My bold--Norman Podhoretz: In Defense of Sarah Palin - WSJ.com: "Nothing annoys certain of my fellow conservative intellectuals more than when I remind them, as on occasion I mischievously do, that the derogatory things they say about Sarah Palin are uncannily similar to what many of their forebears once said about Ronald Reagan..."
Somewhere in the Oxymoron Hall Of Fame a new star is born, given that it's an extreme challenge to pack three into a five word phrase.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Illegal Spying
Federal Judge Finds N.S.A. Wiretapping Program Illegal - NYTimes.com: "A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that the National Security Agency’s warrantless surveillance program was illegal, rejecting the Obama administration’s effort to keep shrouded in secrecy one of the most disputed counterterrorism policies of former President George W. Bush..."
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Justice Perhaps
Justice For Phoebe Prince « 103.3 WODS-FM | Boston's #1 for the Greatest Hits!: "Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel announced Monday felony indictments are being handed down against a handful of teenagers related to the alleged bullying death of South Hadley High School freshman Phoebe Prince January."
When will this f*ng crap ever end? I'm old and I vividly remember those days of being tormented for being fat (a road down which society appears to be heading). Fortunately, I discovered the bully solution without having to use a weapon. Other times, people do not. Again, where is the adult intervention in all this? Are people afraid of being jumped on by Little Johnny or Janey's parents? Probably. But at some point society will have to quit biting its collective tongue and call poor parenting and bullying what it is-- completely unacceptable.
When will this f*ng crap ever end? I'm old and I vividly remember those days of being tormented for being fat (a road down which society appears to be heading). Fortunately, I discovered the bully solution without having to use a weapon. Other times, people do not. Again, where is the adult intervention in all this? Are people afraid of being jumped on by Little Johnny or Janey's parents? Probably. But at some point society will have to quit biting its collective tongue and call poor parenting and bullying what it is-- completely unacceptable.
Pot 'N Kettle Domestic Terror
Group arrested not Christian or militia, insider says - CNN.com: "Members of a militia charged with plotting to kill police were not Christian or a militia, a man acquainted with the group said Tuesday.
'This is a group that I would classify as neither a militia or a Christian group,' said Michael Lackomar, a member of the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia. 'They're really a fringe group outside of anything we do.
'They're more of a private army or a terrorist organization or really just a criminal organization...'"
'This is a group that I would classify as neither a militia or a Christian group,' said Michael Lackomar, a member of the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia. 'They're really a fringe group outside of anything we do.
'They're more of a private army or a terrorist organization or really just a criminal organization...'"
Monday, March 29, 2010
Magic Bullet
Man arrested for threatening to kill Cantor - Capitol Hill- msnbc.com: "...A bullet was fired through a window at Cantor's Richmond, Virginia, campaign office last week, but police said it had been shot into the air and struck the window in a downward direction, suggesting it was a stray bullet..."
Go GOP!
44 - FEC report details lavish Republican spending, including nearly $2,000 at Voyeur West Hollywood: "The Republican National Committee gave nearly $2,000 to a Southern California GOP contributor for meal expenses at Voyeur West Hollywood, a lesbian-themed California nightclub that features topless dancers wearing horse-bits and other bondage gear, according to newly filed disclosure records..."
Maybe there is hope for the Republican Party.
Maybe there is hope for the Republican Party.
The Noise Of The Tea
Tea Party activism is not about political dissent - It's about vile, storm trooper sound bites: "...As always, you wonder where this patriotism and righteousness and Tea Party activism was during Bush-Cheney. You wonder if all the people who want to take to the streets - and to the television cameras now - decided they weren't needed for eight years because they thought the country was going so good. Or maybe they have just convinced themselves that the Obama who must now be stopped didn't just inherit this America, he created it.
This is no longer about political dissent. It is about storm trooper sound bites, and hate. This isn't the kind of honest debate on which our system of government has been built. It is vile, back-alley fighting, getting worse by the day, with no end in sight. People say that opposition to all Presidents, even the most unpopular white ones, sounds like this. No, it doesn't..."
This is no longer about political dissent. It is about storm trooper sound bites, and hate. This isn't the kind of honest debate on which our system of government has been built. It is vile, back-alley fighting, getting worse by the day, with no end in sight. People say that opposition to all Presidents, even the most unpopular white ones, sounds like this. No, it doesn't..."
Militia Madness
FOXNews.com - Michigan Militia Group Preparing for Antichrist, Web Site Says. The post from Fox doesn't say anything about health care or Obama but I'm sure one or the other is in mix someplace.
GOP Errs On HC
Ex-Bush Aide David Frum: GOP Made Big Mistake on Health Care - AOL News
"...But in the hours after Democrats approved the sweeping legislation, a GOP counter-narrative emerged, fed by David Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush.
It was the Republican Party that made the big mistake, Frum argued, by losing its grand bet that unified opposition to Obamacare could prevent the measure from becoming law. "Conservatives and Republicans today suffered their most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s. It's hard to exaggerate the magnitude of the disaster," Frum wrote on his Web site, FrumForum.com, in a column that Democrats quickly pounced on to highlight division in the Republican ranks. While Republicans may win a short-term benefit in the form of more seats in Congress after November, Frum argued, that will be little compensation for the enactment of a liberal policy objective that could last generations and will be difficult if not impossible to repeal..."
"...But in the hours after Democrats approved the sweeping legislation, a GOP counter-narrative emerged, fed by David Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush.
It was the Republican Party that made the big mistake, Frum argued, by losing its grand bet that unified opposition to Obamacare could prevent the measure from becoming law. "Conservatives and Republicans today suffered their most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s. It's hard to exaggerate the magnitude of the disaster," Frum wrote on his Web site, FrumForum.com, in a column that Democrats quickly pounced on to highlight division in the Republican ranks. While Republicans may win a short-term benefit in the form of more seats in Congress after November, Frum argued, that will be little compensation for the enactment of a liberal policy objective that could last generations and will be difficult if not impossible to repeal..."
Sunday, March 28, 2010
On Seething Hate
Op-Ed Columnist - The Rage Is Not About Health Care - NYTimes.com: "...That a tsunami of anger is gathering today is illogical, given that what the right calls “Obamacare” is less provocative than either the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or Medicare, an epic entitlement that actually did precipitate a government takeover of a sizable chunk of American health care. But the explanation is plain: the health care bill is not the main source of this anger and never has been. It’s merely a handy excuse. The real source of the over-the-top rage of 2010 is the same kind of national existential reordering that roiled America in 1964.
In fact, the current surge of anger — and the accompanying rise in right-wing extremism — predates the entire health care debate. The first signs were the shrieks of “traitor” and “off with his head” at Palin rallies as Obama’s election became more likely in October 2008. Those passions have spiraled ever since — from Gov. Rick Perry’s kowtowing to secessionists at a Tea Party rally in Texas to the gratuitous brandishing of assault weapons at Obama health care rallies last summer to “You lie!” piercing the president’s address to Congress last fall like an ominous shot.
If Obama’s first legislative priority had been immigration or financial reform or climate change, we would have seen the same trajectory. The conjunction of a black president and a female speaker of the House — topped off by a wise Latina on the Supreme Court and a powerful gay Congressional committee chairman — would sow fears of disenfranchisement among a dwindling and threatened minority in the country no matter what policies were in play. It’s not happenstance that Frank, Lewis and Cleaver — none of them major Democratic players in the health care push — received a major share of last weekend’s abuse. When you hear demonstrators chant the slogan “Take our country back!,” these are the people they want to take the country back from.
They can’t..."
In fact, the current surge of anger — and the accompanying rise in right-wing extremism — predates the entire health care debate. The first signs were the shrieks of “traitor” and “off with his head” at Palin rallies as Obama’s election became more likely in October 2008. Those passions have spiraled ever since — from Gov. Rick Perry’s kowtowing to secessionists at a Tea Party rally in Texas to the gratuitous brandishing of assault weapons at Obama health care rallies last summer to “You lie!” piercing the president’s address to Congress last fall like an ominous shot.
If Obama’s first legislative priority had been immigration or financial reform or climate change, we would have seen the same trajectory. The conjunction of a black president and a female speaker of the House — topped off by a wise Latina on the Supreme Court and a powerful gay Congressional committee chairman — would sow fears of disenfranchisement among a dwindling and threatened minority in the country no matter what policies were in play. It’s not happenstance that Frank, Lewis and Cleaver — none of them major Democratic players in the health care push — received a major share of last weekend’s abuse. When you hear demonstrators chant the slogan “Take our country back!,” these are the people they want to take the country back from.
They can’t..."
Leading Neocon Fired From Pie Factory
A $100k job requiring little or no work-- sounds like the right-wing dream machine to me. Here is the bottom line: American Enterprise Institute sends David Frum into the wilderness - War Room - Salon.com: "...You won’t find much of a defense of Buchanan or the paleoconservatives here, but that kind of bombast -- 'war is a great clarifier' -- sure doesn’t look great in retrospect. Frum and his allies weren’t just trying to drum some unsavory types out of the movement. They were also working at making it impossible for a Republican to oppose the party line on the crucial issue of the day -- an issue on which they turned out to be disastrously wrong themselves.
