Conspiracy Fools - 9/11 and the Pentagon

If you smash an aluminum beer can against your forehead and I shout "Where is the can? There is no can! You're lying!" Who is the idiot? You or me?

The Pentagon is a reinforced building.  It is designed to withstand missile attacks .

An airplane is an aluminum hot dog. It's going to crumple if it flies straight into an immovable object, like a mountain, or a reinforced building meant to withstand missile attacks.

The airplane that hit the Pentagon went straight into it. Not sliding along the ground at an angle, but flying straight into a mountain.

The aluminum hot dog, hurtling along as if thrown by the baseball pitch of God, crumpled like a beer can on a redneck's forehead. It actually liquefied from the kinetic energy of impact. Things do that in the really-real world; it's called Physics, and it's really cool. Even dumb people can learn Physics.

Anyone still screaming "where is the plane?," is a moron and an asshole.

Come on people. Your pet conspiracy theory fails the "does that even fucking make sense??" test and I didn't even have to spend more than 8 seconds thought on it.

Popular Mechanics even did an entire special issue on the subject back in 2006.  These people don't work for the "gummit" - they're corporate, and good engineers, and have a lot to lose if they lie about things. They also care enough the truth, and they care about the hundreds of people who died on September 11, 2001, enough to want people to respect the truth. So, don't take my common sense analysis as the final word - go read their analysis and see why the Pentagon plane conspiracy theorists are disrespectful idiots.

rwNJ Fox Puppet Projection Awesomesauce

Here is yet another bit of non-logical RWNJ Fox Puppet Projection Awesomesauce.

See the Fox Puppets like to chant that Liberals want to take their stuff (not to be confused with rwNJs worshipping corporations that take their stuff).

There is no way, in any rational universe, that the President of the United States would be involved in a kid living in Qatar attempting to sue a US city.  That's just dumb-fuckery to think any intelligent human being - sitting in the Oval Office - would waste time with something that pedantic and likely to draw unwanted attention.

No fucking rational mind would ever think such a thing.

Then again, Fox Puppets aren't exactly rational, are they?  That's why they are Fox Puppets in the first place.

Oh, and they find potty humor funny, too, and think being vulgar and childish is classy.  Or something.  I don't know, I have trouble thinking down to a third-grade level anymore to understand rwNJ humor.

Fiction Friday - Aberrant Dino-Woman

Morrigan Viivi Donaghue

Background & Origin: She was born in the Netherlands, and abandoned during childhood. She grew up a ward of the state. She has been on your own for as long as she can remember. As far as she knows, she is an only child. She has not been able to locate her parents, or any relatives at all.

She has experienced the following important events:

• A beloved pet died, leaving her grief-stricken;
• A long-term relationship ended when her partner broke up with her without reason;
• Exposure to a disease-laden environment toughened her immune system.
• She fell in love and thought about marriage. Her thoughts become reality and she got hitched;
• Word of her deeds spreads, and she gained fame or notoriety.

Combat Tactics: She transforms to a velociraptor, with larger (more useful) forearms, and fights viciously.

Personality Traits: She has a mental disorder in that she is convinced her powers derive from the magical powers of her facial tattoo, and nothing can convince her otherwise. If the tattooed is somehow destroyed, she probably will mental block and be unable to use her powers.

Appearance:  She has short, braided hair. She favors clothing that blends with the local styles, changing at need.

Powers: Like all novas, she has a special lump of tissue in her brain that allows her to collect, channel and manipulate quantum energies in science fiction-like ways.  This typically manifests as a kind of self-image.  In her case, she can transform into reptile and dinosaur forms.

Notes:  Model unknown.  Character by I.A. Riley, March, 2016.

Document Copyright (C) 2016 by I.A. Riley. All rights reserved.  Portions Copyright others; no attempt is made to infringe upon their rights.

Aberrant 1e Copyright (C) 1999 by White Wolf Publishing.

Random backstory generator - http://www.pbegames.com/lifepath/ .

Random name generator - http://www.behindthename.com/random/ .

