The Otter Limits

Will Frankenfood Be the Death of Us?

2013-05-15T10:26:00.002-05:00

Instances of cancer, diabetes, allergies, and heart disease are on the rise.

What is the reason?

Could it have anything to do with genetically altered food?

This genetically altered, or genetically modified food, sometimes called GMO, went on the market in the mid-90s.

What was the reason that GMOs went on the market? What was wrong with the food that farmers were producing organically? What happened to real food and why did they feel the need to start mass producing "frankenfood"? It couldn't have anything to do with starvation. There is no starvation problem in this country. This is a country where we have so much to eat that some people feel the need to starve themselves in order to get thinner (anorexics).

The only reason I can imagine if, of course, money. Companies like Monsanto are out to make as much profit as they possibly can so they come up with the idea of genetically engineering food and in turn, end up putting most of the farmers out of business. And those that weren't put out of business will soon be out of business because the presence of GMO food has driven the cost of real food up so high that nobody can afford it.

This also makes me wonder if this GMO food is the cause for the rampant mental illness that seems to be rising in this country.

This company Monsanto, got their start in producing L-dopa, AstroTurf, and light emitting diodes. This makes me wonder what in the hell they are putting in this pseudo-food.

This is a company that has been sued for poisoning people with dioxin and has been investigated several times by the Department of Justice for "scientific misconduct."

This is a company that spends millions of dollars to lobbyists to get Congress and the Department of Agriculture on their side and reduce the federal regulations regarding the production of genetically engineered produce. And recently, a bill was signed into law by "President" Obama to bypass the Department of Agriculture in regards to the production of genetically modified seeds. It effectively denies the right of federal courts to halt the sale or planting of GMO seeds, despite the fact that these potential health risks exist.

I have to admit that I don't know a whole lot about this GMO and Monsanto thing but I have to ask:

Is this GMO food the cause of the rise in cancer, heart disease, and diabetes or is it something else? Is this genetically altered "frankenfood" killing people off at an exponential rate in the name of profit?

Thanks to Toni Samanie for bringing this to my attention last night.

Girl In A Coma: Discography of the Moment

2013-05-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

Girl in a Coma is a rock band that formed in 2006 in San Antonio, Texas. They got their name from The Smith's song "Girlfriend in a Coma."

GIAC Web links:

GIAC official website.
GIAC on MySpace
GIAC on Artist Direct
GIAC Wikipedia article
GIAC on Facebook
GIAC on Twitter

DISCOGRAPHY:

Gira O Morir
Demo independently released in 2005.
Band lineup:
Nine Diaz - vocals, guitar; Phanie Diaz - drums; Jenn Alva - bass.
Tracks: 5
Race Car Driver. Only I. Sybil Vane Wars III. I'll Ask Him. Simple Man.

Both Before I'm Gone
Released in May 2007 by Blackheart Records.
Produced by Eric Sanger.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 13
Clumsy Sky. Say. Road to Home. Sybil Vane Was Ill. I'll Ask Him. Their Cell. In the Background. Mr. Chivalry. Race Car Driver. Consider. Celibate Now. The Photographer. Simple Man.

Trio B.C.
Released in June 2009 by Blackheart Records.
Produced by Eric Sanger.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 13
BB. Static Mind. Vino. Baby Boy. El Monte. In the Day. Slaughter Lane. Trail. Pleasure and Pain. Joannie in the City. Pink Lemonade. Empty Promise. Ven Cerca.

Hiding My Trail
Independently released in 2009.
Produced by Eric Sanger.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 2
Only I. A Conversation.

Adventures in Coverland Vol 1
Released in 2010 by Blackheart Records.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 2
Si Una Vez. While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Adventures in Coverland Vol 2
Released in 2010 by Blackheart Records.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 2
Transmission. As the World Falls Down.

Adventures in Coverland Vol 3
Released in 2010 by Blackheart Records.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 3
Come On Let's Go. Walking After Midnight. Femme Fatale.

Adventures in Coverland
Released in October 2010 by Blackheart Records.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 10
Si Una Vez. While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Transmission. As the World Falls Down. Come On Let's Go. Walking After Midnight. Femme Fatale. For What It's Worth. Yo Oigo. BB (acoustic).

Exits and All the Rest
Released in November 2011 by Blackheart Records.
Produced by Girl in a Coma.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 11
Adjust. One Eyed Fool. Smart. She Had a Plan. So. Cemetary Baby. Knocking at Your Door. Hope. Control. Sly. Mother's Lullaby.

Interview with Jay Oliva

2013-05-14T12:33:00.002-05:00

Last October, I wrote a film review for Red Dirt Report, it was a review of Part One of the animated version of Frank Miller's iconic Dark Knight Returns story.

This past January, the 2nd part to that great film was released and it was just as awe-inspiring and amazing as the first part was.

Recently I had the chance to do an interview (via e-mail) with the direct of the film, Jay Oliva. Jay has directed other animated projects such as Young Justice and Next Avengers and was the storyboard artist/supervisor on other projects such as Jackie Chan Adventures, The Batman, Teen Titans, Justice League, Ben 10, Superman/Doomsday, Hulk Vs, Batman: Brave and the Bold, Green Lantern: First Flight, Batman: Under the Red Hood, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. I could go on. Point being, Jay has done a lot of great work.

