Saturday Emmylou Blogging

Emmylou does Hank Williams' I Saw The Light from her debut album Gliding Bird, 1970.

Thanks to TheLovelyladylover. Channel not available.

Two Time Slim

Let's kick off the weekend with a gentle message of peace & love. Heh.

SNATCH AND THE POONTANGS ~ The Johnny Otis Show ~ Two Time Slim

Thanks to dnul88enur, Denmark.

"Occupy This!" by Old Fart Rants

Get some, youngster!

Thanks to oldfartrants.

Also see Old Fart Rants.

A History of Conservative Panic

Mike Lux at Crooks and Liars:

The funniest thing over the last couple of weeks in the world of politics is no longer the Republican Presidential nomination, which for several months in a row has been the best sitcom on TV. But the building panic from conservatives about Occupy Wall Street has replaced the presidential race as the most delightful show to watch. Eric Cantor is talking about mobs in the street, and Glenn Beck is doing maybe his best meltdown ever (and that’s saying something, because Beck has had some doozies). Conservatives by the truckload are freaking out all over the place.

What makes it even more fun for me is that their panic exactly echoes the kind of panic conservatives have always shown about the idea of democracy and taking on the monied interests throughout American history. In my book on the history of the American political debate, The Progressive Revolution: How the Best in America Came to Be, I discussed how conservatives throughout our history have always echoed each other on these subjects no matter what the era. Here’s a sampling:

Written in 1776 by a pro-British Anglican Bishop: “If I must be enslaved let it be by a King at least, and not by a parcel of upstart lawless Committeemen. If I must be devoured, let me be devoured by the jaws of a lion, and not gnawed to death by rats and vermin.”

WE are the rats and vermin, of course.

More highly entertaining and revealing examples like that.

From the anti-American Revolution Tories of the 1770s to the Glenn Beck/Eric Cantor conservatives of today, conservatives always have been on the side of the wealthiest and most powerful in society, and always have been absolutely panic stricken when people get out in the streets to protest the abuses of the rest of us by the economic elites. Conservatives don’t like democracy; they don’t want the poor or the young or people of color to vote; they don’t like demonstrators raising hell about the powers that be. The panic by these conservatives is, as I said at the beginning of this post, as funny as can be: you can’t make up stuff as genuinely unhinged as Glenn Beck's reaction to Occupy, he is far funnier than any satire of him could be. More importantly, though, the reactions of these conservatives — so like the reactions of conservatives throughout American history who have been on the wrong side of every big issue — give reassurance that the folks at Occupy Wall Street are on the right side of history.

They hate us! They really, really hate us! Better yet, they fear us, and rightly so. Especially if some rats and vermin chew Miss Becky's lips off while he's asleep. Or awake.

Germany's updated military museum

LATimes:

The Museum of Military History in Dresden, redesigned by the American architect Daniel Libeskind and set to open to the public Saturday, is the first war museum to open in Germany since the country's reunification and a study in contrasts appropriate to a nation grappling with its violent past.

The museum was built in 1873 as a military arsenal. Over the next 120 years, it served as the army museum for Saxony, as a Nazi military museum and as the museum of the East German National People's Army, until it was taken over by the Bundeswehr after reunification in 1990. Before it was closed for reconstruction 10 years ago, the museum presented German military history in a straightforward chronological manner — "very old-fashioned, very unspectacular," said Barbara Holzer of the architecture firm Holzer Kobler, which helped design the institution's interior.

The museum ends up being a strange hybrid: a military museum with a moderately antiwar bent, housed in a structure that combines the conventional and the strikingly modern, overlooking a city stuck between its bloody past and its rapid modernization.

Col. Matthias Rogg, the museum's director, says this unique combination is possible in a country only with such complex and conflicting attitudes toward the military: "This museum could only exist in Germany, because our history in the 20th century is so stark."

You vill read. You vill enjoy!

Friday ...

Fixer Gotta Do Some I-T Work And Take His System Down Music Blogging.

The Mrs. has some new electronics that have to be integrated into the system so I'll probly be offline for some time this morning. In lieu of my pithy (pissy?) commentary, I'll share what was playing in my head when I woke up this morning:

Steely Dan - Everyone's Gone To The Movies

And, by the way, the troll Bloomberg blinked:

The owners of Zuccotti Park are postponing the scheduled cleaning and are withdrawing their request for police assistance, ending for the time being a possible standoff between police and the Occupy Wall Street protesters.

...

Heh ...

The bears are getting smarter...

In May a bear broke into my truck. It happened again last night. I heard some light pounding outside, sounded pretty close so I went and had a looksee. The minute I stepped outside I could see that my truck's tonneau cap was open and knew what was going on.