Now that Frum is the right wing's victim, rather than its enforcer, he's easy to sympathize with. But it seems that the fundamental problem is more in the idea that conservatism has to be a monolith at all times. For a movement that has become obsessed with warding off the evils of socialism, the right wing does dearly love a purge."
Now that Frum is the right wing's victim, rather than its enforcer, he's easy to sympathize with. But it seems that the fundamental problem is more in the idea that conservatism has to be a monolith at all times. For a movement that has become obsessed with warding off the evils of socialism, the right wing does dearly love a purge."
Insurance Co Plays Mr. Evil
From the "No Surprise There" Department we learn that Newborn's Family Learns Pre-Existing Conditions Apply at Birth - ABC News. Kinda seems like a DEATH PANEL.
O'Recess Fun
Obama makes 15 recess appointments | Reuters: "President Barack Obama on Saturday announced he would make 15 recess appointments held up by Republicans, including two top Treasury Department positions and two on the National Labor Relations Board that have been vacant for more than a year..."
The GOP will be angry.
The GOP will be angry.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Waxman On The Prowl
AT&T, Deere CEOs Called by Waxman to Back Up Health-Bill Costs - BusinessWeek: "Representative Henry Waxman called the chief executive officers of AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and Deere & Co. to provide evidence to support costs the companies plan to book related to the new health-care law..."
Friday, March 26, 2010
Not Of This Universe
New Proof Unknown "Structures" Tug at Our Universe
"Dark flow" is no fluke, suggests a new study that strengthens the case for unknown, unseen "structures" lurking on the outskirts of creation.
In 2008 scientists reported the discovery of hundreds of galaxy clusters streaming in the same direction at more than 2.2 million miles (3.6 million kilometers) an hour.
This mysterious motion can't be explained by current models for distribution of mass in the universe. So the researchers made the controversial suggestion that the clusters are being tugged on by the gravity of matter outside the known universe..."
If it is outside our Universe, then we need a new definition of "universe," among other things--like a 500 point IQ boost to wrap our collective minds around this subject.
GOP Sanding The Gears Of Government
Having Failed to Block Health Care, Republicans Move to Block Everything Else - Swampland - TIME.com: "Yesterday I reported that the GOP storm on health care seemed to be subsiding. Indeed, reconciliation looks on schedule to go through by Friday, though Senator Tom Coburn says he believes he'll be able to successful strip out certain provisions forcing the Senate to send the bill back to the House for final passage. It seems, though, that some Republicans are taking their frustration out in other ways. As the Washington Post's Ezra Klein reported earlier today, for the second day in a row Republicans have withdrawn their consent for hearings to continue, so work is grinding to a halt. Having failed to block health care, Republicans now seem intent on blocking everything else..."
Thursday, March 25, 2010
On Our Current Crop Of Domestic Terrorists
Simply Left BehindThe Non-Rapturist's Guide To The Galaxy
"...Between the the and the bigotry, you give me and the rest of the left wing of this nation comfort in your hour of pain.
You can spin your,viciousness and terrorism anyway you want to, but the simple truth is, you're nothing but a bunch of pantywaist little girls who lost your Barbie dolls because Mommy and Daddy decided to teach you a lesson, and gave her to the nice girl down the street who has very little to begin with.
Instead of viewing this as an act of Christian kindness, you choose to view it through a lens of entitlement. Instead of accepting the consequences of running this nation into the ground by supporting a dimwit conservative who wholeheartedly embraced a conservative agenda until even that low-level moron realized how much damage he had caused this once-great and powerful nation, you choose now to have some sort of "uprising," believing your positions of entitlement in the mainstream media and in low-levels of power will protect you..."
"...Between the the and the bigotry, you give me and the rest of the left wing of this nation comfort in your hour of pain.
You can spin your,viciousness and terrorism anyway you want to, but the simple truth is, you're nothing but a bunch of pantywaist little girls who lost your Barbie dolls because Mommy and Daddy decided to teach you a lesson, and gave her to the nice girl down the street who has very little to begin with.
Instead of viewing this as an act of Christian kindness, you choose to view it through a lens of entitlement. Instead of accepting the consequences of running this nation into the ground by supporting a dimwit conservative who wholeheartedly embraced a conservative agenda until even that low-level moron realized how much damage he had caused this once-great and powerful nation, you choose now to have some sort of "uprising," believing your positions of entitlement in the mainstream media and in low-levels of power will protect you..."
Robotic Patients
No, really. Practice robot for dentists winces, gags and drools just like a person | DVICE: "We've seen creepy dental practice 'bots from Japan before, though this one gives us the heebie-jeebies even more than the last one. Called "Hanako," the robot is a collaboration between the experts at Tmsuk and several Japanese universities, and is designed to simulate a patient's response to questions and dental work..."
Pot Vote Coming In California
Local Item: "An initiative to legalize marijuana and allow it to be sold and taxed will appear on the November ballot, state election officials announced Wednesday, triggering what will probably be a much-watched campaign that once again puts California on the forefront of the nation's debate over whether to soften drug laws.
The number of valid signatures reported by Los Angeles County, submitted minutes before Wednesday's 5 p.m. deadline, put the measure well beyond the 433,971 it needed to be certified. Supporters turned in 694,248 signatures, collecting them in every county except Alpine. County election officials estimated that 523,531 were valid..."
The number of valid signatures reported by Los Angeles County, submitted minutes before Wednesday's 5 p.m. deadline, put the measure well beyond the 433,971 it needed to be certified. Supporters turned in 694,248 signatures, collecting them in every county except Alpine. County election officials estimated that 523,531 were valid..."
The Third Human
New hominin identified from DNA in pinky bone | TG Daily: "Analysis of a tiny fossil has indicated that a third type of hominin may have lived alongside early humans and Neanderthals in central Asia 40,000 years ago..."
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
HC Constitutional Issues
If Obamacare is not constitutional, then neither is the draft, the Patriot Act, Social Security, income tax, and a host of other Federal mandates that have come down the pike over the years. Here is a summary of the main issues: Is health-care reform constitutional? - washingtonpost.com
Calories Revealed In HC Bill
Coming to the Menu: Calorie Counts - WSJ.com: "Chowing down on calorie-laden food at chain restaurants is going to become more of a guilt trip.
The health bill President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday requires that restaurant chains post calorie counts for all the food items they sell. The law covers any chain with at least 20 outlets, amounting to more than 200,000 restaurants nationwide..."
Well, that is at least one good thing in this bill.
The health bill President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday requires that restaurant chains post calorie counts for all the food items they sell. The law covers any chain with at least 20 outlets, amounting to more than 200,000 restaurants nationwide..."
Well, that is at least one good thing in this bill.
Israel's Toe Stomping Tour
Analysis: Israel's mission to lose friends and alienate people - CNN.com: "First the United States blew its top at Israel.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called it insulting to the United States earlier this month that the Jewish state announced new construction on disputed land while Vice President Joe Biden was visiting. Not only did the Israeli declaration seem designed to torpedo indirect peace talks with the Palestinians, which the United States had just painstakingly arranged, but it came during a trip by the highest-ranking member of the Obama administration yet to visit the country.
Then the United Kingdom lost patience with Israel, expelling a diplomat after a British investigation concluded that the Jewish state had almost certainly faked British passports as part of a plot to kill a Hamas weapons merchant.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Tuesday called the apparent forgery intolerable, saying that such a move coming from an ally 'only adds insult to injury.'
Israel shrugged..."
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called it insulting to the United States earlier this month that the Jewish state announced new construction on disputed land while Vice President Joe Biden was visiting. Not only did the Israeli declaration seem designed to torpedo indirect peace talks with the Palestinians, which the United States had just painstakingly arranged, but it came during a trip by the highest-ranking member of the Obama administration yet to visit the country.
Then the United Kingdom lost patience with Israel, expelling a diplomat after a British investigation concluded that the Jewish state had almost certainly faked British passports as part of a plot to kill a Hamas weapons merchant.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Tuesday called the apparent forgery intolerable, saying that such a move coming from an ally 'only adds insult to injury.'
Israel shrugged..."
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Moore Abortion
Michael Moore: My Congressman, Bart Stupak, Has Neither a Uterus Nor a Brain: "...And there the mask gets pulled off the Bart Stupaks and the 'Christians.' If the statistics show that countries with government-provided universal health care and nearly-free abortions are, in fact, the countries with the fewest abortions, then why on earth wouldn't the Right be the first in line to support universal health care?
Because it isn't about 'universal health care.' It's about controlling women, period. It's about sticking your nose in other people's business. It's about pushing your religious beliefs on everyone else because voices in your head tell you your Jesus is The One -- even though your Jesus never said one single solitary word in any of the four gospels of the Bible about abortion or fertilized eggs being human. You've just gone and made it up about 'life beginning at conception.' Jesus never said that. The little voice in your head said that, the same little voice that wants your grubby paws on women's uteruses. You need help. Please get some help and leave the rest of us alone, Mr. Stupak and friends..."
