... Seriously, at this point, listening to Republicans talk about policy is about the same as listening to a particularly articulate toddler explain why he refuses to shit in a toilet ...
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Quote of the Day - Zwei
The Rude One:
Damn! That sounds like a good party!
My invite musta got lost in the mail again...
Katrina Vanden Heuvel in The Nation
Just like Castro! Heh.
He most certainly does, and he's been screwed over a dozen ways from Sunday for it too. He's a real American hero. Read more about Mr. Seeger here and here.
Happy 90th, Pete.
Update:
Here's one for Pete. Thank you.
Katrina Vanden Heuvel in The Nation
"You outlasted the bastards, man," Bruce Springsteen told the roaring crowd.
I think that was my favorite line at the rollicking birthday concert celebrating Pete Seeger's 90th!
Just like Castro! Heh.
Fifteen thousand people, of all ages, (okay, median age was probably 55) danced, clapped and sang along as Seeger did a soaring version of "Amazing Grace" and the saintly looking Joan Baez sang " Where Have All the Flowers Gone."
Arlo Guthrie reminded us that Pete, like his father Woody, "believed in the power of the people singing songs to change the world." Richie Havens reminded us why "Freedom" is a great anthem for all times. Tim Robbins and his son, strumming the guitar, to "Michael, Row The Boat Ashore." Ruby Dee entranced with her enchanting reading of a poem (for peace) written by Pete's uncle before he joined the Foreign Legion. In between, a startlingly youthful Emmylou Harris recounted correspondence she had with Pete as a young folk singer; Tom Morello and Taj Mahal teamed up on "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy"), and John Mellencamp offered up "If I Had a Hammer." Congressman John Hall, once the lead singer for one of my favorite groups, "Orleans," joined in several rounds.
In so many ways, Pete is a repository of American history in himself. As Springsteen said, he has a "stubborn, nasty, defiant optimism," and he serves as "the stealth dagger through the heart of our country's illusions about itself."
He most certainly does, and he's been screwed over a dozen ways from Sunday for it too. He's a real American hero. Read more about Mr. Seeger here and here.
Happy 90th, Pete.
Update:
Here's one for Pete. Thank you.
Thanks to Thespadecaller.
"...an' a slice o' processed real life on that!"
There's been a lotta press on Obama and Biden's lunch at a burger emporium. An in-depth Brainalysis of their refreshing and no doubt pretty well-planned PR coup:
WaPo
A guy can order whatever he wants to eat, of course, but mustard only on a cheeseburger? It sounds so...so...French! I'm surprised the wingnuts haven't picked up on that as elitism. Remember how they climbed his frame for liking fancy lettuce? Remember how they accused John Kerry of elitism for ordering a very slightly non-standard Philly cheesesteak? The wingtard gasbags are slippin' up here by missing a cheap and easy, not to mention fact-free which is their specialty, shot at him. Thank God he had better sense than to order this one or they'da had him:
Now yer talkin'! Not bad for an East Coast guy, Joe. That's pretty much how I like 'em too, but then I like 'peños on my oatmeal. Actually, I go for the poblano/'peño/pepper jack/guacamole model with a slice of red onion and Thousand Island dressing. I take off the lettuce and eat the tomato on the side. It's called the 'Baja Burger' at my local Young Gentlemen's Drinking & Fighting Establishment, comes with a choice of fries, onion rings, or cole slaw. We'll go there when you're in town.
Sounds good! Sounds like a heart attack. They've got a good health care plan.
That's just short of callin' 'em whores! Heh. Nice touch, Mr. President! Of course, like all the good easy ones the press corpse expects to get fed first...
I even heard one of the wingnut gasbags say that was cool, and it is. Mrs. G's Mom put her through college on her waitress tips, and I'm a pretty good tipper as a result, mostly to avoid THE LOOK from Mrs. G, but I've never put five bucks in a 'tip jar' in my life. Points for Barry on that one.
There's a host of social implications in that simple sentence, but I'll skip 'em all and just say that I like my restaurant meals cooked by Latinos. I don't mean at all to sound any kind of racist, but those folks are good cooks.
It was a great PR stunt to show Barry and Joe's common touch, and probably a pretty good lunch as well. A tip o' the Brain on this one, boys.
Update:
I am informed by a reliable old fart that Obama was indeed called 'elitist' for his use of mustard with actual flavor in it. Hannity. Figures. What an asshole.
WaPo
The world's most powerful man, and the guy a heartbeat away, waited patiently in a single-file line as the lunch crowd gawked -- and as two customers in front of them at the counter pondered the menu leisurely, apparently oblivious to whom they were holding up. Then it came time to order.
[...] "Your basic cheddar cheeseburger, medium well."
No ketchup, the president said, but lettuce and tomato. And: "Have you got a spicy mustard or somethin' like that? A Dijon mustard?"
