If ya squint a little, this could be called "Fixer and Gordon go motoring". Guess who's driving. Heh. He'll get me for this...
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
While I'm glad we got all of the Repugs' crimes starting to come to light so forcefully that people may actually notice what we've known for years, I think we need a little light mid-week entertainment.
If ya squint a little, this could be called "Fixer and Gordon go motoring". Guess who's driving. Heh. He'll get me for this...
If ya squint a little, this could be called "Fixer and Gordon go motoring". Guess who's driving. Heh. He'll get me for this...
Cuddlin' With Evil
Mark Morford
"Two" is simply too awful for the Repug bullies to consider. Enjoy.
Obama shakes hands with people we're supposed to hate. Are we all going to die?
Clearly this is not the way we're supposed to behave. Clearly this is not what we, as a formerly grumpy, petulant, first-world nation, expect from our president, from our attitude, from our typical chest-thumping, saber-rattling, kill-'em-all posture in the world.
See, what we do is, we stomp in. We huff and snort and make a portentous entrance full of cold swagger and terse, screw-you-if-you-disagree handshakes, ignoring the clammy mitts of those inflammatory commie jerks we don't like because they've called us icky names in the past but whose illegal narcotics we will gladly purchase by the megaton and whose oil we're going to go in and forcibly steal anyway ha ha sucker.
At such piffling events, we expect our president to do the usual macho dance, puff out his chest and shove our usual demands for compliance down everyone's throat, talk up military intervention and enrage those selfsame angry little countries even more by reiterating who's really in charge of this violent, overheated speck of a planet. Hey, it worked for Dubya, right? I mean, except for the global contempt and seething mistrust?
But then comes Obama. As usual, it appears he did not get the memo. He is clearly that most un-American of U.S. leaders, entirely dismissive of precedent and totally devoid of our characteristic bullying arrogance and openly disrespectful of How It's All Supposed To Go Down.
Naturally, all this articulate, respectful diplomacy means one of two things.
One: We are blindly kowtowing to all sorts of scummy, evil forces of the underworld and undermining America's godlike supremacy, and soon will be overrun by drug lords and baby rapists and fat, sweaty, cigar-chomping socialists who love to coddle baby-raping drug lords. This is known as the "Fox News angle." Also known as the "Hysteria Special," and also, simply, "The Limbaugh."
"Two" is simply too awful for the Repug bullies to consider. Enjoy.
Be careful what you wish for ...
Baby Jane:
Time to go, Jane. Time for the rest of the Bush enablers on the Dem side to go too. While not all their fault, too many Dems caved without a fight during the Bush years and Harman was one of them, quite willing to kiss our rights goodbye until it hits home. Don't let the door hit yas in the ass.
...
So if I understand this correctly -- and I'm pretty sure I do -- when the U.S. Government eavesdropped for years on American citizens with no warrants and in violation of the law, that was "both legal and necessary" as well as "essential to U.S. national security," and it was the "despicable" whistle-blowers (such as Thomas Tamm) who disclosed that crime and the newspapers which reported it who should have been criminally investigated, but not the lawbreaking government officials. But when the U.S. Government legally and with warrants eavesdrops on Jane Harman, that is an outrageous invasion of privacy and a violent assault on her rights as an American citizen, and full-scale investigations must be commenced immediately to get to the bottom of this abuse of power. Behold Jane Harman's overnight transformation from Very Serious Champion of the Lawless Surveillance State to shrill civil liberties extremist. [bold in orig - italics mine]
...
Time to go, Jane. Time for the rest of the Bush enablers on the Dem side to go too. While not all their fault, too many Dems caved without a fight during the Bush years and Harman was one of them, quite willing to kiss our rights goodbye until it hits home. Don't let the door hit yas in the ass.
Islanders ...
As most of the regulars here know, I'm a proud Long Islander. There are a lot of great things about this place. The ethnic diversity (the original Melting Pot), the hundreds of miles of world-class beaches, and a 40 minute drive (not at rush hour, however) to Times Square and all the culture of New York City. Not to mention a buncha great bloggers. Heh ...
That said, we have a boil on our collective ass and its name is Peter King. In '06, as most of you know, I did my damnedest to unseat him, backing the best candidate we've had to date, Dave Mejias. No such luck and the bastid is still there, presumably for life (last year's challenger was weak and financially overpowered by King).
King is an absolute moron, a conservative who toes the party line without wavering, and says shit that constantly embarrasses us. His latest verbal diarrhea is most distasteful and has no basis in fact.