I hollered real loud and the bear skedaddled up my driveway and into my back yard. I saw it plain as day from about 30 feet away. Pretty big, Looked like Chris Christie in a fur coat!

The cap and tailgate were open. I closed the tailgate and pulled down the cap. The latch was in the 'open' position.

The bear has figured out how to open the cap and tailgate. Ulp. What's next, poppin' the ignition and swiping the truck? Maybe I'll just start leaving the keys in it to prevent damage...

Zero damage to the truck, thank goodness. There was no food in the truck this time, so I can only surmise that the bear must have remembered there was food there once and went in on spec. She must have been very hungry. Or else our snowfall last week reminded her what she needs to do before it comes in earnest. Or maybe she just knew today is trash pickup day and was cruisin' for a garbage can buffet.

When the bear ran by, my Maggie barked and chased her, but not very far. Tami, being somewhat smarter, did not. Heh. They were reluctant to go for our walk last night, but the treats in my pocket overpowered any fear of the bear. They didn't want to go outside this morning without one of us, and when Mrs. G took 'em for a walk their noses never left the ground.

Just another day in Paradise...

Update:

On our way to go grocery shopping, Mrs.G: "Well, at least the bear didn't write 'wash me' on the truck...".

Ya tryin' ta tell me sumthin' dear?

Quote of the Day

The Oracle of Rude:

... David Brooks calling someone "milquetoast" is like a herpes-ridden crack whore calling someone a "skank." ...

Hero worship ...

Rachel the Conservative Slayer. Stolen from Drifty.

As we say in Germany ...

Nein-Nein-Nein!:

Herman Cain, former CEO of Godfather's Pizza, touts his own business experience in his quest for the Republican nomination. His calls his fix for the economy his "9-9-9" plan.

...

"It will raise taxes on the poor," said Roberton Williams, of the non partisan Tax Policy Center. "It will cut taxes on the rich." Williams calls 9-9-9 a double hit on low income Americans. The 30 million households that now pay no federal taxes would start paying 9 percent - plus the 9 percent sales tax on consumer goods including food, medicine and gas. Upper income Americans meanwhile would see their top 35 percent income tax rate slashed to 9 percent.

...

Personally, I hope Herman Cain wins the nom. I can't wait to see how the news media would spin the general election. I can see the Fox graphic now. "Election 2012: The Battle of the Blacks" or "Election 2012: The Darkening of the White House". I just wish it was over already. I don't know if I can take all this crazy for another year. I'm nuts enough as it is.

Great thanks to Blue Girl for the link.

"Yo, Hannity, FUCK OFF"

I weep in joy at the attitude of my young tribal brothers! Semper fuckin' Fi!

Thanks to TheOther99Percent. Via BuzzFlash.

Elizabeth Warren running for Senate to ‘f*ck some sh*t up’

Scott Brown is soooo wrong about Liz! Get them clothes off, baby! Here, let me help... Ohhhhh...

Via Raw Story>:

Corporate Court Cockblocks Consumers

From YubaNet:

WASHINGTON, D.C. Oct. 11, 2011 - Alliance for Justice today released a report exposing repeated and aggressive efforts by the conservative majority on the United States Supreme Court to radically rewrite the laws governing arbitration in order to shield corporations from liability.

Arbitration Activism: How the Corporate Court Helps Business Evade Our Civil Justice System details ways in which the Supreme Court's rulings in cases like AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion and Rent-a-Center West v. Jackson have "allowed big business to abuse forced arbitration contracts, building up a privatized legal system that robs everyday Americans of the chance to be heard by an impartial judge and jury." The Court's actions can ripple through the legal system in a very short time, and the report tracks the harmful impact that the AT&T case has already had on civil and employment rights and constitutional protections in the five months since it was decided.

The Corporate Court's rulings have systematically distorted existing federal law, allowed corporations to establish arbitration procedures that free themselves from class liability, and have removed many legal disincentives for corporate misbehavior. Most importantly, the Roberts Court has willfully undermined the fundamental principle that all Americans should have access to the courts, ensuring that all parties stand equal before the law.

[...] "Our nation is facing a crisis where our most cherished notions of fairness and the rule of law are being slowly chipped away by those who seek to concentrate all power in the hands of giant corporations and financial institutions. The aggressive expansion of forced arbitration by this Supreme Court is just one more example of how even the most routine aspects of our lives, from signing up for a cell phone or applying for a job, are being rigged to favor business interests and to disempower everyday Americans. We call on Congress to restore fairness and balance to the system of resolving consumer, employment, and civil rights disputes, before it is too late."

