Impeachment and Depression: The Irony
President George W. Bush should be impeached. Blunt eh? It is apparent at this time that “W” has broken the law, both domestically and internationally. Domestically Bush has to answer to the Constitution and Congress. Obviously, the Constitution is a bit out of date, as it does not specify what to do in cases of prolonged, illegitimate wars, i.e. Vietnam and this latest debacle. Yet in a constitutional context, there is leeway, as stated on Article II, section 4, “The President, Vice-President, and all other civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” The statement of high crimes as misdemeanors is vague, which opens up any occupant of the office to increased scrutiny. In the case of Bush, he can be impeached based on the intelligence debacle before the “Operation Iraqi Freedom” commenced in March 2003.
It is fair to assume that the administration misled the American people about weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that were supposedly in Iraq under the regime of Saddam Hussein. The thing is though, there were not any! This war is a personal vendetta for this president. He will tell the world that Saddam was evil and that he was protecting our oil interests in the Middle East. But in reality, he fucked the situation up even more; countless innocent Iraqis have been killed, the country is in civil war, and almost 3,000 U.S. service men and women have lost their lives. Bush stated today that he would not be rushed to make a decision about Iraq, but I think it is necessary to “rush” it, “W.” He answers to the people, not the wall or whoever the hell he takes advice from.
Internationally, the president should be held accountable on his decision to illegally detain “enemy combatants” at the U.S. Naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Granted, some of these people may very well pose a threat to our national security, as well as countless other nations. But the fact of the matter is that the acts were illegal and in direct violation of the Geneva Conventions. He has also sanctioned the use of our allies to do our dirty work for us, such as sending “enemy combatants” to Jordan and Israel; both countries are not apart of the Geneva accords. They can do whatever the hell they want. I am not saying that some of these terrorists do not deserve it, but again, it is illegal, at least by our standards.
The president has tarnished the name of this once great nation with his personal vendetta of repugnance.
In other news it has been brought to my attention that there is an ongoing battle between the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and family members of those who took anti-depressants and committed suicide. Evidently those between the ages of 18-25 are at risk for suicidal thoughts while on the drugs. The FDA already has a warning out that states adolescents up to the age of 18 are at risk for increased suicidal thoughts while on the drugs. But let us take a step back here and review the milieu of the issue. I understand that people have problems, some of which they have no control over. But the thing is, many people who take anti-depressants are depressed, which includes the risk of suicidal thoughts!
I believe that this is a futile fight for those who want a stronger warning label on anti-depressants. They are simply scaring those who currently are on the drugs as well as those who could potentially use the drugs for a positive outcome in their lives. Think I do not know my head from my ass on this issue? Wrong; I take an anti-depressant, a lovely cocktail of ingredients called Effexor. I am not depressed, I take them for a wicked anxiety issue (I am a tad high strung). I have never had suicidal thoughts while on the drug, which has been for almost 2 years now. Anti-depressants have helped me and countless others. People need to start looking for a scapegoat and deal with the facts of life.
14 December 2006
12 December 2006
Bears and Trees
Two matters of concern this evening that I must have a word about. The first of which is the Bears win! My lord the Bears actually won and no one is bitching about it, including myself. Rex played a lot better than he has the past few weeks. Granted it was against a half-assed defense in the form of the Rams, but never the less he did not turn the ball over. He came out with a 95.2 QB rating, which I must say is leaps and bounds better than 1.3. Special teams did an excellent job to complement Grossman’s performance. Devin Hester returned not one, but two kickoffs for touchdowns. He now holds the record for most kick returns in a season with 6. I smell rookie of the year! The only downside to the game was the fact that the defense gave up 27 points, with a few drives over 70 yards. This is where the injuries are starting to hurt the Bears. Tommy Harris and Mike Brown are key components of this defense and it does show when they are not in the game (which they won’t be, as both are out for the season). Robbie Gould missed 2 field goals, which excludes him from team MVP candidacy. Hopefully he does not come down with Mike Vanderjact syndrome and miss hitting the broad side of a barn on a clear day.
