Monday, May 31, 2010

Tony Hayward it starting to make Don Blankenship

Look like the soul of discretion -- 'Hey Tony, why are so many of the fisherman you hired to operate in oiled and chemically treated water getting sick?'

It certainly can't be the oil or dispersant?

Tony Hayward, the chief executive officer of BP, offered another explanation for the fishermen's illness: spoiled food.

"Food poisoning is clearly a big issue," Hayward said Sunday. "It's something we've got to be very mindful of. It's one of the big issues of keeping the Army operating. You know, the Army marches on their stomachs."

An expert on foodborne illness cast doubt on Hayward's theory.

Good job Bibi

The death toll keeps climbing in the wake of a stupid and unconscionable (and latest) bit of overreaction from the Israelis upon a Turkish ship carrying aid to the embargoed Palestinians. The attack occurred in international waters.

Watch the right rally around whatever spin is necessary to make this anyone but Israel's fault. They'll blame Obama before they blame Netenyahu, patriots that they are.

...but for now, there will be hell to pay.

UPDATE: Spin away Bibi, but it's going to be hard to make this into a terribly violent group...

Named the Freedom Flotilla and led by the Free Gaza Movement and a Turkish organization, Insani Yardim Vakfi, the convoy was the most ambitious attempt yet to break Israel’s three-year blockade of Gaza.

About 600 passengers were said to be aboard the vessels, including the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Mairead Corrigan-Maguire of Northern Ireland, and a Holocaust survivor, Hedy Epstein, 85.

“What we have seen this morning is a war crime,” said Saeb Erakat, the chief Palestinian negotiator for the government in the West Bank. “These were civilian ships carrying civilians and civilian goods — medicine, wheelchairs, food, construction materials.”

Modernity's Black Death

As yet another effort to stop the worst oil disaster in history failed, one couldn't help but notice how tragically fitting it continued over the weekend of Memorial Day.

For what are the symbols of our Memorial Day Weekend but two large auto races where hundreds of thousands travel great distances in gas-guzzlers to watch other vast quantities of oil propel a series of never ending left-turns (the only left-turns tolerated in America, apparently)?

Before each race, we are told to pause to remember those American kids who are sent abroad to "protect our way of life" (via James Dobson at one, who personally thanked Jesus for NASCAR) meaning we stay out of car pools, buses, and other forms of mass transit.

Memorial Day is purportedly about remembering the sacrifice of others -- what have we often sacrificed those others for? The history of the last 100 years could accurately be described as too often meaning red blood being spent for black oil. Two world wars; the exploitation of and resulting resentment by a culture leading to global terrorism; innumerable environmental catastrophes all have oil being a major cause.

Oil may have helped make modern America, but it didn't exactly make America "free".

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Iowa's shame

No great idiot or bigger asshole in the Congress than Steve King, thanks Northwest Iowa.

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) issued a press release today that partially blames Muslims for the Department of Justice's attempts to challenge Arizona's controversial new immigration law.

"The ACLU, SEIU and the Muslim American Society are calling the shots at the Justice Department," the press release says


Shut your gob for once.

What can you even say any more?

Top Kill failed, sea bottom kill probably pretty much finished.

One has a feeling if there's a Forest Gump 2 (please, no!), Tony Hayward is going to be in the background while Forest catches oiled dead shrimp.

Internal documents from BP show that there were serious problems and safety concerns with the Deepwater Horizon rig far earlier than those the company described to Congress last week. The problems involved the well casing and the blowout preventer, which are considered critical pieces in the chain of events that led to the disaster on the rig.

The documents show that in March, after several weeks of problems on the rig, BP was struggling with a loss of "well control." And as far back as 11 months ago, it was concerned about the well casing and the blowout preventer.

Who cares, he's already obtained the IOKIYAR Medal

Probably not be too over reported and shit:

The Republican candidate for President Obama's old Senate seat has admitted to inaccurately claiming he received the U.S. Navy's Intelligence Officer of the Year award for his service during NATO's conflict with Serbia in the late 1990s.

Rep. Mark Kirk, a Navy reservist who was elected to Congress in 2001, acknowledged the error in his official biography after The Washington Post began looking into whether he had received the prestigious award, which is given by top Navy officials to a single individual annually.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

The unbearable corruptness

Of an unpaid advisory position.

It's truly the most corrupt thing EVAH!

I remember as a child, my father offering me a chance to not be grounded in exchange for cleaning my room.

So you see, I too, was a victim of an unspeakable crime.

Remember all that "teleprompter" and Obama bullshit?

FoxNews employees cannot accomplish even that task.

Fox News anchor Clayton Morris called himself the wrong name Friday -- twice!...

"Hey there everyone, I'm Steve Doocy, this is your Fox Flash," Morris said.

At the end of the segment, he did it again.

"That's your morning Fox Flash, I'm Steve Doocy," he said.

A Fox News insider says, "It was wishful thinking on Morris' part, and executives didn't find it amusing."


Other than say, Brian Kilmeade, who the fuck wishes to be Steve Doocy?

The Drill-baby-Drill files

Funny how Bobby Jindal is getting a free pass on all this off-shore drilling thing -- I suppose it would be the same if a volcano suddenly sprung up in the Gulf too.

In the words of Stephen A. Smith, HOW-EVAH!

Sun., Dec . 10, 2006

WASHINGTON - Hours before adjourning for the year, the U.S. Congress on Saturday sent President George W. Bush legislation that would open 8.3 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico to oil and natural gas drilling and redistribute billions of dollars in royalties to four Gulf states...

Rep. Bobby Jindal, a Louisiana Republican and one of the drilling measure's main supporters, said Bush will sign the bill into law.


To be fair, the Deepwater Horizon wasn't birthed from that bill, but it is of a part. The legacy of this spill has Republican prints all over it, including the lax regulation and inspection (and lax is being king, criminal is being accurate). Obama inherits the clean up and is responsible for it. In a way, truly a metaphor for our times -- Republicans criticizing Democrats for cleaning up their messes.

Good analogy

FoxNews is sort of like the whoopie cushion of news.