A guy can order whatever he wants to eat, of course, but mustard only on a cheeseburger? It sounds so...so...French! I'm surprised the wingnuts haven't picked up on that as elitism. Remember how they climbed his frame for liking fancy lettuce? Remember how they accused John Kerry of elitism for ordering a very slightly non-standard Philly cheesesteak? The wingtard gasbags are slippin' up here by missing a cheap and easy, not to mention fact-free which is their specialty, shot at him. Thank God he had better sense than to order this one or they'da had him:
...the $17.50 burger with foie gras and white truffle oil.
Biden ordered a Swiss cheeseburger with jalapeno peppers and ketchup, medium well, and a root beer.
Now yer talkin'! Not bad for an East Coast guy, Joe. That's pretty much how I like 'em too, but then I like 'peños on my oatmeal. Actually, I go for the poblano/'peño/pepper jack/guacamole model with a slice of red onion and Thousand Island dressing. I take off the lettuce and eat the tomato on the side. It's called the 'Baja Burger' at my local Young Gentlemen's Drinking & Fighting Establishment, comes with a choice of fries, onion rings, or cole slaw. We'll go there when you're in town.
Ray's doesn't do fries, said the guy behind the counter, Tim Murray. But Murray suggested the president try "Cheesy Tater Puffs," which are pureed potatoes with cheddar cheese and chives flash-fried like Tater Tots. Obama looked skeptical, but asked for one order for him and Biden to share.
Sounds good! Sounds like a heart attack. They've got a good health care plan.
Obama and Biden went Dutch -- basic cheeseburgers cost $7.95 -- as each pulled a wad of cash from his wallet to pay. But Obama bought burgers for reporters, cameramen and staff, including personal aide Reggie Love. "We're paying, or these people are gonna write about how we're freeloading," Obama said, pointing to members of the press corps, whom he dismissed as "cheap dates."
That's just short of callin' 'em whores! Heh. Nice touch, Mr. President! Of course, like all the good easy ones the press corpse expects to get fed first...
The president left $5 in the tip jar.
I even heard one of the wingnut gasbags say that was cool, and it is. Mrs. G's Mom put her through college on her waitress tips, and I'm a pretty good tipper as a result, mostly to avoid THE LOOK from Mrs. G, but I've never put five bucks in a 'tip jar' in my life. Points for Barry on that one.
Yolanda Pineda, 29, manned the grill and cooked the burgers with special care. "For Obama," she said, "especial!"
There's a host of social implications in that simple sentence, but I'll skip 'em all and just say that I like my restaurant meals cooked by Latinos. I don't mean at all to sound any kind of racist, but those folks are good cooks.
Bonnie Cosby, 51, a technology consultant who picked up burgers on her way home from work, opined: "It shows that he's in touch with the people, that he's not up in the ivory tower. He's a real person -- with a burger."
It was a great PR stunt to show Barry and Joe's common touch, and probably a pretty good lunch as well. A tip o' the Brain on this one, boys.
Update:
I am informed by a reliable old fart that Obama was indeed called 'elitist' for his use of mustard with actual flavor in it. Hannity. Figures. What an asshole.
Quote of the Day
Gail Collins in an NYT op-ed on teen pregnancy and the Repug 'moral value' view against sex education:
No shit!
If you have ever watched Levi Johnston on TV for two minutes you will appreciate how terrifying it is when he has the most reasonable analysis of a social issue.
No shit!
Maybe not here ...
I wouldn't support denying anyone their free speech rights but it's heartening to see some folks won't put up with hateful bullshit:
Good, they won't try to fuck London up for the rest of us.
San Francisco-based conservative talk show host Michael Savage -- whose sharp-tongued right-wing commentary has earned him headlines across the U.S. -- is making news again: He's been banned in Britain.
...
His companions on the British list include Stephen "Don" Black, who founded a white supremacist Web site in Florida, and preacher Fred Phelps, who leads an anti-gay church in Topeka, Kan., and who has been to San Francisco numerous times to mount anti-gay protests.
...
Good, they won't try to fuck London up for the rest of us.
Thanks to Mr. Aravosis for the link.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
How long ...
Have I been pissing on Harry Reid? As long as he's been majority leader at the least and he deserved every bit of it. Today, however, I am here to congratulate him. He shoved it hard, dry, and deep into Arlen's sphincter:
Fuck you, Arlen, you whiny, self-serving, Joe Lieberman-esque, slimeball. I know used car salesmen whom I hold in higher esteem than I do you.
The Senate dealt a blow tonight to Sen. Arlen Specter's hold on seniority in several key committees, a week after the Pennsylvanian's party switch placed Democrats on the precipice of a 60-seat majority.
...
Tonight's committee resolution, quickly read on the Senate floor by Reid himself, contradicts Specter's assertion last Tuesday when he publicly announced his move from the Republican side of the aisle. He told reporters that he retained his seniority both in the overall chamber and in the committees on which he serves. Specter said that becoming chairman of the Appropriations Committee was a personal goal of his, one that would be within reach if he were granted his seniority on the panel and placed as the third-most senior Democrat there.
