Third Party Blues

What is Left? What is Right?

With the 2006 elections coming up, I've been wondering how I'm going to vote. However, as a registered Libertarian, I don't have much of a choice. In Florida, I cannot vote for Senator, Governor or Chief Financial Officer. Only Democrats can vote for Democrats, Republicans can only vote Republican, any other third party (including the wrongly named Independent) is left with judges, state reps, and school board members.

Being a member of the LP is a bit like being in the New York Mets. The Red Sox and the Yankees seem to get all the press, and the fans are rabid, frothing and constantly at war with one another. While the Dems and the Repubs continue to devote their time to a majority voting populace that many times can't tell the difference between the two parties ("conservatives want to be your father and liberals want to be your mother"), Libertarians are left to wander the wilderness. Yet the 2 big teams are constantly stealing from the LP idea playbook.

What is a Libertarian, anyway? Could it be that it's the only party left that holds any hope for this country? Why is it that some of our most popular politicians....John McCain, Barack Obama....have some libertarian ideals? Why do I get the feeling that conservatives aren't really conservative, and isn't advocating "social conservativism" a contradiction of the noble conservative premise of "smaller government" in the first place? Why has the anti-gay, anti-woman "family values" agenda taken the place of real values, like accountability, honesty, integrity, personal responsibility, and a restrained and rational foreign policy?

How do conservatives, who claim they want a smaller govt., justify its increasing intrusion into our bedrooms, our bodies, our churches, our culture and media? And it seems that liberals, for all their talk of inclusion and tolerance, seem to want bigger govt. AND bigger controls over our behavior. Go figure. Are the only people out there with any influence at all the exact ones who actually want a nanny or patriarch state, the so-called "Values Voters?"

So, I was thinking of leaving the NY Mets to join either the Red Sox or the Yankees. Just so I could be with a heavy hitting team for once. Just so maybe my vote would count for once. Maybe I could find a candidate that would represent the best compromise....not too Conservo-Facist, not too Demo-Socialist. But after reading the above article, I'm sticking to my Libertarian guns. I'm sick of trying to peak behind their disguises.

So, with all the open-ended questions I've been asking, can anyone tell me what is Right, and what is Left? Better yet, what is Left for anyone sick of the phony 2 party system we have today? And what is Right about any of it? Not much. In being forced into deciding between the lesser of two evils, I will opt out of that game and I will give a vote to the only party I think gives this country any hope at all. The LP may not be perfect. The fans may not be as rabid, frothing and war mongering. But until I see a candidate that is as close to Libertarian as one can get, I won't settle for Republicans or Democrats who quick-change their masks in order to gather votes.

Darwin and Hitler?

Right Wing Watch: Kennedy: Evolution to Blame for Death, Hopelessness in World

Here, Mr. D. James Kennedy, a Christianist Pastor and founder of Coral Ridge Ministries, declares Darwin akin to Hitler, and that w/o Darwin there would be no Hitler, and that Evolution = Death.

You can see I added some quotes in red and inserted them in his ridiculous argument below.

"The great lesson of The Holocaust (religion) is what happens when man tries to decide who should live and who should die, when man tries to ‘clean up the gene (infidel) pool’ from those viewed as undesirable. To put it simply, no Darwin (Jesus, Allah, God), no Hitler (death) …

We have had 150 (hundreds of thousands of) years of the theory of Darwinian evolution (religion), and what has it brought us? Whether Darwin (mankind) intended it or not, millions of deaths, the destruction of those deemed inferior, the devaluing of human life, increasing hopelessness; Darwin’s theory (religion) has been deadly, indeed. … The time has come to recognize that evolution (religion) is a bad idea and should be, frankly, discarded into the dustbin of history."

There are so many factual errors and baseless assertions in this dickhole's argument that I won't even go into them here. They're pretty self-evident to anyone who knows anything about Darwin or Hitler, or even just plain old forgotten reason. But if you read it and subsitute the red words for the original word I placed in italics, it is now a true and valid argument.

Come On! Aren't You Making Much Ado Over Nothing?
Do Christianists in America want their religion to clean up the undesirables, to undertake, as the Nazi's did, to impose their values upon the whole country, maybe the whole world? Read below:
From The Changing of the Guard, by George Grant, former executive director of D. James Kennedy's Coral Ridge Ministries:

"Christians have an obligation, a mandate, a commission, a holy responsibility to reclaim the land for Jesus Christ -- to have dominion in civil structures, just as in every other aspect of life and godliness.

