More thoughts on atheism and creationism.

July 1st, 2008

Surely, there exists some atheists out there that do think of themselves as better than creationists, but you should realize that when you’re a minority amongst a majority of people that believe, unconditionally, ancient fairy tales with no evidence to suggest it’s even real, and most often refuse to even accept or follow scientific discovery (or even fear it), it can become a  bit frustrating. This is compounded by futile attempts to educate and wake up creationists when they end up using bullshit logic (or a lack of logic entirely) to defend their beliefs, or even worse when some asshole is proselytizing the atheist (which is common in the United States, especially here in the South). Add to this frustration when creationists, being in the majority, end up running the world’s governments by interjecting their fairy tales into the law making process. I don’t know about other atheists, but frustration and a natural bug to speak my mind is what makes me so very vocal.

Look, I don’t want to keep people from believing in whatever they want. If you want to continue believing in your fairy tale and ignore scientific discovery then more power to you. But don’t expect me to leave you and your belief system alone because no ideology, EVER, is untouchable– despite what religious people believe. You can continue praying and fearing as you have since you were indoctrinated as a child, and I’m going to continue seeing and calling you out for the fool that you are. Don’t take it personal. I don’t. I’m not calling creationists stupid– just foolish.

I have found it to be futile in attempting to convert, or as I like to call it, “waking up,” creationists with reason and logic. Instead, I find that anybody that’s going to end up an atheist will have done so almost nearly on their own. Even the most devout of people can wake up, but only after they have started to question and think on their own. Any atheist media (article, book, movie, etc) or scientific research, study is only going to be the final straw for somebody that is already half awake.

If you are a creationist, you’re not going to convert me– not with your words alone. Believe me. This doesn’t make me close minded, though that’s probably what you’re thinking. Being open minded is what has allowed me to question and decide that I don’t or won’t believe in the fairy tales anymore. Being open minded allows me to look at all of my beliefs (philosophical to political) and ask, “What if?” I simply await proof. You see, I don’t do the faith thing because I believe faith is foolishness– plain and simple. You can use your guilt-laden threats of hell and torment for eternity, but none of that does a damn thing. It’s like telling me that if I don’t start believing in your fairy tale then the bogeyman is gonna get me. Please, don’t try it.

I don’t hate creationists, though I really, really, really, really dislike creationism. I’m not mad at creationists, but I do pity them. I’m just frustrated by their foolishness, and the viral nature of this delusion on a global scale. I’m sure they feel the same way about me– the only difference is I’m looking at them from the side of reason, and they’re looking at me from side of delusion.

Tip on links.

June 30th, 2008

Okay, here’s a little tip for anyone that uses HTML, or really anybody that includes links in their post anywhere on the net.

If you’re like me then you probably hate clicking on a link only to have the page you’re looking at go away for the new content to load. This leaves you with having to click on the back button to back to where you were.

Whenever I create a link to another page in anything I write on the net I always make sure the link is opened up in a new tab (or window for older browsers).

In HTML, the typical link looks like this:

<A HREF=” “></A>

Between the “” you put the actual web address (URL). So, for this website, it would be:

<A HREF=”http://operator-c.com“></A>

Between the <> </> you put the text you want the reader to see. For example:

<A HREF=”http://operator-c.com“>BLAH BLAH BLAH</A>

looks like this:

BLAH BLAH BLAH

Now, if you click on the above created link your browser will load the page into the tab/window you’re currently using. In the case of the above link you’ll simply reload this website.

So, how do you change the link so that when it’s clicked  your browser will load the new page in a different tab or window? Easy. Add this:

TARGET=”_NEW”

Alternatively, you can use:

TARGET=”_BLANK”

(But I use “_NEW”)

For example:

<A HREF=” ” TARGET=”_NEW”></A>

So, when I create this link:

<A HREF=”http://operator-c.com” TARGET=”_NEW”>EXAMPLE</A>

and you click on it:

EXAMPLE

The link opens up into a new tab or browser, leaving the page you were looking at, just as you left it, in a tab/window all for itself. No need for hitting the back button. This way when somebody clicks on your link they can go back and continue reading your content without having to worry about losing the page they were on, or worrying about hitting the back button (which can, sometimes, create problems, which you’ll come to realize if you’ve been using the Web long enough).

