Katrina Stimulation

Job creation, retention benefit from stimulus bill expected to be lowest in 2nd District - Breaking News from New Orleans - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com: "WASHINGTON -- In projecting the job benefits from the giant stimulus bill signed into law Tuesday by President Barack Obama, the White House says the 2nd Congressional District that includes New Orleans will receive the lowest job employment benefit among the 435 nationally.

The White House says it is a formula-driven number, reflecting the district's population loss since Hurricane Katrina and lower unemployment numbers than the national average. The district includes most of New Orleans and parts of Jefferson Parish..."

Responsibily And The Bailout

Yes, institutions must be responsible for their gawd-awful behavior but so must the individuals involved. If you are one of the "Flip This House" speculators and got burned-- hey, not my fault. If you were delusional enough to think you could afford a $500k home on a fast-food salary, that's not my fault either. So when you ask for my tax money, even though I do feel your pain, play nice. Now, in the arena of social responsibility, contemplate:

Housing and Responsibility : NO QUARTER: "...I would call on President Obama to be more specific by what it means to be responsible:

1. not fathering children out of wedlock…70% of African American newborns are borne to a single parent, 50% of Hispanics, 30+% of Caucasians. The two-parent family is the strongest and most effective social program ever designed!!

2. will abortion on demand promoted via the Freedom of Choice Act lead to greater responsibility? It is beyond naive to think that FOCA will lead to anything more than increased promiscuity and further destruction of the two parent family. How can Obama truly believe this Act will promote any degree of increased responsibility? This Act is pure politics placating the far left wing of the Democratic Party.

3. keeping your kids in school. Let me remind him again that 50% of inner city students are high school dropouts.

Homeownership is a privilege, not a right. Neither privileges nor rights come without responsibilities!! Responsibilities are not words or platitudes, they are actions and disciplines practiced everyday!! I am more than willing to help, but I have no interest in throwing good money after bad.

LD"

A reminder... most bloggers, me included, post stuff that they do not necessarily agree with (oh, the tangled web we weave when first our prepositions precede). Typically, I post items I think are interesting and/or moderately provocative. I will not be yelling "Fire" in this theater just to generate comments or traffic. So before some of you send me those life-threatening emails, contemplate the points raised above and rather than reacting viscerally, ask yourself if the points are valid or are they simply incendiary? Then, I guess you can shoot at the messanger. (Btw, I am absolutely pro-choice and pro-death penalty, so...)

Karma Rhodes

Schadenfreude: Randi Rhodes canned again and her radio station too « Not Your Sweetie

Upward Blame

MAYOR VIRG BERNERO OF LANSING MICHIGAN TEARS FOX ANCHOR A NEW ONE - HILARIOUS!!!

Another View On Media Bias

Our World As We See It

"... If President Bush & Laura had gone off on an expensive weekend vacation while the power was off in Kentucky and the "So Urgent"stimulus bill awaited signature, the press would be over it like flies on horse crap. But no, he's already much to bored with hanging around the White House. What a crock of classless crap that phony turned out to be. As if we didn't see it coming. And how about the cost of flying Air Force all around the country just for dinner? Didn't anyone tell him that there’s a recession going on?

The Dynamic Duo's extravagance, especially at this time, is appalling. I knew we were in for quite a show when The One took Air Force One from Andrews to Williamsburg, then chastises others for using much smaller corporate aircraft. But even I never imagined the extremes we have already seen. How about them flying off in Air Force One to a Chicago School to read story books to the kiddies?

If Bush had gone to that school and flown back to Texas and took a weekend at Camp David in the first month, the press would have obliterated him as they did anyway!

Obama is not being paid to be cool. He is being paid (extremely well, in view of the perks of the office) to govern. In any normal work situation, someone who acts the way he does in the first few weeks on the job would be shown the door...."

If you haven't been to this blog, give it a look. Some really good photography in addition to sharp opinion.

Another Example Of Sorry Journalism

Two videos, one stupid and irritating and sexist, the other-- what journalists are supposed to do. I post. You … uh … : NO QUARTER

There Are Still Nuts Out There

Image via Wikipedia

Box Turtle Bulletin » FRC: Lesbians Led To Octuplets’ Birth

Everyone’s talking about Nadya Suleman. She was the California single mother of six who gave birth to eight more. These octuplets were a result of fertility treatments. Comments have been all over the map. Pro-lifers questioned her decision but praised her for giving life to six more children. Ta-Nehisi Coates, on the other hand, asks us to imagine the reaction if she had been a black woman. Meanwhile, the Onion recoiled, “Uh oh. Eight Aquariuses living under the same roof for the next 18 years—yikes...”

Powered by ScribeFire.

Union Villains?

Tuesday: GM dumps retiree health care « The Confluence: "...Or, GM could stop thinking in the present like it has been doing since the first oil crisis and turn out cars and trucks that are actually energy efficient and well designed. It could stop hiring CEO’s who live in the moment and oppose universal healthcare until the enormous cost of it threatens to bring down their industry. They could stop blaming labor for all of their problems.

Did you ever notice that whenever there is a crisis in an industry, it’s always labor’s fault for demanding too much? They’re damned it they work with no protection and damned if they work with it. If they get laid off these days, they get blamed for the cost of unemployment. Industry would work so much better if the damn workers would just show up, do their jobs for free and go away when they’re not needed any longer.

But NOooooOOOoo. Now we learn that the unions enjoy privileges that most workers do not. We can all point our fingers at them and say, “They are getting more than we are. That’s not fair!” instead of saying, “Which bozos were in charge in the past 30 years who allowed this to happen?...”"

Misleaders To Be Punished

From the Better Late Than Never Department:

Bill Seeks to Punish Those Who Mislead into War: "U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., introduced legislation that would impose fines or prison time on presidents or executive-branch officials who 'knowingly and willfully' mislead Congress to gain authorization to use U.S. military forces. The Executive Accountability Act was introduced last week and is co-sponsored by Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-HI. If passed, the act would apply only to current and future presidential administrations and executive branches. The act calls for fines or up to 10 years in prison for leaders found guilty of misleading Congress in order to get authorization to go to war."

GI Bill Improvements

Veterans Report - New Bill to Improve Post-9/11 GI Bill "Rep. Bob Filner, D-Ca. introduced a bill (H.R. 950) to remove the requirement for veterans to take at least one class on-campus to receive the monthly housing stipend under the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. This would make the stipend available to all eligible veterans who attend school on a greater than half-time basis. According to reports, the bill doesn't change the tuition and fees payment rate, which is tied to the highest in-state tuition rate for undergraduate level studies. However, this change will ensure that the new Post-9/11 GI Bill will provide equal benefits for vets who are unable to attend traditional classroom college courses. Read more details on the Military Education Blog."

Teachers And The Economy

The Pygmalion Effect : NO QUARTER: "...In short, Mr. Schiller was stating what I learned lo those many, many years ago. Except he was now applying it to the President’s negative words and fear mongering about the economy.

This is what he had to say:

“President Barack Obama has turned fear mongering into an art form. He has repeatedly raised the specter of another Great Depression. First, he did so to win votes in the November election. He has done so again recently to sway congressional votes for his stimulus package.

“In his remarks, every gloomy statistic on the economy becomes a harbinger of doom. As he tells it, today’s economy is the worst since the Great Depression. Without his Recovery and Reinvestment Act, he says, the economy will fall back into that abyss and may never recover.