• But it is dominion we are after. Not just a voice.
• It is dominion we are after. Not just influence.
• It is dominion we are after. Not just equal time.
• It is dominion we are after.
• World conquest. That's what Christ has commissioned us to accomplish.

THIS is mainstream Christianity in America today. These people are in our WHITE HOUSE. These people used to be on the streetcorners waving signs, today they enjoy more popularity and influence in the running of this country than any other group in America.

The painting and quote above are from the American Fundamentalist website that showcases the artwork of Joel Pelletier.

Make that 5

Red Sox Fan, Waving the White Flag

Well, it may not be officially over. But according to this sports writer above, it is. Matt and I went fishing instead of watching. Plus, I've been really sick the past few days, this last nail in the coffin would have made me sicker. @#$%&!!!*$#%$^%^*#@%% Red Sox! I can't curse the Yanks anymore cuz' the Sox definitely blew it themselves.

I'm not even a die-hard baseball fan. I'd rather have my skin peeled off than watch it most of the time. But I'm homesick, people, and I want my team to win. Again.

FetishCon, Tampa, Aug. 8-13th

Have been real busy lately, so haven't had time to post this right when we got back. Mr. Matt takes all the photos, and usually there are hundreds of them that need to be sorted, edited, deleted and saved. I have a post coming up about my recent art show, and lots more photos will be there as well.

Anyway....the Tampa Fetishcon 6th Annual Trade Show was August 10-13th. We were up there starting the 11th. For any of my friends with kids reading this, there is no nudity or sexual content in this post except for one blurry bum getting whipped! We went as press, Matt taking photos and I taping interviews. We hope to put together a story on this very soon. It was a LOT of fun, and quite a learning experience. I'm not a fetishist myself, unless you count my affinity for vintage lingerie and pin-up, but I LOVE fetish people. This show was put together by Genesis Lynn and Vesta, 2 lovely ladies who succeeded in carrying off an awesome convention that was both well-organized and professional.

Look closely at the ladie's shirt graphic above. Cute, eh? Enjoy the photos. Matt got many good ones.



The Bondage Bunny. One of many attendees that hit just the right combination of fuzzy and freaky.

Another couple worth talking about but we didn't get great photos of was of the Drag Queen Dom with her great big bear Sub dressed up as a horse. Picture the Gimp from Pulp Fiction with a leather horse mask, hooves and a tail, on a leash, with Gene Hackman in a latex skirt, wig and platform heels leading him around.


Speaking of horses....Foxy from Native American Exotics with two fine mares on leashes. At least I think that's his name. You can't see their hands but they have leather hooves on them. Giddyap, bitches!









A fiesty cat burglar gets caught! This girl was a model for the fashion show and bondage demos.
She was so darling. A natural beauty with gorgeous hair and a big smile, and a sense of humor as you can see in her last photo. Here she struggles as a bondage pro demonstrates his skills. Don't ever rob this guys' house.





Watch that shoe, buddy!













Awwww!


















Can't get your kids to shut up? Try these.












If the mouth gags don't work, try these!











The two cheerful owners of Rainbow Rope. They seemed annoyed that yet 2 more idiots who knew nothing about fetish wanted to ask them zillions of questions about their wares. But they did pose for this shot, and they did have a fascinating array of toys, many of which would only be recognizable to someone in the medical field like Mooselet.

The art of bondage is much more than just tying someone up. Many people involved in ropes consider it an art. It can be very intricate and beautiful if done right.




I wish I could remember this sweetheart's name. This adorable nymph is the artist behind CeresMoon Inc., if I'm not mistaken. I have yet to play back my interview with her, so I will correct any foggy memories later when I review it. She designs cyber headpieces inspired by manga, anime and goth. In her words, it's not exactly fetish, but fetish accepts a lot of crossovers from all kinds of alternative subcultures, so she fits right in.




I'd have to say the best thing about going to this was not only was it a pleasure to be amongst such fun and creative individuals, but I got to see some serious artists like Cerez and Matthew Mansou who really bring back that kind of old school craftsmanship you just don't see everday.

