Proposition 8: Two Wolves And A Sheep Voting On What To Have For Dinner
I was talking to a family member the other day who loves me dearly, accepts me for who I am, but fundamentally does not approve of homosexuality (their words, not mine). This family member lives on the west coast and has followed the Proposition 8 debate closely, siding, of course, with argument against Gay marriage. Our conversation on the topic was polite, civil, and informative, and I gained some insight that is worth sharing.
National domestic partnership already exists. There is a mistaken belief that there is already some sort of national domestic partnership law that provides basic legal protections for same-sex couples. Apparently because some states and localities have their own domestic partnership laws, the assumption is that it is at the Federal level. In the minds of the uninformed non-supporters, this works against us because assumption is that Gay marriage offers no additional legal protections, but is, instead, just poking conservatives in the eye.
Churches would be forced to perform Gay marriages against their will. My family member is just certain that Gay couples will try to force non-inclusive churches to marry them. Just as a Catholic priest can refuse to marry a non-Catholic couple, and other churches won’t marry couples without premarital counseling, I cannot imagine this changing when Gay marriage is legalized. This isn’t the first time that a group has spread irrational fears to bolster their position.
Traditional marriage will be devalued. Of all the arguments against marriage equality, this is the weakest and most irrational. I have yet for any straight person to explain how their marriage is affected in any way, shape or form if I am (finally) allowed to marry the love of my life. The closest thing I can get from them is some vague concern that marriage will mean less to future generations.
I don’t pretend to have all the answers about how make Marriage Equality a reality, but one thing seems obvious: Not everyone understands our position.
News of the World on Monday, December 29th, 2008
Professor Igor Panarin is being interviewed twice a day by the Russian state media regarding his prediction that in June or July of 2010 the U.S. will, as a result of mass immigration, economic conditions, and moral degradation, collapse and break into six pieces, and that Alaska will revert to Russian control.
Clearly the good professor has never met any actual Alaskans.
Stanley Carter wore out his welcome with a couple of friends living in a duplex, and instead of simply leaving, moved into the attic and began mooching off the neighbors by accessing their living spaces through the attic access, even going as far as wearing the women’s clothes and stealing their food, electronics, and money. He was discovered after a search uncovered footprints in a closet where the attic access panel was located.
Stanley gives a whole new spin to the term “squirrel in my attic.”
Oregon Governor Proposes All Cars Be Tracked By GPS To Compute Road Taxes
Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski is concerned about lost gas tax tax revenue in the wake of more fuel efficient vehicles, so he is spending over $20 million on a pilot program to track vehicle mileage to compute their mileage tax. The plan involves GPS tracking of the distance traveled by each vehicle between fill-ups and then computing a tax based on mileage, not fuel purchased.
Hey Ted, since society as a whole benefits from the road network, why not just drop the gas tax altogether and increase the income or sales tax, instead of finding another way for big brother to intrude into our lives?
Oh-Saka!
Being completely out of leave, sick time, and personal days off, I had to work yesterday. Actually, it wasn’t been a bad thing, either, for two very good reasons: First, the office was quiet, giving me a rare chance to focus on a project that has really needed my attention; and second, I took the opportunity to take a real lunch break and visit a local sushi haunt I hadn’t been to in a while.
Osaka Japanese Restaurant is located in a small strip mall at the intersection of Loisdale Road and Spring Mall Drive on a corner of the Springfield Mall property. The decidely aged exterior belies the tasty noms within. In fact, the signage was in such disrepair that I wondered if they were still open. Thankfully, they were.
Though I used to be a regular here, it has been about nine months since my last visit, so I was pleasntly surprised when the wait staff recognized me, offered me my usual table, and remembered my drink preference.
The special blue-colored lunch time a la carte menu is still available, which is good news: The items on the blue menu are cheaper than the same item on the dinner menu, with most nigiri priced at a dollar or a dollar-and-a-half per item. Bonus!
I ordered saba, smoked sake, and anago as nigiri, hotategai as gunkan-maki, a spicy tuna temaki, a Vegas roll, and the house special sushi lasagne which is a California roll topped with a tasty sauce and then baked until lightly brown and bubbly.
The food arrived quickly – first the hand rolls (my companions also ordered them), then the nigiri, and lastly, the two maki. The staff gets extra points for serving a delivering the hand rolls first, since the nori will quickly lose its crunchiness if allowed to rest more than a few minutes.
I often judge the service at restaurants by how long my drink remains empty between refills. Happily, the wait staff at Osaka are very attentive, quickly providing refills, extra napkins, and clearing away empty plates. My glass was never empty.
My lunch was enjoyable, the food fresh, the service spot on, and the tab was just $26. What more could you ask for?
