tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-348038202024-02-28T03:23:30.460-08:00The ExpatriateA blog about my travels, experiences, and political views, especially the latter.The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.comBlogger296125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-84424851634014877252012-02-21T13:49:00.003-08:002012-02-21T14:07:03.891-08:00Evil Girl ScoutsAccording to NPR, Indiana Representative Bob Morris has claimed that the Girl Scouts are an anti-family values organization. He claims they are in league with Planned Parenthood. His claims, based on internet research, fly in the face of both Planned Parenthood's and the Girl Scout's denials.My Gut Reaction: Is Rep. Morris's next bout of internet research going to claim that the Twin Towers were The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-18472532835237142882012-02-10T16:04:00.000-08:002012-02-10T16:26:00.357-08:00Legal Gay Bashing in CameroonA young man in the Republic of Cameroon, Jean-Claude Roger Mbede, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment after being convicted of being a homosexual, Amnesty International reports. According to his lawyer Alice Nkom, police arrested Mbede because they considered his hair style to be too feminine.My Gut Reaction: So the only safe way to go through Cameroon is to wear a crew cut?Analysis: The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-41349888634473456402012-02-07T13:10:00.000-08:002012-02-08T07:46:46.018-08:00Stupidest Pro-Life Video EVER!!!On Youtube, I just discovered what is arguably the stupidest pro-life video I have ever seen. It doesn't just have fanatical religiousity or implicit misogyny. The whole reasoning of the video is flawed.Here it is:My Gut Reaction: FAIL!Analysis: There is so much wrong with this video it is difficult to know where to begin. First, the video argues that the financial crisis is due to a lack of The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-91742751619304763512012-02-06T08:34:00.000-08:002012-02-06T09:19:21.018-08:00Repression in EgyptIn the midst of growing violence, Egypt's rulers are cracking down on organizations committed to fostering democracy in the country. They are planning to try forty-three foreign employees of international NGOs for illegally working with Egyptian democracy activists. Among those groups whose offices have been raided are the International Republican Institute, which is loosely affiliated with The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-3601051393878613002012-02-03T08:24:00.000-08:002012-02-03T09:25:32.757-08:00Fishing in HellVillage fishermen in Sierra Leone are facing a new threat in addition to rough seas, as foreign fishing trawlers have begun illegally fishing in their waters. The trawlers have depopulated the local fish, and there have even been incidents of small canoes, called kru, getting swamped with fishermen drowning. As the BBC reports, these incursions are endangering the livelihood of villages in SierraThe Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-67201475887952224482012-02-02T17:51:00.000-08:002012-02-02T18:37:18.812-08:00Seattle CultThe Stranger, an alt-weekly in Seattle, has published an article by Brendan Kiley about a creepy megachurch in their area. The Mars Hill Church has gained a reputation for completely controlling the lives of its members and for essentially stalking people who try to leave. Former members describe incidents of Mars Hill leaders contacting their new churches and even the parents of people they wereThe Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-57942390826608787272012-01-31T14:06:00.000-08:002012-01-31T14:08:32.362-08:00PatheticI do not know what is sadder: the fact that some conservative commentator was so stupid they felt the need to pick a fight with the Muppets, the fact that we need the bloody Muppets to speak truth to power against Fox News, or the fact that some conservative blogger will probably go berserk over this video.The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-91406080538077009392012-01-30T08:22:00.000-08:002012-01-30T09:21:08.736-08:00BDS and a Peaceful Movement to Solve the Israeli-Palestinian ConflictIn Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer, Electronic Intifada writer Ali Abunimah published an op-ed defended a conference by the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction movement (BDS) at the University of Pennsylvania. His essay was part of a debate with Former CIA Chief R. James Woolsey and Jonathan Schanzer over the conference. Woolsey and Schanzer object to the conference as promoting hate of Israel.My Gut The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-79656877194685603522012-01-19T18:38:00.000-08:002012-01-19T18:48:51.670-08:00The Amazing Atheist Speaks the TruthTJ, otherwise known as the Amazing Atheist, is usually a bit abrasive for my taste, but here he is spot on.The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-81875205961052604642012-01-19T17:57:00.000-08:002012-01-19T18:28:07.491-08:00Dealing with the FringeFor the past hour or two, I have been engaged in a comment war on the Christus Vincit blog. Those who have read my last post will remember that the writer of this blog posted a statement to the effect that Jessica Ahlquist, the Rhode Island high school student, had the threats she has been receiving coming to her.To be fair, the author states in a response comment that he does not condone death The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-74728555401380833832012-01-19T13:14:00.000-08:002012-01-19T15:30:41.863-08:00Rhode Island FolliesTwo Rhode Island State Representatives have disgraced themselves by personally attacking a sixteen year old girl on talk radio and Twitter. The girl in question, Jessica Ahlquist, had had the temerity to challenge the presence of a prayer banner in a public school. In a court case, the judge unsurprisingly ruled that long-established legal precedents barred the presence of the banner in public The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-47743982391583116352012-01-11T07:56:00.000-08:002012-01-11T08:46:05.864-08:00Santorum's Red RootsA recent article on Yahoo News brings up a surprising fact about Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum's family background. Apparently, Santorum's antecedents in Italy were, and still are, ardent communists. They fled to the United States from Italy in the wake of persecution by Mussolini's government. His current relatives express disgust at Santorum's rhetoric.My Gut Reaction: It The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-62495788969618710732012-01-06T20:19:00.001-08:002012-01-06T21:34:26.491-08:00Iran: The Paper TigerIn a recent post on his CNN blog, television commentator Fareed Zakaria suggests that the recent hysteria drummed up by Republicans such as Mitt Romney about Iran, along with concerns over its intentions in the Strait of Hormuz, may be exaggerated. Far from a strong enemy, the Iranian regime may be facing internal strife and economic weakness.My Gut