Sarcasm is such a wonderful gift...

This is just something that I stumbled across and found incredibly amusing. It made me laugh and it also made me think quite a lot about all of the various articles we read about skinny models and the lengths they go to so that they can be the 'chosen one'...for now. Take a read and let me know what you think.

Back to the Future: Is Music Taking a Step Back?

When I was a child (c. late 80s/early 90s) Back to the Future was premiering on network T.V. and everyone knew the song; “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News (a song that still kicks ass today).

The Trial of Caster Semenya

(I actually wrote this piece a few months ago, but decided to wait until the media circus around the story died down, because I was worried about opening the comments area of the blog...as you can imagine, there will be some biggot who might jsut throw in some nasty remarks, which this blog has no time for).

In recent months, there has been a rather large amount of media attention given to Caster Semenya, the 18 year old middle distance runner from South Africa who obliterated the Women's 800m competition in Berlin during the World Championships, and quite frankly it should stop.

Coming Soon: An Interview with Amber Rubarth

In a previous entry, we announced that SHC would be expanding into the area of music. One of the things that was wanted was that the major focus of the music section would be on smaller Indy bands and performers with the occasional big name review here and there.

SocialVibe: Stand Up 2 Cancer

If you are a fellow blogger here on...blogger. You might be aware that as a part of the site's 10th Anniversary, they have released a bunch of gifts and gadgets to mark the occasion.

Blog News: SHC is expanding...

Over the past few months, I've wanted to be able to expand the blog into something other than just the political and the occasional opinion piece on random current events or musings. Since the site is steadily approaching 1 million hits, this seems like the perfect time to start the expansion before the site is launched.

UPDATE: Digressing from the usual...MTV VMAs; Kanye West and Lady Gaga

Just in: President Obama's feelings about Kanye West's outburst during the MTV VMAs

700,000 Hits!!

The time is approaching...we're inching the 1 Million Hits mark...after reaching 700,000 (which equates to half a million hits since March); the goal of getting 1,000,000 hits is nearer...obviously. I promised people that if I hit the 1,000,000 mark, I would get a listed domain/website...the time may be sooner than later.

Thanks to everyone who has stumbled, enjoyed, subscribed to the Feed. Keep coming back for more rants and raves.

SHC

I've waited long enough; it's time to talk about Michael

Any of you who know me personally will know that I am and have always been a huge fan of the music and creativity of Michael Jackson. Seeing the tribute that was performed at the beginning of the VMAs reminded me of how much he influenced the music world...and the world in general.

Digressing from the usual...MTV VMAs; Kanye West and Lady Gaga

The last post was somewhat of a digression as well, but I've been working hard all day and I decided to check the news and well...felt like writing a few things down. As always, when online, it's difficult to read a funny, catchy, or wierd article and not investigate a little further...

Vicious Rumours or Sordid Truths?: Death Panels - What are they? Where the the rumours start?

Over the past couple of weeks an abundance of conservative writers; bloggers; columnists; reporters; and activists have more than 'slammed' the US president's government on the basis of accusations of the initiation of so-called 'Death Panels' as part of the new Health Care Reform Bill.

"All the Good Ideas are Taken": What does it take to become inspired?

It's unusual for this blog to take an introspective approach in the articles. Despite the occasional opinionated inclusions in some of the previous articles, this one, in some ways, highlights a genuine question that 'I' personally have: What does it take to become inspired to write, create, do, or make something?

Breaking the Silence: Some Thoughts on Ireland's Emergent Blasphemous Libel Law and some other things...

This article is a little bit overdue, admittedly, but it is because careful consideration has been taken to understand some of the implications that this proposed law might have in Ireland.

Politics: Irish Council Elections Are On The Way!!

It's that time again and people around the country are clamouring for votes, nominations, and endorsements in the run up to the up and coming Council Elections. I'm not sure about you, but I always cringe at the thought and the reality of Councillors, and potentials coming to my door, asking for my suppot and my vote.

Some Light Entertainment: SNL - Mother Lover

Just in case you missed SNL last weekend, Justin Timberlake was hosting, and you know what that means - Yes - D**k in a Box Sequel!!!
This time, JT and Andy Samberg stifled viewers with a totally appropriate Mothers Day acknowledgement, just to show they cared. The video is available on Hulu and on the SNL website or on the HuffPost website Click Here

But in case you are like me, and unable to view the video on those sites, here is a youtube post with the audio - as soon as it is posted on youtube properly, i will embed it here.