“This fear mongering may be good politics, but it is bad history and bad economics.”

How true. How true. How true."

That, perhaps, explains Obama's many successes as a community organizer and, and, uh, uh, has he actually had another job?

People will live down to your expectations, especially students.

What Are The Odds?

"French, British Nuclear Submarines Collided in Atlantic Ocean:" Bloomberg.com: U.K. & Ireland

No Car Czar

AFP: Obama to set up task force on crippled US auto industry: "WASHINGTON (AFP) — President Barack Obama will not now entrust a 'car czar' with restructuring US auto giants but will launch a presidential task force on the crippled industry, an administration official said.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and White House economic advisor Lawrence Summers will oversee the task force, the official said, a day before General Motors and Chrysler must submit restructuring plans to the government..."

The purpose of committees is to find a way to share the blame.

More Bailout Blues

Sunday: “They think we are chumps” « The Confluence
"...Johnson pulled back the curtain on the Obama administration’s economic team. In short, it it chock full of financial industry insiders. He also shares a short clip of someone from JP Morgan who is discussing bonuses. Essentially, they are just going to change the name from “bonuses” to “retention awards”. See? Doesn’t that sound better? Those bankers and brokers are not getting bonuses. Nooooo. They are getting awards for staying on. I mean, it’s obvious. No one in their right mind would want to work in this poisonous environment so we have to reward these people for sticking it out.

Johnson also critiques Geithner’s baliout plan and specifically his speech. He praises Geithner for recognizing that the bankers are at fault and should be ashamed of themselves. But then Geithner delivers the equivalent of a slap on the wrist to the bankers by suggesting (because no one really knows what the plan is yet) that he isn’t going to nationalize the banks. Nationalizing is such an unAmerican concept that no one wants to utter the word. We are trapped by our own cultural mythology. Or are we? The fact is that nationalizing has the biggest downside to the people most culpable for the demise of the financial industry in the first place - the bankers. But we can’t do it for fear that we will be commies. How conveeeeeenient..."

Lest We Forget

Cannonfire: "...Davey, your compatriots in Obotland have proven themselves to be the most zealous, overbearing and downright obscene cyber-stalkers in the history of the internet. (Incidentally, I still get daily hate messages, although they no longer come from that Chicago address.)

The disgusting behavior of the Obama campai..gn cannot and will not be forgotten. If such behavior is forgiven or rationalized, it will be repeated.

And now, Davey, I see that you too have become a 'racist,' for you have dared to criticize He Who Must Never Be Dissed. Under the new rules -- let us call them the Kos rules -- anyone who treats Barack Obama as just another corrupt politician stands damned as a born bigot, indistinguishable from David Duke..."

Comment Of The Day

Amateur Hour : NO QUARTER: "Back in the early 80s (it seems so long ago, now!), I read an insightful little book by Dr. Nathaniel Branden called “The Psychology of Romantic Love.” The nugget that hit me is that an intimate relationship can only flourish if neither partner needs it. He proposed that to have a good relationship, the partners must first be able to come to grips with their “existential aloneness.”

I think you touched on this concept, Pat. A President must NOT need the approval and love of the citizenry. To need them puts boundaries on the ability of the leader to lead and to make the decisions — often painful ones — that must be made. To have that need puts the leader in a one-down position in the relationship between the leader and the led.

Stan Davis
Lakewod, CO"

Coulter Complaint

Via Simply Left Behind: Ann Coulter Subject Of Election Fraud Complaint -- Courant.com

Retail Sales Up

Bloomberg.com: Economy: "Feb. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Sales at U.S. retailers unexpectedly halted a six-month slide in January, an advance that may not be sustained after the number of Americans collecting jobless benefits reached the highest on record.

The 1 percent gain in purchases reflected higher gasoline prices and more spending on clothing and food, the Commerce Department said today in Washington. Excluding cars, the gain was 0.9 percent. The Labor Department reported that 4.8 million people are now collecting unemployment insurance..."

All I had to do was buy a Sony XBR6 and the entire economy begins to rebound. Just think what would happen if I actually traded my truck in.

Today's "Get Over Yourself" Moment

Open Left:: We Made Them Do It On the Stimulus

The Daily Uh-Oh

Audio of a few O'Nasties. Seems Little Skippy Bush is not the only president with potty mouth. Charlotte Front and Center: Obama: Now You Know the Rest of the Story

Wow. Just Wow.

Comment Of The Day: Eldercide?

Jake Tapper Kills Bambi : NO QUARTER: " Comment by marie3548 | 2009-02-10 10:55:46

Heard about this on Foxnews this morning Bill and Meghan talking about this flying under the radar this needs immediate action from everyone.

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/8345
Just How Low Have Democrats Sunk – Is Killing Seniors Now Not Beyond Limits?

SNIP-
To paraphrase Martin Niemöller:
First they came for the elderly, but I was not elderly, so I did not care.
Then they came for the disabled, but I was not disabled, so I did not care.
Then they came for the infirm, but I was not infirm, so I did not care.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to stand up.

The so-called “Stimulus Bill” has in it a provision to establish a “National Coordinator of Health Information Technology.” The Coordinator would primarily establish cost cutting guidelines that doctors would be bound to follow or face penalties determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

A lot of the health policies that somehow made their way into a package that’s purported to deal with “economic stimulus” were written with the advice of Tom Daschle (no, evil doesn’t just walk away). Daschle’s book on health care states that seniors should sacrifice advancements in care so that resources can be spent primarily on the young. The free market system that values and encourages advancements for young and old alike has no place in the heart of a man who, were it not for a matter of back taxes, would have fancied himself the Grinch Who Stole Healthcare

That resilience in fighting disease has helped save the lives of many tens of thousands who’ve received dire prognoses from doctors is of no interest to Daschle. Nor is the fact that smart Europeans do not just give up. They seek alternative treatments, something that do in part because of the fact that their standard medical system is too inadequate to be relied upon.

Obama’s team of despots has turned a Stimulus Bill into a Kill the Elderly bill

And instead of using those views to gain acceptance to a mental institution of his choice, Tom Daschle wants them enacted as policy. We already know who was receptive to his views; some man who promised hope and change and who did not tell us that those involved killing seniors and the very ill.

Obama’s team of despots has turned a Stimulus Bill into a Kill the Elderly bill. And the Democrats in the Senate, including Ben Nelson, Bill Nelson, Joe Lieberman, Arlen Specter and the two nitwits from Maine are too stupid or too reckless to put up a fuss. We, as citizens of the United States of America, can’t be. Our nation was founded on better morals than this.

The Democrats have declared war on the elderly. And they will suffer the shame of history as a result.
These are not compassionate people. These are not good people. These are despicable and outrageous beasts and the time has come to finally call them what they are.

Everyone needs to call, fax, email their senators about this.
U. S. Senate
Melt the lines!
Toll free capital switchboard numbers are:
800-965-4701
800-828-0498
Call/fax/email your senator about this!

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_mccaughey&sid=aLzfDxfbwhzs
Ruin Your Health With the Obama Stimulus Plan: Betsy McCaughey

Commentary by Betsy McCaughey"

Stimulating Headlines

The Confluence thinks the simulus package is a Fraud - Stimulus - Sex-ism - All Rolled Into ONE,while Charlotte Front and Center says American Taxpayers Do Not Want "this" Stimulus Bill.Now if all that doesn't suit you, just reread Anglachel's post from a few days ago and discover that the banks are getting a grand return on their investment. Us? Not so much. So what's not to love --if you are a bank.