Besides, I pretty much figured Gretchen Carlson let's it rip during commercial breaks constantly.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Just like East Germany

I, for one, think it is terrible that Sarah Palin built a wall just to keep Bristol from getting out at night.

What ever happened to chastity belts?

...oh, right.



Pic from Huffington Post.

Mullet

Apparently the world's best known non-wrestler/non-Canadian with a mullet has gotten rid of it because his fiance asked him to (O:20 to 0:45 is very funny, Packer fans will naturally have to disagree, even if the joke isn't about the Packers (wooo!)).



But as I was saying, at least forever there will be a great Canadian eternally sporting a mullet:

"Without the base alloy of hypocrisy"



via Huffington Post

I can't believe it!

The Twins managed to win a fucking game against the fucking Yankees.

Impeach Lincoln!

The Republicans are taking their Texas School Board approved history to ever lamer heights.

"Obama's in bed with the Oil Industry", says Sarah "Drill-Baby-Drill" Palin, who apparently doesn't appreciate other politicians getting, at best, sloppy seconds.

And now, self-described not crazy Republican (damning self-praise) Darrell Issa thinks it's always criminal to offer politicians political jobs, so they don't run against you or your guy. In which case Mr. Issa better get out a bill to take down the Lincoln Memorial.

Because in the Summer of 1864 to secure his renomination and placate the left-wing of the Republican Party (hard to believe there was such a time) Lincoln dangled the name of his former Treasury Secretary and major nomination challenger Salmon Chase as being a good replacement for dying Chief Justice Roger B. Taney. Shortly after reelection he did so. Quid pro Quo ladies and gentlemen.

So, Mr. Issa, when are you going to move to take down that memorial?

[somewhat cross-posted at Firedoglake]

Thursday, May 27, 2010

If you're going to pull numbers out of

Ironically, your ass.

Then, I'll give you some numbers.

I've heard of five guys (all guys) who belong to the Family Research Council. This douchebag, James Dobson, Ted Haggard, George Rikers Rekers, and Tony Perkins.

40% of those guys solicit gay prostitutes.
20% of those guys take showers with their young sons so they can show them their wangs.
The same 20% when not beating their privates, take it out on their dachshund. I'm surprised this compatriot hasn't joined up.

On the other hand



Making "false statements which cause U.S. combat operations" makes you a fuckin' hero.









Another future candidate for the Texas Schoolboard

Ah, the things conservatives know about history:

Hitler recruited around him homosexuals to make up his Stormtroopers, they were his enforcers, they were his thugs. And Hitler discovered that he could not get straight soldiers to be savage and brutal and vicious enough to carry out his orders


Yeah, asshole, when the Einsatzgruppen got done at Babi Yar they went off to sing Rogers & Hart.

Jesus, y'know why Hitler was so easily able to pass off killing Ernst Rohm?

In a speech on July 13, Hitler alluded to Röhm's homosexuality and explained the purge as chiefly defence against treason.


Hitler and the Nazis, they loved gay people so much they gave 'em their own uniforms!


Always ready to be there to offend


When does this come with the video in the g-string and pasties?

The questions on the ads aren't subtle: Leaving Islam? Fatwa on your head? Is your family threatening you?

...Pamela Geller, who leads an organization called Stop Islamization of America, said the ads were meant to help provide resources for Muslims who are fearful of leaving the faith.

"It's not offensive to Muslims, it's religious freedom," she said


Because we all know, Pamela 'Atlas Shrugs' Geller is NEVER offended by anything. So THIS is not offensive, it's about religious freedom.

Funny, I thought he was going to be chasin' the ladies

Justice Souter may be retired, but he still works


Actually, good for him.

I encourage, Scalia and Thomas to do the same thing -- without the work part.

Feelin' like 2003

If this was the last Administration we clearly would have had White House talking points issued to FoxNews (followed by other nets naturally) to ignore this whole Gulf oil situation and focus on how the North Koreans are the greatest threat to humanity ever, this side of Iran.

And, of course, any criticism of the White House handling of ANYTHING was giving "aid and comfort" to the enemy.

Stop me if you've heard this before

Hey look everybody, everything is looking like it's no problem -- yet again!

BP Plc Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said on Wednesday it appears drilling mud, not oil, was gushing from a ruptured undersea well six hours into an effort to halt a month-old oil spill.


And we've no reason to ever doubt their word, so surely this means the corner has been turned and we can go back to being eviscerated by big banks again. Or maybe not them alone.

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Oh dear...

I do hope that the trivial news of an Oil Company trying to kill each and everyone of us doesn't detract from the really important news.

Another South Carolinian Republican having sexual relations with someone other than their spouse.

And with a blogger to boot. Yes, that's the real news, a blogger, let alone a conservative one, getting laid.

Well in that case

Since it's good enough for John Derbyshire, dead people are giving me blurbs too:


"Once I got over the fact I may not have been looking at a creation of the Devil on this thing called the internet, I realized that not only was this the only blog I have ever looked at -- as I have no idea what a blog is - it is the greatest blog I have ever looked at. Hey look at me, understanding English and all.

Now, tell me what a blow job is."

- Martin Luther, 1483-1546


"I am pleased that I am still in the hearts of those countrymen who have heard of me, all 3% of you, except for the occasional black person -- my sincerest apologies. Nice job on the foreign entanglements by the way -- that is what you kids call "snark" I am verily informed, like that biography someone made of me (only 1 set of balls btw, I cannot tell a lie -- though I was hung like a goddamned horse!). And this "blog" thing seems to have, for the most part, legible words and phrases -- though this QWERTY thing should die.

Now, tell me what a blow job is."

- George Washington, 1732-1799


"Who gives a shit about your blog. They burned me motherfuckers! Suck on that one Lindsay Lohan!"
- Joan d'Arc, 1412-1431


"It seems a pretty awesome blog, but then again, I thought it was just a big fucking wooden horse."
- King Priam

That's rich

Although who could blame Obama for following the prescription:

"He needs to take a Valium before he comes in and talks to Republicans," Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told reporters. "He's pretty thin-skinned."


