Back to Blabbermouth!

BigNewsDay, Lefty Metalhead, and myself have recently returned to Blabbermouth to take care of some unfinished buissness with our old pal, Spooky1. Old Sucky1 has recently signed up AGAIN as Blabber_Zombies. Anyone willing to help debate this Dubya fellating prick can sign up and help us out.

Check here for the latest threads with Spooky1 spewing right-wing vomit:
Recent Spooky1 sighting

Recent Spooky1 sighting 2

Recent Spooky1 sighting 3

Note: Our debates with Sucky1 on Blabbermouth will NOT effect our buissness with Legions of the Abyss.

Andy Capp's Rant

OK, this is a rant that a good friend of mine posted on his MySpace Page. I figured I would share it with the rest of you. I may not agree with everything he has to say, but most of it is spot on. Enjoy!

This is my little rant. This is not some message I copied from another bulletin or blog, this is all original writing by Andy Pugh. I know its long, but I feel its useful reading. I do know this is just my opinion, so don't write me back telling me that you don't agree. I don't care if you agree or not. If you do want to write back and share your thought that's fine. Feel free to re-post this and add to it. I'd like it if I was given credit for writing it, but that's up to you.

I feel so irritated at people in the world sometimes because they can't seem to see past their own nose. Below is my little rant about things that I've noticed people do that really just annoy the crap out of me. I'll try to keep it organized for easy reading.

I have grouped them into the following sections, so feel free to skip around if you want:
Supermarkets/Stores
Dress/Attire
Driving
Neighborhoods
Overprotecting Kids
Changes in Policy
Online Activity

Let's begin

Supermarkets/Stores:
1) People, you need to learn to navigate your shopping carts in the same manner you do your car. Pass on the right, don't park it right in the middle of the aisle, and don't let your little kids push it in a crowded store.

2) Treat the aisles like a road system. There are main aisles that run the length of the store and smaller aisles that run between the main aisles…..Just like every other road system in the world. If you were driving, would you come hauling ass out of the sub streets onto a main street without first stopping/pausing to make sure it's clear? I didn't think so. Do the same thing at the store. If you are approaching the end of your aisle and about to dump out into the main aisle, pause and make sure someone isn't passing by your aisle on the main aisle first. I can't count the number of times I've almost had my basket T-boned or get hit myself because some idiot came barreling out of the aisle. Think people.

3) If you or your kids knock something off the shelf, pick it up. Leaving it there and acting like nothing happened only creates more work for the people that have to clean up after your stupid ass.

4) If you pick up something and decide you don't want it, either take it to someone that works there or put it back where you got it. Don't just stick it in between some other product. As someone that had to do Data Integrity for 2 years and try to keep the system database up to date with current product count, it is immensely frustrating when the system shows you have 1 more of an item you can't find anywhere.

Dress/Attire:
1) Pull your damn pants up. You look like a complete moron walking around with a belt on and your pants hanging below your ass. You know it's a problem when you have to hold on to them when you walk or keep pulling them up. Here's a little info you need to know about that: The idea of having your pants saggin like the way you think is so popular, was created in prison. It is a way to signify you belong to someone else. It means, in simplest terms you can understand, you are somebody's bitch. That's right. So, all your tards walking around with your pants around your knees and just showing your ignorance and letting the rest of the informed world know you are somebody's bitch.

2) Baseball hats are designed to keep the sun out of your eyes. What the hell caused the epidemic of retards that flatten the bill out and tilt it sideways? Do they not know it makes them look like a moron? Here's the deal people….If you aren't in a rap video, don't dress like you are. They look stupid on TV and you look even dumber on the streets.

3) We need more role models in the spotlight like Michael Jordan was. He convinced kids that they could be whatever they wanted without following the crowd. Nowadays', the only role models to the youth are thuggish sports stars, or thuggish rap stars. So, these kids naturally dress like their role models and act like them because it's "Cool". No its not. Why is it the youth of today complain about being judged the same as everyone else, but they dress and act like everyone else? You can't have it both ways. If you want to be treated and respected like an individual, act like one.


Driving:
(This category is one of my biggest pet peeves)

1) Read the signs. I have yet to drive anywhere that didn't tell you what intersection/highway was coming up well before you get to it. If you are in the far left hand lane and know you have to exit to the right, get your ass to the right hand lane further back than 25 feet before the exit. If you are exiting that way, get there and stay there. I'm tired of people giving me the finger because they were busy talking on their cell phones or texting someone and wasn't paying attention and now want in my lane in front of me.