Now, if you’re using a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, which is likely, then you won’t be inputting HTML. Instead, when you’re turning text into a link with your editor’s hyperlink option, check to see if there’s an option for you to change the target. If you’re using WordPress then it’s easy: just click on the target option and change it so that the link will open in a new window.

However, you’re not always going to be using a WYSIWYG editor when typing out comments or whatever, so it’s nice to know this easy to use HTML. It’s really simple.

Another cool tip, at least for Firefox:

If you click on links with your middle-mouse button they’ll load into a new tab, but also in the background. So, if you’re using Firefox and you click on this link to Google with your middle-mouse button the page will load into a new tab while not disturbing your viewing of the current page. I’ve turned this into a habit, and I’m often going nuts with tabs as I’m filling my browser with them, and my brain from things all across the net. This, all in an organized fashion.

I love organized.

DIABLO III… and I said, “Meh.” I was wrong.

June 29th, 2008

After seeing this video, you can now consider me a convert. I am now psyched for Diablo III!. Fucking amazing! This makes me want to go back and give Diablo II a real try; though, I’ll pass on the aged Diablo original. Unless, that is, you think I should not pass it up. Let me know!

Diablo 3

June 28th, 2008

Apparently Diablo 3 has been announced. Gee, didn’t see that one coming… :)

The world is on fire with praise and cheer… but I’m left with an apathetic “Meh.”

I played little of Diablo and its sequel– neither grabbing my attention at the time. I’ve always wanted to go back and give either a go but I’m afraid it is a little late for that.

“Congrats” for being engaged

June 27th, 2008

Somebody once told me that you shouldn’t tell an engaged woman “congratulations” because it’s not proper; that it would be like giving her props for having successfully found somebody that would take her. It sort of made sense, but then I told that person to fuck off.

I still congratulate newly engaged women. If they’re offended by it then I tell them that I hope their marriage ends in divorce, and then I say “good day, maddam.”

It’s not like that…

June 27th, 2008

To me, saying good luck is like yelling “god damn”, “god damnit”, “jesus-fucking-christ”, or anything else like that. I’m not saying it because I think a god is damning anyone.

Consider it a habit.

Likewise, I don’t believe in luck, but I still say “good luck. When I say “good luck” what I’m really telling you is: “I want things to go well for you, whether they’re within your control or not.” Obviously, that’s too fucking long and so by saying “good luck” people get the idea.

Same deal with Christmas. I celebrate Christmas for the commercial, family, and joy-spreading hoiday that it is, like nearly everyone else in this country, and not because I’m celebrating the birth of a psuedo-diety (which would be on the wrong date anyway).

Anti-social

June 27th, 2008

I’m very anti-social. I barely go outside, and I rarely hang out with other people. I still do, but no where near as often as most “normal” people. Why is this?

I think it’s because of several reasons:

  • I’m afraid of what people might think and say about me. Ever fearful of criticism, I can’t help but wonder what other people are thinking about me, if they are thinking about me. Being paranoid leaves me worried and uncomfortable. This is tied directly to the next reason.
  • I’m naturally uncomfortable around other people, as anxiety runs naturally through my blood. I have social anxiety, which I formally suspected was Asperger’s Syndrome when in a hazy attempt to figure out just what the hell was wrong with me. The answer has been simple all along.
  • Mostly: hanging out with people does not really interest me. I’d much rather stay home and read a book, read articles and blogs or books on the internet, write a short story or a poem, play a video game, or watch a film. Talking to other people in a face-to-face manner does not appeal to me. Sitting around with other people, accept on occasion, does not interest me. Perhaps this is because I don’t know interesting people. No offense to my friends, but my mind is just not stimulated enough around most people I meet.

Identity

June 27th, 2008

Nothing confuses me more than attempting to define my own self. I get trapped. I feel unworthy. Mostly, I just feel broken.

It’s like I suffer from a permanent identity crises, or an identity explosion. I jump from one conclusion to another. As I search for reason and purpose in my life I find myself  easily attracted to what’s 10 steps ahead of me rather than what’s in front of me.

Mine.

June 27th, 2008

Aside from dreams, not since I was child have I lived a world of my own making. For too long I have lived and breathed the created universes of other people. I feel it’s time I start distancing myself from the real world– entirely.

Politics… I’ve said what I need to.

June 27th, 2008

At this point I can’t help but feel as if I’ve said all I need to about Iran, Israel, the United States, and war. My discontent has been made known, but I realize it makes no difference with what really happens. This effectively kills my will to express anything related to politics. It’s just a pointless effort.