Because it isn't about 'universal health care.' It's about controlling women, period. It's about sticking your nose in other people's business. It's about pushing your religious beliefs on everyone else because voices in your head tell you your Jesus is The One -- even though your Jesus never said one single solitary word in any of the four gospels of the Bible about abortion or fertilized eggs being human. You've just gone and made it up about 'life beginning at conception.' Jesus never said that. The little voice in your head said that, the same little voice that wants your grubby paws on women's uteruses. You need help. Please get some help and leave the rest of us alone, Mr. Stupak and friends..."
ACORN Goes Into Stealth Mode
ACORN to formally disband | Reuters: "Most of the 20 chapters of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which endorsed President Barack Obama during his 2008 campaign, have disbanded on their own and reorganized under new names, a source within the group said..."
Typical Bad Behavior
Op-Ed Columnist - An Absence of Class in the G.O.P. - NYTimes.com: "...A group of lowlifes at a Tea Party rally in Columbus, Ohio, last week taunted and humiliated a man who was sitting on the ground with a sign that said he had Parkinson’s disease. The disgusting behavior was captured on a widely circulated videotape. One of the Tea Party protesters leaned over the man and sneered: “If you’re looking for a handout, you’re in the wrong end of town.”
Another threw money at the man, first one bill and then another, and said contemptuously, “I’ll pay for this guy. Here you go. Start a pot...”"
Another threw money at the man, first one bill and then another, and said contemptuously, “I’ll pay for this guy. Here you go. Start a pot...”"
Monday, March 22, 2010
November Fear
Tea Partiers to Congressional Democrats: You'll Pay in November - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum - FOXNews.com: "WASHINGTON — It's payback time.
Tea Party leaders, livid over the passage of health care reform on Sunday night, say their next step will be to turn from fighting the bill to running the people who voted for it out of Congress..."
Gee, I guess they're scared of losing all those Republican votes they were planning on getting in November. I'm sure if they had voted against Obamacare, the GOP would have lined up in obedient droves to vote for a Democrat over a Republican. So how long of a memory do you suppose the Independents, you know, the swing voters have? Were they were 100% against the bill, or were they split 60/40 or something? Maybe something important will happen between now and November. Who knows?
Tea Party leaders, livid over the passage of health care reform on Sunday night, say their next step will be to turn from fighting the bill to running the people who voted for it out of Congress..."
Gee, I guess they're scared of losing all those Republican votes they were planning on getting in November. I'm sure if they had voted against Obamacare, the GOP would have lined up in obedient droves to vote for a Democrat over a Republican. So how long of a memory do you suppose the Independents, you know, the swing voters have? Were they were 100% against the bill, or were they split 60/40 or something? Maybe something important will happen between now and November. Who knows?
Urban Cyber Dangers
Norton ranks riskiest cities for cybercrime | Security - CNET News: "You may want to start keeping a closer eye on where you click if you live in Seattle.
Among 50 U.S. cities studied for their vulnerability to cybercrime, Seattle came out on top as the riskiest place, followed by Boston, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, according to the report 'Norton's Top 10 Riskiest Online Cities,' released Monday.
In an effort to study and rank the nation's riskiest cities for cybercrime, Symantec partnered with research firm Sperling's BestPlaces. The two companies used their own internal research and also checked out key facts and figures on each city, including the number of malware attacks, the number of spam zombies, the number of infected computers, the levels of Internet access, and the number of Wi-Fi hotspots..."
Among 50 U.S. cities studied for their vulnerability to cybercrime, Seattle came out on top as the riskiest place, followed by Boston, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, according to the report 'Norton's Top 10 Riskiest Online Cities,' released Monday.
In an effort to study and rank the nation's riskiest cities for cybercrime, Symantec partnered with research firm Sperling's BestPlaces. The two companies used their own internal research and also checked out key facts and figures on each city, including the number of malware attacks, the number of spam zombies, the number of infected computers, the levels of Internet access, and the number of Wi-Fi hotspots..."
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Choices, No Choices On HC And Policy
Health Care Reform: Women Will Walk « The Confluence: "...But the thing that really ticks me off is that American women are about to lose their freedom to worship (or not) as they choose. To me, one of the most egregious things in this bill is the way that women are treated. When we are considered at all, our reproductive health seems to be in a special category, one where a bunch of old guys in red beanies and pointy hats, have the final say as to what is or isn’t acceptable. If the Senate bill passes, it will perfectly acceptable to force women to identify themselves as considering abortion as a healthcare option when they sign up for insurance. It’s to shame them. No, no, don’t try to sugar coat this. That is the intention. To keep abortion as a shameful procedure.
I can just hear the anti-choice crowd now. “Why should we pay for something that’s going to offend our consciences?” Jeez, I dunno. Why do I have to pay for faith based initiatives? How about we pass a separate bill that requires all of the religious people out there to write separate checks to cover church based charities that discriminate against the gay community or actively practice discrimination in their church hierarchy? That kind of crap really frosts my crockies and offends my conscience down to the quick but I still have to pay for it. There is no little box on the tax return form that says, “Would you like to make a donation to faith based initiatives? Or war in Iraq? Or TARP?” No, all of the stupid laws and bills and war resolutions that have passed in the past decade because it was possible to fool most of the people enough of the time have cost me and my cohort and we have had very little choice in the matter. A Republican dictator president wielded his veto pen like it was a baton and threatened to use it with relish. We just had to go along with it..."
I can just hear the anti-choice crowd now. “Why should we pay for something that’s going to offend our consciences?” Jeez, I dunno. Why do I have to pay for faith based initiatives? How about we pass a separate bill that requires all of the religious people out there to write separate checks to cover church based charities that discriminate against the gay community or actively practice discrimination in their church hierarchy? That kind of crap really frosts my crockies and offends my conscience down to the quick but I still have to pay for it. There is no little box on the tax return form that says, “Would you like to make a donation to faith based initiatives? Or war in Iraq? Or TARP?” No, all of the stupid laws and bills and war resolutions that have passed in the past decade because it was possible to fool most of the people enough of the time have cost me and my cohort and we have had very little choice in the matter. A Republican dictator president wielded his veto pen like it was a baton and threatened to use it with relish. We just had to go along with it..."
Workplace Violence Stats: Nurses
Violence on the Oncology Ward - Well Blog - NYTimes.com: "...According to the most recent statistics available from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, nurses and health care workers are the most common victims of nonfatal workplace violence in the private sector. In a 2004 article about workplace violence in health care, the researchers, Kathleen McPhaul and Jane Lipscomb, assert that workplace violence is one of the “most complex and dangerous occupational hazards” that nurses face. There’s even a YouTube video that features pictures of bruised nurses who were assaulted on the job and ends with a call for action to stop violence against nurses..."
Too Little, Too Late
FOXNews.com - Tea Party Leader, GOP Condemn Racial Slurs Hurled at Black Lawmakers: "Republican National Chairman Michael Steele and one of the organizers of Saturday's Tea Party rally strongly condemned the racial slurs that some black lawmakers alleged were yelled at them by some health care protesters as they headed for a procedural vote at Capitol Hill..."
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Lest We Forget: Lying Traitors Edition
t r u t h o u t | The Lies of Karl Rove: "...In fact, the Bush administration mounted an intense six-month campaign to make sure that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) produced 'evidence' of WMD, and then made sure that such players as National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice and Secretary of State Colin Powell parroted the administration's big lie to the American public and to the international community. President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and their acolytes Lewis 'Scooter' Libby and Karl Rove desperately wanted to go to war against Iraq for reasons that have never been explained. As a result, they created and employed a strategic disinformation campaign to convince Congress and the American people of the need for war. Goebbels would have beamed..."
Swiss Flash Forward Coming?
World Briefing - EUROPE - Switzerland - New Record Set for Speedy Protons - NYTimes.com: "Scientists at CERN, the European nuclear research agency, announced Friday morning that they had accelerated beams of protons at the world’s largest particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, to energies of 3.5 trillion electron volts. That is a new record, three times the energy of any other machine on earth, and means that the collider, after 15 years and $10 billion, is on the verge of beginning to do physics experiments. Physicists hope to begin colliding the beams by the end of the month... "
Friday, March 19, 2010
Crazies Target HC Kid Spokesman
Marcelas Owens Becomes Beck, Limbaugh Target - Swampland - TIME.com:
"Limbaugh:
Beck, on the pro-reform group that brought Marcelas to Washington, DC to talk about health care:
"Limbaugh:
'Now this is unseemly, exploitative, an 11-year-old boy being forced to tell his story all over just to benefit the Democrat Party and Barack Obama …And, I would say this to Marcelas Owens : 'Well, your mom would still have died, because Obamacare doesn't kick in until 2014.''
Beck, on the pro-reform group that brought Marcelas to Washington, DC to talk about health care:
'That's the George Soros-funded Obama-approved group fighting for health care…Since all of the groups are so concerned and involved now, may I ask where were you when Marcelas' mother was vomiting blood?'"