Fat fuckin' chance. The one-third of government that cannot be elected out and from which there is no recourse is firmly in corporate hands. We're screwed. The Corps. paid for it and they're getting it.

The report is attached and available for download here.

Schadenfreude of the Day

Tennessee sponsor of guns-in-bars bill arrested for DUI with gun

Police said that Tennessee state Rep. Curry Todd (R) was pulled over at around 11:15 p.m. in Nashville, according to WSMV-TV . Officers found a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 Special hidden between the driver’s seat and center console.

An affidavit charged that the lawmaker was “almost falling down at times” and “obviously very impaired and not in any condition to be carrying a loaded handgun.”

Heh. Shoulda made DUI legal while you wuz at it, Sparky. Probly coulda done it - hey, Kansas just made wife-beating legal.

Heh ...

Been saying this for years:

Pic stolen from my friend Evelyn on the Facebook.

Quote of the Day

This lady:

Na-na ...

Na-na-na-na, hey, hey, hey, good bye!

Cowardly Geraldo runs away:

Big tip o' the Brain bucket to Watertiger for the video.

It's cheaper ...

To buy it than stop it. Our pal Montag makes far more sense than the Obama administration's Afghanistan policy does:

...

By these numbers, the entire crop could be purchased for about $560 Million which is far less than we spend each year to stop Afghan poppy cultivation. And if we left them alone and bought all their crop each year they would be much happier and friendlier to us than they are now. And it would be much cheaper.

I'm glad ...

They got these idiots before innocent Americans got hurt, but I certainly don't give a god damn if they assassinate some Saudi prince. In fact, I encourage the Iranians to do more of that, just not here.

Tuesday blahs...

Lotsa shit goin' on as usual but nothing's blowin' my skirt up. Yawn. Best thing so far is:

PORN GIRL BLOWS STATE TROOPER (video)

She got the ticket anyway. Heh.

Busy, busy ...

Trying to take care of most of the shit I let slide while I was on jury duty. Later.

Now THAT'S crash protection!

Inside the Shadow Economy

Salon

Employers’ new ruse: “Independent contractors”

This is nothing "new". I was a motorcycle mechanic for most of my working life. I've worked at large dealerships and two-man operations, which were by far the more fun of the two.

The dealerships played by all the rules - paychecks, deductions, maybe some benefits. The bikes came in broken and left fixed. Yawn.

The small indie shops were the best! Health plan? Drag ya out inta the street and call 911. The only bennie was unlimited use of the ubiquitous "stoner bench". Heh. General ambiance was loose and freewheeling. The bikes came in broken and left fixed. Whee!

The only "paperwork" was the transfer of some small pieces of green paper from the boss's hand to mine on payday or right after the customer had paid his bill. Short and sweet "paper trail". Untraceable and tax-free to whatever extent you chose. One guess as to that choice. Heh.

That's the reason I only get $577 per month Social Security. Oh, well...

There was nothing so formal as any declaration of "independent contractor". It was the way we wanted it and it's the way it was. Cash on the barrelhead. Next case. Hey, if the gummint had gotten its hands dirty fixin' bikes, we'da kicked 'em some down. Fair's fair, but they never showed up.

The "underground" or "shadow" economy appears to be alive and well. The real American Way!

B of A and their cronies lurk just outside your wallet...

US Senator Dick Durbin Tells Americans to Boycott the Bank of America for Ripping Off Customers

Lemme tell ya another unethical thing BofA did just last week.

My computer techs took McAfee virus protection off my computer for some obscure (to me, that's what they're there for) reason and installed another one they liked better that didn't cost anything. Fine with me.

I had agreed to a deal with McAfee that renewed the anti-virus service automatically. That's standard. You have to go out of your way to cancel it and that's the way they want it.

The credit card I used was from (shame) BofA. I don't like sending money to BofA and haven't used it in years and it expired early in the year. When I got the request from McAfee for a new expiration date, I ignored it and thought that would end it. I had received a new card from BofA but never called to activate it. I didn't close the account on the theory that I might need it someday.

I had this credit card I couldn't use because it had expired and I never activated the new one. Ya get that, right?

So imagine my surprise to get a statement from BofA with a $49.99 charge from, guess who, McAfee. I can't charge anything on the card, but McAfee can. Nice. They can call BofA who happily gave up a new expiration date without my permission.

I called McAfee and had them reverse the charge, which the guy was a little reluctant to do until I brought up the fact that I thought it was highly unethical of both them and BofA to do what they had done. I have the feeling that he'd heard this before.

