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| From Renarudo's Random Ramblings |
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| From Renarudo's Random Ramblings |
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| From Renarudo's Random Ramblings |
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| From Renarudo's Random Ramblings |
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| From Renarudo's Random Ramblings |
Monday, June 8, 2009
My Father's Membership Certificate
Mostly so that I have access to them online, here are pictures of my father's Membership Certificates into Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated
Saturday, June 6, 2009
For I am Ren, and I am Man
Did my man duties around the house today and constructed a grill out of ram iron and steel for my mother and father.
After leaving the foundrey I have set up in the basement, I was left with these raw materials
Behold! I was even considerate enough to leave instructions for my heir, if he ever wished to duplicate his father's fine work.
I also supplied plastic so that he might suffocate himself if he was not up to the task of crafting a similar vessel of creating delicious meat meals.
There are even STICKERS! Yes, for those not intelligent enough to grasp my master of the metals, I included detailed descriptions of each piece. Lo, my brilliance will shine on the world for an eternity.
------------------
5 hours and 2 total reconstructions later
------------------
BEHOLD! FOR I AM MAN.
-Best Fucking Believe
After leaving the foundrey I have set up in the basement, I was left with these raw materials
Behold! I was even considerate enough to leave instructions for my heir, if he ever wished to duplicate his father's fine work.
I also supplied plastic so that he might suffocate himself if he was not up to the task of crafting a similar vessel of creating delicious meat meals.
There are even STICKERS! Yes, for those not intelligent enough to grasp my master of the metals, I included detailed descriptions of each piece. Lo, my brilliance will shine on the world for an eternity.
------------------
5 hours and 2 total reconstructions later
------------------
BEHOLD! FOR I AM MAN.
-Best Fucking Believe
Monday, June 1, 2009
Renarudo Presents: How to Simplify Life - Part 1
The interworkings between Men and Women are complex, complicated and often Misconstrued. Often, the logistics of a relationship are messy, and the fact that chemical reactions in our bodies (feelings) conflict or override otherwise sound logic do not help the fact that Men and Women see things different (in general) and that everyone is different in their perceptions, life experiences and expectations.
While we humans are social beings and our entire existence hinges upon the importance of that "personal touch" with another being, there are conflicting factors and influences that make the very simple act of "being with someone" a very complex and draining ordeal.
"Can't live with em', can't live without em" sort of deal. In addition to being a necessity for the continuance of our dominance on the planet, having a significant other is one of the many things that, no matter how hard one tries to go against the grain, we cannot do for ourselves, nor have replacements for.
As much as we may like our "things", we need "someone" to fill that void that is un-fillable by the materials we purchase or are endowed.
I also believe that there are many personality types, and that while it is very rare and HIGHLY improbable to find "someone who is perfect" (nor is it recommended that you actually look, you friggin morons), ultimately, everyone has the capacity to get along if basic precepts are followed.
No matter how successful a person may be in their life, or how many caring and well-intentioned individuals are a part of their friendship/family circles, there are specific things and emotions that can only be shared with a significant other. Humans need mates about as much as we need water, oxygen and food.
--------------------------
I can speak in generalizations as much as possible, but the fact at the end of the day is this:
Forget about what you see on TV or read in books; Life isn't easy, and you have to work hard for things. Just because you've busted your ass for x-amount of years or you've pulled yourself up from your bootstraps does not mean the Universe is going to reward you for your actions. If you go through life feeling that you are entitled to anything without hard work, regardless of your preconceived notions to the contrary, you'll only end up disappointed and forlorn. Life is not fair, and it is a constant struggle. Just because you've gotten over one hump and reached another summit does not mean the rest of your life will be a carefree descent, because there are always higher hills to climb.
I think that people lose sight of that, and what bothers me is when I hear people MY AGE (I'm 21) make comments alluding to how rough their life was/is. Now let me say this: I have an immense respect for hard work. In fact, being someone who is the opposite of a hard worker, I'm kind of envious of people with the tenacity to never give up and to keep trying.
(Side Note: I'm not a quitter, but I will say that I deplore hard work. I personally feel that if you have to work hard for something, you're doing it wrong. Call me lazy, but I always look for a shortcut, or the "trick" to something. Sometimes that catches me off guard because it usually takes a longer time to "find the trick" and execute it than it would take to simply complete the tasks, but the journey of "finding the trick" is part of my personality, and it stimulates my mind more than the simple "grinding required to do the task outright.
But I digress)
But for someone who is roughly 2/7ths of the way through their life and leaving college to even fathom the thought that their life should be easy by now takes cajone-fortitude the likes of which would make the love child of John Cena and Dwayne Johnson shrivel like a cold December morning.
Dear readers, let me explain something: The world sucks and it's full of bigoted, narrow-minded and unintelligent people. It's entirely likely that these said people either drove away those that might have made a difference in their outlook, or are the result of a segregated upbringing. I don't know, I'm not a doctor, but what I do know is that (did I say this already?) LIFE ISN'T FAIR.
When people forget that life isn't fair, they get upset about the nature of things and caught up in "why they can't change things", as opposed to "why are things wrong in the first place."
What does all this have to do with anything?
Well to me, I understand that there are things in life that are Good or Bad. Naturally, we like good things to happen to us. Naturally, we hate it when bad things happen to us.
Anyone who knows me can attest that there aren't many things that really get under my skin. This happens because of the ways that I perceive situations and scenarios, in addition to my mentality: I try not to get upset about things that I cannot change.
