birra's Vampire Journal

birra's Journal

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23 entries this month

← May 2010

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FAIL
21:35 Jun 30 2010
Times Read: 1,175

Some people can't help but fail...

COMMENTS

RedQueen
21:42 Jun 30 2010

ROFLMAO

You and Morri- I swear, you guys are my favorite form of entertainment.....

PandorasBx
22:07 Jun 30 2010

OMG, thats priceless lolol

eMetiB226
22:24 Jun 30 2010

LMAO....that's freaking hilarious

Oh yeah...
15:15 Jun 30 2010
Times Read: 1,162

Atheist billboard vandalized

Atheist billboard defaced on N.C.'s Billy Graham Parkway

Unknown vandals unhappy about atheists' billboard in Charlotte, N.C., spray-painted "Under God" on the ad, the city's atheist association discovered Monday. The defaced message will remain in place until after July 4, the group reports, which is the soonest that workers can furnish a fresh billboard image.

The billboard reads, "One Nation Indivisible," which is the phrase preceding the 1954 insertion of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance, reports the Charlotte Observer's Tim Funk. The billboard was erected on Billy Graham Parkway last week. (Graham is, of course, the state's famous evangelical preacher.)

First off, I have to state my gripes:

1. Contrary to organized religions' needs to categorize everyone into a faith group, Atheism is not a religion.

2. The concept of the separation of Church and State in America is a complete fallacy. How can you separate Church and State when the Government willingly and knowingly emblazons "GOD" on almost everything they create.

3. The concept of Freedom of Religion is a court definition only. In a democratic or republic state, when the vast majority of people belong to one social group, that group gets their way 99.9999% of the time. And as I've said before, the corollary to "Freedom of Religion" logically is "Freedom From Religion." Which will never actually happen with a religious majority rule.

Notice how I didn't mention the irony of someone touting their religion committing a crime against someone making an anti-religion statement? Honestly, it is vandalism - compared to the other crimes against man and humanity perpetrated by organized religion over the years, this holds the legal and moral weight of hitting Bill Gates in the face with a pie.

Now, I'm not denouncing religion. Religion and the basis of religion have also helped to advance society and humanity in many respects - the first genetic scientists were monks experimenting with cross pollination to produce better harvests for their people.

Faith is what it is. People have the right to believe what they want.

It just seems to me it is mainly those who subscribe to an organized religion that need to learn that lesson.

COMMENTS

imagesinwords
15:40 Jun 30 2010

The concept of the separation of Church and State in America is indeed a complete fallacy.

Joli
17:18 Jun 30 2010

The irony is certainly there.

When there are vastly differing points of view, people historically behave badly toward the party which is opposite their own. I am not excusing it. In point of fact, I despise it. Never the less, it exists. Christian positions have long been vandalized and defaced. Jewish positions. Other faiths. Not just their positions, but their synagogues, churches and holy places.

People of faith really are no better than anyone else. They are regular citizens, thieves, cynics, and every other description that exists in the general populace. Are they capable of doing squirrely things...illegal things? You bet.

I worry there is an expectation that people of faith are supposed to be perfect. (Possibly because some people of faith believe they are above reproach...but then again, that can be a human foible among any member of the human race.)We're far, far, far from perfection. All of us.

birra
19:37 Jun 30 2010

Joli, I have no delusions that people of faith are in any way perfect.

You're absolutely right - people of differing faiths tend to single out other faiths, their symbols, their houses of worship, their followers... and attack them. We see it every day, worldwide.

But from my experience, most true atheists let those of faith be. True atheists would rather work toward building a more perfect world because there is no thought of a next life - this is it. This is the paradise we seek, but only if we make it so.

Meanwhile, socio-political polls show that of all ethnic, lifestyle, gender or religious groups in America, atheists always come in dead last as the group the average American would be willing to cast a vote for to put into political office.

The data shows us the root of the problem... now how do we fix it?

