A Sad Anniversary

Even though the Berlin Wall fell twenty years ago, there is still a divided capital in Europe.

Today marks the 35th anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus. You're not going to hear a word about it today in the American media, but you know, we're kind of used to that by now. We're used to having to explain the details of a complex situation to each person we meet, so today is no different.



As each year goes by, it just becomes harder and harder to believe that justice will ultimately be served and Cyprus will be reunited in a fair manner. It's encouraging that there continue to be discussions between both sides, but in the end I can't imagine an agreement ever being reached.

Now that you have been informed, go about your business.

McCain Needs To Quit His Bitching

John McCain's 2008 campaign has been quite the monument to sheer incompetence. But because America is a little slow sometimes (I mean, there is still a sizable population that thinks Dummy McChimp has been doing a bang-up job as President, despite ALL evidence to the contrary), he is still running neck-and-neck with Barack Obama. I mean, a candidate that has betrayed all previous appearance of principles AND has decided to back just about every single policy of a failed President (see: McCain's economic policy, his relaxation of his anti-torture stance, his reversal on oil drilling, etc.)--that's just what this country is looking for, right?

And if you ask John McCain, apparently being in a close race isn't enough--he should be winning this thing, daggummit. And he would be too, if it weren't for that goshdarn media being so in looooove with Obama! That's the problem. So last week McCain put on his sad puppydog eyes and played the victim as he complained about the media's coverage of Obama's trip overseas. "It's not fair that they're covering a trip that they basically goaded Obama into taking! Why don't you pay attention to me? P.S., I'm not a crackpot!"


Of course, irony is not McCain's strong suit. McCain may love to play the victim here, but doesn't realize if he got the "equal coverage" that he believes he deserved, we would have spent way more time going over his many mistakes, like his total confusion between Sunni and Shiite groups (happened during his Mideast trip in March, and kind of important in determining how our enemies operate), that he doesn't know who the leader of Iran is (kind of important, since we're talking about relations with a potential enemy), or that he still believes there's a country called Czechoslovakia (which happened during Obama's recent trip). All this, from a candidate who claims to be the expert in foreign policy.

Now, I don't know about you, but I think I would be glad that the media didn't go to town in picking up these kinds of gaffes. Unlike most of McChimp's fuckups of the English language, these "slips" just show a painful ignorance that is dangerous for a candidate to display. Of course, what can you expect from a man who in 2008 still does not know how to operate a computer.

Now, we'll have the McCain campaign respond with a message of their own:

The "I Need to Kill Some Time Before Class" Afternoon Blowout!

Kazaam!

So I'm sitting up in the Ballmer lab at UO printing off homework and whatnot because I don't feel like printing shit off at home (yes, I have become that cheap) and I come to realize something--Guess ads seem to feature guys with shirts that are either non-existent or only halfway on. I found this particularly disturbing, considering that this is supposed to be a site for people to buy CLOTHES from, and that they seem to have no idea how to actually dress themselves (what is perhaps more disturbing is the fact that I was on the Guess website to begin with). Also, with the one exception that makes the rule, there was one guy wearing a sweatervest with nothing underneath. It was quite possibly the most retarded thing I've seen today.

So where is this post going? I really don't know. But I have to get to class. I have to turn in some project about how Guess is an evil corporation and that they should be stopped, etc, etc. Actually, it should be about how Guess has an absolutely retarded website and that anyone who shops at it, Abercrombie & Fitch, or any of those other stores is a Chad or Chelsea (if you need an explanation, you'll never know).

This is worse than being alive. I hate this.

Congress Is Clearly The Last Refuge Of The Courageous

We brought you word of the Armenian Genocide and the campaign to get it recognized a few times on this blog, so it only makes sense that I bring you word of the inevitable conclusion that comes when you seek out the truth.

They're shelving the bill. Because you know, it's not a good time (just like it has been the past 30 years!).

It's always great to see the United States stand up to a country that is totally dependent on the US to advance its standing in the international arena, like its pending membership into the EU (we're totally cool with overlooking the fact that it illegally occupies an actual EU state, because we're awesome like that). So we'll kowtow to the state that has been building up forces on the Iraq border for months now, threatening to invade the one stable region in Iraq.



Good to see how the truth wins out in politics. I'll be glad to tell my kids about this.

Dick Gephardt is an Unbelievable Bastard

Be sure to emphasize those "e" sounds when reading that title--he deserves it. That is because Dick is truly a Shining Beacon to Bastardom, an example that will be studied for years to come.


Those who know me might find it odd that as a lifelong Democrat that I would come out against the former House Majority Leader (I guess the time as Majority Leader triumphs over the years as Minority Leader). Yes, I'm talking about THAT Richard Gephardt, the one known for his stands for the working man, etc. I agreed with him on a lot of issues, so why would I be taking this position now?

The reason lies in an article found in the latest edition of The New Republic. It discusses the controversy surrounding the various attempts by Congress to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide, a process that has taken decades. The thrust of this article is to show the impact of lobbyists on this seemingly unimportant issue, at least in terms of the average American's priorities.



The thing that struck me most was the incredible about-face that Gephardt took on the issue. He was a vocal proponent of getting the resolution passed while as a member of Congress, taking the time to co-sign a letter to the Speaker to urge speedy passage of the bill. Less than 10 years later, Gephardt is pushing the exact opposite line, now shilling for the Turks as he distributes pamphlets claiming that we must research the real history.

I believe that this 180 is the absolute most unscrupulous thing I have seen from a Congressman in my lifetime. It's one thing to pull a Billy Tauzin, and go to work for the pharmaceutical industry the second you leave office after heading the Committee that regulates the industry, but it's another thing when we're dealing with Genocide. Of course, to those familiar with the issue, historical research or accuracy never really enters the discussion, as the Turkish claims range from the disingenuous to the shameful to the hysterical (the Armenians were fighting back, they died only in transit that was a normal part of war, Turks were killed as well (though in not nearly as great numbers), bad weather). They talk a big game, but when it comes down to actual exchange of ideas with other historians, the Turks never offer the proof and deny any chance to do otherwise. And it's clear Gephardt's interest isn't in searching for truth--it's in pushing the party line of his new benefactors.



I hope this makes you at least one-tenth as upset as it made me.




On the lighter side of douchiness, here is an article that highlights one of the reason why I am weary of continuing to live in DC. It's amazing when you meet living, breathing stereotypes--and not only that, they revel in that fact. Be sure to check out their defense in the comments.