Month: December 2008

Political Crack7 Comments

Fix The Roof First

So much yeah: The major initiative with respect to schools in the short term is likely to be in the stimulus package, in the form of rebuilding and retrofitting decrepit and obsolete school buildings. There is well over 100 billion in deferred maintenance just to bring school buildings fully up to code. And that by itself will make something a difference in the learning environment – it is hard to learn when it rains in the classroom, or when there are not enough working toilets so they stink and overflow, or when the HVAC is so obsolete it is either … Continue reading Fix The Roof First

Congress3 Comments

The First Thing We Do Is, We Hide

Oh, goody, an asshole party! FromRoll Call comes the relatively unsurprising news that Indiana Democrat Evan Bayh is attempting to form a “Blue Dog” coalition in the Senate, one which would mirror the one that Democratsalready have in the House. This group will presumably include some of theswing senators that I described last week, folks like Ben Nelson, Mark Pryor and Mary Landireu.The practical upshot of something like this — apart from making Bayh one of the ten most powerful people in Washington — is that the Democrats in the Blue Dog coalition would presumably tend to vote as a … Continue reading The First Thing We Do Is, We Hide

Political Crack2 Comments

Driftglass Explains the Blagojevich Sitch For You

Best ever summation of how this tool got re-elected. Short answer is that the local GOP is Teh Suck: Ourlocal Fox affiliate interviewed Judy Barr Topinka. In 2006, Judy Barr was the last remaining Republican constitutional officer in Illinois (Illinois State Treasurer, 1998-2006) when she decided to roll the dice and run for governor. Unfortunately, her years as a more-or-less moderate Republican meant that the whackjob wing of the Illinois GOP (also known as “The Illinois GOP”) made sure she came out of the party primary extra-heavily bloodied, and then had to stand up a statewide campaign against an incumbent … Continue reading Driftglass Explains the Blagojevich Sitch For You

Stupid Republican Tricks7 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession With The Freeperati – the company you creep

Good morning, fellow travelers! It’s time to get suited up and plunge in to deepest darkest Freeperville.
Just don’t make eye contact, and everything will be ok.
Let’s open up the first drum of insanity and see what bubbles up, shall we?

Believe it or not, they’restill flogging the birth certificate non-issue.
Presented for your approval –

WhenLittle Green Footballs says *you’re* a nutcase – well…‏

Nirth Certifikit Kookery: Promoted by Truthers and Paulians
Little Green Footballs ^| December 8, 2008
Posted onMonday, December 08, 2008 8:46:59 AM byScarchin
Anyone want to guess which idiotbloggers are taking part in these nirth certifikit conference calls?

Each week a small group of people running websites and blogs dedicated to the story participate in a conference call to discuss the latest news and how to advance the story. Between 5 and 10 people call in, most of whom know little about each other except for their shared interest in Obama’s citizenship.

One of the frequent participants in the conference calls is Bob Schultz, who heads the “We the People Foundation” which has raised tens of thousands of dollars raising questions about Obama’s background and promoting Berg’s legal action with full-page ads in the Washington Times, Chicago Tribune and the conservative newspaper Human Events. The group is now eyeing buys in the New York Post and USA Today.

Schultz’s Web site, which had previously been dedicated to promoting Rep. Ron Paul’s (R-Texas) insurgent presidential campaign, hosts an array of documents and web videos offering conflicting arguments – that Obama was born outside of the United States, or that he lost his citizenship upon moving to Indonesia with his mother and step father and then must have re-entered the United States illegally.

To those of you still clinging desperately to the hope that this story will be a magic bullet that disqualifies Obama from being president: doesn’t it bother you just a little bit that you’re joining forces with Paulians and 9/11 Truthers?

(Excerpt) Read more atlittlegreenfootballs.com …

I wonder what folks who are obsessing over this plan on doing when it amounts to nothing.
1 posted onMonday, December 08, 2008 8:46:59 AM byScarchin

To:Scarchin; LucyT;pissant;FreeAtlanta
Little Green Footballs thinkswe are kooks ping.

3 posted onMonday, December 08, 2008 8:49:13 AM byautumnraine (Churchill: ” we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall never surrender”)

To: Scarchin
If it amounts to nothing, why not show the valid certificate,
or college records?

4 posted onMonday, December 08, 2008 8:50:15 AM byLesforlife

I just love these guys. It’s hard to tell if they really believe this crap, or if the consequences of not playing this trope at full white-noise volume in their mental crystal radios are too hideous for them to deal with.

To: Scarchin
I wonder what folks who are obsessing over this plan on doing when it amounts to nothing.Post 30 threads a day, sputtering and sobbing, “B-B-B-BUT HE’S A KENYAN!!!” as Obama sits in the Oval Office, signing important legislation that completely flies under our radar as Free Republic has turned into Conspiracy Central, posting nothing but Leo Donofrio’s latest blog entries as all the rational FReepers have given up and left and no real news gets posted here and commented on anymore.