I'm not going to say that I'm impervious, because clearly, I have feelings and emotions like everyone else, but I have come to the realization that getting upset over things that I have no control over will not allow me to assess the situation(s) in a way that allows me to either: Take Control, or GTFO.
Forget about what you see on TV or read in books; Life isn't easy, and you have to work hard for things. Just because you've busted your ass for x-amount of years or you've pulled yourself up from your bootstraps does not mean the Universe is going to reward you for your actions. If you go through life feeling that you are entitled to anything without hard work, regardless of your preconceived notions to the contrary, you'll only end up disappointed and forlorn. Life is not fair, and it is a constant struggle. Just because you've gotten over one hump and reached another summit does not mean the rest of your life will be a carefree descent, because there are always higher hills to climb.
I think that people lose sight of that, and what bothers me is when I hear people MY AGE (I'm 21) make comments alluding to how rough their life was/is. Now let me say this: I have an immense respect for hard work. In fact, being someone who is the opposite of a hard worker, I'm kind of envious of people with the tenacity to never give up and to keep trying.
(Side Note: I'm not a quitter, but I will say that I deplore hard work. I personally feel that if you have to work hard for something, you're doing it wrong. Call me lazy, but I always look for a shortcut, or the "trick" to something. Sometimes that catches me off guard because it usually takes a longer time to "find the trick" and execute it than it would take to simply complete the tasks, but the journey of "finding the trick" is part of my personality, and it stimulates my mind more than the simple "grinding required to do the task outright.
But I digress)
But for someone who is roughly 2/7ths of the way through their life and leaving college to even fathom the thought that their life should be easy by now takes cajone-fortitude the likes of which would make the love child of John Cena and Dwayne Johnson shrivel like a cold December morning.
Dear readers, let me explain something: The world sucks and it's full of bigoted, narrow-minded and unintelligent people. It's entirely likely that these said people either drove away those that might have made a difference in their outlook, or are the result of a segregated upbringing. I don't know, I'm not a doctor, but what I do know is that (did I say this already?) LIFE ISN'T FAIR.
When people forget that life isn't fair, they get upset about the nature of things and caught up in "why they can't change things", as opposed to "why are things wrong in the first place."
What does all this have to do with anything?
Well to me, I understand that there are things in life that are Good or Bad. Naturally, we like good things to happen to us. Naturally, we hate it when bad things happen to us.
Anyone who knows me can attest that there aren't many things that really get under my skin. This happens because of the ways that I perceive situations and scenarios, in addition to my mentality: I try not to get upset about things that I cannot change.
I'm not going to say that I'm impervious, because clearly, I have feelings and emotions like everyone else, but I have come to the realization that getting upset over things that I have no control over will not allow me to assess the situation(s) in a way that allows me to either: Take Control, or GTFO.
Let's take a break from the discussion at this point and begin to get more personal, dear Readers.
--------------------------
Simple Concepts:
Things in Life that we Like vs Things in Life That We Do Not Like
For the circumstances surrounding the Things in Life That We Do Not Like we can either: Have Control or Do Not Have Control.
--------------------------Things in Life that we Like vs Things in Life That We Do Not Like
For the circumstances surrounding the Things in Life That We Do Not Like we can either: Have Control or Do Not Have Control.
If you Have Control over the circumstances surrounding Something That You Do Not Like, then figure out a solution, and plot the steps to turn it into Something You Do Like. An example of being in control of something that you do not like could be something as simple as a where you live.
Maybe you don't like your roommates, or maybe you don't like your area or your neighbors. What this translates into is finding a new place of residence. I'm not saying that the logistics of finding a place and/or moving your stuff, getting new stuff, doing the paperwork, getting time and all that comes along with the territory are necessarily easy, but just understand that in this instance, you have control over the outcome to a quantifiable level, and a direct influence over your Happiness.
For the sake of the argument, moving out of an undesirable living condition can be seen as easy.
--------------------------
On the flip side, let's say for instance you Do Not Have Control over Something That You Don't Like, and in the same scenario, maybe you don't have the means to move away.
Maybe you don't have the money, or maybe you need to stick around or maybe you just can't find a place that fits your criteria...
When faced with two negatives, it is important to not get upset over something that you cannot change. I say this because in the face of life's difficulties, losing hope in the face of the impossible will only lead to despair.
Do not construe this as "giving up." Learning to accept that you have no control of the situation puts you in a state of mind where you are not focused with solving an unsolvable situation, but making the best out of the materials and circumstances handed to you.
LETS BRING SOME POP CULTURE REFERENCES INTO THE BLOG, SHALL WE?!
For the record, this happens within the first, let's say 15 minutes, of the new Star Trek film.
In the opening sequence, the Narada, a Romulan ship, appears.
Copied From Wikipedia:
"Its arrival is preceded by a lightning storm in space which the Federation starship USS Kelvin investigates. The Narada attacks the Kelvin, causing severe damage. Acting-Captain George Kirk orders an evacuation and stays behind to provide cover for the fleeing shuttlecraft, his pregnant wife among the passengers. George pilots the Kelvin into the Narada moments after his son James Tiberius Kirk is born."
"Its arrival is preceded by a lightning storm in space which the Federation starship USS Kelvin investigates. The Narada attacks the Kelvin, causing severe damage. Acting-Captain George Kirk orders an evacuation and stays behind to provide cover for the fleeing shuttlecraft, his pregnant wife among the passengers. George pilots the Kelvin into the Narada moments after his son James Tiberius Kirk is born."
Allow me to dissect this scenario.
