My local TV news vs. The "Church of $cientology"

The official "Blog Against Theocracy" week doesn't start until April 10 (hat tip to the godlessliberalhomo), but my work against theocracy is pretty much ongoing. There are a few stories that just can't wait, like this fun one about Scientology, for example. This is pretty awesome. KESQ, a TV station in Palm Springs, has done a multi-part expose of the CO$. The best part about this is the fact that the "church" headquarters is just half an hour away from Palm Springs. The videos don't embed, so I'll forgive you for going to this link.

http://www.kesq.com/Global/category.asp?C=162474

Don't forget that not only is it a UFO cult, but the CO$ also donated to Yes-on-8. So... fuck them and their mind-controlling ways.

More AIG Tontería

For those of you unfamiliar with the consumerist.com website, go visit it right now. Do it. I'll forgive you for leaving my site momentarily, even if you don't come back for a while. It's really that great of a site.

Recently, consumerist has had AIG in it's cross-hairs (and who hasn't, really? Their antics is the stuff history books of the future will remind us in chilling detail that you can't screw all the tax-payers all of the time). NOW AIG is suing the US govt (i.e. you and I) using our money, to get back HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS it says was denied them through tax breaks, specifically through the use of "foreign entities" (read: "cayman island tax shelters").

Earlier this week (perhaps, predictably), AIG issued a memo to it's employees on how to avoid having your ass righteously kicked.
(click here for corporate comedy)




This locura all reminds me of a recent documentary called "The Corporation." Occasionally they re-play it on the Link channel. Several years ago, people may have dismissed this as commie propanda. Here's the trailer.

Too soon for this evil Dick.

Cheney is on with John King this morning. My love affair with John King is over. Every time he'd plug his show, I'd ask myself whether I could subject myself to this aging, smirking, failure of a former VP who tried and mostly succeeded in advancing the ultra right-wing agenda.

I got in a little late, but pretty much get the whole gist of the dick's message of depeption.

On Iraq: We did pretty much what we set out to do. (What? Help your contractor friends bilk taxpayers out of billions)

On Iran: "you've got to find ways to avoid Iran having nuclear" weapons. (More pro-war propaganda. This worked remarkably in Iraq, apparently)

On Obama's pick for dealing with North Korea: Obama is going to listen to whomever he wants (i.e. not Cheney). Cheney wouldn't have picked him. (Your puppet called N. Korea part of an "axis of evil." Face it Dick, diplomacy ain't your thing)

On not being able to capture Osama bin Laden: We were able to capture the number 3. (FAIL)

On Obama's rejection of torture: Those programs were essential to making USA safe. The interrogation practices were legal. Obama's programs are making America less safe. (I've almost forgotten what it was like under this a-hole. It's fucking TORTURE!)

On torture: "Enhanced interrogation" helped us gather intelligence. (No euphemism will change the fact that it is torture and that it neither helps America nor is better at gathering intelligence than having "intelligence" in the field)

On the closure of Guantanamo: Obama is losing focus on preventing further attacks. (Just like you are trying to distract us from the fact that it is an off-shore detention facility that exists solely to avoid affording prisoners of war constitutional protections)

On Scooter Libby: Scooter Libby was unjustly prosecuted. (Scooter Libby got away with treason)

(The dick's writing a book. My guess for title: Spreading Evil in 8 Easy Years.

On Rush Limbaugh: "Rush is a good friend. I love him." (I have NO comment on this bromance)

On future plans: No immediate plans to run for office; none to retire.

This man is living on borrowed time after 3 (?) heart attacks. Just call it a day, dick. Wev'e got a lot of cleaning up to do.

Ky. Federal Appeals Court in Separation of Church and State Case

This will be one to follow.

I'll just quote the article:
http://www.au.org/site/News2?abbr=pr&page=NewsArticle&id=10343&security=1002&news_iv_ctrl=1241

"Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday, March 11, will urge a federal appeals court to uphold the right of taxpayers to challenge public funding of a Baptist childcare agency that proselytizes youngsters in its care and discriminates against gay employees who do not share its belief that homosexuality is sinful.

The lawsuit, Pedreira v. Kentucky Baptist Homes For Children, Inc., asserts that Kentucky Baptist Homes has no right to accept state and federal funding while imposing religious dogma on the children in its programs and that the Homes’ religion-based anti-gay employment policy violates civil rights laws."

One of their employees was fired because she disclosed the fact that she is a lesbian. It fills me with DISGUST that this is in a home for children, some of whom may be LGBT, and all of whom will most definitely suffer under this kind of bigotry either directly, or by being indoctrinated with hate.

