Give It A Name

Why Republicans are Scum (Governor's Edition), Volume 2

2010-11-07T10:10:00.002-05:00

Because their new Ohio Governor wants to ass-fuck funding for light-rail too.

Why Republicans are Scum (112th Congress Edition), Volume 3

2010-11-05T09:23:00.003-04:00

They lie to even their base.

"In some ways, that's sort of a talking point," Kline told Anderson. "There will be those who campaigned on that language. I'm not sure they always know what it means."

Why Republicans are Scum (Governor's Edition), Volume 1

2010-11-04T20:25:00.003-04:00

Because they're stone-cold idiots.

hat's right. The good people of the state of Wisconsin wouldn't have to cough up a single additional dime for this shiny new project that would bring a shitload of construction jobs and make travel easier between the principal cities. It would also be a good investment in the future, set against the day when gas will cost a kidney a gallon.
The rail line was originally proposed by former governor Tommy Thompson, a Republican who was a member of the Bush Administration cabinet (Secretary of HHS).
And now it's dead.
Why?
That dumb motherfucker Scott Walker. He's promised to kill the project, because, according to him, that money would be better spent on roads.

Why Republicans are Scum (112th Congress Edition), Volume 2

2010-11-04T12:38:00.002-04:00

They'd rather shut down the entire federal government than compromise.

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If Obama, like then-President Bill Clinton did after the 1994 midterms, responds to the mandate from voters and understands he can’t disregard it, then he thinks Obama will do well.
“If he doesn’t, he will shut government down,” Walberg said.

Why Republicans are Scum (Presidential Edition), Volume 1

2010-11-04T09:18:00.001-04:00

Because they torture.

In his book, titled "Decision Points," Bush recounts being asked by the CIA whether it could proceed with waterboarding Mohammed, who Bush said was suspected of knowing about still-pending terrorist plots against the United States. Bush writes that his reply was "Damn right"

"Pro-Life" Domestic Terrorists

2010-11-03T22:32:00.000-04:00

North Carolina "Freedom Fighter" busted for peddling bomb-making instructions to help people blow up Women's Health Clinics.

Why Republicans are Scum (112th Congress Edition), Volume 1

2010-11-03T22:30:00.000-04:00

According to their new Randian superstar, Rand Paul from Kentucky, "There are no rich people, and there are no poor people".

Back in Business

2010-06-25T10:41:00.001-04:00

It's been awhile, so let's get this blog going again!

WFC

2009-04-05T10:15:00.000-04:00

And so, for the first time in 28 years the Phillies take the field tonight as Defending WORLD FUCKING CHAMPIONS!

There Really Are No More Heroes

2009-02-26T11:34:00.002-05:00

Miss North Wildwood 2007 jacked for counterfeiting.

Someone Didn't Get The "In Re: 2-Piece" Memo:

2009-01-26T10:12:00.001-05:00

I've Got To Start Watching More Ice-Skating

2009-01-21T10:49:00.001-05:00

I've Got Nothin'

2009-01-20T13:44:00.000-05:00

Sorry, too happy to blog today.

I Guess They Shouldn't Have Made Such a Big Deal Over the Cake

2009-01-14T12:42:00.002-05:00

Adolf Hitler - the three year old, that is - is back in the news. According to New Jersey police, the state's Division of Youth and Family Services took Adolf and his two sisters, one-year-old Joyce Lynn Aryan Nation Campbell and 8-month-old Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell, from their parents' home Tuesday night.
Little Hilter and his parents got their first fifteen minutes of fame after a New Jersey supermarket refused to put his name on a birthday cake.

Words That Don't Matter Anymore

2009-01-13T16:19:00.002-05:00

Given the ubiquity of DVDs, MP3s and CDs, and the continued growth of TiVo and DVRs, how long will it be before have no idea what it means to "tape" a show or song?

How Could You Not Let Someone Like This Into the Hall of Fame?

2009-01-13T11:22:00.003-05:00

To this day and dating back 25 years, before every game he plays, Henderson stands completely naked in front of a full length locker room mirror and says, “Ricky’s the best,” for several minutes.

Tell Me Again Which Party Is "Tough On Crime"

2009-01-11T17:10:00.002-05:00

Dick Cheney admits that he doesn't really care that Osama Bin Laden, who is responsible for the murder of over 3,000 Americans on 9/11, hasn't been brought to justice.

He said that "it's more important to keep the country safe".

So by the GOP moral calculus, it's absolutely necessary to murder over 100,000 people who did nothing to harm us whatsoever, but it's entirely irrelevant to capture the person who actually did kill thousands of us.

In Other Words, Nothing Like His Administration

2009-01-09T10:49:00.003-05:00

In the 75-minute interview with his hometown paper, Bush laid out his vision for the library and Freedom Institute he'll build at first lady Laura Bush's alma mater, Southern Methodist University. He pledged that the project won't be used to promote a whitewashed perspective on his presidency.
"This is not going to be a 'George Bush Is a Wonderful Person Center,' or the 'Center for Republican Party Campaign Tactics,' " Bush said. "It's going to be a place of debate, thought, writing, lecturing."

And I told you all that "ranch" was bullshit:

Through much of his tenure, Bush predicted the couple would spend their days in Crawford after leaving the White House. The plan now is weekends at the ranch, weekdays in Dallas, where Laura Bush picked out an 8,500-square-foot home on a secluded Preston Hollow cul-de-sac.

But I can't wait for the book:

Bush's immediate plans include raising funds for the library. He'll start work on a memoir, likely to include his recollections of Sept. 11, 2001.

Which, if he's honest, will consist entirely of "Unc'a Dick, me made caca in my diaper".

Submitted Without Comment

2009-01-08T14:20:00.000-05:00

Priorities

2009-01-08T13:59:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I listed the priorities for the incoming Democratic Congress. Among them, the environment, education, health-care, the economy.

What was the new Congressional Republicans' first order of business?

The Rush Limbaugh Protection Act.

I guess at least they're concerned about some jobs.

An Asshole To The End

2009-01-07T10:55:00.004-05:00

After an overwhelming majority of Americans decided in early November to send Barack Obama and his family to Washington, the President-Elect obviously had to enroll his daughters in a local Washington D.C. school.

Hoping to have his daughters start the school semester on schedule, the President-Elect asked President Bush if his family could move into the Blair House (where it is traditional for Presidents-Elect to stay in advance of the Inauguration) a couple of days early.

Ever the fucktard, Bush refused, claiming that the Blair House was previously "booked". Now, it turns out that, as with so much coming out of the Asshole-in-Chief's mouth, this was a lie. It was pure spite.

In fact, it wasn't until a few days after President-Elect Obama's request that Bush scurried out and invited former Austrailian Prime Minister John Howard to stay at Blair House while he's in D.C. to receive a blood-soaked "Medal of Freedom". No world leader had their tongue further up Bush's ass in support of the Iraq invasion and occupation than John Howard. In fact, during the 2008 election, John Howard said that Al Qaida was rooting for an Obama/Democratic victory.

So just remember that the motherfucker who promised to "restore dignity to the White House" preferred his co-war-criminal furriner to the (unlike himself) legitimately elected President of the United States.

I guess Bush can't relate to someone actually being concerned about his daughters' education, when you consider the daughters that Bush raised:

Those Damn Auto Workers' Unions, Uh, Wait, What?

2009-01-06T15:37:00.002-05:00

Unless the UAW has somehow infiltrated Japan:

TOKYO — Toyota Motor will idle its plants in Japan for 11 days in February and March to reduce output in the face of steeply declining global vehicle sales, the company said Tuesday.

the GOP may have to reconsider it's Detroit-bailout talking points.

Nah. On second thought, the GOP never let facts get in the way of rhetoric.

If Pickles wants to get paid . . .

2009-01-06T14:36:00.003-05:00

I think she's going to have to give up the dope on the dope's dope use:

First Lady Laura Bush snagged a seven-figure deal to write her life story for the Scribner imprint of Simon & Schuster.
Bush is said to have received an advance of $1.6 million, according to one well-placed publishing source - although another source said it might have been "a little higher than that."
The advance is said to be far below the $8 million that Hillary Clinton received from Simon & Schuster for "Living History," which became a runaway bestseller, moving more than 2.5 million copies.

According to the New York Post,

Several publishers, who did make the trek to the White House in mid-November for the presentations, said that the First Lady gave away very little about what a book would contain and that she seemed unwilling to discuss it further.

The Agenda - House Version

2009-01-06T13:50:00.002-05:00

The word is that one of the first items on the new House of Representatives' agenda will be reversing the egregious Supreme Court decision in the Ledbetter case, which held that if a employer can hide its wage-discrimination from an employee for at least 180 days, the employee can never sue to enforce their rights under The Civil Rights Act of 1964.

While Ledbetter itself involved wage discrimination on the basis of gender, it has been used to deny justice to plaintiffs alleging discrimination on the basis of age as well as race. And in addition to wage-discrimination claims, the precedent has been used to bar claims for housing discrimination.

The House passed a Bill reversing the Ledbetter decision last term, but it died in the Senate when the Republicans filibustered.

Happy New Year, Bitchez . . . The Agenda

2009-01-06T12:12:00.002-05:00

So today is the day most people are getting back to work for the New Year, including the United States Senate and House of Representatives.
Via Tapped comes the first ten Bills to be introduced by the new Democratic Senate:

S.1 -- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. "To create jobs, restore economic growth, and strengthen America’s middle class through measures that modernize the nation’s infrastructure, enhance America’s energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need, and for other purposes." The stimulus bill; no surprises here.

S.2 -- Middle Class Opportunity Act of 2009. Sound familiar? This is a retread of a bill sponsored by Senator Chuck Schumer in the last Congress that has a variety of tax reform goals; the additional descriptions in this bill include hints at union support ("ensuring workers can exercise their rights to freely choose to form a union without employer interference") and perhaps another go at the Ledbetter law ("removing barriers to fair pay for all workers").

S.3 -- Homeowner Protection and Wall Street Accountability Act of 2009. This bill will include a moratorium on foreclosures, Senator Dick Durbin's plan to allow for easier reworking of troubled mortgages by bankruptcy judges, new regulations for the credit card and financial industry, and investment in the Small Business Administration to provide loans for small businesses in need. It also makes TARP -- the Wall Street bailout -- a larger part of foreclosure reduction.

S.4 -- Comprehensive Health Reform Act of 2009. "It is the sense of Congress that Congress should enact, and the President should sign, legislation to guarantee health coverage, improve health care quality and disease prevention, and reduce health care costs for all Americans and the health care system." Paging Ezra!

S.5 -- Cleaner, Greener, and Smarter Act of 2009. This is a bill that focuses mainly on green investment and updating infrastructure to be more efficient and less polluting. But since a lot of those priorities are expected to be rolled into the stimulus package, one wonders if this is a vehicle for cap-and-trade and the Kyoto Protocols, given this provision: "requiring reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases in the United States and achieving reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases abroad."