The opposing ship was stronger and bigger than Kirk's Ship. This was something that Kirk Did Not Like and He Did Not Have Control over. In addition, the previous Captain was captured and murdered minutes earlier, and the Auto-Pilot was inoperable. Instead of bitching and moaning about it, Kirk accepted that to make the best of the scenario, he would have to take the actions as posted above.
Captain George Kirk is also stated as "not believing in no-win scenarios".
--------------------------
Let me repeat, once you realize that you are in a situation that you have no control over, it is important to internalize that, and make the best out of it.
If you are in the situation where you want to move out, but you cannot (for whatever reason), internalize it, and make the best out of it.
You will see that it makes you a stronger person, and you may realize that it's not so bad.
In addition, once you have obtained your desired results, you will appreciate them more.
However, this does not mean that you are entitled to a teacup and crumpet life for the rest of your existence, as life throws you curveballs often.
--------------------------
Summary of the Concepts Talked About:
-Relationships are important.
-Life is not fair
-There are things in life that we like and do not like
-There are situations and circumstances we have control over and do not have control over
Thursday, February 5, 2009
25 Things About Renaldo
There is some VERY obnoxious chain going around on Facebook requiring you to write 25 things about yourself and tag 25 people you want to know more about, and have them do the same.
Well, I'll go for it, but I won't ask anyone else to tag me back (my blogs get uploaded to FB), so I'll end the chain, but will contribute to it.
1.I'm not really conceited as people think I am. I happen to love myself a lot, but I do realize areas of myself and my life I need to work on. I'm humble when I need to be.
2. I'm a procrastinator. If a bus from Harborside is leaving at 11:35 AM, I'll go to get my shoes at 11:30. Then I'll usually end up rushing out my room, and running to try and catch the bus, then get mad at the bus driver when he pulls off. Then I'll check the schedule and go back to my room to wait as opposed to waiting in the cold.
3. In accordance with #2, I realize that my procrastination stems from me having the mindset of my time being important. If I think that something can be done in a certain time frame (IE, 5 minutes), I'm going to start doing it 5 minutes before I need to have it done. I suppose this means I like to "maximize my time." It usually backfires and I end up being late, but oh well.
4. "To be on time is to be late, therefore be early." I learned this at a young age, but I'm usually only early for things I place a great deal of importance on. I'm often slightly late to class and work, but I feel that my contributions to the establishments outweigh my negligence.
5. I march to the beat of my own drum. If you ask me to do something, it'll get done, but it might not be as expeditiously completed as you'd like.
6. I like to think that I'm dependable. Even if I'm always late (See #2,3, 4 and 5) people can depend on me to be late. If I say I'm going to be somewhere, I'LL BE THERE, just have patience.
7. I have a hard time admitting that the world doesn't revolve around me and my schedule.
8. I like to think that I'm a good boyfriend. It wasn't until recently that I met someone who understood my quirks and is willing to work with me. I feel that she really completes me and adds a whole new dimension of happiness to my life. She really is a phenomenal woman, and she holds me down no matter what. She also makes me very happy. :)
9. I love my fraternity and my Brothers so God Damned much, and I hate seeing bros who don't love it the same. I hate hearing stories of Brothers doing things that jeopardize the organization I pour my heart and soul into and proudly represent every day. I had to realize that, Kappa or not, people will be people, and there will always be the knuckleheads, even in my prestigious organization.
10. I have the best little brother in the world. It's been an absolute joy watching him mature, and be annoying and level out. He's bright, he's social and he's very motivated. I'm going to cultivate him so that he doesn't end up a slacker like me. Oh, and he's better at video games (and probably smarter) than I was when I was 10, so I'm awfully proud of him.
11. I love my parents from the bottom of my heart, and I am blessed to have two great people who are willing to support me, even in my dumbest, darkest and saddest moments. They are the reason that I'm here, and despite my misgivings, I want them to be proud of me.
12. I'm allergic to peanuts. I hate the smell. I deplore all items associated with peanut production and consumption. Waving a Snickers in my direction in a mocking or threatening tone will result in the harshest insult-retaliation-worthy action I can muster at the current moment.
13. I hate being type casted. I went through a lot of bullshit because I didn't carry myself the "typical" way a Black male should have in High School. Niggas say the most ignorant shit when they don't understand something.
14. I am severely disappointed in myself that my GPA doesn't reflect my intelligence. On the contrary, I realize that GPAs are indicators of work-habits. In which case, my GPA is surprisingly accurate. My intelligence would exceed a normal GPA scale.
15. I love martial arts. I love swords and weapons. DBZ was my inspiration to be a better martial artist. Kung Fu movies consume my collection. The only thing I hate about Asian Cinema is the "Tragic Ending" where EVERYBODY DIES, or there is no possible hope for a sequel.
16. I love RPGs. I will play any game with "Final Fantasy" in the title. I pray to the Gods of Squaresoft and Atlus. Occasionally Tri-Ace. I also think that Enix is using Square to fund their over-hyped Dragonquest bullshit. I also don't think that the latest Zippers/Hairspray trend the latest Final Fantasy's have been following is all that bad.
17. Advent Children was an awesome movie. Despite the fact that Cloud's actions essentially meant that the ENTIRETY of FF7 was for nothing, and that he still didn't have closure. Oh, and Sephiroth's line at the end merely indicated that "Square-Enix will continue to milk my image until my name ceases to generate money." The story was empty, but it was made FOR people who played FF7 anyway, so oh well.
18. I feel like my creativity is being squandered. I love working with my hands and building things. I used to stay up late playing with Legos. I love Powerpoint. I learned HTML in Middle School to design my own DBZ Fansite.
