Month: July 2013

Athenae, Economy6 Comments

There Are No Mistakes If You’re Enough of an Asshole

Allison Hantschel

Fuckers: Five years later, the executives that were in charge of Bear’s headlong dive into the cesspool of subprime mortgage lending hold similar jobs at the most powerful banks on Wall Street: JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Deutsche Bank. The fact they were able to emerge unscathed from a financial crisis that wiped out $19.2 trillion of household wealth in the US and as many as 8.8 million jobs has become part of the legacy of the financial meltdown. “The downside is very, very minimal for the people who decide to take risks in these institutions,” said Anat … Continue reading There Are No Mistakes If You’re Enough of an Asshole

Adrastos, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks

Shorter Pat McCrory

Peter Adrastos Athas

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed the motorcycle-abortion “safety” bill into law this week. When asked during the campaign as to what abortion restrictions, he’d sign, his response was one word, “None.” I’m beginning to think he really meant NUN and we all know where they stand on this issue… One more thing. McCrory gave some pro-choice protesters a platter of cookies yesterday. They were not amused because they realized that it meant “shut up and eat a cookie.” Continue reading Shorter Pat McCrory

Athenae, Holden's Obsession with the Gaggle, So Called Liberal Media2 Comments

Helen Thomas & Our Obsession With Tough Questions

Allison Hantschel

I dug back into Holden’s old posts for my latest over at SF: How long are we going to keep bombing Iraqis? How does the President intend to commemorate “Mission Accomplished” after five years of death and destruction? Is every Iraqi a terrorist? The President has said publicly several times, in two consecutive news conferences a few months ago, and you have said over and over again, we do not torture. Now he has admitted that he did sign off on torture, he did know about it. So how do you reconcile this credibility gap? Would the administration agree to … Continue reading Helen Thomas & Our Obsession With Tough Questions

Adrastos, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks2 Comments

Gimme, gimme, gimme

Peter Adrastos Athas

I assume that I’m not the only one enjoying the food fight between Sen. Aqua Buddha and Gov. Fuckhead of Jersey. Christie picked the fight over Paul’s “libertarian thought” and they’ve been insulting each other ever since.My favorite brickbat came from Aqua Buddha: Paul told reporters after speaking at a fundraiser outside Nashville on Sunday that Christie’s position hurts GOP chances in national elections, and that spending priorities of critics like the governor and Rep. Peter King of New York do more to harm national security. “They’re precisely the same people who are unwilling to cut the spending, and their … Continue reading Gimme, gimme, gimme

Adrastos, Film1 Comment

The Name Game

Peter Adrastos Athas

Dr. A and I saw Fruitvale Stationlast weekend. It’s an account of a day in the life of Oscar Grantwho was, of course, the poor bastard who was murdered by BART cops on New Year’s Day in 2009. It’s *that* day obviously. It’s an excellent film that portrays young Oscar warts and all, trying to be a better person before his life was snuffed out by a stupid transit cop. Oscar Grant is played by Michael B. Jordan best known, to me at least, as Wallace the lovable young member of the Barksdale gang’s crew in the projects in The … Continue reading The Name Game

Athenae, Faith, Religion8 Comments

‘Hipper Worship Bands’

Allison Hantschel

THIS. This with this sauce and this sprinkles and toasted this: I point to research that shows young evangelicals often feel they have to choose between their intellectual integrity and their faith, between science and Christianity, between compassion and holiness. I talk about how the evangelical obsession with sex can make Christian living seem like little more than sticking to a list of rules, and how millennials long for faith communities in which they are safe asking tough questions and wrestling with doubt. Invariably, after I’ve finished my presentation and opened the floor to questions, a pastor raises his hand … Continue reading ‘Hipper Worship Bands’

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media6 Comments

Count, If You Will, the Facts in this Politico Story

Allison Hantschel

You can do it on one hand: Obama, a president who gets a lift from supporters outside the Beltway and wilts in the D.C. hothouse, is hitting the road for all the expected second-term reasons: to regain his slipping leverage over Republicans ahead of the looming debt ceiling battle this fall, and to refocus his oft-meandering message back on the economy, which is all voters really care about. Yet as much as anything, Obama has embarked on this week’s series of policy speeches to improve his own ambiguous frame of mind and take a comforting spin in the way-back machine, … Continue reading Count, If You Will, the Facts in this Politico Story