This from the man who sat on known Bush Administration lies about the alleged basis for invading Iraq for more than four years.

And it's Obama that's thin-skinned.

Meanwhile, in the next victory for bipartisanship (let's see that's no public option, not enough stimulus, more off-shore drilling, more time in Iraq, more time in Afghanistan, and coming soon reforming social security...) comes this.

The compromise on repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell (or as the blogaratti call it DADT) has resulted in a LOSS of votes.

80% of the country wants DADT repealed, you should NOT have to compromise.

Jesus, it's your heart that supposed to have the creamy center, NOT your spine.

Here's a thought

Nobody gets mining, drilling, or plant operating licenses anywhere until they prove they can deal with the worst case scenario, instead of simply doing nice pencil handwriting that can be easily traced in ink?

You know maybe that shit should get the same kind of inspection and review as say a dam?

Because if the latter were governed like the former, we'd be on our 9th version of Hoover Dam by now.

At the same time, as bad as this is, it's a hell of a lot different than not getting food, water and basic services to people who are suffering. People know how to do that, apparently nobody knows how to fix the DeepWater Horizon, meaning it should NEVER EVER HAVE FUCKING BEEN ALLOWED. That is on whoever the fuck approved it, not whoever is in charge now.

So this is a good counterweight to the frustration.

The brazen stupidy of Sean Hannity never fails

To amaze, or be unprofitable, for Sean Hannity.

I can hardly wait for his next argument for a merit-based system of some kind.

This wouldn't be necessary to say

If the government just followed my advice and let BP have the "Bomb":

"The US is a big and important market for BP, and BP is also a big and important company for the US, with its contribution to drilling and oil and gas production," Svanberg said. "So the position goes both ways."


Both ways...as long as we're always the "catcher" of course.

Self-Violating

The response of the Obama Administration to BP's attempt to turn oil into oilade has been, to say the least, underwhelming (is it too much too ask to be "whelmed" occasionally?).

But one thing is pretty clear about where this all starts, a lot of Republicans hate governing as much as they love loving themselves. In a report that covers the period 2000 to 2008 (who was President most of that time? Oh yeah, Dick Cheney) a pattern develops.

Staff members at an agency that oversees offshore drilling accepted tickets to sports events, lunches and other gifts from oil and gas companies and used government computers to view pornography, according to an Interior Department report alleging a culture of cronyism between regulators and the industry.


Rubbing one out
, instead of regulating, was not unknown of course.

...a new government report reveals that some high-level regulators have spent more time looking at porn than policing Wall Street...the report says most of these cases began in 2008, just as the financial system began to collapse.


I now shudder more to think what is actually in the minutes of Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force, in addition to what I have been shuddering over.

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Promise Palin a private jet and knee high leather boots

And she's going to endorse this fucker STAT!

In Hoke County divorce records, his wife said in 1995 that D'Annunzio had claimed to be the Messiah, had traveled to New Jersey to raise his stepfather from the dead, believed God would drop a 1,000-mile high pyramid as the New Jerusalem on Greenland and found the Ark of the Covenant in Arizona. A doctor's evaluation the following month said D'Annunzio used marijuana almost daily, had been living with another woman for several months, had once been in drug treatment for heroin dependence and was jailed a couple times as a teenager.

The doctor concluded that his religious beliefs were not delusional. A judge wrote in a child support ruling a few years later that D'Annunzio was a self-described "religious zealot" who believed the government was the "Antichrist." The judge said he was willfully failing to make child support payments.


And then, the kicker:

D'Annunzio was the leader in a Republican primary earlier this month but didn't get enough votes to avoid a runoff. He faces former television sportscaster Harold Johnson in a runoff vote June 22 for the 8th District, which extends from Charlotte to Fayetteville.


And why support the guy?

Ronnie Long, a Harrisburg businessman who is president of We the People NC and part of the tea party movement, said he was disappointed to see Republican officials resort to personal attacks against D'Annunzio.

Long said his group and others are backing D'Annunzio because he has the integrity and fortitude to make decisions for the people and not the party.

"He's not the kind of person the parties can rule over and manipulate," he said.


Well, he is the messiah -- or perhaps just a very naughty boy.

America's Concern Troll!

Troll in the USA:

"I had a buddy at Khe Sahn
Fighting off the Viet Cong.
They're still there,
Richard Bloomenthal is to blame."

I'm as good a lyricist as I am a comedian. Suck it Springsteen!

In non-BP related douchebag news

Who could have anticipated?

Massey used codes to warn workers when regulators showed up, said Gary Quarles, whose son Gary Wayne Quarles died in the explosion.

"When an MSHA inspector comes onto a Massey mine property, the code words go out, 'we've got a man on the property,"' Quarles testified. "Those words are radioed from the guard gates and relayed to all working operations in the mine."

After that, workers are expected to do everything possible to quickly correct problems or divert the inspectors' attention from any issues, Quarles said.

Desperate measures of cloying self-praise/love


L'il Rush so mad at the "swells" he's like the most cloying parody of one.

"Largely decorated by Limbaugh himself, [his Palm Beach house] reflects the things and places he has seen and admired. A massive chandelier in the dining room, for example, is a replica of the one that hung in the lobby of New York's Plaza Hotel. The vast salon is meant to suggest Versailles. The main guest suite, which I didn't visit, is an exact replica of the Presidential Suite at the Hotel George V in Paris. There is a full suit of armor on display, as well as a life-size oil painting of El Rushbo. Fragrant candles burned throughout the house, a daily home-from-the-wars ritual."


It's a stereotype of "The Great Gatsby" for Idiots, and a stereotype of Castro District Gay Chic all in the guise of a "Hotel/Motel Art Fair".

h/t Balloon Juice.

Republicans get right on this!



I submit to you it has become clear what must be done to preserve the 'Murican Way' of life for at most the next generation and a half (note: "way of life" not available south of 31 degrees latitude).

Several experts have suggested that the way to end the flow of oil from the sea floor, is not junk shots or fashionable hats, but dropping the BIG ONE on the true evildoer -- the Gulf of Mexico. First, it took out the dinosaurs, now it wants us!

