Month: December 2010

Athenae, Current Affairs

The Who With the What Now?

James Meeks, please stop talking: Chicago – On Wednesday, Chicago mayoral candidate James Meeks said that only African-Americans should be able to participate in affirmative action programs– and that Hispanics, Asians, and women should be excluded. Later, he tried to clarify his remarks. Speaking to a candidates’ forum Wednesday on black-oriented WVON radio, the South Side state senator said it’s unacceptable that the share of city contracts going to African-American-owned businesses has shrunk in recent years. “I think that the word ‘minority,’ from our standpoint, should mean African-American,” Meeks said. “I don’t think women, Asians and Hispanics should be able … Continue reading The Who With the What Now?

Adrastos, LOL, Music1 Comment

Putin Sings

Peter Adrastos Athas

The world is a very small and increasingly weird place. Here’s Vladimir Putin “singing” Blueberry Hill with a heavy Russian accent. Vlad gets his thrill with a bad piano solo followed by a Lawrence Welk style backing band and chick singers: Unfortunately, Vlad’s BFF, Silvio Berlusconi, couldn’t make it. He was too busyembarrassing his own country to help Vlad embarrass Russia… HT: Kevin Allman at the Gambit Tabloid blog. Continue reading Putin Sings

Immoral Values, Law/Justice, VirgoTex1 Comment

DADT repeal vote imminent

According to some DC sources via Twitter, the House vote on the standalone DADT repeal should be around 3 p.m. but it may come up earlier, so keep your eyes and ears onCSPAN’s live stream. In a related story, Lt. Dan Choi, who became one of the public faces of DADT, was hospitalized in a Veteran’s Administration mental health facility yesterday. Choichose to make his breakdown and hospitalization public via email: I did not initially want to publicize this but I now realize it is critical for our community to know several things: veterans gay or straight carry human burdens, … Continue reading DADT repeal vote imminent

LOL, Television, VirgoTex1 Comment

A different paradigm

Even aside from fan squee (I was so loud the cat looked at me funny), this resonates. THIS is what I want from my government when the going gets tough. Fight like hell and if you have to sacrifice, make it worth it. The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c Big Brother, Where Art Thou? http://www.thedailyshow.com http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:368514 Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog</a> The Daily Show on Facebook Continue reading A different paradigm

Adrastos, Congress, Political Crack, Sports6 Comments

The First Punter

Peter Adrastos Athas

It’s football season so the nation’s politicians are using gridiron analogies to describe what’s happening in the lame duck session of Congress. My favorite thus far isAl Franken’s description of the Obama/GOP tax deal: Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) voted to end debate on the Bush tax cut compromise yesterday, but he’s not happy about it. In a strongly-worded statement sent to his supporters today, Franken pokes at President Obama for negotiating the deal, which he called “bad policy.” “A lot of people are unhappy that the President punted on first down, and I’m one of them,” Franken wrote in the … Continue reading The First Punter

Athenae, Economy13 Comments

It’s All Too Expensive

Cops. You want ’em, you can pay for ’em yourself. This gets back to what Watertiger and I were chatting about Sunday night, which is … what is our endgame here? Spin this out to years from now, years in which we’ve completely ceded the economic argument to Republicans and Fauxpublicans and Rand Paul-type assholes, and what do we have? What does our country look like? Because we’ve been hearing this shit for years now. We’ve heard it under Republican administrations and we’ve heard it under Democratic ones. Anything that might help someone, anything that constitutes a service, is simply … Continue reading It’s All Too Expensive

Athenae, Economy11 Comments

You Forgot Poland

Okay, look. You’ve got a lot of money. That doesn’t automatically make you an asshole. You can, in fact, do lots of good with your money, and your life, and teach people to read and cure disease and such, even while owning a not-small house and a car that doesn’t double as a mouse nest. Or you could be this dick: HE’S NUMBER 69 on the latest Forbes 400 list of richest Americans and head of Blackstone Group, the world’s largest private equity firm specializing in corporate takeovers.He lives in a 35-room triplex on Park Avenue in Manhattan, with second … Continue reading You Forgot Poland

Adrastos, Current Affairs, Music2 Comments

Wikileaks or Wikirock?

