The Fourth of July in my mind

Yeah, this one’s a bit early but I only get the keys on Wednesdays. The tiny little place where I live really goes all out on Fourth of July (and also on Halloween, but that’s a different post). Everything shuts down and everyone goes down to the town square or as close as they can get to it. That is, everyone who isn’t in the parade. It’s a toss up whether there’s more people marching or watching from the sidelines but the important thing is, everyone goes: the old people, the high school Shakespeare troupe, hippies young and old, ranchers … Continue reading The Fourth of July in my mind

Thurgood or Thurbad?

Wingnut Gooper Senators really, really don’t like one of the greatest lawyers in American history, Justice Thurgood Marshall. Why?They don’t really know why but they know what they don’t like and that’s activism except when they like it as inBush v. Gore orCitizens United. They also know they don’t like Elena Kagan because she clerked for Justice Marshall and, almost as bad, Judge Abner Mivka, a known Chicago Democrat. And they know they don’t like them because they’re Thurbad or some such unknowable shit. Know what I’m saying? It all reminds me of a Peter Gabriel era Genesis tune, which … Continue reading Thurgood or Thurbad?

Best Gambit Tabloid Cover Ever

NOLA’s fine alternative weekly, the Gambithas been on a roll of late. (Hmm, what kind of roll: lobster? egg? spring? Definitely not the latter.) Their latest cover featuresJames Carville looking like an insect toon complete with steam coming out of his ears: Photo by Cheryl Gerber. Cover design by Dora Sison. Well done, y’all. It’s actually rather lifelike. I had steam coming out of my ears yesterday as well and felt like a character out of a Roger Corman flick… —– Continue reading Best Gambit Tabloid Cover Ever

The Economy

In case anybody’s wondering people are still pretty well fucked out here. If you’ve got extra cash, Libby andDriftglass could use support.Susie’s fundraiser’s going on. I know there are others, those are just the ones off the top of my head, so post yours or others in the comments and we’ll make this the official OMFG FUCKING ECONOMY thread. A. Continue reading The Economy

Thank God They Didn’t Register Black People to Vote

Or they’d be screwed: “[Blackwater] provided a bid that was underbid everyone else by about $26 million. And a panel that we had said that they can do the job, that they have shaped up their act.So there really was not much choice but to accept that contract.“ (More in a bit on whether Blackwater, now known as Xe, has really shaped up its act.) The CIA contract follows the news this month that the State Departmentawarded the company an 18-month, $120 million contract to protect consulates in Afghanistan. And even that’s not all. In December, a Blackwater officialtold a … Continue reading Thank God They Didn’t Register Black People to Vote

Posturing In Da Parish

These are strange times in South Louisiana. Both the national and local press are treating some of our local hack conservative pols as though they’re heroic because of the oil spill. I suppose one could call it ennoblement through victimhood. One of my least favorite local leaders is St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro whoFirst Draft readers first met when he was making like Jesus and watching the feet of guvmint employees. Taffaro was also one of the originalmalakas featured at my own humble blog abode. During a photo-op yesterday, he denounced federal officials for only showing up for photo-ops. … Continue reading Posturing In Da Parish

Today’s Best Sentence on the Internet

“Never trust a sex toy site that repeatedly can’t spell ‘sexual’ correctly.” A. ps. Christian sex toys? Not really. They’re just the usual dildos and whatnot with the packaging removed (eww) so the people buying the “pleasure sleeves” won’t have to see pictures of naked bodies because THAT would be too much sin. pps.This? This hot relationship game is a fun way to keep communication going between couples and allow them to try new and exciting intimate actions. After the first few years of romance, couples tend to find that naughty lingerie and nights exploring each other’s erogenous zones can … Continue reading Today’s Best Sentence on the Internet

