Headline of the Day...Week? Month? Year?

From the Wall Street Journal:
People Pulling Up to Pawnshops Today Are Driving Cadillacs and BMWs

Sarah Vaughan / Tea for Two (Chris Shaw remix)

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

I'm gonna be drinking tea tonight (as in Red Rose - no more "Lawn Guyland" tea for me). My hangovers don't last a day anymore. They seem to hang on for the better part of a week now.




What's everyone else gonna be mixing up?


crossposted at BigBrassBlog

Resolutions, Revelations and Revolutions for the New Year

by Blondesense

Inspired by DCup's post on the year of clean living, I thought I'd write down what I've been planning to do for the new year to improve my life. She did amazingly well in 2008 and I'm proud of her determination.

What I want to do in 2009 is something I should have done 10 years ago but it's never too late to clean up one's act.

First of all, I will quit smoking before my birthday in January. I have to. I got the results of my chest xray and breathing tests recently and it appears to be totally normal. How lucky was that? I think it's time to quit while I'm ahead before I get emphysema and then I'm really screwed. Plus the cost of butts is so expensive that I am going to put my cig money in a piggy bank and use it for new clothes (which pertains to the next point.) The cigarettes at the Indian Res are now expensive too. They got me. I give up.

2. I will go to drastic measures to lose all the weight I put on due to my meds and lack of sufficient or acceptable nookie (see point 3). By hook or by crook, I will not be a fat person this time next year. From the money I will save by not eating so much, I will put it away for a face lift and a singles cruise where I will finally meet a handsome young Prince Charming and will live happily ever after. heh. Okay, I'm a realist... just the face lift or new clothes.

3. I am a social drinker, but I tend to sometimes go overboard . I think it's time to put the beer bottle down once and for all. Beer isn't good for dieters anyway. Going to bars makes me even feel worse about myself. There's something ridiculous and sad about trying to be noticed by a bunch of pissfaced drunks that isn't good for my delicate sensibilities. Not to mention they don't remember who you are the next time you see them. Men in bars aren't thinking with their heads. With the money I save from not drinking like a fish, I will take scuba lessons and travel to exotic places to look at the pretty fishies with my new hot bod sans beer gut.

3a. I am substituting unsweetened ice tea for Diet Pepsi. Sugar and artificial sweeteners are not on my list of healthy foods, in fact I think that perhaps the artificial sweeteners are worse than real sugar.

4. I will give up unhealthy relationships in 2009. My bad luck with friends and relations is written all over my face, my fat butt and my psyche. I can't get the years back ( I do wish I could and if there are any genies out there, contact me) but I can make the future ones better and even if I am all alone for the rest of my life, it will be better than hating myself for enduring relationships that make me feel like shit. So goodbye to bullshitters.

5. But just because I am not eating fast food, drinking beer or smoking and ditching old relationships, it doesn't mean I will be a party pooper. I will have more fun than ever. In fact I plan to travel, go out dancing, ride my bike, sail, swim, scuba dive, learn astrophotography, perform music once again, start a business and have much more sex (even if it is with myself). I am not quitting the weed because I am a musician after all. I will go even blonder to assure that I have more fun.

6. I vow above everything else, to get my sense of humor back and lighten up. It got buried amid all the angst. A good friend of mine has vowed to make at least one stranger a day laugh. I like that and will do that too. I will report monthly on how I'm doing.

A lot of excess baggage will be shed in 2009. I hope you'll join me in saying adios to my bad habits and "buenos dias baby" to my new happy and healthier lifestyle.

Your turn.

And of course, a song to go along with my resolutions. It's Not You, Baby It's Me, By Norah Jones and the Little Willies

Revisiting the Past at the Closing of the Year

The French-brokered cease-fire between the Palestinian government in the Gaza Strip and Israel finally fell apart a few days ago when Israel unleashed a 'shock and awe' campaign to destroy Hamas security installations and suppress the use of the homemade unguided rockets that have been aimed at Israeli towns.

So far, best estimates give about 350 dead in Gaza, most of them Hamas; six Israelis are dead.

That's a better than 50:1 exchange rate. But Israel is missing the point, by returning to the past in which the application of high explosives is the solution to every problem.

One analyst, interviewed yesterday on NPR, stated that Israel's strategic objective was to drive a wedge between the Gazans and Hamas, and hopefully force a regime change. Troops and tanks are already massing on the border as Israel prepares for a possible ground assault.

One minor problem, that I think Israel is missing.

The United States dropped more high explosives on North Vietnam than the total of bombs dropped on Europe in World War Two, and it did nothing to dissociate the Vietnamese from Ho Chi Minh's government - in fact, it strengthened it.

Going back further, Germany's shock and awe campaign didn't break the will or morale of the British, now did it?

All Israel is doing is creating another two generations (at least) of potential converts to Hamas' cause.

Sometimes people should stop looking back at failed solutions and try new ones. Have the courage to look ahead.

Wanna Watch A Country Get the Shit Kicked Out of It?

It's not enough that Israel is bombing the shit out of Gaza, they have a YouTube Channel so you can watch it. (I am not watching it, but you or anyone else on the planet with an internet connection can).

Israel sees the Internet offensive as a way to keep open its window of opportunity to press forward with its thus-far devastating attacks in Gaza.
...

Since the massive aerial attack was unleashed on Saturday, at least 373 Palestinians, including 39 children, have been killed and 1,720 wounded, according to Gaza medics.

Am I allowed to say that I think they are a bunch of bullies without being called an anti-Semite, that dreaded label? Nevermind, I'll reserve comment at this time.

Our key ally in the war on terra, Iraq, condemns Israel for the attacks on Gaza

“Iraqi resistance groups have to retaliate against the Israeli aggression on Gaza by escalating their operations against the US military in Iraq since the US position is in favour of this aggression, firstly, and secondly because the United States and Israel are both enemies of the Arabs,” Omar Al Kubaisi, an activist of the Sunni Muslim Clerics Association.

On Fox News, that idiot, John Bolton said that Israel's bombing of Gaza is all the more reason we should bomb Iran now. Such stupidity makes my head hurt. I hate Fox News.

Wanna see something hilarious? Zbig Smacks Down Mornin' Joe
Zbig to Joe: "You have a such stunningly superficial knowledge of what went on it's almost embarrassing to listen to you." hat tip oddjob


See also
Gaza relief boat carrying Cynthia McKinney rammed by Israelis
Thousands of protestors demand end to Israeli raids in Gaza
Israel weighs 48-hour halt to Gaza air campaign
Protesters worldwide keep up pressure over Gaza

Musical Interlude

Diana Krall: Cry Me A River

Bad Predictions for the US Future

Oh man, I didn't need to read this stuff so early in the morning, but the predictions look bleak for the future. (but then again, there are folks who make a living being prophets of doom.) I hope that this is just wishful thinking among those who hate the US for our freedoms (Russians and conservatives).

As if Things Weren't Bad Enough, Russian Professor Predicts End of U.S.
In Moscow, Igor Panarin's Forecasts Are All the Rage; America 'Disintegrates' in 2010

"There's a 55-45% chance right now that disintegration will occur," he says (to happy Russians who have grown very anti-American)....

He based the forecast on classified data supplied to him by FAPSI analysts, he says. He predicts that economic, financial and demographic trends will provoke a political and social crisis in the U.S. When the going gets tough, he says, wealthier states will withhold funds from the federal government and effectively secede from the union. Social unrest up to and including a civil war will follow. The U.S. will then split along ethnic lines, and foreign powers will move in.

California will form the nucleus of what he calls "The Californian Republic," and will be part of China or under Chinese influence. Texas will be the heart of "The Texas Republic," a cluster of states that will go to Mexico or fall under Mexican influence. Washington, D.C., and New York will be part of an "Atlantic America" that may join the European Union. Canada will grab a group of Northern states Prof. Panarin calls "The Central North American Republic." Hawaii, he suggests, will be a protectorate of Japan or China, and Alaska will be subsumed into Russia.

Could that be why the US military is ready for action?

Unrest caused by bad economy may require military action, report says

"Widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities ... to defend basic domestic order and human security," the report said, in case of "unforeseen economic collapse," "pervasive public health emergencies," and "catastrophic natural and human disasters," among other possible crises.

The report also suggests the new (Barack Obama) administration could face a "strategic shock" within the first eight months in office.

Good lord, are end of year predictions usually this bleak or was I not paying attention?

Do you think that if it became known that a giant asteroid was to crash into the earth that all this world unrest would stop and we would come together as nations? Oh hell, we can't even come together as a country.

Did you see this? Racism is splitting the GOP That's so 40 years ago. Grow up already.

My art friend who lives in Israel is terrified that there is going to be a war. She wishes us a happy new year. Indeed.

Palin: The gift that keeps on giving

You've got to read this APstory. Palin's daughter gives birth to son named Tripp
It reads like a redneck soap opera.

And yet another study with an obvious answer

Teenage virginity pledges are ineffective. This time, the study shows that those who take the virginity pledge are just as likely to have premarital sex as those who don't, the latter are more likely to have unprotected sex and the pledgers have a higher rate of STDs. They have a low opinion of condoms (and I suspect it's because they are taught that they are ineffective.)

Our government invests in abstinence only sex education which has been proven time and time again to not work. You would think in a so called first world country that we'd get with the program, deal with the fact that kids will be kids as they have always been and teach them to protect their young lives from dangerous diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

The article above is quite interesting and goes further than previous studies.

I grew up Catholic in a time where we were strongly encouraged to not even lie in a bed with a boy before marriage. We were taught that birth control was evil. It was no wonder that so many Catholic girls were getting married before they even finished high school. It's no wonder that there were so many dysfunctional large families in church on Sunday with impossibly overwrought young mothers. So what is it with the new religious right and their insistence upon abstinence only education? Misery loves company? Is that it?

Hobbyists try genetic engineering at home

In the 1950's during the atomic age craze you could buy your kids an "Atomic Energy Lab" complete with chunks of Uranium 238. This product only lasted on the shelves for a year when someone thought that kids capable of splitting atoms in their bedrooms and messing around with radioactivity was not a necessarily a good thing.

Fast forward to the 1990's when naysayers were complaining that your kids could learn to build a bomb on the internet and therefore you shouldn't go online. It hasn't stopped terrorists from using the internets to wreak havoc on innocent people.

This story, Hobbyists are trying genetic engineering at home, explains that using homemade lab equipment and the vast scientific knowledge available online, people are trying to make new life forms.

In her San Francisco dining room lab, for example, 31-year-old computer programmer Meredith L. Patterson is trying to develop genetically altered yogurt bacteria that will glow green to signal the presence of melamine, the chemical that turned Chinese-made baby formula and pet food deadly.

"People can really work on projects for the good of humanity while learning about something they want to learn about in the process," she said.

There are critics out there who are afraid that someone could unleash a disaster on humanity that may even out-fuck-up what the bush administration has wrought on an unsuspecting world. Most evil scientists are working for world governments though. Hey, you never know, someone may find the cure for cancer or invent an easy test to detect dangerous substances contained in crappy Chinese imports.

We already know that there are terrorists out there planning dangerous activities and there are manufacturers cutting costs and incorporating dangerous chemicals into everyday products. Our own government is fighting to build coal plants or dump toxic waste near pristine national parks. We also know that an asteroid could destroy the earth. There are a lot more things to worry about than the possibility of giant mutant turtles.

---------------
Carpe Noctem

Also in science news for all you disappointed star gazers out there is this story, Death Valley works to preserve night sky

Acclaimed for its ink black skies, Death Valley, the hottest place in North America, also ranks among the nation's unspoiled stargazing spots. But the vista in recent years has grown blurry.

The glitzy neon glow from Las Vegas and its burgeoning bedroom communities is stealing stars from the park's eastern fringe. New research reveals light pollution from Vegas increased 61 percent between 2001 and 2007, making it appear brighter than the planet Venus on clear nights as seen from Dante's View

Only once in my adult life have I seen the sky from an unspoiled vantage point and that was in Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania, one of the only 2 parks certified by the International Dark-Sky Association as dark-sky enclaves. It was like a planetarium only better. I can't even describe the wonderment I experienced. I thought about setting up an observatory in my backyard only to discover that light pollution from NYC made it nearly impossible to enjoy all that is out there.

Musical Interlude

Greatest sad song. Ever.
Etta James and Dr. John: I'd Rather Go Blind Than To Watch You Walk Away From Me

Is There a Setting Beyond "Epic Fail?"

Because if there is it belongs to George W Bush.

Three-quarters of the people polled by CNN say that they're quite happy to see Bush leave office and don't want him ever coming back.

The last, tiny, fleeting glimmer of a bright spot - his efforts to salvage some sort of Mideast peace plan before January 20th - was extinguished under sixty Qassim rockets, one hundred tons of bombs and at least 200 dead Palestinians.

We may be looking at war between India and Pakistan.

And the economy is still lodged in the sewer pipe thanks in very large part to the Bush Administration's deregulation efforts and a Republican history of letting the markets dictate the markets (and not taking into account the fact that human greed would trump even common sense).

So if there is a setting beyond 'Epic' on the Fail-o-meter, Bush owns it.

Lock, stock, and barrel.

For those of you who haven't been depressed enough because of the holidays...
and for those of you who are just too happy!

Oh Yes, A Change is Gonna Come

Getting old is positively stunning, in the true sense of the word---as in being knocked sideways by a gun of the stun variety. You look in the mirror every day of your life for years, taking for granted that when you do so, you will see yourself, and you do; so you feel pretty secure about the process. And then one day, without any warning whatsoever, you look in that same mirror, expecting to see that same face, and what do you find? You find this old person looking back at you with a baleful state. Upon closer inspection, you discover it to be you----in an old-lady suit, which has apparently permanently affixed itself to your person.

You've got old-lady hair. It's going gray and the texture of it is no longer hair like but more like string or perhaps straw that the cat has seen fit to suck on all day. Your skin has turned against you somehow; indeed, it seems it would crawl completely off your frame if possible. It feels like snakeskin actually. If only it might split open and allow you to crawl off in a shiny new skin, leaving the old dried-up husk to crisp in the sun. But no, in it you just remain.

You gaze in horror at some formerly familiar body part----your arm, for instance---and notice with a shudder that when you bend it as you have done a million times a day for your entire life with no ill effect, the skin ripples and wrinkles in a bizarre fashion. Whose arm is that hanging from your body? you ask. And have you looked at your knees lately? Don't even bother. Just trust me---it's bad.
Moles have started to reproduce themselves at will all over your body but show a particular fondness for your chest, neck and back. One might be considered a "beauty mark:; one thousand and you've moved past overkill----it's distracting, at best. And, I note happily, moles now come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. I'd have to say that skin-tag types are my favorites.....right up there with the ones that overnight grow a six-to seven inch hair smack in the middle of 'em.

And, of course, your eyesight is so bad you might easily go several entire days before you realize you have got this long------usually black---hair sticking straight out of the side of your face. You normally don't see it yourself; someone else---a small, very loud child in the checkout line or your ex-husband's new child-bride or possibly, the worst-case scenario, your very own boyfriend will notice it and give it a little tug.

One of the reasons your eyesight is so poor is that your upper eyelids are spending most of their time hanging down into your actual line of sight instead of perching up there about your eyes displaying eye shadow, the way nature intended.

There seem to be two choices (or rather destinies for who would actively choose either one); You turn out to be one of those stringy, beef-jerky-looking old ladies or you're fat.

Let me address the under forty readers here for just a moment. First of all, you should know that, in my humble opinion, you are mere lava. It's a wonder you even have all your hands and feet. You really can't fathom this right now----I know because I remember......but you are a baby and you should not be out loose running around unsupervised. Trust me, nearly every choice you're making today is the wrong one, but take heart. Crazy as it sounds, it's apparently what you are supposed to be doing----nobody does it any different. And the consequences of all the stupid crap you are doing today, which you will regret, will make you a fabulous woman is just a few short years!

