Archive for May, 2010
Don’t Buy It!
$69.00 on QVC but hey, make three payments of $23.00 on “easy pay” and you won’t feel it (that’s what QVC is hoping for).
When would you wear this?
Oy.
How Many “Third in Command” are There in Al Qaeda?
Seems to me this is about the tenth time I’ve heard that the “third in command” in al Qaeda has been killed.
Obama Bows to the Righties — Does Photo-Op Speech in Arlington
Righties turned up the heat last week when President Obama decided to spend the Memorial Day weekend in Chicago instead of in D.C. and at Arlington National Cemetery, laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
You know what they were thinking:
Obama’s weekend plans included laying a wreath at a grave at the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Elmwood, Illinois. Unfortunately, that was cut short today due to a torrential rainstorm, so Obama flew back to D.C. and did what? Put that whole thing to bed? No. In order to placate the righties he made a speech at Andrews Air Force Base so the wingers
wouldn’t accuse him of “hating our troops.”
But what good did that do? None. Here are the headlines on FauxNews.com tonight:
When will he ever learn?
Stop Sending Billions of Dollars in Aid to Israel
The United States gives billions of dollars in aid — yes, that would be billions, with a “b” — to Israel every year. If Israel is going to take that money and use it to raid a ship — sailing in international waters — carrying aid to the blockaded people of Gaza and kill nine or ten humanitarians (no, they weren’t associated with al Qaeda) in the process, then I say let’s withhold the money, now.
But no. The Israeli lobby in the United States is so powerful that if they had their way, it would be a crime for me to put this post up.
Oh, and I agree with these tweets of the day, from The Young Turks:
Power to the Vets
Happy Memorial Day to all veterans, past and present.
Please, please, please Obama, bring our service men and women home now. Make today the last day we morn a soldier who died for our need for oil:
BP’s CEO: “I Would Like My Life Back”
BP’s CEO Tony Hayward whined to CNN today about how he would, “like my life back.
(Source.)
Yeh, so would hundreds if not thousands of Gulf coast restauranteurs, fishermen, hoteliers, guides…
What an arrogant ass.
Winger Terror Alert
Expect the hysterics on the right to freak out about this tomorrow (anything to divert attention away from how “small government” has failed us, as in the financial crisis and the oil spill):
First Arrests Made in Gulf Drilling Disaster
Finally! Yes, finally, arrests have been made as a result of the disaster in the Gulf — seven Greenpeace protesters.
WFT?!!
“I think we’re in the last throes of the insurgency.”
That would be Dick Cheney, five years ago today.
He also said this then:
But we’re making major progress there. I mean we’ve got a new government stood up now. They had elections, free elections, really for the first time in centuries in January of this year. They’re going to be writing a constitution this summer. That will lead to elections under that constitution. Later this year, there’ll be a brand new government in place, duly elected under a newly written constitution by the end of the year.
At the same time, we’re training Iraqis to take over the security requirements in Iraq.
I think the people of the Earth should be given a chance to stone this evil, despicable human being. If I ever saw him in person it would be all I could do to keep from spitting on him.
Oil Paintings
Images of the Gulf oil spill by Times-Picayune staff photographer Michael DeMocker look like they belong in an art gallery:
Oakland CA progressive on pot
It may be desperate measures, but Oakland’s (CA) move to tax and license commercial marijuana use will a.) bring revenue to the city in said taxes and fees, and b.) save the city money it might have spent in pursuing petty potty “crimes.” Once the rest of the nation realizes (slowly, I’m sure) that decriminalizing the evil weed is not going to bring the ruination of our society will we finally see the repeal of prohibition? With the destruction of the environment nearly complete, the economy tanked and the treasury looted, it might not be a bad idea to let everyone spark ‘em up and mellow out.
Should that happen, I expect Monsanto or some other corporate giant will patent the plants (if they haven’t already) and we’ll have another crime created, saving seeds and growing your own. Land of the free…..
Fox: Obama is Incompetent
Fox News says Obama is incompetent: 
Never mind making a list of all the things Bush screwed up, let’s take invading Iraq and those ah, “WMDs.” Incompetent isn’t the word for what went on there — war crime would be more apt — but even in that instance, Fox couldn’t bring itself to call Bush something as mild as “incompetent.” Yet here they are, all over Obama?
Kind of gives you an idea as to what their definition of “fair and balanced” is.