Rationing Your Give-a-Shit

Fucking THIS, okay: The only ones left who refuse to believe Burge led a torture ring, it seems, are dead-enders who are constitutionally unable to fathom – or simply don’t care – that such a thing occurred. Still, the media apathy is stunning. A new bizarre excuse comes from Eric Zorn: “Even though I normally follow criminal justice issues, I’ve barely touched on this trial,” Zornwrote on Sunday. “The reason? I don’t want to risk vesting importance in a not-guilty verdict which, at this writing, with the jury still deliberating, I consider possible. Jurors can be awfully sympathetic to lawmen, … Continue reading Rationing Your Give-a-Shit

Smartassery in Wisconsin

Having a sense of humor can be dangerous. The winger echo chamber is jumping all overJoe Biden’s so-called latest “gaffe.” It’s not a gaffe in my view, just banter that the literal minded are hyperventilating over. It’s not a big fucking deal: p align=”center” class=”asset asset-video” style=”margin: 0pt auto; display: block;”> Continue reading Smartassery in Wisconsin

‘Cynical but Essentially Guileless’

Bourdain: A whole chapter follows parsing the advantages of selling out; it is as torturous in its self-examination as a seminarian’s confession. Bourdain isn’t famous because he knows so much about restaurant cooking (though he does) or because he’s always cool (he isn’t) or even because he hosts a popular show about liquor and piglets. Bourdain is famous because he is vivid and real and mercilessly honest at every second — in a sphere whose atmosphere consists of bombast, shilling, sanctimony and the unholy alliance between marketing communications and social networking. [snip] You talk in the book about how you’re … Continue reading ‘Cynical but Essentially Guileless’

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “Strange fruit” edition

p>Good Monday morning, everyone! Well, the Freeperati are forever calling for a Second Amendment solution to the issue of the disenfranchised old white male. Take the country back(tm), treason, revolution, secession, yada, yada, yada and also, yada.

But just let one old white guyacton their collective fantasy?

“We don’t know nothin about birthin’(heh) no armed revolution! Those guys who take all that stuff literally are teh crazy!”

So – let’s get suited up and kick a few drums of Free Republic talk-the-talk over and see what spills out, shall we?

First up –You guys are acting like this was a BAD thing!‏

Birther
facing gun charges Georgia militiaman said he wanted to seize Sweetwater
TN


Knoxnews.com ^

| 06/11/2010
| Knoxnews.com

Posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:03:16
AM
byThe Magical Mischief Tour

Armed to the gills, this Georgia militiaman declared himself ready to
die for the cause – vowing to seize control of the tiny town of
Sweetwater and round up the traitors blocking the indictment of
President Barack Obama for his treasonous turn as commander-in-chief.

It
was a plan Darren Wesley Huff revealed over and over again to a slew of
people, from a bank manager in his hometown to the FBI to Tennessee
Highway Patrol troopers to a talk-radio audience.

Thanks in large
part to his public confessions, Huff faces his own indictment on
federal charges of ferrying guns and ammunition across state lines with
the purpose of inciting riotous violence.

1
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:03:16 AM
byThe Magical Mischief Tour

OK, Freepers! This is what you’ve been wanting to see, and assembling your bug-out kits full of gold, ammo, MREs, and hermetically-sealed PVC tubes of seeds that won’t grow, in preparation for! It’s revolution, baby! Time to go all WOLVERINES on this corrupt Administration!Come ON!!Who’s with me??????

p>To: The Magical Mischief Tour

Weren’t me.

2
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:08:28 AM
byVigilantcitizen

Well, considering that this Freeper-wannabe is currently residingunder the jail, we already had that figured out, “vigilantcitizen”.

By the way, does the handle “vigilantcitizen” mean that you justwatch while othersdo, or that you spend the majority of your waking hours peeping out from behind the living room curtains?

To: The Magical Mischief Tour

“Huff faces his own indictment on federal charges of ferrying
guns and ammunition across state lines with the purpose of inciting
riotous violence.”

There is actually a law that says that?

