A Wandering Mind

Agenda Much?

2011-03-20T10:11:00.000-06:00

Obscene adult pornography causes great harms to both children and adults, according to research compiled by Trueman's organization at PornHarms.com

The Christian Post is all upset over the decision to create the .xxx top level domain. Glad they found some objective folks to talk about it.

http://goo.gl/825BC

Super Moon

2011-03-20T09:58:00.001-06:00

Super Moon a photo by dean.barnett on Flickr.

Really huge moon. Really hard to photograph.

Email. I Get Email

2011-03-17T21:34:00.000-06:00

I have this masochistic streak that causes me to subscribe to conservative email lists. These guys are NOT happy. They naturally hate liberals, Obama, the UN, rental bikes, green energy, and now, GOP Leaders.

They LIED to you... and they told you to GO TO HELL. And no, we're not talking about Barack Obama or Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi. We're talking about John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Kevin McCarthy and the rest of the so-called Republican House Leadership.

And we're just at the start of the campaign season. I'm starting to enjoy email again.

This Is Not A Surprise

2011-03-09T06:57:00.001-07:00

U.S. Hate Groups Top 1,000

How many more will we see by the end of Obama's first term?

'Radicalization?'

2011-03-09T06:42:00.001-07:00

Opinion: Will Peter King's hearing carry stigma like Joseph McCarthy's? - Laura Murphy - POLITICO.com

DOMA Done

2011-02-23T11:48:00.001-07:00

With today's decision to drop the Department of Justice defense of the discriminatory sections of DOMA it looks as though that Obama guy who ran for President in 2007 has finally taken office.

44 - Rand Paul lone dissenter in laser-pointer vote

2011-02-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

44 - Rand Paul lone dissenter in laser-pointer vote:

"Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul was the sole 'no' vote Thursday night on a measure that would make it a federal crime to aim a handheld laser pointer at an aircraft."

How odd that an ophthalmologist would vote against a law that would reduce his potential patient pool...

SOS Scott Gessler will not moonlight | Colorado Independent

2011-02-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

SOS Scott Gessler will not moonlight | Colorado Independent

This is the only reasonable outcome to this weird situation. SOS Gessler, having annoyed thousands of Coloradans who don't have a first job, apparently decided the prudent course is to do the job he so energetically sought. Good for him, and congratulations on doing the right thing.

But this episode also highlighted a peculiarity of government relationships. As Attorney General, John Suthers advised SOS Gessler on his plans to moonlight. Because Suthers was acting as attorney for the state government his advice fell under the attorney-client privilege, and thus the voters are not allowed to know what that advice involved.

I think that's unfortunate and I would like to see an exception to the privilege legislated. If one of my elected officials is officially advising another of my elected officials on proper behavior I can think of no one with a more vested interest in those discussions than citizens. Inasmuch as those discussions and that advice materially affect Colorado's citizens I think we should have a right to hear them.

Let's put the "public" back into "public servant."

Rand Paul & Transparency

2011-01-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

Jim DeMint's Tea Party Caucus lets activists drive the GOP further to the right. - By David Weigel - Slate Magazine: "What made this caucus different from all other caucuses?
'No cigars and no closed doors,' said Paul. 'Open venues. I'm not going to be the leader of the caucus. We're going to rotate around. It's going to be a continued conversation between the grass roots and the people who come from the grass roots.'"

So says Rand Paul when asked about his Tea Party caucus. But when it comes to secret holds, that arcane Senate rule that allowed one Senator to secretly block passage of a bill, well, suddenly the transparency becomes opaque.

Tea Party Caucus votes to keep secret holds

By Jordan Fabian - 01/27/11 05:43 PM ET

The three founding members of the Senate Tea Party Caucus voted against a rule change Thursday that would end senators' ability to use secret holds.

Sens. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) were three out of the four senators to vote against a resolution outlawing the practice. The other was GOP Sen. John Ensign (Nev.). The rule change, which passed 92-4, was part of a packaged rules proposal brought before the Senate.

GOP Healthcare Repeal Bill Passes in House | Christianpost.com

2011-01-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

GOP Healthcare Repeal Bill Passes in House | Christianpost.com: "The Republican-controlled House voted overwhelming to pass a repeal health care legislation proposed by President Barack Obama."

You have to love the Christian Post: they support home schooled writers. Who knew Obama supported the legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act?

Supreme Court Denies Pastor's Appeal in DC Gay Marriage Case | Christianpost.com

2011-01-19T06:39:00.000-07:00

Supreme Court Denies Pastor's Appeal in DC Gay Marriage Case | Christianpost.com: "The question is whether marriage is merely a committed relationship for the private interests of adults, the definition implicit in same-sex 'marriage,' or whether it unites a man and a woman with each other and any children that come from their union.”"

It can't be both?

Well, at any rate, if it's the man-woman-children aspect these Christian busybodies are concerned over maybe cutting the rate of divorce in the Bible Belt would be a good place to start.

Wild Wild West: Guns Still a Part of Arizona's History - US - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

2011-01-14T18:36:00.000-07:00

Wild Wild West: Guns Still a Part of Arizona's History - US - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com: "Guns are ingrained in America's history, especially in Arizona, which was once home to the Wild Wild West.

Saloons, stagecoaches and shoot-outs all played an important part in Arizona's long history, and that's why even today you'll find the ethos of the Wild West permeates their culture."

Yeah, and Christians have a long history of burning witches and owning slaves - your point is?

Why Tea Party Activists Are Childish Dickwads

2011-01-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

Tea Party Activists Angry at Actions of G.O.P. Leaders - NYTimes.com:

"“Do I think that they’ve recognized what happened on Election Day? I would say decisively no,” said Mark Meckler, a co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, which sent its members an alert last month urging them to call their representatives to urge them to “stop now and go home!!”

“We sent them a message that we expect them to go home and come back newly constituted and do something different,” Mr. Meckler said. “For them to legislate when they’ve collectively lost their mandate just shows the arrogance of the ruling elite."

Let me get this straight: Tea Partier Mark Meckler, an unelected leader of a "movement" that has yet to field a candidate or run a campaign, accuses a legally elected Congress of acting in "arrogance" when it continues to legislate through the end of its legally-appointed session.

See, here's the thing, Mr. Meckler. When you have the votes you get to do a lot of things the people without the votes don't like. Standing on the sidelines whining won't change that.

Head Reform rabbi: Israeli society is falling into a deep pit of racism - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

2010-12-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

Head Reform rabbi: Israeli society is falling into a deep pit of racism - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News: "The head of Israel's Reform Judaism movement on Tuesday harshly criticized a letter by 30 rabbis' wives calling on Jewish girls not to date Arabs, work with them or perform national service in the same places where they work.

'Israeli society is falling into a deep, dark pit of racism and xenophobia,' said Rabbi Gilad Kariv, who two weeks ago also vocally condemned a move by a number of leading rabbis who signed on a ruling to forbid renting homes to Arabs."

Remember my earlier screed about Anglicans? Here's one possible future for them, too.

The Fix - Judge dismisses Miller lawsuit in Alaska Senate race

2010-12-28T20:39:00.000-07:00

The Fix - Judge dismisses Miller lawsuit in Alaska Senate race

Further evidence of the Tea Party's irrelevance. I think the TPers reached their expiration date November 3, 2010. A new batch won't be needed for a year or so, in time for 2012.

Joe Miller was Tea Party and Sarah Palin endorsed, yet lost to the first successful write in candidate for Senate in a half century in Palin's home turf. Other TP Purity Over Practicality "wins", like Christine O'Donnell in the east and Ken Buck in the west, assured Democratic control of the Senate.

A ramp-up of Tea Party frothing in selection of a GOP Presidential candidate seems, at this point, to be a boon for Obama. With a new election to energize the Beckian fringe it's possible a resurgent Tea Party might give the House back to the Dems, too.

