The World is Watching

Update: 12:49pm EST - More video is available, sourced from HuffPo and the NYT Liveblogs. First up is a lengthy 7 minute clip, apparently from today, showing police and protestors clashing, with a decent veil of tear gas all around. Scary stuff indeed. The others are CNN iReport videos, also apparently from today. CNN is currently running video of what may be an unofficial protest rally that has grown quite large despite the crackdown on planned rallies. I'm going to try and find these videos if I can. Any suggestions, please send them to me via Twitter...

I'm going to see about pulling these videos down and reposting them to create copies just in case Iran's current regime grows some balls and tries to take down everything...

Update: 12:30pm EST - @BreakingNews Online is reporting that Iranian protestors who are either killed or wounded are being carried away almost immediately by police forces. To me, this looks like a clear attempt to prevent people and the media from seeing the results of what are clearly sickening and horrifying acts. For some of the fastest updates in the world of news, I suggest following them on Twitter.

BNO is also confirming that Mousavi has, in fact, said that he is "Ready for Martyrdom" and fully intends to continue working for change until his death. Confirmed by a Reuters-based witness.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I think I'm ready to call it: The Iranian Revolution has begun.

This calls memories of Boris Yeltsin standing on a tank and talking to the Russian people during the collapse of the USSR. I truely have lived during very fascinating times indeed...

Update: 12:05pm EST - CNN still says opposition leaders haven't been seen, yet HuffPo is running tweets from Iranians confirming his location, as well as his speeches and the chants of protestors:

"Crowd rushing to Jihoun St, where people are saying Mousavi is there and talking with protesters"

Protesters in Revolution sq r chanting: Goftim agar taghalob besheh basatetoon jam misheh!! "We told u if u cheat it'll be the end of u"

The situation is heating up. This is history, kids! My thoughts are with the people of Iran right now. Going to take a break, smoke a cigarette, visit my cats and try to calm my nerves.

Update: 11:53am EST - Still no confirmation found for the Kohmeni Shrine Bombing. The International Media Blackout is somewhat effective, preventing agencies like CNN, BBC etc. from doing independent confirmation. State-run media is still the only source of information on that.

From the Huffington Post Live-Blog:

A report on opposition leader Mousavi:@LilyMazahery: "Mousavi is at head of Jayhoon ave. giving a speech."

Reliable Iranian on Twitter: "mousavi among people: I am ready for death"

Another: "Mousavi - Confirmed - I have prepared for martyrdom"

Tweets from the TehranBureau.com staff: i'm dying with worry. please pray for us. 13 minutes ago from web

i'm worried 14 minutes ago from web

she hasn't returned 14 minutes ago from web

my young sister has taken to the streets as well 14 minutes ago from web

things are horrible, please pray for us 14 minutes ago from web

And from the New York Times Live-Blog:

From Shiraz, by way of our reader gb’s mother:

My mom is again stressing that the protesters were totally peaceful not even chanting when they were attacked. My mom’s friend said she saw right in front of her that a plain clothes person hit this young man with a baton so hard that the baton broke.

Another friend that lives in Daneshjoo Square (the place the protests took place) said that plain clothes police came to their homes this morning and told them they are not allowed to let any of the protesters seek refuge in their houses or they will be held responsible.

Yes, I'm Atheist. But I urge you all to do whatever it is you do to show your support for the people of Iran. We were once like them, in a revolution against an unjust system. We won our freedom, the people of Iran can, too...

Update: 11:40am EST - CNN is reporting that, in the second video I have posted below, protesters are shouting "Death to Kahemeni" in Farsi. They're also reporting that protests and marches have sprung up in the USA as well.

Some Iranians are posting pictures on Twitpic of the various scenes in and around Tehran.

Republican leaders are butthurt because we're taking a passive stance on Iran so far, at least in an official government capacity. I guess they really do love to meddle in international affairs, especially when it comes to oil-producing nations. Meanwhile, American citizens are NOT taking a passive stance, taking to Twitter, Facebook, etc., helping to disseminate information and post news links.

