Quote Of The Day - Gay Marriage Is Like WHAT?!

"The government should not force us to ever use our business and use our talents, to go against what we fundamentally believe in.  For example, we would not force a Muslim to participate in a Koran-burning ceremony. We wouldn't ask a black photographer, and force them to go take a picture of KKK event. This is America. And in America, we should be able to live freely and not be forced to support or endorse ideas."

- Kellie Fiedorek from Alliance Defending Freedom, speaking on CNN.

The Alliance Defending Freedom is a Scottsdale, Arizona group of 44 lawyers. While not yet technically an SPLC certified hate group, they have many board members that are affiliated with hate organizations.  Alliance has been getting a lot of media attention recently, because they're the group that drafted Arizona's SB 1062.  SB 1062 is the bill that allows businesses to deny service to individuals (gay folk), based on someone's "sincerely held beliefs".

MINI RANT

Every interview that I have read or seen with someone supporting this bill, the person being interviewed has repeated the term "sincerely held beliefs".  It's almost as if it has become some kind of catchphrase that Conservatives use instead of "homophobic".

Okay.  Mini rant over.

So, let me see if I understand this correctly.  Having to bake a cake or provide flowers for this:

is akin to participating in this:

Or this:

What kind of fucked up world do you live in, where these are the first two examples that come to mind?  Koran burning and Klan rallies? Why on earth would anyone even do these horrible things to begin with?  Why would anyone force any of their employees, regardless of what their religion or ethnicity is, to participate in something like this?

That would be like....well...forcing one of your gay or lesbian employees to refuse service to a gay customer.

License Plate Of The Day

While at a Phoenix area PetSmart last week, I came upon the following license plate:

It says, "Kill Maher", as in Bill Maher, the comedian and political pundit.  While I have seen many ridiculous and hateful messages on the cars of the GOP faithful in the area, I have never seen one advocating violence in this way.  And, it's on a license plate!!  Welcome to Arizona:  Land of the free.  Home of the concealed carry law.

Bill, you may want to consider this the next time your agent wants you to do a show in Phoenix.  Just sayin'.

On a personal note, I cannot guarantee that the tires (or brake lines) remained unharmed following the photo being taken.

Tweet Of The Day

As governor of Texas, Rick Perry has taken a very moderate stance in regards to illegal immigration.  He supported the DREAM Act.  He even sought ways to create a pathway to citizenship for those undocumented workers currently in the country.  Now that he is courting extremists like Arpaio, it's almost as if he's changing his belief system in order to get Republican support.

Interesting fact:  Between 2007 and June 2010, the United States deported a total of 115,841 illegal immigrants.  Arpaio's office was responsible for 26,146 of those deportations, a whopping  22.5%.  If that isn't extremist, I don't know what is.

You'll Never Guess What Tucson Area Republicans Are Raffling Off

On January 8, 2011, Jared Loughner approached a crowd that gathered at a meet and greet for Representative Gabrielle Giffords at a Tucson area Safeway parking lot.  He pulled out a 9mm Glock 19 handgun, and killed six people, including a nine year old girl and a federal judge.  He shot Giffords and twelve others.

Six and a half short months later, and the fine Republicans of Pima County, Arizona, decide to hold a raffle to raise money for the party.  Take a look at what's up for grabs.

Quote Of The Day

"That is not fair to the American people.  To hold out and say, "We won't agree to raising the debt limit, until we pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution".  It's unfair.  It's bizarro.  And maybe, some people that have only been in this body for six or seven months or so really believe that."

- Arizona Senator John McCain, yesterday, on the Republican's negotiating efforts of late.  Here is video:

This Just In: The Phoenix Area Is Full Of Ha-BOOBS

As some of you may have seen in the last couple of weeks, we've been hit by a couple of massive dust storms here in the Phoenix area.  It's a regular occurrence that the city gets hit by a "wall of dirt" during the Summer months.  Some of these dust storms can be up to a mile high, and 40-50 miles across.