Distraction alert: watch for an all-out O'rchrestrated media blitz/distraction over A-Rod's big muscles.

A Difference Betwixt Man And Woman

I received this in an email; it is slightly profane. But it does demonstrate one of the most significant differences between men and women. It would be well-advised to abstain from liquid refreshment while reading this.

"Pocket Taser Stun Gun, a great gift for the wife. A guy who purchased his lovely wife a pocket Taser for their anniversary submitted this:

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest.. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser. The effects of the taser were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety....?? WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. AWESOME!!!

Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave.

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-A batteries, right? There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong? So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and taser in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries . All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and (loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, 'no possible way!' What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best...? I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, 'don't do it dipshit,' reasoning that a one second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad.

I decided to give myself a one second burst just for heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and . .HOLY S!%*#T . . . WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION . . . WHAT THE HELL!!!

I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs? The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room. Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a taser, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself!

You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor. A three second burst would be considered conservative? SON-OF-A-GUN, THAT HURT LIKE HELL!!! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. The recliner was upside down and about 8 feet or so from where it originally was. My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching.

My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I had no control over the drooling. Apparently I shit myself, but was too numb to know for sure and my sense of smell was gone. I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head which I believe came from my hair. I'm still looking for my nuts and I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return!!

P. S. My wife loved the gift, and now regularly threatens me with it! 'If you think Education is difficult, try being stupid.'

I do hope that one of you young people will make a YouTube of this. I can't wait to see that cat on the picture frame.

Phelps And Justice

This post, dope and change : NO QUARTER, is all about Phelps and whether or not Kellogg should have dropped him from his endorsement deal. There is a ton of moralizing in the comment thread, mostly along the lines of role models and young people, and the ever-dreaded "sending them a message." God, I wish people would quit trying to send other people messages on the flesh of someone else's carcass. It seems I have heard that crap my entire life, mostly from far-right loonies who want to send messages to criminals with death penalties and life in prison for pot possession. I have a message for you-- your messages are never going to work! When young people adulate foul-mouthed jewelry mavens whose sole message seems to be kill cops and hit women, then does anyone think a bong shot is going to shatter any adolescent dreams?

And just one thing more-- Phelps spends his time exercising and training hours each day and he has achieved the absolute pinnacle of success in his field. He succeeded; he won. And now people are wanting to string him by his gonads for having a moment of fun? Is this justice? Is it in any way fair when you compare it to, let's say, certain corporate executives who spent years sleazing their way to the top of an economic dung heap, then mismanaged the company into bankruptcy, then went begging and whining for billions of our bucks, and then began stuffing them right back into their own corrupt pockets? Please tell me what substantive damage Phelps has done to anyone?

Positions on Phelps and its attendant issues tend to reek of hypocrisy. Don't call for one nano-ounce of Michael Phelp's flesh unless you are right now leading an enraged lynch mob through the streets of New York stalking Bernie Madoff.

Bambism Alive And Well In Hollywood

Charlotte Front and Center: Ashley Judd's Attacks on Sarah Palin and Wolf Hunts.

Oh, and if you don't like rodeos either, ask yourself where those bulls and broncs would be if not otherwise employed for 8 seconds a week?

What Howling Latina Said

Howling Latina:

"How's that Nonpartisanship Working Out..? Howling Latina decided to take a little break from posting just to see just how that stimulus package that's going to save the world from the abyss would pan out in the end.

And well, it looks like Dems are getting ready to feast on some bipartisanship crow of the losing kind with poor Ted Kennedy having to be hoisted from his sick bed just to provide the winning margin for this Republican hodgepot of obstruction..."

Supreme Cancer

ABC News: Ginsburg's Cancer May Have Been Caught Early Enough: "Despite undergoing surgery for what could turn out to be one of the deadliest cancers known, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg may have a better chance of surviving than most others with the illness, cancer experts said today..."

Food For Confirmation Thought

Obama Concedes Defeat on Daschle while Republicans Declare Victory on Judd Gregg and Daschle’s Downfall : NO QUARTER: "...Obama seems to be replicating the pattern — conceding defeat on Tom Daschle, one of the people most responsible for actually creating the Obama political machine — and on the very same day yielding a senior cabinet position at the Department of Commerce not to a leading business official or Democratic Congressman or Governor — but rather giving it to Judd Gregg who voted 14 years ago to abolish the Commerce Department.

People will be parsing for some time Tom Daschle’s missteps with his taxes, and why he wasn’t vetted more by the Obama team, and whether Rahm Emanuel was part of the game knifing Daschle from behind, and what the political upper crust in Washington sees as “normal” when they leave office — but what this was mostly about was the opposing team taking down one of Obama’s most important chess pieces.

This was all about Obama, about humbling him, about dividing progressives over whether to support or oppose Daschle.

What we see are two interesting things. First, we see that the divisions between the political franchises inside the Obama camp are fraught with tension and anger now. Many of Daschle’s camp are quite furious with Obama’s chief of staff.

And the Republican opposition, which has appeared of late to be weak and inchoate. . .isn’t.

– Steve Clemons"

New Boron

In celebration of this blog's favorite atom: Theory and Experiment Meet, and a New Form of Boron Is Found - NYTimes.com: "Boron is a simple atom: five protons, five or six neutrons, five electrons. It is not as ubiquitous as hydrogen. It does not, as helium does, make your voice sound like Donald Duck. It is not as famous as carbon, its neighbor to the right on the periodic table..."

A Diamond Of Angst

and a jewel about arrogance. Terrific post. Scope it here: Simply Left Behind: It's Only Arrogance If You're Wrong: The Non-Rapturist's Guide To The Galaxy

Another "Screw You" From The Banks

AP Investigation: Banks sought foreign workers - Yahoo! News: "SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Major U.S. banks sought government permission to bring thousands of foreign workers into the country for high-paying jobs even as the system was melting down last year and Americans were getting laid off, according to an Associated Press review of visa applications..."

So Americans aren't cheap enough to be hired with our own tax dollars? I wonder if the auto industry is planning to import a few thousand assemblers, with our tax money, from, say, China, to replace their costly employees.

Pricey Feed

Here’s the Beef! : NO QUARTER: "Yep, there it is at $100 a pound. Wagyu steak, straight from Japan. That is what was served at Obama’s little cocktail soiree this last week to celebrate the House passage of the “stimulus package” that our grandkids will still be paying through the nose for.

Do you see a little disconnect here? (And, what’s wrong with American steaks at less than 10% the cost of Wagyu?)..."

My outrage meter burned out during the Bush Administration. What do I replace it with?

Puny Update

Well, I got one post up yesterday before I had to fall over again. I think I might just live, though. Politics has been boring lately, or is that just me? (Billy, thanks for the thought. I have been down this horrible road before-- the last time I ended up with major surgery and basically missed a year of work. I think I got ahead of it this time.)

Rush Sets Off Alarms

REG HENRY: Rush sets off stupidity meter : Columnists : gosanangelo.com: "When Rush Limbaugh said he wanted Barack Obama to fail, the clanging of the stupidity meter roused me to action.

Usually, I have the stupidity meter set to mute when it comes to the Vesuvius of Vacuity because everything he says is bound to set off the alarm and the dog can't sleep with all the stupid racket..."

