What the Fuck???? My first "Top Ten"

The top ten things that make me go......"What the fuck? Seriously, what the fuck?"

10. The LonelyGirl15 Finale....

Okay, aside from the usual piss poor acting, the writing in the last 12 episodes was beyond awful. Here's a tip, assholes: if you want people to tune in for the second season, you need to create some kind of likeability in the characters. You failed miserably. So Bree "dies," and that Lauren idiot is whining about why Jonah hasn't yet realized that she's the girl for him? Are you kidding me? Dammit, we just watched about 250 episodes about Bree, and have been led to believe she's dead...and now we're supposed to give a shit about this whiny bitch? Hire someone to do your writing for you, seriously. You suck, and you're number ten.

9. Julie Chen.

Considering how little we expect from news "personalities" and reality show hosts, one has to suck extra hard in order to be recognized for their ability to eat shit. Julie "But First" Chenbot has perfected the craft of suckiness - Vanilla Ice and Carlos Mencia could take lessons from her. How the hell is this dumbass on TV at all (*cough* married to the president of CBS)? Eight seasons of crap land the Chenbot at number nine.

8. Tealights.

You stupid candles piss me the fuck off. It gets dark at like nine, and maybe I'm not ready for bed four hours later. And yet you mock me and go out. Fuck you, assholes. I'll stay up as late as I want, you can't stop me. Seriously, I will throw your ass right in the trash and light up one of your friends. Actually, I won't, because I don't stay up until 5am (and what kind of loser blows out a tealight? I'll tell you what kind: the same kind that eats half a pack of M&M's, and saves the rest for "later"). You tealights are pathetic, and you come in at number eight.

7. Boxes with handles that aren't equipped to handle their load.

That's right, beer 12 packs, this one's for you. Your little handles are worthless pieces of shit. Do you know how stupid I look when I'm walking out of the store, carrying you on your stupid little handle, and then you break on me? Asshole. The only way I could look any stupider is by carrying you under your dumbass bottom with both arms, which is what I have to do. You're lucky I'm not drunk when I buy you, or you'd get the ass kicking you deserve. Number seven.

6. Jet Blue

You want to strand me in NYC with no other means of getting home? Guess what, I found a way - a flipping rental car. Too bad I live in Colorado. Partner up with another airline so your customers will have an option outside of the two you gave me: (1) wait in JFK for five days until we get you on a flight, or (2) Get a hotel in MANHATTAN AT CHRISTMAS and wait those five days. You are number six.

5. Gas prices

Yeah, maybe I should get my fat ass on my bike a bit more, but how can I do a WTF top ten in August 07 and not complain about gas prices? I hate you stupid prices, and the signs you hang out on. $5.



4. Every "journalist" who's not Jim Lehrer or Christiane Amanpour (plus a few others, Lara Logan comes to mind; use your own judgement).

Do you think we give a crap about what Nicole Richie is doing these days? No. You know who does care? The people who watch the E! Channel. You like to mock me with your stupid suits and fancy dresses...you think you're smarter than me? You're celebrity obsessed whiny assholes, and you're also number four.

3. The MySpace Top Twelve

So if I don't answer your comment/message/IM right away, I get demoted on your top twelve? Is that supposed to hurt my feelings? It actually just makes me embarrassed that I'm friends with someone as superficial as you. Pathetic = three.


2. Best Buy Geek Squad

You, with your stupid little ties and dumbass emo glasses. I hate you. Enough said. #2.


1. Tiny bikes

I realize I'm old every time I see an guy riding around on this:



Seriously, you look like an idiot. You don't look cool, and you aren't going to get chicks riding around on the bike I had when I was seven. Where are your little streamers? And what about the bell? Ringa-ding-ding, here comes an asshole! You peddled your way to number ONE.

Trial in the Channon Christian - Chris Newsom murders a year away

Eager to find out if the four major defendants in the Channon Christian / Chris Newsom murders are as guilty as they seem? Well, you've got a year to wait.

Twenty-four year old Letalvis Cobbins will lead this merry band of (alleged) rapists and murderers to court on May 12, 2008. His girlfriend, nineteen year old Vanessa Coleman will come next (June 16th), followed by the alleged ringleader, twenty-five year old Lemaricus Davidson (July 14), and the state will conclude with the case against twenty-four year old George Thomas, whose trial begins on August 11th. The fifth defendant, charged only as an accessory after the fact, is, according to Jamie Satterfield of KnoxNews (News Sentinel), likely to be in court later this year.

