Month: February 2009

Uncategorized3 Comments

Have yourself a very Fat Tuesday

Today many Louisianians and others are observing Mardi Gras, the culmination of the Carnival season. Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday”, and I’m told Carnival translates into something like “Farewell to Meat”. So today New Orleanians and others will dress in costumes and party in the streets near passing parades. It’s a day to laugh and drink and feast, and forget everything else. It’s a time to celebrate life, together, and have no shortage of fun because tomorrow… is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. And everyone in a Catholic town knows whatthat means:ashes to ashes, funk to funky, Major Tom … Continue reading Have yourself a very Fat Tuesday

LOL7 Comments

LOLCatholics

I didn’t know the kids still said “macking” these days: But the current drama at the bakery is that some dude called up yelling at us because his wife swallowed the tiny plastic baby Jesus in the king cake and had to go to the emergency room because it was stuck in her stomach. Now, okay, I’m sorry your wife is in the ER, but I have little to no sympathy for her. First of all, everrrrry single one of our king cakes comes with a warning on the bag that there’s a plastic doll inside, secondly, if you know … Continue reading LOLCatholics

So Called Liberal Media1 Comment

Seriously, Get Over Yourselves

Word: Unfortunately, to paraphrase Alderman Paddy Bauler, Chicago news ain’t ready for reform. While some on the 13-person panel could count themselves as bloggers, only three could lay claim to it as their professional day job (four, if you count Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn who probably blogs more than any other print columnist out there). So rather than an exchange of ideas between the print and online worlds, the Town Hall felt more like the funeral that Callaway suggested. From the outset, it was clear that many were there to pat themselves on the back for a job well … Continue reading Seriously, Get Over Yourselves

So Called Liberal Media6 Comments

What Is Really Important Is That You Keep Me Entertained!

The Dumbest Reporter Alive demands attention: I don’t have a revote “theory.”I’m just wondering how long this is going to sit in the court system.If Coleman looks desperate, why not just hold another election and beat him handily? Emphasis mine. What Shailagh Murray really wants is a show, people! How long is it going to sit in the court system? As long as it takes, you kitchen appliance, that’s how the law works. You just see everybody else in the WaPo newsroom listening to her on the radio or show or reading the chat or whatever and just hanging their … Continue reading What Is Really Important Is That You Keep Me Entertained!

Geek Cred8 Comments

She’ll Wait and Hope and Pray: Galactica Thread

Starbuck.adama

Jacob:

“Someone contaminated the amniotic fluid in which we were maturing all
the Daniel copies. And then corrupted the genetic formula. I knew it
was John. Envious, sadistic.” Cavil totally changes the subject to how
he’s a total sadsack and blah blah: “If I’m so irredeemable, if I’m
such a mistake, if I’m so broken, then whose fault is that?” It’syour fault, you stupid motherfucker. EvenKara Frakking Thrace
has figured this out, and you’re like this computer genius robot thing?
“It’s my maker’s fault. And that’s not God, that’s you! This is on
you!” All I hear is wah, wah, wah. ( Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay to mould Me man? Did I solicit thee from darkness to promote me?)

If this show’s about the cycle of vengeance, if this show’s about who you become when the world ends, if this show’s aboutnow what, well, now what? How do you decide when to stop blaming what made you for who you are? And if you don’t like who you are, is it ever a better use of your time being angry at what made you, instead of just spending your crazy-ridiculous-short time on this planet fixing yourself up?

I ask an honest question here because I’m not sure, because I’m torn a lot of the time between this very everyone-would-say-normal need to put everything out on the table and make sure everybody knows the score, my own desire that the people I hate be miserable, concern that the people I hate could be out making other people do insane things for shitty reasons, and an enduring need to get work done.

And don’t we talk all day long about the reason the present assholes get away with it is because the ones immediately prior never answered for their crimes? And doesn’t Cavil have a point here? But is having a point, the point? I’m not being cute, I’m asking: where does justice end and vengeance begin? Is the former ever not the latter? Do I have to go back to The Winslow Boy to make this make sense? (“Easy to do justice. Hard to do right.”) I don’t understand this all of a sudden and it’s weird, because I’m Catholic, this is mother’s milk to us. This show keeps screwing with my head.

