,” trumpeted one development organization, for his “vital leadership.”
Great… except that Bush’s plan ISN’T going to double funding and his press conference was essentially called to spin major broken promises into looking like leadership. Too bad so many took the bait. Read More…
I’m dog-sitting again for a week. This time it’s Garbo and Ruby. If there are any dogs in West Hollywood who are interested in a playdate (or more???) please contact them via their blog. I’ve posted their personal ad below.
I must say it’s quite a change walking these two from walking Roscoe. Roscoe’s getting neutered on Thursday….so wish him well!
Garbo & Ruby
Occupation: Watch Dogs
Location: West Hollywood : California : United States
About Us
We’re two charmed best friends living the dream in Los Angeles
Yesterday I wrote about growing up in Chicago. I included a link to my old grade school, Herbert Hoover, and when I went to their website, I found out that my 4th grade teacher was retiring in a few weeks. The website listed an email address so I sent her the following note:
Hi Mrs. Heilbronner,
I’m not sure if you remember me (though I suspect you might ). I was recently writing something on my blog about Hoover school, and I looked up their website and found that you were retiring. Congratulations on your retirement. You were always good to me and fair, and I know I wasn’t the easiest kid you ever taught! Best of luck to you and your family. –Carey
And here’s the reply I got:
Carey,
How great to hear from you!! Thanks for your good wishes. I TOTALLY remember you, and not in a bad way, though you were unique, I’m not gonna lie….. My husband worked with your mother at some point and I would see her occasionally. I skimmed over your blog and enjoyed it.
On our trip to Brookfield Zoo the other day the main attraction to our fifth graders were the cicadas. Twenty minutes after we got off the bus, most kids were still examining the cicadas and had little interest in moving on to the zoo animals…..mainly because they really haven’t been out in Schaumburg.
Anyhow, thanks for the e mail!
Mrs. Heilbronner
Mrs. Heilbronner taught me 33 years ago, in 1974. I wonder how many students she remembers from that long ago?? Needless to say I was a memorable child, and that’s being kind. I was quite the troublemaker in those days, and I already had a pretty bad reputation by the 4th grade. So Mrs. Heilbronner knew what she was getting into when she drew the short straw and had me in her class. As I said in the email though, she was always good to me and fair. I’m glad I got the chance to tell her, and to let her know that I’ve become a successful adult thanks in large part to her and the many other teachers who never gave up on me. Thanks Mrs. Heilbronner! Now I’m going to try to find my 3rd grade teacher, who was instrumental in my life. Maybe she will Google herself and find me:
Everett Dirksen Grade School, Schaumburg, IL 1972-1973
Post Script: Funny story… My grade school used to be called J. Edgar Hoover Elementary School. It took me a while to find it on the web last night because they changed who the school was named after about 10 years ago. It seems that someone decided that good ‘ole J. Edgar Hoover, flaming homosexual and transvestite that he was, wasn’t a great role model for children. So, they decided to keep the “Hoover” moniker and name the school after our 31st President, Herbert Hoover. I would have liked to have been present for the debate at that school board meeting, I suspect it was a lively one. LOL
I didn’t post any photos from this past weekend, so here we go:
On Saturday we went to see Mr. Brooks at the brand new Landmark Theater in West LA. I’m no Kevin Costner fan by any stretch, but the movie was actually pretty good, in a popcorn/thriller sort of way. I thought Costner played a great psychopath/serial killer, but Dane Cook was quite un-believable, except for comic relief, and Demi Moore’s role was ridiculous. The whole thing was completely contrived and over the top, but it was somewhat of a dark comedy, and for what it was, I found it worth seeing.
The great part though was the new theater. The Landmark is now competing with The Arclight as the premium LA movie venue. I must say I was impressed. The service was impeccable. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The design was modern and the auditorium seating and sound system was state of the art. They even have a wine bar! I have a feeling I’m going to be seeing a lot of movies there. Take a look:
And some other random photos from the weekend, mostly while walking Roscoe around and visiting Arielle:
This is at the bottom of my street.
Ann & Arielle
My lame attempt at being “artsy”. Best I can do without PhotoShop.
