Interesting. Priest convicted in 1982 worked at Padua:
A Catholic priest who pleaded guilty to indecent assault on two teenage boys in 1982, while on the staff at Padua Academy in Wilmington, was reinstated to ministry the same year and as recently as 2002 was serving at the Little Sisters of the Poor retirement complex in Ogletown, officials acknowledged Thursday.
Good for him. Finding two teenage boys in the Paduan sea of women. How did he do that? Must have been two of those Sallies boys that hook up with the Padua sluts for school dances.
Ah, wait, my guess was wrong. Here’s the rub (pardon the pun):
[Rev. Robert L.] Hermley was arrested in 1982 in Trevose, Pa., while watching X-rated movies at a local drive-in theater with two Philadelphia boys, ages 13 and 14. Nineteen pornographic magazines also were found in the car. Hermley, who at the time was director of college guidance at Padua, an all-girls high school, pleaded guilty to indecent assault.
Let’s hope he at least got off. I mean, it’s not worth a thing if he didn’t finish the deed before being arrested. 1982, the year I was born. And this priest is still in commission with the Catholic Church, at least dating back to 2002? Something tells me the Church has got quite a bit of cleaning house to do before they condemn the gays and abortionists.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Religion at 2:22 PM PDT
7 Comments | Gimme some more »
Regardless of where you stand on the war, you’ve got to admit this shit’s pretty fucked up. I’d better shut up though, because I’m obviously EMBOLDENING the enemy by talking bad about our government during a time of war.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Craziness at 7:26 PM PDT
9 Comments | Gimme some more »
Seems my predictions were right. People aren’t necessarily curbing their gasoline consumption, they’re just going into debt while doing it:
“The rise in gas prices is really stretching budgets to the breaking point for some people,” the [American Bankers Association’s] chief economist, Jim Chessen, said in an interview. “Gas prices are taking huge chunks out of wallets, leaving some individuals with little left to meet their financial obligations.”
Here’s what I said on Sept. 1:
And, to be sure, people will continue to buy gas. The only difference now is they’ll start whipping out the credit cards. Whipping out the credit cards and racking up immeasurable amounts of debt that will never be repayed in the end.
I’d like to amend that last sentence. I suppose they WILL be paid, especially since George Bush has made it harder for the middle- and lower-classes to file for bankruptcy.
It feels so good to make a prediction that turns out to be true! Chalk one up for me!
Posted by Mike Matthews in Common Sense at 9:22 AM PDT
25 Comments | Gimme some more »
George Bush’s FBI is going after obscenity.
Meanwhile, I wonder what his take on this obscenity in Georgia would be:
The governor’s request that Georgia public schools take two “snow days” and close to conserve fuel did not sit well with parents who had to scramble to find baby sitters and day care for their children.
Rasheed Ahmad said he probably would have to take the day off from work Monday to look after his three daughters, ages 10, 8 and 4.
This is absolutely pathetic. The working class individuals, many of whom probably don’t receive vacation days from their low to mid-level earning jobs, will suffer because of this. I didn’t really bitch about the gas prices before. Heck, I’ve been conserving so well I’ve only been filling up about once every two weeks. But this is where I draw the line. THIS is where the rising gas costs are affecting AVERAGE, EVERYDAY, MIDDLE Americans who depend on a system to help them out so they can keep their kids properly fed and clothed.
Gov. Sonny Perdue should be ashamed. I don’t give a fuck how high gas prices are. These kids have school for a reason. What an idiotic man; using two “snow days.” Snow days have a reason and purpose, as well (although I wonder how often they’re used in Georgia). What angers me most is the lack of notice these parents received
Then, of course, there’s the other side:
Some parents supported the governor’s decision.
Rozina Charania, 37, of suburban Gwinnett County, praised the governor’s attempt to try to control the situation and conserve fuel. “It made a lot of sense,” she said as she walked with her husband and their 9-year-old daughter.