For this admittedly speculative scenario to unfold, the Tea Party will need to rise once more to the GOP siren call. I don't think that's unlikely. The TP is really not much more than the old Religious Right resurrected for one more sodomy session. The weirdest thing about old white Christians is their complete willingness to be taken advantage of over and over again.

Joe Miller and his patroness Palin have made a specialty of exploiting the Tea Party for mostly personal gain. And the Tea Party has mostly been a willing accomplice to its own seduction. It looks like the winter of 2020-2011 might be a rest period before the franticism of 2012.

You're a Bishop in the State Religion & You Feel Oppressed...

2010-12-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

UK Bishop Laments Discrimination Against Christians | Christianpost.com

It's a pretty humorous day. The Bishop of Winchester laments a lack of "religious literacy" that has led British courts to rule as though religion didn't deserve special consideration!

Since the Church of England is a state-sanctioned religion, you'd think it already gets about as much support as any religion should reasonably expect. The fact that British judges are annoying Anglican hierarchies is probably a healthy sign for the British judicial system and a wakeup call to the Church. A religion that fails to evolve with its society is fairly quickly a fringe religion.

Atheist Bus Ads Rattle Fort Worth - NYTimes.com

2010-12-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

Atheist Bus Ads Rattle Fort Worth - NYTimes.com:

"The Fort Worth group is affiliated with the United Coalition of Reason, whose local chapters have bought bus ads in Detroit, northwest Arkansas, Philadelphia and Washington, as well as billboards in more than a dozen cities, among them Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, Seattle and St. Louis. Most show a blue sky with variations on this message: “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.”

The ads have incited anger in some places. Vandals destroyed two bus ads in Detroit, ruined a billboard in Tampa, Fla., and defaced 10 billboards in Sacramento. One billboard in Cincinnati was taken down after the landlord received threats."

God Is Love. His followers, however, often resemble demented monkeyfuckers.

Government Workers Ordered Not to Read Cables - NYTimes.com

2010-12-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

Government Workers Ordered Not to Read Cables - NYTimes.com:

"“Classified information, whether or not already posted on public websites or disclosed to the media, remains classified, and must be treated as such by federal employees and contractors, until it is declassified by an appropriate U.S. Government authority,” said the notice sent on Friday afternoon by the Office of Management and Budget, which is part of the White House, to agency and department heads, urging them to distribute it to their staff"

Looks pretty much like the declassification has already taken place. OMB might want to spend a little time thinking about why so much of these gossipy little bits of snark deserved classification to begin with.

Florida Follows Arizona's Lead With New Bill Cracking Down on Illegal Immigrants - FoxNews.com

2010-12-04T16:44:00.000-07:00

Florida Follows Arizona's Lead With New Bill Cracking Down on Illegal Immigrants - FoxNews.com:

"and would punish some legal immigrants who aren't carrying proper documentation."

Charming. Florida now has Getapo re-enactors.

See, This is Where Your Analysis Fails

2010-11-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

Pam's House Blend:: American Family Association will not confront reason why its considered a hate group:

"You cannot continue to cry 'victim' when there is a paper trail showing you to be a bully."

Sure you can; in fact, you must. A persecution complex is essential to modern American fundamentalists.

Colorado GOPer Wants to Replace Tax Breaks for Farmers & Ranchers

2010-11-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

Google Reader (21): "“We are the one industry that does not have the ability to pass the cost on. It’s one of the dilemmas in agriculture.”"

Darn. If only there was some way to form collective bargaining or maybe cooperative marketing organizations . . .

David Corn Misses the Point About Earmarks

2010-11-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

Tea Partiers vs. GOP on Earmarks: A Sucker's Debate:

"Earmarked funds represent a teeny percentage of the overall budget."

The point isn't that earmarks represent a minuscule percentage of the budget. It's that an earmark is more than enough to buy a politician.

Email. I Get Email

2010-11-10T18:32:00.000-07:00

Fellow Patriot,
As you're all well-aware, we were unable to dethrone Harry Reid and get Obama's right-hand man out of Washington.
Desperate to save themselves in time for the next election, Obama's best supporters of Amnesty are doing EVERYTHING THEY CAN to advance the cause of Amnesty in order to gain millions of Latino votes by November 2012.
And we're fighting back!!!
Minuteman PAC is rallying Patriots across the country to petition Congress and to continue to show support for Anti-Amnesty Legislation.
AND, we here at Minuteman PAC are doing EVERYTHING WE CAN to see that the Amnesty hounds fail and that our borders are secured and our country and way of life are FINALLY protected!
After all your hard work and support to try and rid Washington of radical Obamnesty supporters,we have to keep fighting and we have to tell our Senators exactly what we think about Amnesty!
Minuteman PAC is firing a "shot across the bows" of every Member of the House and Senate.
HELP MINUTEMAN PAC STOP THE LAME DUCK! SELECT HERE!

I love the Minuteman PAC, and I want to meet its contributors. Those people have entirely too much money to give away, and I can't think of a more useless gesture than to send it to me.

Seriously, if you're the sort of dim-witted paranoid that thinks "amnesty" is equal to automatic citizenship, there's not a lot you won't fall for.

Maybe if I pretended to be a Nigerian prince...

Southern Colorado Tea Party Dreams On

2010-11-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

No cakewalk for the Colorado Tea Party - The Pueblo Chieftain: Local:

"Bloedorn said last week's election was successful enough to recharge the Tea Party activists who started working together in 2009.
'We're not a political party — we're a movement,' he said. 'We're not going away and if the candidates we elected this week don't deliver on the promises they made to us, we'll replace them, too. The 2012 election is just around the corner.'"

Let's review the bidding: the Tea Party fielded about 150 candidates nationwide, and 2/3s of those were defeated. This includes such high profile names as Sharron Angle, Christine O'Donnell, Ken Buck and Carl Palodino. In effect, the Tea Party saved the Senate for Democrats.

Locally, the profoundly flawed Dan Maes retained his support from the SC Tea Party while more rational members defected to Tom Tancredo's quasi-independent run for Governor. SC Tea Party lost there, as well as in the success of Scott Tipton, who prevailed over TP-annointee Bob McConnell. And we haven't even broached the topic of the SCTP's investigation by the Secretary of State's office for allegations of campaign funding violations.

And with this record, SC Tea Party boss Bloeddorn threatens to do more of the same in 2012. Can't help but be seen as good news for progressives.

Douglas Bruce on Loss of 60, 61, and 101

2010-11-06T10:31:00.000-06:00

Douglas Bruce: Voters were 'bamboozled' in anti-60, 61 and 101 campaign | douglas, bruce, colorado - Public Affairs - Colorado Springs Gazette, CO:

"People were just basically hypnotized and brainwashed"

Doug Bruce once again articulates his respect and admiration for the people of Colorado.

The Merger Context in Keith Olbermann's Suspension

2010-11-06T09:15:00.000-06:00

MSNBC Suspends Keith Olbermann | The Nation: "Interesting take by Jeff Bercovici at Forbes:� 'Another question in all this is whether the looming acquisition of NBC Universal by Comcast played any role in [MSNBC�President Phil] Griffin’s response. Whether he was disparaging his colleagues in public or blurring the roles of anchor and commentator, Olbermann has always required a great deal of special care and handling, and Griffin has always been careful to give it to him.� But with the merger now facing a potentially difficult approval process in a Washington suddenly swarming with Republican lawmakers, NBC can hardly afford to be giving ammunition to its conservative critics.'"

Muslim Group Sues Okla. Over Sharia Ban | Christianpost.com

2010-11-06T08:42:00.000-06:00

Muslim Group Sues Okla. Over Sharia Ban | Christianpost.com:

"Estabrooks believes it is legitimate to say that “women are not treated equal with men” and Christians are threatened with death under Sharia."