See above
He’s scared of the water, it’s pretty funny. He’s just a puppy though! (6 months old).
This chihuahua was pretty brave!
It looks like they’re fighting but they’re both 6 month old and they were playing like puppies!
A bird shit on President Bush yesterday while he was giving a press conference. True to form, our troglodyte president brushed it off, with his bare hand! And this is the guy who doesn’t believe humans are descended from apes???? What a monkey’s ass!
“The war on terrorism is a bumper sticker, not a plan” - John Edwards
Reuters | Thursday, 24 May 2007
NEW YORK: The US-led war on terrorism is “a bumper sticker, not a plan” that has weakened Washington’s global standing, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said as he unveiled his defense policy plans.Read More…
Donna’s visiting from Portland and we had a nice time. Dog walking, Pinkberry and tapas. Very relaxing. Here are a few photos.
Is that like Toys 4 Us?? Do people not realize this crap can be tracked?
Hard as I try to reduce the size of my daily posts, they’re still ridiculously long. I keep saying I’m going to only blog every other day, but then those end up being twice as long. My friend Marc was trying to leave a comment the other day, but couldn’t find the comment box because my post was so damn long! I blamed a bit of it on Xanga and the whole five posts per page thing, and then apologized for being too prolific. True to form, this was his incredibly complimentary response:
On 5/23/07, Marc wrote:
I’m sorry, I was under the impression that this was the 21st Century…? I don’t see why your IT team can’t simply insert an opportunity to comment after each distinct topic posted, as opposed to just one per daily entry. Do they not understand the blogger with whom they are dealing? This blog is authored by THE Abe Froman, world-traveler and geopolitical socio-cultural gadfly, ferchrisakes, not Mrs. Ping E. Lei some lonely housewife! We’re not talking petty jealousies, diapers, and the price of rice here. World events are unfolding! And this is THE premier global source for news, information and analysis of ALL things consequential: politics, the arts, culture, someone’s dog… It’s a topical smorgasbord and We The People need to be able to respond to those elements that specifically, acutely resonate with us on an individual basis. I’m sorry, but the current system is simply not adequately equipped to accommodate the variety of discourse your content demands. It’s positively medieval. Where’s the functionality? The user-friendliness? The logic? And I’m the technological illiterate?!? The nerve! Perhaps it’s time to relocate? I fully expect you’ll register my complaint with the geeks that be.
Aside: There are many things in this life for which each of us, respectively, could be justifiably expected to apologize. Being “prolific” does not qualify. I refuse your apology. So you just keep on doing what you’re doing, loquacious though it may be. It’s the Lord’s work, darling, and someone has to do it. I am so very proud of your blog. It’s simply magic.
Thanks Marc!! I’ll appeal to the Xanga Gods! Chris?
Toxic Toothpaste
Maybe I should set up a separate blog to just write about the evils of outsourcing. Whether it be:
United Airlines not stepping up to the plate after the Virginia Tech massacre, because their operators in India and the Philippines had no idea that a tragedy had happened in the US that would affect travel patterns out of Virginia. (They eventually did the right thing after I got their VP or marketing on the phone and threatened to blog about it. Not only was I able to get my friend Sabine from Virginia to California on my frequent flyer miles, but they started honoring a special rate, and opening up seats for all students affected by the tragedy.)
A Cingular/AT&T representative in India telling me that Americans felt “entitled” because I honestly couldn’t understand half of what he was saying, and he kept blaming it on a “bad connection”. (That doozie got me out of a 2 year Cingular contract without a penalty, which is unheard of!)
My recent post about the fact that even though Americans are reducing their carbon footprint to help the environment, we’re really just outsourcing our pollution to China, where cancer rates are rising exponentially due to toxins, and water in most of the country’s rivers is like sludge. This leads to my next point:
Did you know that China is the leading producer of toothpaste in the world? In fact, they produce more than 5 billion tubes a year. Recently it was discovered that a major toothpaste manufacturer in China was trying to use a cheaper chemical to basically make the paste, paste. Turns out the chemical is toxic, and though this tainted toothpaste has yet to kill anyone; it likely would if ingested. This sounds eerily similar to the recent tainted pet food disaster that killed so many dogs and cats here in America.
