Month: December 2013

Adrastos, Music, Political Crack2 Comments

Town Called Malice

Peter Adrastos Athas

The Thatcher series continues with the Jam. Here’s Paul Harris’ excellent description of Town Called Malice in the Guardian article I keep going on about: Whether latter-day audiences truly understand its lyrics is an interesting question, because Town Called Malice is not one of those supposedly “classic” songs whose lyrics can mean anything to anyone at any time. Its words are a razor-sharp commentary on a specific social moment: the austere, strife-torn years of 1981 and 1982, when deflation was let loose, riots tore through English cities, unemployment headed towards three million, and Britain lost a fifth of its manufacturing … Continue reading Town Called Malice

Adrastos, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks4 Comments

The Devil Came From Kansas

Peter Adrastos Athas

What’s the deal with Kansas? All the Kansans I’ve met have been pretty sensible and down to earth people. Hell, Bob Dole wasn’t my cup of tea but neither he nor his long-time Senate colleague, Nancy Landon Kassebaum, were nutters. In more recent years, Kansas wingers seem to have drunk some bizarre kind of Bleeding Kansas kool-aid or something. From the Westboro Baptist Church to the murder of Dr. Tiller to electing an idiot extremist teabagger like Sam Brownback, the state has become better known for right-wing malakatude than great college hoops. Hmm, now that I think of it, the … Continue reading The Devil Came From Kansas

Adrastos, Music1 Comment

Album Cover Art Wednesday: Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas

It’s the holidays (yes, Bill-O, I said holidays) so I thought I’d post a series of Xmassy LP covers the next few weeks. Dr. A is the Christmas music fan in our family but there *are* a few holiday albums that I’m fond of andElla Wishes You A Swinging Christmas is one of them. I, of course, never met an Ella Fitzgerald album that I didn’t like. I’m not sure, however, what the hell a unicorn has to do with anything: Here’s Ella singing the tune that songwriter Mel Torme called his retirement account: Continue reading Album Cover Art Wednesday: Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media1 Comment

‘Native Advertising’ Is the New TOTAL BULLSHIT

Let’s give this guy a spot on the Pulitzer board! Wemple frames Allen’s shilling as “native advertising,” an often-troublesome practice in which publications sell space for paid content that is designed to look like a staff-authored article. (One of the moreinfamous episodes involved a Scientology ad for theAtlantic that looked like a blog post.) Playbook goes beyond the routine and wildly promiscuous use of native advertising. Indeed, the behavior Wemple documents would ordinarily amount to a scandal and a likely firing offense, except that it seems to be Allen’s essential job description. As Wemple points out, some of the advertisers … Continue reading ‘Native Advertising’ Is the New TOTAL BULLSHIT

Athenae, Congress, Stupid Republican Tricks4 Comments

This Cocksucker Inhofe

Allison Hantschel

Which is, of course, an insult to any individuals who suck cock: Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) said Tuesday that the gun control debate doesn’t have anything to do with the families of the Newtown, Conn., shooting victims, and that the only reason those families think it does is because President Barack Obama told them it did. […] “See, I think it’s so unfair of the administration to hurt these families, to make them think this has something to do with them when, in fact, it doesn’t,” Inhofe said. By “these families,” Inhofe was referring to 11 family members of victims … Continue reading This Cocksucker Inhofe

Athenae, Economy2 Comments

Require Additional Insurance for Risky Behavior

Spocko on something I was hinting at over the weekend: So how about, in the name of public safety, we flip this? New Rule: If you plan a DOORBUSTER STUNT you need to put up a $10,000,000 bond to cover the costs to the community and to cover the injuries and deaths of the people. Lets go to cities and get them to pass laws, “Doorbuster stunts will cost ten million dollars for each store, payable in advance. If nobody is injured or dies the store gets part of it back.” Suddenly the cost effectiveness of this media stunt goes … Continue reading Require Additional Insurance for Risky Behavior

Athenae, Economy, Fuck The Mommy Wars5 Comments

Childless Women Lack Essential Humanity

Allison Hantschel

Boy, do I ever love it when they just come right out and say it.Oh, and fuck your sympathy, you condescending bitchmonster: I mean, seriously, what is this paragraph even trying to say beyond “please don’t fire me Mr. ‘Femail is a Great Name for a ‘Lifestyles’ section’, I can pimp breeding for white women harder if you want!” But, more than all the things we want, we actually need our children; they complete us as women, they are our light and our love and our legacy. Because without that ability to spawn actual human beings with their uteruses (well, … Continue reading Childless Women Lack Essential Humanity

Stupid Republican Tricks, Tommy T6 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – guns and hosers edition

tommyfd

Good morning, gentle people – I’ve been pushing the drums of Freeper stoopid marked “Mah cold dead hands” to the back for a while now, but with the imminent invasion of NATO’s Agenda 21 task force. I can ignore them no longer.