Umm, yeah, lemme check with Pope Betty and Scott Roeder on that.

Letters to the Editor

2010-11-05T20:04:00.000-06:00

Letters to the Editor: "After reading about the organ donation process and some of the testimonies at the Life Guardian Foundation website, I could never, ever agree to organ donation for any of my loved ones.� The organs are harvested while vital signs are intact, and therefore family/friends are not permitted to be with their loved one at the time of death or during the process of dying.�"

Let me get this straight: this pro-life fuckwit has now chosen, a priori, to withhold life-saving organs, condemning unknown numbers to continued disability and death, because of some irrational sentimentality.

Pro-choice! As long as it doesn't cost anything. Yeah, that's some commitment.

Let's Appeal to "Tea Party Dumb Asses"

2010-09-04T07:35:00.001-06:00

To paraphrase Ken Buck, there's a lot of political mileage to be had from the "dumb ass" Tea Party crowd, especially if you're a state GOP Attorney General looking to keep a government job. How else to explain the same AGs suing the feds over Affordable Care Act now piling on to Gov Jan Brewer's self-funded defense of SB 1070

Maes Disappoints - and Educates - His Base

2010-09-03T06:26:00.001-06:00

Dan Maes continues his pointless campaign, holding onto his legal right to represent the Colorado GOP in the governor's race. Except for the charmingly out of touch Lu Busse, Maes' Tea Party support is fast eroding.

Jennifer Bailey, president of the Western Slope Conservative Alliance, was an early supporter of Maes and hosted events for him. On Thursday, she called him "disappointing."
"That's the reason the grassroots got going, because we don't make excuses for someone," Bailey said. "I wish we weren't screwing around with all this."

Read more:GOP, Tea Party leaders back away from Maes - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/election2010/ci_15979509?source=rss#ixzz0yT6jvZRT

"We don't make excuses..." Well, you do now.

Welcome to grownup politics.

Colorado GOPer Fails to Grasp the Problem

2010-07-08T07:02:00.001-06:00

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter has unveiled a federally-subsidized program that aims to offer health care coverage to citizens with pre-existing conditions. Supported by a $90 million fund, the temporary plan is intended to offer support to people who have been rejected by insurers. In 2014 those insurers will be required to cover pre-existing conditions and this program will end.

This does not make everyone happy, but state legislator Cindy Acree gets the prize for stupid responses. Claiming "free-market solutions" would fix everything, she ignores the fact that the "free-market" has already spoken. It said "No."

link

Colorado Constitutionalists are Puzzling

2010-07-06T13:12:00.001-06:00

That’s as an incredible twist on freedoms promised by our Constitution as is the repugnant turn on Jefferson’s words where “Separation of church and state” are now used to infer meaning that is the opposite of that intended by our Constitution.

I'm dense today. How does Jefferson's phrase in a private letter apply to the 1st amendment guarantee of right to redress?

Tea Party 1 Year In

2010-07-05T09:07:00.001-06:00

"On July 3rd, 2010, we held a Tea Party in Cole Park in Alamosa, CO. There were about 80 people there to enjoy the beautiful weather and a couple of truly inspirational speeches by local citizens and candidates. This marks the one year anniversary of the Tea Party movement in Alamosa and the San Luis Valley"

A year after its raucous inception, this is it? 80 people?

I hear a lot about the "enthusiasm gap" between Republicans and Democrats. The thinking seems to be the GOP's numerical disadvantage will be overcome by a high voter turnout rate. Since midterms attract even fewer voters than quadrennial elections there is a possibility that the Tea Party energy may translate into more voter participation.

But I wonder how that would play out.

Take our Alamosa TP event. On the major political holiday an estimated 80 folks showed up. Assume better-than-average voter turnout in November, say 50%, which means 40 of these folks will actually cast a ballot. Will that translate into electoral victory? By any measure, the Tea Party types are a minority inside Republican ranks, ranks that account for less than one third of registered voters. The expectation that TP enthusiasm will somehow balance their numerical disadvantage seems unrealistic. Being excited about your vote is great, but it's still just one vote. There's not an enthusiasm dividend.

Colorado Primaries are in a month, the general election in four. There's lots of time for event to unfold and minds to be influenced. Increasing voter participation may tip some balances, but it seems unlikely that the faux angry "I Am the Mob" faction will be a major factor.

"When is a military service lie not a lie?"

2010-06-01T18:34:00.000-06:00

Daily Kos: State of the Nation: "When is a military service lie not a lie?"

From my military experience 3 decades ago:

What's the difference between a fairy tale and a sea story?

A fairy tale begins with, "Once upon a time," and a seas story starts with "This is a no shitter!"

It Seems a Harmless Request

2010-04-26T21:21:00.000-06:00

'99.9pc certainty' of Noah's Ark discovery on Mount Ararat | News.com.au

A documentary team is claiming fresh evidence of Noah's ark. As part of the group's report, they quote a 99.9% certainty that they have the authentic ark.

The interesting part?

Local Turkish officials would ask the central government in Ankara to apply for UNESCO World Heritage status so the site could be protected while a major archaeological dig was conducted,

Why not? Apparently it takes considerable effort to reach this location, it's described an uninhabited. So let someone be allowed to dig around in peace. If they find something, terrific for them, for science, for all of us. If not, well, at least it did create a few jobs and gave focus to a few careers.

It seems a harmless request.

Fake Cop Car? Check. Weapon? C heck. Innocent Name? Uh...

2010-04-26T06:25:00.000-06:00

Man arrested after Obama leaves North Carolina – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs: "Police in Asheville, North Carolina, arrested a man they said was impersonating a police officer at the city's airport after President Obama flew out of town on Sunday.

Joseph McVey, 23, was being held on a charge of going armed to the terror of the public, according to the Buncombe County jail's booking office. McVey's bail was set at $100,000, Officer Donna Player told CNN."

2010-04-19T19:01:00.000-06:00

Jesse Ventura: Catholic Church like the Mafia

The chronically-appalled christianists at Lifesitenews.com are up in arms over comments made on last Friday's Real Time with Bill Maher. Seems guest Jesse Ventura thinks the ongoing criminal enterprise operated by the Catholic Church deserves criminal investigation and charges under the RICO statutes.

Sounds reasonable to me.

However, the aghast agape-ons at Lifesite leap automatically and autistically to the defense, noting that, after all, Bill Maher has described the Pope as a "Nazi."

Well, he was. Hitler Youth membership counts, doesn't it?

To cap off their spirited defense of Papa Ratzi, the indignant writers at Lifesite quote the estimable Bill Donohue of the Catholic League (defined by Kathy Griffin as "some guy with a computer").

Well, that settled that, I guess.

Women with cancer can be denied Medicaid funding by going to wrong place - The Denver Post

2010-04-08T05:12:00.000-06:00

Women with cancer can be denied Medicaid funding by going to wrong place - The Denver Post

As usual in this bizarre health care system, the poor and uninformed get left out of the system.

Funded by voluntary contributions from license plate sales, Colorado offers a program to pick up the tab for needy women diagnosed with breast cancer - but only if they are diagnosed at designated facilities.

The consequences of being correctly diagnosed at the wrong facility can be worse than economic.

"We do a good job saying, 'Go out and get your mammograms,' but then people pick up the phone and their insurance won't cover it," said Jill Fricker, director of mission initiatives for Komen in Denver.
The Komen mission is particularly important in Colorado, where one in seven women develop breast cancer — higher than the national average of one in eight.
Uninsured cancer patients are 60 percent more likely to die from the disease within five years, compared with people with insurance, Fricker said.
"Who lives and who dies depends largely on access to health insurance," she said.

Rep. Dianne Primavera, a Broomfield Democrat and breast cancer survivor, is sponsoring a bill before the Colorado Legislature to expand the program's eligibility rules and cover the cost of care for more Colorado women.