Here is the content of that interview that was conducted with him:

1. How did you first get into drawing?

I first started drawing when I was maybe four years old. I did not really get serious until I was in high school. It was the 90s so comic books were the big thing. I used to copy my favorite animated cartoons as well as comic book artists. it was really just for fun and something to do when I was bored. I never intended to pursue art as a career. I jus sort of fell into it.

2. What artists/writers first inspired you?

I've had a lot of influences over the years. In terms of art, i would say that Otomo's "Akira" played a pivotal role in my artistic development. After him., I was influenced by a lot of the big artists during the 90s like Todd McFarlane and Jim Lee. Around the same time, I discovered Bruce Timm's Batman the Animated Series and I was so hooked with the simplicity and elegance of the design and how well it moved on-screen.

3. Who are your favorite characters to work with?

It's funny when I look back at my career, I've worked on so many iconic characters in both DC and Marvel universes. I don't think I have a particular preference, It all depends on the story I want to tell. Action wise, I think Batman has a great cinematic feel with James Bond-like gadgets as well as martial arts fight scenes. Plus since he's just a regular guy, and not some super powered alien or metahuman, the drama of his overcoming extraordinary situations can be really compelling. I think I've made it sound that Batman is my pick but I've done some great stuff with Spiderman, Wolverine, Wonder Woman, Flash, Iron Man, Doctor Strange.. oh and Superman too! For me, it's not about the crazy action scenes but what the conflict is rooted in and what is the overall theme of the film. I think the best movies are the ones that have a lot of cool moments and action but also have a powerful message or theme at the root of it all.

4. Who are your favorite artists/writers to work with?

I've collaborated with a lot of amazing artists in the past. Of course I have to mention Bruce Timm and James Tucker. These two guys have such a great history of amazing work that working on projects with them has been a great learning experience. One of my favorite designers I've worked with would have to be Phil Bourassa. His sensitivity to design is very close to my own and we both have a lot of the same influences. It's really great to collaborate with him and I'm vey fortunate that he's also a good friend of mine! Last but not least, I have to mention Lauren Montgomery and Joaquim Dos Santos. It's funny that at one point of my career I've had a hand in helping to train these two amazing artists and I'm so proud of where their careers have taken them. Working with them is eye opening since they love to push what has become the norm in animation nowadays and because of this, it has inspired me to strive for the same kind of level in my own work.

5. Do you have a favorite series that you have worked on?

What's funny is that I think my work on "My Friends Tigger and Pooh" was some of my best stuff. No action really but I really sharpened my acting chops on that show. Plus everyone on the production was great and I had a really fun time working on the show. On the other hand, I have a very special spot in my heart for the work I did when I was on the MYP "He-man and the Masters of the Universe" It has to be one of THE hardest shows I've worked on but I learned a lot directing on the show as well as working with a great bunch of artists.

6. Are there any characters that you have never worked on that you would really like to?

I find that it's the story that I'm most attracted to. The characters are really secondary and if the characters happen to be fan favorites then that's just a plus for me! oSometimes I pick projects just because I've never done a certain character before. In fact I remember I accepted work on "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" because I had never done a Doctor Doom fight sequence and I wanted the challenge of coming up with something cool.

So who would I like to do? Deadman would be cool and I would love to do a Punisher storyline based on the original mini series. The Punisher War Journal story with Wolverine would be pretty bad ass to translate. Hell, if the story was right, I'd love to do a Power Man and Iron Fist story. I think the list would go on and on.

7. How did you get involved with The Dark Knight Returns project?

I was Directing on the first season of "Young Justice" when they asked me to take over Directing on Part 1. I think I still had one and a half episodes left to do so it was hard to leave but DKR is a project that you don't say no to.

8. What was it like to bring Frank Miller's work to life?

It was a dream come true but at the same time terrifying because so many people have those books in their head and that no matter how faithful I was, it would NEVER be exactly what they saw when they first read the graphic novels. So I decided early on to bring to screen what my own experience was when I read those books back in the 80s. I was eleven at the time and it really changed the way I saw Batman and even comics in general. It was a crazy year for me since I read DKR and Watchmen all at the same time and I didn't know comic books could tell these kind of stories! So translating Frank's work was a labor of love for me because I wanted to bring to the screen the wonder, amazement, and shock of the original source material the way I experienced it oh so long ago.

9. Do you have any other projects coming up?

I have quite a bit of projects coming up. In terms of Directing, my next film, 'Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox" comes out in July. I have a couple more movies after that but of course I can't talk about them right now.

I also helped Zack Snyder storyboard "Man of Steel" out June 14th as well as the sequel to 300 called "300:Rise of an Empire". I'm currently splitting my time between live action films and animation.

Germs: Discography of the Moment

2013-05-13T08:08:00.000-05:00

The Germs were a punk rock band that formed in 1977 in Los Angeles and disbanded in 1980 following the suicide of Darby Crash. The band was re-formed with singer Shane West in 2005 following the release of the Darby Crash biopic (in which West played Crash) What We Do Is Secret.

Lexicon Devil
Released in 1978 by Slash Records.
Produced by Geza X.
Band lineup:
Band lineup:
Darby Crash - vocals; Pat Smear - guitar; Lorna Doom - bass; Don Bolles - drums.
Tracks: 3
Lexicon Devil. Circle One. No God.

