[UPDATED: 5 DECEMBER]

A long time ago, in a galaxy faraway, there was a Canadian band called Red Rider.  And they had a big hit in the early 80s with a song called “The Lunatic Fringe.”  It’s not such a bad song, really.

The lunatic fringe is alive and well in Montréal this week, according to the Montreal Mirror. American aboriginal activist Splitting the Sky will be in our fair city.  I have never really thought of him as out there, despite his claim to fame being an attempt to enact a citizen’s arrest on George W. Bush in Calgary.  Anyway, on Saturday night, he will be speaking at the Centre Saint-Pierre on rue Panet; his topic is that 9/11 was an inside job.  This is from the Mirror’s story:

Sky says the former president, his vice-president and their shadowy allies were convinced they could get away with blowing up the World Trade Center, murdering thousands of innocents, engaging in two ruinous wars and earning the enmity of the world in order to gain access to distant oil and gas fields in faraway and difficult to access seabeds. Telltale stock trading prior to the attacks and an impending, potentially costly lawsuit against WTC owners over asbestos are just parts of his case, he says.

“I have conclusive evidence” that will expose the conspiracy, he says. “I’ll be exposing all the corporations, all the players, and charging the real terrorists. The war on terror is bogus.”

All I can say, is please.  9/11 was a lot of things, and the Bush administration does appear to have been negligent about reading intelligence reports prior to the attacks, but an inside job?

UPDATE:

Even The Gazette is getting in on this, promoting Split the Sky’s talk, as well as his legal woes stemming from his attempt to enact a citizen’s arrest on W. in Calgary.  He’s on a tour to fund his defence, apparently.  The talk is being hosted by the Montreal 911 Truth Group.  I especially like their creation of a swastika of bullets with the British, American, Israeli, and NATO flags on it, as the header for an article asking whether Montréal is the next terror target.  Apparently, according to these people, Mossad was going to carry out a 7/7-style terrorist attack in the Montréal Métro.  Included is a typical crackpot explanation of why Mossad (and the Canadian government) would want an attack on Canada:

The government will not stop the next terror attacks planned for Canada, because they are intimately involved with the masters of false flag terror, the Isrealis.

Pro-Israel Zionists placed by treasonous Canadian politicians now hold important posts in Canada’s Parliament(the Isreali allies caucus), Supreme Court, and the CBC.

Other Israeli agents own media monopolies, like CanWest Global, which always stresses the pro-Israel side, and conspires to swindle Canadians with War on Terror propaganda. They actually want a terror attack on Canada, so they can pour on even more propaganda for Israel inspired wars.

But, fortunately for us, the conspiracy theorists are here to save us.  Ugh.  Please.

(c) Siddharth 2009

Climate change is happening, and without doubt it is caused by human activity. I’m a sceptic and before (if ever) I believe something of such magnitude I question and question again for fear of being lied to or manipulated. Yet I doubtlessly believe that the main reason for climate change is human activity.

I am no scientist and do not pretend to be one. My arguments are not scientific. Like many others I was explained the reasons for this phenomenon by scientists who made it simple for me to do so. Their reasons seem valid. I’ve also heard the point of view of those who believe this is a hoax, and their arguments seem too simplistic and crude for me to believe. For example these claim that temperature is not increasing in direct relationship with our Co2 emissions. From the little science I know, I never thought that change in human activity will have an immediate impact, positive or negative, on the whole world. Neither do I expect to see that when in a particular year Co2 emissions decreased the world will start cooling instantly.

However, being a sceptic and not being a scientist, this alone would not have convinced me. I also needed to take a look at the politics of the issue.

Conspiracy theories on anything are abundant. While many consider these theorists as crazy, they actually have serious impacts on world politics. A large number of people in the world believe in some conspiracy, refuse to reason with anyone who tries to show them they should at least question their beliefs and spend their life nibbling their nails and making video clips for Youtube. These vary from a New World Order or the Islamification of the world, to others which are less famous such as the re-unification of the Soviet Union or the European Union’s ‘plan’ to become a military superpower and invade the US.

