Seriously?

Check out this article where the Iranian Ambassador to Mexico accuses the CIA of shooting Neda, the Iranian woman seen around the World after being shot by Iranian snipers.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/25/iran.ambassador/index.html

If you want proof that religion and government should have a permanent divorce, Iran is a shining, or dull, example. A country ruled by holy men with the sole purpose of controlling millions and subjugating half its population.

This election fiasco, and the subsequent clamping down on protests and, most importantly, press reporting, shows how truly out of touch and despicable the Iranian government is. If you want to test whether a government is inherently evil, ask them these questions (followed by the answers for Iran):

Do you let your people come and go as they please? NO
Do you let the press report freely? NO
Do you let your people worship in whatever way they choose? NO
Do you let your people choose not to worship? NO
Are women given the same rights as men? NO

I hope these protest galvanize into real change in Iran. I also hope that the people of the Middle East wake up to the fact that many of their religious leaders are manipulating them and stealing their futures.

I'm Shocked

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/05/texas.police.seizures/index.html

Police corruption in Texas? I'm shocked. This has shaken my perception of Texas to the core.

By the way, wasn't this the plot for two or three cheap movies in the 70's? I seem to remember a movie, or was it a TV show, where some corrupt sheriff with mirrored sunglasses unjustly jailing truckers to steal their payloads.

Saddle up the high horse

I was watching the series finale of ER, which was terrific by the way, and in the episode there was a patient who had been living with AIDS for 20 years. A thought struck me. What if we took the money we spend on the Iraq war for a week and instead spent it on AIDS research, or tuberculosis, or cancer. Say we spent that money for a good cause. Say we also found a cure for one of those diseases and then gave the cure free of charge to the rest of the world. Imagine the pride we as Americans could have knowing that our tax dollars contributed to the welfare of the world.

Anyway, that was just something I thought of. I'm sure it isn't a unique thought, or should I say, I hope it isn't.

Tree Sap (Random Thoughts)

• 
  I knew I was growing older when I started buying travel insurance.
• I'm convinced that if you took a random sample of drivers on the road and gave them the full driving test (written and road), at least 50% would fail.
• I am constantly on the lookout for the perfect wallet design.
• I think judges should be given "smackin rights" (thanks to Michelle for that phrase). Present a frivolous lawsuit, SMACK!
• Chicago style pizza (deep dish) is superior to all other styles. This is not up for discussion.
• I alternate between "Pop" and "Soda". However, when I'm feeling saucy I say "Sody".
• I'm sure he's a fine upstanding guy but Philip Seymore Hoffman seems like he could be a bit of a D-Bag. One of those guys who prattles on and on about his craft.
• One of my proudest accomplishments is my record of eating 98 donut holes in one sitting during high school marching band camp.
• You know the lead apron the dental hygienist puts on you at the dentist's office to prevent birth defects in your theoretical offspring? I wish I had one to sleep under; always makes me comfortable.
• The best tool/technique I have found for becoming a competent writer is to read voraciously.
• I fully subscribe to George Carlin's observation that anyone driving slower than you is a moron and anyone driving faster than you is a maniac.
• I would be happy if the rest of the hair on my head (except the facial hair of course) fell out.
• I wonder how much money it would take to get Bill Waterson and Gary Larson back on the job. I would give $100 to the cause.
• Life is too short for generic liquor.
• McDonald's is like the sun; wherever you go, there it is.
• My drug of choice is Cheetos.
• My dad said that if Ritalin were available when I was a child, he would have given it to me intravenously.
• I never understand why people are rude to those who serve them food. Seems like playing with fire to me.
• I love all of my scars, shows I've lived.
• If I could have any career it would be world class surfer.
• Some days I wish this country was more European; other days, I'm grateful it isn't.
• I'm constantly rooting for the city of Detroit and it's inhabitants.
• I wish Anheuser-Busch would spend some of it's advertising dollars on making Bud and Bud Light more palatable...and eliminate Bud Light's tendency to make me grab for the Imodium.
• If I ever meet the advertising person who came up with Life cereal's 'Mikey Likes It' campaign, I'll punch them in the nose.
• The harder it is to find a company's 800 number, the more I think they have something to hide.
• This country will start turning around when I overhear more parents discussing their children's academic success, rather than their athletic prowess.
• Customer service is an art form. Unfortunately, most people haven't progressed past finger paints.
• If I had three wishes and couldn't wish for more wishes, I would wish for: The ability to eat, drink, and smoke whatever I wanted without any detrimental effect on my health; Magic pockets that would contain whatever amount of cash I needed at the time; And World peace (I'm not totally self-absorbed).