Share a little Tea(Bone) with Goldy

(with apologies to Leigh French)
a fable...

Every day at 5:00 you take a nice thick, juicy, raw steak out of the fridge in your lavish condo and set it on the floor in front of your best furry canine friend. Goldy (your retriever, named for that wonderful business where you work on Wall Street) hardly waits until you drop the huge morsel on the floor. Never mind the plate, he greedily wolfs it down no matter where you leave it.

And you can’t blame him. You’ve been feeding him this way for a long time now. He’s so used to it, it wouldn’t be fair to him to treat him any other way! Well, maybe not raw steak every day because every so often you have to substitute some chicken (cooked just the way he likes it) or even when those times rarely call for it, some ground round. Why, just a few years ago things looked like they might turn bad for you…and Goldy. But, thankfully, that never happened. Of course you apologize for the ground meat and lovingly grab him by the neck and tell him that when things get a little better, it’ll be that big steak again, every day!
He’s oblivious to your apologies and just wants to finish the current meal at hand. Standing up, you look lovingly at him for the wonderful companion he is, forgetting the times you have to take him for walks for exercise or let him outside to “do his business.” And you don’t even give a second thought to it when he happens to “dirty” someone else’s property so long as no one else notices it.

Then there are the trips to the vets to make sure he stays nice and healthy so you can continue to provide for him. (Who can forget that 5 day wonderful excursion you gave him at that swank Catskill resort with those others like him!) And wasn’t that huge fluffy bed you got him to sleep in just so cute, even though he only uses it occasionally, preferring to sleep on your new $2500 leather sofa. Those claw marks and scratches aren’t real nice looking but you just know he’s worth it, because he’s always there for you waiting for attention and treats and just looks so darn cute.

And you can’t wait to show him off in front of your friends. During those long walks when you run into a friend (who has the same situation with his best friend), you two naturally begin the rudimentary and obligatory , “Well, mine is really worth it because he’s provides protection for all my possessions” spiel. Your friend tells you that his best friend does the same better than yours. You disagree but, hey, it’s just between friends. And even if something unforeseen DOES happen while Goldy’s protecting you, hell, he can’t do everything, now, can he? At least he can keep it from happening again…probably!

Once you get back to your condo, you wonder whether your buddy was right. Should you call the vet and ask if you’d be better protected in the long run with a different “friend?” Nah! You’ll stick with your good ol’ Goldy. He saw you through some tough times and the expense he incurred only made his friendship that much more endearing. It may have been a sacrifice on your part, but you made sure that you got back everything you had to spend.
As he finishes the big steak you gave him, you just know there’s nothing he could do that could ever change your mind about wanting to take care of him.

But then comes that fateful day when your employer tells you that he has to cut back. Fortunately, you don’t lose your job, but your pay is scaled way back. Times are going to get tough. Looks like Goldy won’t be getting that big steak any more every day, just the ground round. But you’re sure he’ll understand.

No more steak. He won’t mind. So he turns his nose up at the few ounces of hamburger you offer. In no time, he’ll forget that steak. (At least he isn’t eating out of a bag…ugh!)
Soon though, he doesn’t even bother to eat that hamburger. He just sniffs it and goes back to sleep on your nearly ruined couch.

You don’t want to lose his protection so you try to think up ways to make him happy, so he’ll still continue to be the BFF you’ve ever had. But since times are tough for you, you need to come up with something so you can keep him in the style you really do want for him.
Pay checks are smaller and smaller and now those darn bills; why didn’t you ever notice them before? Now it’s getting bad. You don’t have enough to feed yourself let alone poor Goldy. What to do? A second job? But no one’s hiring. Unemployment? No. You still make too much, even though how anyone can live on your meager salary and still take care of Goldy is beyond you! Welfare? Well, maybe you can fool “those” people down at that office and they can supplement you just enough so Goldy can eat the way he used to. Nope! They won’t give you anything. Now what?

Goldy now won’t even eat the stuff you put down. You don’t understand. That dog down on the street is even eating from those trash cans!

Hey, that guy in the condo across the street is still working and still feeding his pet as well as he did before. And those others in that senior center just up the avenue, they somehow have managed to take care of their friends. You wonder if they’ll miss some of the things they have if you were to “just borrow” from them for a little while. You can let them invest in you by offering your services to them in the future. Sure! They won’t care. And you just promise yourself that when things get better, you’ll make it up to all those people you borrowed from. But just to be on the safe side, you can’t tell them it’s for keeping Goldy well taken care of. They might not understand since they don’t have anyone as swell to take care of.

Without a second concerned thought, you take what’s rightfully theirs so you can keep Goldy happy. Anything for Goldy. At first it’s enough but soon you realize that you’ll need more. Your old job is still a way in the future so you have no choice but to “borrow” more and more from “those” other people, and more often, too! You know they won’t mind. Hell, most of them don’t have Goldys to take care. Besides, “those” people seem to be doing just fine with their lives anyway, not that you really noticed. But you’re sure it’s ok. And after all, you WILL pay “those” people back. At least once you get back to the life you lived after things turn around for you (and after you make sure nothing will go wrong for you in the future). Yeah, they’ll understand. Some people, like yourself, need more things than “those” others and you ARE planning on repaying “those” people. Of course, you really borrowed such a small amount from “those” people, in total, that they may not even notice it. You did spread it around a lot. Just a little bit here and there from each of them and “those” people can go about their lives and never miss a couple of bucks. But you know you need more than they do and “those” people really can live the way they’ve always lived because they choose that life style. And Goldy really needs taken care of. After everything he’s done for you, even though occasionally, it seems difficult to remember how it was worth providing for him. But, it’s ok. He’ll always be there when you need him and even if you don’t pay EVERYTHING back to “those” people, it really isn’t that bad. They’ll get by.
Heck. “Those” people have lived like that so long they probably wouldn’t even notice if you didn’t pay them back at all! And if you can’t get to repaying “those” people for whatever reason, shucks, the government can help them. After all, it’s not like “those” people have a friend in need like Goldy!

It's Getting Rough Out There

Check out this cartoon by right-wing 'humorist' Glenn McCoy (hat-tip to Deeky over at Shakesville):



Pretty terrible - don't you think? I sure as hell do. I mean – just look at the messages here – a shifty-eyed President Obama ushers a (white) woman in the latter stages of pregnancy in to see a mob-like executioner with blood on his clothes hulking next to a cash register. A nearby news stand proclaims Gitmo will be closed while the erstwhile ‘fetus’ asks "Couldn't you just waterboard me instead?"

Nice, huh? Believe me when I say this kind of thing will get worse as we go along. The right wing is only beginning its assault on America (and President Obama). For the next 8 years we will be inundated with bullshit like this. I don’t even know where to begin to register my discontent. Emailing that asshole McCoy (a former Playboy cartoonist, wouldn’t you just know it) might be a start: glenn@glennmccoy.com

Republican Obstructionist Primer

Psst!
(The check's in the mail...)

Friday Funny

It's nice to see the Iraqi's smiling again.

Saddam's hometown unveils statue dedicated to man who threw shoe at President Bush

"Many Iraqis considered it poetic justice when a journalist tossed his shoes at President George W. Bush last month.

Now the bizarre attack has spawned a real life work of art.

A sofa-sized statue of the shoe was unveiled Thursday in Tikrit, the hometown of the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Baghdad-based artist Laith al-Amari described the fiberglass-and-copper work as a tribute to the pride of the Iraqi people.

The statue is inscribed with a poem honoring Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who stunned the world when he whipped off his loafers and hurled them at Bush during a press conference on Dec. 14.

continued

Obligatory Friday Sex Post

Oh you just knew that this study was coming.

Frequent Sex And Masturbation In 20s And 30s Linked To Higher Prostate Cancer, But Risks Diminish With Age

ScienceDaily (Jan. 27, 2009) — Men who are very sexually active in their twenties and thirties are more likely to develop prostate cancer, especially if they masturbate frequently, according to a study of more than 800 men.

But to the right of the story is this story

High Ejaculation Frequency May Be Linked To A Decreased Risk Of Prostate Cancer (Apr. 8, 2004) — Ejaculation frequency, a measure of sexual activity, is not associated with a higher risk for prostate cancer, according to a study in the April 7 issue of The Journal of the American Medical ...

Obstructionists

Since not a single Republican voted for the stimulus package, shouldn't the Dems ought to take out all the concessions they made for them? After all, they were duped.

UPDATE: Just found this story
Kerry: Ignore Republicans if they'll vote no anyway

absolutely

F*ckface of the Week:Dick Armey (R-Tx)

From Think Progress:

Armey to Walsh: ‘I’m so damn glad that you can never be my wife'.

Today on MSNBC’s Hardball, Salon editor-in-chief Joan Walsh and former Republican House majority leader Dick Armey engaged in a heated exchange on Rush Limbaugh and his recent controversial comments. Walsh repeatedly condemned Limbaugh’s remarks, saying that conservatives should stand up to the hate radio host. Toward the end, the conversation turned sexist when Armey said he was glad he wasn’t married to Walsh:

• ARMEY: I’m so damn glad that you can never be my wife because I surely wouldn’t have to listen to that prattle from you every day.
• 
  
• WALSH: Boy, that makes two of us sir. That was really an outstanding comment.
• 
  
• ARMEY: That’s what I’m talking about — she’s making a political malarkey here.

Watch it:

Even when Republican politicians are discussing Lush Bimbo they can't be civil... not even on TV. I know it's only been a week, but do you think Obama gets it yet? That he should just steamroll through his agenda and say to hell with the GOP?

From dvice.com

...a one, an a two...an a...

Pay To Play in NY Too?

RFK Jr asks if NY's governor Paterson selecting Kirsten Gilibrand to fill Senator Clinton's seat is the same thing that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is being accused of. The press doesn't want to touch this story with a 10 foot pole.

I say we get this story out there.

I'm Against it!

The Stimulus package passed the House. All Republicans voted against it along with 12 Blue Dog (Reagan type)Democrats. John 'Boner' (who probably got the okey dokey from GOP head giver Rush) said he wanted all Republicans to vote against it including two Republicans who had amendments they added that Republicans approved of! Who cares about the country? The Republican Reps have their money as do their rich friends.

This clip from 1932 with Groucho is sure a perfect depiction of them (deja vu!).
Maybe we need to substitute Boner's face or Limpballs face for Groucho's!

Resurrection

A whole lotta years ago I had a chance to play one of those roles that actors often dream of, but very rarely get. The play was called ‘Resurrection’. It’s about a woman who, in surviving a terrible accident, discovers she suddenly has the power to heal. There’s a particular monologue where she tries to explain (to herself, as much as to anyone else) what happens inside....the triggers, the clicks – those spaces between her soul and god that reach out when the healing happens. It took me a while to be able to perform it. Not because she was too alien, or the experiences too far out of my ken (it wasn’t – I knew EXACTLY what all that felt like) – but because whoever wrote the character knew and understood that destruction lies at the heart of every epiphany. You cannot build without tearing down. Well I’d lived through that kind of sea change. Different names, different circumstances – but I knew. Because of that - there could be no wall between me and the audience – no 'plausible deniability'. All that I was, all that I felt – my worst fears and most terrifying beliefs - haunted every second of that performance. It was wrenching. I couldn’t hardly watch myself on tape (still can’t).

Mickey Rourke’s performance in ‘The Wrestler’ is just like that. And he can’t watch it either. I saw him last night in an interview – he turned away, tears in his eyes. He was re-living those moments; I saw it in the set of his shoulders, the angle of his chin. That was real. What you see up on that screen is real. Every hurt – physical and psychic – hits home with devastating accuracy. ‘The Wrestler’ is Rourke’s epiphany. Shooting that film must have been grinding. I certainly hope it was worth the pain – that in the end, some of his personal dragons went down. So I’d say go see it – go see the resurrection of one of the best actors of his generation - but be prepared, ‘cause it will resurrect the bones of your own dead, and beat you senseless in the process.

Idiots Open Thread

I finally quit smoking a few days ago. Did you know that most people are idiots? Actually I meant that almost all people are idiots. I have no patience for idiots anymore. I don't have patience for people who have patience for idiots. I don't have patience for people who have patience for people who have patience for people who have patience for idiots.

I really hate the Democrats for being such wussies. They should all quit smoking and grow a pair.

Ahmadinejad Speaks

At a recent speaking engagement in the Iranian city of Kermanshah, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had a few things to say that amounted to, "Hey, President Obama - put up or shut up."

"When they say 'we want to make changes', change can happen in two ways. First is a fundamental and effective change ... The second ... is a change of tactics.

"It is very clear that, if the meaning of change is the second one, this will soon be revealed."

This is a clear opportunity, and one that Iran has offered to the US in the past. In several posts on my blog I have advocated direct talks with the Islamic Republic despite the assault on our Embassy and the taking of US hostages in 1979. The reason is abundantly simple - Iran is a regional power, and its reach exceeds ours at the moment.

Sure, their military would be hammered by ours, but in the real world (outside of neocon fantasies) power is measured in ways other than sheer force majeure. Iran has proxies in Lebanon and can support Hamas in Palestine. Thanks to our crippling of Iraq Iran is now the 800-pound gorilla in the region.

We have to talk to Iran.

Another thing the Iranian President called for was for an apology by the United States, which dovetails with my advocacy of the same tactic. Democracy in Iran was aborted in the Mossadegh coup (Operation Ajax) in 1956. To say we had a hand in this is like saying that we had a hand in beating Hitler.

We toppled a democratically elected leader and supported an absolutist despot (Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, for those who need reminding), who used a secret police to help enforce his rule. Scant wonder, therefore, that Iran would like an apology.

I suggested in the past that we should preface any talks with an apology for Operation Ajax as a gesture of our goodwill and our benign intentions. It would get things off on the right foot and show the Iranian people (and, more importantly, the religious leaders who are the true power in the government) that we're serious.

So, Ahmadinejad speaks.

Will we listen?

Current layoff reasoning -- Increasing/maintaining shareholder value? or ....Keep from going out of business?

or possibly a convenient way to trim the fat?

Big Brother may REALLY be watching you

In light of an earlier post about a great picture taken at the 2009 inaguration and related to an eclectic mix of interests and a subject I'm quite familiar with and have a degree in and concerning a number of comments a while ago on the subject, here is a video from the JPL that may be of interest to some.

