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...

Someone Needs To Shoot The Sheriff

...John Stone, presumably. This post makes me feel hard-boiled:

"....Obama is clearly losing goodwill points every day that Blago-gate drags on. Now it appears that indeed Rahm Emanuel was in touch with Blago and aide Harris about the senate seat though no evidence yet of malfeasance on Emanuel’s part.

The stench of Chicago machine politics now clings to Obama like a cheap cologne..."

Obama and Blago: I fought the machine and the machine won…. : NO QUARTER

Palin Church Fire

Fire hits Palin's church in Alaska - CNN.com: "(CNN) -- A 'suspicious' fire devastated the church attended by Alaska Gov. and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Friday night in her hometown of Wasilla, the church's minister said.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin reportedly apologized for possibility that fire was related to her nomination.

Officials are considering arson in fire that broke out Friday at the Wasilla Bible Church in Wasilla, Alaska.

'We have no idea what caused it,' the Rev. Larry Kroon of the Wasilla Bible Church said Saturday, adding that investigators were considering arson and other possible causes..."

Jesse Junior Protested

Illinois Democrats Reeling As Blagojevich Scandal Develops - FOXNews.com Transition Tracker: "The scandal surrounding Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich has sent shockwaves through Illinois political circles -- not only casting a spotlight on the state's reputation for corruption but also potentially tainting the field of likely Democratic contenders for President-elect Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

The most prominent name on that list of contenders, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., is literally facing howls of protests from some of his constituents. About a dozen protestors stood outside his Chicago office Saturday shouting, 'Ho ho ho, Jesse Jr. gotta go...'"

The Ball Fumbled, The Milk Spill't

Falstaff: It's Already Too Late: "It has now been a week since the Washington Post put up the picture of Jon Favreau and his bud acting out a hilarious joke about date-raping Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama has said nothing.

There can be no doubt that he is aware of this, the controversy over Gov. Blagojevich notwithstanding. It's been on CNN. Dee Dee Meyers has condemned it. It's been all over the blogosphere.

So he knows. And once he knows, there can be only one appropriate reaction -- moral outrage. And there can be only one action that demonstrates leadership -- firing Favreau, accompanied by a public statement that his behavior does not represent the beliefs and values of the American government or American society or the Obama Administration..."

When A Lie Is A Lie

Truthteller lays it out very effectively over at No Quarter: Writing Is Speech/Speech Is Writing: Obama Communicated with Blagojevich (with Comments on “Pay to Play”) : NO QUARTER

Powell Flogs Palin

Via Charlotte Front and Center:

"Powell Blasts Palin for Polarizing, Endangering Republican Party (Video)

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Sarah Palin helped push the Republican Party farther to the right this election – a polarization which could lead to the downfall of the party, insists Colin Powell.

Oh, and he also says Republicans should stop listening to conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh and we need to rethink the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy..."

That's almost funny. Isn't this the guy selling the Iraq War and sabotaging Bill Clinton's attempt to let gays out of the military closet? CF&C makes the point that any strong woman, like Clinton or Palin, is automatically labelled "polarizing," which the politically correct way of "she's a woman, yikes!"

Lest We Forget, Terrorist Edition

Charles Lane - Bill Ayers Sticks to an Unreal Past - washingtonpost.com

"...In his Times column, Ayers's chronology focuses on 1970, the year he co-founded the Weather Underground "after an accidental explosion that claimed the lives of three of our comrades in Greenwich Village." But this wasn't some especially radicalizing furnace mishap. On March 6, 1970, three members of a Weatherman cell died when a bomb they were making blew up in their faces. Packed with nails for maximum lethality, it had been intended for a noncommissioned officers' dance at Fort Dix, N.J..."

Lest We Forget

It was almost the best of times; it was almost the worst of times.

"We All Failed Gary Webb

By Robert Parry
December 10, 2008 (A Special Report)

Since Gary Webb’s suicide four years ago, I have written annual retrospectives about the late journalist’s important contribution to the historical record -- he forced devastating admissions from the CIA about drug trafficking by the Nicaraguan contra rebels under the protection of the Reagan administration in the 1980s..."