Throw 'Em Out
FOXNews.com - Fox News Poll: 68% Say Vote Out All Incumbents: "If American voters only had the following two choices on the Congressional ballot -- keep all current lawmakers in office, or get rid of all incumbents in Congress -- what would they do?
A new Fox News poll asked that question, and the answer could be bad news for incumbents this fall..."
...and since most incumbents are Democrats, then Fox's pollees want to chuck the Dems. Now that's a big surprise.
A new Fox News poll asked that question, and the answer could be bad news for incumbents this fall..."
...and since most incumbents are Democrats, then Fox's pollees want to chuck the Dems. Now that's a big surprise.
Senator Probed
No. Not by aliens (though that might not be a bad idea). Sources: Subpoenas related to Sen. Ensign investigation are issued - CNN.com: "At least one company and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have been issued subpoenas requesting documents in a federal grand jury investigation related to Sen. John Ensign, R-Nevada..."
YouTube Accuses Viacom
YouTube accuses Viacom of secretly uploading videos • The Register: "Google has accused Viacom of secretly uploading videos to YouTube in an effort to support its copyright infringement claims against Mountain View.
In March 2007 the US media giant filed a $1bn lawsuit against Google, alleging the video-sharing site was responsible for Viacom-owned clips posted to YouTube.
Now, in the latest soap opera-like twist, YouTube chief counsel Zahavah Levine has claimed that Viacom hired firms to upload its videos to the Google-owned site to help bolster its copyright violation allegations..."
In March 2007 the US media giant filed a $1bn lawsuit against Google, alleging the video-sharing site was responsible for Viacom-owned clips posted to YouTube.
Now, in the latest soap opera-like twist, YouTube chief counsel Zahavah Levine has claimed that Viacom hired firms to upload its videos to the Google-owned site to help bolster its copyright violation allegations..."
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Should We Care What Church Thinks?
FOXNews.com - Holy War Erupts Among Catholics Over Abortion Language in Health Care Bill: "The abortion language in President Obama's health care reform bill has ignited something of a holy war among Catholics, who are sharply divided on whether the legislation would allow the government to subsidize the termination of pregnancies..."
O Fox Nasty
Freeskier Magazine: In Fox News Interview with Bret Baier, Obama was Frustrated, Lecturing and Highly Allergic to "interruptions": "In the highly anticipated Fox News interview with Bret Baier, an on-the-defensive Barack Obama oftentimes got frustrated, lecturing, and, in perhaps the most annoying aspect of his performance, highly allergic to “interruptions,” which he accused Baier of making several times. This Fox News interview was a major one because it was right in the middle of the week of the run-up to the crucial, final vote on Obamacare that could come down as soon as Saturday. Given the high importance of the interview and the fact that Fox News put Obama in touch with many independents who could have their minds changed on Obamacare, you’d think the president would’ve presented himself in a better light to actually persuade the undecideds, yes? If that’s what you thought, you’d be 100% wrong as the interview was characterized from start to end with nothing but Obama’s idiosyncratic behavior when he’s asked tough questions he doesn’t like: hypersensitivity, evasion and a very unattractive tendency to make unwarranted accusations..."
Well, Mr. Obama, you can't say you weren't warned about trying to coddle the enemy.
Well, Mr. Obama, you can't say you weren't warned about trying to coddle the enemy.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
White Dwarf Confounds
Super supernova: White dwarf star system exceeds mass limit: "ScienceDaily (Mar. 16, 2010) — An international team led by Yale University has, for the first time, measured the mass of a type of supernova thought to belong to a unique subclass and confirmed that it surpasses what was believed to be an upper mass limit. Their findings, which appear online and will be published in an upcoming issue of the Astrophysical Journal, could affect the way cosmologists measure the expansion of the universe..."
...all which makes the surrender of Dennis Kucinich far less important.
...all which makes the surrender of Dennis Kucinich far less important.
Do The Crime Now
...it will be too late in the future when you are sure to be caught. Bacterial trail may be next forensic clue - Los Angeles Times
GOP Wants OBL Alive
It's possible to play politics with everything as this little article proves. If bin Laden is found, he'll be killed, Holder says - washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The Devil May Care
On Satan’s trail with Don Gabriele, the world’s most famous exorcist - Times Online: "'Are you afraid of the Devil?” The world’s most famous exorcist levels his gaze at me and then smiles..."
Ok. I'm already freaked out. For more, click on the link.
Ok. I'm already freaked out. For more, click on the link.
Bank Overhaul Proposed
Dodd Unveils Bill Taking Aim at Big Banks - WSJ.com: "U.S. Senate legislation aimed at overhauling regulation of finance would cost large banks billions of dollars, prevent them from taking certain risks and create a new regulatory infrastructure to oversee their activities..."
Let the crying (and television commercials) begin.
Let the crying (and television commercials) begin.
HC Abortion Simplified
Ezra Klein - Does universal coverage reduce abortion?: "'To oppose expanded coverage in the name of restricting abortion gets things exactly backward,' writes T.R. Reid. 'It's like saying you won't fix the broken furnace in a schoolhouse because you're against pneumonia.' Here's his argument:.."
The Goodly GOP
John Boehner and Mitch McConnell: ObamaCare and the 'Buzzsaw' of Opposition - WSJ.com:
"By JOHN BOEHNER
AND MITCH MCCONNELL
A little over a year ago, when President Obama first took up health-care reform, Republicans reached out to him in the hopes of working together on solutions that would lower health-care costs for families and small businesses. A bipartisan bill focused on lower costs could have been sent to the president's desk last year, and it would have received the support of the American people..."
No, this is not satire lifted from The Onion.
I'll let the people who don't have to get to work right now write the response (I'm thinking fish and rain barrels here).
"By JOHN BOEHNER
AND MITCH MCCONNELL
A little over a year ago, when President Obama first took up health-care reform, Republicans reached out to him in the hopes of working together on solutions that would lower health-care costs for families and small businesses. A bipartisan bill focused on lower costs could have been sent to the president's desk last year, and it would have received the support of the American people..."
No, this is not satire lifted from The Onion.
I'll let the people who don't have to get to work right now write the response (I'm thinking fish and rain barrels here).
In Case You Care (About Edwards)
I sure don't care about any of this, but here it is-- Mistress of Edwards Ends Silence on Affair - NYTimes.com
Monday, March 15, 2010
Fox News Silliness
The FOX Factor : NO QUARTER
"...Beck apologized recently for wasting his audience’s time following a hilariously absurd and demented interview with disgraced tickling enthusiast and former Congressman Eric Massa. But not to worry, he’s back to whatever passes for normal now.
"...Beck apologized recently for wasting his audience’s time following a hilariously absurd and demented interview with disgraced tickling enthusiast and former Congressman Eric Massa. But not to worry, he’s back to whatever passes for normal now.
FOX’s “news” operation didn’t show restraint or a desire for fact-checking while helping pump damaging, and false stories about the Clintons into the media churn, with the Vince Foster conspiracy theory still holding a strong showing behind the JFK assassination.
And it’s not as if Beck makes money for the network. He’s a loss leader (here’s a partial list of companies that have pulled their ads, despite Beck’s strong ratings). There are rumblings that Rupert Murdoch’s children are fed up with the drama surrounding FOX News’s foolishness, but you can bet that as long as daddy Rupert is in charge and Roger Ailes continues to draw breath nothing will change..."
A New Low In Dumb
Fred Hiatt - Obama's happiness deficit - washingtonpost.com: "...And here's what makes this so complicated: The fact that Obama doesn't get a kick out of adoring throngs is one of the qualities that made him so appealing in the first place. Unlike with Clinton, we never felt as though he needed us; he's a secure, self-confident adult.
That's a good thing. Yes, Obama would rather have dinner with his wife than with, say, John Boehner. Wouldn't you? (With your own spouse, I mean; you don't get to choose dinner with Michelle.) I'm glad to have a president for whom family values isn't just a slogan -- and a president who cares about policy..."
That's a good thing. Yes, Obama would rather have dinner with his wife than with, say, John Boehner. Wouldn't you? (With your own spouse, I mean; you don't get to choose dinner with Michelle.) I'm glad to have a president for whom family values isn't just a slogan -- and a president who cares about policy..."
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Accountability And Bad Ed
The Big Idea -- it's bad education policy - latimes.com: "...Our era is no different. We now face a wave of education reforms based on the belief that school choice, test-driven accountability and the resulting competition will dramatically improve student achievement.
Once again, I find myself sounding the alarm that the latest vision of education reform is deeply flawed. But this time my warning carries a personal rebuke. For much of the last two decades, I was among those who jumped aboard the choice and accountability bandwagon. Choice and accountability, I believed, would offer a chance for poor children to escape failing schools. Testing and accountability, I thought, would cast sunshine on low-performing schools and lead to improvement. It all seemed to make sense, even if there was little empirical evidence, just promise and hope.