However, climate change has an element that puts it on a completely different level than these bullshit theories. It is not being endorsed by some fringe groups but by nearly all leaders of the world. These include the US and other major countries who financially speaking have a lot to lose by accepting it. Even President George W. Bush, who tried to find as many loopholes as possible so that the US doesn’t embark on any major reform, didn’t deny it.

Let’s compare the climate change reality with what probably is the biggest conspiracy theory of our times: the creation of a New World Order. They have one similar thing – there is evidence for both. The climate is changing (even those who believe this is a hoax accept this, they just believe it’s not related to human activity), the glaciers are melting and anomalies in nature are taking place. Similarly the New World Order conspiracy too is based on realities – 9/11 did happen against all odds, people are greedy and want to control the world, and privacy is being eroded. What this lunatic fringe believes is that these realities are created by rogue activities from the Vatican, the former KGB, Bin Laden’s family and thousands of others (the most paranoid even include Jesus Christ). They are sure that all these entities are conspiring between them to take complete control of us; that 9/11 was an inside job done by Americans; and that we will soon be forced to wear a microchip in our right hand so that the NWO leaders could control us completely. (Oh and yes, the microchip is even mentioned in the Bible, in the Book of Revelations!)

And who is leading this conspiracy movement? I don’t know. Does anyone? Information is spread mostly through emails and internet sites from people who are either anonymous or have all the possibility to create a false profile. We can’t point our fingers or poke our questions to a particular individual because there is no individual.

With climate change it’s quite different, the opposite actually. Fingers were pointed at many politicians and scientists, but the latest personality who has to blame for all this is Al Gore. After losing an election he compiled a thorough documentary (An Inconvenient Truth). We are talking about Al Gore, US Presidential candidate who did not hide behind an Internet screen for exposing this reality. He is backed by practically every leader of the world, most notably President Nasheed of the Maldives. The latter is of vital importance because his country is the  most severely hit by this inconvenient truth. Ever seen those beautiful small islands on travel brochures, a holidaymaker’s dream? They are literally drowning and unless something is urgently done they will soon vanish.

For most of us climate change is a reality. Some want to deny it. There are billions of profit to be lost from reacting to it in a sane way. They have attempted to label Al Gore as a Communist and a lunatic. And we, Greens, socialists and all those who love the world we live in are the bad guys. We are either conspiring with him for personal power or we must be paranoid like the NWO crazies. They say the cause is just ‘the sun’.

They will never convince the majority of course. However they will partly attain what they want to – put doubt in the equation. Unfortunately, this is not an ego game of ‘we have more people believing in us than you’. This is an emergency

The PTB must be getting really concerned about the truth coming out…

Stealth Treaty Seeks Strict Controls Over Internet

Saw on the news tonight (Albuquerque, NM) – which I just happend to catch because the Lame Stream News is NOT something that I partake of as a rule -  that the H1N1 flu shot doses just arrived within the state but they’re not keeping the shot givers very busy. Seems that NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE ‘EM. What a hoot.

If that don’t beat all…

Public Policy Polling brings us the latest installment in pollsters’ ongoing series: “Which crazy conspiracy theory do a majority of Republicans believe now?” The latest example is a question on whether President Obama’s 2008 election victory, in which he

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Youtube Video with Alan Steinfeld…

~ By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

Curious isn’t it? Is the MSM (Main – or Lame as the case may be – Stream Media) withholding information from the general public? The only place one can find any info on this subject is from ‘off beat’ or not mainstream news streams. Population control at its finest? What next groupers?

~ Links ~

Virus in the Ukraine

40,000 Contract Serious Virus in Ukraine

Unique Killer ‘Pneumonic Plague’ Virus Outbreak in the Ukraine Spreads Quickly… Meanwhile US ‘Lame-Stream’ Media Remains Quiet

Or maybe it’s just another hoax eh? Another ’smoke screen’ for what really going on – behind the scenes…? Perhaps it’s just a ‘pretext’ for mandatory vaccination?

Interesting to note though…

Are Geoengineering Initiatives Being Used To Accelerate The Pandemic?

You be the judge. I’m just a ‘hunter/gatherer’

Reality please, just a little reality!!