GI
Released in January 1979 by Slash Records.
Produced by Joan Jett.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 16
What We Do Is Secret. Communist Eyes. Land of Treason. Richie Daggers Crime. Strange Notes. American Leather. Lexicon Devil. Manimal. Our Way. We Must Bleed. Media Blitz. The Other Newest One. Let's Pretend. Dragon Lady. The Slave. Shut Down.

What We Do Is Secret
Compilation album released in 1981 by Slash.
Tracks: 8
Round and Round. Lexicon Devil. Circle One. Caught In My Eye. No God. Dialogue From the Last Show. The Other Newest One (live). My Tunnel (live).

Germicide
Live album released in 1981 by Mohawk Recordings.
Lineup changes:
This album was recorded in 1977 at the Whiskey before Don Bolles joined the band. Drums were performed by Donna Rhia.
Tracks: 10
Forming. Sex Boy. Victim. Sweet Dreams. Let's Pretend. Get a Grip. Suicide Machine. Sugar Sugar. Teenage Clone. Grand Old Flag.

MIA: The Complete Anthology
Compilation album released in August 1992 by Slash.
Tracks: 30
Forming. Sex Boy. Lexicon Devil. Circle One. No God. What We Do Is Secret. Communist Eyes. Land of Treason. Richie Daggers Crime. Strange Notes. American Leather. Lexicon Devil. Manimal. Our Way. We Must Bleed. Media Blitz. The Other Newest One. Lets Pretend. Dragon Lady. The Slave. Shut Down. Caught in My Eye. Round and Round. My Tunnel. Throw It Away. Not All Right. Now I Hear the Laughter. Going Down. Lion's Share. Forming 2.

Top 4 Emilio Estevez Films

2013-05-12T14:19:00.001-05:00

Happy 50th Birthday Emilio!

Repo Man (1984)

This science fiction comedy film was directed by Alex Cox and also starred Harry Dean Stanton. Estevez plays Otto Maddox, a Los Angeles punk rocker that gets hired to repossess cars. The soundtrack included songs from artist such as Iggy Pop, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Fear. Great soundtrack.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

John Hughes directed this comedy/drama about 5 students that end up together in high school detention. Estevez plays the "jock" of the group. The other stars of this film were Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, and Paul Gleason.

Young Guns (1988)

This western action film was directed by Christopher Cain and is a partially fictional account of the life of New Mexico gunslinger Billy the Kidd. Estevez plays the Kidd. Other starts in this film include Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Philips, Charlie Sheen, and Terence Stamp.

The Mighty Ducks (1992)

Stephen Herek directed this sports comedy film. Estevez stars as Gordon Bombay, an attorney that is sentenced to community service for drunk driving and ends up getting assigned to be the coach of a youth hockey team.

Who Says America Isn't a Police State?

2013-05-11T09:43:00.002-05:00

The Department of Homeland Security stockpiling billions of rounds of ammunition.
Black helicopters and drones flying around American cities.
The Transportation Security Administration expanding the use of x-rays and pat-downs.
The uniforms of local police forces resembling combat soldiers.
Police officers carrying out training exercises with National Guard troops.
Tanks showing up on main streets all over the country.
People being jailed for offenses from bad check writing to purse snatching.
Illegal spying on American citizens.
Military personnel being asked if they would be willing to fire on American citizens if necessary.
Smart meters being installed on houses against the wishes of property owners.

A police state is a state in which the government exerts extreme control over its citizens and maintains that control through surveillance, draconian laws and withholding rights such as the right to travel.

And again I ask, who says America isn't a police state?

It seems lately that not a day goes by when I don't read a story about American citizens all over the country that are "accidentally" killed by the local police for offenses such as public intoxication or from traffic stops gone awry.

The causes of this decline of America into a police state of course is the war on drugs and the war on terrorism. The government has whipped it citizens into a frenzy with their talk of the evils of drugs and put them into a state of fear due to terrorist attacks. The people are led to believe that they are being kept safe from those who commit evil acts like pot smokers. They are made to think that their government is protecting them from future terrorist attacks by monitoring their usage of electricity and frisking 3-year-olds in airports and bus terminals.

Our government has the majority of its citizens fooled.

I'm not fooled. Are you?

Once Upon a Time in America (5.10.13)

2013-05-10T10:23:00.000-05:00

On this day in American history in 1775, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Peyton Randolph, the speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses, was elected President of the Continental Congress.

The main result of this Congress was the creation of the Continental Army with George Washington as its commanding general. Up to this point, the colonial army had been composed of uncoordinated militia units.

Also noteworthy about this exact same day is that it was the day that Fort Ticonderoga was captured by Colonel Benedict Arnold of the Connecticut militia. This of course, was before he betrayed us and defected to the British Army.

Further Reading:

Second Continental Congress - Wikipedia article
Second Continental Congress - U.S. History
Second Continental Congress - History Channel

Limited Government, Voting and Activism

2013-05-09T15:05:00.002-05:00

"...government is not the solution to our problem; government IS the problem."
-- President Ronald Reagan, 1981
"...there's a role for government in education, innovation and job creation."
-- Barack Obama, 2013

These two different quotes from two different symbolize a clear distinction in ideology between those that are conservative and those that are liberal.