19. I think I consider myself a nerd. I'm really just misunderstood though.
20. I love my G1. I'm learning how to use Linux for (and because of) this phone.
21. I hate my major. I only really "slightly" like technology. I'm tech savvy, and I'm tech-capable, but I'm not tech-tolerant.
22. I love writing. I love the English language. I love the variety of words available. I love grammar and punctuation. I'd love to be a writer or a journalist but, well, look at numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5. I'd explode from deadlines.
23. I'm really into Politics, and I'm a HUGE Obama fan. (That's not new information, but WHATEVS!)
24. Lupe Fiasco is my favorite rapper. I'm going to have to say that Mean and Vicious is probably my favorite song of his. I think Lupe is misunderstood though. His songs are deep and tell great stories, and only a few people understand where Lupe is coming from. The rest of the rap culture is catching up to what the hell he's saying, but it's already too late. :(
25. I've wanted to fly Fighter Jets since I was little, but my parents adamantly refuse to let me join the military. I'm strongly contemplating getting my degree and joining Officer Training School though...
Well, I'll go for it, but I won't ask anyone else to tag me back (my blogs get uploaded to FB), so I'll end the chain, but will contribute to it.
1.
2. I'm a procrastinator. If a bus from Harborside is leaving at 11:35 AM, I'll go to get my shoes at 11:30. Then I'll usually end up rushing out my room, and running to try and catch the bus, then get mad at the bus driver when he pulls off. Then I'll check the schedule and go back to my room to wait as opposed to waiting in the cold.
3. In accordance with #2, I realize that my procrastination stems from me having the mindset of my time being important. If I think that something can be done in a certain time frame (IE, 5 minutes), I'm going to start doing it 5 minutes before I need to have it done. I suppose this means I like to "maximize my time." It usually backfires and I end up being late, but oh well.
4. "To be on time is to be late, therefore be early." I learned this at a young age, but I'm usually only early for things I place a great deal of importance on. I'm often slightly late to class and work, but I feel that my contributions to the establishments outweigh my negligence.
5. I march to the beat of my own drum. If you ask me to do something, it'll get done, but it might not be as expeditiously completed as you'd like.
6. I like to think that I'm dependable. Even if I'm always late (See #2,3, 4 and 5) people can depend on me to be late. If I say I'm going to be somewhere, I'LL BE THERE, just have patience.
7. I have a hard time admitting that the world doesn't revolve around me and my schedule.
8. I like to think that I'm a good boyfriend. It wasn't until recently that I met someone who understood my quirks and is willing to work with me. I feel that she really completes me and adds a whole new dimension of happiness to my life. She really is a phenomenal woman, and she holds me down no matter what. She also makes me very happy. :)
9. I love my fraternity and my Brothers so God Damned much, and I hate seeing bros who don't love it the same. I hate hearing stories of Brothers doing things that jeopardize the organization I pour my heart and soul into and proudly represent every day. I had to realize that, Kappa or not, people will be people, and there will always be the knuckleheads, even in my prestigious organization.
10. I have the best little brother in the world. It's been an absolute joy watching him mature, and be annoying and level out. He's bright, he's social and he's very motivated. I'm going to cultivate him so that he doesn't end up a slacker like me. Oh, and he's better at video games (and probably smarter) than I was when I was 10, so I'm awfully proud of him.
11. I love my parents from the bottom of my heart, and I am blessed to have two great people who are willing to support me, even in my dumbest, darkest and saddest moments. They are the reason that I'm here, and despite my misgivings, I want them to be proud of me.
12. I'm allergic to peanuts. I hate the smell. I deplore all items associated with peanut production and consumption. Waving a Snickers in my direction in a mocking or threatening tone will result in the harshest insult-retaliation-worthy action I can muster at the current moment.
13. I hate being type casted. I went through a lot of bullshit because I didn't carry myself the "typical" way a Black male should have in High School. Niggas say the most ignorant shit when they don't understand something.
14. I am severely disappointed in myself that my GPA doesn't reflect my intelligence. On the contrary, I realize that GPAs are indicators of work-habits. In which case, my GPA is surprisingly accurate. My intelligence would exceed a normal GPA scale.
15. I love martial arts. I love swords and weapons. DBZ was my inspiration to be a better martial artist. Kung Fu movies consume my collection. The only thing I hate about Asian Cinema is the "Tragic Ending" where EVERYBODY DIES, or there is no possible hope for a sequel.
16. I love RPGs. I will play any game with "Final Fantasy" in the title. I pray to the Gods of Squaresoft and Atlus. Occasionally Tri-Ace. I also think that Enix is using Square to fund their over-hyped Dragonquest bullshit. I also don't think that the latest Zippers/Hairspray trend the latest Final Fantasy's have been following is all that bad.
17. Advent Children was an awesome movie. Despite the fact that Cloud's actions essentially meant that the ENTIRETY of FF7 was for nothing, and that he still didn't have closure. Oh, and Sephiroth's line at the end merely indicated that "Square-Enix will continue to milk my image until my name ceases to generate money." The story was empty, but it was made FOR people who played FF7 anyway, so oh well.
18. I feel like my creativity is being squandered. I love working with my hands and building things. I used to stay up late playing with Legos. I love Powerpoint. I learned HTML in Middle School to design my own DBZ Fansite.
19. I think I consider myself a nerd. I'm really just misunderstood though.
20. I love my G1. I'm learning how to use Linux for (and because of) this phone.
21. I hate my major. I only really "slightly" like technology. I'm tech savvy, and I'm tech-capable, but I'm not tech-tolerant.
