- Discover what you hold important and prioritize your list. I'm serious. Make a list and shift the items around until they're in order. Revisit your list from time to time, and shift issues around as necessary. Evaluate each candidate as you would a new job, a new employer, a retirement plan or long term plan for your children.
- Think genuinely for yourself. Gather information from a wide range of resources. Don't stop until you've weighed each side of an issue and evaluated it honestly.
- Use information to bolster or augment your position, but be honest with yourself always.
- Don't be a follower just because it's the cool thing to do. You lose the power of your individuality this way!
- See through the BS, the sound bites and the media slant (in both directions).
- Listen as much for what is NOT said as for what is.
- Look for ulterior motives always. There usually is one.
- Don't dole out the benefit of the doubt. If it isn't clear, chances are... it's muddy.
- Ben Franklin once said, "He that lies down with dogs, shall rise up with fleas." I'm reasonably certain he wasn't referring to those of us who actually sleep with our dogs, so keep that in mind.
- Vote your convictions, but keep in mind that conviction is defined as the state of being convinced or compelled; a strong persuasion or belief. Voting is not to be taken lightly. It's important... so don't let anyone else do your thinking for you!
Friday, April 04, 2008
Ten Steps To The Voting Booth
Friday, February 22, 2008
A Nonconformist and Anonymous Conformist
This blog is called 'anonconformist' for two reasons:
- Nonconformist: My belief in, yea commitment to, social freedoms paired with my conservative stance on social programs, taxation, illegal immigration, and the war on terror... yields me a nonconformist in any party, any culture or subculture. In spite of my position in life, the social circles in which I travel and the body in which I was born, the sum total of my beliefs do not mirror, in any way, shape or form, the views of most of my peers.
- Anon(ymous) Conformist: I love a good debate, but I also respect the rights to other opinions. I'll confess to you that I shock the bjeebers out of friends when I make my points, for they have little or no factual ammunition with which to retort. I never take the opportunity to revel or drive the point home, because I believe we learn more when our backs aren't up against a wall. And so, in my own mind, if no other... I am an anonymous conformist.
I Don't Heart Huckabee
On the surface and earlier in the presidential marathon, Mike Huckabee has seemed to me to be... while likely not the candidate I would vote for, certainly an all around good guy with whom I would enjoy sharing a meal or a heart-to-heart conversation.
As this political season has progressed however, and as I have come to know him better, I'm pretty sure I've changed my mind.
Forget my bulleted list, my sentiment could not be better expressed.
As this political season has progressed however, and as I have come to know him better, I'm pretty sure I've changed my mind.
Forget my bulleted list, my sentiment could not be better expressed.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
To the Iranian People
The Tehran Times, obviously an officially approved news outlet, names Columbian University... "school of scandal", going so far as to challenge our freedom of expression.
Now to the Iranian people... it is not you or your ideology, culture or religion that is objectionable to Americans.
It is your leader, your government that we oppose.
Speaking for myself, as well as many of my fellow Americans...
Let's put politics and leaders aside. We embrace you. We perceive the weight of your shackles. And we empathisize with you. Like most of you, most of us, too, want to live freely in a safe world.
As Americans, we often disagree with our representative government, but we find comfort in knowing that the power to change it lies within us.
I wish you the same.
Now to the Iranian people... it is not you or your ideology, culture or religion that is objectionable to Americans.
It is your leader, your government that we oppose.
Speaking for myself, as well as many of my fellow Americans...
Let's put politics and leaders aside. We embrace you. We perceive the weight of your shackles. And we empathisize with you. Like most of you, most of us, too, want to live freely in a safe world.
As Americans, we often disagree with our representative government, but we find comfort in knowing that the power to change it lies within us.
I wish you the same.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Mahmoud... What Was That About Freedom of Expression?
It seems that expression is not so free today, as Iran’s judiciary sealed off the offices of a popular news website critical of Ahmadinejad’s policies. This extreme measure was called for, after journalists continued to update the website in spite of official filtering.
Rights groups and diplomats say there is a broad crackdown on dissenting voices in the Islamic state, which is under growing Western pressure over its disputed nuclear programme. The authorities deny such moves, saying they allow free speech.