Update: 11:24am EST - OK, here we go. First of all, welcome to everyone pouring in from Twitter! Glad you decided to stop in for my take on the situation in Iran. And now, I'm going to make a lame attempt at live-blogging history. First up, here's the video I linked to previously, as well as some others culled from various sources around the web:

Students and police clash. A billboard appears to be set on fire, and reportedly, the police forces fired on the students on-camera. I can't really tell, maybe you all can.


Video, apparently from a storefront, shows riot police backing up as protestors advance. This video has been aired on CNN.

While reports indicate that the major protests called for today have been more or less blocked by state forces, people are still taking to the streets in Tehran and, presumably, the rest of Iran.

IF YOU'RE IN IRAN AND HAVE VIDEO, POST IT ASAP AND LINK IT ON TWITTER! Eventually, I'll get my hands on it and - like so many others of us around the world - we'll throw it up in order to keep these images from being drowned out!

Still no confirmation on the Kohmeni Shrine Bombing. No images yet, only state-run media reports that there are two dead and 8 injured. This is up from 1 dead and 8 injured, which would lead me to think that the updated figure should read 7 injured if one died. Take everything you get from Iranian State Media with an entire can of salt, because it's probably pro-regime bullshit.

More updates to come...

ORIGINAL POST: For every kid who's ever said that history isn't important. For every kid who's ever said that the world is a boring place where nothing happens. For every ignorant fuck who thinks that things half a world away has nothing to do with them.

History is happening right now in Iran. This Video shows a clash between students and police. I can't really make it out, but at some point, the students are fired upon.

The Huffington Post is live-blogging, with video as it comes out of Tehran and other parts of Iran.

State-run Iranian TV is reporting on a bomb blast at Ayatollah Kohmeni's mausoleum earlier today. Of course, it's state-run TV, so take it with several grains of salt. There are rumors that they actually reported the blast a few moments before it actually happened, which is very possible and - if true - could be a thorn in the side of the current power structure. There have also been reports that there's no evidence of any bombing at all yet. Interesting.

And you people thought this didn't affect you. Need I remind you that Iran is a nuclear capable rogue state? Remember the Bush Years when you were all happy to be afraid? Well, now you actually SHOULD. Depending on the outcome of any potential revolution, some very interesting people could be in charge of some very powerful weapons...

To the people of Iran, if you can find a way around the blocks and censors and can actually find and read my site: STAY STRONG, DON'T BACK DOWN, KEEP FIGHTING. Despite what your government says, not all Americans are evil. In fact, many of us are behind you 100%, spreading news, pictures, and video to protect your work by making it as widely available and as hard to trace as possible.

WE WANT YOU TO SUCCEED! GOOD LUCK!

Another Once in a Lifetime

As promised, Nick has sent along the awesome pictures that he took from our vantage point on Monday! I'll shut up and post a few here, but the rest, you'll have to view at my Flickr Page!

Legends - Mario Lemieux and the Stanley Cup

A victorious Sidney Crosby and Lord Stanley's Mug

The Flower Blossoms - Marc-Andre Fleury

Pittsburgh Fans prove why we're The City of Champions!

Update: Gone done and put them up on MySpace as a Photo Album as well. Now all you MySpace addicts (you know you're still out there) can leave silly comments, too...

Once In A Lifetime

Yep, you know me. You know that I just HAD to be in Pittsburgh to catch the Penguins and the Stanley Cup. Although this picture totally sucks, let me assure you that that is Sidney Crosby, hoisting the Stanley Cup aloft on the stage at Stanwix and the Boulevard. Because of the quality, it looks like I was forever away, but in fact, I was probably ~75-100 feet away from the stage. And let me tell you, the view was AMAZING!

Hopefully soon, Nick - a fellow fan I met at South Hills Junction, who had a WAY better camera - will be sending me many more amazing shots. Big thanks to him and the guys who drove all the way from New Jersey (!) for this once in a lifetime event.

To have that much star power - Crosby, Lemieux, Talbot, Fleury, Malkin, Staal, Guerin, Gonchar, and the legendary Mike Lange - in one place at one time... It was something I'll never, EVER forget.

WAY TO GO PENGUINS!

