Geeky I know, but I love that the White House has aflickr account. It features the First 100 Days-Delivering on Change behind-the-scenes photos by Pete Souza, some of which were released earlier this week, also available now at whitehouse.gov. Available for download under Creative Commons license,too! Continue reading flickr.gov
Good reporter. Have a cookie. At 7:28 in, Andre Showell from BET points out that, you know, some parts of America have been in a recession for half a damn century, while middle-class white people pretended they didn’t exist, so let’s have some economic recovery that actually helps them this time around: A. Continue reading Best Question
NYT: Senator Lindsay Graham, Republican of South Carolina, said: “We are not losing blue states and shrinking as a party because we are not conservative enough. If we pursue a party that has no place for someone who agrees with me 70 percent of the time, that is based on an ideological purity test rather than a coalition test, then we are going to keep losing.” Linds, pet. The problem is that people don’t like Republicans anymore. The problem isn’t that you don’t have the right mix of pseudo-fascists and actual fascists who carry I AM A FASCIST cards and … Continue reading Lindsey Finds A Nut
Attempt to imagine: Asked about his testy relations with Congress during his lone prime-time press conference (which scored near-record low ratings) in late February, McCain retrieved one of his musty jokes from mothballs as he cracked, “To quote Chairman Mao, `It’s always darkest before it’s totally black.’” The beleaguered McCain congressional relations team printed up T-shirts, which they still periodically display on trips to Capitol Hill, with the inscription, “Is it totally black yet?” It is ironic that McCain, the first president elected directly from the Senate in 48 years and a legislator known for his willingness to work with … Continue reading John McCain’s First 100 Days
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-Homophobistan), on the House floor earlier today: viaMedia Matters UPDATED: The Matthew Shepherd Bill, Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H. R. 1913), was passed in the House of Representative this afternoon (despite the actions of people like Rep. Foxx) 249 to 175. If approved by the Senate, the bill will add sexual orientation, gender identity, gender and disability to the categories included in existing federal hate crimes law and would allow local governments who are unable or unwilling to address hate crimes to receive assistance from the federal government. The Senate version of the bill … Continue reading Why we fight, reason #96,147
Posts in the van belong to their posters. Please check around your seat for belongings prior to exiting the van. In honor of BuggyQ joining the First Draft revolutionary collective, she gets the wheel until she crashes or gets sick of us, whichever comes first. Update: Van closed. Thank you all for being surprising, troubling, humbling and enchanting guests! A. Continue reading Presidential Press Conference Crack Van
Up for a vantomorrow night? It’s been a while, we could haul it out, give it a good spring cleaning. A. Continue reading Van?
First we see CNN’s David Mattingly being attacked from 2 camera angles by mean fish. Then Fox News is shocked their producer was able to call and get a hostage on the phone in the midst of being held hostage (hmm maybe they picked up the phone thinking it was a hostage negotiator?) Whatever… Fox was so proud that their producer “was able to generate so much information” via her super duper producer power of “just reading into it” as well as being able to see through the phone as to what was “possibly” occurring. (Length: 2:40) Continue reading Today’s Cabloid Follies
Remember when the Chicago Tribune was gonna have one? “[T]he Trib . . . managed to do something I thought impossible in the year 2009 in the city of Michelle and Barack,” Lowell Thompsonwrites in a letter to the paper today. “Its staffers had written a whole magazine titled ‘Art in Chicago’ without a single image of or by a black artist.” You can bet that if the entire magazine featured black artists without a single white person, the editors would have noticed. A. Continue reading A National Conversation About Race
Seriously, CNN: Some observers say Twitter — a micro-blogging site where users post 140-character messages — has become a hotbed of unnecessary hype and misinformation about the outbreak, which is thought to have claimed more than 100 lives in Mexico. “This is a good example of why [Twitter is] headed in that wrong direction, because it’s just propagating fear amongst people as opposed to seeking actual solutions or key information,” said Brennon Slattery, a contributing writer for PC World. “The swine flu thing came really at the crux of a media revolution.” I had my hands full killing journalism. Now … Continue reading Swine Flu: The Internet’s Fault
Congratulations, Madam Secretary: A. Continue reading Happy Democrat Photo: Sebelius Edition
And another track is added to Michelle Malkin’s inner porn library. A. Continue reading ‘Officer Insaney McShootYouNow’
Richard Cohen, ladies and gentlemen: On April 16, President Obamareleased the now-infamous torture memos along with a coveringstatement that said the CIA’s old interrogation methods not only failed to “make us safer” but undermined “our moral authority.” A week later, a woman holding the hand of a child walked into a throng in Baghdad and blew herself up. Apparently she had not heard of our new moral authority. So, wait, releasing the memos was supposed to stop all terrorism ever? DAMN, no wonder people are so upset about them, because that hasn’t worked at all! script> <!– if ( show_doubleclick_ad … Continue reading Like Watching a Dog Do a Math Problem
They always tell you that when writing, write what you know.Well, I know books.Not all of them (yet, more’s the pity) but I always have at least one going, often more (right now it’s about 5, 1 fiction, 4 non-fiction).So I thought it’d be fun to tell you what I’m reading right now, and find out what all of you are reading, since I’m always looking for the next good read.
