Rally To Restore…. Cat Stevens?

The “Rally To Restore Sanity” was a blast! I felt compelled to make the event. I am a big fan of Stewart. I do not share a lot of his views. For instance I would like to see illegal immigrants go back home and get in line but I do not blame them one bit for wanting to be here. I also think that we should strengthen Civil Unions, get the Government out of church weddings and let marriage stay between a man and women. I do not see it as a civil rights issue at all. We are on the same page regarding Gays being born Gay and serving in the military as well as drug policy reform, disdain for hypocrisy in government and the failure of mainstream media. But on issues like immigration and gay marriage the fact that we disagree could be get ugly among closed minded partisans and one might think it would turn me off as a fan, but no. I am moved by the message that we can disagree without being disagreeable. Besides that I find his show damn smart, funny and important. And I reserve the right to have my mind changed on these and most other issues.

Still, I was very surprised to see an extremist like Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) on stage. Since he said he would "personally hand over Salman Rushdie to be murdered for insulting Islam". We as a people are very open to sincere apologizes but instead he has tried to deny it. Too bad he said it on BBC TV and millions of people, including myself, saw him say it. He also admitted that his religion forbids his sort of songs but he was allowed to sing them because any proceeds would go to Islamic causes. This hypocritical extremist seems to be the antithesis of everything this event was supposed to be about. Maybe having that shameful person on stage was meant to be inclusive?

This has caused a good amount of debate with some trying to quote his spin found on Wikipedia. I enjoy that sight but let’s face it, it has always been hit and miss with the facts and since I heard and saw the interview, in context there is really no debate. I was a big Cat Stevens fan and remain disappointed. His display of hypocrisy in his Rolling Stone article does show that Muslims can be just as hypocritical as Christians. It's sad but maybe that's a place were we can start to come together?

One women mentioned that “no one asked Tony Bennett if he agrees with catholic church covering up all their crimes”. And true that. Please do not get me started on the Catholics. Still "Apples to Oranges" unless Bennett called for someone to be murdered and then admitted that his faith only lets him sing if he pays them. Furthermore are all "wrongs" equal? Of course not.
I would have loved to hear or read him apologize. In the very recent Rolling Stone interview he denied his statement. The same interview where he admitted to being able to break the rules regarding his singing as long as the money went to Islam. Seems that would have been the perfect place to set the record straight. I'm sure most of his fans would forgive him. I know I would and more importantly Rushdie has proved that he too would forgive him as he has others. But now it just seems worse, the denial followed by admitting he had to pay off his religion to perform.

I also found out that Mr. Rushdie spent his weekend watching someone who called for him to be murdered for blasphemy playing to an adoring crowd of thousands in front of the U.S. Capitol at a rally dedicated to sanity. Rushdie actually spoke with Jon and is quoted:
“I spoke to Jon Stewart about Yusuf Islam’s appearance. He said he was sorry it upset me, but really, it was plain that he was fine with it. Depressing.”
I am very glad that I was not the only person to notice! Also convenient the Yusuf has teamed up with the monopoly monster Ticket Master so we can boycott them both at the same time. I do not want to make this single important fact take away from all the otherwise very cool people and intent of the rally. We can and should be able to disagree without being disagreeable. And true that only Hitler is Hitler.

But with over one billion Muslims in the world they really could not find a better representative of Islam?

I wish we could all just get along and jam to "Tea For The Tillerman". A great album from a rotten person, who should never been allowed on stage.

Killing in the name of God - In the Nuclear Age!

Below is a series of quotes that I was asked to compile regarding Islam and specifically regarding the many references to violence. My first thoughts were that anybody could pick a major religion, pull some random quotes and make them look bad. My thoughts were that American Muslims will likely be like American Christians and not be all radical, at least to the point of organized violence. After all, Christians too are required to spread their faith and many natives in many countries have had their lives and cultures wiped out by Christians. But not lately. And not in the era of easy access to nukes and other WMD's.

I also suspect that a big part of the problem are the bad Mullahs who interpret the Koran to millions of illiterate Muslims. Clearly they use religion as a tool for power and could care less about Heaven or Hell. Maybe if we bombed them with education, instead of bombs, they could interpret the Koran for themselves. And maybe if we stopped supporting dictators like the Saudi's we would have some credibility.