...
Fuck you, Arlen, you whiny, self-serving, Joe Lieberman-esque, slimeball. I know used car salesmen whom I hold in higher esteem than I do you.
Great thanks to DB for the link.
Ah-nold calls for reefer debate
Raw Story
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday that Californians should have a debate over the legalization of marijuana and study how marijuana taxation has worked in other countries.
A recent Field Research Corporation poll of Californians found, for the first time ever, a majority in the state (56%) support legalizing marijuana and taxing it similarly to alcohol.
We're slooooowly starting to head in the right direction. It's only taken 45 years to get this far.
If you live in Kah-lee-forn-ya, please see yes390.org.
It's all about the nipples ...
Janet Jackson's, that is. The Rude One:
The things considered priorities in this country are astounding. We can't hold people accountable who have wiped their ass with our Constitution, justified acts that are so antithetical to our real values, yet we can deem a network responsible for a fleeting glimpse of a body part all of us have.
When I was growing up, my mother had a subscription to Stern magazine (for those who don't know, she was a German immigrant). There were half-naked women in every issue, sort of like The Sun's 'Page 3 Girls'. I was never forbidden to look at them and my mother was happy I kept up my German language skills by reading the articles. I was raised to understand the human body was nothing to treat as 'dirty' or pornographic. The 'moral values' crowd doesn't get, or doesn't want to get, the difference between nudity and porn (and we won't even talk about their version of 'obscenity').
It was impressed upon me, most deeply, the horror and tragedy of war and the immorality of racism. I learned that the deprivation of human and civil rights were far, far worse that a child getting a glimpse of a naked body part.
We have become a nation of petty, trifling prudes. We allow ourselves to get sidetracked by the most insignificant things and completely lose touch with The Big Picture. We allowed this nation to be turned into a Third World toilet run by tin horn dictators while we worried about stupid little shit. From Janet Jackson's nipple to Freedom Fries, the crap we devote attention to, while disregarding our nation's crumbling foundations, is unbelievable.
Don't worry, Church Lady. Seeing an exposed breast won't fuck Little Johnny up nearly as much as sending him to a war we had no reason to be in.
...
Even now, with the Supreme Court's two rulings in the last week upholding the fleeting, spontaneous "fuck" regulation on a 5-4 vote and sending the Jackson boob back to a federal appeals court to reconsider its overturning of a fine, Democratic Senator John D. Rockefeller declared, "We must be doing more, not less, to give the FCC and parents all across America the resources they need to protect their children from indecent programming." Once a prison bitch, always a prison bitch.
Of course, it probably doesn't need to be pointed out that by the time the Congress was arguing about fucks and tits, America was waterboarding the fucking tits off Abu Zubaydah and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and more or less making psychological and physical wrecks out of other detainees in various prisons, with the Abu Ghraib photos just coming out. But, especially to Republicans, there was far, far more indecency in that nipple.
...
The things considered priorities in this country are astounding. We can't hold people accountable who have wiped their ass with our Constitution, justified acts that are so antithetical to our real values, yet we can deem a network responsible for a fleeting glimpse of a body part all of us have.
When I was growing up, my mother had a subscription to Stern magazine (for those who don't know, she was a German immigrant). There were half-naked women in every issue, sort of like The Sun's 'Page 3 Girls'. I was never forbidden to look at them and my mother was happy I kept up my German language skills by reading the articles. I was raised to understand the human body was nothing to treat as 'dirty' or pornographic. The 'moral values' crowd doesn't get, or doesn't want to get, the difference between nudity and porn (and we won't even talk about their version of 'obscenity').
It was impressed upon me, most deeply, the horror and tragedy of war and the immorality of racism. I learned that the deprivation of human and civil rights were far, far worse that a child getting a glimpse of a naked body part.
We have become a nation of petty, trifling prudes. We allow ourselves to get sidetracked by the most insignificant things and completely lose touch with The Big Picture. We allowed this nation to be turned into a Third World toilet run by tin horn dictators while we worried about stupid little shit. From Janet Jackson's nipple to Freedom Fries, the crap we devote attention to, while disregarding our nation's crumbling foundations, is unbelievable.
Don't worry, Church Lady. Seeing an exposed breast won't fuck Little Johnny up nearly as much as sending him to a war we had no reason to be in.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Thought For The Day
Yesterday I posted about our proselytizing Holy Warriors passing out bibles to Afghanis.
There's a real upside to this.
About 90% of Afghanis can't read. They get their religion by listening to others.
So what's the upside, you may ask?
They will thank the Americans for the lovely bound toilet paper, and credit us for curing their itchy assholes.
There's a real upside to this.
About 90% of Afghanis can't read. They get their religion by listening to others.
So what's the upside, you may ask?