Images and imaging, particularly that from distances have become increasingly better, sharper, more detailed over the years.

Such is the case involving optical interferometry. The idea for this came from Radio Astronomy to increase the resolving power of radio telescopes (the ability to "see" finer detail) by linking two dishes a distance apart. Simply put optical interferometry involves two images taken from two (or more) mirrors or lenses with the resultant combined, interpreted and enhanced by computers to produce a picture that would not be possible with a single optical instrument.

Using two lenses or mirrors or combinations of them separated by a distance (a few meters to many meters and eventually possibly kilometers), astronomers are able to measure and indeed, image objects that heretofore were thought to be too small to be seen within the theoretical limits of a single collective system.

Optical interferometry is just out of its infancy having been born in the late 70s, unofficially. The technology of the mid 80s was extreme at the time with tremendous optical breakthroughs in resolution of detail from great distances including satellites in Low Earth Orbit.

While the data of the 80s and 90s were phenomenal for the time, that of today is remarkable and data still to come may border on magic.

This video from the Jet Propulsion Lab offers a glimpse of what can be expected in the immediate future, although stories abound that some of this already exists. Believe what you will.

With SIM, PlanetQuest shows what can be done astronomically. Reading between the lines, one can infer what can be done militarily...or covertly...or maybe has been done.

Only the beginning?

With apologies to Chicago (irony, there!)

Looks like President McBama or is that President O'Cain has kowtowed to the vast right wing inferiority (because they are soooo powerful) and cut the funding for low income and poor family planning. Why? Because the Republicans think it won't create jobs! However, they did include 20 billion in corporate tax cuts in the stimulus package, otherwise they wouldn't vote for it! BFD! Let them take their ball(s) and go home.
What the hell did we vote for? Or rather, who the hell did we vote for?

And to all of you who are willing to "give him a chance", isn't that what the Democrats have been doing for 8 years? Enough is enough. We voted for a liberal agenda. Liberal isn't a dirty word any more than conservative is and I'm tired of being on the defensive. The Democrats in their minute wisdom have gone against Dean's strategy that got us here. Why? You guess!
We have a president who has spent more time talking to the opposition, the MINORITY opposition than members of the party he claims to belong to. Why?
I didn't vote for appeasement. I didn't vote for bipartisanship. I didn't vote for capitulation to every whim of the outdated corrupt Republican Party. I voted for someone who gave me the impression that he would support my ideals; that would change the way things were done in D.C.; that would stand up to these thugs that destroyed the country that I AND he lives in.
But let's not rush to judgment. Let's give him some more time. Maybe he'll even talk to a progressive sometime over the next year... or three. Pretty soon it'll be 2010 and we'll say, "Just give him a little more time" then in 2011 we can say, "Well, maybe he's got some plan in mind." Right! Looks like a continuation of "Left" behind...Right!
I didn't vote for President McBama! But I may have gotten him.

The absurd persistence of domination: Of speciesism, capitalism, and shaking their foundations -- by Jason Miller

From Thomas Paine's Corner
Even the most ardent reactionaries, deluded ‘patriots,’ and apathetic cynics, whose myopic, Panglossian perspectives ensure that they continue to reflexively genuflect to the deeply criminal enterprise of American Capitalism and rationalize the savage imperialism of US foreign policy, are beginning to concede that we are in the midst of a crisis of epic proportions. So lack of awareness, which is usually the first obstacle to solving a problem, isn’t the real enemy here. Our chief foe is a swarm of greed-driven, self-absorbed, mean-spirited locust-like human beings who are dedicated to “reforming” and perpetuating capitalism, the very system that has led us to this woeful state of environmental, economic, social, and political affairs. Capitalism, the systemization of greed, selfishness, subjugation, and exploitation camouflaged by the narcotic of consumerism, the irresistible illusion of equal opportunity for all, and its ostensible compatibility with liberal democracy, has seduced hundreds of millions of people into ignoring its contradictions, injustices, and malevolence.


And now a few more links on the subject of capitalism:

Bailout Recipients Hosted Call To Defeat Key Labor Bill

Participants on the October 17 call -- including at least one representative from another bailout recipient, AIG -- were urged to persuade their clients to send "large contributions" to groups working against the Employee Free Trade Act (EFCA), as well as to vulnerable Senate Republicans, who could help block passage of the bill.

Bernie Marcus, the charismatic co-founder of Home Depot, led the call along with Rick Berman, an aggressive EFCA opponent and founder of the Center for Union Facts. Over the course of an hour, the two framed the legislation as an existential threat to American capitalism, or worse.

"This is the demise of a civilization," said Marcus. "This is how a civilization disappears. I am sitting here as an elder statesman and I'm watching this happen and I don't believe it."

The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland gets underway tomorrow:
"Shaping the Post-Crisis World"
(Pretty obvious they picked their "theme" months ago since it's apparent to me that we're just approaching crisis mode, nevermind post-crisis)




The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.
~Winston Churchill

This American system of ours, call it Americanism, call it capitalism, call it what you will, gives each and every one of us a great opportunity if we only seize it with both hands and make the most of it.
~Al Capone

Advocates of capitalism are very apt to appeal to the sacred principles of liberty, which are embodied in one maxim: The fortunate must not be restrained in the exercise of tyranny over the unfortunate.
~Bertrand Russell

What's your favorite capitalism quote?

A quick survey of food prices around the country. This is an ad from a local chain in the Pittsburgh area showing prices for this week starting 01-29-09 and running for 7 days. This is one of the least expensive markets around here.
I'm curious as to how these prices compare to ones in your areas.
Are they cheaper, more expensive or about the same? Remember, average cost of living and wages vary around this center-right country of ours.

Click the individual page to enlarge if you have trouble reading it.

The United States of America is a Failed Nation

Man Freezes to Death After City Limits Electricity

Women Over 40

Note from Blondesense Liz: Not sure who wrote this

"As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think. If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting. Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at an event or in the middle of a restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it. Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated. Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her. Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress. Ladies, I apologize.

For all those men who say, 'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?', here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!"

Market practices and its participants....I just don't get it.

Wall Street points to mostly higher open as companies post moderate results amid tough economy

NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street showed some relief Tuesday that big companies like American Express Co. and Texas Instruments Inc. managed to post profits in a difficult recession.

and then in the very next paragraph:

American Express reported profits fell 79 percent in the final three months of 2008. The numbers weren't as weak as some investors had feared.
Likewise, Texas Instruments said its earnings fell 86 percent and that it would slash 3,400 jobs as the maker of chips for cell phones and other products tries to cut costs.

makes NO sense (to me) whatsoever...

Then I came across this article over at Counterpunch - The Monks' Cure Our Current Economic Crisis

....in medieval trade merchants regularly tried to cheat one another in the market place. [3] In so doing they used other merchants’ ignorance of arithmetic to swindle them. Arithmetic—which at the time consisted mostly of knowledge of the Arab numerals, four basic mathematical operations and the “golden rule,” or the “rule of three,” where a missing fourth number in two equal ratios is found—had just reached Europe by way of Arab merchants. Between the 13th and 16th centuries a group of merchants in Europe, particularly in Italy, wrote manuscripts to teach merchants’ children, who attended special training schools, the newly received arithmetic. But what is perhaps most interesting about these manuscripts is that almost all of them teach how to use arithmetic, particularly in the act of barter, to cheat their trading opponents and increase what they called the “overprice.” As such, these medieval manuscripts taught that the rule of exchange was to come out ahead in transaction and that barter was “nothing but giving a good for another in order to get more.”

To make a long story short, in the medieval markets arithmetic became a tool, a “financial innovation” to use the language of the modern market, to make more money. The rule of the game was to take advantage of arithmetical ignorance of others to gain as much profit as possible. This was how capitalism was born. It was born not of honesty, equality, justice or fairness in exchange, but of deceit, swindle, inequality, injustice and unfairness. It was also in this same period that one can find the emergence of many other financial innovations, such as forward contracts and bills of exchange, innovations that tried to increase profit by reducing uncertainty and risk.

How did the economic thinkers of the medieval era, the Catholic clergy or the so called Scholastics, react to these market practices? Instead of trying to reflect on the reality of the new and rising social system and attempting to understand its true nature, they wrote pamphlets and gave sermons preaching how to be a good Christian. They prohibited certain market practices and blamed market participants for these practices. They warned people of avarice and excessive accumulation of wealth. They advocated quid pro quo and called for equality in exchange, an Aristotelian concept that by then had acquired a Biblical flavour. As opposed to merchants’ concept of “overprice,” the monks advocated a “just price,” an ambiguous concept that has been interpreted in a variety of ways, including a price that covers cost of production plus a “reasonable” profit. The monks warned people of practicing such sinful activities as usury and reminded them of such lines in the Bible: “Lend freely, hoping nothing thereby.” In sum, the medieval economic thinkers tried to regulate the market by prohibiting certain practices. Of course, as anyone familiar with the writings of the Scholastics knows, this prohibition was quite selective and often did not include the high and the mighty, the “beloved sons of the church,” who were the church’s benefactors.

It seems that seven hundred years later not much has changed

NOW I get it. I'm not supposed to get it.

Crossposted at BigBrassBlog

UN Official: Enough Evidence to Prosecute Rumsfeld

Raw Story: Monday, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Manfred Nowak told CNN's Rick Sanchez that the US has an "obligation" to investigate whether Bush administration officials ordered torture, adding that he believes that there is already enough evidence to prosecute former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

"We have clear evidence," he said. "In our report that we sent to the United Nations, we made it clear that former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld clearly authorized torture methods and he was told at that time by Alberto Mora, the legal council of the Navy, 'Mr. Secretary, what you are actual ordering here amounts to torture.' So, there we have the clear evidence that Mr. Rumsfeld knew what he was doing but, nevertheless, he ordered torture." continued

Welcome to the Future

You will not be able to know what's ahead of you, until you have seen at least four pictures and read the explanation of what they are. Our future is here! This is incredible, but then again, it is from JAPAN!


Look closely and guess what they could be...



Are they pens with cameras?



Any wild guesses? No clue yet?
Ladies and gentlemen... congratulations!
You've just looked into the future...
yep that's right!
You've just seen something that will
replace your PC in the near future.
Here is how it works:



In the revolution of miniature computers,
Scientists have made great developments
with bluetooth technology...
This are the forthcoming computers you
can carry within your pockets.





This 'pen sort of instrument' produces
Both the monitor as well as the keyboard
On any flat surfaces from where you can
carry out functions you would normally do
on your desktop computer.



Can anyone say, 'Good-bye laptops!'
Looks like our computers are out of date...again!!!

Politics As Usual

If you have time to read this and watch the BBC documentary about Obama's plans for American health care system you will be enlightened as to how the rich white congress is in the pocket of the private insurance and drug companies.

Another must read is Paul Krugman's Bad Faith Economics-- debunking of the rich white congress' plan to derail the stimulus bill.

Some of these arguments are obvious cheap shots. John Boehner, the House minority leader, has already made headlines with one such shot: looking at an $825 billion plan to rebuild infrastructure, sustain essential services and more, he derided a minor provision that would expand Medicaid family-planning services — and called it a plan to “spend hundreds of millions of dollars on contraceptives.”

One of the reasons that Lush Bimbo is against the stimulus bill is because it could hurt GOP's electoral chances.... Kind of makes you realize why the Republicans are so dead set against helping Democrats to succeed at anything.

Save for the next time somebody says, "Israel has a right to defend itself."

"Israeli troops shot and killed zoo animals"

GulfNews.com:

The Gaza Zoo reeks of death. But zookeeper Emad Jameel Qasim doesn't appear to react to the stench as he walks around the animals' enclosures.

Watch Gaza zoo Video

A month ago, it was attracting families - he says the zoo drew up to 1,000 visitors each day. He points at the foot-long hole in the camel in one of the enclosures.

"This camel was pregnant, a missile went into her back," he tells us. "Look, look at her face. She was in pain when she died."

Around every corner, inside almost every cage are dead animals, who have been lying in their cages since the Israeli incursion.

Qasim doesn't understand why they chose to destroy his zoo. And it's difficult to disagree with him. Most of them have been shot at point blank range.

"The first thing the Israelis did was shoot at the lions - the animals ran out of their cage and into the office building. Actually they hid there."

The two lions are back in their enclosure. The female is pregnant, and lies heavily on the ground, occasionally swishing her tail. Qasim stands unusually close to them, but they don't seem bothered by his presence.

As he takes us around, he is obviously appalled at the state of the animals. The few animals that have survived appear weak and disturbed.

"The foxes ate each other because we couldn't get to them in time. We had many here." There are carcasses everywhere and the last surviving fox is quivering in the corner.

The zoo opened in late 2005, with money from local and international NGOs. There were 40 types of animals, a children's library, a playground and cultural centre housed at the facility.

Inside the main building, soldiers defaced the walls, ripped out one of the toilets and removed all of the hard drives from the office computers. We asked him why they targeted the zoo. He laughs. "I don't know. You have to go and ask the Israelis. This is a place where people come to relax and enjoy themselves. It's not a place of politics."

Israel has accused Hamas of firing rockets from civilian areas. Qasim reacts angrily when we raise the subject.

"Let me answer that with a question. We are under attack. There was not a single person in this zoo. Just the animals. We all fled before they came. What purpose does it serve to walk around shooting animals and destroying the place?"

Inside one cage lie three dead monkeys and another two in the cage beside them. Two more escaped and have yet to return. He points to a clay pot. "They tried to hide", he says of a mother and baby half-tucked inside.

Qasim says that his main two priorities at the moment are rebuilding the zoo and taking the Israeli army to court. For the first, he says he will need close to $200,000(Dh734,000) to return the zoo to its former state - and he wants the Israelis to cover the costs. "They have to pay me for all this damage."

We ask him why it's so important for Gaza to have a zoo. "During the past four years it was the most popular place for kids. They came from all over the Gaza Strip. There was nowhere else for people to go."

Has Israel gone berserk and lost all sense of reasoning? Should it be tried for war crimes at The Hague?

Just some VP stuff

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

Obama Closing Gitmo

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

From Esquire.com Joe Biden, Advisor in Chief






In one word, what's your opinion of this guy?