Muslims like to say they "are tired of condemning Islamic extremest" but the silence is and has been deafening. I did not see any counter protest for freedom or sanity when people were being murdered over the Dutch cartoon. Even the fact that many representations of Mohammad can be found in many museums seems to be lost in the debate. Maybe the fact that Muslims tend to kill other Muslims more than any other people has something to do with it.

When musician Cat Stevens changed his name to Yusuf Islam and was given permission to break Islamic laws regarding singing because the proffits were going to the religion. I thought, no surprise that they are as hypocritical as anybody else. Maybe we can build on that. When he advocated the murder of the writer Salman Rushdie, he lost me forever. Again, there was no visable Muslim support for Rushdie. Later, the artist formally known as Cat Stevens tried to deny what he said. Unfortunately for him it was all recorded on British Television. I saw it. Now he has teamed up with the sleazy monopoly known as Ticket Master. Good, I can boycott both at the same time.

There is a saying that all politics are local and for me the most insightful thing I have learned regarding Islam came locally, from a friend who was raised in the faith. She was very clear that it is no secret that her faith has zero tolerance for other religions. She went on to say that "of course not all Muslims are violent, but if they were to follow every dictate of the Koran they would have to be."

So, I believe in a Creator but I am increasingly doubtful of anything written that claims to be "The word of God".  That puts me at odds with all major regions. I can not help but wonder if this poison known as religion, that has been used to control the masses, will ever be defeated by an enlightened populations of Earthlings. In America we have given control to Government and lately that control has shifted to Corporations. Regardless of the country or the history, we need more faith in People Power and less faith in the people in power and their dubious documents. Especially when they claim to know what happens in the afterlife.

Below are quotes and research notes:

Verse 9:123 - "Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you."



It should be clear that this verse commands Muslims to wage war on all non-Muslims around them.

"The ideology of jihad was formulated by Muslim theologians from the eighth century onward. It separates humanity into two hostile blocks — the community of Muslims, and the infidels. According to this ideology, Allah commands the Muslims to conquer the whole world in order to apply Koranic laws. Hence, they have to wage a perpetual war against the infidels who refuse to submit. Its principle is based on the inequality between the community of Allah and the infidels. The first is a superior group, whose mission it is to rule the world. The second must submit."


In the "peaceful" Koran there are numerous references to kill the infidel at all costs just because they don't follow in the Muslim faith or believe in Allah.

According to Islam the world is divided into two, the House of Islam and the House of War. According to this scenario the Islamic world is committed to
wage war against those outside it until it submits to Islam. Such warfare may be not only military but also political and religious.

To Islam the word"peace" means not our Western/Judeo-Christian idea of peace, that is cooperative coexistence, but rather subjugation to Islam, and to lie and
deceive is a legitimate means to that end "9.5":

So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush,then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them;surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

“Let there be no compulsion in religion; truth stands out clear from error” (Sura 2.256).

Apologists for Islam often quote this verse, and most Westerners, unfamiliar with the Koran and imagining that it must obey the same theological logic as the Christian Bible, assume that Islamic scripture mandates religious toleration toward non-Muslims. That assumption is inaccurate.

The Koran includes many abrogated verses, called mansukh, and abrogating verses, nasikh; the latter cancel the former, rendering them invalid, though they nevertheless remain in the Koran and are deceptively quoted, for Western consumption, as though they still represented genuine Islamic beliefs.

Nasikh and mansukh are legion: Of the Koran’s 114 suras (chapters), only 43 are without abrogated or abrogating verses. That is naturally surprising, and so unexpected that few Westerners are aware that significant segments of the Koran have been theologically annulled. Mohammed’s non-Muslim contemporaries were just as surprised.

How does one know, when two verses are contradictory, which is abrogated and which is abrogating? It is a question of date: Later texts abrogate earlier texts whenever there are inconsistencies between them. The Koranic verses that teach tolerance and peace, in particular those that prohibit compulsion in religion, are among the earliest of Mohammed’s many revelations and are thus liable to abrogation, whenever Allah felt the inclination to revoke his immutable word. Although Islam, unlike Judaism and Christianity, received its revelation from a single person within a short period of time, roughly twenty years, Mohammed was nonetheless able to impose upon his followers the implausible belief that the inerrant Muslim God had routinely changed his mind.