Sick As The Proverbial Dog

Pneumonia.

Adult Progress

The birth of 3-D porn - THE WEEK

"The birth of 3-D porn

“It was only a matter of time,” said Monika Bartyzel in Cinematical. 3-D technology has long been used in action and fantasy films, and now it’s coming to porn. Hong Kong filmmakers are at work on 3-D Sex and Zen, possibly the first ever 3-D adult film. The movie is scheduled to open in Hong Kong theaters in December, and it’s certain to elicit “an entirely different set of ooohs and aaahs” from audiences..."

On Being Critical of Little O

Informed Comment: Cole/ Marsh Debate on Obama's Bombing of Pakistan: "...That said, I really must object to the way [Taylor]Marsh argued this case. First, one of her main concerns is that my analysis might give comfort to the Right insofar as it offers a critique of an Obama policy. She wrote 'Talk about your wingnut New Years gift, presented on the wings of hyperbole.' And ended, 'Sean Hannity says thanks. Or who knows, maybe it's a gift.' She said that such figures on the right have been talking about Obama being criticized by the antiwar Left and suggests that my column gave support to their talking point.

The notion that we should not say something critical of the policy of a Democratic president because it might give aid and comfort to the rightwing enemy is completely unacceptable. It is a form of regimentation, and equivalent to making dissent a sort of treason. We had enough of that the last 8 years (it used to be from different quarters that I was accused of traitorously succoring the enemy)..."

Foxes and Hen Houses

Obama’s asking the GOP for advice on…the ECONOMY??? « The Confluence

On GOPers Without Hope (Or Clues)

Simply Left Behind: "I'd Like To Buy A Clue, Vanna": The Non-Rapturist's Guide To The Galaxy

McCain Now Critical Of Obama

Republicans step up criticism of Obama - Los Angeles Times: "...But Sunday, McCain had few kind words for Obama's initial moves as president. He called it 'disingenuous' for the White House to impose new rules to limit the influence of lobbyists but immediately claim an exemption for William Lynn III, the nominee to be deputy Defense secretary, who has lobbied on behalf of defense contractor Raytheon Co.

McCain said he would not have announced the pending closure of Guantanamo, as Obama did last week by signing an executive order, without having first decided what to do with the 245 detainees being held there.

And the senator said he would not support the stimulus plan in its current form, asserting that it should have more tax cuts and less emphasis on projects, such as repairing the National Mall or extending broadband access to rural areas..."

McCain now seems more critical of Little O than when he was running against him. What gives? Don't tell me John McCain was sucked in by the glitterati, too. Please don't tell me the only people we can nominate for President are fools.

Where Will All The Gitmo Go?

...long time passing (and with apologies to the Kingston Trio.)

Political Wimps and Cowards Whining About Guantanamo Terrorists : NO QUARTER

"We defeated Nazi Germany, which at one point controlled all of Europe and major swaths of the Soviet Union and North Africa. We held members of that master race in prison camps scattered throughout the United States. We obliterated Japan, which had raped and pillaged most of Asia and the islands of the Pacific. And we pushed Soviet communism to a dramatic collapse. We stood up against armies that numbered in the millions. Massive air power with nuclear bombs and fully armed intercontinental ballistic missiles. But when it comes to thinking rationally about a handful–245 to be precise–of real and alleged radical Islamic terrorists being locked up in the United States we soil ourselves.

We have imprisoned and executed some of the world’s most heinous mass murderers. We have lincarcerated the heads of major narcotics cartels and drug gangs. Hell, we have Hells’ Angels and skinheads in our prisons and don’t lose a nights sleep. Ye,t raise the possibility that we might put 150 suspected terrorists in prisons on U.S. soil and many of our political leaders–Republicans in particular–act like panicked passengers on the Titanic. But it is not just Republicans. Remember when Kansans had a pair of balls and some backbone? Not anymore. The Jayhawks are now a bunch of chickenhawks:.."

Do The Homeless Need More Art?

Cannonfire "Giving Liberalism A Bad Name": "...Poor people don't want to hear about the alleged virtues of $4 a gallon gas. Unlike the author of this article, poor people know what it's like to spend one full hour on a bus, each and every day, standing next to rheumy alkies and wheezing pre-verts, just to go to a job located ten miles away. By all means, improve public transportation. But those who don't use it should not romanticize it.

And don't you dare spew that pap about the-best-things-in-life-are-free to someone facing homelessness -- not if you value your unbroken nose. 'Spirit' is beyond restoration when the cupboard is bare. The job of the true liberal is to replenish that cupboard -- period. Let each citizen work out the rest for himself or herself..."

Due Credit Due?

Uh, the anti-smoking zealots have already claimed this increase was due to the deomonization of smokers. So who gets the credit? Tobacco Nazis or Tree Huggers?

Cleaner air equals 21 more weeks of life | Industries | Health & Drugs | Reuters: "BOSTON (Reuters) - Dramatic improvements in U.S. air quality over the last two decades have added 21 weeks to the life of the average American, researchers reported on Wednesday..."

GOPer Whining

"Wherever we go, we create our own reality." Ah, the good old days when GOPers ran rough-shod over any all dissent of Bush the Lesser. Welcome to the new reality. And, oh, boo-hoo.

Republicans upset as House panels move on stimulus | Reuters: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives committees on Thursday backed a raft of tax cuts and spending programs as part of the $825 billion package to boost the ailing economy, despite Republican complaints that their proposals were not getting a fair hearing..."

Racist Inaugural Poem?

The “racist” angle, going forward : NO QUARTER: "...Then there was the nice little poem that Rev. Lowery recited at the end of the inaugural benediction:

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right.

Wow. The good will and votes of millions of whites still means whites need to “embrace what is right.” Think the Rev. recited this without it having been vetted? Not on your life. Oh, and to all the “yellow” who need to be “mellow,” I guess that means you’re too uptight. Chill out and stop taking all the top places in schools..."

About Those Career Liberals

...and other noxious sorts (my bold).

Daily Howler: The career liberal world refused to fight back. Does Steve Clemons' post show us why?: "...END OF AN ERA: An era came to an end this week—although its noxious constituent parts may well come back at some point.

But yes, an era came to an end. The mainstream press corps won’t be trashing Obama in the way they trashed so many Big Dems during the 16-year, Clinton/Gore/Bush/Kerry/Clinton era. (Good!) In that era’s most consequential episode, their conduct sent George Bush to the White House. But that story remains in the “sphere of deviance” for the mainstream press corps—and for the “liberal press” too. Good “career liberals” just don’t discuss it. One more time, as an era ends, we incomparably will..."

New Political Party Needed

Charlotte Front and Center: Obama has New Communtiy Group: 'Organizing for America': "...For those who didn't vote for Obama (many democrats, republicans,and Independents as well) now is the time to organize. Yet, we continue to see the splintering off of conservative groups who wish not to be identified with the Republican party because they are 'compromising' with those who tend more towards the center. It is understandable no one wants to compromise their beliefs, but there still has to be a unification of groups if there is any serious hope of winning against Obama in 2012. To be goal-oriented is necessary. If the goal is to not see Obama win re-election, then people must unite for that one purpose..."

Internetless

I'm out of commission due to several technical issues relating to failing equipment, failing connections, and failing faith. Mad In The Middle

And You Were Expecting...What?