Morrigan Viivi Donaghue

Strength ⬤⬤⬤⬤ [4]

(Brawl ⬤⬤⬤ [7], Might ⬤ [5])

Dexterity ⬤⬤⬤⬤ [4]

(Athletics ⬤⬤⬤, Drive ⬤ [5], Firearms ⬤⬤ [6])

Stamina ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ [7]

(Endurance ⬤⬤⬤ [10], Resistance ⬤⬤⬤ [10])

Perception ⬤⬤ [3]

(Awareness ⬤⬤⬤ [6])

Intelligence ⬤⬤ [2]

(Academics ⬤⬤ [4], Linguistics ⬤ [3], Science ⬤⬤ [4])

Wits ⬤⬤ [2]

(Art  ⬤ [3], Rapport ⬤ [3])

Appearance ⬤⬤⬤ [3]

(Style ⬤ [4])

Manipulation ⬤⬤⬤ [3]

(Stealth ⬤ [4])

Charisma ⬤⬤ [2]

(Command ⬤ [3])

Quantum ⬤⬤⬤⬤

Quantum Pool 28

Willpower ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ ⬤⬤

Taint ⬤⬤

Combined Soak - Bashing 7, Lethal 4

Backgrounds

Attunement ⬤⬤⬤

Cipher ⬤⬤

Resources ⬤⬤

Powers

Mega-Stamina ⬤ (Resiliency)

Shapeshift ⬤⬤⬤⬤

(dice pool 11, so typically 4 successes, which she uses for -) 
("Velociraptor" form - Armor ⬤, Claws ⬤, and Sizemorph [grow] ⬤, resulting in  Strength ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤, Mega-Strength ⬤, Stamina ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤, Mega-Stamina ⬤⬤, Bashing Soak 12, Lethal Soak 8, and her Claws do 6 dice +5 auto-successes Lethal damage)
("Ankylosaur" form - Armor ⬤, Sizemorph [grow] ⬤⬤, resulting in  Strength ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤, Mega-Strength ⬤⬤⬤, Stamina ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤, Mega-Stamina ⬤⬤⬤, Bashing Soak 14, Lethal Soak 10, and her Claws do 6 dice +15 auto-successes Lethal damage)

Verify you CAN vote in November!

I'm putting this up here, because this is going to be an issue in November. Try calling NOW to make sure that you are eligible to vote - that you haven't been "accidentally" culled from the registration, or that the rules haven't been changed while you weren't looking, or that your polling place hasn't been closed - whatever - make sure you know that you're actually going to be able to vote, and how to do it in your state!

Racists are "conservative" - and it makes real conservatives smell like shit

The Nixon "Southern Strategy" worked to flip all the racists from Democrat to Republican. For 50 years, the GOP has been cultivating the racists. It's no surprise the racists self-ascribe as "conservative" and "Republican" - frankly, it's a smear on face of real conservatives that the real conservatives haven't kicked the racists to the curb years ago.

The truth is that real conservatives - fiscally responsible, value family, like picnics, that kind of thing, need to clean up their house.  They've got cockroaches overrunning the place, and they continue to tolerate the cockroaches.

Seriously, people, you can't expect anyone intelligent to respect you when your house is full of garbage, and you shout "No it isn't!" and "Don't you dare call me a cockroach, just because I'm covered in them!"

Does That Even Make Sense?

One of the principles I try to live my life by is "Does that even make sense?" It's a good rule, because it keeps me out of a lot of trouble and is a great way to cut through the Stupid.

(Usually, there's an f-bomb in there, but I'm trying to keep this clean, so as not to distract from the philosophical point.)

It's kind of like detective work, or maybe just like thinking, like at all.

If someone says something, for example, the sky is green, then "Hey, does that even make sense?" I mean, I can look and usually the sky is blue, or white, or a murky shade of grey, depending on the rain, so I highly doubt it was actually green. Now, I'm open to the idea that the lighting of the moment, or the beer bottle the person was looking through made the sky appear green, but that's not the same thing. The latter, however, is an example of me using my brain to help me make sense of what this person is saying. (In this example, the speaker is most likely pulling my leg, but you already knew that one, so I had to offer something else, because my secret agenda is to get you thinking.)