The other concern is a news story. Evidently, a Rabi requested that Christmas trees be removed from a Seattle airport, under the guise of litigation. This issue is equivalent to last years “Happy Holidays” slogan instead of Merry Christmas at Wal-Mart stores across the nation. Wal-Mart changed that this year, but still this situation reeks of anti-Semitism. This is the United States of America, the land of religious freedom, not the land of “appease the Jews.” That’s what the Russians do; they kick Jews out and send them to Israel to thwart the Palestinians. I have nothing against Jews or the Jewish faith, but look around you. Do you see Menorahs everywhere? Fuck no you don’t; you see big ass green Catholic Christmas trees all around! There is a line and that Rabi just crossed it. When you take away a symbol of a Christian holiday because there are no menorahs set up as well, you just insulted your own faith, not to mention the many others that view the Christmas tree as a symbol. But the threat of a lawsuit is utterly ridiculous. The airport should not be sued; it should be the Rabi who gets sued for being a fucking asshole. The world ceases to amaze me…
Two matters of concern this evening that I must have a word about. The first of which is the Bears win! My lord the Bears actually won and no one is bitching about it, including myself. Rex played a lot better than he has the past few weeks. Granted it was against a half-assed defense in the form of the Rams, but never the less he did not turn the ball over. He came out with a 95.2 QB rating, which I must say is leaps and bounds better than 1.3. Special teams did an excellent job to complement Grossman’s performance. Devin Hester returned not one, but two kickoffs for touchdowns. He now holds the record for most kick returns in a season with 6. I smell rookie of the year! The only downside to the game was the fact that the defense gave up 27 points, with a few drives over 70 yards. This is where the injuries are starting to hurt the Bears. Tommy Harris and Mike Brown are key components of this defense and it does show when they are not in the game (which they won’t be, as both are out for the season). Robbie Gould missed 2 field goals, which excludes him from team MVP candidacy. Hopefully he does not come down with Mike Vanderjact syndrome and miss hitting the broad side of a barn on a clear day.
The other concern is a news story. Evidently, a Rabi requested that Christmas trees be removed from a Seattle airport, under the guise of litigation. This issue is equivalent to last years “Happy Holidays” slogan instead of Merry Christmas at Wal-Mart stores across the nation. Wal-Mart changed that this year, but still this situation reeks of anti-Semitism. This is the United States of America, the land of religious freedom, not the land of “appease the Jews.” That’s what the Russians do; they kick Jews out and send them to Israel to thwart the Palestinians. I have nothing against Jews or the Jewish faith, but look around you. Do you see Menorahs everywhere? Fuck no you don’t; you see big ass green Catholic Christmas trees all around! There is a line and that Rabi just crossed it. When you take away a symbol of a Christian holiday because there are no menorahs set up as well, you just insulted your own faith, not to mention the many others that view the Christmas tree as a symbol. But the threat of a lawsuit is utterly ridiculous. The airport should not be sued; it should be the Rabi who gets sued for being a fucking asshole. The world ceases to amaze me…
11 December 2006
The Russian Culture
Petr Chaodaev, a great 19th century Russian thinker once wrote, “Russians existed to teach the world what not to do.” His words still resonate with Russians and the western world to this day. The assassination of Alexander Litvinenko has raised many questions about the substance of Russian culture, as their culture has now impeded the west. Litvinenko was poisoned in the United Kingdom, not Russia. He was even a citizen of the United Kingdom, which is why the British authorities are taking an extreme interest in the case. A murder of one of their own on their soil is an outrage and understandably so. The Litvineko case is a reminiscent of a James Bond like spy novel, with twists and turns at every dimension of the plot.