Study in Contrasts

The globulous fraud known as Rush ("Buy My Show So I Can Buy More Drugs and Fat Young Boys, Please") Limbaugh wasted no time in describing the tenor of his radio show for the next four years. His radio 'show' can best be reproduced by playing tapes of long episodes of beer and cabbage farts, interspersed with volleys of explosive diarrhea.

I digress, but leave you with that mental image. Mental floss is available in the lobby.

Limbaugh will essentially be returning to the "America Held Hostage" meme he pioneered on his TV show way back during the Clinton Administration - he refuses to give Obama any sort of honeymoon or grace period to see how he might perform. Of course, he wants Obama to fail anyway, naughty little America-hating bastard that he is, but one thing he burped out of his gaping piehole inspired this post.

He said that no one gave Bush any honeymoon or grace period in his first term, so why should he give one to Obama?

Rush, it seems, has a short memory.

The US Presidential election of 2000 was the closest race since 1876 (which had to be decided in the House of Representatives). Thanks to the disputed recount in Florida which led to a 5-4 decision by the Supreme Court Bush won with 271 electoral votes and 47.9% of the popular vote, while Gore held 266 electoral votes and 48.4% of the popular votes cast. The disparity between the EV and PV, coupled with "Flori-duh" and the Supreme Court's decision, meant that many people in America felt very strongly that Bush's election was illegitimate.

But don't take my word for it. Roll tape!



In the 2008 Presidential election, on the other hand, Obama beat McCain with a greater than seven percent advantage in the popular vote (52.9% to 45.7%) and a better than two to one advantage in the Electoral College (365 to 173). Very few people could dispute the legitimacy of such a wide margin of victory.

And need I roll the tape of Obama's Inauguration? Didn't think so, as it's already posted.

The peaceful transfer of power in the US is something to be proud of. Other nations either transfer power by outright fraud or by hails of bullets, so we like to point with a certain pride at how we do it.

Hence the anger at Bush's first inaugural.

Hence the joy at Obama's first inaugural.

Note I said "first."

Mendocino....I love you so, Please don' t go, Please stay here with me in Mendocino, You're such a groove,

... please don't move,

Please stay in my love house by

the river.


(Here's the song - sorry, can't embed it)


Fast talkin' guys with strange

red eyes

Have put things in your head,

It set my mind a wond' rin',

I love you so, Please don' t go,

Please stay here with me in Mendocino

Mendocino, Mendocino,

Where life's such a groove,

You blow your mind in the

morning,

we used to walk through the

park.

Make love along the way in

Mendocino


Cash crop now accounts for two-thirds of Mendocino County economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

what a stupid report
ø
.
.
ø
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Five Days In ...

Well, it's been an eventful five days, folks, so let's do a teeny bit of recapping, shall we?

Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as our President on Tuesday and what could be considered a "throng" of people gathered to cheer him. The past two inaugurations were rather a downer, after all, so we were in a bit of a party mood.

Not that Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the Mighty Wurlitzer cared, of course. Limbaugh even went so far as to say that he wanted Obama to fail. That means, by the oh-so-logical extension so favored by the Right (I'm Republican; I know my people), that Limbaugh wants America to slide into a depression. He wants us to be attacked by terrorists and see Americans die in terrorist attacks.

(I'm not making this up. But you'll have to look up the links yourself; I don't link to Stormfront, and I won't link to Limbaugh.)

But so far this past five days have seen a flurry of executive orders come out of the White House: Guantanamo Bay closed as a prison, CIA black sites shut down, senior staff pay in the government frozen at current levels, abortion funding reinstated for Third World countries, etc. We will even start research into human stem cells as treatment for diseases.

You can hear heads exploding on the Right with the radiance of a thousand suns.

The Vatican immediately deplored Obama's stands on abortion and gay rights, which suggests to me that our next Ambassador to the Holy See should be a Lesbian Catholic.

So, it's been five days in Washington ...



... and the tiny-brained screechers of the Far Right have yet to see their fondest wish come true.

Speaking of the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI reinstated several excommunicated bishops, including one who is a Holocaust denier. I guess the ranks of seminarians at St. Pedophiles were getting a bit thin of late.

A man ran amok in a Belgian nursery, killing two babies and an adult worker before his apprehension. Interestingly, he had his face painted to resemble Heath Ledger's Joker from the last Batman movie. Right now, he ain't talking.

The Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, underwent heart bypass surgery this past week. Ordinarily this would not be much cause for concern in the US, but after the November 26th attacks on Mumbai tensions have risen between India and Pakistan. Furthermore, ever since the 'Smiling Buddha' test in 1972, nuclear release authority in India has been vested with the Prime Minister. Hopefully they've worked out a succession scheme so that the launch authority doesn't automatically devolve upon local commanders.

And in our Oh, the Sweet Taste of Bitter Irony segment, former priest and homophobic evangelist gay guy Ted Haggard (who you'll recall had to give up his lucrative megachurch after he admitted having a gay affair) is now having to fend off questions about another gay affair back when he was supposedly straight, this time with a 20-something church worker. Word of advice, Teddy - try to find a lower-profile line of work, or just come out and admit it, okay?

Ooh crikey! I almost forgot!

Evidence has been shown that there is a deep fossil fault line under Arkansas that (if it goes pop) could, conceivably, be as powerful as the New Madrid Earthquake back in the early 1800s. And central Arkansas recently had about 400 very minor temblors. Hang on to your hats, kids ...

Anyway, it's been a fun-filled five days, and we can expect to see more. Obama's 100 days aren't up yet.

This is an absolutely fantastic image!
From dvice.com


"...220 images, taken with the help of a Gigapan robotic camera mount. It's a 1,474-megapixel shot..." stitched together!
Go to the site and check it out. You can pan and zoom! You can probably id the faces in the last rows of the throng. If you were there, you may be able to see yourself.

Finally... just Finally

The US under Bush threw our money away by only funding abstinence only programs. They don't work. Cutting off birth control and family planning services caused the rate of illegal abortions to soar and risked many lives.

Obama reverses 'global gag rule' for family planning funds

WASHINGTON (AFP) – President Barack Obama overturned what he described as an "unwarranted" eight-year ban on US government funding for family-planning groups which carry out or facilitate abortions overseas.

Shortly after he signed an executive order canceling the restrictions, on the third full day of his presidency, Obama said in a statement the ban had "undermined efforts to promote safe and effective voluntary family planning in developing countries," and that the issue had become too politicized.

The so-called "global gag rule" cut off US funding to overseas family planning clinics which provide any abortion services whatsoever, from the operation itself to counseling, referrals or post-abortion services.

Birth control and safe sex were not options under the bush plan.

According to Population Action International (PAI), the gag rule resulted in Nepal's largest family planning provider losing two-thirds of its total supply of contraceptives and saw the number of women in Ghana who sought care for complications after an abortion soar after contraceptive supplies were cut off to a large clinic there.

Women in developing countries, where access to contraception is poor, often turn to abortion as a means of birth control, a World Bank report has said.

Tod Preston, vice president of PAI, said lifting the gag rule was "an important step to save women's lives around the world.

"Family planning should not be a political issue; it's about basic health care and well-being for women and children," he said.

Don't send your children to either Virginia Tech or Yale

Graduate student from China decapitated with kitchen knife at campus cafe by another graduate student.

Raw Story: "A female Chinese graduate student has been decapitated by a fellow student at Virginia Tech, the scene of the worst school shooting in US history in 2007, police said Thursday.

"At approximately 7:00 pm Wednesday (0000 GMT Thursday), Xin Yang, a 22-year-old graduate student from Beijing, was killed at an Au Bon Pain cafe on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, university officials said."

Now that the inauguration's over...

...the U.S. invasion of the Middle East can proceed apace:

Suspected U.S. Missile Strikes Kill at Least 20 in Pakistan.

Maybe the U.S. forces thought it would lend an air of ugliness to a glorious celebration.

THE Most Romantic Love Song. Ever.

This is the kind of love song that I want someone to sing to me.

hat tip Robin Eve at Facebook

Kirsten Gillibrand Chosen to Fill Clinton's Senate Seat

Gillibrand is a conservative democrat and pro-gun. She has a 100% rating from the NRA. ack.

The shit is hitting the fan here in lower NYS.

UN may prosecute Bush administration

It's not surprising that since it's up to politicians to bring charges against Bush and Rumsfeld for war crimes, nothing will ever be done about it... but the UN can do something.

The war crimes of the previous administration weighed heavily on my heart. I never in my life could believe that I would have to pay taxes to support this sort of government. I will support any action that the UN takes. Gladly.


Also, have you read about this? Whistleblower: NSA spied on everyone, targeted journalists
Makes you understand why the media is so completely unreliable.

Musical Interlude: Isabella

Dave Isaacs - Isabella


This is my friend Dave from Nashville who wrote this song about me. Dave also played on my songs.

Theology of Monty Python - Every Sperm is Sacred

Gee...I wonder what made this little diddy pop into my head?
Every Sperm is Sacred

There are Jews in the world.
There are Buddhists.
There are Hindus and Mormons, and then
There are those that follow Mohammed, but
I've never been one of them.

I'm a Roman Catholic,
And have been since before I was born,
And the one thing they say about Catholics is:
They'll take you as soon as you're warm.
You don't have to be a six-footer.
You don't have to have a great brain.
You don't have to have any clothes on. You're
A Catholic the moment Dad came,

Because

Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.

Let the heathen spill theirs
On the dusty ground.
God shall make them pay for
Each sperm that can't be found.

Every sperm is wanted.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood.

Hindu, Taoist, Mormon,
Spill theirs just anywhere,
But God loves those who treat their
Semen with more care.

Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.

Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood!

Every sperm is useful.
Every sperm is fine.
God needs everybody's.
Mine! And mine! And mine!

Let the Pagan spill theirs
O'er mountain, hill, and plain.
God shall strike them down for
Each sperm that's spilt in vain.

Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite iraaaaate!

Here's some good news

Washington Post:

Obama Starts Reversing Bush Policies
Guantanamo Order Readied; Lobbying Rules Tightened

President Obama moved swiftly yesterday to begin rolling back eight years of his predecessor's policies, ordering tough new ethics rules and preparing to issue an order closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which has been at the center of the debate over the treatment of U.S. prisoners in the battle against terrorism.

Acting to address several promises he made during his campaign, Obama met with top generals about speeding the withdrawal from Iraq and gathered his senior economic advisers as he continued to push for a massive spending bill to create jobs.

He also signed a series of executive orders and directives intended to slow the revolving door between government service and lobbying, and ordered his administration to share information more freely with the public.

Today, he will issue another order calling for the closure of Guantanamo Bay within a year, an immediate case-by-case review of the 245 detainees remaining there, and the application of new rules governing the treatment and interrogation of prisoners, including compliance with international treaties that the Bush administration deemed inapplicable to suspects in terrorism cases. continued

Not everyone is relieved that bush is gone

... because after all he did so much for the anti-abortion and anti-homosexual agenda.

The Whitehouse.gov website is now a refreshing breath of fresh air. I was going to write a whole post about it, but you can check it out and see for yourselves. It's evident from the start that there is a new kid in town.

What really struck me though is how the religious "right" views the new website which only proves that these people are neither christian, religious or right.

From White House Website Now 'Sodomite Publication,' says Religious Right

The editor of CovenantNews.com wrote:

• The White House policies published on its new website confirms that Barack H. Obama intends to use his office to promote and maintain the sexual deviant criminal behavior of homosexuality (with malice aforethought).
• ... Civil officials who approve of homosexuality, make the civil government a vile cesspool from which the abominations vomit out across the land. By displaying such a contempt for the administration of Justice by promoting this criminal behavior, "such civil officials are not only the source of the defilement, they are the criminals, and a hostile enemy authorizing the destruction of the society in which we live."

In an American Family Association Action Alert, the Rev. Wildmon stated that "This is only the beginning of Obama's plans to reshape society. His view is that unborn babies aren't worth protecting and that homosexuals deserve special rights."

Oh for god's sake. This is getting ridiculous.

"Air and Simple Gifts" from President Obama's Inauguration

Music truly is the Universal Language that unites us all. It conveys feelings when words fail.

Yo-Yo Ma's body language throughout the performance says it all...


This is the first time a classical quartet has been invited to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of a President.



Here is an interview with Yo-Yo Ma prior to their performance:


Some background on the piece from
Variety.com:

A classical quartet gets the prime spot between the swearing-in of Vice President-elect Joseph Biden and that of President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday. And along the way, a 56-year-old musical injustice will be rectified.
Two of the nation's most familiar classical artists -- cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Itzhak Perlman -- will be joined by Metropolitan Opera clarinetist Anthony McGill and Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero in performing a new piece by composer John Williams.

(Mr. Williams has composed many of the most famous film scores in history, including the Indiana Jones series, Star Wars, Superman, Born on the Fourth of July and Harry Potter. )

It's called "Air and Simple Gifts," the centerpiece of which will be "an exuberant rendering," in Williams' words, of traditional Shaker hymn "The Gift to Be Simple," which Aaron Copland made famous in his 1944 ballet "Appalachian Spring."

Williams surrounds "Simple Gifts," as the tune is also called, with an original, hymn-like theme.

The president-elect asked Perlman and Ma to perform, and they in turn called Williams -- a frequent collaborator with both artists -- "to help them prepare something to play." Ma chose the other two performers, Williams told Daily Variety.

Knowing of Obama's appreciation for Copland, they chose the Shaker hymn, which Williams arranged for this unusual quartet, and then composed "a reflective and prayerful theme" as musical bookends.

Since Ma was in L.A. last week to perform with the Philharmonic, he visited Williams on Saturday to run through the piece. The quartet played it for the first time on Tuesday in New York and will rehearse again and record it with Williams on Sunday. Chamber groups are not usually "conducted," so Williams will not be seen on Tuesday (although he said he may attend as part of the crowd).

In January 1953, Copland's "Lincoln Portrait" was scheduled to be performed at Dwight Eisenhower's inaugural concert but was banned at the last minute when an Illinois congressman complained about Copland's liberal politics. Later that year, Copland became a target of Joe McCarthy's Communist witch-hunt.

In time, Copland was "completely rehabilitated," Williams noted, performing at the White House and eventually receiving the Congressional Gold Medal. The performance at this inauguration of "Simple Gifts," a piece widely associated with Copland, "describes a completed circle of events that is nice to think about," the composer said.