Go look in the mirror right this second. I know, you think you're a mess. But hey, listen to me! If you are under forty, you are a precious, darling girl, and you should put on the skimpiest garment you can legally wear in public and commence prancing around in it night and day because I promise that in about ten years, you are going to look back at photographs of yourself and say, "My Gawd---I was perfect!" What was I thinking? If I looked like that today, I would rule the world!I was thinking about that just the other day. If I had had any sense of how very adorable I was back then, I would have run naked down the middle of the street. So, honeychile, you ain't never gonna look this good again in your life, and you'd better be making that hay while the sun is shining 'cause I am here to tell you that a change is gonna come!

Now, while you're appreciating your current cuteness, run out and have your picture taken---the one you will want used in your obituary, especially if you plan on living a whole lot longer. You see it all the time in the paper'; an obit with a picture of a winsome lass with a fetching smile and a devilish twinkle in her eye---a sweet young thing. When you read the obit to find out how someone so young was snatched from this good earth in such an untimely fashion, you learn that she was actually ninety-seven years old when she died. Trust me, you could drag your picture behind you car and leave it out in he rain and sun for two years, and it would fare better than you will in the aging process. Getting old is the rudest awakening will will ever have: It is the ultimate slap in the face with a wet squirrel.

You are probably anticipating aging with some degree of humor and.....denial. Oh, I know all about that. My best bud, Jana O'dell, and I used to plan ---when we were fifteen---how we would dye our hair blue. We would wear cinnamon-colored hose with reinforced heels and toes and roll them down at the knees. We would wear polyester short-sleeved, round-necked dresses that we had made ourselves. Mine was to be "a lovely shade of turquoise with patch pockets of royal blue" (all this is from an actual note we exchanged in the he ninth grade, which I still have). Our shoes would be those stretchy gold metallic things with the toes that curl up, which come in a bag in the sock department. We would take up smoking and keep one cigarette burning in an astray and one hanging off our lower lip at all time, especially while we're taking to it would kind of flop up and down and sling ashes all over. we would have deep raspy, whiskey-sounding voices and we would yell a lot and be real crabby all the time and scream at the neighborhood kids to get out of your yards. We would have our hair ratted up professionally once a week and never comb it otherwise, and wrap our heads in toilet paper and put on big hair nets at night. We would wear glasses---thick, ugly ones----whether we needed them or not, with silver chains attached to keep them hanging around our necks when not in use. Our homes would be filled with ugly ceramic souvenirs and brightly painted statues of children with big eyes and small dogs. We would find useless items made from two-liter Coke bottles, coat hangers, and yarn to be wildly irresistible, and we would cover our furniture with clear plastic to "save" it.

Yes, we planned to do all this when we turned the ripe old age of forty.......knowing, as we did with the infinite wisdom that is the exclusive domain of the the incredibly young, that life would be completely over by then, anyway, so why not? My fortieth birthday was.....well, it was a some years back and I don't feel any different from the way I did at fifteen when I wrote that note to Jana. That's what's so madding about getting old: You still feel young and cute!

You know all those songs that exhort you to "shake your money-maker"? Listen to'em and shake while the shaken' is good because your entire body will turn into a veritable money pit before you can say "bilateral blepharoplasty" or even "eye job," for that matter. My advise to you is to go out and buy the cheapest clothes---- don't waste a penny on cosmetics. Oh, Lord, pre-forty, you can wash your face with Tide and use Vaseline for moisturizer, toss on a little mascara and lip gloss, and you look like you're a friggin' cover girl. Those of us on the slippery slope that is the Other Side of Forty can testify-----those days days are so over. Save your money. Consider it a trust fund for your old self, because trust me, it cost the proverbial shitload of money to maintain an old lady. Course there is an upside to getting older: You stop taking yourself so gawd-darn seriously.

Happy Trails!

This Week in Science...

Well, 2 out of 3 are scientific!



Toys for (good) Girls!
Sure to make someone's wish list...and not wanting to wait til next Xmas!





The Hadron Collider picture gallery

Check out the site and especially the
"10 Ways the Large Hadron Collider will blow your mind!"







Another toy for the Cops

This has the potential for getting out of hand FAR beyond TASERs!
The comments are rather interesting!

Obligatory Friday Sex Post

Viagra the way to an Afghan warlord's heart

THE CIA is using Viagra to entice Afghan warlords into supplying information on Taliban movements and supply routes.

Reports yesterday said US intelligence officers were offering the pharmaceutical enhancements to ageing Afghan chieftains and warlords burdened with their duties as tribal patriarch and husband to several younger women.

The Washington Post reported that while the CIA had a long history of buying information with cash, the growing Taliban insurgency had prompted the useof novel incentives and creative bargaining to gain support in some of the country's roughest areas.

CIA officials told the paper that in their efforts to win over notoriously fickle warlords and chieftains, the agency's operatives had used a variety of personal services. These included pocketknives and tools, medicine or sweets for ailing family members, toys and school equipment, tooth extractions, travel visas, and, occasionally, pharmaceutical enhancements for ageing patriarchs with slumping libidos. continued

heh.

Musical Interlude

Just Like Starting Over



You know who you are.

Trouble Brewing

The terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India last month continue to stir up trouble between the nuclear-armed states of India and Pakistan. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of not doing enough to suppress terrorist groups in its country (notably the Lashkar e-Taiba, who claimed responsibility for the attack) and Islamabad accusing New Delhi of being behind the recent bombing in Lahore.

Tensions continue to escalate: India's National Command Authority apparently met and both sides are increasing the number and readiness of troops along their shared border and along the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region. Both sides trade accusations while at the same time making conciliatory statements. We'll have to keep an eye on this, big time.

Bishop Desmond Tutu weighed in over the Christmas holiday, calling on possible armed force to oust Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe from office. Mugabe, 84 years old, has turned into the biggest handicap to his nation. Inflation is astronomical, malnutrition and cholera are increasing as the economy lies moribund, and the recent elections were a joke. Mugabe will only leave office feet-first.

Please refer to my earlier indication that he is 84 years old. Obviously he doesn't have too much longer to go, and it's only a matter of time before he either goes by natural causes or some member of his own staff puts a bullet in his brain. We'll have to watch this too.

And finally, in our "No Shit" Department, we have word that a recent report from the Heimatsicherheitsdiensthauptamt (or Department of Homeland Security) concludes that we can expect the next five years to feature terrorist activity emanating from Africa and the Middle East due to instability.

Hmm. Instability.

Do you think that this 'instability' that Chertoff and his analysts speak of may have been caused by our inaction in Darfur and our stupid blundering about in Southwest Asia? Freaking idiot.

The 38-page assessment goes on to say that we can expect RCyCB (Radiological/Cybernetic/Chemical/Biological) attacks over the next five years, along with increasing pressure along our borders. With the US economy tanking, we've already started to see indications that illegal immigration may slow down. As to cyber attacks, yes, they'll be a major nuisance as well as posing a possible infrastructure threat.

The Big Three (RCB) are problematic, but I think, personally, that radiological and biological weapons of mass destruction are still a bit out of reach. Chemical agents such as mustard gas are cheap and easy to make. Hussein used them against the Iranians and the Kurds for just those reasons (and we gave him those, ladies and gentlemen). Chemical weapons are known as "the poor man's atomic bomb" and that's a true statement. Mustard gas is a blistering agent that can kill but usually disables and disfigures; it's persistent as well.

So the New Year may be born crying and kicking. Either way, it bears watching so it doesn't grow up to be a brat.

It's Boxing Day, Which Means ...

Christmas Dinner!

No, I'm not crazy - I have paperwork to prove it.

Traditionally in my family, I cook Christmas dinner for the family on December 24th and we open the presents I have for them. On the 25th, I go over to my brother's house for another dinner and more presents. Neat, eh?

Well, this year we've had to make a few minor changes because I had to work on the 24th.

I took all the presents over to my brother's house yesterday (the living room floor was half-obscured by boxes and bags) and settled down for a midday feed that featured smoked turkey breast, ham and little nibbles. My brother and his wife believe in grazing on Christmas Day.

Which makes today my day to strut my foodie cred, so here's the menu:

Prime rib, rubbed with a dry rub of dried mushrooms, salt and pepper
Mushroom gravy
Mashed potatoes
Green beans with herbed butter
Spiced Carrots
Rum raisin apple pie
Lemon fruitcake

And in keeping with a tradition started last year we're going to sprawl out on the living room carpet to eat. It's a lot less formal and everyone seemed to have a great time, so we're doing it again.

Going to have to eat light the next couple of weeks, though.

The "Merriest Christmas"

I wonder if there are any current actors out there who will be president some day.

Christmas can be either a happy or depressing time. It's what you make it.
If you had a nice day, you may not want to read this.

Is this what we've become?


Oh yeah, Happy Holidays!


When He Died
Anonymous

Lights are flashing, people are dashing,
so cold out it would kill a snowman,
Cash register's ringing, Caroler's singing,
and a man digs through a trash can.

Everyone's shopping, nobody's stopping,
as he holds out the paper cup he's found,
With holiday cheer, filling the air,
he begs as he sits on cold ground.

Music is playing, everyone's saying,
Merry Christmas and oh yes Happy New Year,
Yet all step around, the man on the ground,
pretending there's no one to see there.

Hungry and cold, broken and old,
With a beard and all dirty they think he's strange,
They're filled with detest, by his simple request,
"If you please, do you have some spare change?"

No one would dare, to venture near,
the old man with change to be given,
All stepped aside, as he walked with no pride,
to the alley and the box that he lived in.

On the way there, he happened hear,
these words from the mouth of a child,
Look! It's Santa Claus!, which made him pause,
then he turned and he winked and he smiled.

His eyes twinkled bright, on that cold winter's night,
when he climbed in his box from the storm,
Then he laid down his head, on his newspaper bed,
with the words from that child he felt warm.

And the very next day, when they brushed all away,
the snow from the box where he'd "reside",
They all thought it strange, with his cup full of change,
of a smile on his face when he died.

Walking in a paper wonderland

This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo

Merry Christmas Everyone

Damned Inflation! What 40 Grand Won't Buy You Any More!

"Bush Withdraws Pardon After Learning of Campaign Contribution"
President George W. Bush withdrew a pardon yesterday for a New York real-estate developer after the it became known that the developer’s father made the maximum $28,500 donation to the Republican National Committee months earlier.
(....)
The father, Robert Toussie, also of Brooklyn, contributed $28,500 to the Republican National Committee on April 25 and $2,300 to Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign five days later.
In October, Toussie made $2,300 donations to two Republican U.S. senators in close races, Norm Coleman of Minnesota and Gordon Smith of Oregon.

Now if it'd been four hundred grand in a plain brown envelope....

NY Daily News Photo of the Lovely Couple:

Merry Christmas, Peace and Justice to All

-WHITE CHRISTMAS-

Ho Ho Ho!

Christmas Eve is a special time of celebration as we await the birth of Our Lord, Jesus Christ and ask the time-honored question: “Who would Jesus hate?” Well, our guess would be that long list of crooks and liars and swindlers that surfaced this year but some say, like the Pope -- it is the gays and that they pose as great a threat as rainforest destruction.

We beg to differ. So LWOH asks the Pope:

"If a gay sings and dances in the rainforest and nobody else is around to hear it, did the DVD never materialize?"

Anyway, Christmas Eve has got to be the most delightful holiday on earth, next to Halloween and of course, one’s birthday, and what better way for everyone to deck the halls but with song and dance?

The enchanting movie White Christmas has something for everybody! And who could ever forget the Holiday Kings of Comedy Goof -- Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby --- doing the drag version of “Sisters” immortalized by the forever dazzling Rosemary Clooney?

You?

Well here it is! Click on the above video for an instant and joyous holiday refresher.

And for all of us holiday skiers and snowshoers traveling to colder, stormier winter-wonderlands from Seattle to the Great Lakes to the northeast, lots of luck, patience and peace.

Merry Christmas Eve and Happy Holidays to you all,

-2Truthy

A Tale of Two Stockings

For me - Christmas has always been a time for reflection. Who I am now is part and parcel of who I was – good or bad, there’s no escaping it. A past and future me, I guess. Tomorrow? Well….tomorrow always seems to hold such promise – yet that promise remains fungible, if you know what I mean - stamped with indelible ink. I cannot escape it – so I remember; and in remembering, lay to rest the tiny pin-pricks of memory that can cause so much pain. I am not that child. Why then does Marley’s ghost haunt me so?
___________________________________________________

Every child has a Christmas stocking. It’s tied up with their identity - symbolizing family and tradition. Every year it is lovingly unpacked, creases smoothed, the story of its making passed around like some treasured heirloom. Up on the mantle it goes next to all the others - its owner’s tiny face shining with anticipation – reflected in the light of a cheery fire. Soon…..soon it will be filled with tangible evidence of the love that created it – peppermint sticks, a small stuffed bear, that card saying ‘Merry Christmas’ and signed ‘With Love from Mom & Dad’. Perhaps Santa will add something special – something unexpected.

I had a Christmas stocking – one that I treasured. Every Christmas I’d free it from that box in the attic, wipe the cobwebs and soot away, get a white tack out of the kitchen drawer and hang it from our fireless fireplace. It was made of thick red felt, with faded sequins and brick-a-brack - each sewed on with a single stitch. Not very big – maybe a foot in length - but I didn’t care. Yes, it looked rather puny next to my niece’s larger, store bought stockings; and my friends all had fancier versions too – better made, better cared for; yet I loved mine all the same. I clung to it as a symbol that I belonged in my family – even though the story of its making belied that very fact. Still – I would clutch it against my chest every Christmas and ask, “Mommy – tell me about my stocking.”

She’d make a face, she’d sigh – and I’d begin to beg. “Please, mommy. Please tell me again.” And out it would come – the same story I’d heard every Christmas for every year of my life. How when I was two the next door neighbor came over and asked why there was no stocking for me hanging on the mantle next to those of my much older brother and sisters. My mother would then dismissively wave her hand while coming to the next part – telling the neighbor that she just hadn’t gotten around to making me one yet. That it didn’t really matter, as I was too small to even notice – but I did notice. I remember not having a stocking – not feeling like I belonged. I remember crying when my brother would tease me with all the candy in his – say how I was adopted and adopted children didn’t get Christmas stockings – or candy. My brother was one evil son of a bitch.

Anyway - this neighbor, out of her own sense of compassion, went right home and made me my very own stocking. She cut some red felt, she stitched it together, glued silver ribbon around the edge, sewed a few sequins here and there, and presented it to my mother for me to use ‘until something better could be provided’. How could she know that nothing better would ever be provided. That her single act of kindness would be treasured by me for years to come.

Pretty sad little story – yes? Yet I insisted on its re-telling each and every Christmas. It made me feel loved, you see; as if the person making the stocking had actually been my mother, instead of some faceless stranger I have no clear memory of. I still have that stocking, by the way; even though I replaced it myself when I became an adult celebrating Christmas on my own. The sequins are rubbed bare of glitter of course - and its inside is stained with coal dust. Yes – my mother actually put real coal inside my stocking on Christmas. Not every year, mind; but enough that I remember how bad it felt. Any transgression in the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas warranted it. If I so much as looked at her wrong – out came that coal. Yet I’d still put my stocking up every year – just in case. And I believed in Santa. I believed he would come help me. Just like I’d pray to god for rescue – around Christmas I’d also pray to Santa; that he’d whisk me up the chimney to Christmas Town.

I no longer hang that old stocking – but I lovingly unpack it every year, smoothing out any wrinkles, looking for tiny stains or tears. There’s a permanent hole in the felt where the white tack used to go. It’s not very big. There was never anything heavy enough in the stocking to stretch it out. The silver on the ribbon trim has flaked with age and the sequins are now transparent. I marvel that it has lasted all these years. The memories it invokes are thick and heavy; though not all bad. If not for that stocking, I would have had nothing of my own on Christmas. Whether it contained coal or candy – items put in there were for me and me alone. Nothing in my stocking was ever re-gifted to one of my nieces (my mother’s favorite ‘gotcha’ for reasons that still surpasseth understanding) – a circumstance I remain thankful for to this day. Had this unknown woman not stepped in – no stocking would ever have hung from my chimney with care. In a very real way she gave me a family, a tradition. I think of her every year – wonder who she was and why she did it. Wonder if she went out and bought the felt, or already had it at home for her own children. She must have been a very special person. She must have been very much loved.

