Your Friends Are Truly Galactic

Great article from Galactic Friends. Sometimes these types of articles don't resonate with everyone, yet very strongly for others. This one really helped me. I hope it can help you, too.

I Vote Klingon Bird Of Prey!

Hubble detects mysterious spaceship shaped object traveling at 11,000 miles per hour.

Orbs On Or Around The Sun..

This story's been popping up around the net since Christmas, and this thread is a fairly good introduction to events so far. I'm not sure how Doom-tastic this is(or isn't), but I thought you should know..

Obama's Continuing 'Terror War' Policies, Failure to Deal with Torturers Raise Growing Concerns

This has been bothering me, too. I want to like Obama, but not only is there very little difference in his actual governance compared to Bush, militarily he's doubling the amount of troops (plus contractors!) in Afghanistan. Some hippie peacenik, eh? Who's in charge of the economy? Club Federal Reserve and Goldman Sachs. Further expansion of the Military Industrial Complex? Check.

The Canning (first linked article) quote from Chris Hedges is fitting: "President Obama does one thing and brand Obama gets you to believe another. This is the essence of successful advertising. You buy or do what the advertiser wants because of how they make you feel." Obama the Brand I really like: The President and his policies? Not so much.

What bothers me about this turn of political events is the perception of what's happening versus reality. The right wing noisemakers hammer on Obama for his "Socialist" leanings, when in actuality, he supports most of the same programs and same corporations they do. You'd think they'd be happy about his closet Republicanism, but that would be off script, wouldn't it? At least Bush and his gang of thugs were honest about their intentions. They didn't mind telling the rest of the country(and the world) to fuck off on a regular basis while taking what they wanted for themselves, their friends, and their cronies. Obama pays lip service to the coalition that brought him to power, yet continues to act just like Bush.

The outcome? Fox and the Right wing loonies will continue to howl(while getting what they want policy-wise, while the country continues its swing to the right--shrewd!!), Democrats and progressives will continue to be frustrated(and probably won't turn out for the mid term elections), abandon the party, and suffer a massive defeat in November, and still, nothing gets fixed. The Republicans win, the Teabaggers will be energized, the American corporate power structure will gain incredible strength(already has--thank you SCOTUS), and the rest of us remain screwed, having backed the wrong candidate from a field of wrong candidates.

Except Kucinich, of course!

5.9, Off The Coast Of Northern California..

Strong, but not major. The worry? Only one quake, and so far, no aftershocks. Is this a Fore shock? I hope not..

Why I love Fark..

"Henry Kissinger drags his bloated, near zombie husk out from beneath the withered husks of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Chile, Cyprus, and Kurdistan to give Obama advice on how to handle Iraq."

Just the kind of behavior that will keep pot illegal..

Is there some way we could keep the dumbasses from driving around high? If they'd just stay at home, the law and order types would have so much less to bitch about..

Volcano Eruption In Pakistan?

Volcanic emissions from this mountain for the first time in the known history? I'm sure the people are a little anxious..

Too Doped Up To Say Shit..

I know I'm not alone in thinking this, and I've seen this addressed before, but Xymphora sums it as well as anyone.. How many days since 2001 have I thought, "Am I the only one seeing this? Why aren't there outraged mobs permanently protesting almost everything? Turns out, most everybody's too fucked up to care, and those that aren't are experiencing the "second hand smoke" effect of "pharma water." And, I'm sure that if they could, wildlife would tell us to Knock It Off, as it's fucking with them, too.

So while I understand the whole "Teabag" movement as having some legitimate concerns (but still not seeing the Whole Big Picture that those they support now Created The Problem then), I doubt they'll be able (under current circumstances) to focus, organize, and field unified opposition to what they perceive dangerous for this exact same reason. At the end of the day, they won't jeopardize their material comforts, and they won't jeopardize the surety of their legal high in trade for the political and societal Unknown serious protest might bring. And they too, are scratching their heads, wondering if anyone else is paying attention to what they're seeing..