If there are any regular readers of this blog that come here expecting discourse on the above related topics: I’m sorry to say that I will no longer be offering my limited opinions on a subject that I know relatively little about (politics). It saves me the frustration as well.

Random, unorganized thoughts on my country and humanity.

June 27th, 2008

It seems like every day I learn about something in the world that forces me to grow pessimistic and shameful for my country, and for my species. People do what they think is right, but they never realize that what’s right and what’s wrong are not concrete. Killing another person is never okay, nearly everyone can agree, but it’s supposed to be okay when it’s in war and the protection of other people is at hand. Killing a person through lethal injection, or castrating them, is okay when they have killed others or touched and raped a child– some see the contradiction in these conditions, but many fail to see them.

Every day that I continue to live just compounds my belief that our species is doomed to kill itself off one day, eventually. War and conflict will never go away; poverty and intolerance will remain forever. Hope is bullshit. Dreams are never real. You can’t fight universal balance; not all is or can be well for everyone.

I look at what I have, and who has given it to me, and I can’t help but feel an ultimate sense of sadness and shame. I am ashamed of myself. I have so much yet I’ve worked so little to have it, and I continue to do nothing for it. I look at my life and I feel shamed because I can’t feel happy and content with what I have– I always want more. Materialism, commercialism has taken over my life, it controls me, and it creates a level of guilt that I can barely withstand.

Then I lookaround…

I hate hearing people shout for dooms day. The religious people babbling on about their deity coming back in a scenario of apocalypse. I don’t believe in any of that shit. My views on a dooms day scenario is possible, and there’s nothing divine about it. I don’t see the world ending any time soon, but I suspect a lot of people are going to die or otherwise suffer, if they aren’t already. I don’t know if it’s soon or not, but I know it’s around the corner. I could never bring a child into the world without thinking deeply about what he or she is going to be in for when they grow up. I could never WANT to bring a child into this world. It’s almost cruelty.

My sense of patriotism is dead. No, it would be more accurate to say that patriotism is dead to me. I will never do ANYTHING for my country, or any other country. I don’t support my country, I don’t care for my country, and I don’t pledge my allegiance to my country. I do none of this for any country. It’s all meaningless to me now.
The corrupt imperialism of the United States has burned my trust and pride. I see a flag and I don’t see something worth standing up for. I live beyond the need for borders, laws, and nationalism. I would fight for my family and for my friends, but not for a country. I will die for them, but not for it. I will for no flag. My time left alive is devoted purely for my those that matter to me, and my own life. PIeces of plastic and metal mean nothing to me anymore.

America is dead to me. Humanity is soon to follow.

$142/barrel of oil

June 27th, 2008

Oil has hit $142 for a barrel, and it’s on its way to $143.

Ugh.

I want to believe it won’t hit $150, then $160, and beyond that, but I’m having a hard time finding the optimism.

You might be a terrorist if…

June 26th, 2008

Read this shit

According to the Telegraph, a UK-based news website, a white blond-haired 12-year old boy from West Yorkshire, London is suspected of being an al-Qaeda inspired extremist because he circulated beheading videos to his classmates.

I’m not making this shit up.

Also, according Sir Norman Bettison, who is Chief Constable of West Yorkshire, the boy, “also has an unnatural interest in guns and weapons.”

“He spoke openly of his wish to be a sniper and spoke of his curiosity of what it would be like to kill someone.

“He is at risk of being a violent young man and a threat to society. He is not a Muslim. He is not driven by ideology – he is too young to spell the word. But he is being influenced and intoxicated by the imagery and appeal of Jihadist and other internet violence.”

Look, the kid is 12, and if he’s like every other fucking 12 year-old he’s going to be curious as hell about death and violence. It doesn’t help when war and violence is glorified all over entertainment and news media, and when kids in society today are sheltered from reality it only fuels their burning curiosity even more. I’m willing to believe that, for the most part, adolescents know that what they’re seeing in video games, movies, and TV shows is not real. But, they remain sheltered by parents society, especially in this age when fear mongering is at an all time high.

Now, to be fair, the boy allegedly helped two other boys in 2005 to rape his sister, but he was never actually prosecuted. So, perhaps this particular boy does have some serious fucking issues. But that doesn’t change my problem with this bullshit.

