Just a few random thoughts.
I heard about a new drinking game for all of you watching the Republican Convention this week. Because Repubs are SO notorious for their love of minorities, you should have a shot of whatever every time you see a minority on television.
Better yet, have a shot everytime one of those crusty white Republicans invokes the name of a minority to make them look cool. Half a shot if it’s Condi or Colin.
Also, I can’t wait to get Bjork’s new album, “Medulla,” which comes out tomorrow. I had to listen to 1997’s classic “Homogenic” to get me in the mood. Supposedly, the whole album is simply manipulations of her own voice, with minimal instrumentation. She’s always ahead of the pack.
I picked up Steve Earle’s new album last week–”The Revolution Starts…Now”–and it’s about as good as his last, 2002’s “Jerusalem.” The title track is rockin’ and his liner notes outline the urgent priority we as Americans have in getting rid of Dubya come November.
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 8:21 PM PDT
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Wow…gotta love those conservatives. They bang those drums of war like crazy. The second the shit hits the proverbial fan they pussy out and want to back away from the issue.
Check out this article pulled from Yahoo!. Now, this could all be crap, but I wouldn’t doubt it.
Bush has failed so miserably with the Iraq War that his cronies want to detract attention from that “quagmire” (yes, that’s what it is, Secretary Rumsfeld) and paint a shiny, happy picture of another quagmire: our domestic failings.
Let’s simply put it like this. With no new revelations in Iraq and no sign of this “slog” coming to an end (thank you again, Secretary Rumsfeld), I think we can rule out this war as a success. We have riled up millions of Muslims around the world, created a new hotbed for terrorism in the once sovereign, secure (albeit crazy) and well-dictated state of Iraq. Think that last sentence was a bit off the deep end? Perhaps. Here’s my rationalization. It’s probably a bit oversimplified.
Saddam Hussein was a crazy idiot. Not unlike our president. But, when a citizen does something Bush doesn’t like, Bush doesn’t have the idiot killed. Well, maybe he does.
Hussein had proven to be somewhat of an international pariah since the last Gulf War. With UN sanctions further tightening his grip of power, Hussein was fairly harmless to anyone other than his own people. Hence the reason why we have yet to find any WMD.
The United States enters the picture in March 2003 and totally screws up everything. We leave a handful of soldiers in Afghanistan to pursue our goal of conquering Iraq. Now Afghanistan is turning back into the same rogue state it’s been for the past 15 years. Of course, now we’re a direct supporter of their military as opposed to an indirect faction like that of two decades ago when we supplied the mujahadeen with arms to battle Soviet Russia.
Bottom line: Saddam posed no threat to us. We invaded and now the world is paying the price through Al-Qaeda activity in the now insecure state of Iraq.
So, I guess that’s what the conservatives want Bush to ignore next week when the Republicans appropriate New York, patriotism, and Sept. 11 in their bid to win over the hearts of this fully decided electorate.
I’m simply waiting for the debates between Kerry and Bush. I think we know who’s more tactful with words.
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 8:22 PM PDT
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Check out this website. It’s called delatacit.com (note: now defunct) and it is my new favorite website. It’s a hilarious look at The First State’s politics. There is so much good crap on there that I spent over two hours looking at their archives.
There is even a posting in relation to a music video produced by my alma mater–Cab Calloway H.S.–that featured Attorney General Jane Brady rapping an anti-smoking theme song for Delaware students. Included is a link to said video. It is a scream. I remember when it was produced and aired four years ago and most of us thought it was a joke. It’s even funnier today.
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 8:22 PM PDT
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I’m having fun. I am now in my fourth week of unemployment. I’ve submitted my resumes to several online publications for which I’d like to do some freelance writing. Not that they’re looking for anyone, but they say they always like to have resumes on file for prospective writers. My strong points are, of course, opinion/editorial as well as music. I’m also a damn good reporter if I may say so myself! All purpose fool: that’s me.
Anyhow, I’m currently in the process of ATTEMPTING to get unemployment. It would certainly help as I finish my last semester of school. I go back next Monday.