2) If you are entering a highway/freeway, you have an acceleration lane. It does run out eventually. Start trying to merge into the first lane immediately after getting on the highway. I hate when people speed up and drive all the way to the end of the acceleration lane and then try to cut people off to get in. Stop it!

3) If it bumper to bumper traffic, stay in your lane unless you are moving to the appropriate lane to exit in. You getting pissed and swerving into another lane do nothing but make the traffic worse. You still aren't moving any faster and moving up 25 feet quickly only to have to hit the brake and inch along again, is wasted effort and not to mention, makes you look like an ass.

4) Put your damn cell phones away! I believe it is possible to drive normally while talking on the phone. I know, but I seem to be one of the few people that drive the same while on the phone as I do while I'm not on the phone. I do understand that sometimes you have to take a call, but get an ear piece and use it. My big question….why is it people can drive normally and carry on a conversation with people in the car, but they can't carry on a conversation on a cell phone and drive. Same concept.

5) Unless you have a kid that is throwing up in the backseat, you should never need to put your vehicle in park when going through a drive-thru. I hate that. If you are so impatient that you can't hold the brake for 2 minutes while the person in front of you gets their food, then get out and go in.

6) If you are sitting at a traffic light, you need to be looking forward waiting for the light to turn green. That is not your allotted time to balance your checkbook, rummage through the glove box or dig in the back seat. Argh! I hate when I have to sit through a light more than once because some dumbass wasn't paying attention.

7) Turn down your crappy music. I like most forms of music and don't care if people like or dislike what I listen to. I also enjoy listening to loud music while driving, but I don't feel the rest of the neighborhood needs to hear what I am listening to. Especially, late at night. If it's after dark, turn the crap off. Some people have to get up way before the sun does or have kids and don't like having their house vibrate off its foundation. Those of you that have a $3000 stereo system in your car that you can hear a mile away are morons. Despite what you think, Nobody and I mean nobody wants to hear what you are listening to. I listen to my music loud and if I can hear yours over mine, it's too loud. What's the point anyway? At that volume, you can't even hear the music from inside the vehicle.

8) Look up the definition of "keep up with the flow of traffic." If the speed limit on the highway is 65 and everyone else is driving 75, you need to push the gas peddle a little harder. You driving 10mph slower than the thousands of people driving 10mph faster than the speed limit are far more dangerous. Do not get anywhere near the fast lane unless you drive fast. General rule of thumb is that the fast lane is at least 5mph faster than the other lanes. If you are one of these people that want to be an outstanding citizen and drive the speed limit and complain about the thousands of people passing you, get off the highway.

Neighborhoods:
1) You know, I loved my childhood. I love the freedom of being able to run around all over the block I lived on without worrying about my neighbors or traffic or the threat of being shot/kidnapped. That is tragic. I don't have kids yet, but I am already sorry for them because they will never get to see the freedom I did as a kid, and I'm not that old so it wasn't that long ago. I rode my bike, skateboard, and rollerblades all over the place and nobody cared. Now, you have neighbors that would shoot you if you stepped foot in their yard, streets that are overcrowded so its unsafe to even let your kids out of the front yard, and the thug youth of America available to influence you kids in the wrong way.

Overprotecting Kids:
1) How many people wore pads while riding their bike or skateboard as a kid? Show of hands….nobody. As a kid, you are designed and required to get bumps, bruises and scrapes. Its part of being a kid. It's how you learn to dust yourself off, pick yourself up and keep going. These parents that deck their kids out in full body gear to ride their bike, with training wheels, are being way too overprotective.

2) I read, not too long ago, that there has been a nationwide ban in elementary schools that prevents kids from playing tag. Can you believe that! Tag?!?. Some stupid parents complained because their child was playing tagged, got knocked down and got a little scrape on their knee. Boo Hoo! Cry me a damn river. As mention above, kids fall down. You overprotective parents are ruining everything by getting things like this banned. Now, they can only play tag indoors and has to have at least 3 adults supervising them. We played dodge ball with a basketball and nobody got anything more than an occasional bruise. Guess what…..we are all still alive and our wounds healed. I know, it's shocking.

