The Obligatory Michael Jackson Post

Not a fan by any means, although I really liked the Jackson 5 when I was a girl. I was impacted by his death, though, because this afternoon traffic in Westwood was particularly awful and it took me a long time to get home.

2 Jesus Juices, please! And stop staring at my eyebrows, nose, lips, and chin!



Tags: michael jackson, creepy monster face, jesus juice, westside traffic sucks

The Obligatory Heath Care Post

mr. olio and I took a nice little vacation up the coast. No computers, no cell phones, no work—it was lovely. We walked on the beach and flew kites every day and read books and ate like horses every night—good times! When we got back I had another appointment with the retina specialist and got some very good news: I won’t need a fourth injection for a while, if ever.

I’m lucky in that I have insurance, but so far I’ve had to wait for over a month each time for the insurance company to authorize my treatments—and while I'm waiting for authorization I always expect to be turned down because I’ve exceeded some arbitrary limit. Oh: And they won’t even pay for the drug, I have to! And I’d be screwed if I ever lost my job and either needed to purchase my own policy or to get insurance through another employer, because then I’d be blacklisted on account of my “pre-existing condition.”

So whenever I hear politicians say “socialized medicine” means delays in treatment or compromised care, I think to myself, “That sounds exactly like what I’ve got right now, minus the premiums, co-pays, and nagging insecurity!”

Tags: universal health care, socialized medicine

Happy Zombie Jesus Day!

I always wondered why chocolate is toxic to dogs...

Same Old, Same Old

I just got back from Switzerland, and tomorrow I leave for the UK. In between, a virus attacked my retinas, so last Friday I had to have AN INJECTION IN MY FREAKIN’ EYEBALL. It was as creepy as it sounds.

Tags: retina, travel, wtf?

Goodbye...

...you ignorant, bloodthirsty piece of shit.

“Hello?...Tony? Pootie?....anybody there?”


Tags: goodbye, george w bush, goodbye george w bush, rat bastard, goodbye george w bush you rat bastard, smug, goodbye george w bush you smug rat bastard, half-witted, goodbye george w bush you smug half-witted rat bastard

Harold and Maudlin

Mr. olio had to work today, so I'm recording the Eagles/Giants game so we can watch it together when he gets home. In the meantime, I'm watching trying to watch Harold and Maude. I've never seen it before, although I'd always heard really good things about it. So far, though, I think it's awful.

Maybe it gets better?

Tags: harold and maude

Wow!

We just had an earthquake. It felt much stronger than last year's, but it didn't last as long. It's such a freaky feeling—I'm dizzy! I hope everybody is okay...




Tags: los angeles, earthquake

Okay, So Maybe I Do Believe in Miracles...

Dolphins win! Dolphins win!



Mr. olio contributed greatly to the win by yelling at the TV, and I did my share by not looking directly the the screen, and sometimes leaving the room completely, during crucial plays. It was a real team effort, and victory feels fine!

Tags: miami dolphins

This. Week. Sucked.

My dear mr. olio underwent another surgery, and I had to fire a good friend...



Tags: sad

L’Etat, C’Est Moi! --god

Prompted by city officials, General Outdoor sign company has removed the Freedom From Religion Foundation's “Imagine No Religion” billboard in Rancho Cucamonga.

According to Redevelopment Director Linda Daniels, City Hall had received 90 calls of complaint since Wednesday.

"We contacted the sign company and asked if there was a way to get it removed," Daniels said.

I wasn’t at all surprised by Ms. Daniel’s open admission of guilt; such a brazen “fuck you” to the first amendment typifies the smug ignorance of god-botherers everywhere.

What did surprise me, though, was that a measly 90 complaints, in a city with a population of just under 170,000, were enough to prompt such swift government action. That’s good to know, because I just might start calling City Hall every time I’m forced to look at one of these ridiculous, mind-numbing ads


while stuck in rush-hour traffic.

Bonus quotation:

In September, the city asked a different sign company to take down an advertisement on Foothill Boulevard advertising a vagina rejuvenation procedure.

OMG! Vagina! What will we tell the children?!?!?!