Life isn’t fair, in spades
So exasperating to read about $750 bathing suits on the Style pages while just a click away on the news page hundreds of thousands of Americans see their jobless benefits slipping away. What on earth will these people do? John Edwards may be a sleazeball, but he was right about “two Americas.” Unfettered capitalism at its ugliest.
“Top Kill” is a Fake Out — BP Executives Don’t Think it Will Work
Little Headway Made as BP Struggles to Halt Oil Leak.
Ah yes, the Friday-p.m.-info-dump. And you know what? Gosh, golly, gee. We’re coming up on a three-day weekend filled with canned “news,”"infodocumentarires,” “newstainment,”"talknews,” and “docudramas.”
BP’s no dummy.
Rand Paul is the Child of an “Illegal Immigrant”
Video has surfaced of Rand Paul suggesting that the U.S. should stop granting citizenship to children of illegal immigrants.
So, from the perspective of an American Indian, Rand Paul is the child of an illegal immigrant, I am, my husband is and everyone I know is too.
Bottom line? We all better get outta here.
Out of Control Military Industrial Complex
Hey, I stand behind and salute our service members, past and present. My dad was a proud WWII veteran. But isn’t it interesting that come Memorial Day, there is a lot of talk about concentrating on the meaning of the holiday (this from Fox’s Liz Claman):
But when it comes to, say, Labor Day, we don’t hear the folks on Fox — or anywhere really — jumping up and down about how we should remember that day as honoring American workers, past and present? All we hear then is that we should go to the beach for one last pre-fall swim or have that end-of-summer picnic or B-B-Q before school starts.
The “Largest March on Washington” in History, Set for Tomorrow, Has Been Postponed
The birther-anti-Obamacare-Tea-Party folks, who promised that tomorrow in Washington, D.C., we’d see the, “largest march on Washington our nation has ever seen,” have postponed the march until sometime in August or September.
Just about says it all huh? What, 200 people were going to attend?
I Don’t Think the “Top Kill” Procedure Worked
I just heard a CBS radio news report that included audio from a BP executive who said they’re holding off for now on doing anything more with the “top kill” procedure in the Gulf but they’re going to try the “junk shot” later this evening.
If “top kill” worked, which “some say” it did, why are they talking about using the “junk shot” (tires and golf balls, etc.)?
Violence incited by right-wingers becoming reality
Census workers - everyday folks out making some extra money, participating in government – are reaping what the Republican leadership has sown, in the form of personal physical attacks. While “Bureau officials said the overall pattern and types of incidents are similar to the 2000 census, (they) cautioned this year’s figures are already much higher than ten years ago…” Way to go Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann! I wonder how many of those door-to-door workers are Republicans?
Posts a Little Thin
Posting will be a little thin for the next few days as I am dealing with a serious medical emergency in my family.
Thanks to Chrish for helping out.
Going against the mainstream
Romanian tennis star Simona Halep was burdened with a size 38DD bosom, which caused her pain and interfered with her game, so she had breast reduction surgery which made her a 34C. Predictably a number of her male fans are bemoaning the change, but hats off to her for being practical, and for not exploiting what could easily have made her a well-paid celebrity/porn icon.
What is it with guys and humongous boobs anyway? Is this a result of society’s shift to bottlefeeding babies?
Peter Bethume — He Wants to Save Whales — Held to a Higher Standard Than BP
Corporations rule the world. BP executives are free, and lying, straight-faced. Meanwhile:
A trial for New Zealand anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune has opened at a Tokyo court over his alleged attacks on a Japanese whaling vessel - as Japan strikes back at conservationists’ escalating disruptions on its Antarctic whale hunts.
Bethune is an activist with the US-based Sea Shepherd group, which sets out to disrupt Japan’s whale hunts each year, accusing it of conducting banned commercial whaling under the guise of scientific research.
He is primarily charged for his illegal boarding of a whaling vessel in Antarctic seas, where he jumped aboard Shonan Maru 2 in February.
[...]
Prosecutors will request a long sentence for Bethune if he is found guilty, his US lawyer said earlier today.
Harris said the prosecution would be seeking a significant prison sentence if he was found guilty.
Results from BP’s “Top Kill” Attempt Could Take 24-Hours
One thing I hadn’t heard in all the talk about BP’s “top kill” attempt today was how long will it take before we see results? The MSM would have us believe (so we’ll keep watching) that it could happen at any minute.