CNBC's Cramer Admiting Market Manipulation

From Huff-Po
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/11/jim-cramer-shorting-stock_n_173824.html

Here's Jon Stewart's newest target implicating himself in dubious trading by admiting that he manipulated markets by selling his investments short and creating a false impression that a stock is down. This activity is nothing short of ILLEGAL, and a violation of SEC guidelines. (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, please! The husband agrees and he's in finance)
Bottom line (and this is a direct Jon Stewart quote): fuck you, Cramer

Swiss Bankstas to Protect US Tax Evaders

I am of two minds on this subject. For one, I don't think that the US Justice Dept should be telling foreign financial companies what they should or should not do. On the other hand, UBS is harboring fugitives of justice essentially by protecting the names of people who stash their money in untouchable anonymous accounts.
I think UBS is afraid of a run on their banks from all the felons who are their clients who have been stealing from the world's working poor. Sacks of shit, the lot of them.

FTA:
"The customer data may not be given out," he said, "to protect the interests of the customers."

http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/20/news/international/ubs_court/index.htm?iref=topnews

Capped at a mere $500,000/year

Obama limited the earning cap for CEOs of financial corporations recieving "exceptional" amounts of taxpayers money (i.e. yours and mine). Seems fair to me, right? Doesn't seem unreasonable since they essentially get all this money to keep their banks open and keep their job (to say the least).

Well... you just can't please all the people all the time, I guess.


“That is pretty draconian — $500,000 is not a lot of money, particularly if there is no bonus,” said James F. Reda, founder and managing director of James F. Reda & Associates, a compensation consulting firm.


And another bag of scum banksta (will look up name and exact quote) told CNN that $500,000 isn't "real money" and that the average american "doesn't understand" that these guys will just look for other jobs elsewhere.
I'd like to see THAT resume:

Skills:
Driving Financial Institution into ground
Shameless inflation of personal net worth at expense of tax payers
60wpm

The CEO of bank of America makes about 20M a year. That means that under his new pay scale, he will make approximately 3 weeks worth of his old salary- in a year. If his living expenses are now out of whack with his new financial situation, I welcome him to the ranks of the rest of Americans living in these new so-called "economic times." And don't bitch to me about salary caps being "socialist." Once you took that handout, you forefeited the right to whine about your socialism for the rich, comrade.

I think that I, being an average American, have a pretty good understanding of what "real money" is. It's currency with which to sustain oneself and one's family and enough to save to have hope for a better future. It's money to buy milk, and bread, and diapers, and gas with. I think 500K will do them just fine.

And the Douch-ey Award goes to...

Could Ratzinger be a shittier pope? I mean, it seems like he's really trying to be the most offensive piece of garbage he can be. Some of Ratzinger's greatest hits include:
1. Rejecting the use of condoms to combat HIV/AIDS
2. Comparing homosexuality to the destruction of the world's rainforests
and most recently...
3. Lifting the ex-communication of holocaust denialist bishop Williamson.
Listen to the man yourself!




Congratulations Joseph Ratzinger (AKA Pope Benedict). You win a Douch-ey Award.

Evidence that the Mormons DID Bank-roll Yes-on-8

I have heard about this alleged video from the Mormon church that supposedly PROVES that Mormons bank-rolled Yes-on-8 efforts. As a scientist, I have learned to be skeptical about hear-say, and VERY suspicious of the word "prove." We should always demand evidence to support our claims, no matter what our vocation. Especially, us gays.

I am posting this video (taken from Californians Against Hate) that I find to include very compelling evidence that the Mormon church DID in fact lobby substantially to have Prop 8 passed, thereby demonstrating this church's political involvement. In the broadcasted message, church elders outline their plan to have proposition 8 passed, including a multi-media blitzkrieg and a massive "blossoming" of yard signs (you remember these foul flowers).

No church that becomes a political action organization should be tax-exempt.

The CHUTZPAH never ceases

More hypocricy from our friends from the Yes-on-8 camp. This time they have the CHUTZPAH to try and change the law to protect people who reached into their pocketbooks to deprive us of our rights.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090109/ap_on_re_us/gay_marriage_fundraising

FTA:

"No one should have to worry about getting a death threat because of the way he
or she votes," said James Bopp Jr., an attorney representing two groups that
supported Proposition 8, Protectmarriage.com and the National Organization
for Marriage California. "This lawsuit will protect the right of all people to
help support causes they agree with, without having to worry about harassment or
threats."

OK. Death threats=bad- even if the people receiving them took the time to DONATE MONEY TO TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHTS. But death threats aren't really happening en masse to prop h8 supporters. Show me news articles of straights running for their lives and I'll be alarmed (and slightly amused), but it's NOT HAPPENING. Now, all of this might even warrant the teensiest bit of sympathy; however, you may recall this charming letter which I will quote from here:

http://justinmclachlan.com/08/10/protectmarriagecom-threat-letter-pdf/

"Were you not to donate comparably [to yes-on-8], it would be a clear indication
that you are in opposition to traditional marriage... The names of
companies and organizations that chose not to donate in like manner to
protectmarriage.com but have given to Equality California will be published."

In summary, if you are going to pull your Gestapo-brownshirt-bullshit then try to cry foul when the opposition does the same, you are going to face the whole of the internets to call you out on your hypocricy.