Kickin' It Oldschool!

Lately I've been playing "Return to Castle Wolfenstein" on my 20" Intel iMac. This reminded me of the good ol' days of the 1980s, playing the original "Castle Wolfenstein" on my Apple //c with Jamie! So here's some screenshots, courtesy of Wikipedia! :)

In Honor of Halloween, My Favorite Holiday!

I spent the evening with my brother and my neice (2 y.o) and nephew (4 y.o) "trick-or-treating" around the neighborhood. A good time was had by all.

For some Halloween fun, check out •THIS VIDEO• at Ebausmworld.com for some scary entertainment!

Happy Halloween!

Sen. Allen's (R-VA) Staff Tackles Marine!

Surf on over to •THIS STORY• on Alternet for video of a former Marine being tackled by the staff of Republican Senator George Allen after attempting to ask the Senator (soon to be former?) if he actually spit on his ex-wife, as is alleged.

Senator Allen's response? "Things like this happen."

Mash-Up of Negative Campaign Ads!

From ASAP.org!

How Many More? How Much Longer?

Darth Vader Conducts "Darth Vader's Theme"!

FL Electronic Voting Machine Changes Votes!

Check out this article from the Miami Herald about how some electronic voting machines in Florida register the wrong voter selections.

From the article:

Election officials say they aren't aware of any serious voting issues. But in Broward County, for example, they don't know how widespread the machine problems are because there's no process for poll workers to quickly report minor issues and no central database of machine problems.

In Miami-Dade, incidents are logged and reported daily and recorded in a central database. Problem machines are shut down.

''In the past, Miami-Dade County would send someone to correct the machine on site,'' said Lester Sola, county supervisor of elections. Now, he said, ``We close the machine down and put a seal on it.''

Debra A. Reed voted with her boss on Wednesday at African-American Research Library and Cultural Center near Fort Lauderdale. Her vote went smoothly, but boss Gary Rudolf called her over to look at what was happening on his machine. He touched the screen for gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis, a Democrat, but the review screen repeatedly registered the Republican, Charlie Crist.

That's exactly the kind of problem that sends conspiracy theorists into high gear -- especially in South Florida, where a history of problems at the polls have made voters particularly skittish.

A poll worker then helped Rudolf, but it took three tries to get it right, Reed said.

''I'm shocked because I really want . . . to trust that the issues with irregularities with voting machines have been resolved,'' said Reed, a paralegal. ``It worries me because the races are so close.''

Personal Log

Last night I laid under the stars, and it was wonderful.

John Stewart Tears Bill Bennet a New One!

They debate gay marriage:

Bush 2000

GOP Spends 90% of Campaign Funds on Negative Ads!

According to the Washington Post, the Republican Party has spent nearly all of its campaign funds on negative attack ads! This is of course no surprise to those of us who have suffered through Kerry Healy's outrageous ad campaign.

I remind you of Revelations 12:12: "The devil rages when his time is short." Is there any more proof that the Republicans are flayling?

From the article:

The result has been a carnival of ugly, especially on the GOP side, where operatives are trying to counter what polls show is a hostile political environment by casting opponents as fatally flawed characters. The National Republican Campaign Committee is spending more than 90 percent of its advertising budget on negative ads, according to GOP operatives, and the rest of the party seems to be following suit. A few examples of the "character issues" taking center stage two weeks before Election Day:

· In New York, the NRCC ran an ad accusing Democratic House candidate Michael A. Arcuri, a district attorney, of using taxpayer dollars for phone sex. "Hi, sexy," a dancing woman purrs. "You've reached the live, one-on-one fantasy line." It turns out that one of Arcuri's aides had tried to call the state Division of Criminal Justice, which had a number that was almost identical to that of a porn line. The misdial cost taxpayers $1.25.

· In Ohio, GOP gubernatorial candidate J. Kenneth Blackwell, trailing by more than 20 points in polls, has accused front-running Democratic Rep. Ted Strickland of protecting a former aide who was convicted in 1994 on a misdemeanor indecency charge. Blackwell's campaign is also warning voters through suggestive "push polls" that Strickland failed to support a resolution condemning sex between adults and children. Strickland, a psychiatrist, objected to a line suggesting that sexually abused children cannot have healthy relationships when they grow up.

· The Republican Party of Wisconsin distributed a mailing linking Democratic House candidate Steve Kagen to a convicted serial killer and child rapist. The supposed connection: The "bloodthirsty" attorney for the killer had also done legal work for Kagen.

· In two dozen congressional districts, a political action committee supported by a white Indianapolis businessman, J. Patrick Rooney, is running ads saying Democrats want to abort black babies. A voice says, "If you make a little mistake with one of your hos, you'll want to dispose of that problem tout de suite, no questions asked."