Somewhere in the world there is an old woman who made her little neighbor a Christmas stocking a long, long time ago. How I wish I could thank her.

Gents, There is Still Time to Buy Presents

I am a really bad, unimaginative present buyer. For all those guys who exhibit the same handicap, I recommend this resort for re-education. It has all the motivational labor, group-think, parol board etc and it's really hillarious
It's called the Doghouse

Take a walk on the wild side!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Why in hell would I quote a FOXNEWS article?

Because it says what I think everyone should be reminded of at this time of year.
From an article dated Sunday, February 25, 2007:
"Last week, outgoing United Nations World Food Program chief James Morris reminded us that 18,000 children die every day from hunger and malnutrition."

'Course, as some benevolent buttfuckboy pointed out in the comments on another blog when I mentioned the above statistic: "Maybe it's God's way of curbing the population explosion."

UPDATE: US Votes No for Right to Food, Rights of Children as Basic Human Rights

Along with the Gulf Wars...

...it looks like they lied us into World War I also.

From the British Daily Mail:
"Secret of the Lusitania: Arms find challenges Allied claims it was solely a passenger ship"
(Begins): "Her sinking with the loss of almost 1,200 lives caused such outrage that it propelled the U.S. into the First World War.
But now divers have revealed a dark secret about the cargo carried by the Lusitania on its final journey in May 1915.
Munitions they found in the hold suggest that the Germans had been right all along in claiming the ship was carrying war materials and was a legitimate military target."

Related article: Who Really Sunk The Lusitania?
(Quote): "The Lusitania’s sinking created widespread public outrage and was the decisive factor in bringing America onto Britain’s side in W.W.I. However, the real story has yet to be told. For just as Pearl harbour and 9/11 were staged theatre pieces, so the Lusitania was sunk with the same end in view: to widen conflict from which the Illuminati would gain, financially, politically and crucially on an esoteric level too."

A little levity before the Droll, Depressing Complimentary Holiday Wishes Start!



Christmas At Rock-Away Rest


'Twas the night before Christmas at Rock-Away Rest,
and all of us seniors were looking our best.
Our glasses, how sparkly, our wrinkles, how merry;
Our punchbowl held prune juice plus three drops of sherry.

A bedsock was taped to each walker, in hope
That Santa would bring us soft candy and soap.
We surely were lucky to be there with friends,
Secure in this residence and in our Depends.

Our grandkids had sent us some Christmasy crafts,
Like angels in snowsuits and penguins on rafts.
The dental assistant had borrowed our teeth,
And from them she'd crafted a holiday wreath.

The bed pans, so shiny, all stood in a row,
Reflecting our candle's magnificent glow.
Our supper so festive -- the joy wouldn't stop --
Was creamy warm oatmeal with sprinkles on top.

Our salad was Jell-O, so jiggly and great,
Then puree of fruitcake was spooned on each plate.
The social director then had us play games,
Like "Where Are You Living?" and "What Are Your Names?"

Old Grandfather Looper was feeling his oats,
Proclaiming that reindeer were nothing but goats.
Our resident wand'rer was tied to her chair,
In hopes that at bedtime she still would be there.

Security lights on the new fallen snow
Made outdoors seem noon to the old folks below.
Then out on the porch there arose quite a clatter
(But we are so deaf that it just didn't matter).

A strange little fellow flew in through the door,
Then tripped on the sill and fell flat on the floor.
'Twas just our director, all togged out in red.
He jiggled and chuckled and patted each head.

We knew from the way that he strutted and jived
Our social- security checks had arrived.
We sang -- how we sang -- in our monotone croak,
Till the clock tinkled out its soft eight-p.m. stroke.

And soon we were snuggling deep in our beds.
While nurses distributed nocturnal meds.
And so ends our Christmas at Rock-Away Rest.
'fore long you'll be with us, We wish you the best!

Happy Christmas
Merry New Year

Author Unknown

That's The Way We Do It In Detroit

“ I guess this song is both a protest song and love song (toward the city) about the current criticism of Detroit's 100 year work ethic by a buncha political weasels who wouldn't know a work callus if it suddenly appeared on their forehead.”
-Stewart Francke

Click to download THAT’S THE WAY WE DO IT IN DETROIT

LWOH dedicates this song to all of our friends in Detroit, including Citizen Carrie as we pay a very cool-yule tribute to Stewart Francke’s Motor City Serenede, which has been described as the most important blue-eyed soul record in a musical generation. Detroit’s own Stewart Francke’s terrific music plays at the daring crossroads of soul and rock, mixing up an Urban R&B sound which is influenced by Marvin Gaye and Brian Wilson.

From Stewart Francke’s website:

“This song was initially called "The Auto Trade," about my own memories of growing up in the car business, but with the matters at hand regarding the survival of the Big 3 (and in effect our very area), I'm now simple calling it, as a point of pride, "That's The Way We Do It In Detroit." I guess this song is both a protest song and love song (toward the city) about the current criticism of Detroit's 100 year work ethic by a buncha political weasels who wouldn't know a work callus if it suddenly appeared on their forehead. Like many of us here in town, I’m sick and tired of hearing all this hypocrisy about Detroit and all we've done wrong--when over the years we've done far more right than wrong. I’m sick and tired of my town takin' it on the chin, like we didn’t help build a nation or feed a million families or make the most beautiful cars in the world for 75 years. This song is in protest to the ignorant derision toward Detroit, and a statement of pride in my city. I grew up in the car business, as did my father and his brothers; I worked in Steering Gear factories before I was able to earn a living as a musician. Use this song as you’d like--I hope we use it as an anthem for positivity; I hope we use it as a statement about where we've been and where we're going--a comeback anthem for Detroit and Southeastern Michigan. The Gospel choir accompaniment is courtesy of many church members in town.”

Let’s hear it for Francke’s cool yule, and for finding a pair to start kicking a few “political weasels’” tires on this corporate-welfare enabled, hijacked bus we call “Congress” to restore economic and civil justice at the community level in 2009 all across this country! We don’t need no stinkin’ Czars…

Peace and Joy,

-2Truthy

How does Holy Joe do it?

We now have incontrovertible mathematical proof why Joe Lieberman was such a darling of the Republicans and why he is now just luv'd by the Democrats.

(Click the image to enlarge)

Christmas is the time to say I love you -- BILLY SQUIRE

with the MTV CHORUS CHRISTMAS 1981


omg the hair

and those those glasses!!

Quote of the Day:

"Any person who violates the essential principles of divine or natural law, of international law, or of international customary law in such a fashion that makes clear that he contemptuously disregards the binding nature of such law shall be punished." -- Helmuth von Moltke

Christmas Movies!

One of the favorite things Hollywood likes to inflict on us every year is the wide assortment of Yuletide cinema. Here are a few of my favorites.

I recall watching this one year on television back when I was a child, and while it didn't traumatize me for life it did feed my twisted sense of humor. I'm talking, of course, about Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, featuring Pia Zadora as the little Martian girl.

Here's a clip of it, as mugged and snagged on by Joel and the Bots (I will refrain from posting all ten installments of it in order to spare you the horror):



Now, as everyone knows, holidays are a time for family. Mainly for family drama as long-buried animosities surface and people say destructive and hateful things. But hey, it's only once a year, isn't it?

This kind of thing has been going on forever, as seen in my absolute all-time favorite holiday film, The Lion in Winter starring Katherine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole (and featuring Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton):



Finally, Christmas movies tug at your heart-strings. Movie adaptations of Charles Dickens' immortal A Christmas Carol are a favorite staple, and the best one (in my opinion) is the classic black & white starring British actor Alastair Sim:



Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all the rest of it!

What can I give you this Christmas? - The Lettermen

Why it's good to be a woman

(Editorial response to an earlier post by a man)

Compiled from lists I found on the internets.

1. Women get off sinking ships first.
2. Women can scare male bosses with the mysterious gynecological disorder excuses.
3. Multiple orgasms.
4. Taxis stop.
5. Women don't have to pass gas for amusement.
6. If women forget to shave, no one has to know.
7. Free drinks.
8. Women never have to reach down to make sure their privates are still there.
9. Women have the ability to dress themselves
10. Women can talk to the opposite sex without having to picture them naked.
11. If women marry someone 20 years younger, they are aware that we will look like an idiot.
12. Women will never regret piercing their ears.
13. Women can make comments about how silly men are in their presence because they aren't listening anyway.
14. Women know the truth about whether size matters.
15. A woman can fully assess a person just by looking at their shoes.
16. A woman can hug her best friend without worrying she'll think she's gay.
17. Women know who their children are without having a DNA test.
18. A woman won't drive to Hell and back before she asks for directions.
19. Women don't feel threatened if their partner earns more than they do.
20. Women don't think reading the manual is a betrayal of all their species stands for.
21. Women don't have to worry about catching anything important in their zipper.
22. Women can talk to attractive members of the opposite sex without having to picture them naked.
23. Women can be groupies. Male groupies are stalkers.
24. A woman can get a whole new lease on life just by changing her lipstick.
25. If a woman cheats on her spouse everyone will assume it's because she was being emotionally neglected.
26. If a woman cries, she's sensitive; if a man cries, he's a wimp.
27. If a woman says something stupid, most men will just think she's cute.
28. A woman can never be blamed if it's wet on the floor around the toilet bowl.
29. Women live longer than men.
30. If a woman inexplicably disappears for two weeks, one of her friends will notice.

America's Greediest: The 2008 Too Much Top Ten, By Sam Pizzigati

From the Website TOO MUCH
A Commentary on Excess and Inequality

Has any year ever showcased greed as dramatically as 2008? We sift through the avarice to bring you the highlights and lowlights — and a little hope for a less greedy 2009.

Please Be Patient - Sung by Feist

Angels soaring through the air
as they did in Bethlehem
Angels answer every prayer
once they get around to them
Please be patient, an angel will be with thee shortly

Due to increased prayer amounts
Seraphim will have delays
Servicing thy prayer accounts
For the next five million days
Please be patient, an angel will be with thee shortly

Please continue thee to hold
All thy ills will be relieved
Every human grief consoled
In the order’ twas received
Please be patient, an authorized prayer technician will be with thee shortly
Or to save thee time, wait for the chime

Thank the goddess above for Leslie Feist

She's one of a few that have gotten me through this music slump. (my poor kids...)

Featured on “A COLBERT CHRISTMAS - THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL!”

and thank the goddess above for Stephen Colbert (and My main man Jon Stewart).

A big fat FUCK YOU to all the 'Gorden Gekko's' out there - "Greed has pushed political credibility and financial trust into freefall" - by GARY YOUNGE

WELL SAID Gary Younge from the Guardian in New York - --- Recent scandals in America reveal a value system that puts the wealth of a few before the welfare of many


Does anyone else out there in the blogosphere feel so unbelievably helpless

that they are about to lose it....

BIG TIME....

like

really really soon???

I guess it's just that time of year.

Saturday evening after a sad incident, some friends and I were sitting and discussing the reasons we're all here. Naturally, nothing was solved since we're not privy to the FSM's designs. The "conference" devolved into "What can we do for our fellow 'man' to make things better" and such topics. The group was mixed evenly of females and males all with each's definite solution for life and happiness; some reasonable, some not.
Then one of those questions came out of left field that either starts arguments, deep thoughts or some sort of introspection.
I offer it here for consideration because it involves a personal, somewhat self-centered answer. Thinking about those who are no longer with us, we always come up with a couple of items that endeared them to us or troubled us about them. That night we decided not to dwell on any negative, but remember the happier, positive aspects of those lives.
But the evocative question was not what we thought of our friends, rather:

"According to your own beliefs, what will your spouse or family, significant other or good friend(s) miss the most about YOU when you leave this plane of existence?"

It became quite illuminating to all after that.

Any thoughts any of you may choose to share with the group?

WHY MEN ARE NEVER DEPRESSED:

Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.
No wonder men are happier.

Send this to the women who can handle it and to the men who will enjoy reading it

Troops Can Drink Beer During Super Bowl. Two only.

Oh for gawd's sake. You mean the troops couldn't have a few beers before this?

It's okay for me, but not for you

The banks that received bailout money won't say where it went.
It went to bonuses, stock options, country club memberships.
Bailed-Out Executives Got $1.6 Billion In 2007 so why do they need so much?

World stocks lower after news of Toyota's first loss since 1941.

Auto execs can't fly their jets but Wall St execs are still enjoying the perk.

Hedge funds gain access to $200bn Fed aid

Confession: I attended a lovely party on Saturday night in a ritsy titsy town full of hedge fund managers, stock brokers, bank execs and financial services types and got into a mild shouting (well not exactly shouting, but close) match over union busting. Some of the people were my friends from our hippie days. I actually told one of them, "You've become The Man!" after he told me how poor people and unions are to blame for this financial meltdown. Our host then put on loud rock music and told us to sing or dance. Good call. Apparently I am the one who feels that people should get stuff for nothing. Projecting are we?

Tragic News from Alaska!

It wasn't bad enough with just turkeys...
Now we know The Real Sarah Palin!

Too bad, kids!

We got holocausted so it's okay if we holocaust others.

Guardian:
"Israeli blockade 'forces Palestinians to search rubbish dumps for food'"
UN fears irreversible damage is being done in Gaza as new statistics reveal the level of deprivation
Impoverished Palestinians on the Gaza Strip are being forced to scavenge for food on rubbish dumps to survive as Israel's economic blockade risks causing irreversible damage, according to international observers.

Figures released last week by the UN Relief and Works Agency reveal that the economic blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza in July last year has had a devastating impact on the local population. Large numbers of Palestinians are unable to afford the high prices of food being smuggled through the Hamas-controlled tunnels to the Strip from Egypt and last week were confronted with the suspension of UN food and cash distribution as a result of the siege.

The Midnight Sun.

Happy Winter Solstice!



Update:
This image is now the larger one, 1600 x 1200. It should make it easier to increase to a larger wallpaper without too much distortion.

Feeling Rather Small?

RIAA to stop lawsuits

Looks like they didn't make enough money suing teenagers (with pancreatic cancer or old people) so they are going after deeper pockets, the ISP's who will be charged with monitoring the masses.

After suing over 35,000 people since 2002 over music piracy, the RIAA is changing its policy and will discontinue suing individuals over unauthorized music sharing through P2P networks.

With that good news however, comes possibly worse news.

The RIAA is now making agreements with ISPs (Internet Service Providers) that would have the companies send out emails to customers they believe are "making music available online for others to take."

The first three emails will be warnings asking the customer to stop, but a 4th may warrant having your Internet connection cut off entirely.

Although they will stop sending out mass lawsuits, the RIAA retains the right to sue "heavy users." All current lawsuits will be settled as well.

See also:

1. RIAA's New Piracy Plan Poses a New Set of Problems
   
2. The RIAA turns off its lawsuit machine
3. Music Industry to Abandon Mass Suits

In related music news, Boom in music video games helps original artists:

"...the Recording Industry Association of America pegged its U.S. members' sales at $10.4 billion in 2007, down 11.8 percent from the year before, with a further drop expected for 2008. By comparison, sales of music video games more than doubled this year, hitting $1.9 billion in the past 12 months, according to NPD Group. And they're expected to keep growing.

"Aerosmith made more money off the June release of "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith" than either of its last two albums, according to Kai Huang, co-founder of RedOctane, which first developed "Guitar Hero.""

Name That Tune/Or Caption This

Let the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth begin!

Broadcast partisanship has gone too far! I was totally oblivious to blatant network favoritism until I found this video! Something needs to be done...and now. Before this spreads any further! We need a return to the fair time doctrine so we aren't subjected to this propaganda any longer!


Weather Channel Accused of Pro-Weather Bias


(Hey! It's Saturday and it's too cold to go outside and play!)

The grapes are starting to turn to vinegar...

There was an interesting post over at kos about O's choice of Ricky "gays should die" Warren. The Big O says that we should reach out to others with differing views. So as per kos, why hasn't David Duke been asked to say a few words at the inauguration? Surely there's an anti-Semite he could give a few minutes to? Couldn't he make time for Todd Palin to say a few well chosen words about Alaskan Independence? And let's not forget the American Nazi Party! Maybe they could all lead us in the Pledge of Adherence? What? No Black Panthers? No Weather Underground?