"We all feel a sense of great privilege to be able to contribute in a very small way, musically, to an event like this," Williams added. "It's a great moment in our history."

This was not the first President for which Yo-Yo Ma has performed. At age seven, he played for President and Mrs. Kennedy in a televised concert hosted by Leonard Bernstein.

Out with the old

Bye bye. Don't let the screen door hit you in the ass on your way out.

Inaugural Liveblog

UPDATE: 2:52PM. Ted Kennedy reportedly collapsed at the luncheon. Breaking...


I've been watching C-SPAN. There were hijinks in the House at the start, when it was revealed that the 435 members would be seated by seniority (think herding cats).

The Army Herald Trumpeters have just sounded, announcing the parade of former Presidents (in order, starting with Carter). The Mall from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial is a sea of humanity.

For the first time in many years, we are permitted to hope.

Bush The Elder and his hateful wife, wearing imperial purple scarves, now taking seats. I am reminded of Nixon's words regarding Babs: "That woman knows how to hate." One wonders what she's thinking now.

Now the Clintons, looking the happy couple as the Capitol Police salute. I hope she does a good job as SecStat.

The Marine Band playing various and sundry airs, as they've done all morning.

Obama's daughters and Biden's grandkids. How will the years mark them?

Bush the Younger, still smirking.

Finally Obama, entering alone.

Feinstein is speaking, having called the proceedings to order.

Warren's invocation included two of the epithets associated with Allah (Compassionate and Merciful) as well as Jesus as he appears in the Qur'an (Isa). Surprised me. I expected worse.

Aretha did a fairly good job with My Country, ’tis of Thee. Granted, she's no Marian Anderson ...

Biden being sworn in now by Associate Justice Stevens, followed by four ruffles and flourishes and the Admiral’s March.

Beautiful arrangement of Simple Gifts.

And now, the Oath, administered (as is his right) by Chief Justice Roberts.

Muffed the Oath – damn, Roberts! Your only line and you screwed the pooch.

“Congratulations, Mister President.” Ruffles and flourishes, Hail to the Chief and the twenty-guns used for the head of state.

“My fellow citizens …”

UPDATE: Inaugural Address, Part One:



And Part Two:

Happy Inauguration

It is party time and I am coming out of my winter depression to celebrate. Heck, I've cleaned the house and I'll be chilling with my closest friends who are simply thrilled that the bushistas are out once and for all. We've waited 8 long years for this day. We cried on each other's shoulders 4 years ago and vowed to celebrate an end to it one day. We're also very pleased that Cheney is going out in a wheelchair.

For those of us who are excited that this day has finally come, how will you be celebrating? For naysayers, we'll make a thread for you tomorrow. Today is our day.

We will sober up tomorrow.

39 words that make a President

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God"

Here are the last 13 Presidents taking the famous oath.



Happy O'nauguration Day Everyone!

Here's to President Obama PRESERVING, PROTECTING AND DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.


(I'm also looking forward to Obama's Inauguration Day poem)

Picked to speak the words that will lead America from one age to another, Elizabeth Alexander, wisely gave little away beforehand. She dutifully noted that her "joy" at landing this job from the president-elect stems from "my deep respect for him as a man of meaningful, powerful words that move us forward". Listeners who hope for upbeat crowd-pleasing may wince at her statement that "poetry is not meant to cheer; rather, poetry challenges, and moves us towards transformation". But all will welcome one firm steer about today's verse: "I won't carry on at length."

Two Sides To Every Story

I've spoken to many people who are complaining that Obama's inauguration will cost more than 4 times what Bush's event cost.

Fox and Friends, Drudge, Newsmax, etc made sure that that meme was spread far and wide, thank you very much.

When the biased news media reported what Bush spent for the 2005 inauguration, they left out the cost of security and when the media reports what Obama is spending, they include the cost of security. The bottom line is that Bush's 2005 inauguration cost $157 million if you include all the costs that the media includes when calculating the cost of Obama's inauguration.

Says Eric Bohlert at Media Matters

Unless the Obama inauguration tab (including security) ends up costing $630 million, we can safely say it certainly won't cost four times what the Bush bash did in 2005. And unless the Obama inauguration tab (including security) runs to $257 million, we can safely say the event won't cost $100 million more than Bush's, as Fox & Friends claimed.

So, for now, can the press and partisans please stop peddling this malignant myth

Seeger Video Pulled

It seems that HBO sucks somewhat big time but they may not be alone. In case you wanted to see the YouTube video of Pete Seeger, fuggedabaudit!
The state run media has decided that you can't watch it. Not only that but if you took any pictures of the event, you must destroy them or pay a fee for using HBO's copyrighted property!
Suck? You betcha! Wink Wink!

Add to that the Obama people saying that the gay prayer which was censored (no other word for it) was HBO's fault and HBO saying it's Obama's fault. Then Obama offer the lame apology that they "always wanted to show it" but 'at least the people there in person got to see it." Whoop-tee-do! Probably because it would be a little too difficult to extinguish the Reich's Torches!
You can bet the foreclosed ranch that Warren's diatribe will go National! Maybe some hundred foot high banners hung from the new Reichstag to honor our new 'leader'?

No, folk. DW has it right. As with P.T. Barnum, we were born only a minute ago; many more will be born a little after noon January 20th, but won't realize it for a while. I begin to fear more for us now with the "Center-Right Cabinet" and advisors than the last 8 years.

If I'm wrong (again) we may still be here, at least physically. If I'm right, and others now share the seeming duplicity I was blinded to, it won't matter.

I had hope, funny word, that. I guess my definition is subject to a different interpretation from that offered by the winning candidate. And I'm sorry.

The Chancellory next; then, "Peace in our time"... at what price?

Jefferson must be spinning.

Ahh, youth; wasted on the young.
What would you have done differently?

Obama's Generation: Post Idealogical

I was watching MSNBC this morning and they were discussing Obama's generation vs the Clinton and Bush's Baby Boomer (1946-1954) generation. I'm in Obama's generation (1955-1964) and it's predicted that with this generational shift in Washington, there will be less partisanship and less rigid ideology than what we saw with the last two baby boomer presidents. Personally, I hope that the dems take the high road and not use this administration to pay back the republicans for 16 years of torture. (We're talking about cultural generations here and not familial generations)

Do you think Obama's generation learned from the mistakes of the Baby Boomers?

This Land Is Your Land

From the inauguration concert at the Lincoln Memorial featuring Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen. Wonderful. This is from Italy.

Don't Speak (live): Musical Interlude

Dubai to invest in Nigerian oil sector --Landmark agreement signed by Dubai World and Federal Republic of Nigeria

Landmark cooperation agreement signed between Dubai and Nigeria: Dubai World Chairman His Excellency Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem (right), shakes hands with the Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Minister of Justice, Honourable Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, San, during the signing ceremony in Abuja. The Nigerian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, His Excellency Alhaji Bashir Yuguda (centre), looks on:



DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Dubai said Sunday it has reached a deal with Nigeria to invest in the African nation's conflict-ravaged oil industry and other sectors of the economy.

Under the deal, Dubai Natural Resources World, a subsidiary of state-owned conglomerate Dubai World, would manage the development and output of Nigeria crude oil and gas reserves. Dubai World called the agreement "far reaching," but provided few details, including the financial terms.


Dubai Natural Resources World spokesmen said they could not clarify what specific areas of Nigeria's energy sector were involved, nor were they willing to provide additional details about the agreement or make officials available to comment.

Abuja - 18th January 2009: Dubai World, one of the largest holding companies in the world, announced today that it has signed a far-reaching cooperation agreement with the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for investment in a number of key sectors in the Nigerian economy.



far-reach·ing (fär'rē'chĭng)
adj. Having a wide range, influence, or effect: the far-reaching implications of a major new epidemic.


I can't even begin to imagine...

I can't help but wonder about who the investors are in this DNRW (Dubai Natural Resource World

Mohammed Sharaf, CEO of Dubai World subsidiary DP World, said in a statement on Saturday that the resource-rich continent needed more investment and joint ventures with foreign companies.

“What African countries need are partners who want to tap into all their resources, including human resources, and profit from the growth of the entire economy, the type of growth that is a benefit for all,” Sharaf said.

However, Sharaf warned foreign investors should not exploit Africa's natural resources, urging companies to contribute to local economies.

I still can't find any names...

nothing but "UAE Companies"


anyone?

anyone?

SNL Writers Were Prescient

From Andrew Sullivan: Eight years ago, Will Ferrell performed Bush's future first State Of The Union. It could stand for his farewell address as well:



hat tip oddjob

Now I know what my problem is

Wealthy men give women more orgasms

Sunday Morning Sweet Sounds of NINA SIMONE...My Baby Just Cares For Me

The song is from her album Little Girl Blue

From her Biography - I Put a Spell on You:
Simone would never benefit financially from the album; she sold the rights for $3000, missing out on more than $1 million of royalties (mainly because of the successful re-release of "My Baby Just Cares for Me" in the 1980s). The song became one of her biggest hits years later in 1987, when it was featured in a Chanel no. 5 perfume commercial.

She makes mention of this here in a live performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival (?1990) where her sadness is ever so palpable.


You can read a homage to the remarkable Nina Simone here.

PS FROM BLONDESENSE LIZ
This is a Nina Simone song, Sugar in My Bowl, that I enjoy performing:

Going Home

(Some editing from original for clarity):
Vice President Cheney Traveling
A team of nine specially trained handlers have successfully lured outgoing vice president Dick Cheney into a reinforced steel traveling crate in order to transport him back to his permanent enclosure in Casper, WY, official sources reported Monday. "He's a smart one. Once he sees the crate, he gets pretty nippy, but we've learned a few tricks over the years," chief VP wrangler Ted Irving breathlessly said while applying pressure to a deep gash on his forearm. "If we break a rabbit's legs and throw it in there, he will eventually go in to finish it off. Doesn't work with dead rabbits, though. Cheney only eats what he kills." Irving said that the latest vice presidential relocation went much more smoothly than September's diplomatic trip to Georgia, which was delayed for several hours after Cheney mauled three secret service agents and escaped inside the White House walls.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Somehow, it seems apropos.
Find someone to snuggle up with.

From NPR-Exclusive First Listen: M. Ward's 'Hold Time -Release Date Feb. 17

I haven't been this excited about an entire album in ages! It's absolutely M.azing!!! M. Ward has been a favorite of mine for a few years now. His song Chinese Translation (from his Post-War album/2006) was playing non-stop in my head for at least a year or so. I also very much enjoyed Volume One, a collaborative effort between M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel -- FANTASTIC -- Ladies, you'll adore this one!

FINALLY - - It's been a few years, but well worth the wait. I just hope I can hold out another few weeks before 'Hold Time' hits the shelves. No itunes purchase for me -- I want to touch and feel and hold on to this one.

When you have a free hour or so, I highly recommend sitting back and having an EXCLUSIVE FIRST LISTEN to M. Ward's 'Hold Time', courtesy of NPR.

NPR.org, January 12, 2009 - The songs of singer-guitarist M. Ward seem to drift in on the crackling radio waves of a distant time. Warm and intimate, his largely acoustic and usually spare arrangements are a tribute to what Ward sees as the greatest era for American music: the 1950s and early '60s, when singers like Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison infused country-rooted pop with honesty and romance. Ward's latest album, Hold Time, continues this tradition, with a gorgeously produced mix of finger-picked guitars, upright bass and shuffling rhythms, all tied together by his achy voice.

Hold Time won't be released until Feb. 17, but listeners can hear the entire album here on NPR Music as an exclusive preview.

The new disc was mixed by producer and multi-instrumentalist Mike Mogis, with guest appearances by Lucinda Williams, Zooey Deschanel (She & Him), Rachel Blumberg (The Decemberists) and others. Though it mostly features all-new songs, Hold Time includes a handful of cover tunes, including Don Gibson's "Oh Lonesome Me" and "Rave On," made popular by Buddy Holly.

"I think the songwriting style of (Buddy Holly's) period was superior," Ward says in an interview with All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. "There was a certain amount of joy in it, no matter how sad the song is. You get joy in listening to these Buddy Holly or Roy Orbison sad lyrics. I'm attracted to songs that have balance between the darks and the lights and giving them all equal opportunity."

I can't even pick a favorite. At the moment though, I've been playing 'Outro' over and over and over - trying to figure out why it's so hauntingly familiar. It's an instrumental, so you can really focus on his prodigious guitar performance throughout the song. At first listen, it had a vague similarity to Santo and Johnny's 'Sleepwalk'. But now after listening to it again and again, I'm hearing this ALL TIME FAVORITE of mine:

Manha De Carnaval - John McLaughlin & Al DiMeola & Paco Delucia





Below is his live version of Chinese Translation from The David Letterman Show a while back



And here is the recorded version of Chinese Translation

Stupid White People

As Obama's inauguration looms, white supremacist groups are gaining momentum

Anger, violence and interest in racist ideology did increase in the hours and days after Obama was elected president in November, hate groups experts said.

Three New York men were indicted on charges of conspiracy to interfere with voting rights -- accused of targeting and attacking African-Americans in a brutal crime spree soon after Obama was declared the winner on November 4.

And interest in racist ideology was so high right after the election that computer servers for two White supremacist Web sites crashed, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups.

But the violence and interest soon subsided. Leaders within the white supremacist movement are now seeking to capitalize on Obama's presidency by using his election to help grow their organizations.

"President-elect Obama is going to be the spark that arouses the 'white movement,' " reads a posting on the National Socialist Movement Web site. "Obama's win is our win. We should all be happy of this event."

In an interview posted on his Web site on election night, former Louisiana state Rep. David Duke said Obama's election "is good in one sense -- that it is making white people clear of the fact that that government in Washington, D.C., is not our government."

"We are beginning to learn and realize our positioning," Duke, a prominent white supremacist, later said in the election night recording. "And our position is that we have got to stand up and fight now."

Yahoo's Tech Ticker: Bank of America Shocker: How Much More Will Taxpayers Take?

Henry Blodget and Aaron Task discuss...



Does it even matter that "the taxpayers" have already said enough is enough?

I think all us taxpayers should l just stop paying our bills for a few months and see what happens.

I know -- let's just send some Monopoly Money™ in the envelope instead.

Economy getting worse isn't it?

As I drive along the main drag in my neck of the woods, I see businesses closing left and right. Circuit City is liquidating all 567 stores.

