Can't fix stupid.

A couple attempting to have their second child was told by doctors that their 16-week-old baby wouldn't make it. She suffered from "Mermaid Syndrome," and if carried to term, she would've been stillborn. Aaron Gouveia and his wife made the decision that many people can't bring themselves to do: to terminate the pregnancy. On the way to the clinic, the couple was confronted by two anti-abortion protesters who made a point to further traumatize them about their decision.

Their ignorance made Aaron snap, and rightfully so. While his wife was in surgery, he went back outside to speak to the two women still standing outside. He also brought his cell phone to record video footage.

Abortion really strikes a nerve with me. Not because I'm against it, but because I'm so frustrated by the public's lack of empathy. Why should a woman be forced to carry a dying or dead baby to term? What does this accomplish? Furthermore, what if the mother's health is at risk? What if the child is a product of incest or rape?

This is pure common sense. And the people who do abuse abortion as their form of birth control shouldn't represent the women who have legitimate reasons. I'm willing to bet that half of the protesters you see holding up pictures of mangled fetuses would change their tune in a minute if they were put in such a situation.

Links:

Aaron's story

"That's the side effects: hungry, happy, sleepy."

Just to set the record straight: no, I am not a pothead. Caffeine has always been my poison of choice. But I still can't understand why our government is so against recreational marijuana use. Even if California does manage to pass Proposition 19, it will still be illegal under the Controlled Substances Act, which I think is a load of shit.

Pot isn't chemically addictive. No one has ever died from smoking one too many doobies (not directly, anyway). Marijuana also has medicinal potential.

... So why is it illegal, again?

Prohibition of alcohol at least made sense. Not only can you literally drink yourself to death - and many people do - but many people also lose their lives to drunk drivers. According to these statistics, drunk drivers claim lives at the rate of one every 39 minutes. Not only that, but I have personally seen friends suffer through living with alcoholic, abusive parents.

I don't think marijuana is totally harmless or without consequence, and I'm not saying that I don't drink. But if I had to choose the lesser of two evils, I'd definitely take an ounce of pot over a bottle of Jägermeister.



Dr. Jocelyn Elders, former Surgeon General under Bill Clinton, expressed her opinion in a CNN interview that it shouldn't be criminalized. I really hope she can use her influence to change public opinion.

To me, Katt Williams said it best: "Well why the fuck it's [weed] illegal I don't know. Aspirin is perfectly legal, but if you take 13 of them motherfuckers it'll be your last headache."

Are you starting to sense a theme with these entries? It wasn't intentional.

Finally, someone had the balls to do what Congress should have done ages ago.

Judge Virginia Phillips declared the United States military's "Don't ask, don't tell" legislation unconstitutional back in September, then completely discontinued its enforcement today. Though her ruling is effective immediately, the Department of Justice has 60 days to appeal the decision -- not that it's hinted whether or not it will stand by this ruling or fight it. 

Technically, there's no legal obligation for the opposition to appeal her decision. And while this might be wishful thinking, I'm hoping that the Obama administration is either too lazy preoccupied to pursue it. Ideally, I would hope that some minds have changed for the better since the "Don't ask, don't tell" rally in Maine, but I think I've run out of patience for the Obama administration.

And now to get a little bit off topic, but not completely:

I remember watching this video and respecting the man for not letting his beliefs compromise common sense. Now, his administration wants to appeal a previous ruling that called parts of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.

Now, I'm not an idiot. I know social issues aren't the MOST important element of our government. Still, it just seems like a crappy thing to lie to some of your biggest supporters, tell them you've got their back, then turn around and disappoint us by conveniently losing your backbone.

Links:

Obama admin. appeals DOMA ruling

Pentagon must stop 'don't ask, don't tell,' federal judge rules

The bullying epidemic

There have been at least four nationally acknowledged suicides since September, each one of them a result of anti-gay, peer-to-peer bullying. Billy Lucas, 15, hanged himself from the rafters of his family's barn on Sept. 9. After being outed on the internet, Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge on Sept. 22. Thirteen-year-old Asher Brown fatally shot himself in his father's closet on Sept. 23. Seth Walsh, also 13 years old, hanged himself and spent nine days in a coma before he died on Sept. 28.

Contemplating suicide is painful enough. When you're to the point that you're purposefully veering off the road or making a last goodbye cocktail from the contents of your family medicine cabinet, you know you've gone to a dark place. It hurts. I might live in the heart of the Bible Belt, but at least I know I have an extensive, compassionate support network of both family and friends to pull me out of such desperate thinking. These four boys might have lived longer, happier lives if their peers hadn't carelessly thrown around insults every day, pushing them deeper into despair. Many people who look down on suicide have posted hateful comments in response to these tragedies: They were selfish, How pathetic, They should have gotten over it. Do you want to know what's really pathetic to me? People who try to validate themselves by out-casting others are pathetic. The school administrations that stood by and did nothing while these children were being bullied are pathetic. The people who blame the victims are pathetic.

In response to the death of Billy Lucas, a YouTube channel was created to spread awareness of anti-gay bullying and give hope to those who have also found themselves at a similar low in life. The "It Gets Better Project" was started by Dan Savage and features video testimonials by gays from all walks of life. There are over 600 uploaded videos (possibly more) and the channel has been viewed over 1 million times.