My issue with this bullshit lies with the official’s seemingly immediate assumption of extremism, and all because of the viewing and sharing of beheading videos and his interest in guns.

According to the article there are about 124 young children under suspicion, and are being observed lest they turn into little terrorists and reek havoc on the population.

From the article, “Two other cases highlighted by the senior policeman were Muslim youths, known only as NH and YH, who were both 15 when they were reported by their communities because they were showing extremist and racist tendencies.

This reeks of something, and I don’t like it. FOX News has been pulling the same fear mongering shit by enticing viewers to start fearing their own neighbors, and viewing at dissidents and activists as potential terrorists. It’s McCarthyism and Witch-hunting all over again.

Iran to have nuke weapons capabilities sooner than expected?

June 25th, 2008

According Mohamed ElBaradei, in an interview on Al-Arabiya TV on 20 June, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in as little time as six months, BUT, and this is important to note, Iran would have to expel all IAEA inspectors, leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and close itself off from all manner of transparency from the international community.

ElBaradei states,

If Iran wants to turn to the production of nuclear weapons it must leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, expel the IAEA inspectors, and then it would need at least (considering the number of centrifuges and the quantity of uranium Iran has)… It would need at least six months to one year. Therefore, Iran will not be able to reach the point where we would wake up one morning to an Iran with a nuclear weapon.

ElBaradei also notes that it could take up to a year, at least. He also declares, “In my view, a military strike would be the worst thing possible. It would turn the Middle East into a ball of fire.”

The interviewer then asks if it would be much worse than sanctions, and to this ElBaradei replies,

Much worse, because a military strike would mean, first and foremost, that even if Iran does not produce nuclear weapons today, it would implement a so-called ‘crash course,’ or an accelerated plan to produce a nuclear weapon, with the agreement and blessing of all the Iranians – even the Iranians living in the West.

The IAEA General Director then goes on to declare that he would immediately resign if a military strike were to occur against Iran, stating, “If military force is used, I would conclude that there is no mechanism left for me to defend.”

According to ElBaradei, there is no current justification for an attack because Iran has remained transparent and compliant with IAEA instructors and regulations. He believes that Iran currently poses no immediate “clear and present danger,” and that the international system would begin to truly collapse.

Here is the transcript of the interview. See for yourself.

I don’t know what’s going on, but I hope that, regardless if nuclear weapons are created or not, war with Iran does not happen. I sincerely believe this would be bad for everyone, and that the United States of America would collapse.

Unfinished, unnamed, practice.

June 25th, 2008

I had not noticed the impressive collection of firearms that hanged upon the wall in the other room until now. As a self-proclaimed, non-gun owning gun-nut my interest was piqued. Assault rifles, combat shotguns, long rifles, and several pistol variants could be seen in an organized checkerboard fashion– very stylish, very appealing, very accessible.

Finally he spoke, “I notice you eying my collection.”

I nod. It was a nice collection, I had no doubt about that. I could make out a few of the models, must of which were Eastern-bloc Kalashnikovs, or at the very least clones of Kalashnikovs (as there are many).

“Well, what do you think? You’re not afraid of guns, are you?”

I reply, “No, not at all!. Actually, I’ve always had an interest in firearms!”

“Is that so?”, he shoots back at me.

“Yeah. I’ve never owned one, but I’ve had a little range time with my father. I was actually trained by the local police force in my home town. You know…” I pause, “…before the shit went down. I always wanted to go to the range more often but my father was always busy.”

He nods at me then asks, “Hey!  Why don’t you come shooting with me on Thursday? I’m heading to the militia’s camp to instruct a course on firearm safety. It’ll be a nice refresher for you, and I’ll provide plenty of ammo for practice. Hell, I’ll even show you a few tricks that I’ve learned over the years. What do ya say?”

I did not need to put much thought into the offer before I accepted. It has been a long time since I shouldered a firearm, and with all the chaos going on in the world I figured it would be best to get used to firing one. For once something seemed to be going right at this point. Things are looking up.

Balance of Words

June 25th, 2008

I seem to be getting more traffic to this blog, which I have to admit is more intimidating and scary than I had imagined. My opinions and beliefs expressed in this blog are not going to be popular, and I’ve always had a fear of insult and criticism. That’s why I hope that this blog will allow me to learn to accept and even welcome criticism, as it makes me (everyone) stronger in some form or fashion. I try to be fair, and I expect the same from any and all readers and their potential comments.