I'm no lawyer, but I really don't understand the long delay...they've got all the physical evidence from the bodies, of course, and have multiple confessions as these four brainiacs have done nothing but sell each other out since they were apprehended back in January. I'm guessing that this will spur more conspiracy discussion; if they drag the wait out long enough, we'll just forget about it, right? Wrong. We're watching now, and we'll be watching in 2008. I'm sure commentary (including my own) will slow down along with the news, but we'll be back - they can count on that. Maybe this is just standard operating procedure...like I said, I'm no lawyer and I sure don't plan on becoming one. I did, however, do a little research on these crimes in regard to capital punishment. When considering current circumstances in relation to Tennessee law, it does seem that prosecutors are aiming for the death penalty - not a surprise. Several of the charges against the four standing accused are "aggravated" offenses, which the prosecution can use to push for death. Further to that, three of the four defendants have lawyers who are qualified to assist in death penalty cases - and all four have two lawyers, which Tennessee requires in death penalty cases. Unfortunately for the families, should the trials result in a verdict of death the defendants are likely to sit on the Tennessee death row for years, perhaps even decades. State law requires review by the Court of Criminal Appeals and the state Supreme Court. There will, of course, also be appeals, delays, red tape...if convicted, we the taxpayers will be footing the bill for all of that. Nice.

Okay, people - keep checking back. I will continue to comb through the government documents and news reports and post what I feel to be the most pertinent information right here. I also encourage you to flag Satterfield's reports as s/he (Jamie...can't be sure) has been doing a great job of covering this case so far.

Other than that, keep following the case; we need to make sure it's known that inbred white racists in the south aren't the only ones paying attention.

The Channon Christian - Christopher Newsom Murders

On January 7th, 2007, twenty-one year old Channon Christian and twenty-three year old Christopher Newsom left a restaurant in Tennessee after having what would be their last dinner together. While en route to a the home of a friend, the two were carjacked...apparently Channon's 4-Runner wasn't enough, as they were then abducted, raped and murdered.

I've actually spent a disturbing about of time reading true crime reports, and this one was shocking even to me. However, the reader should keep in mind that this information is all coming from local Knoxville papers and interviews - until the actual trial begins, who knows what will continue to change.

Chris was raped first, while Channon was made to watch. After finishing with Chris, the perpetrators allegedly shot him three times, wrapped him in a blanket/comforter, set his body on fire and left him next to some railroad tracks.
Channon was, of course, also raped, although how long it lasted is as yet unclear. Channon's dismembered body was found in their trash can - INSIDE THE HOUSE - by police on Tuesday...tower signals from Channon's cell phone led Knoxville PD right to the shithole.

Evidence tying those currently awaiting trail includes a finger print on an envelope in Channon's car, a lease on the home her body was found in and apparently a confession. Police in Knoxville (who really must be given props for their quick handling of this case) are understandably reticent regarding the details.

Here's the kick: there's quite a bit of controversy regarding the fact that this case hasn't been given any national media attention (I heard about it from snopes.com, which I have as a displayed module on my Yahoo home page). The "problem" is that the five alleged murderers are black, and the two victims were white.


Let me begin by saying that this case makes me rethink my stance on the death penalty. I was - and I remain - so disgusted by this case that I cannot get it out of my mind for more than an hour at a time...I bet that's an hour more than Chris or Channon’s parents. How would you deal with that, knowing that the last hours of your child's life were spent like this? That they were being tortured, humiliated, raped...and, most likely, knowing that when it was over they would die? I understand the fury many people are feeling; I understand the drive for vengeance. I read that Gary Christian, Channon's father, was making shooting gestures at Boyd (one of the alleged perpetrators) while in court...I can't blame him. In fact, that seems quite restrained to me.

Now…time for a reality check. People, this isn't an issue of the national media ignoring a story because it's black on white crime. Seriously you morons, what was the most covered trial in our lifetimes? OJ Who? Hmm.....wasn't that one about a black man who killed a white woman? If the intrigue is there, the media will report it. However, as pointed out by snopes, this story lacks the ratings trifecta: celebrity, mystery or extraordinary sympathy (as we get in crimes against very small children, like JonBenet). The fact is, while these five are awaiting trial, there just isn’t that much news to report. I too hope that the media will pick up a little bit in order to, at the very least, ensure the harshest possible penalty should these five turn out to be as guilty as they seem. One already found an attorney who was willing to fight extradition from Kentucky (where she had fled to), so who knows what they’ll try next. All have entered pleas of not guilty. Pfft.

Still…the racism that has surfaced since this crime has simply amazed me. Though, it is good to see white men finally standing up to say they're just not going to take it anymore! Yeah, white boys - you've been down for so long...glad you're able to exploit the deaths of Channon and Chris in order to vent your vile sentiments. Shut the fuck up - you would have fared well in Montgomery back in ‘54...anymore, not so much.