One reflects the ideology of limited government and the idea that government is NOT the solution to the problems facing our nation.

The other displays the philosophy that the government can do no wrong and that the government can solve all of our problems.

Which of these ideologies is correct?

I propose to you that the former is the most accurate.

I believe that if the Founding Fathers, when creating the basis for our nation’s system of government, wanted the government to be involved in the affairs of its people, specifically in the areas of education, health care, and economics/business, they would have chosen to give the federal government those powers. I believe that they would have included those areas of interest in the Constitution as being within the scope of the federal government.

However, they did not and this is why I believe that government should be severely limited in its reach.

The federal government, in my opinion, has two basic functions. Defend the country against foreign attack. Protect the life, liberty, and property of its citizens.

There are other powers enumerated to the federal government listed in the U.S. Constitution but these they all boil down to these two very basic functions.

Where did we go wrong? When the government first begin to get involved in matters outside its scope of enumerated powers and why?

While the historical context of when and why this happened is important, the important thing we have to ask ourselves is how do we reverse the course? Where do we begin? How can we return the government to its proper function?

The answer lies within the electorate. Those who are responsible for electing those that represent us in Congress have a power given to them that nobody should squander. This power should be taken seriously.

The right to vote is a very powerful right indeed. It must not be taken lightly. A person that exercises that right should not be incompetent. They should know why they are voting for the person they are voting for because the person that they are voting for can either continue the status quo and continue the nation on its path of big government and government control over their lives or they can reverse the course and bring this country back from the brink of disaster. Therefore, those who exercise their right to vote must act responsibly.

Sadly, the majority of Americans are more concerned with other facets of their lives and don’t have their obligation seriously.

It is up to us, those that are active in politics, to attempt to educate those that are not.

It is up to us to do the things that will matter in the long run. Whatever you do to inform and education people is up to you. Talk to friends. Start a blog. Start a newsletter. Start a newspaper. Start a radio show. Go door to door and discuss issues of the day with strangers. Run for office yourself. Whatever it is, just do something.

The future of our country is at stake and if you care enough about what is going on, it is up to you to make a difference.

No matter what you do or say, people are going to disagree with you. It is the nature of being involved in politics. There is no way around it. But that is no reason to throw in the towel and give it all up. Our country’s future and your children’s lives are too important to give up. So no matter how many people argue with you on your beliefs and no matter how many names you get called for believing in what you believe in, remember the reason that you got involved in this whole carnival to begin with.

There is a difference between those of us that are involved and those of us that are sitting at home watching reality programs. We care about what is going on in the country and we are willing to do something about it. But what are we willing to do about it besides remain politically active? It should be our job to bridge the gap between those of us that are involved and those of us that aren’t. It should be our job to not only voice our opinions and steer the course of our country back on track but also to inform and educate those who aren’t involved. It should be our job to get those who aren’t involved to be involved.

I can’t help but remember the lyrics to the chorus of a Rise Against song when I think of this. The song is called “Architects” and the chorus says:

”Do you still believe in all the things that you stood by before.
Are you out there on the front lines or at home keep score?
Do you care to be the layer of the bricks that seal your fate? Would you rather be the architect of what we might create?

Now granted, the writer of this song might not have had politics in mind when you wrote these lyrics but this is what I personally took away from this song.

Ironically, Rise Against is a band with leftist leanings but I digress.

In an attempt to conclude this rant that started in one place and has ended up in another, I guess what I am trying to say is that those of us that are politically active need to first and foremost hold our elected officials accountable and ensure that they are acting as responsible representatives and stand for what our beliefs, our idea of limiting the scope of the federal government and returning it to its core functions. Hold them accountable by calling and/or visiting their offices. Write them letters. Write them e-mails. Attend functions where they will be present. Whatever it is, make sure that they understand where you stand on the issues and that you are keeping an eye on them and their actions.

We need to ensure that our votes are being placed for candidates that are like-minded and believe in the issues that we believe in. We need to ensure our votes are going to candidates that believe that the government that governs less, governs best.

We need to make an effort to educate and inform the public as to why we feel the way we do and convince them to stay informed of what is going on with this country as well. Bring them into your fold. We must inspire them to get involved.

It is only with a large, educated electorate that we will be able to scale back the activities of the federal government and demand that they resume their original purpose.

Missouri Legislature Approves Ban of Agenda 21

2013-05-09T10:53:00.001-05:00

Grassroots activists around the country have been calling for a ban of the controversial Agenda 21 plan and Missouri is the latest state to answer the call.

A bill to ban Agenda was overwhelmingly approved in both houses of the Missouri State Legislature and now goes on to Governor Jay Nixon to approve. In fact, the effort is so popular in the legislature that the results are virtually veto-proof.

The bill states that:

"Neither the state of Missouri nor any political subdivision shall adopt or implement policy recommendations that deliberately or inadvertently infringe or restrict private property rights without due process, as may be required by policy recommendations originating in, or traceable to Agenda 21, adopted by the United Nations in 1992 at its Conference on Environment and Development...."

Essentially the bill aims to protect private property and due process rights.

Missouri is the 2nd state, after Alabama, to ban Agenda 21.

And where is the state of Oklahoma in this fight?