22. I love writing. I love the English language. I love the variety of words available. I love grammar and punctuation. I'd love to be a writer or a journalist but, well, look at numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5. I'd explode from deadlines.
23. I'm really into Politics, and I'm a HUGE Obama fan. (That's not new information, but WHATEVS!)
24. Lupe Fiasco is my favorite rapper. I'm going to have to say that Mean and Vicious is probably my favorite song of his. I think Lupe is misunderstood though. His songs are deep and tell great stories, and only a few people understand where Lupe is coming from. The rest of the rap culture is catching up to what the hell he's saying, but it's already too late. :(
25. I've wanted to fly Fighter Jets since I was little, but my parents adamantly refuse to let me join the military. I'm strongly contemplating getting my degree and joining Officer Training School though...
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Obama Imposes Restrictions on Company Officials
This article is too damn funny. Here's the link. I'm at work, under a shit ton of work, but I'll comment on it later.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Bill to Delay Digital TV Switchover: Defeated
Amen. [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28896344/]
Defeated with a vote of 258-168, the bill to postpone the switchover to June 12 as opposed to Feb 17th was nixed on the floor of the House.
PEEP THIS THO! The Democrats hold 257 seats in the House, the Republicans hold 178.
Yet the Republicans are touting this as "their victory" and one "against the Obama Administration."
Really now? Even after a landslide election, they're holding on to the notion that they can take sole credit for ANYTHING passing on the floor? You mean to tell me that House Republicans are implying that they pulled this win by their own volition? This is part of the Cancer that's Killing Republicans (RepCAN for short).
Way back when, this was the reasoning for the initial bill:
I want to know who was arguing for this extension? What the hell were they saying?
Now I can watch bad ABC reruns at 1 in the morning. I totally could use some more Will and Grace. And Lord knows I haven't seen every episode of Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
You can't even watch Nick at Night with Analog.
All in all, I'm glad that the bill wasn't passed. Good job, House of Representatives. It seems you ARE relevant. Not so good job House Republicans taking all the credit. Shame, shame on you.
Defeated with a vote of 258-168, the bill to postpone the switchover to June 12 as opposed to Feb 17th was nixed on the floor of the House.
The defeat is a setback for the administration of President Barack Obama and Democrats on Capitol Hill, who fear too many Americans won't be ready for next month's analog shut-off. The Nielsen Co. estimates more than 6.5 million U.S. households that rely on analog television sets to pick up over-the-air broadcast signals still are not prepared for the transition. People who subscribe to cable or satellite TV or have a newer TV with a digital tuner will not be affected.Allow me to interject here, but it's motherfucking 2009. Too God damned bad.
PEEP THIS THO! The Democrats hold 257 seats in the House, the Republicans hold 178.
Yet the Republicans are touting this as "their victory" and one "against the Obama Administration."
Really now? Even after a landslide election, they're holding on to the notion that they can take sole credit for ANYTHING passing on the floor? You mean to tell me that House Republicans are implying that they pulled this win by their own volition? This is part of the Cancer that's Killing Republicans (RepCAN for short).
Way back when, this was the reasoning for the initial bill:
Congress in 2005 required broadcasters to switch from analog to digital signals, which are more efficient, to free up valuable chunks of wireless spectrum to be used for commercial services and interoperable emergency-response networks.However, it was (understandably) due to budget constraints that it was proposed for an extention.
But the Obama administration called for the transition date to be postponed after the Commerce Department earlier this month hit a $1.34 billion funding limit for coupons to subsidize digital TV converter boxes for consumers. The coupon program allows consumers to request up to two $40 vouchers per household to help pay for the boxes, which translate digital signals back into analog ones for older TVs. The boxes generally cost between $40 and $80 each and can be purchased without a coupon.Now, I like to see myself as being tech savvy, I really do. The whole notion that there are people in America who won't have access to Analog TV doesn't depress me. I've used Analog before. It sucks. Whoop de friggin dee, I get 10 channels.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the arm of the Commerce Department administering the program, is now sending out new coupons only as older, unredeemed ones reach a 90-day expiration date and free up more money. The NTIA had nearly 2.6 million coupon requests on a waiting list last week and those people will not receive their coupons before Feb. 17.
I want to know who was arguing for this extension? What the hell were they saying?
Now I can watch bad ABC reruns at 1 in the morning. I totally could use some more Will and Grace. And Lord knows I haven't seen every episode of Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
You can't even watch Nick at Night with Analog.
All in all, I'm glad that the bill wasn't passed. Good job, House of Representatives. It seems you ARE relevant. Not so good job House Republicans taking all the credit. Shame, shame on you.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
What Happened to the Republican Party?
What happened to them? Seriously, what the hell?
The Grand Old Party. The sect who nominated Lincoln. The brave men who fought for the Union. The talented management who presided over Reconstruction. The Rockefeller doctrine of business sense and good ethics and morals. The Theodore Roosevelt Politicians. The Harding, Coolidge and Hoover Administrations of the Roaring 20s.
Where did the glory days of the Republican Party go to? This country witnessed, in only a few generations, a party systematically allow the minority on the ultra-conservative Evangelical right destroy what was carefully put into place in the 1850s. In 150 years, we witnessed numerous rises and falls of Republicans, but now we Democrats shake our heads and cringe whenever a self-serving, highly ignorant Republican blathers on incoherently about limiting Judicial Review.
They were greatly opposed to slavery and even went so far as to staunchly oppose the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which sought to extend the long arm of slavery to Missouri. "Not in my damn country," they said to the ovation of cheers heard all over the North.