Tags: religion, atheism, rancho cucamonga, linda daniels, first amendment, vaginaplasty, vaginaphobia

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I’m especially thankful to be home with my dear mr. olio,* and I sincerely hope that all of you are able to spend the day with those you love, too.

And now here's a picture that made me laugh out loud:



*And I’m going to demonstrate said thankfulness by cooking enough turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, asparagus, gravy, and pecan pie to kill him with.

image

I'm Shippin' Out to Boston!

Boy, my new job sure is travel-intensive! Be back Monday...

An Atheist Abroad

I just got back from a business trip to Italy. I stayed in Riva del Garda
and VeronaEverywhere I went, Obama's image was on the covers of newspapers and magazines, and his election was the main topic of conversation. Everyone was just so excited and optimistic. It was great!

I know these pictures are kind of shitty, but I was working, so what photos I did take were taken on the fly.

Tags: italy, riva del garda, verona

Shame on You!

Proposition 8 passed.

This is a sad, shameful day for California. Religious nuts spent millions saturating the airwaves with detestable lies in order to legalize discrimination.

I have a question for all you followers out there: Now that your leaders have outed themselves, as it were, as lying sacks of shit, do you wonder what else they might be lying to you about?

Sigh.

Probably not. I mean, if decades of unchecked boy-fucking didn't turn people away from the Cult of the Cannibals, why on earth would the mere telling of lies, no matter how outrageous, prompt anyone to question the holy divinations of a convicted fraud?


Tags: religion, prop 8, mormons, lds, joseph smith was a big fat douche

w00t! President Obama!

And yes, as a matter of fact, I am drunk. I'm celebrating, ferchristssake!



I'm still sweating the propositions here in California, though, especially 8. As exciting and uplifting as tonight has been, it'll be a sad goddamned day if we actually amend our constitution in order to exclude people. Fucking Mormons!

Election 08: A Supernatural Pissing Contest

More proof that religious people are idiots and should just shut the fuck up already:

Before McCain spoke, a Christian pastor offered a prayer that seemed to ask* for divine intervention on his behalf. "There are millions of people around this world praying to their God -- whether it's Hindu,** Buddha, Allah -- that [McCain's] opponent wins for a variety of reasons," Pastor Arnold Conrad said. "And, Lord, I pray that you would guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens."

I have a couple of questions for this dumb hillbilly piss-ignorant hick pastor and his ilk: First of all, are you really so poorly informed that you think Hindu and Buddha are gods? Secondly, aren’t Christians supposed to be monotheists? And finally, why should an allegedly omniscient and all-powerful deity give a rat’s ass about the opinions of mere mortals?

Jesus F. Christ, these people are a national embarrassment.


*Really? “Lord, I pray for divine intervention” only seems like a prayer for divine intervention?

** Pastor Conrad's conception of The Great and Powerful Hindu:




Tags: religion, fundie follies, pastor arnold conrad, wtf?

“It’s G-g-g-good That You D-d-d-did That—It’s Real Good!”

“I don’t like people who don’t like me!”—god


Lately I’ve been hearing/reading interviews with disaster survivors (Hurricane Ike in Houston and the Galveston Bay area, the Metrolink train accident here in California) who are asked to discuss their brushes with death.

I don’t know if that many folks really attribute their survival to the intervention of a supernatural being or if the interviews are edited in favor of those who do, but it appears that a lot of people still give props to a higher power.

People seem terrified by the whimsical nature of their god and so afraid of incurring its wrath that, no matter what, they try their hardest to spin great misfortune as a positive development—which always reminds me of the classic Twilight Zone episode, “It’s a Good Life”:



Spot-on, isn't it?

Tags: religion, the twilight zone, hurricane ike, metrolink

What Do You Do...

...when you haven't posted anything for a while and you think you should, but you're too tired lazy drunk to actually compose something? Why, throw up a Blogthings, of course!

You Are Boxing

You are assertive, strong, and downright aggressive. You have the power to demolish your opponent... And you have the endurance to make sure the job is finished. (That's me, all right...)

What Olympic Sport Are You?

Tags: blogthings, beer blogging

I’m the King o’ the Cats!

