BSODmyself » Politics

Recommended Viewing: Outfoxed

bsodmyself — Tue, 05 May 2009 01:58:03 +0000

I had the opportunity to attend the local Raleigh, North Carolina “tea party” protest during a break in my busy schedule. While I am highly supportive of smaller government, less taxes, fiscal responsibility, and all that jazz, I was more interested in seeing what level of turn-out there really was (without the possibility of any inaccuracies in counts provided by the local or national media). A lot of people there had the right idea — doing something practical to make a real change. A few folks, though were a bit mislead. The most was a person who screamed something to the effect of “Thank God for Fox News!” at the end of the event. For this person, I recommend watching the following video, Outfoxed, with an open mind:

In addition to the claims brought up by this documentary, I could mention others that have rubbed me the wrong way in the past.

I know a lot of people will find something offensive about “Outfoxed.” I know, since I’ve been told that I hate America, spit on veterans, and that I am a secret member of the left-wing because I believe in getting to the truth of the matter rather than walking a party line or taking the easy way out by blindly accepting things based on appearances alone. And, more often than not, those making these ridicuouls claims were “informed” by hours-upon-hours of watching Fox News.

Anyway, there’s no requirement that people be open-minded, feel comfortable enough with their own deeply-held beliefs to question their own assumptions, etc. Apparently, a lot of folks who’ve drank the Fox Kool-Aid claim Fox News and their associated properties to be an “alternative” media outlet. Just remember, news is a biz and the goal of businesses is profit. Moreso now-a-days, news is becoming wrapped in slick marketing and public relations techniques specifically designed to drive you to a particular point-of-view.

But if it makes you feel better, you can believe whatever you want to believe. Who am I to change your reality? Hmmm, but then again, who is Fox News, and who are they to change your reality?

H/T: Daily Paul

So, What’d I Miss?

bsodmyself — Sun, 03 May 2009 02:41:33 +0000

I felt pretty good when I woke up this morning, but as the morning went on, I starting feeling lousy. Achey joints and muscles, really tired, killer headache, extreme nausea — really, really lousy. I know what everyone’s thinking, but it’s just a run-of-the-mill illness, meaning there is no reason to panic. When I oink incessantly, start craving slop, and wallowing around in the mud, then panic is a perfectly acceptable reaction.

Anyway, since I had a big day planned and I wanted to try my best at making a go of it, I showered, put on my around-town clothes, got back into bed, started on heavy doses of saltines and 7-Up, and hoped. While hope is sometimes necessary in life, it didn’t do much for me this time. So after a couple of hours of trying to visualize my body being bathed in a white light of perfect health, I decided that resistance was futile, put on my comfy-sleeping clothes, and prescribed myself bed rest for the remainder of the day.

There were two events that I was really excited about attending today. Unfortunately, I’ll have to make YouTubes of similar events do.

The first event that I wanted to attend was Clark Howard’s trip to Durham, North Carolina. For those who don’t know, Clark Howard is a money expert that’s a staple on talk radio and he also recently got a TV show on the HLN cable channel (formerly Headline News). I don’t know what he talked about, although I’m sure it’s similar to what he talked about in this YouTube of an appearance in Dayton, Ohio:

I’ve seen him so much on TV and heard him so much on radio that I suspect I could out-Clark Clark Howard. I don’t know that I would have learned anything new today, but still disappointing none-the-less.

The second event that I wanted to attend is an event is the annual marijuana march and concert held in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina on the first Saturday in May every year. Here’s a video from last year’s event (with a special starring role at about the 6:40 mark):

This year’s event was probably abuzz with discussion of a possible medical marijuana bill being considered in North Carolina. This is an idea that I would have rolled my eyes at ten years ago, but I now believe the time has come. We’ll see if my fellow North Carolinians (and their representatives) agree.

All-in-all, a day lived vicariously from the confines of my bed, all thanks to YouTube. Still I wish I could’ve been out in the sun, having a good time, instead of making my slow march toward metamorphosis into a were-pig via otherwise normal flu-like symptoms. I guess that’ll teach me to get sick…

The Real Blame for Drug Violence

bsodmyself — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:43:49 +0000

Hillary Clinton blamed Americans this week for the drug violence in Mexico. Because Americans are consuming so many drugs, Mexicans are getting killed. Brush aside the fact that her husband, former President Clinton, smoked marijuana. Nobel Prize winning former Vice President Al Gore also smoked weed. Governor Arnold of California even appeared on film smoking a jay before his political career began. I would comment on Michael Bloomberg’s use of “the gateway drug,” but I’m quickly running out of drug terms, at least in the case of marijuana usage. I could talk about former President Bush’s alleged heavy cocaine use and current President Obama’s admitted use of “blow.” And there’s a lot of other folks I could mention here as well. So, yeah, Senator Clinton’s absolutely right. The people responsible for Mexicans getting killed in drug violence are Americans — American politicians.