Osaka Japanese Restaurant
6701 Loisdale Rd
Springfield, VA 22150
703-971-9444
Christmas Greetings!
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
A Joyous Noel And Merry Christmas From The Conservative Lesbian
Actual Christmas Music Found In Retail Store!
This is the time of year at which I share a common pet peeve with a number of Americans: The secularization or outright denial of Christmas. And, for sure, it all yanks my chain: Renaming “Christmas Party” to “Holiday Gathering”; The ubiquitous “Happy Holidays” greeting; and now the latest poke at Christmas from the atheist crowd: Christmas is utterly meaningless.
Yes, the cheap excuse really grinds me, “Well, we don’t want to offend anyone.” Grrrr.
Well, I am offended. I am offended by the idea that here in the United States of America, a country founded by Christian people fleeing persecution, whose motto is, “In God We Trust”, and whose Constitution asserts that our rights are, “God Given”, we are now being conned into removing and downplaying the Christ aspect of Christmas under the guise of political correctness. I am even more offended that we think we must actually apologize to people here from other cultures where Christmas is not celebrated, and here’s why: Do you think THEY would rename their [insert other cultural holiday name here] to a “Holiday Celebration” because you were visiting their country? Nope, me either.
So here’s the good news: I was in the local World Market picking up a few last minute stocking stuffers for my spouse this afternoon when I heard actual Christmas music. Not wordless melodies, not just Santa Claus stuff, but real genuine “Hark The Herald Angels” and “Joy To The World” actual Christmas music. Hooray!
Merry Christmas!
Blowhardevich – Insane, Stupid, or Just Evil?
The brazen actions of Rod Blagojevich have managed to outrage even the Illinois Political Machine, which is no simple thing, I assure you. Recent chatter has seasoned observers wondering if he’s lost a screw in there somewhere, with his business-as-usual statements and carrying on like a Federal arrest is an everyday occurrence. It does have a certain surreal quality to it.
Pundits are wondering how Blago, since he new he was being watched, could possibly have thought it was a good idea to have all of those conversations. Many are even using the terms “clinical” and “insanity” to describe his behavior. Tough words, indeed!
Which leads me to wonder what happened to plain old evil? Every time someone does something bad, especially when it defies logic or seems stupid, society wants to question their sanity. Oh, the poor thing, he must have had a bad childhood or been under too much stress. The constant making of excuses for bad behavior has become nauseating.
I’ve met some folks over the years that have genuine chemical imbalances, and believe me, their lives are clearly affected beyond one bad act. I knew someone who was a compulsive notetaker, who couldn’t have a normal conversation while scribbling away on scraps of paper. I watched another woman punch her daughter in the face and point to her husband, claiming she didn’t know him and accusing him of rape, and then wrestle with 5 police officers, all because she hadn’t taken her Lithium. Now that’s a chemical imbalance. I know actual evil when I see it, and that wasn’t it.
So here’s what I think about Rod: His conscious decisions based on greed and lust had him calculating gain over risk, and he decided he had more to win than lose. His hubris was outdone only by his desire for more power and money. It’s just that simple.
Now, let’s hope it’s equally simple to weed out his cohorts and send them all to the slammer.
How To Fix The Death Penalty In Three Easy Steps
From the title of this post you might conclude that I think there is something wrong with the death penalty, and you would be correct. First, we don’t use it enough; Second, when we use it, it is done out of the public view; and third, sometimes we use it when we shouldn’t. Here is my prescription for change:
We don’t use the death penalty enough. Brian Nichols, you might recall, was on trial for rape in Atlanta during March of 2005 when he escaped custody and killed the judge presiding over his trial, a sheriffs deputy, and a court reporter. While still on the run the next day, he killed an off-duty Federal agent. In addition to the four murders, Nichols had beaten his guard so badly during the escape she nearly died, and he assaulted and carjacked a number of other people.
Though subsequently found guilty on all charges of a 54 count indictment , a jury could not unanimously agree on the sentence of death, deadlocked at 9 “for” and 3 “against”. Therefore, Mr. Nichols, who gave up the right to use air on this planet the moment his first victim died, will spend the rest of his life in a cushy cell.
My point being this: There is not a glimmer of doubt in anyones mind that Nichols actually did the crimes. Neither is there any question that he received an adequate defense. The only thing that stopped him from getting the punishment he deserved was three people who couldn’t give it to him. The law should be changed so that the penalty of death does not require a unanimous vote, because it’s not hard to find at least one out of twelve who simply will never, despite their claims to the contrary, dish it out even when so obviously deserved.
The sentence of death is carried out behind closed doors. It is often discussed that the death penalty be abolished because it offers no deterrent, and I know how to fix that: Bring back public executions.