6 posted onMonday, December 08, 2008 8:55:53 AM byDrew68

Rational Freepers.
Jumbo shrimp.
Military intelligence.
Legal brief.
Loose tights.
And by “no real news”, I assume that he means ranting about the death of Vince Foster and such…

To: Scarchin
I wonder what folks who are obsessing over this plan on doing when it amounts to nothing.
They’ll have a conniption fit over it. Charles saw quite a while ago the potential for moonbattery in this topic, so he put the kibosh on it on his own site. A wise move, in my opinion. When imagination takes over memes develop which take a straightforward topic into dangerously goofy territory. The left is obviously playing this tendency for all it’s worth.

18 posted onMonday, December 08, 2008 9:10:42 AM bySkid Marx

It tickles me mightily to watch them callingeach other “moonbats”. Personally, I think they should address this burning issue Kilkenny-cats fashion, but then I’d be out of a job.

To: Scarchin
I wonder what folks who are obsessing over this plan on doing when it amounts to nothing.

The same could be asked of you about the constitution. I’m guessing you’ll curl up in the fetal position and refuse to fight.

21 posted onMonday, December 08, 2008 9:11:22 AM bycripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)

To: cripplecreek
Be specific – what do you mean by “fight”?
Sitting on your computer all day?

24 posted onMonday, December 08, 2008 9:13:27 AM byScarchin (Withholding judgement)

To: Scarchin
While I realize you’re hoping that I’ll propose some kind of violent action so you can run to the moderators with it I’ll say yes I intend to continue writing to my congressman and demanding some action.
What will you do?

30 posted onMonday, December 08, 2008 9:16:45 AM bycripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)

Ok, boys – we’ll settle this once and for all.
Here – take these knives, climb down into this 15′ deep by 8′ wide hole in the ground, and settle this like men.
After there’s a victor, I can fill in the hole.

The wheels continue to come off for our amusement after the jump, so…
One!

Two!

…wait for it…

Three!

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession With The Freeperati – the company you creep”

LOL27 Comments

Food Is Scary

GAAAH. You know I loveAnthony Bourdain like I love my own left breast but every time on his show that he whips out some sweetbreads or boar intestine or whatever and talks about how tasty it is fried with some testicles I start screaming at the TV. We don’t need to eat that stuff anymore. Though we’re not quite at flying cars yet I think most of us can probably safely stop gnawing on the assholes of various mammals for amusement. I feel the same way about this: There is a KFC almost everywhere now and we don’t need to … Continue reading Food Is Scary

Stupid Republican Tricks9 Comments

Glory Be, These People

Enough: Just in case you are confused-Republicans object to a car czar overseeing the bailout because it is too much government interference, but a few Republican Senators dictating from Washington how much companies pay their workers is just the invisible hand of the free market bitch-slapping you while you are down. Those Senators, btw, make $160k a year and have full medical and just decided that an autoworker making 50k a year is just too damned much money. $700 billion for the millionaires and billionaires who helped create this mess, not a dime for the guys who make $50-60k a … Continue reading Glory Be, These People

Uncategorized3 Comments

Laugh, Think, Cry…

“Trees will tap dance, elephants will drive in the Indianapolis 500 and Orson Welles will skip breakfast, lunch and dinner before North Carolina State finds a way to beat Houston.”-Washington Post, April 4, 1983 “Call up the elephants, baby. Teach them how to drive.”– NC State Coach Jim Valvano after his team’s 54-52 NCAA Championship win Each year about this time, I find myself thinking about Jim Valvano. It’s ESPN’s fault and I’m mad and grateful at the same time. The sports network runs its annual Jimmy V Foundation tournament at the front end of the college basketball season to … Continue reading Laugh, Think, Cry…

Geek Cred, Law/Justice, Music15 Comments

Band Queers Represent!

“Band Queers.” That’s what they called us. And to be totally fair, some of us were, even if we didn’t realize at the time. However, in my high school,if you played an instrument other than a guitar and were in the band, you were a Band Queer, regardless of your orientation. I’ve said before that I learned the meaning of irony in high school marching band. You see, there’s something about marching, the act of declarative, deliberate, ritualized walking, that is revelatory. Those who haven’t ever marched in any capacity, be it military, musical, or in protest, just don’t get … Continue reading Band Queers Represent!