Yup! You betcha! We need to start reaching across the table (except for those undesirables called "progressives", you know, the ones that got him elected, so he could ignore us!) Pay no attention to the last 8 years. It was only a dream...like Dallas!

But I guess we have to start somewhere and with someone from the Fundie Party. After all, they really do luv all of us libruls!

Sunrise Sunset

The holidays come at the worst possible time of year in the northern hemisphere.

I'm one of those SAD sufferers despite all the anti-depressants. I'd really like to check out for the next 2-3 months, but since I can't, I found sunrisesunset.com where I can track the sunrise and sunset times for my area. It's nice to see the days will now be getting longer. Where I live we'll have another 30 minutes of daylight by the time Obama is inaugurated.


This is Blondesense reporting live from dismal, snowy Lawn Guyland.

Some People Really Get Into Christmas

Oh Good God

Sherry L. Johnston, the fraternal grandmother of Bristol Palin's soon to be born baby has been arrested in Wasilla, Alaska and charged with six felony counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance after an undercover investigation.

Troopers charged Johnston with second-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance -- generally manufacturing or delivering drugs -- as well as fourth-degree misconduct involving controlled substances, or possession. -Miami Herald

Join the Army. Make new friends. Kill people.

From Kids Learn that Killing Is Fun at the Army's Lethal New Theme Park

The Army Experience Center, located in the Franklin Mills Mall just north of Philadelphia, bills itself as a "state-of-the-art educational facility that uses interactive simulations and online learning programs to educate visitors about the many careers, training and educational opportunities available in the Army."

Nonsense. The only thing they're teaching here is how to blow shit up. If it's state-of-the-art anything, it's state-of-the-art adolescent boys’ wet dreams.

If was the president, the minimum age for service would be 21. But that's the mom in me speaking.

Encourage Senator Levin to go after Bush/Cheney for "legalizing" torture

Discussing the fact that Cheney and Bush have admitted to condoning waterboarding which is torture and illegal, Rachel Maddow and Senator Levin had this conversation:

Maddow: One of the things I think has been so I guess challenging to the American debate about this is that President Bush and Vice President Cheney have essentially argued that they have legalized waterboarding. That they have legalized torture. They think that the actions of their Justice Department made things like waterboarding not war crimes any more. Are they right?

Levin: You can't just suddenly change something that's illegal into something that is legal by having a lawyer write an opinion saying that it's legal. Things can't work that way or else someone could get a lawyer to say a crime is not a crime and then that would be a defense. That is not a defense and I just, I was astounded frankly when I heard the Vice President of the United States sort of just blandly, blithely saying that oh he thought that was an appropriate thing and yes he was involved in the discussions about it.
source: C&L
-----------------

Levin spoke hopefully that the Obama administration would take some "major steps" as "clearly this Justice Department is not willing," and the need for an independent commission that could be appointed by the Obama administration to examine the role of the CIA in the treatment of U.S. detainees as their role has not yet been made clear. Then with all the facts they "may or may not lead to indictments, or civil action."

"You heard the "I" word here," Maddow concludes. "Indictments!"
source Raw Story

You can encourage Senator Levin to keep up the good fight.

Union Busting, Southern Style

LA TIMES: The foreign nonunion auto companies located in the South have a plan to reduce wages and benefits at their factories in the United States. And to do it, they need to destroy the United Auto Workers.

Last week, Senate Republicans from some Southern states went to work trying to do just that, on the foreign car companies' behalf. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. Bob Corker ( R-Tenn.) and Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) -- representatives from states that subsidize companies such as Honda, Volkswagen, Toyota and Nissan -- first tried to force the UAW to take reductions in wages and benefits as a condition for supporting the auto industry bailout bill. When the UAW refused, those senators torpedoed the bill.

continued... Hundreds of billions were given to the financial-services industry with barely a question about compensation; the auto bailout, however, was sunk on this issue alone.

Bye bye middle class America. Have a nice depression.

UPDATE: Speaking of the financial-services industry screwing taxpayers over, read Did America Get Punk'd on the Bailout? You betcha! We have work to do and letters to write.

The Christmas Card that Bush should have sent...

"Career Army Specialist sues Rumsfeld, Cheney, saying no evacuation order given on 9/11"

RAW STORY:

A career Army specialist who survived the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, claims that no evacuation was ordered inside the Pentagon, despite flight controllers calling in warnings of approaching hijacked aircraft nearly 20 minutes before the building was struck.

According to a time-line of the attacks, the Federal Aviation Administration notified NORAD that American Airlines Flight 77 had been hijacked at 9:24 a.m. The Pentagon was not struck until 9:43 a.m.

On behalf of Spc. April Gallop, who served in the Network Infrastructure Services Agency as an administrative specialist, California attorney William Veale has filed a civil suit against former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney and former US Air Force General Richard Myers, who was acting chairman of the joint chiefs on 9/11. It alleges they engaged in conspiracy to facilitate the terrorist attacks and purposefully failed to warn those inside the Pentagon, contributing to injuries she and her two-month-old son incurred.

More at the link.

More at GoogleSearch.

I wonder if they're going to call Dick Cheney and Norman "Do the orders still stand?" Mineta to testify.

Romance: what will they "study" next?

Romantic Comedies Ruin Your Love Life

"As part of the project, 100 student volunteers were asked to watch the 2001 romantic comedy Serendipity, while a further 100 watched a David Lynch drama.

"Students watching the romantic film were later found to be more likely to believe in fate and destiny. A further study found that fans of romantic comedies had a stronger belief in predestined love.

"Kimberly Johnson, who also worked on the study, said: "Films do capture the excitement of new relationships but they also wrongly suggest that trust and committed love exist from the moment people meet, whereas these are qualities that normally take years to develop.""

It's true that new relationships are full of excitement and do not reflect the reality that sets in after years of togetherness. Only with maturity can a couple accept the not so exciting contentment that comes with time. It's up to the couple to work on keeping a relationship alive. It doesn't just happen while you're sitting there or just going through the motions. That's why I like a good drama- the stuff that happens outside of the fairy tale relationship you have in a new found love.

Yesterday afternoon Netflix delivered the movie, Sex and the City. I have no idea why I ordered it but in the first half hour I was ready to hit, "EJECT." It was the most barf inducing portrayal of "everywoman's" romantic fantasy. After 10 years of waiting for "Big" to come to his senses he bought Carrie the most opulent penthouse apartment in Manhattan (which must have cost a cool $10 million) and built her a closet that was bigger than any room in my house. (I was thinking of which room I could sacrifice to get me one of those closets though.) Then Vogue magazine decided Carrie, the ugliest one of the foursome, should be model for the most lavish wedding gowns ever. Like that would ever happen in real life. And she turned into Bridezilla.

I couldn't believe during the first few acts of the movie that women everywhere were thrilled with it. Ack! I was thinking while watching the beginning, that this movie might give hope to some butt ugly women that Prince Charming himself will come to his senses and give you everything you ever dreamed of in your little girl fantasies if only you starved yourself anorexic. I was munching on some tortilla chips when all of a sudden there was a twist in the plot (so I stayed with it) and three of the four gals did not live happily ever after... until the end when they lived happily ever after. I was looking for a good cry. Didn't happen. Oh well.

The Story of the Republic Window Settlement

A BuzzFlash News Analysis
The Owners Apparently Busted the Union, Burned the Banks, and Moved Their Operations to Iowa and Hired Low-Wage Non-Union Workers.

THE MINSTREL BOY REIGNS SUPREME!!

I'M SO HAPPY FOR HIM I COULD ALMOST SHIT A RING AROUND MYSELF.

Watch Jeopardy Tonight

Blogger Minstrel Boy will be appearing on Jeopardy tonight. Tivo it or DVR it!

Here he is. The first one.

12 Things To Throw At Bush

Mark Morford has a few ideas although he warns that you should never REALLY throw anything at him as much as you might like to "because you could get shot or perhaps go to jail for a very long time, which, despite how you'd be hailed a hero worldwide forevermore, would just be no fun at all. Don't do it. Throwing is wrong. OK?"

I'd like to throw science books and birth control pills.

What about you?

Sweet Zombie Jesus in Jodhpurs ...

That "So what?" is on a par with Dick Cheney's contemptuous "So?" several years ago.

This disgusting little creature and the bloated psychopath he's partnered with deserve to be arrested two seconds after noon on January 20th, held without bail in the Navy brig in South Carolina then put on trial.

The charges?

Oh, I don't know ... let's start with a few blasts from the past taken from the Nuremberg Indictment:

1. Conspiracy to wage a war of aggression
2. Waging a war of aggression
3. War crimes

That's three of the five original counts (the other two, Crimes Against Humanity and Conspiracy to Seize Power, we will leave aside for the nonce).

Let's see ... what else? Ah.

4. 4,205 counts of first-degree murder (for encompassing in a premeditated manner the deaths of 4,205 members of the United States Armed Forces).
5. 500,000 or so counts of second-degree murder of Iraqi civilians (second degree not because of they're worth less, but their deaths were due to negligence, malfeasance, misfeasance and indirect actions).
6. One massive-ass count of fraud, in that they used fear and false intelligence to gull the American people into agreeing to a war that was unnecessary at the start and has so far killed thousands and crippled our economy.
7. Treason, in that they both violated their oaths to defend the Constitution of the United States by disregarding the separation of powers and arrogating to themselves authority that, by right and law, they should not have.

Now, of course, I know that this won't happen. Bush and Cheney will skip blithely away from any whiff of criminal prosecution for their destruction of the United States, free to collect truly Brobdingnagian amounts of money in stock deals, speaking fees and book deals. All of the secondary actors involved (Addington, Yoo, Wolfowitz, et. al.) will also avoid being brought to justice for their crimes.

Thank you though, dear reader, for letting me get this off my chest.

What some of the folks from where he used to be governor think

Obama Selects Vilsack as Agriculture Secretary

(Copied as is with no editing):

10:36 PM bad choice wrote ...Seems to me that this is a terrible choice.......what does he know about farming? Guess Nobama isn't as smart as everyone thought he was. I knew we would find that out sooner rather than later, if you think things are bad now, just wait, with Nobama and his Clinton people, it can only get worse.

10:03 PM Geez, I should be the Ag Secretary then wrote ...I have been on farm once!!! They should have had appointed him Ambassador to the North Pole!!!!

9:17 PM Jordan wrote ...What a joke. there goes all the rest of the family farms. nice one there obama....

8:59 PM Anonymous wrote ...Vilsack was not a very progressive gov. Remember how he labored over raising the speed limit? He was kicking and screaming against that every step of the way. How he ever had the b@llz to push the smoking ban, is beyond me.

8:15 PM eye opener wrote ...Okay, as we can tell, the person who will take office in January is so inexperienced he is picking all the wrong people. WE ARE SOOOO SCREWED!!!!!

7:33 PM What board does his wife gets? wrote ...His nomination is plain silly.

7:31 PM Another pig greesed wrote ...Bring home the bacon. Vilsack as Ag Secretary. What a joke!!!

7:19 PM Anonymous wrote ...Big mistake.

7:18 PM cyberwolf wrote ...keep your seeds to your self he will give it away like he did this state can you now grow hemp to cloth all the chicago implants? OOPS they steal semis full of new boot cloths.

6:41 PM HUH!! wrote ...VILSACK is an idiot and doesn't know squat about farming! just because he's from Iowa doesn't mean he knows anything about agriculture! and we thought Obama was appointing experts?

6:40 PM Delbert wrote ...Dear Wait, You are correct he did say he was not running but he is a politician and do they ever tell the truth? All I can say is there goes the FARM!

5:56 PM Anonymous wrote ...And you thought farmen couldn't get any worse.

5:46 PM eric palmer wrote ...Must be nice to call in your debts. Not what you know its who you.... Iowa deserves it.

5:37 PM Terry wrote ...Woo-hoo!! Go, Tom, Go!! Go to Washington. New change for Iowa. YIPPEE!!

5:24 PM OH-NO wrote ...This was a poor choice. I'm a democrat and frankly I think Grassley should have been nominated - at least he is a real farmer. I doubt it if Vilsack has ever turned over any dirt other than political dirt.

5:10 PM Wait... wrote ...Didn't this site say he wasn't in the running a few weeks ago or am I crazy?


RELATED: Public mood darkens on job fears: Reuters poll
(Reuters) - A recession-mired economy and growing job insecurity have shaken American confidence in the future despite an upbeat view of President-elect Barack Obama's performance, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

The Reuters/Zogby Index, which measures the mood of the country, dipped to 90.5 in December from 93.3 in November as seven of the 10 measures of public opinion used in the index declined.

White Christmas

Info: Sung by The Drifters. Cartoon by Joshua Held.
Featuring Bill Pinkney on lead bass and Clyde McPhatter on tenor.
An animated Christmas Card, and a homage to a great song, a great band, and a great Holiday.


The weather man says we're going to get our white christmas here on the east coast. Looks like we're going to get dumped on this weekend.

YEAH BABY!! I hate winter, but I love snow!

Global Something

Over 2T tons of ice melted in arctic since '03
WASHINGTON – More than 2 trillion tons of land ice in Greenland, Antarctica and Alaska have melted since 2003, according to new NASA satellite data that show the latest signs of what scientists say is global warming.

I'm so confused.

Maybe global warming causes global freezing?

Maybe we're just experiencing one big Global Con?

I really don't care anymore.

I need to go back to my former self - the one whose motto always was...

Life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved

Or, maybe this is a more realistic one for me, given our world's current state...

Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.
~Soren Kierkegaard - Considered to be a founder of existentialist thought. Check him out.

Quote of the Day

"My administration will value science," Obama said, in what sounded like a pointed reference to his predecessor. "We will make decisions based on facts."

From TPM

At the presser, Obama made his "green team" official: Steven Chu, a physics Nobel laureate, is his new energy secretary. Carol Browner, the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is the head of a new policy council to coordinate climate, environment and energy issues. And Lisa Jackson, the chief of staff for New Jersey's governor, is head of the EPA.

You're Confederate...But Don't Know It, by Charlie Reese

An interesting take on North vs. South

Most of the political problems in this country won't be settled until more folks realize the South was right.

I know that goes against the P.C. edicts, but the fact is that on the subject of the constitutional republic, the Confederate leaders were right and the Northern Republicans were wrong.

Many people today even argue the Confederate positions without realizing it.

continued

God News

At Newsweek, there's a pretty good argument for why the opposition to gay marriage isn't biblically sound. As a former student of theology, I would have to say that it is pretty thorough without getting all technical and scholarly. I think that most people know in their hearts and know through reason that you can't pick and choose biblical verses to argue a point because there is usually and equal and opposite argument in another chapter. If you've read the bible and take it as a whole, discovering the actual point, discrimination against any group is frowned upon, and what's more, there are worse sins than homosexuality. The religious right vehemently disagrees with Newsweek and Rob Schenck of Faith and Action thinks that bush is not a very good christian.

~~~~~~

When the discussion of President Bush's comment that he doesn't take the bible literally but believes that there was a designer came up on the View, Elizabeth Hasselback compared that to designers of handbags. Can't make it up, baby.

~~~~~~

The Vatican is going to be sued for covering up sex abuse cases by three men who were sexually abused by American clergy.

~~~~~~

In order to battle the War on Christmas, public nativity display figures are being outfitted with GPS devices. So ya better watch out.

~~~~~~

Yes, there were SUV's on the altar as Bishop Charles Ellis prayed for the future of the American auto industry calling the service, a "Hybrid of Hope" and anointed them with oil. (Oh god. hahahahaha you can't make this up)

Finally, Weapons of Mass Distraction Were Found in Iraq

Ronald Reagan who was a master of ducking, would be very proud of how Bush ducked the swirling shoes...



I wonder if he's going to decree cement shoes for all correspondents at News Conferences.


UPDATE: Muntader al-Zaidi who threw the shoes at bush is being investigated for possible charges of throwing the shows in the presence of Al Maliki, not for aiming at bush.