Reaction: It's about time someone had the guts The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-81488381378121039242011-07-14T12:18:00.000-07:002011-07-14T12:58:15.059-07:00This Is Your Brain on Evangelical ChristianityOne of the more infamous proselytizers of evangelical Christianity is Jack T. Chick, producer of a series of cartoon pamphlets geared towards conversion. His tracts generally focus on people confronted with the choice of converting to Christianity. Chick and his artists meet out prosperity and salvation to those who choose his brand of Protestant Christianity, and destruction and hell fire to The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-30887175433913004972011-07-13T15:03:00.000-07:002011-07-13T17:25:34.278-07:00Republican TreasonAs the clock marches on, it has become increasingly clear that the Republicans are hell-bent on using the debt ceiling as a means to push their fiscal and political program on the United States. Republican Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma has admitted as much of the Republican refusal to play along, stating that "It's a political strategy-it's not a policy strategy."My Gut Reaction: People willing The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-10565108655499235922011-07-11T20:22:00.000-07:002011-07-11T21:43:30.169-07:00Debt Ceiling MadnessNegotiations over raising the United States's debt ceiling have reached a virtual standstill, as the Republicans remain intransigent over raising revenue. In particular, they oppose closing tax loopholes for rich people such as hedge fund managers. One major Tea Party leader, Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, has expressed a willingness to cause major disruptions to the American economy rather The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-60560227712167095612011-07-02T19:47:00.000-07:002011-07-02T21:04:44.676-07:00Liberal Lynch MobOver the past 24 hours, I have been disappointed to witness an explosion of genuinely stupid rhetoric on the liberal blogosphere as various commentators strain to find some other explanation for the developments in the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case other than that the accusations are false. The result is a display of ideological and intellectual contortionism worthy of a circus.My Gut Reaction: The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-4545153550959357102011-07-01T07:36:00.000-07:002011-07-01T08:19:50.546-07:00Rush to JudgmentProsecutors in New York City have acknowledged that the rape case against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is about to collapse, as evidence has emerged casting serious doubt of the trustworthiness of his accuser, a hotel maid from Guinea. Investigators from the District Attorney's Office cast doubt on her accusations.My Gut Reaction: They couldn't have figured this out before they filed The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-75878844052768645302011-06-30T09:26:00.000-07:002011-06-30T10:34:42.877-07:00Foolishness on Drug LegalizationOn CNN.com today, William Bennett has published an alarmist diatribe warning against the "dangers" of drug legalization. He warns that legalization will turn our youth into a mass of drug addicted zombies, leading to increases in crime and psychosis. A new marijuana legalization bill, the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act, occasioned his alarm.My Gut Reaction: Perhaps we should ask Mr. The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-23066541772295232182011-01-27T21:09:00.000-08:002011-01-27T21:44:19.047-08:00Intelligence from an Unexpected SourceAs Ben Smith reports on his Politico blog, Republican and Tea Party Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky has called for the ending of foreign aid to Israel and other Middle Eastern countries, arguing on CNN's Wolf Blitzer that continued American aid would only be "funding an arms race on both sides."My Gut Reaction: Even a broken clock is correct twice a day.Analysis: Rand Paul's statements cannot be The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-84762176432324767622011-01-22T23:13:00.000-08:002011-01-23T00:23:41.418-08:00Jack Kelly: Ideological Contortionist (Warning: Strong Language)In his column in this Sunday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Jack Kelly tries to argue that the real source of violent rhetoric in the United States today is the liberal movement. He tries to link just about every major shooting or terror incident of the past two years to liberal ideology.My Gut Reaction: According to the website SourceWatch, Kelly makes much of the fact that he served in the Marines The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-42991514960130525362011-01-22T21:04:00.000-08:002011-01-22T21:23:10.473-08:00Coming HomeA Virginia teenager, Gulet Mohamed, has finally returned to the United States after being held in Kuwait for a month due to the fact that he was on the no-fly list. Government officials had apparently placed him on the list because he had visited Yemen and Somalia. Mohamed is of Somali descent, and alleges that he was tortured by Kuwaiti authorities while in that country.My Gut Reaction: Proud ofThe Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-68509386386982237582011-01-20T14:57:00.000-08:002011-01-20T15:27:50.097-08:00Raid on Dreaming Ant VideoToday, I am going to be posting about a news story that I have an indirect connection to. The video store that I go to, Dreaming Ant Video, was raided yesterday evening, apparently in connection with a false press release that was sent out to mock the Fraternal Order of Police. They seized Dreaming Ant's business computer, as well as the wireless servers of Crazy Mocha, the coffee shop Dreaming The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-67328432845130332822011-01-11T11:51:00.000-08:002011-01-11T12:11:12.147-08:00Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln...As Ben Smith reports on his Politico blog, Governor Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island has banned state employees from spending their work time talking on talk radio. His decision, obviously spurred by the Tuscon rampage, argues that state employees giving interviews on talk radio would constitute supporting ratings and profit driven programming.My Gut Reaction: This is a very stupid idea.Analysis: The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34803820.post-71695152940202029472011-01-10T21:06:00.000-08:002011-01-10T21:46:13.713-08:00Massacre in Tuscon (Warning: Strong Language)This past Saturday's massacre in Arizona, which severely wounded Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, has sparked a great deal of debate over civil discourse in American politics. This evening's episode of Nightline, although posing as an objective newscast, argued that it was simply a matter of an insane person which had nothing to do with politics. Provocations such as Sarah Palin literally The Expatriatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11762488684043664889noreply@blogger.com0