Marc Perkel Rantz

Why is Mel Gibson a big deal?

Mel Gibson was drunk and he said some things - so what? People says stupid things when they are drunk. No sane person should take the words of a drunk seriously. So what if he said that the "The fucking Jews were responsible for all the wars in the world." I'm more offended with his drunk driving than what he said while drunk. I think they should give him 4 weekends in jail and pull his drivers license for a year.

Does Israel have any special right to exist?

Letter to the Editor

A lot of people have been talking about Israel's right to exist as if Israel has some special rights that other countries don't have. Israel has no more of a right to exist than any other country in the world has. There is nothing special about Israel as compared to any other country in the world. Nor is there anything special about the rights of Jews as compared to any other religion. Judaism like Islam and Christianity is just another religion. Lebanon has the same right to exists as Israel does. The right to exist is an earned right and it is based on a country's ability to respect the rights of others and to work towards peace and oppose war.

Open Source Software Quality Problems

I love open source software and have contributed to the development of several projects. But open source has a down side in that there are no customers to answer to - and that creates an environment where bugs go unfixed and necessary features go un added. After all, how much can you pressure someone who is programming for free?

Case in point. I love Firefox but I'm finding myself having to use IE more because Firefox is broken. It's been broken ever since Version 1.5 and now 5 releases later - still broken. The problem - it stopped recognizing the URL refresh tag in the header that allows web pages to redirect you to other web pages. So when I go to my online bank account I have to use IE to log in. I've left bug reports as well as seeing those of others with the same problem - but the issue isn't getting fixed.

Second case, the Apache web server - the most powerful and widely used web server on the planet. I just upgraded to version 2.2 from 2.0 and mod speling no longer works. It used to make URLs case insensitive but if the path doesn't match then the URL breaks. It used to work but now it doesn't.

You would think that the Apache and Linux community would finally figure out how to make a file system case insensitive but after 15 years Linux has yet to catch up with DOS/Windows who have had case insensitivity working since 1981.

The problem is what I call VI conscientiousness. It's a mindset caused by brain damage as a result of using the Unix vi editor. Vi is an editor that is so bad that I refuse to learn it. It causes permanent brain damage and makes people think that a files named "moron" and "Moron" should be two different files. And it's the same mindset that makes programmers not give a damn about software quality. And thats why Firefox and Apache are broken and Linux is still stuck in the case sensitive file system mode.

Has Bill Clinton switched to the Dark Side of the Force?

It almost reminds me of the Star Wars movies where Luke Skywalker is slowly transformed from a Jedi knight into the evil Darth Vader. Has Bill Clinton given in to the dark side of the force? After 5 years of deafening silence and political neutrality Bill Clinton has emerged to actively endorse Bush's strongest supporter in the Democratic party, Joe Lieberman. Joe Lieberman is a right wing pro war Zionist who the Democrats are actively trying to get rid of. Clinton has been silent on the war in Iraq, silent on the destruction of the economy, silent on Bush's corruption and abuse of power, silent on domestic spying, silent where people should speak out.

I have been uncomfortable for some time with the Clinton/Bush love fest but now I'm really uncomfortable with Bill Clinton. I don't know if Clinton's endorsement is going to help Lieberman but I can tell you that it definitely hurts my opinion of him. I'm not sure I want Clinton back if he's switched sides. I am really really really really disappointed with Clinton right now.

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Clinton is urging voters to put their opposition to the war aside when they vote. BULL SHIT! Voting is the only real way we have to oppose the war. This is not the time to put our opposition asside. A vote against those who support the war is a vote against Bush and the war.

Is Bush behind Israel's Invasion of Lebanon?

People are wondering if Bush is behind Israel's invasion of Lebanon. Why would people wonder that? Perhaps it's their plan. Israel is going to bomb Lebanon into loving Israel. Kind of sounds like Bush's plan for Iraq where victory is defined as defeating the people who we are there to liberate. When you see a country with a really bad idea looking for any excuse to start a war and everything about it is wrong and dishonest, that's the Bush style of making decisions. I think Bush was trying to use Israel to start a proxy war with Iran and Syria and has failed to do it. All it's doing is making America and Israel weaker.

