Does anyone remember the Green Machine? It was like a bigwheel except you steer it with two levers. It kind of operated on the same principle as a bobcat. My neighbor had one and we were all jealous. We had Bigwheels. Sure, you could do a break slide with them, but it didn't have the levers, man. The Green Machine was different and we all loved it...no matter how hard it was to ride. My neighbor finally got sick of it and used some components of the former "green menace" to make a go cart. It actually rode much better than the machine. Eventually, we grew too big. I remember the day I outgrew my Bigwheel. I was so sad. Good thing I got my drivers license a week later.

Still on the road,

theblaast
citizen

Memorial Day. A day dedicated to remembering the men and women who lost their lives in the service of our country.

When I was a child, our whole neighborhood would get together for food and games. The adults would have drinks and talk. We kids would play and enjoy the extra day off of school. Sometime during the festivities everyone would gather around the picnic tables and observe a moment of silence for the fallen. As kids we didn't understand what we were honoring, nor did we care. We wanted to get back to doing kid stuff. Our parents cared though, so they made us pretend to.

A close family friend was in the infantry during Vietnam. His father was at Pearl Harbor. My father was lucky enough to have a high lottery number and go to college. His brother served in Vietnam. My mother's father was in WWII. War was not revered in my house, it was feared. No one I have ever met who has served in war wants another one.

Our president never served. In fact he used his father's influence and power to get a place in the Air National Guard. He did not even complete the requirements of the "champagne squad". He went AWOL. You all know he did. As president he invaded a country and destroyed it for oil. He cut benefits for veterans, he did not guarantee the soldiers he sent into battle had the necessary equipment. He lies about progress while more Americans die. He allows Walter Reed. He sends the National Guard to foreign soil. He extends and increases deployments. He has broken our military.
The same guy who now calls himself the "War President" is going to acknowledge the fallen in a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery today. Truly a callous and hypocritical display. It reminds me of how I felt as a child during our moments of silence. I didn't know and I didn't care. I did what was expected and couldn't wait to get back to my fun. I have a feeling W will be thinking the same thing. He neither understands nor cares. He does it because he has to. He'd rather be with Barny at the ranch. In the list of qualities this president is plagued by, narcissim is right behind ignorance. A deadly combination...literally.

But OUR apathy allowed this war to start and OUR apathy allows it to continue. Gone are the protests and revolution of the Vietnam Era. Repalced by internet petitions and sporadic under-attnded rallies. Seventy percent of us think this war is wrong and we should get out. Precious few do anything about it. Sad. Unless we start, this administration will keep adding to the ranks of future Memorial honorees and keep laughing all the way to the bank.

To truly honor the dead, we can make sure that a fear mongering chicken hawk like Bush is never allowed the reigns of power again.
We can always be vigilant in the questioning of our government. We can demand the truth and hold accountable those who lie. We can REQUIRE that war is the LAST RESORT. This year we can honor them by doing whatever we can to bring our people home from Iraq. I think Bush, Cheney, and the Carlyle Group have made enough money off of the blood of our dead brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, friends and fellow Americans.

Fight the power,

theblaast
citizen

Do any guys like to wear them? I'm sure some do, but this one doesn't. We have a wedding tomorrow, a friend of my girl's. It actually said on the invitation "Jacket Required". Now I could understand if we were in the family or were expected to be in some pictures, but we aren't. Or maybe if the wedding was between royalty. It's not. We can't even make it to the actual ceremony cuz J has to work. Just the dinner and reception. You basically have to walk in wearing one, then no one cares...I hope. I tell you what, if we get to the reception and all the men still have their jackets on, I'm searching the basement for pods. I've been to a lot of weddings and the first thing on the back of the chair is always the sport coat (Why do they call them sport coats? What sport can you participate in wearing one of these fuckin things? A better name would be nap coats or end of life wear), followed quickly by the ladies shoes, under the same chair.

Now I know women are used to wearing some items of clothing that look better than they feel, but not men. At least not this one. I'm sure the party will be fun, they usually are...unless there is no Lambruso. That would be unfortunate. In an unfortuntate way, unfortunately. I'm going and will have a good time because I love J. That is the only reason.

P.S. Oh yeah, I look fucking great in a suit.

Humbly,

theblaast
lookin good

Nose hair, get rid of it all. Why couldn't we have some kind of organic hepafilter way in the back of our nostrils to do the same thing? Maintenance alone is tough. I'm super anal about it. I used to get in my car and drive to the end of our driveway to get the perfect light to pull by. That's right, I don't cut, I yank. Sure, there are alot of sneezes and a few tears, but my compulsive, quasi-masochistic need to get rid of every single hair in my nose overrides all. It is a heavy price to pay, yet one I will gladly accept. Cuz sometimes you see someone whose nose looks like a party favor. With tenacity and hard work, that won't ever be me.

Fight the power,

theblaast
citizen

What is victory in Iraq? An oil deal. More specifically getting the new Iraqi government to sign an oil reconciliation bill that privatizes 81% of Iraq's oil. Of course, the Iraqis don't want to give the bulk of their oil production potential over to private companies, allowing them to make huge profits. We removed Saddam to rip off his treasure. Powered by the quasi-patriotic fervor following 9/11, this criminal and un-American administration skillfully duped the public into believing Iraq had something to do with the 9/11 attacks and had weapons of mass d.
Not just a few, but stockpiles.
We, as a nation, bought it hook line and sinker.

Of course if you really think about it, it's not hard realize that this illegal war was to line the pockets of big energy. When Bush was "made" by the supreme court in 2000, Big Energy was riding shotgun. This Bush cartel has deep pockets and long slimy tendrils of influence. The good ole boys have smelled the money in Iraq since 1990. Disappointed that we did not march to Baghdad and take what is obviously ours, (cuz thats what Jesus would do...and he's American), big energy and their neo-con henchman plotted, planned, and waited. September 2001 they saw their chance. Riding a perfect storm of nationalism, a weak, easily manipulated press, a propaganda infrastructure that has been up and running since the seventies, and Arabic looking bad guys, the crime family made their move. The bait and switch. Somehow 15 out of 19 hijackers from Saudi Arabia and none from Iraq meant Saddam caused 9/11. Sure Ok.

The Bush administration are criminals and racketeers, we American people subscribe to the "ignorance is bliss" protocol for our politicians, and the American press wrote what they were told.
Now almost five years later America is in worse shape in terms of security, finance, geo-politics, civil liberties, international respect, and our ability to foment change around the world. Close to 3500 Am soldiers killed, tens of thousands injured, hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis, a country destroyed, 11 billion dollars a week.

"If we leave, they will follow us over here." The mantra of the stupid. This nine word phrase and it's small minded advocates are just enough to keep us in Iraq until Bush gets the oil or Bush leaves office. Which he might not do...can anyone say Martial Law. I'm sure that's one of the words that George can say, quite clearly.

Submitted for thought,

theblaast
citizen