What a World

The liberal blogosphere was awash this weekend with mentions of a gathering of conservatives at something called the Values Voter Summit. It seems that the evangelicals have a hard time being led by a Mormon, and many are saying some that Romney isn't *gasp* a Christian! Which is a bad thing to not be in the universe of the VVS.

Romney reacted to the accusations, which included calling Mormonism a "cult", which this statement:

Our government should respect religious values, not silence them. We will always pledge our allegiance to a nation under God. Our values ennoble the citizen, and strengthen the nation. We should remember that decency and civility are values too. One of the speakers who will follow me today, has crossed that line. Poisonous language does not advance our cause. It has never softened a single heart nor changed a single mind. The blessings of faith carry the responsibility of civil and respectful debate. The task before us is to focus on the conservative beliefs and the values that unite us - let no agenda, narrow our vision or drive us apart.

This statement reminded me that the world of the VVS and the world that conservatives claim to want is quite a horrible place. Instead of discussing world issues and determining ways to deal with them, conservatives are playing identity politics based on who believes which version of the sky daddy story. I cannot think of a more worthless way to spend time, unless your goal is to solidify the conformity of your own group, in part by driving out those who do not conform. But if the Republicans want religious purity in their leaders, then that is their prerogative. The do have many examples from history that they can use for this, like Stalin, Mao, and I think the Catholics called theirs The Inquisition.

I find the last line in that statement pretty amusing in that Romney thinks that anything he says will make any difference at the VVS. Everyone knows that VVS people base their decisions on a nebulous concept of values, rather than on anything objective. They will not be swayed to accept Romney's Mormonism just because he says a few words. These are people who will still not accept that Barack Obama was born in the US, even after he presented the document they had been demanding all along.

But I want to get back to Romney's statement, because there is an awful lot of crazy in there:

Our government should respect religious values, not silence them. We will always pledge our allegiance to a nation under God.

You might, but I prefer to follow the advice of the gentlemen that founded the country. I make no pledges and prefer to keep this god concept out of government.

Our values ennoble the citizen, and strengthen the nation.

So long as that citizen is white and male, or respects the supremacy of the white and male citizens. And if by strengthen, you mean to send all money to the military instead of education and infrastructure.

We should remember that decency and civility are values too.

Yes, they are values too, gold star for Mitt!

One of the speakers who will follow me today, has crossed that line. Poisonous language does not advance our cause.

I don’t like poisonous language either, but have you really looked at your cause, Mitt?

It has never softened a single heart nor changed a single mind.

Well, not changed a mind for the better, at least. I should commend Mitt for getting the first part of that statement right.

The blessings of faith carry the responsibility of civil and respectful debate.

This is an especially confusing statement. What are the “blessings of faith,” anyway? What extra good could come from believing in an ancient mythology despite all of the evidence that said ancient mythology is as mistaken as the rest of them? The only blessing I can think of - that doesn’t have an analog in a non-faith-based life - is the comfort in thinking that dead people are in heaven and/or one is going to heaven after death. Still, I don’t know how that “blessing” necessarily is followed by any responsibility.

But if we follow that logic further, that would mean that only faith can inspire people to be civil and have respectful debates. That is an interesting statement, since there are many people with no faith to speak of who can conduct themselves civilly and participate in respectful debate. Romney’s logic would conclude that, without faith, they have no responsibility to have civil and respectful debate, yet they do not routinely call others cruel names or throw chairs at debates. It would seem that the responsibility to be civil and respecful might not come from faith at all.

The task before us is to focus on the conservative beliefs and the values that unite us - let no agenda, narrow our vision or drive us apart.

At least, let no agenda narrow our vision any further - we don’t tolerate Muslims, gays, independent women, poor people, government workers (unless they’re in a high enough position of power), unemployed people, hippies, hipsters, anyone not Christian, and anyone under 55 who wants single-payer Medicare when they retire (and not a pathetic voucher to give to some corporation).

For how bad all of this is, I am still laughing. The Republicans are clearly self-destructing, and I think fewer Americans will be voting this year on the premise that “I voted D last time, maybe now I’ll give R a shot”. Those people couldn’t tell that the R’s made the mess in the first place, but maybe now they can see that the R’s are full of crap.

I'm Not Alone

I was raised on America, the land of the free, the home of the brave, where anyone - even you - could be President. Democracy meant we all had a voice, and history laid out triumphs of the powerless against the powered. The African American experience engrossed me as a teenager, and we read about the struggles our ancestors had to go through to get us the things we took for granted. I remembered my education teaching me a good sense of respect for my ancestors' struggles and a proper understanding of corporate interests.