Peter Adrastos Athas

I’m not easily shocked so some of the Wikileaks revelations don’t surprise me one bit. US diplomats, and those of other countries, have been spying for a very long time. I have a friend who used to be a Foreign Service officer and referred to the spies in diplomatic drag at his various posts as “working for the other company.” Yes, *the* company, the one based in Langley, Virginia. So it goes. What I find most interesting are some of the oddball insights you get into various world leaders.For example, who knew that the son of hereditary North Korean dictator … Continue reading Wikileaks or Wikirock?

Athenae, Political Crack10 Comments

Changing Everything

Oh, the Tea Party: So Chris Matthews asks his guests this week-end who should be TIME’s Man of the year. A couple of them pick Julian Assange, but Andrea Mitchell had another nomination: ANDREA MITCHELL: I’m not going to say Julian Assange. I would say because of the midterm elections, the House going Republican, the Senate not going Republican, the Tea Party. They’ve changed the debate on deficit reduction. They’ve got, you’ve got Ron Paul now in charge of monetary policy from the House. They have changed politics for now in Washington. All on their own. They changed politics. It … Continue reading Changing Everything

Stupid Republican Tricks, Tommy T2 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “Wizards of Id” edition

Good morning, race fans!

Last weeks “Obsession” segment on Christine“she may be stupid, but she sure is hawt” O’Donnell got me thinking about how right-wingers in general (and Freepers in particular) view women.

Let’s suit up and go watch the little big head boys do the objectification tango!

First – it’sSalma Hayek – NOT GUILTY!!

Salma Hayek: “I Was an Illegal Immigrant”
Fox News ^ | Dec. 7, 2010 | Alexandra Gratereaux

Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:27:12 AM byre_tail20

Salma Hayek talks about her humble beginnings, her former undocumented immigrant status and her charity projects in the new issue of V Magazine Spain, where the Mexican actress seductively poses for the cover titled “A Woman’s Weapons.”

Hayek’s involvement with women’s issues has distinguished her in Hollywood. Her advocacy includes promoting awareness programs about violence against women and on the rising discrimination against undocumented workers.

“I was an illegal immigrant in the United States,” Hayek said during the interview. “It was for a small period of time, but I still did it.”

1 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:27:15 AM byre_tail20
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We all know that if there’s one thing Freepers hate worse than Messicans, it’s Messicans sin los papeles, verdad?
To: re_tail20

WHAT NO PICTURES????

3 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:29:38 AM bygitmogrunt
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Hmmm – either they’re legal or they’re not. Why would you need pictures?
To: re_tail20
forgiven.

7 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:33:18 AM byJohnBrowdie
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Presumably, as the militias and ArizonaSchutzmannschaftline all the wetbacks up at the wall they’re always fantasizing about, they’ll be sorting the line into “Pacos” and “Chicas Bonitas”.
To: re_tail20

Not guilty. So say we one, so say we all.

11 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:35:49 AM byRichInOC (No! BAD Rich! (What’d I say?))
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Dontcha just love to see wingnuts standing for their principles?
To: Liberty Valance

The ultimate twosome.

14 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:36:51 AM bydfwgator (Congratulations to Josh Hamilton – AL MVP)
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To: JohnBrowdie

Gives a whole new meaning to the ‘dream act.’

15 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:41:08 AM byMiles the Slasher
Wolfie
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To: JohnBrowdie

NOT GUILTY!

17 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:42:27 AM byTStro
..
…and so on.
Surelysome Freeper has his “deport the brown people” credentials in working order?
To: re_tail20

1. Revoke citizenship.

2. Deport to Mexico.

3. Finish the WALL!

19 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:44:17 AM byJimRed (Excising a cancer before it kills us waters the Tree of Liberty too! TERM LIMITS, NOW AND FOREVER!
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Well, that’s one.
To: re_tail20

I got her women’s issues right here.

21 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:47:02 AM byAvery Iota Kracker (He hate me.)
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To: re_tail20

I’ll give her amnesty.

22 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:48:28 AM bypnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. – Me)
…along with a raging dose of the clap…
To: re_tail20

strip search!

26 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:51:41 AM bybabble-on
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To: Vendome
Good God Almighty – praise His creation… We need the amusement park approach to immigration – build the wall, but add a gate. Put up the sign with her picture stating: “No entering America unless you are at least this smokin’ hot.”