I don't think it's my imagination that the economy is tanking. The wingers must be living in a parallel universe.

How are you all faring in this mess?

Psycho Rocker Wants to Make Nice With Obama

Ted Nugent writes in an editorial that he wants to be Obama's drug czar. This is the same guy who while holding a couple of machine guns during a concert said, "Obama, he's a piece of shit, and I told him to suck on my machine gun." Now he wants to make nice.

"Call me, President Obama. Hippies, dope heads, corrupt politicos and various other human debris hate me, which makes me the perfect man for the job."

Someone call a psychiatrist for this nut.

Source: Raw Story

(un)Official Friday Sex Post

Unofficial, as in not having official authority, as in FULL OF SHIT

Here are two stories that, in my humble opinion, are a load of crap...

Have you read about the scientists (?) who have identified The Marilyn Monroe "Whoremone" that is linked to an hour-glass body shape in women, and also an increased desire to trade-up to new men?

(I really think these scientists would serve the public far better if they spent their time finding a cure for cancer.)

Women who have high levels of oestradoil also show elevated confidence and a greater inclination to have sex outside of their current relationship, according to the US-based research.
The ovarian steroid hormone is also associated with having a symmetrical face, large breasts and a low waist-to-hip ratio.

My advice to the men who fall for these women...



and now, for the biggest crock of shit I've ever herd (as in cutting one loose from):

The story of Ms. Natalie Dylan. (I can't believe US news and world report is covering this -- under their Money & Business section of course, and I can't believe there's over 3 million hits for it over at google.) As the saying goes -- I guess sex does sell.

That pig Howard Stern is the one who started this back in September.
In my opinion, it's just one big hoax. She apparently signed a book deal the other day, and will most likely not even go through with it.

Dylan (not even her real name) says - "We live in a capitalist society. Why shouldn't I be allowed to capitalize on my virginity?"

I say to "Natalie" -- then why not film it and sell the video.

If this really is a legit auction (as it's being called) how is it that offering money for sex is o.k. over the internet, but illegal everywhere else (except in Vegas of course -- maybe that's the loop hole!)

I don't know folks.

A fine example of what we've become... selling one's self out to the highest bidder I guess.

Why isn't prostitution legal anyway? Selling is legal. Sex is legal. So why isn't selling sex legal?

I guess only the government can legally screw us out of our money


crossposted at BigBrassBlog

What’s Your Worst Travel/Airplane/Airport Experience?

I got this idea from Melissa over at Shakesville (inspired by today’s miracle on the Hudson). Amazing how many things can go wrong when a person travels. My worst? It's a tossup. When I was 11 - the plane I was in went down with all 4 engines on fire. We all made it OK. They foamed the runway in Denver, so it was like landing in a cloud of shaving cream. It was one of those church sponsored trips (to Ireland) where they charter a plane and everybody pays a drastically reduced rate. The plane was old – a prop job. I remember we milk-run’d the return – Ireland, Greenland, New York, Denver and finally San Francisco. The engines caught fire just outside Denver. I’m the one who noticed it and let everybody know (god, could my mother scream). Funnily enough – my mother knew it was going to happen. When we were about to leave the hotel in Ireland – she came out of our room white as a sheet. She told my father someone had laid a hand on her shoulder and told her the plane was going to crash. Now – my mother always had these pre-sentiments (as do I) – but my father wouldn’t listen. “You’re getting on the plane!” he hollered. He wasn’t coming with, because my parents had decided to move to Ireland (they were both born there). My mother was just coming back to tie up loose ends (like renting out our house). Needless to say, my father shut up about my mother’s sixth sense after that. I knew we’d be OK, actually – and I told everyone that, thinking it would help (I was only 11). We were both right, my mother and I. The plane did go down – but everyone survived.

The next worst has to be when I landed in Narita Airport (Japan) following my recently separated first husband to where he'd been stationed (it had been an eventful year). In point of fact, my 25th year was a revelation in a myriad of ways – but that’s a whole host of different stories. Welllll (to shorten the saga)….the bastard never showed up to meet me. There I was - my entire compliment of worldly goods in tow - and no husband to help smooth the way. I couldn’t even get him on the phone; once I figured out how the damned things worked and persuaded some kind stranger to lend me the proper coinage (banks aren’t open in the middle of the night). In the end, I was forced to find my way from the airport all on my own. Let’s hear it for the kindness of the Japanese people – without whom I would never have managed. In the end, I arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base only to find my then husband hadn’t even made reservations for me at the dependent hotel. No reservations – and my name wasn’t up at the front gate to get let in. So no one was expecting me. You wanna talk pissed? It had taken me 4 hours to locate Yokosuka (and that luggage was heavy!). By the time I got there – no 18 year-old Marine (however well armed) was keeping me from finding my husband and flaying him with a dull knife. Oh they let me pass. I located the husband on board his ship. The whole of Yokosuka heard exactly what I thought of the son-of-a-bitch in exquisite and intricate detail (complete with twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one).

End of the story? I ditched the jamoke, got a job, and live happily in Japan for several years. So how about you? What’s your worst story?

Gaza situation just heartbreaking

A UN complex which sheltered almost 700 civilians in Gaza was shelled today . It contained hundreds of tons of relief supplies. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was furious and suspended its relief operations. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that it "was a grave mistake." It reportedly smelled like phosphorus.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the military fired artillery shells at the U.N. compound after Hamas militants opened fire from the location. Three people were wounded.

"It is absolutely true that we were attacked from that place, but the consequences are very sad and we apologize for it," he said.

Israel's chief military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Avi Benayahu, said the military had not clarified the incident and that an investigation was under way.

"If it becomes clear that we returned shots at the source of fire, we will say so, and if it turns out we operated by mistake, we will not hesitate to confess," Benayahu told Israeli television.

I'm just thinking... Israel invades Gaza and starts killing people. Naturally some people shoot back... so Israel napalms the UN relief effort? Boy, that'll teach them.

Amazing: All 155 survive plane crash in NYC's Hudson River

It appears that a plane which took off from LaGuardia airport hit a flock of geese and went down shortly afterwards in the near freezing Hudson River.

I was watching the rescue on television and baby, it's cooooold outside.

Evolution of Dance 2 (by Judson Laipply)

Judson Laipply is back with the official sequel to "Evolution of Dance" - one of the most watched Internet videos of all time!
(It was just put up a few days ago and already has close to 2 million views)

I JUST LOVE THIS GUY TO PIECES!





Here's his first Evolution of Dance from 2006



You can view his dance in a higher quality video and learn all about Laipply and his charitable giving here.

Since 2000, Inspirational Comedian™ Judson Laipply has been educating and entertaining audiences all over the world. After earning his Masters degree from Bowling Green State University and his B.A. from Bluffton University Judson embarked on mission to make people laugh and think. Working full time with Certa-Pro Painters for the first two years Laipply slowly began to build a following while crafting his style and content. After moving to Cleveland in 2002 and going full time Judson has never looked back and currently averages over 100 shows a year. His shows are funny and reverent, inspiring and comical, casual and poignant, and audiences are left feeling energized and inspired.
In March of 2001, Judson performed for the first time in public a finale that would one-day take the world by storm. After mixing together 12 popular dance songs from the last 50 years Judson debuted “The Evolution of Dance” and it instantly became a crowd favorite. 5 years and 18 songs later, Laipply placed a video of the 30 song six-minute “The Evolution of Dance” on little know site called YouTube. No one could have predicted what followed. In the next few months the video became a viral sensation and was passed from email to email, posted in countless blogs, discussed on endless talk shows and podcasts, and the entire world watched as the video amassed over 70 millions views in under 8 months and helped propel YouTube to the status it has today. To date it is the single most watched video in the history of the Internet and has been viewed over 150 million times and is the single most popular video on YouTube. The popularity of the video lead to appearances on the Today Show, Ellen, Inside Edition, E!, Oprah, and hundreds of other media outlets around the world. He has been in 2 music videos, one for Bare Naked Ladies, and one for Weezer, performed at halftime of the NBA finals, and continues to bring laughter into the lives of all those who watch it.
Laipply continues to speak to a wide range of audiences across the globe and currently resides in Cleveland Ohio.

Musical Interlude

I found this one at C&L

She Ain't Right For You
by Macy Gray

Cheney: A Piece of Work

From Editor and Publisher: In an exit interview with PBS's Jim Lehrer for the "NewsHour", Vice President Cheney repeats claims that Saddam Hussein worked with al-Qaeda. Asked if he made any mistakes in his eight years as V.P., Cheney only mentions underestimating the psychological harm Saddam had done to his own people. He said his administration bore no blame for the economic problem: "I think we had good economic policies, especially in the early years." And the terror threat was inherited because of the poor handling by previous presidents.

On polls showing he is overwhelmingly unpopular among the American people: "I don't buy that."

And he shrugged off a critical statement today by a key figure, who used to work under him -- she called the handling of one terror suspect as clear "torture."

Here is the transcript of the "torture" exchange, followed by the rest of the transcript

Give Our Regards to Number One

In the 1960s British actor Patrick McGoohan helped create and starred in a TV series titled The Prisoner, a surrealist drama where a spy who tried to quit was incarcerated in an unknown location called "The Village" in an effort to extract information from him.

Here's a clip of the introduction to each episode:



And this is his response to "Number Two" (we never see One) when McGoohan's character is labeled Number Six:



The series was short, but has a cult following to this day.

McGoohan's last prominent role was as King Edward I Longshanks in Braveheart. He died today in California, aged 80.

Number Six is now free.

Rest in Peace, Patrick.

"Be seeing you."

Mr. Still President -- Six Days, Seven Nights -- Jon Stewart covers his recent "Final News Conference"

"President Bush is suddenly doing press as though January 20th is the day his album drops"

This is really, really, REALLY painful to watch...

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

Six Days Seven Nights

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Check out his parting "gift" --
Bush Declares State of Emergency for Inauguration

The move will allow the federal government to provide funding to District government agencies, which have been swamped with planning and paying for security and transportation needs.

The government had already given DC $15M to help with the inauguration costs.

It seems that they really needed $75M, and the only way to get this additional funding for security and transportation is to declare a state of emergency.

I really, really, REALLY hope that's the only reason...

Speaking of crazy christian religious nuts...

Exposed: Prop. 8 part of 'Christian Taliban's' move to make Bible the law

Ahmanson is a Christian Reconstructionist, a devout follower of the late R.J. Rushdoony, who advocated the replacement of the U.S. Constitution with the most extreme precepts of the Old Testament, including the execution -- preferably by stoning -- of homosexuals, adulterers, witches, blasphemers, and disobedient children.

Ahmanson himself has stated, "My goal is the total integration of biblical law into our lives."

As absurd as this Reconstructionist agenda may seem, the success of Proposition 8 demonstrates the ability of what is sometimes called the "Christian Taliban" to pursue its covert objectives behind the screen of seemingly mainstream initiatives and candidates.

Total integration of Biblical Law into our lives. hmmm. Sounds like a pretty violent existence. If you've read the bible, you know what I'm talking about. The Proposition 8 debacle is just the start. It's time for people to wake up and quit making excuses for religious nuts. I see no reason to 'respect' people for their religion in a secular country when they have an agenda that seeks to undo the years of hard fought progress made. Be careful of who you vote for.

Readers may be interested in this blog Dwindling in Unbelief
.

Pro-Israel Rally For Attacking Gaza in NYC 1-11-09

Crazy New Yorkers rallied in favor of Israel's assault on Gaza including Chuck Schumer who praised Israel for warning Palestinians before they were blown up and Gov. David Paterson who said that there was no room for hate in NY. I guess Paterson didn't see this video. Max Blumenthal was there with his movie camera. Watch it while I throw up... or read the story.

Catholic Visionaries Ordered to Keep Silent

If the Virgin Mary appears to you, keep quiet.

According to Petrus, an Italian online magazine which leans towards conservative elements in the Vatican, anyone who claims to have seen an apparition will only be believed as long as they remain silent and do not court publicity over their claims. If they refuse to obey, this will be taken as a sign that their claims are false.

The visionaries will then be visited by a team of psychiatrists, either atheists or Catholics, to certify their mental health while theologians will assess the content of any heavenly messages to see if they contravene Church teachings.

If the visionary is considered credible they will ultimately be questioned by one or more demonologists and exorcists to exclude the possibility that Satan is hiding behind the apparitions in order to deceive the faithful.

This was certainly a step in the right direction... until that last part. I wonder who decides whether or not Satan is hiding behind the apparitions.

Men, Check Your Fingers

I was watching the news this morning and the newscasters were comparing their fingers because a story came out that if a man's ring finger is much longer than his index finger, he is more likely to be financially successful and a better trader. It's a hormonal thing. The amount of testosterone and androgen in the womb account for different finger lengths of individuals.

They studied male financial traders in London, taking saliva samples in the morning and evening. They found that those with higher levels of testosterone in the morning were more likely to make an unusually big profit that day. Testosterone, best known as the male sex hormone, affects aggression, confidence and risk-taking.

In the new study, the researchers measured the right hands of 44 male stock traders who were engaged in a type of trade that involved rapid decision-making and quick physical reactions.

Over 20 months those with longer ring fingers compared to their index fingers made 11 times more money than those with the shortest ring fingers. Over the same time the most experienced traders made about 9 times more than the least experienced ones.

So I googled 'finger length'. What else does finger length tell us?

Hmmm. Now we women have more than one reason to check out a guy's ring finger.

Women who want to know whether a potential boyfriend is an alpha male or Mr Nice Guy should check out his fingers, say scientists. see also: Finger Length Predicts Aggression in Men

How about a homosexuality and finger length study?

If your kid needs a math tutor, find one with a longer ring finger.

Finger Length Predicts SAT Performance: longer ring fingered students scored better in math and those with a reverse ratio scored better in reading and writing.

Finger Length Helps Predict Elementary Exam Results, Study Shows

Osteoarthritis Risk Linked To Finger Length Ratio

A study of more than 2,000 people suggests that people whose index finger is shorter than their ring finger are up to twice as likely to suffer from the condition, which is the most common form of arthritis.

Women: A new study reveals that shorter men are more likely to be jealous.

I may be finally able to find a really nice yet not terribly financially successful guy with good reading and writing skills just by checking out his hands. Who knew?

House Resolution 34 -Recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza...