We all react to and retain information differently, but every year, for a few years at least, at least 100 8th Graders in my school saw Glory (with Denzel Washington & Matthew Broderick, I think) in History class. Everyone with the same teacher for our 10th grade social studies watched another movie about the origin of a labor union, staring Sally Field. In 7th grade English, we watched a movie about a teenage black boy who suddenly finds himself thrown back in time, to the antebellum southern America. I know from my Facebook page that many of the people that I grew up around must have learned something similar. And Occupy Wall Street looks like people my age.

This is our generation in action. We are watching our parents and grandparents claim that the Social Security that saved the elderly of The Depression from starvation and the Medicare that lets them go to the doctor when necessary is good for them, but we can forget about it. I know I'm not the only one that wants the same retirement that the last few generations got. We will not be content with this obvious concentration of wealth, and we will not let our parents and grandparents take a giant dump on our future. I do get the sense that we are not embracing this generational concept, in part because these movements are being attended by the parents and grandparents who get it, but also because it is hard to think we're rebelling as we fight the battles that we thought our great grandparents already won.

Cause for Concern

Irene grew to a size of the Southeastern United States. An official at the Department of Atmospheric Research at Colorado State University described, "If you were to just put it on a map of the United States, it could go from South Florida to Pennsylvania, and from North Carolina to eastern Oklahoma." (Mitch Weiss and Samantha Gross, "Huge storm churns up East Coast", Associated Press via San Francisco Chronicle, August 28, 2011)

This is a big storm, and it is dumping inches of rain on the east coast. Oddly enough, the ground there cannot handle the 5 or 6 inches of rain because it is saturated. As it happens, there has been unusually high rainfall this year.

The National Hurricane Center at NOAA is putting our tax dollars to good use by monitoring these storms so we can prepare. We will need that this year as there is another named storm right on Irene's heels. The yellow spot is an area of atmospheric activity that has below a 30% chance of becoming a hurricane (actual, 10%). The orange spot has a 30-50% chance (actual, 40%).

I don't want to forget about the scientific method in all this, which helped us examine the skys appropriately both directly and indirectly by helping to create the ability to even get images of our planet like this. Remember to thank science that the death toll is in the single and double digits, instead of quadruple and quintuple. Of course, one could argue that science caused all of this in the first place, but at least we can use it to protect ourselves too.

Free Speech and Dangerous Delusions

After walking Steve to work yesterday, I bummed around Telegraph and stopped across from the Delusion Corner to observe. For the longest time, some Jesus Crispies have been preaching near a fenced off plot of land at the northeast corner of Telegraph and Haste. The used to use the natural volume of their voice, and hand out fliers. Then they got microphones, and now they have a rock band.

The music, itself, wasn't that bad, and had they just used their instruments, it might have been a nice backdrop for shopping, but there was singing too. At first, the songs were inanely delusional - stuff that would cause an individual to waste her life following someone's fever dream, but nothing that impacts me - but then they pissed me off. In a litany of things we should trust Jesus for, they claimed that we should trust in him for our government and economy.

I had set myself up on the southwest corner of the intersection to observe in amusement, but I was furious. I stated "No we shouldn't" a couple of times, but not loudly. For all the idiots whining about Sharia Law, here was someone with a permit issued by the city declaring his wish to undermine the constitution for religious purposes. I angrily wondered how to get these idiots off the street, but then I remembered.

Long ago, I saw a video clip of an interchange happening in the middle of the 20th century between someone speaking out in favor of Communism and some observing US Soldiers. I think the interchange was staged, for propaganda purposes. The Communist had his standard speech and one of the soldiers said [roughly]:

You should be happy to live in the United States, where you are free to say these things.

The legal precedent of our nation also allows these people to say what they want, even with amplifying devices, on the street. So while the authoritarian in me wanted to shut these idiots down, I decided instead to observe and record their now less than amusing delusions.

I got audio of a song with a completely contradictory message, and observed a completely indifferent crowd pass by the band and the people handing out fliers. My initial fury gave way to a larger perspective. Just as communists can say what they want, even about "radical revolution", so too can these people, and it looks to be just as productive.

Ewe Ess Aye! Live Blogging

In the dawn of Internet 2.0, I seem to remember that live blogging just meant updating a post. I might have made that up. I was compelled to do this today.

Just Before Game Start: The commentator called the US team 'attractive', which in context simply means that they perform well, but strikes me as an odd adjective to use.

10 minutes in: We're in the World Cup Finals today. This is the second finals I've watched, and it is a lot more exciting.

30 minutes in: There is an image of a flower on the Japan team's uniforms. The specific flower is a Japanese cultural symbol of the ideal woman.

33 minutes in: Japan is dominating the ball, and it's intense!