In March, the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed HB1412 67-12 in favor of the legislation. Unfortunately, the bill died in the Senate Energy Committee due to its chair, Sen. Cliff Branan's refusal to hear the bill, claiming the bill is based on conspiracy theory. Branan stated that it refers to "...a problem that doesn't exist at all."

Well, Sen. Branan, the problem doesn't exist yet but if you and the rest of the OK State Senate don't take any action against it, it will become a problem.

Further Reading:

Otter Limits - Politics 101: Agenda 21

New American - Missouri Legislature Bans UN Agenda 21

Huffinton Post - Missouri House Bans UN Sustainability Program

New American - Oklahoma House Passes Bill to Ban UN Agenda 21

Enid News - Oklahoma Panel Won't Hear Bill Banning Agenda 21 Plan

OHP Left Out To Dry In New Budget

2013-05-09T10:52:00.000-05:00

Anybody that knows me knows that I am a huge advocate for limited government and controlling the spending of the government.

I think that in many cases, most cases unfortunately, the government tends to spend way more than it needs to and it fails to provide its core functions because it is too involved in other areas of spending. Bottom line, government, and our state government is no exception, spends too much money on non-essential functions.

Raising the salaries for state troopers, however, I can support. Public safety IS a core function of the government and I believe that these men (and woman) that put their lives on the line for our safety everyday deserve to be rewarded for their diligence.

Why the state legislature and those that decided next year's budget are giving law enforcement and public safety the short end of the stick, I do not understand.

I believe that if our state legislature does not allow for salary increases for these brave men (and women) in favor of increasing spending in other areas, they are being poor stewards of the taxpayer's money.

Further Reading:

McCarville Report - Troopers State Case for Salary Increase

News 9 - Lack of Salary Increase in New Budget Deal Outrages OHP Troopers

Tulsa World - Some 100 OHP Troopers Ask Legislators To Reconsider a Pay Raise

Oklahoma Set to Spend...More?!?

2013-05-08T10:52:00.000-05:00

Forgive me if I'm wrong but isn't one of the tenets of being a conservative the idea of reducing government spending?

If that is the case, we must not have real conservatives in the Oklahoma Legislature because according to their recent budget proposal, government spending is set to INCREASE BY $250 MILLION!!!

And whats even worse than that is that House Democrats feel that the increase is "wholly inadequate." I am really trying hard to wrap my head around that. Our legislators and Governor want to spend over $200 million more in the new budget, which in and of itself is preposterous, but the Democrats think it's not enough?!?

How a legislature dominated by "conservatives" can increase spending is beyond me. Unless, of course, you come to the realization that I have in that our legislators, well, most of them anyway, are not nearly as conservative as they would like you to think they are. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that most of our legislators are only in office to line their own pockets and spend the taxpayer's money.

Look at the triumvirate of politicians we have that came up with this budget: Gov. Mary Fallin, brand-new Speaker of the House T.W. Shannon, and Senate President Pro Temp Brian Bingman. All of them are Republicans. All of them are so-called conservatives. But all of them want to the state government to spend more.

This is not conservative thinking.

I hope groups like OCPAC are paying attention to what's going on here. If Oklahoma's conservatives are okay with their politicians spending more of their money, then there is something seriously wrong in Oklahoma and with its conservatives.

I'm on to you people? I'm watching you very closely.

Further Reading:

Oklahoma Watchdog - OK Government Spending to Jump At Least $250 Million

Capitol Beat OK - Driven By Education and Health Care, OK Government Spending to Jump At Least $250 Million

Tulsa World - Oklahoma's Budget Agreement Has Winners and Losers

Gov. Fallin Pandering to OK State Chamber...Again

2013-05-07T10:51:00.001-05:00

Gov. Mary Fallin is bound and determined to get Obamacare implemented in some way, shape or form in Oklahoma and the introduction of a new Senate bill regarding Medicaid expansion is her latest ploy.

Although the people of Oklahoma have told her time and time again that they do not want Obamacare in Oklahoma, the threat of the withholding of campaign funds from the State Chamber has Queen Mary singing a different tune.

SB640 is being introduced by State Sen. Brian Crain and Rep. Doug Cox, both Republicans ironically.

The essence of the bill is to expand the Medicaid program in Oklahoma

Sen. Crain and Rep. Cox claim that this bill has nothing to do with Obamacare claiming that the federal funds will be redirected to private insurance. They obviously are naive as to where the money for this Medicaid expansion is coming from. It is coming from Obamacare money! The Affordable Care Act designates a certain amount of money to go to each state to expand their Medicaid program and those are the funds this bill seeks to use. Whether the money is redirected to private insurance or not, it's still Obamacare money!

I have been hearing this commercial lately on KTOK that I assume is being funded by the State Chamber since they are all for Obamacare. The jest of the commercial is that accepting money from the federal government so it can be spent on Oklahomans is something we can ALL agree on. Well, I have news for them. It is NOT something we can ALL agree on! I don't want any federal funds for health care. The federal government is not supposed to be involved in health care. It is not a core function of the federal government. Despite what the Supreme Court says, it is unconstitutional for the federal government to be involved in health care. So no, I don't want your federal funds and I don't agree with you.