Now, we can go to another example, such as "All Christians are good and kind people." Well, basic experience says that is wrong, too, since Christian People are People-who-happen-to-be-Christian, and you can't take the Pee out of People, so that doesn't make sense.

But, now you're comfort zone is a bit rattled, and you're trying to figure out which part of that last paragraph I'm referring to when I say "that doesn't make sense."

Batting 25 000!! - HOLY TOLEDO!

I'm really super-flattered that people around the world are finding things to enjoy on my blog.  It does remind me that I should lighten up a bit, and diversify with the Musical Monday and Fiction Friday themes, as well as bitching about politics, philosophy and just fucking stupidity all the time. (Although, people seem to like best the posts where I bitch, so I don't know.)

You guys love me sooooo much!  

(Thank you for the love!)

view count	days (delta)	days (total)	views per day during the period	posts (delta)	posts (total)	views per post (total average)
1000	94	94	10.6	85	85	11.8
2000	72	166	13.9	52	137	14.6
3000	34	200	29.4	28	165	18.2
4000	21	221	47.6	16	181	22.1
5000	15	236	66.6	12	193	25.9
6000*	30	266	33.3	17	210	28.6
7000	17	283	58.8	18	228	30.7
8000	34	317	29.4	18	246	32.5
9000	14	331	71.4	10	256	35.2
10 000	18	349	55.5	10	266	37.6
15 000	58	407	86.2	31	297	50.4
20 000	76	483	65.7	32	329	60.8
25 000	82	565	61.0	28	357	70.0

Ages ago, I remarked that I was a global phenomenon.  Apparently, they love me in Russia. Go figure ;-)

Actually, this is one of the effects of the Interwebs.  It is really cool that people from anywhere can connect and find common ground.  Hell, I confess, I'm just glad they speak English!

Fiction Friday - Blue Lightning (Aberrant Superhero)

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Unbridled materialistic selfishness is a mental illness

Perspective is everything. Unbridled materialistic selfishness is obsolete and needs to be treated like a mental illness.

Bandito Duran extended my metaphor in a beautiful way:

"The caveman mentality of take what you can is killing many innocent people. We as a species have to learn a harmony of life or we will wipe ourselves out. Think of the rich as you would an addict, but not to alcohol or drugs but to greed and power. Then you will start to see the solution."

In his 2010 documentary, I Am, Tom Shadyac said a similar thing - that sociopathic pursuit of wealth at any cost is a mental illness.  Tom had suffered a rare medical condition that drove him into deep depression. While he eventually recovered, it left him profoundly changed in his perspective of the value of money and materialism - he was filthy rich, and it didn't make a damn bit of difference.  I Am is a wonderful film, that makes us think about what it means to be human - and the message of Jesus Christ which is to take care of each other.

Original thread

Here’s how you can use the ‘Facebook effect’ to stop Donald Trump

Here’s how you can use the ‘Facebook effect’ to stop Donald Trump

From the article:

Although one can still choose to not participate in the discussion, a recent scientific study shows that if one wants the political candidate they support to win, they need to join in. We have all heard the rallying cry “Your vote counts.” Now that can be extended to “Your Facebook comments count.”

I'm so depressed now.  Basically, by posting the shit out of something, we can influence what others think about it - positive, or negative - in a real and tangible way.

That means, when I rant against Trump, or for Clinton, or against rape, or for D&D, then I'm influencing how other people think about these same things.

I always knew my writings were mind worms, but that was really just me being meta and all that shit.  The truth is that it's not meta, it's real.  And the more the mindless idiots of the world cheer on Trump, even if they're spreading total bullshit, the more mindless idiots fall in love with someone who is a total farce.

That kind of shit is just freaky.

Equally freaky is how easily I was able to share this. The website managers provided a really handy little button form me to click.  Now, I've spread the word about their word, and the word is the bird, and the bird is flying up your nose.

Vote! Where to get credible information on the US Candidates

VOTE as if your personal future, and the future of your children and grandchildren depends on it - because it does!  I want this to be a Really Useful resource for finding credible information on the web.  Throw some more sites in the comments section, and I'll update this list.