The pacific, tolerant message of Sura 2.256 reflects the historical circumstances of its composition. Islam was still then decidedly a minority faith and Mohammed and his small band of followers, in Medina and surrounded by non-Muslim enemies, were threatened with destruction. The early Koran of necessity presented religious tolerance as a divine command because nascent Islam had not yet acquired the physical power to compel conversion: “The Apostle had not been given permission to fight or allowed to shed blood … he had simply been ordered to call men to God, endure insult, and forgive the ignorant” (Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah).

But when Islam became powerful, Allah’s eternal message changed. Islam could now “call people by the sword” — that is, compel conversion — and accordingly “verses of the sword” were conveniently revealed to the Prophet, verses that sanction and indeed command conversion of the Infidel by armed violence, which historically would be Islam’s preferred method.

Sura 2.256 was thus abrogated by a later verse, composed after Mohammed had begun to prepare his new Muslim empire for Jihad against the non-Muslim world: “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them, and confine them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush” (Sura 9.5). This “verse of the sword” not only abrogates 2.256, but also abrogates well over a hundred earlier verses that formerly taught peace and tolerance toward non-believers.

Only the later, abrogating verse now represents authentic Muslim teaching.
Islam: “Religion of Peace”

“Those that make war against Allah and His apostle and spread disorder in the land shall be slain or crucified or have their hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, or be banished from the land. They shall be held up to shame in this world and sternly punished in the hereafter.” (Sura 5.33)

“O believers, take not Jews and Christians as friends; they are friends of each other. Whoso of you makes them his friends is one of them. Allah guides not the people of the evildoers.” (Sura 5.51)

“Allah revealed His will to the angels, saying: ‘I shall be with you. Give courage to the believers. I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels. Strike off their heads, strike off the very tips of their fingers!’ That was because they defied Allah and His apostle. He that defies Allah and his apostle shall be sternly punished by Allah.” (Sura 8.12-13)

“In order that Allah may separate the pure from the impure, put all the impure ones [i.e. non-Muslims] one on top of another in a heap and cast them into hell. They will have been the ones to have lost.” (Sura 8.37)

“And fight them until there is no more fitnah (disbelief and polytheism, i.e., worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah alone (in the whole world). But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah) then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do.” (Sura 8.39).

“Muster against them [i.e. non-Muslims] all the men and cavalry at your command, so that you may strike terror into the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others besides them who are unknown to you but known to Allah.” (Sura 8.60)

“O Prophet, urge on the believers to fight. If there be twenty of you, patient men, they will overcome two hundred; if there be a hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand unbelievers, for they are a people who understand not.” (Sura 8.65)

“It is not for any Prophet to have prisoners until he make wide slaughter in the land.” (Sura 8.67).

“Fight those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and do not forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden — such men as practice not the religion of truth, being of those who have been given the Book [i.e. Jews and Christians] — until they pay the tribute out of hand and have been humbled.” (Sura 9.29)

“If you do not go to war, He will punish you sternly, and will replace you by other men.” (Sura 9.39)

“Prophet, make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and deal harshly with them. Hell shall be their home: an evil fate.” (Sura 9.73)

“They [i.e. faithful Muslims] will fight for the cause of Allah, they will slay and be slain.” (Sura 9.111)

“O believers, fight the unbelievers who are near to you, and let them find in you a harshness, and know that Allah is with the godfearing.” (Sura 9.123)

“When We resolve to raze a city, We first give warning to those of its people who live in comfort. If they persist in sin, judgement is irrevocably passed, and We destroy it utterly.” (Sura 17.16)

“We have destroyed many a sinful nation and replaced them by other men. And when they felt Our Might they took to their heels and fled. They were told: ‘Do not run away. Return to your comforts and to your dwellings. You shall be questioned all.’ ‘Woe betide us, we have done wrong’ was their reply. And this they kept repeating until We mowed them down and put out their light.” (Sura 21.11-15)

“When you meet the unbelievers in the battlefield strike off their heads and, when you have laid them low, bind your captives firmly. Then grant them their freedom or take a ransom from them, until war shall lay down her burdens.” (Sura 47.4)

“Mohammed is Allah’s apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to one another.” (Sura 48.29)

If Nuclear Power is the Answer, We are Asking the Wrong Question

So even some former “Green Warriors” have been jumping on the Nuclear Power bandwagon. Talking about subsidizing 7 to 10 Billion Dollars per new power plant. The price and the need to subsidize alone tell us that this is not the system for us.