Morrigon
22:43 Jun 30 2010

....Through interperative dance. CHA!

Omegle?
13:57 Jun 29 2010
Times Read: 1,185

Crazy litte site, Omegle. My first conversation didn't go so well, but I'm guessing this is more common than people think...

COMMENTS

Morrigon
13:59 Jun 29 2010

hahaha

CAJOME
18:18 Jun 29 2010

THAT WAS YOU!?!?

omg

PandorasBx
20:35 Jun 29 2010

LOL! I guess Neptunians have their limits hehe

RedQueen
21:37 Jun 29 2010

Oh good lord...guess I am gonna have to overcome my inate shyness and actually talk to someone there, not just call and hang up...lol

Think there are any talkers from Saturn? The planet is such a pretty color.....*snark*

All for it!
19:10 Jun 28 2010
Times Read: 1,235

I'm joining in on the e-bra burning - but I think it should be taken a step further. I think all the women here participating in the e-bra burning should actually burn their bra.

Additionally, I believe for proof of their participation, they should be required to post two pictures - one showing their bra on fire and one proving that they're not wearing a bra.

Meanwhile, I will purchasing stock in Hanes (NYSE: HBI) and will be waiting for all these pictures to be uploaded.

Thank you for your attention and participation in this important socially and politically altering event...

COMMENTS

Nicnic
19:15 Jun 28 2010

I'll start uploading mine right now. [winks and nudges go here]

eMetiB226
19:19 Jun 28 2010

dang....have you bought a bra lately? you know how expensive those jokers are? especially the more endowed you are?

and anything proving i'm not wearing one will cost you 19.99 a photo...lol.

TheRose
19:36 Jun 28 2010

yeah but what about the guys? i never said it had to be a bra that someone owned, lol. so i burnt a bra once, it wasn't mine. :p

Morrigon
20:13 Jun 28 2010

It uh... Kind of defeats the purpose to burn someone else's bra.

It's like preaching feminism and not allowing women the choice to be stay at home mothers.

Saetan
21:09 Jun 28 2010

I agree with Morrigon on this one. Women need those things to hold em up when the breasts begin to sag to their navels, lol - Besides we don't need to have an eye poked out or blackened cause we got hit in the eye with a nipple or two.

Never did get the point of what burning a bra actually did. I know it pertains to women's lib/women's rights and equality but what does it actually prove? Not downing anyone's thoughts or anything, I am just really curious (as a female I would like to know myself, although I have probably made myself look a little dumb - but hey we all have blonde moments, right?)

CheshireTwins Stamp of Horror
02:24 Jun 26 2010
Times Read: 1,277

She left a stamp on my profile today as a rate. At first, I thought it was Pedobear butt-raping a girl in a bunny costume as she was crying...

...I was horrified and started cursing Japanese animation.... but then I realized what it actually was.

Sometimes those graphics are just... tricky.

COMMENTS

AlexandraAshes
04:36 Jun 26 2010

Yep, that definitely caught my attention. I really have to see this now.

birra
13:28 Jun 26 2010

Well? at Fisrt glance?

RedQueen
22:06 Jun 26 2010

At first glance, it looks exactly like what you descrived- course, we are ALL self described perverts.....

Or would that now be FURverts?

CheshireTwins
19:24 Jun 28 2010

Oh come on! It's not THAT bad... Didn't think it was anyway.

We just picked a picture and stuck some words on it, obviously....

TheRose
19:36 Jun 28 2010

rotflmao! XD

birra
19:40 Jun 28 2010

But then the "10!" was big and bold right above the girl in the bunny suit and at first I thought she was shouting "NO!"

I was set up, I tells ya!

Someone said Lotto...
20:01 Jun 25 2010
Times Read: 1,296

...sometimes I have to remember to hold my tongue in mixed company. Someone recently joked with me that winning the lottery is a kind of ultimate goal. My response was, "Well, I'd have to play it, first."

He responded with, "Oh, you don't play it?"