Some reliable resources to get info on the candidates

Vote411.org
http://www.politifact.com/

It is human nature that we want to believe what makes us feel good. If you're one of those people who is all like "liberals lie and you can't trust any website that says bad things about 'conservatives' and never reveals that all 'liberals' are evil baby-rapers out to take my guns away!" then I can't help you.  You won't listen to anything I say anyway. In fact, if you're one of those kind of people, then you're beyond help, and please, please, please stay home on November 8 to stop Obama from coming for your guns!

Some total bullshit and farcical resources to get information about anything

• News Max - read anything on their site - it's loaded with emotional buzz words to  wind you up and confuse you.  Total bullshit.
• Breitbart - these people have been caught lying so many times, it's really a sad commentary on human nature that this site still exists;
• Fox News - these people have been caught lying so many times, it's really a sad commentary on human nature that this site still exists.  Occasionally, they accidentally say something true, and frequently the fools that do wander off the talking points and say something true get fired for it..

Microsoft OneDrive vs Google Drive

In 2016, Microsoft is reducing the amount of free drive space you get with OneDrive. If you're a freeloader (like me), you're getting cut from 15 GB to 5 GB. However, if you're using more than 5 GB (I'm not), you can get a free one year subscription to Office 365 Personal package.

Google still gives away 15 GB for free.

Got to hand it to those Microsoft people. They're always thinking about ways to get you hooked on their drugs product, and give them money on a regular basis.

Unlike, say, the Google people, who just datamine the crap out of anything you stick in those free 15 GB.

Decisions, decisions.

Oh, who am I kidding, I'm totally Google's bitch.

It's a TRAP - Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers

So apparently there is yet-another Texas "if we can't make artificial termination of pregnancy illegal, we'll make it impossible to get" before the Supreme Court again.  To the surprise of no one, these are called "TRAP" laws (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers).

And "hundreds" of women have filed "friend of the court" statements saying how much they "deeply regret" their own pregnancies they had terminated, and therefore other women should be denied the same choice.

Uh-huh. Look, I really do sympathize with those women who made what was surely a very difficult choice, and one they cannot reverse, and now they regret it. The past is immutable, and only the future is uncertain. They have my compassion.

But, they can then also Fuck Off. I don't give a shit about their hurt feelings when they try to dictate my options and my choices over my body.

Until every pregnancy is a WANTED and WELCOME joy, then "anti-abortionists" can take their misguided and selfish ethics and shove them up their butts.

As I've said before, this bullshit isn't about "protecting the unborn" - it's about control and taking away options from women. It's about trapping the poor into poverty, and about breaking the middle class and driving them into poverty.

A pregnant woman has fewer choices about education, about contributing to the economy, about her health.  I know a lovely middle-class family, with good education, with a wonderful little girl.  That pregnancy literally nearly killed the mother - she developed a rare blood disorder for which the only cure was to end the pregnancy.  She had to quit working due to complications. Thank God her husband's company provided a really good (and really expensive) health insurance policy, and she had a great doctor (apparently a co-chair of gynecology at a major hospital), who was able to nurse her along to give full-term, live-birth to a perfectly healthy child.

But, mother and fetus could have died without that Really Expensive healthcare.  This wasn't a "mom could have sacrificed her life for baby" kind of deal - three choices: 1) work to save both mom and baby, 2) save only mom, 3) both die.

This farcical false bullshit of "women who end their pregnancies are just selfish and evil" is pig-headed vile self-righteous selfish bullshit on the part of the anti-abortionist, not the pregnant woman.

It's way past time for these selfish assholes to cut the crap, accept that they're really just waging a war to force others to abide by their own whims and desires, that they don't respect the Constitution or the Founding Fathers and Mothers, to own up to being prigs, and quit playing pussyfoot with TRAP laws.

Pure, beautiful insight on the Tea Party

Nate McD wrote - and I grabbed it, because it is just so perfect.

"The GOP was only ever a control-lever employed by the power-brokers of American commerce to exert control over the political system."