Nanotechnology's First Commercial Wave Is About To Make Our Lives Much More Convenient..

And yet, the paranoid in me still has the oohgies.. "Spray-on liquid glass is about to revolutionize everything."

Mars Retrograde Triseptile Jupiter in Pisces - The Dream Time Begins, Preparing Us For Interlocking Yods, or Fingers of God

From Aquarius Papers. What I like about Wilkinson's astrology is the various astrological combinations happening at the moment are laid out both technically (for those interested) and plainly, for those who just want the "jist." These energies, though, are societal, affecting everyone, not the Sun Sign crap you get in the newspaper. His work is involved, intuitive, and amazingly well written.

Example from his latest entry: "This is a crucial turning point in choices that will shape our destiny over the next five months. Though we're enduring 'traffic jams,' ultimately this is making our life a work of art through the emotional intensity we're dealing with."

.."While there will be 'forced adjustments,' many of these will help us master discouragement, get what we need, and find a new sense of permanence or a new dedication to some collective ideal or standards. This is a time when we can demonstrate our ability to express our form of 'higher power,' as well as add to our lives through renewed commitments."

Relax! There's Enough Potential Dead Bodies For The Both Of You!

Heart Attack restaurant owner sues Heart Stoppers owner over theme. We just can't help our acceleration to our own demise, can we?

Thanks, A&E..

For simultaneously exposing an potential new drug abuse problem, and magnifying said problem by about a million.. Did you gasp involuntarily the first time you saw the promos for "'Intervention's' Special Report - Huffing?" I could visualize the eyes of little waste-oids around the country lighting up when the phrase "A dollar a can" was spoken. The major misconception is that what is being huffed is "Air," when it is actually freon. One time is all that mistake needs to kill you.

I know, I know, Huffing is now a problem, but exposing it should be balanced against the awareness that national television brings. How do we, as a free society, provide knowledge and treatment for drug abuse problems like this one without overly glamorizing the high or the accessibility?

This isn't weed, it isn't alcohol, it isn't even cocaine or LSD. It's freon, and it's deadly and it's cheap and it's oh-so in-style right now. Don't kid yourself--it's a problem that's about to become a Major Problem.

Fever Ray, Renaissance Woman For The Age Of Aquarius!

Wow! If I weren't gay, I'd swear I'm in love.. Equal parts Laurie Anderson, Salvador Dali, Luis Bunuel and Lady Ga-Ga, Karin Dreijer Andersson of Fever Ray isn't afraid of making an artistic statement(or freaking out the audience at an awards show), be it performance, visual, or musically. One half of the group Knife (with her brother Olof), Sweden(and the rest of Europe) has been hip to her groove for several years now, and with the release of her new CD, America has a chance to catch up with the rest of the world.

Here's your chance to check her out. Videos here for "If I Had A Heart," and "When I Grow Up." Her persona is creepy and intriguing, beautiful and discomfiting. I want to know more..

Slap Chop (Remix)

I meant to comment on Vince's Slap Chop (Remix) a while back.. Awesome. Vince's relentless stream of conscious blathering over miserable Freestyle "music" circa 1992, complete with vocal ticks and loops for added effect. I really hope that this isn't the start of a really horrible advertising trend, but I fear Pandora's box is now open.

What's next? The Sonic guys dancing in their car to some Electro-Clash burger-inspired tune? Looped heavy breathing and moaning from the Wendy's Chicken Nugget guys over Donna Summers "Love Your Nuggets, Baby"? Some Progressive Trance version of the old-people Jitterbug phone? It's all too much. More originality, please, and less (Remix) anything..

In (Insane!) Defense Of Marriage, or Of Course This Happened In Missouri..

This one probably thinks divorce is a sin, so "anything" she does to prevent it is OK.. Wow, is this really 2010? Bad Grandma! Bad! Bad!