The Russians have set off a nukes on bad wells before...and I ask you who this side of Union Carbide has a better environmental record?

Also, the government has proclaimed that regardless of how ineffective BP's efforts have been to this point, the latter possesses more technology for the task than the government.

More technology available for the task, except one, that is.

Michelle Bachman, you know what to do.

Introduce a bill allowing, in the name of the free market, a true American success story - British Petroleum- to have its own stockpile of nuclear weapons.

And then you can put in a rider, mandating that we immediately begin preparations for bombing Iran, or maybe Citgo. Ah hell, why not both?

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

Monday, May 24, 2010

"You are my sexy little socialist."

Oh, dear: Jezebel compiles Sexual Horror Stories.

NSFW (although no pictures).

(I'd invite you to put your own stories in comments, but the thought of O&A's entry terrifies me.)

Colors

Is there any color Hillary Clinton cannot pull off? I'm not being snarky. She looks good in yellow, fuschia, red, black, white, blue, and in whatever you call this greenish-blue. Is it the blonde hair? The skin tone? This is really watertiger territory. Maybe she can tell me.

Where Is Rudy Giuliani When You Need Him?















He's got experience dealing with art that looks like (or is made of) poo.


A real blow to furries

Uh, perhaps that could be better phrased...

You are not going to be allowed to go "yiffing" in chicken suits in Nevada. So choking it is going to have to be metaphorical only.

However, there appears to be no restriction about wearing this suit:



Just make sure it's one that is licensed by Disney.

Roger Ailes asked a worthy question as a follow up.

Our long national nightmare...

Just continues...

I have long predicted that Brett Favre's career will last at least long enough until the coming of weak-armed southpaw not-the-messiah Tim Tebow.

Behold, the end of days.


(Not that I'm overreacting or anything)

I'd like Robin Givhan to know

I'm sitting here typing with my legs apart.

And wearing a parka.

The "Lost" finality

I was going to post yesterday that they all woke up from a dream to find themselves lying next to Suzanne Pleshette.

And it turns out that would have pretty much been literally correct.

Oh, I guess I should have said *Spoiler Alert* sooner.

Oh, and David Janssen and a one-armed man in a Member's Only jacket whacked Tony to Journey singing "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" as Hawkeye flew off in a helicopter with Matt Dillon.

The Spirit of '86

I was in college in the Spring of 1986 when the Chernobyl nuclear power plant had its meltdown. Without Twitter, Blogs or Facebook we actually had to sit around and hyperventilate with each other face-to-face, it was terrible. Sure it sounded bad, but not so clearly bad that it was the imminent end of the world -- so no "rapture sex", and there I was just sitting on all that stock footage of fireworks and rockets launching on betamax tapes.

One thing we did have is Reagan Administration officials on television telling us that non-commie nuclear reactors were perfectly safe and we need to build more-- "why look at France" they said, "the French nuclear reactors are wonderful!" Republicans praising France, it was a different time. But still, no new nuclear plants were getting built.

Move forward a quarter-century and without the Soviets to kick around these ecological disasters just cannot be spun so easily, so things go in reverse.

In the days since President Obama announced a moratorium on permits for drilling new offshore oil wells and a halt to a controversial type of environmental waiver that was given to the Deepwater Horizon rig, at least seven new permits for various types of drilling and five environmental waivers have been granted, according to records.


That's quite a re-imagining of the definition of moratorium -- and speaking of moratoriums.

Meanwhile, the oil geyser gets worse. Maybe we should bring in those Russian folks who fixed the problems at Chernobyl? Oh...right.

[somewhat cross-posted at Firedoglake]

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Call me crazy but...


The idea of deploying a nuke in the Gulf of Mexico because the Russians have done it a few times does not strike me as a particularly appealing notion.

After all who has a better environmental record (outside of say, Union Carbide?) these last 80 years than the Russians?

Not to point out the obvious

But since we've already killing him...without trial...is this really all that more repugnant?

An American-Yemeni cleric whose Internet sermons are believed to have helped inspire attacks on the U.S. has advocated the killing of American civilians in an al-Qaida video released Sunday.

Anwar al-Awlaki has been singled out by U.S. officials as a key terrorist threat and has been added to the CIA's list of targets for assassination despite his American citizenship.


I'm not in anyway defending the asshole, but how on earth is this surprising...it sounds like a repeat anyway.

Assholes are assholes. Hard to believe.

Meanwhile, I'm still just as disturbed about targeting an American citizen, no matter how loathsome, for killing without trial.

NY Post

Run by assholes...though I admit, it's hard not to cheer for a Bull getting some revenge.

How many copies of 'Atlas Shrugged' will be there?

Non-awesome people behaving non-awesomely, of course:

The National Park Service granted the white supremacist group Aryan Nations a permit to hold a rally next month on the hallowed grounds of Gettysburg National Military Park.

The rally will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. June 19 near the old Cyclorama Center, in sight of the spot where Confederate Gen. George Pickett's division collided with Union forces on the third day of the fateful Civil War battle.

The rally will focus speeches and discussions on issues like immigration and homosexuality.


And nothing bad will ever happen again...oy!

Hey, and speaking of the devils, look what isn't being widely talked about:

One month before an Ohio contingent of Aryan Nations is set to march in Gettysburg Memorial Park, we get this news: a shootout in Arkansas ends with West Memphis Police Officers Brandon Paudert and Bill Evans dead and policelearning that the van in this picture was registered to an Aryan Nations associate.

Outdoing themselves

FoxNews has taken it's ordinarily awful Sunday morning program and made it even worse than usual:

Fox News Sunday: Rand Paul Sarah Palin. Then, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Tim Kaine, and the Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele. Fox News AllStars: Brit Hume, Mara Liasson, Bill Kristol, Kirsten Powers. Power Player of the Week: Ginni Thomas, Founder of Liberty Central /Wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.


Sarah Palin and Clarence Thomas's TeaBagging wife. Awesome!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Y'know NBC

As Atrios suggested, I bet Rand Paul's opponent in Kentucky, Jack Conway, (the guy who in spite of a close primary got far more votes than Rand Paul) would be more than happy to appear on your awful Sunday morning program.