Maybe if I start opening the oldest ones first, the fumes won’t be as toxic.

So – let’s start with a political killing!

Author of “American Sniper” among the
dead at Rough Creek (CHRIS KYLE MURDERED!)Stephenville Empire-Tribune ^| 2/2/2013

Posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013 9:01:42 PM by hawkeye101

A former Tarleton State University student who wrote the
best-selling book, “American Sniper,” was one of two victims shot and killed at
Rough Creek Lodge late Saturday afternoon. Chris Kyle and a friend were found
dead at Rough Creek’s shooting range.

1
posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013
9:01:51 PM by hawkeye101
As usual, the Freeperati take careful aim at the target, hold their collective breath, squeeze slowly, and score a direct hit – on their own foot.

To: hawkeye101

First the internet guy in his car and now this. Looks like the left
wants to play rough.

2
posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013
9:05:30 PM by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion
or satire; or both)

To: hawkeye101
Law enforcement officials throughout the
county were searching for a large four-door Ford pickup that is high off the
ground and covered in Rhino liner. There is a skull sticker in the back window.

What the dickens is this about?Political killing?

6
posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013
9:09:36 PM by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)

Of course – since the black helicopter was in the shop for its FAR Part 29 inspection, the rhino-covered monster truck with the skull decal on the back window was the next-most-stealthiest choice.

To: hawkeye101

these are not random. they have been targeted.

10
posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013
9:11:24 PM by Secret Agent Man (I can neither confirm
or deny that; even if I could, I couldn’t – it’s classified.)

To: hawkeye101

They are taking out those they fear the most. and that will be on
Our side.

13
posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013
9:14:29 PM by easternsky

To: hawkeye101

It’s a hit, period.

We are at war and the president is on the wrong side.

17
posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013
9:17:17 PM by Kakaze (I want The Republic back !)

Who could have perpetrated this horrible political hit job??

To: hawkeye101

I think mooslims are responsible.

29
posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013
9:24:56 PM by GreatRoad (O < 0)

Silly me.

To: BenLurkin

Don’t forget Breitbart. And, yes, I think he was offed.

41
posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013
9:32:23 PM by RushIsMyTeddyBear (Great vid by ShorelineMike!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOZjJk6nbD4&feature=plcp)

What a wonderfully baroque world these guys live in.

To: nuconvert

“That truck doesn’t sound like an inconspicuous vehicle.”

Red herring? Make it appear that a redneck, bitter clinger is the
suspect?

Meanwhile, he switches to a Pendleton shirt, khakis, and drives
away in his Volvo.

[yea, I know, been watching too many spy movies lately…]

49
posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013
9:36:31 PM by BwanaNdege (“To learn who rules over you simply find out who you
are not allowed to criticize”- Voltaire)

See?

To: RushIsMyTeddyBear

Obama is offing his enemies one by one..nothing would surprise me
about this Administration, absolutely nothing

44
posted on Saturday, February 02, 2013
9:33:27 PM by Sarah Barracuda

And then…

Renowned Navy SEAL Sniper Shot Dead At
Texas Gun RangeThe Daily Caller ^| 02 February 2013 | Jessica
Stanton

Posted on Sunday, February 03, 2013 2:57:33 AM by zeestephen

Chris Kyle, known as “the most lethal sniper in U.S. military
history,” was reportedly shot and killed on Saturday. “Kyle was shot point-blank
while helping another soldier who is recovering from PTSD.”

1
posted on Sunday, February 03, 2013
2:57:39 AM by zeestephen
Oops.

To: zeestephen
Wow. Very sad. He was trying to do a great thing and was
killed as was his innocent neighbor.

The military needs to rethink this style of therapy. Clearly not
safe for those helping. Case and point.

3
posted on Sunday, February 03, 2013
3:01:27 AM by GOP Poet

But…but…but…Muzzies! Presidential hit teams!VINCE FUCKING FOSTER!!!!

To: 101stAirborneVet

I believe the idea of prohibiting a vet with PTSD from having a gun
was proposed by some liberals. As you noted – the symptoms can vary greatly.And
it is probably hard enough to get them to see a doctor about it already – just
think if they knew their guns would be taken away how hard it would be to get
help for these guys.

12
posted on Sunday, February 03, 2013
3:22:37 AM by 21twelve (“We’ve got the guns, and we got the numbers” adapted and
revised from Jim M.)