Consortiumnews.com.

Leno's Courage Ticks Upward

After months of cow-towing to O by never making him the butt of a joke, Leno actually told one on O Monday night. It's amazing what an injection of prime time will do for the backbone. NBC's Leno move has biz talking - Entertainment News, Front Page, Media - Variety

Autos One Vote Short?

Well, it looks like that is not the case but the Howler certainly raises a legitimate point about O resigning before his time: Howling Latina: Illinois Lost Senate Seat.

Econ For The Non-Major

Actor212 always does a great job with economic issues and this post is outstanding in explaining some recent financial developments-- it is also written in shirt-sleeve English and with clear examples. Most excellent. Simply Left Behind: The Non-Rapturist's Guide To The Galaxy: "So How Bad Is It, Really?"

Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad O?

Gee, I doubt that someone who is a sitting governor and has been ambushed by at least two television interviewers, and a hunter of moose, is very frightened of a teevee talk show host. Maybe we should have only Jeopardy champions on Oprah. Maybe Palin and Oprah should get together with Alex see who doubles up on geography. The winner gets Little O's Senate seat. See here for more: Charlotte Front and Center: Palin Intimidated By Oprah? Don't Think So

Science Scores For U.S. Students

International Science Exam Shows Plateau in U.S. Performance - washingtonpost.com: "U.S. students are doing no better on an international science exam than they were a decade ago, a plateau in performance that leaves educators and policymakers worried about how schools are preparing students to compete in an increasingly global economy..."

Grain of salt: are we comparing apples and oranges? Or at we comparing the best 1/100 of 1% of one country vs. 100% of the U.S.? Sometimes it is very difficult to accurately decipher the methodology in these studies.

Is This The First O'Drip?

Governor Is Held in Inquiry Into Filling Obama’s Seat - NYTimes.com

More On The Classism Bail-Out

Thanks to Anglachel for pointing the way to this one--

Why were Wall Street workers not asked for concessions? - Los Angeles Times: "...Say what you will about the role of the union in exacerbating Detroit's financial troubles, one thing stands out: Blue-collar workers are taking it in the shorts as part of their employers' efforts to secure some bailout bucks from Uncle Sam.

I don't recall white-collar workers on Wall Street stepping up with similar concessions in return for their companies' receiving billions of dollars in taxpayer cash.

'There is absolutely no excuse for a bailout without significant sacrifices by all stakeholders,' said Robert Reich, who served as Labor secretary under President Clinton and is now a professor of public policy at UC Berkeley.

'We should be making everyone on Wall Street jump through hoops, not just the automakers...'"

A bit of poetry strikes me:

It's the green that matters,
Not the red,
and
Not the blue.

Furnishing Proof

Obama’s birth certificate controversy reaches Supreme Court | TopNews United States: "The controversy about the Hawaiian birth certificate of the President-elect Barack Obama - which raises questions about Obama's eligibility to take office next month - has reached the Supreme Court, which is likely to announce Monday whether it will consider the matter.

Even after the state of Hawaii vouched for the authenticity of Obama's birth certificate, the unusual fight is thriving outside the so-called mainstream media, in an environment increasingly influenced by the Internet..."

Someone commented the other day that it apparently requires more proof to get a driver's license than to become President, an interesting if somewhat controversial observation. Might gripe is-- what's the problem? McCain ponied up a real birth certificate. Let O appear with his and say this is mine. Don't send a flunky.

Enhancing The Brain

Brain boosters: why not?, experts ask | U.S. | Reuters: "CHICAGO (Reuters) - Healthy people are increasingly turning to brain-enhancing drugs like Ritalin to boost their performance in school or at work, researchers said on Monday.

And while some expressed alarm over the trend, others embraced the idea, provided the drugs are proven safe..."

Increasing alertness is one thing; increasing IQ is quite another. I want the other.