40 minutes in: If Japan's Ohno scores the winning goal, I will be sad, but the newspaper headline is already written.

Half Time (45 minutes): Steve has noted that there are fewer fouls in this game, and I agreed that it seems cleaner. Compared to the 2010 final, the field seems smaller, there is a lot more action, and there are hardly any penalties. Soccer is growing on me, and this game is helping.

48.5 minutes in: My heart was in my throat. We need to score!

68.5 minutes in: GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!

79 minutes in: Oh my, the game is even more fun now. Steve is noting that they are using the words 'attractive' and ' beautiful' in the commentating.

80 minutes it: Tension is back, but I think we have the upper hand.

72 minutes in: Hope Solo is a f*cking awesome name.

End of Regular Time (90+2 minutes): This is exciting, but I feel like an All Blacks fan watching the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

1 minute of extra time: A Japanese win could do wonders for Japanese spirit/morale.....

6.5 minutes of extra time: First yellow card.

13 minutes of extra time: USA Ahead Again!

19 minutes of extra time: Thrilling excitements

24 minutes of extra time: The goalie keeps being lead away from the goal. I hope she is still ok to play.

25.5 minutes of extra time: I don't think Hope can pull this out.

30 minutes of extra time: That penalty was incredible - it has become upper hand versus destiny

End of Extra Time: Ending a game with penalty kicks is kind of eh, but they're really good teams.

Before first penalty kick: I just saw a guy with a sign saying "Marry Me, Hope I'm Solo".

After Japan's first penalty kick: Hope is definitely limping...

Before Japan's second penalty kick: I think it is going to be destiny

Before Japan's third penalty kick: I call destiny

Game End: Congratulations, Japan. This is yours to celebrate.

Countdown to Picasso: Man With a Guitar (1911)

This is one of Picasso's Musicians, and one of a series of 'Man with a Guitar' paintings.

Countdown to Picasso: Two Brothers

Today, we have Two Brothers, from the Rose Period.

Countdown to Picasso: Portrait of Olga in an Armchair

Today's artwork is Portrait of Olga in an Armchair, from 1917.

Portrait of Olga in an Armchair, 1917, depicts the Russian ballerina and Picasso's first wife Olga Khokhlova sitting on a Spanish-design tapestry, the space around the figure left purposefully unfinished.

- Picasso masterpieces to tour the U.S., USA Today, October 6, 2010

Countdown to Picasso: Portrait of Dora Maar

Today, I present the Portrait of Dora Maar.

The 176-work exhibit also highlights Picasso's depictions of his numerous mistresses and muses, including Dora Maar. A 1937 portrait of the French surrealist photographer features a colorful Maar displaying flamboyant, red-nailed hands. It serves as a contrast to another oil-on-canvas portrait of Maar, who inspired his "Weeping Woman" series.

Countdown to Picasso: Celestina

On June 24, 2011, I get to see some of the 20th century's most esteemed and influential artwork, without a [costly] trip to Paris. Over the next two weeks, I will post daily links to and information about one work of art at the exhibit.

Today's work is la Celestine, from Picasso's blue period.

Picasso's 1904 oil-on-canvas masterpiece La Celestina shows a solitary, gray-haired bordello owner with a blinded eye. Picasso painted several similar portraits during his early-career Blue Period, characterized by somber tones and marginalized subjects such as beggars and prostitutes.

- Picasso masterpieces to tour the U.S., USA Today, October 6, 2010

Imagine That You Were Born 50 Years Earlier Than You Really Were

It is 1961, and you've just heard about those people riding the bus through Alabama to test segregation laws. You heard that one bus was set on fire, and the riders on the other were beaten up, severely. You get wind of students and others going down to Alabama to continue the ride to New Orleans. You have the free time... So, my question is,

Would you get on that bus?

Apocaylpse Not

Today was, from my perspective, remarkably calm. I mean, the American southeast is still recovering from massive tornadoes, and the Mississippi is having the biggest floods in decades, but today, it seems that the flooding is lower than expected, and it didn't do as much damage as was expected. A volcano is exploding in Iceland, but rather than being a repeat of the April 2010 eruptions that closed several European airports, it seems to be rather run-of-the-mill.

It seems to be as boring as a day can possibly be. In my life today, I woke up and went out to breakfast with friends. After breakfast, I picked up some cute things at a yard sale, and relaxed all afternoon. After a nap, Steve and I headed downtown to see Bridesmaids at the Shattuck Cinemas. We got some fro-yo, and waited in line, only to hear that the 7pm showing was sold out. That was disappointing for us, but good for that movie. There were no other movies that we wanted to see, so we decided to go to the park by the high school and chill on the grass. After that, we headed back to my place, had some sausages, and watched some television. Right now, we're watching IFC free on On Demand, and we'll be turning in shortly.