They will thank the Americans for the lovely bound toilet paper, and credit us for curing their itchy assholes.
The Great Burrito Debate
Since Fixer mentioned his great love of things gastronomic, I'm throwin' in my 2¢...
LA Taco:
If you look on Mexican food as the very stuff of life as I do, you'll want to go read about the delightful subset of burritos. Enjoy.
My own take is that if you roll a nice rare filet mignon and a large heavily-buttered lobster tail up in a flour tortilla, it will do nothing but improve it. As long as you include the baked potato, rice, beans, sour cream and guacamole and a cup of fresh pico de gallo on top, that is. If ya don't have the steak an' tail, you can do the the same thing to yer foot and get the same result...
Oooooh, Mama...
Pic from LATimes
LA Taco:
Gabachos, Angelenos, hounds , and pochos. What am I going to do with you? Burritos, tacos, tortas, carnitas, guacamole, shrimp cocktails, and chips! That’s all you ever talk about. You eat authentic Chinese in the SGV, poopoo our best ramen joints as being nothing like the ones in Japan, are in lock step in regards to the Izakaya Bincho’s, do Indian in Artesia,you know how lame the latest fad restaurant opened by a celeb chef really is, you give only golf claps to our best Italian, and every last one of you seems to know authentic Thai. Yet, you can’t wait to have your next Hollenbeck, carnitas and margaritas at some hipster fave like Alegria, or chow down on a plate loaded with cheese, rice, beans, and enchiladas. Que paso?
Well, don’t be discouraged, help has arrived to wean you off these vices. Yes, there are Mexican burritos, which originated in northern Mexico, but there is a difference between the burritos nortenos and the American version, a slop envelope of flour tortilla. For the purpose of this post I’m calling all non-Mexican burritos American. That includes Cal-Mex, Tex-Mex, East LA Mex, Mexican-American, etc.
If you look on Mexican food as the very stuff of life as I do, you'll want to go read about the delightful subset of burritos. Enjoy.
My own take is that if you roll a nice rare filet mignon and a large heavily-buttered lobster tail up in a flour tortilla, it will do nothing but improve it. As long as you include the baked potato, rice, beans, sour cream and guacamole and a cup of fresh pico de gallo on top, that is. If ya don't have the steak an' tail, you can do the the same thing to yer foot and get the same result...
CDC confirms outbreak of "Elephant Flu" in 26 States
Democratic Underground
Go see. Set your drink down...
In an unusual Sunday press conference Acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Bresser confirmed that the dreaded "Elephant Flu" virus has been identified in 26 states, "This is the same strain that first identified in Wheeling, West Virginia on Feb 9, 1950, when Senator McCarthy babbled the following, 'The State Department is infested with communists. I have here in my hand a list of 205—a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the State Department' most rational people knew that a serious mental disease had entered in the public square, it continues to this day".
CDC epidemological experts believe that the number of people that are at risk for the flu has declined considerably because they have been getting such large doses of it over the last 8 years.
The CDC has issued the following bulletin listing the 5 stages of development of the Elephant Flu
The stages of Elephant Flu are classified as hyperaccumulative, in that as the disease progresses the additional stages are added to the previous stages and do not supersede them. It is common for patients to exhibit all 5 stages of the disease. [...]
Stage Five - Batshit Crazy
Identifying Characteristics: You will know it when you see it:
Notable Occurrences:
Too extensive to detail but since the original symptoms shown by Joe McCarthy there have been thousands of examples. Here are some recent examples showing geographic spread of the syndrome;
Go see. Set your drink down...
Quote of the Day
From James "Sleeps With The Enemy" Carville on Charlie Rose last night, I paraphrase:
Bada-bing!
Update:
Since love makes no sense most of the time, it's unfair of me to climb Carville's frame over his main squeeze. I do it anyway.
On the flip side, he's a good ol' boy and a Marine and I like him, even more since his new book is out:
40 More Years: How the Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation
Now that I like! Excerpt:
Well, not everybody's Daddy owns 'em a Supreme Court Justice or two...
"Arlen Specter has gone from being the most unreliable Republican to being the most unreliable Democrat."
Bada-bing!
Update:
Since love makes no sense most of the time, it's unfair of me to climb Carville's frame over his main squeeze. I do it anyway.
On the flip side, he's a good ol' boy and a Marine and I like him, even more since his new book is out:
40 More Years: How the Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation
Now that I like! Excerpt:
When historians or scientists look back over huge cataclysmic events, they generally find some harbinger that went unnoticed at the time.
There's always a warning. If you're a chaos theorist, it's the flapping of the proverbial butterfly's wings in New York that caused a tsunami in Hong Kong. A meteorologist might think of it in terms of a category five hurricane that began as a low-pressure area off the Cape Verde Islands on the African coast. Historians remember the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand as the spark for World War I.