Be honest, be fair. Tell me how it is (your opinion on my content), and don’t hold back. If I can’t take it then I don’t deserve the privillege of expressing myself, literally or more. I won’t delete or ignore any comments, even if I disagree with them, because I do not agree with censorship on any level– though, if your comment doesn’t show up allow me to apologize right now because ASKIMET appears to block even legitimate comments (I think), and so it’s not because I didn’t like what you wrote.

I’m not the best writer in the world. I’ll even accept that my writing ability is severely lacking; in need of a lot of work. I’m not the smartest individual on the planet; I’m probably just barely above average in intelligence, but that doesn’t mean what I believe or have to say is going to be correct 100% of the time. Feel free to provide evidence to suggest that I’m wrong, at any time. I strive to be open minded, though I admit this can be a slippery slope because I’m easily influenced. That means I might appear to flip-flop, a lot, on various issues. This is because, in some cases, I have a hard time jumping off of the fence. Such is the nature of being open minded.

Undoubtedly, I will write content that I will disagree with later on (even relatively soon), but I won’t change or delete the original post. This blog will allow me to observe just how much I change my mind.

Also, I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong… but I’m still human, and therefore imperfect.

Thank you for your time.

Using Hydrogen and solar power for carbon-free powering of house.

June 24th, 2008

(Article)

An interesting read, the article linked above is about a civil engineer, Mike Strizki, who has not paid an electric bill for years because he’s powering his house with energy he does not have to pay for. He is accomplishing this through what is called Hydrogen-on-demand and the use of solar power.

Strizki’s house is lined with solar panels (56 to be exact) that convert sunlight into energy which is then stored in batteries. This energy is then used to split Hydrogen from stored water in a process called electrolysis- running an electric current through water to extract Hydrogen. The Hydrogen can then be used for combustion with an air mixture, similar to using gasoline for a fuel-air mixture, or stored for use in a fuel-cell. Strizki uses a fuel-cell for his home, and car, and everything else. A fuel-cell works by splitting the electrons from the Hydrogen, which are in turn used for electricity to power… well, anything. Check out this animation to get a better idea of what a fuel-cell is, and how it works.

Best of all, especially for you global warming alarmists, there is no carbon footprint. The only by product is (clean!) water, which can then be put back into the water storage for the electrolysis process!

Generally, with Hydrogen-on-demand, the electrolysis process requires already stored energy, meaning it’s not free and 100% efficient. However, the use solar-based power easily takes that problem and tosses it into the trash. You need only pay for the initial investment, which to be fair is still mighty expensive, and your Hydrogen-on-demand/Solar set-up leaves set to power your home, and everything in it for free!

With solar energy extraction growing in efficiency and effectiveness the idea of mixing the two alternative-energy sources together grows greater in appeal.

The only other relative problem is that major corporations can’t make a continued stream of money off of Hydrogen-on-demand; meaning the fossil-fuel based corporations and cartels would naturally be against it. Well, as I’ve always said:

FUCK THEM ANYWAY.

For more information I am going to link to an easy-to-digest FAQ regarding Hydrogen and the Hydrogen-on-demand process. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask and I’ll supply whatever information I can on what looks to be the way of the future for clearn energy creation and consumption.

George Carlin

June 23rd, 2008

I just heard the news that George Carlin died. It was disheartening to hear. I hold George Carlin in my memory as one of my favorite stand up philosophers of all time. The man has had a profound impact on my own philosophy.

Though I will never get to meet and have great discussions with him, which I’ve always wanted to, I’m still grateful and fortunate to have been exposed to his work, and at a young age especially!

I would say “Rest in Peace”, but, uh… well, that would be a waste of time and I’m sure Carlin would agree with me.

Views on Israel and Iran…

June 23rd, 2008

Lately I have been frequently writing about possible (I say inevitable) military conflict with the United States and Israel against Iran. I have not made it a secret that I hold no compassion or support for the country of Israel, and I might even appear to come off as pro-Iran.

Regardless of what I’ve expressed in the past, let me just say that I don’t support Israel OR Iran. Hell, I barely even support the country I live in– I certainly don’t consider myself to be patriotic. Hell, I’d even admit to be a bit un-American. Forgive me for losing trust and support for my very own country, but I fell far from that ladder and it hurt something fierce.