3) There is a difference between spanking and beating a child. I'll bet most everyone reading this was spanked as a child. Did you die? No, you learned right from wrong. Putting a child in "time out" does nothing but give them time to think about the next rotten thing they are going to do. Those people that think you should never strike a child obviously have never been around them. A little spanking never hurt anybody and I think the youth of today might be a little more respectful to parents, teachers, coaches and other adults if they had been taught that from the beginning. I feared my mom growing up because I knew she had a paddle that looked like a canoe paddle and it hurt. I never had any bruises or broken bones, but I had my fair share of spankings.

Changes in Policy:
1) Why is it, in this country, a few voices can mess up things for the rest of us? Case in point….Prayer in school. I know, it's a big deal. You know the largest religion in America is Christian right? The religion the country was founded on? Well, then why is that we can no longer say a prayer in school. If you played any sport, how many of you remember saying the Lord's Prayer before a game? Most of you? That's because it's appropriate. We aren't praying for the death of our enemy, we are praying for the protection of the players. This should be the policy….If it offends you, I don't care. You don't care that it offends me that I can't do it, so why should I care if it offends you when I do it? How about that logic. You go about your day and pray to your stick, or whatever Deity you pray to and I'll pray to mine. Because of a few people, the 10 Commandments can't even hang in the courts anymore. How stupid is that. If it offends you, don't read it. If you don't believe it, who cares. Why should America change its policies because something offends you. You have the freedom to worship whomever you choose, but you also have the freedom not to.

2) Political Correctness. I understand that there is a time and a place for everything. I do, but people are way too sue happy in this country. You can't even crack a joke in the office without worrying about offending somebody and them suing the company for millions of dollars. How does that make sense? What happened to the good ol' days when you minded your own business? In the old days, if you saw an attractive woman working in your office, you could approach her, and compliment her and possibly ask her on a date. Nowadays, if you do that, you will be hit with a sexual harassment lawsuit. Once again….sue happy. Everyone looking for a quick buck.

3) I'll go ahead and hit another touchy subject. Immigration. It's obviously a problem. I know, some people say they are doing the jobs we don't want to. That's fine, more power to them if they want to pick lettuce for less than minimum wage, but come into the country the legal way. I think they should change a few laws and it would help with the problem. 1) If you aren't a US citizen and you have a child on US territory, it does not automatically make them a US citizen and grant you the right to stay here. 2) If you are not a US citizen, you are not allowed to attend any public education institute. 3) you do not qualify for healthcare or financial assistance if you are not a US citizen. I know this country was founded by immigration and I am thankful for that diversity, but we have way too many people that come to this country and expect a handout and then criticize the country and fly their native flags in their front yard and proclaim their native country.

4) I believe it was Roosevelt that said, if you come to this country and live in this country you are a citizen of this country and will not pledge allegiance to another country. All you dumbass people out there that live here and fly other countries flags need to go back to your country if it's so great. Why are you even here if your home land is so great? Oh, that's right….your country is in poverty or at war and there are no jobs, scarce food and no healthcare. Hmm…sounds like a wonderful place to call my homeland.

5) Why is it people believe they should rally together and change something they have a choice not to participate in? For example….there used to be a radio station here that played great music, had a funny morning show and the DJ's were usually pretty outrageous in their topics for discussion. Well, their show offended some people so they rallied together and got the station changed. It's now a Spanish station, after it went to a alternative rock station. Whatever happened to changing the dial? If I didn't like a TV show or a song on the radio, I changed to another station. What gives these people the right to stir the pot because they don't like something they have a choice in participating in? This idea could cover so many different topics. People, you have a choice in this Country as to what you do and don't do. If you don't like something, don't do it, but don't try to change it "for the good", just because you don't like it.

Online Activity:
1) If you participate in online forums, chats or newsgroups of any sort, don't argue with people in the thread. It makes you look like an ass to the other thousands of people that read it. If you have some beef someone, send them a private message or get a life. You most likely don't know them and never will so why are you letting someone you don't know piss you off in a public forum.