Later that day, McAfee actually called us on the telephone. Mrs. G took the call. They wanted to know why we didn't want the service any more. She told them we had one that was just as good that didn't cost anything and also that we felt it was unethical for them and BofA to do what they had done with my un-activated expired credit card. The McAfee person said they "worked closely with the credit card companies". Yeah, Willie Sutton "worked closely" with banks too. Robbing them at gunpoint was more honest than the way they do business.

Until I get another BofA statement showing that 50 bucks as well and truly reversed, I'm keeping this credit card account, expired and unusable to all but Big Corpora, open. The day I get it, I'm gonna close that account so fast it'll make their heads spin. Like they'll even notice.

Banks and Big Biz are always looking for new ways into your wallet in barely legal and seldom ethical ways. Close one door, they blow a hole in the wall next to it and continue pumping.

Occupy Wall St., anyone?

Panic of the Plutocrats

Paul Krugman

It remains to be seen whether the Occupy Wall Street protests will change America’s direction. Yet the protests have already elicited a remarkably hysterical reaction from Wall Street, the super-rich in general, and politicians and pundits who reliably serve the interests of the wealthiest hundredth of a percent.

And this reaction tells you something important — namely, that the extremists threatening American values are what F.D.R. called “economic royalists,” not the people camping in Zuccotti Park.

The way to understand all of this is to realize that it’s part of a broader syndrome, in which wealthy Americans who benefit hugely from a system rigged in their favor react with hysteria to anyone who points out just how rigged the system is.

What’s going on here? The answer, surely, is that Wall Street’s Masters of the Universe realize, deep down, how morally indefensible their position is. [...]
...

This special treatment can’t bear close scrutiny — and therefore, as they see it, there must be no close scrutiny. Anyone who points out the obvious, no matter how calmly and moderately, must be demonized and driven from the stage. In fact, the more reasonable and moderate a critic sounds, the more urgently he or she must be demonized, hence the frantic sliming of Elizabeth Warren.

So who’s really being un-American here? Not the protesters, who are simply trying to get their voices heard. No, the real extremists here are America’s oligarchs, who want to suppress any criticism of the sources of their wealth.

That slight scraping noise you hear is the sound of pitchforks and scythes being sharpened...

(Big smiley face with a killer look in its eyes)

Oh, the irony...

Ironic Times

CLASS WARFARE BREAKS OUT ACROSS COUNTRY
Rich, outnumbered 99 to 1, fight on heroically.

To Save Money Topeka, Kansas May Stop Prosecuting Domestic Violence Cases
Hopes it can attract tax-paying Americans to move there and beat their wives.

Romney's Mormon Faith Gives Evangelical Christians Pause
Not sure his wacky beliefs jibe with their wacky beliefs.

New Dinosaur Tracks Discovered in Arkansas
Near Steven Spielberg's ranch.

The one you've been waiting for...

A little about my LAST trial of the year at Fixer & Gordon.

Who else?

Dr. Krugman on the Occupy Wall Street protests:

...

There will, of course, be the usual attempts to dismiss the whole thing based on trivialities. Look at the oddly dressed people acting out! So? Is it better when exquisitely tailored bankers whose gambles brought the world economy to its knees — and who were bailed out by taxpayers — whine that President Obama is saying slightly mean things about them?

Or, why don’t they try to work within the system? Well, how’s that been going for those who did indeed try? When palace intrigue undermined the likes of Elizabeth Warren even within the Obama administration, and Republicans have thrown their full backing behind the malefactors of great wealth, why shouldn’t protesters go outside the usual channels?

...

Americans, unlike what the conservatives portray them as (white, Midwestern, Christian), are all sorts. A note to our politicians: The "real Americans" are out in the streets in your cities and towns and they come in every color and every type of dress. Disregard them at your peril.

Figures ...

Our local dope has something to say:

Pic stolen from our friends PE Nolan and Jersey Guy on the Facebook. Click to make big.

This from a known terrorist.

Quote of the Day

Drifty, as he disassembles Bobo Brooks once again:

...

For last 40 years, Mr. Brooks' Party and Movement have sprinted flat-out, full-tilt into the embrace of hucksters and demagogues who traffic in nothing more than "obscurantism and illiteracy, raised to the level of dogma". Have preached nothing but a doctrine of remaining "as ignorant today as you were yesterday" from every pulpit and husting and media megaphone, while keeping the Pig People in a constant state of terror that the woods are indeed not only just full of "monsters and aliens" but their dirty Commie Liberals with whom they are who are in league with.

...

We are ...

The 99%.