One must understand that Russia has been an isolated nation since it was first incepted in 862, in the region around present day Kiev, Ukraine; known as Muscovy. The Russians have strangely prided themselves on their orthodox ways, as they have staunchly been against any outside interference in their three main periods of history; Imperial, Soviet, and Modern day Russia. Russia is still a nation that is as much different from the west as it was one hundred years ago. You never hear Russians speaking of the atrocities of Stalin, do you? There is a reasonable answer to why the Russians are the way they are, but the Litvinenko case has made many to ponder the Russian’s culture. Did he really know enough to damage the current government and actions in concern to Chechnya?
Modern day Russia is still on edge and paranoid as ever about outsider interference in their “internal affairs.” President Vladimir Putin seems to be steering his nation back towards the Soviet days, as he has consolidated the nation’s power center back to the government and it appears as if he is not going to release the levers of power anytime soon. The private sector is shrinking rapidly as well as people’s opinions on current issues within the country. Russians have been known to possess a “gung-ho” attitude of shooting now and asking questions later. Even if one roams the streets of Moscow today, you are not far from the guise of police or military personnel with their AK-47’s and a variety of other weaponry. Granted, these are not the past days of the KGB bugging your hotel room or “tailing” you around, but those attitudes and perceptions could make an appearance again at anytime.
The Litvinenko case also uncovers what Russian culture really encompasses. Murdering people in Russia is looked at as a common everyday occurrence and the people have sadly accepted these methods. It is no secret that the mob runs a lot of “the show” in Russia, as their contacts have pervaded into every sect of society and the economy. Russia has the most billionaires per capita than any nation in the world, which says a lot about disparities in wealth distribution and how much of the country these “special interests” control. I am sure that someone in Russia had something to do with the death Litvinenko, whether it is Putin, the FSB, or the mob; God only knows who. This culture of shooting now and asking questions later has made its way into the western world, which is unacceptable to many. The west has always been perplexed by the way Russians do business, but now it is an international incident.
Whatever happens in Russia needs to stay in Russia; it is their internal affair how they do business. But as long as the oil (they have the world’s largest oil reserve) and natural gas keeps flowing, the west will remain silent about the status quo in Russia. It should be obvious by now that the west will only speak up to protect their economic interests. The “messy” under world of Russia is a place that no one in the west wants to stick their foot into, as they may come out without a foot or not come out at all. Keep the game where it belongs.
Petr Chaodaev, a great 19th century Russian thinker once wrote, “Russians existed to teach the world what not to do.” His words still resonate with Russians and the western world to this day. The assassination of Alexander Litvinenko has raised many questions about the substance of Russian culture, as their culture has now impeded the west. Litvinenko was poisoned in the United Kingdom, not Russia. He was even a citizen of the United Kingdom, which is why the British authorities are taking an extreme interest in the case. A murder of one of their own on their soil is an outrage and understandably so. The Litvineko case is a reminiscent of a James Bond like spy novel, with twists and turns at every dimension of the plot.
One must understand that Russia has been an isolated nation since it was first incepted in 862, in the region around present day Kiev, Ukraine; known as Muscovy. The Russians have strangely prided themselves on their orthodox ways, as they have staunchly been against any outside interference in their three main periods of history; Imperial, Soviet, and Modern day Russia. Russia is still a nation that is as much different from the west as it was one hundred years ago. You never hear Russians speaking of the atrocities of Stalin, do you? There is a reasonable answer to why the Russians are the way they are, but the Litvinenko case has made many to ponder the Russian’s culture. Did he really know enough to damage the current government and actions in concern to Chechnya?
Modern day Russia is still on edge and paranoid as ever about outsider interference in their “internal affairs.” President Vladimir Putin seems to be steering his nation back towards the Soviet days, as he has consolidated the nation’s power center back to the government and it appears as if he is not going to release the levers of power anytime soon. The private sector is shrinking rapidly as well as people’s opinions on current issues within the country. Russians have been known to possess a “gung-ho” attitude of shooting now and asking questions later. Even if one roams the streets of Moscow today, you are not far from the guise of police or military personnel with their AK-47’s and a variety of other weaponry. Granted, these are not the past days of the KGB bugging your hotel room or “tailing” you around, but those attitudes and perceptions could make an appearance again at anytime.