3
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:10:34 AM
bybitterohiogunclinger
(America held hostage – day 393)


No, there’stwolaws that say that..

Title 18, U.S.C. Section 2101(a) – Riots

Title 18, U.S.C. Section 231
(a) Transporting in Commerce a Firearm in furtherance of a Civil
Disorder

Asked,. and – oh, shut up, Kibitzer.

To: The Magical Mischief Tour

The guy sounds like a nut.

4
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:10:41 AM
bycaver
(Obama: Home of the Whopper)

Actually, except for the part about actually doing something you guys just talk about, he sounds pretty much like everyone on Free Republic.

To: caver

Did you notice that the story managed to get “birther”, “right
wing”, and “militia” all in one sentence?

5
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:12:33 AM
bybitterohiogunclinger
(America held hostage – day 393)

That’s nothing – you wackos managed to get them all on one website.

Certainly, one Freeper will stand up for this Patriot (patent applied for), who certainly must have been framed by the Eeevil Obummer Administration?

To: caver

Mr. Huff is being framed. He was in Madisonville Tn. to show
support for cmdr. Fitzpatrick who has for some time been in a dispute
with the local court and grand jury
concerning his charges against obama for treason.THE MAN IS A PREACHER

8
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:18:38 AM
bymanonCANAL

JimJones

To: manonCANAL
THE MAN IS A PREACHER

So is Fred Phelps.

9
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:20:53 AM
bycripplecreek
(Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))

Heh.

And of course, there’s always denial…

To: cripplecreek

If you believe anything in a newspaper nowadays you are nuts

12
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:22:38 AM
bymanonCANAL

p>Well, certainly since Athenae single-handedly destroyed Journalism…

To: RaceBannon

Not a bit surprised. There will be many more stories like this
one,

Not any aboutme, of course..

because there are those who would stand up against tyranny using
more than just a keyboard.

He says, from behind a keyboard.

15
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:32:44 AM
byMich Patriot
(Man is not free unless government is limited.)

I think you just called yourself a coward.

To: Repeal The 17th
Darren Wesley Huff (to see picture, look up ‘idiot’ in the
dictionary):

The only thing that I read in this article that would make me
think he is an idiot is that he went around flapping his gums about his
plans
. If you’re going to do something, just do it. Don’t talk about
doing it to every Tom, Dick and Harry.

16
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:36:26 AM
byfr_freak

The only thing that I read in your post that would make me think you’re an idiot is…well…everything.

To: manonCANAL

Everyone on FR likes to talk tough about what they are going to
do but when someone actually tries to do something they call him a nut. A
lot of keyboard commandos around here.

21
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:47:29 AM
bybeckysueb
(January 20, 2013. When Obama becomes just a skidmark on the panties of
American history.)

Wolverines

To: beckysueb
Whats your problem?

Do you approve of what this crazy chappy did?

27
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 7:04:35 AM
byLobsterback
(Waiting for the boom…)

div class=”a2″>To: Lobsterback

I don’t approve of violence but it is going to take more than
sign carrying and flag waving to take back this country. I was only
pointing out that many of the posts here on FR are all about doing
something, civil disobedience, blah blah blah.Lots of bravado from
behind the keyboard. You haven’t been around here long enough to
understand.

28
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 7:08:25 AM
bybeckysueb
(January 20, 2013. When Obama becomes just a skidmark on the panties of
American history.)

Yeah – the insanity has to simmer in the heat of hatred until it reaches a thick reduction of stupid.

To: Lobsterback

One more little tidbit.Don’t believe everything you read in the
papers. It is usually tilted very far to the left. They can make this
“chappy” sound much worse than he actually is.
Look how they define the
Tea Party movement. A bunch of racist radicals who shouted racial slurs
at some guy. Only problem is it didn’t happen.

35
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 7:12:24 AM
bybeckysueb
(January 20, 2013. When Obama becomes just a skidmark on the panties of
American history.)

Yeah – how could you makethis look bad, anyway?