Resolution Header: Recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Passed on 9 January, 1.04 pm Eastern Time.

Votes: Yea: 390 ; Nay 5 ; Present: 22 ; Not Voting: 16 ; Required to pass: 2/3 of 417 votes, or 278.

The five Representatives voting NAY: Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) ; Gwen Moore (D-WI) ; Ron Paul (R-TX) ; Nick Rahall (D-WV) ; Maxine Waters (D-CA)


This is all I can find on HRES 34:


Following is a point-by-point rebuttal of US Congress House Resolution 34 produced by the folk at RebuildingAlliance.org (rebuttal in magenta).

House Resolution 34 (111th Congress) plus a world update.


Here's the cspan video of the hearings from cspanjunkie - “Members Of Congress Line Up To Kneel Before Their Master
(you can view the chief sponsor and author of this resolution - Nancy Pelosi - at approx. 6:40)

Here's Ron Paul addressing his opposition of HRES 34 to congress:


and from "white boy" David Duke:

You Want Proof of the Zionist Control of Congress — Here it is!


Maybe there is no concern over HRES 34?

I can't seem to find anything about it over at the Library of Congress website.

Must just be a mix-up?

No big deal?

What do you think... YES big deal, or NO big deal?

Who's the Bigger Bigot?

Ann Coulter and Mike Huckabee duke it out on Huckabee's TV show on Fox about who is the bigger bigot when it comes to gays. sheesh

Coulter: I am
Huckabee: No, I am
Coulter: You're not. I am.
Huckabee: I am the bigger bigot!


Apparently Coulter got him when it turned out that Huckabee agreed with a decision in 2003 that an anti-sodomy law was unconstitutional and would be hard to enforce. That wasn't good enough for Coulter who must think that every bedroom in America should be monitored by the right wing police.

What a Tool

Bush held his final news conference this morning. I sadly missed it but will watch it online. Various websites are reporting the "highlights."

Bush On Katrina: ‘Don’t Tell Me The Federal Response Was Slow’

Bush: It ‘may be fair’ to say that ‘Republicans don’t like immigrants.’

Asked about WMDs, Bush grins: 'Things didn't go according to plan.'
Other notable comments:

"Clearly putting a mission accomplished on an aircraft carrier was a mistake," he replied when asked what he'd done wrong under his watch.

"Some of my rhetoric has been a mistake."

"I've thought about Katrina," he added, without identifying particular errors in judgment.

"Abu Ghraib obviously was a huge disappointment," he continued. "Not having weapons of mass destruction was a big disappointment."

He seems to think that nothing he had done was wrong but things he said.

Yesterday in an interview with Faux News' Brit Hume, bush admitted to authorizing torture.

How many more days until this dimwit moves back to Texas?

Gay Bishop To Deliver Prayer at Inauguration

According to Politico via Raw Story, "The Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop will deliver a prayer at the Lincoln Memorial for Sunday's opening day inaugural event."


Good. Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire is controversial enough to piss off the religious right.

Dumb and Plumber

Joe the Plumber is in Israel reporting on the war, but he doesn't believe that the media should report on wars.

I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think journalists should be anywhere allowed war. I mean, you guys report where our troops are at. You report what’s happening day to day. You make a big deal out of it. I think it’s asinine. You know, I liked back in World War I and World War II when you’d go to the theater and you’d see your troops on, you know, the screen and everyone would be real excited and happy for’em. Now everyone’s got an opinion and wants to downer–and down soldiers. You know, American soldiers or Israeli soldiers.

I think media should be abolished from, uh, you know, reporting. You know, war is hell. And if you’re gonna sit there and say, “Well look at this atrocity,” well you don’t know the whole story behind it half the time, so I think the media should have no business in it.

Well I'm completely dumbfounded by this idiocy but I find the story oddly compelling. I think those on the right have completely lost their marbles.

Be True To Yourself... or else

Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me lucifer
cause I’m in need of some restraint …

I have mixed emotions about Ted Haggard. ( See The Lost Shepherd) I watched him in the movie Jesus Camp and detested him with his high and mighty attitude, insisting that homosexuality is such a major sin in the Bible (which it's not.) Just looking at the smug Haggard, head of a 30 million strong evangelical association going on and on about the sin of homosexuality made me think that must have something to hide. Sure enough, he was caught with his pants down and was banished by his so called "christian" church. He spent a few years in exile in Arizona. Now he's an insurance salesman and allowed to move back to Colorado and to step foot back into his congregation as a parishioner. I found myself oddly sympathetic to his plight mostly because I felt that his church shouldn't have cast him out for being a "sinner." Real Christians aren't supposed to do that... but maybe they missed that part in the Bible.

Haggard is still very much against gay marriage in America. He won't say that he's a homosexual but admits now that there is no black and white as far as sexuality goes- that for him there is a gray area. He says he's still tempted. He also insists that his marriage to his wife is better than ever. I'd like to hear her say that.

He put his wife and family through what must have been a living hell. This is exactly why I am for gay marriage. Everyone is happy to point the finger at the un-closeted gay men who were living lies in fake marriages with women, but what people fail to notice is the trauma to the fraud's wife and/or kids.

When closeted gay men marry women hoping to suppress who they really are, they are being selfish and they are hurting the institution of marriage more than helping it. It's so obvious to heterosexuals that legalized gay marriage will do nothing to hurt families. Keeping it illegal will only hurt more women like Mrs Haggard who was living a lie with her husband only to be publicly humiliated and ostracized from her community through no fault of her own. I see this happen time and time again with public figures and it breaks my heart to see their families put through such an ordeal.

What is it with this obsession by conservative so called christians and their anti-homosexual rantings? Homosexuality isn't even mentioned in the 10 Commandments, for gawdsake. It's like christian religions are run by nothing but closeted and self hating homosexuals.

Living lies isn't only the domain of closeted homosexuals. Many people are afraid of who they are or what others will think of them or their families, so they live lies and live in fear of being found out. They weave tangled webs that trap their family members as well which leads to stress and broken relationships. It's a vicious cycle. Eventually when truth comes out, the cover up is really only what people are interested in. The truth generally isn't as bad as the cover up.

People who cannot be honest ought to stay out of relationships... and church pulpits.

Sunday Morning MUSIC at the MOVIES

The Mental Defective League (Because life is difficult. And boring.) has two great posts up on the TOP 15 USES OF SONG IN A MOVIE. Great stuff!

Here are my picks:


Harry Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin' At Me (Midnight Cowboy)


(Can't decide which song I liked better in the movie)

John Barry- The Midnight Cowboy Theme


and my other OTHER favorite (song AND movie)....


Chuck Berry - You Never Can Tell (Pulp Fiction)



What's you favorite song in a movie?


Our readers' picks thus far:


From Minstrel Boy --
"devastating"
Platoon (1986 Film) "Adagio for Strings" (Samuel Barber)

From Brooke --
"The lyrics and his voice get to me every time."
Urban Cowboy - Love Look What You've Done To Me - Boz Scaggs


From Walt (aka Wanderer) --
"It never fails to send a chill up my spine."
Zulu - Men of Harlech - sung by the Welsh 24th Regiment of Foot at the Battle of Rorke's Drift


sara ("it rings me out like a rag") and Punkster ("falls apart sobbing") are with Minstrel Boy for "Adagio for Strings"

CHUCK!! - you're worse than me when it comes to selecting one:"Love Reign O'er Me" by the Who in the film Quadrophenia. "The 9th Symphony" by Beethoven in the film "A Clockwork Orange". "We'll Meet Again" by Vera Lynn in the film "Dr.Stangelove". "Love Story" by Henry Mancini in the film "Love Story". "Days of Wine and Roses" by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer in the film by the same name. "Moon River" by Mancini and Mercer in the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's". "The Pusher" by Steppenwolf in the film "Easy Rider". "Over the Rainbow" by Harold Arlen and E.Y.Harburg for the film "The Wizard of Oz"."Clair de Lune" by Debussy in the film "Frankie and Johnny".

Let's go with this video -- Breakfast At Tiffany's -- MOON RIVER -- Audrey Hepburn vs. Henry Mancini
(I picked this video cause her cat is a dead ringer for my little guy - and has the same "behavioral issues")


oh deaudonnee - I have no words -- like you, I am sobbing...
THE PEARL FISHERS from the film GALLIPOLI (fast forward video to 4:43 to hear song clip)


and here's The Pearl Fishers duet, in full, sung by Laimonas Pautienius & Edmundas Seilius (grab the kleenex box folks)


Reader "Stunned" is going with the song Valse Triste from the film Allegro no troppo "The film is a parody of Disney's Fantasia, though possibly more of a challenge to Fantasia than parody status would imply. In music, an instruction of "allegro ma non troppo" means to play "fast, but not overly so". In the context of this film, and without the "ma", it means Not So Fast!, an interjection meaning "slow down" or "think before you act" and refers to the film's pessimistic view of Western progress (as opposed to the optimism of Disney's original)."

"Yes, it's a stupid cat but I still bawl my eyes out during the ending scenes."

I say Give that cat an Emmy! it's OH SO PERFECT ON SO MANY LEVELS



From The Fat Lady Sings --
It brings me to tears each and every time. Both actors fell in love with one another during filming. The song is so tender. It just about breaks my heart."Falling Slowly" from the movie 'Once'.

Atrocity

It's a word that isn't used much any more, as people have seemed to have become inured to seeing or experiencing atrocious things in their daily lives. But it's a word that I'll use to describe what apparently happened on January 4th in the Gaza Strip town of Zeitun.

According to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) the Israeli Army herded some 110 Palestinians into a single-story house, ostensibly for their safety. That safety was rendered illusory about twenty-four hours later when IDF artillery shelled the house, killing thirty of the civilians inside. Compounding it, the UN and medical teams were blocked from entering the area.

Now, this is based on "several testimonies," according to the report, meaning of course that the IDF and its American apologists will be quick to counter that it's propaganda. But the IDF has already fessed up that it blew away five of its own soldiers due to 'friendly' fire, which doesn't bode well for its ability to distinguish between a legitimate target and noncombatants.

Interviews with Israeli civilians make it sound like some of the conversations I've had at work with people (some of whom are Gulf War vets, or ex-military) - a lot of racist rhetoric about "Hajjis" and "Sand ni**ers." Further indications of this attitude are found in such phrases as "they don't have the same vaules we have," "they don't value life like we do," and the ever-popular "force is the only thing these people understand."

These are absurdities.

And if people believe in absurdities, they can be convinced to commit atrocities.

Res ipsa loquitur.

Lunar Event Tonight

Saturday Night Special: Biggest Full Moon of 2009
SPACE.com – Fri Jan 9, 12:56 pm ET
If skies are clear Saturday, go out at sunset and look for the giant moon rising in the east. It will be the biggest and brightest one of 2009, sure to wow even seasoned observers.

...
It will appear about 14 percent bigger in our sky and 30 percent brighter than some other full moons during 2009, according to NASA. (A similar setup occurred in December, making that month's full moon the largest of 2008.)
...
This month's full moon is known as the Wolf Moon from Native American folklore. The full moon's of each month are named. January's is also known as the Old Moon and the Snow Moon. continued

Those of us in the northeast will be experiencing a winter storm and probably won't be seeing the Wolf Moon. I hope the rest of you can experience it.

The government will push for electronic health records for all Americans within five years in order to save both dollars and lives.

President-Elect Urges Electronic Medical Records in 5 Years

"To improve the quality of our health care while lowering its cost, we will make the immediate investments necessary to ensure that, within five years, all of America's medical records are computerized," Obama said in a speech from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. "This will cut waste, eliminate red tape and reduce the need to repeat expensive medical tests."

As a former victim of identity theft, (with a huge "chip"on my shoulder) you can imagine what my position on this might be. At the time of this identity theft, I was fortunate to be living in one of the wealthier areas of NJ and luckily I was able to resolve this within a few months before it really got out of hand. The police department handled everything for me. I've read horror stories though about people's lives being ruined forever when their identity is stolen.

Then, when we moved back to CT, we dealt with another "breech" and were notified that our personal information (from our tax return) was on a state employee's computer that had been stolen. We were given 2 years of "free" Debix Identity Theft Protection. (and don't EVEN get me started on Debix)

THEN, the entire family got notification last year that we were all entitled to another 2 years of Debix protection because a computer containing ALL of our information (this time the kids SS numbers were involved) was stolen from the office of a former employer. I'm guessing it was someone's computer from the HR department that handled our health benefits.

So, you can see how I might object to my personal information being available "on-line" via my medical records.

It's not about the medical info being available (I've worked as a medical secretary for many years, and I can assure you that your medical records ARE NOT PRIVATE). I just have grave concerns about the SS# being available.

Identity theft aside, do we really want the government controlling our medical records with carte blanche access to our personal information?

Big Pharma and the insurance companies will have a field day with all of this info!

How do you think employers might use this to their advantage when hiring someone? (i.e. pre-existing conditions)

or when they might want to get the "dirt" on someone...

Remember the fiasco about Joe the Plumber and how much child support he owed?

"The systematic misuse of government databases and the governor's woeful under-reaction to state government workers engaging in this outrageous behavior make House Bill 648 necessary," she told the committee.

And we can't forget about
Linda Tripp's settlement with the Pentagon over the leaking of details in her personnel file


Maybe we should just hand our arms over right now, save a lot of wasted time and energy, and get our chips...


crossposted at BigBrassBlog

OFSP - Ow! Ow! Ow! Edition

In the city of Adelaide, Melbourne, Australia several days ago, a woman named Rajni Narayan had a problem.

You see, she suspected her husband might be sleeping around behind her back.

So, stating later that "his penis should belong to me," Ms. Narayan set fire to her husband's genitals.

She now faces charges of murder in Australia, as Mr. Narayan died of his injuries in the hospital. She also didn't know how to contain the blaze, as the fire she set burned down their $700,000 townhouse.

Let the "hunka hunka burnin' love" jokes commence.

The Daily Show covers "Burger at 1600" (and Joe the Plumber goes to Gaza)

While Barack Obama and all the living ex-presidents eat lunch together, Joe the Plumber deals with the Middle East crisis.


OUTSTANDING!!

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

Burger at 1600

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Way to cause more panic

NYPD Eyes Disrupting Cell Phones in Event of Terrorist Attack
The New York Police Department is looking for ways to disrupt cell phone calls and other forms of electronic communication among terrorists in the event of another terror attack in New York, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says.