Most people know there are issues with Nuclear Waste, even if they do not know the figures. The United States has accumulated over 50,000 metric tons of spent fuel from reactors. According to the E.P.A., the same agency that suffers from politics and consistently fails us, the spent fuel will decay after 10,000 years. So if they say 10,000, do not be surprised if it is 50,000 or more. And some would have us believe that “low level” waste is even safe for landfills. We have not built a new plant since 1996 for good reasons and even that was too recent. All of these figures leave out the very real possibility of accidents, natural disasters and terrorist attacks.

Some like to hold up France as a model but the French also have a big problem with the waste and other by products. American politicians love to put down Europe for their Social Standards and sanity of their Drug Policies but when it is convenient they turn to France as an example of why this monster should be allowed to grow. Give us a break.

It is easy to just say no to something that can kill all life on the planet but I can do even better. I can offer other options.

Wind and Solar where it works best with continued research in improving battery and power storage and transportation.

Wave generating technology. Waves move in, out, up and down consistently. Every second of every day.

Thermal technology, especially where we have endless heat very close to the surface. The geysers of Yellow Stone are one example of thermal energy possibilities.

We have the technology to tether panels from the ground to above the Earths atmosphere where the sun rays are so much stronger that a little would go a long way. As in powering most of the country.

Hemp for fuel!... And for oil, paper, housing, transportation, textiles and food. Hemp uses little water, zero pesticides and matures in months verses decades for a tree. It removes carbon monoxide as it grows and replenishes the soil when toiled under. This versatile plant is banned because it's cousin of the Cannabis plant. In what other case of a person or thing does society judge one by the actions of their cousin?

These alternatives would greatly reduce pollution. No need to debate if Global Warming is man made, make Al Gore a billionaire and put a semi-fascist U.N. global policy in place. Let’s just stop polluting because it’s the right thing to do. Let’s not crap where we eat… and drink and sleep and live and breath. Few things pollute as thoroughly as Nuclear Waste. Interesting how simply doing the right things can have a positive domino effect and other issues will be solved. Let the hacks find some other scare tactic to maintain control over the masses. We need to draw the line on pollution of our food, water, air and planet.

I suggest a combination of alternatives where they work best, and goodbye for good to the tyranny of making billionaires out of terrorist countries. Goodbye for good to Coal and the oxymoron, more accurately the lie, of “Clean Coal”. And lets figure out a way to rid ourselves of the scourge of the Nuclear Plants we still have instead of even considering building more.

Press One for English, Pay More and Sit in the Back of the Bus!

I’ve experienced discrimination most of my life. Most of the time I just laugh it off. Not as some form of defense but because I truly found it amusingly ridiculous. I’m sure it helps that I am white. Or at least makes it easier to dismiss. 

There is that one Cherokee bride four generations back on my Fathers side, but by looking at me, I’m white. Actually sorta tan, thanks to my full blooded Italian Mother. Maybe one reason I empathize with the down trodden is due to my own experiences and the fact that I just never got the division by skin tone, thing. Passing through Georgia at age 5 I was taunted for having long hair. I just laughed at their accents. Later in life I was told I would need to pay more rent because “long hair people throw parties”. See why I laugh?

 Less funny was growing up in a big city where I was discriminated against because of my last name. See my father was the first person to “Beat City Hall”. Small reward for being shot in the back and paralyzed for life, while watching your two best friends simultaneously murdered by a drunk out of uniform police officer. So my name preceded me. Good thing I was a good kid. Not an angel by any means, but I never deserved the multiple trips downtown in the back of cop cars due solely to my surname. Good way to radicalize a citizen but for me it just made me acutely aware of injustice. And that, in America, you sure as hell do not need to be black to experience injustice, but it helps. 