He's also made statements regarding the Nassau Country Police and FBI infiltration of our local mosques and intimated law enforcement has them under constant surveillance - something both agencies strongly deny.
In the first place, Long Island's Islamic community is one of the most "well-behaved" demographics of any of the dozens inhabiting this big sandbar. I can't remember the last time (I've lived here for 38 years of my 47 year life) any trouble has been traced to our Islamic neighbors, yet Peter King makes a point of singling them out whenever he can. He creates an environment of fear for Nassau County's Muslims that should not be tolerated. The key is the term "Nassau County", the reddest in the NY Metro (NY, NJ, CT, PA) area and King's 'jihad' against the Muslim community plays with the base, mostly retirees who haven't made it to Florida or North Carolina.
One can only hope King runs for the Senate seat Kirsten Gillibrand has to defend next year, and losees. Prayers might be answered if a strong Dem can challenge his House seat during that time and our terminal boil can be lanced once and for all.
Most Long Islanders are proud of our racial, ethnic, and religious diversity and the great majority of us live together in peace and cooperation. Idiots like Peter King are dinosaurs and will soon be extinct. Not soon enough for me but the writing is on the wall.
That said, we have a boil on our collective ass and its name is Peter King. In '06, as most of you know, I did my damnedest to unseat him, backing the best candidate we've had to date, Dave Mejias. No such luck and the bastid is still there, presumably for life (last year's challenger was weak and financially overpowered by King).
King is an absolute moron, a conservative who toes the party line without wavering, and says shit that constantly embarrasses us. His latest verbal diarrhea is most distasteful and has no basis in fact.
As he heads upstate tonight to gauge support for a U.S. Senate run, Rep. Peter King said Sunday he has no plans to tone down his comments about Muslims and their cooperation with law enforcement -- a long-simmering issue that flared up again over the weekend.
...
In response to a Department of Homeland Security report about domestic right-wing extremism, King (R-Seaford) told MSNBC Friday that the department "has never put out a report talking about look out for mosques. Look out for Islamic terrorists in our country. Look out for the fact that very few Muslims come forward to cooperate with the police."
...
He's also made statements regarding the Nassau Country Police and FBI infiltration of our local mosques and intimated law enforcement has them under constant surveillance - something both agencies strongly deny.
...
The Seaford congressman, who is the ranking Republican member of the Homeland Security Committee, also said that "right now there are a number of mosques under surveillance by law enforcement agencies" on Long Island. He would not state which mosques or which law enforcement agencies, but said the surveillance has been going on for four or five years.
...
In the first place, Long Island's Islamic community is one of the most "well-behaved" demographics of any of the dozens inhabiting this big sandbar. I can't remember the last time (I've lived here for 38 years of my 47 year life) any trouble has been traced to our Islamic neighbors, yet Peter King makes a point of singling them out whenever he can. He creates an environment of fear for Nassau County's Muslims that should not be tolerated. The key is the term "Nassau County", the reddest in the NY Metro (NY, NJ, CT, PA) area and King's 'jihad' against the Muslim community plays with the base, mostly retirees who haven't made it to Florida or North Carolina.
One can only hope King runs for the Senate seat Kirsten Gillibrand has to defend next year, and losees. Prayers might be answered if a strong Dem can challenge his House seat during that time and our terminal boil can be lanced once and for all.
Most Long Islanders are proud of our racial, ethnic, and religious diversity and the great majority of us live together in peace and cooperation. Idiots like Peter King are dinosaurs and will soon be extinct. Not soon enough for me but the writing is on the wall.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Slow earth day
Thanks to YubaNet.
Also from YubaNet, if you like to look at the night sky, go read this:
Don't miss the Lyris Meteor Shower tonight and Venus disappearing behind the moon around 5 a.m. on Wednesday
On Wednesday morning, April 22nd, Earth will pass through a stream of comet dust, giving rise to the annual Lyrid meteor shower. At the same time, the crescent Moon and Venus will converge for a close encounter in the eastern sky. Viewed from some parts of the world, the Moon will pass directly in front of Venus, causing Venus to vanish.
Mucho mas.
Buh-Bye, Bybee
Think Progress, many links.
The 9th Circuit is the most liberal Court of Appeals in the country. Bybee was put on there to try to right-wing it on down some.
Sign by all means, but please go read the rest.
Last week, President Obama released four Bush-era legal memos authorizing torture. The earliest one, from 2002, was signed by Jay Bybee, then an Assistant Attorney General and now a federal judge on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. [...]