Blocking access to Baztab.com earlier this year was seen as part of the clampdown. Updates to the Web site, which is published in English and Farsi, were still available to Internet users outside Iran until the offices were sealed.
The last item on the Web site carried the headline: “The wish of the presidential office was realised and Baztab’s offices were sealed off”. The site, when accessed via a link outside Iran, indicated it was last updated on Sept. 23.
“Baztab’s offices were sealed off on Wednesday. The judiciary says that as the Web site has been filtered, its offices should be closed down as well,” Mohammad Javad Barbarian, Baztab’s managing director, was quoted by Etemad-e Melli daily as saying.
Baztab was banned in February on several charges, including ”spreading lies”. It reopened in March and continued to publish articles critical of the government, particularly its economic policies. It was filtered again -- meaning access was blocked -- in April.
Baztab is the second news Web site to be banned in recent months. Iran’s labour news agency, ILNA, which often reported on workers’ protests and arrests of rights activists, was closed by the authorities in July.
In addition, two prominent pro-reform newspapers, Ham Mihan and Sharq, both critical of the government, have been shut down.
Although Iran says it allows free speech, journalists say they have to tread carefully between a growing number of “red lines” to avoid closure. Iran’s culture minister in July said there were signs of a “creeping coup” in the country’s press.
Fun Fact #12: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
And the final Fun Fact... my personal favorite of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments at Columbia University today:
In Iran, we don't have homosexuals like in your country.
We don't have that in our country.
In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon.
I don't know who's told you that we have it.
We don't have that in our country.
In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon.
I don't know who's told you that we have it.
Fun Fact #11: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
One big sigh of relief (read sarcasm) after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's, comments at Columbia University today:
Iran does not want nuclear weapons, only the means to produce peaceful nuclear energy, in spite of sitting on the world's most vast source of fossil fuels,
and hence a ticking time bomb to the coming of Imam.
Wait a minute... NOW I GET IT!
"We are a country. We are a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency. For over 33 years we were a member state of the agency. The bylaw of the agency explicitly states that all member states have the right to the peaceful nuclear fuel technology. This is an explicit statement made in the bylaw. And the bylaw says that there is no pretext or excuse, even the inspections carried by the IAEA itself --
that can prevent member states' right to have that right.
"Of course, the IAEA is responsible to carry out inspections. We are one of the countries that's carried out the most amount of -- level of cooperation with the IAEA. They've had hours and weeks and days of inspections in our country. And over and over again, the agency's reports indicate that Iran's activities are peaceful, that they have not detected a deviation, and that Iran has -- they've received positive cooperation from Iran. But regretfully, two or three monopolistic powers, selfish powers, want to force their word on the Iranian people and deny them their right. They keep saying --
one minute. (Laughter, applause.)
They tell us you don't let them -- they won't let them inspect. Why not? Of course we do. How come is it anyway that you have that right and we can't have it? We want to have the right to peaceful nuclear energy. They tell us, "Don't make it yourself.
We'll give it to you."
Well, in the past, I tell you, we had contracts with the U.S. government, with the British government, the French government, the German government and the Canadian government on nuclear development for peaceful purposes. But unilaterally, each and every one of them canceled their contracts with us, as a result of which the Iranian people had to pay the heavy cost in billions of dollars.
Why do we need the fuel from you? You've not even given us spare aircraft parts that we need for civilian aircraft for 28 years, under the name of the embargo and sanctions, because we are against, for example, human rights or freedom?
Under that pretext you deny us that technology?
We want to have the right to self-determination towards our future. We want to be independent. Don't interfere in us. If you don't give us spare parts for civilian aircraft, what is the expectation that you'd give us fuel for nuclear development for peaceful purposes?
For 30 years we've faced these problems; for over $5 billion to the Germans and then to the Russians, but we haven't gotten anything, and the worst have not been completed. It is our right, we want our right, and we don't want anything beyond the law, nothing less than what international law. We are a peaceful-loving nation.
We love all nations."
Iran does not want nuclear weapons, only the means to produce peaceful nuclear energy, in spite of sitting on the world's most vast source of fossil fuels,
and hence a ticking time bomb to the coming of Imam.