Now I live in Los Angeles and my first clue was the complete absence of prices on every single “For Rent” sign in every single neighborhood. This makes it easier to charge me more. Although most often my calls were just not returned. At least until I left a message in Spanish. In Glendale I was told to my face that they would only rent to Armenians. In Burbank an Armenian told me that he would only rent to non-Armenians. “Armenians are to much trouble” he lamented. In Hollywood I was told the back house was only available if I was a Scientologists. I think I laughed so hard at that one that my gut hurt. While trying to enroll at a Community College, my paperwork continued to get bogged down. The councilor informed me “if I was from another country I could be put on the fast track, for admissions”. In East L.A., the epicenter of a racist Los Angeles, I was charged double the menu price when I started speaking English. At the body shop, my $1000 quote turned into $3000 the instant they realized I was not Hispanic. Sometimes it takes a short while, as I am tan with jet black hair and do speak some Spanish. But it does not take long before my Spanish runs out and my Mid West soul shines through. Whatever, I never let haters live rent free in my head. And there are more important things and much worse prejudices than in my experiences. Minus the murder, corruption and cover-ups in my hometown of course. 

But just this week the prejudices have turned on my 5 year old daughter. Day one of Kindergarten they did not have any parent literature in English. Okay, we rolled with it. At he parent teacher meeting I dared to ask, “what my child was doing during the 45 minutes of daily English As a Second Language studies”? “Is there any way she could be learning a second language as well during what equals almost 4 hours a week”? It is important to note that I asked this politely and have no issues with the teacher or her methods. She seemed quite nice. So last week I get called into the Principals office. Some things never change. I was informed that the teacher wanted to bounce my kid to another class because the teacher was “uncomfortable”. She claims she was upset that I dared to ask her how she was teaching the kids to draw the number “5”. I remember well the 9-second conversation as I was picking my kid up from class. I wanted to be sure we were on the same page as I was taught to draw from the top whenever possible so as to not lift the pencil off the page. (Also a better way to prepare for Cursive). Turns out, just as my child told me, she was learning a different way. Fine with me, now I know and will be sure not to confuse my kid when checking her homework. So the principal asked me to never speak with the teacher again. Seems she has some emotional issues. “Pobrecita”! This was disconcerting. How about some cold hard academia and less emotion? Especially considering I still did not have a problem or even stern words with this teacher. Now I am supposed to ask the Principal any simple question I have regarding my kids progress, the principal will ask the teacher and get back to me. Ridiculous. It is well known that the teachers Union is all about protecting teachers, not the education or welfare of our children. I can tell the principal is embarrassed. It seems there is a pattern with this teacher. English only students somehow get moved out of her class. I find it hard to laugh off something that involves my child’s education. So now I need to go over the principal’s head, report a teacher that I thought was otherwise doing a fine job. 

Meanwhile my child is up for a spot at the USC Magnet School for the Arts. I am told that she will get “Minority Consideration” because she is White. I am a bit uncomfortable with that. I still judge differences by culture not by race. I could care less if America gets “Browner” or any other color. So long as we can share and celebrate our culture. I guess this is the new America. I sure hope the racism of L.A. is not the new normal. Either way I am getting her out of her current school. Maybe I’ll give the Community College a second shot and continue to grow my hair long. Arrivederci gli amici!

The Republicats have got to go!

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The Republican game-plan is to obstruct every issue. Even ones that once were their own, as the country goes down the drain, just to blame the Democrats. I think it will work well for them, just not for the country. There are way too many examples but the latest Health Care fiasco is just too obvious. No "Single Payer" option, Politicians and the Health Industry bribed and appeased. The "Right" are correct that it is way too expensive and government will find a way to mess it up anyway. They are, of course, the same people that were in power for eight years and did zero regarding Health Care. I think they did build some hospitals in Iraq. But since we killed more civilians than in every other war combined, it's the least we could do. The "Left" are correct that it is a crisis and the number one reason people go bankrupt and lose their homes. And let's not forget our current system, ranked 37th in the industrial world, too often kills us, we pay for emergency room visits, corporate corruption and middle men.