Not that you'd ever think to ask him to appear.

But he's a Democrat so why should David Gregory give a shit?

Time to watch the foreigners

Time to watch some Europeans (with a few Brazilians, Argentinians and Cameroonians tossed in) play futbol.

And some other people play hockey.

Bond Villain may scare terrorists away

(AP) WASHINGTON – The White House's leading candidate to replace Dennis Blair as national intelligence director is James R. Clapper, the Pentagon's top intelligence official, current and former U.S. officials said Friday.

New Rule

No whining, "Where are the protests?" unless you're willing to get up off your ass and organize/lead one. And sorry: blogging and Tweeting is not organizing/leading a protest.

Um, It's Not

Josh Marshall:
Which brings us to another point. I'm not at all clear how much or whether any of this stuff is going to hurt Paul in the Kentucky Senate [race].
"This stuff" being all of Paul's crazy Civil Rights Act/NAFTA Superhighway beliefs that have come to light over the last few days.

I don't think Paul's toxic and nutball theories won't amount to anything because Kentucky is necessarily full of equally toxic nutballs, but rather because over the weekend, Paul will get his shit together, shut the fuck up, and hire a real campaign staff. By the middle of next week they'll be running against "outside agitators", the "lamestream media," and the old standby "liberal elite". The voters will eat it up and Joe Biden will be swearing Paul in come January.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Banned Words of 2011™: Commencement Week Update

New items in bold.

Because it's never too early to put the world on notice...
  1. Frenemies
  2. Social Media
  3. Sexting
  4. Obamabot
  5. How's that workin' out for ya? (requested by (you never did) The Kenosha Kid)
  6. Establishment
  7. Mainstream

As always, please add your suggestions in comments.

Who the hell let Karl Rove back in the White House?



(via Gawker)

Oh, I see Watertiger had this yesterday...always late the Party (and the plague)

Pete Peterson is going to kill us all (and take our gold fillings)

That ghoul would do it too.

In other words, what Digby says.

Maybe it's the unexpectedly bad jobs numbers. financial reform bill. Maybe it's Europe. But whatever it is, with the jobs data today and news of rising foreclosures, it's possible that we are looking at a double dip recession. And that is very bad news in an environment in which the entire political establishment is fouling its trousers over deficits...The administration has (stupidly) allowed itself to be backed into a corner in which it can't spend now that it's thrown in with Peter Peterson and the deficit scolds.


Not just the Administration, every fucking person in the Village.

And, as noted a few days ago, these same deficit whiners, were surplus whiners at the beginning of the Bush Administration and didn't say fuck all for about half-a-dozen years.

This can only mean one thing...

More of President McCain!

"Meet the Press" fell to its second-lowest ratings under David Gregory this past Sunday.


Actually all of the Sunday chat shows ratings suck...it's almost as if all of their programs suck.

Go figure.

Oh so ethical

Who says corporations don't care...about themselves? (seriously, who the hell says that kind of stuff other than Sarah Palin?)

Survivors of the catastrophic explosion of the Deepwater Horizon were held incommunicado for 40 hours then forced to sign statements that they did not witness the explosion and were unharmed by the explosion they did not witness.

Feel all reformed?

The Senate passed its version of Financial Reform last night, 59-39. Two Democrats, Cantwell and Feingold voted nay as they thought it did not go far enough. However, four Republicans voted yes. Three of them were Collins, Snowe and Grassley, who is suddenly in a tougher than expected re-election fight.

And the fourth was former - and literal - teaparty poster heartthrob Scott Brown. How's that "Nopey Derangey" thing workin' out for ya'?

Meanwhile, brand new teaparty hunk of self-reliant manlove Rand Paul came out and declared the bill TOTALLY unconstitutional, but he really supports the parts that poll well -- as long as it doesn't include people with disabilities (face meet palms).

You know if nothing else, and I mean that literally, he's going to be good for the blogging -- hopefully even better in about six months when he is signed by FoxNews in a desperate effort to boost the ratings of Glenn Beck's sagging Goldline infomercial.

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Note to GOP

You didn't lose the majority because some fat ugly third-rate abstinence-pimp married congressman from Nowheresville was banging his secretary. You lost the majority because you ran the country into a ditch from which it's still trying to extract itself.

xxx...res

The Most Trusted Name in "News"

Ahh, CNN. Shining beacon of rational discourse.

No wonder Campbell Brown quit.

FoxNews

Your home for excuses to act sort of outraged about meaningless shit as an excuse to post pictures of boobs.

Laughable


Should be the kiss of death...but God forbid anyone from the media harp on such a repellent point:

INTERVIEWER: But under your philosophy, it would be okay for Dr. King not to be served at the counter at Woolworths?

RAND PAUL: I would not go to that Woolworths, and I would stand up in my community and say that it is abhorrent, um, but, the hard part—and this is the hard part about believing in freedom—is, if you believe in the First Amendment, for example—you have too, for example, most good defenders of the First Amendment will believe in abhorrent groups standing up and saying awful things

Ah yes, but we're not talking saying awful things, we're talking doing awful things that deprive someone of their full rights as American citizens.

Race, Sex, Religious, Age, and Disability discrimination in employment and accommodations in private business are perfectly legal in Rand Paul's world. Because a ban on them would violate the First Amendment. That's the lovely quaint and bullshit argument the supported Jim Crow for generations. We had that little argument a long time ago, it's called the 14th Amendment, and not the Plessy v. Ferguson model you seem to love so much.

And when pressed he does nothing but weasel out on the answer.

In an interview with NPR today, Paul was asked three times about his position on the Civil Rights Act, but each time he dodged giving a declarative answer. “A lot of things that were actually in the bill I’m actually in favor of,” said Paul. Hinting at what he doesn’t “favor,” Paul added that “a lot of things can be handled locally.”


Ah, but you see Rand, if you believe such laws violate the First Amendment the State or City Council can't do shit about it either.