The Litvinenko case also uncovers what Russian culture really encompasses. Murdering people in Russia is looked at as a common everyday occurrence and the people have sadly accepted these methods. It is no secret that the mob runs a lot of “the show” in Russia, as their contacts have pervaded into every sect of society and the economy. Russia has the most billionaires per capita than any nation in the world, which says a lot about disparities in wealth distribution and how much of the country these “special interests” control. I am sure that someone in Russia had something to do with the death Litvinenko, whether it is Putin, the FSB, or the mob; God only knows who. This culture of shooting now and asking questions later has made its way into the western world, which is unacceptable to many. The west has always been perplexed by the way Russians do business, but now it is an international incident.
Whatever happens in Russia needs to stay in Russia; it is their internal affair how they do business. But as long as the oil (they have the world’s largest oil reserve) and natural gas keeps flowing, the west will remain silent about the status quo in Russia. It should be obvious by now that the west will only speak up to protect their economic interests. The “messy” under world of Russia is a place that no one in the west wants to stick their foot into, as they may come out without a foot or not come out at all. Keep the game where it belongs.
10 December 2006
America Run Amuck
I recently came across an article published in The Nation, entitled “9/11: The Roots of Paranoia.” In this article the author begs the simple question of where in the hell these 9/11 conspiracy theorists are coming up with these far fetched ideas of what “really” happened on September 11, 2001. I do agree with the author of the work that the media is one culprit in this vast conspiracy network than has seemingly overtaken the internet. I am not going to mention names or website addresses out of fear of litigation, but I will mention my opinion; sue me for that.
First and foremost I will respond to the author’s critique concerning the American media. As stated before, I agree that the American media has not been cynical enough of the current administration. Think about it; when we hear of these terror threats that have somehow made their way onto American soil, the media proceeds to jump on board the train with no questions asked. They do this because this administration has the niche for inciting paranoia concerning anything remotely harmful to our security. The media tends to resemble a flock of sheep drooling at a fresh field of green fucking grass. Did Iraq have any WMD’s? After over running the sovereign nation it has been decided that Saddam did not have any WMD’s, but instead that he had a whole lot of fucking oil. The Bush Administration does deserve credit in this respect, as they have effectively neutered the American media, the one source of disparagement that they would have to contend with on a day to day basis. It is as if our opinions matter, right?
The brunt of the article was about the 9/11 conspiracy theorists organizations that have been taking root on the internet and are slowly garnering a following. America does have a storied past concerning conspiracy theories, which in turn does not surprise me that this sect of anarchists have popped up. There are theories out there that FDR knew that the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor in 1941, but he let it happen anyway. Or the Roswell, New Mexico incident with the supposed alien space ship that crashed. Essentially, there are those out there who have nothing better to do than bash their heads off the wall until shit starts stammering out of their mouths.
The 9/11 conspiracy theories revolve around two separate ideas; one the government knew that the attacks were going to happen and subsequently let it happen or that the government did it in order to pick a fight with Iraq. I do not think that the government was that desperate for oil, as we could have seemingly entered Iraq like we did illegally in March 2003 and told the world to fuck itself without the whole 9/11 deal. They attempt to give empirical evidence suggesting that the government somehow blew up the World Trade Center after the planes struck the towers to weaken the steel in the buildings. But all of their so called “scientific evidence” has been proved a fallacy. Steel melts at 2500 degrees, but it begins to weaken at 1500 degrees. The WTC was made up of a lot of steel and cement; supports will break even if weakened a bit. Almost 3,000 people perished that day and to incite the idea that the government was behind it is made. These anarchists are repulsing in their ideology and as people.