If that was the “well-aged and mellow” crazy, I’m afraid to open up any more drums of teh stupid.
More possibly after the Trilateral Commission.

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – guns and hosers edition”

Adrastos, Diary, LOL, Music

Red Smoke

Peter Adrastos Athas

If the Cult of the Red Beanie is looking for a preposterously unconventional candidate for the papacy, I’m available. I may be a pro-choice, pro-gay marriage atheist who was never a Catholic but I did costume as a Cardinal on Mardi Gras day in 2007: No, those are not nuns, they were the Krewe of Anna Nicole Smith, and if you insist on asking, I was not the daddy. Btw, I’d like my smoke signal to be red: Continue reading Red Smoke

Adrastos, Gret Stet Politics, PBJ, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks1 Comment

Too bad it’s not in Iowa

Peter Adrastos Athas

There’s a big ass sinkhole in rural Assumption Parish, which forced the evacuation of 150 homes some 7 months ago. The folks there have been asking Governor PBJ to come and have a look-see ever since. Jindal, of course, has been busy; first lauding Willard Mittbot Romney and the trashing him after he lost.the election.He has finally agreed to do his job and take a belated gander at the Bayou Corne sinkholenext week. Jindal has been like the damned elusive pimpernel when it comes to going anywhere in the Gret Stet. I make the, uh, assumption that there are two … Continue reading Too bad it’s not in Iowa

Adrastos, Current Affairs, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks1 Comment

Saboteurs

Time for some non-Papal posting. I do, however, get a kick out of A’s calling him Pope Frank. It reminds me of the late, great Francis Albert Sinatra, sinner and patron saint of saloon singers. Now where the hell was I? Oh yeah, saboteurs. I’m referring to GOP Governors and how their massive resistance to the ACA is sabotaging it and harming the interests of their own people. The current generation of Gopers is so in thrall to the teabaggers and the Randian/Social-Darwinian 1% that they’ve forgotten how many Republican voters do not have affordable health insurance. Do they care? … Continue reading Saboteurs

Athenae, Faith, Religion2 Comments

You’re In My Prayers

I know it’s becoming the Pope Frank fanblog around here, but this is actually genuis: Krajewski gets his marching orders each morning: A Vatican gendarme goes from the Vatican hotel where Francis lives to Krajewski’s office across the Vatican gardens, bringing a bundle of letters that the pope has received from the faithful asking for help. On the top of each letter, Francis might write “You know what to do” or “Go find them” or “Go talk to them.” And so Don Corrado, as he likes to be called, hits the streets of Rome and beyond. He visits homes for … Continue reading You’re In My Prayers

Adrastos, Books, Current Affairs, Faith, Religion

On The Road With Cardinal Scola

Peter Adrastos Athas

It’s conclave Tuesday, y’all. The gathering of what Charlie Pierce loves to call the “cult of the red beanie.” I have no red-hatted dog in this fight but I’ve gotten a kick out some of the pre-conclave spin. My favorite was this item about Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milano: To illustrate that life is a journey, one of the Italian cardinals touted as a favorite to be the next pope doesn’t just turn to the Scriptures – but also to Jack Kerouac and Cormac McCarthy. Angelo Scola, the archbishop of Milan, is seen as Italy’s best chance at reclaiming the … Continue reading On The Road With Cardinal Scola

Uncategorized4 Comments

Same Stuff, Different Package

southernbeale2014

Everything I need to know about Marco Rubio’s rebuttal to tonight’s State of the Union address was broadcast this afternoon when he voted “No” on the Violence Against Women Act. As Steve Benen pointed out: As for the final vote on VAWA, all 22 votes against the proposal were Republican men. Indeed, it’s worth noting that there are only 45 Senate Republicans total, so just about half of the GOP caucus opposed reauthorizing a bipartisan bill intended to help combat domestic violence.These Republicans — including Sen. Marco Rubio and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — knew VAWA would pass the … Continue reading Same Stuff, Different Package

Athenae, Congress, Immoral Values, Stupid Republican Tricks4 Comments

Aaron Schock, Marriage Equality and Republican Re-Branding

Allison Hantschel

“I can neither confirm nor deny my bigotry, as to confirm it would alienate every voter who isn’t a tight-permed churchy scold in a cat sweatshirt, and to deny it would cost me those churchy scolds who I need to win primaries even in the state of Illinois. And have you seen this fucking place? It’s becoming INSANELY GAY up in here, so I am caught between being a Republican and being a decent human being who does not give a damn who you or anyone else screws, and in that calculus decency will lose every time. And yet. I … Continue reading Aaron Schock, Marriage Equality and Republican Re-Branding

Athenae, Marriage Equality, Religion, Stupid Republican Tricks4 Comments

Excommunicate the Nonbeliever!

