Gay Marriage Used in Defense of Domestic Abuse

You all asked for amendments in state constitutions banning gays from marrying and about 12 of you states got it. One of the side effects is that experienced lawyers from places like https://www.colepaschalllaw.com/ are paid to find loopholes opened by new laws and they’ve found a huge hole in Ohio’s ban on gay marriage. The new Amendment states the following:

Article XV

Section 11. Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.

You see that last sentence there? It’s causing a bunch of problems for prosecuters in domestic dispute cases.

In at least two cases last week, the Cuyahoga County public defender’s office has asked a judge to dismiss domestic-violence charges against unmarried defendants. The attorneys in the two cases argue that the charges violate the amendment by affording marriage-like legal status to unmarried victims who live with the people accused of attacking them.

If these defense attorneys win dismissals then you better run for cover, because victim’s rights advocates will be on the war path to get this and similar amendments removed from the books. Visit website to learn how to defend your rights in such situations. You see what happens when you try and create double standards? Eventually, in a free country, they can turn on you.

Beating iPod's not-so-randomness

It has been mentioned on other sites that iPod’s aren’t very random in their shuffling. I have lots of problems with my iTunes not playing songs that I want to listen to for days and days. I’ll be lucky to hear a song I *really* like once every month. I’ve created a playlist to get around this by doing the following:

  1. Create a new Smarty Playlist
  2. Put one of the criteria as “Last Played”, “is not in the last” X and “days” (I put 10 in for days)
  3. Add a “My Rating” criteria (I used greater than 2 stars)

Now you have a list of songs you haven’t heard played in the last 10 days that you have rated highly. The songs pop off this list as you play them so it will eventually exhaust itself.

ACLU Documents Point to Executive Order

The ACLU has posted some interesting documents they received through a FOIA request. The following was an email from what appears to be an FBI agent in Iraq dated May 22nd of 2004.

We also have instructed our personnel not to participate in interrogations by military personnel which might include techniques authorized by Executive Order but beyond the bounds of standard FBI practice.

We are aware that prior to a revision in policy last wee, an Executive Order signed by President Bush authorized the following interrogation techniques amonth others sleep “management,” use of MWDs (military work dogs), “stress positions” such as half squats, “environmental manipulation” such as the use of loud music, sensory deprivation through the use of hoods, etc.

I have been told all interrogation techniques previously authorized by the Executive order are still on the table but that certain techniques can only be used if high-level authority is granted.

So there you have it. The President authorized, through and Executive Order, the use of military dogs, sleep deprivation, hoods, stress positions and sensory deprivation. According to the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War the following are rights of POW’s.

1. Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.

To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:

(a) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;

(b) Taking of hostages;

(c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;

(d) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.

I would say that the sexual degredation clearly violates clause (c), while the use of military dogs clearly violates clause (a).

I love slippers

Why aren’t slippers socially acceptable public footware?

I’ve never been much of a slipper man, but since I received a pair for Christmas I’ve become addicted to wearing my slippers. I suppose I get this trait from my father, who is an avid slipper fan (we won’t even start talking about his socks obsession).

Lauren thinks it’s simply abhorrent that I wear slippers outside of the house to do anything but check the mail. I, on the other hand, think it’s perfectly fine to wear them to the local coffee house or down the street to where we sometimes eat dinner. My slippers are extremely comfortable and are not bad looking so I don’t see the problem.

The next step is to strategically put a pair of slippers at the office and other places I frequent.

Things you have to believe to be a Republican today

  1. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush’s daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a “we can’t find Bin Laden” diversion.
  2. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.
  3. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing UN resolutions against Iraq.
  4. A woman can’t be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
  5. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.
  6. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans’ benefits and combat pay.
  7. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won’t have sex.
  8. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our longtime allies, then demand their cooperation and money.
  9. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.
  10. HMOs and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.
  11. Global warming and tobacco’s link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.
  12. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense.
  13. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.
  14. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.
  15. The public has a right to know about Hillary’s cattle trades, but George Bush’s driving record is none of our business.
  16. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you’re a conservative radio host. Then it’s an illness, and you need our prayers for your recovery.
  17. You support states’ rights, which means Attorney General John Ashcroft can tell states what local voter initiatives they have the right to adopt.
  18. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the ’80s is irrelevant.