S.6. -- Restoring America’s Power Act of 2009. This is basically the Democrats' '08 foreign policy consensus: Refocus on Afghanistan, transition in Iraq, strengthen alliances, WMD non-proliferation in Iran and North Korea... you get the idea. Most of this is in the executive branch's bailiwick so this legislation may just be a supportive resolution indicating that if Obama needs new authorities or resources to accomplish these goals, he'll get them. The bill also includes goals of providing proper training and equipment to the Armed Forces, and medical care when they return from duty.

S.7 -- Education Opportunity Act of 2009. "To expand educational opportunities for all Americans by increasing access to high-quality early childhood education and after school programs, advancing reform in elementary and secondary education, strengthening mathematics and science instruction, and ensuring that higher education is more affordable." An education omnibus bill that will no doubt be split up into separate pieces of legislation.

S.8 -- Returning Government to the American People Act. "To return the Government to the people by reviewing controversial 'midnight regulations' issued in the waning days of the Bush Administration." A sentiment we can all get behind, which promises to provide the new administration legislative authority, if it doesn't have it already, to review (and presumably deny) the last administration's late regulations.

S.9 -- Stronger Economy, Stronger Borders Act of 2009. Seems to be a placeholder for comprehensive immigration reform, including stronger border and employment security to crackdown on illegal immigration while "reforming and rationalizing avenues for legal immigration."

S.10 -- Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009. Gosh, this one is interesting. It's one part congressional hand-wringing over the fact that "the Federal budget is on an unsustainable path of rising deficits and debt," and it calls for a study of this. It's one part fiscal hawkery, supporting "strong pay-as-you-go rules, to help block the approval of measures that would increase the deficit." And it's one part ... populist? "A review of the current system of taxation of the United States to ensure that burdens are borne fairly and equitably." That could be the justification for the Bush tax cut rollback in 2010.

Middle-Class and Homeowner relief, Healthcare reform, Economic and Wall-Street accountability, Environmental Protection, Educational Opportunity, and a sane Foreign Policy.

This is what a Democratic Congressional Majority in a Democratic Administration looks like. It's been a long-time coming.

Holy Shit, John McCain was Right!

2008-11-10T14:00:00.002-05:00

Barack Obama would meet with violent leaders who support terror and torture:

It's Been a Long 8 Years' Coming

2008-11-05T10:44:00.005-05:00

What it looks like when Evil is defeated:

What it looks like when Good triumphs:

Free at last, bitchez, Free at last!

Intelligent Design My Ass

2008-10-30T20:43:00.002-04:00

It's not often you get to see natural selection in action, but we Phillies Phans know how to thin out the gene pool:

Hi Ho Cindy!!!!!!

2008-10-16T12:58:00.002-04:00

The prostate's really buzzin' tonight!

Bruce Springsteen to Play Superbowl Halftime Show

2008-09-29T10:36:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure what I think about that as a Springsteen fan.

But it's pretty pathetic that since

The NFL and the networks are so afraid of a little black titty that they're stuck booking only 50-year-old white guys.

Never, Ever Forget

2008-09-11T10:54:00.000-04:00

It's Cover Your Ass Day

2008-07-29T11:12:00.006-04:00

And it's nothing to celebrate. Rather, it's something to mourn.

Seven years ago today, a frantic CIA briefer hand-delivered to George Bush, who at the time was on the longest Presidential vacation in history, the urgent warning:

Remember that this was the culmination of what Richard Clarke described as months of red flags and flashing lights and warnings.

Bush's response to the CIA briefer: "All right, you've covered your ass now."

Bush then proceeded to:

Go Fishin'

Five weeks later:

It's time for a change.

Fucking People, Every Godamn One of Them, Vol I (Work Hard, Play Hard Edition)

2008-07-27T21:50:00.006-04:00

So this is a new feature, "celebrating" the assholery all around us.

Sometimes I'll look at a particular individual who's strived to make their mark in the ~~anals~~ annals of our lives.

Sometimes I'll look at a class of individuals, who as a class assault our collective sensibilities.

Like today's subject,

The Work Hard, Play Hard Folks.

These men and women try to excuse the fact that they're assholes in bars and clubs with the fact that . . . they're also assholes at the office.

Fucking people.

Happy Anniversary Pixie!

2008-06-16T10:50:00.002-04:00

Our life together is so precious together
We have grown, we have grown
Although our love is still special
Let's take a chance and fly away somewhere alone

It's been too long since we took the time
No-one's to blame, I know time flies so quickly
But when I see you darling
It's like we both are falling in love again
It'll be just like starting over, starting over

Everyday we used to make it love
Why can't we be making love nice and easy
It's time to spread our wings and fly
Don't let another day go by my love
It'll be just like starting over, starting over

Why don't we take off alone
Take a trip somewhere far, far away
We'll be together all alone again
Like we used to in the early days
Well, well, well darling

It's been too long since we took the time
No-one's to blame, I know time flies so quickly
But when I see you darling
It's like we both are falling in love again
It'll be just like starting over, starting over

Our life together is so precious together
We have grown, we have grown
Although our love is still special
Let's take a chance and fly away somewhere
Starting over

Culture of Life Lies, Volume VII(a) (Habeas Corpus is for Pussies, and Catholics, Except on the Supreme Court, Edition)

2008-06-13T10:42:00.005-04:00

So, every four years one of the biggest things at stake is the determination of who may get to select the next Supreme Court Justice (or two). This issue is usually framed in terms of how each Presidential candidate's prospective Court nominees will deal with abortion; Specifically, whether they'll vote to uphold or overturn Roe v. Wade.

The GOP tries to convince the sheeple that they'll nominate good and Godly Justices who'll respect the cultrrrralaf. Of course, we all know that that respect for life begins at conception and ends at birth.

What the GOP really wants are Justices who'll uphold their "unitary executive" power-grab, to essentially allow the President to carve out for himself a sphere where he's beyond any Constitutional and statutory restrains, simply by invoking "national security". Yesterday's Supreme Court Gitmo decision proves that, with George Bush's two Justices, Roberts and Alito, dissenting.

So, let's see how that dissent fits with the true "culture of life" as explained by the Church.

First of all, the Church recognizes the responsibility of the State to defend its citizens, but insists that

In a State ruled by law the power to inflict punishment is correctly entrusted to the Courts; 'In defining the proper relationships between the legislative, executive and judicial powers, the Constitutions of modern States guarantee the judicial power the necessary independence in the realm of law.' (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church at Para. 402, quoting JPII's Address to the Italian Association of Judges)(emphasis in original).

Further,

In carrying out investigations, the regulation against the use of torture, even in the case of serious crimes, must be strictly observed: 'Christ's disciple refuses every recourse to such methods, which nothing could justify and in which the dignity of man is as much debased in his torturer as in the torturer's victim.'

Likewise ruled out is 'the use of detention for the sole purpose of trying to obtain significant information for the trial.' Moreover, it must be ensured that 'trials are conducted swiftly: their excessive length is becoming intolerable for citizens and results in real injustice.'" Id. at Para 404 (emphasis added).

Well, you might ask, isn't Terrorism different? NO.

This right [to defend oneself from terrorism] cannot be exercised in the absence of moral and legal norms, because the struggle against terrorists must be carried out with respect for human rights and for the principles of a State ruled by law. The identification of the guilty party must be duly proven, because criminal responsibility is always personal, and therefore cannot be extended to the religions, nations or ethnic groups to which the terrorists belong.

Why? In addition to the moral requirement to respect the dignity of all human beings . . .

The recruitment of terrorists in fact is easier in situations where rights are trampled and injustices are tolerated over a long period of time." Id at Para 514.

If you read Justice Kennedy's Majority opinion from yesterday's decision, you'll see that the ruling is fully in line with all of these principles that the Church insists upon.

The four Justices who dissented? Four Catholics appointed by Republican Presidents.

Maybe the Chief Justice should spend a little less time in the closet and more time in the Confession booth.

Culture of Life Lies, Volume VII (Habeas Corpus is for Pussies Edition)

2008-06-13T10:09:00.003-04:00

So, we already know that Antonin Scalia is a Shithead, and of course he's a Dick, but now we know he's also a Tyrant (or at least an enabler thereof).

You see, that's who Alexander Hamilton recognized in Federalist No. 84 we needed the Great Writ of Habeas Corpus to protect ourselves against.

Hamilton cited Blackstone:

"To bereave a man of life, [says he] or by violence to confiscate his estate, without accusation or trial, would be so gross and notorious an act of despotism, as must at once convey the alarm of tyranny throughout the whole nation; but confinement of the person, by secretly hurrying him to jail, where his sufferings are unknown or forgotten, is a less public, a less striking, and therefore a more dangerous engine of arbitrary government." And as a remedy for this fatal evil he is everywhere peculiarly emphatical in his encomiums on the habeas corpus act, which in one place he calls "the BULWARK of the BritishConstitution."

In his dissent in Boumediene v. Bush, Scalia essentially took the Great Writ and wiped his ass with it. From these pathetic petulant rantings, it sounds like Scalia has degenerated to the point that he's now quoting for legal authority Rush Limbaugh:

America is at war with radical Islamists. The enemy began by killing Americans and American allies abroad: 241 at the Marine barracks in Lebanon, 19 at the Khobar
Towers in Dhahran, 224 at our embassies

I guess Ronald Reagan was too big of a pussy to suspend the Writ back then.

It has threatened further attacks against our homeland; one need only walk about buttressed and barricaded Washington, or board a plane anywhere in the country, to know that the threat is a serious one.

This fucker is seriously ready to throw out Habeas Corpus because he has to take his shoes off at the security gate at the airport? Really?

But the most offensive part comes next:

The game of bait-and-switch that today’s opinion plays upon the Nation’s Commander in Chief will make the war harder on us. It will almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed.

This motherfucking bedwetter. This bag of douche who gets off on the death penalty, who can't conceive of a reasonable restriction on gun ownership, who thinks restrictions on torture are absurd, who (I shit you not) looks to TV's "24" for legal guidance, thinks that it's the enforcement of the venerable Right of Habeas Corpus that's going to "cause more Americans to be killed"?!?

I always knew

2008-05-15T13:53:00.003-04:00

Scalia was a dick.

And this description of "originalism" as a theory of Constitutional interpretation is, as far as I can tell, pretty much right on:

Scalia is considered the Court's leading proponent of "originalism." This is a legal philosophy whereby the proponent attempts to locate the most dickish elements of the founding fathers' political views, magnify them, and disingenuously use them as a pretext for perpetuating dickish views. In other words, the phrase "I am an originalist," is synonymous with "I am a racist, but I'm too much of a pussy to just come out and say it because I went to college." It's the legal philsophy the audience on Jerry Springer would have if they went to Harvard or Yale law schools.
One can analyze originalism through legal scholarship, but that would involve a lot of latin phrases like habeas this and amicus that. You can also look at it like this: any time a case involves a black person, or a legal issue that disproportionately affects black people, Scalia, using his "originialism," will always decide against the black person. Likewise with gay people, women, or any case in which an individual is pitted against a corporation. You could say that such a person is a bigot. You could also say that he's an "originialist.”
Scalia and other "originalists" are terrified by the idea of change. They are especially horrified by the realization that each successive generation hates blacks and gay people less and less. Realizing the consequences of this, and enraged by increasingly being made to look like society's embarrassing old uncles, they have devised a legal philosophy to enshrine their bigotry into law so it can live on even after the "originalists" have gone.