Speaking of unpleasant people who want to wine-dine-69 Jesus but haven’t heard a damn word He said: The Rockford Pro-Life Initiative has called on Francis Cardinal George to excommunicate Governor Pat Quinn for his outspoken support of same-sex “marriage.” [snip] Governor Quinn’s support for same-sex “marriage” puts him at odds with the leadership of the Catholic faith he claims to belong to.ThreeIllinoisbishops released letters to be read from the pulpit in parishes statewide over the weekend opposing the legislation. Members of the Rockford Pro-Life Initiative, however, do not think the letters go far enough. “If Cardinal George and all the … Continue reading Excommunicate the Nonbeliever!

Athenae, Faith, Religion7 Comments

Pope Francis is Wrong Because Fuck Obama

I haven’t ventured over into the Breitbart Memorial Museum for Fuckwittery in a long time, because a) why and b) no, but last week Pope Frank decided to point out that hoarding money isn’t cool, and that any system that doesn’t serve the needs of everybody needs to be amscrayed, just as his Employer once commanded. Not a radical statement, unless you’re following on the heels of Pope Prada of the Hitler Youth during a time of epic income inequality reinforced by every major mainstream media outlet in the entire world. So most people were quite pleased to hear a … Continue reading Pope Francis is Wrong Because Fuck Obama

Adrastos, Television3 Comments

Photo Of The Day: Sopranos Edition

I’m an obsessive Sopranos fan. Once when a friend and colleague of Dr. A’s asked me if I’d ever seen the Sopranos, my wife burst out in hysterical laughter and had to be sedated. Not really but it makes for a good story… Anyway, it wasJames Gandolfini day in the late actor’s home town of Park Ridge, NJ the other day. They renamed a stretch of road after Gandolfini and some of his teevee family showed up to pay their respects. The photo was taken byAmy Newman of NorthJersey.com: Continue reading Photo Of The Day: Sopranos Edition

Adrastos, LOL, Of Interest1 Comment

Louisiana Curses

This hasn’t got anything to do withAmerican Horror Story:Coven or other witchy/voodooy curse nonsense but with a survey about which state curses the most. My current home state, Louisiana is number 4. Fuck yeah, fuckin’ A, Louisiana is also the fourth most courteous state according to this click bait driven (it worked with me obviously) survey. Thank you for moving out the fucking way. We’re the only motherfuckers to make both goddamn lists thank you very much. They’re not polite in Jersey? Who the fuck knew? Everyone… Here are some swell looking charts courtesy ofMarcex; Continue reading Louisiana Curses

Adrastos, Religion3 Comments

598 Years

Peter Adrastos Athas

Oops, got it wrong the first time. That’s what happens when you take a blogcation: That’s how long it’s been since a pope abidcated and it’s been 968 years since a pope named Benedict quit. My stat-head friends are apt to appreciate the numerical symmetry. Here’s *why* Benny the 9th resigned: Pope Benedict IX, in 1045: At age 33 and about 10 years into his tumultuous term, the Rome-born pope resigned so that he could get married – and to collect some cash from his godfather, also Roman, who paid Benedict IX to step down so that he might replace … Continue reading 598 Years

Stupid Republican Tricks, Tommy T3 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – Blecch Friday edition

Good morning, all!

Since you’re here, you obviously avoided getting trampled/trampling anyone to death last Friday, so let’s spin that airlock door wheel tight and get to it!

First up – Not Guilty! Because, tits.

CBS: Lara Logan, producer ordered to take leave(Benghazi)
Boston Herald via AP ^ | November 26, 2013 | AP
Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 3:29:12 PM byGQuagmire
NEW YORK — CBS ordered “60 Minutes” correspondent Lara Logan and her producer to take a leave of absence Tuesday following a critical internal review of their handling of the show’s October story on the Benghazi raid, based on a report on a supposed witness whose story can’t be verified.
The review, by CBS News executive Al Ortiz and obtained by The Associated Press, said the “60 Minutes” team should have done a better job vetting the story that featured a security contractor who said he was at the U.S. mission in Libya the night it was attacked last year

1 posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 3:29:12 PM byGQuagmire

What could possibly account for this sudden slap on the wrist?

To: GQuagmire; null and void
“The call” was made and orders were given.
But, that’s probably just a Nut-Job Conspiracy!
2 posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 3:30:58 PM byF15Eagle
If the foo shits…
To: F15Eagle
No doubt in my mind that’s what happened. ObamaJarrett saw an opportunity to b*tch slap the media back into line and took it.