UPDATE II: It is being reported by Iraqi TV that the shoe thrower is being tortured in American run prison. BBC News reports he was beaten in custody. So much for Bush saying that the incident represents the new "Iraqi Democracy."

UPDATE III: The brilliant Blue Gal over at C&L has a fab video of "Shoes."
.
.

HEADLINES:

"Lustful Madonna offends God, says clergyman" -- Reuters

"Kill-crazy, War-mongering, Genocidal Jehovah offends Peter of Lone Tree" -- Peter of Lone Tree

From Australia -- Discrimination against white males will soon be encouraged

DISCRIMINATION against dominant white males will soon be encouraged in a bid to boost the status of women, the disabled and cultural and religious minorities.

Such positive discrimination -- treating people differently in order to obtain equality for marginalised groups - is set to be legalised under planned changes to the Equal Opportunity Act foreshadowed last week by state Attorney-General Rob Hulls.

The laws are also expected to protect the rights of people with criminal records to get a job, as long as their past misdeeds are irrelevant to work being sought.

At first glance, I must admit, I thought it was a piece from The Onion.

I do believe they're serious.

Question

Since the "southern Senators and friends", (sorry Anna), those who are defending the foreign automakers who so generously built plants in the south, are adamantly against the auto bailout and think that Detroit should become more like the wonderful imports built here in Amurika at slave wages, does anyone know what make of cars these Senators and Representatives (who voted against the bailout) own? How about their families?
Wouldn't it be a little hypocritical if they owned, say, a Cadillac or Lincoln or Buick and had the balls to say Detroit should make better cars?
One last question:
If the non union auto workers in these southern factories make "far less" than the ones in Detroit, how does the middle and upper management salaries compare? Do the engineers and sales and marketing people people working for Honda and Toyota and Mercedes etc. here in the U.S. make the same as those that do the same jobs in Detroit? And how about the CEO's in comparison?
Inquiring minds want to know!

"Mystery illness paralyses girl given cervical cancer jab"

Times Online:
A 12-year-old schoolgirl has been left paralysed from the waist down by a mystery illness that came on 30 minutes after she was given the new anticervical cancer jab.

Ashleigh Cave suffered dizziness and headaches soon after the vaccination at her school and then deteriorated rapidly, collapsing several times over the following days.

A week later she was admitted to hospital after losing all strength in her legs and, two months on, there has been no improvement.

Her mother Cheryl, 37, from Aintree, Merseyside, is blaming her daughter’s condition on the human papillomavirus (HPV) jab, which was introduced in Britain in September as part of a government-funded vaccination programme.

All girls aged 12 and 13 are being offered vaccinations with Cervarix, a drug that stimulates the body to defend itself against HPV, to protect against the later onset of cervical cancer which is linked to the virus.

More at the link.

"If the shoe fits..."

...throw it anyway.
Bloomberg:
Bush Ducks Shoes Thrown in Iraqi Leader’s Office
President George W. Bush ducked two shoes thrown at him by an unidentified man during a press conference in the Iraqi prime minister’s office.

Bush wasn’t hit by the shoes, one of which sailed over his head. The president shrugged and said “I’m OK” after the incident in Baghdad today. “All I can report is it is a size 10,” Bush said.

In Arab culture, throwing shoes is a grave show of disrespect. The man shouted an Arabic phrase, which an Iraqi present said translated as “this is a farewell kiss, dog.”

Another "grave show of disrespect" for Arabs is to to refer to someone else as a dog. It's about the worst thing you call someone.

Palin's hometown church burned in suspected arson.

But it's ok because she says the lord will make something good come from bad things. (Maybe that means he'll call her home?) The PTB say they aren't sure whether her role as fanatic (my words) may have influenced the incident or not. Right!

If not, then something smells and it ain't decaying moose meat. Poor Sarah hasn't had any attention for the last little while and this would be a perfect "cause célèbre" for kicking off her 2012 ultra right wing policy of blaming the "devil made us libruls do it" anti religious mentality.

You really have to wonder if a deranged, 130 pound, Alaskan Turkey (with a reputed I.Q. of 70) had a piece of dark meat in this.

Conspiracy nut? Who Me? Learned it from the best!

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Ah yes, it was definitely about union busting

GOP: 'ACTION ALERT - AUTO BAILOUT'
Posted: Friday, December 12, 2008 8:00 PM by Countdown

Countdown has obtained a memo entitled "Action Alert - Auto Bailout," and sent Wednesday at 9:12am, to Senate Republicans. The names of the sender(s) and recipient(s) have been redacted in the copy Countdown obtained. The Los Angeles Times reported that it was circulated among Senate Republicans. The brief memo outlines internal political strategy on the bailout, including the view that defeating the bailout represents a "first shot against organized labor." Senate Republicans blocked passage of the bailout late Thursday night, over its insistence on an immediate union pay cut. See the entire memo after the jump.

From:
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 9:12 AM
To:
Subject: Action Alert -- Auto Bailout

Today at noon, Senators Ensign, Shelby, Coburn and DeMint will hold a press conference in the Senate Radio/TV Gallery. They would appreciate our support through messaging and attending the press conference, if possible. The message they want us to deliver is:

1. This is the democrats first opportunity to payoff organized labor after the election. This is a precursor to card check and other items. Republicans should stand firm and take their first shot against organized labor, instead of taking their first blow from it.

2. This rush to judgment is the same thing that happened with the TARP. Members did not have an opportunity to read or digest the legislation and therefore could not understand the consequences of it. We should not rush to pass this because Detroit says the sky is falling.


The sooner you can have press releases and documents like this in the hands of members and the press, the better. Please contact me if you need additional information. Again, the hardest thing for the democrats to do is get 60 votes. If we can hold the Republicans, we can beat this.

A holiday late but it's still OFSP:

Did you catch that big bright moon rising tonight?

Cat Stevens - Moonshadow



All it took was one look and this moon child is feeling much better now.

Sky Show Friday: Biggest, Brightest Full Moon of 2008

Getting in the Christmas Spirit, 2008

Obligatory Friday Sex Post (part deux for ladies)

Now that bad Bush is gone, good bush is in.

Bush is back
"Absolutely," agrees April Barton, stylist extraordinaire and owner of Suite 303, the salon in New York's notorious Chelsea Hotel. "The new rule of thumb is: When you lift your leg, there shouldn't be any hair below the crease. Keep it clean in the back. And in the front, trim the hair right before its natural curl." She likens the look to a more trimmed, 21st-century version of '70s pubes: the tailored bush.

Or, as my friend Jen put it, "My landing strip has turned into more of a Dorito."

It should probably come as no surprise that the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression would inspire a little fuzz. Conspicuous spending is out, after all. And maintaining a stripper-worthy wax job ain't cheap.

Indeed and it's hard work maintaining that 12 year old pre-pubescent look.

Packing the House

Canada's Parliament has two houses; one of them, the Senate, is now a major bone of contention between Prime Minister Harper and the lower chamber, which he prorogued earlier this month. There are 18 empty seats in the Senate, and Harper is planning on appointing people to fill those seats while Parliament is out of session.

Harper's Conservative Party has only 20 appointees in the 105-seat chamber, and has up until now favored making the body an elective office rather than having people appointed to serve until they're 75. Other people favor abolishing the Senate altogther.

(Hmm, not a bad idea, he thought as he eyed the District of Columbia meaningfully.)

Anyway, few people dispute his right to appoint new senators - but many agree that he's got some set of balls doing it.

It's a cynical ploy to shore up support in the upper house before January 26th when Parliament comes back into session, where Harper is certain to face a confidence vote.

OFSP - Follow up

Recall last week that 130,000 pairs of inflatable breasts slated to be given away in a men's magazine promotion in Australia went astray?



Well, they were found. Seems that the shipping container was dropped off in Melbourne, not Sydney, and sat there for a week while the owners of the faux boobies looked hither and yon for them.



So, one mystery solved - and we don't have to worry about bands of rogue cross-dressing kangaroos bounding about the outback flaunting their new rubber cleavage.

"Jolly Boots of Doom" -- Bow Down Before The Power Of Santa

From Nickelodeon's Invader Zim:


(h/t to Indigus @ Godisnotanasshole)

Apparently this youtube poster is wondering how they got "so many views on this garbage". I also wondered the same thing at first. Apparently, Camille Paglia referenced this video in a recent post at Salon

Finally, a holiday treat. I've often complained about my childhood oppression by saccharine Christmas carols, which were forced on us at school and in Girl Scouts. (The narcotized "Silent Night" was the worst torture of them all.) So I was delighted to find this anti-carol on Nickelodeon, the children's cartoon network. The ominous scenario ("Brave New World" meets "Metropolis") wonderfully expresses the commercialized fascism of this hectic season. All year long, these hypnotic lyrics have become a standard chant at my house: "Bow down, bow down, before the power of Santa -- or be crushed, be crushed by his jolly boots of doom!" What gifted team created this witty fantasia? Congratulations for popular art at its best!

I wonder how many folks won't be bowing down before the power of "Santa" this season.

Sorry "Santa" -- I'll be kicking a great big boot up yours this shopping season!

Knowing what I know now, and if my kids still believed in Santa, I think I would be instructing them to tell all of their friends about the big Santa Fraud now known as consumerism. Just tell them it might be difficult to accept now, but that someday they will thank you.





AM I being a party pooper?

The War on Auto Industry Bailouts

Do you think it's a north-south thing or a union busting thing or both that the southern GOP Senators are so against it?

Bailout dead, automakers in search of a lifeline

World markets plunge as US auto bailout fails

Investors were rattled after the bailout for Detroit's struggling Big Three automakers failed in the U.S. Senate. The collapse came after bipartisan talks on the auto rescue broke down over Republican demands that the United Auto Workers union agree to steep wage cuts by 2009 to bring their pay into line with U.S. plants of Japanese carmakers.

I wouldn't buy a US made Japanese car now if my life depended on it. Screw them.

Sen. DeMint: Auto industry bailout will cause 'riots'

Republican Senator Admits Opposition to Auto Bill is All About Union Busting, Compares UAW to Parasites

While Mitch McConnell and other Republicans have hinted that their opposition to investment in the Big Three is all about busting the unions, Jim DeMint refreshingly came out and admitted it yesterday on NPR.

Norris: Now, you know the unions are saying this is also a political ploy on the part of the Republicans to try get rid of unions and use the auto industry troubles to do just that.

DeMint: Well, I’m not trying to get rid of the unions, but I am saying that they appear to be an antiquated concept in today’s economy.

And if that wasn't explicit enough for you...

DeMint: These car companies are in real trouble. And they should’ve been planning to restructure for a long time. But the political aspect of this is most of this is being done to protect unions, uh, it’s not to protect the workers. And what I want to do is make sure we have jobs for these workers and we have first-class American automobile companies. And we’re not going to do it with the barnacles of unionism wrapped around their necks.

Why is such a major decision being left to a lame duck senate republicans?

UPDATE: It gets worse. It's the domino effect: Auto Suppliers Share Anxiety Over Bailouts.

Ex-Nasdaq chairman (Bernard L. Madoff) arrested on fraud charge in NYC - by Larry Neumeister

If the allegations contained in a criminal complaint are true, it may be the largest fraud ever blamed on a single individual.

IF???? IF?????........

Madoff told the employees he was "finished," that he had "absolutely nothing," that "it's all just one big lie" and it was "basically, a giant Ponzi scheme," according to the complaint filed in court.

The (FBI) agent wrote that Madoff said he had "paid investors with money that wasn't there" and that he was broke and insolvent and had decided that "it could not go on" and that he expected to go to jail.

The SEC said it was seeking emergency relief for investors, including an asset freeze and the appointment of a receiver for the firm. A hearing was scheduled for Friday.

.......the investment adviser business was a fraud and had been insolvent for years, losing at least $50 billion.

Sound familiar?

Paying with money that wasn't there?

Broke?

Insolvent?


If this story doesn't get us all out into the streets, nothing will.

I quit too Peter

Not that I needed another reason to "quit"

"Fed Refuses to Disclose Recipients of $2 Trillion in Lending"

The Federal Reserve refused a request by Bloomberg News to disclose the recipients of more than $2 trillion of emergency loans from U.S. taxpayers and the assets the central bank is accepting as collateral.
(...)
...the Fed said the U.S. is facing “an unprecedented crisis” when the “loss in confidence in and between financial institutions can occur with lightning speed and devastating effects.”
(...)
“Notwithstanding calls for enhanced transparency, the Board must protect against the substantial, multiple harms that might result from disclosure,” Jennifer J. Johnson, the secretary for the Fed’s Board of Governors, said in a letter e-mailed to Bloomberg News.

“In its considered judgment and in view of current circumstances, it would be a dangerous step to release this otherwise confidential information,” she wrote.

There's more at the link. Whutcha might wanna do is memorize or somehow preserve them there august pronouncements made by these arrogant tubs of guts for those times when somebody (the I.R.A.?) comes around and tellsya ya' gotta tell 'em where all your money came from and whutcha spent it on.
Think I'll draft another letter to my personal U.S. Represen..., uh, my local buttfuckboy, using some of those same phrases above.
Let's see...I might begin the letter by addressing him as
"Dear Semen-Splattered Tool of the Fascist State:
Are you going to let them get away with this?
Oh, that's right; of course you are. You're afraid of these fuckers, aren't you?
Well if you don't get 'em to cough up the info Bloomberg demands, I am going to tell everyone I know that you are the biggest chickenshit human being that ever lived..."
Then I might start gettin' ugly.

Bettie Page

Some sad news today. Fifties icon, the fantabulous Bettie Page has died. She was 85. More notorious than famous, Bettie was pin up for the racy set. Bondage, whips - if it was outré - she posed for it; yet somehow, amidst all that potential sleaze, Bettie managed to maintain a sense of innocence and fun. Like I said – fantabulous! There's quite simply never been another like her, before or since.

She didn't have a very happy life, poor dear. Nor did she make any money off the millions of pictures still in demand today. Well…let's hope god has found her a peaceful place. Goodbye Bettie. You were quite a lady!

Sarah Palin Throws a Party

Governor's Mansion, Juneau Alaska

(Photo Credits AP/Al Grillo)

Is Sarah Wearing the Draperies?

Juneau -- More than 3,300 visitors poured into the Alaska Governor's Mansion on Tuesday for the annual Christmas open house hosted by Governor Sarah Palin.

Palin, who drew fierce criticism during her failed GOP veep bid over her lack of preparedness and her expensive wardrobe makeover, defied the critics by downgrading from Dior and wrapping herself up in a velvet kuspuk (that’s Aleutian for “sack”).

The arctic Rockwellian festivities in this tundra playground consisted of guests moving to the dining room where a table filled with over 20,400 cookies purchased for the event were on display, including raspberry and pecan tartlets, Russian tea cakes, chocolate crinkles, dark chocolate almond roca, plus plates and plates of fudge. Along one wall, visitors could view gingerbread houses created by sixth-graders at Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School, including a gingerbread Eiffel Tower and a gingerbread tree house. Around the corner was the conservatory and a winter tableau with a model train.

The mansion had recently undergone upgrades, including the plumbing to accommodate over 3,300 visitors within a three hour period of time. Sarah made no promises to run for president in 2012. Merry Christmas!

-2Truthy

Police and Firemen refuse to rescue man who falls into the ocean.

Then they taser one of his sons who yells at them to try to help their father!

I'm done! These guys would be hunted for the rest of their (shortened) lives - one way or another! This is an 11 on a 1 to 10 asshole meter!

Addition:
This is from Jonathon Turley's site. He has some interesting (and disturbing) articles.

Blago Tells Mom "I'll Never Take Bribes"

The Many Faces of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojovich

Breaking News

Chicago -- From a 2006 speech, Blago says he once told his mother that he won't take bribes because "Not only would that be dishonest, it would be illegal." Watch video here.

Recounting his first election victory as an Illinois state representative, the now disgraced Governor recalled what his mother told him in a speech to a party gathering in Chicago, hosted by party chairman Howard Dean.