Here I am getting accosted by a nurse. Mooselet, is this what you do to your patients? Actually, I am getting fitted for a vintage style corset by the salesgirl of one of my favorite vendors, Girdlebound. I love love LOVE vintage. Girdlebound provides old-fashioned girdles, corsets and stockings that your grandmother would have loved and our mothers were busy burning. They have a fantastic website that has tons of photo shoots of pin-up style models wearing Girdlebound's garments. If you like Betty Page, this is the place to go. I love you Girdlebound!!! Yes, I bought that corset. I will be dying it my favorite color, RED!

While I'm on the subject of vintage, I will provide a link to another of my favorite vendors. They were not at the Fetishcon and really have nothing to do with Fetish but their clothing is so beautiful. This is Trashy Diva of New Orleans, designers of gorgeous clothes inspired by the 20's to the 50's.



Mansour Designs is operated by artist Matthew Mansour. Here is a statement about his work from his website: "I make extremely high-quality masks and other assorted items with clean sharp lines and a very distinctive personal style that is obvious. I am a stickler for quality and I will only use the finest materials available or whatever I can afford at the time..."

He has made maskes for Cirque de Soleil. They are truly beautiful, the type of quality you hardly ever find in today's mass produced world. You can't get a sense of just how quality they are until you pick them up. Many of these should be in a museum, if they are not already. Matthew, a handsome gent with a mohawk, says that his art allows him to send his kids to private school, and he loves his life.


This is one of Matthew's designs on a model during the fashion show. There were nearly 50 outfits modeled.


















Here is a the back of the sexy Librarian model wearing vintage wear from Girdlebound. The audience is nuts with cameras. Notice Supergirl over to the left....there were a few comic book characters that day, including Wonderwoman.









Another gorgeous outfit on a gorgeous Suicide Girl type model. IT wouldn't surprise me if she was a Suicide Girl.



















This is stunning fetish model Rubberdoll flanked by two girls from the Filth-O-Rama Floozy's.

Rubberdoll is the hardcore latex queen, a kink performance artist of the highest degree.







Another kink queen, the brilliant Kumi Monster. I had a long interview with her where I asked maybe 2 questions and she talked the entire rest of the time. This is a fascinating woman. She bills herself as an International Asian Fetish Bondage Model. This lady travels worldwide working with the best photographers and modeling the latest fetish fashions. She also is a student of history and an avid reader.












Isabella Sinclair is another model, dominatrix and performance artist. We also interviewed her. She studied psychology, which gives her a lot of insight into the dynamics of the BDSM world. This is another fascinating and brilliant woman to talk to. For anyone who is interested, this Mistress gives training for submissives. She has an accute understanding of the dynamics of the trusting give and take of power in relationships (think of the trust consenting adults must have for one another during sub/dom play) and has contributed her knowledge to a book on the subject that many housewives have used to spice up their love-life. I found the whole subject intriguing, to the point that I would like to learn a bit more! Being a Mistress could be fun! As long as I wouldn't have to make the videos this lady makes, which are very hardcore.

There is just so much going on with the ladies we talked to that I cannot begin to write it all here. I'd be here all day. Besides, I have a recorder full of it, waiting to be listened to again. Sure, they dress up in latex and maybe smack people around a bit. But the women we talked to are savvy intellectuals who also happen to know their business. They are powerful in mind, brilliant and beautiful.
This lovely nymph, I forget her name (but I have it on tape!!) works for or is owner of Z-Edge, "Hot collectibles and cool stuff". (Their website is under construction at this moment. )












This lovely lady is all tied up at the moment. I'm guessing she is SheriFox, the wife of Foxy. Together they run Native American Exotics, "Makers of unique Native American BDSM equipment for the consenting adult connoisseur." Like I said, I don't exactly have my names straight, so will have to do some fact checking. So if anyone needs to correct me then by all means go ahead.













Jami Deadly, a retro fetish vamp, puts on a killer burlesque show at the Club Chambers in Tampa. This is one drop-dead killer babe. I love burlesque. Jami is a curvy babe. One thing about fetish and the pin-up burlesque scene is that the female body is BEAUTIFUL again. That means natural boobs and bodyfat are OK again! How refreshing in this homogenized world we live in.