But does this woman have a job?
I’m sure some businesses will make accomodations, seeing as how only three of the state’s 181 school districts are opting out of the days off, but this still peeves me.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Craziness at 5:12 PM PDT
6 Comments | Gimme some more »
I’ve refrained from commenting on the Kate “Blowhole” Moss story because I just didn’t find it interesting or surprising. Until now.
Naomi Campbell Comes to Kate Moss’s Defense.
Because that’s what Kate Moss needs. One crazy bitch defending another crazy bitch. Where are my mirror and razor blades? I can’t take it any more!
Posted by Mike Matthews in Dumb stuff at 1:53 PM PDT
4 Comments | Gimme some more »
Queen Huff’s got me busy today.
It seems the Pat Tillman thing, which is being discussed in the recent That Time thread has whetted my appetite to find out more. And the HuffPo’s Max Blumenthal has a succinct wrap up nicely outlining the strongest points from the San Francisco Chronicle’s recent article outlining the amount of bullshit and propaganda the Department of Defense used to frame the death of Army Cpl. Pat Tillman. My only beef with Blumenthal’s evaluation is his use of the word “fratricide.” Though the definition technically works, the connotation of the word sounds so medieval. Like some 15th-century king whose brother murders him to gain access to the throne.
Again, Pat Tillman chose to serve his country, which is extremely admirable. But the country he served attempted to so screw up the story behind his death that the lies propagated by the Department of Defense are nothing short of acts of treason. And I don’t use that word lightly. Conservatives love calling Michael Moore treasonous for making an anti-Bush documentary. No, THIS is treason.
Could it be that the Army didn’t want the public to know that Tillman was a liberal vehemantly opposed to the Bush Administration’s war in Iraq? That is a likely scenario. Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 was certainly propaganda. And so were the actions lodged by the Department of Defense in the weeks following Tillman’s death.
Isn’t it time for Donald Rumsfeld to be quickly prosecuted and possibly executed? (Of course I’m not serious…at least about the prosecution.)
Read the Chronicle piece and then check out Max Blumenthal’s follow-up.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Political Landscape at 1:31 PM PDT
2 Comments | Gimme some more »
Mock her if you will, but Arianna Huffington’s Huffington Post has turned into quite an attraction these past few months, gaining a reputation among both liberals and conservatives. And, though the amalgamation of views on Huffington’s site definitely skew left of center, it’s always interesting to read the opinions of right-wingers like Danielle Crittenden (who has a good knack for parody and satire).
But today, I feel persuaded to pass on this post written by Bob Cesca. Liberal Cesca chastises a Christian private school in California that expelled a girl because her two parents happen to be lesbians:
This week, 14-year-old Shay Clark was expelled from a Christian private school in California because her parents happen to be lesbians. And deservingly so, because we all know how much of a threat lesbian parents are; what with the fully loaded lesbian firearms they pack in their children’s lunch boxes and how, by sending their child to a Christian school, they’re clearly devil-worshipping heathens — sub-humans bent on the destruction of all things American and Christian.
In short, I can’t outright condemn the school’s actions. It is a private school that has every right to set its own admission guidelines and boundaries. It’s the right of all Americans to be bigots. I suppose that is what makes our country so beautiful. No matter how disgusting the views of a person or organization are, the right is still there to be a hateful asshole.
What Cesca is pointing out is obvious: Would Jesus do something like this? I don’t think so. Read on:
Would it strike you as odd that Jesus never condemned homosexuality? In fact, as my friend John Christian Plummer pointed out this week, he never mentioned a single word about it. Probably because he was too busy saying things like, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” and “Blessed are the poor.” Here’s an actual Jesus quote which is interesting:
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.”
I think that’s a bit too much for Christian Conservatives to handle. Why would Jesus say such a thing? Why would Jesus dare defend the fags and dykes? That umbrella statement is surely taken out of context! When Jesus says you’re blessed when you’re hated, he must have been talking about Paris Hilton. Certainly not the gays!
