Month: December 2008

LOL3 Comments

The Worst Christmas Toys

Kids’ toys can be downright creepy: I saw the most horrific toy last night. It made me laugh until I nearly had to be removed from the store. Envision, if you will, what appears to be a dead puppy in an open box. It’s on its back, stiff paws pointing toward an uncaring Heaven, jaws gaping in a rictus of grim mortality, hairy tongue lolling and glazed eyes popping. Classic dead dog position, very hot for the holidays. It gets better. Now you note that the thing’s spine appears to be twisted, as though said deceased canid werewrung out like … Continue reading The Worst Christmas Toys

Uncategorized7 Comments

Why We Fight, Reason #8,123

Watch this clip from a Fox News morning show featuring Fox News BlondeJill Dobson doing a sort of hit and run preview ofMilk. As noted in the excellent analysis by YouTube posterLiberalViewer, Dobson tidies up the Milk legacy, sweeping it right back in the closet in fact, by describing the film simply as “a movie about a 1970’s politician, Harvey Milk.” Not a single mention ofWHY Harvey Milk was important enough to merit a biopic, and of course no use of the word “gay,” or even “homosexual.” Further, Dobson dismissively glosses over the acclaim being given to the film, tossing … Continue reading Why We Fight, Reason #8,123

Hurricane Katrina & Federal Flood, Scoutprime3 Comments

Allstate Sucks Up Your Tax Dollars

scoutprime2014

( Sign seen in Lakeview neighborhood of NOLA, August 2006: Photo scout) “Allstate SUCKS” just does not do justice to describing what the company has done in handling Katrina claims. I’m thinking more like— Allstate: Criminally Fraudlant Bastards. But they have Sucked up YOUR tax dollars. From the Times Picayune… If Allstate attributed the damage to wind or rain, for example — putting it on the hook for payment under the customer’s homeowner policy — the company priced the cost of removing and replacing the drywall at 76 cents per square foot. But if the damage was blamed on storm … Continue reading Allstate Sucks Up Your Tax Dollars

Immoral Values13 Comments

Fuck Shit Jesus, They Got An Army!

Gays are coming to get us again! Quick, everybody disavow them! The court’s decision is likely to re-energize an election-year debate over same-sex marriages and gay rights. By injecting the social issue into a contest that has been dominated by the economy and Iraq, the ruling could provoke a backlash among conservatives, drawing them to the polls in large numbers. Someone hold me. You know, I can hear the meeting now, in which people tell Clinton and Obama (forget McCain, he’s off somewhere eating oatmeal with a straw) to be careful and be cautious and worry, worry, worry, worry because … Continue reading Fuck Shit Jesus, They Got An Army!

Law/Justice, LOL10 Comments

Jesus Christ! and a cast of dozens — Prop 8: The Musical

A mini-musical with Allison Janney, John C. Reilly, Jack Black, Neil Patrick Harris, Margaret Cho, Maya Rudolph, Kathy Najimy… and possibly other celebrities I don’t recognize. If you see someone I left out, leave a comment. The thing I really love about this is the “Hey kids! We ain’t beat yet, let’s put on a show!” spirit of the thing. http://player.ordienetworks.com/flash/fodplayer.swf See moreJack Black videos at Funny or Die Continue reading Jesus Christ! and a cast of dozens — Prop 8: The Musical

Geek Cred, Of Interest, Political Crack, Science3 Comments

Transparent and Connected. Can We Handle It?

Something very interesting happened over on the Obama transition team’sChange.gov site a week ago. It was the day before Thanksgiving, so it didn’t make as big of a splash as it might otherwise have. An invitation was issued toJoin the Discussion and tell the Obama team “What worries you most about the healthcare system in our country?” Transition team members Dr. Dora Hughes and Lauren Aronson opened the discussion with a video request for feedback. “Today we’re trying out a new feature on our website that will allow us get instant feedback from you about our top priorities. We also … Continue reading Transparent and Connected. Can We Handle It?

Immoral Values5 Comments

Bullying

Read Amanda and then come back here and bear with me a second while I kick this around: Anyway, a reader of Digby’swrote a great email explaining that to white Southern racists and their allies who hang the Confederate flag in non-Confederate states, the flag has always represented Christian values, honor, freedom, hating commies, puppies and kittens. As someone who lives in one of the Confederate states, I can also attest to the fact that some morons still call it The Rebel Flag, as if it’s some symbol of a strike for justice and freedom, instead of the reality, that … Continue reading Bullying

Current Affairs3 Comments

Rest in Peace, Odetta

Legendary American folksinger Odetta died Tuesday. She was 77. “If only one could be sure that every 50 years a voice and a soul like Odetta’s would come along, the centuries would pass so quickly and painlessly we would hardly recognize time.” – Maya Angelou Rosa Parks, the woman who started the boycott of segregated buses in Montgomery, Ala., was once asked which songs meant the most to her. She replied, “All of the songs Odetta sings.” “The first thing that turned me on to folk singing was Odetta.”— Bob Dylan Continue reading Rest in Peace, Odetta