Just three years ago I was a straight-up neoconservative, Pro-Bush administration Republican, who held pro-military and, hell, pro-WAR viewpoints. I was constantly making excuses for the Bush administration and attempting to find ways of justifying the war on terror and subsequent invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as this country’s unconditional support for Israel. This was until I started asking myself more “What if” questions.

Now, the main reason for this post is because I expect people to think me an anti-Semite due to my viewpoints on Israel, and I don’t believe anti-Smite would be a fitting term. To put it simply: I don’t give a fuck if the country is a Jewish state. I’d have the same stance if Israel were made up of a completely different ethnicity or religion– I simply don’t care.

My problem with the Israeli government and Israeli-Americans in Washington relates to the country acts in accordance to its neighbors, with little regard to human life as it battles terror it often times brings upon itself, as well just how much power they have with our politicians. Every politician vows full unconditional support the country. A politician fears the image of anti-Semite, as it can be a very character destroying label. It would be like a politician saying he was un-American, does not support the military, or admits to being an Atheist. It’s political suicide. AIPAC is a very, VERY powerful organization. I’d even feel comfortable suggesting that it’s the most powerful lobby in all of Washington.

As for Iran… I don’t see Iran in perfect light either. I believe the country is given an unfair treatment by the Western governments, and media, though it would be fair to admit that its own image is not helped by its support for Hamas and Hezbollah. I’m not against either organization either, but the support is there… even if I can’t blame them for it at times. Still, both sides kill civilians, and so neither are easily seen as better than the other.

I do believe the entire war on terror to be a sham, and this viewpoint plays a significant role on my opinions of our support for Israel as well as our clash with Islam. I imagine what the world would be like if trade was great between all the nations in the Middle East and the Western world, and it could be a reality if the United States stopped poking its head into the rest of the world’s business like the meddlers we are… and ceased our support for Israel.

More evidence to suggest U.S./Israel-Iran conflict soon.

June 22nd, 2008

“George Bush understands the severity of the Iranian threat and the need to vanquish it, and intends to act on the matter before the end of his term in the White House,” says Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert after a face-to-face meeting with George W. Bush on 4 June 2008.

Also said by Prime Minister Olmert, “We reached agreement on the need to take care of the Iranian threat. I left with a lot less question marks [than I had entered with] regarding the means, the timetable restrictions and America’s resoluteness to deal with the problem.”

“The Iranian problem requires urgent attention, and I see no reason to delay this just because there will be a new President in the White House seven and a half months from now.” (SOURCE)

Some of you might feel the urge to pass over this, as if it were not a big deal or that it doesn’t seem to concern you or simply because it’s politics, but let me tell you that you are an idiot if you do. Yes, I’m calling anyone an idiot for ignoring this. Okay, so maybe not an idiot, but I still strongly urge that you keep this in mind. Be aware of what’s going on as it most definitely has capability to effect everyone.

Something is brewing between Israel and the United States concerning Iran, and it’s not for a keg-party.

I understand that people have been shouting for years that a war with Iran is going to happen soon. People shout that it was going to occur in 2004 (even earlier), then 2005, then 2006, and through 2007 until now, 2008.

I understand that it’s easy to think, “Well, I’ve heard this bullshit before and nothing has yet to happen. Why should I believe this now?” That’s understandable, but look at what’s going on now.

Take into consideration House Resolution 362; Israeli Prime Minister Olmert’s quotations above, after meeting with Bush; Israel’s repeated pseudo-threats against Iran, including its recent military operations and drills, parading their air force’s capability to strike Iran; and, of course, the media campaign being waged by FOX News and the rest to promote war with Iran to the public:

Factor all that and the product is obvious: U.S. and Israeli are planning military aggression against Iran, and it’s looking like it could be this year.

Some people might wonder how this might effect them. Well, I’m sure the current gas prices are effecting you and everyone you know so pay attention to this. Take note of the record-high jump (in one day) of $10.75 for a barrel of oil, spiking it to a record-high of $139.09 in early June just because of a threat by Israel toward Iran. Imagine what would happen to the price of oil if military operations were to actually occur! Let that settle in for a while.

A military conflict with Iran will not be a breeze. Iran is not a pushover pseudo-third world country like Iraq was in during U.S. invasions. Iran’s military capabilities, while not exactly at the technological level of the United States, is advanced enough to put up a decent fight against both Israel and the United States. It will be a winnable war, but only in the vacuum of a pure military engagement. Civil and peaceful occupation will not be a reality if an invasion were to occur. Here is a civilian source of information regarding Iran’s military capabilities. Where they beat is clearly in the numbers, and not just from uniformed forces.