2008-03-14T00:24:00.000-04:00

Separated at Birth?

2008-02-27T13:38:00.003-05:00

This crazy bitch from America's Next Top Model:

And crack-head Pookie from New Jack City:

Hop on my Straight "Talk" Express . . .

2008-02-25T22:10:00.002-05:00

The Levitra's kicking in.

Oh, the irony. . . .

2008-02-25T09:44:00.006-05:00

Of an Oscar-winning costume designer . . .

Who can't dress herself!

The real sin here is that, when Alexandra Byrne was deciding what to wear to the Academy Awards, someone in the room (maybe it was her) said "let's go sleeveless!", and no one else in the room said a word.

They're who I blame. They could've stopped this tragedy, but they didn't. They let this cadaver-with-good-eyeglasses walk out of the house in this number.

It was bad when the world stayed silent as Hitler marched across Europe, but he had a whole army at his disposal. Why couldn't someone have spoken up . . . just a peep . . . just a "hey, how about a wrap?"

Although, in all fairness, maybe they thought the sight of her skeletor back would distract the audience in the theater . . .

But that didn't help us at home.

Stupid Republican Wives . . .

2008-02-21T15:09:00.005-05:00

When will you learn?

If he'll cheat with you, then he'll cheat on you.

Hey peaches, just be glad he didn't put on a diaper and fuck a French Quarter whore . . . like this Senator:

That's right folks. Fucking a lobbyist and then trying to push through favors for their clients is a step up the moral ladder in today's Republican Party.

Quick show of hands . . .

2008-02-20T10:52:00.002-05:00

Who's in favor of another 4 years of George Bush's and Dick Cheney's failed policies and misplaced priorities of ignoring the people who attacked us on 9/11 in favor of killing alot of innocent people who meant us no harm but now also want to kill us?

My love! My love! My love! Myyyyyyyyyy

2008-02-20T10:48:00.003-05:00

Endless love!

The Straight-Bullshit Express motors on

2008-02-07T11:26:00.001-05:00

So, now that it appears that John McCain, George Bush's original "mandate" is going to be the Republican nominee, the press is going to take their fluffing of the guy to a whole new level.

McCain has gotten the repulation for being a "moderate", a "maverick", and someone who'll "reach across the aisle" to work with Democrats. This despite the fact that, while he feints opposition to some Republican positions, in the end he bends over and gives in.

And the headline in today's print version of the Philadelphia Inquirer furthers that bullshit premise.

"McCain Reaches Out". Which you'd think refers to reaching out to Democrats.

It doesn't.

The always reliable McClatchy News Service gets it exactly right:

McCain Renews Courtship of Conservatives

The truth is there isn't a principle that John McCain won't sell out to get power, and there isn't right-wing smear too vitriolic for him to stand up for himself and even his (second) wife and child. He'll give in to the most extreme elements of the right-wing, from torture to suspension of habeas corpus to reproductive freedom to the economy if he thinks it'll get him elected.

Meawhile, the Democratic Party is poised to nominate either the first woman or the first African-America for President of the United States of America. Meanwhile, the Republican, whose idea of diversity is murdering innocent men, women, and children in as many countries as possible, are trying to decide which rich, old, white guy will kill the most brown people.

Praising Presidents Past

2008-01-20T19:37:00.000-05:00

So Barack Obama has come out and praised Ronald Reagan, basically saying that he wants to bring back some of the optimism that he claims Reagan generated.

It's not uncommon for presidential candidates to try to hitch their wagons to popular past presidents.

You may recall Bill Clinton in 1992 trying to invoke the optimism and change that is associated with John F. Kennedy. Ever the master of message, Clinton was even fortunate enough to have had himself photographed with JFK when he was just a youngster:

That photograph began a visual metaphor for the passing of the torch to a new generation of Democratic leadership.

Alas, Senator Obama failed to take advantage of a photograph of himself* as a youngster with Ronald Reagan:

* obvious disclaimer: This is not an actual photograph of Barack Obama with Ronald Reagan. It is an accurate representation of what the conservative ideology that Reagan mainstreamed thinks about people like Barack Obama.

Ronald Reagan put a happy, grandfatherly face on the vilest of racial hatred, and applauding him for generating "optimism" is akin to praising another certain leader for making the trains run on time.

Senator Obama should know better than to add a chapter to the Saint Ronny hagiography.

$3.50 a gallon, or, "jawbone this, asshole"

2008-01-10T11:39:00.000-05:00

Well, it appears that we're looking at paying $3.50 for a gallon of gas soon, as the price of crude tops $100/barrel. And you know that's that "regular" piss, not the premium shit all of our SUVs say we have to use.

Which brings to mind the big talk of a certain presidential candidate:

Gov. George W. Bush of Texas said today that if he was president, he would bring down gasoline prices through sheer force of personality, by creating enough political good will with oil-producing nations that they would increase their supply of crude.
"I would work with our friends in OPEC to convince them to open up the spigot, to increase the supply," Mr. Bush, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, told reporters here today. "Use the capital that my administration will earn, with the Kuwaitis or the Saudis, and convince them to open up the spigot."

He further articulated this strategy:

"And," he said in direct advice to Clinton, "the president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the prices."

The date? June 27, 2000.

The average price per gallon? About $1.70, with crude at between $25-30/barrel.

Heckuva job, asshole.

But, Facially, Antonin Scalia is a shithead

2008-01-10T11:09:00.000-05:00

I'd wager that about 99.9% of the general population couldn't tell you what a "facial" Constitutional challenge or an "as applied" Constitutional challenge are, let alone the difference. And yet the Reagan/Bush/Bush Supreme Court have been using that under-the-radar distinction to take away our civil rights.

Their target yesterday was our right to vote. You'll recall that they beat that right senseless in Bush v. Gore, but ostensibly left it alive and chained up in the basement, for Karl Rove and his politicized Justice Department to go down and ass-rape when they got the urge.

But now, in Crawford, they're bringing that poor battered right back up into the storeroom to give it the knock-out punch.

In short, it appears that there is a majority on the Court who would say that a law that unconstitutionally deprives a citizen of the right to vote cannot be challenged until after an actual voter has had their right denied. Which means after the election has been completed. When there would never be calls to "move on", "get over it", don't be a "Sore/Loserman", etc.

At that point, as Justice Ginsberg pointed out, the vindication of the right is hollow and meaningless. To say nothing of the chilling effect that these unconstitutional laws have before the election, when they have their (desired by the Republican majority who passed them) effect of scaring voters into staying home.

And this isn't the first time the Reagan/Bush/Bush justices have pulled this stunt. It's become their modus operandi when it comes to eviscerating Constitutional/Civil/Private rights. It came into play in the Gonzales v. Carhart "partial birth abortion" case, in which the Court said that a women denied her physician-recommended intact D&E procedure could just mosey over to the Yellow Pages and find a lawyer to bring an "as applied" suit. And if the State (supported as always by the Bush DOJ) bottled the case up until the women died in childbirth or through an unquestionably riskier D&C procedure, oh well. The case is moot.

It's amazing that these fuckers have any time amidst their constant fucking of us to think up new ways to fuck us harder.

But there's no difference between the political parties, right Ralph Nader? Fuck you too.

Remember how bad Saddam Hussein was?

2008-01-10T10:44:00.000-05:00

How he used to torture people, and he used chemical weapons on his own people?

Well, yet more proof that Saddam didn't do anything to Iraqis in the last 30 years that George Bush and Dick Cheney haven't done in the last 3.

Freedom's on the march, can you smell it? No, not that smell that's constricting your lungs, causing you to tear up and vomit. The other smell.

"Results not typical" . . . or The Power of Visualization

2008-01-01T10:52:00.000-05:00

So, it's the beginning of a New Year, and around this time of year we're inundated with ads for exercise equipment and weightloss products, all of which include "before and after" pictures, like this:

But if you notice, every single "after" picture is accompanied by the disclaimer "results not typical".

Think about that. These advertisers are telling us:

1) We can't show you the "typical" results of this product, because if you saw the typical results that you could expect, you'd never buy it; and

2) Take a look at this "after" picture, but remember that there's barely any chance of you actually looking like this after using our product.

This is not just an advertiser trying to attach some mythic "lifestyle" to their product hoping you'll buy the product to get the lifestyle. These advertisers are admitting to us that their products don't work!!!

And yet millions of dollars are spent every year on this stuff.

Why?

Because visual images are so powerful, they can actually overwhelm and defeat rationality and logic. Seeing a visual image of what we've been conditioned by the media to believe is an ideal desireable physique is powerful enough to overcome the rationale, logical admission (made by the advertisers themselves!) that the product in question most likely won't give us that physique.

Recognizing this is the first step to defeating the urge to pick up the phone and dial the toll-free number to charge just three easy payments and if we call now they'll knock one payment off and include the bonus package for just a little more and operators are standing by . . . .

And that alone is a pretty good resolution to make on its own.

But recognizing the power of visual imagery can also fuel all sorts of affirmative resolutions to help us get off our asses and make all sorts of progress this year on things that have been hung up.

Alot of the things that aren't getting done (whether it's getting something we want, getting rid of something we don't want, or just getting peace about what we've got) aren't getting done because we're allowing ourselves to be ruled by the "logical", "results not typical" part of our brains that constantly convince us that we'll never achieve what we want so why bother trying.

Well, how about this year using the power of imagery to our advantage, in essence selling ourselves on the outcomes we want. Focus on that visual image, and we may just be motivated to take some actions to get things done, and in the process shut up that negative "rationale" part of our brains.

Hell, lots of advertisers are spending tons of money on this premise to separate us from our money. Why not try this on ourselves for free to connect us with our dreams.

Happy New Year, bitches!

Please, let it be Mitt, and thanks Huck.

2007-12-20T13:25:00.000-05:00

So, Josh's opinion is that we're looking at a Mitt Romney nomination on the Republican side.

I can't see this as anything but fantastic news, and as close as one can get to a guaranteed win, for the Democratic nominee, whoever that turns out to be.

Not because of what Romney stands for, position-wise. And not even because of his, errh, "Mormon problem" with the critical segment of the GOP base.

But because a Romney nomination will mean a Huckabee rejection.

Look, in any just world, Huckabee would be nothing more than an Alan Keyes/Gary Bauer-level novelty candidate without any realistic chance of winning either the nomination or the general election.

But for whatever reason (and probably multiple reasons), Huckabee has emerged as a legitimate contender (at least that's the way he's being portrayed in the press).

So here is a candidate who, to the 6000-year-old-Flat-Earth society isn't just sympathetic to their issues, he's one of them. And he's in contention.

A Romney victory, or a Guiliani victory* for that matter, would be a flat-out rejection of Evangelicalism in favor of an until-recently pro-choice, pro-homosexual, Mormon.

I think that kind of victory at this point will keep alot more Religious Right voters at home on election day than if Huckabee had never entered the race.