My non-fiction read at present isFounding Faith:Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America, by Steven Waldman (ISBN-13:978-1400064373).I’m big into history (no surprise, it being what I teach), and I picked this one up to get myself back in the American history mode (till my U.S. History didn’t make this term…sigh…).
I’ve been working my way through this one since January, dipping in and out as the spirit moves me (luckily, its structure lends itself to reading in installments).Until now, I’d spent most of my Founding Fathers energies on Adams (only one letter off from Adama—coincidence?I think not…).But the FF I’m most intrigued by after reading this is Madison.
more after the jump
Continue reading “Tuesday Afternoon “Whatcha Readin’?” Thread”
Good morning, everyone!First of all, my thanks to the First Draftees who contributed to Ms. DeWitt’s Journalism class at Donorschoose – the hat I don’t wear is off to you! Now – let’s get suited up and dip into the alleged minds of thehorrendus res publica, shall we?Don’t forget – their inflammatory rhetoric is classified as propane language. First tawdry tidbit in our hall of shame –Sarah cites Global Warming. Freepers light farts in protest! Climate change: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin acknowledges global warming is affecting her state Chicago Tribune ^ Posted onWednesday, April 15, 2009 9:47:45 AM bySub-Driver Climate … Continue reading Today on Tommy T’s Obsession With The Freeperati – Vacation edition
Good morning, First Drafters! I had quite a shock last night when I got an e-mail from the remarkable Athenae asking if I would be willing to take on the Tuesday guest post slot. I am, without a doubt, deeply honored to be asked. I’ll do my best to live up to the high standards that have been set around here, but Oyster left some big shoes to fill. So here I am this morning, suddenly transformed from pseudonymous commenter to pseudonymous guest blogger, and, in the immortal words of Bert Lahr, “Shucks, folks, I’m speechless!” We’ll see how long … Continue reading Ahem…tap, tap…is this thing on?
Back in October of 2006 I sent an email to Athenae which started with:“OK I have another idea…What do you think of the idea of trying to puttogether a First-Draft Krewe to go down to New Orleans for a weekend and gut a home?” Athenae loved the idea and so did you. Some of you joined the Krewe and went to NOLA, while others of you donated money and supplies to make it all possible. And many more sent words of support. Here is thelink to Athenae’s post on the gutting of the home at 1773 Sere Street pictured below: … Continue reading Go Look at what you helped to do
Arlen Specterannounced he is switching to the Democratic Party. His statement alsoincluded this: My change in party affiliation does not mean that I will be a party-line voter any more for the Democrats that I have been for the Republicans. Unlike Senator Jeffords’ switch which changed party control, I will not be an automatic 60th vote for cloture. For example, my position on Employees Free Choice (Card Check) will not change. Whatever my party affiliation, I will continue to be guided by President Kennedy’s statement that sometimes Party asks too much. When it does, I will continue my independent voting … Continue reading Specter switch
I demand to know. A. Continue reading How Much Did John Gibson’s Haircut Cost?