-2Truthy

They're better than us at everything:

"Chinese committing suicide every two minutes"

From news.com.au:

A TWO-year-old boy was orphaned in the southwest Chinese city of Chongzhou when his parents drank pesticide after a nasty row.

The tragedy, reported in the state media last month, bears testimony to the dark side of reform - suicide rates that are now among the highest in the world.

On average, a Chinese person takes his or her own life every two minutes, giving the world's most populous nation a dismal record as it prepares to celebrate 30 years of otherwise spectacular economic reform.

Full story at the link.

Westboro Baptist Church: Santa Claus Will Take You To HELL!

From the you can't make this up files.

Whackjobs from Westboro Baptist Church (God hates fags) in Kansas want to hang a sign in the Washington State Capital that reads

"You'd better watch out, get ready to cry, You'd better go hide, I'm telling you why 'cuz Santa Claus will take you to hell. He is your favorite idol, you worship at his feet, but when you stand before your God He won't help you take the heat. So get this fact straight: you're feeling God's hate, Santa's to blame for the economy's fate, Santa Claus will take you to hell."

It would be hung along near a Nativity set, three signs mocking atheism, and an atheist sign that celebrates the winter solstice if it's approved.

Also in contention for a spot nearby is the Flying Spaghetti Monster and a Festivus pole. I love it.

Traditional Marriage, Biblical Style

From Kos

A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5)

B. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines in addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21)

C. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21)

D. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden. (Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh 10:30)

E. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9)

F. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)

G. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this rule applies only if you are female. (Gen 19:31-36)

That last one is my favorite biblical passage about the "righteous" Lot whose wife was turned into a pillar of salt by God himself.

Joe the Plumber felt "dirty" on McCain Campaign Trail

Raw Story: Wurzelbacher told radio host Glenn Beck he felt “dirty” after “being on the campaign trail and seeing some of the things that take place.”

Wurzelbacher said he was unhappy with some of the answers Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) gave about the bailout. “I asked him some pretty direct questions... Some of the answers you guys are gonna receive — they appalled me, absolutely. I was angry. In fact, I wanted to get off the bus after I talked to him.”

Asked why he stuck by McCain's side despite being "appalled" by the candidate, he said, “honestly, because the thought of Barack Obama as president scares me even more.”

Wurzelbacher "had nothing but praise for his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin."

Madonna's "Cardinal" Sin

During a homily at a Catholic Mass honoring Augusto Pinochet, Cardinal Jorge Medina took a break from honoring the late dictator famous for his human rights violations and denounced pop singer Madonna. He told the faithful:

"This woman comes here and in an incredibly shameless manner, she provokes a crazy enthusiasm, an enthusiasm of lust, lustful thoughts, impure thoughts."

"Thoughts of lust, impure thoughts, impure acts, are an offense to God and a dirty stain on our heart."

Many Chileans are in a frenzy over Madonna's first tour of Chile. Sixty thousand people are expected to attend each of the 2 performances.

You can't make this shit up.

Music Torture

Think Progress reports that Reprieve, a British human rights group, claims that the US has been using music to psychologically torture detainees by blasting it and depriving them of sleep. Here are some of the most frequently played songs.

– “Dirrty,” Christina Aguilera

– “F*ck Your God,” Deicide

– “Shoot to Thrill,” AC/DC

– “We are The Champions,” Queen

– “I Love You,” from “Barney and Friends”

– “Born in the USA,” Bruce Springsteen

– “Babylon,” David Gray

– “White America,” Eminem

– “Sesame Street” theme song

See also: Musicians tell UN to ban using songs as torture

I'm afraid that the Barney song is torture even when played at a low volume.

Excuse me while I puke!


RIAA sues hospitalized teen!

In another move that shows the RIAA has little respect for anything besides money, Pittsburgh news channel WTAE.com is reporting that Nineteen-year-old Ciara Sauro has been sued by the anti-piracy group for illegally sharing 10 songs.

Making the situation so awful is the fact that Sauro is hospitalized every week due to her pancreatitis and her need of an islet cell transplant. Her current accumulation of medical bills totals over $100,000.

WTAE says that “because she didn’t defend herself against a copyright lawsuit, a federal judge in Pittsburgh ruled she’s a music pirate, and that could cost the Sauros almost $8,000 in fines.”

Sauro herself paints a sad story. “I already have severe depression. I mean, it’s so hard to sit there and think that I have to get in trouble for something that I didn’t do. It’s not fair.”

Lisa Sauro, Ciara's mother adds: “You want to know the truth? I make $8.25 an hour. She can’t work. This child is very sick. I mean, what am I supposed to do?

“I just want them to know that I have to go through enough stress in my life with my sickness and my family, and I don’t think that they should go after people just because they want money for something that’s not even fair to us.”

RIAA, you have already sued dead women, 8-year old children, printers
and 90-year grandmothers, but this is truly disgusting. This girl could possibly die as a teenager, yet you are suing her over $10 USD worth of tracks that she did not even download; just let it go.


The important point is that she didn't download these songs...she just allowed a friend to borrow and play them!
Yet they've (the RIAA) done NOTHING to the McCain Campaign and Failin' Palin for copyright infringements of at least 6 artists legal possessions! And you don't believe in Satan Claus!

Also, I've been told the story was to be pulled. It wasn't to run on any other station nor to be in print material in this area. I'm checking to see if that's true. These people need rendered to one of Bush's friendly's!

Larry Craig Loses Legal Scandal in Gay Sex-Appeal

A Larry Craig Bathroom Refresher

Senate Seat or Toilet Seat

I cannot decide

I am not gay

Oh no, no way.

For Immediate Release

Idaho GOP Senator Larry “Latrine Lothario” Craig has lost his latest attempt to withdraw his guilty plea after being arrested June 11, 2007, by an undercover police sting officer for cruising gay sex at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Wonkette’s crack team of operatives and star commenters such as yours truly provided 24/7 stall to stall coverage on the Gay Old Pooper’s attempts to “expunge all hints at his gayness” and now it’s time to take a Larry Craig refresher below:

Larry Craig: Senate Seat or Toilet Seat? (Turn up the volume and sing along!)

Larry Craig Halloween Poetry Reading: The Raven (Shudder and rejoice in the terror)

Larry Craig: The Man in the Glass Stall (Channel your inner psychologist)

IN THE SENATE
by 2Truthy

Where can you go Horatio

To give a cop felatio

Search the world for blowjobs

Behind every bathroom stall

Where can you begin to make your dreams all come true

In the can or on the sea

Where can you learn to lie

Play some footsie and jive

Study choosing toilet seats

Sign up for the Senate

Or sit in the grandstand

You’re not gay to tap your feet...

(Chorus)

IN THE SENATE

WE CAN DO WHAT WE PLEASE

IN THE SENATE

WE GET DOWN ON OUR KNEES

IN THE SENATE

IF YOUR PLANE’S RUNNING LATE

IN THE SENATE

FIND SOMEONE TO FELATE

IN THE SENATE

AND STILL GET TO THE GATE
IN THE SENATE
IN BETWEEN QUORUM CALLS
IN THE SENATE
WE GET BLOWN IN THE STALLS
IN THE SENATE

YOU CAN MAKE A QUICK CONNECTION

WITH AN OFFICER’S ERECTION

AND STILL HAVE TIME TO MAKE IT TO YOUR PLANE

IN THE SENATE

YOU CAN SIT IN THE CAN

IN THE SENATE
WHERE YOU CAN JOIN YOUR FELLOW MAN
IN THE SENATE
WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH DEBATE
IN THE SENATE
FIND SOMEONE TO FELATE
IN THE SENATE

SAY YOU'RE STRAIGHT WHEN YOU'RE NOT

IN THE SENATE JUST TRY NOT TO GET CAUGHT

IN THE SENATE WHERE’S A STRAIGHT MAN TO GO

FOR A BLOW – BLOW – BLOW -BLOW-

-Very special thanks to the Village People-




A Larry Craig Dr. Seuss Moment

A Seussian Tribute
Goes like this:
Better to have just
Gone in for a piss.

-2Truthy

Jon Stewart Discusses Gay Marriage With Huckabee

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Mike Huckabee Pt. 2

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

From Think Progress

STEWART: Segregation used to be the law until the courts intervened.

HUCK: There’s a big difference between a person being black and a person practicing a lifestyle and engaging in a marital relationship.

STEWART: Okay, actually this is helpful because it gets to the crux of it. … And I’ll tell you this: Religion is far more of a choice than homosexuality. And the protections that we have for religion — we protect religion. And talk about a lifestyle choice — that is absolutely a choice. Gay people don’t choose to be gay. At what age did you choose to not be gay?

Huckabee tried to insist that “60 percent of the American population” opposes gay marriage. Stewart interrupted him, calling it a “travesty” that gay Americans have to plead for their civil rights:

HUCKABEE: If the American people are not convinced that we should overturn the definition of marriage, then I would say that those who support the idea of same-sex marriage have a lot of work to do to convince the rest of us. And as I said, 60 percent of the American population has made the decision–

STEWART: You know, you talk about the pro-life movement [abortion] being one of the great shames of our nation. I think if you want number two, I think it’s that: It’s a travesty that people have forced someone who is gay to have to make their case that they deserve the same basic rights as someone else.

I WANT ONE!

And a number of them to form a water soccer team to push around a big inflatable solid white soccer ball on a lake and a gooooaaaaallll with ESPN covering us!


Waterwalkerz

BLAGO BUSTED! Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Arrested on Federal Charges

(Photo credits Scott Olson/Getty Images)

“I don’t want no bondsman to post my bail
And I don’t want to spend no 99 years
Stalkin’ your stinkin’ jail…”
-David Bromberg-


Chicago is Full of Crooks

(Renames itself "Crook County")

Breaking News


Chicago – A “truly new low” has hit the Windy City, as Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich embarked on a "corruption crime spree" and tried to benefit from his ability to appoint President-elect Barack Obama's replacement in the U.S. Senate, federal officials said Tuesday. Blago was arrested earlier today on corruption charges and later released on a whopping $4,500 bond. (I guess they don't think he's going anywhere...)


Legendary Plame Game U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who succeeded in helping Scooter Libby get his prison number as LWOH reported last year, called it a “sad day for the citizens of Illinois” and alleged that the governor tried to "auction off" the Senate seat "to the highest bidder." Fitz also said the alleged behavior "would make (Abe) Lincoln roll over in his grave."


Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois tried to “auction off” president-elect Barack Obama’s newly vacated Illinois Senate seat by “seeking kickbacks” in an attempt to “auction off” Barry’s seat so that he and his wife, Patti, could personally profit.

Fitz accused Blagojevich of "appalling conduct" and alleged that the governor wanted "tangible and up front" cash in return for appointing Obama's successor:

"He wasn't against a corrupt deal, he was against being stiffed in a corrupt deal," and that Blago “put a 'for sale' sign on the naming of a United States senator."

At the rate corruption charges blow through the Windy City, you’d think it had a “Kick Me, Please” sign on the back of City Hall.

-2Truthy

What's so great about the USA when 36 million people are struggling for food?

How much money was pissed away occupying and bombing the shit out of Iraq? How many more billions are pissed away on military superiority when our very own are starving?

The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) Calls on President-Elect Obama and Congress to Make Ending Hunger a Priority
Washington, D.C. - The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) today pressed the new Administration and Congress to quickly implement policies that will effectively and decisively reduce hunger in America, just as the U.S. Department of Agriculture released new data showing that more than 36.2 million Americans struggled against hunger in 2007, compared to 35.5 million in 2006 and 33.2 million in 2000. The number of people in the worst-off category – the hungriest Americans – rose by forty percent since 2000, from 8.5 million to 11.9 million.

“During the campaign, President-elect Barack Obama committed to ending childhood hunger in this country by 2015,” said FRAC President Jim Weill. “Polling data show that Americans overwhelmingly agree that ending hunger should be a top priority for the nation. While this is a time of growing hunger and economic distress around the nation, there are important opportunities ahead that can significantly boost our nation’s investment in the fight against hunger and help the President-elect meet this important goal.” continued

It will take until 2015 to end childhood hunger? Is he kidding me? And they wonder why the crime rate is so high in this country? At least you get fed in jail.

Bad news. The UN paints a bleak picture for the hungry in the rest of the world as well. The goal was to halve hunger in the world by 2015 and now they say that that goal is ever more elusive. 40 million more people were plunged into chronic hunger this year. The story is here.

Let's try to do our part and contribute to food drives not only during the holiday season but all year long. We can't count on the powers that be to solve this.

Ill. Gov. arrested in Obama successor probe

CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on charges of conspiring to get financial benefits through his authority to appoint a U.S. senator to fill the vacancy left by Barack Obama's election as president.

According to a federal criminal complaint, Blagojevich also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in the sale of Wrigley Field. In return for state assistance, Blagojevich allegedly wanted members of the paper's editorial board who had been critical of him fired.

*´¨)
.·´ .·*¨) ¸.·*¨)
* (¸.·´ (¸.*´ ¸.·´
`·-* ~* Lizzy *~

Dear President Elect Obama,

Fire this broad.

Smoke on the Khyber

Pass, that is.

Militants in Pakistan's North-West Province stormed a truck lot in Peshawar, blew apart the gate with a rocket-propelled grenade and killed the gate guard, then proceeded to torch and destroy about 150 trucks scheduled to be used by NATO forces to bring supplies through the Khyber Pass into Afghanistan.

About 70 percent of NATO's supplies comes through the Khyber, through territory only somewhat controlled by Pakistani troops. The supplies included Humvees, food and medical supplies. Juan Cole reports that the attackers were likely members of the Pakistani Taliban, who differ from the Afghan Taliban by being a bit more tribal-based rather than religious-based.

Several NATO nations have been negotiating with other nations, including Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for alternate supply routes that will avoid Pakistan and the sea route through the Gulf of Aden, which as we've seen is full of Somali pirates. The US will probably be following suit, as Humvees cost money and to have them torched before they can get to the troops is a definite non-starter as a operational plan.

Thank goodness the grown-ups will be taking power in Washington in less than two months. They've got their work cut out for them.

Supreme Court Won't Review Obama's Eligibility to Serve

How ridiculous was it that the Supreme Court even looked at these lawsuits? Sheesh.

NY Times: WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court has turned down an emergency appeal from a New Jersey man who says President-elect Barack Obama is ineligible to be president because he was a British subject at birth.

The court did not comment on its order Monday rejecting the call by Leo Donofrio of East Brunswick, N.J., to intervene in the presidential election. Donofrio says that since Obama had dual nationality at birth -- his mother was American and his Kenyan father at the time was a British subject -- he cannot possibly be a ''natural born citizen,'' one of the requirements the Constitution lists for eligibility to be president.

Donofrio also contends that two other candidates, Republican John McCain and Socialist Workers candidate Roger Calero, also are not natural-born citizens and thus ineligible to be president.

At least one other appeal over Obama's citizenship remains at the court. Philip J. Berg of Lafayette Hill, Pa., argues that Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii as Obama says and the Hawaii secretary of state has confirmed. Berg says Obama also may be a citizen of Indonesia, where he lived as a boy. Federal courts in Pennsylvania have dismissed Berg's lawsuit.

Speaking of the Supreme Court, there's the 2 hour series finale of Boston Legal tonight starting at 9PM on ABC which will take place at the Supreme Court, which is always a hoot.

Is It Soup Yet?

Nope.

Not until suppertime tonight. The beans (white navy beans) have been soaking since last night, but the stock is simmering away merrily.

Stock ingredients:
Beef bones (feather bones from a Christmas prime rib a couple years back, defrosted and well-browned with salt and fresh-ground pepper)
Medium (baseball-sized) onion, cut into 8 pieces
Two carrots
Two ribs of celery
Sprigs of rosemary, thyme and oregano (I grow my own)
Two cups of white wine
Six cups of water.

The veggies and herbs were sauteed in a tablespoon of olive oil before adding the browned meat and the liquids. I brought it to a boil about 8 AM and now it's simmering. At least two-three cups of it will be used as cooking liquid for the bean-and-ham soup for tonight.

Still water runs deep - well, not always!