In my opinion, Huckabee is scaring the shit out of the Republican Power establishment not because they think he'll win the nomination, but because they know he'll lose it, and drag down the Rightwing Christian base with him.

---------------------
The Religious Right consider Guiliani to at least be in the same church, if in a very different pew, then themselves. And heck, if the Catholic candidate is willing to get over the fact that some Evangelical leaders think the Pope is the antichrist and still get in bed with them, the Evangelicals are happy to have them.

And while the Mormons have Mitt . . .

2007-12-06T14:38:00.000-05:00

We Catholics have Jaaaaack

"I've a very Catholic Irish grandmother, one of the Lynches. She is the root of the family, although my immediate family were failed Irish Catholics. So I had to haltingly investigate Catholicism by myself because nobody asked me to go to church. I was the oldest kid in my First Communion classes. In my opinion, if you're going to be theocratic, Catholicism is the most intelligent belief system."

Sorry Mitt, that's not going to cut it

2007-12-06T13:05:00.000-05:00

So Mitt Romney today gave what was touted to be a major speech on his Mormon Faith and the role that Faith would/should play in his candidacy and, God forbid, his presidency. The unstated reason for this is the apparent coalescing of the Religion Right behind the candidacy of Mike Huckabee, of former Southern Baptist minister and Governor of Arkansas.

However, in the speech he apparently only uttered the word "Mormon" once. And the speech amounted to a plea to Evangelicals and Fundamentalists of "can't we all get along? I hate those brown people just as much as you do."

Unfortunately for Romney, the Fundigelical concern isn't about any particular teaching or tenet of the Mormon Faith, just as they wouldn't be concerned about any particular tenet of the Jewish or Hindu or Muslim Faith.

Their concern (which only a few will ever admit openly) is that they will just not accept a non-Christian president. And they don't consider Mormonism any more Christian than they do Judaism or Islam.*

If anything, Fundigelicals are even touchier about Mormonism than they are about Judaism and Islam because Mormons claim to be Christians.

So when Romney says:

"I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the savior of mankind,"

He's only going to comfirm the concerns of his critics. This is the exact kind of thing that pisses his critics off to no end. The person whom Mormons refer to as "Jesus Christ" is so far removed from the person whom mainstream Christianity believes in as to constitute an entirely different religion.

This has been a brewing debate/feud over the recent years, especially as Mormonism as grown so much and attracted people away from mainline and even Evangelical Christian churches.

So, why give the speech at all, let alone so highly publicize it, if he wasn't going to address the big elephant in the room? My guess is that if/when the issue comes up again, he can say "I already addressed this" and accuse the questioner of trying to "make an issue" out of something that's already been resolved.

-----------------------

* to be fair, even most mainline Christian demonination and the Catholic Church would agree that Mormonism is not consistent with or a part of the historic Christian Faith. Romney, and this post, is concerned with those Christians who would make that dealbreaker.

Birds-Blogging: Sooooo close

2007-11-26T11:19:00.000-05:00

So the Eagles come within an adrenaline-fueled bad pass/interception of either beating, or at least taking to overtime, the undefeated New England juggernaut. That's a feat that only the defending Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts have even come close to managing. Arguably the Birds played the Pats better than the Colts did. With just a very few exceptions, the Birds offense could move the ball at will and scored more first-half points against the strong Pats' defense than any team this season. They held the potent Pats' offense to their lowest point-total this season (the Pats' first 7 came from the defense on an interception TD return).

So, it's now long-past time for someone with authority in the Eagles organization to ask why the team seems to: be coached smarter, plays harder, works more cohesively, and just generally plays better* when "the franchise" Donovan McNabb is not starting at QB. And it may be time for someone above Andy Reid to recognize that he's either unwilling or incapable of asking that question and/or doing what needs to be done as a result of that question.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* My own theory for why the Birds play better without McNabb is what I'd call the "nanny syndrome". When a parent or parents don't spend any time with their kids (due to work, lifestyle, whatever) and the nanny basically raises the kids, the kids eventually will stop responding to the parents, since they figure that the parents aren't the ones calling the shots (for all practical purposes) during the majority of their daily lives anyway.

Donovan McNabb has only started in 29 of the Eagles' last 48 regular season games. Sure, like a guilty parent showing up for the kids' final school recital, No. 5 ocassionally shows up for a play-off game, but he's missed nearly half of their regular season games, and a bunch of the games that he's actually played have been under the cloud of his returning from injuries. You can't blame the offense for having difficulty dealing with McNabb as the starter.

Now, one might ask, that "nanny syndrome" may hold for children, but these are grown men, well-paid professionals we're talking about. Well, which adult doesn't prefer working with someone who makes them look good over someone who embarrasses them? Somehow, miraculously, A.J. Feeley made the receiving corp and the front line look really good last night . . . just like Jeff Garcia made them look really good last year . . . just like Koy-fucking-Detmer made them look really good before that. Yet, when Donovan's starting, his inability to get the ball off in time, to the proper receiver, with an on-target throw, is the receivers' and o-line's fault.

Never, ever forget . . .

2007-09-11T09:59:00.000-04:00

You're now free to wear a burka . . . .

2007-09-10T11:17:00.000-04:00

Look, I've come to accept the fact that when you fly you're going to have your knees up under your chin and your elbows crammed into your ribs. That you won't get a fucking bite to eat, and that just barely anything to drink. That your luggage might make it into the same time zone as you during the week you actually arrive. And that everyone involved in the process on the airline's end acts like they're doing you a favor.

And the implicit social contract, at least with Southwest Airlines, is that in exchange for losing any sense of comfort or ease with flying, you get to pay less for your cattle-herding flight.

Fine.

But for Christ's sake, don't fuck with the eye-candy:

A flight attendant on a Southwest Airlines flight from San Diego to Tuscon forceably removed Kyla Ebbert from the flight just moments before take-off for wearing the outfit you see above. Only after Ebbert put up a fight was she "allowed" to board the plane.

Southwest explained its treatment of Ebbert in a letter to her mother, saying it could remove any passenger “whose clothing is lewd, obscene or patently offensive” to ensure the comfort of children and “adults with heightened sensitivities.”

Is there anything "lewd", "obscene" or "patently offensive" about that outfit? And what the fuck is that about "adults with heightened sensitivities"?!? Is that like a chemical-sensitivity where some secretary's heavy-handed body-lotion regime gives the office asthma? Are there guys out there who just involuntarily pop boners just because a young woman with a skirt above the knee is on the plane? And, if so, should they be the ones dick-tating the dress code?

Oh, and you know that stereotype that male flight attendants are all gay? Well the name of the flight attendant who went all Sharia on Ms. Ebbert: "Keith". I'm just saying . . .

BTW,

2007-09-10T11:05:00.001-04:00

As the GOP gets ready for their murder-porn tomorrow, never forget that it was five weeks, 35 days, after Bush was warned that Osama Bin Laden was determined to hit us here that he decided that rather than do his job and protect his country, he'd rather meet with his peer group:

Birds-Blogging

2007-09-10T10:32:00.001-04:00

Three words:

Fair-Fucking-Catch!!!!

And, I wonder what Donovan McNabb's QB rating would be if you took out all of those bullshit dump-offs to Westbrook at or behind the line of scrimmage.

Is it too much to ask that on first-and-goal from the 6 that, on at least one of your three plays from scrimmage, you actually throw the ball past the line of scrimmage?

Britney-Blogging

2007-09-10T10:25:00.001-04:00

So, Britney Spears managed to tear herself away from the buffet and cocaine lines in Las Vegas last night to open the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards.

Now, since it was Vegas, I suppose this could've been an homage to the overweight-couldn't-sing-couldn't-dance-Vegas-Elvis phase. In which case, it was brilliant. The only thing missing was the sequined cape and the karate kicks.

Otherwise, it was just really sad.

Babe-Blogging, Hall of Fame Edition

2007-08-07T15:25:00.000-04:00

Well, that's a couple of depressing posts in a row. Let's lighten things up with a little Babe-blogging.

Today, I present screen legend Jane Seymour.

Fifty-six years old, boys. Fifty. Six. And still has the legs of a thoroughbred.

And, she likes to throw all-night parties at her country home.

Countdown to 9/11

2007-08-07T14:00:00.000-04:00

Now that we're in the dog-days of Summer, it's the annual countdown to the GOP exploitation of the murder of over 3000 citizens on September 11, 2001. Of course, the GOP exploits 9/11 constantly, but the anniversary is a particularly big day for them.

Sitting here on August 6th or August 7th, September 11th may seem like a long way off.

And it is.

And as each long day turns into a long week, as we trudge through August and eventually get to Labor Day, remember that it was six years ago this week, five long weeks before 9/11, that George W. Bush was told:

And instead of treating this threat seriously, he told the intelligence agents that were concerned enough about this that they felt they needed to bring it to illegitimate pResident's attention in person, "okay, you've covered your asses", and went back to this:

That. Mother. Fucker.

Culture of Life Lies, Volume VI (Black Sites Edition)

2007-08-07T01:10:00.000-04:00

Sometimes words and snark and sarcasm just fail.

Just read this New Yorker article on the CIA-run secret prisons our government has been using throughout the world since right after 9/11, where they utilize torture techniques they learned from such bastions of human rights as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, North Vietnam and the KGB.

And, then ask yourself: what the fuck have we become?

And then maybe you won't have to ask yourself why Culturrralaaf Bush is pushing for:

When Congress returns in September the Intelligence committees and leaders in both parties will need to complete work on the comprehensive reforms requested by Director McConnell, including the important issue of providing meaningful liability protection to those who are alleged to have assisted our Nation following the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Got that?

Agency scientists found that in just a few hours some subjects suspended in water tanks—or confined in isolated rooms wearing blacked-out goggles and earmuffs—regressed to semi-psychotic states.

are "alleged to have assisted our Nation."

The animals who ran

a former brick factory, just north of Kabul, known as the Salt Pit. The latter became infamous for the 2002 death of a detainee, reportedly from hypothermia, after prison officials stripped him naked and chained him to the floor of his concrete cell, in freezing temperatures.

are "alleged to have assisted our Nation."

CIA operative who perfected a

“takeout” of prisoners as a carefully choreographed twenty-minute routine, during which a suspect was hog-tied, stripped naked, photographed, hooded, sedated with anal suppositories, placed in diapers, and transported by plane to a secret location.

are "alleged to have assisted our Nation."

Let's see how those "alleged to have assisted our Nation" treated Khaled el-Masri:

Masri described his prison in Afghanistan as a filthy hole, with walls scribbled on in Pashtun and Arabic. He was given no bed, only a coarse blanket on the floor. At night, it was too cold to sleep. He said, “The water was putrid. If you took a sip, you could taste it for hours. You could smell a foul smell from it three metres away.” The Salt Pit, he said, “was managed and run by the Americans. It was not a secret. They introduced themselves as Americans.” He added, “When anything came up, they said they couldn’t make a decision. They said, ‘We will have to pass it on to Washington.’ ” The interrogation room at the Salt Pit, he said, was overseen by a half-dozen English-speaking masked men, who shoved him and shouted at him, saying, “You’re in a country where there’s no rule of law. You might be buried here.”