3 posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 3:34:09 PM byTADSLOS (The Event Horizon has come and gone. Buckle up and hang on.)

To: GQuagmire
…a supposed witness whose story can’t be verified.
Anyone else here see and smell an Obama protection set up here? Sure, the NSA or CIA or whomever
My money’s on “Whomever”. Everyone knows you don’t fuck with the Whomever Intelligence Agency (W.I.A.)
will no longer allow the guy to speak or corroborate what he said so it makes the reporter appear as though she faked a story when in fact she didn’t.
What’s one more casuality if it protects Obama?
4 posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 3:36:08 PM byObadiah (I Like Ted.)
And of course, that old standby:
To: F15Eagle
It’s worse than that. The whole thing was a set-up/false flag from the gitgo.

7 posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 3:40:09 PM bymad_as_he$$

Of course, when you’re a real conspiracy theorist, there’s always that old favourite, 11th-dimentional chess:
To: GQuagmire
I really think that she was intentionally set up to make the mistake.
This gets her out of the way.
Now, the problem is that this is so dangerous and says so much about our Government. our media, and the collusion between the two.
Dangerous days.

9 posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 3:41:48 PM byNoamie

Wheels within wheels…
Of course, one Freeper finally gets down to the heart of the matter:
To: GQuagmire
Not guilty.

11 posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 3:49:03 PM byReignOfError
See?
Not Guilty! Because, tits.
.
Of course, somebody always has to be a killjoy:
To: Army Air Corps; 1_Rain_Drop; 2111USMC; 2ndDivisionVet; Absolutely Nobama; acapesket; …
Lara Logan was indeed taken in, but it was by her own network under whose auspices davies’ book was published. He lied alright, but it was not under orders. He saw himself a chance to not only make some money, but give himself the undeserved status of hero.
I have posted his original report with his own signature which proves that he lied. He was NOT at the compound, He did NOT climb a twelve foot wall in plain view of the terrorists who just stood by WATCHING him do it without firing a shot. He did NOT break into an alqaeda held hospital, nor did he see Chris Stevens’ body.
He did, however wait a year to publish this false information out of the blue, not for obama, but for himself. He is not an American. He was a contractor for Blue Mountain, a British ‘security’ agency who put the untrustworthy Libyan security people in place at the compound who ran away rather than do what they were hired to do.
I would LOVE to blame obama for this, but for once, it wasn’t him. cbs bought this guy’s story hook, line, and sinker and only after THEY published the book did Lara Logan go with the story. cbs should fire themselves.
41 posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 6:29:26 PM byMestaMachine (My caps work. You gotta earn them.)
BanHammerBanHamster
BanHim3BanHim8
BanHimCannonBanHimRocketChair
More “thanks for the mammaries” after the cleavage.

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

Adrastos, Music, Television

Saturday Night Music: Thru and Thru

Peter Adrastos Athas

My name is Adrastos and I’m addicted to The Sopranos. I’m working my way through the series yet again and one of the things that I’m paying close attention to this time around is the use of music. This Stones song comes from the underrated Voodoo Lounge album and was used in the last episode of season 2 of The Sopranos. That, of course, means that Keith Richards and Big Pussy’s death on the high seas are inextricably linked in my twisted little brain. Continue reading Saturday Night Music: Thru and Thru

Adrastos, Diary, Hurricane Katrina & Federal Flood, Television5 Comments

The Thrill Is Gone

The final season ofTreme commenced tonight. It was a mixed bag but some of the characters I *really* hoped would vanish-Sonny, Annie, and Nelson Hidalgo-were still there. Bummer, man. I’d rather spend more quality time with La Donna, Antoine, and Big Chief Lambreaux but what can I say? The series has charted a course quite similar to the post-federal flood city that it’s set in. The high hopes of season one have given way to the sporadic pleasures of seasons 3 and 4. I’m going to stick it out because there’s still a lot of good stuff going on, and … Continue reading The Thrill Is Gone

Athenae, Diary10 Comments

Everyone is Lost

We weren’t in the terminal two minutes before Mr. A found his first lost soul. I don’t know what it is about my husband, but he seems to collect people who need help, wherever he goes. Maybe it’s his confidence; he always looks like he knows where he’s going, even when he’s more lost than I am, and he never seems panicked or nervous no matter where he is. This is, after all, the fellow who went to Brazil for a week and came back with a sunburn, speaking more or less fluent Portuguese, and had a dozen epic stories … Continue reading Everyone is Lost