When future historians begin to examine the absolutely disastrous events during the term of President Bush, from massive incompetence to blatant falsehoods and the trampling of the Constitution to the savaging of the good name of the United States around the world, they will look for one of these events.
The stealing of the election of 2000 in Florida is going to be a leading qualifier. But it isn't the one to focus on, for several reasons. (After all, there's really nothing that unusual in people resorting to the courts to try to win an election that they didn't win in the first place.)
Well, not everybody's Daddy owns 'em a Supreme Court Justice or two...
A Thought About Fiat & The Current State Of Our Automotive Industry
Tony Peyser
*'Fix It Again Tony' is a link to Mustang Bobby and leads to a lovely historical post which contains words like 'Studebaker', 'Packard', 'Nash', 'Hudson', and 'Yugo'. Heh. Don't miss!
I don’t mean to unnecessarily be tossing
Elbows that are sharp
But have we gone from Fix It Again Tony*
To Fix It Again TARP?
*'Fix It Again Tony' is a link to Mustang Bobby and leads to a lovely historical post which contains words like 'Studebaker', 'Packard', 'Nash', 'Hudson', and 'Yugo'. Heh. Don't miss!
And you wonder ...
Why Mrs. F and I want to retire to Paris?
I have a natural talent for eating and sleeping. Heh ...
...
True to their reputation as leisure-loving gourmets, the French spend more time sleeping and eating than anyone else among the world's wealthy nations, according to a study published Monday.
...
I have a natural talent for eating and sleeping. Heh ...
Never, ever ...
Letting these people control the Republican Party (not that I have a problem with it) ...
... is like letting your kid drive the Ferrari.
...
Uber-conservative members of the Republican National Committee proposed a resolution demanding that Democrats "be truthful and honest with the American people" and "rename themselves the Democratic Socialist Party."
Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., claimed Democrats will use the AmeriCorps program, a pet project of Republican Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, to establish "re-education camps" and indoctrinate children.
Rep. Spencer "McCarthy" Bachus, R-Ala., who impressed me with his ability to count on his fingers and his toes, alleged there are 17 socialists in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, protesting taxes, suggested Texans may want to secede from the union.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, interviewed in her office for the "American Chopper" reality television show, covered her couch with the pelt of a grizzly bear her daddy drilled with a high-powered rifle.
RNC Chairman Michael Steele, who fell out of favor for calling Obama a mere "collectivist" instead of a "socialist," was forced to kiss Poobah Limbaugh's ring after criticizing the talk show host.
...
... is like letting your kid drive the Ferrari.
Great thanks to Maru for the link.
Monday, May 4, 2009
"We hunt people for Jesus!"
Accompanying articles at HuffPo and Al Jazeera.
Note to Bill Gates: This is not what our armed forces are supposed to be doing over there. We got enough fuckin' problems without this crap. Dab a loop on yer sky pilots and tell 'em ta knock off the cheap shit.
Trying to convert Muslims to any other faith is a crime in Afghanistan. The fact that the video footage is being broadcast on Al Jazeera guarantees that it will be seen throughout the Muslim world. It is likely to add more credence to the perception that the US is engaging in a war on Islam with neo-crusader forces invading Muslim lands.
Note to Bill Gates: This is not what our armed forces are supposed to be doing over there. We got enough fuckin' problems without this crap. Dab a loop on yer sky pilots and tell 'em ta knock off the cheap shit.
Oh, the irony...
Ironic Times
Consumer Confidence Soars
Now that bankrupt automakers promise to take over their car payments if they lose their jobs.
Republicans: No Reason to Probe Bush Administration Use of Torture
There was no oral sex involved.
Gates: Detainees May Be Housed Here, Solving One Problem
In foreclosed homes, solving another.
Yankees Slash Prices on Most Expensive Seats
Found that fans were unwilling to pay $2500 to spend three hours watching a mediocre bunch of overpaid over-the-hill bumblers get beaten to a pulp by teams with a tiny fraction of their payroll.
Time to scare Arlen
Last Chance Democracy Cafe, links at site.
Work him like a red-headed stepchild. What's he gonna do, switch back?
Isn’t settling for Arlen Specter in such a state one hell of a waste? I’ll be honest: I’ve never really liked Specter, so maybe that’s coloring my viewpoint. But watching him using the Democratic Party to secure his own political salvation has done little to improve my view of him.
There is, however, one thing that might make me sit still for it — if Specter would actually do what so many talking heads said he would do, and enable the Democratic Party to break GOP filibusters in the Senate. If he’ll do that for the next critical year-and-a-half, he can have his six extra years in the Senate, as annoying and Republicanish as he’ll be. Given everything that’s on the line, helping Obama enact his agenda is worth it.
He doesn’t have to vote with the Democrats down the line. Most of the time, they won’t need his support on final passage. So let him vote with the GOP: but, if he wants to be a Democrat, he needs to be there for us on the all important cloture votes. He needs to help break the filibusters. If not, he’s useless and the Democratic rank and file in Pennsylvania should take him out in the primary, Ed Rendell and the Democratic leadership be damned.