Well, I guess it serves him right, the al-Qaida scum!. . . except. . . it turns out Masri is just a German car salesman wrongfully kidnapped in 2003.

And Masri

became tearful as he recalled the plight of a Tanzanian in a neighboring cell. The man seemed “psychologically at the end,” he said. “I could hear him ramming his head against the wall in despair. I tried to calm him down. I asked the doctor, ‘Will you take care of this human being?’ ” But the doctor, whom Masri described as American, refused to help. Masri also said that he was told that guards had “locked the Tanzanian in a suitcase for long periods of time—a foul-smelling suitcase that made him vomit.” (Masri did not witness such abuse.)

No one knows whatever became of that man. Or whether he was even guitly in the first place, or just another mistaken kidnapping like Masri.

Oh, and how do these atrocities affect those "alleged to have assisted our Nation" themselves? They

could cause lasting psychic damage to the interrogators. During interrogations, the former agency official said, officers worked in teams, watching each other behind two-way mirrors. Even with this group support, the friend said, Mohammed’s interrogator “has horrible nightmares.” He went on, “When you cross over that line of darkness, it’s hard to come back. You lose your soul. You can do your best to justify it, but it’s well outside the norm. You can’t go to that dark a place without it changing you.” He said of his friend, “He’s a good guy. It really haunts him. You are inflicting something really evil and horrible on somebody.”

What they fuck have we become, indeed.

BTW, those Fort Dix turrrists are probably innocent

2007-08-01T11:54:00.000-04:00

How do I know?

Because the government now says that to make out its case, it's going to have to rely on super secret confidential evidence, which would permit them to withhold discovery from defense counsel, and potentially even the court, introducing instead just "summaries" of evidence, rather than the evidence itself.

Color me skeptical.

Look, the best charges the United States Government could come up with against these 6 chucklefucks is that they planned an all-out, six-manned "armed assault" on a military base, disguised as pizza delivery guys.

Might they ever have discussed such a plot? Maybe. In the same way Lord of the Rings fan-geeks dream about storming Mordor.

But if these guys lacked the creativity, operational skill and capability to dream up anything better than this plot, should it really be that hard to convict them without having to "raise national security concerns"?

This is serious shit. The Bush Administration already claims it can yank a U.S. citizen off the street or out of his or her house, ship them off to a secret prison in God-knows-where, and never bring them to trial.

Now, in cases where they actually subject themselves (and isn't it quaint that they chose to do that) to the Constitution, their entire prosecution amounts to "these guys are turrists, trust us."?!?

Rectum? It nearly killed'm

2007-07-31T11:41:00.000-04:00

Now, I would never be the type to attack homosexuals by claiming that their private practices may result in "injury and disease".

But, George Bush's nominee for Surgeon General would:

The cardiologist details many different diseases gay men can catch, and several sexual practices they may engage in, including "anal eroticism," which can lead to injuries and even death. "From the perspective of pathology and pathophysiology, the varied sexual practices of homosexual men have resulted in a diverse and expanded concept of sexually transmitted disease and associated trauma ?"

Why do I bring this up today?

Because this man

just had another "idiopathic" seizure.

And:

New-onset seizures are frequent manifestations of central nervous system disorders in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Seizures are more common in advanced stages of the disease, although they may occur early in the course of illness. In the majority of patients, seizures are of the generalised type.

Now, as I say, I'm not really concerned with who our Chief Justice give a "sidebar" under his cloak.

But Bush's nominee for Surgeon General certainly is. Will someone please ask the good doctor about this?

Bird-blogging, 2007

2007-07-30T14:16:00.000-04:00

Ahh, training camp. And so begins the latest in the string of sure-to-be-unsuccessful Super Bowl campaigns by the Philadelphia Eages (now that's a Philly Sports Fan for ya).

"Franchise" quarterback Donovan McNabb returns this year after suffering a torn ACL (without any contact whatsoever, just running out of bounds) in week 10 last season.

That's not to be confused with the broken ankle that cost him 6 weeks in 2002, or the Sports Hernia that allowed him to play only 9 games in 2005.

McNabb has been an enigma. At times he's looked brilliant, but at other times he's showed a disturbing lack of touch and accuracy (especially for someone who's been in the league as long as he has).

On the one hand, he's never had great receivers (with the exception of T.O.'s brief, tumultuous visit to Philly) and arguably Donte Stallworth. On the other hand, he's very obviously gotten away from the scrambling style that used to at least create some opportunities for even his less-than-average receivers, and instead decided to become a strict pocket quarterback which has allowed opposing backfields to dominate the Eagles' receiver corp.

Now, I'm not stat-junkie, and I'm certainly not a fantasy-league geek, I'm just a guy who grew up watching the games. But it's always seemed to me that what I was seeing on the field never quite jived up with the numbers that people threw around about McNabb (and the Eagles offense in general).

So, thank to SalPal for doing the lifting on debunking Donovan's pre-injury 2006 season:

That oft-repeated, seldom analyzed conventional wisdom about McNabb's being on an "MVP pace" last season needs a reality check. Yes, before he was injured on Nov. 19, he had 18 touchdown passes and just six interceptions with a quarterback rating of 95.5.

But the Eagles lost four of his last five starts, beating only the lowly Redskins in Philadelphia (and in that game, McNabb completed just 46 percent of his passes). He lost in New Orleans, threw three picks in a loss to the awful Bucs in Tampa, couldn't get in the end zone at home against the Jaguars and exited the game against Tennessee with a quarterback rating of 33.5.

Now we learn that McNabb thinks he may have to play the whole season with a knee brace which is probably going to do absolutely nothing for his mobility, and which is kind-of at odds with what coach Andy Reid has previously said about the brace.

For too long the Eagles organization and head coach Andy Reid have been too personally invested in Donovan McNabb's success (going all the way back to McNabb being booed on draft day), that they've put that pride ahead of the good of the team. In fact, a large part of the problem has been that for too long "the Eagles organization" = "Andy Reid". Thanks Jeffrey.

Perhaps with the drafting of QB Kevin Kolbe, and the front-office talk of Kolbe being a "franchise-type quarterback", the team is finally willing to unhitch its wagon from #5's train.

Of course, we here in Philadelphia know what becomes of "franchise-type" players (Lindros, Iverson, Roland, Drew, Burrell). If they win, it ain't here.

Culture of Life Lies, Volume V (FMLA Edition)

2007-07-30T13:46:00.000-04:00

LGM points us to a NYT article on the Family Medical Leave Act.

And reminds us how much cultrrralaf republicans opposed it.

And, fucking-A Scott. Until you've had children, most people have no idea the burdens and challenges and pressures placed on working parents in today's workforce, especially in the professions.

I'd just point out that America, this great "city on a hill" that rightwingers like to think was hand-crafted by God Himself and is so much better than the rest of the world, falls seriously short in the category of how we treat working parents:

By way of contrast, consider Britain, where, several years ago, the Blair government passed a flexible-work law that allows employees with children under 6 to request a reduction or rearrangement in their schedules. Employers can refuse but must explain their reasoning in writing. In Sweden, parents have the right to work a six-hour day until their children turn 8, at a prorated salary. Although some view such practices as a drag on the economy, policies mandating lengthy, paid parental leave and government-subsidized child care are the norm throughout Europe.

Indeed, in the United States today, working parents receive supports and benefits that in much of the developed world would be considered scandalously ungenerous.

Ju-dee, Ju-dee, Ju-dee

2007-07-30T12:55:00.001-04:00

Whew, it's a good thing Rudy Guiliani hates him some brown people. Otherwise, those Red State "true murrcans" he's busy trying to woo might realize . . . he ain't exactly one of them:

Today she and Giuliani, when they are not boarding private Gulfstream IV jets to Europe or trying to woo voters, shuttle between a $4 million Hamptons house and a $5 million nine-room Upper East Side apartment near Madison Avenue, its dining room walnut-paneled and crammed with crystal, china, and linen from Scully & Scully. Her annual salary has also improved: $125,000, evidently for helping to write some of the speeches Giuliani likes to give (for which he received $11.7 million between January 2006 and March 2007). This comes as a surprise to at least one of Judith's acquaintances. Asked if he knew Judith was writing speeches, one former Giuliani aide replied, "Holy cow! God forbid!"
The details of Judith's life have also undergone some refurbishing. Her monogrammed hand-stitched napkins embraced by thick silver napkin rings are on display, along with the new cigar room designed for her husband, and a mantelpiece adorned with white porcelain figurines of Winston Churchill, the statesman with whom Giuliani likes to invite comparison. She struck an odalisque pose in Hamptonstyle magazine, and appeared robed in a floor-length burgundy gown by Carolina Herrera on the cover of Avenue magazine, whose editorial director, Pamela Gross, accompanies her frequently, especially when TV cameras are present. ("Never get between Pamela, Judith, and a camera," advises one observer.) Judith sits in the front rows of fashion shows, her hair freshly styled by a full-time assistant lured from Frédéric Fekkai, and, when asked to pose, thrusts out an obliging hip for the cameras. Although she informed WWD, "I have no room for shopping in my life," she buys Dolce & Gabbana.

Oh, and Rudy doesn't get that "mayor of murrica" thing he's campaigning for, maybe he's got a shot at ~~Father~~ Asshole of the Year:

The mayor began to spend his weekends—accompanied, as the New York Post reported, by a detail of detectives, which may have cost taxpayers $3,000 a tryst—in Southampton, where Judith owned a condominium. Since he had until then always accounted for his weekends, says the incisive Giuliani biographer Wayne Barrett, "his press office started telling reporters, 'He's teaching Andrew how to play golf.' Now, Andrew's old enough to understand—he has to be aware that his father used him as a beard!"

He was not present, they say, at Andrew's graduation from St. Joseph Regional High School in New Jersey. Now 21 and a Duke University junior, the son tells friends he doesn't speak to Rudy, according to one of his classmates—this at a time when his father is desperate to attract conservative, family-values backing. . . . At Caroline's recent graduation, from New York's Trinity School, Rudy and Judith sat in the last row of the balcony and left 10 minutes before the two-hour ceremony ended.!"

Is it any wonder his kids don't speak to him?

Well, at least Saint Rudy wouldn't besmirch his public service by getting laid on the people's dime like that darned Slick Willy. . . oh, wait. . .

The mayor began to spend his weekends—accompanied, as the New York Post reported, by a detail of detectives, which may have cost taxpayers $3,000 a tryst—in Southampton, where Judith owned a condominium.

And let's see if we hear the same volume and intensity of criticism from those same Catholic windbags (including some Bishops) who went after John Kerry in 2004.

Then again, moral, intellectual or principled consistency never was the rightwing's strong-suit.

Pat Robertson thinks Giuliani is just peachy, "a dear friend and a great leader".

Alberto Gonzoles is not Fredo (and this isn't just about The Godfather

2007-07-30T09:20:00.000-04:00

So, we know from the WashPost expose on Darth Cheney that George Bush's nickname for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is "Fredo".

Anyone who's ever seen the movie will realize that Bush is as illiterate about The Godfather as he is about . . . just about everything else.