Adrastos, Immoral Values, Law/Justice5 Comments

Caught red handed in Red Stick

Peter Adrastos Athas

Baton Rouge has been steadily growing over the last 25 years. Even though the Gret Stet has had a slew of Governors who claim to hate guvmint, the Red Stick population explosion is largely due to, well, state guvmint. The local constabulary, however, remain mired in a more pastoral, rednecky past and have never quite adjusted to the reality that BR is an urban area.Here’s the latest example: An undercover East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputy was staking out Manchac Park about 10 a.m. one day this month when a slow-moving sedan pulling into the parking lot caught his attention. … Continue reading Caught red handed in Red Stick

Athenae, Stupid Republican Tricks9 Comments

Guns Make Public Buildings Less Secure

Allison Hantschel

Duh, right? I don’t mean for the reason you think: Then there’s the question of how HB 2 protester Jaime Leigh Tilley got chains into the Senate gallery and secured herself to the railing? How, Walker asked, could she have gotten the chains through the Capitol security? Simple, said Dewhurst. Either she had stashed them in the chamber in the days before the debate, or she had someone with a concealed handgun license carry the chains in for her. Dewhurst said, “If you have a concealed handgun license, you don’t need to go through the X-ray.” So if you have … Continue reading Guns Make Public Buildings Less Secure

Athenae, LOL5 Comments

Guys? I Am Becoming Concerned for Our Society

Allison Hantschel

WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT? It looks like the Wicked Witch of the West mated unwillingly with a Dunkin’ Donuts and then Willy Wonka designed some shoes for the offspring of that unholy union. I’m all for a funky pair of shoes (and some of the things this company makes are super cute), but at some point we need to stop what we’re doing and consider the legacy we leave for future generations. A. Continue reading Guys? I Am Becoming Concerned for Our Society

On Wisconsin, Scoutprime7 Comments

Arrests Continue at WI Capitol

scoutprime2014

Yesterday Athenae posted a video of the arrests at the Solidarity Sing Along. As a result of yesterday’s arrests a much larger crowd attended the sing along today and the arrests continued. About a dozen officers would enter the rotunda led by one officer who would walk through the crowd and point to someone: Other officers would then arrest that person. The officers would lead the individuals out and to the basement where they were issued citations. After about 10-15 minutes the officers would return and more arrests would begin again. The lead officer would walk through the crowd and … Continue reading Arrests Continue at WI Capitol

Adrastos, New Orleans, Political Crack, R.I.P.1 Comment

Lindy Boggs, R.I.P.

Peter Adrastos Athas

My former Congresswoman, Lindy Boggs, died today at the age of 97. I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Boggs several times and she lived up to her reputation for graciousness and kindness on each occasion. She was the ultimate steel magnolia as well as a helluva politician.She was also responsible for ensuring women equal access to credit back in 1974: When Boggs requested appointment to the House Banking and Currency Committee, she planned to use the position to further urban renewal in the New Orleans area. But she soon found another cause that would help her reshape the country’s … Continue reading Lindy Boggs, R.I.P.

Adrastos, Current Affairs, Malakatude4 Comments

Malaka Of The Week: Drunk Canadian Detroit River Swimmer Guy

Peter Adrastos Athas

Some are born malakas, some have malakatude thrust on them, and others drink their way into a malakatudinous stupor like this bozo: A man who wanted to prove he could swim across the Detroit River from Canada to the US after a night of drinking ended up prompting an international rescue operation. John Morillo told The Windsor Star that Monday night’s swim from Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, was “really stupid” and said in retrospect he shouldn’t have done it. He was cited for being intoxicated in a public place and released from jail Tuesday. “I was drinking, but I wasn’t … Continue reading Malaka Of The Week: Drunk Canadian Detroit River Swimmer Guy

Current Affairs, Doc5 Comments

Fact-free reporting + internet lemmings = “the real story”

docphd

I was at home last week to take part in a lecture series at a nearby university’s branch campus. The gig was a good one: Lecture on media to a group of “lifetime learners,” who were all amazingly attuned to the media, the world at large and me. Just before I left to give my lecture that morning, Mom was reading through her email, which included a “forward” that my grandfather had sent her regarding “the real story” about Trayvon Martin. The email included a number of “facts” about Martin, including his busts for selling drugs, his violent outbursts at … Continue reading Fact-free reporting + internet lemmings = “the real story”

