Archive for October, 2009
$5.00 to UNICEF v. Thousands to the Pentagon
Roughly thirty kids hit us up for tricks or treats tonight. Two of them — a girl, about 8-years-old and her brother, who was about six – “trick or treated for UNICEF.”
This October make Halloween count by Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF. Doing so will help us get things like water, education and medicine to the children who need it most. Your efforts will show that you believe ZERO children should be without the basic necessities that we often take for granted.
I remember trick or treating for UNICEF when I was their age. So sad that 40 years on, feeding children and giving them water, education and basic medicine is still a fight.
I gave the girl and her brother $5.00 but I think I’ve given a few thousand dollars to the Pentagon this year.
A Doug Hoffman Win Will Be a Bad Thing For the GOP
Read Frank Rich for the complicated version but my take on the NY-23 district race is simple: The GOP initially endorsed a candidate who could appeal to Independents and to moderate Republicans. Their most radical members — Palin, Pawlenty, et. al. — endorse a different candidate — one who panders to “the folks” who think W. was a great guy and who think Fox “News” is news. The 27%’ers.
Fast forward and the candidate who might appeal to Independents and moderates is squeezed out. The Palin wing wins.
So this is the GOP’s long-term strategy? Appeal to the 27%’ers? Who wins elections on a margin like that?
I’m gonna love watching you guys self-destruct.
Where On Earth is Joe the Plumber?
Here he is. Speaking at the Livingston County Republicans’ “Reagan Dinner.”
(Give me a sec and I’ll tell you where Livingston County is. The web owners don’t care enough to put that info on their site and frankly I don’t really care to put time into digging it up. Best guess? It’s in Kentucky.)
The Food Network Beats Fox News
Hah!
In the October ratings, the Food Network had more viewers under 55 than any of the news networks, and that definitely includes Fox, which finished behind Food in every single advertising demographic category.
Congratulations to Talking Points Memo
Josh Marshall has done amazing things with Talking Points Memo. His is the quintessential blogger story — a guy starts a little ol’ blog and well, viola, seven years later the White House releases November’s intown pool schedule for media outlets that cover the president and TPM’s Washington correspondent is included.
So cool. Congratulations!
Eat it John Boner
John Boehner (who refers to the Democratic party as the Democrat party — so I feel free to call him Boner) is whining about having to read the House health care bill.
That’s your JOB idiot!
The Psyche of Internet Trolls
I bring a lot of experience with Internet trolls to this blog from the News Hounds. They were all over that site so I found this study about their mindset pretty interesting.
Ohio State professor Kimberly Rios Morrison polled Stanford University students about what they thought about students drinking alcohol. What she discovered was that the students with the most extreme pro-alcohol stance expressed their opinions most readily, in general because they believed that they were voicing the majority opinion. But polls showed that the majority of students had a moderate to anti-alcohol stance. When pro-alcohol students were shown evidence that most people didn’t support their views, they were far more reluctant to express their extreme opinions.
Said Morrison: It is only when they have this sense that they are in the majority that extremely pro-alcohol students are more willing to express their views on the issue.
Sounds like this study explains internet trolling and flame wars too. People with extreme views who are extremely loud about them manage to delude themselves into thinking everybody agrees.
Makes sense. The winger Hannity-lover-types who attacked us at News Hounds were sure; absolutely positively sure, that they were right about everything and that people with their point of view comprised the vast majority of Americans. It’s no wonder they were blown away when Obama won.
$26,000 Per Year for Health Insurance?!
Just got this tweet from Jane Hamsher (of FireDogLake fame):
Some perspective: Thirty-two years ago my husband and I paid $39,000 FOR OUR HOUSE.
Are Bank Overdraft Fees “Very Popular” With You?
That’s what a bank lobbyist told the House Financial Services Committee today. Yeah, hey, those fees are a “courtesy” the bank extends to you. You’re “happy” with them!
It takes a lot of guts to lie in front of the world like this. But of course, the banking industry is so coddled that they have no fear whatsoever. They might as well sit there and give the Committee members the finger. Same difference.