Of course, Fredo was the hapless, hopeless, black sheep of the Corleone family, whom the family basically just tried to keep from screwing up, until his naivete and stupidity became an actual threat to the family.

Gonzales is nothing like Fredo, not least because Bush will never send Gonzo "fishing with Al Neri". (which I learned from "the Google" is what a number of knuckle-draggers are now suggesting; here, and here and here).

As Pappy Bush would say, "naaagaaanahapen".

Alberto Gonzales is not Fredo, he's Tattaglia.

Philip Tattaglia was head of one of the five crime families, but more importantly was initially suspected by the Corleones of being responsible for Sonny Corleone's murder ("they shot Sonny on the causeway").

But after a sitdown amongst the heads of all the families that results in Don Vito Corleone and Tattaglia making the peace, Don Vito tells it like it is:

Tattaglia's a pimp. He never could've out-fought Santino. But I didn't know until this day that it was Barzini all along.

And that's where we get back to the Gonzales fiasco, and why calls for impeachment are well-intentioned, certainly deserved, perhaps Constitutionally necessary, but potentially a huge red herring.

Just replace a few words in that Godfather quote:

"[Gonzales is] a pimp. He never could've [cooked up the legal argument to sanction torture, secret prisons and extraordinary renditions]. But I didn't know until this day that it was [Cheney] all along."

"[Gonzales is] a pimp. He never could've [thought to fire any U.S. Attorney who refused to prosecute bogus voter fraud cases to suppress Democratic voter turnout]. But I didn't know until this day that it was [Cheney] all along."

"[Gonzales is] a pimp. He never could've [dreamt up a scheme to get a sedated Attorney General Ashcroft to sign off on an illegal domestic spying program that he opposed when conscious by visiting his hospital bedside]. {{which has it's own Godfather analogy}} But I didn't know until this day that it was [Cheney] all along."

And on and on.

This is why the wingnuts would love to have Gonzo "sleep with the fishes". It's why the Administration can't even bring itself to make a defense of Gonzo on their house organ, Faux News.

They'd love for this to be all about Gonzales and his serial lying and perjury, and have it end there.

But it's not, and it never was. Gonzales is a pimp. Like Tattaglia, he's just the frontman taking the fall for Cheney's, Rove's and Bush's illegal and unconstitutional machinations.

It's not just that he's lying and perjuring himself. It's that he's lying and perjuring himself about the President's, Vice President's and Karl Rove's crimes, specifically to cover up those crimes.

Don't ever forget, when Micheal finally "settled all family business", he didn't stop with offing Tattaglia in bed with his hooker, he took care of Barzini on the courthouse steps.

School Ties

2007-07-27T16:06:00.000-04:00

High School can be great. You learn so much, get to play sports, learn new hobbies like theater etc., and most importantly, make friends for life, a virtual networking bonanza.

It turns out the corrupt NBA ref and his bookie met at Cardinal O'Hara High School.

That'll be an interesting reunion.

Great Moments in Wingnut Punditry

2007-07-27T13:44:00.000-04:00

Today's edition is courtesy of Michael Smerconish, a former plaintiff's attorney who, after sucking on the Rizzo family teat for awhile, found wealth and happiness in wingnut punditry, first on local mouthbreather radio and later on a more national stage.

Today, Mikey's just outraged that Osama Bin Laden is still on the loose.

STOP PUSSYFOOTING - GET OSAMA, our intrepid screacher screaches in allcaps.

But, to whom does the smooth-headed one direct his outrage?

At the Bush Administration who's turned Osama Bin Laden into Osame Bin Forgotten?

The Great and Glorious Leader himself, who's said that he's "not that concerned about [Bin Laden?

At the Bush Adminstration for playing footsie with the country widely believed to be harboring Bin Laden, Pakistan, while deciding to invade and destroy a country that not only had nothing to do with Bin Laden or 9/11, but were ideologically at odds with him?

No, Smerconish is outraged at the questioners in the Presidential debates?!?!?

Yes, he breathlessly implores

Please - somebody running for president - engage the nation on this important subject!

Here's an idea, how about insisting that the person actually running the country now, and for the last 6-1/2 years engage us on this subject?

Is that too much to fucking ask of the guy who's shit on the Constitution and so many of our individual liberties in the name of the War On Terra?

Only in the Catholic Church

2007-07-27T13:15:00.000-04:00

Can you find an Italian-American Cardinal rubbing elbows with the flock at an Irish bar in a racially-mixed, urban-but-revitalizing city neighborhood.

Oh, and something called Theology . . . on Tap!

Culture of Life Lies, Volume IV (Pat Tillman Edition)

2007-07-27T11:20:00.000-04:00

Am I my brother's keeper?

Well, for the culturrralaaf GOP, apparently not if your brother disagrees with your policies.

First, we learned that a U.S. Attorney in Seattle, John McKay, was fired by the Bush/Cheney/Gonzales Justice Department for pushing for more resources to investigate a murder of an assistant U.S. Attorney, Tom Wales. (apparently, McKay had to push for resources and investigation from his superiors because, for obvious reasons, the Seattle U.S.A. Office was recused from the investigation).

Why, you ask, would the DOJ not want to avenge the murder of one of its own? Well, according to a Seattle prosecutor commenting at TPM, it turns out that:

Tom Wales was extremely active in attempting to get tighter gun control laws passed here in Washington.

I bring this up in light of yesterday's revelation that NFL Player - cum - enlistee - cum - combat victim Pat Tillman may not have merely been felled by friendly fire, but by intentional "friendly fire" (aka: MURDER).

It turns out that Tillman's killer plugged three shots from his M-16 into Tillman's forehead at basically point-blank range, execution-style. A doctor who examined Tillman's body concluded that "The medical evidence did not match up with the, with the scenario as described [in the official military cover-story]"

What's more, apparently there was no evidence of any hostile enemy activity at all in the area where Tillman was killed. So what was the possible rationale for Tillman's killer to be locked and loaded at that moment in time in the first place?

Yet, just as with U.S. Attorney Wales, requests for investigations into this murder were rebuffed:

The documents show that a doctor who autopsied Tillman's body was suspicious of the three gunshot wounds to the forehead. The doctor said he took the unusual step of calling the Army's Human Resources Command and was rebuffed. He then asked an official at the Army's Criminal Investigation Division if the CID would consider opening a criminal case.
"He said he talked to his higher headquarters and they had said no," the doctor testified.

In fact, according to the AP story:

Army attorneys sent each other congratulatory e-mails for keeping criminal investigators at bay as the Army conducted an internal friendly-fire investigation that resulted in administrative, or non-criminal, punishments.

Is there a common thread between the Bush Administration's refusal to investigate Wales' murder and their (at best) failure to investigate, or (at worst) intentional cover-up of the question of whether Tillman was murdered?

Well, consider this, from a 2005 San Francisco Chronicle article:

Interviews also show a side of Pat Tillman not widely known — a fiercely independent thinker who enlisted, fought and died in service to his country yet was critical of President Bush and opposed the war in Iraq, where he served a tour of duty. He was an avid reader whose interests ranged from history books on World War II and Winston Churchill to works of leftist Noam Chomsky, a favorite author.

The phrase "through the looking glass" gets thrown around alot. But my God, it seems like every week (sometimes several times a week) a new revelation confirms, or at least strongly supports, allegations/concerns/fears that were previously dismissed as "tin-foil hat", "lunatic fringe" etc.

How morally bankrupt can an Administration be to calously disregard the murder of people who'd sworn themselves to defend the Constitution, the Laws of the Land, and the Safety of this country (things the Administration was supposed to be defending as well) just because the murder victims disagreed with the Administration's politics?

Maybe Sara Taylor didn't misspeak, and the do really take an "oath to defend George Bush".

Not a good day for the Catholic Theocons

2007-07-26T10:50:00.000-04:00

Well, well, well, get ready for the Catholic theocons to get their chastity belts in a knot.

It seems that Pope Benedict believes that the false dichotomy set up by creationists between evolution and faith is "an absurdity".

Oh, and that argument about evolution being just a "theory"? According the Pope, not so much:

because on one hand there is much scientific proof in favor of evolution, which appears as a reality that we must see and which enriches our understanding of life and being as such.

Or, to be even more blunt: "Evolution exists"

The Holy Father merely pointed out what nearly all scientists themselves acknowledge, that evolution does not even attempt to address the origin of life:

"[Evolution], but it is not enough to answer the great questions," such as how human beings came to exist and why human beings have an inherent dignity, he said.

For those rightwing Catholics that believe the faith amounts to nothing more than loving fetuses and hating fags, the Pope reminds us of another moral imperative: protection of the environment:

Everyone today can see that man could destroy the foundation of his existence -- his earth -- and, therefore, we can no longer simply use this earth, this reality entrusted to us, to do what we want or what appears useful and promising at the moment, but we must respect the inherent laws of creation

Oh, and the Pope had something to say to those who rail against the influx of immigrants from Muslim nations, and have an aneurysm whenever someone with so much as a dark tan moves into the neighborhood. The Pope pointed out that we should:

recognize these persons as neighbors to be loved

Finally, the Pope is reported to have said that the Christian call to evangelization is not simply lecturing people about a collection of doctrines, but means living a life of hope and love of neighbor, and spread the faith by explaining Jesus Christ is the source of the hope that enervates that love.

For all of the rap he gets about some of his positions, Pope Benedict truly believes that we should celebrate our Catholic faith, not mourn it, and see God as a blessing, not a burden.

That's something that folks like Tom ("Kool-Aid ain't just for Protestants") Monaghan could learn from.

Oh, and the guy can rock a pair of sunglasses, too.

Impeachment

2007-07-26T10:06:00.000-04:00

Josh Marshall, founder of TPM, is the latest blogger to drop his resistance to calling for Impeachment of this utterly corrupt, criminal administration.

I have one point of disagreement however. Josh introduces his post by asserting that, in his mind, a practical reason against Impeachment is the fact that we're so close to 2008 and the end of Bush's term. To be fair, Josh characterizes this as a "minor" reason.

With all due respect, the fact that 2008 is so close is one of the principal reason in favor of initiating Impeachment proceedings now.

Stated simply, Bush should be Impeached, not despite the looming 2008 elections, but because of them.

More than anyone, Josh has pointed out that the underlying criminality in the U.S. Attorney Purge scandal was the Republican attempts at voter suppression amongst likely Democratic constituencies generally, and minority votes specifically.

Just this week, the WashPo revealed how far Karl Rove went in politicizing every aspect of the government, going so far as to give political briefings to the peace corps!

One would be naive to assume that the GOP machine isn't continuing these efforts vigorously, now, as we speak, to steal the 2008 election, both on the presidential as well as congressional and senatorial levels.

And that's assuming there is a 2008 election. You know, it used to just be the fringe bloggers who warned that Bush would just cancel the 2008 elections. But arch-conservative constitutional scholar Bruce Fein was on Countdown last night, and pointed out that Bush and Cheney have claimed the right to impose martial law within the U.S., on the premise that the entire country is a battlefield in the war-on-terra.