Adrastos, Album Cover Art, Art, Music2 Comments

Album Cover Art Wednesday: In the Court of the Crimson King

Peter Adrastos Athas

I remember the first time I saw this album cover: I knew I had to hear the music because if it was as interesting as the cover art, it had be to be pretty damn good. It was and it is. This is prog rock heroes King Crimson’s first LP and it’s a classic.Here’s the Wikipedia description of the cover art: Barry Godber (1946–1970), a computer programmer, painted the album cover. Godber died in February 1970 of a heart attack, shortly after the album’s release. It was his only album cover, and is now owned by Robert Fripp.Fripp had said … Continue reading Album Cover Art Wednesday: In the Court of the Crimson King

Adrastos, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks2 Comments

Mr. Civil Rights?

Peter Adrastos Athas

In the wake of the Southern Avenger’s departure from his staff, Senator Aqua Buddha has his old swagger back: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) trumpeted his commitment to minority rights on Wednesday, claiming that no one in Congress can match his record on that front. During a visit to Iowa, the junior Kentucky senator and 2016 contender told Yahoo News that he’s going to continue to do his part to lure blacks and Hispanics to a Republican Party that has been plagued by an inability to win over minority voters. “I’m not easily dissuaded, so it’s not something that makes me … Continue reading Mr. Civil Rights?

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media

Newspaper Company: We Are Sucking Just As Much As Expected!

Allison Hantschel

Advance newspapers’ “president of local digital strategy,” Randy Siegel: The continuing quality of our newspapers has translated into relatively strong circulation numbers. Although we have reduced the frequency of home delivery, we’re pleased that for the six-month period ending March 31, 2013, average circulation declines in our relaunched markets were in line with newspaper industry averages. Cue the motherfuckin’ balloon drop, guys! Somebody get me a confetti gun. We are losing subscribers just as much as everybody else! Isn’t that fuckin’ awesome? WHOOO! Go team! I love losing only as much as we were expected to lose! It’s fuckin’ GREAT! … Continue reading Newspaper Company: We Are Sucking Just As Much As Expected!

Adrastos, Art, Film, Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction Thursday: The Big Combo

Peter Adrastos Athas

The enduring excellence of The Big Comboproves that a movie does not have to be 7 hours long to tell a good story or pack a punch. It’s one of the best film noirs (films noir?) of all-time and clocks in at a breathtaking 83 minutes. It features a cast and crew of noir all-stars from director Joseph H. Lewis to composer David Raksin to cinematographer John Alton to stars Cornel Wilde and Richard Conte. It’s one of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite films and he pays tribute to The Big Combo in several ways in Reservoir Dogs. Here’s my little pulpy … Continue reading Pulp Fiction Thursday: The Big Combo

Michael F

Setting The Bar Pretty Low

mmferry1965

From Album 5 Thankfully no one was killed in the latest rig blowout/fire off the Louisiana Gulf Coast, and yeah, I’m sure it’s not as bad as the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster…but not as bad as the single worst oil spill in US history isn’t exactly grounds for celebrating. It’s kind of like saying not as bad as the meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear reactor, or not as bad as the fertilizer plant explosion in Texas… Meanwhile, the fire’s expected to burn for as long as two months — because that’s how long it will take to drill a relief … Continue reading Setting The Bar Pretty Low

Adrastos, Current Affairs, Gret Stet Politics, Law/Justice, PBJ, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks1 Comment

Jindal pitches a fit over law suit against big oil

Peter Adrastos Athas

Governor PBJ is stamping his feet and threatening to hold his breath until he turns blue if the mean old levee board doesn’t drop its suit against the oil industry: Gov. Bobby Jindal denounced the historic lawsuit against oil and gas companies filed Wednesday by a local levee board, saying the board overstepped its authority and calling the suit the work of trial lawyers looking for a “windfall” by blaming the industry for coastal erosion. Jindal, who appoints the members of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, said in a statement that he is demanding that the agency kill the … Continue reading Jindal pitches a fit over law suit against big oil

Athenae, On Wisconsin

In Case You Wondered if Scott Walker was Still a Petty, Vindictive Prick

Allison Hantschel

The answer is yes, yes he is: What a douchebag. The singers have been singing there every day since Walker first launched his attack on unions, and since His Highness has decided that he can’t stand the sound of dissent, the once-totally open Capitol is now a place where you have to get a permit to assemble and do such controversial things as hum a tune. A. Continue reading In Case You Wondered if Scott Walker was Still a Petty, Vindictive Prick