Is it me or is the idea of “grading” the president just something stupid the cable people cooked up to give themselves something to talk about so they wouldn’t have to talk about boring old policy and news and the law and stuff? Does Obama deserve an A? A B? A C+? Who the hell cares? I’ll take my praise or criticism of the president the same way I take it of anything else: on an as-needed basis, when he does something nice or something tooly. Why do we need a designated grading period? A. Continue reading The First One Hundred Days!!!
We don’t need to keep everything, okay? She first saw her father’s historic war memento about 10 years ago, then not again until April 19 when a Cook County bomb squad took the land mine after officers determined the bomb was live and confiscated it. “I don’t think it would have gone off, unless of course a vehicle had driven on it,” Welch said, adding that her father never physically handled the land mine as if it was dangerous. Her sister even snapped a photo of the bomb before police evacuated the home, as well as a few neighboring homes. … Continue reading Guys?
I really think I hate this about our pundit class more than anything: To some degree, words failed us all in the aftermath of 9/11, a time of fear and disorientation. Journalists did not meet the challenge of holding the executive branch accountable, politically and morally, in the run-up to the Iraq war. Such failures, it is true, were not gross manipulations of the law in the service of inhumanity, but they were failures nonetheless. And they carried a human price. So I’m wary of the clamor for retribution. Congress failed. The press failed. The judiciary failed. With almost 3,000 … Continue reading Projection
Bloggers really have destroyed the ethical standards of journalism. A. Continue reading Jesus
Especially when you can get the translations on Monday: Gregory: what is Iran’s goal? Abdullah: they want to the Policemen of the Gulf Gregory: wow then what Abdullah: Syria is the Indian Chief, Jordan is the Construction worker, Israel is the Cowboy, Iraq is the Soldier, Lebanon is the Biker and we have Middle East Village People Gregory: [ hums “macho man”; starts dancing ] Abdullah: stop that A. Continue reading Why Watch the Sunday Shows?
I can’t imagine: The Minnesota congresswoman takes to the floor of the House toclaim that the TSA is going to start picking pro-life, pro-gun conservatives out of the security line at the airport for extra scrutiny. Extra scrutiny at the airports? Maybe people will start throwingbricks through the windows of their houses of worship, too. Or dumpingpig’s blood on their doorsteps. Or sendingthreatening letters. Orshooting them at gas stations for the crime of dressing as they damn well please. Maybe they’lldemand their children be pulled out of school so they don’t have to learn about Christian holidays, or start talking … Continue reading What Would That Be Like?
If you could or had to change your name, what would you change it to? (I used to hate my name because there were no other Allisons anywhere, but now I like it because there aren’t a lot of Allisons anywhere.) A. Continue reading Weekend Question Thread
“The Great Wall of Segregation“ On a personal note, we’ve finally decided to leave. I guess I’ve known we would be leaving for a while now. We discussed it as a family dozens of times. At first, someone would suggest it tentatively because, it was just a preposterous idea- leaving ones home and extended family- leaving ones country- and to what? To where? Read the rest Continue reading Riverbend has new post
I love the student press. Yesterday while Wolf Blitzer and Fox’s resident bitchmaggots were flailing around trying to explain the Virginia Tech sitch to whoever it is still watches their stupid shows, the Collegiate Times was putting this package together. Fucking inspiring. Especially this story: Erin Sheehan was one of four people able to walk out of her 9:05 German class in room 207 Norris Hall. “It’s a small class, about 25 people,” she said. “And I would say no more than 2 people didn’t show up, were absent. And of those of us that were in there today, only … Continue reading How It’s Done
Freed pirate hostages don’t like being used as Rush’s props. Imagine. A. Continue reading ‘Get Off Our Legs, Rush, Jeez’
When we mentioned that Giuliani has been threatening to use his opposition to same-sex marriage as a political tool, Cumming said: “Because his political career is going so well? I’m sure he’s on the money with that one.I think he’s an asshole. Please quote me on that.” It ain’t 2004 anymore, that’s for sure. A. Continue reading It’s Over, Rudy