Thanks Chad!

Nice Guys Finish Last

I ran across a funny rant about how nice guys finish last. Being a purported nice guy I found this to be pretty funny.

Many of them claim they just want to date a nice guy, but when presented with such a specimen, they say irrational, confusing things such as “oh, he’s too nice to date” or “he would be a good boyfriend but he’s not for me” or “he already puts up with so much from me, I couldn’t possibly ask him out!” or the most frustrating of all: “no, it would ruin our friendship.”

Yes, why do women do that? Figuring this out is actually quite easy. In high school I thought being a nice guy would get all the girls and, as the author points out, that doesn’t work. In college I caught on, if I liked a girl I acted like I could care less. If you’re interested in learning how to effectively catch that cute college coed read on.

The reason for girls hate nice guys, I realized, is because nice guys are boring. We treat them with respect, open doors, pay for the bills, buy them flowers, etc. In other words, we’re not a challenge. Also, we don’t give them anything to complain about. How can they complain about how crappy their boyfriend is if he’s not crappy? The creeps they date offer a challenge and the thrill of the hunt so to speak.

But, as the author says, girls catch on that the asshole Abercrombie boys are just that: assholes. So you have two options guys:

  1. Between the ages of 18 and 22 act like a complete asshole and dress like an Abercrombie model.
  2. Wait until you’re 24 and have your pick of the litter as a premier nice guy.

Worked for me.

Gay Couple's children can attend Catholic School

A Catholic school in California has upset parents by allowing the two adopted children of a gay couple to attend school. Of course, the parents of other children are up in arms. Oddly enough, the voice of reason comes from the Catholic school itself.

The Rev. Gerald M. Horan, superintendent of diocese schools, said that if Catholic beliefs were strictly adhered to, then children whose parents divorced, used birth control or married outside the church would also have to be banned.

Take that hypocrits!

Goodbye 2004!

2004 was a busy year for me. The year, sort of, started with me asking Lauren to marry me on December 23rd. From there the year snowballed.

  1. I played competitive hoops for the first time in years
  2. Operation Fat Ass commenced and is still conducting maneuvers
  3. Operation Kitty Poo Poo started and, eventually, failed due to Crash’s inability to poop in the toilet (though he would pee without issues)
  4. I switched to VoIP and haven’t looked back since
  5. I got addicted to ITMS
  6. Bush and his war in Iraq continued to suck
  7. Not really from this year, but use this to debate your Christrian Fundie friends
  8. We visited (part 1) New York City (part 2)
  9. I bought a powerbook, which I’m using to create this entry
  10. I got addicted to American Idol and, as a result of my AI posts, a bunch of idiots flooded my site
  11. Cameron Barrett and I worked together on a few projects
  12. I learned bitmasks
  13. I redesigned the site
  14. I visited Brad in Seattle and Dana in San Diego
  15. Lauren and I moved to Seattle
  16. Lauren and I bought a condo in Seattle
  17. I left independent consulting, sort of, to work for Blue Frog Mobile
  18. We bought a new car, a Mazda 6i
  19. We got a dog
  20. I broke a bone, my first (unless you count me blowing out my knee, which wasn’t really a bone)
  21. I switched out my glasses for contacts, which I affectionally refer to as my devil children
  22. Went snowboarding in BC with Josh, Ali and Lauren
  23. I spotted a few celebs during my travels back to Michigan
  24. Lauren and I, after a year of anticipation, were married on December 18th, 2004

All in all it was quite an exciting year for me. I’m no married, a home owner and live in Seattle. Just more proof that a LOT can happen in a mere 12 months. Hope your year was as good as mine!