It’s called Election Day, and it’s happening right now.

If you’ve been engaged in any of the campouts across the nation, whether it be in front of a bronze bull or under a tree in Academy Park [...]]]> There’s an Occupy movement that all of you, particularly those who identify as “the 99%”, should partake in:

It’s called Election Day, and it’s happening right now.

If you’ve been engaged in any of the campouts across the nation, whether it be in front of a bronze bull or under a tree in Academy Park in dowtown Albany, then you owe it to yourself and your beliefs to be at your local polling place today. Because you can occupy whatever you want for however long you like, but if you’re not where you need to be when it matters, then what’s the damn point?

Make all the excuses you want – it’s an off year, there aren’t any federal elections, our gripe isn’t with our Mayors, these elections don’t matter. It’s all bunk. Democracy begins in your back yard. If you can’t be bothered to have a voice and take part in the most important elections – the ones that most directly affect your day to day life – then your quarrel should be with internal factors in addition to the 1%. Occupy the voting booth.

“In 2010 when I was deployed to Iraq, I had to lie about who I was because I’m a gay soldier and I didn’t want to lose my [...]]]> A small controversy erupted at the Fox News/Google GOP debate in Florida last week when a now openly gay soldier submitted a YouTube question to the panel.

“In 2010 when I was deployed to Iraq, I had to lie about who I was because I’m a gay soldier and I didn’t want to lose my job. My question is, under one of your Presidencies, do you intend to circumvent the progress that’s been made for gay and lesbian soldiers in the military?”

This was, notoriously, followed by a small portion of the live audience booing loudly with no small amount of derision and hostility.

What was more disconcerting to me, though, was Santorum’s response. Firstly, he did not acknowledge those very loud boos for an American soldier and did not chastise that very vocal group for their treatment of the man and his question, which for anyone with any semblance of decency should have been first and foremost on their agenda.

Instead, he began with this:

“I would say that any kind of sexual activity has no place in the military and the fact that they’re making it a point to include it as a provision and that we’re going to recognize a group of people and give them a special privilege to-and-deh-in removing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

The video, a little over two minutes in length, is below.

Okay, let’s back up.

Firstly, “any kind of sexual activity has no place in the military.” What exactly does this statement mean? What he wants to say is that sexual orientation has no place in the military. However, Santorum’s pathological bias against homosexuals can’t be hidden. He’s a guy that wears his feelings, and his insecurities, on his sleeve. Homosexuals are deviants. And they are a verb, not a noun, and that verb is a vile act.

The repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” provides soldiers with the ability to acknowledge that they are gay, particularly if they are confronted with it, without fear of retribution from superiors and peers in the military. Rick Santorum, however, seems to think that it means that not only will gay soldiers go around yelling about how gay they are all the damn time, but they’ll follow it up with “and now we will have butt sex in front of EVERYONE.”

I jest, but his phrasing is important because it betrays a very outdated and somewhat warped sense of what being a homosexual is: it’s not an orientation or who you are, but rather a fetish akin to someone who smells shoes or sucks toes. So for me, I wasn’t bothered by the booing, because it really was a small handful of cranks that were quickly shushed, and there were just as many others (if not more) in the audience  that applauded the soldier for his question and his bravery. What I was and continue to be bothered and deeply concerned by is not only Santorum’s nervous, blustery bigotry, but the undue sensitivity granted to him and his archaic world view by pundits and the general public. The mainstream media took a small handful of anonymous, boorish crowd members to task, but not the Presidential hopeful who champions the rhetoric.

Rick Santorum complained last week about the search engine Google and how it wasn’t doing anything to eliminate the horrible and offensive search results that come up when you enter his name as a query. I was curious, so I entered his name myself. The second entry is to his Wikipedia page, but the first entry was to Spreading Santorum, a site that lists the new definition of “Santorum” provided by a reader of gay columnist Dan Savage in response to Santorum’s description of pedophilia in priests as a “homosexual relationship.” I felt and do feel for him, and honestly wish Savage had never done it. It’s imbecilic and childish, and only lends the man the appearance of being a victim himself.

It also distracts from what I assumed he meant when he complained about offensive search results: all the terrible things he’s said and believes about gay people.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news,

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

In case you haven’t heard yet: Congressman Anthony Weiner (stop giggling) of New York’s 9th Congressional District created too many opportunities for bad jokes when he – or someone from his Twitter account – sent a shot of his crotch – or someone else who took a picture of Weiner’s crotch – and sent it to a 21-year-old college student.

After initially refusing to refute the allegations and saying people should move on, Weiner had a change of heart (re: a prominent member of the Party read him the riot act over the phone) started doing brief sit-down with reporters. One from MSNBC had the idea to ask him whether or not that was his crotch, which is surprising given the ineptitude at that network.

Weiner’s reply? He can’t say “with certitude” that it isn’t his crotch.

Firstly: how is a guy not able to recognize his own crotch? When I was North of 210 pounds, I rarely saw my nether-region from an upward view and might have had some trouble, but that was some years ago now and Weiner is not a chubby guy by any means.

Secondly: couldn’t Weiner have shown the class and restraint of his peers in Congress and put that junk on Craigslist instead?

Thirdly, and perhaps most damning and alarming: what kind of weirdo says “with certitude?”

Two weeks ago, I was at the Albany Comic Con and ran into my roommate. He was standing in front of a camera giving an interview for a forthcoming web series being produced by local independent filmmakers called “Super Knocked Up.” Without getting into too many details, it is about exactly what [...]]]>  

Geeks gather to discuss everything but foreign policy, trade, and all those other things that bring about world change and conflict. Photo courtesy the Albany Comic Con's official Facebook page at Facebook.com/AlbanyComicCon

Two weeks ago, I was at the Albany Comic Con and ran into my roommate. He was standing in front of a camera giving an interview for a forthcoming web series being produced by local independent filmmakers called “Super Knocked Up.” Without getting into too many details, it is about exactly what you think it is.

They asked him several questions pertaining to super-heroes for a promotional video they were putting together: what super-power would you most like to have, who is your favorite super-hero, what comic book movie are you most looking forward to, and other expected comic-related fare. About four questions in he was interrupted by Obi-Wan Kenobi, who needed to bypass the interview to get into his room (located in the courtyard holding the Convention).

Once Obi-Wan had retrieved whatever it was from his room that he needed so desperately (it wasn’t a lightsaber, that much is certain) the interview concluded. My roommate introduced me to the two conducting the interview, acquaintances of his, and asked if I’d like to help contribute. I said yes, gladly, because I never turn down an opportunity for self-promotion.

We conducted the same interview I had just overheard, pausing for Convention announcements and the occasional raffle drawing. Then came the final question.

“Why do geeks rule the world?”

“They don’t,” I replied.

The one holding the microphone raised his eyebrows in surprise. They clearly hadn’t had and didn’t expect anyone to challenge the presumption in their question that geeks, nerds, or whatever you would like to call them “ruled the world.” Why would they? We’ve been hearing for the better part of ten years that geeks rule the world, whether it be through geek chic, stories and editorials about the prevalence of the internet in our day to day lives, or phrases emanating from Madison Avenue. Going as far back as our childhood, adults would tell would-be bullies that they should be careful not to dismiss someone as a nerd or geek because “one day you’ll be calling him ‘sir’.”

But it’s all a great lie. The artificial boost to the geek’s self-esteem is not a salient truth, but rather a selling point. People in marketing realized during the internet boom that geeks are passionate about those things they can buy with income that may or may not be truly disposable, and as such will empty their pockets with no hesitation so long as they think they are being singularly catered to and are given the perception that what they say and do is important.

That doesn’t equate to geeks ruling the world. They have enough influence in mainstream culture to dictate norms to a degree, but only in the realms of entertainment and gadgetry. They aren’t catered to because there are so man yof them ,but rather the money they carelessly spend and the amount of energy and attention they pay to frivolous things essentially does the marketer’s jobs for them. Geeks are the alpha and omega; both consumer and walking advertisement.

To realize the absence of geeks in World rule one need only look at the news – and by news I mean hard real-world news and not internet sitse devoted to entertainment and/or gadgets – to realize that it’s not the geeks who are  steering the ship. In fact, they’re in the steerage doing all of the rowing while the businessmen that bullied them in high school crack the whips that drive them into a frenzy. Over the course of the last twenty years, we have been fed a lie as old as time itself through marketing and entertainment: that the geek shall one day inherit the Earth. The concept from which I derive the pun was itself developed as a means to keep the poorest in a society from becoming restless and too eager to usurp the inherited power structure. Thousands of years later, that approach is still used to maintain control over a slightly different segment of society. The difference is that the powers that be have fear of the poor if they get unruly. Not so with the geeks, for the only unrest they exhibit is over postponements in release dates and minor glitches in technology.

And so the geek who was bullied and told that one day they would turn it around and control the course of events is every bit as powerless, except now the bullying has transformed into the encouragement of self-delusion. Geeks are the engineers that develop the gadgets and technological advances that drive those in power further up corporate and political ladders, but one doesn’t come across them except as anomalies such as Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. Even then, they’re at the top of a mountain of tech, but they simply develop the tech and tools used by those that run the world. Bill Gates doesn’t hold the sway in Washington that, say, an oil or tobacco executive does. Guys like Gates that are held up as the high geek standard are very rich engineers, and only become power brokers if the phrase “anti-trust” appears in the docket (a rarity). They may do a lot of good with donations and charity work, but do not control policy in any real or tangible way.

My response to the producers of “Super Knocked Up” was not nearly as long-winded as what you just read, but it did hit upon all the major points. After I’d finished, the man behind the camera nodded his head and smiled.

“That was great,” he said, as he and his companion thanked me for destroying the premise of their culminating question and telling them that they do not rule the world. They seemed grateful to have the perceived weight of responsibility taken off their shoulders.

“You’re welcome,” I said asI retrieved my things.

We made some small talk and I departed to spend the rest of my afternoon perusing the Convention floor. I watched grown men dicker over the price of action figures, heated discussions about the importance of decades of confusing continuity for comic book characters, and a legend that had once inked the great Jack Kirby receive thanks from fans from all walks of life that were born well after he had retired from the industry. It was truly touching and it brought a smile to my face. You just don’t see that sort of pure joy, apprecaition, and celebratory ambience on the floor of the United Nations.

Geeks don’t rule the world, and it’s the world’s loss.

Well…kind of.

Actually, Donald Trump doesn’t want to be President. Donald Trump [...]]]>

Image via Wikipedia

Entertainment headlines the last several weeks have been dominated by Donald Trump’s speculated Presidential bid. Trump has been everything from a bankrupt billionaire to a morally bankrupt reality television show host, and now he wants to be your next President of the United States.

Well…kind of.

Actually, Donald Trump doesn’t want to be President. Donald Trump isn’t the man who spoke before the CPAC Conference recently and was heckled by the Tea Party portion of the crowd. Donald Trump isn’t the guy who’s been making the rounds talking up his potential Presidential bid and suggesting he may run as an Independent instead of as a Republican. Donald Trump isn’t the one saying he doesn’t believe Obama was born in the United States (even though he totally was). Donald Trump didn’t recently call Bush the “worst President in history,” further polarizing himself amongst other GOP Presidential hopefuls.

That was television character The Donald.

We’re coming out of a decade where reality television dominated the landscape. Fortunately (for us), that era is coming to an end. The popularity of these shows is no longer guaranteed; slumping ratings for key shows and the embarrassingly low attendance at the recent Reality Rocks! Expo in Los Angeles are further proof that television is trending away from cheap voyeur programming. However, despite the sharp decline in popularity, it has left in its wake a permanent legacy: people knowingly portraying caricatures of themselves for the sake of entertainment or, more often, self-promotion.

The Donald from New York, like The Situation from the Jersey Shore, isn’t the same guy in front of a camera that he would be if you were to meet him in private. It’s a version of the real person with the volume turned up, along with a handful of personality traits created during the course of a television series. Although he made a name for himself initially in Real Estate, Trump has co-opted a method perfected by a new type of celebrity that is famous simply for being famous rather than any particular talent.

It’s not just his portrayal of The Donald  persona in public appearances that has me skeptical of a Presidential run. It’s also the timing. Talk of his running started in early March, the same time NBC was premiering the latest season of “Celebrity Apprentice.” Now he’s stated he’ll make his official decision in June…after the conclusion of the current season and the announcement of next season’s contestants.

In the meantime, the speculation will continue and more questions will be asked by everyone from Wolf Blitzer in his ominous Situation Room (which sadly is not located anywhere near the Jersey Shore) to Mario Lopez on the set of “Access Hollywood.” Will he run as a Republican or an Independent? Will he “Ross Perot” the GOP ticket, a reference to the theory that Clinton’s 1992 victory was the direct result of a split created amongst Conservatives by Perot’s candidacy? If so, is he really a Democratic plant  (I could have sworn during the 90s he even publicly identified himself as such)? Will he continue to surge in the polls?

No, because The Donald will tell us in June that he’s decided not to run. He will call politics a nasty business and infer that personal attacks against his character have come in conflict with his duties as a businessman. He’ll also note that he ultimately decided his life’s work as a businessman and media mogul was more important. Then he’ll wrap up by alluding to a conspiracy to force him out of the race.

The real reason, however, will be that The Donald can’t run because he – not Obama – isn’t a citizen of the United States. You have to be a real person to meet that criteria.