You see, the reason why the State Chamber is so interested in these federal funds and why they are so interested in the implementation of Obamacare in Oklahoma is because they are representing the interests of the medical insurance community. They do not represent the interests of the voters. That is why the members of the State Chamber are not elected officials. Our Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Senators and State Representatives ARE elected officials and they are supposed to represent the wants and the needs of Oklahoma's voters, not the special interests like the State Chamber.

It is no secret that the State Chamber funds the campaigns of many of our elected officials but it is time that these elected officials do the job that they were elected to do and represent the people, NOT the special interests.

This means you too Gov. Fallin. So they won't contribute to your re-election campaign? so what! Have the guts to do what is right and run your re-election campaign on the issues rather than pander to the special interests.

2014 is coming very soon Governor and we are watching you very closely. Be warned.

Further Reading:

Oklahomans for Liberty - Gov. Fallin is pushing for Obamacare, Again!

Tulsa World - 2 State Lawmakers Work on New Health-Care Plan

Ovarian Cancer Has Its "Day"

2013-05-07T10:51:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, May 8, marks the first time that Ovarian Cancer gets its own day.

With most of the media attention focused on other types of cancer, such as, most notably, breast cancer, ovarian cancer has been widely overlooked.

Whether or not this World Ovarian Cancer Day gets any real media attention, I think it is about time that this dreadful disease gets its own day of focus.

This idea of ovarian cancer having its day, that is the goal of World Ovarian Cancer Day, is to first and foremost spread awareness about the disease.

This particular cancer hits a nerve with me personally. For those that don't know me too well, my first wife Jesica passed away from ovarian cancer at the age of 33 after having fought the disease for 4 years.

You can learn more about World Ovarian Cancer Day at the following websites:

World Ovarian Cancer Day Official Website
World Ovarian Cancer Day @ Causes.Org
World Ovarian Cancer Day on Facebook
World Ovarian Cancer Day on Twitter
World Ovarian Cancer Day on Pinterest

Missouri Senate Votes Against Federal Overreach

2013-05-07T10:50:00.000-05:00

Another state legislature has made a statement against the federal government's overreach of power. The most recent being the ObamaCare Nullification in SC State House.

This time it was the State Senate in Missouri. This past Thursday, that legislative body passed a bill the would block any federal action to infringe on their citizens right to keep and bear arms. The bill overwhelmingly passed with a 26-6 result. This bill had been previously passed by the Missouri State House.

The specifics of the bill indicate that it would deny the authority of the federal government to attempt to enforce any unconstitutional law that would "restrict or prohibit the manufacture, ownership, and use of firearms...within the borders of Missouri..."

The bill now goes back to the State House of Representatives since the Senate amended the original bill before passing it. After that, it goes to Governor Jay Nixon.

The tide against federal overreach of power seems to be turning toward states rights and the right to nullify any unconstitutional legislation.

The fact is, despite what one of our State Senators here in Oklahoma seems to think, that nullification is an option that a state can use. Whether it is an unconstitutional law regarding gun restrictions or an unconstitutional law regarding healthcare, nullification is the key to keeping the federal government out of the states' business.

This nation's government was conceived with the idea that the federal government would only have a small set of defined powers and everything else was to be left up to the states. That was the very reason that the Tenth Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution.

As stated in a recent New American article,

"Whenever the federal government assumes powers that the people did not grant it in the Constitution, its acts are..void...

Further reading:

New American - Missouri Senate Votes to Nullify Federal Gun Grab

Missouri House of Reps Passes Powerful Nullification of Federal Gun Grab

"By a vote of 115-41, state lawmakers approved the Second Amendment Preservation Act (HB 436) with nine Democrats crossing the aisle..."

States Introduce Legislation to Nullify Federal Gun Grab

Marvel Studios Releases A Dud In Iron Man 3

2013-05-06T10:50:00.000-05:00

*WARNING: THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW*

Sunday afternoon, I took my wife and kids to the theater to see the newest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man 3.

I am evidently one of the few people in the world that did not like this film.

To me the movie just did not deliver like a Marvel comic book movie should.

It seemed like there were some promising moments in the film that just did not keep their promises.

For instance...

**SPOILER ALERT!!**

The "lava men" were, in my opinion, less than desirable villains (as was the character that Guy Pearce played).

The introduction of the terrorist organization Advanced Idea Mechanics was a pure comic book geek moment but it went nowhere. It just ended up being the name of the business that the head villain (played by Guy Pearce) was the CEO of. Very disappointing.

The character of the Mandarin did not deliver anywhere close to what he should have been. Anyone who has ever read comics knows that the Mandarin is one of Iron Man's most important villains. This movie turned the character into a complete joke. That was beyond disappointing to me, it was comic book blasphemy.

The idea of Tony Stark having the shrapnel removed from his chest so that he can live a normal life. What?!? Why would they take away the one thing that the character's origin is based on? Why would they remove from the story that essentially makes Tony Stark Iron Man? Ridiculous.

Giving Pepper Potts super powers? C'mon, really? That was just preposterous. It wasn't necessary one bit.

Even the highly anticipated post-credits scene was below par.

And where was the AC/DC music? Gone. Completely gone. The first Iron Man had "Back in Black" and Iron Man 2 had, well, AC/DC did the entire soundtrack but "Shoot to Thrill" comes to mind. Iron Man, however, had a bunch of indie pop crap. Just sad.