Enjoy.

SHC

P.S. As soon as I have the week wrapped up, I'll do another post about something typical of the blog. But I am up the walls at the moment, so please bear with me.

Cheers

Three Cheers for Olbermann: About time someone called out Hannity; the Great American preppy!

It's not always easily noticed that something is wrong with a society; that is until one can see that U.S. television standards committees allow the likes of uber-preppy, Sean Hannity, on the air. On Wednesday 22nd of this month of fools, Hannity (the Great American) essentially mocked the atrocious activity 'formerly' used by the U.S. government to acquire information from terrorist suspects in their detention centres; Waterboarding!

While the debate on whether waterboarding is or isn't torture but rather "enhanced interrogation" is futile. We all know that it is a heinous act - or rather, cowardly - and I would challenge anyone, who hasn't been waterboarded, to prove me otherwise.

Moving on, not only did Hannity deny that it was a form or torture, he actually offered himself to be waterboarded for charity. Luckily, we have people (although somewhat ego-centric ones) such as Keith Olbermann to swoop in and save the day. Olbermann, not being one to be outdone, quickly responded to Hannity's offer to be waterboarded and offered to donate $1000 for every second that Hannity could withstand being waterboarded. Nico Pitney, for the Huffington Post, appropriately headlined his article on this turn of events as "...calling Hannity's bluff...".



Two questions manifest after seeing such an exchange between Hannity and Olbermann; 1) Will Hannity do it? (In fairness, if he does it, I would take my hat off to him but would recommend further waterboarding) and 2) If he does it, will he change his mind about waterboarding? (I would think that after being waterboarded, it would be difficult to deny its abhorrence.
There are two outcomes that I personally would like to see: that Hannity learns his lesson and reassesses his truly anti-humanitarianistic rhetoric when discussing terrorist suspects; and all those insulted by the remarks of Hannity feel vindicated after witnessing him being waterboarded and pertified beyond belief.

I don't want to get into the discussion on the merits, or lack their of, regarding waterboarding; I feel there is no argument that can justify its use. But I feel sickened with the matter is taken so lightly by people that they feel they can make fun of it.
Olbermann, thanks for stepping up and challenging Hannity.
Hannity, shame on you - not even O'Reilly gives me this cold feeling in the pit of my stomach!

Even after the 2008 US Election; I still enjoy seeing the RNC being made fun of!

This video more or less speaks for itself! Just watch and enjoy!


Now check Urban Dictonary's definition of "teabagging". Click Here!

Is is just me, or are American conservatives starting to become more liberal?

I'll leave it at that...

For the first time ever, I'm disappointed in Barack Obama. It's a sad day...

Yesterday, as I was just about to go to bed, I did my usual run through of the latest news headlines. I visited, as always, the Huff Post. To my utter shock I came across President Obama's response to the newly legalised raping of Shia wives. Firstly, the law stipulates that:

As long as the husband is not traveling, he has the right to have sexual intercourse with his wife every fourth night, Article 132 of the law says. “Unless the wife is ill or has any kind of illness that intercourse could aggravate, the wife is bound to give a positive response to the sexual desires of her husband.

Thinkprogress.org reported that the President was asked what he thought about the new law, and although he stated that he found the laws abhorrant he didn't speak out against them the way, I believe, a President of a civilised nation should. Obama very quickly went from condemning the law to speaking about how Al-Qaeda was at the top of the American foreign policy, and thus, paid little time answering Fox News' Major Garrett's question.

It's very distressing that an individual with the charisma of Barack Obama, who not only strongly condemned anti-same sex marriage protests as well as standing up on behalf of the African American community in the US, cannot, because of the constrains of diplomacy, speak out more strongly against such a law being conceived in the 21st century. It seems clear that the Millennium Development Goals drawn up between September 2000 and 2005 have taken a step back in the areas where it is deemed less important by so many world leaders. One of those areas is clearly gender equity. I find it interesting that while the MDGs outline criteria to be fulfilled regarding equity in the workplace as well as education for females these are so easily and proudly publicised, but issues regarding basic human rights are so flippantly ignored when such objectives are being thought up.
At the end of the day, diplomacy does has a place in world politics. But in times when the rights of people are being deemed flexible so as to permit such a sick and disgusting violation of a being's person, diplomacy has no seat at the dinner table, action is necessary... using the word abhorrant will not right this horrific wrong.