Small print underneath stating the exception for those who can field the shorthop grounder and bat at least .230

34 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 10:15:14 AM byHegewisch Dupa
Well, I was kinda joking about this before, but truth is definitely hornier than satire.
To: Vendome

You can bounce quarters off of that stomach…WOW

38 posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 10:19:10 AM byhoyt-clagwell (5:00 AM Gym Crew)
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How proud their Moms must all be.
More sexual objectification after the smoking hawt jump…

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “Wizards of Id” edition”

Current Affairs, Doc, Stupid Republican Tricks11 Comments

Take a picture. It’ll last longer.

With the state of Wisconsin mired in one of the worst financial slumps in recent memory, Governor-elect Scott Walker finally got his wish Thursday when it came to killing more jobs.The Obama administration announced that it would pull the plug on the $810 million in stimulus money it had given to the state, which was slated for a high-speed rail project. Walker had said throughout his campaign that he would kill the project all along, calling the expenditure a “boondoggle.” Outgoing Gov. Jim Doyle (a.k.a. Pussy out Galore) is sitting this one out, wringing his hands instead of pushing the … Continue reading Take a picture. It’ll last longer.

Adrastos, Diary, Food and Drink, Music12 Comments

Glory Days

Peter Adrastos Athas

Sometimes I feel a bit too old to be on Facebook but, on balance, I like it and reconnecting with some old friends has been a bonus. My friend Clara refuses to do FB because she’s convinced that only the creepiest people from her past will friend her. My experience has been pretty good: the high school friends I’ve connected with are people I liked as opposed to the schoolyard bully or the class know it all. I was a hippie rock-n-roll freak when I was a young whippersnapper. Surprised? Probably not. I wore the same jeans jacket for 3 … Continue reading Glory Days

Michael F10 Comments

IlDuce Dipshit

FromAlbum3 Setting aside for the moment any moral questions regarding the Wikileaks material, e.g., whether or not it’s the equivalent of outing Valerie Plame, or whether Julian Assange is a dashing bohemian or degenerate pervert…isn’t the very existence of so many top secret documents the essence of “big government?” And aren’t professional dipshit clowns like Newt allegedly anti-big government? And wouldn’tNewt’s preferred “solution” — declaring Assange an “enemy combatant,” which at its heart is government sanctioned killing, minus the whole messy rule-of-law and due process — be about as big government as any would-be autocrat/despot could dream for? Just wondering. … Continue reading IlDuce Dipshit

Athenae, Economy16 Comments

Proving Something Important Here

Oooh, an investigation into what’s truly killing America: My first stop was the seafood counter, where I found the thickest swordfishsteak I could, which at $18.99 per pound also turned out to be the most expensive item in the department. Then I headed to the coffee section, where I dropped $11.99 for a pound of fresh roasted beans. From there, the milk aisle, where $8 bought a half gallon of pure organic goat’s milk. Nearby was the cheese section, where I found a tiny wedge of fancy-looking cheese from some European city I’ve never heard of and threw it my … Continue reading Proving Something Important Here

Adrastos, Music1 Comment

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Peter Adrastos Athas

I realize my colleagues in the frozen North-Athenae, Jude and Doc-wouldn’t find a high temp of 45 to be all that cold. It is for New Orleans; it’s a damp and humid cold, which made mybones ache so badly that I couldn’t save them for Henry Jones. And, no, I couldn’t handle a Minnesota winter but most Minnesotans couldn’t handle a NOLA summer. They’re tough and icy whereas we’re tough and sweaty. So it goes. Enough with the weather small talk. Here are Ella and Louis Jordan: Update: Virgo and I both obviously had winter weather on the brain. Her’s … Continue reading Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Music, Television, VirgoTex11 Comments

The underlying message

Love it, hate it, dismiss it, you can’t deny thatGlee‘s made a splash.Conservatives love to hate it, a clear signal thatthey fear its power; at the same time, hipsters argue that the show is acelebration of mediocrity, retreading the lamest recesses of American popular entertainment. Content-wise, two seasons in, it’s still a little tough to sort out the truly inspired bits from the merely good (a lot), the mediocre (also a lot), and the marketing onslaught (a shitload). The show’s a pastiche of all pop culture that has come before it: it eats and replicates the same stuff it’s transforming, … Continue reading The underlying message