Those bloggers are seeming a little less finge-y these days. Who'd believe a sitting President would declare martial law and cancel an election so he could hold onto power? Well, who'd believe a sitting President would claim that the Department of Justice is prohibited from pursuing contempt citations referred to it by the United States Congress? Who'd believe that a sitting Vice President would claim to not be part of the Executive Branch, except when he wants to shield himself with executive privilege (at which point he claims that he is part of the Executive Branch) and at other times claim that he's some phantom 4th branch of government altogether? Who'd believe that an Administration would assert the right to undefinitely detain American citizens without any due process whatsoever?

No one has ever gone broke taking the over vote on BushCo's mendacity, audacity and blatant criminality.

A lot of shit has gone down over these last 6-1/2 years, and we still don't know what was so fucked up about the domestic spying program that it prompted the entire top tier of the Justice Department, including Crisco, to threaten to resign. Do you think Cheney will ever let any of that see the light of day if he has anything to say about it? That's why they have to guarantee either a Republican succession or, failing that, an illegal continuation of the Bush Administration. Their last hope would be any Democratic Administration that wins in '08 deciding to "move on" and refuse to dig into all of this (the way the Democrats dropped the ball in '92 after Iran Contra). In that regard, ironically, Bush/Cheney's best hope for a Democratic successor is probably Hillary Clinton!

We need Impeachment now to get these issues on the table, so that when the GOP attempt the voter suppresion/stealing efforts that they undoubtedly will, even their Beltway syncophants and court stenographers at the WashPo, NYTimes, MSGOP et al will be forced to take note, even if just to say "can you believe they're still trying to do this, while Bush/Cheney are being Impeached for doing it last time?"

The general impression of the Clinton Administration amongst a large number of the non-political-junkie class (and a disturbing number of even political junkies) is one of widespread scandal and corruption. This, despite the fact that only something like one conviction ever came out of those 8 years.

Clearly, the public cannot distinguish between actual scandal and the repeated, relentless accusations of scandal (no matter how unfounded). The public needs to see front page stories of another contempt citation, or accusation of perjury every fucking day.

Is there such a thing as "scandal fatigue"? Sure. But who does that adversely affect? The party being accused of all of the scandals, not the party doing the accusing.

The GOP lost seats during the Clinton Administration because they threatened to shut down the government rather than pass legislation that would actually help large numbers of people, not because of their relentless unfounded attacks on Bill Clinton.

Culture of Life Lies, Volume III (Tom Monaghan Edition)

2007-07-24T11:20:00.000-04:00

Hey look, we Catholics are getting our own Jonestown!!!

It turns out that Dominos Pizza founder Thomas Monaghan is a huge Catholic wingnut. Tommy-Two-Pies-For-$15.99 has helped bankroll the domestic terrorist organization "Operation Rescue" for years, set up his own law school, and is now building his own private town in Florida.

Only, it turns out Tommy-Three-Toppings-for-$17.99 didn't realize you can't just build a town and keep out businesses that sell contraception, ban pornography altogether, and restrict ownership to Catholics (or any other religious group for that matter).

And, I'm guessing, they wouldn't want any of this:

Here's a precious quote:

“I thought we owned the real estate, so we can lease to whoever we want and put things in the contract, but there are laws and there were lawsuits out there,” Monaghan said.

Well given that Tommy-Stuffed-Crust has claimed that "the town would be governed by Roman Catholic principles", he might wanna, you know, consult those principles from time to time. Although, to be fair to Tommy-Three-Cheese, the Church hides those principles pretty well in a 928 page tome called The Catechism of the Catholic Church!!!

If Tommy-Deep-Dish could stop counting his pizza money long enough to crack open the Catechism, he might learn that:

1935 The equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it:

Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design.40

Oh, and those pesky "laws" that Tommy-Tomato-Pie (who owns a fucking law school!!!) wasn't aware of? Yeah, those are provided for in the Catechism too:

2406 Political authority has the right and duty to regulate the legitimate exercise of the right to ownership for the sake of the common good.188

Thanks to Zuzu, by way of LGM to the link.

(oh, and a quick stroll through Googleville on "ave maria lawschool" and "monaghan" will show you the controversy created when Tommy-Breadsticks moved the lawschool, and other shenanigans.

Separated at Birth?

2007-07-23T13:21:00.000-04:00

Why is it that, sooner or later, the right-wingers all end up looking like the Evil Emperor?

Somtimes. . .

2007-07-22T10:08:00.000-04:00

The word CUNT is just appropriate.

And, yes, I'm referring to the blond knuckledragger and Pay-Per-View Willard himself.

Just when things are looking bleak . . .

2007-07-20T14:28:00.000-04:00

A useless, unjust, immoral war in Iraq . . .

An ignored war in Afghanistan where Osama Bin Forgotten is just getting stronger and more dangerous . . .

Bush practically declaring himself King and no one caring . . .

Global warming . . .

Those fucking Phillies . . .

When all seems lost, lookie what I found on ESPNClassic:

That's right. Reruns of Kiana's Flex Appeal!

My friends, Life. . . . is Good!

What's the big deal?

2007-07-20T14:21:00.000-04:00

Is this news?

I mean, didn't Bush pretty much "transfer power to Cheney" on, oh about inauguration day? Or was it when Cheney selected himself to be Vice President?

Well

2007-07-19T11:14:00.000-04:00

He did promise to be a "uniter, not a divider":

"I am Shiite," Ali said. "My uncles and cousins were murdered by Saddam's regime. I wanted desperately to get rid of him. But today, if Saddam's feet appeared in front of me, I would fall to my knees and kiss them!"

None of the above

2007-07-17T12:30:00.000-04:00

That's whose leading the GOP primary race according to this poll.

How long will be until the wingnuts start the chant "Run, Dick, run".

And, if Darth Cheney actually does get the nomination, wouldn't be he barred by the 22nd Amendment?

I mean, does anyone seriously contest the fact that he's "a person" who has "acted as President for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President"?

Skin to Win!!!

2007-07-17T11:44:00.000-04:00

That was the slogan at The Candy Store when I did Fort Lauderdale for Spring Break back in '89.

Now, I find out that "teh gays" are taking over? Really? And that'll make FL less family friendly?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not fan of public-restroom sex. The smell of urinal cakes just doesn't do it for me. But I don't think robotic toilets that open after "only a short time" are a good idea.

I mean, maybe it's the decades of reading, playing handheld video games, and other assorted non-dirty "quiet time" activities, but sometimes it just take me longer to pinch one out than other times. Trust me, having the toilet door swing open mid-push wouldn't be good for anyone.

And FL Mayor Jim Naugle assures us that the time the toilet doors stay closed isn't long enough for "illegal sex". Which I guess takes longer than "legal sex". I suppose "legal but kinda icky sex" falls somewhere inbetween.

And speaking of Naugle, does this look like a guy who takes long to finish (teh sex I mean, not the poopy):

I also like how he refers to the public-restroom plague (which local law enforcement officials deny) as "homosexual activity. It reminds me of the old joke: a guy gets up off his knees and says to the other guy, "oh my, did I just perform a homosexual act on you?" The other guy says, "Liberace performs homosexual acts, you just blew me." . . . Is this thing on? . . . . hello? . . . Is this an audience or an oil-painting?

Anyway, I'm guessing Jimmy Naugle is okay with Senator Vitter at the beach:

As long as his whore dresses him in a swim diaper (no Baby Ruth's on Jimmy Naugle's beach!)

Hmmm, that Mormon Boy sure is purrrty.

2007-07-17T11:28:00.000-04:00

Damn, we progressives may be alittle too pro-gay-rights for the wingnuts, but at least we don't wear makeup!

Culture of Life Lies, Volume II (Death Penalty Edition)

2007-07-17T11:07:00.000-04:00

Today's edition can be summed up by the ever-popular "What Digby Said".

I would only note that Digby's view on the death penalty (i.e. that it should only be used in self-defense), is precisely the Catholic Church's view:

"2267
Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.
If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.
Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity "are very rare, if not practically nonexistent."68
And this is precisely the view rejected by the Cultrrralaaf GOP.

Culture of Life Lies, Volume 1 (Screw the Children Edition)

2007-07-16T16:24:00.000-04:00

If they could just find a way to insure fetuses, maybe Cultrrralaaf Bush wouldn't veto it.

Let's get this straight.

This program insured as many as 7.4 million children, (and sweet Jesus, aren't those rightwingers always so concerned about the chillun?!?) last year.

It's set to expire on September 30th.

A bipartisan plan in the Senate Finance Committe would expand the program to cover an additional 4.1 million currently uninsured children, all for just $35 billion over the next five years (or $7 billion extra a year).

A White House spokesman said "“The proposal would dramatically expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program, adding nonpoor children to the program, and more than doubling the level of spending,”.

And, no, that wasn't praise for the program, but a criticism. Because God-for-fucking-bid more former-fetuses get health insurance in this country. No, that's not a Culture of Life issue at all.

The Senate proposes funding the expansion of the program with an increase in the federal excise tax on cigarettes, raising the tax from $0.39 to $1.00 per pack.

Predictably, the White House says "Tax increases are neither necessary nor advisable to fund the program appropriately.”

Well here's an idea, asshole. We're burning $12 billion a month in Iraq and Afghanistan ($10 billion in Iraq alone).

That means that health insurance could be extended to 4.1 million children each year for what it costs Bush to kill people in Iraq for 3 weeks. If the asshole gave the Iraq War the kind of vacations he usually takes, the SCHIP program could be funded in perpetuity.

The GOP, protecting life from conception to natural birth.

Tony, Tony, Tony

2007-07-13T22:06:00.000-04:00

How can you be this full of shit, even after ass-cancer?

And, Tony? If you get brain cancer, that's just a horrible tragedy. If you get prostate cancer, well, that's just a risk of male aging.

But when you get a "hitter in the shitter", that's God sending you a message, my friend.

"not a very ladylike manner"

2007-07-13T15:10:00.000-04:00

What kind of fucking uptight world do we live in when a 22-year-old has to apologize for having fun with her friends?

Look, when I think about my daughters growing up, spreading eagle in a limo isn't the image that comes to mind. But thank God I hit 22 before digital cameras, camera-phones, and the internets. Otherwise, who knows what kind of pictures you'd see.

But I know I can't micro-manage their lives, so I'm hoping to just instill a few principles that I hope will keep them in good stead. One of those principles is for them to own their own shit (don't worry, I'll put in better Dr. Phil-ese for them). Whatever they do, I just want them to do it on their own terms, and not because their friends or peers or some collar-turned-up-striped-polo-shirt-wearing frat boys goads them into anything.

I don't want them to ever do (or not do) anything because of how they think it'll make someone else think about/act toward/treat them.

When people tell others (usually women and children) that they should "respect themselves", what they really mean is that they should live by whatever authoritarian-imposed standard they've had enforced on themselves and that they're now projecting onto everyone else.

And fuck you Matt Lauer for playing Torquemada. Asking "what would you think if you were in [the pageant officials'] shoes?" You know what I'd think if I was in the pageant officials' shoes? I'd re-examine my whole fucking existince and wonder what got me to the point of making a career out of exploiting teen and barely-legal young women and calling it a "scholarship contest".