Today there is empirical evidence, and it shows clearly that choice, competition and accountability as education reform levers are not working. But with confidence bordering on recklessness, the Obama administration is plunging ahead, pushing an aggressive program of school reform -- codified in its signature Race to the Top program -- that relies on the power of incentives and competition. This approach may well make schools worse, not better..."
Once again, I find myself sounding the alarm that the latest vision of education reform is deeply flawed. But this time my warning carries a personal rebuke. For much of the last two decades, I was among those who jumped aboard the choice and accountability bandwagon. Choice and accountability, I believed, would offer a chance for poor children to escape failing schools. Testing and accountability, I thought, would cast sunshine on low-performing schools and lead to improvement. It all seemed to make sense, even if there was little empirical evidence, just promise and hope.
Today there is empirical evidence, and it shows clearly that choice, competition and accountability as education reform levers are not working. But with confidence bordering on recklessness, the Obama administration is plunging ahead, pushing an aggressive program of school reform -- codified in its signature Race to the Top program -- that relies on the power of incentives and competition. This approach may well make schools worse, not better..."
Consulate Connections Killed In Juarez
Three with links to U.S. Consulate in Juarez are slain - washingtonpost.com: "Assailants gunned down three people returning from a party at a U.S. Consulate employee's home in the Mexican city of Juarez, including a pregnant U.S. government employee and her husband, in two attacks a few minutes apart that prompted a furious response from the White House on Sunday..."
Good News, Bad News
3 Rulings Find No Link to Vaccines and Autism - NYTimes.com "In a further blow to the antivaccine movement, three judges ruled Friday in three separate cases that thimerosal, a preservative containing mercury, does not cause autism..."
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Air Batteries Of The Future
Bottled Wind Could Be as Constant as Coal | Wired Science | Wired.com: "Wind power has made incredible inroads into the U.S. energy system thanks to big, efficient machines standing hundreds of feet tall. But the future of wind power may be underground.
In the abandoned mines and sandstones of the Midwest, compressed-air storage ventures are trying to convert the intermittent motions of the air into the kind of steady power that could displace coal.
Compressed-air energy storage plants use compressors to store electricity generated when it’s not needed. The air, pumped into large underground formations, is like a spring that’s been squeezed and when it’s needed, it can deliver a large percentage of the energy that it received.
The first and only such plant in the United States went online in 1991, and though the technology didn’t take off, it did prove that it worked. And now, combining cheap wind energy and compressed-air storage could create a potent new force in the electricity markets..."
In the abandoned mines and sandstones of the Midwest, compressed-air storage ventures are trying to convert the intermittent motions of the air into the kind of steady power that could displace coal.
Compressed-air energy storage plants use compressors to store electricity generated when it’s not needed. The air, pumped into large underground formations, is like a spring that’s been squeezed and when it’s needed, it can deliver a large percentage of the energy that it received.
The first and only such plant in the United States went online in 1991, and though the technology didn’t take off, it did prove that it worked. And now, combining cheap wind energy and compressed-air storage could create a potent new force in the electricity markets..."
Texas Gets In GOP Propaganda Biz
Texas Conservatives Win Vote on Textbook Standards - NYTimes.com: "After three days of turbulent meetings, the Texas Board of Education on Friday approved a social studies curriculum that will put a conservative stamp on history and economics textbooks, stressing the superiority of American capitalism, questioning the Founding Fathers’ commitment to a purely secular government and presenting Republican political philosophies in a more positive light."
The View From Under The Bus
Two People Discarded by Obama Administration Talk About How They Feel - Special Report w/ Bret Baier - FOXNews.com :"...The New York Times reports Rogers' confidants say she feels the administration abandoned her after the state dinner party-crasher incident: "As she put it, 'They never lifted a finger to help me set the record straight,'" said one associate. "She didn't get any help from [Robert] Gibbs, no help from [David] Axelrod, no help from Valerie Jarrett. Nobody came to her defense..."
And you expected something different?
And you expected something different?
Padding Up
iPad Pre-Orders: For Idiots Only - PCWorld: "Friday morning, the fool's parade started. Apple is taking online 'pre-orders' for its iPad tablet, which is supposed to begin shipping on April 3. Buying a new kind of product sight unseen is foolish. Especially given how mysterious Apple has been on what the iPad can do and what restrictions on capabilities and media access it will place on users and content providers.
Why blow $500 to $830 on a device that may not be what you expect?..."
The last time I trusted Apple they screwed me for $2000, which would be a bunch in today's money. Oh, yeah. "Apple II Forever!" .
Why blow $500 to $830 on a device that may not be what you expect?..."
The last time I trusted Apple they screwed me for $2000, which would be a bunch in today's money. Oh, yeah. "Apple II Forever!" .
Avoiding Issues
Tea Party Avoids Divisive Social Issues - NYTimes.com "...The Contract From America, which is being created Wiki-style by Internet contributors as a manifesto of what “the people” want government to do, also mentions little in the way of social issues, beyond a declaration that parents should be given choice in how to educate their children. By contrast, the document it aims to improve upon — the Contract With America, which Republicans used to market their successful campaign to win a majority in Congress in 1994 — was prefaced with the promise that the party would lead a Congress that “respects the values and shares the faith of the American family...”
So is it just a ruse? Are they waiting for the power moment, when everything will all of a sudden become a life and death issue entangled with abortion and gay rights?
So is it just a ruse? Are they waiting for the power moment, when everything will all of a sudden become a life and death issue entangled with abortion and gay rights?
Friday, March 12, 2010
National ID Coming
FOXNews.com - 5 Reasons Why America Should Steer Clear of a National ID Card: "The Senate is working toward a ghastly compromise on immigration reform that includes a biometric national identification card for all Americans. The stated purpose of this national ID, which an employee must present before getting a job, is to prevent undocumented workers from being employed. Back in December I warned that a national ID is the inevitable conclusion of the anti-immigration movement. The failure of E-Verify to catch 54% of undocumented workers is only accelerating the call for a national ID..."
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Lest We Forget: Rove Edition
Isikoff: Rove ‘never set the record straight’ about CIA leak case | Raw Story: "...According to Isikoff, Rove's self-portrayal as an innocent victim hounded by Patrick Fitzgerald overlooks the fact that it was he himself who let the 'persecution' play out by not acknowledging at the time that he was the person who confirmed Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA officer to columnist Robert Novak. Instead, he allowed press secretary Scott McClellan to lie on his behalf when the scandal broke and continued to let that lie stand over the next two years..."
MM And Dem Animals
Moore: Democrats behaving like ‘frightened animals’ | Raw Story: "The ever-colorful and controversial Michael Moore fleshed out his thesis that Democrats are wimps by mimicking them as babies and likening them to scared animals, during an appearance on MSNBC Wednesday..."
Helping The Republic
Good for the GOP! Wow, I don't get to write those words often, but any efforts to ban earmarks should be encouraged so eventually the government might return to something approaching sanity in its budgetary efforts.
House GOP imposes sweeping earmark ban - On Politics: Covering the US Congress, Governors, and the 2010 Election - USATODAY.com: "House Republicans today agreed to a sweeping moratorium on all funding requests for pet projects, known as earmarks.
The move, approved in a closed-door meeting, is an escalation of efforts by Democrats and Republicans to claim the higher ground on ethics in advance of November's midterm congressional elections.."
House GOP imposes sweeping earmark ban - On Politics: Covering the US Congress, Governors, and the 2010 Election - USATODAY.com: "House Republicans today agreed to a sweeping moratorium on all funding requests for pet projects, known as earmarks.
The move, approved in a closed-door meeting, is an escalation of efforts by Democrats and Republicans to claim the higher ground on ethics in advance of November's midterm congressional elections.."
Who Speaks For The Unchurched?
Is abortion your moral bottom line on health reform? - Faith & Reason: "The conflict over the Catholic church's influence in U.S. health care reform is intense: Will the church's efforts to shut off all access to insurance coverage for abortion, even if people want to pay for it themselves, trump its strong desire to offer more care and better care for the poor and working Americans?..."
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
O Will Not Ban Fishing
The waves of stupid emanating from DC and the media continue to escalate. What's next Democrats eat puppies and Republicans drink kitty blood? Right-wing media eagerly spread absurd claim that Obama plans to "ban sport fishing" | Media Matters for America
Putting The Dead On Hold
Snotty Verizon refused to stop billing dead man without his pin number «: "...Lacy sent the phone company a death certificate, showing her father, Bill Young of Calvin, W.Va., died in June, but that didn’t stop this crappy company from billing the dead man monthly, nor did repeated phone calls to insulting Verizon “customer service” people. Nope. It took public embarrassment for Verizon to get that temporary religion they tend to acquire when negative publicity exposes them for the disinterested company they truly are..."
Note to Verizon, et.al.: you start screwing with the Silent Majority and things could become very bad for you.
Note to Verizon, et.al.: you start screwing with the Silent Majority and things could become very bad for you.