It took my brain a few to translate what he really meant. I believe the underlying message was, "Why don't you play it? I do!"

As soon as that realization hit, I curbed my gut response of saying, "The Lottery is a tax on people that are really bad with math."

I'm reminded of this conversation by the unscratched instant lottery tickets sitting before me, given to me by relatives for Fathers' Day. They remain unscratched for two reasons.

1. It is depressing to me that they spent $12 on 3 tickets. $12 in Tim Horton cards would have at least kept me pumped up with caffine for 6 days.

2. After scatching them off, all I will have is 3 little peices of card stock and a desk covered in little silvery shavings...

*sigh*

COMMENTS

Isis101
20:12 Jun 25 2010

Ah - reminds me of the time when the lottery just started here in California...I was in a pharmacy, and on a whim, I bought 3 scratch-off tickets. I won absolutely nothing...

This old dirty bum slides up, buys 1 ticket with a handful of change...and has a $10,000 winning ticket! I was tempted to smack him and take his ticket, but of course I didn't do that. If only I bought four tickets, and had his luck!

I did think that he was stupid for shouting out to the world that he won...I hoped that he didn't get beat up and robbed.

imagesinwords
20:20 Jun 25 2010

I could take or leave lottery tickets. I do know you have a better chance of being killed by your family dog than winning the big pot- but I did win $2,000 a few years ago on the very day I was to come up with $2K and didn't know what I was going to do. I've got stars in my eyes... it came to me for a 'reason'... even though realists will roll their eyes at that one ;)

LadyDarkRayne
04:06 Jun 26 2010

"The Lottery is a tax on people that are really bad with math" That was my kismit for most of the week lol

ugh...
17:29 Jun 25 2010
Times Read: 1,310

...my dreams of late have been... horrible. Something feels broken today.

Maybe I just need to go away.

COMMENTS

Isis101
20:12 Jun 25 2010

...decaf.

A real Whiskey Tango Foxtrot day...
03:38 Jun 25 2010
Times Read: 1,332

I met a whole lot of people at the career fair today.

95% of them were looking for jobs. Approaching potential employers, asking same potential employers to consider their resume... to consider them for job openings.

About 6% of that 95% were dressed as though they were looking for a job.

Of the remaining 94% of that group, some where even wearing flip-flops and pajamas. One guy was walking around carrying a gold motorcycle helmet, dressed in bike club apparel and shoved a resume at me without saying anything as if it is my obligation to give him a job.

What... is... wrong... with people?

COMMENTS

Morrigon
03:49 Jun 25 2010

It's frightening, how uneducated people are...

And they could be so awesome! That's one of the reasons I want to get that website going, so we can help coach local people on the basics getting jobs and help them a bit.

Maybe it's a pipe dream. But I'm gonna keep smokin it!

Ahem...

RedQueen
06:05 Jun 25 2010

I will never understand when it became ok to dress like this. First impressions are KEY. I NEVER went to a job interview that I wasn't dressed nice, well groomed, and on my best behavior, no matter WHERE I was applying.

ThothLestat
14:35 Jun 25 2010

I'm going to start posting the shitty resumes I get. This one dude's resume had all the POWER words UNDERLINED. He had listed "Outlook" and "PowerPoint" as SKILLS. That's 100% weapons-grade DURRR.

It was hilarious.

We all laughed at it.

He was a recent college grad.

Invidia
18:10 Jun 25 2010

You should give me a job cuzz

Uh huh
03:25 Jun 25 2010
Times Read: 1,334

That's the government's motto, isn't it?

If you think the problems are bad, just wait until you see our solutions!

COMMENTS

A call to action...
00:10 Jun 25 2010
Times Read: 1,346

The turmoil in Albany has resulted in passage of bills that will add to the already exorbitant cost of doing business in New York State. We need your help in preventing passage of yet another onerous bill.

