Wait… what?

Today’s voice is Jared Massey’s from Utah.

I was merrily surfing around, catching up on the news when I came across a video that at first glance got me a bit confused. This video is about a man who was allegedly speeding and got pulled over, he asked to know how fast he was going and what the speed limit was since they (again, allegedly) had not passed a sign where the 40mph limit that the officer states was indicated. Now, the officer here seen does not respond to that and just keeps asking for license and registration, to which the man ultimately gives up and provides. The officer in question goes back to his cruiser to produce a ticket which the man refuses to sign, and at this point the officer gets him out of the car for “not complying with instructions”. Now, here’s the kicker: it’s not an african-american, a hispanic nor an asian… it’s your regular all-american blonde-haired Joe. After being thrown off for a moment, what happens next is the reason for this post.

Now, I may be wrong, but don’t you have a right to disagree whether to sign a speeding ticket or not? I believe that you can decide not to sign a speeding ticket and dispute it in court, since signing it would mean that you agree you were speeding. I’m not quite sure about that since I do not live in the states, so if someone has the correct information on the matter I’d be grateful to get a reply on that.

So our Joe (who you’ve inferred by now is Jared Massey, 28) got tasered by John Gardner, member of the Utah Highway Patrol. The reason provided by Gardner is that Massey failed to comply which is true to some degree: Massey did not comply at one point but an arrest for a situation that escalated because of the officer’s behavior is just downright wrong and an abuse of power which was used without the proper responsibility/wisdom in my opinion. You already saw the video, so let’s fast forward to the arrest. The officer arrests our Joe but does not read him his rights even when Massey demanded to have his rights provided which I believe is legally mandatory at the time of arrest, is it not? Now, almost at the end of the video, another officer’s voice is heard discussing the event and when officer Gardner briefed officer X, we hear officer X replying “Good for you” to Gardner. Wait… what?

Up to this moment I do not know if Gardner has been reprimanded or even studied for that matter. The course of action taken was not an appropriate one and should be analyzed since officers work for the people who sometimes step out of line, but even when they do there are different ways to get them back in and I hardly believe this was a right one (despite officer X’s approval); if officer Gardner had handled the situation with knowledge in hand, he could’ve easily gotten Massey to comply (of course, we’ll never know if Massey’s intention was honest to just know or if he would not have complied after knowing…). On the other hand, we don’t even know if officer Gardner really just pulled him over blind without a radar gun. A lot of ifs, but not enough if you ask me.

Take care and misbehave.

Source: Fark

Useless Discrimination

It’s been almost a year. So?

I stumbled upon a video from CNN, where Glenn Beck is “sending a message” to Mexican president Felipe Calderón, where once again Mexico’s government is being trolled on. I understand the posture on some people from the US about Mexico’s immigration issue, but what I cannot understand is how this hypocrite-to-say-the-least receives airtime to publicly insult an ethnic group which serves his food, cleans his house and works the fields he doesn’t. Go on, give those jobs to US citizens and see how they’ll shove that job back at you. Now, as shown on the video, Mexico’s president states that he is worried about the unilateral posture on the issue, he does not say anything about the continent’s or the country’s definition, so where is this guy getting his bases from?

The immigration issue can be considered as an economical fix for the US. There is an unsatiable offer on basic employment, and since US citizens turn their heads away, the government turns theirs to illegal aliens. This solves an economical and a comfort problem for the stars and stripes country, since they pay aliens a hell of a lot less than what they would pay a registered citizen on most any basic job and even sometimes taking advantage to work law as a business strategy, so some of those anti-immigrant protesters such as this guy might want to remember to pay their taxes when they pay their gardener/maid/butler/housekeeper/etc since of course they pay cash and by not paying taxes on that they too are contributing to the country’s phantom economical issue. Now, if the US was genuinely worried about this “immigration thingie” they would’ve done something by now (because as this guy implies, the US is the best country to be in, so they should have the most efficient government, right?), instead of just wasting their time looking the other way and preaching on the “problem” that this has turned into. Right…

I’d like to invite you to read Gustavo Arellano, he has a column on Orange County Weekly titled Ask a Mexican where as you’ve implied, he answers questions from a Mexican standpoint. Most of them are silly questions, but every now and again he gets political which is the reason for this invitation (he’s not the only one with a column of this sort, but is the one that comes to mind). In the meantime I’ll stop my rant here, but feel free to reply from any point of view. And props to Dalia for the e-mail (I miss you!).

