I Be Judge...

As we come to the end of the year, just like the new car models, some new laws will soon be taking effect.

For example, in Georgia, abortions after 20 weeks will be outlawed unless the pregnancy is determined to be medically futile, meaning it would result in the birth of a child unlikely to survive because of a serious defect. Georgia became the seventh state in the country to approve the so-called "fetal pain" act.

In California, clergy members who oppose gay marriage will be exempted from performing said ceremonies. (A quick aside, this might be one of the dumbest things I've heard in a while.  Were they required to perform them before? And who would want to be married by a clergy who didn't believe in their union? Only in Cali man, only in Cali.)

With that in mind, I thought of a few laws that I think should be enacted. Heck, if these states can regulate church activities and a woman's reproductive system, then I - Governor of the great State of Inebriation - should be allowed to sign a few laws into the statute books.

1) No Texting While Talking

When I think of the number conversations I've had to repeat because the person I was talking to had to have their "smart phone" out while we were talking, it just makes me want to piss on poor Steve Job's grave. I honestly don't care if your cat is on fire or if @HottiePants432 just tweeted a new pic, it's just plain rude to talk to someone and text/tweet/post at the same time. 

2) A Ban on Electronic Voting Machines

Since before the days of voting, man has known how to rub one object onto another in order to make a mark.  Even people who couldn't write their own name could "make their mark" on a contract. Voting is too precious, too important to leave any real doubt as to the voter's choices. 

Electronic voting is vulnerable to hacking, computer viruses, and sneaky foul play.  Your vote shouldn't depend on a machine as easy to manipulate as a computer when an old fashioned paper ballot does the job just fine. To put it simply, I've never seen a paper ballot magically change a voter's vote, but it has happened every election with the electronic voting machines.

3) Removal of all Red Light Cameras

They are nothing more that a way to screw motorists out of money.  There is conflicting data as to whether they reduce accidents or increase them, they leave no real room for judgement.  For example, I watched a camera go off because a person stopped their car a little past the wide white stop line.  Why? Because they were about ot make a legal right on red but the gigantic SUV in the left lane was blocking the view of on coming traffic.  The driver stopped, made a legal turn but still generated a ticket.

If you were the man in charge, what would you make the law of the land?

Great Pic Mr. President

Some of the reasons I like President Obama have nothing to do with his policies.  It has to do with his obvious love of children and his sense of humor.  Just take a look at this slide show on Yahoo! for photographic evidence of what I mean.

I particularly like the one of him with the guy on the scale. Classic.

Evil by Design

A friend of mine posted this to their Facebook page yesterday. I honestly thought it would take longer for this type of stuff to come out again. 

Silly of me I guess.

The NRA, their supporters, and the rest of their ilk really have no shame and the tragic events in Connecticut aren't going to make them change their tune one single note.

There is just one problem, this pithy little saying which rings so true for so many of the gun-lovers and libertarian types out there is wrong. 

That's right, just plain wrong.

Evil does exist in a gun.  It is placed there intentionally.  It is purposefully incorporated into its very design. Guns were first invented to kill and guns are being designed to kill more effectively and more efficiently than ever before. Like the atomic bomb, the hand grenade, sarin gas, or anthrax powder in an envelope, the very nature of a gun is evil.

Take a look at this picture. This is the Bushmaster .223 Rifle.  One like it was used in that school in Connecticut. It is a semi-automatic assault rifle with a standard 30 round magazine.  That magazine can be replaced with another full magazine by simply pushing a button, removing it and slamming another one in.  It takes seconds at most. The very description of this rifle reveals the evil that is intentional in its design.  It is an "assault rifle".  It is intended to be used for assaulting...assaulting humans.  And as we have discovered over and over again, this gun and guns like it are exceptionally good at their job.

But even if you didn't know the name of this particular machine, just look at it.  It is designed to be menacing, it is designed to intimidate, it is intentionally built to appear as evil as its design truly is.

Don't lie to me and tell me that evil lies only in the hearts of man.  Evil lives in the killing machines that man has built. Just as a piece of art can be beautiful, just as written words can show us truth, the design of a machine can be evil.

Don't believe their pithy messaging. Don't let the arms merchants and gun makers convince you that their products are benign. They are not, they are evil by design, evil in their intent and evil in their use. They are killing machines and their primary purpose is to violate the "Thou shall not kill" Commandment as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Isn't that the definition of evil?

Because the University of Iowa Rocks

It was a double great day for the University of Iowa.

Not only did they become the first major public university to adds optional LGBT question to its application, but my brilliant and talented daughter decided to change her already accepted application to the School of Liberal Arts to the Engineering School.

Iowa, you totally rock.