China, in their run-up to the Beijing Olympics, quickly closed the factory in question. The fact remains however, that the more we outsource our jobs and the manufacturing of our goods to other nations that pay substandard wages and pollute the environment, the more things like this are going to happen. America needs to wake up and figure out what to do, or as Gore Vidal once said, America will be <sic> Asia’s farmland.
Thoughts?
Oh, and thanks to Ryan, (you freak), for finding this little Internet gem after reading about the exploding whale with the five foot penis. Be warned. I’m heading to a movie now. Haven’t been home all day. I’ll proofread later. This is ridiculous, but I’m anxious to get home because I Tivo’d The View in anticipation of the reaction to yesterday’s meltdown. LOL. Now that American Idol is over, I need some ridiculous pop culture nonsense to revel in! Just got back from seeing Disturbia at the Irvine Spectrum. I wasn’t impressed. Shia Lebouef has promise and I enjoyed Aaron Yoo. But unlike “Rear Window” it was completely implausible. Doesn’t anyone in this neighborhood have curtains? That said, there were some scary moments, but all in all far too cliche and contrived.
We were going to see Pirates of the Caribbean but when we got there, the lines (for each showing) were literally thousands of people long. And starting at midnight, every single one of the 21 screens in the theater, was showing the movie. It was like Halloween with people dressed as pirates and wenches everywhere. I never knew that movie had such a cult following. Anyway, the Spectrum is pretty at night, so I snapped a few photos.
Honor Killings
Why don’t seemingly intelligent people realize how ridiculously damaging organized religion is? Think about all of the wars that have been waged simply because different groups of human beings believe in different ideas of “God” or a “Creator” or Supreme Being. No one has any proof that such a being exists, yet they are willing to kill millions to protect their antiquated beliefs. It makes Julia Sweeney’s “Letting Go of God” that much more thought provoking.
An Iraqi woman is stoned to death for being seen with a boy of a different religion.
…but I actually agree with Rosie O’Donnell on most of this. And people who’ve known me for years, would never believe I’d be saying that. But she’s right about the torture, and even Elizabeth knows it! Unfortunately she’s still got a big mouth and no tact, but I can’t criticize anyone with a big mouth! (Hello pot? It’s kettle. You’re black!) This is terribly sad though. (And if you’re really interested and have a couple of hours to spare LOL, read the IM below for an interesting conversation with my friend David from Germany!)
Here’s a conversation I was having on MSN messenger tonight with my friend David in Germany. David was born and raised in Germany, but his parents came to Germany from Korea, and he lives in what I would call a traditional Korean family, albeit in Germany. I met him through his younger brother Daniel when he was an exchange student here. David is extremely intelligent, and always a great person to have a conversation with or a debate. We started talking about the video I posted above, and here is our conversation. Keep in mind that English is not his first (or second) language, but he still probably speaks better than I do When David and I were done talking his brother Daniel got up and IM’d me. Keep in mind that when David and I started chatting it was 7 AM in Germany and when we finished it was noon. Now it’s 5:30 AM here and I’m having a conversation with Daniel! Good thing it’s Friday! I do have to meet some friends for breakfast in a few hours though…oh well, I’ll wear sunglasses. I’m going to post some pictures from the last time they were here, at the bottom too. Night!
Carey says: …stranger things have happened
Daewoo says: definitely, like Bush W. becoming president
Daewoo says: AND being re-elected
Carey says: that was a flook
Carey says: the first time he wasn’t elected
Carey says: and the 2nd time he stole the election
Daewoo says: well, modern democracy in its essence
Daewoo says: when you cant buy the votes, threaten or steal them
Carey says: hey, don’t go bashing America now…it’s still the best place in the world to live!
Carey says: I’m not even kidding either!!
Daewoo says: so, who do you wanna be the next president?
Carey says: John Edwards, all the way
Daewoo says: did he enter the race?
Carey says: Hillary’s a bitch and Obama is too black (for America) and too inexperienced
Daewoo says: But his chances are slim, correct?
Carey says: who’s to say? a lot can happen in a year and a half
Carey says: his wife may not even be alive than
Carey says: we can only pray it’s not Rudy Giuliani
Carey says: he’s the devil incarnate
Daewoo says: better than mccain?
Daewoo says: or worse?
Carey says: rudy?
Carey says: far worse
Carey says: McCain is just a washed up adulterous war hero, who will be dead in 5 years
Carey says: and I want your book report on my desk by 9 AM (my time)
Carey says: the video is quite good on that one too…god love rosie O’Donnell
Carey says: Every citizen of the world should be informed
Daewoo says: by YOU!
Carey says: and my blog is a good place to start LOL
Daewoo says: The only place of course!
Carey winks:
Daewoo says: and, im not bashing America. not the people anyway. im bashing their policies
Daewoo says: but its not easy to separate
Carey says: they’re not “our” policies, they’re the policies of a corrupt administration that has an under 30% approval rating and was not elected by the majority of the people, by the people and for the people!
Carey says: the smart majority anyway
Carey says: just the right wing nutjobs, and Cheney’s corporate robber barons
Daewoo says: well, then even the smart majority has to bear the responsibility, the “stupid” majority impose on the American policy
Carey says: I disagree
Carey says: I bear no responsibility as a vocal opponent of this war
Daewoo says: not as a people. but as a nation/country.
Carey says: I guess this is a better conversation to have in person, because I disagree
Carey says: hold on, I will post something that states my position much better than I can convey on an IM
Daewoo says: sorry for even starting it. but somehow this always becomes an issue.
Carey says: lol
Carey says: just hang on
Carey says: ok, refresh the first page, and watch the video
Carey says: I agree with 100% she says….gives me goose bumps actually
Carey says: Can you tell I’m incited!
Daewoo says: ok watching video
Carey says: and incidentally, in some countries you couldn’t even say what she’s saying here on national television
Carey says: cool…I’ll wait…it’s good
Daewoo says: btw, reading your blog about American tv shows influence on the world
Carey says: crazy huh
Daewoo says: I only watch us tv shows,
Carey says: my point exactly
Daewoo says: some of them are really really good
Daewoo says: like west wing
Daewoo says: heroes too
Carey says: oh, I’m not disputing that they’re good…they’re excellent…
Daewoo says: but?
Carey says: but most uneducated people form their opinions about America from two things…
Carey says: movies and tv
Carey says: and our president
Daewoo says: well, what is he watching?
Carey says: the west wing is great, if only it could be like that
Carey says: Heroes is my favorite show
Carey says: lol, he’s probably watching sesame street
Daewoo says: ok buffering finished watching the video
Daewoo says: lots screaming
Carey says: I scream when I’m passionate about something too!
Daewoo says: yeah, that’s why i didn’t start audio with you
Carey says: so did you hear the whole thing?
Daewoo says: well, did I have a choice?
Carey says: thoughts?
Daewoo says: yes
Carey says: share?
Daewoo says: thought you’d never ask
Carey says: haha
Daewoo says: I see merits on both sides
Carey says: really?
Daewoo says: first of all
Carey says: not me
Carey says: ok, you talk
Daewoo says: thank you
Daewoo says: The America we know today is totally different from years ago. It would be too much to go into detail but I say this; after 9/11 Bush & Company implemented many measures that changed the face of America. You can argue whether it was right or wrong, good or bad, but those measures were carried out by the people. Sure, they were frightened, but still, the problem now is you have only two choices: for or against the government. There are good arguments for being for the government and for being against it. In a time of crisis you have to stand with your government even it it means sacrificing some civil liberties, as long as you agree with it and it’s temporary. The problem is if you are not for the government than you have to be against it. It’s an issue of being a patriot or not, being American or un-American. And in essence I think when you lose faith and trust in your once supported government in a time of crisis or even war, can you/should you turn against it? And can/should you lose faith and trust in your government in a time of crisis? It is understandable to me that people turn to their governments in a time of crisis and put their trust in it. The question is, when is it reasonable to stop trusting your government, especially in a time of crisis? Some people have more faith, others don’t, and the discussion has become so polarized, that you are either completely for or completely against the government. And THAT is the most dangerous part, because democracy is NOT about absolutes but about finding the most common ground. And I don’t see that in America. Comments?
Daewoo says: or fallen asleep?
Carey says: ok…
Carey says: nope, I’ve read every word
Carey says: it’s going to take me a while to respond though….I’m going to do it all at once…so hopefully you’ll be there when I’m done….if not, I will send it to you. So can you give me a little while?
Daewoo says: sure
Carey says: Yes of course, the America of today is vastly different than the America that Bill Clinton handed over to George W. Bush seven years ago. Indeed, seven years ago America had a balanced budget and no deficit. The twin towers stood tall, as much a beacon of freedom as the Statue of Liberty that gazed upon them. On September 11th, the world was forever changed. I’m not going to debate the conspiracy theories that are mentioned in the video, though much of 9/11 doesn’t really add up. I agree with you that after 9/11 the Bush administration implement policies that, under the guise of national security promised to keep us safer. These measures did indeed change the face of America. You state however, that these measures were carried out by the people. I must strongly disagree. If you mean by “people” ordinary Americans from both blue and red states you’re wrong. If you’re referring to the “people” as the elected representatives of our Congress, then you should know that because of the PATRIOT Act, our congress, for the first time in our history, did not have the opportunity to change these dictatorial policies. The “USA Patriot” in the USA PATRIOT Act, stands for “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism” Act of 2001. Interestingly enough, some elements of what we now know as the PATRIOT Act had been bandied about both chambers of Congress in advance of 9/11, and never generated any interest. Amazingly however, less than 45 days after 9/11, the PATRIOT Act became law, thanks to the culture of fear that Bush, Cheney and Chertoff (the genius we later knew as the person responsible for the reaction to Katrina) cultivated ad nauseum after the attacks. Yes America was scared. You must remember that we have not been attacked on our own land since the Revolutionary War. The experience Europe and Asia had during the major wars of the last century, and indeed the terrorism that has gripped the Middle East for decades, was not something Americans could easily relate to. Add to the mix an anthrax scare (Perpetrated by the government? We still haven’t caught the culprit!), and the coming war in Afghanistan which most Americans approved of, all led to the chaos immediately after 9/11. So, to say these measures were carried out by “the people” would not be, in my opinion, correct. You state also that we only had two choices; for or against the government. It is true that part of the rhetoric that Bush used to start bullying the world, included the phrase, “You’re either with us, or you’re with the terrorists”, in his disgusting Texas bravado. To buy into that rhetoric though would be distinctly UN-American. Our nation was founded on freedom and liberty. It’s not something that people who were born and raised here might always understand. It is indeed what makes this the best country in the world, bar none. It is the reason we have the highest immigration rates and the highest number of foreigners who want to get educated here. Americans do not have to make black and white choices like that, though Bush would like to think we, and indeed the rest of the world, does. While I believe in times of crisis you should support your country and the soldiers who fight on the front lines for its freedom, you do not, as you state, have to “stand with your government, even if it means sacrificing some civil liberties.” This is perhaps where I disagree with you most. Americans fought hard for their “civil” liberties. We fought and won, the Revolutionary War against England, we fought our own Civil War and freed our slaves. We fought for freedom in World War II, and not only saved Europe and Asia, but surely the whole world; had Hitler gotten the Bomb before us. Americans should NEVER have to give up our civil liberties, no matter what. Our Constitution states that, “We, the people, in order to form a more perfect union; establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty, to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Part of our civil liberties give us the voice to protest as is done in the video above. Just because we’re not “with” the government, does not mean we are not “with” America. I know that is a difficult concept for many cultures to grasp, but it is the foundation of a democracy. George W. Bush seems to think America is now a “theocracy” where he is the Divine Power. Everything Rosie states in that video is true. Nearly every member of this administration is under indictment. What does it have to take to impeach this president? The answer? A blowjob! I do not support George W. Bush, but like it or not, he is the President. I can object to his policies, I can write whatever I want on my blog, and I should be able to have a conversation on the telephone without worrying that he is listening. To answer your question about when it is reasonable to stop trusting your government in a time of crisis? The answer is when your government breaks the law of the land, the Constitution, which while placing his hand on a bible twice, he swore to uphold. He believes that God has sent him to do this work, and his cronies including Darth Cheney should all be charged for war crimes. I don’t believe in the death penalty, but I wish they would all rot in prison for the rest of their lives. No, democracy is not about absolutes, but when the president does not allow the people to find “common ground” because of totalitarian laws like the “PATRIOT” Act, then we are in a world of shit. This man must be stopped. Two years cannot come soon enough! So…that’s MY opinion! Glad you asked?