"But some select interests (Kochs, et al) who wanted government to be more responsive to their demands, unable to jigger that control stick to do their bidding, hacked the machine by creating the Tea Party as an alleged grass-roots movement. They created the Tea Party with the fiction of it being a 'leaderless' organization that was reacting to the outrage of the nation...

They thought they could control the mob using the same invisible purse-strings they manipulated politicians with, but the mob bought the 'leaderless' fiction and once they built up a head of steam, broke free of the strings and went on a rampage. Like all mobs though, a charismatic appeal to their base instincts was able to take control... Thus Trump Drumpf.

We can't change the course of history, but we can learn from it and adapt. Progressive organizations need to have more presence and make positive cases for the existence of the programs that the Right reviles. ACORN was ground to meal and scattered on the wind. Sure, it continues on as a myriad of smaller and even more underfunded organizations, but those are now even easier to prey upon if and when they are noticed. Planned Parenthood is fighting for it's existence now, as the steady push against it has become a full borne assault. Voting Rights are currently crippled and under continued threat. Affirmative Action is being challenged and hangs in the balance now; and so on."

"Democrats, Liberals, Progressives... the leaders and organizations must begin making positive cases going forward and engaging with more people to join in the fight. Waiting for the people to join of their own accord will only turn out pallbearers and mourners. "

Post 350 - I Am Not An Artist

There are several reasons I don’t consider myself an artist, even if other people might.

The main reason is simply that I'm not emotionally wired properly.

I think of artists as inherently emotionally vulnerable. Artists need to express themselves, but they are also dependent on feedback. Positive feedback can sustain them for a week, and a negative comments will will crush them for a month.

The need to make every piece better than the last - to feel like they are being seen and heard and loved - drives artists forward - and makes them fucking nuts.

Artists with talent, who can get enough of the right feedback can achieve amazing things. Those who can overcome their emotional weakness and realize art is totally subjective and fame and fortune are a joke, can become rich and famous as artists.

Those who never overcome, produce the most brilliant works, but never get the recognition they deserve (or crave) until they are dead (or they chase it to the grave - witness Hollywood, the music industry, the athletic field, whatever).

Art is subjective as Hell. I don’t need the grief. That’s part of my wiring - I don't chase the highs and lows needed to be an intentionally good artist, let alone an intentionally brilliant one. (I may be an accidental artist, of a sort, but that's not the same thing.)

Also, unlike artists, I consciously reject the emotional hunger for feedback. I consciously choose to enjoy the positive and dump the negative. The fact that my conscious choice succeeds almost all the time proves my point - under my definition, I'm not wired properly to be an artist.

Thank God, too. I’ve a friend who is a brilliant screenplay writer, film editor and film director. She has won some really amazing awards, and done some really amazing things. But, she loses her mind with angst every time one of her pieces doesn't place in a competition. Even if the same piece won other competitions. Her husband calls it “failure to program,” meaning the competition people didn't think it fit their program (e.g. film festivals), wasn't what they were looking for, or were just idiots. But, she's an Artist and all she hears is “failure.”

I don't need the rollercoaster, but then, I've never won an art competition.

Vote! Vote for anyone EXCEPT Trump!

VOTE as if your personal future, and the future of your children and grandchildren depends on it - because it does!

This is America.  I want you to vote.  I want to see the biggest fucking voter turnout in history.  I almost don't even care if you vote for candidates I personally loathe - just turnout and vote.

Although, remember, it is important whom you vote for as well as against.

We can't afford to be stupid and say "Oh, I'm going to protest by shirking my right and privilege to make my voice heard, to stand up for what I believe in, and to get my ass out and vote!"

I mean, seriously, we need to all be #AngryGrrls4Bernie - and if Secretary Clinton gets nominated, then get your ass out and vote for her, because Trump will fuck your ass over.

Donald Trump is one of the worse and most embarrassing things to ever happen to American politics.  Seriously, he's an embarrassment, and his incredible success in the polls and running as the candidate shows how insane and fucked up - and a humiliating joke -  the American electoral system has become.

Trump isn't making a mockery of the electoral system - he's playing by the rules we've been taught to buy into and showing us what a fucking joke they already are!