So let us just return to those glorious racist days of yesteryear.

And God forbid the Alaskan Mooch gets asked about that line of thinking (or any line actually):

“Rand Paul certainly represents that change that is needed”


(pic from here)

The Tyrant of Miracopa County

It's always amazing to me that the Teapartiers decry everything else as fascism, while letting a two-bit tyrant like Joe Arpaio do whatever the fuck he wants (just look at the comments in the article linked below):

Sheriff Joe Arpaio has sent letters to current and former attorneys in the Maricopa County Attorney's Office warning them to watch their words if they speak to investigators looking into possible unethical conduct by former County Attorney Andrew Thomas.

The letter threatens the attorneys with criminal charges if they reveal "confidential" information about the sheriff's inquiries into county Supervisors Don Stapley and Mary Rose Wilcox and Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe.


Of course, the review of Thomas' actions are, in fact, an inquiry into the Constitutional violations not just of Thomas but of Arpaio.

But, the bottom line is, what the fuck right does the Sheriff of a County have in telling County Prosecutors who is going to face criminal charges?

Fortunately, Arpaio's lackey, Thomas, is no longer in a position to let Arpaio wag his body when the latter grabs the tail.

Romley fired off a letter to Arpaio citing case law and informing him that the relationship between the two offices is not attorney and client but law enforcement
and prosecutor. Citing case law, Romley said that the County Attorney's Office "does not render legal services to the investigators."

As for the threat to file criminal charges against anyone who testifies to the Bar, Romley wrote, "This threat is not only inappropriate but is a clear abuse of your authority as sheriff of Maricopa County. Thereby, I shall be forwarding your letter" to the U.S. District Attorney's Office.

Yet another reason to be glad not to have children

Because they're inherently evil*

Toddlers who tell lies early on are more likely to do well later, researchers claim.

The complex brain processes involved in formulating a lie are an indicator of a child's early intelligence, they add.


*I kid (sort of).

via Booman.

Matlock!!!


It's going to be a tough year for Broder, who for some reason loves writing political obituaries, by pretending he hates writing them.

Especially when they are Republicans who pay lip service to Pete Petersons austerity concern trolls. For example, Bob Bennett of Utah. Why did he fall?

"I'll tell you what is new," he said. "There is this thing called the federal government. It's big and intimidating, and it's out of control."


Slow down there Bob...what is this Federal Government of which you speak? This big and intimidating government?

And what's more, look at the abuse of power!

...they watched on television as Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi forced an unusual Sunday session of the House of Representatives to push through an amended version of the Obama administration's health-care bill. "It was a Sunday, which is a very special day for me and my fellow Mormons," Bennett said. "And it was really a display of partisan political muscle."


But Sunday is just another day ending in "y" to the rest of us. Poor Bob Bennett, he was just like Allende to Nancy Pelosi's vicious Chilean military. Anybody see what Kissinger was up to that day?


[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

I've been thinking

Maybe we should have a contest consisting of drawing the slack-jawed morons who are drawing Mohammed just to piss off other slack-jawed morons they don't like?

Whoopsie! (Or, Pinch FAIL)

On Saturday, I pointed The GC toward this totally data-free (and lovin' it) installment in the NYT's ongoing hand-wringing "Troubles for Democrats" series which focused on the special election in John Murtha's old district.

Well, lo and behold, the Democrat won the seat by a mere eight points.

The NYT sucks utterly.

P.S. On a semi-related note, what was all that crap about the Republican base being more energized and ready to turn out than the Democratic base? Take a look at the turnout in the two Kentucky primaries.

I, for one, welcome our giant bony fish overlords


Wow.

The giant oarfish, also known as “the king of herrings” (Regalecus glesne), is the world’s largest bony fish (“teleost”), and can grow up to 11 meters (36 feet) long! It’s rarely photographed because it lives in the deep sea, but one just washed up on the coast of Sweden, where it hasn’t been seen for 150 years. They eat plankton.


Here's older video of one that in its death throes washed up in California -- you can now sort of understand where sea serpent stories come from (and maybe the Loch Ness Monster).



Via Tristero.

Bad Bye


And in that Universe, Jay Leno would be trendy:

Physicists at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory are reporting that they have discovered a new clue that could help unravel one of the biggest mysteries of cosmology: why the universe is composed of matter and not its evil-twin opposite, antimatter. If confirmed, the finding portends fundamental discoveries at the new Large Hadron Collider outside Geneva, as well as a possible explanation for our own existence.


via AmericaBlog, photo from here.

G-g-g-generation

I know, wrong group.

Still, I hear that Mick Jagger was on Larry King last night where they undoubtedly talked marriage, hip replacements, and what kids need to get off their gate-community common lawns.

Speaking of "wrong group" ladies and gentlemen, Paul Lynde

Ol' Chuck

Iowa's other Senator-for-Life Chuck Grassley, who is suddenly not looking so politically immortal is making sure he will get one last benefit just in case:

Today, the National Journal reported that Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) signed on to the plan, which could represent an enormous tax break for his family. Grassley is worth between $2.1 and $5.2 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, so his entire estate could be exempted under a $5 million exemption.

Second, or Third-ary

Far be it from me to avoid being the latest blogger to comment on last night's primaries, but in my defense, I don't have a lot of mistresses or out-of-wedlock children available to help me make abstinence videos (Bristol Palin's likely to soon to be released by Vivid Video).

Democrats held the late John Murtha's seat in Pennsylvania through his long-time aide Mark Critz , for what that's worth which will give Politico one less pre-fab column to publish (oh hell, they'll publish it anyway). Blanche Lincoln is going to have to have a run off against the more progressive Bill Halter in Arkansas, where she'll run as the consummate outsider. Good luck with that.

And Arlen Specter lost to Joe Sestak which seemed an impossibility when Specter switched parties. Making Ed Rendell the Dick Morris of people who are not actually Dick Morris. Arlen can now return to his former claim to fame and attempt to tie Anita Hill to the McKinley Assassination. But at least Arlen was classy in defeat. Ed Rendell remained Ed Rendell (as Dick Morris in La Cage aux Fool).