So, now it is your turn. How eventful [or not eventful] was your May 21st, 2011?

The Ultimate Votive

These were never part of my Catholic upbringing, probably because my family wasn't sufficiently Spanish, but when I saw this in the bathroom of a party I was at in July, 2010, I knew that I needed at least one. Granted, the teachings of Catholicism are painfully outdated at best, but the pageantry and artifacts of the religion can be beautiful and fun. My friends told me to poke around my grocery stores to find them, but I live in Berkeley and go to hippie Berkeley grocery stores, so I didn't think I'd find them there.

Actually, I never looked for candles a those stores, but one afternoon that fall, I went to a Safeway in Oakland to get groceries and see if they had these candles. I found two, one with Jesus, and the one I got, with St. Jude. I couldn't get the Jesus candle, because it didn't exactly scream "Catholic" the same way that any saint candle would. An added bonus to these candles is that they all come with prayers on the back, in Spanish, then English. Over the next few weeks, whenever I lit the candle with friends, we would recite the prayer for fun.

Having been an atheist for now nearly half my life, I have absolutely no idea what it must feel like to say something, light a candle, and assume that something or someone can actually hear me. I've had experiences that could be considered religious, like the time I "found inner peace" on a cross-Atlantic flight after some significant sensory deprevation, but I've never heard voices or felt presences. Not that I am lamenting my lack of mild schizophrenia. My approach to solving my problems involves things like talking to real people about how to realistically solve them.

Of course, a pretty candle is a pretty candle, and I have been determined to build a respectable votive collection. So in the following months, I found the ultimate in Mexican Catholocism, the Our Lady of Guadaloupe candle. That was when I allowed myself to buy a Jesus candle, but I decided to go for the gory angle.

But today, after taking Steve with me on my weekend morning walk, we stopped at the corner store to mainly get some B&J, but browsed through the store too. We saw the votives section, and found the goriest, creepiest votive, that I obviously had to buy. The prayer on the back is more or less a prayer to exact revenge on someone. It seems like some kind of fusion between Catholicism, Aztec death stuff (a la Day of the Dead), and maybe a bit of voodoo. So, I present the Zombie Votive.

Trump's Bluff

When Donald Trump first came out with his presidential bid, I saw some show on MSNBC berate the bid as a publicity stunt for his TV show. I looked up whether or not Trump supported Obama, and came up with one comment he made in 2008 that was complimentary to Obama and less so to McCain. My search also revealed that Trump's alliance was clearly Republican, so he still could be genuine.

However, I remain unconvinced that he's not just stirring up stupid people just to laugh in their faces later.

Atheists Can Get Up Early Everyday

I like this post, but Amanda's footnote on the atheist benefit of being able to sleep in on Sundays made me think....

I get up early on weekend days, no matter when I go to sleep. For instance, last weekend, I went to sleep around 3:30am. Four hours later, I was fully awake. You could probably find other evidence of my early morning weekend habits by looking at my Facebook activity.

What's more, I actually like that I get up this early, and I like having things to do on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I just don't need to listen to the same old ancient stories told over and over again, followed by meaningless comparisons between modern events and misinterpreted hallucinations.

21st Century

Thursday, I bought tickets to a presentation happening that same night with my smart phone. Today, I am watching live footage of the African wilderness.

An Open Letter to the Guy Who Laughed When My Friend Said She Couldn't Stay Because She Had Therapy

Fuck you.

Do you think it is funny that someone has mental illness? Are you going to laugh at me for going to therapy? What about when I tell you that part of the reason that I go to therapy is lasting effects of a brain injury from a car accident that I don't even remember and that put me on life support, jackass? You think its funny? Fuck you.

Background: While tabling for SANE on Friday, two smug, middle-aged men came up to me and started asking me about the sign I was holding, which stated "God is a myth". Sensing my inability to explain myself very well without ample preparation time, a friend came over to where I was to take over the duties of dealing with annoying middle-aged men on a college campus. At one point, another friend of ours walked up and we shifted our attention away from these guys as she stated that she could not stay and table because she had to go to therapy. One of the smug bastards chuckled, and I wanted to kill him. I didn't say anything though, and its eating at me.

My Freedom

Support Choice for your Mother and choice for your father.
Choice for your children, your sisters and brothers

The inability to plan parenthood would rob me of the liberty to plan my life. But don't support this just for my sake. I am wealthy (for now), but most of America is not. I have used Planned Parenthood once, when I was switching insurance providers. My friends and family have used it for essential services.

The activities of this Congress are stripping us of our essential rights.