Take care and misbehave.

The Snake and the Firefly

There was once a firefly who liked to fly among the trees in a jungle. One day, a snake came along and looked at the firefly flying around, working, eating, and shining with its great green light. The snake didn’t have much to do, though, so he decided to chase the firefly around to eat him… First just keeping a watchful eye, then slithering softly along and lastly chasing rapidly around. The firefly flew as fast as those little wings could take him, but eventually grew tired and fell to the ground, where the snake was awaiting. Before the snake could eat him, he pleaded to ask a few questions, to which the snake replied: “Hmm… I don’t usually give this privilege to my food, but go ahead”. The firefly then asked “Am I in your food chain?”, and the snake answered “No…”. “Are you hungry?” mumbled the defenseless little firefly. “Not really, no” said the vicious snake. “Then why do you want to eat me?” cried the firefly, to which the snake stated clearly “Because I just can’t stand to see you shine!”

Guys, I wanted to share this fable with you today because I had a meeting with some fellow bloggers where we discussed a couple of situations, mainly comparing different nations with this one: Mexico. There is a huge lack of culture in almost every aspect, be it political, social, educational… you name it, there are always “traditions” that keep mexicans from striving for greatness, which in turn lead the mexicans of the future to believe that we are not able to do this, or not capable of achieving that, WHICH WE ALL ARE. We are no different than someone from Australia, China, Japan, Nicaragua or Turkey. You and I have a brain, we eat, drink, piss and sleep just as any other person, so why are we different? Because this country has educated people to just DO, not THINK! If someone dares to think, he’s immediately pulled back down by someone who “can’t stand to see him/her shine”. It’s about time we realized that we only need to “fly harder”: Get an education (a good education does not depend on the school you go to or how much you pay for it, it all depends on how much you really want to learn) and think your brains off people. Don’t just imagine things, make them happen… That is what marks the difference between those who just had a dream, and those who live it everyday.

Take care and misbehave.

Taking your own advice

Today’s voice comes from everyone and anyone.

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a thread in Fark that asked if you could travel in time and talk to yourself when you were 12, what would you say? Besides the obvious lottery numbers-responses, I found that thread to be a huge space of wisdom. A lot of farkers talked about lost loves, saving relatives from dead-ends, relating to someone more/less, seeking medical help, etc etc etc. There were a couple of breathtaking stories and some hilarious schemes as well, all in good farking spirit.

The thing that got me thinking though, was how humble were we to take our own advice? If you think about it, a lot of us would tell ourselves to study hard, work out and take chances. Whatever your age is, you can always take at least one of those pieces of advice, be it exercise, studying and/or going for it. For example, I’d tell myself to not worry much about getting the best grades, because ultimately you are not your A’s or your F’s, there’s a lot more to life and experience than just good grades (of course, good grades never hurt anyone…). But am I humble enough to live up to my own reflection? I guess we usually don’t realize that it’s harder to take advice than to give advice. This thread shows you both sides of the coin, so next time I try to help someone by telling them what they should or shouldn’t do, I’m pretty sure I’ll think twice about it. Or at least try to grab my heart about it.

Please, feel free to surf around the thread, whatever your current situation is there might be something there that can help you in some way. It took me a couple of days to read it completely so don’t sweat it. There are a couple of familiar names in there if your eyes are good enough to spot them. I’m Kwyjibo_Hunter, in case you were wondering.