Classy is something that clearly eluded tea party "lap-throb" Rand Paul who managed to not even take the congratulatory phone call of the slightly less insane (and Mitch McConnell endorsed) Republican he defeated in the Kentucky GOP primary.

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Resign immediately?

What the hell, has this guy come to believe he's a Democrat?

Eight-term Rep. Mark Souder will announce his resignation Tuesday after it came to light that he was conducting an affair with a female staffer who worked in his district office, Fox News has learned.

Multiple senior House sources indicated that the extent of the affair would have landed Souder before the House Ethics Committee.

Elected as a family values conservative as part of the Republican revolution in 1994, Souder survived a tough re-election challenge in 2008 and survived a contested primary two weeks ago.


Meanwhile, Jon Ensign continues on.

UPDATE:

Josh Marshall reports that it turns out Souder recently recorded a pro-abstinence video with the woman he was shagging extra-maritally.

GOOD TIMES!

Awesome stuff still going awesomely

These colors don't run, but they bleed really well:

A Taliban suicide car bomber struck a NATO convoy in Kabul Tuesday, killing six of its service members, five of them American, officials said. Twelve Afghan civilians also died — many of them in a public bus in rush hour traffic.

Well,

Connecticut Democratic Senate Candidate Richard Blumenthal did at least as good a job as Dan Quayle or George Bush. Maybe better than Bush since he didn't go AWOL.

When you say you served in Vietnam, it does not mean during that "era", you should say "during Vietnam". I suppose a lot of World War II vets probably did this sort of loose claim of service.

It's laziness -- oh, and douchey. But not on the scale of being a chicken-hawk and starting wars and running them based on some movie or television show you saw after your five deferments like say, Darth Cheney.

Well, go figure

Nobody could have anticipated:

A Washington-based research group says two BP refineries in the U.S. account for 97 percent of "egregious willful" violations given by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.


I would guess the rest go for Massey run mines in West Virginia.

Pathological

Over at the Great Orange Satan, a well-delivered jibe in yesterday's decision in Graham v. Florida at Clarence Thomas. Graham you may recall stated that severe sentences for minors are not always constitutional. Stevens opinion lays bare the abhorrent nature of Thomas' jurisprudence:

While JUSTICE THOMAS would apparently not rule out a death sentence for a $50 theft by a 7-year-old . . ., the Court wisely rejects his static approach to the law. Standards of decency have evolved since 1980. They will never stop doing so.

What's going on?


America, eff yeah!

I know the country is still enmeshed in what the blogosphere's self-proclaimed cool kids call the most important issue of the week, maybe ever. Whether a beauty contest winning person of muslim background can pose in a bikini and/or work the pole and yet still be accused of being a Islamo-fascist terrorist promised 71 men who don't know what their doing besides Donald Trump?

But today is a big primary day -- perhaps you've heard -- in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Arkansas amongst others. It's a big day for progressive challengers in two of those.

Meanwhile, in Kentucky, Rand Paul, likely to win the GOP primary was being interviewed but this question could not be answered:

Q: Do you think Americans, based on the 2nd Amendment, do you think they have a Constitutional right to violently overthrow the government?

PAUL STAFFER: Alright, we’ll have to stop recording.


He couldn't squeeze out a "no" on that one?

Monday, May 17, 2010

I Have an Idea!

Let's just get the fuck out!

Awesomeness

Is here.

The Conservative Mind

Britt Hume isn't sure there's actually a massive oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

But he was absolutely fucking certain there were WMD's in Iraq.

This is awesome

Hilarious and informative reply of the GEICO voice-over guy and others to FoxNews wanking.

Dachshund United Nations

My grandmother's last six dogs consecutively were all dachshunds (brown shorthairs specifically) she must have had dreams like this:




Would also be the most annoying and constantly barking assembly not featured on C-SPAN.

Here's a good meme to get started

On the blogosphere, it'll make Andrew Sullivan happier than he'd be at a "Bears of the Mediterranean" photoshoot.

Elena Kagan is straight...however, she's Trig Palin's biological mother!

The wanking seems familiar...

Kudos for Steve Benen remembering what is in his own archives:

Yesterday:

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) said Sunday that President Barack Obama should withdraw the nomination of Elena Kagan for the Supreme Court.


One Year Ago:

Rush Limbaugh isn't the only one calling Sonia Sotomayor a racist. Newt Gingrich is, too -- and he's demanding that Obama's pick to the Supreme Court withdraw her nomination. [...]


Newt's opposition to single women being appointed to the High Court should not lead you to conclude he opposes eventually asking one of them to be the next Mrs. Gingrich.

Your Huffpo Journalism Award of the Day

Michael Phelps' Shirtless In Charlotte

Um, yeah, male swimmers never do that.

Suddenly

The modern plight of the Catholic Church clergy makes so much sense...

Stopped clock follies

Peter Beinart writes something that isn't a call for more war or an apologia. Well, that fills up the quota for another decade for the bastard.

If the leaders of groups like AIPAC and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations do not change course, they will wake up one day to find a younger, Orthodox-dominated, Zionist leadership whose naked hostility to Arabs and Palestinians scares even them, and a mass of secular American Jews who range from apathetic to appalled. Saving liberal Zionism in the United States—so that American Jews can help save liberal Zionism in Israel—is the great American Jewish challenge of our age.

Well, that's good news I guess

Um, hooray?

Late credit card payments fell sharply in the first quarter, and at least part of the drop can be attributed to the law that kicked in Feb. 22 curbing interest rate hikes and various fees...Average credit card debt also fell in the first quarter, to $5,165. That's down 10.6 percent from $5,776 at the start of last year.


Yeah, we've got more available on the credit line...spend America, spend! It's just like the History Channel (er, excuse me just "History") has been telling me every Sunday evening, that Bank of America has saved us once again! Take that Greece!

Of course, what our nation's wealthy people have exploited us to build, evildoers threaten to split asunder.

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?

I'm talking to you, American worker.

And I'm not talking about China having done the cheating.

xxx...res

At least Pat is consistent

He said something similar years ago when he landed his first job, at Buchenwald:

Is it time for the 'Junk Shot' yet?

