Facebook

Earlier this week Facebook really made me angry. Not so much the entity itself but the people who use it and how it's being used. I swear I'll explain but let me say this first. Yes, I am the girl with the Facebook app on her Blackberry, and yes, I do check it at work... occasionally.

I posted the following as my status announcing my frustration:

"Emily Hall

is going to delete Facebook off my phone and will not be signing on anymore. I just cannot handle seeing you post your for all to see horoscope again, or spell "this" without an 'h', or whine... for the hundredth time today. This is ridiculous. Does no one have anything relevant to share?"

And in return, a number of people commented but one in particular stuck out. (Ahem, Mr. Director-Man):

"Its your fault for thinking you need to have mind-blowing material every second of everyday in the palm of your hand... Stop checking facebook so much. Remember when there was no facebook? Get back to that, and you'll be happy."

I'd like to point out, I don't actually check my Facebook that much. Daily? Yes. Hourly? No. Also, I have a bachelor's in Communication with about 27 hours of that degree consisting of media literacy classes. The point of media literacy is to understand and be able to communicate effectively via any medium... social networking included. As such, I firmly believe and do not expect that anything (read: anything) with user generated content will never, in it's entire lifespan be comprised of "mind blowing material." And please allow me to clarify what I meant by "relevant." Relevant = something that anyone other than yourself and your mother care about; including but not limited to photos of your kids, interesting articles, something you're thankful for, trip plans, trip photos... anything other than you having something to whine and complain about.

What I do expect is for the people I choose to surround myself with (even in the online setting) to not suck so much. And that's exactly what they're doing. I do not care what your horoscope has planned for you today, I hate the way you type/speak, I really don't like any of the songs your 'deep and meaningful' lyric posts come from, and you couldn't come up with something witty if your life depended on it.

On top of that, I do not want to see your vague "if I post this people will ask questions and make me feel loved" status updates, I do not want you to justify your drama with your baby daddy's other baby mama, and I do not want you to give me updates on whatever MTV/BET bullshit you're watching right now.

I love my Facebook. I get to talk to my Mommy on it, I can keep tabs on my little brothers, I get to laugh at my little sisters pictures, the ladies in my family and I even have a little book club going and when I feel all warm and fuzzy I can view the myriad of pictures of me and my husband at the drop of a hat.

I will not allow you to ruin this for me. Hence, you will be deleted.

If you would like to petition your deletion from my page that would be fine, and might even amuse me enough to make you not-deletable. In the mean time, "but we had chem together!" isn't a good enough excuse to keep you around. People and their hurt "but I thought we were friends?!" feelings be damned.

This is not a "beware you will be deleted!" blog. This is a "I'm reformatting those I surround myself with and don't feel like having all your crap in the electronic version of my life."

In short, I will not be completely signing out of Facebook... I will simply be improving my own experience.

Harold & Kumar Suck.

Ok, so you've heard me rant about that new Harold & Kumar movie. [reference: I'm speechless Dec 2007?] Well, the New York Times has picked up the story. Their story focuses on the idea that Guantanamo has made its place in pop-culture an irrevocably negative one. But Gitmo hasn't made its place at all... the media has made Gitmo's place. If Gitmo had any say in the matter everyone would understand the truth and I wouldn't have much subject matter for this here blog-thing.

Admiral Buzby is quoted in the article saying something to the effect that the media has "turned up the gain" to distort the truth coming out of Gtmo. Which is exactly what happens. They take the menial details that could be construed as negative (i.e. fences, uniforms, dirt in the recreation area) and turn it into a huge issue. Yeah, there's wire fences, after all we are detaining these people for the safety of the public. Yes, Gitmo has banana rats and lots of iguanas. Yes, some of the detainees are kept in cells. But they're not running around in orange inmate wear. And the banana rats are actually kind of cute.... and vegetarians; who also make a squeaky sound when you accidentally run them over in your suburban at night because they're crossing the road in hordes. Anyway, the point is... The New York Times spends 3/4 of the article focusing your attention on the bad press that Gitmo is getting. I would pay good money to see the New York Times print the news releases that actually come out of Gitmo and all the things that Admiral Buzby says about Gitmo. A sound bite would be even better! Mainly because the Admiral has a voice like God, and who doesn't believe a man who sounds like that?