Supreme Sensibilites Are Delicate
Oh. That's just awful. The President said we did a stupid. Well, sir, try living out here in peasantville with the ramifications of your Court's decisions, then you'll know what is truly offensive. Chief justice unsettled by Obama's criticism of Supreme Court - latimes.com
Glen Greenwald had a bit to say on the matter, too:
"...What makes Roberts' petty, self-absorbed grievance all the more striking is that this is what judges do all the time. It's the essence of the judicial branch. Federal judges are basically absolute tyrants who rule over their courtroom and those in it with virtually no restraints. They can and do scold, criticize, berate, mock, humiliate and threaten anyone who appears before their little fiefdoms -- parties, defendants, lawyers, witnesses, audience members -- and not merely "decorum," but the force of law (in the form of contempt citations or other penalties), compels the target to sit silently and not respond. In fact, lawyers can be, and have been, punished just for publicly criticizing a judge..."
Glen Greenwald had a bit to say on the matter, too:
"...What makes Roberts' petty, self-absorbed grievance all the more striking is that this is what judges do all the time. It's the essence of the judicial branch. Federal judges are basically absolute tyrants who rule over their courtroom and those in it with virtually no restraints. They can and do scold, criticize, berate, mock, humiliate and threaten anyone who appears before their little fiefdoms -- parties, defendants, lawyers, witnesses, audience members -- and not merely "decorum," but the force of law (in the form of contempt citations or other penalties), compels the target to sit silently and not respond. In fact, lawyers can be, and have been, punished just for publicly criticizing a judge..."
Captain Blighette
Navy Chaplain: Holly Graf Cruelty Complaint Began Early - TIME: "...The Navy removed Graf from command of the guided-missile cruiser U.S.S. Cowpens in January for 'cruelty and maltreatment' of her crew. But Kaprow's account makes clear that such conduct also occurred on the first ship Graf commanded. His tale is noteworthy because, unlike most others who witnessed Graf in command, Kaprow was an independent Navy outsider not subject to Graf's orders. Questions continue to swirl about how Graf not only retained her command but kept getting promoted despite reports from eyewitnesses like Kaprow. Graf has declined interview requests, and there has been scant support offered for her by Navy colleagues on naval blogs or elsewhere. An admiral expressed concern on Friday over what he called a 'lynch mob' mentality about the case, as even conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh weighed in: 'This woman sounds like a real Cruella de Vl...'"
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
One Month To Mars?
SPACE.com -- New Rocket Engine Could Reach Mars in 40 Days: "Future Mars outposts or colonies may seem more distant than ever with NASA's exploration plans in flux, but the rocket technology that could someday propel a human mission to the red planet in as little as 40 days may already exist..."
At how many G's?
At how many G's?
The Rule Of Law And Other Fantasies
Marc Thiessen, King of the Morons : NO QUARTER: "...Thiessen, you retard, the reason that your list of so-called fine lawyers were attacked is because they violated the very tenets of law that the Constitution enshrines. What the hell has happened to genuine conservatives? There was a time that conservatives believed first and foremost in the rule of law, limited power of the Federal Government and fiscal responsibility. You and your former boss, W, blew those concepts all to hell. Me? I continue to believe firmly and passionately that the power of the Federal Government should and must be limited. I do not believe in a theocratic form of government. The President is not a divine being nor is he (or she) infallible. Yet you persist with this fascistic nonsense to assert that our Government, using fear, can usurp the rights of any individual that it decides on its own is a terrorist or an enemy.
Unlike you I have learned the lessons of Nuremberg. Unlike you I remember and understand the historical precedent of governments run by dictators and thugs–Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot. While George Bush is not a criminal on par with those scum, he still engaged in practices that, no matter how noble his intention, presented a direct threat to our system of government and the principle that the government is limited in what it can do to individuals..."
Unlike you I have learned the lessons of Nuremberg. Unlike you I remember and understand the historical precedent of governments run by dictators and thugs–Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot. While George Bush is not a criminal on par with those scum, he still engaged in practices that, no matter how noble his intention, presented a direct threat to our system of government and the principle that the government is limited in what it can do to individuals..."
Real Filibusters Returning?
Call to Follow Through on Filibuster Threat - WSJ.com: "It has been a long time since there was a filibuster worthy of the name, with cots rolled out of storage rooms, bleary-eyed senators speechifying at 3 a.m. and the Capitol held in thrall to round-the-clock debates.
Some Democrats, buoyed by what they see as a public-relations boost from Republican Sen. Jim Bunning's recent legislative blockade, want to change that. Filibusters, holds and other roadblocks shouldn't be bloodless affairs, they say; if Republicans want to hold up action, they should stay on the Senate floor and make their case..."
Some Democrats, buoyed by what they see as a public-relations boost from Republican Sen. Jim Bunning's recent legislative blockade, want to change that. Filibusters, holds and other roadblocks shouldn't be bloodless affairs, they say; if Republicans want to hold up action, they should stay on the Senate floor and make their case..."
Yelling Fire In A Theatre
Liz Cheney says terrorists have no rights. Also, you're a terrorist. - By Dahlia Lithwick - Slate Magazine: "...You would think, however, that when Cheney and Kristol launched their execrable "Keep America Safe" Web ad, they would have been very, very careful with their words. In the ad they accuse seven Justice Department lawyers and two colleagues—all of whom had represented Guantanamo detainees—of being members of the Department of Jihad. A screen shot of Osama Bin Laden and a creepy voice-over asks of these attorneys, "Whose values do they share?" Thanks to people like Kristol and Cheney, people take accusations of this sort very seriously. The Justice Department reports being swamped with panicked phone calls since the ad started running this week. In 2010, calling someone a Bin Laden-loving jihadist isn't just meaningless partisan hackery..."
Go ahead, GOP. Incite a few more lunatics into domestic violence.
Go ahead, GOP. Incite a few more lunatics into domestic violence.
Discovering Hypocrisy
The Rocky Mountain Collegian :: Obama brings hope and change to his position on filibuster: "I’ve become increasingly irritated by the incessant clamor to abolish the Senate’s ability to filibuster legislation. Democrats are claiming that the filibuster is preventing them from passing needed legislation.
If you’ve followed politics for more than one election cycle, you’d immediately catch the hypocrisy involved here.
Back in 2005, when Republicans were in control of the Senate and the presidency, Democrats repeatedly used the filibuster to block extremely Christian right-wing judges.
Republicans complained and initiated what Democrats called “the nuclear option,” an attempt to end the filibuster and require only 51 votes instead of 60 to confirm these judicial nominees.
Notorious right-wing Christian leader James Dobson said about eliminating the filibuster: “The future of democracy and ordered liberty actually depends on the outcome of this struggle.” That’s right, Republicans and far-right wingers were claiming that eliminating it was essential to saving democracy..."
If you’ve followed politics for more than one election cycle, you’d immediately catch the hypocrisy involved here.
Back in 2005, when Republicans were in control of the Senate and the presidency, Democrats repeatedly used the filibuster to block extremely Christian right-wing judges.
Republicans complained and initiated what Democrats called “the nuclear option,” an attempt to end the filibuster and require only 51 votes instead of 60 to confirm these judicial nominees.
Notorious right-wing Christian leader James Dobson said about eliminating the filibuster: “The future of democracy and ordered liberty actually depends on the outcome of this struggle.” That’s right, Republicans and far-right wingers were claiming that eliminating it was essential to saving democracy..."
Monday, March 08, 2010
Another First Amendment Issue
Supreme Court Roundup - Court Takes Case of Church Protesting Marine’s Funeral - NYTimes.com: "The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether the father of a Marine killed in Iraq may sue protesters who picketed his son’s funeral with signs that read “God Hates You” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers..."
Stupid Is As Stupid Does
If Masa's account is correct, then this whole issue is intensely stupid. Massa says Democratic leaders want him out - CNN.com
Quit Driving!
Gas prices match 2010 high as analysts expect $3 a gallon - USATODAY.com: "Motorists are well down the road to higher pump prices as warmer weather and the driving season approach.
Average retail gasoline prices, continuing a surge that started last month, have now matched their 2010 high on the way to prices that many analysts believe will top $3 per gallon this spring..."
Average retail gasoline prices, continuing a surge that started last month, have now matched their 2010 high on the way to prices that many analysts believe will top $3 per gallon this spring..."
HC Backlashing
The comment thread at this post is particularly informative. Medicare backlash: A primary care doctor lays out his costs - Mar. 4, 2010
Magic Mitt Muses
Mitt Romney, version 2012 - The Boston Globe: "No more of Barack Obama’s pathetic groveling for the world’s greatest nation. No more apologies to the Muslim world. No more suggestion that America encounters problems it can’t solve..."
It all sounds good until you consider the source.
It all sounds good until you consider the source.
Civil Rights Again In schools?
Schools Scrutinized for Civil-Rights Violations - WSJ.com: "The Obama administration plans to crack down on civil-rights infractions in school districts and university systems, including alleged disparities in the disciplining of white and black students.
The campaign will essentially put an enforcement stick behind the carrot of the administration's $4.35 billion Race to the Top program, which holds out the promise of extra federal funding if states revamp their education policies. While Race to the Top will reward school reforms, the civil-rights push will emphasize the potential to punish offending schools..."