Classism and Detriot

The column is a week old but the ideas are worth revisiting.

E. J. Dionne Jr. - Crunch Time for the Big 3 - washingtonpost.com: "There is a paradox at the heart of the proposed bailout of the auto industry. The rescue would have no chance of passing without the muscle of the Big Three's unionized workforce. Yet you can't turn around without hearing someone trash autoworkers for the terrible crime of trying to earn a decent living...

...The auto companies are having trouble securing help precisely because members of Congress are overwhelmed, even appalled, by the hundreds of billions of dollars they have already shoved out the door on behalf of the finance industry. One of Pelosi's top lieutenants referred to the phenomenon as "bailout fatigue."

Yet the auto industry will almost certainly be tided over precisely because the economy is in such turmoil. The dominant view in Congress is that the country can't afford to risk the financial and human calamities that bankruptcy by the Big Three would inevitably trigger...

...The failure of the Big Three is regularly attributed to the high wages and benefits earned by members of the United Auto Workers union, and it's true that the Detroit-based auto companies operate under heavy "legacy costs" for retirees' pensions and health coverage negotiated during the industry's fat times.

But the blame-the-workers-first cant ignores the fact that if the Big Three had designed better cars, they would not have lost as much market share to Toyota, Nissan and other competitors. The unions did not prevent management from producing a better product -- and I say that as someone who has enjoyed driving Saturns for the past 15 years..."

O Does A Good

VOA News - Obama Picks Bush Critic to Head Veterans Affairs: "U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has chosen a critic of the Bush administration's Iraq war strategy to be the next Secretary of Veteran Affairs.

Mr. Obama plans to formally announce his selection of retired Army General Eric Shinseki at a news conference in Chicago today Sunday..."

Greek Fire

AFP: Greek police arrested over teen killing as violent protests spread: "ATHENS (AFP) — Two Greek police officers were arrested Sunday over the killing of a 15-year-old boy, touching off a wave of violent protests by angry youths setting Athens and other Greek cities ablaze.

Thousands of protestors battled police in central Athens Sunday, smashing the windows of shops and banks with molotov cocktails, and sending three officers to hospital, said police, who used tear gas to disperse the rioters.

And in the western city of Patras, a police officer was in hospital after being beaten up by a group of youths..."

Something Different

"Ghost Riders In The Sky" by Spiderbait-- this song really rocks.

A Quick RoundUp From The Right Blogs

No Quarter has Caroline Kennedy's qualifications and a newly-minted OWhiteHouse speech writer partying and groping with a bud wearing his hat backwards (just tooooo coool, mon) are just two of the quite readable posts for today. The Confluence introduces us to the newest members of Clinton Haters Un-Anonymous. M'Lady of the Logistics Monster posts a tax holiday proposal (similar to a thought I had a while back- more later if I get the time again-- end of the semester-- madness!); she also has a post of Big O (Oprah) complaining about Palin not appearing on her show. Something tells me Alaska tax payers wouldn't be really thrilled with their governor running off at tax payer expense for a television ego boost. Meanwhile Trisha at Charlotte Front and Center is not happy with Sen.Clinton response to GropinFotoGate.

About That Birthing...

Cannonfire "Conspiracy Theorists Gone Amok": "...Obvious example: The controversies over the so-called Roswell saucer crash and the mysterious 'suicide' of journalist Danny Casolaro hit at roughly the same time. The former captured the public imagination and has now found a firm place in American lore, even though no saucer crashed at Roswell. The Casolaro incident remains far more unnerving. But how many people now recognize the name?

I make this point as preface to my directing your attention to this McClatchy article on the undying issue of Barack Obama's allegedly fake birth certificate and his alleged Kenyan birth. Why would Stanley Ann Dunham have flown from Hawaii to Kenya to give birth? Hell if I know..."

Interesting comment thread over at Cannonfire on this subject, too.