Wait a minute... NOW I GET IT!
"We are a country. We are a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency. For over 33 years we were a member state of the agency. The bylaw of the agency explicitly states that all member states have the right to the peaceful nuclear fuel technology. This is an explicit statement made in the bylaw. And the bylaw says that there is no pretext or excuse, even the inspections carried by the IAEA itself --
that can prevent member states' right to have that right.
"Of course, the IAEA is responsible to carry out inspections. We are one of the countries that's carried out the most amount of -- level of cooperation with the IAEA. They've had hours and weeks and days of inspections in our country. And over and over again, the agency's reports indicate that Iran's activities are peaceful, that they have not detected a deviation, and that Iran has -- they've received positive cooperation from Iran. But regretfully, two or three monopolistic powers, selfish powers, want to force their word on the Iranian people and deny them their right. They keep saying --
one minute. (Laughter, applause.)
They tell us you don't let them -- they won't let them inspect. Why not? Of course we do. How come is it anyway that you have that right and we can't have it? We want to have the right to peaceful nuclear energy. They tell us, "Don't make it yourself.
We'll give it to you."
Well, in the past, I tell you, we had contracts with the U.S. government, with the British government, the French government, the German government and the Canadian government on nuclear development for peaceful purposes. But unilaterally, each and every one of them canceled their contracts with us, as a result of which the Iranian people had to pay the heavy cost in billions of dollars.
Why do we need the fuel from you? You've not even given us spare aircraft parts that we need for civilian aircraft for 28 years, under the name of the embargo and sanctions, because we are against, for example, human rights or freedom?
Under that pretext you deny us that technology?
We want to have the right to self-determination towards our future. We want to be independent. Don't interfere in us. If you don't give us spare parts for civilian aircraft, what is the expectation that you'd give us fuel for nuclear development for peaceful purposes?
For 30 years we've faced these problems; for over $5 billion to the Germans and then to the Russians, but we haven't gotten anything, and the worst have not been completed. It is our right, we want our right, and we don't want anything beyond the law, nothing less than what international law. We are a peaceful-loving nation.
We love all nations."
Fun Fact #10: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's view of Jews and the rights of the Palestinians, as propogandized at Columbia University today: "
"We love all nations. We are friends with the Jewish people. There are many Jews in Iran living peacefully with security. You must understand that in our constitution, in our laws, in the parliamentary elections, for every 150,000 people we get one representative in the parliament. For the Jewish community, one-fifth of this number they still get one independent representative in the parliament. So our proposal to the Palestinian plight is a humanitarian and democratic proposal.
"What we say is that to solve the 60-year problem we must allow the Palestinian people to decide about its future for itself. This is compatible with the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations and the fundamental principles enshrined in it. We must allow Jewish Palestinians, Muslim Palestinians and Christian Palestinians to determine their own fate themselves through a free referendum. Whatever they choose as a nation everybody should accept and respect. Nobody should interfere in the affairs of the Palestinian nation. Nobody should sow the seeds of discord. Nobody should spend tens of billions of dollars equipping and arming one group there.
"We say allow the Palestinian nation to decide its own future, to have the right to self-determination for itself. This is what we are saying as the Iranian nation."
I have some questions of my own, though I am certainly not a student of international conflict... but (1) After the Jews of Israel recently gave up their homes and their land, in the name of peace and by mutual agreement, to the Palestinians, why was it not enough? And (2) why are there Iranian "fingerprints" on the bombs of terrorism in Israel? I thought it was up to the Palestinans to decide their own future...
"We love all nations. We are friends with the Jewish people. There are many Jews in Iran living peacefully with security. You must understand that in our constitution, in our laws, in the parliamentary elections, for every 150,000 people we get one representative in the parliament. For the Jewish community, one-fifth of this number they still get one independent representative in the parliament. So our proposal to the Palestinian plight is a humanitarian and democratic proposal.
