I had waited for the right time, and motivation, to write the final installment of “Reality Check;” I knew it was a matter of time before some prattling fool would offer me the opening and I wasn’t disappointed.

Thanks again Glenn! My favorite Moron, I mean MORMON, mouthpiece shot from the lip and hit himself in the ass by stating, in essence, that churches which advocate “social change” are actually Communist-Nazi fronts.

As part of my ongoing series (The Scam, The Myth, The Truth) I will be examining some of the myths floating around our society and see why they’re leading you (and our conservative friends) astray.

The Myth: “Real Americans” come from small towns.

Welcome to the first part of a three part series (The Scam, The Myth, and The Truth) on life in America. This episode will cover some of the scams, or misleading information, used to disseminate fraud or deception, which is being perpetrated upon the American people as a whole.

I will examine the “conventional wisdom” of some major issues and reveal the reality behind them as supported by fact. I am not a financial expert, nor would I ever want to be, but here are some realities and cons you should be aware of.

The idea that regular, everyday citizens can stand up to the government and say “enough is enough” is the cornerstone of a democracy. Unless, of course, it’s not the “everyday citizens” who get the limelight and drive the movement.

Witness the recent “Tea Party” movement madness that swept the country — coincidentally? — after the inauguration of the country’s first non-white president. Such parties were rife with misspelled signage, vitriolic accusations of “socialism” and “the end of America” and peopled by what at least appeared to be everyday citizens tired of the government (both Democrat and Republican) which was squandering their tax money and listening only to the elite who could afford $1,000/plate dinners.

Well, it’s not. At least, not really.

Here’s the problem: Obama is stuck in a real world situation in Afghanistan with no easy way out. Initially, very few people were against an invasion of Afghanistan because the Taliban were widely acknowledged as true bad guys in every sense of the word –- they are warlords who rule through fear. They oppress women, maim men and misinterpret the holy Qur’an to fit their oligarchic authoritarianism. They did outlaw opium cultivation, it is true, but their power extended only a few miles from the capital and a few other cities.

“And you know Kristi, something happened a long time ago in Haiti and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the French, uh you know Napoleon the third and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the Devil. They said we will serve you if you’ll get us free from the French. True Story. And so the Devil said “OK, it’s a deal.” And they kicked the French out. You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other.”

~Pat Robertson

Mr. Robertson may have a point there. After all, according to his religion, God condemned black people to eternal servitude (re: The Curse of Ham). They must have made some kind of deal with a supernatural power in order to even want to overthrow their French overlords, repel the English and Spanish, and end slavery. But if they made a deal with the Devil, as Pat suggests, one must ask “Why didn’t they turn to Lord Jesus Christ as their lord and savior”? Let’s look at a country that prides itself on its “Christian” ethic in comparison:

Recently, the GOP has come out swinging against Democrats on the economy — of all things — hoping to resurrect some kind of cohesive party voice. Basically, they are saying the Democrats aren’t repairing the damage almost 12 years of Republican-controlled Congress, lax oversight and a “business friendly” tax policy fast enough.

What is the difference between an act of violence and an act of terrorism? For many Westerners (not just Americans) the difference lies in the opening benediction of prayer:

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Today was a monumental day; Olympia Snowe (R-ME) broke the Republican pseudo-filibuster to vote for the Baucus Bill on Health Care Reform. “Why is it so historic?” you may ask. “Don’t the Democrats have enough votes to pass some kind of  health care reform anyway, despite Republican sputtering?” you may counter. Though the Dems could force through a bill on health care reform should they be so inclined, here is why today was monumental:

Ms. Snowe recognized that “History is calling” American legislators to take up the challenge of the systemic problem of health care reform. Like Ms. Snowe acknowledges, there are lots of provisions and problems in the bill – but here’s a secret;  no bill is ever “perfect” because the ugly, chaotic mess that is Representative Republicanism ensures that bills will be debated, distorted, emasculated, and adulterated to the point that the original author might no longer recognize it.

Though it is not about history, per se, the idea of tipping has gotten a ludicrous amount of coverage lately — particularly as the economy continues to contract. I begin this with a confession: While in college and in graduate school, I worked as a waiter and a bar tender to support my family while attending school on a full-time basis. I mention this because one should always be honest about their viewpoint before launching into any kind of discussion. That being said, here’s where my primer on tips, taxes, and work begins.

Fuck you Liz Pulliam Weston. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. You had me with the catchy title of your MSN Money article “The Rude New Tip-Jar Economy.” I also run into tip jars at the oddest places. Here in Cincinnati you can find tip jars in ice cream parlors, privately-owned coffee shops and even fast-food restaurants. I also feel like an ass if I don’t leave at least some change as a tip, but feel sheepish about being brow-beaten into tipping. But here’s where my “Fuck You Liz Pulliam Weston” comes in.