The Smell of Rats

Fragging Defendant Acquitted: "FORT BRAGG, N.C. - A Soldier was acquitted of murder Thursday in the 2005 bombing deaths of two superiors in Iraq, triggering loud outbursts and gasps from the slain officers' families..."

Battling Bureaucracy

Veterans Report - VA Ousts Managers for Claims Deception: "The Department of Veterans Affairs has reassigned the director of its New York regional office after finding that employees misdated hundreds of claims to make it appear they were being processed on time. VA spokeswoman Alison Aikele said last week that the director and five other top managers were ousted after investigators discovered a pattern of deception in the handling of claims at the regional headquarters in Manhattan. The shake-up at the New York regional office, which serves 800,000 vets living in eastern New York State, came as veterans organizations and members of Congress have criticized the federal agency for mishandling, losing or destroying the benefits claims of veterans..."

The Lost Are Found

Searchers Say 139 Marine Graves Found: "The bullets were still flying in late November 1943 as Navy Seabees worked to convert parts of a blood-drenched Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands into a base to fly in troops and supplies for the continuing 'Island Hopping' campaign waged by U.S. Marines.

In the chaos, rows of markers and crosses designating the graves of fallen Marines were moved aside and were eventually forgotten.

At the end of World War II, when the Army returned to recover the bodies of American dead on the island, it would find fewer than half of those records claimed were buried there..."

Some day someone may eventually uncover what happened to the missing 800 Confederate prisoners who were whisked away from Georgia, never to be seen or heard of again.

Somebody Got Knocked In The Head

Charlotte Front and Center: Deepak Chopra Says Americans to Blame for Mumbai?

Crying To The Choir

Howls from the Progressive Wilderness « The Confluence: "...Did Obama really run on a progressive agenda? If you’ve read any of us Cassandras here on The Confluence or other Puma places, you’ll see that we’ve been saying he’s not a progressive for a long time. My favorite description of the one is opportunistic chameleon. Let’s face it progressives, ever since you were had on FISA, the one realized it wasn’t his platform but his hopey changey say nothing of substance speeches that would get him elected. Why would you think that would change now?..."

From The "Not One World" Department

...though we should not be self-righteous nor smug about our attitudes toward women.

Witness - Ending the Violence - Part 2

Image v. Relaity

The Racial Narrative vs. Reality : NO QUARTER: "...He was very clear to define himself as bi-racial, for instance, when he was campaigning in New Hampshire, very early in this years’ primary season. However, at the next primary, in South Carolina, he suddenly became “black” and there was absolutely no mention of his white Kansan mother. It was as if she did not exist. Is this not disrespectful to an equally important part of his heritage? It is easy to understand why he did this in a state with so large an African American population. I am sure I remember several articles before Super Duper Tuesday indicating that certain AA voters were not relating to him as being ‘AA enough.’ Was this a reason for his assuming an affectation once he got out on the campaign trail in these states?

Subsequently, his white grandmother who raised him and put him through private school only got a rather negative mention in his ‘monumentally important’ speech on race, and he soon after referred to her in a very insulting, limiting and quite frankly, inaccurate fashion as ‘a typical white person.’ So much for post-racial..."

Orange UnAid

Cannonfire: "Cheetoland welcomes Hillary Clinton. We've ALWAYS been at war with Eastasia."
"...My attitude toward the Kos Krowd is simple:

Never forget. Never forgive. Never. Though the world shatter, though the heavens weep: Never forgive; never forget. Never."

Not my bold. The best way to avoid being offended by liars is to not read what they write or listen to what they say. That does limit your sources of information, however, since about 80% of all information is either an outright lie or a distortion of the truth, either through fuzzy logic or omission.

He Is The World,Too

Visions of old Coke commercials and sugar plum faries are dancing in my head (my bold): That's me on the Left!: I'll bet YOU didn't know that: "Oh, brother...Barack Obama told his disappointed supporters who voted for him on the promise of change only to find him appoint old Clintonites and Bush cabinet members not to be upset-- 'I am the change..."