When I was a little girl, the The King of the Cats was one of my favorite stories. If you don’t know the tale, it goes something like this:

One cold winter’s evening the sexton's wife was sitting by the fireside with her big black cat, Old Tom, on the other side, both half asleep and waiting for the master to come home. They waited and they waited, till at last he came rushing in, calling out, 'Who's Tommy Tildrum?' in such a wild way that both his wife and his cat stared at him to know what was the matter.

'Why, what's the matter?' said his wife, 'and why do you want to know who Tommy Tildrum is?'

'Oh, I've had such an adventure! I was digging old Mr. Henry's grave when I guess I must have fallen asleep, and I only woke up by hearing a cat's Meow.'

'Meow!' said Old Tom in answer.

'Yes, just like that! So I looked over the edge of the grave, and what do you think I saw?'

'Now, how should I know?' said the sexton's wife.

'Why, nine black cats all like our friend Tom here, all with white chests. And what do you think they were carrying? Why, a small coffin covered with a black velvet pall, and on the pall was a small crown all of gold, and at every third step they took they cried all together, Meow—'

'Meow!' said Old Tom again.

'Yes, just like that!' said the sexton; 'and as they came nearer and nearer to me I could see them more distinctly because their eyes shone out with a sort of green light. Well, they all came toward me, eight of them carrying the coffin, and the biggest cat of all walking in front for all the world like—but look at our Tom, how he's looking at me. You'd think he knew all I was saying.'

'Go on, go on,' said his wife; 'never mind Old Tom.'

'Well, as I was saying, they came toward me slowly and solemnly, and at every third step crying all together, Meow—'

'Meow!' said Old Tom again.

'Yes, just like that, till they came and stood right opposite Mr. Henry's grave, where I was, when they all stood still and looked straight at me. I did feel queer, that I did! But look at Old Tom; he's looking at me just like they did.'

'Go on, go on,' said his wife; 'never mind Old Tom.'

'Where was I? Oh, they stood still looking at me, when the one that wasn't carrying the coffin came forward and, staring straight at me, said to me—yes, I tell you, said to me, with a squeaky voice, "Tell Tom Tildrum that Tim Toldrum's dead," and that's why I asked you if you knew who Tom Tildrum was, for how can I tell Tom Tildrum Tim Toldrum's dead if I don't know who Tom Tildrum is?'

'Look at Old Tom, look at Old Tom!' screamed his wife.

And well he might look, for Tom was swelling and Tom was staring, and at last Tom shrieked out, 'What—old Tom's dead? Then I'm the King o' the Cats!' and rushed up the chimney and was nevermore seen.

Neat, huh?

I’ve been thinking about this story a lot lately because, quite out of the blue, the owner of the company I work for offered me the Director position. . .

. . .and today I officially accepted her offer.

MEEE-OW!



Tags: king o’ the cats, folklore, olio, now what?

image

Really?

8000 people gathered in Laguna Niguel yesterday to moon passing Amtrak trains:

The crowd, which included children with their parents as well as middle-aged adults -- stood on the shoulder of a road parallel to the tracks to show themselves. The sideshow included barbecues, T-shirt sales and RV parties.

I’d never heard of this tradition before, so I Googled it and found the event Website. Apparently, the show is a real hit with passengers, and the trains actually slow down so people can get a better look.


Weird.

Tags: mooning amtrak, laguna niguel, orange county, wtf

92%? Holy Crap!

Today’s LA Times cites a recent Pew survey which found that “92% of Americans believe in god or a universal spirit.” The Times poll asking its readers the same question, however, shows believers (so far) at 43.8% and the godless at 56.3%. Hooray for Hollywood!

Tags: religion, superstition, atheism

Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cocksucker, Motherfucker, and Tits!

“Before I cut, I, uh, want to, ah, thank you for listening to my words, man, fellow, uh space travelers.”



Tags: george carlin, seven words you can never say on television

“If There’s Success”

Preznit Shitferbrains, momentarily forgetting to say we’re kickin’ ass:

We all want to take troops out of Iraq and we are. He [Gordon Brown], by the way, left a lot of troops in, more so than they thought they were going to leave in initially, and so we communicate now and, if there's success, we're going to pull troops out and I have absolutely no problem how GB is managing the Iraqi effort.