2) Stop forwarding on emails that are in the following topics:
(a). "Send this email and watch what happens after you send it" – The only way something is going to happen is if you already have a virus on your system. If you get these, please delete them and stop clogging everyone else spam folder full of them.
(b). "If you get an email with subject "A post card from a friend", delete it. It's a virus that will erase your hard drive" – For starters, there is no virus that can erase your hard drive. Second, this is a hoax that has been going on for many years. Please, for the love of God, stop spreading this around. This and so many other emails of a similar title. If you are unsure, ask me and I'll happily tell you one way or another.
(c) "AOL/Microsoft/Bill Gates/Etc… is sharing his fortune….and will pay x number of cents/dollars every time this is sent or reposted" – Never has happened, Never will happen. There is no way for them to trace the number of times it's been emailed or posted. Plus, nobody is that stupid.
(d) "kid with cancer emails" - 99% of these are hoaxes and are just spreading the spam.

3) Quit posting in forums and bulletins/blogs stuff like "I make X number of dollars a week doing nothing but taking online survey's" or "Click here to get your free ipod". Its f-in annoying and pisses a lot of people off.


If you have read all the way up to this point, I appreciate it and you are probably bored to tears. I am going to stop this rant for now. I might decide to write a part 2 eventually though.

Can't a cop shit in peace?

Cnn is reporting that Republican Larry Craig, Senator from Idaho, was arrested AND PLEAD GUILTY, to charges stemming from a incident on June 11 that took place in a Men's Room at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

According to Roll Call, the arresting officer alleged that Craig lingered outside a restroom stall where the officer was sitting, then entered the stall next door and blocked the door with his luggage.

According to the arrest report cited by Roll Call, Craig tapped his right foot, which the officer said he recognized "as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct."

The report alleges Craig then touched the officer's foot with his foot and the senator "proceeded to swipe his hand under the stall divider several times," according to Roll Call.

At that point, the officer said he put his police identification down by the floor so Craig could see it and informed the senator that he was under arrest, before any sexual contact took place.

OUCH!!!!!

Of course, Idaho's Senior Senator denies the charges (even though he plead guilty) and says that his actions were "misconstrued". Sen. Craig has since resigned from his position at the Mitt Romney campaign.

The new football season is almost here

My predictions are up at BigSportsDay.

GONE 'zales

See Ya Asshole!!!!!

The Ash and The Red

The new The Ash and The Red track DICEROS and some new artwork are now up on the myspace site. I will be sending out discs of top quality sound in a few weeks, free as usual for anyone who's interested. An official site and a new track are scheduled to go up in winter.

THE ASH AND THE RED
www.myspace.com/theashandthered

QUEst For ThE mEGa sWORd

HAiL!

PWOer sWord hass jut realesed a new traCk fRom our upCOing album on tHe offICial mypsaC epage www.myspace.com/musicofsteel. QQUEST FOR the MEgA sWORD Was recorded oveR the paSt weeKend and featurE dsome of the banDs besT woRK TO date. pooWerful vocAls! engagIn g lyRICs! noNsTop GuitaRs! qUETS for the meag sWord is an epiC trACk FOr the AGes!
Complete albUm inFormaTIon COmsinG sooN.

KE n aHKW
base / voCAL s
pOWER SWORD!

Happy Birthday LOTA

The Original Legions of the Abyss Forum, which at the time was named Metal PWNS All, opened it's doors one year ago today. Since then we have gone through many changes, added many new features, and made many great friends. We now host the official forums of around 50 bands, and have a weekly radio show on Hard Rock Radio Live.

So make sure you stop by and support the site.

Legions of the Abyss

Be sure, to sign up for the brand new Legions of the Abyss Forum!!!!!!

Great News!!!!

I just received word that Pummel and Grind has returned in blog form. So go visit Tony and see what rare music he has available this week.

New "Debates" Section at Legions of the Abyss

Debate about all the controversial topics you adore at the newest section at Legions of the Abyss Forum.

All readers of this blog are welcome to sign up (if you haven't already) and debate politics and music with us.

Happy Birhday My Great Country

As much as a I may bitch about our governement, I always feel the need to remind my readers that I do that out of love for my country. I love this country with all my heart, and I hate to see people divide us.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful and safe Independance Day!!!!

Bringing Honor and Accountability back to the White House

We learned yesterday that our President overturned a court’s sentence for convicted perjure and former White House aide Scooter Libby. First off, contrary to what many conservatives are saying, this conviction and sentence were in no way politically motivated. The judge in this case was a very conservative, by the book judge who was appointed by the Bush administration. The Special Prosecutor was also appointed by the Bush administration.