A party that saw what the country needed after the Civil War was higher education, better banking, efficient railroads and better industry and more copious cities initiated the prosperity of the country in the early 1900s, at the cusp of the Industrial Revolution.
No one my age, or my parents age remembers that, though. No one remembers how the Republicans wanted to annex Hawaii in the 1870s. No one remembers that in 1934, the senate saw 25 Republicans against 71 Democrats. No one remembers how the unchecked (initial) good intentions of big business were the cause of the Great Depression.
What people associate the Republican Party with now is the notion that Affirmative Action is being deemed as a "quota system." The great majority of Republicans think that deserving white men lose their jobs to less qualified Blacks and Hispanics. Yes, I shit you not, there are people who go to sleep at night believing that affirmative action is there so mess around with better qualified people, who don't get the job simply because "they were White." Reverse racism is only a small fraction of how much these people are sore losers. They claim that the public school system fails, and would instead prefer to send their kids to prestigious schools, furthering the mentalities of secularism, and denying integration efforts.
Let me pause for a second and reveal that not all Republicans are created equal. But as an average American, I cannot help but be bombarded with the vast ignorance of the minority, those Sean Hannity's and Newt Gringrich's who (not so) jokingly get angry when "they have to choose between English and Spanish on the customer service recording". "Why the hell should I have to press '1' for English, damnit!?"
In fact, a number of times in this post, I had to go back and erase "they" and find a different term, because to lump all Republicans together is veryRepublican ignorant and short-sighted of me.
Older people might remember how Franklin Roosevelt whooped the collective Republican ass for 4 elections, resulting in the passing of the 22nd Amendment, a reflexive measure that left the party recoiling from the fact that Eisenhower would have easily won a third term if not for the Amendment. Yes, the Eisenhower Republican was a good template for what "should have been". Small government, low taxes, saving, hard work, and individual freedoms. That's funny, because Republicans today don't like any of those.
Government should be as big as possible because we, the People, in order to form a more perfect union, cannot even wipe our own asses without falling face first into the latrine.
Taxing the people and giving bonuses and adorning your office with an $87,000 rug while people on the street are starving has become the norm with businesses. If your company crashes, don't worry; there's a 100 million dollar Golden Parachute of Fuckoffery waiting, along with a Platnium Chariot to whisk you off to your private island.
Forget saving for a rainy day, make bad investment decisions, conduct insider trading and ask the government for help. I'm pretty sure that even if I paid my bills on time, gave tithing, and donated organs, if I default on my student loans, no one is going to write me a check. And I like to think I'm a good guy.
Individual freedoms have to be sacrificed for "the good of the country." Oh, and let me not mention the fact that if I talk bad about the President, I'm not a patriot.
Wait a minute, how is it that us Liberals were Anti-government for talking about how idiotic our Not-Even Elected President was, and we were the bane of America, but we now have Republicans in the media nitpicking over Obama not wanting to give up his Blackberry?
And they say we're the ones who don't love our country.
The 22nd Amendment has also succeeded in establishing the 2nd term of a Presidency as a "lame duck," bearing the fact that once a President is re-elected, the country only needs to patiently wait out 4 years. (Case in point, President Bush).
People might also not really recall how they called the 2nd New Deal "socialism," nor how they believe that Supreme Court Justices wield their power too boldly, and that Judicial Restraint is not, in their eyes, merely a suggestion.
This is the party that believes that America can act by itself. This is the party that would just as quick say "fuck off, rest of the world", and not be precocious of their actions. The 2001 War in Afghanistan and the 2003 War in Iraq are, as of this moment, yet to be concluded.
This is the party that essentially knew that they couldn't win a 2008 election, so they decided to turn to in-fighting and dirty tactics. Building on ignorant fear of Obama "being a Muslim," and, more recently, "being Arab." Claims that his idealogy will be "the downfall of America," and that "socialism never works."
The funny thing is that Canada, Denmark, Sweden and Great Britian are socialist democracies, and those countries seem to be working just fine. As a matter of fact, we never hear about them having problems in the news. In fact, their citizens seem to be pleased as punch. Oh my, and they all have Universal Health Care. Uncanny.
This is the party that put a national hero and a stalwart lifelong defender of America on the cross to suffer for their bad decisions, knowing that they needed a scapegoat. They even threw in a ditsy air-head to insult women, going along and pleasing their Evangelical base.
The party that gave us Nixon, Reaganomics, BOTH Bush's and decided to push for creationism and intelligent design in classrooms, and were UPSET over the Pledge of Allegience in Schools (then a few months later, they were insulted at the lack thereof).
They also hate abortion, gay marriage and think that Stem Cell research is evil. :( Why does the Republican party not want Christopher Reeve to walk!?. Did I mention that they wanted an Amendment in 2004 that would specifically define marriage as between a man and a woman?
I shit you not.
This is the Republican party.
I swear, they can't get their shit together. They claimed that Obama wasn't President, because of the goof on the Oath. For a bunch of strict interpretation asswads, they missed the ordinance that states that regardless of whether he took the oath or not, the President-Elect becomes president at noon on Inaugeration day.
Missles could have fell from the sky at 12:05 during the preceding speeches, and Obama would have been the Commander-In-Chief. Point blank, period.
They think it's cool to ride rode-hogs, wear white hoods, make fun of Europeans and shoot wolves and small birds from Helicopters. With high-powered rifles.