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14833876#ixzz0kVQiIPYR

Don't touch my brain!

2010-04-06T20:32:00.000-06:00

Eligibility challenger: Don't touch my brain!

Don't worry, Col. Lakin, there's little or no likelihood of anyone being more than casually interested in your brain, or its contents, if any. You've now risked your reputation, your career, and your pension in what has become another chapter in a pathetic melodrama designed to primarily line the pockets of Joe Farah, World Net Daily publisher. Seriously, you've just been rudely fucked by Farah in his mission to make money. Don't think so? Here's the last paragrapg of the story about YOU, Col. Lakin:

Your donation – from as little as $5 to as much as $1,000 – can be made online at the WND SuperStore. (Donations are not tax-deductible. Donations of amounts greater than $1,000 can be arranged by calling either 541-474-1776 or 1-800-4WND.COM. If you would prefer to mail in your contributions, they should be directed to WND, P.O. Box 1627, Medford, Oregon, 97501. Be sure to specify the purpose of the donation by writing "billboard" on the check. In addition, donations of billboard space will be accepted, as will significant contributions specifically targeted for geographic locations.)

Scott Roeder Gets Max Sentence for Tiller Slaying

2010-04-06T19:32:00.000-06:00

Scott Roeder Gets Max Sentence for Tiller Slaying

The reliably rabid anti-choice site Lifesitenews.com has weighed in on the Scott Roeder conviction and sentencing. Not surprisingly, some distance is maintained, as in defining Roeder's "mix of anarchist ideology with pseudo-Christian beliefs" as inconsistent with the real prolife movement.

Hard reasoning to accept in light of daily reports of death threats by prolifers against elected officials.

Jon Stewart Torches CNN and Redstate’s Erick Erickson | Mediaite

2010-04-02T06:41:00.000-06:00

Jon Stewart Torches CNN and Redstate’s Erick Erickson | Mediaite

Tommy Christopher comments on the Daily Show's treatment of CNN hiring Redstate.com raver Erick Erickson. Christopher inserts a quasi-defense of Erickson's admittedly juvenile commentary:

Without original reporting, there are only a few ways to draw the eyeballs, and stepping over the line is a reliable one.

Therein lies the issue, "without original reporting." Which raises the question again, why is CNN further diluting its journalistic cred with Erick Erickson?

ObamaCare: The Beginning of A Total Takeover? - darsb1@gmail.com - Gmail

2010-04-02T06:28:00.000-06:00

ObamaCare: The Beginning of A Total Takeover? - darsb1@gmail.com - Gmail

The folks at ConservativesAlerts are just relentlessly behind the news, pumping up donor anxiety with every cliche imaginable. This morning's email included the usual dishonesties: Abortion funding is included in PPACA, Obama's nefarious scheme to "take over" the country (psst - he already won the election). ut today's message also contained one o the most twisted metaphors I'ce seen recently:

America must not and will not become like the seduced German people in 1933. We will not stand by and watch Obama turn our country into Frankenstein’s laboratory, shredding our constitution, bill of rights and freedom as Hitler did with his country.

Priceless.

Internet porn is 'sexual revolution times 1,000,' ex-official says - Salt Lake Tribune

2010-03-28T16:48:00.000-06:00

Internet porn is 'sexual revolution times 1,000,' ex-official says - Salt Lake Tribune

A former Reagan/Bush I anti-porn crusader holds forth at a conference in Utah.

porn leads to sex parties and prostitution and "hijacks our brain" to make users never satisfied, always seeking more deviant images.

The sponsoring coalition includes the expected, like law enforcement and religious officals, but also the private sector.

The coalition's board includes Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, the
Utah Catholic Diocese, LDS Church members and companies that offer counseling and Internet filters.

The definition of worrisome signs of teen porn consumption?

warning signs of teen porn use, including using vulgar and sexual language, extreme religiosity or avoidance of church activities.

Which sound a lot like the worrisome signs of puberty.

Planned Parenthood presses Colorado lawmakers to support maternity coverage � Colorado Independent

2010-03-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

Planned Parenthood presses Colorado lawmakers to support maternity coverage � Colorado Independent

A bill to require maternity coverage in Colorado, HB 1021, is headed for the Senate this week. Already diluted in favor of the insurance companies, it faces an ideological hurdle.

House sponsor Beth McCann, D-Denver, told the Colorado Independent weeks ago that she expected her bill would have trouble making its way through the Senate, where conservatives would argue it placed an unfair burden on insurance companie

It's difficult to imagine what an "unfair burden" to insurers might be. We are, after all, talking about an industry that still has access to arbitrary rate hikes, denial of payment for pre-existing conditions, and recission, all of which bid fair to impose
an "unfair burden" on pregnant women.

Colorado Democratic Party suggests questions for Norton � Colorado Independent

2010-03-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

Colorado Democratic Party suggests questions for Norton � Colorado Independent

Some suggested questions from the Colorado Democratic Party boss, Pat Waak:

Questions for “Not-Sayin’” Norton:

Many of us have been disappointed by your extreme rhetoric during this campaign, including your comments that you would now oppose Referendum C, which you helped pass in 2005. Will you tell Coloradans where you really stand, and why you’re changing your mind during a competitive primary?

The Denver Post praised Scott McInnis and John Hickenlooper for taking a position against Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101 – which would be catastrophic for our state’s already strained finances. Michael Bennet also opposes them. Will you finally tell Coloradans where you stand on these measures?

You directed the lobbying division of a large trade group, and the Rocky Mountain News in 2001 reported that you were “previously a medical lobbyist.” Will you come clean and admit that in between your jobs in government you were a lobbyist for five years?

You called for a 20% “across the board cut” in discretionary spending. What would you cut from the Defense budget? Body Armor? Troop Pay? How about the COPS program which provides vital funding for police departments in Colorado? Would you cut Cancer research programs?

Do you still favor abolishing the U.S. Department of Education?

At another forum, you said you’re “not convinced” global warming was caused by humans. Yes or no question Jane: Do you believe in global warming?

You said the federal government should have “no place” in health care. Do you still believe that? If so, will you pledge to repeal Medicare coverage for the 574,263 Colorado seniors and repealing Medicaid coverage for the 374,200 Coloradans who receive quality health care through government-run programs?

On Fox News you said the job creation bill passed by the Senate was “too small.” Then your spokesman offered a confusing clarification. Where do you really stand on jumpstarting job creation?

Ms. Norton has campaigned in a remarkably opaque fashion. My suggestion for one additional question, "Ms. Norton, why is your current campaign ad directed at President Obama instead of your Democratic opponents?

The trouble with John Mayer... - Keka - Open Salon

2010-02-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

The trouble with John Mayer... - Keka - Open Salon

Well, OK, maybe Mayer's not quite the giggadouche he sounds like.

Burlefest 2010

2010-02-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

Burlefest 2010
Benny "Burle" Galloway is one of those guys that has all the talent and damn little of the luck. An excellent songwriter, damn fine bassist and really nice guy, he's facing lots of lost time & revenue. "Burlefest" is meant to help him through this really rough patch.

Wiley Drake Misses the Irony

2010-02-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

Praying for Obama's Death - Page 1 - The Daily Beast: "if they continue to deny God and do unrighteous things to our country we then agree with God that He take them out."

Here's the thing: this crazy Baptist preacher prays for the deaths of public figures, and takes credit when someone he doesn't like dies. Not that he personally takes a part, but he & his cult pray for the deaths of those he dislikes, most prominently Barack Obama.

Under federal law, of course, threatening the life of the President is a crime and will get you a personal visit from the Secret Service. You may recall the fuss last year over a Facebook poll asking about the desirability of an Obama assassination. Rev. Drake has been spared arrest and prosecution.