Daewoo says: ok, i think there is a misunderstanding here
Daewoo says: well, my fault really
Carey says: what do you mean?
Daewoo says: i tried to lay out, why the “stupid” majority think what they think and kinda forgot to address the “smart” majority
Carey says: ahhhh
Carey says: Lost in translation
Daewoo says: but it was tolerated and uphold by “the people”
Carey says: OK, I will make the proper amendments to our conversation
Carey says: guess who just said hello to me?
Daewoo says: from the smell of it: my brother?
Carey says: your brother! he’s up Looks tired though, LOL
Carey says: you’re mean
Carey says: so now what time is it there? you already had lunch?
Daewoo says: 12:07
Carey says: and we started this at 7 AM? Good Lord
Daewoo says: you are right, wow!!!
Daewoo says: but back to our discussion…sorry
Carey says: no problem
Daewoo says: i agree with almost everything you wrote
Carey says: really? good
Carey says: you saw my profile on my site right? “almost ALWAYS right”
Daewoo says: *no comment*
Daewoo says: im just too polite
Carey says: cuz you know I’m right!
Carey says: polite schmolite
Daewoo says: what was it again? either you are with me or against me? or something similar
Carey says:lol
Daewoo says: i’m just trying to understand how the american people still support the current administration
Carey says: most aren’t
Carey says: a small percentage
Daewoo says: thats why i neglected the “other side”
Carey says: the crazy christians (they’re not all crazy….just the crazy ones, like Elizabeth Hasselbeck)
Carey says: who want the world to end, so Jesus can come!
Daewoo says: oh, lets not go there…
Daewoo says: politics fine, but religion scares me from a certain point on
Carey says: Amen!
Daewoo says: it gets too fanatical
Carey says: did you see “Bible Camp”?
Daewoo says: what???
Carey says: the movie
Carey says: watch it
Carey says: unbefuckinglievable
Daewoo says: politics and religion. thats the most explosive combination there is. never a good result ever!
Daewoo says: as long as it doesnt get mixed, people can believe what they want
Carey says: watch that movie, I’m telling you…it’s scary carey!
Daewoo says: i guess it about brainwashing little kids?
Carey says: yep
Daewoo says: “education” in the name of (any) god! GREAT!!!
Carey says: lol
Daewoo says: hey, i know you are tired and “fading”. if you wanna go to sleep, thats okay
Carey says: yep, I’m gonna finish talking to your brother then hit the hay…I have to get up early to meet friends for breakfast (and it is early already)!
Daewoo says: oh boy. well, sleep well and see you next time
Carey says: ok…have a good day…always good talking to you!
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)
Bravo!! This kind of goes back to my “Perceptions” post about generational differences and how they affect the way we see the world. It’s doubtful that the author of the article that sparked this will ever read this entry (maybe he’ll Google himself). If he does, perhaps it will spark a deliberation that I will now be better prepared for. Besides, as my wise friend also stated, I could always tell him that this email changed my life in such a profound way that I’ve decided to fly to Iraq and serve as a peace liaison because I felt the inextricable pull of patriotism! Hmmm…maybe deliberation isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Guess I’ll find out on January 22nd. Let’s hope it’s not a murder trial!!
You guys are the greatest!! I hope you still feel the same about me after the heating bill comes! 
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(On no he di’nt!)
Poland Swietlikowo, Gdansk 5,831 miles
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