December 23, 2014

Salon: Why rape is so intrinsic to religion

Valerie Tarico: http://www.salon.com/2014/12/21/why_rape_is_so_intrinsic_to_religion_partner/

Powerful gods and demi-gods impregnating human women—it’s a common theme in the history of religion, and it’s more than a little rapey.

Zeus comes to Danae in the form of a golden shower, cutting “the knot of intact virginity” and leaving her pregnant with the Greek hero, Perseus. Jupiter forcibly overcomes Europa by transforming himself into a white bull and abducting her. He imprisons her on the Isle of Crete, over time fathering three children. Pan copulates with a shepherdess to produce Hermes.

The legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus are conceived when the Roman god Mars impregnates Rea Silvia, a vestal virgin.

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The impregnation process may be a “ravishing” or seduction or some kind of titillating but nonsexual procreative penetration. The story may come from an Eastern or Western religious tradition, pagan or Christian. But these encounters between beautiful young women and gods have one thing in common. None of them has freely given female consent as a part of the narrative. (Luke’s Mary assents after being not asked but told by a powerful supernatural being what is going to happen to her, “Behold the bond slave of the Lord: be it done to me . . .”)

The Bible has every perversion known to humanity, especially in the Old Testament.

December 23, 2014

What's Your Favorite "Onion" Video?

Tough choice, as there are so many gutbusting examples to choose from, but here's mine:

December 23, 2014

Hamilton Family: 'We've Cried for Too Long'

Published on 22 Dec 2014

A white Milwaukee police officer who was fired after he fatally shot a mentally ill black man in April won't face criminal charges, the county's top prosecutor said Monday.

Irish-American like me? Well, this used to be us, and don't ever forget that! I'll leave it to Italian-Americans, Polish-Americans, Jewish-Americans, etc., to speak on their own folks' behalf, because, at one time or another in America, we were ALL the fucking n-word!

December 23, 2014

Wounded Warrior Project - TRACK Program

They're privately-funded, and they do good work.

That being said, they shouldn't exist, as our government should be paying 100% of all healthcare costs, both physical and psychological, needed by the people they've sent into harm's way!

December 23, 2014

NY Mayor and Top Cop Plead for Calm, Respect

I agree, but it has to apply to EVERYBODY, even those with badges. Especially those with badges!

December 23, 2014

U.S. Blocks Rosneft's Acquisition Of Morgan Stanley Oil Trading Firm

Source: Radio Free Europe

U.S. authorities have thwarted an attempt by Russia’s state-controlled oil giant Rosneft to boost its global reach by blocking its acquisition of a Morgan Stanley oil-trading firm.

Rosneft -- which is head by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s long-standing ally Igor Sechin -- said on December 22 that the deal was terminated because U.S. regulators refused to grant clearance.

Morgan Stanley confirmed the deal was terminated and says it will now consider other options.

Valued at between $300 million and $400 million, the deal was agreed in December 2013 when Sechin said it would spearhead Rosneft’s growth in the international oil market.

Read more: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-rosneft-morgan-stanley/26757225.html

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Too bad, so sad, screw Vlad!

December 22, 2014

I Have Asked Skinner to Lock This Thread as "Off-Topic"

My new avatar is for all you fucking trolls, NOT the folks who've supported me!





In 1988, I killed a man of color in the process of enforcing American law. An ensign in the Coast Guard, we were doing drug interdiction mostly. Some of the smugglers would runs, but, once we had them cornered, once they saw that our guns were drawn, they surrendered. Except for one time.

It was a small boat from Panama. Two men, both Hispanic, on board. We intercepted, they stopped their vessel immediately, but then decided to fight. (To this day, I can't fathom why: The cocaine they were transporting had an '88 street value of less than $60,000: Chump change!)

My CO ordeed myself and another man to "show," which was his code for going to the side of our ship with weapons visible. In this one case, the smugglers opened fire, one man's bullet missing my head by more than a foot, whereupon I shot him twice in the chest. My CO did the same to the other smuggler. They both dies shortly thereafter.

Here's the thing: I felt remorse. I lost sleep for a couple of weeks, even though the brass investigated and, in the parlance of TV cop shows, deemed it "a clean shoot."

Eventually, I expressed this to my CO, whom I knew had killed twice before. To my surprise, he told me that he, too, had felt regret about the actions we had taken that day. He said to me, "Son, you're not SUPPOSED to feel good about it."

And this brings me back to my headline: Darren Wilson has expressed not one iota of sorrow over his killing of a young man who didn't even have a weapon! He says he has slept soundly, no regrets, the whole "if I had to do it again" bullshit.

To me, this is evidence of psycopathy., and I hope Mr. Wilson never again has a job in any sector of law enforcement, though I strongly suspect that such hope will be dashed, if it hasn't already.

December 22, 2014

Reporting For DUty (Horrible Pun Absolutely Intended)

I'm a Liuetenant-Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard, currently stationed in Alaska. (And, in answer to the question you are asking right now, NO, I've never met...her, for which I give praise to whatever Gods or Goddesses might exist in this Universe.)

I'm a 52-year-old man, and, six months from now (06/26/15, to be exact), I'll be marking 30 years in uniform. The scuttlebut, as yet merely rumor, is that, at such time, I will be promoted to full Commander and given my own boat.

Married to the hottest babe on the planet, I have two sons and a daughter. I was raised Irish-Catholic, though my faith in any sort of Belief has been greatly eroded over the years. (My wife remains devout, and she---as well as our girl and younger boy---attend Mass every Sunday.)

I've been a straight-ticket Democrat for the past ten years, having voted for Kerry, Obama, and Obama again. I regret to say I did not exercise my franchise in 2000, having been dismayed by the corporate turn which the Clinton-Gore administration had taken, and absolute horror at the Bush-Cheney ticket, which turned out to be the Cheney-Bush administration.

I am liberal on 80% of the issues. But I don't trust the Russians, and firmly believe that the scenario of the aborted film The Interview should be applied in actuality to the entire North Korean Monarchical Regime. By the same token, we never should have invaded Iraq, should not be there now, and should cut off every damn penny of aid to the governments of Israel, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, our three worst "allies."

Huge fan of the Alaska Aces, though my current avatar is that of the Cleveland Barons, whom the NHL didn't adequately support or manage in the franchise's all-too-brief history. Born and raised in Erie, PA, the water has always captivated me, and I've zero desire to ever be set free.