Mere photos can't convey the absolute hedonism going on at Club Chambers on Saturday night. Lots of people were getting tied up and spanked with various objects. I've seen this sort of thing at ManRay in Boston, so it's no big deal. This crowd, believe it or not, was a pretty light-hearted bunch, into dressing up and having fun. It was SAFE....these people weren't getting slammed to death here. It was very surreal, like being in a movie.












Now doesn't this look like fun, even just a little bit?

Fetishcon ROCKED. One of the best things about going was the fact there were so many latex clad freaks (I mean that in a good way) running about a high-class hotel. One memorable moment involved 4 very rich, very white, Republican-esque women entering the hotel bar where people in piercings, latex, leather and spikes were all sitting around drinking beer and doing Jaeger shots. Imagine their surprise. They were visibly uncomfortable, yet mildly...and nervously...amused. One couple sat across from them, both in their 60's, both in latex. The woman, looking just like a grandmotherly Annette Funicello, had her cleavage spilling out between her latex jumpsuit for the whole world to see. The rich ladies couldn't stop looking. I, watching and loving every minute of it, couldn't stop laughing.

There were LOTS of older people there. Another cool thing about this scene. One woman, who had an uncalled-for sour and pissy disposition towards the hard-working Hyatt staff that made me want to smack her, had to be in her 70's. She was stout and walked with a stiff waddle. She had a face full of peircings and wore heavy leather and metal studded gauntlets on her calves and forearms. She also needs a lesson in treating service help, as she was completely rude to the barkeep (who did not deserve it) and left him a cheap insult of a tip that I would have thrown right back at her, if I were him.

After Fetishcon we took the long 4 hour drive home, stopping at a breakfast/lunch diner along the way in a small Florida town. We had no idea at the time, but it was run by a born-again and everyone in there had just got out of church. One family behind us, a young mother, husband, little girl and friend, were discussing Galatians from the Bible. Everyone was perfectly cleansed, polished, coiffed, behaved, with smart preppy pastel outfits. We should've known from all those minivans with Bush and Jesus fish on the bumpers parked outside. They made us so nervous, even though we looked perfectly ordinary!!!! (Must be those demons we're possessed with!!)

Fetishcon might have had some weirdos. But THIS was the weirdest place of them all. I'd rather be in a room full of big hairy dudes dressed as horses than in a room full of THESE people. But the food was astounding. Our bellies full, we finally went home, exhausted.

4 games lost to the Yanks in a row

FOX Sports - MLB - Yanks score fourth win over Sox in three days

So sad. Here we go again, kids. I hope whoever Ortiz is pointing at up there hear's Boston's prayers.

Lee Press-On Claws

Alternatives to Declawing, Nail Caps for Cats

Yup. Just looking around for a good way to clip Howie's overgrown back claws and came across this page. They are little plastic caps you can actually glue on kitty's claws to keep him from shredding the couch. They have ones for dogs too.

They come in colors. Warm summer ones. Yes, they sure do.

Street Dogs

So I'm updating my mural site, which is a long process since I'm an HTML retard. I've got XM Fungus 53 satellite radio on, which is by far the best thing to happen to punk rock in 30 years, no matter what your age is or how long you've been into it. I've already blogged about it here.

A song by one of my favorite bands just came on, called "Decency Police", by Boston's Street Dogs. What an excellent rip roaring song it is. If anyone still mourns the demise of the Mike McColgan fronted Dropkick Murphys, well, quit yer cryin'. The Street Dogs have been putting out some great music and great shows while you were sobbing in your Guinness over Sunshine Highway*. Since their 2003 release, Savin Hill (or Stab n' Kill, if you're from the Boston area), they've just been getting better and better.

(The photo above is from their website, they are visiting Melbourne, FL, which is a couple hours north of where I live now, but it looks just like the beach I live 1 mile away from.)

This is a video of their song Back to the World that you have just got to see. It's very important that you do. If my link doesn't work, go to their homepage and you'll see the link right there, the one with the helicopter graphic. It's worth it if you take 3 minutes out of your day to witness this.

Street Dogs play honest, uncontrived, socially conscious, heartfelt punk rock. I missed them the last time around here in Ft. Lauderdale, and really regret it. I won't make the same mistake again in December, when they come back. You shouldn't either. Go buy their music, go see their shows.