Arlen Specter cares profoundly about one and only one thing — Arlen Specter. If he feels safe, he’ll continue to rub his new party’s face in it for the sheer joy of showing off his “independence” to the Beltway crowd. But put the fear of God in him, as by recruiting a viable Democratic primary opponent, and watch how quickly he finds religion (my em).
So get to work Pennsylvania Democrats. It’s time to scare the hell out of the bastard.
Work him like a red-headed stepchild. What's he gonna do, switch back?
Krauts in Paris ...
Before I leave, a reply to Gord's comment on my Mozart post yesterday:
Got news for ya, pardner. We never left. Heh ...
Ja. ve Krauts got Paree on ze brain. Ve'll be Ba-ach!
Sorry...
Got news for ya, pardner. We never left. Heh ...
Yours truly in front of the German embasssy on Avenue de Franklin D. Roosevelt, Paris 1999
Quote of the Day
Digby:
Time to empty the dog and head to work. See yas later ...
...
Can I just say what a bunch of whining little wimps these Republicans all are? They love to present themselves as stoic, manly warriors, loving [t]heir country above all else, willing to lay down their lives for it.
Until something happens they don't like and then they want to blow the thing up.
Time to empty the dog and head to work. See yas later ...
But it's "new" ...
Running late this morning; Mrs. F has a meeting in the city office and I had to kick her out at the train station.
So, in lieu of my drivel, take look at D-cap's view of the Republican "rebranding" efforts. Heh ...
So, in lieu of my drivel, take look at D-cap's view of the Republican "rebranding" efforts. Heh ...
...
These people have deemed themselves saviors of the Republican brand. The plans of these five re-hashed trolls are supposed to change the fortunes of a Party mired in the 13th century. Talk about putting lipstick on the anus of an elephant.
...
Sunday, May 3, 2009
As I said ...
When the Sphincter Specter defection became news, this is no great deal for the Dems. Once again, the Dems promised the moon to a guy (see: Joe Lieberman) who cares for nothing but his own political skin:
So what the fuck did we let him aboard for, let alone allow him to keep his seniority? Hey, Harry Reid, I got this bridge over the East River you might want to buy ...
Here it comes. Been a Democrat for less than a week and already Arlen Specter is backtracking. Is it any clearer that this Faustian bargain made for those fabled 60 votes is no bargain at all for the majority party?
...... I did not say I would be a loyal Democrat. I did not say that ...
So what the fuck did we let him aboard for, let alone allow him to keep his seniority? Hey, Harry Reid, I got this bridge over the East River you might want to buy ...
Sunday Crazy Redneck Music Blogging
BCB Band ~ Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off
The original big-time pro-fesh-un-al embedding-disabled big corporate video of this is a hoot too. Ya sorta gotta wait 'til almost the end for the kicker! Heh.
Thanks to the BCB Band.
"Damn near yuppie free"
Not only did I never think anyone would write a song about Oildale, it is even more astounding that uber-librul Mary McCaslin would sing about it! Go read and you'll see why. If my state ever needs an enema...well, you get the idea.
Interesting tidbit:
Interesting tidbit:
Most of the original U-2 spy planes flown out of Groom Lake were built at a secret factory in Oildale disguised as a tire factory.
Mary McCaslin w/Wake The Dead ~ Oildale
Thanks, garrufat.
Quote of the Day
From Daddy Frank's column:
Note to Repugs: You're caught between two doomsday cults. Your demise is assured. In the interest of time just take the koolaid and get it over with already.
Update:
That Obama needs a serious counterweight in the political arena. But the former party of Lincoln and liberty has now melted down to a fundamentalist core of aging, rural Dixiecrats and intrusive scolds — as small as 20 percent of the populace in the latest polls. Its position on the American spectrum of ideas is somewhere between a doomsday cult and Scientology.
Note to Repugs: You're caught between two doomsday cults. Your demise is assured. In the interest of time just take the koolaid and get it over with already.
Update:
Gleeped from YubaNet.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Comparison
Rhonda Vincent is a big star and one of my favorites. She's been playing Bluegrass music professionally for over thirty years. Another showbiz 'overnight sensation'. Here's her official video of this tune:
Pretty good, huh? Now, keeping in mind the vast difference between a professional video by an established star and an onstage performance by a very young band, listen to a live performance of the same tune by new generation up-and-comers The Lovell Sisters who don't have thirty years experience between the three of them:
Pretty good, huh?
Rhonda Vincent ~ I've Forgotten You
Thanks to rvfcprez.
Pretty good, huh? Now, keeping in mind the vast difference between a professional video by an established star and an onstage performance by a very young band, listen to a live performance of the same tune by new generation up-and-comers The Lovell Sisters who don't have thirty years experience between the three of them:
The Lovell Sisters perform 'I've Forgotten You' live at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta - February 9, 2007.