Bush wasn’t so bad after all, according to Obama : NO QUARTER: "If there’s one thing you can count on from Obama, it’s that he will try to please everyone, and end up pleasing nobody. This guy has some kind of psychological problem. He will “say anything” to try to garner favor. He’s the Eddie Haskell of politics.

He will also do everything he can to avoid being blamed for anything. After running against Bush and the Neocon policies for two years, he suddenly finds himself in the position of having to decide whether his campaign rhetoric was just talk or a real plan for action.

Consider Obama’s primary beefs and campaign promises: ..."

Hard To Sympathize

Remember a couple or three years back when Circuit City fired all its veteran (read "higher paid") employees to fatten those executive bonuses? Didn't work out too well, eh? As a heavy duty consumer of all sorts of electronic gadgetry, why would I buy from a retail store of any kind when Amazon, among others, can beat the snot out of anyone on price? Only one real reason: customer service, which you can't get from minimum wage trainees (I can read the damn manual and I wouldn't be bothering you if were not some sort of issue not covered in the manual or on the device's website.) I have my eye on a Sony XBR 52" LCD and when the price drops just a bit more, I'll be at my local Radio Shack plunking down the green. Why? When I could order it for hundreds less from Amazon or Best Buy? Simple-- this is an expensive purchase, it's big, bulky and heavy, and the guys that work there will haul it to my house and install it as part of the purchase price. Plus, I know all them and I know where they live. All Circuit City ever tried to do to everyone I know is jack them into a multiyear, high priced and usually unnecessay warranty. So, it is hard to sympathize...

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide: "Jan. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Circuit City Stores Inc., the bankrupt consumer-electronics chain, starts going-out-of- business sales at its 567 U.S. stores today, the beginning of the end for a retailer that began selling televisions in 1949..."

A Worthy Jobs Program

Simply Left Behind: Stimulation!: The Non-Rapturist's Guide To The Galaxy

"... But it must be the right reform: the establishment of a national single-payer style healthcare reform system by expanding the existing Medicare system to cover all Americans. According to a new "Single Payer/Medicare for All: An Economic Stimulus Plan for the Nation" study released today by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association, such a reform would provide a major stimulus for the U.S. economy by creating 2.6 million new jobs and infusing $317 billion in new business and public revenues into the economy. This reform would, according to the study, add $100 billion in wages to the currently sputtering U.S. economy..."

No Change Here

Change: Going…Going…Gone! : NO QUARTER

Roasting NOW

Great snark and right on the money. (If NOW were NORML, they would be advocating for the execution of pot dealers.) NOW and LATER « The Confluence

Paquin Has True Blood Win

My favorite TV show wins an award: Does a 'True Blood' win signal an HBO comeback? - Los Angeles Times: "...Anna Paquin's win as the telepath Sookie Stackhouse in 'True Blood' therefore stood out. She wasn't a shoo-in (although two of her competitors, Kyra Sedgwick and Mariska Hargitay, have already won Globes for their roles), and the series itself has earned mixed critical reaction and so-so ratings..."

I was a huge fan of Dexter, but the second season has left me less than thrilled. Battlestar Galactica has promised this will be the end (thank the gods). I guess I will just have to rely on Washington to furnish most of my entertainment, and thus far, we are not amused.

What Sen. Clinton Should Say

Tuesday: Hillary Clinton Meets the Senate Foreign Relations Committee « The Confluence: "...Oddly enough, not one of them involve how many times a month she and the Big Dawg have conjugal visits. We are grateful for small favors.

Personally, after all the vetting, when she shows definitively that she is the best man and woman for the job, I wish she would say, “On second thought, I’d like to stay in the Senate. I think I’d do a better job than Caroline Kennedy and let’s face it, there’s no consolation prize for being swindled out of the presidency by your own party. Yeah, being the foreign president would be a nice addition to my CV, but completely unnecessary. Surely, SURELY, you can find someone to do this job as well as I can.”

Probably not but if Senator “I-went-to-elementary-school-in-Indonesia!” would like to switch places before the inauguration seals the fate of our country for the next four years, I’d like to hear how *he* would answer the questions the experts would put before him..."

Comment Of The Day

Cannonfire: "If Bill cured cancer, he'd be accused of doing so just to get more potential donors for his foundation.

If Hillary cured cancer, Jesse Jackson Jr. would call her a racist for not curing sickle-cell anemia first.

Sergei Rostov"

Bill O Giving A Pass To B O

O'Reilly: Second Guessing Obama On Spending Proposal 'Just Cheap Shotting Him' | NewsBusters.org
... and the MSM O'licking continues, proving yet again that money buys integrity even if it is pompous, overblown, and often wrong integrity. I thought I could always count Bill O to be a douchebag but now even he is in the O'sucking line. Keep up the good work, Fourth Estate; pretty soon you will be the Last Estate.

Comment Of The Day

Schuster Owned By Zeigler On MSNBC Regarding Sarah Palin : NO QUARTER: "To me the most damning point is that there was never any comparably tough interview of Obama. He was not challenged about his lack of experience, as well as his neglect of his job as Senator. How many interviewers asked him hard questions about his relationship with his long time mentor Rezko, particularly that house deal which happened after Obama knew Rezko was being investigated by the Feds? (On McLaughlin Pat Buchanan said Obama’s ties to corrupt players in Ill. was the most underreported story of the year. He was right.)Did anyone ask Obama how it was he did not know that his own constituents were trapped in Rezko’s slums? Are we to believe that none of them ever complained to him when he was their state senator?

The right wants to frame this problem as liberal bias, but it really is based in class and gender bias as well as envy of those who are smarter than they are. It is not just conservatives that they savage. The media used sexist attacks to trash Hillary. They constantly hounded Bill and portrayed him as white trash. Bush was well-liked by the media, something they try to hide by claiming they only gave him a pass after 9-11. The truth is they helped the Republicans sell him to us in 2000 by willingly ignoring his blatant lies, his history of bankruptcies, insider trading, and downplaying his National Guard history all the while praising him as a regular guy who would be fun to have a beer with. In contrast, they portrayed Gore as a dishonest phony.

A democracy cannot function when voters make choices based on such propaganda. The media deserves a large share of blame for the mess we are in as a result of Bush’s presidency. Clearly the media believe that they are more qualified than the rest of us to pick our presidents and have no qualms about biasing information to make sure their guy(and I do mean guy)wins."

Bush Criminals To Escape... Again

First we get lies from Bush, now from Little O. Will these people ever be brought to justice? And don't give me any swill about "healing." The country needs law and order and justice, not healing.

Howling Latina: Get Out of Jail Card

"...In "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," Obama gave every Republican operative, er, official, a get-out-of-jail card courtesy of moving forward. But as one might expect, the blogger boyzz are up in arms.

The new Congress and the new President are facing some very daunting challenges; challengers that could create even more of an imperative to forget the past and just move on.

Oh, my bad. It's never Obama's fault; it's always something or someone else. Obama continues to walk on water and build the world in six days. It's the unholy mess we're in; but please, pretty please, don't be seduced by the presidency, Mr. President-elect and forget the blogger boyzz whose praises won the fight for you..."

It Should Be The Onion ...

or Mad, but this is the cover of Ms. They are either insane or stupid.


feminist.jpg (image)

Sen. Clinton Playing?