And, thanks to those amazing Pittsburgh Steelers, we are once again The City of Champions! Two major titles in one year! Suck it, Sports World!

Lord Stanley's Prayer (Pittsburgh Version)

Something I came up with for the Crosby haters on Fark:

Our Crosby, who art in Pittsburgh
Hallowed be thy game
Thy Hat Trick come, Mario's will be done
On the ice as it is in the locker room
Give us this day our Stanley Cup
And forgive us, our trash talking
As we forgive those who trash talk against us
And lead us not into obscurity
And deliver us from Bettman
For thine is the Dynasty, The Power Play, and the Glory
Forever and Ever.
GO PENS!

Blasphemy, when used properly, can be a helluvalotta fun...

The Sweet Taste of Irony

Dear Marion Hossa: SUCK IT! Smooth move, asshat. You wanted to win what? Shoulda stayed in Pittsburgh. Fuckwad!


PENGUINS WIN! 'Nuff Said!

Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.

The Catholic Church LOVES to make people feel guilty.

Well, it's time they felt it themselves. Listen to this man, Michael O'Brien, who spoke up at a recent meeting on Irish National TV (via @denyreligion):

If there was ever a reason for the Catholic Church to be utterly destroyed by the people it claims to protect, this is it.

Because of this, my pride in being Irish American has been damaged, probably beyond repair.

Calling

I can't be quiet anymore.

With Christian Extremism in America starting to catch up to other, more recognized forms of extremism, I can't just sit idly by and let them ruin the country I love.

And so, from now on, I feel its my duty as a good, intelligent, non-religious human being to speak out against the fascism of Fundamentalist Christianity and its Extremist "soldiers."

From here on out, Atheism will be a core theme of this blog.

If this pisses you off, sorry, but you need to learn a little tolerance. Just because I don't believe in God, doesn't make me evil.

And quite frankly, if you haven't figured out why I call myself "The Lost Prophyt," it's simple:

Lost is Christianity's perception of me: Since I'm godless, I'm also lost, wandering in the wilderness without God. Quite frankly, I know right where I am, TYVM.

Prophyt is spelled differently to make sure people know the difference between the lunatics that call themselves "prophets" and me, a Prophyt for Secular Humanity.

It's not rocket science.

So, if you don't like it, again, sorry. But if this is right up your alley, then you might be inclined to link to this blog, and to some of the other blogs that I've added to the Good Reads list. You might find that we Atheists aren't the bottom-feeding, godless scum you automatically assume we are.

All Alone, Or In Twos

So yeah. Once or twice a year, I put up a post where I try and elicit comments from readers everywhere, only to get maybe two, and we learn nothing about each other in the process. This post will be another of those.

Only this time, I have an additional perk: Over yonder on the right, just after my Cool Stuff links, sits the newest addition to my +2 Sidebar of Inernet Snazziness, the Live Activity Feed. Powered by a company called Wowzio, it didn't take much to get it running. They only give out 25 invites a day, though, so depending on when you catch them, getting one of your own might prove a small challenge. But hey, why not try, right?

So yeah, now that we can all see ourselves coming and going, wouldn't it be nice if we all stopped in and said hello? Come on, can't be that hard! It's Blogger! It's either Google IDs or an OpenID, it's not like you're going to get spammed to hell, because you're simply not. I'm not a douche like that.

No, I'm a whole other kind of not a douche at all.

All I've ever wanted to know is who reads from where, and why. I know I'm probably pissing alot of people off with my recent Atheism-related Rants, but that's who I am. With the recent rash of Christian and Muslim extremism, I just feel its time to stand up and try to be the unbiased voice of reason, sanity and compassion amid the crossfire of crazy.

So let's hear it, right? Sound off in the comments section! Please? Anyone?

Yes, Virginia, there is a Christian Extremism

This man is Stephen T. Johns. He was a security guard at the DC Holocaust Museum, and was working when James W. von Brunn - a Christian/Neo-Nazi Extremist - walked in and immediately opened fire on the museum. Johns was shot, and later died from his injuries.