And for all you "what will the children think" rightwingers, don't forget, this is our "first daughter":

But, were they cloth or disposable?

2007-07-13T14:57:00.000-04:00

But hey, lay off the guy, after all it was "an especially festive day".

That's right. Some of us unserious Catholics spend Fat Tuesday getting in our last chocolate or caffeine or smokes or whatever other conventional vices we give up for Lent. Those of us with a more pre-The Confessions-Augustinian bent spend Fat Tuesday tossing beads and yelling "skin-to-win."

But you gotta give this guy Vitter credit. He's a right-winger, so you know he's a "real" Catholic, not like that Kerry guy. He spends the last day before the Great Penitential Season getting diapered (and God-only-knows what else) by a whore.

Gotta love the party of the Culturalife.

Vacation, all I Never wanted?

2007-07-13T14:09:00.000-04:00

According to this AP article more and more people are "choosing" not to take vacations, at least the 2- and 3-week types of vacations many of us may have grown up with.

Instead, people are opting for either vacations lasting a week or less, or eschewing the idea of week-long vacations altogether, in favor of taking "off" a few hours here, a half-day there, a three day weekend now and then, etc.

A quarter of those people surveyed said they felt discouraged from taking vacations by their bosses. I'd be willing to bet that the actual chilling effect is much greater, and probably much more subconscious.

As more and more people become employed as "knowledge workers" as opposed to traditional manufacturing and service industries, the whole concept of workload changes and with it the vacation dynamic.

"Knowledge work" simply isn't fungible. Someone who works in retail doesn't have to worry about coming back from vacation to find a big pile of unsold TVs just waiting for him or her to deal with. The short-order cook doesn't have to worry about a stack of raw hash browns or uncooked eggs piling up while they're gone. Presumably, if they're lucky enough to get (and afford) vacation [a quite separate and equally troubling issue], someone else steps in to take care of that work.

The typical "knowledge worker" now has to spend a good deal of the week or two before a vacation trying to reduce the number of land-mines that might blow up while they're gone. They have to spend the first few days after vacation cleaning up the mess that's accumulated while they were away, including hundreds of e-mails, voicemails, memos and general piles of shit that land on their desks.

Perhaps we've lost the ability to appreciate leisure and leisure-time because our society places absolutely no value on it whatsoever. Not only is leisure not treasured, it's derided as "laziness" or "slacking off".

I don't think the people in the survey reported in this article are making conscious, voluntary decisions in favor of shorter "mini-vacations" as they are using these "mini-vacations" as a passive-aggressive response to the fact that they've had the traditional vacation taken away from them.

Shhh, Don't Tell Zach, But . . .

2007-04-10T14:47:00.000-04:00

After winning the Masters yesterday Zach Johnson said, “My Christian faith is very important to me. It was very special to win the Masters golf tournament on Easter Sunday. I am very blessed. I would like to thank God. I felt Jesus Christ with me on the golf course every step of the way.”

I don't think they let Jews into Augusta.

Call M. Night Shyamalan . . . .

2007-04-04T13:51:00.000-04:00

If I can see dead people, does that mean, I'm dead too?!?!?

And I always knew that behind every small pathetic bush lurks a menacing cheney.

Separated at birth?

2007-03-28T14:48:00.000-04:00

Peter Lattman must be suffering from "shrinkage" . . .

2007-03-28T12:27:00.000-04:00

All I can say is, what a douchebag.

Substitute the genders in his rant, and these "complicated issues" he finds indict just about the entire law firm culture partnership track and rainmaking.

Funny though, thimble-dick never complained about this when it was just "the guys."

Now that's crazy talk

2007-03-28T12:03:00.000-04:00

Ms. What's so Bad 'Bout Concentration Camps (as long as their ours), worries about "the imposition of sharia principles and sharia law in the Halls of Congress".

Shit, that could never happen here.

Hullabaloooooo (or, what Digby said) . . .

2007-03-28T11:11:00.000-04:00

McCain in Neverland

Republican Family Values at Work . . .

2007-03-26T10:59:00.000-04:00

And his handling of 9/11 is supposed to be serial-spouse Guiliani's selling point?

Well, at least he kept a few of the remains out of the potholes to wrap himself in come election time.

Asshole.

Like the swallows with Capistrano. . .

2007-03-22T15:57:00.000-04:00

The so-called baseball experts return again this Spring to pick the Phillies to go far.

Beerleaguer provides the well-deserved, but all-to-unnecessary, splash of cold water on that one.

Attaturk's right . . . .

2007-03-22T15:32:00.000-04:00

And we're going to need a pretty big courtroom for the legal malpractice action.
We are all his clients, you know.

Someone unplug Dimbulb's DVD player, please,

2007-03-22T14:40:00.000-04:00

Do you think Bush actually walks around calling Tony Snow "Grand Moff"?

Snow this morning on ABC:

"The executive branch is under no compulsion to testify to Congress, because Congress in fact doesn't have oversight ability."

And a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away:

"The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been sweptaway. . . . Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station."

Does he have a fucking poster in his bedroom?!?

Um, Joe, remember . . .

2007-03-13T16:35:00.000-04:00

You're a whore, not a pimp.

Give It A Name

Why Republicans are Scum (Governor's Edition), Volume 2

Why Republicans are Scum (112th Congress Edition), Volume 3

"In some ways, that's sort of a talking point," Kline told Anderson. "There will be those who campaigned on that language. I'm not sure they always know what it means."

Why Republicans are Scum (Governor's Edition), Volume 1

Why Republicans are Scum (112th Congress Edition), Volume 2

If Obama, like then-President Bill Clinton did after the 1994 midterms, responds to the mandate from voters and understands he can’t disregard it, then he thinks Obama will do well.“If he doesn’t, he will shut government down,” Walberg said.

Why Republicans are Scum (Presidential Edition), Volume 1

In his book, titled "Decision Points," Bush recounts being asked by the CIA whether it could proceed with waterboarding Mohammed, who Bush said was suspected of knowing about still-pending terrorist plots against the United States. Bush writes that his reply was "Damn right"

"Pro-Life" Domestic Terrorists

Why Republicans are Scum (112th Congress Edition), Volume 1

Back in Business

WFC

There Really Are No More Heroes

Someone Didn't Get The "In Re: 2-Piece" Memo:

I've Got To Start Watching More Ice-Skating

I've Got Nothin'

I Guess They Shouldn't Have Made Such a Big Deal Over the Cake

Words That Don't Matter Anymore

How Could You Not Let Someone Like This Into the Hall of Fame?

To this day and dating back 25 years, before every game he plays, Henderson stands completely naked in front of a full length locker room mirror and says, “Ricky’s the best,” for several minutes.

Tell Me Again Which Party Is "Tough On Crime"

In Other Words, Nothing Like His Administration

Through much of his tenure, Bush predicted the couple would spend their days in Crawford after leaving the White House. The plan now is weekends at the ranch, weekdays in Dallas, where Laura Bush picked out an 8,500-square-foot home on a secluded Preston Hollow cul-de-sac.

Bush's immediate plans include raising funds for the library. He'll start work on a memoir, likely to include his recollections of Sept. 11, 2001.

Submitted Without Comment

Priorities

An Asshole To The End

Those Damn Auto Workers' Unions, Uh, Wait, What?

TOKYO — Toyota Motor will idle its plants in Japan for 11 days in February and March to reduce output in the face of steeply declining global vehicle sales, the company said Tuesday.

If Pickles wants to get paid . . .

Several publishers, who did make the trek to the White House in mid-November for the presentations, said that the First Lady gave away very little about what a book would contain and that she seemed unwilling to discuss it further.

The Agenda - House Version

Happy New Year, Bitchez . . . The Agenda

Holy Shit, John McCain was Right!

It's Been a Long 8 Years' Coming

Intelligent Design My Ass

Hi Ho Cindy!!!!!!

Bruce Springsteen to Play Superbowl Halftime Show

Never, Ever Forget

It's Cover Your Ass Day

Fucking People, Every Godamn One of Them, Vol I (Work Hard, Play Hard Edition)

Happy Anniversary Pixie!

Culture of Life Lies, Volume VII(a) (Habeas Corpus is for Pussies, and Catholics, Except on the Supreme Court, Edition)

The recruitment of terrorists in fact is easier in situations where rights are trampled and injustices are tolerated over a long period of time." Id at Para 514.

Culture of Life Lies, Volume VII (Habeas Corpus is for Pussies Edition)

America is at war with radical Islamists. The enemy began by killing Americans and American allies abroad: 241 at the Marine barracks in Lebanon, 19 at the KhobarTowers in Dhahran, 224 at our embassies

It has threatened further attacks against our homeland; one need only walk about buttressed and barricaded Washington, or board a plane anywhere in the country, to know that the threat is a serious one.

The game of bait-and-switch that today’s opinion plays upon the Nation’s Commander in Chief will make the war harder on us. It will almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed.

I always knew

Separated at Birth?

Hop on my Straight "Talk" Express . . .

Oh, the irony. . . .

Stupid Republican Wives . . .

Quick show of hands . . .

My love! My love! My love! Myyyyyyyyyy

The Straight-Bullshit Express motors on

Praising Presidents Past

$3.50 a gallon, or, "jawbone this, asshole"

"And," he said in direct advice to Clinton, "the president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the prices."

But, Facially, Antonin Scalia is a shithead

Remember how bad Saddam Hussein was?

"Results not typical" . . . or The Power of Visualization

Please, let it be Mitt, and thanks Huck.

And while the Mormons have Mitt . . .

Sorry Mitt, that's not going to cut it

"I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the savior of mankind,"

Birds-Blogging: Sooooo close

Never, ever forget . . .

You're now free to wear a burka . . . .

Southwest explained its treatment of Ebbert in a letter to her mother, saying it could remove any passenger “whose clothing is lewd, obscene or patently offensive” to ensure the comfort of children and “adults with heightened sensitivities.”

BTW,

Birds-Blogging

Britney-Blogging

Babe-Blogging, Hall of Fame Edition

Countdown to 9/11

Culture of Life Lies, Volume VI (Black Sites Edition)

Agency scientists found that in just a few hours some subjects suspended in water tanks—or confined in isolated rooms wearing blacked-out goggles and earmuffs—regressed to semi-psychotic states.

a former brick factory, just north of Kabul, known as the Salt Pit. The latter became infamous for the 2002 death of a detainee, reportedly from hypothermia, after prison officials stripped him naked and chained him to the floor of his concrete cell, in freezing temperatures.

“takeout” of prisoners as a carefully choreographed twenty-minute routine, during which a suspect was hog-tied, stripped naked, photographed, hooded, sedated with anal suppositories, placed in diapers, and transported by plane to a secret location.

If Obama, like then-President Bill Clinton did after the 1994 midterms, responds to the mandate from voters and understands he can’t disregard it, then he thinks Obama will do well.
“If he doesn’t, he will shut government down,” Walberg said.

America is at war with radical Islamists. The enemy began by killing Americans and American allies abroad: 241 at the Marine barracks in Lebanon, 19 at the Khobar
Towers in Dhahran, 224 at our embassies