Category Archives: Scum Of The Week

South Dakota Redneck fined $85,000 for Killing Whooping Crane

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Terry| 10 Comments
Whooping Crane - Grus americana

Hey...rednecks....does this LOOK like a pheasant or a duck to you? No? Then perhaps you can control yourselves before pulling the trigger next time you see one. Save yourself $85,000....

Well, now I know why I’ve gotten several emails and attempted blog posts from enraged South Dakota rednecks in the last day.  One of their fellow rednecks, Jeff Blachford of Miller, South Dakota, has been fined $85,000 for killing a Whooping Crane last year.

Some brilliant logic from these folks though on why it’s perfectly fine to go out and shoot one of the most endangered birds in the world.  My favorite…the idiot that posted this morning saying that Whooping Crane “mortality rates are high because of natural causes…they just can’t get off the ground fast enough” to  get away from predators (or South Dakota rednecks with guns?).  Brilliant.  They’ve somehow survived for thousands of years despite this “handicap” of not being able to “get off the ground fast enough”.

Surprising, this brilliant person may be the intellectual giant of Miller, given some of the other emails and attempted posts I’ve gotten.  I’m surprised some of these folks are able to log on to a computer and actually produce a message of any kind.

I hope an $85,000 fine has taught you a lesson, Mr. Blachford.  I hope the rest of the Miller redneck crowd realizes how incredibly small and insignificant they are (we all are) in the big scheme of things, and that YES, wiping a species off the face of the earth IS a big deal.

This is South Dakota.  Given the “culture” ( hesitate to use that word here) of the state, you’re allowed to blast away at practically anything that moves.  However, the next time you see an enormous white bird and you don’t know what it is, perhaps you’ll now pause before actually pulling the trigger.  In the meantime, I think I’ll bestow the coveted “scum of the week” award to Mr. Blachford, and to all of the redneck “supporters” who have tried to email or post.

Posted in Birding, Birds, Environmental Awareness, Scum Of The Week

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NOT cool, Google! Google Stealing Online Photos

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Terry| 57 Comments

NOT COOL, GOOGLE!!!

Traffic on my photography and birding website has been very consistent over the last several years.  Suddenly, in the last 3 days, traffic has plummeted by 40%.  Looking at incoming traffic to my website, the reason is obvious…traffic from Google’s “Image Search” is dramatically down.  People searching for photographs on Google through Google’s “Image Search” are no longer actually reaching my website.

Google Image Search - Example

This is what happens now when a web searcher uses Google's Image Search. This is MY Gyrfalcon photograph, in full-resolution, displayed in all it's glory, not on MY website, but on Google's Image Search. Google searchers can now actually DOWNLOAD and save photographs and images, WITHOUT ever actually visiting the website where the images are hosted. NOT COOL GOOGLE.

The reason?  This week, Google changed their Image Search pages.  At first, the Image Search looks the same.   You type in a search term and a long gallery of thumbnail images appears. However, now, when you click on a thumbnail image, it no longer takes you to the webpage where that photo is found.  Instead, it now actually BRINGS UP THE FULL-RESOLUTION PHOTO for people to look at.  You can now actually DOWNLOAD an image directly from Google’s Image Search, WITHOUT EVER VISITING THE WEBSITE ITSELF!!!

For example, let’s say someone is looking for a photo of a Gyrfalcon.  They type in Gyrfalcon, and one of my images appears right in the top row of the Google Image Search page, as one of the thumbnail images.  However, now, when a user clicks on the thumbnail of my photo, Google’s Image Search actually brings up the original photograph, WITHOUT taking the user to my website!! There’s a VERY tiny message at the bottom, barely noticeable, that says “the image may be subject to copyright”, but a user can simply right-click and save the Gyrfalcon picture directly to their hard drive, without visiting my website.

Search Traffic

Traffic to my main website from Google searches over the last 2 weeks. Note what's happened since January 25th, the day Google started STEALING PEOPLE'S IMAGES and displaying them on their OWN Google pages. Traffic from Google is now down 75% and just keeps dropping. No reason for people to continue to the actual SOURCE website where a photo comes from, when Google TAKES your image and displays it on their own pages.

You are crossing a line, Google.  You’re providing a search service, pure and simple.  In NO WAY should you be allowed to actually DISTRIBUTE THE CONTENTS OF OTHER PEOPLE’S WEBSITES!!! Webmasters around the world are complaining of dramatic drops in traffic to their websites, especially websites devoted to imagery and photography.  With Google now DIRECTLY displaying and allowing download of full-resolution imagery, web searchers are simply looking at full-resolution images on Google itself, without visiting the source websites.

NOT COOL, GOOGLE. I have no doubt there will be a legal challenge here, as I simply can’t understand the legality of Google itself effectively distributing CONTENT from other people’s websites.

Posted in Scum Of The Week, Uncategorized

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Scum of the Week – Paul Broun

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Terry| 1 Comment
Paul Broun

Can't we have a simple IQ test before allowing idiots like Paul Broun to run for office?

And people wonder why science in the United States is on the decline…

Republican (did I even need to say that?) Congressman Paul Broun was shown in a video this week, saying “All that stuff I was taught about evolution, embryology, the Big Bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of hell“.  He goes on to say that the ”earth is but 9,000 years old“.  It’s bad enough that a sitting U.S. Congressman is so incredibly stupid that he would talk like this.  One would HOPE that the political leaders in the U.S. weren’t complete idiots (OK…take a moment and collect yourself until you stop laughing, since obviously many of them are dumber than a stick).

But what’s absolutely dangerous is that this idiot is on the House Committee for Science, Space, and Technology.  A sitting congressman who has a large say in the direction of science and technology policy and funding in the U.S., and he’s a bible-thumpin’ wacko who believes the earth is 9,000 years old.

That should scare the hell out of people.  It’s already been abundantly clear in recent years that conservatives have completely abandoned logic, have completely abandoned science, and frankly, have completely abandoned sanity.

Rep. Broun…you are the recipient of a WELL deserved “Scum of the week” award.

Posted in Evolution/Creationism, Politics, Scientific Awareness, Scum Of The Week

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Voting for Romney? Consider what CEOs and Massachusetts Citizens Think

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Terry| 2 Comments
David Siegel - Westgate Resorts CEO

David Siegel, CEO of Westgate Resorts, is doing OK. He's building the largest home in the United States. His company has 40% more employees now than shortly after the recession began. But yet he's threatening his employees that a Obama reelection would mean many would lose their jobs.

David Siegel, CEO of Westgate Resorts, made some waves in the news this week when it was discovered he sent an email to his 7,000 employees, telling them that their jobs were in jeopardy if Obama were reelected.  According to Mr. Siegel, “The economy doesn’t pose a threat to your jobs.  What does threaten your job, however, is another 4 years of the same Presidential administration”. According to Siegel, a Obama reelection would doom his company and force them to make job cuts.  It’s a rather interesting conclusion by Siegel, given that his company has expanded hiring significantly in the last few years with Obama as president.  His company dropped to fewer than 5,000 employees after the financial crisis, but has expanded by 40% since then…with Obama as president.

I love the doom and gloom from those on the right, who try to scare the ignorant American voter (roughly, oh, 90% of American voters qualify as ignorant, including voters from both the left and right).  Some way, somehow, we’ve survived 3 1/2 years under Obama without a complete collapse of the country.  Somehow under Obama, we’ve pulled out of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.  But for folks like Siegel and other who use scare tactics, it’s the NEXT four years where the “real” Obama will magically emerge and lead us into ruin.

Of course under Obama, for folks like Siegel, “ruin” has meant a mending economy an an expansion of corporate profits.  Under Obama, Mr. Siegel has managed to BARELY eke out a working wage…he’s now building the largest private home in the United States.  I’d say he’s doing OK.  But for the uber-rich, it’s not enough.  They want Romney, and policies that are even MORE skewed to benefit the rich and powerful.

So what does the average, INFORMED citizen think of Romney?  Who better to ask than the citizens of Massachusetts, who had the “pleasure” of having Romney as their governor.  Shortly after being elected, Romney had an approval rating of over 60% in Massachusetts.  By the time he left office?  Romney had a miserable 34% approval rating.  The citizens of Massachusetts personally experienced life under a Romney administration. And by a 2-to-1 margin, they disapproved of the man and his performance.

So…how are you going to vote?  Are you a CEO?  Well good for you…you can follow the example of CEO Siegel and vote for Romney.  While you’re at it, go ahead and threaten your employees’ about their jobs, should they vote for Obama.  After all, in America, the ONLY thing that matters is keeping the uber-rich happy.

Alternatively…perhaps you’d rather trust the opinions of the Massachusetts citizens who LIVED under Romney.  What presidential candidate, what former governor, has EVER lost his home state by as much as Romney is poised to lose Massachusetts to Obama?  What does that say about the man, when those who know him best resoundingly reject the man as a capable political leader?

Who are you going to believe? The uber-rich CEO?  Or the people of Massachusetts?

Posted in Politics, Scum Of The Week

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Miller, South Dakota – Redneck Capital of America?

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Terry| Leave a comment

I do believe we have a winner.  Miller, South Dakota.  I can think of no other place that seemingly has as many rednecks.  Congratulations Miller, it’s an award that is WELL deserved. You are the first TOWN to receive the coveted “Scum of the week” award.

You see, several months ago, I blogged about the rednecks that shot and killed a Whooping Crane outside of Miller.  Other than my blogging about the Sioux Falls gun nuts who think people should be allowed to openly carry firearms anywhere they want in the city, no other topic has received as many attempted responses.

I say ATTEMPTED responses, because nearly all of them have gone directly to the trash bin without seeing the light of day, given the blog filters I have in place.  Even if I did relax the blog filters and allowed all the posts that said “fuck” every other word, it would be questionable whether any of my blog readers would be able to “enjoy” the posts anyway, given that most of them are incomprehensible gibberish.

With 3 more attempted responses by Miller rednecks in the last 2 days, I think there can be no doubt who this week’s winner of the “Scum of the Week” is.  Miller, South Dakota!  Come on down!!  Your whole TOWN is this week’s “Scum of the week”.

OK, to be fair…I’ve never been to Miller, South Dakota.  I can’t imagine EVER going to Miller, South Dakota, and this is from a guy who lives in South Dakota.  To be fair, I’m sure that most people in Miller are good, upstanding, very nice South Dakotans.

But given the volume of attempted posts from redneck Millerites who are DEFENDING the losers who shot the Whooping Crane?  I apologize to the “good” Miller citizens, but the losers in your community have put a black stain across your entire town.

Posted in Scum Of The Week

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Scum of the Week – Mike Turzai

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Terry| 1 Comment

A quick shout out to this week’s “Scum of the Week”, a guy I’m sure nobody has heard of, Mike Turzai, a state House Republican (of course) from Pennsylvania.  In comments this week, Turzai was talking about “accomplishments” for the state house, and touted the passing of “Voter ID, which is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania.”

The man is scum, but he’s HONEST scum, unlike the rest of the Republican party who are pushing for over-the-top voter ID laws to combat “Voter Fraud”.  THIS, despite studies and evidence showing there IS no meaningful voter fraud in the U.S.  Turzai was just stating the obvious, the real reason Republicans are pushing voter ID laws…these laws have been shown to depress voting from the poor and minorities who tend to overwhelmingly vote Democratic.  As this story from the NY Times notes, a federal panel studied the issue and found NO evidence for any significant voter fraud in the last election…but then Republicans complained and “revised” the report, changing the conclusion that voter fraud wasn’t an issue, and instead reporting that it was “open to debate”.

In the last presidential election, there were stories of “robo-calls” to minority voters, telling them they will be forced to prove detailed citizen paperwork before they could vote.  In the Wisconsin recall vote for Gov. Walker, Democratic voters who signed the petition to get the recall vote on the ballot received robocalls telling them they didn’t need to come in and vote, because their vote was recorded by the petition.  What does it say about the Republican Party platform and election strategy when a key component seems to be trying to PREVENT people from voting?  Given their complete lack of support for anyone who doesn’t make over $200,000 a year, I guess it’s not a surprise that the only voting bloc they WANT to vote in elections are rich, Christian white men.

In some ways, I feel guilty about giving Turzai the “Scum of the Week” award.  HE’S the only one who has been honest about the true Republican strategy.

Posted in Politics, Scum Of The Week

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Outdoor “Sportsmen”…you are on my $hit list

Posted on June 24, 2012 by Terry| Leave a comment
White bass

White Bass, scourge of South Dakota fishermen who only want to catch walleye! At least that's what the "sportsmen" on the Missouri River were acting like this morning.

I’ve had a number of posts in the past about experiences I’ve had when I’m out taking photos, or fishing, or hiking, when I’ve run across some idiot “sportsman” who is doing something like blasting away at every living thing they see, taking over their limit, etc.  I’ve generally been pretty careful when I post about something like that, saying things like “I realize most hunters, fishermen, etc. are conscientious and respect and try to protect the resource”.

Well, to that, I say bull$hit.  Every time I go out, I swear to god there’s some bozo who personifies what being an outdoor sportsman is NOT about.  Today I went fishing on the Missouri River below Oahe Dam.  It’s one of my favorite spots, with crystal clear, cold water coming through the dam from Lake Oahe.  The words “crystal clear” and “water” are NEVER used in the same sentence in South Dakota, as most rivers and ponds around here have a visibility of about 2 inches.  This is certainly a welcome difference, and it is a wonderful place to fish.

Wonderful place to fish means…lots of fishermen, at least by the standards of sparsely populated South Dakota.   And of course, lots of fishermen, means a LOT of “sportsmen” who seem hell-bent on trashing the place or breaking the rules just to ensure THEY get their limit of fish to bring home.  This morning, I got there and walked down to the water, dodging beer cans, old bait containers, and discarded fishing line as I went.  One thing I ALWAYS do when I go fishing…I end up bringing back more than I went with, and I’m not talking fish.  I made a point of picking up some of the garbage in my vicinity, and started fishing.

It was wonderful!  In about 3 hours of fishing, I caught about 20 fish, BIG fish for their kind, fish that put up a hell of a fight.  The problem?  This is South Dakota!  There IS no “fish” that matters to about 85% of fishermen, other than walleye.  Have you ever caught a walleye?  They fight like a limp noodle, even the big ones.  But they’re tasty!  And filling the freezer, harvesting as many as you can (legally, or illegally in many cases) seems to be “the” mode of fishing around here.  Back to the “problem”…I didn’t catch a single walleye this morning, which actually shocked me.  19 of the 20 fish I caught were White Bass…BIG white bass, very fat and happy, averaging about 14 inches, with a few that were absolute monsters for the species.

In that fast current below the dam, a big white bass puts up a hell of a fight.  You certainly KNOW when it’s a white bass that hits, rather than a walleye.  I had a blast.  I didn’t keep any fish today, but I do keep White Bass to eat sometimes.  To me, they’re every bit as good as walleye, once you strip this one dark strip of meat out and keep the white meat.  But the other fishermen in the  area seemed to have a pretty low opinion of what they were catching.  There were 2 young guys next to me, looked to be about 20 years old.  They too were catching white bass…and BITCHING about it, because they weren’t walleye.  So, the one guy catches a white bass, unhooks it…and immediately throws it 10 yards back into the weeds.  He and his buddy had a GREAT laugh, talking about getting rid of the “damn white bass” to “make room” for the walleye.

You can imagine my opinion of these two dolts, but I hoped it was an isolated thing, and just scowled, but didn’t say anything.  Then the other guy catches a white bass….and does the same thing, throwing it back into the weeds.  THEN I said something!  Think I kind of surprised them by speaking up, but I first asked what put up more of a fight, a white bass, a walleye, or a dish towel (answer: walleye comes in 3rd).  Then I said you don’t have to like them, but it is illegal to be throwing them up on the bank.

The answer was about what I expected from a pair of 20-year old South Dakota “sportsmen”…the one guy said “whatever”, and the other just rolled his eyes and turned away.  They only fished for a few more minutes before leaving, and didn’t catch any more fish, but they certainly put a damper on the fun I was having catching white bass.

SO….I think I’m done saying “most” sportsmen ARE true sportsmen, who care about the environment and the resource they’re using.  I’m not convinced any more that it IS a majority, so “most” is too strong.  SOME fishermen and hunters are wonderful sportsmen, who do their best to preserve the environment.  But I’m becoming increasingly convinced that “most” fishermen and hunters only care about filling the freezer, environment-be-damned.

Whoever you two were this morning…you have won this week’s “Scum of the Week” award.

Posted in Ecosystems at Risk, Scum Of The Week

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MSNBC Analysis: Defense Failed Sandusky

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Terry| 2 Comments

Just perusing the headlines before getting ready for bed, and I see a headline on MSNBC that states “Analysis: Faltering Defense Hurt Jerry Sandusky”. I really hate how trials and law are something of a “game” in this country, in terms of how the media reports on things. I really hate analysis like this that scrutinizes every intricate detail of our screwed up legal system.  Frankly, I don’t give a damn about the intricacies of U.S. law, about the brilliance or ineptitude of lawyers, or endless debate about how a legal case plays out.

And I SURE as hell don’t care about a “faltering defense hurting” Jerry Sandusky. WHO…CARES.  First of all, who cares if ANYTHING “hurt” Jerry Sandusky.  I’m against the death penalty…but, with that said…I can certainly sympathize with that one father in Texas who beat and killed a man who was sexually attacking his young daughter.  Can’t imagine what I myself would do in that situation, if I came across someone hurting my son like that.  I certainly can sympathize with all the families hurt by Sandusky’s absolutely disgusting, evil behavior.

So I’m sorry, MSNBC, I don’t care to read about the legal intricacies of the case, I don’t care to read about how Sandusky’s defense team  let him down.   The man is scum, not even capable of defending his own behavior by testifying on his own behalf.    The only thing that “hurt” Jerry Sandusky is his own warped and twisted inner demons.

Rot in hell, Sandusky. I for one am GLAD your defense “failed” you.  WHO CARES about the damn legal case.  The story isn’t about how well or how badly the lawyers performed.  The story is about one sick SOB about to be brought to justice, and about the families who will never heal after what Sandusky did to them.

Posted in Scum Of The Week

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Scum of the Week – Adam Turner

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Terry| 9 Comments

What is it about gun “enthusiasts”?  How does one ever reach a point in life, where your primary ambition becomes making sure you can carry a gun wherever you want, whenever you want?  Why would you NEED to carry a gun wherever you want, whenever you wants?  Are people SO paranoid, SO insecure about their own pathetic lives, that carrying a gun around somehow gives them comfort?  Makes them feel important?  Makes them feel like a bigger person than they really are?  Are their lives SO pathetic that THIS becomes their most important issue in life?

Sioux Falls is considered changing an executive order that bans firearms from city property.  City lawyers are concerned they’re opening themselves up for a lawsuit by having such an executive order.

Leading the charge to get the executive order changed is Adam Turner, president of the Sioux Falls chapter of “South Dakota Open Carry”.  This jackass says that “gun-free” zones make people less safe.  Yes, Mr. Turner, arming EVERYONE, having a BUNCH of trigger-happy gun freaks like yourself running around will DEFINITELY make the world a safer place.  Given that the majority of the human race appears to be either 1) dumber than a cardboard box, and/or 2) hateful and uncaring about their fellow man, pardon me if I don’t feel “safer” knowing gun freaks with IQ’s lower than my pet cocker spaniel are all running around carrying, even when I’m in such “dangerous” locations such as city parks.  Thank GOD we have nutjobs like Turner around to ensure that I’ll have a host of wackos around with guns, while I’m on city property watching my son play soccer, or enjoying a walk through the park.

Congrats Adam Turner.  You and the ENTIRE “South Dakota Open Carry” group are well-deserved winners of the Scum of the Week award.

Posted in Culture Wars, Scum Of The Week

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Pamela Geller – Scum of the Week

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Terry| 5 Comments

It seems like I’ve had a lot of “Scums of the week” lately.  What can I say, there’s a lot of people out there that deserve them.  Pamela Geller is one who richly deserves the award, and is someone you could probably give it to about every week.  THIS week’s Geller related issue is a “conference” organized in Detroit to ostensibly talk about a young Muslim woman who was murdered.  Given Geller’s attendance and the attendance of other anti-Islamic bigots, and it’s very clear the “conference” is yet another excuse for a bunch of redneck bigoted pigs to spout their hate.

Geller has a long history of anti-Islamic statements, many of which border on the downright bizarre.  Obama is a favorite target of hers, as she has said on countless occasions that we currently have a “Muslim in the White House”.  A sampling of some of Geller’s more disgusting quotes, from SourceWatch.org:

  • “Obama is a third worlder and a coward. He will do nothing but beat up on our friends to appease his Islamic overlords. All this is going down while Obama plays footsie at his nuclear nonsense campfire — sucking up to Iran’s enablers while beating up our allies.”
  • “It is well-known that Obama allegedly was involved with a crack whore in his youth. Very seedy stuff. Why aren’t [the media] pursuing that story? Find the ho, give her a show! Obama allegedly trafficked in some very deviant practices. Where’s the investigation? . . . Back in the early 80′s, there were only two reasons to travel to Pakistan. Jihad or drugs. I think he went for the drugs and came back with jihad.”
  • “Jews refuse to get on Obama’s Trains”. . . “Obama is pressuring Jews to “evacuate” from parts of Israel? And what Warsaw ghetto does the muhammadan [sic] president have in mind? I think I am gonna hurl. The Jews will not go. The Jews will not submit to this century’s nazis [sic] and Mansourian poser.”
  • (On the passage of health care): “The moochers and the looters, the crooks and degenerates voted at 1 am this morning to rip the constitution to shreds, to rape the American people and to nationalize medicine.”
  • Repeatedly accuses Obama of being a Muslim: Geller’s blog contains 267 posts tagged “Muslim in the White House?”
  • Geller claims that “devout Muslims should be prohibited from military service” because she believes that Adolf Hitler and Nazism were inspired by Islam.
  • In the wake of the terrorist attacks in Norway committed by Anders Breivik, she claimed that the young people killed were bound to become “leaders of the party responsible for flooding Norway with Muslims who refuse to assimilate, who commit major violence against Norwegian natives including violent gang rapes, with impunity, and who live on the dole.”

A lovely woman.  What irks me about pieces of crap like Geller is how they rely on the HATE and bigotry of others to make money.  Hate is a big business in America, with an entire industry built around losers like Geller and the hatred they spew.

The MSNBC story I linked to above has some absolutely scary parts to it.  This line really struck me:

Although many Americans have never encountered a Muslim in person, about 43 percent questioned in a recent Gallup Poll said they felt at least “a little” prejudice against Muslims.

“Many Americans have never encountered a Muslim”?   I guarantee that most Americans have encountered a Muslim, but this line to me epitomizes how many Americans THINK about Islam, as if it’s some foreign religion with no place in America itself.  That ridiculous lead-in to this sentence is a perfect complement to the stat that 43% of Americans said they feel prejudice against Muslims.  OK, America, if you supposedly haven’t ever MET a Muslim…why the HELL do you feel “at least a little prejudice” against them!?!?

It’s no wonder that scum like Geller can thrive in America.  There are one hell of a lot of bigoted, small-minded Americans out there who just eat up the kind of crap that Geller spews.  Congrats Geller on the first of your “scum of the week” awards.

Posted in Culture Wars, Scum Of The Week

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