The conclusion is inescapable: nobody believes this crap, except Wiley Drake and a handful of his co-loons. By holding forth about his faith so publicly, he has also clearly demonstrated just how ineffectual and irrelevant his religion actually is. Judging by the lack of law enforcement attention to his fringe threatmaking, the government thinks so, too.

Them Catholics Are Amazing

2010-02-17T21:03:00.000-07:00

Some days the stories are so, fitting.

Pro-Life Billboard Campaign in Poland Links Abortion to Nazi Occupationn

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

POZNAN, February 17, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A new billboard campaign by the Polish branch of the U.S.-based Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR) links the introduction of abortion in Poland to the Nazi occupation of the country during the Second World War.

The English translation of the sign says: “Abortion for Polish women introduced by Hitler on March 9, 1943.”

A 1942 Nazi policy statement on "racial hygiene" said, "In view of the large families of the Slav native population, it could only suit us if girls and women there had as many abortions as possible. We are not interested in seeing the non-German population multiply.

Meanwhile, in Rome, we find this fascinating statement by former Nazi Pope Benedict:

ROME, February 17, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Pope Benedict XVI told a group of visiting Romanian bishops on Friday to resist the “scourges” of abortion and artificial birth control.

The pontiff said the Church should set up “parish consultancy services” for young people to help them combat the “scourges of abortion, corruption, alcoholism and drugs, as well as birth control by methods contrary to the dignity of the human person

Well, I guess he'd know.

Buena Park pastor prayed for Murtha’s death - Total Buzz : The Orange County Register

2010-02-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

Buena Park pastor prayed for Murtha’s death - Total Buzz : The Orange County Register: "Southern Baptist Pastor Wiley Drake of Buena Park sent out an email Monday night, saying that perhaps his prayers had been answered with the death of Rep. John Murtha yesterday."

If people really believed in "the power of prayer" Rev. Drake would be in jail for murder. But since it's make believe, he is free to continue accepting donations from his playmates.

Pastors Challenged to 'Ordain' Every Christian, Not Do Ministry for Them | Christianpost.com

2010-02-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

Pastors Challenged to 'Ordain' Every Christian, Not Do Ministry for Them | Christianpost.com: "Dave Ferguson, pastor of Community Christian Church in Chicago, recounted to conference attendees a bold call he recently made to his mega-congregation.

Preaching from the New Testament, he told members of the church, 'You are a royal priesthood. ... You're a priest. As a priest there's a particular people or there's a particular place that God has called you to.'

The Chicago pastor invited those who felt God's calling to come forward to be anointed. A couple thousand people came forward, named the people or place (neighbors, co-workers, underprivileged children, etc.) they felt called to go and share Christ with, and were 'ordained.'"

Next up, comedic fun when these "ordained" people begin to start their own churches, deal with the IRS.

Bill Planned to Ease In-Home Care Restrictions - Nursing Link

2010-02-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

Bill Planned to Ease In-Home Care Restrictions - Nursing Link

Another presumably well-intended government intervention in healthcare. This time, the state of Georgia wants to shift responsibility for professional nursing activities to the least-trained members of the healthcare team.

The bill will allow an unlicensed person who is trained by a Registered Nurse (RN) to perform some services — such as administering medication and keeping watch over a home patient on a ventilator — that now require RNs.

Not surprisingly, the bill's backers share a justification. The bill, sponsored by Representative Jimmy Pruett (R-Eastman, is estimated to effect 800 Georgians who would be turned out of their current skilled nursing placement, saving the state hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. The bill has been endorsed by an employment agency that provides certified nurse assistants for as little as $10 per hour.

Provider organizations have thus far declined to comment on the bill until they've taken sufficient time to read and comprehend the proposed legislation.

As I've noted in another post, there is a reason current regulations and standards of practice require professional level skills. Patient safety is the primary and perennial consideration. Before he became known for his opposition to healthcare reform, Iowa Senator Charles Grassley made periodic headlines with hearings into the shortcomings of nursing homes. While the Senator's reports tended to inflame rather than inform, specific rules addressing real problems did result, and the safety of patient care did improve.

The Georgia proposal attempts to cope with budgetary issues but risks compromising quality of care. I hope the consideration of this bill begin to center more on the welfare of the vulnerable than the bottom line of the budget.

A Database To Compare Health Care Costs At Colorado Hospitals | Colorado Health Insurance Insider

2010-01-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

A Database To Compare Health Care Costs At Colorado Hospitals | Colorado Health Insurance Insider: "State Representative John Kefalas (D – Fort Collins) is�planning to introduce a bill next month that would create a website where Colorado residents could research the price of various medical procedures at hospitals across the state. �If passed, his bill would set up a committee that would spend 18 months determining what procedures should be included in the price comparison database."

This isn't a bad idea but it's already been tried. Look up Colorado Health Data Commission. A nice idea scuttled by insurance and HMO interests.

But the fundamental flaw is the assumption that the consumer cares about cost. Healthcare coverage insulates the consumer from financial considerations. I'd always buy a Beamer if a 3rd party picked up most of the costs.

Larimer legislators seek to balance bills, budget

2010-01-31T11:21:00.000-07:00

Larimer legislators seek to balance bills, budget: "Lundberg also will make another run at a bill offering greater flexibility for those requiring medical care or living assistance under the Medicaid program.

Currently, he said, such services can be provided only in Medicaid-approved facilities by approved providers. With a federal waiver, Lundberg said, his bill would allow such services to be performed by family caregivers or smaller care facilities at a greatly reduced cost."

It's hard to think of any other single step that would do so much to increase fraud and abuse.There are reasons certification of providers as a condition of participation in public funds is mandatory.

Jack of the Woods - Asheville NC

2009-12-11T11:57:00.002-07:00

Hanging at Jack of the Wood for the Kevin Kinney acoustic jam. Nice place with decent acoustics, coffee and Jameson whiskey. The lack of brown sugar is more than adequately compensated for by not being out in the cold.

On stage - Jennie Arnau & her band. Another new name. "Chasing Giants" is the next new CD, due in March. Very sweet vocals and an especially nice pedal steel player.

Woody Wood- introduced by local DJ as an Asheville Legend. I can hear why. Nice rough voice with a clean acoustic guitar. 1st murder ballad of the day, too, which is always a pleasure for me.

Oh, an epic moment for me - Ray Sisk is on the stage! Please Please let me hear "Glory Road"

The Pathology of Losing

2009-12-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

It seems we can't go a day without some fringe element repeating long-discredited slurs against the current occupant of the White House. G. W. Bush polarized and energized the center and left of the political spectrum. Now Barack Obama has the same effect on the members of the right, the further right the more effective.

The latest arises from a now-defunct Facebook page created by the mayor of Arlington, Tennessee. According to Greg Mitchell's reporting, Russell Wiseman promoted the idea that President Obama, a secret Muslim, scheduled his speech from West Point in a deliberate move tp preempt the annual broadcast of "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Apparently, there's something in the Q'uran about beagles, footballs, and security blankets being signs of the infidel.

This latest is a symptom, I think, of the far right's inability to accept the outcome of the elections. After enjoying the reins of political power for years, they became convinced of the inevitability of their point of view. When God and Government are on your side, the only way you can lose power is by subterfuge, some malign scheme by evildoers who, once having toppled the anointed, then move on to sacred cultural icons, like Charlie Brown.

Democrats should not be too quick to dismiss these paranoid ideologues. They exists in a fever of humiliation, one that very well might power them to the polls on 2010. Midterm losses are expected, but a pissed off base could change the balance of power even more than usual.

Google Sidewiki entry by Dean

2009-11-21T13:21:00.001-07:00

Nice, concise list of tools & techniques to slim down that signal-to-noise ratio.

in reference to: Screening The News (view on Google Sidewiki)

Pushing the Limits

2009-09-27T21:14:00.002-06:00

The government, restrained by the 1st Amendment, may not restrain citizen speech, with certain exceptions. You can't slander anyone, you can't lie under oath, you can't commit fraud against others, and you can't threaten the President.