This article from the Washington Post offers descriptions of Johns, from those who knew him. What follows are some quotes borrowed from the article:

"A soft-spoken, gentle giant." - Former co-worker Milton Talley

"A wonderful individual . . . a truly jovial human being," - Museum Director Sara J. Bloomfield on Good Morning America

"He was like a Care Bear. He wouldn't harm anybody. Sometimes he was so nice that people would try to take advantage of his niceness." - Friend and former roommate Brian Lennon

As an extra special note that I'd like to point out: Johns was in the process of getting closer to his son, who lives with his mother. This man was trying his best to be the father that all men should be. That was taken away from his son by this heinous act, committed by this man:

Say hello to James W. von Brunn. According to various reports, he is between 87 and 89 years old. He is a World War II veteran. And he is outspoken member of the Aryan Supremacist movement. I would link you to his website, which I viewed myself yesterday after this happened, but it has been taken down, and you're met with a Directory Access Denied message.

What I saw, though, only serves to solidify my belief that Religion is evil. In a constant theme, he's called "a credit to the Christian White race" by a former commanding officer (what are these people doing in the military?!?), and uses that "fact" as justification for his rantings and ravings, usually against the Jewish and Black communities.

He is a Christian Extremist.

That's right, kids, the Muslims aren't the only religion with a lockdown on the Extremist title.

Christian Extremism has been around a very long time, actually. During the crusades, the arrogant European Christian establishment saw themselves so righteous that they just HAD to go and liberate "The Holy Land" from the Infadel Muslims. So, they invaded, and they slaughtered. This act only solidified the Muslim hatred for the Christian Infadels. This dovetails into centuries of violence in the name of God.

Also known as Christian Extremism.

But nobody wants to say those words together. It's almost like its a taboo. "Not Christians," you shout. "Certainly not we who are peaceful and loving in the name of our likewise peaceful and loving God!"

Sorry, kids. But yes, even you "Good Christian People" have your extremist nutjobs. Like James W. von Brunn. Whether you want to admit it or not, your so-called benevolent God has inspired this man - and even more frighteningly, thousands to millions of others - into this mindset. A mindset that has led to the shedding of innocent blood.

Scott Roeder, a Christian Extremist of the anti-abortion variety, gunned down Dr. George Tiller barely two weeks ago. Ironically enough, Tiller was serving as an usher in his Lutheran church when Roeder burst in and gunned him down.

Every abortion clinic bombing or shooting? Christian Extremism.

The violence in Ireland? Christian Extremism. Strangely enough, its basically against other Christians.

It's time that we recognized it for what it is: Christian Extremism.

And as you use Muslim Extremism as a pretense for a general distrust and hatred of pretty much any Arab (or even Indian depending on religious practices), so shall it be used against you. You use their extremism as justification to call them "Pakis," "Towel Heads," "Camel Jockeys..."

With Christian Extremism, according to your logic and justification, we are now in our rights to call YOU names. To discriminate against YOU. Bible Beaters. Jesus Freaks. Lunatics. Madmen. And a whole host of other colorful nicknames that I'm sure my readers can come up with on their own.

Clean up the fringes of your own faith before you condemn the fringes of another.

And to the mainstream media: GROW SOME FUCKING BALLS AND REPORT THIS FOR WHAT IT TRULY IS: CHRISTIAN EXTREMISM.

Deny Your Maker

[soapbox]

It's a well-known fact that I'm not a religious person. At all. What I've never gotten into is why I am this way. Well, the answer is simple, but it might also be a bit unbelievable, given what I'm about to tell you.

I have questioned God since the age of six.

Yep. Six. See, supposedly, I'm smart. Like scary smart. The last time I had my IQ checked legit, it came back 146. One of those internet IQ tests spat out a 142, which isn't that far off given how wildly inaccurate they are. That's the number I display on my MySpace page.

Back then, I understood alot of the concepts of life that most parents try to hide from their children as long as possible these days. By six, I could read quite well, and with my dad being a physical therapist, he had alot of basic medical and biology books in his collection.

It was in this way that I learned the nature and purpose of the act of putting on some Barry White and making sweet love down by the fire all night long to a woman you love. Awwwww, yeah!