Trump has stripped away the veneer of civility and decorum from the entire American society. He's ripped back the scab to reveal the festering rot of racism and cockroaches we all are.  How we have an eight-second attention span, and will buy any lie - no matter how patently false - that a charismatic snake oil salesmen presents to us in a bold, confident voice.  That we won't bother to fact-check, that we won't believe the facts when told to us - that we want to be lied to and we want to believe the lies - because we're ignorant little tits.

So, get your ass out and VOTE - VOTE FOR ANYONE EXCEPT TRUMP!

The movie "Idiocracy" wasn't a satire, it was a prophecy.  In that dystopian future, the President is a joke, the country is a joke (they use Gatorade to water farms, instead of water), and everyone cheers and jeers when the entertainer-in-the-White-House tells them to.

Anyone who wants to try taking the morale high ground with me over "calling Trump names," has lost that battle before starting, so don't even try.

Trump has convinced everyone his name means "quality" and "success."  But the truth is that his "success" as the iconic American entrepreneur really just means "Yeah, I failed again and again, but I keep trying again and again, therefore - Trump means success,  because I say so!"

Being born a multi-millionaire makes it a LOT easier to "fail and fail again," until finally getting it right once in a while.

It wasn't so long ago that I vented my spleen that people compared American political figures to Hitler.  How naïve I was just a year ago.

The rise of American authoritarianism

And finally, let's just talk about how he conducts himself in public. Trump is currently a mere entertainer. If we make this asshole the Leader of the Free World, he represents All of America. His personal conduct and opinions are no longer his own - they represent All of Us.

Cleaning the roaches out of the old social circles

It's really interesting how the Rise Of Trump is bringing out the cockroaches all across the board. I think his naked racism and sexism has really emboldened people to embrace their own petty hatreds from straight-up racism, to compassionless (and unthinking) hatred of "illegals," to sexist attitudes, to Romney's iconic "47% freeloaders," and whatever, whatever.

I expect all across social media, people are doing the same thing I'm doing now, and trimming their connection lists.

I mean, you get the "liberals" pointing out that white supremacist-like attitudes of treating all black men as "thugs," and all Muslims as "terrorists" are "racist," and you get the "conservatives" screaming about how they're being treated unfairly by the "racist, faggot-wedding, muzzy-loving, white-excluding, Christian-hating libturds."

Which is too bad, in a lot of ways, since I've found, as a general rule, that I can get along with almost anyone with half-a-brain and a willingness to find common ground. I mean, I play D&D - ever been to a convention? You get a lot of people having a blast slaying the dragon together, and chatting about The Hobbit, who would probably kill each other in a heartbeat if they tried to discuss Real World Politics or Real World Religion.

So, yeah, I expect social media circles are all in massive upheaval right now. 

Trump - the hate machine's double standard of his sordid past

I'm so glad this is a meme.

But the answer is still "Noooo, because 1) Trump is white, 2) the power-behind-the-throne people at Fox like Mr Trump (oh, sure, they bash him publicly, but they're still in bed with him)."

And let's not forget how the well-organized, and well-funded RWnj hate spin machine ran stories and stories about Rev Wright.

Trump-Carson 2016

This is my official prediction:

"Trump-Carson 2016"

They both view it as an opportunity to raid the biggest fucking cookie jar that ever existed, and they know how to play the game.

See, "rules" are things people agree to. Rules - like laws - only matter if there are consequences for breaking them.

Neither of these assholes care who gets hurt when they break all the rules of "American elections" and they know - as both have proven again and again - that there are zero consequences for doing whatever the fuck they want on the campaign trail. No one is holding them accountable for any breach of etiquette or bald-faced lie they spew out.

They know the rules of the game, and they realize the rules are an illusion.

Trump will keep being Mr White Race-Bait, and Carson will play the pool-boy monkey when with Trump, but Carson will rarely be seen with Trump, since Carson will be playing the intelligent physician in front of the black and Latino crowds.

All the white people will "know" Carson is the well-behaved monkey, and all the black people will hold out hope that Trump will die and Carson will be the second black President.

It's the perfect extension of this nightmare.


#TrumpCarson2016