Uncategorized18 Comments

Reminder: 30 shopping days till Christmas

Dangerblond discusses a 2009 calendar that is sure to send a shiver up your leg and holiday sparkles throughout your home. It features a selection of conservative women wearing… well, justgo see for yourself. Then read Dangerblond’stake. My initial reaction to the calendar was one of complete… well, let me tell you mysecond reaction to the calendar instead, because my first reaction wasn’t very charitable. My second reaction was: who wants to see a picture of a lady in fur during the summer months? That’s just uncomfortable. Continue reading Reminder: 30 shopping days till Christmas

Congress9 Comments

Health Coverage vs. Health Care vs. Neither

A couple of things to read: Flory on Ezra on Daschle. Baucus making sure his friends are taken care of. And finally, this is just me: Having health insurance for everybody might mean everybody can afford to go to the doctor. But it doesn’t mean everybody can get health care. If the doctor finds something wrong with you, and it’s not covered by your insurance, or it’s only covered to 90 percent but that remaining ten percent is still $1,200 and right now you don’t have $1,200, or it’s covered entirely but you’re off work during your recovery time and … Continue reading Health Coverage vs. Health Care vs. Neither

Immoral Values1 Comment

Steve Chapman Finds A Nut

He’s gonna join Kathleen Parker on Wingnut Exile Island if he keeps this up: Consider the implications of the policy in this case. It would mean removing the children from the home in which they have been raised—”one of the most caring and nurturing placements” the guardian has ever seen. It would mean putting them through the trauma, once again, of being uprooted and placed with complete strangers. And because of the difficulty of placing kids their age, the child enrichment center said, it could mean the brothers would be permanently separated from each other. And for what? Solely to … Continue reading Steve Chapman Finds A Nut

Terrorism1 Comment

Homeland Security

From SusanG: In addition to the prepared remarks, the Obama transition team sent out bios of today’s appointees, and it’s interesting to note what’s emphasized (and what’s not) in these official life stories. Particularly intriguing is the fact that Napolitano’s bio is longer than that of Gates — and that it emphasizes quite a few domestic policies that at least on the face of it have little to do with Homeland Security as we know it. Possibly because Homeland Security as we know it is utter bullshit. Take off your shoes in the airport, make sure you report any suspicious … Continue reading Homeland Security

Stupid Republican Tricks2 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession With The Freeperati – a slow simmering boil

Good morning, trypto-fans! I hope everyone’s gotten their individual post-Thanksgiving tummy issues out of the way, because between the sullen acceptance and hysterical blue-skying about a last minute reprieve (they’re so cute when they hope against hope), it’s going to take a strong stomach to handle the rapture of the Freep this week.So – check those seals and air supplies – we’re going in! p>First up – I just can’t get enough of those PUMA threads.. div style=”margin-left: 40px;”>55 million conservatives better get their act together, and FAST11/06/08 | prismsinc Posted onThursday, November 06, 2008 9:31:35 AM byprismsincWe need to … Continue reading Today on Tommy T’s Obsession With The Freeperati – a slow simmering boil

Jude, Of Interest17 Comments

Adventures in False Equivalence

Yes, you. What the fuck, Chris Hedges? Seriously, what the fuck? And you, Salon. What the fuck? It’s bad enough you continue to inflict Camille Paglia on us, you gotta have an interview with this dick, too? So Chris Hedges has a new book about the “New Athiests.” You know, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris. What about them? Well, you see, Mr. Hedges claims that they are “preaching a fundamentalism as dangerous as the religious fundamentalist belief systems they attack.” Uh, dude? Shut the fuck up. Really. I’ll believe that these “New Atheists” are as dangerous as Christian … Continue reading Adventures in False Equivalence

Congress8 Comments

But – But – But – But – Bipartisanship? Cooperation? Conciliation?

As usual, a load of Republican crap: Earlier this month, the Bush administration nominated Neil Barofsky, a federal prosecutor, to be the Treasury Department’s special inspector general on the bailout program. That’s a crucial post, given the astronomical sums at issue, the broad authority that Treasury has been given to distribute them, the concerns that have been raised about possible conflicts of interest, and the general urgency of our efforts to prevent an economic collapse. So you’d think Congress would be doing everything it could to get Barofsky confirmed right away. You’d be wrong. Last week, Sen. Chris Dodd, the … Continue reading But – But – But – But – Bipartisanship? Cooperation? Conciliation?

Law/Justice5 Comments

Thirty years gone, never forgotten

What Harvey Milk Tells Us About Prop 8: In light of the passage of Proposition 8, Harvey’s message of thirty years ago remains as vital today as it was then. It is our responsibility to let our loved ones, co-workers, friends, and neighbors know who we are, so that those who vote in favor of discrimination have our names and faces in their minds eye when doing so. Although Proposition 8 wasn’t exactly a re-make of Proposition 6, it’s the same disaster movie storyline pitch: any recognition of constitutional rights for gay and lesbian citizens will somehow destroy the natural … Continue reading Thirty years gone, never forgotten

Immoral Values12 Comments

All I’m Gonna Say About The War On Christmas

Is that it gets dumber every year. You know, I went into yesterday thinking this was gonna be another holiday-blues year, where I was bitter and annoyed at everyone and everything, but over the turkey I started to relax and realize that it just might be okay, and I remembered how tiresome it is this time of year when hipper-than-thou assholes try to make you hate the holidays. I’m not just talking about O’Reilly and the Merry Christmas Blacklist or whatever where we track who says what to you when you leave the store, like it’s a game somebody can … Continue reading All I’m Gonna Say About The War On Christmas