What if Israel bombed frozen embryos?

Letter to the Editor

What will it take to get Bush to ask Israel to stop destroying Lebanon? Maybe if Israel bombs a fertility clinic and kills some frozen embryos - maybe only then we can get Bush to ask Israel for a cease fire.

What if Israelis Kill Americans?

Letter to the Editor

What if Israelis start killing Americans? It could easily happen because Americans are also pinned down by Israel's discriminate attacks. If Israelis kill Americans then who's side are we supposed to be on? I can't accept that Israeli lives are more important than American lives or the rights of Israelis are superior to ours. If Americans in Lebanon are killed by Israelis then Americans have the right to defend themselves.

CNN / Fox News want World War 3

These so called news organizations sound like Christian Neocons praying for the end of the world. They are reporting news in a way as if World War 3 is inevitable. In their minds Hezbollah is already over hear waiting to attackj America. It's an election year and they are trotting out the boggie man for the Republicans.

Church of Reality Denounces Israeli Attack on lebanon

PRESS RELEASE:
Contact: Marc Perkel - marc@perkel.com
Date: 07-19-2006
Title: Church of Reality denounces Israeli Invasion of Lebanon

Marc Perkel - founder of the Church of Reality has today issued and edict condemning the Israeli invasion. "Israel has gone insane." say Marc Perkel who was raised Jewish and now stand is shock at what he is witnessing in Lebanon. "This invasion is absolutely unjustified - it is wrong. Israel destroyed the sovereign nation of Lebanon, a newly formed western style democracy who would be the kind of nation that would have been Israel's friend. Israel destroyed their roads, their airports, their ports, their power plants, and indiscriminately bombing civilian cities killing hundreds of innocent people far from the southern border. Lebanon is not Hezbollah and Hezbollah is not Lebanon. Israel is destroying the wrong enemy. Israel is destroying its own standing in the world community"

"This is unproductive in that by launching an unjust war Israel has empowered its enemies showing that Israelis are terrorists too. Israel can not win the peace by mass slaughtering innocent people and destroying a neighboring nation in an unprovoked attack. Israel has given Islamic terrorists a new tool for recruiting assassins to kill not only Israelis, but citizens from the rest of the civilized world. Israel has put world peace at risk and this attack is an attack against civilization itself."

The Church of Reality asserts that Israel is not above international law and it should have gone to the United Nations first to get a consensus of the world community and acted along with other nations in a coordinated and well thought our response. "To start a war over the kidnapping of two people is just plain wrong. You don't kill hundreds to save two. That's crazy!"

Details of the Church of Reality's position can be found here.

http://www.churchofreality.org/wisdom/current_event_edicts/

The Enemy is who?

Letter to the Editor

America is trying hard to get Americans out of Lebanon so that American's aren't killed by enemy forces who are attacking. Who are these forces who Americans are running from? Israelis? But I thought Israel was our friend. I'm so confused.

Israel Squandering Good Will

Letter to the Editor

In 1947 the world community gave Israel to the Jewish community in sympathy for the holocaust. For the last 60 years Israel has been considered a good member of the civilized world for the most part who only went to war when it had to and after it had been attacked. But this new war is different and unjustified. A nation doesn't start a war over 2 hostages. If we started a war every time a few hostages were captured the entire planet would always be at war.

The people of the world like to stand with the country that is morally right. We want to support the "good guys" in any conflict. In this case however Israel is not the good guys and some of the people they are attacking are not the bad guys. Israel has shown an arrogance and an indifference towards the lives of civilians including its own citizens and have brought war to the world community, as if we need more of that. I used to think that a Jewish state was a good idea but now I realize that any time any nation falls under control of a religion that they become war like and irrational. Israel may win the battles but they are losing the support of the world and in the long run they might find themselves shunned and isolated. I believe that there is a price for an unjust war and I don't think Israel understands the true cost of their poor judgment.

