Blog #5 - Obama Ist Der Führer?

After a month-long hiatus due to trolls, I'm back!  Today I'll be covering an incident involving ESPN and a country singer- PLEASE don't leave just yet!! It'll be worth it, I promise!

Okay, to start this off, no I am not going to be "hating" on Obama, as the title may lead you to believe.  But I will be hating on ESPN, just a little, anyway...  I'm not going to rant about sports and how mind-numbingly ridiculous sports and sports enthusiasts are, like I did on one of my previous posts.  Instead, I'm going to be bashing ESPN and The Walt Disney Company on the grounds of limiting free speech.

It was on the set of "FOX and Friends" (a term used lightly at FOX, I would imagine) where country legend Hank Williams, Jr., a second generation musician most noted for his hit, "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight," which served as the basis for the theme song for ESPN's Monday Night Football television program, likened Obama to "der Führer," himself. 

Hank Williams, Jr. compared the golf outing that Barack Obama shared with John Boehner to "Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu."  As a result of this, Hank's famous opening segment for ESPN's Monday Night football was pulled from Monday's game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  I mentioned the teams for those of you who have nothing better to do than watch chubby, middle-aged men wearing pads and spandex stretch a one hour game into a four hour commercialistic event...  Sorry, I couldn't resist making a sports joke.  From this point on, no more sports jokes.  We'll see how long that will last- my guess is four hours.

In defense of Hank Williams, Jr.- the man was just trying to make a point.  He was saying Boehner and Obama rarely see eye to eye, much like Hitler and Netenyahu wouldn't quite make the best of friends (imagine the two as roommates- I smell an '80s sitcom!).  Also, why pull his Monday Night Football intro because of this?? Do you REALLY think the average football fan will be watching a political show? Well, it IS FOX... You're welcome.  Wow, I'm really going out of my way to bug people today!

But why limit free speech like this?  Stranger yet, why am I asking you??  I'm just curious as to where the BS stops...  ESPN had no right to pull Hank's intro.  It wasn't a business-related appearance, Hank wasn't representing Monday Night Football or speaking on behalf of ESPN in this interview, although I do understand certain issues with professionalism...  I get that wherever you go, whatever you do, you're always kind of representing a business for which you work, your family, or an organization or religion to which you belong.

I'm honestly more offended by Hank Williams, Jr. backing Sarah Palin than I am the"Hitlarious" remark he made.  Honestly, FOX News just blatantly lied to their viewers by saying Williams "knows a little about politics, too..."  I'm sorry, but if you're in favor of someone who shoots things from a helicopter and lists the proximity of her house to Russia as foreign policy experience, you'll find, that as you go about your life, your political knowledge won't amount to JACK SQUAT!!  That was a Chris Farley reference, for those readers under the age of 12 who didn't quite get it.

The good news is ESPN stated that, at the time being, it will only pull Hank Williams, Jr.'s intro for one game (which already ended, for those of you who are like me and don't care).  A further decision will be made depending on how well the country legend behaves over the next several days...  It's the professional equivalent of telling your kid that you won't stop for ice cream if he doesn't shut up... Whatever happens, we hope to see you next week, Hank!

To adequately sum up today's blog: ESPN IS FULL OF DOO-DOO HEADS!!  There, I gained back some of the younger audience after that Farley reference.  I'm Josh Leyh, stay tuned for more!


*************************************  UPDATE - 10/6/2011  *****************************************
According to the New York Times, ESPN has decided to permanently pull Hank Williams, Jr.'s opening segment for thier Monday Night Football Program.  It would appear as if Monday nights will, from now on, be a little less "rowdy."

Blog #4 - The Virginia Earthquake

An unusually large earthquake hit the East Coast Tuesday, causing widespread panic.  The 5.8 magnitude earthquake had an epicenter in Mineral, VA.  The quake was felt as far north as Ontario, Canada, and as far south as Atlanta, GA.  The earthquake caused fear and panic in both Washington, DC and New York City.