The made a 90 year old man campaign with a woman who could have been his daughter (but his wife is smoking hot. I'd do ungodly things to Cindy McCain and her sweet Apple-Pie cooking ass). His party then decided to surround him with the rebirth of neo-nazism, and brought on our favorite DINOSAUR (Democrat In Name Only, Sorry Ass Undercover Republican)- Joe Liberman; President of the "Commitee for the Liberation of Iraq", Paid Lobbyist of Georgia, National Aide to Trent Lott and Advisor to Defense Secretary Donald - Rumsfeld Randy Scheunemann; and There-Is-Too-Much-Shit-To-Name-Because-This-Nonsense-Writes-Itself Neoconservative Elliot Abrams.
The same people who decided to forgo foreign affairs and ensure that the rest of the globe hated America.
For all their rants and raves, the Republican Party decided that they would instead be facists, and went ahead with the Patriot Act. "The true test of a society is how it treats its prisoners." The ungodly acts in Guantanamo need to be controlled, and it's UnAmerican to release those prisoners.
Nay, the Republicans say, Obama wants to Release the 9/11 Attackers upon the masses!! They'll be eating in diners, RIGHT NEXT TO US! Hating us for our freedom.
Stealing our delicious hamburgers and french fries.
Infringing on our rights to peaceful heart attacks at the age of 35.
Eric Margolis of the Toronto Sun says it best:
The Grand Old Party. The sect who nominated Lincoln. The brave men who fought for the Union. The talented management who presided over Reconstruction. The Rockefeller doctrine of business sense and good ethics and morals. The Theodore Roosevelt Politicians. The Harding, Coolidge and Hoover Administrations of the Roaring 20s.
Where did the glory days of the Republican Party go to? This country witnessed, in only a few generations, a party systematically allow the minority on the ultra-conservative Evangelical right destroy what was carefully put into place in the 1850s. In 150 years, we witnessed numerous rises and falls of Republicans, but now we Democrats shake our heads and cringe whenever a self-serving, highly ignorant Republican blathers on incoherently about limiting Judicial Review.
They were greatly opposed to slavery and even went so far as to staunchly oppose the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which sought to extend the long arm of slavery to Missouri. "Not in my damn country," they said to the ovation of cheers heard all over the North.
A party that saw what the country needed after the Civil War was higher education, better banking, efficient railroads and better industry and more copious cities initiated the prosperity of the country in the early 1900s, at the cusp of the Industrial Revolution.
No one my age, or my parents age remembers that, though. No one remembers how the Republicans wanted to annex Hawaii in the 1870s. No one remembers that in 1934, the senate saw 25 Republicans against 71 Democrats. No one remembers how the unchecked (initial) good intentions of big business were the cause of the Great Depression.
What people associate the Republican Party with now is the notion that Affirmative Action is being deemed as a "quota system." The great majority of Republicans think that deserving white men lose their jobs to less qualified Blacks and Hispanics. Yes, I shit you not, there are people who go to sleep at night believing that affirmative action is there so mess around with better qualified people, who don't get the job simply because "they were White." Reverse racism is only a small fraction of how much these people are sore losers. They claim that the public school system fails, and would instead prefer to send their kids to prestigious schools, furthering the mentalities of secularism, and denying integration efforts.
Let me pause for a second and reveal that not all Republicans are created equal. But as an average American, I cannot help but be bombarded with the vast ignorance of the minority, those Sean Hannity's and Newt Gringrich's who (not so) jokingly get angry when "they have to choose between English and Spanish on the customer service recording". "Why the hell should I have to press '1' for English, damnit!?"
In fact, a number of times in this post, I had to go back and erase "they" and find a different term, because to lump all Republicans together is very
Older people might remember how Franklin Roosevelt whooped the collective Republican ass for 4 elections, resulting in the passing of the 22nd Amendment, a reflexive measure that left the party recoiling from the fact that Eisenhower would have easily won a third term if not for the Amendment. Yes, the Eisenhower Republican was a good template for what "should have been". Small government, low taxes, saving, hard work, and individual freedoms. That's funny, because Republicans today don't like any of those.
Government should be as big as possible because we, the People, in order to form a more perfect union, cannot even wipe our own asses without falling face first into the latrine.
Taxing the people and giving bonuses and adorning your office with an $87,000 rug while people on the street are starving has become the norm with businesses. If your company crashes, don't worry; there's a 100 million dollar Golden Parachute of Fuckoffery waiting, along with a Platnium Chariot to whisk you off to your private island.
Forget saving for a rainy day, make bad investment decisions, conduct insider trading and ask the government for help. I'm pretty sure that even if I paid my bills on time, gave tithing, and donated organs, if I default on my student loans, no one is going to write me a check. And I like to think I'm a good guy.
Individual freedoms have to be sacrificed for "the good of the country." Oh, and let me not mention the fact that if I talk bad about the President, I'm not a patriot.
Wait a minute, how is it that us Liberals were Anti-government for talking about how idiotic our Not-Even Elected President was, and we were the bane of America, but we now have Republicans in the media nitpicking over Obama not wanting to give up his Blackberry?
And they say we're the ones who don't love our country.
The 22nd Amendment has also succeeded in establishing the 2nd term of a Presidency as a "lame duck," bearing the fact that once a President is re-elected, the country only needs to patiently wait out 4 years. (Case in point, President Bush).
People might also not really recall how they called the 2nd New Deal "socialism," nor how they believe that Supreme Court Justices wield their power too boldly, and that Judicial Restraint is not, in their eyes, merely a suggestion.
This is the party that believes that America can act by itself. This is the party that would just as quick say "fuck off, rest of the world", and not be precocious of their actions. The 2001 War in Afghanistan and the 2003 War in Iraq are, as of this moment, yet to be concluded.