Oh yeah, happy halloween everyone!

After Pat

This article was sent to me by a dear friend of mine, whose significant other was shipped overseas. I know most of your postures on war, so I wanted to share with you Kevin Tillman’s voice:

After Pat’s Birthday

Posted on Oct 19, 2006

By Kevin Tillman

Editor’s note: Kevin Tillman joined the Army with his brother Pat in 2002, and they served together in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pat was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. Kevin, who was discharged in 2005, has written a powerful, must-read document.

It is Pat’s birthday on November 6, and elections are the day after. It gets me thinking about a conversation I had with Pat before we joined the military. He spoke about the risks with signing the papers. How once we committed, we were at the mercy of the American leadership and the American people. How we could be thrown in a direction not of our volition. How fighting as a soldier would leave us without a voice… until we get out.

Much has happened since we handed over our voice:

Somehow we were sent to invade a nation because it was a direct threat to the American people, or to the world, or harbored terrorists, or was involved in the September 11 attacks, or received weapons-grade uranium from Niger, or had mobile weapons labs, or WMD, or had a need to be liberated, or we needed to establish a democracy, or stop an insurgency, or stop a civil war we created that can’t be called a civil war even though it is. Something like that.

Somehow America has become a country that projects everything that it is not and condemns everything that it is.

Somehow our elected leaders were subverting international law and humanity by setting up secret prisons around the world, secretly kidnapping people, secretly holding them indefinitely, secretly not charging them with anything, secretly torturing them. Somehow that overt policy of torture became the fault of a few “bad apples” in the military.

Somehow back at home, support for the soldiers meant having a five-year-old kindergartener scribble a picture with crayons and send it overseas, or slapping stickers on cars, or lobbying Congress for an extra pad in a helmet. It’s interesting that a soldier on his third or fourth tour should care about a drawing from a five-year-old; or a faded sticker on a car as his friends die around him; or an extra pad in a helmet, as if it will protect him when an IED throws his vehicle 50 feet into the air as his body comes apart and his skin melts to the seat.

Somehow the more soldiers that die, the more legitimate the illegal invasion becomes.

Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on the ground.

Somehow those afraid to fight an illegal invasion decades ago are allowed to send soldiers to die for an illegal invasion they started.

Somehow faking character, virtue and strength is tolerated.

Somehow profiting from tragedy and horror is tolerated.

Somehow the death of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people is tolerated.

Somehow subversion of the Bill of Rights and The Constitution is tolerated.

Somehow suspension of Habeas Corpus is supposed to keep this country safe.

Somehow torture is tolerated.

Somehow lying is tolerated.

Somehow reason is being discarded for faith, dogma, and nonsense.

Somehow American leadership managed to create a more dangerous world.

Somehow a narrative is more important than reality.

Somehow America has become a country that projects everything that it is not and condemns everything that it is.

Somehow the most reasonable, trusted and respected country in the world has become one of the most irrational, belligerent, feared, and distrusted countries in the world.

Somehow being politically informed, diligent, and skeptical has been replaced by apathy through active ignorance.

Somehow the same incompetent, narcissistic, virtueless, vacuous, malicious criminals are still in charge of this country.

Somehow this is tolerated.

Somehow nobody is accountable for this.

In a democracy, the policy of the leaders is the policy of the people. So don’t be shocked when our grandkids bury much of this generation as traitors to the nation, to the world and to humanity. Most likely, they will come to know that “somehow” was nurtured by fear, insecurity and indifference, leaving the country vulnerable to unchecked, unchallenged parasites.

Luckily this country is still a democracy. People still have a voice. People still can take action. It can start after Pat’s birthday.

Brother and Friend of Pat Tillman,
Kevin Tillman

Thanks to Daniela for the article. I miss you, hope we get together soon. Take care and misbehave.

-Your Lord n Master

No andaba muerto…

…Ni andaba de parranda.