This may be legal - it is certainly reprehensible.

Polls on Facebook The obama Poll.png by deanbarnett on Aviary

We Need a New Noun - Twitterbation?

2009-09-27T20:07:00.000-06:00

Watching Colorado state Senator Dave "If You're a Slut Your Baby Should Die of AIDS" Schultheis' Twitter stream is a revolting amusement; revolting because of his insanely limited intelligence but amusing because of the apparently sincere followers he allows. (For the record, I have been officially blocked from this elected official's Twitter stream, a prior restraint activity that begs an ACLU intervention.)

Typically, Schultheis' stream consists of retweets, so much so that original contributions by the Senator are so rare as to provoke questions of his ability to compose a sentence. But on occasion a couple of his acolytes produce bewildering repetitious tweets, like these:
Twitter - Search - Sen_Schultheis.png by deanbarnett on Aviary

So I wonder - should we coin a noun to describe the endless, self-satisfying repetition of tweets between followers in a Twitter stream? I'm thinking "Twitterbation" might be appropriate (and I DO NOT want to expand this to describe Twitterbation between members of the same gender, as seen above).

Suggestions?

This Could be Entertaining

2009-09-25T20:08:00.000-06:00

Linda McMahon, of World Wrestling Entertainment fame, is seeking the Senate seat in Conneticutt currently held by Chris Dodd. The comedy potential is enormous.

Batshit Crazy in 140 Characters

2009-09-24T18:47:00.000-06:00

My favorite local wackaloon, Colorado state Senator Dave Schultheis, is now concerned over a dubious Fox News report that Massachusetts is considering legislation to address a potential H1N1 epidemic by such means as mandatory immunizations and quarantines. Some of his fellow travelers are concerned about "marshall law" while the Senator has asked the cash-strapped Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment to "comment".

Really, Senator? An official expenditure of Colorado state funds to address a report on Fox News? Sure looks like an irresponsible fiscal act on your part.

Twitter - Search - Sen_Schultheis.png by deanbarnett on Aviary

Nate Silver on the Tea Baggers Rally

2009-09-13T12:19:00.001-06:00

FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right: Size Matters; So Do Lies

Nate dispassionately examines the attendance at and meaning of the "9/12" rally in DC, and how the truth of genuine grievances can be overshadowed by lies and poor judgment. Money quote:

The way this false estimate came into being is relatively simple: Matt Kibbe, the president of FreedomWorks, lied, claiming that ABC News had reported numbers of between 1.0 and 1.5 million when they never did anything of the sort. A few tweets later, the numbers had been exaggerated still further to 2 million. Kibbe wasn't "in error", as Malkin gently puts it. He lied. He did the equivalent of telling people that his penis is 53 inches long.

Tea Baggers vs. Pot Heads

2009-09-13T11:47:00.001-06:00

The Cluster Fox crowd, particularly Dick "I Used to Have Power" Armey's FreedomWorks corporation, really really want to show their "9/12" crowd in DC deserves to be taken seriously, even if they are forced by actual turnout numbers to lie through their dentures about attendance.

Was it 1.5 million, as FW's Matt Kibbe claimed ABC reported? Well, no. ABC, referring to DC Fire Department estimates, pegged the crowd at 60 to 70,000.

Tell ya what - when the Tea Baggers clearly outnumber the beer-swilling pot smokers at Bonnaroo, I'll consider taking this Cluster Fox movement seriously.

ABC contradicts Kibbe: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/protest-crowd-size-estimate-falsely-attributed-abc-news/story?id=8558055

Bonnaroo Attndance: http://www.bonnaroo.com/rolling-stone-july-9-23-2009.aspx?preview=true

You Can't Handle the Truth

2009-09-13T11:29:00.000-06:00

Florida GOPer Reads Speech, Changes Mind

2009-09-08T06:40:00.003-06:00

Obama’s School Speech Changes Florida GOP Chair’s Mind - Central Florida News 13

(Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer) previously said he was appalled that taxpayer dollars were being spent to spread Obama’s “socialist ideology,” but after reading the speech, he will send his kids to see it in school.

This sort of full blown crazy gets passed off without so much as a mini media frenzy while the Joneses and Sotomayors of the majority party get microscopic examinations. Looks like crazy white guys from the South (in other words, the GOP base) hold themselves to a different standard.

Text of Pres Obama's "Indoctrination" Speech

2009-09-07T11:00:00.001-06:00

Normal folks read at your leisure. It's pretty mild. Demented Fuckwits, put on your tinfoil hats, cover your ears, and shout "Birth Certificate" over and over and over and over. . .

Media Resources Prepared School Remarks

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Back to School Event

Arlington, Virginia
September 8, 2009

Franchised Faith? Prayer as Fast Food

2009-09-07T10:45:00.001-06:00

For when you're just too busy to talk to your imaginary friend on your own time.

Arizona Church Offers Drive-Thru Prayer - US - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

The Chandler Christian Church in Chandler, Arizona turned their parking lot into a drive-thru prayer service.

You pull up, tell the church members what's on your heart and they pray for you right there, while you are sitting in your car.

Jobs Advisor Hounded Out of Office

2009-09-07T10:38:00.001-06:00

White House Official Resigns After G.O.P. Criticism - NYTimes.com

WASHINGTON — White House officials on Sunday tersely accepted the resignation of the administration’s special adviser for environmental jobs after a number of his past statements became fodder for conservative critics and Republican officials.

Umm, does this mean Republicans are anti-jobs? Ideology over employment?

Michelle Malkin Hearts Zombies

2009-09-07T10:32:00.001-06:00

Michelle Malkin » I repeat: It’s not the speech, it’s the subtext

"It's not what he actually said, it's what I tell you he said."

So be a good zombie and obey your Anchor Baby Overlord.

Batchit Crazy in 140 Characters

2009-08-13T07:02:00.001-06:00

Wacky Dave Schultheis, Colorado state Senator from Focus on the Family, is outraged that advertisers are pulling support from frothing lunatic Glen Beck's Fox Fantasy Fun Hour.
Twitter - Search - Sen_Schultheis.png by deanbarnett on AviaryBad idea, Senator. Considering the GOP's reduction to a regional party concentrated in the southern white evangelical male demographic, such a boycott would really only hurt NASCAR, and you don't want those guys pissed at you.

Murdoch to Charge for Fox Web Content

2009-08-06T07:02:00.002-06:00

Rupert Murdoch decides Fox journalism is so valuable people should pay for access to its content. I can't wait to see how the charges are set: will O'Reilly cost more than Beck?

News Corpse ? Would You Pay To Read Fox News?

In the end, Murdoch will just be doing a favor for all the other online news sites who learn to operate profitably without subscription fees. As the market matures there will be more and more of them. Advertisers will migrate to the web as it increasingly provides a superior return to fading newspapers. And since Murdoch is overweighted in dead-tree media, and his online acumen has been notoriously sub par (witness MySpace), this is just good news all around - the kind even I?d be willing to pay for (but don?t tell Rupert).

Birthers Aren't Just a Southern Fringe Lunacy

2009-08-01T10:36:00.000-06:00

Washington Monthly provides a graph of the geographical distribution of the lunatic birthers. The concentration of these neoracist pinheads to the South is not a surprise.

But this particular strain of stupid isn't limited to the heart of Southern Baptist Land. Our own State Senator Dave Schultheis (R - Focus on the Family) thinks there's something to it, too.

Dave Schultheis (Sen_Schultheis) on Twitter.png by deanbarnett on Aviary.

Senator Schultheis is also the renowned Colorado pol who worries excessively about the citizen status of Hispanics in fatal car accidents and believes treating pregnant women with AIDS encourages promiscuity.