Anyway, if the New York times wants to run around stating the obvious.... Gitmo gets bad press. And perpetuate that cycle its their right to do it. Also, if they want to quote people who feel sympathy for the detainees that's there right too. I will simply exercise my right to laugh at them. A lot. And to laugh at those people who are being sucked into the negative propaganda trap that the detainees create through their lies. Those detainees, and their cohorts, would not hesitate to murder every bleeding-heart-sympathy-having-lie-believing-pity-feeling-person out there.

Finally, Gitmo is not a prison. It is a detention center. I've been over this before [reference: legally & transparently, Jan 2008]. If it were a prison they would all be convicted men... on their way to the chair (ok, that last part is wishful thinking). It's a detention center that complies to every clause in the Geneva Convention to the letter. It is transparent, it is humane, and in a couple of years somebody will thank the men and women who are keeping it open and operating properly.

p.s. The article mentions that the people who are stationed at Gitmo drink to much. As a former bartender in Gitmo all I can say about that is .... Uh.... Duh. It's a bunch of twenty-something year olds who behave the same as anybody else their age . Just about every where you go 20-somethings drink too much. That goes for any civilian community or any military installation.

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In Other News, I got to talk to a good friend of mine last night and that was awesome. I love feeling reaffirmed in the fact that I'm not crazy and the world isn't completely without hope. Dr. Lefever also helped reaffirm my hope in the human race this morning. God Bless her, she's brilliant. Dallas in two days. I am more excited than I could possibly explain. Also, I've got a few job interviews coming up in other places out of town, stay tuned for details. :)

CNN = Liberal Political Agenda

So there's all this hub-bub (I'm pretty sure I just made that up) about those destroyed CIA tapes. First, who cares? People beat people senselessly all the time, and for much worse reasons than national security. Secondly, why do I get a play by play update on nothing! Yes, I understand there are going to be developments in the case but I don't need a new news headline every time some Senator decides to have an opinion about it.

Third, (this is the part that really bothers me) why on Earth is CNN showing pictures of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in the background when they're reporting about these tapes. Yes, I know a lot of really dumb people equate Guantanamo Bay with torture. However, once it's been established that those tapes have no connection at all to this hemisphere why would those pictures stay up?

Want to know why? Media = Liberal Political Agenda. That's it in a nutshell. Repetition and reenforcement of ideas is the best way to get someone to remember something. So if CNN keeps showing pictures of Gitmo any time the word "torture" comes up, eventually they'll convince someone that Gitmo needs to be closed because of all the horrible things being done to people down here. Which means all the detainees get either a) shipped home or b) stateside. If you chose B you're probably correct. All their 'homelands' would kill them quickly after they're sent back, because well..... they've committed war crimes. Which means that all those Habeas Corpus lawyers would throw a fit until each one is given a trial. (which, by the way, we're in the process of working on... you should see the courthouse, it's sweet) ... however, I digress. Back to my original point.

CNN is in my opinion one of the most useless form of news acquisition around.

They're website doesn't do a bad job. Thankfully they have pictures of judges and senators attached to their articles on this subject. I guess my point would be, don't watch CNN... actually go and read it. But only if you really have to.

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In Other News, I stuffed stockings and made Christmas cards to the Troopers down here who have duty on Christmas. It felt good to have a way to tell them that I'm thankful for what they're sacrificing so that I can have a peaceful morning with my family... well, until Daddy has to go to work right along side the Troopers. The only problem was feeling like I should do things like this more often... not just around Christmas. I know I'm always writing on this thing about how much I appreciate the people who defend all our freedom's but that just doesn't seem like enough. Ideas?

I played a pretty cool game of paintball tonight. Ended up with a sweet bruise on my shoulder. Also, one of the most amazing people I've ever met in my entire life just keeps getting more and more amazing. Dammit. I wish they would give me a reason to hate them.... that would make not seeing them every again after I leave so much simpler. Ugh, because that sounds soooo optimistic. : ( Enough about me. Even if you're not the praying type... go pray or think about or make a wish on a star for the people out there giving you the right and ability to sleep quietly and enjoy your families.