On Thursday I went to the unemployment office in Wilmington. My mom told me to go; I wasn’t too sure what I was doing there. It turned out that all they had me do was create a resume. I think. It was all so cryptic that I didn’t know whether I was completing a resume or filling out a personal ad for The News Journal’s classifieds.
Those also participating at the computer stations seemed a little less interested. I looked around and saw a smattering of folks obviously who’ve come off of jobs making minimum wage. It was depressing. Mothers with children who are fidgeting as they complete their resumes. A woman creeps next to me (she obviously notices I’m typing more than five words a minute) and asks me how to spell “challenging.” I kindly reply.
This is a problem in our country. Too many people are losing or gaining low paying jobs simply because of their education level. And don’t think race doesn’t have something to do with it. A regular occurance in our society is to constantly neglect the minorities who tend to work some of the most important service-oriented jobs on the market. However, the reason they continue to fall under their own weight is because they’re NEVER offered a chance to advance their training and skills.
Institutional racism still has a devastating effect on urban sects of our society. Those that need the most help tend to get the short end of the stick. While George Bush & Co. are giving their buddies huge tax cuts, education and training programs are slashed in the inner cities. Funding for poor schools is slashed for those that don’t perform to Bush’s ill-named “No Child Left Behind Act.” So, this vicious cycle will probably never end.
My experience in helping the woman typing next to me wasn’t atypical. The office has representatives who are there to help with any question someone may have. I was glad to help. Maybe work in the public sector is where I should be? Maybe not. All I know is that I’d better do something quick. I can’t take this crap anymore.
Posted by Mike Matthews in The Great Termination at 8:24 PM PDT
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This campaign is getting ugly…and there’s still more than two months before Election Day!
A private Political Action Committee (PAC) who call themselves Swift Boat Veterans for Truth have released questionable ads slamming John Kerry’s service in Vietnam. The ads are sketchy with the facts and just today and report from The Washington Post disputes one of the men involved in the ads.
Here’s how Kerry should REALLY combat these ads and counter their lies. He should continue to make an issue the fact that he actually VOLUNTEERED to serve. Wasn’t drafted; he VOLUNTEERED to serve his country.
It may sound like sour grapes, but he should continue the offensive against the fact that George W. Bush was most likely held back from active duty because of his father’s connections. This is a big issue in this election. George Bush and other conservatives have openly questioned Kerry’s military service and patriotism. The only problem is that Kerry’s record is out there for all to see. Bush and his cronies have manipulated the release and information of all of Bush’s records.
So, Kerry continuing to make an issue by comparing his and Bush’s records should still be one fo the most important aspects of this campaign.
In the upcoming debates, Kerry should also point to all of the deferments Bush’s idiots applied for during the Vietnam War. VP Dick Cheney applied for–and was approved for–five deferments. Four of the deferments were to finish school and the fifth was to tend to his newborn child. With the brand of male-superiority Cheney imparts, you’d think he’d be fine “leaving the woman” at home so he could go fight in a manly war!
John Ashcroft alone had seven deferments.
If Kerry was smart, he’d learn how repetition can do some good in a campaign. He should reiterate the dates on which Cheney was granted those deferments. The public isn’t too dumb. They’d pick up on it. Unfortunately, the Republican Party has co-opted the military as their own branch in the past four years. They think they’ve got an appropriation on patriotism, as well. It’s time to take that back from them. Illegitimately sending our men and women into a war that has proven over the last 18 months to have been based on a lie is anything but patriotic. End of story.
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 8:25 PM PDT
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Several years ago I wrote a column for The News Journal outlining why I thought George Bush’s tax cuts would be disastrous should he win office. (Side note: this article was written in late 2000. Technically, he didn’t “win” the office of president.)
I said that there is no read to run up our national deficits with extreme tax cuts that don’t help the majority of Americans. I like the fact that when roads are in poor shape, our country can fix them. I like my trash being picked up twice a week. I like a functioning plumbing system. All of those services come at a cost. Many people don’t realize that and are more interested in the easy satisfaction of a temporary tax cut worth a couple hundred dollars. I guess those new shows in the shop window are looking better shit-free, maggot-infested, clean drinking water.