...

Kelly stressed the need for law enforcement to be able to disrupt cell phone calls and other communications during an attack, pointing to threats posed by the media when they disclose law enforcement tactics during live coverage that can get passed back to the attackers.

Wouldn't you think that the terrorists would try to block electronic communications too... and that even of the rescue workers? Or maybe not. During 9/11 NYC cell phone service (and television) was disrupted when the WTC collapsed. What a mess. Don't attack NY again, terrorists. please.

Sister Mary Elephant... SHUDD UUUUUP!

Just over at The Hits Just Keep On Comin' listening to some old comedy albums.





Here's a classic...



(OMG I can't believe I still remember every line)

Obligatory Friday Sex Post

Porn Kings want DC bailout.

Seems that dirty movie sales have gone limp in the past year.

Gonzo Can't Find Work

Blames it on the economy

“It’s a rough economy right now, and it’s a tough time for a lot of law firms right now. Obviously they are very careful about bringing on new people, and they are going to be careful about bringing on people where there are questions about things that may have happened in their past,” he said. “Over time, I’m confident those things will be resolved, and things will work themselves out.”

“Greater opportunities,” Gonzales, 53, said, “will present themselves once the stories are out there.”

He goes on to say later in the interview that he would like to be baseball commissioner. Good lord. Somebody help me! He couldn't get appointed lavatory attendant at a baseball field with his credentials.

Boo Hoo

Governor Sarah Palin is all pissy that Caroline Kennedy isn't being scrutinized as much as Palin was by the media.

That is because Caroline Kennedy is not a blithering idiot a heartbeat away from the presidency. Duh.

Joe the Plumber is now Joe the War Correspondant

oy vay

From Think Progress:

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, aka “Joe the Plumber,” is taking on a new job as a war correspondent. He is heading to Israel to cover the war for the conservative site PJTV.com. Wurzelbacher said his 10-day journey will help explain why Israeli forces are mounting attacks against Hamas:

I get to go over there and let their “Average Joes” share their story, what they think, how they feel — especially with, you know, world opinion. Maybe get a real story out there.

Watch it

Last October, Wurzelbacher claimed that Obama’s victory would mean “death to Israel,” leading Fox News reporter Shep Smith to call him “frightening.” Wurzelbacher also questioned Obama’s loyalty to the U.S., and has justified the invasion and occupation of Iraq by claiming “it’s like someone coming to Jesus and becoming saved.”

This is journalism? Oh this should be interesting. Joe explains it all. Yeah. Right.

No word on whether or not he'll speak to a Palestinian.

Musical Interlude

My son playing the uke. Who knew?

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes? Hope? I don't think so folks - - - Obama picks RIAA's favorite lawyer for a top Justice post

(Happy Birthday David!)

I do believe we all got fooled again


the "permanent establishment" is still going to be running the government.


At least he broke his silence on the conflict in Gaza:

"I’m very concerned with the conflict taking place there," Obama said. "I’m monitoring the situation on a day to day basis."Obama said he was "not backing away at all from what I said during the campaign" and that "starting at the beginning of our administration, we’re going to engage effectively and consistently in trying to resolve the conflict in the Middle East."

(Yes - I'm grasping here folks)

anywho...
Here's the story on his selection for 3rd in charge at the DOJ - The RIAA's favorite lawyer

And here's some background on copyrights and copywrongs

Have a sparkling day...

Quote of the Day

“I’m actually a warm, loveable sort.”
-Vice President Dick Cheney

Never Ending Song Of Love by Delaney And Bonnie And Friends -1971

One of my favorite songs from back in the day.


I've been catching up with my
favorite music blogs today, and was saddened to learn that Rock songwriter Delaney Bramlett died a few weeks ago.


another great tune...

Only You Know And I know


Here's some background on the group from wiki

Homecrafters to turn into criminals under new law

Microbusinesses that lovingly create handmade items for children will become illegal manufacturers of "hazardous substances" overnight thanks to a new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.

This law includes hand-knitted, quilted and hand-sewn clothes, wooden toys and the myriad of other products for children which traditionally have been sold by arts-and-crafts shops countrywide for decades. These are usually produced by cash-strapped people at home.

She says that even granny's home-made quilts sold in the local arts-and-crafts shop won't be exempt from this new law. Also disastrous is the fact that thousands of tons of these often exquisitely-handcrafted products in the pre-existing stock of shops also will have to be dumped as contraband which under this law will be deemed to contain 'banned, hazardous substances' after February 10 -- because the Act is retroactive. Each product will have be tested at huge cost and produce a certificate of compliance before it can be sold. Handcrafters say they can't afford this huge price-tag of $4,000 for each test.

...

Manufacturers -- all these microbusinesses included -- will have to obtain a certificate of compliance: anyone who makes clothing, toys etc regardless of volume, needs to have each and every component tested by a CPSC-accredited laboratory at huge cost for each individual product.

"This includes not just toys, but clothing, jewelry, blankets, sheets, books, bibs, strollers, carriers, and anything else that a child younger than 12 might come in contact with," she said.

"These tests have to be done at a CSPC accredited lab, and cost as much as $4,000 with an average of around $500. So for me, I offer three different types of dresses. Each dress contains two different fabrics, as well as buttons, and thread (each of which needs to be tested), so that’s potentially $2,000 to test one dress. But I have three styles, so that’s $6,000.

And when I get a new bolt of fabric, I need to start all over again. I can only make 15 dresses from one bolt, so there is no way I could make the testing financially feasible".

She agrees wholeheartedly that the children must be protected from harmful chemicals. "However this law, as it is currently written, will affect handmade toy and apparel makers - the very people many of us turn to for safe toys, clothing and decor for our children." Continued

Wonderful. And it won't be long before all handmade items for sale by artisans and crafters will go under such scrutiny perhaps because a child might come in contact with it. As a designer of handmade specialty items for the past 20 odd years, most of us take special care to use only the finest supplies and ingredients and I only buy products that are certified lead free before I use them in my projects. It's not like I want to work with dangerous products in the first place, so why would I want to sell them? That is why so many people buy handmade items. duh.

Now they want us to even have bolts of fabric that we use tested? Why is it not tested before it goes to market in the first place? Shouldn't I be able to trust companies that sell me jewelry components and say that they are lead free be enough without my having to spend thousands to have them tested?

I wonder, who pray tell is going to regulate the absolute crap that comes to us from China and other crappy countries? Why should it be the responsibility of home business crafters to be sure that the supplies we use which are manufactured by big businesses be safe? Will these regulations even force manufacturers to go out of business?

Even if I were to grow cotton or raise sheep and silkworms to make my own fabric from scratch for my microbusiness, it would cost me thousands before I could even sell it. This act will hurt many people in America whose businesses are what makes the mortgage payment or rent each month. It's not good to kill the entrepreneurial spirit which made this country great in the first place.

How to object to this Act
Lodge objections no later than January 30 2009 to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Office of the Secretary, email Sec102ComponentPawrtsTesting@cpsc.gov . They can be faxed to (USA) 301 504-0127

Snailmail:
The Office of the Secretary,
Consumer Product Safety Commission,
Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway,
Bethesda, Maryland 20814 US.
Comments should be captioned: Section 102 Mandatory Third-Party Testing of Component Parts'

Calling Dr. Curly, Dr. Larry, Dr. Moe.......Dr. GUPTA?

Please forgive the cynicism. It's a bad habit.

I'm just having a difficult time assessing this appointment.


Here's what Ezra Klein thinks:




Here's what
Paul Krugman has to say.


Here's Larry King, Michael Moore and Dr. Gupta discussing our health care system


(and what about all this Reefer Madness?)


Here's some opinion from the WSJ Health Blog:
Good Call. Bad Call. I would have preferred Gregory House, M.D.


and last, but certainly not least..., here's what PZ Myers and his commenters have to say:

I'm not so sure about this pick

It looks like Obama has picked Sanjay Gupta to be surgeon general. He seems a bit of a lightweight, to me — he's mainly known as a congenial talking head on television news. He's also an apologist for US health care, which does not give me any confidence that we can expect the slightest effort towards health care reform. I suspect Obama has just picked a pleasant smiling face to act as a placeholder, and that disappoints me.

We'll have to see how that ol' conservative, Orac, reacts to this news

.

and here's Orac's response

What do you think?

UNTITLED

APRES LE MASSACRE DE CANA EN 2006 , LE MASSACRE COURAGEUX A DISTANCE DES ENFANTS DE GAZA DECEMBRE 2008/JANVIER 2009

Ya Mon......He's Baaack!! Jon Stewart/Daily Show January 5, 2009

Full Episode

They're not diving out of windows on Wall Street.

‘Broken’ Billionaire Merckle Killed Self, Family Says
Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- German billionaire Adolf Merckle committed suicide by throwing himself under a train, “broken” as his business empire crumbled under a growing burden of debt, his family said.

The 74 year-old businessman was hit yesterday evening near his hometown of Blaubeuren, 44 miles southeast of Stuttgart, a police officer said in an interview. His body was found on the tracks at around 7:30 p.m. about 300 yards from his home and a suicide note had also been found.

Wondering when world leaders will stay "Enough!"

Norwegian doctor: Israel intentionally targeting civilians
Israel is deliberately attacking the Palestinian population, not just targeting Hamas as Israeli authorities have said numerous times.

"Just a little bit more than an hour ago, the Israelis bombed the central food market in Gaza City and we had a mass influx of about 50 injured and between 10 and 15 killed," said Gilbert, on the phone with Sky News.

"At the same time they bombed an apartment house with children playing on the roof and we had a lot of children also. This is really like from Dante's Inferno. It's like hell here now and it's been bombing all night. Up till now, close to 500 people have been killed and the number of casualties is getting to 2 to 2 and a half thousand which 50 percent are children and women."


Israel hits UN school, nears major Gaza towns
Israeli forces edged closer to Gaza's major population centers on Tuesday and attacked new sites, including a U.N. school, taking more civilian lives after ignoring mounting international calls for an immediate cease-fire. A Palestinian rocket attack wounded an Israeli infant.

Gaza wounded dying because ambulances can't reach them: Red Cross
GENEVA (AFP) — People wounded in fighting in the Gaza Strip are dying because ambulances cannot reach them, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Monday.

Israel deliberately attacked Palestinian journalists
Israel deliberately targeted Hamas-run media installations in its bombing campaign on Gaza and is practising media censorship, a journalist rights group said Monday.

The installations in question include Al-Aqsa television, Al-Resalah newspaper and Sawt Al-Aqsa radio, which the Israeli army bombed on December 28 and over the weekend respectively, the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign said in a statement, citing a Palestinian media non-governmental group.

Good News For Lovers

Stony Brook University researchers looked at the brains of Bernstein and 16 other people who had been married an average of 20 years and claimed to be still intensely in love. They found that their MRIs showed activity in the same regions of the brain as those who had just fallen in love.

...the study found an advantage to the longer-term relationships she studied: The brains of those people showed less anxiety and obsessiveness.

Aron had conducted an earlier MRI study published in 2005 among 17 people who had recently fallen in love. He found that regions of the brain associated generally with reward and motivation - the same regions that light up when cocaine is taken - activated when the subjects were shown pictures of their beloved. These regions, Aron said, are not the same as those associated with sexual arousal.

And what are YOU doing here?: Wife asks man at brothel

This story speaks for itself.

"What are you doing here?": man asks wife at brothel

WARSAW (Reuters) - A Polish man got the shock of his life when he visited a brothel and spotted his wife among the establishment's employees.

Polish tabloid Super Express said the woman had been making some extra money on the side while telling her husband she worked at a store in a nearby town.

"I was dumfounded. I thought I was dreaming," the husband told the newspaper on Wednesday.

The couple, married for 14 years, are now divorcing, the newspaper reported.

Check it out.

The Wraith has a post up entitled Open Thread: The Hope and Change Edition.

BUT! There's also links to his "Before" and "After" photos pursuant to his trip to the hair salon wherein he asks for opinions:
"It's your call: better, worse, or no change?"

Smoking ban leads to major drop in heart attacks

ATLANTA – A smoking ban in one Colorado city led to a dramatic drop in heart attack hospitalizations within three years, a sign of just how serious a health threat secondhand smoke is, government researchers said Wednesday. The study, the longest-running of its kind, showed the rate of hospitalized cases dropped 41 percent in the three years after the ban of workplace smoking in Pueblo, Colo., took effect. There was no such drop in two neighboring areas, and researchers believe it's a clear sign the ban was responsible.

The study suggests that secondhand smoke may be a terrible and under-recognized cause of heart attack deaths in this country, said one of its authors, Terry Pechacek of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At least eight earlier studies have linked smoking bans to decreased heart attacks, but none ran as long as three years. The new study looked at heart attack hospitalizations for three years following the July 1, 2003 enactment of Pueblo's ban, and found declines as great or greater than those in earlier research.

Interestingly, this morning while I was at the doctor and was telling him that my quit smoking date was 2 weeks from now he suggested that I take Chantix and wrote me a prescription. He told me I would have much more success staying off the smoking if I took it. Naturally, I asked him (he's my shrink after all) about the suicidal side effects I keep hearing about. He proceeded to tell me that smoking is suicidal behavior and that the government is behind the suicide scare because they don't really want you to quit. They want you to die before you receive Medicare and why do I think that the states go nuts when they stop receiving the revenues they get from cigarette taxes. This was the first time he ever sounded like a conspiracy theorist, but he did make a lot of sense... especially the part about smoking being a suicidal behavior. So today, I start the Chantix. What the hell.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving...

It's always interesting to read the Anchorage Daily News to find out what is happening up in Palin country. The latest gossip is that the search warrant for Sherry Johnston (the other grandmother of Bristol Palin's baby Tripp and mother of Levi the high school dropout) who was selling hillbilly heroin (oxycontin) in Wasilla (the meth capital of Alaska) was postponed until after the election. Word is that the investigation was handled "differently" because of who Johnston was. Naturally, Palin's office denies having anything to do with that. There are a lot of accusations and denials happening at the moment.

There was word that Bristol and Levi would wed before the baby was born, as you may recall and then suddenly the young couple fell out of the spotlight. Perhaps Levi's mom's situation was the cause of that. Not sure that any investigation into the investigation will prove anything one way or the other and it certainly wouldn't make a difference to the governor anyway. The drama continues.