And regarding bankruptcy, both parties let the credit card companies rewrite the bankruptcy laws. Almost as bad as the window they gave the credit card companies before implementing the new regulations that just took effect this month. How did it feel everybody to have your rates go up and your credit go down the very same week those crooks got bailed out with our tax dollars? Too big to fail my ass! The Middle Class is too important to fail, but we are getting smaller not bigger. It's our fault that they forgot that they are employees. Our employees. Not our betters, not our lords. They are servants! Public servants.

I know I tend to over simplify but It's just is not that complicated. We desperately need a third party! The Tea Party people, what a laugh. Now you're fired up? Where have you been the last 9 years? Bush's big government, attack on civil liberties and wide open borders DURING A WAR ON TERROR were all okay with you?! I appreciate the civic discourse but how about a little fact checking before you open your mouths? You discredit your movement. And if even a single such groups courts Sarah Palin, then it's over. Did you catch her on Leno complaining about "not being able to set the record straight"? Too bad she doesn't have access to the media. She must have forgotten that she is now officially affiliated with Fox News. Poor Sarah, life is so unfair. Like one big hunting trip from a helicopter.

And no more talk about a third party taking away votes or not being viable. If all the people who are pissed off and all the people who don't vote because they think their votes don't count (or got stolen, hello Florida and Ohio) got together, it would be the biggest landslide victory in American Political history.

Bottom line: The Dem's, with largest majority in 3 decades are worthless Pussys and the GOP are Ruthless Bastards. "Bastards" will beat "Pussys" every time. And once again we'll get the leadership we deserve.

The Simpsons Internet?

I count myself as a fan of The Simpsons. Some around me think I am a supper-fan. But it is the longest running show on television because it has a lot of fans. And has a lot of fans because of the great writing. 

So even though I can quote the shows and kill in the Simpsons Trivial Pursuit game (Reverend Lovejoy's first name is Tim, etc.) I consider myself an average fan. After watching every available box-set episode with the commentary on; I have one question. What and where is this "Simpsons Internet" they often refer to? Is it a "series of tubes"? Did Al gore invent it? Did his wife Tipper sensor it? Did Google in China erase it because the word "freedom" was involved? Can I be part of the "Simpsons Internet" by writing about it in it?

Please consider the following:
I attended the Simpsons Marathon Film Fest in Rome. I met Matt Groening at a party at Sony Studios. I told him "Best show ever" and did not quote, bug or otherwise bother him in anyway. That's worth a little something, right?

I once wrote the Show Runner in an attempt to get my foot in the door as an intern writer. But in Hollywood it's not who you know, it's who knows you.

And oh yes, I have opinions too.
Best regular episode, is found in season 7 "Homerpalooza", even though it was derided by the writers on the commentary. Funny, funny, funny! Too many funny moments and lines to quote. But the backstage meeting between Billy and Homer goes " Billy Corgan Smashing Pumpkins" (shaking hands) "Homer Simpson, smiling politely". The three way turn that gets their tour bus away from both Cincinnati and Cleveland. Pink Floyd's Pig, Cypress Hill doing "Insane in the Membrane" with an orchestra, Jimi Hendrix' puppy, Bart's comment on the ease of "depressing teenagers" on and on it hysterically goes.

Best "special episode" Season 11 "Behind The Laughter" the take-off on VH1's "Behind The Music". "The money was like a drug but what was even more like a drug was the drugs"

The "Tree House of Horrors" are always cool, Homer falling through another dimension, "Poltergeist" style and entering a 3-D universe and falling into a real street that I immediately recognized from Hollywood, complete with live background actors and exclaiming something like "This is the worst place yet"! Funny. Extra funny if you have ever lived near that street. 

Best Couch Gag was the one where we see the entire universe, reminiscent of the opening, and sadly the best scene, from the Jodi Foster flick, "Contact", cumulates into a single hair on Homers head. A close second place is the one where Homer evolves from the muck, walks the timeline of Homo Sapiens to arrive at the couch where Marge asks "What took you so long?"

Way too many great lines to mention but season 19 when Homer referring to God says "in case he is busy creating hurricanes or not existing" was a good one. And I loved that fearless attack on religion. And they should be able to get away with that humor as they expose people to more religious diversity than any other show. Numerous college courses are taught involving the show, including "Religion and the Simpsons". But by far, my favorite line, that still makes me laugh until I cry, is "Homers Phobia" Season 8 episode 15 where guest star John Waters befriends the Simpsons and Marge tries to explain to, the clueless as usual, Homer that their new friend is gay. Marge "Let me put it this way, he prefers the company of men." Homers reply, "Who doesn't!" Golden!!! 