Armed with the knowledge of where babies come from, I began to compare it to what I was hearing in Sunday School class. You see, my parents - devout Evangelical Lutherans, sadly - thought, like all other misguided souls bound to the cross, that God was the way, the truth, and the light for me. Therefore, I spent alot of time in the basement of the Faith United Lutheran Church here in Houtzdale.

There, a kind old women named Katherine taught me about the story of the nativity, the supposed devine conception and birth of one Joshua of Nazereth, who's name has been perverted over time to be phonetically spelt JEE-zus. I also learned about the 10 Commandments: God's 10 big rules to follow, and are not to be broken, lest your soul be damned to something and such nonsense.

Now, stop me if I'm wrong, but the alleged events surrounding Joshua's birth themselves violate the 10 Commandments, specifically two:

Thou shalt not commit adultry.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.

"How," you ask, "could this possibly be so? How could the Divine Maker have violated his own laws?"

Quite simple really, all explained by rational, scientific historical study. In fact, part of this real, rational, scientific historcal study proves other nifty things, like Joshua's status as a bachelor! But I digress - here's where this kicks in.

Adultry is defined as one spouse cheating on another, or the act of being with another person's spouse.

Now, I don't care how you dress it up, how you word it, how you picture it. If someone gets pregnant, there's some sort of fucking going on there. So, God fucked Joseph's spouse, supposedly resulting in her pregnancy with Joshua.

"But hold on," you say, "Mary and Joseph weren't actually married! They were just companions!"

Sorry, but you're quite wrong again. Here comes the science:

You see, marriage as we know it today, while ages old, isn't exclusive to the realm of the big religions. Pagan rituals included coupling rites, predating Christianity. Ouch, I know, they don't like that, do they. But yes, things pre-date Christianity. And Judeism. And Islam. This is why Fundies should quit crying about gay marriage.

The word "companion," back then, was used quite widely as a term equal to spouse, husband, wife, whatever. While an official ceremony - which you blindly think is necessary - may not have happened, it was recognized that Mary was the companion - and therefore spouse - of Joseph.

So yeah, that brings us to point of contention #2: God supposedly chose Mary - whom in his divine all-knowingship MUST have known that Mary was Joseph's spouse - to carry his supposed son.

In other words, he coveted someone else's wife. And since God is supposedly everywhere, he would, in fact, be Joseph's neighbor, thus literally and figuratively violating the ever-loving heck out of that commandment.

Even in my six year old mind, this created a paradox: How can a God impose his laws on people, and yet not himself follow these same laws, thus leading by example? How can it be "Do as I say, not as I do?" How can I be expected to follow the example of a God who willfully violates his own simple rules, yet at the same time be expected to not violate them, lest I be damned?

Does not compute. Even to a six year old.

Afterwards, as I grew older, they exposed us to the more violent parts of the bible: The plagues visited upon Egypt (I thought you were supposed to love thy neighbor as thyself), the smiting of Sodom and Gommorah (I thought God said "Thou shalt not kill?"), the great flood that supposedly drowned the entire Earth, again showing no love to their sinful neighbors and killing a whole bunch, even thou he ought shalt not to. Or something.

I found myself with more questions than answers. And then, it hit me: That's what it's all about. That's how it works. It's a crutch. It's easy answers to questions that don't have any, presented in a frightful and totalitarian manner as to elicit the submission of the masses, get them all thinking on one page, and then exploiting it for finincial gain and power.

God will love you, but don't piss him off or he'll wipe you and your whole sick sinning family of the face of the Earth. But don't worry, if you're a good little sheep, he'll be a nice God and only kill the Bad People. But he doesn't want you to kill the bad people, no no. That's a sin.

Feel safe, but be very afraid. Be comforted in times of need, but be afraid.

It's a sham. A ruse. It plays on people's fear of the unknown, giving them false hope and false comfort. It's the world's oldest form of scoial engineering.

Obviously, I was a voracious reader as a kid. And thankfully, I wasn't limited to medical journals. No, I too had my share of literary classics, works of fantasy and sci-fi and historical fiction and all kinds of myths and legends.

