I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

Some nutjob sent me this long post--didn't bother to read his right-wing religious extremest drivel--chastising for comparing Palin to a jihadist.

Hey, I call it like I see it, sunshine. A religious extremist/fantatic is a religious extremeist/fanatic, no matter WHAT that religion is.

I deleted it, cos well, it's MY blog, and not a newspaper editorial and if the neo-nazi'a erm--neo con's don't like it, TOO BAD!

Free speach runs both ways dipwad!

Additionally, one of the Constitutional rights of ALL Americans, isn't only free speech, but freedom from having your government tell you what religion to belive in! THAT'S what "separation of church and state means!"

Not everyone wants to believe in "creationism," and that's their RIGHT. To force your own narrow religous views on all Americans--with total disregard, and utter disrespect for the beliefs and the RIGHTS of others!

Forcing non-fundamentalist Americans to accept your beliefs---is UNAMERICAN! It's what a dictators do, NOT a democracy!

If I choose to side with SCIENCE instead of some narrow faith, that's my RIGHT! If Muslims in another country, decided that Christians in their schools, had to start wearing Burkas, would Christian Fundamentalists be OK with that? No, they wouldn't. So why would they think it's okay to shove their religious beliefs on creationism, on Americans who CHOOSE not to believe in this theory? You can't be pro-American, while forcing people to cater solely to one religion--we are a nation of many peoples and religions, and if the "fundies" don't like it--too bad!

This ISN'T a democratic nation any longer--you cannot have freedom when you put conditions on it, that interfere with other peoples beliefs and ideas!

FURTHERMORE:

Saying you went to war on a "mission from God" is a JIHAD! Anyone who says otherwise is totally delusional! Get some therapy, people.

In the wake of the USA not thumbing their noses at Venezuala--one of our major sources for oil shipments, thereby possible ensuring that we lose all oil delivery's from there, AND, with hurricane Ike bearing down on the USA's largest refineries....it is predicted that motorists may soon be paying upwards of $5 dollars a gallon or more, for their petrol. In a nation with poor public transport--only in cities, and lots of rural towns and long-distance commutes for workers, a nation who depends largely on large 18-wheeler trucks for transport of goods, a nation very dependant on petrol fuel---this could be the beginning of the end, for American prosperity. Certainly, despite efforts (too little too late) by the federal reserve, America most certainly now be headed into a deep recession...and if any more hurricanes develop, or if more banks crash, this could, conceivably, lead to a depression.

It's a gloomy, overcast day here on my side of the pond...humid, too, not even pleasantly chilly in an autumn-like way.

So far, I've burnt the bacon, undercooked my eggs, and my hash-brown potato patties were still partly frozen...and I have to work at least 4 hours today, 10 to 2, calling a lot of cranky, rude, obnoxious Americans. Bleh.

Gah--I had people ranting and carrying on to me yesterday..over a flippin' wrong number! And while many American "men" often behave like a bunch of untrained spoiled brats, American women...well, they a NO ladies...sluts, bi*ches and little horrors perhaps, but no...one would EVER be able to describe some of these...women, as "ladies." Let's just say I stand by my opinion that the bulk of American men are emotionally castrated, 'cos very definitely, these wives and girlfriends and daughters, wear the jockey shorts in the family...in fact, I'd rather talk to a trucker, than one of these nasty pieces of work in a skirt, 'cos the trucker has BETTER manners!!!

There...got that off my chest.

Americans are a bunch of mentally lazy fools, though:

I had a guy express total shock, because he had no idea that there had been THREE presidential assassinations in our history. The man had read a short article in some history magazine, about the President McKinley assassination...then goes on to pat himself on the back and say, "Oh I LOVE American history, I know all about it." EY???

Yeah, and after the guy finished going on and on about how fascinating learning about this was...I mentioned that where I lived played a part in that, as it was near here that Roosevelt was vacationing, and was forced to his mad dash by stangecoach and train, to be sworn in as President. After a silent pause, the "history buff" said, "I thought Roosevelt was in WWII." (bang head against desk time.)

It's true though...many Americans have no clue who Teddy Roosevelt is (as I tell them, 'he's the guy with the 'tache, carved on Mount Rushmore.' Ohhhh.) I mean, the man only lead the charge up San Jaun Hill in the Spanish-American War, helped to create our present National Park system, took us into WWI....but most Yanks knowlege of their own country, is pretty much limited to Washington, Lincoln, the Civil War, and WWII. Talk to them about the French and Indian (Queen Anne's) war, the true reasons for the Revolution, ANYTHING that happened between 1776 to just before the Civil War, or, ANYTHING post Civil War to the start of WWII...and the bulk of Americans would be completely lost! They'd just stare at you stupidly, blink, and go "Huh?"

I'm pleased to report that I've just read where the US Coast Guard has been in contact with that stranded freighter out in the Gulf of Mexico, and that it--so far--as weathered the worst of the storm, with all 22 seamen safe and sound. A tug is to be dispatched to their location noon, US Central Standard Time (about 1800 British time) on Saturday, to bring the boat back into shore for repairs.

So, at least some good news has come out of this storm.