Another Duh-bya Moment

2009-07-21T06:59:00.001-06:00

OK, now can we get back to teaching facts?

US teen pregnancy and syphilis rates rose sharply during George Bush's presidency, Centres for Disease Control finds | World news | guardian.co.uk

Teenage pregnancies and syphilis have risen sharply among a generation of American school girls who were urged to avoid sex before marriage under George Bush's evangelically-driven education policy, according to a new report by the US's major public health body.

Not to be too snarky, but the home of so many fundigelicalS and core Republicans rates special mention in the report:

The CDC says that southern states, where there is often the greatest emphasis on abstinence and religion, tend to have the highest rates of teenage pregnancy and STDs.

Christmas in July

2009-07-20T06:42:00.001-06:00

Speaking for all late night comedians and snarky bloggers, oh, please, please, let it be so.

Palin-Bachmann 2012? | RonP's Blog

So what about a Palin/Bachmann dog & pony show? It would be funny if it weren't so scary or is that; it would be scary if it weren't so funny. Impossible you say? The Republican campaign clown show will be something to see.

Remeber, they'll try anything and stop at nothing and at least 46% of the voting public are willing to let them have it their way.........

Your Inner Geek Will Love This

2009-07-19T15:10:00.000-06:00

Computer hardware poster 1.7 by ~Sonic840 on deviant ART

A Matter of Confession

2009-07-14T21:54:00.001-06:00

Roger Ebert has an interesting essay on confessions, using the the late Secretary of Defense during Viet Nam Robert S. McNamara's comments as a starting point. I thought this paragraph was particularly astute.

Roger Ebert's Journal: Archives

He agreed to submit himself to Morris's questions for an hour. He ended by speaking for ten. He went to subjects Morris might not have thought to take him, discussed things that were, at 85, much on his mind. He was a key aide to Gen. Curtis LeMay, who directed the fire-bombing of Tokyo when more than 100,000, mostly civilians, were burned alive. After the war, he says, in one of the film's most astonishing moments, LeMay observed to him that if America had lost, they would have been tried as war criminals. What does he, McNamara, think about the bombing? By quoting LeMay's statement that might have forever gone unrecorded, I think he lets us know.

Democratizing Human Fallacy?

2009-07-13T20:18:00.001-06:00

An interesting speculation about the ease of access to personal, even intimate information about ourselves and how that might change social mores.

Personal Transformations in the Internet Age - Boing Boing

I wonder if as a result of pervasiveness of such information we may actually see greater social forgiveness and tolerance. After all, the more people see that even those they admire do stupid things once in a while, particularly when they are young, wouldn't our tolerance level go up also? And hasn't it happened already? The more we find out about personal indiscretions of various politicians and celebrities, the more inured the public has become, it seems. We are finding out that many of our heroes are fallible. Maybe, along with everything else, the Internet is democratizing human fallacy.

Batshit Crazy in 140 Characters

2009-07-11T14:24:00.004-06:00

My favorite Colorado GOPosaurus, state Senator Dave Schultheis, (R) Focus on the Family, is wracked, WRACKED I tell you, with guilt over vacationing while the economic and moral structure of the country is ruined by evil Obamatrons. I know this because he took time away from his Minnesota junket to tweet his emotional conflict.

John Ensign, Mark Sanford, Mark Foley, Larry Craig, Scooter Libby, Mark Foley and Duke Cunningham nod in agreement.

Dogs Help with Wounds of War

2009-07-11T13:52:00.001-06:00

A great story - truly a man's best friend.

'Sit! Stay! Snuggle!': An Iraq Vet Finds His Dog Tuesday - WSJ.com

Tuesday is a so-called psychiatric-service dog, a new generation of animals trained to help people whose suffering is not physical, but emotional. They are, effectively, Seeing Eye dogs for the mind.

Well, I Guess She'd Know

2009-07-11T11:19:00.000-06:00

Maybe Sarah should quit Twitter instead of her job.

Sign of Economic Recovery or Start of Cirrhosis Epidemic?

2009-07-05T11:43:00.001-06:00

Wine prices driven lower than water | Todays News Highlights | News.com.au

Wine prices driven lower than water

By Bronwen Gora

Sunday Mail (SA)

July 05, 2009 12:01am

A WINE glut has driven prices lower than bottled water as the industry faces an unprecedented meltdown and a fire-sale of unprofitable vineyards.

The price collapse and overplanting has forced Australia's biggest winemaker, Foster's, owner of prestigious labels such as Lindemans and Penfolds, to sell 31 vineyards across the country, including 16 in South Australia and nine in New South Wales.

Major wine retailer Dan Murphy's is currently selling cleanskins for $1.99 a bottle - cheaper than some bottled water - due to the oversupply crisis that has led to some vineyard owners leaving grapes to wither on the vine.

Senator Grassley Solves the Healthcare Crisis

2009-07-05T09:07:00.001-06:00

Not The Best Advertisement

2009-07-05T08:52:00.001-06:00

Spiritual adviser: 'Darkness' gripped Sanford - USATODAY.com

When Jenny Sanford confronted her husband in January after finding a letter to "Maria" among his official papers, the governor turned to Culbertson. For nearly six months, Culbertson has been the first couple's spiritual counselor — and their secret keeper.

The Sanfords "passed" the Culbertsons' course with flying colors. A week later, Jenny Sanford asked her husband to leave their home.

Res ipsa loquitor

Maybe a Smart Phone & Google Latitude?

2009-07-03T11:58:00.003-06:00

Sanford Will Now Disclose Schedule -- Taegan Goddard's Political Wire

In the wake of reports that South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) regularly shed his security detail, he "will begin making his schedule available to the public and the media... a marked departure from the way the office has operated the past 6 1/2 years," according to The State.

The Million Can March

2009-07-03T09:44:00.001-06:00

Les Enragés.org: Your Cans Count Here!

If the teabaggers seem less than productive to you, here's an alternative: donate to your local food bank. A dastardly liberal blogger has come up with this notion, and it sure seems like a winning idea to me.

Sunday, June 28, 2009
Your Cans Count Here!

July the 4th is just around the corner. Now is the time to put your best intentions into action. Clean out those pantry shelves (but please double check those expiration dates), go to Costco or wherever you get the most bang for your buck, and tell your friends it's time to pony up.

I Like Bacon, Too, But . . .

2009-07-01T17:37:00.001-06:00

My love of bacon put to the test by bacon dress | Deb’s Style File | STLtoday

I layed the meat on top, then put clear vinyl over it and sewed tracks with clear thread. I used a wide stitch length to avoid perforating the meat to the point it might just… uh, slide down the bottom of the dress. I also blotted it all before sewing to get rid of as much grease as possible to avoid clouding the vinyl. Lastly, I made sure to bind the bottom of the dress with a strip of clear vinyl to catch drips. (I love talking about this; it’s so disgusting.) The whole project took about 6 hours, and I kept it refrigerated until the party. Good times.”

Flailing Opposition to Healthcare Reform

2009-06-28T11:14:00.001-06:00

TheHill.com - Graham calls Dem tactics Rove, DeLay politicsThe elder generation of Republican leaders are apparently trying every Rovian tactic in memory to slow or derail the healthcare reform process, including using Rove's name as a negative. Instead of addressing the issues and offering alternatives, it seems talking points are all the opposition party can offer. In fact, it's starting to look like an almost generational divide. Witness longtime pol and healthcare critic Charles Grassley's latest.

"When we're restructuring 16 percent of our economy, that's what healthcare is, and we're affecting every person in this country, then we ought to have bipartisan support," Grassley said.

It does not, apparently, occur to Senator Grassley that his party had an excellent window of opportunity, about eight years in width, to create a bipartisan effort to address the problem.

Memo to Grassley - don't like the way things are going in Congress? Win a few elections.