My God vs. Your God - Atheist Challenges Believers to Put Up or Shut Up

Letter to the Editor

Now that Israel and Lebanon are in yet another religious war it makes me wonder how do we resolve the "my God is stronger than your God" wars. All I see is Jews, Muslims, and Christians all fighting over who God gave property to. Maybe it's time to put it to the test. Let us have a contest to resolve the issue once and for all as to what God's will is.

We will pick a specific day and on that day every religious person in the world will pray at the same time for a miracle that will happen in a specific place at a specific time to get God to reveal who owns the holy lands. God will then create a miracle to indicate the winner who would then get the holy land for all time. If God doesn't show up however then the holy land would go to the Atheists. So that would give God some incentive to show up, unless God wants the Atheists to win.

As an Atheist I'd be willing to accept the challenge because I have "faith" that we would win. So I say to believers, do you have enough faith to accept this challenge? If not - why not? Let's put the decision in God's hands and put an end to religious wars in the Middle East.

PS. If we Realists win then we'll rename Israel to Is-real.

I'm tired of CNN/Lou Dobbs racist let's hate the wetbacks bullshit

TV news is becoming totally worthless. Case in point CNN. It's the let's hate the wet backs channel. There's two kinds of people, us and them, and we need to build a wall to keep them out. As if illegal immigrants is a serious issue as compared the the Iraq Occupation that CNN helped sell. There's just no point in tuning in anymore because hating hispanics is all they talk about and I'm not into hating hispanics. Mexicans are generally hard working law abiding citizens and they deserve respect. Shame on CNN.

Bush no longer hunts for his buddy Osama

Letter to the Editor

Is it any surprise that the CIA has disbanded the unit that is hunting for Osama bin Laden? After all, he's Bush's buddy. The Bush's and the bin Laden families are business partners in the Carlyle Group. Osama appeared on television 3 days before the election to help Bush win a second term. And after 9-11 the only plane in the air after the attack was a plane taking the bin Laden family back to Saudi Arabia. Osama is the Republican's boogie man and they pull him out every time they take away more of our freedoms. The "war on terrorism" is a fraud. If we aren't going after bin Laden then we aren't going after terrorism.

Is Ken Lay really Dead?

Or is this an elaborate hoax? This guy has enough money and connections to fake his death as a way to get out of prison. Lets watch and see if there's anything funny at the funeral. I think that he's living on Bush's ranch with Osama bin Laden.

Today I wish I weren't an Atheist

I wish I weren't an Atheist today because Ken Lay died. If I weren't an Atheist I could have the satisfaction of believing he was in Hell right now paying for all the hell he caused in this world. but unfortunately he got away with it. I was looking forward to him spending some time in prison.

America no longer world leader

Letter to the Editor

Fortunately for the world North Korea's missile test was a failure. The problem however is that the United States is powerless to do anything about it. In the past America was a trusted nation in the world community that had the power to bring nations together and create a unified world consensus as to what to do about the world's crazy leaders. But that is no longer the case. America no longer has a trusted status in the world community because of our crazy leader.

In 2003 America invaded and occupied Iraq without the support and agreement of the world. In an act of defiance against United Nations authority we showed the world that we can do whatever we want. Then we started setting up secret prisons to torture people and declared that America will not follow the Geneva Conventions and honor international treaties that we have agreed to. Because of this America no longer has the trust of the world community and can not lead the would like it once had.

So now when we come crawling back to the United Nations calling for resolutions regarding nuclear proliferation we are neither respected nor trusted. We are in fact seen in the same light as Iran and North Korea as a nation with bombs that is out of control. There is a price to pay for thumbing our noses at the world community and we are now paying that price. Our military is overextended, our economy is weak, and no one likes us anymore.