At the moment, Galviston is feeling the first brunt of the storm, which was headed, last time I looked at the radar, in a bee-line for our nation's forth-largest city, Houston. The storm as I'm writing this, is a category 2, with sustained max. winds of 110 miles per hour. It is some 600 miles across--nearly the size of Texas itself.

Texas isn't the only one with problems from this storm, as Louisiana is dealing with massive flooding--coming on the heels of Hurricane Gustav, and now has a serious of violent thunderstorms--complete with tornadoes, to deal with, as well.

1. Many universities these days have relaxed their rules. In some cases, student are being allowed to eat their lunches during class. How do you feel about this?

None of my college classes EVER allowed students to eat during class...unless, if was a party, of course, or if food was a part of a presentation or demonstration. That's okay. But, I think eating in the classroom,--just like keeping your mobile turned on, or excessive swearing, loudly smacking your bubble gum, etc, is all in very poor taste, and these poorly trained (by their parents) students should crawl go back to the nursery wither they came, so the REAL students can actually concentrate on learning something.

Can you tell that's a wee bit of a pet peeve of mine?

__________________________________________________________________

2. If you were forced to work at a retail store for 10 hours every week for the next year, which store would you choose to work for and why?

Oh, I don't know. Probably either a saddle shop, a book shop, or an antique shop. 'Cos I'm an semi-expert on saddles and used to be a serious antique saddle collector, I grew up around books and adore them, and I like history, and think antiques are rather cool.

_________________________________________________________________

3. What do you do to keep your mind and body fit?

My mind, well, I suppose writing and reading, maybe playing card games like cribbage on the computer, keep my mind fairly active...tho' not as active as when I was in college, and had not only lectures, but continual conversations with professors and students, to keep me engaged.

Fit? What's that? For someone of my weight, I used to be extremely fit-walking everywhere all the time, or cycling into town, or swimming, pitching horseshoes, etc. Since my foot injury last year--well, let's just say I'm lucky to be limping, and not using a walker or a cane. I try not to let it slow me down--but, alas, it does indeed. Truth is, continual pain--even moderate pain-- is very exhausting, and walking just plain hurts...some days more than others, and you do get used to it, but still...long walks are pretty much in the past, now, as well as cycling. I still, once in a long while, do long walks...but gah--, it leaves me just wrung out, afterwards

________________________________________________________________________________

4. If you could have a meal from anywhere in the planet delivered to you today from any restaurant in the world, what would you order and from whom?

Wow. That's a tall order. Hmm--believe it or not, I'd say a fish and chips dinner from Ted's Fish Fry in Watervliet, NY--served with their fantastic homemade coleslaw, and one of their yummy coffee flavoured milkshakes...

...and, since this is fantasy time, I'd also order it delivered with six mini- hot dogs with the works, and an order of cheese fries (chips) from Hot Dog Charlie's in Maplewood, NY. Hey, it's half past 9pm (21.30) I haven't eaten since 2pm, and I'm STARVIN'!

___________________________________________________________________________

5. A funeral home in Idaho in the US, is offering funeral webcasts for people who cannot attend a funeral in person. If you could not attend a funeral in person, would you watch it online?

You've GOT to be kidding me! No! That's just too....tacky. I mean, I can see it, in a RARE case, if say, a close loved one is stuck far away, like the Middle east, or Australia or someplace like that, and can't be there...but...no, I'd find it very low-brow, as a general option. Maybe a memorial service in a church or something, but a wake/funeral? Just another way for US funeral homes to rake in even more cash.

Just got in from working a few hour's make up time at work. Crap. Should'a stayed home...gah---Americans are miserable pigs on the phone, sometimes!

I was reading someone's discarded newspaper between calls...story about people who stayed behind to ride out the hurricane...most putting their trust in God, and saying basically, "meh, when your time is up, your time is up, God won't let me die".... yeah, and if you do something stupid like stay in a place after weathermen have told you staying there means "certain death"--it's not about it being "your time,"---it's about you being an IDIOT.

I've heard that God protects fools--now I believe it.

One guy was with a group of people with their camera-phones, taking pictures for their families to see. A man looked at the 20 foot wind-lashed waves, grinned, and said, "This is gonna' be FUN!" Oh yeah, getting smashed to bits by 100+ mph winds, or drowned in 20 foot storm surges--hot dang, Jim-Bob, we finally get to have something exciting happen around these here parts!

One women in the group, was taking pictures of herself in front of the huge waves, making comical faces. Yeah, great. I'm sure your kids will be thrilled to have their last ever pictures of you, of you making a silly face.

But, this is TEXAS, George W. Bush's home state, the state with the most religious cults--you know, the one's with the remote compounds, the off-shoot "churches," which refuse to pay taxes or obey laws, abuse women and children, shoot at trespassers and commit mass suicide---and of course, the KKK is still quite popular in parts of Texas, as well.

Speaking of water, I got home just in time--about 5 minutes after I got home, it began weeing down with heavy rain. Didn't have my umbrella, 'cos it hadn't been hardly raining, when I went to work. Strangely, it was actually warmer (and more humid) at 7pm (1900), than it was at 5pm.

Well, I'm going to read a bit, fiddle around on the internet, maybe make a sandwich for supper. Have a good night, all.