A proposal to defer 50 percent of business tax incentives for three years remains under active discussion by the Governor and legislative leaders in their efforts to close the current $9.5 billion state budget. If adopted, this action would amount to little more than the government borrowing from NY businesses to pay for excessive spending that lawmakers are unwilling to trim. It would also cripple economic development efforts for years as it would damage the state’s credibility as a trusted partner.

Businesses will pay $750 million more in state taxes over the next two years under the Governor’s proposal to defer 50 percent of business tax credits. This comes at a time when New York businesses are struggling to stay competitive and keep New Yorkers working and our leaders in Albany should be acting to improve the state’s economic climate.

This proposal would erode key economic development incentives, such as the investment tax credit, Empire Zone credits, brownfield redevelopment credits and others. This proposal affects tax incentives already earned by businesses for investments they have already made in New York State. It says to businesses that economic development incentives offered by New York cannot be counted on.

Tell Governor Paterson and state legislators they must keep the state’s promise to provide these tax credits.

New York's government sucks. Career politicians that know nothing of hardship, running a business or even care to do anything but make sure New York City doesn't turn into a festering cesspool of crime and filth.

My response to them today was the following:

Form letters aside, it boils down to this: businesses in Upstate New York already lose out every day due to our already high cost of doing business. In a competitive global market place, businesses like mine that strive to infuse income to New York’s economy by seeking out of state business opportunities and trying to capture local business that is easily bid out to lower out of state sources – states with a lower cost of doing business that can afford to trim margins and work on volume or incentives alone – are struggling just to remain competitive.

Enough is enough. If you want to help the economy of our state, do things to help build business here. Make decisions that will help bring new businesses into New York. Businesses help businesses grow – growing businesses put people to work. More people working means less government spending on social programs and more tax revenues collected without punishing the residents of New York to get it.

Why is this straightforward logic completely lost on the politicians in this state?

Small business owners like myself make sacrifices every day to keep our businesses running, to feed our families, to do everything we can to keep our employees on the payroll. It is time the career politicians in New York started making some of those same sacrifices.

I know it falls on deaf ears, but I've truly had enough of this. I cringe every time I sign a check made out to NYS Department of Taxation, because I know it is money out of my pocket, and money that will simply be wasted.

COMMENTS

Nightgame
02:02 Jun 25 2010

Sounds like the perfect political solution to a problem... make it worse!

Isis101
20:14 Jun 25 2010

Soon, you all will be just as bad off as we are here in California...what use to be the richest, most productive state in the union. Just sayin'.

PRIVATE ENTRY
22:34 Jun 23 2010
Times Read: 1,357

• • • • PRIVATE JOURNAL ENTRY • • • •

IF YOU HAVE HBO AND A VcR PLEASE MESSAGE ME ASAP!!
20:31 Jun 21 2010
Times Read: 1,379

She just opened herself up to spamming from seedy motels everywhere.

They also have jacuzzi rooms starting at $39 per night... or you can pay hourly if you're so inclined.

Just saying.

COMMENTS

Wow...
17:15 Jun 20 2010
Times Read: 1,427

...just... wow.

I guess the 1970's where a while ago... weren't they?

COMMENTS

Morrigon
17:20 Jun 20 2010

Hehe sometimes I really believe that it's about masturbation :P

Isis101
00:32 Jun 21 2010

Shit...the 1970's were like yesterday to me...

How uncommunicated intentions can erode good feelings...
02:51 Jun 19 2010
Times Read: 1,449

We all know that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but... your intentions weren't what I would call, "good."

You need to know when to call it quits. When a conversation is specifically had to discuss who can help who and it is decided the help is not warranted, but you shoulder in and offer help anyway… then expect compensation for it, when it had previously been decided the HELP was NOT warranted, you’re not being professional - you're being a shyster.

Just saying.

Had to get that off my chest. I’m sure I will have a chance to say it in person very soon as well, but today wasn’t the right time.

Today, vulgarities would have found their own stream of consciousness and for me, that would have been just as unprofessional.