It is nice to know that our President knows more about criminal law and fairness than a federal court. I’m sure he is now going commute the sentences of everyone in this country that has been sent to jail on perjury charges. Fairness, right?

One of my conservative co-workers sent me an e-mail as a pre-emptive strike. The e-mail was a link to the DoJ that lists all of the individuals pardoned by Clinton. I find this somewhat funny. First off, what Clinton did is completely irrelevant to this case. Secondly, this appears to be the old neo-con habit of blame-shifting. Who needs accountability when we can point out the wrong-doings of others? Some others will surely say “well, it’s not like he pardoned Libby.” Just wait! I guarantee Bush will pardon Libby during his closing days of office. I can’t wait to see the DoJ’s list of Bush Pardons. That will surely be a long list of white-collar criminals that made millions from ripping the rest of us off.

Eivl nighT on SkuLKL Mountain

TH e new POWEr sword track evil niGht on skUll Moutnain is now up on mySpaCe.com/musicofsteel.
CHEk it oUT!

KEN HAw

Ten Commandments for Drivers?

The Vatican just released their Ten Commandments for Drivers; I was reading over the list and realized that it does not address many of the issues that should be addressed. So, I made my own list.

BND’s Ten Commandments for Drivers:

1. Thou shalt not get in BND’s way dammit.
2. If you are in the far left lane of the freeway and are not in the process or about to be in the process of passing someone, thou shalt immediately pull off the freeway and sell thou’s car.
3. Thou shalt use your fucking turn signals.
4. Thou sure the hell shalt not drive at a slow pace directly next to another car that is driving the same slow pace, therefore forcing traffic to stack up behind you.
5. All cell phone calls while driving must be very important and kept to a minimum length.
6. Thou shalt never, under any circumstance, stop at a yellow light.
7. Yield does not mean stop, and stop does not mean yield. Learn the fucking difference asshole.
8. If you are driving at or below the posted speed limit and you see a cop, DON”T SLAM ON YOUR BREAKS!!!!!
9. Don’t throw your garbage out the window of your car.
10. If you have babies or small children in your car, you better have them securely seated in the appropriate child seat.

Those who dare to break these commandments will be forced to listen to korn and linkin park for eternity while they burn in hell.

What would your Ten Commandments be?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ken Hawk's 10? Commandments of Driving:

1. pEOpl e neeD to get off the sidewalk. how am i SUppOSed to drive on there?
2. beaTing off in my car shoUdln't be an arrestable offense, i mean its my cAr.
4. i tried thaT stunt from speeD where teh bus jujmps over that broken highwaY, anD it didnt' worK. that ShouLD be able to woRk.
f. i still wanT to poInt oUT that theY need to fix the GasOliNE isSUe, i rUn oUT of gas eveRy week and still have to be towed to my mechanic.
7. cars shoUld have breaks. im tired of haviNg to crash Into my hOSue everyday to get teh car tO stop.
6. WHen yOu sell A guy a car you shoUld be honEst abouT it. if my Car was really amfibious there WoulDnt be a ford escoRT at the bOTtoM of a pOol in suburban cHicago.

Ken aHwk!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you fail to obey those rules, Ken may stop by for dinner.
------------------
Blaspherion's 10 Commandments of Driving

1. When a police car is near, always race them and if you win, flip em off.
2. Always have a copy of Pestilence's Consuming Impulse in your car to blast at full volume.
3. When approching a car with a W. Bush sticker. always get in their way to show your Anti-Bush sticker and flip them off.
4. DO NOT BLAST rap music, mallcore, country, pop-punk/emo, pop, etc.
5. Always blast METAL.
6. Always stay the fuck out of my way.
7. Read rule 6.
8. Read rule 6 and 7, twice.
9. Always go over the speed limit.
10. Read rules 1 - 10 5 times.

Anyone who shall defy must be FORCED to listen to Limp Bizit's Rollin for all of eternity.

suffering from burnout

Due to my very busy schedule and the longing to spend more quality time with my family, I have taken a leave from Hard Rock Radio Live. I may or may not be back depending on my schedule as well as the approval of the station owner. I had a blast playing DJ (except when their equipment wasn't working), but I just don't have the time right now to continue.

I would like to devote more time to my blog as well as Lefty's blog. Things are really beginning to heat up in the political arena, and I have many things that I would love to discuss with members and readers of both blogs. I would also like to devote a little time to both Lords of Classic Rock and Legions of the Abyss.