Tags: george w bush, moron, douchebag, sociopath, iraq

Breaking News: Semi-Literate Hillbillies Don’t Much Cotton to Colored Fellers

Listen to this piss-ignorant cracker explain why he won’t vote for B. HUSSEIN Obama:

'We'll end up slaves. We'll be made slaves just like they was once slaves,' he said. Telvor, a white Democrat who supported Hillary Clinton in West Virginia's primary, said he planned to vote for Republican John McCain in November. 'At least he's an American,' he added with a disarmingly friendly smile.

Here’s the money quote:

'Obama might actually be the antichrist'

Hmm: Religious and racist. Isn’t that the strangest thing?

Tags: obama, racist, racism, hillbillies, wtf

And Now For Something Completely Different

Islanders from Lesbos sue gay group over use of ‘Lesbian’ in name.

Tags: lesbian, lesbos, wtf

Long Time No Blog

Golly, where to begin: mr. olio underwent emergency surgery and a weeks-long recovery period. He’s fine now, praise be to medical science! Life had barely got back to normal when olioboy announced his impending nuptials (he’s all growns up!). The mr. and I had a lot of fun buying fancy weddin’ duds and ordering wedding gifts, then it was off to the week-long celebration. The ceremony itself was absolutely lovely—it was held outdoors on a picture-perfect day (yes, it was secular).

And those are just the high points!

And Now, A Word from The President

Obama, Clinton: I really don’t care at this point. Either way, it sure will be nice to have a non-retarded president for a change.

THE PRESIDENT: General Ray Odierno served for 30 months in Iraq. He's nominated to Vice Chairman of the Army.* And I asked him to come in for several reasons. One, I wanted to thank him. And in thanking the General, I'm really thanking everybody who has worn the uniform and served in this war against the extremists and terrorists. And in thanking the General, I'm also thanking Mrs. Odierno, and every wife or every husband whose spouse has been far away from home and is serving.
And in listening to the General, I was listening carefully to make sure that the decisions that had been made were the right decisions, and that the progress that's being made is real. This is a man who was there when times looked grim and a man who observed firsthand progress that was made as a result of the surge.**
He is a straightforward fellow who gave me his candid advice on how best to proceed—not necessarily with troop levels because that study is going on now, but in making sure that we continue programs such as what's called the CERP money. This is money for our commanders to make—to help these local folks rebuild and reconcile.
And so, General, I want to thank you for your service. And I appreciate the fact that you really snatched defeat out of the jaws of those who are trying to defeat us in Iraq. *** You were the—you and General Petraeus were a unbelievably strong one-two combination.
And my call and my assurance, sir, is that the gains that you and your teams have made will continue on, because stakes in Iraq are essential for peace, essential for freedom and essential for the security of this country. I'm honored to be your Commander-in-Chief. .

* Wrong again, fuckwit: He was nominated to be Vice Chief of Staff.

** But it's all sunshine and soda pop now, I guess. Honestly, does he think we’re as stupid as he is?

*** Classic!

Tags: george w bush, douchebag, semi-literate, wtf

Sharia Law: Decidedly Not PC

An Afghan college student downloaded an article and was sentenced to death by religious “scholars” who “lacked the sophistication to understand the difference between downloading an article and writing it.”

Here’s the money quote:

"The judges did not even know the difference between a keyboard and a monitor."

And why should they? As any religious kook will tell you, the modern world is a wicked, wicked place. The Bronze Age, however, was awesome.


Tags: islam, sharia law, fundie follies, wtf

Overheard. . .

…on the way to my polling place this morning:

I think it’s perfectly reasonable to assume that a black man will become president before a woman does—after all, black men were granted the right to vote before women were.

…at the market this afternoon:

The machines didn’t work—I wouldn’t be surprised if all us Democrats just voted for George Bush again!

Tags: super tuesday, barack obama, hillary clinton, 15th amendment, 19th amendment, voting machines

The Dream

Tags: greydon square, atheism, youtube