Posted by: “Graham Jukes” grahamjukes@blueyonder.co.uk   graham_jukes

Mon Nov 9, 2009 11:36 am (PST)

Are you ready? Wait for it… it’s good: Fort Hood shooting: Texas army killer linked to September 11 terrorists –Major Nidal Malik Hasan worshipped at a mosque led by a radical imam said to be a ’spiritual adviser’ to three of the ‘hijackers’ who attacked America on Sept 11, 2001. 07 Nov 2009 Hasan, the sole suspect in the ['Manchurian Candidate'-style] massacre of 13 fellow US soldiers in Texas, attended the controversial Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Great Falls, Virginia, in 2001 at the same time as two of the September 11 terrorists, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt. The preacher at the time was Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born Yemeni scholar who was banned from addressing a meeting in London by video link in August because he is accused of supporting attacks on British troops and backing terrorist organisations.
U.S. Army gunman’s act “impossible” – grandfather 07 Nov 2009 The grandfather of a U.S. Army psychiatrist accused of shooting dead 13 people and wounding 30 others at a base in Texas said on Saturday he found it impossible to believe his grandson had committed the act. “He is a doctor and loves the U.S.” Ismail Mustafa Hamad told Reuters in an interview at his home in the Palestinian town of al-Bireh. “America made him what he is.”

Ok, let’s get this out of the way. Fort Hood – tragic. Now let’s look at some reality.
ONE guy shooting a hand gun killed HOW many people – and on a military base?

Are you serious? Get real will you?

And the one shooter is now in a coma!!!

And, as of now at least, there’s no surveillance camera footage?

And he’s a Muslim who also happens to be a serviceman with a mental disorder involving gunplay who did
it with privately owned weapons?

This thing could not have been scripted or casted better if Hollywood had produced it.

Let’s see:

1. Private gun ownership demonized – check
2. Muslims demonized – check
3. Military personnel demonized – check
4. Base dwelling troops at home terrorized
by a fellow American – check
5. Yet another chance to distract the public – check

If this really happened the way it’s been spun, there have to be a lot of social engineers
high fiving each other at their good luck.

And what about the logic of the gunman?

He was afraid of being deployed to a combat zone…so he created one at home so he
could be killed sooner? I realize the man was “crazy” but come on.

(I wonder what prescribed medically-endorsed pharmaceutical substance(s) he was one. We’ll
never know because it would violate his privacy. Score another one for Big Pharma.)

13 killed and 30 wounded by one man with two pistols.

Nearly a 50% kill rate.

Ever fired a handgun? Ever tried aiming and firing two at a time? Under pressure?
Ever reload a handgun under pressure? There were people shooting at him. That’s a little pressure.

We’re talking about yet *another* superhuman performance by a “lone gunman” who is
conveniently not conscious to tell the tale.

Caliber doesn’t matter and the bogus non-fact that these were “automatic” pistols is bull**** as well.

Meanwhile, we’re being drowned in flags, memorials and interviews with
the victims’ families – and a total absence of any information that makes sense.

“But the government would never do such a thing to its own troops!”

Uh, excuse me. It’s putting thousands of them through a meat grinder in
a pointless, unwinnable charade of a war as we speak – in two countries,
while gearing up for two more (Iran and Pakistan.)

Do you think the dead and wounded from overseas are any less dead and wounded victims from Fort Hood?

Assume the gunman was crazy. What does that make the Bush-Bama regime?

Here’s a news report about *another* mass shooting by a lone gunman with two pistols that sneaked its way onto the air before it was pulled off and never replayed.

Reality please, just a little reality!!

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/96.html

SCRIBEFIRELTfzUcnfSCRIBEFIRE

For all hell to break loose?

When will there be road blocks for flu shots?

When will we totally loose our independence?

When will disclosure on ETs be made public?

Well, y’all can call me a lunatic fringe if y’ont too. Perhaps someday, if you’ve read these posts, you’ll look back and say… ‘Hmmmm… that crazy bitch might ‘o been on ta sumpthin…!’

