Two Kitties and a Bear

Bollywood starlet Tania Zaetta accused of sex with soldiers in Afghanistan

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:40:58 -0700

Bollywood starlet Tania Zaetta accused of sex with soldiers in Afghanistan: It occurs to me she should be commended, not berated.

"Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don’t..."

Fri, 16 May 2008 11:10:25 -0700

“

Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the “wrong kind of person” for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights.

I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about.

”

- Mildred Loving, on the 40th anniversary of the landmark ruling which ended all race-based legal restrictions on marriage in the United States.

US has Mandela on terrorist list

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:40:33 -0700

US has Mandela on terrorist list: Well, then he probably deserves it.

Militants blow themselves up in Kabul standoff

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:26:12 -0700

Militants blow themselves up in Kabul standoff: You mean to say that you’d rather die in a fiery inferno caused by yourselves than to withstand illegal torture?

Global terror increasing, says US state department

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:23:50 -0700

Global terror increasing, says US state department: Nothing like an invading army to mobilize resistance.

America's forgotten war

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:32:42 -0700

America's forgotten war: Leave it to a UK-based paper to remind us there’s another war going on.

NY police cleared in 50-bullet wedding day shooting

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:55:44 -0700

NY police cleared in 50-bullet wedding day shooting: Sean Bell must have been a supervillain to warrant 50 bullets. I mean, what other explanation is there?

"The “spiritual powers” that led to such great events as the Inquisition and other mass killings of..."

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:51:39 -0700

“The “spiritual powers” that led to such great events as the Inquisition and other mass killings of Jews and the Crusades were most certainly influenced by the false interpretation of celestial configurations and misuse of religious and secular power.”

- Jerry Becker in a NY Times Letter to the Editor

Starbucks "Coffee"

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:19:36 -0700

Starbucks became popular with an interesting tactic: it’s a place with awful drip coffee, so you’re better off buying a $3 mocha instead. This boosted Starbucks’ profits quickly, and established them as “different” and “new”. The customization of a drink also played to the sensibilities of the crowd, each of the mass longing for distinction.

However, in light of the new economic downturn, Starbucks has realized people will purchase fewer expensive drinks. After all, who wants to celebrate a foreclosure at Starbucks? To stave off the bleeding, Starbucks came out with the Pike Place Roast, named after Pike Place Market, the famous Seattle market in which Starbucks maintains its first store. This new roast is marketed so heavily it just has to be good. Starbucks can’t let people down in the drip coffee arena at this stage, or they’re going to lose every last customer.

Starbucks is so heavily investing in this new product they’re having tasting events around the country. Take a look at their description of the product (emphasis mine):

Brewed to be an all-around great up of coffee, Pike Place Roast is our newest blend. With a smoother finish and subtle flavors of cocoa and toasted nuts, this coffee can be enjoyed fresh all day, every day.

This coffee can be enjoyed every day? I supposed that’s better than spitting out the regular shit they serve. Especially for almost $2.

No, wait, no it’s not. You want to help the economy? Go to a local coffee shop. Keep those college kids employed.

"The United States has less than 5 percent of the world’s population. But it has almost a quarter of..."

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:51:15 -0700

“The United States has less than 5 percent of the world’s population. But it has almost a quarter of the world’s prisoners.”

- NY Times

How low will it go?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:55:51 -0700

According to a recent Gallup poll, Bush’s approval rating is at 28% for April 2008, marking the lowest approval rating of his presidential career. This is in stark contrast to the 90% approval rating he enjoyed in September 2001, though perhaps there was an event that sparked national fervor of dogmatic patriotism.

Bush’s approval had dipped to 29% in January 2007, but has rebounded a few points, until declining again between March and April 2008.

Despite not beating Truman’s record-low 22% approval rating, President Bush received the highest disapproval rating: 69%, two full points above Truman’s 67% in 1952. Incidentally this means that of all Gallup polls, Bush maintains the first, third and fifth spots of the highest five disapproval ratings.

According to the polling organization, the respondents had a markedly low “No Opinion” response of 3.5% (rounded up to 4%). Previously, this number had hovered around 10-14% for past presidents.

Slavery in America

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:53:49 -0700

Slavery in America. Hasn’t happened since 1865, right? Wrong, so explains John Bowe in his book, “Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy”. Slavery exists in America today, right at this moment. From undocumented migrants to skilled workers, slavery is surprisingly rampant. The stories in the book are at once fascinating, exposing a rarely-seen side to human behavior.

Take for example the plight of a group of Indian workers whom sacrificed much for an opportunity to work in the United States. Having been promised fair wages and decent lodging, they received wages below the federal minimum (around $2 per hour at best). Near the end of the saga they were forced to stay inside their makeshift barracks, an bunk-bed-filled room hastily built inside the same factory in which they worked. These men were forced to work and live in horrible conditions and were consistently threatened with deportation, even for simply wishing to attend a nearby church service.

Bowe’s book cites a number of such cases, each story perhaps more intriguing than previous. What’s more is how eloquently he explains the depth of each situation and how something so fundamentally black-and-white can reach a depth of murkiness it’s hard to know who’s the bad guy.

Read the book, and follow the continuing story of Slavery in America at Bowe’s blog.

Lift the gas tax, save nothing

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:33:19 -0700

John McCain’s proposal to suspend the gas tax for between Memorial Day and Labor Day is stupid. The gas tax is currently 18 cents per gallon. Let’s say a family goes on vacation and travels 3000 miles (say from Seattle to San Diego and back). And say that family drives a mid-nineties minivan that averages 15 miles a gallon on their trip.

3000 miles divided by 15 equals 200 gallons. 200 gallons times 18 cents equals a savings of $36 if the gas tax is lifted.

So for a vacation, this family saved $36. Then say they still work the rest of the time. The period of time the tax is lifted is about 3 months, and a family will usually go through 10-15 gallons of gas which adds another 200 gallons, give or take. Add another $36 to your savings and you have $72.

Alternatively, the family could forgo the trip, choosing instead to save the hundreds of dollars spent on gas, food, and lodging by having a local vacation. A significant, if incidental, benefit is reduced emissions.

Welcome to the US, dark lord.

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:58:14 -0700

Welcome to the US, dark lord.

Calling it a housing slowdown is like saying the Titanic was a “boating setback”....

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:17:01 -0700

Calling it a housing slowdown is like saying the Titanic was a “boating setback”. We’re at the beginning of the swell, the beginnings of a wave that’ll knock the entire world on its ass financially.

Cheap shots are not wins—in fact, they’re quite the opposite: they increase the noise, reducing the...

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:27:37 -0700

Cheap shots are not wins—in fact, they’re quite the opposite: they increase the noise, reducing the clarity of the signal.

Dear Ariana, Your Huffington Post is a great resource for progressives to read about and discuss...

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:29:50 -0700

Dear Ariana,

Your Huffington Post is a great resource for progressives to read about and discuss events political, but the ever-worsening sensationalist headlines are damaging the site’s credibility.

Love and Kisses,

Jared

P.S. It’s a shame you didn’t become our Governor. I always liked you best.

Top US general 'hoodwinked' over aggressive interrogation

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:12:28 -0700

Top US general 'hoodwinked' over aggressive interrogation: We should not be surprised by this.

18.5% PTSD Rate

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:23:52 -0700

According to the LA Times, 18.5% of Iraq, Afghanistan veterans have depression or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. With the support of the war in Iraq at an all-time low, and the lack of coverage of the conflict in Afghanistan, it’s common for soldiers coming home to wonder if they were justified.