There actually is a show, by the way, with spoilers inside and a hot space chick with tattoos and an old man with a gravelly voice. C’mon:

p>

Continue reading “She’ll Wait and Hope and Pray: Galactica Thread”

Terrorism2 Comments

The Challenge

WaPo: Once detainees are sent home, even to friendly nations, the United States has very little influence over what happens to them. Convictions are not guaranteed. Neither is surveillance by home countries. And for those allowed to go free, assistance in resuming a normal life is rare. if ( show_doubleclick_ad && ( adTemplate & INLINE_ARTICLE_AD ) == INLINE_ARTICLE_AD && inlineAdGraf ) { placeAd(‘ARTICLE’,commercialNode,20,’inline=y;’,true) ; } <!– if ( show_doubleclick_ad && ( adTemplate & INLINE_ARTICLE_AD ) == INLINE_ARTICLE_AD && inlineAdGraf ) { document.write(‘</div>’) ; } // –>Although the United States may never say so publicly, it is likely to want more … Continue reading The Challenge

Stupid Republican Tricks3 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession With The Freeperati – “Back in the saddle” edition

Good morning everyone!This week’s post will be a short one due to some back issues, so please forgive the brevity and enjoy the levity. First off, a refresher on protocol for entering and leaving the area where the Free Republic posts are stored: Everybody suited up?Good – let’s take a look at the Freepers’ reaction to RNC chairman Michael Steele’s announcement of the new “def fresh” approach to GOP outreach: RNC chair plans ‘off the hook’ campaign CNN ^ | 2-19-09 | Rebecca Sinderbrand Posted onThursday, February 19, 2009 12:00:25 PM byrobert561 (CNN) — Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele … Continue reading Today on Tommy T’s Obsession With The Freeperati – “Back in the saddle” edition

Jude, Of Interest11 Comments

Dental Damn

Looka dem perfect teef. Hello hello, peeps. I hope everyone had a good Labor Day weekend, and it seems like luck was with Biloxi and New Orleans recently. Now, I want to talk about something that I’ve been putting off for the last couple of weeks. Teef. Or, to those of you who are all educated, “teeth.” That’s right. Those marvelous structures of pulp, cementum, dentin, and enamel. Your dental pattern, of course, is unique to you and you alone. Enamel is the hardest substance your body produces, and will likely be the part of you that lasts the longest … Continue reading Dental Damn

Uncategorized7 Comments

Goodnight, Jim O’Toole

“And then I thought of Jim O’Toole and I felt both strange and sad. When I took the cab to the airport in Cincinnati I got into a conversation with the driver and he said he’d played ball that summer against Jim O’Toole. He said O’Toole was pitching for the Ross Eversoles in the Kentucky Industrial League. He said O’Toole is all washed up. He doesn’t have his fastball anymore but his control seems better than when he was with Cincinnati. I had to laugh at that. O’Toole won’t be trying to sneak one over the corner on Willie Mays … Continue reading Goodnight, Jim O’Toole

Uncategorized1 Comment

WMD Whitewash

Allison Hantschel

From Holden: Dan Froomkin rips into the latest WMD whitewash report in his WaPo column today, helpfully providing links to ten sources alleging that the Bush assministration manipulated intelligence on Iraq. But by far the most valuable tool Froomkin employs is subtlety. Word Count I could spend all day on this, but here’s a few interesting word counts from the 600-page report: Iraq: 1,852 CIA: 1,567 Curveball: 355 White House: 8 (mostly in footnotes) Cheney: 2 Karl Rove: 0 Continue reading WMD Whitewash

Of Interest3 Comments

The Haphazard Flight of a Distant Ball

Spent a very enjoyable evening on Wednesday atthis, listening to the brilliant and hilarious First Draft Krewe alumMike D. talk shit about the Cubs and bemoan the unfairness of the Sun-Times splashing theslump-busting controversy all over its front page while ignoring the chance to talk about Cubs players cockfighting (who lets an opportunity to use “cock” in the paper get by them, honestly?) and making errors. (Speaking of slump-busting, is it a sign of my jaded-ness when it comes to sports that my first reaction was relief that they didn’t use actual live girls? These are baseball players we’re talking … Continue reading The Haphazard Flight of a Distant Ball

Jude, Political Crack13 Comments

John McCain & Co: Whiny-Ass Titty Babies

John McCain, undated file photo. Awww. Poor Huggy Bear. He’sjealous of all the press attention that Obama has been getting. Well, be careful, national media. Hell hath no fury like McCain scorned–or even mildly perturbed. Just ask his current wife, whoMcCain called a “cunt” in public. But hell, he must be rubbing off on his advisers.  Mr. McCain’s comments were mild compared with the bleak mood and frustration on the part of his advisers, who have taken to referring to Mr. Obama sarcastically as “The One” and railing against the large amount of coverage Mr. Obama is receiving compared with … Continue reading John McCain & Co: Whiny-Ass Titty Babies