Poor Jochen Sauer...We Can Only Try To Imagine How You Feel

In a Huffington Post feature this week, the First Ladies of some NATO leaders gathered for a group photo...standing in the back however was Jochen Sauer (First Man of Germany). Something tells me that his drinking buddies (if he has any) got a laugh out of this scenario.

For the full article and subconscious piss take see that Huff Post: Click Here
I wonder "who" he was wearing for the spouses dinner? Or whether he was able to keep up with the conversation! Ha Ha Ha!

Jon Stewart, Thank You!

I'm sure many of you are aware that the world is in economic peril...If you haven't then you are either living under a bridge or just have too much money (or too little) to care. At any rate, I want to bring your attention to an interview conducted by Jon Stewart with "Mad Money" host, Jim Cramer. The Huffington Post described it as an eviseration of Cramer...and they were pretty much spot-on. I encourage all of you to watch the videos and contemplate just ONE of the overlooked groups to blame...the media!
Thank You Jon Stewart for Seeing Through All The Bullshit
Click the link above to watch the interview; uncensored and unedited.

RNC Chair: "Abortion is an individual decision" - Why the sudden change of heart from the GOP?

Recently, the GOP chair Michael Steele stated that his stance on the rights of women to pursue abortions was a choice for the individual and not for the federal government...this without a doubt completely opposes the RNC's own position on abortion. In fact, the RNC has stated that

We support a human life amendment to the Constitution, and we endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children.

This for me raises two questions: Firstly, where is the solidarity within the party that the RNC do desperately needs. Secondly, what does a difference of opinion such as this, have for other single issues?

There is not major need to address the first question as it has been covered y a myriad of political bloggers and columnists. However, it is interesting to see that the RNC have recognised that it will not rise to power in the forseeable future if it does not modernise its position on a number of issues and appear to be making a progressive move into the 21st century.
The second issue is what concerns me the most. How can the RNC quite happily agree to disagreem, or rather, appreciate that people differ in opinion on issues and not kick the guy out of the party for not conforming to the party ethos or "In God We Trust" etc... I actually have to say, as a total anti-GOP'er it is refreshing to see the likes of Steele standing up and being 'real'. But I wonder what his opinion is on the issue of Gay-Marriage...will we soon see the RNC saying that it accepts that perhaps Gay-Marriage should be a matter for individuals and not for the government to decide? To sipher through my jargon...how is it acceptable for the RNC and more importantly, the RNC chair, to make a statement such as which he has made regarding abortion, but yet, issues such as gay marriage are still ignored or seen as ungodly? What will be the next major relevation? Will the RNC finally realise that gay people wanting to marry eachother will not result in the end of the world? The issue of gay marriage is not a moral issue...it should not be an issue at all..what it is right now, is an issue of discrimination. The issue of abortion is a 'moral' issue...while I support a woman's right to have an abortion, it is unfortunate that an unborn chile/foetus/embryo will be destroyed...but we must remember that women should have the right to have charge over their own bodies...not 'god' (whatever that is), not the government, not lobbyists and certainly not you or me... Sadly, the truth is, we have this ability to control people's bodies in this context...it is wrong...
But having the ability to deny someone else happiness...i.e. gay people seeking wedlock...is just as wrong and we have as much right to control their pursuit of happiness as we do regarding unwanting mothers...none!

Answering some questions...

Howdy,

Some of you have sent us messages whereby you seem confused about how our blog is conducted...one question from Wendy in Texas asks, "How many people actually write the blogs and why aren't there any sign-offs at the end?". Richard from Buckinghamshire asked "How is it that I can't tell who is writing each individual blog?".
The answer to these questions are firstly, there are 5 of us that conttribute to this blog however due to our work/university committments we have not all yet published articles on it. Secondly, we all decided that because of the content and nature of the topics discussed, that perhaps it would be best to remain anonymous, as two of the contributors have in the past on other blogs, recieved some nasty comments and well...it is best to avoid those at all costs...this is of course a forum for discussion with the underlying purpose of enjoyment and passing on thoughts rather than an official "soapbox".
So, with that in mind, don't hesitate to keep sending your comments and messages to us. He answer them all. Notice our new counter over there (>>>>>>) somewhere, and you will see that we are slowly approaching the 200,000 hits mark...so i guess, that is a little exciting.

Anyway,
Have Fun,

Smokinghotcoffee!