Mandatory Volunteerism

bsodmyself — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:35:16 +0000

The phrase “mandatory volunteerism” should cause you to shudder. If you’re not, as the old phrase goes, you’re not paying attention. This is something that I’ve been railing on about for awhile now, but now I’m able to see it come to fruition in the form of a smarmy, innocuous sounding piece of legislation known as the GIVE Act, HR 1388. I could go on and on about it, but I think the video embedded below emcompasses the majority of my thinking on the subject (appropriate Southern drawl included):

H/T: restrainednomore at Break The Matrix

Psychoanalysis and Public Relations

bsodmyself — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:23:55 +0000

As a former psychology student (and current marketing student), I found this video very blogworthy. It’s part of a BBC series called “The Century of the Self” and covers psychoanalytic theory and its ties to successful marketing through fear and unconscious desires. It’s a shame that Freud is so maligned in undergraduate psychology theory classes as being non-PC and out-dated. Apparently all that stuff I spent years studying has practical applications (for fun and profit). Part 1 of the video is embedded below.

The remaining parts of the series are available on Google Video: Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

H/T: The Daily Paul

Must View Video: 1984, the Movie

bsodmyself — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:20:39 +0000

If you go into a bookstore, you’ll find George Orwell’s 1984 in the “classics” section. I always remark when I walk by the classics section that they should create a “currents” section for it and other dystopian works. It’s unfortunate that a lot of folks won’t read such an important work. However, as Howard Beale pointed out in the movie Network, “since less than three percent of you people read books,” you can at least make the effort to watch the movie version (embedded below):

Of particular note, the constant state of warfare, how language is frequently changes, the lack of meat in daily rations, and the presence of an arch-terrorist whose face is plastered across television screens in order to incite the masses. As I said, the book really belongs in a “currents” section.

For those who are in the militant book-reader marketing segment (and we know who you are), you can also read 1984 online.

We’re All Terrorists Now (at Least in Missouri)

bsodmyself — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:38:49 +0000

A lot’s been going around over the last week or so about a report issued by the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC), an intelligence clearinghouse or fushion center that feeds information to law enforcement entities in Missouri. The report states that there are militias that conduct domestic terrorist activities and that you can tell who they are by bumperstickers advertising the Libertarian Party, the Constitution Party, the Campaign for Liberty (and their associated political candidates like Congressman Ron Paul and former Congressman Bob Barr). There’s been such a buzz on the blogosphere that I decided to wait it out before putting fingers to keyboard. Since it’s started to receive some mainstream media coverage, there are now videos available that cover the issue, such as the following Glenn Beck and Penn Gillette conversation:

The MIAC report is flawed (err, you know, as in completely wrong and misinformed) in a number of ways.

First and foremost, a person’s peaceful associations do not translate into making that person associated with violent groups. Specifically, in the case of card-carrying Libertarians, we carry cards that specifically state that we will not initiate force to achieve political, social, and/or economic goals (unless this has changed since the last time I renewed my membership). Anyway, the adoption and adherence to a non-initiation of force principle makes for a lousy potential to be terrorists.

The second major flaw is that the report assumes every person in a militia-type of organization is violent or intends to initiate force. Having met people claiming to be involved in such organizations (which is nearly impossible not to if you live in a rural area of middle America), I really wouldn’t be too afraid of them. Those I’ve met have been old, overweight, ex-US military members who are simply concerned about where the country is heading. They have families and children, they attend church, and they think that the Constitution’s a good thing. That describes a large majority of all our neighbors (and they were always so quiet). I wouldn’t be surprised if there aren’t even elected politicians (especially from the mountainous Western states) who had some sort of formal militia ties. Luckily for me, I forgot the names and whereabouts of all these random persons that I bumped into in all of my wilderness excursions and wouldn’t be able to tell you a thing about them (especially under conditions of extreme torture).

The big unfortunate in this situation is that a lot of people will leave this as Libertarians being singled out, so why care? It’s Libertarians today, but maybe it’ll be you tomorrow. And in preparation, the Department of Homeland Security’s got a number of intelligence fusion centers at the ready in your state.

H/T: The Smoking Argus, Deleware Libertarian, Kn@ppster, Independent Political Report, and others