This is from their Myspace profile:
"The kind of rock the Street Dogs are attempting to make is nothing like the pop-punk rock infiltrating mainstream radio and television. In fact, it is best described as a combination of blistering rock songs and melodic, infectious punk rock."

I've met Mike McColgan briefly when they toured with Social Distortian, and he's a nice guy. He's easy on the eyes, too. This photo, also from their site, Johnny on the left, Mike on the right.

















Had to put this shot in too....it's Mike singing the anthem at a Red Sox game in Fenway a few years back. What an honor this must have been for a boy from Dorchester.




























*I will always love the Dropkicks and will always support them. They were and are a great band and do great things for the city of Boston and the punk scene. Al Barr is a great frontman. I've seen them in Dallas, Austin, Ft. Lauderdale, as well as Boston, and they mean what they say, they love their fans 100%. They make me proud of where I came from. They ressurected my love for punk (which I grew up with, and was sick of watching it become fashion show) when I first heard them played on some kids tape deck during an overnight shift while working at a Home Depot in Quincy, MA, back in the 90's. But that doesn't mean I have to love every song they do.

Time to Update

Pretty soon I'm overhauling this blog. I know the basics of Dreamweaver and Fireworks but deeper than that, I'm screwed. I'm a DIY girl so I will learn to do it myself. The last free template I used got highjacked, I lost all my links. So forgive me if this blog looks rather plain jane and my link to your blog is no longer here.

I also have a lot of make-up posts to do...I haven't been around lately. I just got back from a Fetish convention that was an absolute riot, I have lots of photos to post of that. Matt and I went as "press". Let me just sum it up by saying that the surreality that is a Fetish convention is NOTHING compared to having breakfast the day after at a Christian eggs and grits diner. More about that later.

Matt's in Albany on work so I can hog the computer again. It's just Howie the cat and me for a few days.

We Like Mike

Here is a wicked cool blog entry (and a very cool blog as well) I stumbled across today while trolling the series of tubes otherwise known as the internet(s) for images and info on all things Mike Rowe from Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs. I, apparently, am not alone.

It's no secret that ladies like Mike. I found a few other blogs with adoring posts about him:

Marsha Loftis Blog.
Some strangely designed fanlisting.
"I just saw Mike Rowe in a wetsuit!" on KateSpot.

The Dirty Jobs fansite has no shortage of swooning women that want to get dirty with Mike Rowe:

"I wish I had a dirty job so I could meet you. My only dirty job is being the ex-wife of a scumbag, but that can't be put on TV."


There's even a Myspace fansite, among others.

Men dig him too. My honey, Mr.Matt, who is very much like Mike in looks and wit in my opinion, gets a kick out of the guy. He's unpretentious and hilarious, a blue-collar intellectual, a thinking man's man with an unshaven face and a smirk. Mr. Rowe's a regular guy with a healthy dose of smartass, the kind of guy you could have a beer with. (Now, I know that's the criteria many Americans used to vote for our present Idiot in Chief, but Mike's not running for political office. That's a job too dirty even for him, I think.)

Dirty Jobs is a great show as it is, but I can't imagine it without Mike Rowe as host. I've seen the other Discovery channel hosts....it's like watching CSI:Miami when you really love the original Vegas CSI...you keep wanting that red-haired jackass to be Gil Grissom but he's so fucking NOT.

Screw Leonard DiCaprio and Antonio Banderas!! Give us Mike Rowe covered in fish guts and poo anyday. Will the editors of People magazine finally get the hint? Will a future cover of "The Word's Most Beautiful People" look like this?















Gay men like Mike too. Here's a photo from WeHo Mark, another blogger. Looks like he took a picture of his TV when Mike was frollicking around shirtless. WeHo Markie says to Mike, "Come to me, Daddy!" Right on, brother!















Here's more ribald horniness from the gay men's crowd: "Maybe it's his sexy deep baritone voice, or his hot hairy bod...I find him strangely compelling..."

For Mooselet in Australia, who doesn't get Discovery Channel, go here. There should be video clips of the show. Since you're into science stuff, girl, you might like the clips.

Two for the Shitlist

I'm up early today in hopes I get my ass to the gym and then get home to finish updating both Matt's website and my own. So that means I'm actually up before the sun, drinking coffee and reading today's Miami Herald, which leads me to yet another pissed-off rant. Two more for the Shitlist! Yes, I have a Shitlist, doesn't everyone??