Not so: It could be at least 24 hours before we know anything.
Way to go MSM. Thanks for nothing.
Republicans Laid Bare
This is hilarious:
Republicans’ New Website Not Exactly What They Hoped it Would Be
Republicans want to take over the House in the fall, but there’s a problem: They don’t have an agenda.
So on Tuesday, they set out to resolve that shortcoming. They announced that they would solicit suggestions on the Internet, then have members of the public give the ideas a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down. Call it the “Dancing With the Stars” model of public policy.
Republicans were very pleased with their technological sophistication as they introduced the Web site, America Speaking Out a ceremony at the Newseum. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who created the program, said that
o get software for the site, “I personally traveled to Washington state and discovered a Microsoft program that helped NASA map the moon.”
Using lunar software is appropriate, because the early responses to the Republicans’ request for ideas are pretty far out:
“End Child Labor Laws,” suggests one helpful participant. “We coddle children too much. They need to spend their youth in the factories.”
“How about if Congress actually do thier job and VET or Usurper in Chief, Obama is NOT a Natural Born Citizen in any way,” recommends another. “That fake so called birth certificate is useless.”
“A ‘teacher’ told my child in class that dolphins were mammals and not fish!” a third complains. “And the same thing about whales! We need TRADITIONAL VALUES in all areas of education. If it swims in the water, it is a FISH. Period! End of Story.”
House Republicans, meet the World Wide Web.
GOP leaders seemed to have something else in mind as they rolled out their new site. “I would expect the ideas that come out of this Web site and the involvement of our members will lead to ideas that we can attempt to implement today,” House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) proclaimed. “We want to continue to offer better solutions to address the problems that America is facing, and we see this as a giant step forward, directly engaging the American people in the development of those solutions.”
Such as?
“Build a castle-style wall along the border, there is plenty of stone laying around about there.” That was in the “national security” section of the new site.
“Legalize Marijuana, cause, like, alcohol is legal. Man. Also.” That was in the “traditional values” section.
So, bookmark “America Speaking Out” to get an idea of what the GOP’s base is thinking these days. If the above is any indication, it’s going to be appalling and disasterous.
Unless We Stop Our Addiction to Oil, We’ll See Many More Huge Spills
This is What the End of the Oil Age Looks Like:
Lately I’ve been reading the excellent coverage of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill at www.TheOilDrum.com, a site frequented by veteran oil geologists and engineers. A couple of adages from the old-timers are worth quoting: “Cut corners all you want, but never downhole,” and, “There’s fast, there’s cheap, and there’s right, and you get to pick two.”
There will be plenty of blame to go around, as events leading up to the fatal rig explosion are sorted out. Even if efforts to plug the gushing leak succeed sooner rather than later, the damage to the Gulf environment and to the economy of the region will be incalculable and will linger for years if not decades. The deadly stench from oil-oaked marshes—as spring turns to hot, fetid summer—will by itself ruin tens or hundreds of thousands of lives and livelihoods. Then there’s the loss of the seafood industry: we’re talking about more than the crippling of the economic backbone of the region; anyone who’s spent time in New Orleans (my wife’s family all live there) knows that the people and culture of southern Louisiana are literally as well as figuratively composed of digested crawfish, shrimp, and speckled trout. Given the historic political support from this part of the country for offshore drilling, and for the petroleum industry in general, this really amounts to sacrificing the faithful on the altar of oil.
But the following should be an even clearer conclusion from all that has happened, and that is still unfolding: This is what the end of the oil age looks like. The cheap, easy petroleum is gone; from now on, we will pay steadily more and more for what we put in our gas tanks—more not just in dollars, but in lives and health, in a failed foreign policy that spawns foreign wars and military occupations, and in the lost integrity of the biological systems that sustain life on this planet.
And to think there is virtually no discussion about this in the “liberal media.”
Squeezed
The two above-the-fold headlines in my local paper today pretty much tell the story of how Americans are being squeezed: “Boulder Valley School District Budgeting Pay Cuts” and “Officials Pushing Water Rate Increase.”
Good Morning
It’s a good morning because my hubby told me I’m grouchy today but I’m going to prove him wrong!
We’re Being Programmed
I know I already put up a “Tweet of the Day” but I can’t resist putting this one up too — the subject of which is dear to my heart:
