Month: September 2010

Athenae1 Comment

First Draft Fundraising: Almost to Claire-in-Hat Territory

Boy, I’m nowhere near as effective at raising funds as my pets are. Thank you to everybody who’s contributed to our First Draft’s annual fund drive so far.If you haven’t yet kicked in, hit the tip jar! We’re now very, very close to achievingSnowboard Hat Claire Friday. As it will be known henceforth. I don’t know how SHE is gonna feel about this, but I’m extremely grateful for your suppport. A. Continue reading First Draft Fundraising: Almost to Claire-in-Hat Territory

Adrastos, British Politics, Political Crack4 Comments

Playing in the Miliband

Peter Adrastos Athas

I’ve been derelict in my “duty” as First Draft’s amateur British politics pundit. (Jeez, I always seem to be a member of the amateur left instead of a professional. Bummer, man.) There’s actually been a lot of political news out of the UK. The Tory/Lib Dem coalition government is hacking and hewing at the budget, which has led to much uhappiness among left wing Lib Dems. Hmm, sounds vaguely familiar. The beneficiary of Deputy PM Nick Clegg’s summer of discontent has been the Labour Party. Labour just concluded a fascinating leadership contest. It was between brothers David and Ed Miliband … Continue reading Playing in the Miliband

Athenae, Immoral Values, Stupid Republican Tricks10 Comments

‘A Condom Jar’

Because nothing says romance like “hey baby, I have a jar full of condoms.” Seriously, coupled with the pimp-ho thing and the Mary Landrieu thing, is there any reason to think this guy ISN’T some kind ofcrazy sex pervert? Give the opportunity to ratfuck, he goes straight for the women every time, I dunno, because he thinks one of us Vagina-Americans couldn’t take him in a fight? Or does he just know that most of us are not wingnuts and that’s the place his rage comes from? I do not get the objective here, mostly because … okay, so he … Continue reading ‘A Condom Jar’

Michael F3 Comments

“Narcissists”

FromAlbum3 Matt Taibbi on the tea baggers: Scanning the thousands of hopped-up faces in the crowd, I am immediately struck by two things. One is that there isn’t a single black person here. The other is the truly awesome quantity of medical hardware: Seemingly every third person in the place is sucking oxygen from a tank or propping their giant atrophied glutes on motorized wheelchair-scooters. As Palin launches into her Ronald Reagan impression — “Government’s not the solution! Government’s the problem!” — the person sitting next to me leans over and explains. “The scooters are because of Medicare,” he whispers … Continue reading “Narcissists”

Athenae3 Comments

First Draft Fundraising Day Four: Fine, Fine, Pet Prostitution

Okay, I said I wouldn’t make the ferrets trick, but you know what? You’ve never seen Claire in the snowboarding hat.Remember the snowboarding hat? If we hit our goal by tomorrow afternoon, you get Claire in the snowboarding hat. Isn’t that worthsmacking the donate button? In all seriousness, thank you very much to everyone who’s contributed so far, and to those of you who’ve linked to the drive. And if you haven’t yet, considersupporting what we do.Your investment in the blog means a lot to us. A. Continue reading First Draft Fundraising Day Four: Fine, Fine, Pet Prostitution

Current Affairs, Jude, Religion16 Comments

More Evidence That Derpity Derp Derp

Om mani padme durr. Greetings, everyone. First, I begin with a story. Is it a story of awesomeness? Naturally. I work for the state, in the unemployment program. So, as I’ve noted, these days I’m busier than a three-legged cat trying to cover up a turd on a frozen pond. That aside, the unemployment law in Wisconsin is some complicated shit. There are entire categories of employment that, should you get laid off, aren’t covered by the unemployment system; that is, if you work as, say, a caddy on a golf course, and you find yourself out of that job … Continue reading More Evidence That Derpity Derp Derp

Music, VirgoTex1 Comment

WWTFUS: I’ll paint you mornings of gold

SATX, represent! Girl in a Coma is about ready to release their third full length album, Adventures in Coverland, October 19. Not enough room here to explain how much I love this band. Go see them live, you’ll fall in love, too. The video below started as a fan video by none other thanRobert Rodriguez, who ended up using GIAC’sYo Oigo in his new movie, Machete. (btw, in keeping with the ongoing Buffalo Springfield meme, For What It’s Worth is one of the covers onAdventures in Coverland.) Continue reading WWTFUS: I’ll paint you mornings of gold

Adrastos, Congress, Political Crack11 Comments

Family Fight

Peter Adrastos Athas

I seem to be in the minority in thinking that the debate raging between the White House and the Democratic base is a good thing as long as it doesn’t last too long. There are justifiable frustrations on both sides but I think the Obama administration has done a *horrible* job of selling its policies. For example, its health care reform bill is a decent first step towards a goal that most Democrats share: health care as a right, not a privilege. Neither Social Security nor Medicare emerged as the full blown programs we know today. Incremental progress is a … Continue reading Family Fight

Athenae, Stupid Republican Tricks5 Comments

You Stay Classy, Ron Johnson

Dick: “I believe it is a valid question to ask whether the employer of a perpetrator should also be severely damaged, or possibly destroyed, in our legitimate desire for justice.” Well, let’s see, asshole. If that employer knowingly covered up the perpetrator’s abuse, and in some cases facilitated it by giving the dirtbag new environments in which to troll for victims, and ignored warning after warning after warning as in many cases Holy Mother Church did, then the answer to your valid question is HELL YES. Any other dumbass questions? A. Continue reading You Stay Classy, Ron Johnson

Adrastos, Television9 Comments

Mad Men Thread: Unlucky Strike

Peter Adrastos Athas

The evolution of Mad Men this season has been, well, striking. In the past, it was criticized as all sizzle and no steak but this season has been plot driven to say the least. It’s as if Matthew Weiner and his people put the pedal to the metal this year or, to use another sports analogy, they’ve gone from running a half court offense to running the fast break whenever possible. They’ve really, uh, struck a chord with me. A few random observations: Roger’s decline accelerated in episode-10. He’s lost the Lucky Strike account and had to beg the ungrateful … Continue reading Mad Men Thread: Unlucky Strike

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media4 Comments

Colbert and What We’re Debating

GAWD: WASHINGTON – There are congressional hearings and there are comedy shows, and the twain rarely meet. So when a House panel on immigration combined them on purpose last week with testimony from Stephen Colbert (kohl-BEHR’) and his “truthy” alter ego, debate broke out on the proper roles of the many celebrities — from Angelina Jolie to Bono to Elmo — who advocate in Washington. Debate broke out. All on its own. In no way influenced by a desire to bitch about a TV comedian rather than talk about the issues he was raising in his testimony. I hate this, … Continue reading Colbert and What We’re Debating

Adrastos, Diary, Sports6 Comments

Clock runs out on Ageless Wonder

Peter Adrastos Athas

Retired football deity, George Blanda died yesterday at the age of 83. Blanda was a QB/Placekicker who played in the NFL and AFL for 26, count ’em, 26 years.In 1970 at the age of 43 Blanda went on a legendary tear as a relief QB for the Oakland Raiders: “George Blanda has just been elected King of the World!” Those were the words of radio announcer Bill King after another great comeback orchestrated by the Raiders’ legendary quarterback/kicker in 1970. Having come off the bench to first throw a game-tying touchdown pass and then kick the game-winning field goal, Mr. … Continue reading Clock runs out on Ageless Wonder

Adrastos, LOL, Television1 Comment

Nothing but the finest quality pledge week programming

Peter Adrastos Athas

This made me wet myself (metaphorically, that is) when I saw it for the first time. It should inspire you todonate to our little blog. Hey, it’s better to have one’s pocket picked than, uh, just watch below and focus on the woman in the background. Okay, so I’m easily amused. While I’m at it, I couldn’t resist posting this clip of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown performing a similar excavation during question time when he was still Tony Blair’s second banana: You’ll never see programming like this on PBS, soplease hit the tip jar and I’ll STFU and … Continue reading Nothing but the finest quality pledge week programming

Athenae, Political Crack8 Comments

Rahmbamarama

Okay, boyfriend spent entirely too much time up the ass of Obama’s supporters and not nearly enough time up the ass of Republicans, is my thought, but hey, come back here and be our mayor. It’ll be great. You can’t possibly screw it up any more than our spoiled boy king already has, the goddamn George W. Bush of Democratic city politics. Come on back here now that Daley has fixed up the parts of Chicago that Wisconsin and Michigan visit, and maybe we’ll have an Olympics. Ugh. I was reading Politico this morning against the advice of my better … Continue reading Rahmbamarama

Adrastos, Diary, Music

Pledge Week, First Draft Style

Peter Adrastos Athas

It’s that time of the year, folks. I’ll let ourpublisher, the crazy ferret lady, speak for us soclick here. She knows better than to let Jude or me near the money so it won’t go for a bar tab or ruby slippers for Oscar to slip his head into… For my part, I thought I’d replicate PBS pledge drive programming. WYES in NOLA either runs endlessly nostalgic documentaries about local stuff that’s long gone OR has cheesy pop music programming. I chose the latter course by posting an early Bee Gees tune. But it’s a good one from the days … Continue reading Pledge Week, First Draft Style

Adrastos, LOL8 Comments

Another reason to love Zucchini

Peter Adrastos Athas

I love all forms of squash but have never used one as a weapon: A Montana woman fended off a bear trying to muscle its way into her home Thursday by pelting the animal with a large piece of zucchini from her garden. p>The woman suffered minor scratches and one of her dogs was wounded after tussling with the 200-pound bear. The attack happened just after midnight when the woman let her three dogs into the backyard for their nighttime ritual before she headed to bed, Missoula County Sheriff’s Lt. Rich Maricelli said. Authorities believe the black bear was just … Continue reading Another reason to love Zucchini

Athenae, Stupid Republican Tricks5 Comments

Dennis Byrne: Republicans Suck, and That’s Democrats’ Fault

No, really: Somebody wants/needs something (they’re both the same), give it to him. Americans, goobers that they’re taken for, are supposed to buy into this idea if they want to be among the select — the smart elites hunkered down inWashington, D.C., Manhattan and other learned enclaves. Are we seriously still on the decadent enclaves on the coast? Seriously? It’s been 10 years, we’re still on this? I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, I mean, parts of this country we’re still on the Civil War and before anybody accuses me of South-bashing I’m talking about a neighborhood I could hit … Continue reading Dennis Byrne: Republicans Suck, and That’s Democrats’ Fault

Stupid Republican Tricks, Tommy T2 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – Red-eye edition

Sitting here at 4:00AM trying to make synapses fire in some kind of order. This’ll freaking teach me to procrastinate..

Let’s just suit up and jump in – maybe something will come to me.

Well, let’s start with –Hammer that Kraut!

Krauthammer: Palin endorsing O’Donnell is destructive
therightscoop ^ | 09/13/2010 | therightscoop

Posted onMonday, September 13, 2010 8:46:54 PM byRational Thought

Actually, he said it was capricious and destructive and he called Demint’s endorsement of O’Donnell irresponsible. Wow!

Video @ link.

Krauthammer has never liked Gov. Palin, but now also criticizing Jim DeMint?

Krauthammer is making the argument that a Liberal Republican is better than no Republican. Well, Krauthammer seems to have forgotten two Senators named Specter and Jeffords. They certainly worked out well.

The foregone conclusion that Castle is a “shoe-in” in the general is flawed. After the offensive smear campaign run against O’Donnell, I can’t imagine Tea Party supporters rushing to the polls to support Castle in the General Election, meaning, he would have to rely upon large support from Democrat voters.

On the other hand, O’Donnell could very well win the General Election with a highly motivated base in a smaller population state.

It certainly seems the battle lines have been drawn; The Tea Party versus The Establishment.

1 posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 8:46:59 PM byRational Thought
.
To: Rational Thought

Krauthammer supported Moslem Obama (the undocumented one)
in the last election.

He falls in love with sociopaths who blind him, it seems.

5 posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 8:50:53 PM byDiogenesis(‘Freedom is the light of all sentient beings.’ – Optimus Prime)

They rewrite history at the drop of a hat, don’t they? Of course, what do you expect from someone who takes his philosophical point of view from an animated cartoon robot?
To: Rational Thought

Krauthammer is a Democrat.

9 posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 8:51:43 PM byNovember 2010
.
Of course he is. Now you just go have a little lie-down.
To: pissant
Krauthammer’s error is that he’s a rich, crippled guy riding around in a motorized wheelchair

I thought that was a disability, not an error. Plus, he gets all the good parking spaces. Bastard!
~ while she’s a young single woman with problems with student debt, federal income taxes and a mortgage.

She’s not rich. But she has a current life experience that relates well to the current life experience of the rapidly growing class of former working or middle class people who have been driven to unemployment, bankruptcy and out of their homes.

The Kraut cannot relate to this at all.

I do believe the voters can and will understand that she, not the Democrat candidate, shares their concerns!

15 posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 8:54:24 PM bymuawiyah
To: Diogenesis

He prefers sociopathic body servants to push his wheelchairs. They do their jobs in silence and don’t bother him.

18 posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 8:55:58 PM bymuawiyah
.
Sociopaths are seldom silent. Take you, for example. You hate cripples, and they’re not really people anyway, so screw ’em.
To: School of Rational Thought

Anyone who mentions Krauthammer’s disability is way off base. What does his being in a wheelchair have to do with his judgment? Geez…

58 posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 9:39:11 PM byMountain Mary (Ryan/Bachmann 2012)
,
Cripple-lover.
To: muawiyah
Yes, I do trust Bill Kristol, both personally and professionally.

Read the article. The facts are undeniable… and now even O’Donnell does not deny them.

Read the article.

51 posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 9:35:13 PM byMindBender26 (Fighting the “con” in Conservatism on FR, since 1998.)
.
Uh oh.
To: bwc2221
Read the article.

She is a scammer.

Ariana Huffington was once the most darling of all Conservatives… until she got where she could do some damage.

Read the article.

She is a scammer.

How do we know she is a Conservative? Because she says she is. How do we know Obama is a Christian, because he and the Rev. Wright say he is… and they are willing to swear to it on a stack of Bibles.

Read the article.

67 posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 9:49:11 PM byMindBender26 (Fighting the “con” in Conservatism on FR, since 1998.)
.
EEK!
More under the fold..

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – Red-eye edition”

Athenae, Diary2 Comments

First Draft Fundraising Week Begins

Once a year, we ask you to support the blog by clicking theDonate link. If you like what you read here, if we make you laugh, make you think, rouse you to action, show you something you haven’t seen before, or make you see things in a new light, support the work we do. This past year we’ve not only chronicled the best in Republican stupidity, we’ve helped out classroom teachers and rescued pelicans in the Gulf, crack-vanned the big news and kept up with the small stuff. I’ve got a book coming out next year that includes some pretty … Continue reading First Draft Fundraising Week Begins

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media2 Comments

Shaming Marty Peretz

Yes. Yes, enough has been done to poor Marty Peretz. Let’s leave him alone: No matter what anyone says at the Harvard observances today, Martin Peretz has been undeniably shamed. And lastingly shamed, unless he sets about building a new reputation. A month ago, he was an editor-in-chief who had many devoted proteges, some persistent critics (to name two, Matt Duss andEric Alterman, plusthis), but a general position of respectability. Now the reaction to his writings is such that even the president of Harvard had tohold him at arm’s length in saying that she still would accept the scholarship money; … Continue reading Shaming Marty Peretz

Adrastos, Music2 Comments

More Hippie Shit, Man

Peter Adrastos Athas

How can we talk about hippies of all sub-species without posting a bit of the Grateful Dead from Halloween 1980? The ultimate hippie band played Radio Music Music and it went out via closed circuit teevee as well. Al Franken was the co-host along with his creative partner, Tom Davis. I recall seeing it at a theatre in San Francisco and being in costume but that’s all I remember. Guess I did have a good time that night, man… Here’s some good hippie shit. man: p align=”center” class=”asset asset-video” style=”display: block; margin: 0pt auto;”> Continue reading More Hippie Shit, Man

Adrastos, Music1 Comment

Dead End Angel

Peter Adrastos Athas

Tonight on Adrastos’ Obsession with the Jayhawks: A genu-wine, bona fide alt-country tune featuring the keyboard stylings of Ms. Karen Grotberg. It’s a song that also reminds us that “all the po-leese carry guns.” p align=”center” class=”asset asset-video” style=”display: block; margin: 0pt auto;”> Holy crap. These guys were hippies then. Please don’t punch them. Continue reading Dead End Angel

Doc, LOL4 Comments

Quitting Time Booster Shot

Welcome to the Booster where we don’t think you’re happy enough. – I don’t know what the deal is with the ages between 30 and 45, but for some reason I’ve been reading a lot about guys in my area who are in this age range who can’t seem to keep their hands off the bodies of teenage girls.This guy is the latest in a line of teachers out by us who have attempted to place their alleged junk in an underage person’s alleged trunk. Yes, I’ve said before that people should be viewed as innocent until proven guilty, but … Continue reading Quitting Time Booster Shot

Adrastos, Epic Blogger Win, Political Crack6 Comments

No More Hippie Punching

Peter Adrastos Athas

I was a genuine hippie at one point in my life. I saw the Grateful Dead more times than I can remember <insert joke> had long hair when it was still possible for me to grow it and wore the same jeans jacket for 7 years. (A friend called it my “drug coat” and she wasn’t far wrong.) I drew the line, however, at hackey sack, patchouli oil and incense. Feh. This post is NOT about literal hippies but about the virtual hippies of the so-called professional left. I’m somewhat jealous of them, actually, since I am merely one of … Continue reading No More Hippie Punching