It all started last year when Fitzpatrick, a retired military man
whose beef with the government goes back two decades when he faced a
court-martial, tried to get a Monroe County grand jury to indict Obama
for treason. The grounds? Obama, Fitzpatrick contended, was not really
born in the U.S.

When the grand jury refused to consider the case, Fitzpatrick began
issuing a series of “complaints,” naming some two dozen federal, state
and local officials, all of whom he accused of misconduct for failing to
arrest, charge or remove the president from office.

He and fellow “birthers” showed up in early April at the Monroe
County Courthouse to begin effecting his own “citizen’s arrests” when,
according to the FBI complaint, he wound up arrested instead on charges
that include inciting a riot.

The FBI alleges Huff, a Dalton, Ga., man who claims membership in a
militia, decided to join Fitzpatrick’s cause and told anyone who would
listen – including FBI agents – that he and fellow militiamen intended
to show up at Fitzpatrick’s April 20 preliminary hearing to seize the
town if necessary to free Fitzpatrick and help him carry out his
citizen’s arrests.

Huff traveled from Georgia to Sweetwater with a gun on his hip, two
more handguns and an AK-47 assault rifle in his truck, the complaint
states. When a state trooper stopped it on traffic violations, Huff, who
had a concealed carry permit, again detailed the plan, Van Balen wrote.

“Huff said he was ready to die for his rights,” the agent wrote.
“Huff (said) that if necessary, they would come back and have a lot more
armed people to take over the courthouse and effect all the arrests.”

When Huff and an estimated 20 others actually showed up at the
courthouse, they were vastly outnumbered by law enforcers from federal,
state and local agencies, the complaint stated. The courthouse had been
effectively shut down, with workers told to stay home, and Fitzpatrick’s
hearing cancelled. Still, the agent wrote, Huff and others prowled the
streets with guns visible.

The FBI, which had been tracking Huff throughout his travels, waited
until Huff described his actions on a talk radio show and then arrested
him on charges of carrying firearms across the state lines with the
intent to incite a riot.Huff is free under terms of house arrest.

You see, he’s under…WHAAAA????

JawDrop

Fer chrissakes. This cane toad isn’t in jail??

blockquote>

To: muddler

He is an OATHKEEPER

14
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:27:13 AM
bymanonCANAL

Colour me surprised.

And – best comment in the thread!

(drumroll)

To: The Magical Mischief Tour

Did he at least manage to seize control of a beer hall?

19
posted onFriday, June 11, 2010 6:43:14 AM
byKen H

More strange fruit after the expiration date…

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “Strange fruit” edition”

Robert Byrd Dies

Obit: Unlike other prominent Senate Democrats such as 2004 presidential nominee John Kerry of Massachusetts, who voted to authorize the war in Iraq, Byrd stood firm in opposition — and felt gratified when public opinion swung behind him. “The people are becoming more and more aware that we were hoodwinked, that the leaders of this country misrepresented or exaggerated the necessity for invading Iraq,” Byrd said. He cited Iraq when he endorsed then-Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination in May 2008, calling Obama “a shining young statesman, who possesses the personal temperament and courage necessary to extricate our … Continue reading Robert Byrd Dies

Saturday Night Music

Last weekend I had Minnesota on my mind. The ultimate Jayhawks lineup of Gary Louris, Mark Olson, Patrick O’Regan, Mark Perlman and Karen Grotberg reunited for aseries of shows in Minneapolis. It’s one of many times that I wish I could do the Star Trek transporter thing although I’d rather have Chief O’Brien running it than Scotty. The latter was too irascible for my taste… Anyway, here’s theTomorrow The Green Grass Jayhawks lineup performing live on the old Jon Stewart Show before he became a stalwart of the fake news biz. Come to think of it, Jon is pretty darn … Continue reading Saturday Night Music