Man…sometimes I really hate people.

To those of you with a basic level of decency, should you devote any of your own time whatsoever to thinking about this case, let it be in memory of Channon and Christopher. I've had the weirdest thoughts the past week, especially about Channon. I guess since I'm a college student myself, I have a special sympathy for her. I keep thinking of all those tests she took, all those papers she wrote, all that time she spent working on her degree in Sociology - she was a senior at the University of Tennessee - and it was all for nothing. These five people (allegedly) stole Channon's future from her. They stole Chris's future from him. There will be no happy ending to this story.

How to lead the people to war...

This post isn't a blog entry. I'm putting it here because I realize that many of my classmates have probably put their postings off to the end of the semester. Please feel free to comment, but again - you aren't commenting to a blog I submitted to Dr. Anderson. My blogs are further down on this page.

This is a brief exchange between Gustave Gilbert, a German intelligence officer, and Hermann Goering, who was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Nuremberg trials following WWII.

Let's be smart from here on out, people. Don't be sheep - don't blindly believe what you're told by politicians.

- Stacy

Here's the exchange (emphasis mine):

April 18, 1946:

"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering shrugged. "That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."

"There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

The new attack ad

If you think that Big Brother is a reality show, just move on now.

However, for those of you who know 1984, check out the recently released attack ad against Hillary Clinton.



Here's the original Mac ad from over two decades ago:


Do we buy Hillary as Big Brother, the voice of 'mindless conformity'?

I don't.

Yet, is the ad effective? Has it, by now, already been seen by tens of millions of Americans? Even if they don't get the reference, mustn't we concede that they may perhaps be influenced by ads like this?

Yes.

The individual responsible for this ad has yet to come forward. How it can't be tracked, I don't know. I'd imagine the ties to Barack's campaign are closer than he'd like to let on - I hope not, but we'll see. It'll come out.

This is the future of attack ads - and, daisies aside (if you actually get the daisy reference, I admire you...most won't) the new attack ads are proving to be more captivating than ever.

We're in for one hell of an election season...

The woman we'll hate no matter what

Hillary Clinton is doomed...and it's all our fault.

Our country seems desperate not for strong leadership, but for more of the same - someone “just like us.” On March fourteenth, the New York Times published The Really Real Hillary, a piece in which guest columnist Judith Warner attempts to analyze Senator Clinton's perceived shortcomings as a woman and the uphill battle she faces in appealing to the American public. Ms. Warner quotes Emily’s List president and founder Ellen Malcolm as saying that Hillary “will be a president of the United States who is like us,” a sentiment shared by literally tens of Americans. Though she attempts to skewer this notion, the fact that Ms. Warner and others continue to focus on likeability over competence only furthers to cement the likeability issue as one of prominent importance in the minds of American voters.

Listen up, people: you’re never going to have a Busch with Bush or a Corona with Clinton. Rudy Giuliani, Barack Obama and John McCain have no idea who you are, and they never will. Get over it. We aren’t electing our new best friend, but rather the person who is most qualified to lead our great country for the next four years.

Senator Clinton will continue to take considerable heat for not being the 'everywoman' as long as Americans are threatened by her...in other words, permanently. Here is a woman who has achieved goals greater than most of us will ever reach, and that just doesn’t make us feel good about our own accomplishments. On some level, we don’t feel the need to 'compete' with John McCain or Barack Obama because there is still a lingering sentiment that some men are, if not predestined, at least hormonally equipped for extraordinary success. But how did Senator Clinton get to where she is now? Did she actually work harder than the rest of us? Did she sacrifice more? Is she - gasp - really smarter than we are?

It’s quite interesting to consider just how the Senator Clinton has been framed in the media. Like most Americans, I expected that a woman running for office would be subjected to criticism regarding her emotions: the old “she‘ll lose it once a month” crap. Uncontrolled emotions, though, aren’t something Senator Clinton is famous for (alleged lamp hurling aside…justified, if you ask me), and so our criticism must be redirected. We instead criticize her for being cold, heartless, and unable to connect with the soccer moms across the country. We say we want our nation’s president to be a strong, secure individual, yet it is those very things for which Senator Clinton comes under fire; I doubt that she’ll ever be able to live up to the image we project on her.

The issue of the double-bind isn’t new to Senator Clinton. In a 1995 interview with the Houston Chronicle, the then first lady admitted that she’d “come to accept the fact that it’s an inevitable double bind…no matter what I do…you’re bound to be criticized if you don’t fit some category, a stereotype that people wish to impose on you.” Sadly, twelve years later, she continues to struggle with the same problem. To be relatable, she must find the balance between being a woman and being a viable candidate for the highest office in the United States. In essence, she needs to appeal to a country of people who have already decided that they don't like her - personally.