During this Summer season, meteorologists and news outlets have used the word "haboob" when referring to the larger of these events.  A haboob is defined as:

"A strong wind that occurs along the southern edges of the Sahara in The Sudan and is associated with large sandstorms and dust storms and may be accompanied by thunderstorms. It usually lasts about three hours, is most common during the summer, and may blow from any direction. A haboob may transport huge quantities of sand or dust, which move as a dense wall that can reach a height of 900 metres (about 3,000 feet). The term haboob is taken from the Arabic word habb meaning wind."

Since "haboob" has it's roots in the Middle East, the use of the word is pissing off a lot of 'Mur'Kins here in Arizona.  For the record, Arizona, the Phoenix area especially, is deeply rooted within the Republican party.  A large portion of the population is xenophobic, Islamaphobic and generally doesn't like the idea of "foreigners" tinkering with their way of life.

That being said, the Arizona Republic has received a number of letters complaining of the word's usage.  Sadly, they have printed many of them.  What an embarrassment to this state.  Don Yonts of Gilbert, AZ, wrote:

"While other countries in the world may call them that, this is the United States    Even more, this is Arizona, not some Middle Eastern nation. I am insulted that local TV news crews are now calling this kind of storm a haboob. How do they think our soldiers feel coming back to Arizona and hearing some Middle Eastern term that is clearly an Arizona phenomenon."

Diane Robinson of Wickenburg, takes it one step further, saying:

"Excuse me, Mr. Weatherman!

Who gave you the right to use the word "haboob" in describing our recent dust storm?

While you may think there are similarities, don't forget that in these parts our dust is mixed with the whoop of the Indian's dance, the progression of the cattle herd and warning of the rattlesnake as it lifts its head to strike.

We have our own culture, too, sir, and we don't take kindly to being robbed of it."

Oh, yes.  Think of "the Indians".  I love how someone by the name of "Robinson" is claiming how the "Indian's dance" is part of her culture.  She's not even politically correct in referring to the local Native American tribes that have been forced to open casinos to provide for their people.  And she's the one being robbed.

Never mind the fact that these dust storms occur during what everyone here refers to our "Monsoon Season".  By the way, "monsoon" is an Arabic word.  So are sugar, alcohol, soda, tuna, algebra and adobe (one of the prevalent styles of homes here in the area).  Oh, and our entire number system originated in the Middle East.  If not for our Arabic speaking forefathers, we would still be using Roman numerals.

In other Phoenix area news, we're expecting a high temperature of CVI today with a XXX to XL percent chance of rain tomorrow.

I am so disgusted with this fucking state.

Today In Derp!

The MLB All Star game is here in Phoenix this week, and last night baseball held it's annual Home Run Derby.  Leave it to Kingman, AZ, resident dumbass Keith Carmickle to steal the show:

I've been through Kingman quite a few times.  I had no choice.  It's normally a place to stop and stretch your legs on your drive between Phoenix and Las Vegas.  There's all of two truck stops, a McDonald's, and a Jack In The Box in the entire town.  It's a passing through location, not somewhere that anyone would choose to live.  No industry.  No future.  High on meth, and smelling like chew...and that's just the women.

Way to represent the state there, Kieth.  You made us proud.  Keeping the stereotype  going that Arizona is full of real 'Mur'kens.

Quote Of The Day

"It's a supremely ridiculous waste of everybody's time.  If you want to live in a Republican state with very conservative right-wing laws, then there's a place called Arizona." 

- Gil Duran, spokesman for California governor Jerry Brown, responding to reports that Riverside, California Republicans are meeting to talk of seceding  from the northern part of the state.

Happy 420 From Garfunkel And Oates

On April 14, the state of Arizona started accepting applications from people hoping to qualify for a state issued medical marijuana identification card.  So far, states like California, Washington, and Oregon have made qualifying for a "weed card" much easier than the lawmakers in Arizona.  To qualify in Arizona, you practically have to be dieing.  There are a very short list of medical conditions that qualify for prescription pot, including Multiple Sclerosis, certain types of cancer, and HIV.  Unlike all other states that have approved medical marijuana, Tourette's Syndrome, which I have, is not a covered condition.  For the record, I've never even taken a toke from a joint, but I wouldn't be surprised if it really helped control my tics.

To celebrate 4/20, satirists Garfunkel and Oates have released a video for 'Weed Card', a song explaining the "difficulties" in getting a medical marijuana card in California.