The campaign will essentially put an enforcement stick behind the carrot of the administration's $4.35 billion Race to the Top program, which holds out the promise of extra federal funding if states revamp their education policies. While Race to the Top will reward school reforms, the civil-rights push will emphasize the potential to punish offending schools..."
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Obmacare Summary
Devastating Critique of Obamacare From the Left : NO QUARTER: "Obamacare is anti-choice, anti-consumer and anti-patient. Obamacare forces Americans to buy insurance, yet still allows premiums and deductibles be controlled by insurance companies that can freely raise rates. Then, if Americans refuse to buy (or can’t afford) the insurance, the IRS will come after them to collect penalties on their income.
Insurance companies are the real winners in Obamacare. Their objections to the plan have been coy and tepid because insurance company executives know that Obamacare’s forced mandates will not only fill their coffers — the companies anticipate at least $500 billion revenue in the next 10 years..."
Insurance companies are the real winners in Obamacare. Their objections to the plan have been coy and tepid because insurance company executives know that Obamacare’s forced mandates will not only fill their coffers — the companies anticipate at least $500 billion revenue in the next 10 years..."
Traitor Arrested
There are many other traitors still loose, including the ones wgo exposed Valerie Plame. Pakistanis arrest American al Qaeda spokesman | Reuters : "Pakistani security agents have arrested an American al Qaeda spokesman wanted in the United States on a treason charge, Pakistani security agents said on Sunday..."
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Organizing A Movement
Message to Democrats: Don’t mess with us « The Confluence: "...If you don’t start playing the game by our rules, you’ll be out on your asses before you know what hit you. This is the age of mass communications and viral memes and social networking. Your ability to fool enough of the people most of the time is going to lose it’s mojo pretty soon. Cable news audiences are going away. More and more people are looking at the wreckage of their middle class lives and they’re not buying the propaganda you’re catapulting anymore. They’re starting to trust their lying eyes. All you need is one good movement to catch fire. It ain’t the Tea Party movement..."
Bill O Says Something Intelligent
Obamacare: Truth vs. Propaganda - Bill O'Reilly | The O'Reilly Factor - FOXNews.com: "We analyze the news for a living here, and have been very successful for more than 13 years. But I can honestly tell you I do not know what is true and what is false when it comes to financing Obamacare.
That's because it's impossible to know. No one knows, yet both sides are trying to convince us they have the facts..."
That's because it's impossible to know. No one knows, yet both sides are trying to convince us they have the facts..."
Rangel Should Go
Rangel should stay out : Opinion : The Buffalo News: "It's hard not to like Charlie Rangel. Witty and charming, the New York City congressman has shown himself to be an able legislator for almost 40 years. Unfortunately, he has also been an ethically reckless one, which is why he finally stepped down this week as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. It should have happened two years ago..."
Friday, March 05, 2010
GOP In The Anti-Matter Universe
Op-Ed Columnist - Senator Bunning’s Universe - NYTimes.com: "...More important, however, what are the implications of this total divergence in views?
The answer, of course, is that bipartisanship is now a foolish dream. How can the parties agree on policy when they have utterly different visions of how the economy works, when one party feels for the unemployed, while the other weeps over affluent victims of the “death tax”?
Which brings us to the central political issue right now: health care reform. If Congress enacts reform in the next few weeks — and the odds are growing that it will — it will do so without any Republican votes. Some people will decry this, insisting that President Obama should have tried harder to gain bipartisan support. But that isn’t going to happen, on health care or anything else, for years to come.
Someday, somehow, we as a nation will once again find ourselves living on the same planet. But for now, we aren’t. And that’s just the way it is."
The answer, of course, is that bipartisanship is now a foolish dream. How can the parties agree on policy when they have utterly different visions of how the economy works, when one party feels for the unemployed, while the other weeps over affluent victims of the “death tax”?
Which brings us to the central political issue right now: health care reform. If Congress enacts reform in the next few weeks — and the odds are growing that it will — it will do so without any Republican votes. Some people will decry this, insisting that President Obama should have tried harder to gain bipartisan support. But that isn’t going to happen, on health care or anything else, for years to come.
Someday, somehow, we as a nation will once again find ourselves living on the same planet. But for now, we aren’t. And that’s just the way it is."
More Too Good Energy News
With Bloom Boxes and whatnot, you'd think the availability of energy would be sky-high and dirt-cheap (no pun intended), but to paraphrase Actor212, all of this has that old cold fusion smell.
With Artificial Photosynthesis, A Bottle of Water Could Produce Enough Energy To Power A House | Popular Science "...One of the interesting side effects of last year's stimulus bill was $400 million in funding for ARPA-E, the civilian, energy-focused cousin of DARPA. And in this week's first ever ARPA-E conference, MIT chemist Dan Nocera showed how well he put that stimulus money to use by highlighting his new photosynthetic process. Using a special catalyst, the process splits water into oxygen and hydrogen fuel efficiently enough to power a home using only sunlight and a bottle of water..."
With Artificial Photosynthesis, A Bottle of Water Could Produce Enough Energy To Power A House | Popular Science "...One of the interesting side effects of last year's stimulus bill was $400 million in funding for ARPA-E, the civilian, energy-focused cousin of DARPA. And in this week's first ever ARPA-E conference, MIT chemist Dan Nocera showed how well he put that stimulus money to use by highlighting his new photosynthetic process. Using a special catalyst, the process splits water into oxygen and hydrogen fuel efficiently enough to power a home using only sunlight and a bottle of water..."
Turkey Threatens US Over Armenia
If you want to be a member of the Western community, one of the many informal requirements is at least a partial confession of your past sins. Trust us, Turkey, apologies don't hurt very much and they often help heal the aggrieved. Turkey: Why 'Armenian genocide' resolution may hurt US interests / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Chamber Of Big Business
Is Taxpayer Money Being Funneled Through The Chamber Of Commerce To Kill Health Reform? « SpeakEasy: "...While the Chamber refuses to publicly list its membership, several confirmed Chamber members are banks which were bailed out by taxpayers and still have not repaid the TARP funds. For instance, New York Private Bank & Trust received TARP funds and still owes $254,892,509 back to the government. Diana Cantor, the bank’smanaging director, is a board member of the Chamber Foundation and wife of Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), two leading opponents of reform. How can taxpayers be reassured that Cantor’s bank, and other bailed out Chamber banks, are not using taxpayer dollars to fund the Chamber’s anti-reform activities? Here are the bailed out banks we know are funding the Chamber and have not paid back TARP:.."
The Daily Uh-Oh: Climate Edition
Methane Bubbles in Arctic Seas Stir Warming Fears - ABC News: "OSLO (Reuters) - Large amounts of a powerful greenhouse gas are bubbling up from a long-frozen seabed north of Siberia, raising fears of far bigger leaks that could stoke global warming, scientists said.
It was unclear, however, if the Arctic emissions of methane gas were new or had been going on unnoticed for centuries -- since before the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century led to wide use of fossil fuels that are blamed for climate change..."
It was unclear, however, if the Arctic emissions of methane gas were new or had been going on unnoticed for centuries -- since before the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century led to wide use of fossil fuels that are blamed for climate change..."
Other Shoe Theatre: HC Edition
My left foot (the Senate) got all the attention. Now the right foot is really itching. Healthcare reform: Three ways the House may derail Obama's plans / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com
Death Of A Browser
'Funeral' being held today for aging Web browser - CNN.com: "More than 100 people, many of them dressed in black, are expected to gather around a coffin Thursday to say goodbye to an old friend.
The deceased? Internet Explorer 6..."
The deceased? Internet Explorer 6..."
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Wrestler's Family Cleared To Sue Hustler
Justices: Slain wrestling star's family can sue Hustler over nude pics - CNN.com: "The Supreme Court has decided that the family of a slain professional wrestling personality can continue its lawsuit against Hustler magazine, a case that tested privacy concerns and the competing right to publish 'newsworthy' material..."
I am a First Amendment freak 99% of the time, but this, I think is a one percent case.
I am a First Amendment freak 99% of the time, but this, I think is a one percent case.
Comment Of The Day
From Craig Della Penna
--“I Told You So” (Update) : NO QUARTER: "I have enormous respect for Lynn de Rothschild, she was one of the few in the 2008 election cycle who were in the public eye and who stood up and said loud and clear: Nobama, no way!
But I have to take issue with her description of Obama's political stance. He is not and never has been a Leftist and/or a Progressive. This is pure right wing propaganda. Obama has always been a loyal corporatist tool and it is an insult to leftists and progressives everywhere to call him one.
In fact, Obama's great mistake was in not being leftist enough: had he pushed through 'socialized' medecine (i.e., Single Payer, Medicare Part E or even the Nose of the Camel Under the Tent - the Public Option), had he told the banksters after TARP I, 'Sorry folks, you already got $800 billion, there's no more in the kitty for you.' Had he nationalized the banks and put a moratorium on foreclosures, had he started a massive infrastructure repair program creating a million or two new jobs...
then you might have been able to legitimately call him a leftist and/or progressive and the right wing Randites and Paultards could froth at the mouth with good reason.