Cesca concludes:
But Christians? I’m ashamed of you. I’m ashamed to have spent the first 18 years of my life in your service. I’m ashamed of the dollars I put in your collection baskets every Sunday. Shay Clark’s parents wanted her to be raised amongst your teachings and you’ve inexplicably found a loophole to exclude her. But maybe, like our president, you’re only a Christian as a convenience to somehow justify your hatred and nearsighted worldview. If you actually read that book on which you base your life, you’ll find that Shay Clark’s lesbian parents should be the absolute very least of your worries. What you’ll find in the teachings of Jesus is that, if anyone, you are your own worst enemy. God’s speed.
And a hearty AMEN to that!
Posted by Mike Matthews in Craziness, Religion at 11:29 AM PDT
9 Comments | Gimme some more »
Located at the bottom of this page is a box where you can enter your email and be automatically emailed when I’ve updated the site with a new post. This is optional, and only those people whose lives depend on Down with Absolutes! should seriously consider joining. Which is to say, that no one should really be receiving emails regarding updates to this sorry site. Either way, if you’d like to join, feel free. Because it IS free.
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 9:20 AM PDT
2 Comments | Gimme some more »
Again, it’s that time. I’ve cleaned house a bit and deleted some of the now-dead websites once located on my blogroll. I’ve also added a few. So, check them out and let me know if you’d like to be added to the madness.
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 12:17 PM PDT
17 Comments | Gimme some more »
Sometimes reading blogs gets me so riled up that I don’t even feel like addressing it. But tonight I am. Via the great Howard Stern I came upon a conservative commentator, Debbie Schlussel, a columnist and attorney from Michigan. Howard always seems to enjoy a good jab at her expense whenever she calls to ramble on about “jee-hads” and those Muslim terrorists. And I usually just laugh it off.
But, what planet is this chick on when she feels the need to call for boycotts against movies of FICTION? I don’t dispute her right to do it, I just dispute her state of mind and sanity. Take, for example, Flightplan, which I made it a point to see simply based on her idiotic review. The woman is upset because this piece of FICTION portrays a flight attendant and US air marshal as the villains as opposed to the Muslim Arabs on board. The woman is also upset that said Muslim Arabs, who were set up as the villains early on, were not the villains. The woman says “the hints have no pay-off,” as if she would feel some joy from seeing Arabs portrayed as villains on camera — merely because they’re Arabs. The woman also invokes the names of flight attendants who were murdered on 9/11, obviously inferring that this film somehow slanders their industry and memory. The woman also thinks the flight attendents were poorly portrayed as “arrogant, cold and uncaring,” because none of us has EVER been helped by a tough-as-nails and bitchy flight attendant.
I don’t even feel like going further, as the woman’s conservative talking points are so damn transparent. She uses the “patriotism” defense, saying that the patriotic flight attendants and air marshals deserve more respect. Is every flight attendant a good person? Is every air marshal a good person? These people have skeletons, as well. You just CONTINUE to invoke 9/11 for every thing you see in Hollywood. If you, my readers, are interested, please peruse Debbie’s site for recent reviews of such films as The Constant Gardener and Lord of War.
What next, Debbie? Will you rail on a movie portraying “immoral” NY cops and firemen who decide to go to a strip club to down a couple beers? Will you say that the honor of those who died on 9/11 has been tarnished by those piggish actors defiling the honest profession that is law enforcement and fire protection?
You’ve made waves in the blogging community, Debbie, and that’s certainly commendable. I’ve commented on your blog before regarding your film reviews, hoping to see some more diligence in the future. I suppose I should just shut the hell up and move on.
Also see: Schlussel Gets Results!
On a side note, I thought the movie was OK. Entertaining, but just OK.