I first became interested in South by Southwest (5.11a, 5 pitches) on Lower Cathedral Spire when a dude from Colorado mentioned it when we were chatting at the Penny Lane crag in Squamish. He mentioned something about it being easy for the grade in the Valley (hey, if I’m trying to break into a grade, I have no problem trying the easiest objective first) and having red camalot hand cracks (RED CAMALOT HAND CRACKS!!!).

So I investigated – looked it up on MountainProject, checked it out in the guidebooks, and asked my personal climbing information guru, Luke, for info on the route. It sounded like a great objective – not too long, not too much hard climbing (but with good climbing on the hard pitches) and a spectacular summit. Even the long (at least by Yosemite standards) approach didn’t seem like too much of a negative because it would keep the crowds away.

Looking down into the Valley from the approach hike.

I’d planned on doing the route with Luke the first weekend in October, but I picked up a nasty cold/flu the week before and was in no condition to hike far or climb hard. The following weekends, I climbed with Sarah Kate and we realized that we had a pretty good climbing partnership going – we motivate each other to try harder. When thinking of routes to do last weekend in Yosemite, we tossed around the thought of doing South by Southwest and realized it would be an awesome idea. Although we knew the crux climbing would be challenging, the rest of the route would be pretty relaxed for us. Plus, it’s a rare opportunity to climb a hard multipitch route with another girl, where you can swing leads and both feel like you’ve really pulled your weight on the ascent.

We awoke at 7am in our Lower Pines campsite, broke camp, ate some oatmeal, made sandwiches, and headed for the parking near El Cap Meadow. We discovered that Sarah Kate’s partner from Friday had forgotten to give all her gear back (some of which we wanted to bring with us), so we made a quick trip back to the campsite (where he was luckily still packing up) and then back to the meadow. With tremendous effort, we took off our jackets (it was chilly) and hiked briskly to the start of the approach trail.

Looking up at the third (5.10d) pitch from the belay (you can’t see the crux section).

The approach was not as bad or long as we had expected (except for a short section of steep dirt when we got kind of off track) and we were at the base of the route in under 2 hours, including a short excursion further up the gully (slight confusion about which Spire was which). Sarah Kate said I could lead the crux 11a pitch (the money pitch) since I’d been psyched on the route for so long. This meant she would take the 10d boulder problem pitch.

We lead the first (Sarah Kate) and second (Lizzy) pitches without much trouble. Sarah Kate then lead a mini pitch to the base of the third (1od boulder problem) pitch. Then it was time for the business. A tricky 5.9 section brought Sarah Kate to the base of the 10d section, which was well-protected but a bit airy and mental (as soon as you commit to the pitch you get a lot of space beneath you). After some deep breaths and sequencing, she committed to the moves and sent to the jug and easier ground above to a small belay ledge. I followed, falling once at the crux when my feet kept popping (sadly, just a move below the jug), but then easily figured it out on my second try.

Higher Cathedral Spire

Rest, water, Shot Bloks, and deep breaths at the belay, before setting off on the crux pitch. The first part was in a small, kind of awkward corner. We both felt the crux came before the “tight hands crux” in the topo, where there was a wide pod we had to thrutch past. But I made it to the start of the roof, rested, and set off into the undercling section. Magically, it did not feel particularly hard (the undercling was a jug and there were some decent feet). The rest of the pitch was fun, wild laybacking to a bolted belay on a nice ledge.

Looking down at the fourth (5.11a) pitch.

Sarah Kate followed the pitch clean (awesome!) and we high-fived at the belay ledge – the hard climbing was below us! We exchanged gear and she set off on the final pitch to the summit. We ate our lunches huddled behind a rock (it was quite windy) before walking over to the true summit (no summit register    ) to take some photos with El Cap in the background. It is a pretty sweet view from the summit. Two climbergirls, 5 pitches, 5 onsights, 1 fall, 1 gorgeous summit!

We rapped uneventfully and headed down the talus, ready for chips, salsa, and beer. We also chilled with a bunch of climbers at the Stanford Alpine Club campsite and Nina, Jeremy, Adrienne, Jeff, and Kelli, who happened to be camping two sites over.