But no, Lady de Rothschild, Obama is no more leftist than George W. Bush was - in fact he's exactly like GWB and that's what pisses me off because I and a few others knew what he was two years ago. I'm glad you were with us but very sorry to hear that you apparently didn't understand why."
--“I Told You So” (Update) : NO QUARTER: "I have enormous respect for Lynn de Rothschild, she was one of the few in the 2008 election cycle who were in the public eye and who stood up and said loud and clear: Nobama, no way! But I have to take issue with her description of Obama's political stance. He is not and never has been a Leftist and/or a Progressive. This is pure right wing propaganda. Obama has always been a loyal corporatist tool and it is an insult to leftists and progressives everywhere to call him one.
In fact, Obama's great mistake was in not being leftist enough: had he pushed through 'socialized' medecine (i.e., Single Payer, Medicare Part E or even the Nose of the Camel Under the Tent - the Public Option), had he told the banksters after TARP I, 'Sorry folks, you already got $800 billion, there's no more in the kitty for you.' Had he nationalized the banks and put a moratorium on foreclosures, had he started a massive infrastructure repair program creating a million or two new jobs...
then you might have been able to legitimately call him a leftist and/or progressive and the right wing Randites and Paultards could froth at the mouth with good reason.
But no, Lady de Rothschild, Obama is no more leftist than George W. Bush was - in fact he's exactly like GWB and that's what pisses me off because I and a few others knew what he was two years ago. I'm glad you were with us but very sorry to hear that you apparently didn't understand why."
Another Note In The Chorus...
...that would be the "I Told You So" Chorus.
I Told You So - Page 1 - The Daily Beast: "...The health-care summit vividly demonstrated Mr. Obama’s fake bipartisanship. When he was a candidate, we celebrated when he said, “We are not red or blue states. We are the United States of America.” But candidate Obama had no record of bipartisan behavior. Ironically, the one time that Obama entered into a bipartisan effort was with, of all people, John McCain. He reached across the aisle to draft ethics reform legislation with Senator McCain. But when Obama returned to the Democratic establishment with a bill that did not meet their favor, he backed away fast. It was candidate McCain who had worked productively and regularly with Democrats, like with Russ Feingold on campaign-finance reform and Ted Kennedy on immigration. The record told me more than the rhetoric about which candidate would honestly respect the other side and reach across the aisle to find the best solutions for America..."
I Told You So - Page 1 - The Daily Beast: "...The health-care summit vividly demonstrated Mr. Obama’s fake bipartisanship. When he was a candidate, we celebrated when he said, “We are not red or blue states. We are the United States of America.” But candidate Obama had no record of bipartisan behavior. Ironically, the one time that Obama entered into a bipartisan effort was with, of all people, John McCain. He reached across the aisle to draft ethics reform legislation with Senator McCain. But when Obama returned to the Democratic establishment with a bill that did not meet their favor, he backed away fast. It was candidate McCain who had worked productively and regularly with Democrats, like with Russ Feingold on campaign-finance reform and Ted Kennedy on immigration. The record told me more than the rhetoric about which candidate would honestly respect the other side and reach across the aisle to find the best solutions for America..."
Jon Swift Dies
The blogosphere just lost one of its shining lights. Go here for words from his mom: Facebook | Friends of Al Weisel, Unite!
Al For President!
"You Might Remember Bush Took Office With A 200 Billion Dollar Surplus! Senator Al Franken"
Neither Fish Nor Foul HC
Fineman: What the Debate Should Be About - Howard Fineman - Newsweek.com: "...The stark arithmetic, in turn, reminds me of what the debate here should be about but often isn't: how to control our immense and metastasizing medical-industrial complex, which is waging the equivalent of a costly Cold War against an Evil Empire of bad food, bad habits, and greed.
President Obama proclaims his plan (whatever it finally is) to be 'reform.' But from what I can see, it would merely feed, at taxpayer expense, 30 million currently 'uncovered' people into a wasteful system that doesn't have either the price-signaling power of a marketplace or the sweeping overview and control of a state-run bureacracy..." (sic).
President Obama proclaims his plan (whatever it finally is) to be 'reform.' But from what I can see, it would merely feed, at taxpayer expense, 30 million currently 'uncovered' people into a wasteful system that doesn't have either the price-signaling power of a marketplace or the sweeping overview and control of a state-run bureacracy..." (sic).
Lock Campbell Away
I'm sorry but I don't care how rich and famous you are, there comes a point when you need to do the time, and that point has arrived for this person. Of course, nothing will happen. Then a few years down the pike when she becomes unhinged and starts gunning models off the runway, everyone will go "We didn't see the warning signs!" Right. Naomi Campbell sought by cops for hitting driver - NYPOST.com
Goodbye, Charlie
Que the "Goodbye Charlie" episode from Millennium for an appropriate suicidal send off. Rep. Rangel says he'll step down for now as Ways and Means chairman - On Politics: Covering the US Congress, Governors, and the 2010 Election - USATODAY.com: "Rep. Charles Rangel said today he will temporarily step down as chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee as an ethics panel continues an investigation of his activities..."
I hate this. I've always like Rangel for his calls to draft everyone and make the rich and privileged share the burden of defending this country, instead of just hiring the help.
I hate this. I've always like Rangel for his calls to draft everyone and make the rich and privileged share the burden of defending this country, instead of just hiring the help.
TiVo Striking A Blow
TiVo turns the DVR into a Flash-based app platform: "TiVo may have pioneered the home DVR market, but its leading position hasn't helped it stave off competition from cable providers, who have offered bundled services that integrate with their broadcast offerings, and avoid the up-front investment in hardware. The company announced on Tuesday a revamped hardware and software combination that it hopes will help it regain some momentum. The new products feature greater integration with Internet content, increased interactivity, and better support for HDTVs, all run by an interface developed using Adobe Flash..."
Not being a fan of anything really, really overpriced (like any Apple product, any telephone, or anything with the name Adobe on it), I'm not sure this is the consumer's friend, but the idea, like many from TiVo, is terrific. Ok. Looking for something political now.
Not being a fan of anything really, really overpriced (like any Apple product, any telephone, or anything with the name Adobe on it), I'm not sure this is the consumer's friend, but the idea, like many from TiVo, is terrific. Ok. Looking for something political now.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
The Power Of Cooking
BBC News - Did the discovery of cooking make us human? "...Without cooking, an average person would have to eat around five kilos of raw food to get enough calories to survive.."
Wolcott's Bug House
The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Salon | James Wolcott's Blog | Vanity Fair: "...So many male starlets have strutted the [Republican] gangplank, only to splash into the briny deep, given the nudge by political purists and the easily bored. Why, I can recall--it wasn't that long ago--when Norm Coleman was going to be the new savior, with National Review types suggesting that his inquiry into George Galloway might do for him what the Alger Hiss case did for Richard Nixon--launch him into national prominence on a wave of vindication--and then there was that other NRO man-throb crush, Rick Santorum, and the on-again off-again romance with Bobby Jindal. That anyone could ever get a tingling sensation from the beaky-geeky Tim Pawlenty is just so weird, a sign of desperation.
Further proof that the Republican Party's 'big tent' has become a bughouse."
Further proof that the Republican Party's 'big tent' has become a bughouse."
Georgian Luger Counterpoint
anubis, anubis, anubis: the real victim of the games: "much was made of the georgian luger who died on the bobsled track. the georgian government screamed bloody murder and his family is talking about suing the games and anyone else with deep pockets. how about chastising the georgian government for sending over an inexperienced luger to compete on the fastest bobsled track in the world?..."
Monday, March 01, 2010
More HC Soft-Shoe
What do we need health insurers for anyway? - Los Angeles Times: "...Her testimony, and other statements she and other WellPoint executives have made, suggests that insurers can't profitably manage through periods of high unemployment. They can't price policies in a way that keeps healthy young people in the same pool as older people, producing a mockery of the very point of indemnity insurance. Despite a decade of unobstructed consolidation, which was sold to regulators as a way to control healthcare costs by creating mega-insurers like hers, her industry can't control healthcare costs.
Braly's words are a reminder of the most important unasked question in the entire healthcare debate: What do we need insurance companies for, anyway?..."
Braly's words are a reminder of the most important unasked question in the entire healthcare debate: What do we need insurance companies for, anyway?..."
Gore Retorts
Al Gore takes aim at climate change skeptics | Reuters: "Gore, who has made the fight against climate change his signature issue since leaving the White House in 2001, specifically addressed challenges to the accuracy of findings by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
'I, for one, genuinely wish that the climate crisis were an illusion,' Gore wrote in an op-ed piece in The New York Times.
'But unfortunately, the reality of the danger we are courting has not been changed by the discovery of at least two mistakes' in reports by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change..."
'I, for one, genuinely wish that the climate crisis were an illusion,' Gore wrote in an op-ed piece in The New York Times.
'But unfortunately, the reality of the danger we are courting has not been changed by the discovery of at least two mistakes' in reports by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change..."
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