Pollutants distort evolution and male gender

This story is a horrifying wakeup call. While Britain is leading the opposition to new European controls on pesticides, many which have "gender-bending" effects, a new scientific study shows that baby boys born to women who've been exposed to chemicals are born with smaller or feminized genitalia. In the wild, feminization of the male species is widespread and it has already begun to effect humans.

Professor Lou Gillette of Florida University, one of the most respected academics in the field, warned that the report waved "a large red flag" at humanity. He said: "If we are seeing problems in wildlife, we can be concerned that something similar is happening to a proportion of human males"

Indeed, new research at the University of Rochester in New York state shows that boys born to mothers with raised levels of phthalates were more likely to have smaller penises and undescended testicles. They also had a shorter distance between their anus and genitalia, a classic sign of feminisation. And a study at Rotterdam's Erasmus University showed that boys whose mothers had been exposed to PCBs grew up wanting to play with dolls and tea sets rather than with traditionally male toys.

Communities heavily polluted with gender-benders in Canada, Russia and Italy have given birth to twice as many girls than boys, which may offer a clue to the reason for a mysterious shift in sex ratios worldwide. Normally 106 boys are born for every 100 girls, but the ratio is slipping. It is calculated that 250,000 babies who would have been boys have been born as girls instead in the US and Japan alone.

See also Pollution threatens male gender, says CHEM Trust report

and 'Gender-bender' drugs put males on endangered list:

Fish, it says, are particularly affected by pollutants as they are immersed in them when they swim in contaminated water, taking them in not just in their food but through their gills and skin.

They were among the first to show widespread gender-bending effects.

Half the male fish in British lowland rivers have been found to be developing eggs in their testes; in some stretches the male roach has been found to be changing sex in this way. Female hormones largely from the contraceptive pills which pass unaltered through sewage treatment are partly responsible, while more than three-quarters of sewage works have been found to be discharging demasculinising man-made chemicals.

This had better be a wake up call.

Obama Vows Not to Smoke in White House

Obama, Gates in Synch on Many Defense Issues

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Ivy-laced curtain President-elect Barack Obama has vowed to not smoke in the White House, marking a major breakthrough in winning the War on Camels in the newly created “Smoke-Free White House Zone.” The news was heralded as a “breath of fresh air” by First Lady-elect Michelle Obama, who has been on Barry’s case to extinguish his nasty habit.

But Joseph Epstein, a leading antagonist of highbrow snobbery warned that some people will say just about anything to advance their agendas:

"Some of the worst people in the United States have gone to the Harvard or Yale Law Schools . . . since these institutions serve as the grandest receptacles in the land for our good students: those clever, sometimes brilliant, but rarely deep young men and women who, joining furious drive to burning if ultimately empty ambition, will do anything to get ahead."

Aided by old Bush Administration turned new Obama Administration Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, hiding ashtrays in the Situation Room will no longer be an option. The duo instead pledged to prioritize this pragmatic and bipartisan commitment to defend smoke-free transparency by installing a Hookah lounge in the White House basement next to the bowling alley, instead.


“There’s more than one way to covertly skin a cat” instructed Defense Secretary “In Synch” Gates.


Although Barry admitted "there are times where I've fallen off the wagon," he challenged anyone to defy the legal distinctions behind the definition of the differences between chillum and cigarette smoke:

"I've done a terrific job, under the circumstances, of making myself much health,” "And I think that you will not see any violations of these rules in the White House," he said on Sunday's "Meet the Press" on NBC.

(Academic elites can buy Obama “Smoke-Free Zone” tee-shirts which are on sale now at Wal-Mart with the infamous trademark “making myself much health” emblazoned in green, gold and red letters for $9.95)

Smokin’!

-2Truthy

A Thought...

Ain’t it just curious now with the NeoCon and Republican roaches braving the light of day, that all of a sudden they profess concern about, oh, food quality, health items, housing, jobs...ethics...etc.?
Yes, Obama really better pay attention to these and many more maturing crises that the NeoCons and Republicans somehow ignored during their reign of power.
Yup! We better fix these things that they screwed up or the really stupid people out there will blame the Democrats and reinstall the same ones who brought us this mess! (Not that the Republicans will inform the masses that it was they who trampled Rome. On the contrary, they will go out of their way to make sure the underinformed hear only their talking points...you betcha)!
And what’s going to be done about it; put forward thinking people in charge? Well, as one put it over at kos, name a liberal on Obama’s cabinet (hint! Hillary ain’t one!)
While I’m not quite the CT (Conspiracy Theorist) that our own estimable Peter is, I AM starting to wonder which side of Amontillado’s chamber we progressives are in.
Still, as we have become much more cynical than our parents, we also seem to take more of a wait and see attitude. And if that doesn’t bode “center-right”, I don’t know what does. Is that a good thing? The last 8 years say otherwise.
Lay in a good supply of whatever vintage you like. It may have to last a good, long time.

What do you think of this?

Biden unwelcome in Senate huddles, where Cheney wielded power

WASHINGTON — In a move to reassert Congressional independence at the start of the new presidential administration, the vice president will be barred from joining weekly internal Senate deliberations, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in an interview with the Las Vegas Sun.

Reid’s decision to exclude Vice President-elect Joe Biden from the Senate arena where he spent most of his adult life is intended to restore constitutional checks and balances that tilted heavily toward the executive branch during the Bush presidency.

One of the most outward symbols of that power shift in the Bush years has been Vice President Dick Cheney’s attendance at weekly Senate Republican strategy luncheons. Cheney’s access to lawmakers enabled the White House to extend its reach into the legislative branch in ways unmatched in modern presidential history.

Congressional observers say Cheney’s presence helped create an atmosphere in which many Republicans favored party unity above congressional independence from the executive branch — perhaps most forcefully in debates over national security and the Iraq war.

“Cheney would come in there and try to force discipline on the Republican senators,” said Rutgers University Professor Ross Baker, who studies Congress.

“He was the Bigfoot that came into those meetings,” Baker continued. “If someone got out of line, he would put a thumb in their eyes. continued

I get it... but...

Bush Slaps Women In The Face

Newsweek: Under a new midnight regulation crammed through by the Bush Department of Health and Human Services and poised to become law any day now, any health-care worker may refuse to perform procedures, offer advice or dispense prescriptions, if doing so would offend their "religious beliefs or moral convictions." Congress has protected the right of physicians to opt out of providing abortions for decades. This new rule, which President-elect Obama can overturn (although it may take months), is far broader. It allows one's access to birth control, emergency contraception and even artificial insemination to turn on the moral preferences of a pharmacist, nurse or ambulance driver.
More

This is horrifying. I can see why healthcare workers wouldn't want to be forced to assist in an abortion, but if they work at a drug store and can refuse to sell birth control pills to a woman because of their religious beliefs, what sort of slippery slope will this turn into?

Obama Pledges Public Works Projects

Some pretty good news from the president elect:

NY TIMES WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama promised Saturday to create the largest public works construction program since the inception of the interstate highway system a half century ago as he seeks to put together a plan to resuscitate the reeling economy.

...

Although Mr. Obama put no price tag on his plan, he said he would invest record amounts of money in the vast infrastructure program, which also includes work on schools, sewer systems, mass transit, electrical grids, dams and other public utilities. The green jobs would include various categories, including jobs dedicated to creating alternative fuels, windmills and solar panels; building energy efficient appliances, or installing fuel-efficient heating or cooling systems.

Paul Bledsoe, a former Clinton White House energy adviser, said that Mr. Obama had now settled whatever debate there was in his transition team and among Democrats in Congress over how to lift the economy in the short term and over a longer horizon.

“It’s now clear that Obama intends to stimulate the economy through large direct government spending on infrastructure projects as well as through business and individual tax cuts,” said Mr. Bledsoe, now an official of the National Commission on Energy Policy, a nonpartisan research group in Washington. “He is advocating things like guaranteeing every American a college education, wiring the entire country for Internet, putting in a smart electric grid. If he can do it, these will be major systemic advantages for the United States in the competitive global economy.”

...

Mr. Obama and his team are working with Congressional leaders to devise a spending package that some lawmakers suggest could total $400 billion to $700 billion. Some analysts forecast even higher costs. Mr. Obama has said he would direct his team to come up with a plan to save or create 2.5 million jobs in the first two years of his administration.

A big part of that will be public works spending. “We will create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s,” Mr. Obama said. He did not estimate how much he would devote to that purpose, but when he met with the nation’s governors last week, they said the states had $136 billion worth of road, bridge, water and other projects ready to go as soon as money became available. They estimated that each billion dollars spent would create up to 40,000 jobs.

Who was it who said?:

"We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."

That's my intro to an article from Crossroad entitled
Swat Team conducts food raid in rural Ohio
which begins:
On Monday, December 1, a SWAT team with semi-automatic rifles entered the private home of the Stowers family in LaGrange, Ohio, herded the family onto the couches in the living room, and kept guns trained on parents, children, infants and toddlers, from approximately 11 AM to 8 PM. The team was aggressive and belligerent. The children were quite traumatized. At some point, the “bad cop” SWAT team was relieved by another team, a “good cop” team that tried to befriend the family. The Stowers family has run a very large, well-known food cooperative called Manna Storehouse on the western side of the greater Cleveland area for many years.
There were agents from the Department of Agriculture present, one of them identified as Bill Lesho. The search warrant is reportedly suspicious-looking. Agents began rifling through all of the family’s possessions, a task that lasted hours and resulted in a complete upheaval of every private area in the home. Many items were taken that were not listed on the search warrant. The family was not permitted a phone call, and they were not told what crime they were being charged with. They were not read their rights. Over ten thousand dollars worth of food was taken, including the family’s personal stock of food for the coming year. All of their computers, and all of their cell phones were taken, as well as phone and contact records. The food cooperative was virtually shut down. There was no rational explanation, nor justification, for this extreme violation of Constitutional rights.

Presumably Manna Storehouse might eventually be charged with running a retail establishment without a license. Why then the Gestapo-type interrogation for a 3rd degree misdemeanor charge? This incident has raised the ominous specter of a restrictive new era in State regulation and enforcement over the nation’s private food supply.

Perhaps becoming concerned about something like this is merely a tempest in a teapot. After all, a new U.S. Attorney General will be appointed soon (from all indications it will be a fellow named Eric Holder) and certainly one of the issues to be addressed in the new administration will be the outrage that many citizens have felt for the last eight years over violations of privacy and personal rights. A rather ominously titled essay "Obama's Questionable Personnel Decisions Continue Apace" detailing Mr. Holder's experience can be found HERE.

(Oh, if you want to know the author of the quote above, hit the Crossroad link. And thanks to Kevin at Cryptogon.com.)

Obligatory Saturday Failed Bank (Because They're Too Chickenshit To Announce This News During The Workweek) Post

Bloomberg:
First Georgia Community Bank Closed, Boosting 2008 Toll to 23
First Georgia Community Bank of Jackson, with four offices southeast of Atlanta, was closed by regulators, becoming the 23rd U.S. bank failure this year amid losses tied to record mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures.

First Georgia, with $237.5 million in assets and $197.4 million in deposits, was shut by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance yesterday and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. was named receiver. United Bank of Zebulon, Georgia, will assume First Georgia’s deposits and open the failed bank’s offices today as United branches, the FDIC said.

Yup, too chickenshit they are; people seeing stuff like this might think there's a depression goin' on. There is of course, at least according to some folks like Helen Thomas over at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, who back in November wrote, "Few prominent economists will say it, but to me it looks and feels like we are in another Great Depression or a reasonable facsimile.

"The current meltdown is dubbed a "financial crisis." But a rose by any other name would still inflict the same hardship and suffering on most people and businesses.

"Clearly, the lessons have not been learned from the Herbert Hoover era. Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, a columnist for The New York Times, says the current banking crisis is "functionally similar to that of the Great Depression."

Actually, I think ol' Helen's right on the money, 'cept I mighta said, "A pile o' shit by any other name still stinks." The big boys were too chickenshit to tell us we were in a recession back in November of '07. Why should things now be any different--'cept now they're worse. I hope to have more on the economic catastrophes facing America and the world in the coming months and years but right now I have to start gathering the important information such as who's goin' to which Holiday Bowls and which team is likely to capture the BCS championship.

"We're the only country that ever went to the poorhouse in an automobile." -- Will Rogers

Oh, Canada ...

Not you, too.

Please.

Okay, this may take some explanation, and I'm not an expert on Canadian politics. But - and this is important - we need to know what's going on with our neighbor to the north before it turns into a major crisis on our doorstep.

So here goes.

Canada held federal elections over a month ago (Didn't hear about it? Not surprised; we were engaged in our ritual bloodletting) and the voters returned the majority Conservative Party to power, and the Prime Minister, Stephan Harper, took over for a second term.

With the economy starting to circle the bowl, just as it's doing here (71,000 jobs lost last month, and the automakers asking for a bailout - oh, and the Canadian dollar, the Loonie, hitting a 4-year low against the US dollar) the Conservatives proposed a fiscal plan.

The plan had several rather provocative provisions in it that served to weld together the three minority parties - the center-left Liberals, the left-leaning New Democrats and the Bloc Quebecois - into a contrived alliance. That alliance was planning on forcing a vote of confidence in the Parliament in Ottawa with the goal of ousting Harper from power.

Harper had a definite problem on his hands, so he turned to a course of action that, while apparently having some precedent, was at least unique for the circumstances. He asked the Governor-General, Michelle Jean, for permission to prorogue the Parliament until January 27th, at which time the government would submit a budget.

The Governor-General agreed.

Now to explain a few things. Canada, like many parliamentary democracies, has two leaders: A head of state to represent the country, and a head of government to actually run the place. In Canada, the head of government is the Prime Minister, and the head of state is the Queen of Canada, Queen Elizabeth II. Naturally she can't be everywhere at once, so she rules through a representative, the Governor-General.

Proroguing Parliament basically entails sending the entire legislative branch of the government home, closing the doors and switching off the lights until the executive branch tells it to come back.

Aren't you glad that the Founding Fathers didn't go this route when they set up our government? If they had, Bush could have just told the Congress to go home and governed by fiat ... wait a minute; he's been doing that.

Mr. Rob Russo, the chief of the Canadian Press agency's Ottawa office, put it this way:
"I do believe that national unity has been damaged. "What you have is scorched earth around Alberta for the Liberal party. Westerners, who were never favourably disposed to the Liberals will now say 'You tried to dislodge our government'," he says. "There's also scorched earth for the prime minister around Quebec….he's told Quebeckers that their legitimate choice for representation in the Canadian parliament are in effect traitors, who have no business in the government of Canada. "It's really been a dismal week for national unity."

Anyway, let me send this heartfelt appeal - Please, Canada. We're sorry we ignore you. Please don't start acting crazy. Obama has enough stuff to deal with.

It's December five...time for a little JIVE!

From the master himself- Mr. Louis Armstrong

Cool Yule

No. 5 on my xmas CD for sure.

(15 to go, 250+ to choose from....Oy!)

Sarah Palin: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

From Think Progress

New financial disclosures show that the RNC spent “a total of about $180,000 for clothes and various accessories for the family of vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin,” including expenses at outlets like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Toys R Us and Victoria’s Secret. The McCain campaign paid Palin’s traveling makeup artist $68,400, “and her hair stylist received more than $42,000 for roughly two months of work.”

Where do I sign up to be a Republican hair and makeup stylist?
I highly doubt that Palin needed THAT much work.

Maybe her young daughter really did have an authentic designer bag. It was disputed, but then again after seeing what the bill was, it probably was real. No Hello Kitty stuff for that kid, eh?

I NEVER ever want to read a single thing about a Democrat's haircut again.

More tunes for my xmas CD

OK, I've got No. 3 & 4 picked out but now I can't find them in my library (bought the apple last march and some of my songs didn't transfer from the pc). Believe it or not, it was easier to put my hands on the original LP that has the songs. They're from Mom and Dad's xmas album collection. My two favorites come from this great family christmas album

THE SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS vol.2




have a listen:

Christmas is for Children - Glen Campbell

The Christmas Waltz - Nancy Wilson

Hey - How many of you guys have found this album on the top shelf of some relative's hall closet...


maybe you've got the blue one?