Stay tuned to the blogs and web sites, and thank you to all my readers and listeners.

Goodnight Sweet Girl

Sploodge

1993-2007

Immigration and Christian Salvation

So I'm listening to Sirius 161 (Christian Talk) because I'm down with J.C., and I hear a one-minute spot promoting a show that comes on later in the day. The speaker reminds us that to become a Christian, you must repent for your old ways, and come to Jesus for healing and profess your faith to the world. Then you become a member of the Church, and a saved person.

...then it dawned on me: how is this different from the new immigration bill?

Basically, illegal immigrants currently living in the US must repent by paying a $5,000 fine, filling out a ton of paperwork, and agree to go back to their home country and come back the legal way. After this, they will be forgiven and may become US taxpaying citizens. Halelujah!
Of course the typical peanut-heads lined up to take shots at the bill, mostly because it came from the White House. With a whopping 30% approval rating, it'd be political suicide, even for Republicans, to side with El Presidente on anything. Conservatives are outraged by this "amnesty bill", and liberals say it's unfair to poor immigrants to pay a $5,000 fine. I have questions for these pundits:

To the Conservatives: What are you going to do with 12,000,000 people that you will not allow a path to citizenship for? Are you going to deport them? Who's going to cook your wings at Hooters or mow the lawn at your office? What if Jesus was so unreasonable regarding salvation?

To the Liberals: The fines are the only proof that matters of repentance and it makes a "down payment" towards a life of respect for our laws. Let's get the Fair Tax on the agenda so that we have a chance to keep our Social Security and Medicare funded for the new citizens, and to put the financial stress on those who refuse to be legal. We have to provide financial reward for people to pay taxes, otherwise our government is a joke.

To the rest of us: Our governement offers benefits to millions and millions of people who don't pay taxes. Just how is this fair to us who the IRS can commit the full war-making ability of the federal government against? If we fail to provide a reasonable path to citizenship then we're going to waste enormous amounts of money building a fence that ultimately cannot succeed.

"Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity," George S. Patton, Jr.

Ask France how the Maginot Line worked for them. Maybe this new bill is not perfect, but how else are we going to resolve the issue?

POWER SWORD

Greetings friends,
Upon release of the "No Sleep til Dairy Queen" follow-up album "Dehamufacture", Ken Hawk's pioneering food metal band, Nacho Quest, has reformed as a massive power metal force known as Power Sword. An associate and I were approached by Hawk for assistance in mastering his work, and the results are, well, interesting. While the Power Sword full-length album is still in the recording stage, a few tracks have managed to make it to the Power Sword Mypsace page www.myspace.com/musicofsteel.

The early reaction has mostly been people asking if Ken's vocals are a joke and in return he has expressed some discontent with me, so that may be something we will continue to look at. The original single "Brotherhood of the Steel" is up, and the new high-powered "The Prophecy of Steel" track was uploaded yesterday. We may soon be posting a mastered version of a live track as well. Cheers!

Fred Burroughs
Beef City Recording, ltd

The Energy Policy Debate: Bold New Ideas

After hearing the new crop of poli-chickens regurgitate the same old rhetoric regarding America's energy future, I'm demanding some fresh ideas. Here's the problem with red vs. blue policy:

Red (GOP): Drilling in Alaska is a good idea, but that's not going to fix the problem even in the short term. There isn't enough oil in Alaska to offset our current imports. US on-shore domestic oil production has been declining since the 1970's, so it's foolish to think that we can bring online enough domestic supply to slake our ever-expanding thirst.

Blue (Democrats): Biofuels like ethanol will never replace gasoline nomatter how much you subsidize it. It's a net-loss when you consider the cost of farming and additional infrastructure. Additional taxes on gasoline would be a good idea if you were building towards a feasible solution, but hybrid cars and E85 are going to be disasterous if mandated federally. Besides, I trust this Congress with money less than I would a bank run by crack addicts. How's that non-existent Social Security trust fund going, Mr. Byrd?!

Smashing through boundaries: The fix is in!