Break Time — A Perfect Fall Moment
I took a walk in the overcast afternoon today with our two sweet puppies. Toward the end — we were approaching the house — two flocks of squawking, happy-sounding Canada geese — one a few minutes after the other — flew over, heading south.
I made the puppies stop.
Three or four of the Geese in each of the two flocks changed places — falling back and/or moving into the lead. I wondered how they decided who was going to do that.
I listened and watched, savoring the perfect, quintessential fall moment, all the while knowing that if we don’t deal with climate change I might be one of the last to see it.
Our Al boy saw the them too and it was fun watching him watch them.
Then they were gone.
Newsmax “Slashes” the Price of “Going Rogue” (Again)
Just got an email from the ultra-conservative website Newsmax about Sarah Palin’s book — Going Rogue: An American Life — which will be released on November 17. Apparently it’s such a “major sensation” that Newsmax has decided to “slashed” the price (per the email subject line) to $4.97:
Exactly one week ago Newsmax was selling this “major sensation” for twice as much.
(This is how you drive a book onto the best seller list so you can jump up and down about how great it is.)
Halloween According to Pat Robertson, Circa A.D. 476
Right Wing Watch grabbed this post by Kimberly Daniels over at Pat Robertson’s CBN website (but it has since been taken down). I searched the site and found found a link but it leads back to the blank page. The title of the piece is: The Danger of Celebrating Halloween: Spiritual Life in God:
During Halloween, time-released curses are always loosed. A time-released curse is a period that has been set aside to release demonic activity and to ensnare souls in great measure … During this period demons are assigned against those who participate in the rituals and festivities. These demons are automatically drawn to the fetishes that open doors for them to come into the lives of human beings. For example, most of the candy sold during this season has been dedicated and prayed over by witches.
I do not buy candy during the Halloween season. Curses are sent through the tricks and treats of the innocent whether they get it by going door to door or by purchasing it from the local grocery store. The demons cannot tell the difference.
Even the colors of Halloween (orange, brown and dark red) are dedicated. These colors are connected to the fall equinox, which is around the 20th or 21st of September each year and is sometimes called “Mabon.” During this season witches are celebrating the changing of the seasons from summer to fall. They give praise to the gods for the demonic harvest. They pray to the gods of the elements (air, fire, water and earth).
Mother earth is highly celebrated during the fall demonic harvest. Witches praise mother earth by bringing her fruits, nuts and herbs. Demons are loosed during these acts of worship. When nice church folk lay out their pumpkins on the church lawn, fill their baskets with nuts and herbs, and fire up their bonfires, the demons get busy. They have no respect for the church grounds. They respect only the sacrifice and do not care if it comes from believers or non-believers.
…
Halloween is much more than a holiday filled with fun and tricks or treats. It is a time for the gathering of evil that masquerades behind the fictitious characters of Dracula, werewolves, mummies and witches on brooms. The truth is that these demons that have been presented as scary cartoons actually exist. I have prayed for witches who are addicted to drinking blood and howling at the moon.
While the lukewarm and ignorant think of these customs as “just harmless fun,” the vortexes of hell are releasing new assignments against souls. Witches take pride in laughing at the ignorance of natural men (those who ignore the spirit realm).
Decorating buildings with Halloween scenes, dressing up for parties, going door-to-door for candy, standing around bonfires and highlighting pumpkin patches are all acts rooted in entertaining familiar spirits. All these activities are demonic and have occult roots.
The word “occult” means “secret.” The danger of Halloween is not in the scary things we see but in the secret, wicked, cruel activities that go on behind the scenes. These activities include:
- Sex with demons
- Orgies between animals and humans
- Animal and human sacrifices
- Sacrificing babies to shed innocent blood
- Rape and molestation of adults, children and babies
- Revel nights
- Conjuring of demons and casting of spells
- Release of “time-released” curses against the innocent and the ignorant.
What kind of God do these people worship?
The House Health Care Bill v. the Senate (Baucus) Health Care Bill
FireDogLake has a good outline of the major differences between the two bills.
And Jane Hamsher adds this sad note about the House bill.
