John Quinones. John of God shill

I just got done reading a commentary post by James Randi. I was appalled at the lack of reporting done by ABC News, Primetime Live and John Quinones. The decide to basically support the John of God by rebunking nothing or supporting nothing or really much reporting. Isn't the job of these types of programs to report facts? You can do this pretty easily by showing the facts from side A such as what they believe, how they conduct themselves, etc and then can show the facts of side B such as what they also believe, how they can disprove side A and so forth. It doesn't require the production to give an opinion for the facts will speak for themselves and provide the audience an opportunity to make their own conclusion.

Instead you get this weak willed pandering that is going to result in others being hurt and swindled for the facts where kept from them. ABC should be ashamed. This is just as bad as what CBS did with George Bush. Not reporting is a failure regardless if the person involved is the President or some stranger on the street.

Now one thing I don't agree is James Randi obsolves John Quinones of any guilt in this farce of a story. John was the on air "reporter" that intros the stories, did some of the pre-prepped interviews and so forth. While I do understand that these "reporters" are glorified teleprompter readers that do nothing more then what they are told this doesn't obsolve them of guilt when a story is reported incorrectly or missing needed information. The man sells himself as a respected investigated reporter, so when he is shown with a story, it means he approves and agreed with the story as it was reported. If he sold himself as "teleprompter reader" then he would be innocent, but until he does that, he should be held to the same standards all reporters are held to. Just because he is on TV shouldn't change that. Yet for some reason it does. Just look at Dan Rather.

NHL season goes boom

Well, its official, the NHL have called it a season before the season got a chance to begin. Its a shame for hockey fans, no biggie to others but its still pretty historic. Most of these strikes are a lot of talk and threats but usually a side caves, typically the owners. In this case they stayed the course and I applaud them for it.

Normally I am all for worker rights, I know I would love to get that raise that has been dangled my way for literally years now. However, frankly its hard to be sympathetic when its a bunch of athlets poed because they may have to settle for 10 million a year contract instead of 15 million. I just can't care, especially when a raise to me is couple hundred if that. Hell id take a shopping certificate at this point. I am sure many others feel the same way.

The owners have a right to make money as much as the players do yet the players don't seem to care. In every other business, its the workers that make the moolah for the company, yet we don't get the leverage to go "give us 75% of your profits" nor should we. But some how athetes are "special." The rules just don't apply which is bullshit.

Frankly its also insulting. Its like the big wig CEOs who bury a company just to get their 10 million dollar bonus and then boo hoo about how unfair it is they got fired. I am sorry but when your salary is in the millions per year, I have zero sympathy. The players talk on and on about rights, labor, blah blah blah. but really I would give them props if they just stood up and flat out admitted "i greedy, I want my piece of the pie!" I can respect that because I understand that. I want a piece to. Bigger the better, just the like the CEO getting his bonus over the carcasses of his employees. I can't blame them for wanting a piece, but don't cry to the fans and buyers when it doesn't work out.

Anyway, congrats to the owners. I hope they get everything they want and if a few players go bankrupt then HAHA cause thats what they get for not planning and spending way beyond their means.

Embarassing to be a Georgian

Once again Georgia does something that is simply embarassing. In this case, arresting and pressing charges against a Rome Georgia retailer for giving away a historically accurate comic that depicted a nude Pablo Picasso.

Its the whole indencey charge that pisses me off. This attack on the first admendment needs to stop. People don't like something, don't read it. Turn it off, change the channel. The options are endless. As for children, parents should monitor. Just because you think its safe doesn't mean shouldn't check it out first. Be a damn parent. Stop trying to be a friend. Stop assuming others are looking out for you children. Cause guess what, they are not and frankly they shouldn't be. Thats your damn job. Don't have children if can't handle it. Having other people arrested or sued because you failed is setting a bad example at the very least.

The State of the Union '05

I missed it. Decided to go the movies since figured it would be "freedom", "liberty", "social security", and "marriage" repeated over and over.

Based on write ups read on CNN and Fox I was mostly right. I am amazed he mentioned the economy even though it seemed to be a pat on the back for its stagnation. I guess it not sliding backwards but not really growing is a win.

So what else,
War - like how he continues to hammer the whole "bring freedom" thing while ignoring even worse and more dangerous regimes in the world. Also like that whole "WMD" thing just didn't happen.

Social Security - well as 401k programs prove, unless you are already rich, all the investing in the world not going to create a nest egg large enough to retire on. So expect his plan for SS to create a mess in about 20 years. Not that anyone would blame him by then.

Gay Marriage - Sadly an admendment would pass and it proves that America is falling apart at the seems. I guess the whole "equality' thing was just a joke that people have died for 100+ years to prove and make sure America lived up to. So much from learning from history.

Stem cells - You would have though Ronald Reagan's plights would have taught a lesson. Stem cells doesn't harm babies. The fool tries to paint some picture that women are out manufacturing babies to turn over for research or some other way out there line of thinking.

Abortion - Fix the current welfare system and all the children that are left behind, abused, uncared for and stuck in the system then maybe I can support eliminating abortion. As it is we have more children then the system can handle abused and unwanted. Eliminating abortion would simply make a bad situation horribly worse. Its simply evil to do that. For every "thank god i didn't get the abortion" happy story there are probably dozens of "that poor child" stories. Fix the system before moving on to something that will make it worse.

Government spending - Bush talking about fiscal responsibility is hilarious. I mean it. How he about it and keeps a straight face is hilarious. I am guessing his idea would be to eliminate any program that hurts his corporate buddies, increase defense spending for future wars and of course gut education. Now if he has a true, logical plan that is good for the country, more power to him. But his history shows that is highly unlikely.

Basically, you can sum up his State of the Union address as more of the same.