If it wasn't for the overwhelming tragedy of the matter (people tend to forget 11 people also died), the comedy aspect of this would be quite high.

Here's the consultant hired for the implementation of the headline.

Remember this day my friends

Not that I'm encouraging you to memorialize it by viewing them...but there is no McCain, Lieberman or Graham on a Sunday talk show...which means next weekend they're probably booked on all four networks.

Meanwhile, check out this 'fair and balanced' line up on Fox:


Fox News Sunday: Book Promotions. Laura Bush, Former First Lady. Newt Gingrich,“To Save America: Stopping Obama's Secular-Socialist Machine.” Fox News AllStars: Brit Hume, Nina Easton, Stephen Hayes, Juan Williams.


Although Glenn Greenwald is on ABC's This Week, I thought networks pretended he did not exist?

Saturday, May 15, 2010

America's Concern Troll

I don't know if Elena Kagan is gay or not, but I'll spend some more time talking about what I don't know...it is after all, what I do.

But what I wonder about is why she didn't round up a couple of South American white kids to adopt like John Roberts!

Well sure they're all genuises

And it's great Obama is sending a group of original brilliant thinkers to the Gulf to try to solve the oil geyser (I just hope Hannibal can trick that one into getting on an airplane again).

But I think there's a well-known precedent these jobs are supposed to be performed by former Arabian Horse Commissioners.

(I've written this Friday night for posting Saturday morning, I just pray no one has stolen this lame joke first)

Friday, May 14, 2010

Shorter Michael Gerson


Even I have to admit, the GOP is being driven by crazed, racist mouthbreathers who blame immigrants for stupid and false reasons.

But, as a wealthy white guy who is a long-time Republican, I can make broad sweeping generalizations about brown people that tells me they are Republican at heart, unlike those horrible blacks.

Encyclicaling past the graveyard

Yeah, has nothing on wars, bigotry, and environmental disaster...but you have to admire the hypocrisy:

Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday called abortion and same-sex marriage some of the most "insidious and dangerous" threats facing the world today


Child abuse is no sweat though.

Cracker-damus

I predict within the next six months a law will be proposed in Tennessee wherein:

1. Drinking and driving is a gross misdemeanor or possibly a felony.

2. But, drinking and driving while armed is totally awesome via the Second Amendment.

3. Glenn Reynolds will still say it's always the not attractive enough woman's fault anyway.


And so the rapture begins:

The Louisiana House passed a bill yesterday that will enable places of worship to allow congregants with permits to carry concealed guns

Hey

The oil spigot off Louisiana/Mississippi is getting worse all the time, just horrendous.

I have an idea, maybe the Obama Administration can talk to the Russians about having some of the guys who stopped the radiation spillage out of Chernobyl come to the Gulf to fix the oil leak?





...oh, right.

Shorter BP CEO Tony Hayward

To the Gulf Coast:



Awesome:

BP PLC continues to stockpile and deploy oil-dispersing chemicals manufactured by a company with which it shares close ties, even though other U.S. EPA-approved alternatives have been shown to be far less toxic and, in some cases, nearly twice as effective.

Big deal, so did Cheney's mansafe

Go get that Pulitzer HuffPo:

Who gives a shit about you proles anyway?

It's hard to type this through my gag-reflex:

Over the past week, top White House officials have been floating a trial balloon for their strategy on the economy. At its core is a decision to put deficit reduction ahead of job creation.

The premise is that the bond markets and allied deficit hawks are demanding action to cut the budget, that Obama lacks the votes in the Senate for a serious jobs initiative, and that polls show voters care more about deficit reduction than about jobs.

So the plan, modeled closely on the work of the Peter G. Peterson foundation and the anticipated report of the president's own fiscal commission, is a deal that includes cuts in Social Security plus a new Value Added Tax (VAT), in order to get deep cuts in the deficit. As a sweetener to get Republicans to back the VAT, White House officials would cut the corporate income tax.


Hey doin' what the really really really rich white guy concern trolls want -- how fucking not awesome.

Could not be a worse idea, ever. You know what would be a good idea? More people working (unemployment is about 10 percent y'know, that's really really fucking high) and paying taxes, that would be fucking AWESOME!

But who am I but a mere keynesian?

Shit, why didn't they put their cigarettes out on the guy?

I mean, really, the Times Square unibomber was a lone wolf and all that shit so the authorities were just supposed to torture him to make us all feel better to avoid those socialist interrogationist sympathies(ist):

OR SOMETHING!!!

The Pakistani government has arrested a suspect with connections to a Pakistani militant group who said he acted as an accomplice to the accused Times Square bomber, U.S. officials said.

The suspect, whose arrest has not been previously disclosed, provided an "independent stream" of evidence that the Pakistani Taliban was behind the attack, and has admitted helping Faisal Shahzad, the main suspect, travel into Pakistan’s tribal areas for bomb training.

Somebody give this guy his own island lair

Because BP CEO Tony Hayward is starting to worry his life's work will go uncompleted:

The boss of BP has said the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is relatively tiny compared with the size of the ocean but conceded it could cost him his job.


I'm guessing this guy knows "relatively tiny" (like in hats) and to think, fired before he gets a chance to pollute it all:

"The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean. The amount of volume of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the total water volume"


So to quote Eli, "look at all that water that isn't polluted" .... uh, like in New Jersey?

But not to worry, the other companies involved in this disaster are putting the public's interest first:

Transocean Ltd., the owner and operator of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that burned and sank last month, unleashing a massive oil leak into the Gulf of Mexico, will Thursday file in federal court a petition to limit its liability to just under $27 million


[cross posted at Firedoglake]

Thursday, May 13, 2010

In case you thought Glenn Reynolds had any redeeming qualities

Guess again.

What a miserable human being that guy is.

Caleb Howell worthy.

More of that conservative minority outreach

Notice the Jonah Goldberg-like admission, "I haven't read the book" but let me draw a broad analogy that blames it all on those black people!




And as for the last profoundly stupid statement...