Today's first display of the middle phelange goes to the Broward Sheriff Office, otherwise referred to as the BSO, for shooting Miami lawyer Elizabeth Ritter in the head with a rubber bullet for just standing there with a protest sign. The incident was videotaped.

Major John Brooks is shown in another related videotape used for training (er, entertainment is more like it) purposes talking about the incident with BSO deputies. Here are some quotes from him in that tape straight from the article:
'How about yesterday, huh?'' Brooks says, complimenting the officers for their work during the protests. ``I would go to war with everyone here.''

Brooks continues, ``I went home, I couldn't sleep, I was just so pumped up about how good you guys were . . . Nobody broke ranks. You're the best I've ever been with.''

Sgt. Michael Kallman, a BSO counterterrorism unit officer, addresses the group next. A voice off-camera says, ``What about the lady behind the sign (referring to Ritter)? We have intel on her?''

The officers laugh.

Kallman smiles and says, ``The good news about being able to watch you guys live on TV is that the lady with the red dress, I don't know who got her, but it went right through the sign and hit her smack dab in the middle of the head!''

He raises his forefinger and zooms it toward his forehead.

The cops all laugh.

Another officer asks, off-camera, ``Did I get a piece of her red dress?''

Now, I don't fault the Fuzz for beefing up before the WTO protest that 11/20/03. The violent gang in Seattle pretty much screwed that up for all of us. But the ACLU is already calling up lawsuits against our local law enforcement for their roughshod treatment towards many undeserving and otherwise peaceful protesters during the WTO. Ms. Ritter, described as a middle-aged professional, dressed in a bullseye-red jacket, skirt and pumps, didn't deserve the barrage of rubber bullets she got. This was no hippy throwing bricks through Starbucks windows. So do all average, everyday Americans have to worry about the police shooting at them during peaceful and lawful public protests?

I'm reminded so much of the goosestepping thugs I went to school with who got off on bloody fists and intimidation. Did they all grow up to be cops? I've known a few decent cops, and we sure could use more of them.

Ms. Ritter was holding a sign that said "Fear Totalitarianism". How appropriate. Anyone wanna call up Roger Miret and have him revamp Agnostic Front's "New York Police State" to better suit us here in south FL?

My next Size-7.5 Doc Marten-Up-the-Ass goes out to former soldier Steven Green, Spc. James P. Barker, Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman and Pfc. Bryan L. Howard for the pre-meditated rape of a 15 yr. old Iraqi teenager and then the killing of her and her family. Yes, war sucks. But this is sheer evil. How horrible and embarressing for them to do this. I hope all of you are prosecuted and punished to the full extent of United States laws. If that doesn't happen I hope they drop you naked and wrapped in the American flag in the middle of Faludjah.

Oh, and Mel Gibson, you are a JACKASS. Go back to your Slashin' of the Christ funded private island, you freak!

I guess that makes 3 for the Shitlist. Oh well!

New Marbled Columns

Here are the columns I just finished for my newest clients. This is the same bathroom where I just finished that mural. There were 4 columns in all. The first shot shows what they looked like all prepped and primed. I had to sand the living crap out of them with an electric sander because the wood grain was really prominent and marble columns with a wood grain isn't atractive, plus the builders that installed them used that nasty cheap paint that flakes off everywhere. I also sand between every coat of primer and paint so the columns will feel just as good as they look. I don't want hair, dust and shmeg mucking up my nice smooth columns!! They are finished with a coat of clear gloss. I'll be going back later to start another mural, and also to recoat the columns for extra protection.




















Here are the sample boards. The client went with the rose/tan one (the one on top, they are all subtle)



















Finished column, base.



















Finished column, top.





















Today we're going to the Bass Pro Shop down the street to look at fishing rods. Going to Bass Pro on a SUNDAY???? I guess we're crazy. But we really want to get into fishing since we're surrounded by water everywhere we look.

Standing with Israel

This morning's Miami Herald printed this on the Opinion Page in a regularly run section called "One-Liners".

"If Hezbollah laid down its weapons today, there would be no more war. If the Israelis laid down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel." --Joel Barbanell, Sunny Isles Beach.