Weekend Question Thread: Unpopular Culture Edition

On Twilight: When will this end? No, seriously, I’m asking you for the time and date at which it will end. I’m looking into having myself cryogenically frozen until the moment when I don’t have to hear about whether or not that kid who washes his hair with KFC Double Downs is still dating Slumpy McDeadeyes. What’s your pop culture peeve right now? A. Continue reading Weekend Question Thread: Unpopular Culture Edition

Friday Night Music: The Stray Cat Variations

I screwed up last night and somehow wound up posting duplicate catblogging posts much to Tommy T’s bemusement and mine as well. I’m not sure what happened but obviously there were some stray cats involved so this time I’ll intentionally post two catty tunes. The first one features the, uh, Stray Cats featuring Brian Setzer, his big hair and tattoos. Jeez, that’s a whole lotta featuring. Just call it a creature feature: p align=”center” class=”asset asset-video” style=”display: block; margin: 0pt auto;”> The second tune features the ego of Mick Jagger and Keith’s craggy countenance: p align=”center” class=”asset asset-video” style=”display: block; … Continue reading Friday Night Music: The Stray Cat Variations

Al Gore’s Penis

We totally needed fewer people in the press that hate stupidity. That’s something we need right now, whileHowie Kurtz is salivating over Al Gore’s jock. Maybe I’m confusing him with Kerry, but I always thought the line on Gore was that he was most likely gay, what with all the earth tones and being concerned about the environment and very faggy things like that. Shouldn’t the allegation that he became a sexually assaultive creep provoke admiration among those espousing the idea that Washington power is all about dick anyway? By which I mean, shouldn’t Howard be all, “Way to go … Continue reading Al Gore’s Penis

Betsy (Part II)

Here’s part two of the story that kept my occupied while I was on total bed rest last week.Here’s part one in case you missed it. Also, since there seemed to be some hostility toward the “haigiography of a gas guzzling testament to why we don’t have widespread public transportation,” you can feel free to skip this. Or, you can feel free to substitute “planet-killing vehicle of extinction and death that I should be ashamed for loving” for every referent to the car. Onward… —– While popular, the Ford Mustang was not without it’s flaws. Deep wells in the trunk’s … Continue reading Betsy (Part II)

Honest Services & Conrad Black

Thank you, conservative court: The courtsaid Thursday that the “honest services” law could not be used in convicting Mr. Skilling for his role in the collapse of Enron. But JusticeRuth Bader Ginsburg said in her majority opinion that the ruling does not necessarily require Mr. Skilling’s conviction to be overturned. During arguments in December and March, several justices seemed inclined to limit prosecutors’ use of this law, which critics have said is vague and has been used to make a crime out of mistakes and minor transgressions in the business and political world. The court, at the same time, rejected … Continue reading Honest Services & Conrad Black

Malaka Of The Week: The Huffington Post

I’m not sure if I should be using the singular or the plural version of malaka but the Huff Post has hit a new low. The offending, as well as offensive, post belongs in a super market tabloid devoted to tales of Big Foot and space aliens. I have never been a fan of the Huff Post and cannot stand Ariana Huffington who is an arrogant, trendhopping opportunist. One of my earliest posts at First Draft was entitledSatan’s Botoxed Handmaiden, which is my friend Kevin Allman’s pet name for his bete noir. Enough set-up. The reason this week’s “honor” goes … Continue reading Malaka Of The Week: The Huffington Post

‘Storm of the Century of the Week’

Chicagoist on the CRAZY WEATHER SO CRAZY. Last night was the first time I’ve heard tornado sirens in Chicago. Growing up in Wisconsin, we’d have bad storms occasionally but, as my mother would always remind us when huddling freaked-out in the basement, we were too close to the lake for a real tornado, and I had assumed the same applied here since in twelve years, no sirens. They went off last night and Mr. A and I packed up the dingos and moved them into the hallway as directed by the building apocalypse plan, and we watched as the rain … Continue reading ‘Storm of the Century of the Week’