Uncategorized7 Comments

Even If I Buy Your Defense, You’re Still Indefensible

About the NY Post editorial cartoon. In the debate over whether it’s racist (really, NY Post, you can’t imagine how anybody could take it that way? REALLY?) the point largely lost is that it brings nothing new to the debate whatsoever and thus in addition to garnering AUTOMATIC RACISM FAIL it also fails on the level on which the NY Post is now insisting it was meant. I mean, just for kicks let’s assume the NY Post is telling the truth and the point of its cartoon was that the stimulus bill was so dumb and incomprehensible a monkey could … Continue reading Even If I Buy Your Defense, You’re Still Indefensible

So Called Liberal Media3 Comments

The Engine You Built With Your Blood

Naturally it’s the people whoRUN THE PRESSES, naturally it’s all their fault: The Star Tribune asked a federal bankruptcy judge late Thursday to cancel the labor contract for its 116-member pressmen’s union and impose new language that would save the debt-laden newspaper $3.5 million a year. The Star Tribune asserted that the pressmen’s union, a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, has failed to enter serious negotiations for concessions needed because of a sharp decline in advertising revenue as well as debt from the 2007 acquisition of the newspaper by Avista Capital Partners for $530 million. The company wants … Continue reading The Engine You Built With Your Blood

Happy Democrat Photo2 Comments

OMG Kerry Heart Hamas!!!11!

The usual suspects freak out impressively: Given how Kerry beat up his fellow GI’s in Vietnam,can you almost understand how he will beat up Israel with the rubble of Gaza. Watch, The MSM will suck up the excrement that’s going to flow from his mouth when he gets back. It’s the first cycle of hanging Israel out to dry. Maybe, though?Not so much: GAZA, Feb 20 (Reuters) – Hamas denied on Friday it had given U.S. Senator John Kerry a letter for President Barack Obama when the senator visited the Gaza Strip this week. Have a Happy Kerry Photo: A. Continue reading OMG Kerry Heart Hamas!!!11!

Immoral Values10 Comments

Stupidest. Conservatives. Ever.

Damn, Utah: And even though Buttars says in the documentary interview,…”the ACLU – bless their black hearts…,” it’s his other comments which may get the strongest reaction. Like this one which the documentary maker confirms is about gays. “They’re mean. They want to talk about being nice. They’re the meanest buggers I have ever seen.” And just seconds later, Buttars draws a comparison between some gays and radical Muslims. “It’s just like the Muslims. Muslims are good people and their religion is anti-war. But it’s been taken over by the radical side.” Buttars also claims he’s “killed” every gay rights … Continue reading Stupidest. Conservatives. Ever.

Uncategorized

Bobke shaved

Bob Roll shaved his head and it all started with a blog.From the Fat Cyclist blog: Here’s How It Happened I talked toChuck Ibis (Scot Nicol ofIbis, the guy who made it possible for us to give away theSilk Carbon SL last year) a couple of days ago and told him that Bob Roll needs to shave his head — get rid of that fluff on top. “Give him a reason to,” said Chuck. So I said, “How about this. We’ll set him up a LiveStrong Challenge page (onTeam Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan of course). If we raise$5,000 on … Continue reading Bobke shaved

Uncategorized2 Comments

On the road…

I’m heading out across state lines for the purpose of teaching students something of importance, so I’ll be out of pocket until tonight. I’ll give you all the update and such once I land. And to take a page from Jude’s playbook, I’ve got one of those “big deal” things happening early next week and I’m not sure how it will turn out, so wish me luck, pray for me or do whatever it is y’all do to send the good karma and juju. See you in a few. Doc Continue reading On the road…

Uncategorized3 Comments

Media Recognition of G.O.P. “Leadership”

Let’s start with thisbit of Kabuki theater–the headline trumpets the avowals of several governors–including mine–that ideological purity trumps fiscal sanity, and they must, regrettably, reject stimulus funds (aside: easy to say when their own government issued paychecks aren’t in danger of being cut.) Of course, the loud squawking is a cover for the mere symbolism of their action. Buried in the article are paragraphs pointing out that outright rejection of funds will likely be limited to small measures, and that State legislatures can override a governor’s refusal anyway. And believe me, the States, including mine, need the money. Turning down … Continue reading Media Recognition of G.O.P. “Leadership”

So Called Liberal Media1 Comment

Employee Buyout

It startles me this isn’t discussed more often as a solution. I mean, if we’re expecting the reporters to solve all the problems anyway, by writing shorter or longer or more about celebrities or less about celebrities or with more “interactivity” or with more “old school flavor” or whatever the fuck buzzwords are getting bandied around by consultants these days (ever notice how there’s always money for news consultants but never for retaining employees?), then the employees might as well own the thing for which they’re being made to feel responsible. A. Continue reading Employee Buyout