It's awful that people have to suffer over there, no matter what side of the border they are on. I don't want innocent people getting maimed and shelled. Many people in this world want us to sympathize with the Lebanese and the Palestinians. I do. Maybe I don't truly understand this ages-old bewildering problem of truly Biblical proportions. But I don't think I have to, because it's not what Israel has or has not done, it is the fact that they ARE. Israel exists, and she is hated for that alone. She could shower the jihadists with flowers and still be hated.

That is one thing I do understand. The haters of Jews have made that perfectly clear. It's racist tribalism at its cave-man best. Once they are done ridding the planet of Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and the rest of us infidels, they will kill each other over petty differences. (Oh, wait, they do that already!!)

The world criticizes Israel for too strident a military response to the recent kidnapping and shelling, but what could she do to avoid criticism? Maybe her response is too strident. But what of those who want to "imagine a world without Israel?" and then act on it? What is the greater crime here? Is it the ferocity of her fighting that angers those who hate her, or the fact she defends herself at all?

I think Joel's one-liner sums it up. Whatever bad things Israel may or may not have done today or yesterday, there is nothing this tiny New Jersey sized country can do to appease the fundamentalist Muslim community other than cease to exist. Am I supposed to feel sorry for people who love blowing up their own children for a religion? Here's another quote from today's paper, "He gave his son to Islam," said Sanaa Younes, a Shiite from Beirut in regards to Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, "It's what every parent would want." I don't want any child, or any person, to die in the name of any religion. I don't care if it's not politically correct to say this, but if anyone of any faith wants to exist in this world, they have to understand others have the right to exist as well, and if they can't understand that (if they can't live and let live), then they deserve no place in civilized society. Criminals get sent to prison because they can't get along and abide by laws. What about genocidal jihadists?

What in the world do we do with bloodthirsty religious nutjobs who get giddy when their sons and daughters blow themselves up in crowded markets in the name of God? Is anything more insane and evil than this?? When they bomb tiny democratic countries and kidnap their soldiers, do we listen to a damn thing they have to say when that country strikes back??

In my heart of hearts I want peace. I want the poor families on both sides of the issue to be safe and out of harms way. I don't hope for the destruction of anyone. But I have no illusions about those who kill in the name of their religion. History teaches us all we need to know.

FLORIDA DRIVERS SUCK!

Before I indulge in my obscenity laced rant, go to this website for a good laugh, especially if you hate bad drivers and wish there was a way to get back at them other than swinging a nine iron into their skulls.

I live in southeastern FL and everyone on the road here SUCKS!

I've lived in Boston, CA and Dallas, and have been all over the country, including Los Angeles, which is notorious for its traffic. Boston's not much better...but I'll tell you one thing, at least people use blinkers and are semi-conscious on the road. I used to hate Boston drivers.....now I miss them!

Here in south Florida people LOVE to sit back and relax in the left lane. The left lane is for passing, and in Boston earns you a pissed-off tailgater leaning on the horn or highbeams should you be so ignorant as to amble in it with your cruise-control on 64. You just don't do it. Here, it's like a paved paradise for big fat minivan drivers yammering on cellphones. Or anyone else in a car or truck. They LOVE the left lane and won't move even when they see thousands of cars trying to get around them.

The worst is when you have a granny in the right, where she belongs, a cement truck next to her, a tanker truck next to him, and in the left lane IS A FAT BITCH IN AN MINIVAN WHO IS DOING 55!!!!!!!! I WANT TO KILL THAT PERSON!!!!!!!! You also see big trucks in the left lane too, going as slow as can be. Has anyone read their DMV handbooks recently? Does anyone know that the left lane is for passing, and that slower traffic should stay to the right???

I HATE YOU PEOPLE!!! It's bad enough you can barely drive anywhere else! But you need to get out of the left lane!!!! No one here uses their blinkers, everyone cuts you off, and FORGET IT if you want to drive US1 near Hollywood, Hallandale or probably all towns it runs through.....NO ONE IS AWAKE ON US1!!!!!!!! I look at them when I drive by and they are usually on their phone! If not on the phone, they are picking their nose, hitting their kids, reading a paper, or ANYTHING BUT FUCKING DRIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ugh. That's it for today's rant. I'd feel much better if I knew I wasn't about to get on the road again, but I am.

DIE SOUTH FLORIDA DRIVERS, DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is how I'll get back at them....HAHA I love this site!