Monday, May 23, 2011

Blogrollomatic

Time again for a few blogroll updates. First, additions:

Chris Ex Machina - Brother of LawDog, proving that there's something in the family. Often amusing, frequently quotable, and "Bureau of Coal, Petroleum and Citrus Fruit." For context, make with the clicky.

SnarkyBytes - Alan excels at short, pithy posts about interesting topics. He is also responsible for the podcast Vicious Circle, which may or may not be a point in his favor.

The Smallest Minority - Kevin Baker posts some of the best thought out and researched pieces on a wide range of political topics available online. Go read. You will come away having learned something.

Tractor Tracks - Farmgirl posts on an eclectic abundance of topics, and is consistently entertaining. She keeps fish too, which is rather a plus.

VolkStudio Blog - Oleg Volk, photographer extraordinaire and gun rights activist. He consistently has some of the best photos of any kind I have seen, and is unmatched in firearms pictures.

Weer'd World - Weer'd Beard writes by and large about whatever happens to catch his fancy at the time, mostly in entertaining manners. More substantial material consists of fisks of anti-rights statements/interviews, and more importantly the "Gun-Death?"archive, which seeks to highlight the ridiculous nature of the "gun death" statistic by pointing out the murders that seem to not matter to anti-gunners on account of not having been committed with a gun.

I also have to take a blog off the blogroll, as it hasn't been updated in four months, and is unlikely to see its start again. If Xavier Thoughts resumes posting, he will be restored to the blogroll. Until then, the blogroll stands.

In other news, I graduate a week from Saturday. That is really weird. Heading down to the University of Texas at Dallas in the fall, which should be a good time.

That's all for now.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Politics is Irrelevant

At least, as far as the recent events concerning the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) are concerned. They have repeatedly engaged in ad hominem attacks against people of different opinions, threatened them through their children, and exposed personal information about these people. (For those of you who find yourself shocked at the lines from Tango's post, see if they are a little more tolerable quoted properly and in context)

I would link to the original offenses by CSGV, but Twitter has suspended their account on account of violation of the terms and service agreements concerning personal information.

Regardless of what you think about the gun issue as a whole, or are liberal or conservative, don't support, give heed to, or otherwise give legitimacy to CSGV. Their tactics are inherently offensive. Attacking a father through his child, attempting to damage a man by removing his reasonable screen of privacy, and commenting on anything unrelated to the issue at hand is no way to have any form of discourse.

The Brady Campaign supports CSGV, and has engaged in similar behaviors in the past. I would urge you to consider removing them from any position of credibility in your personal life.

This post (unlike others) is not meant to convince anyone to any side of any political issue. This is merely an appeal to the reasoning side of people to not tolerate behaviors like this in any debate or discussion sphere. This extends to any group that engages in these behaviors, on any side of any issue. Let's have discussion, not attacks. This is all the more important in emotionally charged issues.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Words To Live By

I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.

~William Tyler Page, The American's Creed.

Words that seem no longer to reflect the nature of this country, but words I do believe in. This is not what America is, it is what America needs to be again. We have lost much over the last few decades. Every stride we take back towards good is countered by 5 in the wrong direction. We may still be able to resurrect this country though. Remember the American's creed. Live well, and live principled. America can be great again.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

A Joyous Day

In recent news, it would seem that Osama bin Laden is dead, killed by US special forces. Finally. That son of a bitch has done so much to this country that his death seems to have been too easy. I suppose all we can do at this point is wrap him in pig skins before we chuck him off the fantail of a destroyer for the fish to gnaw on his bones. Let any muslim or any other human who seeks to follow his atrocities with more of the same note that this country has no tolerance for acts of this level of evil. Let him rot in the deepest levels of hell for all eternity.

Thank God and the United States Armed Forces that this particular fight is over.

Let this serve as what balm it may for those who have lost loved ones by his order.

Let this serve as warning to all who would harm this country. No matter how long it takes, we will keep hunting until justice is served.

And President Obama. For all my dislike of you and your policies, tonight you did well.

God Bless America.