The Lovell Sisters ~ I've Forgotten You
Pretty good, huh?
Thanks to thelovellsisters.
Saturday Emmylou Blogging
In my never-ending quest to steal the very latest videos for you, this is from MerleFest 2009 just last week. More here.
Emmylou Harris - Jupiter Rising Why Don't You Call Me? Merlefest 2009
Thanks to tconnarn.
Friend Of The Devil
One of my favorite songs, the title of which is also what the Dead End Quarter calls the rest of us. Heh. Pretty good slide show of stuff we ain't seen in forty years. Puff up a fatty and enjoy.
Jerry Garcia ~ Friend Of The Devil
Thanks to gratefulvideo.
WWII female aviator still flying
Go see this photo gallery at the LATimes.
I won't go into it in great detail here, but the WASPs performed an extremely valuable service and got royally screwed for it as payment from a government (ours) that didn't give a shit about them until very recently.
Read more about them here and here.
I think she's a cool ol' gal, but I still get a visual of her flyin' along at about 9 miles per hour and not being able to see over the steering wheel, all the while oblivious to the carnage in her wake...
A P-51 sure beats the shit out of a brand new shiny red superstock Dodge! Go, Granny, go!
Violet Cowden flew 19 different types of "pursuit planes" during World War II, including the Mustang, as she helped deliver new aircraft from factories to military bases across the nation. She served in a branch of the Army Air Forces known as the Women Airforce Service Pilots,
I won't go into it in great detail here, but the WASPs performed an extremely valuable service and got royally screwed for it as payment from a government (ours) that didn't give a shit about them until very recently.
Read more about them here and here.
Cowden poses aboard a P-51C Mustang after flying into Long Beach Airport with members of Wings of Freedom, a group that showcases vintage airplanes. The Mustang will be on display along with a B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 bomber.
I think she's a cool ol' gal, but I still get a visual of her flyin' along at about 9 miles per hour and not being able to see over the steering wheel, all the while oblivious to the carnage in her wake...
A P-51 sure beats the shit out of a brand new shiny red superstock Dodge! Go, Granny, go!
Quote of the Day
Bob Herbert in an NYT op-ed. Worth a read.
Life is good...
"The incredibly clueless stewards of the incredibly shrinking Republican Party would do well to recall that it was supposedly Abe Lincoln, a Republican, who said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. Not only has the G.O.P. spent years trying to fool everybody in sight with its phony-baloney, dime-store philosophies, it’s now trapped in the patently pathetic phase of fooling itself."
Life is good...
Friday, May 1, 2009
Shopping Day
It's over the mountaind and through the woods to Costco we will go today. Here's a pic of the torturous drive along the east shore of Lake Tahoe:
It won't look like that today. Gray and drizzly here. Sigh. Got some new CDs to listen to though.
Here's the descent into the big city. Carson City, that is. Costco is in the center. Truck needed a wash.
Just another day in Paradise. See yas later.
Click pix to embiggen.
It won't look like that today. Gray and drizzly here. Sigh. Got some new CDs to listen to though.
Here's the descent into the big city. Carson City, that is. Costco is in the center. Truck needed a wash.
Just another day in Paradise. See yas later.
The Right goes insane
Goes?! It done been fer a while. Mark Morford does a little catchin' up:
Please go enjoy a bit of the comedy. Make sure your printer has paper in it. You may wish to pass out copies to your friends.
Blood sugar alert: He's a little sweet on Obama. That's OK.
Evil overlords to flaccid clowns in the blink of Jesus' eye. Adorable!
There is much good news to be found in the ongoing GOP implosion; their obsession with 'wedge issues' like abortion and gay marriage, along with hilarious claims of socialism and fascism are proving to be the absolute best news for the nation as a whole. Because as the GOP wallows in juvenile spectacle, Obama and the Dems are leaping headlong into one of the most ambitious, invigorating, nation-altering agendas in American history.
Of course, it ain't all flowers and candy. This much unfettered movement for any party, left or right, can also be just insanely dangerous, could theoretically result in a blowback for the Dems exactly as destructive and apocalyptic as the horrendous Bush Era proved to be for the once-temperate Repubs.
Is it already heading that way? Will it happen? Not a chance.
But before we see why, let us enjoy a bit of the comedy. [...]
Please go enjoy a bit of the comedy. Make sure your printer has paper in it. You may wish to pass out copies to your friends.
Blood sugar alert: He's a little sweet on Obama. That's OK.
Flu outbreak diverts Mexico's cruises to S.F.
Just to illustrate and transcontinentally expand on Fixer's post a little, with accompanying article in the EssEffChron.
Moonbeam's meats gleeped
LATimes
I need a coupla more rolls of duct tape. My sides hurt...
His position as the state's top law enforcement authority did not protect Jerry Brown -- or his car -- when thieves made off with two of the attorney general's tires last week.