The 9th Circuit is the most liberal Court of Appeals in the country. Bybee was put on there to try to right-wing it on down some.
These techniques are illegal by U.S. statute and international treaty to which the U.S. is a signatory. Bybee attempted to give legal cover to illegal acts, and thus broke the ethical, professional, and legal standards that should govern lawyers. For this, Judge Jay Bybee should be impeached. Congress needs to assert some accountability for these heinous acts.
An impeachment hearing would require full answers from Bybee -- and would give the American people the answers they deserve. When Bush nominated Bybee in 2003, Congress had no knowledge of the full scope of Bybee's legalese somersaults to make torture appear legal. When asked, he refused to comment, citing executive privilege. Now we know how integral Bybee was to initiating Bush's years-long torture program.
Jay Bybee has neither the legal nor the moral authority to sit in judgment of others. Please sign our petition.
Sign by all means, but please go read the rest.
Obama open to Hill probe of harsh interrogations
P.M. Carpenter at the end of a pretty good analysis of the political side v. the legal:
From AP via Raw Story one hour ago:
Obama is feeling the pressure following the release of the bullshit boilerplate CYA and CIA torture memos and is starting to see the light: we gotta clean up our back trail before the road ahead means anything.
I understand his need for political cover. I don't care who instigates prosecutions, only that it gets done.
He needs Pat Leahy or Dianne Feinstein or John Conyers or somebody to take the bloody heat off him. That's the wiser alternative -- have Congress investigate Bush's conspicuously criminal architects and have Justice follow up. Furthermore, I suspect that's the alternative that Obama has been begging for behind the scenes: for someone of a Congressional bent to force Justice's hand.
From AP via Raw Story one hour ago:
The Obama administration appears to be backpedaling a bit regarding torture probes of former Bush officials.
The Associated Press reports:President Barack Obama is leaving the door to open to possible prosecution of Bush administration officials who devised harsh terrorism-era interrogation tactics.
...
[...] But he also said that it is up to the attorney general whether to prosecute Bush administration lawyers who wrote the memos approving these tactics.
Obama is feeling the pressure following the release of the bullshit boilerplate CYA and CIA torture memos and is starting to see the light: we gotta clean up our back trail before the road ahead means anything.
I understand his need for political cover. I don't care who instigates prosecutions, only that it gets done.
Quote of the Day
Paul Krugman
For a Nobel Prize winner, you catch on kinda slow, Paulie.
...I think I ought to say something about the torture memos — namely, that there is now no way to view the people who ruled us these past 8 years as anything but monsters.
For a Nobel Prize winner, you catch on kinda slow, Paulie.
Republicans Less Popular Than Venezuela
Open Left, links at site.
Shit, I wouldn't doubt that sexually transmitted diseases are more popular than Repugs.
As part of my irregular series documenting unpopular stuff that is more popular than Republicans, (see Legalizing Marijuana more popular than Republicans, and Republicans less popular than China), new polling from CNN indicates that anti-American, oil-cartel, socialist block forming Venezuela is now viewed more favorably than the Republican Party.
"Next, we'd like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of these people -- or if you have never heard of them. The Republican Party."
Favorable: 39%--54% Unfavorable
Overall, Venezuela comes out 42% favorable, 54% unfavorable in this poll, providing the country a slightly more positive rating than Republicans. China and Russia also easily outpace Republicans. Cuba, at 38% favorable, 61% unfavorable, isn't too far behind Republicans.
This has been another edition of "stuff more popular than Republicans."
Shit, I wouldn't doubt that sexually transmitted diseases are more popular than Repugs.
Oh. My. God!!!1!1!!!
Obama shook Chavez' hand!
The terrorists have won!
What, now we have to have an Outrage of the Week? Seems the Rethugs never got the moral of Chicken Little.
Update:
The Rude One:
Pic stolen from Maru.
The terrorists have won!
What, now we have to have an Outrage of the Week? Seems the Rethugs never got the moral of Chicken Little.
Update:
The Rude One:
...
Okay. So, like, if Obama was caught giving Chavez a hand job under the conference table, if Obama had been seen in the cloak room having seven minutes in heaven with Chavez, if Obama had been getting a reacharound while Chavez was giving him a Venezuelan pipeline treatment in his ass, we might, and that's "might," have something to talk about.
...
Monday, April 20, 2009
Thought for the Day
I gotta go move my truck because my buddy Marty's comin' over in a little bit to restore my plastic headlight lenses.
I'll leave ya for now with a thought on President Obama's progress up 'til now. This is the mantra of automotive and motorcycle Service Managers everywhere:
When you're up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember that your main objective was to drain the swamp.