In an interview with MSNBC,  Wendy Oscarson-Kirchner said, "I thought at first somebody was shaking my chair and then I thought maybe it was a bomb."  NBC Pentagon corresponent, Jim Miklazewski stated "I, like many other people here, thought 'Oh my God, we've been hit again.'"  FOX News also likened the earthquake to the attacks of 9/11: "Some of the nearly 20,000 people who work at the Pentagon every day feared the shaking was caused by another Sep. 11 style attack."

This begs the question, "What would people have thought 10 years ago, prior to the attacks?"  In a world before terrorist paranoia,the Patriot Act, and an American society inept of thinking for themselves- would there have been so much panic?  I understand that the September 11 attacks were terrible, and that nobody should have to go through anything like that- but it's been taken too far.  If the first thing you think of, when the ground shakes beneath you, is, "MUST BE ANUTHER TERRIST," there is something very wrong with you.

I can understand how the low rumbling and the shaking walls could be mistaken for a bomb- but should that be the first thing that pops into our minds?  Aren't earthquakes more common than terrorist attacks?  Well, at least they are in the West Coast.  But if I, being in the Midwest, felt a shaking and heard a rumbling noise, I would assume it to be an earthquake, or some natural event (which is still extrememly rare for my part of the globe)- as opposed to it being our friends at "al-Qaida."  Even though that way of carefree thinking could leave me dead one day, I choose not to succumb to the paranoid mindset of mainstream American society.  Personally, I'm of the mindset that our government either perpetrated those attacks, or they had information regarding what was to take place and did nothing about it.  Either way, a few Arabs with box cutters causing mass mayhem is a ridiculous theory, in my opinion, but that's what we're told to believe.  However, conspiracy theories can be saved for another day- but, if you're interested in such things, click here.

The thing bothering me is, "how did we get here?"  How have we become so paranoid, that we give up our freedoms?  Because of what happened nearly ten years ago, the president has dictatorial powers in case of "emergency," the police power has grown and the government has become more invasive of our privacy, as a society we have become more sheltered out of fear of safety, and the mass paranoia is out of control.  Our mindsets have completely changed due to these attacks.  Yes, 9/11 was terrible, yes, this earthquake was bad, yes I enjoy my safety- but to what expense? Our freedoms and liberties?

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Benjamin Franklin

My question to you is, "Are you one to give up safety for the sake of liberty, or are you one to give up liberty for the sake of safety?"

Blog #3 - Two Shootings And A Beating: Welcome To Preseason Football

Three people were hospitalized Saturday after a violent night at Candlestick Park.  The incidents occurred during a preseason game between the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers.  The 49ers won the game 17-3, for anyone who actually cares.  There were two shootings in the parking lot outside of the stadium, one beating in a stadium bathroom (classy), and of course the newsbreaking fight, as seen below.

Now, we've all heard stories about some idiot fans who take sports way too seriously- "IT'S A WAY OF LIFE!"  You've probably seen footage of what Vancouver was like after losing to Boston for the Stanley Cup, or the riots during some of the soccer- err, "football," games in Europe after a fan favorite team loses.  This begs the question, "Are sports fans stupid?"

Being my callous self, and lacking no controversy, I must ask myself this question.  I can understand people rioting in England over police corruption, (a common occurrence in America, yet we ignore it) but when a team loses a game, is that a cause for rioting?  I understand being upset, as maybe someone has a friend on the team, or was stupid enough to gamble away the deed to his/her house- but is this a worthy enough cause to light things on fire and act like pigs?  Sporting events are just recreational games, and should be treated as such.  If your team wins, great!  If they lose, I shouldn't have to fear for the safety of myself.  This is ridiculous.

I'm aware not ALL sports fans cause riots, or are immature, but it's becoming such a common thing in the world of sports.  Shouldn't we all leave this BS where it belongs?  Do we not discipline our children and tell them to behave?  Shouldn't the same rules apply to us?  Where is the reason and the logic in how we act?  We're supposed to be the mature ones, the role models.  After all, if one is pillaging, looting, and torching all in the holy name of sports- one is no more mature than that of a spoiled child, and should therefore be treated as such.
Eat your vegetables, kid, and stop taking games so seriously.