We're going to drop the price of fuel for consumers and build up the infrastructure to maintain the same level of prosperity and rapidness of travel all the while decreasing our consumption of petroleum products in the long-term. More specifically, I'm calling for:

-Nuclear power to replace diesel-guzzling ocean freighters and heavy rail locomotives. Yeah, that sounds radical, but if we can put an engine on a submarine that makes 50,000 horsepower and doesn't need to be refueled for 10 years, then why are we dumping God-awful amounts of diesel fuel into these boats that bring us our beer from Europe and our miscellaneous bullshit from China? I know that there's a security risk, but the US Coast Guard can easily implement a satellite tracking mechanism to ensure that these boats don't fall into the hands of terrorists. We could very easily replace our obnoxious lovers of diesel juice that deliver bulk manufactured items via railroads. Wouldn't it be ironic to have a perfectly environmentally sound, zero-carbon train deliver thousands of tons of sooty coal to be burned to make electricity?

If security concerns prevent us from using this ultra-efficient, Al Gore friendly method of powering our industry, then I hate to inform you but Osama Bin Laden and Co. have officially beaten the US. The point of terrorism is to make your victim too afraid to be themselves, and if we get hung up because we're afraid then we lose.

Replacing the mass consumers of diesel fuel will free at least 30% of our domestic refinery capacity and roughly the same in crude oil consumption, thus automatically reducing our demand on petro products by roughly 1/3. In dollars for you, that brings us back to around $1.55-$1.80 a gallon on gasoline with a much more stable price that is far less subject to Katrina-like fluctuations and panic.

-We need a mass transit system that is beneficial to suburban commuters. We can't follow Europe's model because their cities are built much different from ours. We have a bigger country and we have a chance to really do something revolutionary to satisfy our need to move people from place to place rapidly while catering to the impatience of US consumers. This is a challenge, but this is very possible. Great advancements have been made in the field of magnetic levitation trains by Japanese researchers that could prove to be the ultimate technology for making trains a means of inter- and intra- city transportation so rapid that the airlines can't even keep up!

There's two things that energy ideas should have in common: They should have a very positive economic effect and they should improve the environment. One without the other is a NO DEAL. Sorry, Al Gore. I'm not willing to lose my job over some extrapolated research, we're a good bit smarter than that. We can keep our economy and protect and improve our planet at the same time. I demand this of our leaders.

Let's discuss- how else can we lead the world into economically and environmentally-friendly energy solutions?

Fair Tax Q & A

The purpose of this entry is to address the very pertinent questions from the last Fair Tax post. I'm going to take the opportunity to use charts to illustrate how the Fair Tax is victory for the people over the liars in Washington, and lets the American people do what they do best: propser!

Item #1: Does a babysitter or the kid that mows my lawn have to collect the Fair Tax? (from Lefty)

No, there is a provision within HR.25 and S.25 that allows for small jobs and "hobby income", up to an annual $2,000. If you sell furniture or other personal belongings via classifieds such as Craigslist.org this does not count towards your hobby income. Your car, your investment portfolio, and your Beanie Baby collection are personal items that are not sold in commercial quantities, and therefore are not taxed as retail items, because you are not a retailer. Besides, they are used goods and the tax has already been levied against them.

Item #2: Isn't this a regressive tax? What about the child tax credit? (from Hillary Clinton)

Pictures say a thousand words, and the Fair Tax is the most thoroughly researched tax reform measure in history. Instead of bloviating in miserable economic theory, he's a chart that explains it much better than I can:
How does everybody end up paying less? Several reasons persist:

-Vastly increased compliance (some will still sell illegally, but far fewer than cheat today)
-Improved efficiency in collection (The IRS is the least efficient office possibly ever)
-Broadening of the tax base (internet sales, retail services, etc.)
-Broadening of the base of people who pay taxes (illegal immigrants, tourists, drug dealers)

As for the child tax credit that Hillary was so worried about: based on current estimates, most households with 2 kids will get a $492 check at the beginning of each month. Do we really need to keep paying tax credits every April to people with herds of kids? The Fair Tax reimburses the expenses that additional children create, and that is all that tax policy should ever be responsible for. In fact, the child tax credit of today is basically a brand of social engineering, and is absolutely irresponsible tax policy, so we're not even talking about apples to oranges.