Lovely fall colors in the gully

In the morning, we were tired and sore, but still got up at around 8:15. We ate and packed up camp, then headed to curry for coffee/tea and decision-making about what to climb. After long deliberations and considering of soreness, we decided cragging at Reed’s Pinnacle would be a good decision. It was almost lunch time when we actually got there (after stopping in the meadow, then realizing we needed to go back and fill up water) but we were in no rush.

El Capitan from the summit of Lower Cathedral Spire

We’d hoped to warm up on Ejesta (5.8), but two older dudes said they were planning on doing it. After considering their speed (not particularly fast), we decided to climb a 5.7 nearby. We then headed to the base of Lunatic Fringe (5.10c) to eat lunch and wait for it to get less hot up there in the sun.

Two guys showed up to do the route and I decided to let them go first (I was in no rush to climb in the hot sun), but I didn’t watch (I wanted to onsight it…). I started up the route, trying to conserve my gear (I still ended up backcleaning and leapfrogging some pieces because I hadn’t anticipated the gear size quite right). The last moves were a bit exciting, but luckily I had two yellow aliens, so it was quite well protected. It was Sarah Kate’s turn next and with a little beta and gear advice she was off. She cruised the route (even the top moves), hesitating only at a tricky off fingers section.

Obligatory summit photo with El Cap

Afterwards, it was getting late in the afternoon and we were both a bit tired and sore, so we decided to call it a weekend and head home via Chipotle.

It was a pretty fantastic weekend. I think we both felt really proud of ourselves for doing South by Southwest together, because I think both of us have previously climbed harder multipitch routes only with guys, who tend to be the ones to lead the hard pitches. Both of us lead our hardest route in the Valley on South by Southwest and I think we really benefited mentally from not having the security blanket of a stronger partner. It was also nice for both of us to relax more on Sunday (especially Sarah Kate, who’d climbed all of Friday, too) because we’re so busy during the week that we don’t always get any time to relax. We were both psyched on sending Lunatic Fringe – definitely a very classic, fantastic route.

Lizzy

I am reminded of a fable by mlrvero about The Fox and The Gentleman.

 One day a fox knocked on the door of the White House in Washington D.C., a tall soft spoken gentleman answered the door and the fox asked if it could come in. The gentleman said no and closed the door on the fox and we all lived happily ever after.

 President Obama and the White House are right on with the position they are taking against Fox News.  In my opinion, Fox News is not a real news network; it appears to be a propaganda machine which provokes hatred, racism and the far out views of the right wing lunatic fringe.    

 There are many things purported on Fox that I have found to be untrue and that are used to incite the republican right wing nuts. I personally believe that those people, who believe everything they hear on Fox, is true, should do their homework. The truth is out there about birthers, death panels, Iraq, health care reform, government take over and other false issues which they try to use to inflame their viewing audience. They are not fair and balanced as far as I am concerned instead they are unfair and unbalanced. I think their new slogan should be Fox News It’s Not Real News… We Make It Up.        

 And That’s How I See It (view of an average guy).

Is the Secret Service stretched thin? According to The Boston Globe, the Secret Service is overwhelmed by a record number of death threats against President Obama, a rise in hate groups, and a new wave of antigovernment fervor. The Secret Service is tryin

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The following story should — if you are, well, normal – make you shudder with horror.

CANTON, N.C. (October 13, 2009)—The Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Canton, N.C. will celebrate Halloween by burning Bibles that aren’t the King James Version, as well as music and books and anything else Pastor Marc Grizzard says is a satanic influence.

Among the authors whose books Grizzard plans to burn are well known ministers Rick Warren and Billy Graham because he says they have occasionally used Bibles other than the King James Version, which is the sole biblical source he considers infallible.

According to the church’s Web site, members will also burn “Satan’s music such as country, rap, rock, pop, heavy metal, western, soft and easy, southern gospel, contemporary Christian, jazz, soul (and) oldies.

“We will also be burning Satan’s popular books written by heretics like Billy Graham, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, John McArthur, James Dobson, Charles Swindoll, John Piper, Chuck Colson, Tony Evans, Oral Roberts, Jimmy Swagart, Mark Driskol, Franklin Graham, Bill Bright, Tim Lahaye, Paula White, T.D. Jakes, Benny Hinn, Joyce Myers, Brian McLaren, Robert Schuller, Mother Teresa, The Pope, Rob Bell, Erwin McManus, Donald Miller, Shane Claiborne, Brennan Manning (and) William Young.