"What we say is that to solve the 60-year problem we must allow the Palestinian people to decide about its future for itself. This is compatible with the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations and the fundamental principles enshrined in it. We must allow Jewish Palestinians, Muslim Palestinians and Christian Palestinians to determine their own fate themselves through a free referendum. Whatever they choose as a nation everybody should accept and respect. Nobody should interfere in the affairs of the Palestinian nation. Nobody should sow the seeds of discord. Nobody should spend tens of billions of dollars equipping and arming one group there.
"We say allow the Palestinian nation to decide its own future, to have the right to self-determination for itself. This is what we are saying as the Iranian nation."
I have some questions of my own, though I am certainly not a student of international conflict... but (1) After the Jews of Israel recently gave up their homes and their land, in the name of peace and by mutual agreement, to the Palestinians, why was it not enough? And (2) why are there Iranian "fingerprints" on the bombs of terrorism in Israel? I thought it was up to the Palestinans to decide their own future...
Fun Fact #9: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
Two delightful questions posed by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, at Columbia University today:
I'm not entirely sure he proclaimed the Holocaust as fiction, but if he doesn't question it entirely,
he certianly questions its cause, timing and effect.
"My first question was, if, given that the Holocaust is a present reality of our time, a history that occurred, why is there not sufficient research that can approach the topic from different perspectives? Our friends refer to 1930 as the point of the departure for this development; however, I believe the Holocaust, from what we read, happened during World War II after 1930 in the 1940s. So, you know, we have to really be able to trace the event."
Is he saying that he thinks the Jews were imprisoned for some just cause, but the advent of WWII invoked Nazi Germany to exterminate their prisoners?
My question was simple. There are researchers who want to push the topic from a different perspective. Why are they put into prison? Right now there are a number of European academics who have been sent to prison because they attempted to write about the Holocaust, so researchers from a different perspective, questioning certain aspects of it -- my question is, why isn't it open to all forms of research? I have been told that there's been enough research on the topic. And I ask, well, when it comes to topics such as freedom, topics such as democracy, concepts and norms such as God, religion, physics even or chemistry, there's been a lot of research, but we still continue more research on those topics. We encourage it. But then why don't we encourage more research on a historical event that has become the root, the cause of many heavy catastrophes in the region in this time and age? Why shouldn't there be more research about the root causes? That was my first question.
Hmmm... that's enlightening! "Why are they put into prison?" He's searching for Hitler's "just cause". Well, pardon me, but I think it's pretty well documented... to the hilt.
"And my second question -- well, given this historical event, if it is a reality, we need to still question whether the Palestinian people should be paying for it or not. After all, it happened in Europe. The Palestinian people had no role to play in it. So why is it that the Palestinian people are paying the price of an event they had nothing to do with?"
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Palestinians aren't paying for the Holocaust... they're paying for their own terroristic acts... no?
Monday, September 24, 2007
Fun Fact #8: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
Things I did not know... but I'm now enlightened by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, at Columbia University today:
He's a university professor and teaches on a weekly basis.
"You know that my main job is a university instructor.
Right now as president of Iran I still continue teaching
graduate and Ph.D.-level courses on a weekly basis.
My students are working with me in scientific fields.
I believe that I am an academic myself,
so I speak with you from an academic point of view."
I believe that I am an academic myself,
so I speak with you from an academic point of view."
Fun Fact #7: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
God's biggest gifts declared by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in his speech at Columbia University today:
It's not grace!
"I believe that the biggest God-given gift to man is science and knowledge. Man's search for knowledge and the truth through science is what it guarantees to do in getting close to God, but science has to combine with the purity of the spirit and of the purity of man's spirit so that scholars can unveil the truth and then use that truth for advancing humanity's cause."
"I believe that the biggest God-given gift to man is science and knowledge. Man's search for knowledge and the truth through science is what it guarantees to do in getting close to God, but science has to combine with the purity of the spirit and of the purity of man's spirit so that scholars can unveil the truth and then use that truth for advancing humanity's cause."
Can someone tell me if a translation for the word "humanity" is... Mahmoud?
"These scholars would be not only people who would guide humanity, but also guide humanity towards the future, better future. And it is necessary that big powers should not allow mankind to engage in monopolistic activities and to prevent other nations from achieving that science. Science is a divine gift by God to everyone, and therefore it must remain pure. God is aware of all reality. All researchers and scholars are loved by God.