I need a coupla more rolls of duct tape. My sides hurt...
Headline of the Day
The paper it's in makes me wanta toss my cookies a lot too. With video.
Puke away, dipstick. When ya feel somethin' furry come up, keep that. It's yer asshole.
Boehner says Obama's bills makes him 'want to throw up'
Puke away, dipstick. When ya feel somethin' furry come up, keep that. It's yer asshole.
No chances ...
While most of this "Swine Flu" hubbub is overblown, there's one place where you can't take chances. On a cruise ship, sickness can spread like wildfire among such a closed population. As avid cruisers, Mrs. F and I are amazed by all the precautions taken to ensure a bug doesn't get started among the passengers. In light of that, the ships ain't going to Mexico:
Figure 2000 to 3500 passengers per ship and the money it puts into the local economy at each port call. Now, start multiplying ...
Mexico is taking a big hit thanks to this virus, not to mention the loss of international travel thanks to the drug violence in its border towns and eastern provinces. As I've said many times, there are better places to spend your travel dollars. Mrs. F and I used to go regularly when we were first married, but once we found the Dutch Islands (Netherlands Antilles), we've had no desire. When they clean up their act, we'd like to redo our honeymoon cruise (Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas), but I ain't setting foot in Mexico until they do.
...
The itinerary changes came a day after five of the world's largest cruise lines announced plans to suspend all stops to Mexico, based on recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid nonessential travel to the country.
Carnival Cruise Lines, the world's largest cruise line, released an itinerary update for eight ships that were previously scheduled to stop in Mexican ports between Wednesday and Friday. The ships that were scheduled to stop in Progresso, Cozumel and Ensenada either will stop at Key West, Fla., or Nassau, Bahamas, or will spend a "fun day at sea," according to the itinerary, posted on the company Web site (www.carnival.com). Ships scheduled to stop in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas will instead stop in San Francisco or stay out at sea.
...
Figure 2000 to 3500 passengers per ship and the money it puts into the local economy at each port call. Now, start multiplying ...
...
Princess Cruises, which is owned by Carnival Corp. (www.princess.com), released an itinerary for two ships, the Star Princess and the Sapphire Princess, scheduled to make stops in Mexico through May 7. Instead, those ships will stop in Santa Barbara, Calif.; San Diego; Catalina Island, off the Southern California coast; San Francisco; or will spend the day at sea.
For Holland America lines (www.hollandamerica.com), the ms Veendam, which is scheduled to launch Friday, cruising from Florida, through the Panama Canal to British Columbia, will pass up stops at Huatulco, Acapulco, and Cabo San Lucas. Instead the ship will cruise Golfo Dulce, an inlet in Costa Rica, making stops at Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica; Cortino, Nicaragua; and Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala.
...
Mexico is taking a big hit thanks to this virus, not to mention the loss of international travel thanks to the drug violence in its border towns and eastern provinces. As I've said many times, there are better places to spend your travel dollars. Mrs. F and I used to go regularly when we were first married, but once we found the Dutch Islands (Netherlands Antilles), we've had no desire. When they clean up their act, we'd like to redo our honeymoon cruise (Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas), but I ain't setting foot in Mexico until they do.
Thank god Bush is gone - Part Eleventy-billion ...
WASHINGTON — Justice David H. Souter plans to retire at the end of the term in June, giving President Obama his first appointment to the Supreme Court, four people informed about the decision said Thursday night.
...
Could you imagine if the Chimp got to appoint another Kool-Aid drinking, fetus-loving conservative to SCOTUS? They would have made American women get cameras implanted in their uteri.
I'm sure Souter held on until after the inauguration to keep the balance on the Court. I'm also glad Ruthie was determined to stay as well.
...
During a campaign debate last fall, Mr. Obama said the selection of a new justice would be "one of the most consequential decisions of the next president." He said he would look for judges who had a strong judicial record and "who hopefully have a sense of what real-world folks are going through."
...
Let's hope so.
Great thanks to Scout Prime for the link.
The Party of Fail ...
Political Wire via Watertiger:
And it's always the 20 - 30% who believe (the Dead End Quarter), regardless of the facts or what the last 8 years have proven about conservatism (at least, in the American political sense).
Fixer Rule of Thumb: If it comes out of a Republican, you can assume it's bullshit and you're gonna get screwed somehow.
The AP obtained partial results from a GOP poll that showed Republicans "are widely viewed by the public as less competent than Democrats to handle issue[s] ranging from health care to education and energy."
"Democrats were favored by a margin of 61% to 29% on education; 59% to 30% on health care and 59% to 31% on energy. Congress is expected to consider major legislation later this year in all three areas."
...
And it's always the 20 - 30% who believe (the Dead End Quarter), regardless of the facts or what the last 8 years have proven about conservatism (at least, in the American political sense).
Fixer Rule of Thumb: If it comes out of a Republican, you can assume it's bullshit and you're gonna get screwed somehow.
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