During the book burning, according to the Web site, barbecued chicken, fried chicken and “all the sides” will be served.
~Source: KWTX Television

That Billy Graham should have to suffer this humiliation is one thing, but who ever heard of a conservative group that didn’t respect John MacArthur?

I really think that if and when these people get to heaven, God is going to look at them and say, “What were you thinking?” Or, “When did I appoint you as a judge?”  (See yesterday’s post.)

And if you’ve ever given money — or known someone who has — to The Gideons, or the American Bible Society, or any other such group; the thought of one small, fringe group actually burning those Bibles is beyond the pale.

Their book burning list is quite comprehensive. If you ever get the chance, ask people like this what authors they unconditionally support. 99 times out of 100 it will be a list of authors nobody else has ever heard of.  You know the kind; where every third sentence is printed in CAPITAL LETTERS, because if you can shout it loud enough, it must be truth.

I can’t help but think of people who really pioneered the whole book burning thing, the Nazis. (Pictured, upper left)   It’s the same mentality.   The same spirit.   Or the controlling, totalitarian regime depicted in the movie Fahrenheit 451. (Pictured, upper right.)

I also wonder how a holy God in heaven — who does indeed still intervene occasionally in the affairs of we humans — can restrain Himself while this burning of what every other Christian on the planet agrees is His word is taking place.   How can He sit there and not say, “Hey guys, so you like fire, do you?  Well, take this –”

What others are saying:

Rick Apperson  says, “I am sure Satan and his demons will be squealing with delight as Christians light God’s Word on fire.”   Actually Rick, given the media coverage, I think they’re laughing now.

The website Stuff Fundies Like reports the church getting all this media attention only has 14 members.

WLOS TV also gets the pastor on television — albeit in is denim overalls — where he manages to state his case without breaking up.   I mean, how can he keep a straight face?

Eugene Cho wonders why they can’t symbolically burn blogs so he can get some publicity.  He’s also annoyed that no Asian authors made the list.  “Why isn’t this church burning Francis Chan?”

The blog Exegeek — which also has the WLOS video –  notes that Harry Potter didn’t make the list.

Ron Edmondson wonders where the love of Christ is to be seen in all of this.   Where indeed?

Tim Stevens is shocked that churches like this still exist, but slightly ticked off that his books didn’t make the list.

Andrew Cromwell is less concerned.   He thinks that if a 14-member church can get this much publicity, maybe we all should start burning a book or two.

One of the 100+ comments on the religion page at USAToday suggests the church is competing for attention with the “shock jocks” on morning radio.

Yours truly reviews James White’s The King James Only Controversy; a key resource if this whole KJV-only mentality is new to you.

Gay Activist/Blogger

Well, well, well. Looks like some of the A list bloggers are getting a little taste of what the Obama campaign (and they themselves) dished out to some of us last year.   After last night’s pathetic attempt to charm the LGBT community back into line with his mere presence, Obama isn’t too pleased with the reaction from the gay community, including some prominent gay bloggers.

NBC just did a piece about today’s gay rights march in Washington. For the political context of the gay community’s ire, NBC went to Chief Washington Correspondent John Harwood. Harwood was asked if the White House was worried about “the left as a whole,” and concerns they have that the White House isn’t doing things that “the left” expected them to do. Harwood said the following:

Barack Obama is doing well with 90% or more of Democrats so the White House views this opposition as really part of the Internet left fringe.

Harwood then went on to say:

For a sign of how seriously the White House does or doesn’t take this opposition, one adviser told me those bloggers need to take off the pajamas, get dressed, and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult.

Nice use of right wing talking points, btw. How often have we been called crazy “moonbat” liberals by the Ann Coulter’s and Rush Limbaugh’s out there?  Kinda sucks hearing it from a Democratic president.  Even worse, that last little bit  is a just a flat out lie, as Aravosis points out.