So I hope there will be a day where these scholars and scientists will rule the world and God himself will arrive with Moses and Christ and Mohammed to rule the world and to take us towards justice. "
"These scholars would be not only people who would guide humanity, but also guide humanity towards the future, better future. And it is necessary that big powers should not allow mankind to engage in monopolistic activities and to prevent other nations from achieving that science. Science is a divine gift by God to everyone, and therefore it must remain pure. God is aware of all reality. All researchers and scholars are loved by God.
So I hope there will be a day where these scholars and scientists will rule the world and God himself will arrive with Moses and Christ and Mohammed to rule the world and to take us towards justice. "
OH!!!! Now I get it!!! He thinks God should give Iran (his regime) the nuclear weapon to end the world!!! It doesn't matter so much if He brings Moses and Christ with Him... because Mohammed will rule the world.
Fun Fact #6: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking at Columbia University today...:
made many historical Biblical references.
Was he not aware of that taboo in our nation's institutions of higher learning???
Fun Fact 5: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
Terms of endearment, spoken by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, at Columbia University today:
If I had a nickel for every time Mahmoud referred to his audience
as "dear" this or "dear that"... I would have at least twenty cents.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong!
Someone correct me if I'm wrong!
Fun Fact #4: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, expounded at Columbia University today:
He believes Lee Bollinger, President of Columbia University,
as well as our mainstream press
to be war mongers and lovers of instability in the world.
In many parts of his speech (referring to Bollinger's), there were many insults and claims that were incorrect, regretfully. Of course, I think that he was affected by the press, the media and the political sort of mainstream line that you read here, that goes against the very grain of the need for peace and stability in the world around us.
In many parts of his speech (referring to Bollinger's), there were many insults and claims that were incorrect, regretfully. Of course, I think that he was affected by the press, the media and the political sort of mainstream line that you read here, that goes against the very grain of the need for peace and stability in the world around us.
Fun Fact #3: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
Another terrific fact, spoken by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, at Columbia University today:
He encourages freedom of expression.
He encourages freedom of expression.
"In a university environment, we must allow people to speak their mind, to allow everyone to talk so that the truth is eventually revealed by all."
Fun Fact #2: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
Another thing we learned from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking at Columbia University today:
He respects the students of Iran
I'm guessing very few people are invited to speak... just a hunch.
He respects the students of Iran
and encourages their freedom of thought.
"In Iran, tradition requires that when we demand a person to invite us as a -- to be a speaker, we actually respect our students and the professors by allowing them to make their own judgment, and we don't think it's necessary before the speech is even given to come in -- -- with a series of claims and to attempt in a so-called manner to provide vaccination of some sort to our students and our faculty."
I'm guessing very few people are invited to speak... just a hunch.
Fun Fact #1: Iranian President Speaks at Columbia U
One thing we learned from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking at Columbia University today:
He urges the arrival of the Imam.
Ummm... doesn't that mean the end of the world?
"Oh, God, hasten the arrival of Imam al- Mahdi and grant him good health and victory, and make us his followers and those who attest to his (rightfulness ?)."
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Hillary Nutcracker
Get yours here,
where you can also purchase nuts in the shell,
"best used with the Hillary Nutcracker and a little imagination"!
where you can also purchase nuts in the shell,
"best used with the Hillary Nutcracker and a little imagination"!
Brought to you by FunWithNuts, a division Eagleview USA, Inc.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Proverbial Catch 22: Freedom
America is founded on freedom and equality, including the freedom of unmoderated opinion and open public debate.
I pray this will not be the source of her failure.
I pray this will not be the source of her failure.
September 11: A Day of Unity
September 11 should be a Day of Unity in America, as well as a day of solemn remembrance.
I worry, though, that as our collective grief fades, and as we are pummelled with political rants and divisive discourse... the unity we felt in the days following September 11, 2001 will fade as well.
I worry, though, that as our collective grief fades, and as we are pummelled with political rants and divisive discourse... the unity we felt in the days following September 11, 2001 will fade as well.
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