And here’s the “deterrent” part. Take every inmate from the local jail and nearest prison, shackle them all together and give them their own set of bleachers right up close, and don’t forget the thuglets from the local gladiator academy (that’s Juvenile Detention Facility for those who don’t know). Then march the condemned man out and read him his sentence.
Here is where proper planning is important, because it’s critical that the prisoners are close enough to see the puddle of urine that forms at the feet of the condemned as the noose is tightened around his neck. The rest is easy – just pull the switch and let him swing. Oh, and leave him there until sundown, too.
Sometimes we use the death penalty when we shouldn’t. I will not pretend that there are not cases, even to this day, where the defendant was given such a crappy defense that an innocent was found guilty and executed. I know it’s happened, and that is a shame – not only for the wrongly convicted, but the fact that the guilty party is still roaming free and able to prey on more victims.
Virginia has developed an innovative and effective solution by establishing the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission to “carry out the Commonwealth’s constitutional obligation to provide attorneys for indigent persons accused of crimes that carry a potential penalty of incarceration or death. ” This unit includes experienced attorneys, its own investigators, and sufficient funding to put on a first-class defense for those unable to afford one on their own. Every state should have such resources to ensure that justice is fair, for a life should not be forfeited to the state without near-absolute certainty of guilt.
Meanwhile, I rest easy here in the Commonwealth knowing that when we fry one, we are frying the right one.
What Kind of Robot? A Girl Robot!
I love engineers. Heck, I am one. Engineers make the world go ’round. Every cool techogadget, from tiny cell phones to flat screen televisions to hybrid cars, wasn’t invented by a pop star, supermodel, or athlete. Nope, it was an engineer.
All that said, however, a few of my fellow engineers could just put down the beaker or look up from the computer screen and get out to the real world a little more often. Like Canadian Le Trung, who has built himself a robotic girlfriend named Aiko, who speaks both English and Japanese, and who just happens to, ahem, look like a fourteen year old.
Trung who in fine engineer fashion is 33 and still lives with his parents, says that Aiko is the perfect woman who, “doesn’t need holidays, food or rest, and will work almost 24 hours a day.”
Trung does mention, however, that Aiko does not yet walk, and this video shows that she feels pain and resists being touched inappropriately.
So what’s next for Aiko? Trung says on his website that future abilities he’s working on include feeding him sushi, giving him back and neck massages, and cleaning his toilet. His words. Really.
The Project Aiko website states that she “has sensitive sensors on her faces, body, including her breasts and vagina. Aiko will know the difference when being touch gently or being tickled. The BRAINS software and Aiko can be re-designed to simulate her having an orgasm. The software can be re-designed to “play hard to get” or “straight to the point”.
Trung, however, states that, “Aiko is still a virgin, AND NO I do not sleep with her.”
Riiiight.
A Special Kind Of Evil
I am always saddened by news that someone entrusted by the people with the powers of governance abuses that trust for personal gain. America is supposed to be the world standard for freedom and democracy and we, as a society, are diminished with each occurence. I will go out on a limb by saying that today we have experienced a new low.
I usually reserve judgement on non-violent crimes, relying on a jury verdict, but the evidence against Blagojevich is so direct and compelling. With such choice words on tape as, in reference to appointment to the Senate for the remainder of President-elect Obama’s term, “It’s a [expletive deleted] valuable thing. You just don’t give it away for nothing,” it’s hard to misconstrue the situation.
I cannot help wonder how it is that such evil finds its way into so-called “public service” in the first place. Is it really that power corrupts, or were there signs beforehand? Clearly, one needs a certain level of ambition and clarity of purpose to withstand the rigors of the campaign, but are there not clues in the past behavior of a candidate that might signal future corruption?
Perhaps the investigation will weed out others. After all, the FBI has stated that it is still ongoing. I can only hope that seeing two consecutive governors sent to prison will encourage the people of Illinois to perform a housecleaning at all levels, for certainly the entire apparatus from top to bottom is rotten.
As for the Governor and his lieutenant? Fry ‘em.
Barack Criticized As “Not Liberal Enough”
Holy cow, maybe there’s some hope yet! This article from Politico.com quotes folks like the Progressive Democrats of America, Campaign For America’s Future, and the blog Informed Comment as worrying that Obama’s appointments thus far are resulting in a “centrist to right cabinet”, leaving them wondering if, “before it’s all over we can get at least one authentic progressive appointment.”
I have a theory that goes something like this: Once a president-elect gets their first few classified National Security Agency briefings and learns the real, no-bull truth about the actual threats to America, after they clean out their underwear, all the campaign rhetoric goes out the window and they start to see that perhaps the most important thing right this moment is not advancing a liberal social agenda.
Just a thought.
The Conservative Lesbian
