No Sympathy for the Devils

Via Crooks&Liars comes this story of Georgia inmates staging a “strike” and demanding ”getting paid for their work, better nutrition, better medical care and more educational opportunities.”

While I’m certainly against “cruel & unusual punishment,” taking away their cigarettes and not paying union dues for laundry labor is a far cry from having to pound rocks on the chain gang 18 hours a day.  These are not the cream of society, they are people convicted of crimes against society.  Prison is supposed to be punishment, not a model for a new society. 

OT: The commenters on the C&L article really need to get a grip on their comparisons to “Slave Labor.”  Slaves have no rights, if you recall, and could be murdered by their masters without recourse, without cause.  These prisoners made a choice at one time or another that earned them the title of criminal.  These prisoners committed crimes (cause) and have been through the trial process (their path to recourse, should they be innocent).  If they were slaves they’d be hung or shot or worse simply for being “uppity.”  Slaves never had a choice, or a chance to redeem themselves through conduct, free education, training, etc. 

Taking away cigarettes isn’t cruel & unusual.  Burning the name of your crime onto your forehead with lit cigarettes, like a permanent “Scarlet Letter,” now that would be more like it.

You WILL Submit!!

The Washington Blade is requesting your Coming Out stories in time for October11th, National Coming Out Day.  I submitted mine (curse words redacted and it should be up tomorrow, hopefully)–which is no big deal because it’s been on the net in one form or another for about 3 years now–and highly suggest you send in yours.  Everyone’s experience is different, yet just as valid and potentially helpful to someone out there who’s still in the closet and needs some reassurance.  Share your story and help build someone up. 

Did I mention:

The two stories with the highest ratings will each win one round trip airfare ticket to anywhere in the continental United States courtesy of Orbitz! Contest will end on Octber 9th and winners will be notified through verified e-mail.

Two tickets would be better, ya know . . . so, yeah . . . read mine and rate it a big ol’ 5.  lol

THE CONTEST ENDS OCTOBER 9TH!!!  THAT’S NEXT TUESDAY!!!  VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN!!!  IT’LL TAKE 24 HOURS FOR YOUR STORY TO APPEAR ON THE SITE!!!  SO GO BACK TOMORROW AND VOTE FOR ME!!!  (So shameless.) *chuckle* 

Thanks.

I Already Miss Norm

And I’ve not even been gone 12 hours. 

And I’ve called him 3 times today. 

He is SO getting out of work early Thursday. 

UPDATE:  He just called me and said he hates it when I’m not home.  So now I’m happy. 

I am SUCH a girl sometimes. 

Survivor: China

Not much to say about the premiere last night.  I have to be honest and say I’ve warmed up a bit to Todd, our resident gay guy (even though his beliefs about the Spice Girls make my short and curlies straighten in fear).  He seems fairly savvy, and may have a chance of going far.  We’ll see.  I loved Chicken’s reaction when he was evicted.  A big, loud, “DAY-UM!”

In the meantime, here’s a video I found of Jeff Probst behind the scenes, “A Day In The Life”:

And after watching this I can honestly say that “Survivor” is just one big full contact easter egg hunt.  Only took me fifteen years to figure that out. 

That’s It. I’m Turning Hermit

If this is an indication of how dumb this world is becoming, I’m glad we’re getting closer to being self-sufficient at our house.  If I could only figure out how to make electricity from horse manure . . .

It’s clearly not safe to leave the house anymore.  Not with people like this on the road:

 A 22-year-old carnival worker blames two friends having sexual intercourse in the back seat of his car for an accident in which his Chevrolet S-10 Blazer struck a telephone pole.

Two words: PULL OVAH!!