The author of the article cites a poll that was taken in July; in which 1/3 of Americans believe the government is giving us a line of bullshit concerning 9/11. Maybe I am giving “W” too much credit on this one, but I think he has been forthright about the actual events of 9/11, everything else, hell no. I found it amusing that an outgoing representative in the US Congress decided to introduce a bill in a symbolic gesture of impeaching “W.” I applaud this congresswoman, but the new democratic leadership refuses to pick a fight with the president and the bill will not even make it out of committee. But if a poll was taken asking how many Americans agreed that president should be removed from office, I think the number would be higher than 1/3rd.
So, who in the end will be to blame for the turmoil that this nation faces? Those who voted for “W” twice!
I recently came across an article published in The Nation, entitled “9/11: The Roots of Paranoia.” In this article the author begs the simple question of where in the hell these 9/11 conspiracy theorists are coming up with these far fetched ideas of what “really” happened on September 11, 2001. I do agree with the author of the work that the media is one culprit in this vast conspiracy network than has seemingly overtaken the internet. I am not going to mention names or website addresses out of fear of litigation, but I will mention my opinion; sue me for that.
First and foremost I will respond to the author’s critique concerning the American media. As stated before, I agree that the American media has not been cynical enough of the current administration. Think about it; when we hear of these terror threats that have somehow made their way onto American soil, the media proceeds to jump on board the train with no questions asked. They do this because this administration has the niche for inciting paranoia concerning anything remotely harmful to our security. The media tends to resemble a flock of sheep drooling at a fresh field of green fucking grass. Did Iraq have any WMD’s? After over running the sovereign nation it has been decided that Saddam did not have any WMD’s, but instead that he had a whole lot of fucking oil. The Bush Administration does deserve credit in this respect, as they have effectively neutered the American media, the one source of disparagement that they would have to contend with on a day to day basis. It is as if our opinions matter, right?
The brunt of the article was about the 9/11 conspiracy theorists organizations that have been taking root on the internet and are slowly garnering a following. America does have a storied past concerning conspiracy theories, which in turn does not surprise me that this sect of anarchists have popped up. There are theories out there that FDR knew that the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor in 1941, but he let it happen anyway. Or the Roswell, New Mexico incident with the supposed alien space ship that crashed. Essentially, there are those out there who have nothing better to do than bash their heads off the wall until shit starts stammering out of their mouths.
The 9/11 conspiracy theories revolve around two separate ideas; one the government knew that the attacks were going to happen and subsequently let it happen or that the government did it in order to pick a fight with Iraq. I do not think that the government was that desperate for oil, as we could have seemingly entered Iraq like we did illegally in March 2003 and told the world to fuck itself without the whole 9/11 deal. They attempt to give empirical evidence suggesting that the government somehow blew up the World Trade Center after the planes struck the towers to weaken the steel in the buildings. But all of their so called “scientific evidence” has been proved a fallacy. Steel melts at 2500 degrees, but it begins to weaken at 1500 degrees. The WTC was made up of a lot of steel and cement; supports will break even if weakened a bit. Almost 3,000 people perished that day and to incite the idea that the government was behind it is made. These anarchists are repulsing in their ideology and as people.
The author of the article cites a poll that was taken in July; in which 1/3 of Americans believe the government is giving us a line of bullshit concerning 9/11. Maybe I am giving “W” too much credit on this one, but I think he has been forthright about the actual events of 9/11, everything else, hell no. I found it amusing that an outgoing representative in the US Congress decided to introduce a bill in a symbolic gesture of impeaching “W.” I applaud this congresswoman, but the new democratic leadership refuses to pick a fight with the president and the bill will not even make it out of committee. But if a poll was taken asking how many Americans agreed that president should be removed from office, I think the number would be higher than 1/3rd.
So, who in the end will be to blame for the turmoil that this nation faces? Those who voted for “W” twice!
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