Now, there's two interesting words: Myths and Legends. It seems that we, as a supposedly Christian society, have managed to classify certain things as being in the realm of whimsy and unbelievabilty! Imagine that!

Now, if I walked into a church and said I believed in Faeries and started clapping my hands and what not, everyone in that congregation would think I was a loony! "How silly," they'd say, "things like gnomes and faeries and the like don't even exist!" In fact, I'm pretty sure they'd have me put away.

And yet, invisible bearded men in the sky? People with wings who sing a whole bunch and live in the clouds? The dead coming back to life and achieving near-earth orbit? An evil bodybuilder with a goat's head presiding over a pit of fire and flames that exists right beneath our feet?

"Yeah, fine, come on in, we'd love to talk about it with you!"

And Christians wonder why we of the secular humanist community call them hypocrates. How can you excuse one piece of fiction as such, and yet glorify another as if it were absolute fact and truth? How can you disbelieve one fantasy, yet believe another? You simply can't have it both ways.

Myths, legends, and Bible storys all share common elements: they're all well beyond the realm of obvious reality. I just can't jibe with buying one piece of fiction and laughing the other off as whimsy. Truth is, they're both whimsy. Neither has any basis in reality.

By the time I was eight, I was demanding that my parents quit making me go to church. I was sure by then that I didn't believe in God, or Satan, or any of that rot and rubbish. It was as goofy as Sirens in a Homeric Epic, and I wasn't buying it anymore. And yet, they told me that I would have to continue to go "until you're a confirmed member of the church."

Now, by confirmed member of the church they mean thus: As was the tradition when the human life expectancy was nowhere near what it is today, people had to grow up faster. 13 was the norm back then. By then, a human child has either been through or is going through puberty, and is thus able to reproduce. Medical science being crap back then, the younger a human produced offspring, the better the chance of survival for all involved.

As is with the Jewish Bar Mitzva, Evangelical Lutheran Confirmation - both the acts of becoming an adult in the church's eyes - began when I reached the appropriate age, and I knew what I had to do.

And so, swallowing my pride and my convictions, I did everything I possibly could to make my youth leaders and pastors happy, to the point where they would ensure my confirmation as an "adult" in their little club. I memorized Bible verses. I even memorized the books of both testements, in order. Jump through the hoop and you'll get a treat.

Only the treat for me came the day I was confirmed. There, before the whole congregation, my parents beamed as I became an adult in the church. And as soon as I was handed my certificate and the ceremony declared over, I promptly turned their beaming into disappointment as I walked out of the church, laughing, never to return.

Since that day, I have professed my adamant secular humanism. Call it Atheism, call it Agnosticism, call it me being a dirty, hell-bound heathen, I don't fucking care.

What I call it is freedom. Freedom from having my mind clouded by doctrine based on fiction. Free from having my mind tainted by the hate and rhetoric spouted by the leaders of the fallacy. Freedom to see the world the way I choose, and ground that view in reality.

Freedom to be a human being who does something with the time he's given now, not worry about what happens after I've died.

I'm not concerned with being immortal. If my name lives on, so be it. But I don't have to please any invisible man in order to feel better about death. Sure, I'm afraid. But I've accepted the reality of it all.

You know. One less thing, right? I've got enough problems as it is. Religion is one that I clearly do not need. That's why I am the way I am. That's my story. One voice among a growing number of voices who are rejecting the ghosts and leftovers of our primitive past and ready to face the future unbiased and full of hope: Hope for humanity.

But apparently, all this makes me some sort of sub-human. Way to love your neighbor, Christianity...

[/soapbox]

Newt Sensation

Call it NewtFAIL.

Former Speaker of the House and still-obnoxious pundit Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich), is all butt-hurt over the fact that Twitter allows people to tag his name onto things he doesn't like. Now, because he feels that he was duped into agreeing to an EULA that he claims didn't mention that this could happen (even though, by its nature, its a natural and obvious function of Twitter), he and his pundit buddy Saul Anuzis (@sanuzis) - who himself sounds like an evil Bizarro Egyptian High Priest - are threatening to sue (FT).