Update I: My trackbacks pinged to Schlussel’s site last night. Unsurprisingly, Ms. Schlussel decided to delete them this morning. I should’ve taken some screen shots. Perhaps it’s because of the “naughty” language I used in my assessment of her bullshit. Still love ya, Deb!
Update II: Self-censorship can be a totally acceptable thing. I’ve tempered my comments after re-reading them thoroughly. I was really a bit too nasty. So, I’ll try harder next time and only use the adjectives “stupid” and “idiotic” when referring to our president — or Paris Hilton.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Conservatism, Movies at 10:34 PM PDT
2 Comments | Gimme some more »
Could this possibly be my moonbat buddies going overboard?
French and American intelligence agents have arrested Barbara Olson, the wife of a former Bush administration official, a few days ago on the Polish-Austrian border, according to agents close to and with knowledge of the incident.
The alleged 9.11 Pentagon crash victim was found to be in possession of millions in fake interbank Italian lyra currency, according to the agents.
Olson was also reportedly in possession of a fraudulent Vatican passport and was held on charges of counterfeiting.
For those of you who don’t know, Olson was a frequent news commentator and noted right-wing author of the bestselling book The Final Days, which detailed the abuses of the Clinton presidency. Olson died on Sept. 11 on American Flight 77, the plane that crashed into the Pentagon.
This article, written by some guy named Tom Flocco simply seems too abstract and loony to be believed. Doing a Yahoo! News search on “Barbara Olson” brings up no results, other than a list of the Sept. 11 dead.
Of course, if this is true, this would lend credence to many of the conspiracy theorists out there who believe the Pentagon wasn’t even attacked by a plane, but rather blown up by our government.
Interesting, even if totally loony.
Update I: This has got to be fake. One, Italian Lira have not been legal tender since about midway through 2002, when the Euro debuted. And, plus, the spelling of LIRA is wrong. Can anyone else punch holes in this BS?
Update II: Rense adds a little something to the mix, further disproving this amazingly weak conspiracy theory.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Liberalism, Craziness at 3:54 PM PDT
10 Comments | Gimme some more »
George Bush must have quite a bit of influence on the White House’s website. Especially when it comes to the kids section.
Featured about halfway down the page, to the left, is a poll asking children about their favorite school subject at the start of the school year.
The answer choices? Reading, math, recess, English and history.
And, leading with 44%, what do you think students have chosen? Yup, recess. Looks like we’ve got a bunch of mini Bushies in our schools today. Let’s just hope the kiddies haven’t yet discovered blow or Jack Daniels on those daily trips to the playground. That stuff should be reserved until at least high school.
Posted by Mike Matthews in Dumb stuff at 11:30 AM PDT
4 Comments | Gimme some more »
Several relocated hurricane “victims” are all pissy ’cause some idiot in New Castle County bureaucracy accidentally put them in housing close to some registered sex offenders:
New Castle County officials failed to check the state’s sex-offender registry before placing a family of Hurricane Katrina evacuees — including three children — in housing on the same Alban Park street as at least four convicted sex offenders.
Bring in the lawyers. I smell a lawsuit. What’ll it be this time? Emotional distress? Child endangerment? I’m sure this mother, Xiomara Morter, who is younger than me, will find something about which to get all litigious. Just scanning through the State of Delaware Sex Offender Registry leads me to believe it’s not the little boys these perverts are seeking.
This woman and her children, as well as several other families, are receiving free housing on the public dime. I don’t necessarily have a problem with that, but if sacrificing one of her children to a sex offender is the cost, then I feel her bitching is totally unwarrented. Childhood trauma is a small cost to pay to keep a roof over one’s head!
Posted by Mike Matthews in First State Filth at 8:47 AM PDT
12 Comments | Gimme some more »
Maybe I am more conservative than I thought.
Suddenly, I feel quite in favor of privatizing the Department of Education. As greedy and corrupt as corporations are in this country, I don’t quite see them doing something this stupid. What, you ask? The goddamn DSTP state testing.