This is the party that essentially knew that they couldn't win a 2008 election, so they decided to turn to in-fighting and dirty tactics. Building on ignorant fear of Obama "being a Muslim," and, more recently, "being Arab." Claims that his idealogy will be "the downfall of America," and that "socialism never works."
The funny thing is that Canada, Denmark, Sweden and Great Britian are socialist democracies, and those countries seem to be working just fine. As a matter of fact, we never hear about them having problems in the news. In fact, their citizens seem to be pleased as punch. Oh my, and they all have Universal Health Care. Uncanny.
This is the party that put a national hero and a stalwart lifelong defender of America on the cross to suffer for their bad decisions, knowing that they needed a scapegoat. They even threw in a ditsy air-head to insult women, going along and pleasing their Evangelical base.
The party that gave us Nixon, Reaganomics, BOTH Bush's and decided to push for creationism and intelligent design in classrooms, and were UPSET over the Pledge of Allegience in Schools (then a few months later, they were insulted at the lack thereof).
They also hate abortion, gay marriage and think that Stem Cell research is evil. :( Why does the Republican party not want Christopher Reeve to walk!?. Did I mention that they wanted an Amendment in 2004 that would specifically define marriage as between a man and a woman?
I shit you not.
This is the Republican party.
I swear, they can't get their shit together. They claimed that Obama wasn't President, because of the goof on the Oath. For a bunch of strict interpretation asswads, they missed the ordinance that states that regardless of whether he took the oath or not, the President-Elect becomes president at noon on Inaugeration day.
Missles could have fell from the sky at 12:05 during the preceding speeches, and Obama would have been the Commander-In-Chief. Point blank, period.
They think it's cool to ride rode-hogs, wear white hoods, make fun of Europeans and shoot wolves and small birds from Helicopters. With high-powered rifles.
The made a 90 year old man campaign with a woman who could have been his daughter (but his wife is smoking hot. I'd do ungodly things to Cindy McCain and her sweet Apple-Pie cooking ass). His party then decided to surround him with the rebirth of neo-nazism, and brought on our favorite DINOSAUR (Democrat In Name Only, Sorry Ass Undercover Republican)- Joe Liberman; President of the "Commitee for the Liberation of Iraq", Paid Lobbyist of Georgia, National Aide to Trent Lott and Advisor to Defense Secretary Donald - Rumsfeld Randy Scheunemann; and There-Is-Too-Much-Shit-To-Name-Because-This-Nonsense-Writes-Itself Neoconservative Elliot Abrams.
The same people who decided to forgo foreign affairs and ensure that the rest of the globe hated America.
For all their rants and raves, the Republican Party decided that they would instead be facists, and went ahead with the Patriot Act. "The true test of a society is how it treats its prisoners." The ungodly acts in Guantanamo need to be controlled, and it's UnAmerican to release those prisoners.
Nay, the Republicans say, Obama wants to Release the 9/11 Attackers upon the masses!! They'll be eating in diners, RIGHT NEXT TO US! Hating us for our freedom.
Stealing our delicious hamburgers and french fries.
Infringing on our rights to peaceful heart attacks at the age of 35.
Eric Margolis of the Toronto Sun says it best:
"When I hear "Republican" these days, the words that come to my mind are:
Arrogance, ignorance, and just plain dumb. And now, add economic disaster caused
by Enron-style fraud and allowing crooks to run the nation's finances.
Two of today's most regressive political movements, far right American
Christian conservatives -- the Rush Limbaugh crowd -- and supporters of Israel's
far right expansionist parties, joined forces to become the bedrock of the Bush
presidency. Today, 44-50% of Republican voters call themselves born-again
Christian fundamentalists who believe every word of the Bible is true.
The Grand Old Party of Lincoln, Eisenhower and Reagan has been hijacked
by America's rural heartland and the Southern Bible Belt -- what we nasty New
Yorkers call "hicks and holy rollers."
McCain's choice of an evangelical
ultra conservative, Gov. Sarah Palin, a woman of stunning vulgarity and
ignorance, is testimony to the dumbing down of the party and its transformation
into a populist religious movement.
LURCH TO THE RIGHT
I haven't
changed my politics and remain firmly in the centre. But the Republican Party
has lurched so far to the right that the old centre looks like the left to many
Republicans.
Barack Obama is wrong to propose raising taxes but he is no
socialist, as Palin charges. Nationalizing the nation's banks is socialist.
Urging world domination is National Socialist.
Republicans disgraced
the nation by endorsing torture, assassinations, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, secret
prisons, kidnapping, kangaroo courts, spying on U.S. citizens and undermining
America's Constitution. Too many cowardly Democrats joined this lynch mob.
[Rentip: Bolded for awesomeness].
Republicans now speak for rich fat
cats, military-industrial-petroleum complex, the financial industry and some of
the least educated, most backwards, most prejudiced Americans.
McCain
and Palin have shamelessly stoked anti-black, anti-Muslim and anti-foreign
hatred and fear among them during this campaign. So did Hillary Clinton...
...Gen. Colin Powell did the right thing by breaking with John McCain,
denouncing racism and Islamophobia, and warning of the party's lurch to the far
right. Powell commands my attention. I was always disappointed this fine man and
soldier did not run for president.
America desperately needs a reborn,
moderate Republican Party freed from narrow-minded religious ideology and
ruralism that will return the nation to its former democratic values and
decency.
This was the United States the world used to respect. When it
happens, I will return to the fold."
This has been a Renaldo Johnson post, and I would like to state that I greatly dislike the Republican Party. They need to get their shit together and stop trying to fucking divide the country.
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