Faded Star Burns Out

2009-06-26T07:36:00.001-06:00

Michael Jackson, the people's king of pop? | guardian.co.uk

Jackson's was not an unblemished life and this makes it tricky for the news channels and tweeting celebrities who long for nothing more than to bathe in the soapy, sudsy pleasure of hyperbolic adoration and eulogies. But anyone who watched the Martin Bashir 2003 documentary in which he talked about sharing a bed with 12-year-old cancer patient, Gavin Arvizo, is going to find this a little strange, if not dishonest.

The striking thing about media coverage of Michael Jackson's death is the careful emphasis on past accomplishments, not the truly bizarre events that dominated the last two decades of his life. I certainly do recognize his contributions to pop music, but, really, does a career that peaked with "Thriller" in 1982 merit the wall-to-wall coverage we're seeing today?

Michelle Bachman Comic Launched

2009-06-23T13:31:00.001-06:00

High profile Minnesota Republican wackaloon Michelle Bachman is now starring in her very own comic book. Talking Points Memo has a review. Sample:

It's now in print in Minnesota, and anybody can order it online. So how is it?

As both a comic book fan and a Bachmann fan, I quite enjoyed it, but my hope is that the first issue was really laying a foundation for more to come. This comic introduces us to Bachmann, but then doesn't so much focus on her as it does on the important information we need to truly understand her political prominence -- the nature of extreme right-wing culture that has bequeathed a politician such as her to our national dialogue.

We Support Free Speech - Now STFU!

2009-05-22T11:55:00.001-06:00

UPDATE: McAuliffe, LU Democrats hold call on club ban | Lynchburg News Advance

Liberty University has revoked its recognition of the campus Democratic Party club, saying “we are unable to lend support to a club whose parent organization stands against the moral principles held by” the university.

“It kind of happened out of nowhere,” said Brian Diaz, president of LU’s student Democratic Party organization, which LU formally recognized in October.

Diaz said he was notified of the school’s decision May 15 in an e-mail from Mark Hine, vice president of student affairs.

According to the e-mail, the club must stop using the university’s name, holding meetings on campus, or advertising events. Violators could incur one or more reprimands under the school’s Liberty Way conduct code, and anyone who accumulates 30 reprimands is subject to expulsion.

Hine said late Thursday that the university could not sanction an official club that supported Democratic candidates.

“We are in no way attempting to stifle free speech.”

Accidental Commentary

2009-05-21T13:22:00.001-06:00

MyDD :: Cheney Speech: When Subliminal Messaging is Accurate

Mickey Mouse Silenced

2009-05-21T08:50:00.001-06:00

Voice of Mickey Mouse Dies - The Daily Beast

Rush Limbaugh, however, remains on the air.

It's All in the Timing

2009-05-13T17:28:00.001-06:00

When I last posted about the Carrie Prejean fiasco, my underlying theme was a lack of integrity, which was, I thought, reinforced by Donald Trump's completely arbitrary overuling of the pageant contract in order to allow this self-serving young woman to retain her tiara. By extension, I doubted the integrity of the pageant's officials in toto. It turns out that assumption was wrong by 1.

IndyStar.com | AP National | The Indianapolis Star

Former Miss USA Shanna Moakler resigned as co-executive director of the Miss California USA pageant on Wednesday, saying she no longer believes in the organization because of pageant owner Donald Trump's decision to let the state's controversial title holder keep her crown.

With this news, my initial assumption is now correct. And it's a damn shame, too.Technorati Tags: Miss California, Donald Trump, Weasels

True to Her Convictions?

2009-05-11T16:36:00.002-06:00

Miss California Carrie Prejean appears on Dr. Dobson's radio program. Apparently, Satan has subcontracted temptation to Perez Hilton.

Miss California to James Dobson: 'Satan Was Trying to Tempt Me' - God & Country (usnews.com)

Dobson: Why did you give the answer you did with regard to the affirmation of marriage?

Prejean: . . . I felt as though Satan was trying to tempt me in asking me this question. And then God was in my head and in my heart saying, "Do not compromise this. You need to stand up for me and you need to share with all these people . . . you need to witness to them and you need to show that you're not willing to compromise that for this title of Miss USA."

And I knew right here that it wasn't about winning. It was about being true to my convictions.

Well, I'm certainly happy to hear about commitments to convictions, but I have to wonder about which convictions, and for how long. For example, at age 17 Ms. Prejean posed semi-nude for a Victoria's Secret lingerie ad, a photo session she denied when signing the contract with Miss California USA pageant officials. As a result, her state crown is now in jeopardy.

But to make matters of conviction even more muddied, Miss Prejean claimed the released photo was the only one taken. Not so, according to a second photo released after her initial explanation of semi-nude pic #1.

Not worry, though, Miss Prejean's immediate future is bright. Even if her serial lies cost her the California crown, she's already inked a deal with the National Organization for Marriage, word whore Maggie Gallagher's latest source of income, to appear in a $1.5 million ad campaign that will attempt to keep Satan and Perez Hilton from marrying someone of the same gender. At least Miss California is keeping her commitment to that conviction.

UPDATE 5/12/09: Creepy old rich guy cuts buxom blonde a break. Sure didn't see that coming.

Make Cheese, Not War

2009-05-11T11:55:00.001-06:00

Welcome Back, Roquefort - The Atlantic Food Channel

In its final days, the Bush administration imposed a 300 percent import tax on France's famous Roquefort cheese, among other luxury food imports from Europe. Designed as retaliation for a European Union ban on imports of U.S. beef containing hormones, the measure was announced on January 13 and was to take effect at the end of April. Had this happened, it would have eradicated the U.S. market for Roquefort.

Daphne Zepos recounts the historic use of fine food to make diplomatic gains. In this case, a 300% tariff on Roquefort was removed under Obama's watch. She wonders if, perhaps, the President was allowed to taste some of that wonderful cheese?

Let's Do the Math

2009-05-09T09:43:00.001-06:00

Obama to cut slain officers program almost in half

There's a little snarky meme floating around this morning concerning a cut in budget for the Public Safety Officers' Death Benefits Program. Last year the program was funded with $110 million. The proposed budget cuts that to $60 million.

The usual conservative opinionators, like Warner Houston, are feigning outrage. How dare Obama dishonor the fallen? Why isn't the liberal media all over this?

Well, it could be because the program was seriously over funded during the Bush years. Paying benefits to survivors in the $300,000 range, the program would have issued just shy of $40,000,000 last year for 133 slain officers, leaving a surplus of $70,000,000.Cutting $50,000,000 from that bloated budget doesn't seem like such a big deal, after all.

But what if the number of killed officers goes up in 2009? The numbers for year to date do indicate a 21% increase over last year, but it's hard to say if that increase will hold throughout the rest of '09. Even so, a bump of 21% would call for benefits to be paid for up to 160 recipients. That totals about $48,000,000, still well below the proposed $60 million budget.

Sure looks like fiscal responsibility to me.

Be On The Lookout. . .

2009-04-26T10:13:00.001-06:00

God Indicted in Absentia on Bird Flu Related Terrorism Charges | Avant News

Funny how God never gets the blame, but if the Intelligent Design loons are correct, then the Almighty would turn out to be a real terrorist.

Washington, D.C., April 22, 2007 -- Following confirmed reports that the H5N1 avian flu virus has again been altered, making it even more resistant to anti-viral medications and increasing the risks of human-to-human bird flu transmission, a warrant has been issued for the arrest of God, the leading Suspect in what is now described as a global bio-terror conspiracy.

2009-03-08T12:20:00.001-06:00

It's a good day to buy a new phone.

2009-03-08T11:33:00.001-06:00

Trying ping.fm

28 Years

2008-12-08T22:56:00.000-07:00

My sorrow will always be fresh. 28 years ago today.