Somebody call the WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAmbulance, and make sure they bring enough manpower to cart Newt's fat ass to the Whine-ery.

Newt, you fucking twat: You should KNOW BY NOW how Twitter works, seeing as how you love it so much. It's Twitter, not rocket science! Any idiot can plainly see how Twitter functions, crystal clear as a cloudless blue sky, just by looking at their preferred Twitter client. FAIL.

And now, to help further Newt's ire and angst, I present to you a handy batch of "canned" tweets for you all to post on Twitter, thus further angering him and making him do many more silly things that Republicans do when they don't get their way. They also include the #efca hash tag, just because the EFCA ticks Newt off even more. Just copy and paste into your favorite Tweeting interface! First off, a suggestion by Wonkette:

Join @newtgingrich for Nazi-themed gay child rape party @ his mom’s house

And now, some from my earlier escapades:

Breaking News: @newtgingrich announces "Specter is my Homeboy," will switch parties after his 5 o'clock colonic. #efca

I totally caught @sanuzis and @newtgingrich snogging at FOX News. Talk about ewwwwwwwww... #efca

Hey! @newtgingrich wants to sue Twitter! @newtgingrich is also the top supporter of gay marriage! @newtgingrich even likes Jon Stewart! #efca

Dd you know that @newtgingrich loves Stem Cell Research? @newtgingrich is also a staunch environmentalist! #efca

And @newtgingrich thinks GWB is a retarded cowboy! @newtgingrich supports all of the Obama administration's policies, too!

Yeah, that'll do quite nicely. Now, let's show Newt what real Americans can do when they organize!

Caturday Comes Early

Before I turn over my PC cycles to the task of DVD video production, I thought I'd share a couple of pictures of two individuals who haven't graced the digital pages of this blog in well over a year. So, without further delay, behold the evolution of the Rogue Squadron!

First off, there's Dak, being lazy on my old home-made blackjack table...

And then there's Wedge, being Mr. Indifferent Kitty as he sits on my lap...

Sometimes, though, the boys can behave themselves, although Dak looks like something down on the floor interests him more. Wedge, though, he finally got the idea and mugged for the camera.

Thanks to Jill for coming over and taking these! I can't believe how big these boys have grown in only a year. Yeah, I know cats mature in a year, but damn, these two are straight mountain lions! I love them to death, though, even though it's shedding season.

More Twitter Fun

I've been on Twitter for a short time, maybe two months tops, but already its been a ton of fun!

As a WWdN:IX Monkey in good standing (or at least I hope I'm in good standing), Twitter has allowed me to connect with other Monkeys, two in particular that I gotta give props to: First of all, the incomparable Angie K. (@angiek42), also known as She of the Cookie Monster Gloves! The other is Danyiel (@disasterpiece73), a fellow PA-based Monkey and lover of all things musical! These two gals are good people, and following them comes with a full LP endorsement!

Last night, though, was rather nifty. For those of you unfamiliar with Mike Doughty (@MikeDoughtyYeah), he's the once-frontman of Soul Coughing, and continues to produce some fine quality non-commercial music. Well, I guess he got to hear both Death Magnetic and Master of Puppets - Metallica albums - for the first time yesterday.

While I find it odd that someone like him would wait 23 years to hear the awesomeness that is Master of Puppets (which came out in 1986), I find it even more odd that he'd think a post-commerical Metallica album (commercial albums from Metallica started with the Black Album) is better than what most people consider to be Metallica's best work. Hmmm...

Especially after hearing them both for less than a few hours...

Either way, he and I had a small back-and-forth, and in the end, I'm hoping that both parties can just agree to disagree. I know that's my stance (Puppets is still the better album, though), and I'm pretty sure he considers me insignificant enough to not care. But I'm still a fan, and I'll continue to purchase and listen to his music, Metallica opinions be damned!

The Twitter Celebrity Interact-a-thon continues!

Tweet Reduction Bloggery

So yeah, rather than Tweet each video as it comes, I think it'd be more economical to just toss up one here, and tell everyone that the Karaoke Contest Videos are online on my YouTube Channel. Yay, right? Right. Now that I've got all this posted, I can send one link out to Twitter. Meantime, here's my little surprise a capella number from Friday night...