**END OF SPOILERS**

On a more positive note, the movie did have a lot of action going on. I will say this for the movie, it wasn't dull, just disappointing in so many ways.

To me, Iron Man 3 was just so substandard and I can only hope that the next 3 Marvel movies (Thor: Dark World, Captain America: Winter Soldier and Avengers 2) don’t disappoint as much as this one did.

But see for yourself, you might like the film. Everybody else seems to.

13 Worst Comic Book Casting Choices

2013-05-04T14:55:00.000-05:00

Since I posted the Best Comic Book Casting Choices I figured I would round it out today and post what I think are the 13 Worst Comic Book Casting Choices.

Here they are listed in alphabetical order:

1. Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock/Daredevil
In my opinion, Ben Affleck has no business starring in a comic book movie.

2. Eric Bana as Bruce Banner/Hulk
This movie was cast horribly from top to bottom with only one exception, Sam Elliot as General Ross.

3. Nicholas Cage as Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider
Good actor but needs to stay away from comic book movies. He wouldn't fit any character. Stick to Thomas Gates in the National Treasure movies dude.

4. Jim Carey as Edward Nigma/Riddler
Ace Ventura as one of Batman's biggest nemesis? No way.

5. Chris O'Donnell as Dick Grayson/Robin
No comment needed here. He was just a terrible choice. I really don't like Chris O'Donnell in anything come to think of it.

6. Michael Clark Duncan as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin
This is not just because Duncan is black and Kingpin isn't. It worked when they changed the ethnicity of Nick Fury but they did that in the comic books first. Duncan just didn't fit the part to me.

7. Topher Grace as Eddie Brock/Venom
Scrawny little dude from That 70s Show as Venom. Get serious.

8. Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor
Gene Hackman is a great actor but he just didn't fit this part.

9. Tommy Lee Jones as Harvey Dent/Two-Face
Another great actor that was cast horribly. However, I think if this movie had been written and directed better, he might have made this work pretty well.

10. Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne/Batman
Of all of the casting choices for Batman, this one is the worst in my opinion. I like Val Kilmer. I like pretty much everything he has done. He just did not fit the part of either Bruce Wayne or Batman to me at all and trying to follow Michael Keaton didn't help him much.

11. Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man
Decent movies for the most part but Tobey just didn't do it for me as Peter Parker. For that matter, neither does this new guy, Andrew Garfield.

12. Julian McMahon as Victor Von Doom
Take one of the coolest villains of all time and turn he him in a whiny wussy? I don't think so.

13. Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze
Did Joel Schumacher ever even read the Batman comic books? I seriously doubt it with his casting choices.

Top 13 Comic Book Casting Choices

2013-05-04T14:11:00.000-05:00

To celebrate Free Comic Book Day today, here is a list of the best casting decisions that have been made for comic book movies of all-time. I have list listed in reverse order of preference. That is, the #1 spot is what I consider to be the best casting decision ever made for a comic book movie.

Here they are:

13. Michael Jai White as Al Simmons/Spawn

12. Hugo Weaving as V

11. J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson

10. Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor

9. Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle/Punisher

8. Terrance Howard as James Rhodes

7. Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/The Hulk

6. Heath Ledger as The Joker

5. Christopher Reeves as Clark Kent/Superman

4. Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

3. Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine

2. Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier

1. Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man

Once Upon a Time in America (5.4.13)

2013-05-04T10:48:00.000-05:00

On a more somber note....

On this day in American history in 1970, 4 students at Kent State University were killed by members of the Ohio National Guard.

A group of students had gathered at the university in Kent, Ohio that day to protest against President Nixon's invasion of Cambodia. These protests had been held on the campus since Friday May 1.

Ohio Governor James Rhodes had ordered the National Guard to the campus to keep the protests from becoming violent.

That morning, a Monday, nearly 2000 students gathered and began protesting while the National Guard troops moved into to disperse the students. First they tried tear gas but were unsuccessful because the wind blew the gas away from the crowds.

Just before 12:30 p.m. one of the troops, a Sgt. Myron Pryor began shooting at the crowds with his .45 pistol after which several troops began firing with their rifles.

According to the reports, the shooting lasted about 13 seconds.

When it was all over, 4 students were dead and 9 were wounded, including one that was paralyzed for life. The 4 killed were Allison Krause and Jeffrey Miller (who were actually involved in the protests themselves) and Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder (who were just walking from one class to another and were not involved in the protest at all).

It is sad to think that in this country, young people can be killed because they disagreed with the administration's policies.

Once Upon a Time in America (4.30.13)

2013-04-30T08:37:00.001-05:00

On this day in American history in 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as our nation's first President of the United States.

He took his oath of office in New York City at Federal Hall. The Federal Hall, located on Wall Street, was the first capitol building of the United States under the Constitution.

George Washington was not only the first elected President of the United States, but he was the only President that has been elected unanimously by the Electoral College.

Washington himself was not a member of any political party, in fact he despised them. Nonetheless, his advisors set up different political parties when they created factions among them.

He served only two terms, refusing to serve a third because he wanted to set a precedent that Presidents only service two terms.

Our nation's capitol is named after this great President, as is the state of Washington.

In his Farewell Address he stressed the importance of following the Constitution, the evils of political parties, and warned against meddling in foreign affairs, speaking on friendship with other nations but not involving the nation with "entangling" alliances.