The bottom line is that women who have achieved great success are held to a much higher level of personal accountability than are men with similar achievements. I really don’t know how Senator Clinton manages to keep it all in…I can only imagine the brief satisfaction that would be felt by yelling out, “You know what? I deserve what I’ve earned. I’ve worked harder, sacrificed more, achieved a level of greatness that most of you will never know…and guess what - I’m just plain smarter than you.” Luckily, Senator Clinton is far more restrained (and mature) than I.

In the end, smarts don’t seem to matter much when it comes to winning over the American public…maybe Hillary can have another cookie bakeoff instead. We’d eat that up.

Cheney's Spirit of Strom Thurmond

Even death can't keep Strom Thurmond out of the news.

The former Republican Senator from South Carolina, a prominent opponent of desegregation and co-author of the Southern Manifesto, has been resurrected through reports detailing the shameful slave ownership of his ancestors.

While it's not news that the family once owned slaves, recent reports
tying a prominent African-American spiritual leader and social activist to the Thurmond family have given a face to what is terribly difficult for those of us never affected by the times to imagine. On February 25th, it was reported that Reverend Al Sharpton is a descendant of slaves owned by the Thurmond family, a revelation Reverend Sharpton referred to as “probably the most shocking thing in my life.”

Ahh, inequality in America. Due in part to Senator Barack Obama’s bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, the issue of race in America is clearly something we’ll be seeing more and more of in the months to come. In fact, even the accomplishments of Senator Obama are being overshadowed by a study indicating that his paternal ancestors were likely slave owners themselves. Receiving much less media attention is the fact that the same study also shows that Republican Senator John McCain and former Democratic Senator John Edwards, both 2008 Presidential hopefuls, are also descendants of slave owners.

Having owned slaves in any capacity is reprehensible; on this all civilized Americans will agree. Still, why the nearly exclusive focus on Senator Obama? The criticism leveled against Senator Obama is not only a smear campaign against an African-American who has an excellent shot of becoming America's first African-American president, but is also a way to lessen the guilt many whites feel about their own ancestral history. The fact that an African-American has ties not to slaves, but to slave owners, makes for a juicy soundbite. The “liberal media” needs to take a page from the Obama playbook and highlight the fact that while Obama’s paternal ancestors were far from perfect, they also broke the chain of racism in their own home, eventually raising a son who met, fell in love with and married a Kenyan student who would eventually go on to mother Senator Obama, a man who may well be President of the United States.

Any why, liberal media, with all the attention surrounding slave ownership, segregation and Strom Thurmond haven’t you been showing this picture?





That’s right, Vice President Dick Cheney chose to fly around the middle east in The Spirit of Strom Thurmond, a C-17 Globemaster that has been in use by the United States Air Force since 2002. How much common sense must one possess to demand, oh, I don't know - ANYTHING BUT THAT? I guess The Passion of James Earl Ray wasn't available.


Apparently Dick felt that The Spirit of Strom Thurmond would be less recognizable to terrorists than would Air Force Two. While this choice is clearly pathetic, it’s also unforgivable considering that this is the same politician who tries to convince the nation that any criticism of the ongoing war in Iraq “hurts our troops.” I’m supposed to believe that a man who would agree to fly in The Spirit of Strom Thurmond actually cares about the feelings of his fellow Americans? How must the thousands of African-Americans serving this country in Iraq feel about the fact that our nation’s second in command sees nothing wrong with flying in a plane named for a racist man who felt that blacks and whites were not to stand side by side?

What is wrong with our “liberal” media? A disgraceful action like this, had it been committed by a member of the Democratic party, would have been covered to no end in the form of talking points by every prominent pundit for the Republican party. Republicans are genius when it comes to talking points: they realize that you can’t get the base fired up over twelve different things every day, so they all work together, focusing entirely the same preselected points. This works not only to ensure that their issue-of-the-day will stay at the forefront, but also cements these preselected "outrages" in the minds of the Republican base. That kind of communication collaboration is brilliant, and speakers for the Democratic party would be well advised to get on board with the tactic.

The fact that Cheney sees nothing wrong with tooling around in The Spirit of Strom Thurmond further proves that there is no mainstream "liberal" media. Had Cheney actually thought otherwise, he never would have flown in a plane bearing such an offensive name. He was able to do so because he knew that his actions would receive minimal coverage from the mainstream media.

Democrats, it's up to us. We need to get on message - a shared message- and expose the current Republican leadership, and those who support it, as the pathetic, power-crazed egomaniacs that they are.