Item #3: Won't the prebate system just create another government monster? (from Lefty)

All legal US Citizens and legal permanent guests will recieve the prebate regardless of income. Hey, we're saying that no US citizen shall pay any taxes on the necessities of life, to be determined by the basic poverty level spending amount. You do not have to prove to the government how much money you make (a MILESTONE in reduction of government paperwork!). This is an important point from our Constitution that the 16th Amendment repealed. The US Treasury Department will do the job that the IRS turned into a beurocratic nightmare, and the FBI will investigate fraud just like they're (supposed to be) doing now. The Treasury Dept. won't turn into another monster because they have a much simpler job that will require an amount of staff that all researchers agree will pale in comparison to the current IRS roster.

Item #4: So basically businesses are doing the job of funding our government. Some of them are corrupt. (from BND)

Yes, businesses will be charged with the task of sending the money off to the Treasury Department. To be sure some will cheat, but with 80-90% fewer entities filing, the concentration of investigation power of the FBI has increased nearly tenfold. Besides, over 80% of all retail goods purchased come from the largest of the big-box retailers, and there is no way they can risk cheating under such a hot spotlight. Also, there is a built-in 1/4% kickback to reimburse for the accounting, so this is not charity work for the government. The math is quite fucking simple with the Fair Tax, so 1/4% is extremely generous.

Item #5: What about doctors and other small business? (from Lefty)

Since the tax base has been broadened to include the retail service sector, your doctor would indeed have to collect the Fair Tax from consumers. These costs are considered into the prebate, so we can't let lobbyists have a foothold here by making exception. This isn't going to exacerbate the health care fiasco for the poor because again, healthcare costs are considered for pre-imbursing these additional costs of basic living. Internet sales are also charged to pay taxes, because that's only fair.

Item #6: What about gas prices? (from Lefty)

The federal government already has a whopping tax built in to gasoline, but it would be up to congress if they wanted to remove the current tax to make room for the new sales tax. Otherwise, it is a retail-level good or service so it is subject to the Fair Tax. I can't stress enough that we're keeping 100% of our paychecks here, plus the cost of these goods will fall from 20-28% once we remove the current income tax burden from the production scheme. I am strongly in favor of user-based taxes, such as the one on gasoline, so we'll have to see if our favorite nincompoops in Washington can do something productive with the revenue.

Item #7: Isn't this a blow to the federal government? (from Lefty)

Not at all, it is revenue-neutral. They will collect the same amount of money from us, the difference is that now they have to do it efficiently, they have to collect from everybody to include illegal immigrants, tax cheaters, and tourists, and we are now perfectly aware of how much they are taking from us. We the people are tired of hidden taxes, lobbyists tactics, and insider tax breaks for buddies. Because we have to tax all retail goods with no exceptions, there are no footholds for shit-eating lobbyists to hook up their buddies. There are no tax credits for oil companies, and there won't need to be any offshore banking to hide money from our government. If you're worried about people not spending money, here's a comparison to how much more stable of a source of income sales taxes are as opposed to income taxes:

AGI = Adjusted Gross Income, PCE = Personal Consumer Expenditures (please note that this graph shows percent change, so a flatter line is a more stable function)

Item #8: Isn't the tax rate really 30%, or even 60%? (from Hillary Clinton)

The people that say the Fair Tax rate is 30% are actually correct. Taxes can be calculated exclusively or inclusively. I wonder why the same people don't want to say that most people pay 52% of their income when calculated exclusively? Since income taxes are always calculated inclusively, it's most appropriate to report the 23% Fair Tax as such. The 30% figure is still better than the 52% figure.

Inclusive Method: Exclusive Method:
Widget: $77 Widget: $77
Fair Tax: $23 30% sales tax: $23
Total: $100 Total: $100
$23 out of $100 = 23%. This is exactly how our income taxes are calculated.

The 60% figure is based on bullshit research done by biased lobbyists who made the fictitious assumption that we would exempt groceries, gasoline, heating bills, electricity, etc. etc. etc. from being taxed, and then still reimburse people for the basic cost of taxes on necessities. That's how they came up with the bogus 60% in order to compensate.

$22,000,000 in top-tier research has been invested in the Fair Tax making it the most heavily researched tax reform measure in history. On May 15th, 10,000 Fair Tax supporters will rally right across the street from the presidential candidate debate scheduled just a few hours later. This is an idea that deserves some mainstream press. By the way, HR.25 and S.25 now have 60 co-sponsors. The idea is gaining steam with every session of Congress. It's starting a powerful trend where people want to know how much tax we pay, and we're tired of being lied to having our money confiscated. I know it's not perfect, but let me close with this question: Why in the hell would you punish people who work legally?