Imagine how great this country would be if the current political environment actually followed his example.

Corporate Welfare Rears Its Ugly Head Again

2013-04-26T09:37:00.002-05:00

Corporate Welfare Rears Its Ugly Head Again

Originally published at www.otterlimits.us

Obama's Turn to Violate the Constitution...Again

2013-04-25T13:54:00.002-05:00

Remember that cyber security bill that passed the House last week? Remember how it hasn't gotten through the Senate yet?

Well, Congress be damned. Obama wanted it so he has side-stepped Congress once again.

Tuesday, he signed the Cybersecurity Executive Order.

This executive order allows intelligence to be gathered about American citizens from private firms such as social media sites (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc..) or telecommunications networks.

Privacy and civil liberty has taken a back seat in American politics.

So not only has the President violated the Fourth Amendment in that it has violated the privacy rights of American citizens, he also has violated the Constitution in that he has went around (or over) the heads of the legislative branch of our government.

I tend to wonder (even more often lately) if the sitting President has actually read and completely understands the United States Constitution because I do not think he does.

There is a reason our government was set up with 3 separate and distinct branches of government. It's called checks and balances. Without these checks and balances, the President would not be called the President. He would be a king or a dictator.

This President has repeatedly violates the foundations upon which this country were founded and has said on multiple occasions that he views the U.S. Constitution as a stumbling block to his own agenda.

The Founding Fathers set up our nation's government in such a way that no one branch of the government had too much power. But President Obama does not care.

Once again I will say that the sitting President is, in my opinion, the worst President this nation has ever had to face and something must be done to rid this country of this malevolent tyrant.

Impeachment anyone?

Top 4 Al Pacino Films

2013-04-25T10:48:00.001-05:00

Happy 72nd Al!

Here are his Top 4 films, listed in chronological order by year of release.

The Godfather Part 2 (1974)

Francis Ford Coppola directed this American crime film. It was, of course, the sequel to the 1972 Godfather film that Coppola also directed. Pacino starred as the head of the Corleone crime family, Michael Corleone. Also starring in this film were Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, and Talia Shire, among many others. Pacino was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for this film but lost to Art Carney for his role in Harry and Tonto.

Heat (1996)

Michael Mann directed this American crime film that was based on a 1989 TV-movie called L.A. Takedown. Pacino stars as Lt. Vincent Hanna. Other actors in this film included Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Wed Studi, Ted Levine, Natalie Portman, Hank Azaria, Henry Rollins, Tone Loc and Jeremy Piven.

Donnie Brasco (1997)

This biopic of an undercover FBI agent was directed by Mike Newell. Pacino stars as Lefty Ruggiero alongside Johnny Depp (who played the title role) and Michael Madsen.

Any Given Sunday (1999)

This sports drama was directed by Oliver Stone. Pacino plays Tony D'Amato, the head coach of the fictional football team that the film is about. It also starred Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quiad, James Woods, Jamie Foxx, LL Cool J, Aaron Eckhart, and Matthew Modine.

Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox Trailer

2013-04-24T14:06:00.002-05:00

This film will be released in July 2013. Looking forward to it.

Quote of the Day (4.23.13)

2013-04-23T14:04:00.000-05:00

"...government wasn't created to redistribute wealth, take control of people's lives, and meddle in their affairs. The true purpose of government is solely and completely the protection of rights...our Founders crafted a Constitution to establish a government with strictly limited powers."

-- John F. McManus, Changing Commands

NHL Roundup (4.22.13)

2013-04-22T16:55:00.003-05:00

EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

Atlantic Division
Pittsburgh
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
New Jersey
Philadelphia

Northeast Division
Boston
Montreal
Toronto
Ottawa
Buffalo

Southeast Division
Washington
Winnipeg
Carolina
Tampa Bay
Floria

WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

Central Division
Chicago
St. Louis
Columbus
Detroit
Nashville

Northwest Division
Vancouver
Minnesota
Calgary
Edmonton
Colorado

Pacific Division
Anaheim
Los Angeles
San Jose
Dallas
Phoenix

NHL STATS

Points Leaders
Crosby (Penguins) - 56
St. Louis (Lightning) - 55
Stamkos (Lightning) - 54

Goals Leaders
Ovechkin (Capitals) - 30
Stamkos (Lightning) - 28
Tavares (Islanders) - 26

Assists Leaders
St. Louis (Lightning) - 42
Crosby (Penguins) - 41
Backstrom (Capitals) - 39

Wins Leaders (Goalies)
Niemi (Sharks) - 23
Nabokov (Islanders) - 23
Lundqvist (Rangers) - 22
Backstrom (Wild) - 22
Fleury (Penguins) - 22

Saves Percentage Leaders (Goalies)
Anderson (Senators) - .944
Bobrovsky (Blue Jackets) - .930
Rask (Bruins) - .929

ESPN NHL POWER RANKINGS (Top 13)

Chicago Blackhawks
Pittsburgh Penguins
Vancouver Canucks
Los Angeles Kings
Anaheim Ducks
Washington Capitals
St. Louis Blues
San Jose Sharks
Boston Bruins
Montreal Canadiens
New York Islanders
Toronto Maple Leafs
New York Rangers