Ground operations wouldn’t likely be an option until after a successful air and naval campaign, if it’s even an option, but that wouldn’t stop Iran from retaliating with a push into Iraq– particularly threatening the fragile logistics line between Kuwait and Baghdad. Let’s not forget that China and Russia, and just about every Islamic territory in the Middle East will pledge support for Iran (even if covertly). Lots of people will lose their lives, and for what? Iran building civilian nuclear energy capabilities? Because Israel wills it?

I’m not telling everyone to bunker down in their cellars or go hide in their tree forts. I don’t have any solutions to offer anyone if this is becomes a reality, but that’s not going to stop me from raising awareness of what’s going on. People need to be aware about the United State’s foreign policy. Our economy, the world’s economy, can NOT stand to hold if such operations are to occur, and our military forces are stretched then and are weakened from the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. This could be disastrous.

“Iran Blockade Resolution” (House Resolution 362)

June 22nd, 2008

I’m posting the resolution below, with emphasis added by me, but here’s a link to the resolution so you can see it for yourself. According to this blog post more than 40% of the House has co-sponsored this resolution, and it’s quickly gaining more momentum.

This, for all intents and purposes, will be a non-United Nations authorized military blockade against Iranian land, air, and sea shipping avenues, and will UNDOUBTEDLY be seen as an act of war. Iran won’t take this sitting down, and since it’s almost guaranteed to pass through the House with little resistance be prepared to see the President run with it. Apparently it could be voted on as soon this coming week, though I’m uncertain if that’s true or not.

Read the Resolution after the break.

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Ron Paul on MSNBC spreading sense and reason.

June 20th, 2008

I think he’s right!

Anyone (especially neo-conservatives) that sees the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that all detainees are entitled to habeus corpus as a bad thing are showing just how ignorant to the mindset of our founding fathers, and indeed the principles upon which this nation were founded.

Everyone… EVERYONE is innocent until proven guilty, and if we can’t ensure this basic civil liberty to all people then we’re just not worthy enough to call ourselves a free nation as we certainly aren’t leading by example.

And these morons expect us to install democracy with open arms (if you can even consider what we’re installing to be democracy)? The War on Terror is a failure, if not scam, and it only serves to fuel more anti-U.S. hatred across the world– as it has, indeed, succeeded in accomplishing. Our foreign policy of the past century is why we face any real threat from anti-U.S. groups; not because we are free and prosperous.

Down with imperialism! Down with the new United States of America! Bring upon revolution!

Putting the universe into perspective.

June 20th, 2008

Assertive Atheist, a site I stumbled upon through Stumble Upon (which I adore), has a page titled Size Counts. On this page is a bunch of words, but they’re put together in a way that helps put the universe into perspective.

One example would be imagining that our sun was the size of a grain of sand (suspension of disbelief goggles ON!). Once you have imagined that, you could take these grain-sized suns in our own galaxy and you could fit them into an Olympic-sized swimming pool! That’s a lot of fucking stars, and that’s just from our own galaxy!

Remember how many galaxies there are in the universe– BILLIONS!

When you put all of this into perspective you should hopefully come to realize just how small, and insignificant, we are to the universe… or even to our own galaxy; even a small percentage of one percent of our own galaxy!

It really makes one think… I know it makes me think, and it always has since I was a child.

Lots of space...


Has anyone else thought it strange that everything god(s) told us, through all the religious texts from around the world and through the ages, was limited to what we, as a species, knew of the world when the supposedly divine information was supposedly gifted to us by god(s)?

Maybe it’s just me, but that has always seemed just a little too convenient.

Small random observation about the internet.

June 18th, 2008

The internet today allows people to do more than just read what the few provide. The general front-end of the internet has evolved in a way that allows even the layman to provide his or her own content through blogs, social networks, and video postings; which is what used to be the concern of only hobbyists and professionals.

This is why I love the internet, particularly why it’s now called Web 2.0. Sure, it’s a marketing buzz word, but the term has weight in my opinion.

Legal Drugs Kill Far More Than Illegal

June 17th, 2008

From “Scarface” to “Miami Vice,” Florida’s drug problem has been portrayed as the story of a single narcotic: cocaine. But for Floridians, prescription drugs are increasingly a far more lethal habit.

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