And another thing. The country is “closely divided”? Barack Obama won the election by 192 electoral votes, Democrats control both Houses of Congress, have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate, and the opposition Republicans have been utterly decimated, and are floundering in the polls.

This is closely divided? This is an environment in which Democrats are going to have to recognize that the president is going to have to break his promises?

But beyond that is the shameless arrogance and bigotry with which the White House attacks as immature extremists the people marching today for our civil rights.  I wonder if Obama’s people would have said the same thing about Martin Luther King Jr. when he led the March on Washington in 1963?  Surely King knew that the president had a lot on his plate.   The country was at war with communism and there was trouble in Vietnam.  Is Obama suggesting that King and the rest of the civil rights movement should have allowed those in power (Kennedy was their ally, after all.  Certainly better than the alternative) to incrementally give them their rights?  Would they have told them that demonstrating in the capital was self defeating and childish?  Well we won’t get the chance to ask because Obama cowardly decided to release this tirade against loyal Democrats through an anonymous “adviser”.

I guess the problem is that we just don’t know our place.  He had the kind benevolence to come pat our leaders on the head and tell them how much he cared about them, and how they should run along and be good little sinners.  So how dare we be so ungrateful?  Especially to him.  The guy who gives a speech about Iraq and becomes president.   The man that throws a bone to the Muslim world in Cairo and wins the Nobel Peace Prize.   I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for him to be snubbed by some uppity faggots.  So in predictable Obama fashion, when Obama doesn’t get what Obama wants, he lashes out.  And this time it’s not at all of us bitter knitter Hillary supporters.  He’s talking about some of the most important kool aid kids.  Can’t wait to see how the HRC and sellouts at The Advocate spin this one.  Pass the popcorn and let’s see what develops.

Last Sunday, Presby Place took a little field trip to the movie theaters.  Now, I realize that we have been watching a lot of movies, but this was a great opportunity to compare and contrast.  That’s right, I’m pulling straight from middle school.

As I’m sure everyone remembers, last week we watched Bill Maher’s Religulous.  The movie was Maher’s search for understanding religion and why people believe what they believe.  Alright, I suppose I am being generous by saying that.  It was really Maher’s attempt to have people see (and possibly follow) the atheist view point.  If you don’t believe me, just watch Maher’s closing monologue.  Check out the group’s response here.

The Invention of Lying stands in a stong contrast.  For starters, it’s a comedy.  Well, it is a comedy of sort.   The concept of the movie is that the viewer is watching a world, much like our current, where the human race never developed the ability to lie.  As a matter of fact, they are bluntly honest, even to the point of cruelty.  However, they are always honest.  There are some funny parts involving marketing of products.

Prior to seeing The Invention of Lying, most of the group was surprised in advance to realize that it was religiously related.  If you’ve seen the commercials, you would think that it would think it was a romantic comedy.  In reality, the Ricky Gervais film, contains some strong elements of satire of religion, all set against a comedic take.  I would love to say that the satire is cleverly propped up, but that’s not the case.  Instead, it is blatantly obvious and not really all that hidden.  Just watch the movie and you’ll see an extremely familiar “Moses” scene. 

Religulous and The Invention of Lying are similar in their message; however, the difference is the packaging.  Religulous was blunt and sometime brutal in its message.  Lying was more slick and had a much more “user friendly” delivery.  Gervais, like Maher, has publicly stated his atheist views, and wanted his movie to help illustrate it.

However, with all that being said, the response from the group is pretty much the same.  Everyone walked away with the feeling that even with its humorous delivery, it didn’t do much to change their opinions on God, religion, or anything else.  However, it is important that it did get the group thinking and asking themselves questions.  There were a lot of different perspectives in popular culture, and these are two that you don’t often see. 

So, if you’ve seen it, what do you think?

Dylan Ratigan exposes Betsy McCaughey for the fear-mongerer and liar that she is. Well done Anthony Weiner, for not allowing this woman to dominate this particular conversation, and calling her out on her lies. McCaughey refuses (or simply cannot) answer Ratigan’s questions, and is reduced to whining about his skills as a moderator. Waahhhh!!