What's your favorite christmas song from your childhood?

Grown Up News For Women

Headache and Indigestion -- Caused by Your Bra?

Why It Can Take a Year to Get a Mammogram in the U.S.

Jon Stewart on Big 3 Bailout

Wall Street lost $7 trillion without selling anything -- at least when Detroit loses money, we get cars. Give them the money!

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Autoerotic Explanation

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Union autoworkers do not make the exorbitant salaries that the media would like you to believe.

Obligatory Friday Sex Post

Random silliness edition:



***

The Pirates might be getting desperate.

***

Now this is truly rough sex.

Barack Obama's citizenship heads to U.S. Supreme Court Friday

I can't believe that the conspiracy nuts got this to the Supreme Court. The man was born in Hawaii and he has a birth certificate. What is their problem? Sheesh.

The U.S. Supreme Court will consider Friday whether to take up a lawsuit challenging President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. citizenship, a continuation of a New Jersey case embraced by some opponents of Obama's election.

The meeting of justices will coincide with a vigil by the filer's supporters in Washington on the steps of the nation's highest court.

A vigil on the steps? Oh brother.

UPDATE: The wackos got together and prayed on the steps of the Supreme Court on Friday.
We will know on Monday whether or not the Supreme Çourt is out of its collective mind.

How would you feel...

...if you voted for a guy who won an election and the following people all praised and endorsed his choices for his new administration?:

Mitch McConnell, David Brooks, Joe Lieberman, Karl Rove, Max Boot, James Baker, Michael Goldfarb, John McCain, Senator Lamar Alexander, Henry Kissinger, Lindsey Graham, Ed Rollins, Condoleezza Rice.

Check out what they had to say at Alternet's article
"Right-Wingers and Neocons Love Obama's Cabinet Appointments" by Jeremy Scahill.

Family Values in Hard Economic Times

Couples staying together because of poor economy

"With the recession and the collapse of the housing market, more and more couples who have broken up are continuing to live under the same roof, according to judges and divorce lawyers. Some are waiting for housing prices to rebound; some are trying to get back on their feet financially.

The phenomenon is being felt around the country but most keenly in areas hit harder by foreclosure, such as the Sun Belt.

When the real estate market was booming, couples would promptly sell their home, split the profits and go their separate ways.

These days, Florida Judge John C. Lenderman said, about a third of his cases involve homes that are in foreclosure or that a family is struggling to sell. Lenderman said he has never seen anything like it in 40 years as a lawyer and judge."

UPDATE: Speaking of divorce. Check out Assessing Your Divorce Risk

And try this divorce calculator.

Quotes in the news

"What I have forgotten is all the reasons why, and so I’ll get it for you."

~Dana Perino
on why the president won't sign the Cluster Bomb Treaty
-----------

"If you don’t listen to talk radio, if you don’t watch the FOX News Channel, you’re not anywhere nearly as informed as people that are just hearing the bumper stickers, the slogans, the snippets of the commercials of the media. So, journalism died in 2008, and it influenced a lot of people on the way out."

~Sean Hannity
(on drugs)
-----------

"I’m going to answer this question about the beard. I think it was a mistake for him to get rid of it. I thought that whole western, rugged look was really working for him. … We’re deeply disappointed with the loss of the beard."

~Barack Obama
answering a question about Bill Richardson's now removed beard.
-----------

"I’d go full speed ahead because of the hateful and beastly way in which my left-wing critics in the press and Congress tried to make a political affair out of it and tried to ruin me. My response now is this: The hell with you. They didn’t ruin me. I have my faith, my family, and a good life. A lot of people love me — or like me. So they failed. I would do the same thing over again because I don’t think I hurt Valerie Plame whatsoever."

~Bob Novak
feeling sorry for himself.
(I thought he went mental. What's he doing back in the news?)
-----------

“We’ve won the war.”

~Bill Kristol
on the war on Iraq
-----------

Compiled From Think Progress

OT:
Not. In. The. Mood.
Is anyone out there ready for the holidays? Christmas is only 3 weeks away, I'm having company and I haven't done a single thing except think about it occasionally. I don't feel like shopping. Gotta watch the money.

Are any of you guys on Facebook?

Science Thursday

It's time to feed your sense of wonder, ladies and gentlemen. Let's be fair, there's only so much you can do to squeeze humor out of politics.

So, let's begin.

***


About 21,000 to 22,000 years ago (or roughly three times longer than the universe has been in existence, according to the fundamentalist loonies), a group of people in what is now Russia, about a hundred miles southeast of Moscow, buried a set of engravings made of mammoth ivory. In what is believed to have been a hunting ritual designed to bring more game animals to their cooking fires, the people buried images and other artifacts.

The archeologists who have unearthed the site described the artwork as "confident" and showing an "extraordinary repertoire" of skills. Included in the site are two Venus figurines, stylized female likenesses that may have had some connection to fertility.

Gee, ya think?

***

The 16th Century Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe was a very interesting person in a century filled with interesting people - among other things, he had a detachable nose made of gold (having lost the real one in a duel). In 1572, while doing what he normally did at night (looking up at the stars without a telescope), he noted a new star.

Nowadays that's not too big of a deal, but in 1572 it was a great blow against the idea of an orderly universe - God had set up the heavens, you see, and adding things were not supposed to be on the menu. But you couldn't deny it was there, all you had to do was look up. So Brahe started to calculate how far away it might be, and that staggered him and the entire scientific community at the time.

The new star had no parallax, indicating that it was amazingly far away; so amazingly far away, in fact, that people had to revise their thinking about how big the universe actually was. To their surprise, the supernova (for that is what it was) vanished after 16 months, during which time it could be visible in daylight for about two weeks.

Amazing stuff.

Scientists have managed to trace backward, using Brahe's calculations and observations, to find the relic (or 'light echo') of the nova and determine just what it was he saw. It turns out that it was a type of supernova where a white dwarf sucks material away from a companion star until it reaches a critical mass and explodes.

Brahe would be impressed.

***

Busted.

2,700 years ago a man was buried in the Gobi Desert area of China. He was a Caucasian, maybe a member of a nomadic tribal group, and he was maybe 45 years old. He was buried with some artifacts, probably mementoes or possessions.

Whoever buried him also buried his stash.

About two pounds of marijuana were unearthed in the grave, apparently from a cultivated strain of the plant. The tribe apparently knew something about it, as the male flower parts (lower in the active ingredient, THC, than the female parts) had been picked out of the mass, which thanks to decomposition is no longer capable of getting people high.

There's some speculation as to how it was used, as there was no pipe in the grave. The scientists think he may have chewed it, or burned it in a censer as part of a religious ritual.

Sorry, no empty cookie packages or pizza boxes were found.

a REALLY REALLY fine remix that you will listen to over and over and over

GOOD MORNING BLUES - Count Basie & His Orchestra (The Real Tuesday Weld Clerkenwell Remix)

I'm really into remixes lately. I've given up hope on finding that next great band. Seems I've been waiting forever.

So much neat electronic stuff to play with today. I love to listen for all the different sounds. LOVE the beginning of this one - it captures that static skip sound so perfectly.


GOOD MORNING BLUES - Have a listen and another listen here (It's the Verve Remixed Series - No.4)


I feel like Bill Murray in Groundhogs Day this morning. Took a little pill last night and fell sound a sleep while this song was playing and replaying on the computer. Woke several times to catch those dreamy strings and steamy horns and couldn't raise my body to go and turn it off. It's such a perfect everything song.

#2 on my xmas CD

Quote of the Day:

It's from The Dark Wraith's latest, entitled Feast oF Famine:

"Welcome to the 21st Century. It's going to be a lot like the 20th Century, except that it's going to get bad a lot faster before it doesn't get any better a lot sooner."

Ever wonder how tall some famous people are...compared to you? Here's a list of a number of them and their height.
Unfortunately, the chart is metric so for the metric challenged, take your height in inches and multiply by 2.54 to get the answer in centimeters. For example, if you are 5 feet 8 inches or 68 inches tall, multiplying that by 2.54 gives you 172.7 cm (centimeters).
Compare this with the chart to see who is shorter or taller than you.
The chart is huge, height-wise (300x1600 pixels) so click on the pix to enlarge then slide it down to see the whole thing.

UK Trash Man Can Keep Sliced Up Cash

Via UPI:

British police say a trash collector can hold on to the mound of mutilated cash he found stuffed into a wastebasket in the English town of Lincoln earlier this year.
But he'll have to piece the notes back together if he wants to make any money from the find.

Graham Hill found an estimated 10,000 pounds ($27,684) in 10 and 20 pound notes inside a wastebasket in Lincoln's town centre. But the notes appear to have been sliced into small pieces using scissors.

Detective Constable Nick Cobb said yesterday that an extensive investigation hadn't turned up any evidence the money was stolen and that Hill was free to claim his find.

Britain's central bank says Hill might be able to turn his chopped-up currency into cash if he can put the bills back together again.

So.....what would you do? If you found thousands in cash lying by the side of the road. Would you tell anyone about it? Would you keep it? Turn it in? I think this is quite relevant - especially considering the state of our economy.

Phases of Employment

Phase 1


You are listening to jazz -- Your first day at work is great. Your coworkers are wonderful, your cubicle is cute, and your boss is the best!


Phase 2


You are listening to pop music -- After a while you are so busy that you are not sure if you're coming or going anymore.


Phase 3

You are listening to heavy metal -- This is what you feel like at month end.


Phase 4


You are listening to hip hop -- You become bloated due to stress, feel sluggish and suffer from constipation. Your coworkers are too cheerful for your liking and the walls of your cubicle are closing in. You have started thinking 'W H ATEVER' about your boss.


Phase 5


You are listening to GANGSTA RAP -- After more time passes, your eyes start to twitch, you forget what a 'good! hair d ay' feels like as you just fall out of bed and load up on caffeine.


Phase 6


You are listening to the voices in your head -- You have build a makeshift door on your cubicle to keep people out, You have a dartboard with your bosses picture on it in your cube, You wonder why you are even here in the first place.

Run Rudolph, Run

My closest friends have warned me that I don't have the guts to write about this subject, but that's what they said when I wrote about wishing my boobs were brains, so who's laughing now?

A dedicated blogger doesn't shy away from tough stories, The ones that might even make a few enemies. And that's why it's time to take on a subject that is hallowed to many women, even a religion of sorts. I speak, of course, of the holiday sweater cult.

Those of you who are reading this whilst fingering the delicate silver bells attached to the meticulously embroidered reindeer tableau that is dancing across your chest might wanna bail now.

I never noticed the cult until my youngest daughter had started kindergarten, although, I'm not a big fan of "character wear" in general. There's just something not quite right about grown women who wear Tweedy Bird sweatshirts over their leggings at the mall. I mean unless you run a daycare center, isn't it time to move on and get Road Runner off your chest? And nobody over the age of ten should ever wear any article of clothing that announces I tawt I Taw a Puddytat. Talk about a cry for help.

But I digress. It's the holiday sweater cult that has got me in a swivet. At this years Fall Festival, I apparently didn't get the memo that I must wear an elegant themed sweater painstakingly adorned with pumpkins, ghosts, and bats.

Some of these sweaters are insanely expensive. One cult member confided to me that she once spent $275.00 for a butter-soft wool sweater with dancing candy canes and nut-crackers prancing around her neck. Her eyes danced, her voice became high-pitched---she wanted me to drink the Kool-Aid, no question.

Class wars are evident. You've got your $14.98 Frost the Snowman from Wal-Mart versus your $200.00 Brighton version from the prissy boutique with the size 0 sales staff, and don't think the cult members won't know the difference.

Far be it from me to question another's sense of fashion ( I did, after all, wear a mod paper dress in junior high ) but this whole cutesy wootsy, elves-are-eating-my-brain thing where you own an entire wardrobe of sweaters with buttons that can be pushed to play "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is beyond me.

One friend told me she has enough sweaters to wear a different Christmas sweater from December first to twenty-fifth. My only response was, "Why?"

Fashion holds little interest for me. However, I am fascinated by women who spend five hundred dollars on single pair of high heels. Even if I had that kind of dough, I wouldn't do it, because somewhere in the back of my noggin sits Sally Struthers pitifully imploring me to "Please help save the children." (And the awful, shameful me always thinking, Whoa, Sally, if you'd ease up on the Toaster Strudels, you could save a few right there.)

So, no, I can't spend five hundred dollars for shoes. Guess I'm just too much of a hick. Here's another confession: I don't own a single piece of nipple jewelry.

I read recently where Janet Jackson's personal stylist spent hours perusing nipple jewelry before he found that now-legendary sunburst design that was revealed during the now-legendary Super Bowl halftime show.

Who the hell has enough money to hire someone to shop for her nipple jewelry? It makes me fell downright dowdy for getting excited about finally buying one of those shirts with my initial on it. Shopping for nipple jewelry? Doesn't Janet ever need just, you know, socks?

Oh that silly Catholic patriarchy

The Vatican opposed a UN resolution calling for governments worldwide to de-criminalize homosexuality. (I know, I know, you would think....)

According to this story, homosexuality is punishable by law in 85 countries and punishable by death in a number of them particularly in the mideast. The resolution is aimed at stopping jail time and death for homosexuals. Naturally, the Vatican and many other UN member states see this as the gateway for allowing gay marriage.

Archbishop Celestino Migliore said the Vatican opposed the resolution because it would "add new categories of those protected from discrimination" and could lead to reverse discrimination against traditional heterosexual marriage.

"If adopted, they would create new and implacable discriminations," Migliore said. "For example, states which do not recognise same-sex unions as 'matrimony' will be pilloried and made an object of pressure," Migliore said.

A strongly worded editorial in Italy's mainstream La Stampa newspaper said the Vatican's reasoning was "grotesque".

Ohfergawdsake. The reasoning is grotesque and not in keeping with the RCC's supposed concern for human rights. They are right up there with countries that impose the death penalty for homosexuality like Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen. Whose side are they on? I guess they didn't get the memo about what century this is.

UPDATE: Vatican Warning: Mobile phones are bad for your soul

It didn't do any good to warn ourselves back then...

...so what good would it have done to warn the Indians now?

I speak of the Presidential Daily Briefing of August 6, 2001 which warned "bin Laden Determined to Strike in US." which you can read about at any number of websites HERE.

So up and comes this headline "US warned India of attack by Islamist militants, say officials" from the Guardian as well as other news sites.

Ya' s'pose the Indians figured, "If you can't even believe yourselves, why should we believe you?"

Or maybe American idiocy is contagious.

Or maybe they "let it happen on purpose" so they could start a war with Pakistan. Now where would they get an idea like that? Oh yeah! They've probably been hanging out at all those LIHOP sites.

What're we gonna raise hell about if they take away the "Atrocities in Wartime" angle?

Headline from The Telegraph:
Pentagon hires British scientist to help build robot soldiers that 'won't commit war crimes'

(Text begins): The US Army and Navy have both hired experts in the ethics of building machines to prevent the creation of an amoral Terminator-style killing machine that murders indiscriminately.

By 2010 the US will have invested $4 billion in a research programme into "autonomous systems", the military jargon for robots, on the basis that they would not succumb to fear or the desire for vengeance that afflicts frontline soldiers.

A British robotics expert has been recruited by the US Navy to advise them on building robots that do not violate the Geneva Conventions.

Colin Allen, a scientific philosopher at Indiana University's has just published a book summarising his views entitled Moral Machines: Teaching Robots Right From Wrong.

He told The Daily Telegraph: "The question they want answered is whether we can build automated weapons that would conform to the laws of war. Can we use ethical theory to help design these machines?"

Cyber Christmas Shopping With Liz

This Tee shirt is from Blood is the New Black

I believe that in these uncertain times, what expression says it all more than this? You don't know from one day to the next whether you'll be on the bread line by Christmas, whether or not you'll have a job next year or be forced to take a drastic pay cut... you may even have to sell the corporate jet. Or maybe you've just been a douchebag all year.

Let those you love know that you really care.

3rd Race at The Honeymoon Is Over Downs

I still crack up every time I hear this one!!!

Musical Interlude

Hugh Laurie is a fantastic musician and comic. Enjoy.