Blog #2 - Air Force Discharges Doubting Sergeant

I don't know if you follow the so-called "birther movement," but apparently the Air Force does, as they announced Wednesday they will be discharging one of their sergeants, a strong advocate of the movement. According to the Associated Press, Staff Sgt. Daryn Moran refused to report to duty in Germany earlier this month, because he questions that President Obama was truly born in Hawaii, and America, for that matter.

For the record, I believe Barack Obama was born in America. After all, the guy has shown two copies of his birth certificate, and neither are Kenyan.  But that is beyond the point I am trying to make.  If you look closely at the stories, they note he refused to report to duty in Germany.  I don't know about you, but if I decided not to show up to my job because of a personal opinion of the man running the country, I'd get fired!  This guy cannot skip out on work and expect to get away without any form of punishment.  In my opinion, the discharge is perfectly acceptable.
However, if this man was discharged solely on the fact that he thinks the president is not an American-born citizen, that would raise quite a few red flags, as that would infringe upon one's freedom of speech and expression.  But, being wrongly discharged over freedom speech and expression is nothing new to the American military, remember "Don't ask, don't tell?" 
Staff Sgt. Daryn Moran served nine years in the Air Force as an ophthalmology technician with the 86th Airlift Wing and has been stationed at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany since October of last year.  Moran is expected to be discharged sometime next week.
On top of questioning Obama's place of birth, he has commented about the repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell," and also made remarks about Muslims, which prompted him to be placed on leave, after he was reported by co-workers at an eye clinic...  One of the doctors was a Muslim- awkward!
For those of you who have not seen Obama's birth certificate, you can look at it below:

 

Are you happy now?  While many people still claim it to be a fake, I can assure you it's real, perhaps...
I'm Josh Leyh, and this is "The World At Large."

Blog #1

Alright, this is my first blog, so bear with me. I feel like I've got enough input on things to actually get around to blogging on my spare time. I'm not sure if I will do this on a regular basis, or what the deal is, regardless, I'm going to try things out and see how it goes, so feel free to leave me feedback.
I don't want to get too political, especially on my first blog, but something's been bothering me. Rick Perry is running for president.

Now, normally I hate bashing on people, but this guy has it coming to him. Here's a guy who supported, or at least didn't disagree with, the idea of the state of Texas seceding from the Union. Now, he mentioned this while he was the governer of Texas. Why is this important? Because now, instead of trying to get Texas to secede from the Union, he's running for the highest position that Union has to offer- the presidential office!
Is it me, or have the Republicans gone downhill in their logic these past several election cycles? I mean, you don't see Che Guevara eating at McDonalds, or Rush Limbaugh hugging trees. Why not just get it overwith and say we want somebody who is against the Union to run our country? That's essentially what the Republicans are doing. I'm sure I'm going to get a decent amount of heat for this, maybe not. Personally, I'm in favor of Ron Paul getting the Republican ticket, he has some common sense- and no, I'm not some bandwagon Tea Party idiot who holds up "End the Fed" signs without understanding the reasoning behind it. I look at the issues. I'm pro-life (in most cases), pro-legalization of marijuana (for medicinal AND recreational purposes- it's less dangerous than alcohol), I'm all for gay marriage (although I'm against it being forced upon religious institutions), I want to cut taxes and I hate the fact that we have military stationed in 130+ countries.

Now that my rant is done, I can give you more of my own personal background: I like pro wrestling, and I'm an avid fan of music, some of my favorites are: Cypress Hill, Rammstein, Limp Bizkit, Elvis, and Johnny Cash. I work at a radio station in northern Minnesota. My favorite movies are: Inglourious Basterds, The Crow, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, anything by Mel Brooks, Gran Torino, A Serious Man, and The Big Lebowski, amongst others.
Well, that's about all I've got for this blog, I sincerely hope you enjoyed it- and I'll probably post others in the future, more topical ones, as opposed to rambling, like I did this time around. I'm thinking I'll make one before sundown tomorrow, because, well, you already know!