So Called Liberal Media2 Comments

Chicago Trib: Reinventing FAIL For A New Generation

This is so small and sad and lame: Trib Tout A couple of readers tell me they saw a TV commercial this morning for theTribune showing clips of Patrick Fitzgerald praising them for holding off on printing a story (or stories) at Fitzgerald’s request, followed by “Subscribe to theTribune.” Now edited by Patrick Fitzgerald. * That’s just a joke. I have no particular reason to think theTribune erred in its decision to acquiesce to Fitzgerald; I simply do not have the facts. But geez, using it as an advertisement? Beyond tacky. Totally inappropriate. Erm, YEAH. A. Continue reading Chicago Trib: Reinventing FAIL For A New Generation

Uncategorized1 Comment

I hate you, Kenny…

Ran across this today in an email chain andI think this guy found the Rosetta Stone of newspaper catastrophe… He makes a great argument: Newspapers hate their audiences. I know I did. I didn’t want to be told by some housewife in slippers who couldn’t form a coherent sentence that she knew better than me. It’s the arrogance that comes with having your name seen by thousands of people each day and believing that you are in some way changing the world (or the city or town or whatever). Unless it’s a pat on the back, shut the hell up. … Continue reading I hate you, Kenny…

Uncategorized3 Comments

Pot, Meet Kettle

+ = The Bush White House finds Rod Blagojevich’s actions and behavior “astounding.” Okay… And, to change the topic completely: to pass along some out-of-the-ordinary “news,” The Gret Stet has a bit of the white stuff today, and I don’t mean Peruvian marching powder (though I’m sure that could be found if one wants to look for it.) Nope, it’s a real snowstorm, the first around these parts in I’d guess about six years. Yeah, those above the snow line might well be saying “yeah, big deal,” and personally, having done significant winter time in the Badger State, my reaction … Continue reading Pot, Meet Kettle

So Called Liberal Media4 Comments

With the Journalism and the Killing of it

Aparently the future of journalism is full of people being lied to a lot and pretending to like it: Gardner also talked about the impact of buyout strategies in order to keep newspapers solvent. He said that it was typically the most experienced reporters (and most highly compensated) who were being ushered out with buyout offers, and that had the effect of removing an important piece of the system of mentorship. Older, more experienced members of the newsroom could no longer show the new folks the ropes. The amount of time the panelists spent talking about financial viability and the … Continue reading With the Journalism and the Killing of it

Uncategorized7 Comments

Bravo Mr. Stewart

Jon Stewart had Mike Huckabee on the Daily Show last night and tore his bigotry apart… “I’ll tell you this: Religion is far more of a choice than homosexuality. And the protections that we have for religion? We protect religion — and talk about a lifestyle choice — that is absolutely a choice. Gay people don’t choose to be gay. At what age did you choose not to be gay?” And more… .cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url(‘http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png’) !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.cc_title a{color:#868686;text-decoration:none;}.cc_links a:hover{color:#67bee2;text-decoration:underline;} The Daily Show With Jon StewartM – Th 11p / 10c Mike Huckabee Pt. 2 http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:213349 Barack Obama InterviewJohn McCain … Continue reading Bravo Mr. Stewart

Uncategorized10 Comments

When you need more Cao bell…

TheTimes Picayune has more onwhat’s next for the GOP’s newestshooting star, Representative-electJoseph Cao. (Some of the following T-P quotes have been excerpted out of order. It’s pronounced “Gow”, btw.) Anh “Joseph” Cao, R-New Orleans, spent Monday accepting congratulations for his stunning victory over nine-term Democratic incumbent Rep. William Jefferson, andplanning his first trip to Washington this week for an orientation session for new members of Congress offered by the conservative Heritage Foundation and featuring such enticing workshop titles as, “Dealing With the Entitlement Tsunami.” Cao’s father survived a re-education camp in N. Vietnam, so hopefully he can give his son … Continue reading When you need more Cao bell…

Uncategorized4 Comments

“Bush Legacy Project”

So Rove has been directing a Bush Legacy Project and today we learn via Think Progress that the White House has sent out a 2 page memo with the talking points on the “unalloyed success” of the Bush presidency. I tackled a Bush Legacy Project almost 2 years ago with the following video and the thought that the Bush Legacy will be seen in 2 cities–New Orleans and Baghdad. I still stand by that today. Though I would encourage you to also watch a video accompanyingthis Stars and Stripes story on a helicopter medevac platoon operating in Afghanistan. It is … Continue reading “Bush Legacy Project”

Uncategorized6 Comments

Quitting Time Booster Shot

A belated QTBS… Spent the day with the Midget and the Missus doing some Christmas shopping. I’m now officially broke and we’re still short a few gifts. From the dregs of my mind… –Saw this earlier todayand thought about it when I saw A’s post on the world of blogging. I’ve often found that it’s easier to marginalize bloggers as a homogenous group that sits around and pets their cats in between blithe rants about what’s wrong with this country. While they often are afforded the brunt of the hatred usually spewed toward journalists, they appear to be afforded little … Continue reading Quitting Time Booster Shot

Political Crack5 Comments

My Tooly Governor Goes Down

Indicted. I should be excited, but I’m having a hard time coming up with any kind of a reaction other than “feh.” What a monumental dumbass this guy is: On the issue of the U.S. Senate selection, federal prosecutors alleged Blagojevich sought appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the new Obama administration, or a lucrative job with a union in exchange for appointing a union-preferred candidate. Blagojevich and Harris conspired to demand the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members responsible for editorials critical of Blagojevich in exchange for state help with the sale of Wrigley Field, … Continue reading My Tooly Governor Goes Down