Least favorite, err I mean, "Worst episode ever"? Easy, the season 12, award winning, episode "Homer" where Homers dimness is explained by having a crayon in his nose poking his brain. It was much more interesting to think Homer developed into a loveable goof due to bad parenting, genes, multiple concussions and alcohol abuse. It just seemed like a cheap, weak way to explain something that was better left unexplained.

I enjoyed the jab at Brazil in season 13, "Blame it on Lisa" and Brazil's response. Also found it interesting that when I was in Brazil they referred to "Drederick Tatum" as "Mike Tyson". Opps! It's interesting to watch the show in other countries. They rarely bother trying to copy the original voices and just dub it in with seemingly random voice over actors.

It's still fun when people try to figure out where Springfield is. Really? They have blizzards, beaches with sun, a boardwalk, a Grand Canyon type gorge, one of the tallest mountains in the world, a failed monorail, a baseball team and a nuclear power plant. They celebrate "Whacking Day" where the citizens come out to whack snakes. Their state capital is called Capital City. Come on guys, with all these clues you haven't figured it out yet?

I was disappointed that the producers folded under the criticism of Season 12 episode 14 "New Kids on the Blecch" of Burns saying to Smithers "you call yourself a Chinaman?" while he whipped him from his rickshaw. And changed the line to "You call yourself Chinese?" Even in the box set! I understand not wanting to seem insensitive, but come on politically correct for the Chinese? The Chinese? With all their human rights violations? The same Chinese who steal our technology and sell us poison toys and toothpaste. After the great and ironic tiffs with American Presidents and others, why roll over for the Chinese?

When I first watched the movie I thought it should have been a whole lot more epic. All those years of pre production to come up with that story and the short running time of only 88 minutes? After re-watching, I liked it much more. I guess blowing up all of Springfield was at least a little "epic" and seeing Bart's pee-wee was surely a movie only moment. I can't stay mad at the Simpsons (Homer "I can't stay mad at TV"). And their writers put in so much research, seems almost like overkill when almost any direction they go, even without a ton of background work, is funny. I guess that keeps the writers working hard and looking like they are working hard instead of just having fun and turning out gold.

Okay, so by writing this am I now officially a part of the "Simpsons Internet"? Can I shamelessly request to be invited to a tapping of a commentary on a future box set? I'll provide my own transportation; will not try in anyway to dominate the conversation while adding some true fan insights. I know there is a chance that I will be solely in "the company of men" during the tapping. And "who doesn't" prefer that?

Thanks for your consideration. Oh yeah and one more thing, Screw Flanders!

I Welcome Gay Killers

Here I am once again, a lonely Moderate who happens to believe that Gays can, do and should serve in the military.

This of course makes my conservative family and friends a bit crazy.

I made my Liberal friends crazy by over simplifying the Gay Marriage debate and saying “Let the Hetro’s keep the word “marriage” and fix civil union rights, for both straight and gay couples”. I went on to assert that sexual orientation is not a civil rights issue.

Interestingly, my gay friends were far less upset than my politically correct straight friends.

Still, in today’s polarized society, being a Moderate who votes on issues and not along party lines is very politically lonely. But not as lonely as the soldier, bleeding in a far away country and maybe thinking that his family needs him more than the dysfunctional, corrupt country he is fighting in.
A country that had zero to do with the individuals who attacked us on 9-11.


One of the main arguments against letting Gays serve is that they will upset moral. I never knew our troops were so fragile. I suspect gay men may well enjoy being around a bunch of young buff warriors but it’s very unlikely they will be trying to convert or molest their gun carrying comrades.
And again, sexual orientation should not be a civil rights issue OR an ability to serve issue. I know it can be complicated but it is just sex!!!

I once personally met a retired Gay 3 Star General at a party. He was very cool, a lot of great stories, none about sex. 3 Stars is a big deal and I suspect he earned them.