"Billy Lucas was just 15 when he hanged himself in a barn on his grandmother's property. He reportedly endured intense bullying at the hands of his classmates—classmates who called him a fag and told him to kill himself. His mother found his body.... I wish I could have talked to this kid for five minutes. I wish I could have told Billy that it gets better. I wish I could have told him that, however bad things were, however isolated and alone he was, it gets better." -- Dan Savage

Talk-show host and comedian Ellen Degeneres is also joining the cause, along with many other celebrities - some of them gay, some of them not. She posted this video several days ago:

Links:

Article from My Fox: Boston

It Gets Better Project

Political satirist Stephen Colbert made an infamous appearance before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Security, eager to reveal his "vast experience" from participating in the "Take Our Jobs" program for one day. Colbert was invited by Zoe Lofgren, Chairman of the House Ethics Committee, who also participated in "Take Our Jobs." She encouraged Colbert to stay, despite opposition from Republican John Conyers. Conyers later questioned Lofgren's decision and the appropriateness of Colbert's presence at a congressional hearing, citing it as a waste of taxpayer's money. Whether or not Colbert's five minute testimony was appropriate, it's hard to deny that he made his point, cracking jokes at the expense of Congress. His deadpan deliverance made it hard for some to not crack a smile, as evidence of the grinning faces seen behind him throughout this video.

Colbert made many laugh, myself included, but one has to wonder if this will hurt Lofgren's cause and credibility. Congress has already pushed "Don't ask, don't tell" and the "DREAM Act" to the back burner. Will the plight of migrant workers suffer the same fate?

Don't like it? Then go home.

On September 21, 2010, Senate denied a motion that would possibly lead to the repeal the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. Senate's support behind their decision? They basically want to stall until they find a "scientific study" that justifies the military's implementation of principles rooted in homophobia. I'm not surprised. Homosexuality has been the topic of ethical debate since before the term was even coined. Sexual orientation that goes against 'the norm' is largely frowned upon and even punishable by death in one too many countries. And what's that saying? "Rome wasn't built in a day." ... Right? Right.

I'm sure many advocates for gay rights are feeling the blow right now along with me. After watching footage of Lady GaGa's speech at the DADT rally in Portland, Maine, it's hard to NOT feel pumped for the cause, even if you're already aware of the results. The meat-wearing entertainer might not have seemed like the most well-spoken person to front the cause (despite her enthusiasm), but her points were valid, emotional, personal, and strong. Though I have no gay friends who are enlisted - or the intention of serving myself - her words really struck a nerve with me.

 "I thought equality was non-negotiable. And, let's say, if the government can pick and choose who they are fighting for as exemplified in laws like "Don't ask, don't tell", shouldn't we as Americans be made aware of this imbalance? Shouldn't it be made clear to the citizens of this country before we go to war? Shouldn't I be made aware ahead of time that some of us are just not included in that fight? We're going to war for you, and you, and you, and you, and you, but not YOU because you're gay. You can risk your life for this war, for this country, but in the end, you're not fighting for yourself. You're fighting for us. You're fighting for straight people. You are not included when we say equal. You're not even fully included when we say freedom." -- Lady Gaga

Am I disappointed with the results? Yes. Do I think this is the end of this battle, though? I think Lady GaGa would agree when I say: how about a resounding hell no.

Watch Lady GaGa's speech in full here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-ostroy/gaga-over-gaga_b_733629.html

Cutting down on the fiscal woes of college.

If you're not one of the lucky students with an all expenses paid trip to the college of your choice, then you and your wallet have probably done some heavy pouting at your account summary. College is never "cheap". It's bad enough that the cost of tuition tends to spike up every year or so, but factor in textbooks, living accommodations, gas, parking permits, general fees, supplies... It gets pretty pricey. Not that your hard-earned (or most likely your parents') pennies aren't worth it, but let's face it: college can bleed you dry. Depending on your major of choice, it's very likely that you'll also require extra - and sometimes expensive - software to get you through certain classes. Microsoft Office 2007 usually goes for $100, and this version is already three years old.

Some bigger universities actually offer their students some of the big names in computer software. Louisiana State University's "TigerWare" website allows current students to download Microsoft Office, Adobe imaging programs, Windows 7 operating system, and other popular and useful programs for free or at discounted prices. Unfortunately, not every university has the finances to give students such a luxury. However, there is a solution: freeware.

Freeware is exactly what it sounds like, and there is an abundance of it circulating around the internet. One of my favorites is the Microsoft Offce doppelganger, Open Office. Though Open Office looks more simplistic, its programs perform the same functions as its Microsoft counterpart. It can even open documents with a Microsoft ending extension, as well as save them with one. (If you'd like, you can download it here!)

It doesn't just stop at Open Office, though. Freeware covers a variety of categories: educational, graphics and design, security, language tools, and even games for your off time. Check them out for yourself!

Popular Freeware Sites:
http://www.freewarefiles.com/
http://www.freewarehome.com/
http://freeartsoftware.com/
http://www.techsupportalert.com/