COMMENTS

Oh boy...
14:21 Jun 18 2010
Times Read: 1,479

....they're going all emo this morning, aren't they?

COMMENTS

Invidia
14:44 Jun 18 2010

birra
15:03 Jun 18 2010

Oye vey...

Morrigon
15:31 Jun 18 2010

He had to use it somewhere.

ThothLestat
15:34 Jun 18 2010

zomg!

Nedra
17:59 Jun 18 2010

oh my...

birra
20:02 Jun 18 2010

I can almost agree with you on that one Morri.

Almost.

RedQueen
21:36 Jun 18 2010

probably because it is the only way he'd GET any....

Sing along with me...
18:01 Jun 15 2010
Times Read: 1,504

...you know that joke, "Jimmy cracked corn, and I don't care? If you don't care why did you write a song about it?"

Yeah... well... life is full of irony like that. It really is.

Just... look around... here for instance...

COMMENTS

ThothLestat
18:26 Jun 15 2010

*whispers*

psssst... the song was about slaves celebrating the death of their master.

*looks around suspiciously*

but you didn't hear it from me.

birra
21:59 Jun 15 2010

*pssstt* I'm sure it was, it's not my joke.

Isis101
00:35 Jun 21 2010

Hee hee...I recall some old-timer telling me the same thing about the song...

Bye bye, massa!

PSA:
14:05 Jun 15 2010
Times Read: 1,525

...FYI, I'm more than willing to investigate anything a member here feels is a violation of TOS, but without evidence I have nothing to investigate.

If admins suspended everyone based on being asked to by another member without anything to go on, the site would be empty and Cancer would be pretty lonely here.

Take a screen shot. Save a link. Forward the actual message. If you can't provide anything but "he said/she said" please don't bother an admin with it.

COMMENTS

Invidia
16:35 Jun 15 2010

Azuredark
20:42 Jun 20 2010

What does the photo mean? I don't get it and why are people acting so childish with tattle tailing. Isn't this left behind when one is a kid? Guess some have nothing else better to do here. Sighs.

Don't get me wrong, I can understand if some put up pornographic materials but geesh.

Ouch...
23:05 Jun 14 2010
Times Read: 1,532

...still getting the hang of properly throwing, and catching a boomerang...

....my left thumb can attest to the catching part... FEH.

COMMENTS

Morrigon
14:31 Jun 15 2010

That's an impressive bruise..

birra
14:58 Jun 15 2010

It's not as bad this morning. Just a bit swollen. The purple has already faded... heh.

Ugh...
17:52 Jun 08 2010
Times Read: 1,563

...you know, when I'm this tired, I just don't need a conversation as trite and boring as what is being offered.....

COMMENTS

Uhhh....
21:50 Jun 02 2010
Times Read: 1,595

...I was just invited to an event, via Facebook, that was on April 30th.

Hmmm... let me see if the Delorean is available... whenever.

COMMENTS

eMetiB226
22:06 Jun 04 2010

I would like to invite you to my non-existent birthday party last year.

Today is that kind of day...
20:20 Jun 02 2010
Times Read: 1,604

...I have this urge to make fun of so many journal entries today... including my own.

Why am I feeling such... contempt... for everything today?

COMMENTS

Invidia
20:22 Jun 02 2010

Welcome... To the world of tomorrow!

It has to be the heat...
19:18 Jun 02 2010
Times Read: 1,608

...dealing with the State of Florida.. yes, the government. Just trying to get resale status so we can direct ship to federal government customers without being charged sales tax by our vendors.

I just need one more form that I have to request of them to issue to me...

And... yeah, today the state government's phones aren't working.

Just adds to the enjoyment of it.

COMMENTS

RedQueen
22:42 Jun 02 2010

Thank GOD someone else knows why I hate that state so much. Bunch of beauracratic bullshit artists.....

I not only had to get fingerprinted for the FBI when I applied for Permenant REsidency up here, but the State of FLORIDA insisted I go through them as well....