I think it would be great to let gays fight in the Middle East in particular because of their hypocritical intolerance of gays. And by “intolerance” I mean they kill them and by “hypocritical” I mean it is an open secret that some of the ruling class, princes etc., are sex-crazed bi-sexuals.
It helps to be in power to get away with it and it’s nice to be able to fly around the world for sex. Having billions of dollars from selling Oil to Americans doesn’t hurt either. They think Americans are sex-crazed bi-sexuals too. They get this impression from our TV and Music but I’m not sure exactly what they are watching. They must have a bigger selection of satellite channels than I do.

While our troops have more than just one objective, mostly they need to be killers and Americans have always been good killers.

If somebody is willing to kill and die for our country, they should be thanked not stopped.

All the politicians who are against gays serving should pick up a gun and go fight with the same furor that they have when they send other peoples loved ones off to die for the Military Industrial Money Making Machine.

Most all wars are avoidable, diabolical scams. Grabs at power and money that wastes lives and limbs. Politicians sure like to pontificate, with their first class health care, long vacations, free travel, special interest bribes and consistent pay raises.

Most of all they display the “BRAVERY OF BEING OUT OF RANGE”

Ticketmaster needs to be Destroyed!

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice and Canada's Competition Bureau approved the merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. One of the conditions of the merger is that Ticketmaster cannot retaliate against any venue owner who chooses to use another company's ticketing services, or another company's promotional services.

Not a bad deal for Ticketmaster since there will be less competition then ever to worry about, or bully, anyway.

I am a 3 decade veteran of over 300 concerts and I'll tell you the same thing as any casual concert goer: This sucks!

The company that charges fees upon fees and kicks back sales mere seconds after start times to their "Premium Division" so they can sell 99% of the seats at a 300% mark up, wants even more. Greed seems to be a root of a lot of our ills and Ticketmaster is worse than most scalpers.

Ever wonder why tickets for concerts and sports go on sale at 8:00 am and are "sold out" before 8:01am? Well that's why. I have hated those scumbags as long as I can remember. They were bad even in the early days when they had some competition. They are so arrogant that they once even tried to sell me a tee shirt over the phone! Sure, I'll drop 30 bucks for a shirt I can't see. I pressed the operator to describe the shirt... she couldn't see it either. There is a reason we used to drive 60 miles round trip from L.A. to Irvine to buy tickets from the venue. The reason was - principle. Screw Ticketmaster, we'll take a road trip and after gas still come out way ahead. But alas, I simply do not have the time anymore. But the shows are fewer as well. Thanks in no small part to Ticketmaster killing the concert going golden goose. Fans now wait for a festival or other type show. If it is going to cost us an entire paycheck, at least we can see multiple bands. But even festivals are down and along with the Internet the bands are worse off as well.

There is a reason they are known as "Ticket Nazis" and Ticket Monopoly".
And regarding "monopolies" are there not very specific laws regarding Monopolies and Racketeering?

Apparently our Representatives are still too busy with their political pork stuffed faces firmly up the asses of special interest group$ to lay down the law on behalf of the consumers, the concert and sport fans, the American people!

How did this happen? Did they lobby congress? Are they now like the Prison Guard / Prison Construction unions? Like the Pharmaceutical, Oil and Coal companies? We are getting fucked without a kiss by most every corporation. Killing our freedoms, poisoning our bodies, wrecking our planet and it has been some time since Joe Sixpack could just go to a concert and leave the troubles of the world behind for a few hours. Yes, those days are gone when you have to take out a loan to afford a $200 ticket ($400 w/date), $20 parking, $10 beers and $50 concert shirts (thank God for the bootleggers).

I want whats best for the fans and the bands. I always thought we were in this together.

There is only one winner in this deal. A deal where we have only one source for shows. The Evil Entity known as Ticketmaster!

Monopoly is defined as:
1 : exclusive ownership through legal privilege, command of supply, or concerted action
2 : exclusive possession or control
3 : a commodity controlled by one party
4 : one that has a monopoly

We can complain to Congress and hold our breath. You could call them at 202-224-3121 for the Senate; 202-224-3121 for the House or with just a little Internet research you can find toll free numbers. Know where they come from? They are paid for by lobbyist so you hear a 20 second prompt telling you what to say when you are connected. I already know what to say and I'll say it again... Fuck Ticketmaster!