Down to Business

It all boils down to this week.

On Friday, the finals of the Karaoke Contest happen. (Warning - The Bowling Alley's website sucks ass, view at your own risk) On Friday, I'll go up against five other people (four girls and one other guy) for the top prize: $500 cash money. Already, I'm worried.

Why am I worried? My singing skills are sound, and I highly doubt I'll flub much of my performance at all. I'm sticking to my big guns selection, too, the best songs I do period. I'm not nervous, performing in front of crowds is old hat for me.

No, the worry comes from, once again, what I perceive to be some seriously shady judging. Allow me to explain.

Last time, it was some bitch of a judge that decided talent wasn't important; it was more important to be politically correct and send one male and one female winner off to the next round. Forget talent, we had to be fair! Fuck that. But I endured, and came back this year to find: biased judges yet again, only this time, they're not gender-biased.

Nope, they're apparently genre-biased.

Here are the results for Semifinal 1:

1st place - Female, sang a Country song.
2nd place - Female, sang a Country song.
3rd place - Me, sang a Rock song ("Come Sail Away" by Styx).

And the results for Semifinal 2:

1st place - Female, sang a Country song.
2nd place - Female, sang a Country song.
3rd place - Male, sang a Rock song.

It's kinda hard to NOT notice a pattern. And then, there were flaws in the judging for the qualifying rounds as well. One night, Jill and I tried to get Andy qualified for the contest. When it came time for Andy to sing his chosen competition song, the judges were... Well, not at their table paying attention, that's for goddamned sure. Two of them were up and about, drinking beer and talking to their friends. The others? Who knows, I didn't see them again til they sat back down some 20 minutes later.

Look, I'm not pissy because I didn't win, or that there's a chance I might not win. That always exists, and I'm all kinds of cool with it. But when I don't win because people can't be objective and do the job they were asked to do - like judge a contest based on singing talent, stage presence and overall performance - THEN I get pissed. It's not just me that's getting ripped off

For example:

How can a girl score higher than me at all when her Stage Presence (did she move around, make contact with the audience?) consisted of standing there like a statue, occasionally bobbing up and down during instrumental sections, and staring at the screen like a deer in headlights? Stage Presence is also factored into Overall Performance, and if you're just going to stand there, well, your score is most likely going to be affected.

Something tells me the judges have no concept of what "Stage Presence" is, let alone how to judge it and couple it with singing talent to form Overal Performance Voltron.

And to favor one singer over another simply by their choice of genre? What about those of us who can't stand Country music, and refuse to sing it? Because you like Country more than Rock and Roll or Hip Hop or R&B, that means you have to favor those who sing nothing but Country?

Dirty pool, not cricket - in a word, WRONG.

So, to counter this, I'm doing two things: blabbing about my discontent here, on my world-stage soapbox, and taking over the Electric Avenue stage for practice sessions designed to improve my performance. If I lose on Friday, it won't be because I can't sing or can't perform, or can't deviate from any sort of set path. No, I'm bringing extra spice, aspects of my performance that I rarely bring out at all, even with Buck-It. My stage presence will be central to the performance as well. There won't be any statuesqe views of Eric that night.

No, if I lose on Friday, it'll be because of the same reason I lost last year: Shitty, stupid, inconsiderate, biased, clueless moron judges.

For those outside of Central PA who are interested in seeing me perform and deciding for yourselves whether I'm just being an egotistical blowhard or can actually walk the walk, I invite you all to check out my YouTube Channel. There, you can find both Karaoke and Live Band performances I've done over the past two years. But I'm not limited to those two years, mind you! I've been in the game for over 18 years at this point! Ever since the days back in Fred's garage when we were all kids...

Keep an eye on the YouTube Channel, too, because I'm planning on posting video of my practice sessions - provided Justin isn't being a douchenozzel about the whole thing. He's put me off practicing for an entire week because he wants help making his ManCave awesome. I've been decent and gave in, so this week, it's his turn...