· In the most controversial recent ad, the Republican National Committee slammed Rep. Harold E. Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.) for attending a Playboy-sponsored Super Bowl party. In the ad, a scantily clad white actress winks as she reminisces about good times with Ford, who is black. That ad has been pulled, but the RNC has a new one saying Ford "wants to give the abortion pill to schoolchildren."

Some Democrats are playing rough, too. House candidate Chris Carney is running ads slamming the "family values" of Rep. Don Sherwood (R-Pa.), whose former mistress accused him of choking her. And House candidate Kirsten Gillibrand has an ad online ridiculing Rep. John E. Sweeney (R-N.Y.) for attending a late-night fraternity party. "What's a 50-year-old man doing at a frat party anyway?" one young woman asks, as a faux Sweeney boogies behind her to the Beastie Boys. "Totally creeping me out!" another responds.

But most harsh Democratic attacks have focused on the policies and performance of the GOP majority, trying to link Republicans to Bush, the unpopular war in Iraq and the scandals involving former representative Mark Foley and former lobbyist Jack Abramoff. That is not surprising, given that polls show two-thirds of the electorate thinks the country is going in the wrong direction. And studies show that negative ads can reduce turnout; Democrats hope a constant drumbeat of scandal, Iraq and "stay the course" will persuade conservatives to stay home on Nov. 7.

New Rothenburg Polls

From Politicalwire.com:

October 27, 2006

New Rothenberg Ratings

The latest Rothenberg Political Report ratings are out.

House: Democratic gain of 18-28 seats, with the caveat that larger gains surely are possible. (Democrats need to net 15 seats for a majority.)

Senate: Democratic gains of 4-7 seats. (Democrats need to net six for a majority.)

Govenors: Democratic gains of 6-10 governorships.

Peggy Noonan Does it Again!

I have the highest respect for Peggy Noonan. She is a conservative (but a "normal" one) and worked for the Reagan Administration as a speech writer. She wrote a wonderful book, "What I saw at the Revolution, which anyone interested in politics would enjoy.

She has written her latest column about the desire of some Republicans to lose this election in order to regain their bearings. Something they definitely have to do after six years of what amounts to a drunken orgy!

The 250 Best Movies of the Last 30 Years (?)

Here you will find a purported list of the 250 best movies of the last 30 years. Although I would quibble with a few entries, it is generally spot-on. Enjoy!

Two U.S. Generals Call for Democratic Victory!

Take a look at •THIS ARTICLE• at Salon.com about two United States Generals (retired) who have publicly called for the Democratic Party to take over Congress!

The wave is building!

From the article:

Oct. 25, 2006 | WASHINGTON -- Two retired senior Army generals, who served in Iraq and previously voted Republican, are now openly endorsing a Democratic takeover of Congress. The generals, and an active-duty senior military official, told Salon in separate interviews that they believe a Democratic victory will help reverse course from what they consider to be a disastrous Bush administration policy in Iraq. The two retired generals, Maj. Gen. John Batiste and Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, first openly criticized the handling of the war last spring, when they called for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

"The best thing that can happen right now is for one or both of our houses to go Democratic so we can have some oversight," Batiste, who led the Army's 1st Infantry Division in Iraq in 2004 and 2005, told Salon. Batiste describes himself as a "lifelong Republican." But now, he said, "It is time for a change."

Eaton, who was in charge of training the Iraqi military from 2003 to 2004, agrees that Democratic control of Congress could be the best way to wrest control from the Bush administration and steer the United States away from a gravely flawed strategy in Iraq. "The way out that I see is to hand the House and the Senate to the Democrats and get this thing turned around," Eaton explained, adding that such sentiment is growing among retired and active-duty military leaders. "Most of us see two more years of the same if the Republicans stay in power," he said. He also noted, "You could not have tortured me enough to vote for Mr. Kerry or Mr. Gore, but I'm not at all thrilled with who I did vote for."

Racist Republican Ad!

•This article from Dailykos.com discusses a racist ad running in TN by the Republican campaign! They actually play "jungle music" when talking about Democrat Harold Ford, Jr.!

Wow.

•YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE AD HERE•

Best Democratic Party Ad EVER!!!!!!!

Really Neat Clock/Calendar!

•This is really cool!• But it may make you a bit dizzy!

GREAT OPINION PIECE!

•THIS ARTICLE IN FORTUNE MAGAZINE• reflects my feelings almost exactly. Take a moment and read it ... it concerns the midterm elections!

Excellent Opinion Piece on the Thugs in the GOP

This article is well worth the read, and highlights the two main groups that have hijacked the Republican Party and led us into such a mess: the Evangelical "thugs" and the "arrogant" Neo-Conservatives!

Thanks a lot guys ... well done!

WOW! The Battlestar Galactica on Rapid Descent!

**WARNING! SPOILER ALERT!**
A pivotal scene from last week's "Battlestar Galactica"!

Bush: Stay the Course...Stay the course...oh, wait

President George W. Bush has said repeatedly that the United States will stay the course in Iraq.

Then he says, "We've never been 'stay the course, George [Stephanopolis]!"

Wait, what?

This is ABSOLUTELY TRUE!

From the Time/CNN Real Clear Politics blog:

October 23, 2006
Quote of the Day II

"If the Democrats win, it will be a Forrest Gump victory - essentially things swirled around them over which they had very little control and they ended up scoring touchdowns, designing happy signs, and making money on shrimp." - Pollster John Zogby

Pat Tillman's Brother Attacks the Bush Administration!

Pat Tillman's brother Kevin joined the military at the same time as his brother, who was rather famously killed in a friendly-fire incident on April 22, 2004. His brother has remained quiet since leaving the military in 2005, but has a brief article attacking the Bush Administration and highlighting the damage it has done to the nation. Well worth the read.

From the article:

Somehow we were sent to invade a nation because it was a direct threat to the American people, or to the world, or harbored terrorists, or was involved in the September 11 attacks, or received weapons-grade uranium from Niger, or had mobile weapons labs, or WMD, or had a need to be liberated, or we needed to establish a democracy, or stop an insurgency, or stop a civil war we created that can’t be called a civil war even though it is. Something like that.

Somehow our elected leaders were subverting international law and humanity by setting up secret prisons around the world, secretly kidnapping people, secretly holding them indefinitely, secretly not charging them with anything, secretly torturing them. Somehow that overt policy of torture became the fault of a few “bad apples” in the military.

Todays Parents Are Awful People #2

Parents today are crazy. Following on an earlier post about delusional parents who think their hyperactive, socially maladjusted children are actually "indigo children" sent to save the world, I couldn't help but post this article about parents in California that hijacked a high school girl's basketball team!

These parents are sick and representative of a degenerate culture among today's parents that are simply raising entitled, spoiled children who will be unable to function in adult society.

Salon.com: 34 Scandals of the Bush Administration

And EVERY ONE is worse than Whitewater!

John Stewart on George Bush's Hypocrisy!

More Bad News for the GOP*

From Politicalwire.com:

October 21, 2006

Republicans Losing Evangelical Support

"If the elections for Congress were held today, according to the new Newsweek poll, 60 percent of white Evangelicals would support the Republican candidate in their district, compared to just 31 percent who would back the Democrat. To the uninitiated, that may sound like heartening news for Republicans in the autumn of their discontent. But if you’re a pundit, a pol, or a preacher, you know better. White Evangelicals are a cornerstone of the GOP’s base; in 2004, exit polls found Republicans carried white Evangelicals 3 to 1 over Democrats, winning 74 percent of their votes. In turn, Evangelicals carried the GOP to victory. But with a little more than two weeks before the crucial midterms, the Republican base may be cracking."

"If something doesn’t give -- and quick -- Republicans will view 2004 as the good ol’ days. Fifty-five percent of likely voters in the new Newsweek poll say they would vote for the Democrat in their district if the election were held today, versus 37 percent who say they would vote for the Republican. That’s not surprising; the Democrats have been leading in the opinion polls for months. But the new poll suggests -- from the leanings of bellwether voting blocs to voters’ priorities -- that a possible Republican loss could turn into a rout."

*GOP should now refer to "Giving Over Power," or perhaps "God's Old Party."

Oh, and the more I think about it, the more I have come to believe that getting rid of the South (i.e. the old Confederacy) would be akin to cutting out a tumor from an otherwise healthy body.

The Simpsons Takes a Stand Against the Iraq War!

Once again, radaronline.com has a great story! This time how the intrepid writers of the Simpsons take a stab at the Iraq mess on the upcoming Halloween episode!

Porn Addicts for Allen!

Aparently, a porn junky now filing for divorce from his star wife contributed to Senator George Allen, who's locked in a tight race in Virginia!

Ha!

Wendy's "Soviet Fashion Show" Commerical from the '80s!

I had forgotten all about this!

Wow! Battlestar Just Gets Better!

Hopefully you saw tonight's episode of "Battlestar Galactica"! A phenomenal episode. You can get it on iTunes tomorrow!

Wow! What a Neat Map!

Reprehensible GOP Add

The GOP is now running a new add, "The Stakes" in advance of the election. It is scare-mongering at its worse, and has been compared to the infamous Lyndon Johnson "Daisy" ad that ran in the 1964 presidential election (see below).

The Republican Party is bankrupt, so all they have left to do is try and scare us. Don't be fooled, please.


Revelations 12:12: "The devil rages when his time is short."

Thanks & A Great Article

Hello, faithful reader!

Firstly, many, many thanks for those who have been so consistent about clicking on my Google ads! As you can see, I'm up to over $5! A small victory, I know, but that's $5 going towards the ShawnCast and Random notes that I didn't have!

Secondly, you MUST READ THIS ARTICLE! It is a Rolling Stone piece on the how the 109th Congress is the worst Congress in history!

:)

A Real Double-Header!

Poor guy gets whacked twice!

Ten Dumbest Members of Congress!

Radaronline.com has a wonderful article (as usual) on the top ten dumbest members of Congress!

Take a moment and check it out, it is fascinating! Some highlights:

•A Republican United States Senator made a joke about "niggers" in 1994!

•A Republican Representative answered "buttfucking" when a student asked for an example of what kinds of programs the National Endowment for the Arts spent its money on!

And many, many more!

Enjoy!

I Don't Know What This Means, But It Seems Good!

This Teacher MUST be a Republican!

Learn French, Smash Missles c. 1980

READ THIS!

SOME REPUBLICANS ARE LIARS AND PEDOPHILES!

Yes, it's true: the party of "family values" has a lot of skeletons in its closet!

I think I Linked This Before...

But what the hell? THE COST OF BUSH'S WAR!

O! Canada!

Guy Gets a Telemarketer!

Very funny post of a guy really getting a telemarketer! Definitely worth a listen!

Thanks & Fun!

Firstly, for those of you who have been dillegently clicking on my google ads, many, many thanks! I'm up to about $2.50 now! You have my sincere appreciation!

Remember, any time you see something you like on Zalandria, you can thank me by clicking an ad!

Secondly-- the fun stuff!

Check this out! The Top Ten Blue Screens of Death Images!. Loads of fun!

Wolf Blitzer Nails a Republican (so to speak!)

Finally, some journalist is exposing Republican lies & obfurscation!

Wow! Battlestar Galactica(s) vs. Imperial Fleet!

I don't know who came up with this, or why, but it is really cool!

Check this out!

An article discussing how easy it is to hack Diebold electronic voting machines.

They are dangerous to our democracy! (such as it is)

Come On, Just Do It!

Switch to a Mac! You know you want to!

HERE ARE ALL THE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD!

And here are even more!

Oh and...
Apparently Vista gaming will be 10-15% SLOWER than Windows XP!

And as for Zune?

Note: Apparently that center button is NOT a click-wheel like iPod, it's just designed to look like it! Don't be fooled!

WHAT?!?!?!?!

From a recent trip to Amazon.com. Wouldn't you just love to purchase a Bluetooth mouse for just under $1000? What a bargain!

I am curious to know (a) why such a high price is posted and (b) is it a mistake, or is there something else going on here?

Conservative Talk Show Host = Major Dick

•Click Here•

to read about conservative Michael Savage attacking the page in the Mark Foley (R-FL) scandal!

An exerpt:

Savage also called the page a "sleazeball" and "a greedy, aggressive child" who "went to Washington to get ahead" and "knew how to play a congressman who was gay on the gay theme." Savage also stated, "I don't know whether the boy exists," but that if he does, "[m]aybe he's a Democrat." Additionally, Savage asserted that Foley's resignation "has everything to do with gays" and that "[i]t proves why homosexuals cannot be trusted in sensitive positions." Savage also claimed that "the gay mafia has so much power" and "is the secret hand of censorship in this country" and stated: "The gays have always said, 'Now, Michael Savage, don't confuse homosexuality with pedophiles. We never, never molest children.' All right, tell that walking."

What a surprise... I wondered how long it would take the right to start equating homosexuality with pedophilia.

God these people make me sick!!

Cool video of stuff exploding from a bullet!

Why Micro$oft's "ZUNE" Sucks!

•CLICK HERE• for a great article on why the Zune player will suck in comparison to the iPod ... or in comparison to anything, really, like a giant suction eel, for example!

Here's one, for example (from roughlydrafted.com):

"Myth 4: The Zune will do most everything else the iPod does at the same price

Well no, Microsoft isn't supporting Audible audiobooks, nor providing any support for podcasting, nor has it announced any support for notes, tasks, calendars, contacts, or games. So all it does is play music. "

Picture Fun!

I'm sure that FOXNews issued an immediate correction when it "accidentally" labelled Rep. Mark Foley as a DEMOCRAT, when he is, in fact, a no-good REPUBLICAN! Yeah, right.

More From Homeland Security

Ha! Republicans suck (so to speak)!

No Word From the Religious Right!

Check this out:

Bob Geiger on the silence of Dobson's Focus on the Family about Cong. Foley.

How interesting! Scumbags like Dr. James Dobson suddenly silent on Foley, a long-time ally. How interesting!

The Cost of Bush's War

They said 200 billion. Try trillions.

What a bunch of god-damned liars.

I Don't Know Why I Love This So Much!

From Family Guy: