Thursday, December 31, 2009

Assisted Suicide Hope

Ruling by Montana Supreme Court Bolsters Physician-Assisted Suicide - NYTimes.com: "The Montana Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that state law protects doctors in Montana from prosecution for helping terminally ill patients die. But the court, ruling with a narrow majority, sidestepped the larger landmark question of whether physician-assisted suicide is a right guaranteed under the state’s Constitution..."

O Gets Dose Of The Double Standard

Nation & World | Obama criticized on airline incident when Bush wasn't | Seattle Times Newspaper: "Eight years ago, a terrorist bomber's attempt to blow up a trans-Atlantic airliner was thwarted by passengers and revealed gaping holes in airline security only months after the Sept. 11 attacks.

But President George W. Bush, then on vacation, made no public remarks for six days about the so-called shoe bomber, Richard Reid, and there were virtually no complaints from the media or Democrats that Bush's response was sluggish or inadequate..."

The Bad And Badder Spat

Obama and Bush partisans now argue about terrorist attack - The Oval: Tracking the Obama presidency: "It seems sadly inevitable, but the failed Christmas terrorist attack has become the subject of the latest ideological battle between partisans of George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Former Bush Vice President Dick Cheney and other Republicans have challenged Obama's national security bona fides in light of the attack..."

I try to never get in the middle of a skunk fight, but this is the two worse Administrations in history dueling, though Obama has quite been in office long enough to really contend for the title of "Worst President Evah." Bush was in office that long and is the current title holder, so before the GOP starts crowing too much over our latest security snafu, I must respectfully inquire: how many Americans have died on the homeland under Obama compared to Bush?

Rush Pain

Rush Limbaugh 'Resting Comfortably' at Honolulu Hospital - ABC News: "

Popular talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh is recovering in a Honolulu hospital today, hours after being admitted for chest pains he suffered while on vacation. "Rush was admitted to and is resting comfortably in a Honolulu hospital today, after suffering chest pains," according to a statement from "The Rush Limbaugh Program..."

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

New GOP Pledge

GOP’s ‘Repeal Health Care’ Plan Faces High Hurdles « The Washington Independent: "As soon as the Senate passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Dec. 24, Republicans and conservative activists started making a promise to voters. Give them a victory in the 2010 midterm elections, and they’ll repeal the bill.

“Every Republican in 2010 and 2012 will run on an absolute pledge to repeal this bill,” said Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House who remains a key strategic thinker for the party, on the Dec. 27 episode of “Meet the Press...”"

"Repeal Health Care" has a nice positive ring to it, doesn't it? I suggest they also add "Kill Puppies Now" to their mantra.

Taser Restrictions

Federal court restricts Taser use by police -- latimes.com: "Federal court restricts Taser use by police
Ninth Circuit ruling -- allowing an officer to be held liable for injuries a man suffered after being Tasered -- sets a precedent that may force agencies to revisit their policies..."

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Stealing Newt's Playbook?

Rove, wife, divorce after 24-year marriage - Politics- msnbc.com

Driving Into The River

GPS gets couple stuck for three days | Technically Incorrect - CNET News: "Are you submissive? Do you do what others or other machines tell you to do?

Well, according to the Associated Press, John and Starry Rhoads took a high road that almost turned into a very low road indeed, all because they did what their Toyota Sequoia's GPS told them to..."

Uh, no comment.

DeMint's Anti-Union Efforts Continue

Senate Democratic spokesman: Blocking of air safety chief "disgraceful" - The Oval: Tracking the Obama presidency "...Though the Christmas Day attempt on a Detroit-bound jetliner is increasing calls for a permanent head of TSA, DeMint shows no sign of backing down. Today his office sent reporters a document in support of his view. Granting collective bargaining rights to the TSA's 50,000 screeners, it argues, "would reverse the flexibility given to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to perform its critical aviation security mission..."

Managerial, meaning those in power, types often call for flexibility, which is nonsense. They want control, pure and simple. I had a manager once upon a time who just couldn't understand why people wouldn't be flexible. I told him it made a great deal of difference in the arena of "flexibility" if you were the flexor or the flexee.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Sign Flap

Furor Erupts Over Atheist Display At Illinois State Capitol - cbs2chicago.com: "...The sign reads: 'At the time of the winter solstice, let reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is just myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.'

The sign was also on display at the Capitol at this time last year. The group says it filed for a permit to post the display in response to the state's decision to put up the nativity..."

Remember Immigration

Pelosi’s immigration dodge - SignOnSanDiego Newsletter - SignOnSanDiego.com: "Two years ago, when Congress last debated immigration reform, it was hard to tell whether the Democrats who controlled the institution were looking for a workable solution or were simply content to have a wedge issue to use against Republicans in future elections. After all, the GOP had during the 1990s made significant inroads with Hispanic voters. Those gains were lost when prominent Republicans began trading in just enough inflammatory nativist rhetoric to give many of those voters the impression that the GOP was hostile to immigration reform.

This time, however, as Congress tentatively wades back into the debate thanks to a new bill by Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., it’s not hard to figure out what Democrats want. One wedge issue, coming up. What else are we to conclude now that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has reportedly informed House Democrats that she intends to spare them the ordeal of having to show leadership by taking on the immigration issue?..."

And This Is A Problem Because?

New photo shows someone who appears to be JFK on boat with naked women - NYPOST.com

Iranian Pot Boiling

Leading Iranian dissidents arrested, body of Mousavi's nephew missing -- latimes.com

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Bribing The DC Press Corps

Now That Is Some Kind Of Generous Gift : NO QUARTER: "...Isn’t it refreshing to see SOME in the media finally waking up to Obama and who he really is? About time. Though I don’t expect those reporters plus one in Hawaii at a luxury hotel on OUR DIME are going to look too deeply anytime soon.

You know what would make me happy in the New Year? For this kind of bribery to stop with these politicians, be they the president, senators or representatives. If they or their plans cannot stand on their merits, then they deserve to fail. I am way, way past over it. How about you?"

Kindle Boom

Amazon sold more Kindle books than physical books this Christmas - SlipperyBrick.com

Friday, December 25, 2009

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Excellent Snow Pix From WNC


Snowy Night in Downtown Waynesville, NC

Click on the link above to see several more.

O Graphic Novelet Seuss Style

Cannon graphicly filets Obama: Cannonfire--"How the Bro Stole the Country."

Ft.Hood Terror Link Bombed

Yemeni air strike kills 30, targets home of cleric linked to Ft. Hood attack - washingtonpost.com: "Yemeni forces killed at least 30 suspected militants in an airstrike early Thursday on an alleged al-Qaeda hideout in southeastern Yemen, the second such assault in the past week, according to Yemeni security and government sources.

According to some accounts, the strike appeared to target the home of Anwar al-Aulaqi, the extremist Yemeni American preacher linked to the suspected gunman in the Fort Hood Army base attack in November..."

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

MoDo Wants To Know

Op-Ed Columnist - Is There a Real McCain? - NYTimes.com: "...Watching him, one can only wonder: Is McCain betraying his best self? Who is the real McCain?

Even some of McCain’s former aides are disturbed by the 73-year-old’s hostile, vindictive, sarcastic persona — a far cry from The Honorable Man portrait so lovingly pumped up in books by his former aide and co-writer Mark Salter..."

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

DINO To RINO

From the "Leiberweasel School Of Reliable Treachery" -- Rep. Griffith of Alabama leaves Democrats for Republicans - washingtonpost.com "Freshman Rep. Parker Griffith (D-Ala.) switched his affiliation to the Republican Party on Tuesday, saying he could "no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country..."

He prefers to align himself with a party that has wars that are bad for the country.

Epitafios


Watch live video from Epitafios II en jtom2000's channel on Justin.tv

If you like film noir, you'll love Epitafios. The anitseptic world of CSI et. al. this ain't. Not since the days of Homicide: Life On The Streets have I so eagerly anticipated a weekly dose of crime drama. HBO presented the series with English subtitles, which caused few problems as far as distractions go. The second season has ended its run and I'm now looking for the first season on some media that does have English subtitles. If you understand a little Spanish, you'll get a good sense of the show from the clip above, and, by the way, do not think you can anticipate where the plot is going nor what you think will happen. You will be surprised. And pleased.

What Will Clinton Do?

Falstaff: "As a demonstration of governing ability": "...The most interesting thing to me, political-leader-wise, is Hillary's position. I think she's holding a remarkable hand. If/when it becomes obvious to a majority of Americans that Barack Obama is Jimmy Carter II -- i.e., a flop as president -- she's got two options: She can either resign from the Administration over some matter of principle -- and ipso facto become the presumptive nominee (doing to this one-term Carter what Teddy couldn't do to the first one) -- or she can choose to ensure his re-election by accepting his desperate plea to run with him as Veep in 2012... and then get elected President on her own in 2016..."

UnPC PC

Are HP Computers Racist? - Reviews by PC Magazine: "...In a video posted to YouTube this week, two co-workers - one white and one black - tried out the webcam face-tracking software on an HP MediaSmart computer. It is supposed to follow users as they move, but it fails to recognize Desi, a black man. When his co-worker Wanda, who is white, enters the frame, it immediately recognizes her and follows her in the frame.

"As soon as my blackness enters the frame ... it stopped," Desi said. "As soon as white Wanda appears, the camera moves. Black Desi gets in there? Nope, no facial recognition anymore, buddy. I'm going on record and I'm saying it. Hewlett-Packard computers are racist..."

No Rudy In Senate

Giuliani won't run for Senate, Lazio says : Home: The Buffalo News: "Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani today will end speculation that he will run for governor or senator in 2010, and he will support Rick Lazio for the Republican gubernatorial nomination..."

Monday, December 21, 2009

Why You Will Buy

Why require people to buy health insurance? -- latimes.com: "...All insurance is based on the idea that most of the time, most people are not filing claims. As it applies to healthcare, supporters say, most people are pretty healthy most of the time, but eventually almost everyone incurs major medical expenses. If only sick people bought insurance, the system would collapse because plans would be forced to pay out more than they took in. And since nearly everyone who develops a serious medical problem gets treated (with or without insurance), the cost of treating the uninsured is passed on to other people. In effect, those with insurance are helping pay the costs of those without it..."

In rural areas for sure, when someone gets seriously ill and he or she is without insurance, bake sales, hot dog suppers and silent auctions and other activities spring up to raise money for the sick person. A similar set of events often occurs when houses burn down and the owners have no insurance. So if I carry fire insurance for thirty years and never have a claim, how exactly am I paying for people who rely on cake walks to buy a used recliner? Not an exact analogy for sure, but people hitting the public dole for health care still owe some medical provider money, so why aren't the providers collecting? They sure hounded the hell out of me for every nickel I owed.

Abortion Rights Advocate On Health Care

Cynthia Nixon: Abortion debate's new voice - CNN.com: "It's been a little more than a week since Cynthia Nixon flew back from filming 'Sex and the City 2' in Morocco, and she's already diving headfirst into the debate surrounding abortion and health care reform.

Nixon, a longtime abortion rights activist, says she can't keep quiet about the recent health care bill amendments that would limit insurance coverage for abortions.

'It's a very basic female right that we need to protect,' Nixon said. 'What's so frightening about this Stupak ban is that he's found a backdoor way to basically not cover abortion for the vast majority of American women...'"

You want to know how to get everyone in the U.S. covered by some sort of public option? Simple-- include a complete ban on abortions and the Right would pile right in. Suddenly, the public option would seem like a good idea. Of course, you are then screwing most Americans out of the fundamental right to control to their own bodies-- but why the hey-- greatest good? Nah. I think not. Single payer should also include abortion provisions because pregnancy is a health issue.

O Trimming Contracting

White House says on track on trimming contracting costs | Reuters: "An Obama administration program to cut $40 billion in annual contracting costs is on track after government agencies identified more than $19 billion in savings in the current fiscal year, the White House said on Monday..."

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Serious Snowballing

From the "Never Bring A Knife To A Gun Fight" Department: BBC News - US policeman 'draws gun' at Washington snowball fight: "Police in the US are investigating a detective who appears to draw his gun during a mass snowball fight on the streets of Washington DC..."

GOP Nightmare

Democrats will invoke Bush in 2010 -- latimes.com: "It's an axiom in U.S. politics that the party in power in the White House loses seats in off-year elections. So every Democrat is girding for the fight in 2010.

But Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told reporters last week that Democrats have a plan: Remind voters of George W. Bush..."

As they should. It will take decades, if ever, for the country to recover from ruinous reign Skippy The Lesser Shrub, and they need to be held accountable for it. The GOP also deserves the "credit" for Obama-- if they had turned out for McCain the way they turned out for Bush, then we would have someone competent in the White House.

From The Mountains And Mole Hills Department

FOXNews.com - McCain Brushes Off Palin Cap Flap

Saturday, December 19, 2009

The Daily Flashback: McCain-Franken Edition

Video tape is hell sometimes. Don't throw stones, etc. etc. etc. etc. Think Progress » Flashback: McCain Refused To Grant 30 Seconds Of Time During Iraq War Debate

Happy In The South

Southern States Are the Happiest: "There may be something to be said for southern hospitality and sunshine. A new study shows that Southern states are the happiest while coastal rivals New York and California are at the bottom of the list.

Researchers ranked the happiest states (plus the District of Columbia) on self-reported measures of happiness as well as objective measures like sunshine, congestion, and housing affordability and found six out of the top 10 happiest states were in the South.

Louisiana topped the list, followed by Hawaii, Florida, Tennessee, and Arizona rounding out the top five..."

Friday, December 18, 2009

Franken Doing His Job

FOXNews.com - For Franken, No More Mr. Funny Guy: "Former comedian Al Franken apparently is done cracking jokes.

In the past month, Franken, the junior Democratic senator from Minnesota has publicly slugged it out with a GOP senator, privately rebuked another one and on Thursday took the unusual step of shutting down on the Senate floor a longtime member of his party's caucus: Sen. Joe Lieberman.

Unlike during his days on 'Saturday Night Live,' no one is laughing.

'Sen. Franken is certainly not making friends on either side of the aisle,' GOP strategist Ron Bonjean, a former Capitol Hill aide, told Fox News..."

Gee, Republicans worrying about Al making friends. How touching. Maybe Al should get a dog. A pit bull.

Clinton Redux

Are Hillary Clinton supporters murmuring I told you so?: "With a new NBC/Wall Street journal poll showing Obama hitting his lowest approval rating in that poll, and the same poll showing that people are getting increasingly fed up with Obama, the Democrats and how both have handled health care,(how they handled it, not rejecting things that are in it, like the public option) those who supported Hillary Clinton for president in the Democratic primaries are starting to say 'I told you so'..."

I never quit saying it. Furthermore,

"...Ed Schultz, Arianna Huffington, the people at The Nation, Matt Taibbi at Rolling Stone, and Michael Moore are just a few of Obama flag wavers now wavering in their support and scratching their heads saying "what happened"?

The answer is nothing happened. Obama is being the same Obama he always was, the same Obama that was apparent during the Democratic primaries, the same Obama that 18 months ago after listening to a couple of speeches, caused me to write that he was a snake oil salesman and the most underhanded, deceitful politician since Richard Nixon. But the press. who was in Obama's pocket, refused to see it.Or report it..." (same source).

Bad Shooters

Why do rappers hold their guns sideways? - By Brian Palmer - Slate Magazine "As police chased Raymond "Ready" Martinez through Times Square on Thursday, the street hustler and aspiring rapper fired two shots, holding the gun sideways "like a character out of a rap video." According to the New York Post, Martinez's side grip caused the gun to jam, enabling police to shoot and kill the suspect. What's the point of holding a gun sideways?..."

Holy Traitor

Traitor Joe -- chicagotribune.com: "The legendary Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield used to caution fellow senators: "Never question another man's motives, question his judgment." Maybe so, but it's hard not to question the judgment, motives, and sanity of Joe Lieberman, who has single-handedly derailed any meaningful health care reform legislation.

For years, Lieberman's been a strong advocate of universal health care. Campaigning for vice-president in 2000, he first proposed resolving the plight of the uninsured by allowing them to buy into Medicare and Medicaid -- a plan he endorsed as recently as September 2009 in an interview with a Connecticut newspaper..."

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Liberals In Fighting Mood?

FOXNews.com - Liberals Ready to 'Fight' Over Conceralsessions in Senate Health Bill: "Liberal outrage over the Senate's health care reform bill is reaching a boiling point, with a number of organizations, unions and House Democrats warning that the watered-down version they see creeping toward a vote will not survive in its current form..."

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

GOPer Obstructurus

Republican delay tactics infuriate Sanders - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-: "Sen. Bernie Sanders was at the center of controversy Wednesday on the U.S. Senate floor when he introduced an amendment to the health care bill. Sanders wanted to debate a single-payer system. But Republicans blocked the move by invoking a rule to have the entire amendment read out loud. The Senate came to a standstill while clerks read from the 767 page amendment for more than 2-and-a-half hours. Finally, Sanders gave up and withdrew his amendment and then lashed-out at Republican leaders..."

Solution: write shorter bills.

Super Earth Spotted (MagnaTerra)

Name the New Super-Earth | Wired Science | Wired.com--I vote for calling the planet MagnaTerra.

Dean Says Kill

Health-care bill wouldn't bring real reform - washingtonpost.com: "If I were a senator, I would not vote for the current health-care bill. Any measure that expands private insurers' monopoly over health care and transfers millions of taxpayer dollars to private corporations is not real health-care reform. Real reform would insert competition into insurance markets, force insurers to cut unnecessary administrative expenses and spend health-care dollars caring for people. Real reform would significantly lower costs, improve the delivery of health care and give all Americans a meaningful choice of coverage. The current Senate bill accomplishes none of these..."

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Kinky Switches

Kinky Friedman withdraws from Texas governor's race - Politics AP - MiamiHerald.com: "Austin author-entertainer Kinky Friedman dropped out of the Democratic governor's race Monday to run for agriculture commissioner and said he tried to persuade Houston businessman Farouk Shami to also switch campaigns to clear the field for outgoing Houston Mayor Bill White..."

Smart Octos

Tool Use Found in Octopuses | Wired Science | Wired.com

Monday, December 14, 2009

How Much Are Execs Worth?

Executive Compensation: How Much to Pay?

Journalistic Spatting

From the "Surprise! Surprise!" Department:

Rupert Murdoch accused of using Wall Street Journal to 'play politics' | Media | The Guardian: "When Rupert Murdoch bought the Wall Street Journal two years ago, Manhattan's media observers predicted it wouldn't be long before battle lines were drawn between the two US newspaper titans.

And today the antagonism that has been simmering between the Journal and its liberal rival, the New York Times, boiled over, with editors of the esteemed organs trading a series of barbed comments..."

Sunday, December 13, 2009

O Power Grab

FOXNews.com - Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid of Obama's Latest Big Brother Plan: "The Obama administration seeks to empower a very powerful government agency you have probably never heard of with new and expanded powers that will have a direct consequence on every American if they are successful in their efforts to implement national health care reforms.

The Obama White House is also drunk with power and is seeking to expand the powers of government agencies to oversee and act out to affect Americans in ways that this country has never seen before.

What is the Office of Personnel and Management and why should you care?..."

GOPers Acting Like Dems

The Republican Party fights ... with itself / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com: "intra-party squabbling among conservatives – especially with Tea Partiers thrown into the mix – is not good news for the GOP. They're beginning to act like Democrats..."

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Environmental Dick

Op-Ed Columnist - Going Cheney on Climate - NYTimes.com: "In 2006, Ron Suskind published “The One Percent Doctrine,” a book about the U.S. war on terrorists after 9/11. The title was drawn from an assessment by then-Vice President Dick Cheney, who, in the face of concerns that a Pakistani scientist was offering nuclear-weapons expertise to Al Qaeda, reportedly declared: “If there’s a 1% chance that Pakistani scientists are helping Al Qaeda build or develop a nuclear weapon, we have to treat it as a certainty in terms of our response.” Cheney contended that the U.S. had to confront a very new type of threat: a “low-probability, high-impact event.”

Soon after Suskind’s book came out, the legal scholar Cass Sunstein, who then was at the University of Chicago, pointed out that Mr. Cheney seemed to be endorsing the same “precautionary principle” that also animated environmentalists. Sunstein wrote in his blog: “According to the Precautionary Principle, it is appropriate to respond aggressively to low-probability, high-impact events — such as climate change. Indeed, another vice president — Al Gore — can be understood to be arguing for a precautionary principle for climate change (though he believes that the chance of disaster is well over 1 percent)...”"

Not Dancing With The One That Brung Ya

The Associated Press: Obama blasts banks for opposing financial overhaul: "President Barack Obama singled out financial institutions for causing much of the economic tailspin and criticized their opposition to tighter federal oversight of their industry.

While applauding House passage Friday of overhaul legislation and urging quick Senate action, Obama expressed frustration with banks that were helped by a taxpayer bailout and now are 'fighting tooth and nail with their lobbyists' against new government controls..."

Another One Bites The Dust, Again

Drone Kills a Leader of Al Qaeda - WSJ.com: "A U.S. drone strike this week killed a senior al Qaeda operator in a Pakistani tribal area near the Afghan border, U.S. and Pakistani officials said Friday.

U.S. officials said Saleh al-Somali, who was responsible for al Qaeda's operations outside of Afghanistan and Pakistan, was killed in the strike Tuesday. He was on the Central Intelligence Agency's list of the top 20 al Qaeda targets, according to an official familiar with the list..."

Friday, December 11, 2009

Crist Battle Is Symbolic Of GOP Woes

Analysis: GOP facing more bitter battles - CNN.com: "...Crist is the popular first-term governor who's decided to run for the Senate next year rather than another term in Tallahassee. Mainstream Republicans have backed him.

Rubio is the darling of the right. Last month the conservative Club for Growth, an anti-tax organization, backed Rubio and went up with an ad slamming Crist. Days earlier, the Family Research Council, a powerful social conservative group, announced that its political action committee endorsed Rubio..."

Crist can win a general election; Rubio can't appeal to either Democrats or moderate Independents. Like the Democrats, the Republicans can find ways to blow their toes off.

O Nobel Speech Dissected

Do conservatives know what they're embracing? | Michael Tomasky | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Missing Clinton Panties

Wanda Sykes compares Obama to Underwear

Onerous Headline

UPDATE 1-Obama to give $600 million to health centers | Reuters: "President Barack Obama said on Wednesday he will allocate nearly $600 million from the $787 billion economic stimulus plan to help create jobs at 85 community health centers..."

Okay, the text is not as bad as the headline, but let's just remind Obama and his fluffers that he can't give away something that is not his. That is our money, and I am tickled to see if going toward public health.

Caving Dems

After the majority caves to the minority, what to do next? May I suggest that we, yet again, vote everyone out office and we keep doing that until we find representatives who are not scared of insurance companies and GOP hit men? (To be fair, or Democratic hit men either). What the Senate health-care deal would mean for consumers - washingtonpost.com

Wireless Boo-Hoos

Whiny Toddler AT&T Now Blaming Customers for its Problems - PC World Business Center: "...As I've said, I don't think AT&T is the devil's spawn of the wireless industry (at least no more than the other carriers). We customers understand that the success of the iPhone has been a bit of a mixed blessing for the carrier, but, really, AT&T's whining needs to stop..."

They all suck. Everyone is being vastly overcharged for all sorts of communication services; from land lines to cable and satellite to wi-fi, if you're paying anything, then you're probably paying too much. Yeah, there are people who need to pay since they are bandwidth hogs; me, I use about five minutes per month of cell phone time so I'm subsidizing a lot of people. Basic communication services, like basic health care, should be free-- the taxpayers, either through direct intervention or through tax breaks and research subsidies, have built the vast majority of the communication infrastructure, or did we all forget who funded the space program?

Getting Northing Done

Forgetting Sarah Palin - The Filibuster - GOOD: "...It's no secret that the President and his party have had a hard time making the strides they want to make, particularly on the legislative front. There was, of course, the success of the stimulus, which passed by the skin of its teeth, and only after it had been measurably, and tragically, weakened. But beyond that, the 'change' has been scarce: No health care bill, no climate change bill, and we're less than a year from an election, the results of which will likely reduce the Democrats' big majority in Congress, further diminishing their hopes of actually accomplishing anything..."

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

The Elephant In The Waiting Room

Economic Scene - Congress May Be Finding the Nerve to Cut Health Costs - NYTimes.com: "...But here’s the thing: It is abundantly clear that our medical system wastes enormous amounts of money on health care that doesn’t make people healthier. Hospitals that practice more intensive medicine, to take one example, get no better results than more conservative hospitals, research shows. And while the insured receive better care and are healthier than the uninsured, the lavishly insured — those households with so-called Cadillac plans — are not better off than households with merely good insurance.."

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Church Discrimination Against Women

Great rant from Riverdaughter: It took these guys 350 years to accept the world goes ’round the sun « The Confluence.

Lieberweasel Barks

From the "Who Cares" comes another Liebercrap: Lieberman assailed for role in health-care debate - washingtonpost.com

Why The Swiss Aren't Bigots

Here is a terrific article that looks at the other side of the bigot argument: Anne Applebaum - A preemptive strike against Muslim extremism in Switzerland - washingtonpost.com.

The No Party

Hoyer blasts GOP as 'Party of No' - Washington Times: "House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer on Monday said Republicans have failed the test of leadership by refusing to come to the table on the big issues facing the country, offering a preview of a line of attack in next year's campaigns.

The Maryland Democrat, in a speech to the Center for American Progress Action Fund, said Republicans are making all of Congress less effective by deadlocking on issues, and he began to lay the groundwork for arguing that Democrats' failures are the result of a Republican Party that won't help..."

Lotta "No" from the GOP, except when it comes to tax cuts for the rich, war, and abortion rights.

Coffee And Prostate Cancer

Coffee May Reduce Risk of Deadly Prostate Cancer (Update1) - Bloomberg.com--which is the exact opposite of what I was told last year when the cancer/prostate mavens cut me off coffee for six months. Oh well.

Monday, December 07, 2009

Fat Genes

NATION: Obesity in some children tied to DNA, study finds -- chicagotribune.com: "Some children get severely obese because they lack particular chunks of DNA, which kicks their hunger into overdrive, researchers report."

So if we outlaw fat, either through scorn, fees, or taxation, aren't we in fact discriminating against people for their inherited characteristics? Therefore, what makes makes this less onerous than discriminating because of skin color?

Discomfort In Iran

Sometimes the other shoe drops and you put it on the wrong foot. Of course, I'm underwhelmed with sympathy for the Iranian regime.

Students clash with riot police as protests erupt on Iranian campuses - Times Online: "Violence erupted in Tehran today as thousands of students and opposition activists staged fresh protests against a regime they consider illegitimate.

Riot police using tear gas and batons charged demonstrators in two of the capital’s main squares. Security forces flooded the streets and sealed off universities. They were reported to be firing in the air and bringing in water cannon, but they still failed to prevent students demonstrating on campuses across Tehran and in other Iranian cities.

The authorities cut off internet services and took down the mobile telephone network in some places, but snatches of grainy footage still reached the West..."

Palin Confronts Death Panel

Palin faces 'death panel' and leaves 'em laughing :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Lynn Sweet: "...Palin mocked herself -- and the reporters -- all in the spirit of the evening, which called for heavy doses of self-deprecating humor and gentle barbs: 'It's good to be here though, really, in front of this audience of leading journalists and intellectuals, or as I like to call it, a death panel...'"

Conflation Of Illogic

Global Warming and Mt. Kilimanjaro - WSJ.com: "...This, according to climate groups, is a critical and urgent problem. Greenpeace warns there could be no ice left on the mountain within just eight years. 'This is the price we pay if climate change is allowed to go unchecked,' warns the group..."

But since pro-warming scientists did a bad thing, then that means global warming is not occurring and we have nothing to worry about and more tax cuts for the rich are needed. Right? Right?

Sunday, December 06, 2009

The Poor Are Coming! The Poor Are Coming!

Edward Miller: Health Reform Could Harm Medicaid Patients - WSJ.com: "Both the House and Senate health-care reform bills call for a large increase in Medicaid—about 18 million more people will begin enrolling in Medicaid under the House bill starting in 2013, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Actuary Richard Foster estimates.

We at Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) endorse efforts to improve the quality and reduce the cost of health care. But we also understand all too well the impact a dramatic expansion of Medicaid will have on us and our state—and likely the country as a whole.

A flood of new patients will be seeking health services, many of whom have never seen a doctor on more than a sporadic basis. Some will also have multiple and costly chronic conditions. And almost all of them will come from poor or disadvantaged backgrounds..."

Clinton And Italian Justice

FOXNews.com - Clinton Busy But Willing to Hear Concerns on Amanda Knox Verdict: "...Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington state, has said she plans to bring her concerns to Clinton, and has already approached the Italian embassy in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. ambassador in Rome.

'I am saddened by the verdict and I have serious questions about the Italian justice system and whether anti-Americanism tainted this trial,' Cantwell said in a statement on Friday..."

Citigroup Dumped By Kuwait

Do the Kuwaitis know something we don't? Kuwait fund sells $4.1 billion stake in Citigroup - MarketWatch: "The Kuwait Investment Authority said it made a profit of $1.1 billion from the sale, or a 36.7% return on the investment, Dow Jones Newswires reported, citing an emailed statement..."

Palin Talks

Ho-hum here--Sarah Palin: What she said at Gridiron dinner | csmonitor.com

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Giving Vampires Less Blood

Today’s AYFKM? Award: Senate Dems To Limit Insurance Execs Pay: "...How big a leap is it from “curb the pay of executives at health insurance companies that benefit from federal subsidies” to curb the pay of all executives at health insurance companies, to curb the pay of all executives, period? I mean we “let them” start down this particular slippery slope of manure with the financial industry, so don’t you dare be putting the blame anywhere else than exactly where it needs to be placed; liberal democrats, republicans that walked hand in hand with their progressive socialist democrat brethren, Barack Obama, and George Bush who said, “I’ve abandoned free market principles to save the free market system” (AYFKM?!!). I would include the rest of us in the blame, but we actually are that small percentage that has always had their heads screwed on straight, knows how to stick to a budget, and were against all the bailouts and freebies that both Bush and Obama have been tossing like moldy bread out to the roman crowd.

No bone in my body has any sympathy for the executive class, which has become just another nobility feeding off the blood, tears, and sweat of the common man. Social Darwinism at one time was used extensively to justify the overcompensation of one class at the expense of all others, and some people still think genetic markers determine wealth as opposed to say-- luck. But that's all beside the point, really. If we're concerned about the survival of this country, we need to be concerned about those things that could ultimately tear us apart, and nothing matches the annual spectacle of the richest Americans crying and whining for more tax breaks and now tax bailouts. Eventually, the great mass of the screwed will explode, with sometimes horrific results (see the French Revolution for an example). The "slippery slope" argument is often used to justify a continuing unfair practice, but it's a far stretch from limiting executive compensation for those people who took our tax money to government controls over all wages. If you don't like our rules, then don't take our money.

Friday, December 04, 2009

Pervert In Paradise

The Associated Press: Polanski's house arrest is a splendid captivity

Palin In Favor Of Conspiracy Hobbies

Palin On Her Birtherism: It's Andrew Sullivan's Fault - The Atlantic Politics Channel:

"Palin:
Voters have every right to ask candidates for information if they so choose. I've pointed out that it was seemingly fair game during the 2008 election for many on the left to badger my doctor and lawyer for proof that Trig is in fact my child. Conspiracy-minded reporters and voters had a right to ask... which they have repeatedly. But at no point - not during the campaign, and not during recent interviews - have I asked the president to produce his birth certificate or suggested that he was not born in the United States."

The Dems Must Do Something

Dylan Loewe has compiled an interest list of actions the Democrats can take to fight back against GOP incursions: How theDemocrats can fight back | Dylan Loewe | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

War Reminder

Op-Ed Columnist - A Tragic Mistake - NYTimes.com: "“I hate war,” said Dwight Eisenhower, “as only a soldier who has lived it can, as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.”

He also said, “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed...”"

One Is Not The Loneliest Number

Loneliness May Be Catching - US News and World Report

Medicare Flashbacks

The Associated Press: Tempers flare as Senate debates health care: "A Republican senator asserted Tuesday during a rancorous floor debate that President Barack Obama's health care overhaul will shorten the lives of America's seniors by cutting Medicare.

'I have a message for you: You're going to die sooner,' said Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., an obstetrician-turned-lawmaker..."

Reagan on Medicare:"...The problem with the quote was that Reagan was, at the time, condemning the very idea of Medicare. In context, Reagan actually said, "[I]f you don't [stop Medicare] and I don't do it, one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it once was like in America when men were free." The line wasn't about "freedom," it was about a program to provide seniors with health care..."

Gingrich and Dole on Medicare:
"Was it not Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, leader of the Republican revolution, that said he wanted Medicare to, quote, 'wither on the vine'? Was it not Sen. Bob Dole, the [Republican] standard-bearer for president in the 1990s, who said he had fought against Medicare and was proud he voted against it?"

Why The GOP Has Switched Horses: "If there was ever a more glaring example that the Republicans in Congress are simply against anything the Democrats come up with, it still couldn’t compete with this health care reform debate. Since the passing of Medicare in 1965 and signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Republicans have demonized it and made it their number two whipping dog, right behind the welfare program, as the cause of deficits and national debt. But over the past week or so they have suddenly become the champions and defenders of Medicare..."

When confused by position changes, when bewildered by contradictory rhetoric and improbable action, remember to always follow the money. Greed is the only principle, the dollar the only real patriot.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

The Daily Uh-Oh

COBRA subsidies begin expiring for the unemployed -- latimes.com

The Daily Worm Turner

Peggy Noonan: He Can't Take Another Bow - WSJ.com: "...As I read Ms. Drew's piece, I was reminded of something I began noticing a few months ago in bipartisan crowds. I would ask Democrats how they thought the president was doing. In the past they would extol, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, his virtues. Increasingly, they would preface their answer with, 'Well, I was for Hillary.' This in turn reminded me of a surprising thing I observe among loyal Democrats in informal settings and conversations: No one loves Barack Obama. Half the American people say they support him, and Democrats are still with him. But there were Bill Clinton supporters who really loved him. George W. Bush had people who loved him. A lot of people loved Jack Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. But no one seems to love Mr. Obama now; they're not dazzled and head over heels. That's gone away. He himself seems a fairly chilly customer; perhaps in turn he inspires chilly support. But presidents need that rock—bottom 20% who, no matter what's happening—war, unemployment—adore their guy, have complete faith in him, and insist that you love him, too..."

Medical Shopping

Patient Money - Shopping Around for the Best Prices in Medical Care - NYTimes.com: "...Take Katie Kyser, 30, the mother of a year-old daughter, who lives north of Seattle. She and her husband, Jason, who works in construction, recently moved from California. They have no health insurance, so they pay all costs out of pocket.

When Ms. Kyser needed a routine gynecological exam, she called a handful of local doctors, all of whom were charging $200 or more. “There’s no way we could pay that,” Ms. Kyser said. “I had to find another way.”

Having seen an ad for PriceDoc.com, a new Web site that lists doctors throughout the country who are willing to post their prices and negotiate with patients, she decided to try it. Ms. Kyser found a nearby clinic where doctors charged only $75 for the exam.

“I was a little nervous at first because the price was so cheap, but when I got there, it was wonderful,” Ms. Kyser said. “Everyone was so professional and helpful.”

The crucial part of shopping wisely for health care (or anything else for that matter) is comparing prices the way Ms. Kyser did..."

One of the hospitals in the local area offers a substantial discount for paying copays and other ancillary costs up front-- the discounts can amount to 25%, certainly nothing to sneeze at (no puns here), and a factor I take into account when looking for medical services.

Black Not As Bad As Blue

Windows Black Screen of Death: What You Need to Know - PC World

Monday, November 30, 2009

Working In A Pie Factory?

At This School, It’s Marijuana in Every Class - NYTimes.com: "SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — At most colleges, marijuana is very much an extracurricular matter. But at Med Grow Cannabis College, marijuana is the curriculum: the history, the horticulture and the legal how-to’s of Michigan’s new medical marijuana program.

“This state needs jobs, and we think medical marijuana can stimulate the state economy with hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars,” said Nick Tennant, the 24-year-old founder of the college, which is actually a burgeoning business (no baccalaureates here) operating from a few bare-bones rooms in a Detroit suburb..."

About that glaucoma...

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

What could those executive bank giveaways have done for the job market? Give me a billion and I can hire thousands of independent contractors and give them all the jobs associated with repairing crumbling schools, hospitals, and parks, not to mention all the jobs needed to rebuild the transportation infrastructure.

Debate on Creating Jobs, Without Raising Deficit - NYTimes.com: "As Democrats renew their push to create jobs, they are at odds over the timing, cost and scope of additional measures, with the White House’s concern about high budget deficits pitted against the eagerness of many in Congress to spur hiring before next year’s elections..."

Major Tennis Fine

Even if you are a zillionaire, this fine would make you pay attention-- Serena fined $175,000 for U.S. Open tirade | Sports | Reuters: "World number one Serena Williams has been fined $175,000 and put on probation for two years for her foul-mouthed tirade at the U.S. Open, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Monday..."

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Bad News For Radio Listeners

Huckabee says he probably will not run in 2012: "...2008 Iowa Caucus winner and current GOP poll leader Mike Huckabee says it is "less than likely" he will run for President in 2012. Huckabee was a guest on "Fox News Sunday" with Chris Wallace when he made the remarks..."

Slippery Bin

Report: 'Bin Laden was within our grasp' - CNN.com: "...A report released by the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee blamed the Bush administration for failing to capture or kill Osama bin Laden when the al Qaeda leader was cornered in Afghanistan's Tora Bora mountain region in December 2001. The report, released Sunday, said the situation in Afghanistan presented greater problems today because of the failure to nab bin Laden eight years ago..."

No Swiss Mosques

Switzerland Votes to Ban Minarets - WSJ.com: "Swiss voters Sunday approved a ban on the construction of new minarets on mosques, defying appeals from the government to reject the proposal and raising the specter of a new round of tensions in Europe concerning the role of Islam on the Continent..."

It Ain't One World

...as Paul Harvey was fond of saying.

Report: Scores of albinos in hiding after attacks - CNN.com: "As many as 10,000 albinos are in hiding in east Africa over fears that they will be dismembered and their body parts sold to witchdoctors, the Red Cross said in a recent report.

The killings of albinos in Burundi and Tanzania, who are targeted because their body parts are believed to have special powers, have sparked fears among the population in the two countries, the report said."

Bloody Lipped Terrorist

Navy SEALs Face Assault Charges for Capturing Most-Wanted Terrorist - Iraq | War | Map - FOXNews.com: "Navy SEALs have secretly captured one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq — the alleged mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four Blackwater USA security guards in Fallujah in 2004. And three of the SEALs who captured him are now facing criminal charges, sources told FoxNews.com..."

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Who's Underqualified?

Of all the knocks on Sarah Palin, her qualifications are the most absurd. Name all the jobs Obama held-- ok, community organizer. And? And? And? Compared to Obama, Palin is a tower of qualifications. It seems that most of the people complaining the loudest, other than kool-aid drinkers, are writers of some sort, a class of people not known for having responsible positions of power and trust on their resumes. So glass houses... (My bold in the snippet.)

We can't stop looking at Sarah Palin | Katha Pollitt | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk: "...As just about every columnist in the world has noted by now, including me more than once, Palin is a bundle of contradictions: a Christian reactionary who has kind words for Title IX and thinks it's fine to have a top government job, five kids and a lower-earning husband; a seriously underqualified politician chosen by the desperate John McCain at least partly because of her gender and looks who exploits those assets every chance she gets – but if called on it, accuses her critics of sexism..."

Call Of Duty Cash Cow

I put the new Call of Duty aside to play Dragon Age Origins-- the best role-playing game since Baldur's Gate.
Call of Duty Franchise Claimed To Surpass $3 Billion

Friday, November 27, 2009

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Birther Brit

No, I don't think all the questions have been satisfactorily answered, but I think there is more fire in other areas of O's past. The former British police officer who wants to bring down Barack Obama | World news | The Guardian

What? No Petrocash?

Dubai Debt Delay Rattles Confidence in Gulf Borrowers (Update2) - Bloomberg.com: "Dubai is shaking investor confidence across the Persian Gulf after its proposal to delay debt payments risked triggering the biggest sovereign default since Argentina in 2001..."

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Skating Again

Roman Polanski gets bail -- if it sticks, will he skip again? [POLL] | Ministry of Gossip | Los Angeles Times: "Ministry of Gossip

Bail in the amount of $4.5 million has been approved for director Roman Polanski, who's been held in Zurich, Switzerland, facing extradition to Los Angeles to be sentenced for unlawful intercourse with a 13-year-old girl more than three decades ago."

If You Can't Discredit The Message

Hacked climate emails called a smear campaign | Reuters: "(SolveClimate) Three leading scientists who on Tuesday released a report documenting the accelerating pace of climate change said the scandal that erupted last week over hacked emails from climate scientists is nothing more than a 'smear campaign' aimed at sabotaging December climate talks in Copenhagen..."

Top Brit Says Stop Violence Against Women

British foreign secretary calls for end to violence against women_English_Xinhua: "British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Wednesday pledged support for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, calling on the international community to exert more efforts to help end gender based violence..."

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

God Sends GOP

Billy Graham: God was using Palin 'to wake America up' - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com If God likes the GOP so much, why doesn't He just wipe-out the Democrats and save everyone a lot of aggravation? Or, maybe, just as God installed Little Skippy The Chimpmaster Bush Boy as Preznit, He is using the GOP to punish us.

Fudging Data Cools The Earth

Lawmakers Probe Climate Emails - WSJ.com: "Congressional Republicans have started investigating climate scientists whose hacked emails suggest they tried to squelch dissenting views about global warming..."

Monday, November 23, 2009

The Daily Duh: Dowd Edition

Barack Losing Mojo and Modo : NO QUARTER: Quoting MoDo here: "McChrystal and Gen. David Petraeus should have been giving their best advice to Obama — and airing their view against scaling down in Afghanistan — in confidence. Instead, McChrystal pushed his opinion in a speech in London, and Petraeus has discussed his feelings in private sessions with reporters. This creates a “Seven Days in May” syndrome, where the two generals are, in effect, lobbying against the president and undercutting him as he’s trying to make a painfully complex, life-and-death decision..."

Gee, that ain't the first time the generals have tried to back-stab the President. Remember Colin Powell and Bill Clinton? Oh, wait. You were helping with the back-stabbing there. All the Presidents could take a lesson from Harry Truman and MacArthur.

Stunning News

Err, uh, this isn't the main story at this link but it's the most interesting: TechBytes: News Corp. vs. Google - ABC News: "...The words 'Set your 'phasers' to stun' are straight out of 'Star Trek' but now scientists say they've created a device that can do just that. The 'Star Trek'-like 'phaser' they've developed only works on worms right now. The machine temporarily paralyzes the worms but researchers believe the 'phaser' could someday be used to treat medical conditions in humans..."

Public Option Fakery

Is the Controversy over the Public Option the biggest Red Herring Ever? - GLG News: "Nothing has raised the hackles of partisan Democrats and especially Republicans more this year than the public health insurance option. On the left, liberals consider it to be the indispensable component of true healthcare reform. On the right, conservatives refer to it to the first step on the slippery slope to socialism, if not a return to the Third Reich this time in America. Yet, the truth is that its impact will likely be so small, its presence (or absence) hardly merits any debate..."

Casual Outing

"...Asked the Boston Phoenix: "Is this the most casual self-outing by a gay Republican in the history of politics or what?" ---Frontiers of gay Republicanism - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com.

Answer: "Yes."

Saturday, November 21, 2009

The Daily Flashback: Hillary Haters Edition

Palin vs. Clinton – Sean Hannity’s Lies About Hillary : NO QUARTER: "...What is not fine is the nonsense he spewed with his panel as they all got fired up defending Sarah Palin. Hannity made the remark that you can bash a conservative woman all you want – but no one would touch a liberal woman. He basically said if you’re Hillary Clinton, you’re safe from this kind of treatment.

Well, Sean, if you’re reading this – here is a little refresher course on what the left did to Hillary in 2008. And by the way, you and your right wing cronies taught them well with the fifteen years of Hillary bashing she and we have had to put up with. Here are a few examples…"

In case you've forgotten the primaries, click on the link and read the sampling of quotes about (then) Sen. Clinton.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Ineptitude Redux

Op-Ed Columnist - The Big Squander - NYTimes.com: "Earlier this week, the inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, a k a, the bank bailout fund, released his report on the 2008 rescue of the American International Group, the insurer. The gist of the report is that government officials made no serious attempt to extract concessions from bankers, even though these bankers received huge benefits from the rescue. And more than money was lost. By making what was in effect a multibillion-dollar gift to Wall Street, policy makers undermined their own credibility — and put the broader economy at risk..."

The Daily Flashback: Babbling Greenspan Edition

House Attacks Fed, Treasury - WSJ.com: "...In an interview, former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan said it would be 'a major loss to the country if the Fed were incapable of running an independent monetary policy. If you have the GAO, after the fact, offering its opinions on whether a certain monetary policy action is correct or incorrect, the active deliberations that are so critical to building a meaningful consensus at the FOMC will begin to become unhelpfully cautious...'"

Thursday, November 19, 2009

More On The Palin Cover

“News”week’s Sexism Is Showing On Its Cover : NO QUARTER
"...It makes me wonder where they are getting their information. You may know that Governor Palin was on Oprah earlier this week. I don’t know about you, but I was wondering, just out of curiosity, what the ratings were going to be for that show. Care to hazard a guess? If you went by the headline above, you’d guess not very high. And you would be very wrong. Oprah’s show had the highest rating it has had in over TWO YEARS. Dang, that Palin is just TERRIBLE for EVERYBODY!!!! Never mind all of those cheering crowds turning out for her book tour - Palin is just terrible for them! And the GOP! And the WORLD!!!! Ahem.

Again, I disagree with a lot of her policies, but I do appreciate her honest, down to earth bearing - those are characteristics sorely missing among politicians today. Does she possess brilliance on a par with Hillary Clinton? No, I don’t know anyone in politics who is on Clinton’s level. She is heads and shoulders above (which is, no doubt, why they drug her down and stomped all over her). Apparently, though, those of us who consider ourselves to be liberal cannot like Sarah Palin at all in any way for any reason whatsoever without being chastised, criticized, demeaned, and belittled. Because we couldn’t POSSIBLY have been marching for Equal Rights for someone like SARAH PALIN, who, by her own admission on Oprah says her relationship to her husband is one based on EQUALITY. Surely, SHE doesn’t count, which has been the recurring theme about her by so-called liberals and “feminists.”...?"

Duh Of The Day

Michael Moore says Democrats’ healthcare bill is giveaway to insurance industry | Raw Story: "In a speech broadcast on Canadian television Tuesday, Michael Moore savaged the Democrats' healthcare bill, calling it a gift to the health insurance industry, which he argues will make $70 billion more as a result of mandated health insurance..."

And who did you support for President, Mr. Moore?

Terrorist Seed-Planting?

Mouth Of The Potomac - NY Daily News: "Rep. John Shadegg isn’t winning many friends in New York after suggesting Mayor Bloomberg’s daughters could be “kidnapped at school by a terrorist” because Bloomberg wants the 9/11 culprits tried at the scene of the crime..."

Another Schizo Poll

The Associated Press: AP Poll: Support for curbs on malpractice lawsuits... Until you want to sue, everyone else is evil for expecting payment for incompetence.

Palin Aids Dems?

Dems hope Palin disrupts GOP's game plan: "As GOP former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin kicks off a national book tour this week, there are some unlikely voices cheering 'You go, girl!' - hard-core Democrats and progressives who hope Palin's 15 minutes of fame lasts all the way to 2012..."

Some Democrats are hopeful that with Palin getting the nomination they can use the same tactics against her that they used against Hillary Clinton. Don't count on that working out.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Comment Of The Day

From S.Brennan in "Your Health And The Economy's Health": Cannonfire: "'Obama turned an historic opportunity into a [failure].'

No matter where your politics lie, this should not surprise you at all. Obama had reached the age of 47 without ever actually doing anything that was not of direct benefit to himself. He had a non-existent record of achievement and no record of successful governance...just like Bush*. He and Bush had a life of privilege and they both chose the path of nihilism.

Agree or disagree with their policies, Hillary, Gore, and Clinton, had long records and had buckled down early in life. Their live stand in stark contrast to the prodigal, children that make-up the Bush/Obama years.

Obama is Bush's third term.

*[in Texas, the governor is practically a figurehead, doing little to set policy]"

Sounds Expensive

... until you compare the cost to the Iraq war and then to the cost of doing nothing.

Senate Health Bill Said to Cost $849 Billion Over 10 Years - NYTimes.com "The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, put forward his version of sweeping health care legislation on Wednesday, which a Senate aide said would cost $849 billion over 10 years. Mr. Reid promised that it would reduce the federal budget deficit while covering most of the uninsured and adding new benefits to Medicare..."

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Jail, Please

IRS divulges criteria for targeting UBS accounts - washingtonpost.com: "If your secret Swiss bank account was small enough, you can breathe easier: A landmark deal between the United States and Switzerland to expose American tax dodgers does not call for the Swiss to blow your cover..."

Rogue Fact Checking

Fact check: Palin's book goes rogue on some facts - San Jose Mercury News: "Sarah Palin's new book reprises familiar claims from the 2008 presidential campaign that haven't become any truer over time.

Ignoring substantial parts of her record if not the facts, she depicts herself as a frugal traveler on the taxpayer's dime, a reformer without ties to powerful interests and a politician roguishly indifferent to high ambition.

Palin goes adrift, at times, on more contemporary issues, too. She criticizes President Barack Obama for pushing through a bailout package that actually was achieved by his Republican predecessor George W. Bush — a package she seemed to support at the time.

A look at some of her statements in 'Going Rogue,' which was released Tuesday:..."

Code Pink Gone Real Bad?

Code Pink Sees Green in the Bloodshed at Fort Hood : NO QUARTER

Monday, November 16, 2009

You Are Being Sued

ACORN - A Laugh A Minute - NOT : NO QUARTER
"... Are you ready? Get this: they are suing Congress to get our money back! Isn’t that hysterical??? Wait - hold on a second - I am getting word that is NOT a joke, that this is, in fact, true, ACORN Sues Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Funding Cuts By Congress. Oh, sweet mother you have GOT to be kidding!..."

Resetting Priorities

Design - Mistakes in Typography Grate the Purists - NYTimes.com: "...That said, even the type-savvy Mr. Barnes claims to have become more tolerant — or less intolerant — of such howlers over the years. “I’m not sure if it’s a case of growing older, or maybe I have lower expectations,” he explained. “In France recently, I drank some nice Côtes du Rhône wine with a fairly dreadful typographic dress. I was less bothered than I used to be; after all, it’s the wine that’s important!”"

Yes, this little snippet does make a political point.

Lying Liars And Their Lying Lies

GOP twists facts about the House health care plan | ajc.com: "...You have to wonder: Are the Republican arguments against the bill so weak that they have to resort to these misrepresentations and distortions?"

I have two words for any GOP complaints about the current economic mess: George Bush. I will repeat for the politically challenged: George Bush, George Bush, George Bush, George Bush, George Bush, George Bush, George Bush...

More COD4:MW2

Bloody disgrace - BostonHerald.com: "“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” made more than $300 million on its first day in North America and the United Kingdom. That’s more than the Yankees spent to win the World Series. It’s the highest-grossing launch in the history of entertainment, but it’s nothing compared to what defense contractors earned this decade. Real war is still the best business going..."

Ok so UPS brings me my copy and Amazon has sent me a Playstation version. I don't own a Playstation. War is Hell.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

On The Daily Grind

On Rights and Responsibilities: One Cannot Exist Without the Other : Veritas Libertas by Edward Wimberley : Naples Blogs : Naples Daily News: Local Naples, Florida News Delivered Throughou: "...In another era, one that occurred not that very long ago, most of these bright but un-educated students would have never made it into college at all. Now, they shuffle into classrooms under the illusion that they have a “right” to receive a degree, even though they are generally disinterested in really doing the hard work required to learn.

In truth, they are principally enrolled in college to collect a degree, and education - their principal responsibility as students - has become an often unwanted obstacle to collecting the prize they imagine they purchased with their tuition..."

Predictable Split

The Associated Press: Dems, GOP split on NY trials of alleged terrorists

Friday, November 13, 2009

The Daily Flashback: Plame Edition

"Obama-- Words and Deeds"--Cannonfire: "...When Obama attained power, he got his revenge against Joe Wilson. Obama directed his Justice Department to halt the Wilsons' civil lawsuit against Dick Cheney, Karl Rove and Scooter Libby, who conspired to reveal Valerie Wilson's CIA employment. In essence, Obama provided legal cover for the chancred and leprous asses of Dubya's most vile henchmen.

And how did the progressives react? For example, did Randi Rhodes -- who spent years feasting on the Wilson/Plame scandal -- denounce Obama for siding with Dubya's evildoers against the people she had once championed?

No, she did not. At least not within my hearing. (If you know otherwise, please enlighten me.)

And that, my friends, is Barack Obama. He is a man who ran against the Bush/Cheney legacy, yet ended up protecting Bush and Cheney. He is a man who, on the issue of Iran, told lefties what they wanted to hear, yet consistently refused to match action to rhetoric..."

How Long Until Starbucks?

NASA spacecraft confirms water ice deposits on moon | Cutting Edge - CNET News: "Making a bigger splash than expected, the crash of an empty rocket stage in a permanently shadowed crater near the moon's south pole last month kicked up a surprising amount of water ice and vapor, confirming the presence of a potentially valuable resource for future space travelers..."

Pokey Time

Jefferson Sentenced to 13 Years - WSJ.com: "Former Louisiana congressman William Jefferson was sentenced Friday to 13 years in prison following his conviction in a corruption case that featured a freezer full of suspected bribe money stuffed into boxes of veggie burgers.

A federal judge in Alexandria, Va., handed down the sentence to Mr. Jefferson, a 62-year-old Democrat ousted by voters last year. He had been convicted by a jury of bribery, money laundering and racketeering in schemes that prosecutors said he devised to enrich himself and his family..."

Well, I'll believe it when I see him behind bars.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

COD4:MW2 Sets Record

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 said to break sales records | Geek Gestalt - CNET News: "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is said to have broken the single-day sales record for an entertainment property. According to Activision, the game earned $310 million in North America and England alone in its first 24 hours..."

Tough O Talks

Obama: Won't hesitate to use force, if necessary - The Oval: Tracking the Obama presidency: "President Obama told troops at Elmendorf Air Force Base today that he will not hesitate to use force if necessary, but will also have good cause.

'I will not risk your lives unless it is necessary to America's vital interests,' Obama told an enthusiastic group of Air Force personnel. 'And if it is necessary, the United States of America will have your back...'"

Stupid OS Wars

Windows 7 Inspired By Mac? Here's the Guy Who Said So - PC World

Since both the overrated Apple and the unappreciated Windows owe their lineage to Xerox's Smalltalk operating system, isn't this rather like one crack dealer crying to the cops over another crack dealer stealing his dope? Without Xerox PARC neither company would be much of anything and Atari would probably own both of them.

No Vigilantes Here

Uh...because that's what lawyers do? | Michael Tomasky | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk: "...The best line of Obama's Ft. Hood speech, by the way, was: 'We are a nation of laws whose commitment to justice is so enduring that we would treat a gunman and give him due process, just as surely as we will see that he pays for his crimes.' That's not a liberal sentiment, nor (obviously) a conservative one, but a constitutional one. Any American who doesn't see this isn't really much of an American."

Bishop Power Play

How Catholic Bishops Threw the Health Care Debate into Turmoil with Anti-Abortion Maneuver | Rights and Liberties | AlterNet: "...It was a bold power play -- one that caught progressive members of the Democratic caucus off-guard, and one that has sown distrust and dissension among House Democrats.

With a major assist from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, two members of Congress -- both members, as well, of a secretive, right-wing religious group -- made it impossible for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to pass an historic health care reform bill without the attachment of anti-abortion amendment that, if signed into law, could set women's rights back decades..."

Not since the murder of the Knights Templar...

Palin/Dobbs Ticket?

From Logistics Monster: Lou Dobbs Leaving CNN TODAY!!!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

WebBlog Award Nominee

In addition to being in the running for massive blog honors (remember the old Western North Carolina dictum--vote early, vote often), Carl also gets the Mad In The Middle Award for "Best Named Post Of The Day." Read it here:" Simply Left Behind: A Thousand Points Of Blight: The Non-Rapturist's Guide To The Galaxy."

Struggling Vet Organizations


American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars posts struggle - USATODAY.com

This is sad but I'm afraid the roots of the decline go back to Vietnam. Korean War veterans, for the most part, were welcomed into the vet service organizations as one of their own. That never seemed to be the case for Vietnam vets, who if not treated with outright contempt by their elders, were told they were boys who didn't fight in a real war. Couple just a few attitudes from vets with the general disdain for Vietnam vets held by the public at large and the current problem seems quite predictable.

Old, festering wounds perhaps never really heal.

I have to paraphrase Rambo here: "All we ever wanted was for our country to love us half as much we loved her."

Biggest Video Game Ever?

Eager fans greet Call of Duty launch | Technology | Reuters: "Activision Blizzard Inc's hugely anticipated 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2' video game went on sale on Tuesday, welcomed by eager fans who lined up hours in advance of the release..."

I await my copy from Amazon.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Real Male Enhancement

I absolutely will not comment on this (some jokes are too cheap): Artificial Penis Tissue Proves Promising in Lab Tests - Sex | Erectile Dysfunction | Sexual Health - FOXNews.com

The Daily Flashback: Cold Warrior Edition

20 Years Ago Today - The Berlin Wall is torn down!--- COMMON CENTS BLOG: "20 Years Ago Today - The Berlin Wall is torn down! On this date November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall fell! Long viewed as a symbol of the Cold War the Berlin Wall separated the free West Germany from the Communist East Germany..."

This morning on his radio show Huckabee Halftruth waxed eloquent over the greatness of the Raygun who apparently was solely responsible for the fall of Communism and the Wall. I've got news for everyone-- we, that is us, the U.S. and its allies, spent fifty years fighting communism, and the Cold War was not won during the term of one President. All those Americans who died in Korea and Vietnam did so because we were containing the Soviet Union, and the funding for those wars and the Cold War, came from the tax payers and was passed into law by primarily Democratic controlled Congresses, so no lectures on who was the greatest Cold Warrior-- the answer is those who fought in the hot wars.

Comment Of The Day

2Truthy at "Obama Says GOMER"-- Cannonfire: says "...So, Democrats are the patsies for the insurance companies? Leave it to the insurance industry to publish the WellPoint study ONE WEEK prior to the House vote. The study reveals the actual facts about how bad this shitty little insurance industry bill really is for the middle class. Damn, the GOP is gonna loooooove this, and they BOTH are getting their cake and eating it too. The insurance companies have pulled an astute political move that the Democrats don't appear to understand. 2-3 years from now, the Democrats will look like the evil-doers while the GOP does a righteous “I told you so” dance over Obama's Lucifer-ish deal with the insurance industry to not to run Harry and Louise commercials in exchange for his promise to throw people in jail for not buying their cost prohibitive, mandatory insurance policies..."

Monday, November 09, 2009

Shooting The Foot To Spite The Face

Conservative Republican group shuns party-backed Senate candidate in Florida - On Politics - USATODAY.com: "The Club for Growth's Political Action Committee made it official this morning, endorsing former state lawmaker Marco Rubio in next year's Florida Senate race. That's a diss to the state's governor, Charlie Crist. Crist has the backing of top national Republican party leaders as well as the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee in his bid for the seat..."

On DINOHealthcare

Taylor Marsh – TaylorMarsh.com – News, Opinion and Weblog on Progressive Politics | Taylor Marsh – Political Analysis, Foreign Policy, and Opinion: "...But let’s be honest. It was Pres. Obama who opened the door to sell us out when he decided to put the Hyde Amendment in the budget, something Bill Clinton never did. But Mr. Obama didn’t stop there. During the stimulus fight, at the first sign of displeasure, our President personally asked that contraceptives be taken out. Now the President seems ready to finish the job, with Democrats in the House helping him do it.."

The Daily Flashback: Paranoid Edition

Op-Ed Columnist - Paranoia Strikes Deep - NYTimes.com: "...But while the paranoid style isn’t new, its role within the G.O.P. is.

When Hofstadter wrote, the right wing felt dispossessed because it was rejected by both major parties. That changed with the rise of Ronald Reagan: Republican politicians began to win elections in part by catering to the passions of the angry right.

Until recently, however, that catering mostly took the form of empty symbolism. Once elections were won, the issues that fired up the base almost always took a back seat to the economic concerns of the elite. Thus in 2004 George W. Bush ran on antiterrorism and “values,” only to announce, as soon as the election was behind him, that his first priority was changing Social Security.

But something snapped last year..."

Sunday, November 08, 2009

RePumaing

Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away « The Confluence: "...The road to rehabilitation starts by ripping up your party card and mailing it to Donna Brazile. Then, join the rest of us. We’re the third party. We’re the rapidly growing group of voters in every state that designates themselves as unaffiliated. We’re the potential 30% of elected female officials who will change this country. We’re the people who don’t have to hold our elected officials accountable anymore because we are through dealing with them. And I think we have finally achieved the critical mass to become our own third party.

Just walk away..."

Gas Prices Going Up?

Oil cos shut output in Gulf due to hurricane | Reuters: "U.S. oil companies were shutting production on Sunday as they evacuated workers from the Gulf of Mexico ahead of Hurricane Ida, which is forecast to roar across the offshore oil patch Monday before making landfall on Tuesday..."

Friday, November 06, 2009

Goat Staring



Check Out The Real-Life Men Who Stare at Goats - Cinematical: "'I'm not sure why, but Overture Films has chosen to downplay the 'based on a true story' aspects of their high-profile new satirical film The Men Who Stare at Goats. The film finds Ewan McGregor as a journalist looking for a story in Iraq who stumbles across a former member (George Clooney) of a special platoon of psychics employed by the U.S. military. While many moments in the film seem outlandish and ridiculous, they become even more jaw-dropping with the knowledge that the film is based on fact..."

For a primer, see Suspect Zero, an excellent flick btw.