Rich Perry Blows Off Dick Cheney’s Endorsement of Kay Bailey Hutchinson
Yesterday we learned that Dick Cheney will endorse Kay Bailey Hutchinson in her run for the governor of Texas. (In many parts of the country that would be the kiss of death but nooooot Texas!) Today, current governor Rick Perry blew it off. He said, “I’ll stick with Sarah,” meaning Sarah Palin, who endorsed him in February.
So will the MSM turn this into a referendum — Bush/Cheney v. Palin? The old v. the new? As predicted, they’re already doing that with the elections that are coming up next week. I.e., if Republicans win does that mean a rejection of Obama?
Of course, the rejection-of-Obama meme is a Republican talking point so the old v. new idea in Texas won’t be discussed so much unless the GOP sends the MSM a memo on it.
Still, the Texas race will be interesting to watch.
How Did That Tea Party “Flash Mob” in D.C. Go Today?
Last night the Tea Party Patriots sent out an email urging people within driving distance of Washington, D.C. to converge on the Capitol at 10:00 a.m. today to create a scene simultaneous to Nancy Pelosi unveiling the House’s health care bill.
So, how many people came? Talking Points Memo says, “about 10.”
Iowans Shocked That Sarah Palin Wants a $100,000 Speaker’s Fee
For obvious reasons, Iowans are unaccustomed to paying politicians to come to their state for speaking engagements and rallies. So, when the Iowa Family Policy Center invited Sarah Palin to speak there on November 21, they were shocked to learn that she wanted $100,000 to do it. Other conservative groups said they never had, and never would, pay someone to come to the state. But the Family Policy Center has enlisted “Team Sarah” to try to put together the money, but it doesn’t sound like they’re going to pull it off.
Hah. Reality strikes. Oh, and what does it say that Palin is charging the same amount as George W?
John McCain — a Big Opponent of Net Neutrality
John McCain opposes net neutrality and golly darn, I’ve got a sneaky feeling that this just might have something to do with it: McCain biggest beneficiary of Telco/ISP money.
Oliver North Has a New Gig
Crook and liar Oliver North has been hired by House Republicans to advise them on foreign policy.
Gee. He’s the most, ahem, qualified person they could find? I guess he does fit the bill if all you want to hear is what you want to hear.
GOP Congressman Mike Pence Supports Hate-Crimes
Can’t think of any other way to interpret this headline over at GOP.gov:
Save Money — Make Your Own Granola
Here’s how, but omit the oil. Leave the brown sugar out too. Add raisins or prunes instead.
Evan Bayh Has Got to Go
He’s got conflicts of interest out the wazoo. To name but one, his wife is or was on the board of WellPoint for God’s sake and “his family earned over $2 million dollars from the company during 2006 to 2008.”
Are you as sick as I am of having whores like this deciding our future?
The Obamas Talk About Their Marriage
The New York Times Magazine will run a long article on Sunday titled, The First Marriage.
Why they posted it online ahead of time, I have no idea. (It’s just plain bad marketing insofar as readership of the hard copy edition of the newspaper is declining; what better way could there be to foster that trend?)
Anyway, go to the link above if you’re interested. I haven’t read it yet but I will.
Huge Increase in Demand at My Local Food Bank
Regular readers of this site know that I volunteer at a local food bank on Fridays. Today I learned that, as a sign of just how bad it is out there, 77% more people came in for food during the month of September over last September, and 74% more people sought financial assistance or shelter.
I’d like to march on over to Citigroup or Goldman Sachs and ask them if they could oh, maybe shave a couple percentage points off the $20 billion they’re going to pay their employees in bonuses this year and donate it to us. Bastards. The way our society is structured is So. Fucked. Up.
Break Time
Look at these cool pictures of a bursting soap bubble.
R.I.P. Matthew Shepard
This afternoon President Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act which allows federal authorities “to pursue charges in violent crimes motivated by the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability.”
It’s about time. Matt’s mother, Judy Shepard has been working ten years for this. Here is a statement she released today.
De-Fox America!
See the new website created by Brave New Films.
Personally, I’d be happy if they stopped using the fake “fair and balanced” slogan.