So, Bush invades the presidency by divine order and a little help from a Supreme (Court) Power. He pushes through three tax cuts, takes us to war and turns a surplus into a disgustingly large deficit.
Now this happens. This hurricane was the worst since Hurricane Andrew 12 years ago. Is this not one of the MANY reasons why taxes are an ESSENTIAL part of any civilized society? Should these residents have to shelter more of the cost than they can afford? No. Call it communism if you wish, but government’s should ALWAYS step in when a natural disaster occurs. Once insurance policy maximums are exhausted, the government should reimburse 100% of the difference to ensure that residents are returned to the quality of life pre-disaster.
There should be no question that the government owes citizens in natural disaster situations. It’s good for the people; it’s good for the country.
It just seems like extreme doublespeak when Bush says he’s “gonna do everything” he can to help these people. Unfortunately, because of his devastating tax cuts, we’ll just be driven further into debt.
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 8:26 PM PDT
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Hey…you all have a great week. I’ll be chomping on some cheap lobster in Maine.
No posts until I get back. Peace!
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 8:26 PM PDT
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I suppose it’s simply a metaphor for the way my life is going right about now. Last week, pink slip. Today, my windshield wipers fail me while driving home from renting some DVDs tonight.
I went out at about 7:45. Got to Blockbuster and by the time I left it was pouring. My wipers worked about three-quarters of the way home and then stopped as I was about to turn onto Lancaster Ave. I sat for a couple minutes pondering. The rain, pounding so hard against the roof of the car, didn’t seem to want to stop. Eventually, I opened my window and tried to manually shove the blades in the opposite direction, figuring maybe they got jammed. No luck. Then I tried turning off the car. Perhaps the problem was electrical and would resolve itself with a fresh start of the ignition. No luck. So I sat for about another ten minutes. Eventually, it seemed to slow to the point where I could safely make it home.
The car is outside, wipers fully erect.
So, how am I doing this week? How was the first week following my dreadful last week? Well, better than expected. I’m no longer upset anymore. Now I’m getting into the anger phase. Anger because I think my termination is much deeper than what the company will EVER admit. Anger because I believe I was wrongly terminated to some extent. Anger because a promise was essentially given to me and then taken away.
I can’t share some of the things I know right now. I think many of you already know what I know. I hope the outcome of what I know brings good news to a friend of mine. Someday I’ll share the story en masse. Just not today. It gets me angry just thinking about it.
But I will be fine. The wipers will be fine. Our country will be fine (VOTE NOV. 2nd!).
I just wish “fine” felt a whole lot better than this.
Posted by Mike Matthews in The Great Termination at 8:27 PM PDT
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Check out the trailer for this new movie from the producers of South Park. It’s called Team America: World Police and it looks AWESOME!!!
Apparently, it’s already got The White House in a tizzy. I can’t tell what kind of movie this is. It looks to be a bunch of marionette puppets. I love Trey Parker and Matt Stone. South Park is a truly groundbreaking cartoon with a clear political slant. That’s why I love it. Politically incorrect and extremely funny.
What’s not to love?
Posted by Mike Matthews in Movies at 8:27 PM PDT
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Well, please excuse me. I haven’t finished posting my little “skit” yet. This because I’m really trying to flesh it out to something substantial.
So we’ve got this new threat level, issued today by the Department of Homeland Security. I think it’s all a damn ploy. Sure, perhaps it’s dangerous for me to question our government’s “intentions,” but I do have some serious reservations. For more on this, be sure to check out Michael Moore’s excellent Fahrenheit 9/11.
The Democrats just came off a very successful week of conventions in Boston. These conventions ALWAYS tend to bump up positivity points, and they did so with Kerry. I can see the Bush Administration toggling this fear in Americans to make it look like he’s fightin’ terrorism reeeel good!
In Moore’s film, a psychologist explains how he feels the administration has used fear to exploit the feelings of the nation when it comes to terror-related activities. I think the Bush Administration is smart in knowing how to play the country like the obvious marionette we are.
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 8:28 PM PDT
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