Como la mayoria de los bloggers, entre el trabajo y/o la escuela, no habia tenido tiempo de escribir y a la larga este sitio dejo de existir por un tiempo. Dada mi situacion actual he decidido retomar esta vieja aficion, que mal que bien me desestresa bastante, y sirve para conocer gente extraña *cough*rolandog*cough*.

Asi que este blog sigue dando patadas de ahogado, como en Peter Pan, mientras haya gente en el mundo que crea en las hadas… seguira habiendo preferencias sexuales distintas a las tuyas.

Cuidense y portense mal!

Everything Zen

Hello everyone.

This post is just to get my fingers loose and my mind relaxed. I’ve been going through some very rough patches lately and as you can see in the title, I no longer hope for good grades or money or love, at the moment I just pursue the Zen-ness of my own being, I need to have everything simmer down (na!!!) so I can start focusing on school, work, Ale, etc.
Anyway, let me get the bad news out of the way: I have decided to no longer post about politics, since I have no wish to offend anyone… for the time being. Politics and religion are very sensitive subjects, and as some of you know, I can talk about them all day long, I just think I am in need of a drastic change in my life, so I’ll start on the little things first (details details details!). The reason for this is something that happened during spring break, I believe I got a glimpse of my future if I kept living the way I was… I don’t know if school, work, or (god forbid) love is the reason, but I am on a quest to find out.
I hope things turn out for the best. I don’t think I could handle a meltdown at this moment…

Take care and misbehave.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s ALEX!!!

SO I’m finally back. Didn’t really have time to post, but since it’s spring break, I might as well add a few lines before I go party.

A few things I wanted to say: the express blogger meeting last thursday turned out to be a really relaxing time, thanks to all who could make it. I never went to those meetings because there was always something else to do, but if the meetings are somewhat like this past one, I guess you’ll be seeing my face a bit more often now. Rolis wo, Ninja Gaiden has my name written all over it LOL! And Ale, I LOVE YOU!

Number two is the new disclaimer for the site regarding the political aspect of it: The political part of this blog will be open for discussion in forms of posts and comments for the moment, if all goes well I will re-activate the forum again. Now, although this is an open space and ANY kind of comment IS allowed, I personally do NOT support any kind of political system, although I am aware that some (if not most) of you do support one. Although debates are highly encouraged, any kind of bad-intenioned flaming against another poster is prohibited. Therefore, the violation of this code will result in banishment from this and other affiliated blogs. Criteria is handled by yours truly, if you do not find it suitable, go ahead and post your opinions on the matter.

Take care and misbehave.

L337 Pagan Poetry

7 de noviembre, 2004 … empeiza .. un dia diferente .. cierro los ojos brilla mi mente … abro los ojos y mi corazon deja de sentir… el deseo de manetener los ojos cerrados es por la sensacion tan agradable de verme dentro de mi donde no sufro y todo el mundo es de un color…. abro los ojos y camino por el sendero que ya he fijado para mi vida ,esforzandome para no salir de el y rasguñando las heridas para no volver a herirme … mi lengua se desata sin saber que palabras salen de ella… mis palabras derraman gotas de otros cristales …. es algo diferente … algo dentro que no quiere pisar afuera….. solamente subo a una compleja estructura de cemento,acero y asfalto ….de repente tengo el mundo bajo mis pies… cierro los ojos y me dejo caer ….. ahora vivire en el lugar que brilla mi mente , en el mundo donde todo es de un solo color , donde no sufro … por siempre ..bonito regalo para mi cumpleaños.

Oscar Guerra

From my victim…

He grabbed me around my slender neck
I could not call or scream
he dragged me to my dingy room
where we could not be seen.

He tore away my flimsy wrap
and gazed upon my form
I was so cold and damp and scared
while he was dry and warm.

He pressed his feverish lips to mine
I could not make him stop
he drained me of my inner self
I gave him every drop.

Then he cast me from his side
so now you see me here
an empty bottle thrown away that once was full of beer.

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