Melissa Bechard, a senior from my alma mater, Cab Calloway, currently holds a 4.8 GPA. Yet, the inconsequential DSTP score she received has her being left out of a possible “Distinguished” designation on her diploma come June.
I don’t even feel like analyzing the bullshit that is the DSTP. Go to some other site for that. I’m sure The News Journal has a slew of info.
In short, the three-tiered diploma should be terminated. No need to give these teens further reason to contemplate suicide. One diploma is good enough. Pass or fail.
And then we’ve got that bureaucratic babe Valerie Woodruff, who doesn’t even know what the hell she’s talking about when questioned about the problems the test poses to this year’s graduating seniors:
State Secretary of Education Valerie Woodruff said legislation passed several years ago established the change beginning in 2006, but on Tuesday could not point to the exact law or year of passage.
Meanwhile, the state has promised to establish an alternate means for hard-working students who didn’t score high enough on state tests to get distinguished diplomas. That might be through Advanced Placement classes or SAT scores, and would apply to students graduating this year and next year. But Woodruff said she doesn’t know when the criteria will be announced.
Why in hell should a 4.8-GPA-carrying senior have to take special classes to prove that her brain is more advanced than the blunt-rolling idiots in stall number 2 who, by chance, scored higher than her on a somewhat probability-driven fill-in-the-bubble exam?
If there is one consolation it’s that this three-tiered diploma will be phased out by 2008. Why the cash is still being spent in the interim is beyond me.
Posted by Mike Matthews in First State Filth at 10:11 PM PDT
6 Comments | Gimme some more »
I wish this damn jet would crash already:
A JetBlue airliner with faulty landing gear was headed for an emergency landing Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport after its front wheels were turned sideways and unable to retract into the plane following takeoff from a nearby airport.
I’ve been sitting here for an hour waiting for the news cycle to return to Mother Nature’s satanic spawns (Katrina and Rita), missing pretty white girls and the rising death toll in Iraq.
Crash already you piece of junk. More pressing news must be covered.
Posted by Mike Matthews in General at 9:16 PM PDT
2 Comments | Gimme some more »
Would you all like me to go on another profanity-laced rant like I did last night? Because I think I’m ready.
Read this shit:
The new [porn] squad will divert eight agents, a supervisor and assorted support staff to gather evidence against “manufacturers and purveyors” of pornography — not the kind exploiting children, but the kind that depicts, and is marketed to, consenting adults.
My fellow Americans: This is what we get when we elect loony Bible-spouters to office, who then in turn nominate even loonier Christian retards to high offices of law enforcement. So, going after kiddie porn (a deplorable offense, indeed) isn’t enough for these bureaucratic skull-fucks. Let’s go after the legal porn that keeps unhappily married men from cheating on their wives and teenage boys from humping their mattresses.
One FBI agent with whom I agree:
“I guess this means we’ve won the war on terror,” said one exasperated FBI agent, speaking on the condition of anonymity because poking fun at headquarters is not regarded as career-enhancing. “We must not need any more resources for espionage.”
Thank you, George W. Bush, for keeping our country safe. Thank you for fighting the terrorists and at the same time fighting against my right to view bound and gagged lesbians enjoying the sacred art of coprophagia in the bathtub of a heroin addict! Thank you indeed, Mr. President for curtailing my predilection for prurience!
Update I: Check out the great comment thread over at HuffPo.
Update II: Oh what I wouldn’t give for a cheap, tawdry — and now questionably legal — fling with Precious Priscilla. Or perhaps the delectable Helene Keeley, who attends the same YMCA in Wilmington as myself. I wonder if prurient thoughts will soon be monitored and controlled by the Bush administration?
Posted by Mike Matthews in ODB (Our Dumb Bush), Conservatism at 8:07 PM PDT
7 Comments | Gimme some more »