The alligators, of course, are the customers and mechanics, or in Obama's case, Congress, the Repugs, and the Dead End Quarter.
I don't like everything he's doing, but I like most of it. With a couple of exceptions, I don't give a shit what he does. He's orders of magnitude better than what came before.
I'll leave ya for now with a thought on President Obama's progress up 'til now. This is the mantra of automotive and motorcycle Service Managers everywhere:
When you're up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember that your main objective was to drain the swamp.
The alligators, of course, are the customers and mechanics, or in Obama's case, Congress, the Repugs, and the Dead End Quarter.
I don't like everything he's doing, but I like most of it. With a couple of exceptions, I don't give a shit what he does. He's orders of magnitude better than what came before.
Quote of the Day
Meghan McCain
Mostly they're scared shitless of a future without them. No more power, no more gravy train. The dinosaurs may have been more cognizant of what was going on around them.
She summed up what she learned while campaigning for her father in three points:
"(1) Most of our nation wants our nation to succeed; (2) most people are ready to move on to the future, not live in the past; and (3) most of the old school Republicans are scared shitless of that future."
Mostly they're scared shitless of a future without them. No more power, no more gravy train. The dinosaurs may have been more cognizant of what was going on around them.
Thoughts on Pot vs. Alcohol from a Former Police Chief
BuzzFlash, with comments, and HuffPo
More.
Over the past four years I've asked police officers throughout the U.S. (and in Canada) two questions. When's the last time you had to fight someone under the influence of marijuana? (I'm talking marijuana only, not pot plus a six-pack or a fifth of tequila.) My colleagues pause, they reflect. Their eyes widen as they realize that in their five or fifteen or thirty years on the job they have never had to fight a marijuana user. I then ask: When's the last time you had to fight a drunk? They look at their watches.
More.
Oh, the irony...
Ironic Times
Standup comedian Ron White told a story on TV last night about how he got busted in Florida for having 3/4 of a gram of weed. Said he thinks their priorities might be a little misplaced. I paraphrase:
"Shit, folks, this was Florida. They had ta drive past three meth labs and a dead hooker to get to me!"
It's worth another try.
U.S. May Drop Key Condition For Iran Nuclear Talks
Conversion to Christianity.
U.S. Normalizes Relations With Cuba
Move prompted by our desperate need for old American car parts.
CIA Torturers Won’t Be Prosecuted
Freeing up justice system for crackdown on illegal parking.
New Drug Czar More Progressive Than Previous Ones
If roach clip tie clasp is any indication.
Standup comedian Ron White told a story on TV last night about how he got busted in Florida for having 3/4 of a gram of weed. Said he thinks their priorities might be a little misplaced. I paraphrase:
"Shit, folks, this was Florida. They had ta drive past three meth labs and a dead hooker to get to me!"
Texas Governor Expresses Sympathy for Secessionists
Because it worked so well last time.
It's worth another try.
Same old ...
Same old.
While I was doing wallpaper yesterday I had Little George's Hair on as background noise (it was either that or Whore-me Kurtz) and who does he have on but John "The Tan"Boner Boehner.
Seems the Rethuglican climate change policy is the same as their economic policy and the same as their energy policy. That is, clearly stated, to do nothing (if they could work tax cuts for the rich into it without sounding completely unhinged they probably would). No matter what the Dems put forth, the only answer is "no".
As the storms get worse and more frequent every year, as the temperature swings get more pronounced, the Party of No continues to keep their heads in the sand. Or at least that's what it looks like. In reality, they are working overtime to hold on to all the entitlements the rich and big business accrued over the last 30 years.
To us thinking folks, it looks like they got nothing. No plan for anything. But you must keep in mind that they don't want a "plan". A plan would mean they'd have to admit there is something wrong with their policies, something in need of change. At this point, they have what they want. The rich get richer and multinational companies have no rules. Change would destroy all that.
So, ladies and germs, don't expect any plans coming forth from the GOP in the near future and don't expect any cooperation from them on pending legislation if it has to do with changing the status quo. At this point, after most Americans have awakened from their 8 year stupor, the only appeal the Republicans have is to their base -- the American jihadi, white supremacist crazies and the big business community who supports the party financially. Any 'change' in the party line would lose them as well. It's not that they're bankrupt of ideas, it's that they're afraid of new ideas for it would render them completely irrelevant.
***
Addendum: And while we're discussing what was said on This Week, Dday has a good post up about the moral equivalency White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel spreads around regarding torture investigations.
