Archive for April 4, 2012
Politico “Journalist” Roger Simon Defends Poor Little Ol’ Mitt Romney
This would be Roger Simon,
Roger Simon via Politico
the “chief political columnist” for Politico, a “journalist” who’s crying out tonight on behalf of millionaire, super-PAC-backed Mitt Romney who Simon apparently thinks is defenseless:
This has GOT to stop?
The next time you see an article authored by someone at Politico, remember this. They’ve got an agenda.
Oh, and BTW, as a “journalist,” you’d think Roger would have a high regard for freedom of speech. Guess not.
And let’s not forget the dogs, as in Dogs Against Romney. Thanks for the reminder Rog.
Guns Allowed Outside Republican Convention But 6″ of String Banned
Did you say WTF to that headline? I did too:
(Image via Wikepedia)
If Tampa’s proposed rules for the Republican National Convention are passed, protesters could not bring squirt guns into a designated protest zone.
But they could bring real guns if they have concealed weapons permits.
[...]
There is, however, one place where guns won’t be allowed.
That’s the convention itself, and it’s because the U.S. Secret Service has authority to make the rules inside the convention, which is scheduled for Aug. 27-30.
[...]
To give demonstrators the opportunity to speak their minds while keeping downtown safe, the city proposes to establish a protest zone near the Times Forum.
[...]
Outside that protest area in the Clean Zone, the city would allow groups of 50 or more people to march, but only on an official parade route, or to rally, but only at city parks. They would need a city permit, and no parade or rally could last longer than 60 minutes.
[...]
In the Clean Zone, the ban would be expanded to prohibit ropes, straps, tape or string longer than 6 inches, glass containers, ceramic vessels, light bulbs, padlocks and bicycle locks, things that could be used as portable shields and gas masks.
So, guns won’t be allowed inside the convention center but they will be allowed immediately outside? Conversely, possessing 6 inches of string is banned in the “clean zone” which is outside the outside of the convention center?
The trend continues. Right wing groups are given a pass. They want to carry guns? No problem. Liberal groups with water bottles, bike locks and “6 inches of string” are relegated to the fringes because they might kill someone with those thing.
How did we get here?
Obama Boxed In Regarding Same Sex Marriage
This happened today:
Image via TheBlaze.com
Four former chairs of the Democratic National Committee called on the party on Wednesday to embrace marriage equality in the 2012 Democratic platform.
“We are proud that the Democratic Party fights for working families, economic justice, and equal opportunity for all,” said Howard Dean, Donald Fowler, Steve Grossman and David Wilhelm in a joint statement. “Times change but our principles must always remain strong. That is why, as former chairs of the Democratic National Committee, we stand with Freedom to Marry, 22 Democratic senators, Leader Nancy Pelosi, and more than 35,000 Americans in urging the Party to include a freedom to marry plank in the platform that is ratified at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte this September.”
I have a gay brother so I’m totally on board with this but what will Obama do? Will he endorse this or not? If he doesn’t, he’ll disappoint his party and he’ll look like an antiquated chicken shit. If he wants to or does, his “advisers” will fret about the supposedly all-important independent vote.
I say go for it. I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for this country to move into the 21st Century. Geezus. We’re like a nation covered in dust and soot. Time to shake it off. Not only that, the people who are against same sex marriage are already against Obama so their vote isn’t going to be influenced by what he does here.
I’ve read study after study, and this holds true for me too, that shows people respect folks who take a stand and stick to it, even if that stand is risky or deemed to be unpopular (usually by the corporate media and Washington-types).
Go for it Obama! You know it’s the right thing to do. Show some guts. Show there’s a difference between the two parties.
Cook Your Chicken Thoroughly Before You Cook It
I remember watching an episode of a Julia Child cooking show years and years ago during which she emphasized that people should always — ALWAYS! — wash chicken before they cook it. She didn’t give details but it doesn’t take much to figure out why. Think dirt, bugs, rot, and shit.
If Julia Child was so adamant about washing chicken 15 years ago, I wonder what she’d say now:
Consumer watchdogs and concerned citizens joined federal food inspectors represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) to protest proposed changes to the poultry inspections process that they fear could put the American public at risk. Representatives from several consumer groups took part in the protest outside Agriculture Department headquarters, Monday, April 2. Organizations represented included Food and Water Watch, the Government Accountability Project and the National Consumer League.
Participants hoped to raise awareness of a regulation proposed by Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service that will partially privatize the poultry inspections process and increase the number of birds federal inspectors must examine from 35 to 175 per minute.
As with so many things, we cut back on one thing, in this case, protecting the safety of our food, and we end up paying in another way, as in more food-borne illness. It’s stupid.
I guess the moral of the story is, cook your chicken thoroughly before you cook it.
25 Photos From Yesterday’s Tornado in the Dallas Area
Check out the 25 photos BuzzFeed posted this morning of the tornado that hit yesterday in the Dallas area. This is my fave though the photos of the tractor trailers being sucked 200 feet into the air are amazing.
(Photo: Getty Images / Tom Pennington)
Vote Results in Dane County, Wisconsin Bad News for Gov. Scott Walker
On Monday I posted about an important referendum on the ballot in Dane County, Wisconsin:
The Dane County ballot features an advisory referendum that asks: “Should all Wisconsin workers have the right to seek safe working conditions and fair pay through collective bargaining?”
Placed on the ballot by the County Board with support from Dane County Executive Joe Parisi, the measure provides an opportunity for voters to signal their clear opposition to the anti-union policies of Gov. Scott Walker.
And now we have the results of that vote and they don’t bode well for the June recall election of Governor Scott Walker (R):
A majority of Dane County voters also backed an advisory referendum that referred to the collective bargaining debate that dominated the state Capitol most of last year. More than 65,000, or 68 percent of voters, said yes to the question, “Should all Wisconsin workers have the right to seek safe working conditions and fair pay through collective bargaining?” Thirty-two percent, or 31,171 voted against the measure.
A 68 percent vote of approval is pretty darn decisive; a clear “signal” in “opposition to the anti-union policies of Gov. Scott Walker.” I hope this foretells what will happen when Wisconsinites go to the polls to vote on recalling Koch-tool Walker on June 5.