Hillary Clinton plays Mrs Nice Guy for Senate - Times Online: "NOTHING is being left to chance as Hillary Clinton awaits confirmation as secretary of state after losing the battle for the presidency that she once thought would be hers. Clinton has been engaging in some private diplomacy of her own in one-to-one meetings with members of the Senate foreign relations committee to minimise potentially damaging rows when her confirmation hearing begins on Tuesday..."

Huummmph.

A Different View Of The Gaza Conflict

The Gaza Boomerang - Readers' Comments - NYTimes.com

"... I recently retired from the US Marine Corps, but I saw service in Iraq. I do know something of military matters that are relevant to the situation now in Gaza.

I am dismayed by the rhetoric from US politicians and pundits to the effect that “if the US were under rocket attack from Mexico or Canada, we would respond like the Israelis”. This a gross insult to US servicemen; I can assure you that we would NOT respond like the Israelis. In fact, US armed forces and adjunct civilians are under attack constantly in Iraq and Afghanistan by people who are much better armed, much better trained and far deadlier than Hamas (I’ll ignore for now that the politicians seem to be oblivious to this fact). Israel has indeed taken a small number of casualties from Hamas rocket fire (about 20 killed since 2001), but we have taken thousands of casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, including many civilian personnel. Hundreds of American casualties have occurred due to indirect fire, often from mortars. This is particularly true in or near the Green Zone in Baghdad. This fire often originates from densely populated urban areas..."

To say that I am conflicted about this incursion is an understatement and this post at the NYT furthered that conflict.

Palin Dissed Again

Charlotte Front and Center leads the way with another example of Palin Bashing (not to be confused with Bush Bashing, which is earned and deserved) : Charlotte Front and Center: "...Matthews show had Jonathon Alter ,of Newsweek, on his Jan.8th show. Chris Matthews and Alter seem to take a spirited delight in some Palin-Pounding. Since Hillary has gone away to the Obama team, he gets his thrill (not tingle) from degrading Sarah Palin with sleazy name-calling. Jonathon Alter referred to Governor Palin as : the Nixonian Nanook of the North. How much time did it take Mr. Alter to come up with this poetic name with so much alliteration?..."

Bush Does Something Right

Bush to Protect Three Areas in Pacific - washingtonpost.com: "President Bush will create three new marine national monuments in the Pacific Ocean today, according to his top aides, a move that will help preserve sprawling sea and island ecosystems and cement the one aspect of his legacy that has won praise, sometimes grudgingly, from many environmentalists..."

The Daily Uh-Oh

India PM says Pakistan agencies linked to attack | Reuters: "NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accused Pakistan on Tuesday of acting irresponsibly, saying November's Mumbai attacks must have had support from some of its nuclear-armed neighbor's official agencies.

Pakistan rejected the accusation as unacceptable, saying India had embarked on a propaganda offensive and such charges jeopardized chances of cooperation against terrorism..."

Coulter Talks Palin

No matter how Puma I get, I will never go far enough to be able to tolerate Ann Coulter. She does have an interesting observation about Palin:

“I loved Sarah Palin. The media went after her so viciously and it was all about class,” she says. “She is a real middle-class woman, just the sort of woman that Democrats are always pretending they represent, and they attacked her relentlessly. I am not saying she was ready to be president this year, but with McCain running, she wasn’t going to get anywhere near being president. If she goes back to Alaska and is a good governor and studies and learns, she may be a presidential candidate a couple elections from now. Maybe she could be another Reagan. Remember, Reagan didn’t run for president at forty-four. She has things she needs to learn. But she has heart and soul and you can’t learn that from a book...”

Sorry about that Raygun sneaking in there-- it's poison to criticize Ronnie but he was the disaster that set the stage for Bush the Lesser and the rise of the Evil Democrats so I will never have love for him either. You can read some more on this at Charlotte Front and Center: Ann Coulter on Obama and Palin in "Guilty," from whence I lifted this excerpt.

Singing In The Black

Bon Jovi Risks Rep to Help Hillary | NBC Bay Area

"...Now Jon Bon Jovi is set to play for Hillary Clinton this month as she strives to pay down millions in presidential campaign debt to clear the way for her confirmation as Obama's secretary of state.

It's no ordinary gig: Bon Jovi runs the risk of losing some of his hard-earned blue-collar cred by helping bring the wealthy pol into the black at a time when corporations are begging taxpayers for billions and ordinary folks are pinching pennies..."

Let' see. Who got the blue collar vote? It wasn't Little O.

Judas Withdraws

Richardson withdraws as Commerce nominee - Politics- msnbc.com: "New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, tapped in December by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as secretary of Commerce, has withdrawn his name for the position, citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state.

'Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact,' he said Sunday in a report by NBC News' Andrea Mitchell. 'But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process...'"

Military Public High Schools

If there is a bigger booster of the military than me, I'd like to meet him or her, but this story troubles me to no end. It seems the military has been operating high schools in the Chicago area and Obama might be planning an expansion of this idea. Uncle Barack Wants Your Kids « The Confluence

More Bogus Bailout Bilge

Charlotte Front and Center and me and I'd guess quite a few other people don't think we should be bailing-out much of anything and that certainly includes newspapers.

Clinton #1

Obama, Clinton: 'Most admired': The Swamp

Bail-Out Scams

Corporate Bailout: Intentionally Bungled? : NO QUARTER

"Earlier, I posted about how executive pay can drain companies and destroy jobs. Today, I cannot help thinking about how our politicians have committed to funneling billions of tax dollars to some of the same executives who managed to personally enrich themselves while driving their companies (and our economy) into a ditch.

Naturally, this led me to think about one of the big “mistakes” that government officials made when crafting the Wall Street bailout plan: the failure (or refusal) to insist on accountability..."

Gort, where are you? We need you.

Update: Logistics Monster has a the first of a multiple-part series up on our economic mess. You really should go by and check out this post. It has one of the most comprehensive assessments of the Federal Reserve I've ever read. (I claim no expertise on the Fed, btw.)

Terminator Forever

Library of Congress adds 'Terminator' to archive: "One of Arnold Schwarzenegger's most famous lines, 'I'll be back,' will be back for generations to come, now that 1984's 'The Terminator' has been selected for preservation in the nation's film archive..."

Backfiring Smear

Lobbyist Sues Times, Citing Report of McCain Ties - NYTimes.com

"WASHINGTON — A Washington lobbyist sued The New York Times and several of its reporters and editors Tuesday, charging that the newspaper had falsely created an impression that she had engaged in an improper romantic relationship with Senator John McCain..."

Caroline's Bumpy Bandwagon

The Associated Press: Caroline Kennedy draws criticism after latest tour

"ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Caroline Kennedy's latest trip under the spotlight as a Senate hopeful didn't get much better reviews from New York news media than her first. A New York Daily News columnist said "the wheels of the bandwagon are coming off." New York Post state editor Fred Dicker already put her on his list of 2008 losers. And The New York Times said "she seemed less like a candidate than an idea of one: eloquent but vague, largely undefined and seemingly determined to remain that way..."

SS Not A Scam

Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme? - BusinessWeek
"...Other people have gone farther. Paul Mulshine of the New Jersey Star Ledger wrote a column entitled “The Ponzi scheme that Baby Boomers are waiting to cash in on.” And Jim Cramer has called Social Security the biggest Ponzi scheme in history.

Superficially, these critics have a point, and there is a parallel between Social Security and a Ponzi scheme. But on a fundamental level, they are very wrong, and it’s worth explaining why..."

Get the poop at the link.

Kashmir Tilts India

Pro-India parties win majority in Kashmir elections - CNN.com: "SRINAGAR, Indian-administered Kashmir (CNN) -- Pro-India parties have won enough seats in the state assembly to form a ruling alliance in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to tallies announced Sunday.
A National Conference party member flashes a victory sign Sunday in Srinagar.

A National Conference party member flashes a victory sign Sunday in Srinagar.

The National Conference party and the Congress party together won 45 seats, one more than is needed for a simple majority in the 87-seat state assembly.

The two parties have started negotiations for an alliance so they can take power. The National Conference party won 28 seats, and Congress won 17..."

Splitting (Rick Warren's) Hairs

Why Rick Warren hasn't got a prayer :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Other Views: "It is theoretically possible to make an apparently bigoted remark that is also factually true and morally sound. Thus, when the Rev. Bailey Smith, one of the deputies of the late Jerry Falwell, claimed that 'God Almighty does not hear the prayer of a Jew,' I was in complete agreement with him. This is because I do not believe that there is any supernatural supervisor who lends an ear to any prayer.

In the same way, if someone publicly charges that 'Mormonism is a cult,' it is impossible to say that the claim by itself is mistaken or untrue. However, if the speaker says that heaven is a real place but that you will not get there if you are Jewish, or that Mormonism is a cult and a false religion but that other churches and faiths are the genuine article, then you know that the bigot has spoken. That's all in a day's work for the wonderful world of the American evangelical community, and one wishes them all the best of luck in their energetic fund-raising and their happy-clappy Sunday 'Churchianity' mega-feel-good fiestas. However, do we want these weirdos and creeps officiating in any capacity at the inauguration of the next president of the United States?..."

Protesting Too Much

...or not enough?

RNC chairman condemns controversial Obama song - CNN.com: "(CNN) -- The chairman of the Republican National Committee said he was 'appalled' by a song called 'Barack the Magic Negro' on a CD distributed by one of his political rivals.
Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan is first party member to criticize 'Barack the Magic Negro.'

Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan is first party member to criticize 'Barack the Magic Negro.'

'The 2008 election was a wake-up call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party,' RNC Chairman Mike Duncan said in a statement reported Saturday afternoon by Politico..."

On Lady McBush

Friday: Lucky is the man with the mute wife « The Confluence
"... But put her aside for a moment. I, for one, will be very happy to see Laura Bush leave the White House. Mr. Varadarajan refers to her as a certain American type. Indeed, Edith Wharton referred to Laura’s type when she wrote The Age of innocence. Laura is very much in the model of the May Archer type. She is a woman of no great curiousity and who lives a very constrained existence in the narrow field of vision granted to her by her tribe. In her case, the tribe is wealthy and cloistered. Her behavior and actions are dictated by those around her. As long as she sticks to the convention and expectations of those who govern her actions, she will live in comfort and security. Wharton called it a “hard bright blindness” that May Archer lived in. She was not unaware of unpleasantness beyond her sphere. She just chose to not acknowledge it..."

Flashback Predictions

Cannonfire--"Tomorrow Rewrites Yesterday: "...In the year 2000, Tom Tomorrow -- addled by Clinton Derangement Syndrome and addicted to the lies then being told about Al Gore -- supported Ralph Nader for president. At the time, Tom did a disingenuous riff in which he argued that a mere cartoon strip could not possibly affect the outcome.

And what was that outcome? It all came down to Florida, where these were the numbers:

Number of people who voted for Ralph Nader in Florida in 2000: 97,421

Official difference between the Bush vote and the Gore vote in 2000: 537.

537 is roughly one-two hundredth of 97,421. I believe that at least 1/200th of the Florida Nader vote was swayable. If leading progressives such as Bill Maher, Michael Moore and Tom Tomorrow had not spread lies about Al Gore, Bush and Cheney would never have had the chance to destroy the United States.

Yes, I really do believe that Sparky could have made a difference. I think that Maher, Moore, Tom and all the other 'progressive' Gore/Clinton haters are personally responsible for everything that has happened over the past eight years. They are every bit as responsible as Bush and Cheney are.

(And perhaps we should consult the shade of Boss Tweed on the question of whether cartoons can affect the way people vote.)

So much for Sparky the Penguin's record as a political consultant.."

Stealing Bush's Playbook

Analysis: Obama Inquiry Has Closed Loop Quality - FOXNews.com Transition Tracker: "President-Elect Barack Obama's inquiry into 'inappropriate contacts' between his staff and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich over his vacated U.S. Senate seat has the appearance of a closed loop -- the conclusion came before the inquiry..."

Gay Surprise

...or not, if you've been paying attention to what O does, not what O says.

The Associated Press: Gay-rights leaders' enthusiasm for Obama subsides: "NEW YORK (AP) — Gay-rights activists remain hopeful about the Obama presidency but are now more wary after what one called a 'double punch to the gut' — the choice of a pastor they consider hostile for a prime inauguration role and dashed hopes for the first openly gay Cabinet member.

Enthusiasm among gays over Barack Obama's election has deflated rapidly in the days since his inaugural organizers announced that the invocation would be delivered by the Rev. Rick Warren, a prominent pastor who backed a recent ballot measure banning same-sex marriage in his home state of California..."

If A Shoe Drops In The Wilderness

... will anyone connect all the dots?

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide"...Dec. 23 (Bloomberg) -- A New York-based money manager who may have lost $1.4 billion of client funds invested with Bernard Madoff apparently killed himself in his Madison Avenue office, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said..."

Breastfeeding, Facebook, and GroperGate

Just when you think Teh Stupid has reached its nadir, and your Outrage Meter is pegged at "Head Explodes," you stumble across even more woman-hating ignorance: Facebook Bans Breastfeeding Photos « The Confluence

Blood Boiling Banking Bunk

The Logistics Monster manages to deflate all attempts at blood pressure control with this post. Are We As Dumb As Our Elected Officials? : Logistics Monster:

"...If I was a Republican senator or congressman, I would be jumping on this issue like a rabid pitbull with lockjaw. Hint..hint…(Getting re-elected is easy for a Champion Of The People).

We’ve lent some of it. We’ve not lent some of it. We’ve not given any accounting of, ‘Here’s how we’re doing it,’” said Thomas Kelly, a spokesman for JPMorgan Chase, which received $25 billion in emergency bailout money. “We have not disclosed that to the public. We’re declining to...”

Click on the link and read the entire post. It will cause heartburn and other stress related ailments to appear. The only cure is the consumption of Congresscritters.

Stupid Comparison Of The Month

...if not the year.

Is Caroline Kennedy like Sarah Palin? -- newsday.com: "WASHINGTON - A Democratic congressman compared Caroline Kennedy to Sarah Palin, saying the would-be senator hasn't proved she has the 'guts and the gumption' to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton..."

Just off the top of my head, here's something important ways they are not alike: Palin has real experiences in real jobs; Palin is not a product of the Ivy League; Palin gets no respect but deserves respect; Palin has had to work to make her way through life. Well, the list is long. I'm sure Ms. Kennedy is a nice, competent person, but she is not Sarah Palin.

The Corgis vs. The Robot

A peek at some of my animals (and other pets).

Prairie Dogs And Obots

Oborg and bot remind me of prairie dogs popping up from their holes to sniff the wind and bark. Unless the prarie is burning down around them, it's back in the warm, cozy comfort of their hobbit holes. But sometimes, the barking is an alarm--

Telltale signs of buyer’s remorse « The Confluence: "...The thing that has *finally* gotten the stupid Obot attention is the invitation of Rick Warren to speak at the inaugural, though many of us are already incensed that the sexist frat boy pig, Jon Favreau, will be writing the inspirational speech of Hope and Change! Obama is deliberately provoking you, you stupid Obamaphiles. He is giving you your Sistah Souljah moment. He is telling The Villagers that he doesn’t take orders from the lefties that supported him and that they can be comfortable that he is not going to disrupt their status quo. Because it is The Villagers, who represent the well-connected, who could make his life a living Hell if he rocks their boat, raises their taxes, implements real change or otherwise attempts to make their lives even a smidgeon uncomfortable. That’s what’s going on here ..."

On Willful Ignorance

A Game We Play to Fool Ourselves : NO QUARTER:

"...So here is my definition of Willful Ignorance: the determined denial of facts and well-founded arguments enabled by bias and justified by fear, in an effort to confer non responsibility.

Think about all that we face with 2 wars, a financial crisis and global climate change. Think about our jobs, our schools, our personal finances, our relationships. What aspect of our lives today would not have been the better for having included more facts, more open and honest discussions, and more responsibility? We are facing so much on so many fronts. And there is so much we are going to have to learn and do differently. Isn’t it time we stopped hiding behind willful ignorance? Isn’t it time we called a lie, a lie – no matter who the liar is. Isn’t it time we called a fact, a fact and a truth, a truth – no matter how painful.

Winning at all cost is not a win.
The ends do not justify the means.
Life is real and pretend is a game..."

Being willfully ignorant is also the lazy man's way of life. Making decisions, especially those involving moral choices, is extraordinarily hard work. It is much, much easier just to have someone tell you what the correct choice is.

Another Good Choice

Obama to name pro-union Rep. Hilda Solis to Labor post - Los Angeles Times: "Reporting from Washington -- Rep. Hilda L. Solis (D-El Monte), a Congressional Hispanic Caucus leader considered to be one of the most reliably pro-union voices in the House, is President-elect Barack Obama's choice to head the Labor Department, a Democratic official said Thursday..."

Well, at least it seems to be a good choice. If he keeps it up, O might actually make it up near zero on my thermometer.

A Challenge To O

AIPNC-Unconfirmed report that Rep. John Linder will object to Obama electoral count: "I read a post the other day that a Freeper got from Congressman John Linder, Georgia, stating that he would stand and object to Obama if he doesn't show proof of constitutional eligibility.

I emailed Mr. Linder and asked if he did indeed write that email and if he was serious about holding Obama to task on something as serious as this.

A few moments ago I received a phone call from Congressman Linder's office confirming that he intends to do exactly that and he is just as intent as us on verifying Obama's eligibility.

I told his staffer (very nice lady) that I was proud of him and that I appreciated his bravery as I know he is going against the tide with this..."

Remember, I'm not in charge of your research. I just post 'em and if I check 'em, I'll post how and why and whatever. Anyhoooo--

Objections are all fine and dandy but shoes seem to get more attention.

The Other Warren Question

The Confluence asks: "Is misogyny more acceptable than homophobia?" (see the pix comparison)

Fear Of O Not Driving Gun Sales

Franklin, North Carolina. The Franklin Press Online. The local newspaper of Macon County, North Carolina.: "Gun sales in Macon County are following the national upswing, with gun stores recording record sales.

But the motivation for buying guns locally is not following the national reasoning.

In Macon, it's the economy, stupid.

For weeks the national media has reported gun sales on the rise due to fears that, once President-elect Barack Obama takes office, guns will be harder to get - even impossible, though Obama has repeatedly said in press conferences and interviews that he is a supporter of the Second Amendment.

Diana Asbury, owner of High Country Arms says she and her husband William have seen their sales rise dramatically, but the main reason people are arming themselves is fear of increased crime due to a national economy in the dumps.

'They're worried about the crime rate rising, home invasions and personal safety,' said William.

The couple said a few weeks ago, a woman in her sixties came into the store and purchased a handgun.

'People are really scared,' Diana said.

According to Macon County Sheriff Robert Holland, applications for gun permits and concealed carry permits have skyrocketed..."

I guess we just cling closer to guns when the economy hits the dumper and more marginal jobs are downsized into criminal opportunities.

Slingbox Issues Looming

Newsweek: "Remember when you had to be home at 8 p.m. to watch a favorite TV show? Devices like TiVo and your cable company's digital video recorder changed all that. Then along came the Slingbox, a device that lets you watch your home DVR or cable box from anywhere in the world using your laptop and an Internet connection. More than 500,000 Slingboxes have been sold since they were introduced in 2005. But like many disruptive technologies, the device is being used in creative ways that its manufacturer, Sling Media, never imagined..."

Since the FCC is not the FTC, look out Slingers (of Slingboxes, not shoes).

Shoe Slinger Faces Trial

Shoe-throwing journalist faces court trial - CNN.com: "BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The case against an Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush has been referred to trial after the detained reporter met with an investigative judge late Tuesday, two sources told CNN..."

The Slinger is now an Iraqi folk-hero; poems will be written; songs will be sung, and we should thank him, too-- for giving George Bush a forum to demonstrate his skills at dodging things, arguably the best dodge since his draft days, and perhaps, the high-point of his Administration. (I fully expect Obama to demonstrate even higher level dodging skills.) However, I am not all that impressed with the Slinger, even though he commented to a colleague that he expected to be jihaded into the next life, he knew it was highly unlikely that the current Iraqi government would run him through a wood chipper.

I would have beeen much more impressed if he had tossed his shoes at Saddam Hussein.

Blagogate Legalizes To A Limp

Blagojevich Impeachment Inquiry Stalls - NYTimes.com: "SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — An inquiry here into the impeachment of Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich met resistance on Tuesday, with federal prosecutors indicating that it might interfere with the criminal case against him and a lawyer for Mr. Blagojevich requesting that the proceedings not move forward without the lawyer in attendance..."

Seniors Beware

Agency blasts Medicare fee-for-services plans | U.S. | Reuters: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People who sign up for popular Medicare options known as private fee-for-services plans may find themselves stuck with thousands of dollars in medical costs, a government watchdog agency said on Monday.

A report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that the agency that oversees the Medicare health program for the elderly take a closer look at the unexpected costs faced by people enrolled in these fee-for-service plans. It also suggested that potential enrollees be informed of the drop-out rates for the plans.

Lucrative fee-for-service plans are the fastest-growing segment for private companies contracting with Medicare..."

I don't know much about this, but my Scamdar (insert copyright and patent and trademark notice) has just pinged. (The last time I jokingly inserted a copyright symbol into a post I got mightily flogged via email by an irate person. Please, if you're still out there, spare me.)

Temples, Trains, and Troglodytes

Obama takes another page from Lincoln - he'll take train to DC inauguration: "WASHINGTON - Barack Obama and Joe Biden will make their triumphant entrance into Washington by rail to launch the ceremonial run-up to Inauguration Day..."

Will he go to the movies? Or just hit the nearest gym and bike a while, dreaming of boy speech writers...