As Olbermann said last week, we must prosecute those who broke U.S. and international law, no matter how distasteful it seems now. We will never reclaim our standing in the world if we let these people escape punishment.
While I was doing wallpaper yesterday I had Little George's Hair on as background noise (it was either that or Whore-me Kurtz) and who does he have on but John "The Tan"
Seems the Rethuglican climate change policy is the same as their economic policy and the same as their energy policy. That is, clearly stated, to do nothing (if they could work tax cuts for the rich into it without sounding completely unhinged they probably would). No matter what the Dems put forth, the only answer is "no".
As the storms get worse and more frequent every year, as the temperature swings get more pronounced, the Party of No continues to keep their heads in the sand. Or at least that's what it looks like. In reality, they are working overtime to hold on to all the entitlements the rich and big business accrued over the last 30 years.
To us thinking folks, it looks like they got nothing. No plan for anything. But you must keep in mind that they don't want a "plan". A plan would mean they'd have to admit there is something wrong with their policies, something in need of change. At this point, they have what they want. The rich get richer and multinational companies have no rules. Change would destroy all that.
So, ladies and germs, don't expect any plans coming forth from the GOP in the near future and don't expect any cooperation from them on pending legislation if it has to do with changing the status quo. At this point, after most Americans have awakened from their 8 year stupor, the only appeal the Republicans have is to their base -- the American jihadi, white supremacist crazies and the big business community who supports the party financially. Any 'change' in the party line would lose them as well. It's not that they're bankrupt of ideas, it's that they're afraid of new ideas for it would render them completely irrelevant.
Addendum: And while we're discussing what was said on This Week, Dday has a good post up about the moral equivalency White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel spreads around regarding torture investigations.
...
Never mind the moral backflips you have to make to let people off the hook for torture. Never mind the fact that the interrogators did not even follow the guidelines and meager safeguards set out in the OLC memos - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded 183 times in one month. Let's put all of that aside for a second. Rahm Emanuel is calling on the President and the Justice Department to willingly break the law.
...
As Olbermann said last week, we must prosecute those who broke U.S. and international law, no matter how distasteful it seems now. We will never reclaim our standing in the world if we let these people escape punishment.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday Great White North Way Down South Music Blogging
This is a pretty song and a good video shot in NOLA. Disclaimer, from another video of this song with a history of this Canuckistanian group:
Planting trees? Wes' Coas'? COMMIE ALERT! Heh.
Formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, The Be Good Tanyas first played together at tree planting camps in British Columbia.
Planting trees? Wes' Coas'? COMMIE ALERT! Heh.
The Be Good Tanyas ~ The Littlest Birds
Thanks to NettWerkMusic.
Twit(ter)s From Texas
I'm sure Governor Goodhair's 'secesh' remarks are just about played out, but one more reference to it won't hurt.
Gail Collins, NYT
The Dead End Quarter (y!Fctp*).
*Yes! Fixer coined that phrase.
Gail Collins, NYT
Have you ever noticed that the states where anti-tax sentiment is strongest are frequently the same states that get way more back from the federal government than they send in? Alaska gets $1.84 for every tax dollar it sends to Washington, which is a rate of return even Bernard Madoff never pretended to achieve. Yet there they were in Ketchikan waving “Taxed Enough Already!” signs and demanding an end to federal spending.
Also, have you noticed how places that pride themselves on being superpatriotic seem to have the most people who want to abandon the country entirely and set up shop on their own?
And how, by the way, can you stand at a rally waving the American flag while yelling “Secede”? It’s like an employer handing out “worker of the week” certificates to employees who just learned that he was moving the plant to Mexico.
The big mystery here is why the tax-protest crowds were behaving as if the world was coming to an end when all Obama’s infant presidency has done is lower taxes for a vast majority of the public. And why people like Perry seem to feel compelled to egg them on.
The answer is that what’s left of the Republican Party is intent on cutting off the knees of the administration before it actually manages to fulfill any campaign promises on reducing the huge economic gap between the top 5 percent of the country and the rest of the populace. In pursuit of that mission, fortune favors the hysterical and rewards politicians who behave like gerbils that just bit into an electric wire.
We don’t want to blame all Texans for the high jinks in Austin. It’s a state full of lovely people, three-fourths of whom, according to a recent Rasmussen Reports poll, have no desire whatsoever to secede from the United States.
But Perry really understands how that other quarter feels.
The Dead End Quarter (y!Fctp*).
*Yes! Fixer coined that phrase.
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