Comedian Al Franken To Be Declared The Winner

Looks like Al Franken will be declared the winner of the heated race against incumbent Norm Coleman in Minnesota. He won by about 255 votes. Coleman's campaign will probably challenge the decision by the state election board.


While I wasn't a huge fan of his comedy, I enjoyed his books (Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations and Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them) very much and think he's a very bright and knowledgeable individual who could make a difference in the senate.

The Israel-Gaza Fracas

My two cents on the matter.

Musical Interlude

Talking Heads: And She Was



Talking Heads: Psycho Killer Live



Talking Heads: Take me to the river live

The Vatican vs Obama

What really struck me in this piece in yesterday's Washington Post, Forging a New Relationship: Controversial Issues Pose a Challenge for Obama and Pope was this part:

Cardinal James Francis Stafford, former archbishop of Denver, who said that Obama's statements on abortion reflect "an agenda and vision that are aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic." (Stafford, who as head of a Vatican court is one of the highest-ranking Americans at the Holy See, noted that he spoke only on his own behalf.)

Does this cardinal not see what a completely idiotic statement this is? Has he even read a newspaper to see what is going on in the world? Perhaps if he took his ridiculous hat off for five minutes, he could use his brain. If anything is aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic in this world it's Israel's treatment of the Palestinians... oh and not to mention Africa or maybe Pakistan, etc. But alas, the Catholic Church is more concerned about stem cell research and curtailing women's rights than poking their noses into some of the worst social justice issues that are happening worldwide at this very moment. The article does say that the Pope himself wished Obama well. We'll just see about that.

Quite frankly, if Obama and the Vatican don't see eye to eye, that may be a good thing. The Vatican and the Bush administration were good buddies and look where that got the world.

Fascinating

I knew that the English language was one of the richest languages on the planet, but I had no idea that the English Language is to Have One Million Words by April


And just think of how many new words and expressions have been added to the English language since the 'chimpster' became 'pretzeldent'. Now we can 'google' on the 'internets' and get more 'edumacated'.


What are some of your favorite words?

Top 10 Science Stories of 2008

Links to details of each item are here:
The Top 10 ScienceNOWs of 2008

• 10 Make Way for Superfrog
• Researchers have found a frog straight out of a comic book--an X-Men comic book to be exact. Like X-Men's Wolverine, this little guy shoots sharp claws from his hands when threatened, and he may even have the ability to heal quickly, just like the superhero.
• 
  
• 9 Did Rumbling Give Rise to Rome?
• Ancient civilizations looking for somewhere to settle purposely chose areas prone to volcanoes and earthquakes, according to this quirky bit of research. Why? One theory is that they were trying to toughen up the next generation.
• 
  
• 8 Not so fast!
• Two long-held beliefs at the core of Biology 101 took a hit this year: Elaborate peacock feathers are designed to attract the opposite sex, and chameleons change color to blend in with their environment. Neither, it seems, is true. Females ignore the feathers, and chameleons change colors to stick out--not to hide.
• 
  
• 7 Case Closed for Free Will?
• If you think you're in charge of the decisions you make, think again. This study suggests that your subconscious decides what you're going to have for breakfast 10 seconds before you "make" the choice.
• 
  
• 6 Last Ant Standing
• Researchers report the first example of an animal that commits suicide to protect its comrades--even when there is no immediate danger. Watch a video of a group of Brazilian ants taking one for the team.
• 
  
• 5 Quantum Physics Gets "Spooky"
• Physicists have come closer to confirming the theory that subatomic particles can communicate with each other over vast distances, a property known as entanglement. The study also hints that information can travel at more than 10,000 times the speed of light.
• 
  
• 4 How Is a Lizard Like a Motorcycle?
• You'll have to read this story to find out. Be sure to watch the cool video.
• 
  
• 3 Tool Use Is Just a Trick of the Mind
• Hammering a nail into a wall seems like the simplest of tasks, yet tool use is a skill few species can muster. How did our brains make the leap? By treating that hammer as just another body part.
• 
  
• 2 The Grunter Gets the Worm
• Come on down to the Eighth Annual Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin' Festival! Spend some time with the curious individuals who scrape wooden stakes against the ground to bring earthworms to the surface, and learn why the technique works. The video is not to be missed.
• 
  
• 1 Physicists Successfully Store and Retrieve Nothing
• Our most popular story of the year is also our most vacuous--as in empty. Two teams have stored nothing in a puff of gas and then retrieved it a split second later. Why in the heck would they want to do that? All is revealed in the story.

Reprinted with permission...

...from The Dark Wraith Forums:

Memo Penned to Ruins
TO: Israel
FROM: Dark Wraith
DATE: 3 January 2009
RE: Occupation

You will not win, you know. No amount of firepower will solve your problem with the Palestinians.

Destroy every Qassam rocket, wipe out every Grad missile, kill every member of Hamas, butcher hundreds of civilians who might or might not support it; and you will not win.

Buy our American politicians, cart to your shores billions of dollars in economic aid and war materiel from us, call us your ally as you persistently harm our interests to promote your own; and you will still not win.

Sink our ships that watch you, hire spies to steal our secrets, assassinate your enemies in far away lands; and you will still not win.

Justify your brutality with the horrors done throughout history to your own people, allow your policies to be driven by modern-day Zealots hated by most of your own citizens, hold your economy together on the reed of an unending state of war; and you will still not win.

Imagine your soldiers with their overwhelmingly superior firepower a warrior race, slaughter innocents to defeat evil, make your very religion a clarion cry to destiny instead of a magnificent story of heroism; and you will still not win.

Burn their land to the very ground.

Kill them; and then kill them some more.

Hunt them.

Starve them.

Humiliate them.

Beat them.

Terrorize them.

Then, kill them some more.

Still, you will not win.

Sooner or later, Empire meets its match, wrongful or righteous as that opponent may be. You have met yours, and you are not even Empire.

But, then again, this tragedy is no longer about victory, is it? You would have to destroy what bombs, bullets, knives, and fire cannot; and you already know that. If you harbor any remaining doubt, just ask Empire.

You, just like Empire, will one day weary of your toil. Perhaps you will move on before you are spent of this defining enterprise of madness in its ugly sack cloth of violence. Probably not, though.

Just ask Empire.

Or, more appropriately, read its epitaph.

Once Booming Dubai Goes Bust

CBS Evening News: Following Wave Of Speculation, Real Estate Collapses In Middle East's Capital Of The Ultra-Rich

Banks aren't lending. Projects are shelved. And the normally secretive government has had to acknowledge it has one of the highest levels of per-capita debt in the world -- and not enough oil to pay for it.

Gee, I wonder who will bail them out

My other new favorite song - "I DECIDED" by Solange

She's no Diana Ross (she's Beyoncé's little sister), but this song is SO SUPREMISH!!! I am SO lovin' it!

Solange - New Music - More Music Videos

can't stop listening to it

help
.
.
.
.
me

(I caught the song on the 2008 world music awards)

My new favorite song..."ROCK AND ROLL" by Eric Hutchinson

Just one of those happy tunes you can't get out of your head...


(It was in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2)

Maybe it's time to try some shrooms?

I've always wanted to try them, but since I'm pretty sure I have an "anxiety disorder", I am a bit concerned. I hear they can have undesirable effects.




Then again, maybe it would cure me...

Northern Lights From Space

I've never seen the Northern Lights. It's on my to do/must see before I die list.

I found over at Featured-Stories
(Great site - make sure to add to your favorites)

Check out this PUFF PIECE on the BAILOUT from the HARTFORD COURANT - "Overseers Having Trouble Tracking Money" - "Panel also finds it difficult....

to assess effectiveness.

It was the front page headline of the Nation/World/Beyond CT Section on 1/1/09 It's from the AP

Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren, chairwoman of a congressional oversight panel, has said she did not understand why it has taken so long for the Bush administration to explain its plan.

Say WHAT??? I'm no Harvard law professor -- how come I can figure this out????

Check out the last sentence of the article:

However, a recent review by The Associated Press found that after receiving billions in aid from U.S. taxpayers, the nation's largest banks can't say exactly how they're spending the money. Some wouldn't even talk about it.

Remember the AP story from December 22:
$1.6 billion went to bailed-out bank execs
Records show bonuses, chauffeurs, health club benefits, financial planning

Has anyone's local newspaper printed the REAL DEAL from the AP ? What information is your state proving you with on this bailout ? I don't get it. Gun ownership in CT is one of the lowest (16%). What are they afraid of? More people buying guns if they knew what was really going on? Maybe. Still doesn't make sense to me.

Take Arizona for example -- they're in the mid-range and they get this piece written in the Phoenix Business Journal: Ariz. police say they are prepared as War College warns military must prep for unrest; IMF warns of economic riots.

What about Wyoming? 60% ownership. Maybe they don't read in Wyoming? Never mind. I know it has to do with population.

Still not getting it...

From GeorgeWashington'sBlog: Would they be planning to use troops against americans if they WEREN't stealing our money?

Political science professor at the University of Texas at El Paso Charles Boehmer points out that "The military was not called out during the Great Depression...."

So why is the military planning on how to crush civil protest in regards to the current economic crisis (see this, this, this, this, this and this)?

Is it because the theft - via "bailouts" and other hanky-panky by Treasury, the Fed and others - of hard-earned taxpayer wealth is so obvious that the military expects Americans to revolt?

The other potential explanation is that the military has been told that this financial crisis could be much, much worse than the Great Depression.

So which is it? The obviousness of the theft or the severity of the crisis?

My guess . . . both.

And what about our President Elect?
His position is just as confusing. But he's from Chi-town and what do you expect. (Chicago's Mob Boss Daley to hold "gun conference")

I really need to shut down my mental hamster wheel...

That's all folks!

just shoot me now


Where's Robin Hood when you need him...


Crossposted at BigBrassBlog

If you live near Yellowstone:

From the USGS Latest Earthquakes Magnitude 2.5 or Greater in the United States site, here are the readings from the last two days:


Mag UTC DATE-TIME Lat Lon Depth Region
y/m/d h:m:s km
MAP 2.6 2009/01/03 00:23:22 44.669 -110.163 1.0 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING

MAP 2.7 2009/01/02 20:33:54 44.553 -110.338 0.9 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
MAP 2.7 2009/01/02 20:23:58 44.556 -110.357 1.3 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
MAP 3.1 2009/01/02 20:15:39 44.528 -110.366 3.4 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING

MAP 3.2 2009/01/02 19:40:54 44.549 -110.370 0.2 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
MAP 2.8 2009/01/02 18:48:22 44.551 -110.354 0.6 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
MAP 3.5 2009/01/02 18:32:49 44.549 -110.357 5.4 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING

MAP 2.5 2009/01/02 05:10:55 44.546 -110.355 0.1 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING

MAP 3.0 2009/01/02 01:30:57 44.560 -110.320 2.2 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
MAP 3.1 2009/01/02 01:21:20 44.556 -110.368 3.7 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
MAP 3.1 2009/01/02 01:13:06 44.559 -110.367 1.0 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING

Related article at TIME entitled "A Spurt of Quake Activity Raises Fears in Yellowstone."

Cheap Gas, Road Trips

Astounded at the low price of gasoline, I am on a road trip for the long weekend. It's impossibly cold in New England but the gas is even cheaper here than in NY so I will be traveling even more while I'm in the great white north. Mark Morford over at SFGate.com writes about taking more trips... one last time because we know gas won't be this inexpensive forever and may not ever be this cheap again. These gas prices are indicative of bad things to come. So why not get in your car and go somewhere to at least take advantage of the situation. I'm only 4 hours from home and it's a complete change of scene. I'm visiting a blog friend this weekend and it couldn't be more fun. Seriously, it couldn't. It's always like meeting an old friend when I meet someone from the blogs. This is a good time for us to visit each other. Let's.

Here's a nice photo to start the year off right

It's from a post at the Liberal White Boy blog entitled "What Would George Washington Think About Nancy Pelosi's Love Affair With Rahm Emmanuel?"

Happy New Year

...in many languages...
(Including Feline)




Afgani Saale: Nao Mubbarak
Afrikaans: Gelukkige nuwe jaar
Albanian: Gezuar Vitin e Ri
Armenian: Snorhavor Nor Tari
Arabic: Kul 'am wa antum bikhair
Assyrian: Sheta Brikhta
Azeri: Yeni Iliniz Mubarek!
Bengali: Shuvo Nabo Barsho
Breton [Celtic]: Bloavezh Mat
Bulgarian: ×åñòèòà Íîâà Ãîäèíà(pronounced "Chestita
Nova Godina")
Cambodian: Soursdey Chhnam Tmei
Catalan: FELIÇ ANY NOU
Chinese Xin Nian Kuai Le
Corsican Language: Pace e Salute
Croatian: Sretna Nova godina!
Cymraeg (Welsh) : Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Czech: Š?astný Nový rok (or Stastny Novy rok)
Denish: Godt Nytår
Dhivehi: Ufaaveri Aa Aharakah Edhen
Dutch: GELUKKIG NIEUWJAAR!
Eskimo: Kiortame pivdluaritlo
Esperanto: Felican Novan Jaron
Estonians: Head uut aastat!
Ethiopian: MELKAM ADDIS AMET YIHUNELIWO!
Finnish: Onnellista Uutta Vuotta
French: Bonne Annee
Gaelic: Bliadhna mhath ur
Galician [NorthWestern Spain]: Bo Nadal e Feliz Aninovo
German: Prosit Neujahr
Georgian: GILOTSAVT AKHAL TSELS!
Greek: Kenourios Chronos
Gujarati: Nutan Varshbhinandan
Hawaiian: Hauoli Makahiki Hou
Hebrew: L'Shannah Tovah
Hindi: Naye Varsha Ki Shubhkamanyen
Hong kong(Cantonese): Sun Leen Fai Lok
Hungarian: Boldog Ooy Ayvet
Indonesian: Selamat Tahun Baru
Iranian: Sal -e- no mobarak
Iraqi: Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit
Italian: Felice anno nuovo
Japan: Akimashite Omedetto Gozaimasu
Kabyle: Asegwas Amegaz
Kannada: Hosa Varushadha Shubhashayagalu
Kisii: SOMWAKA OMOYIA OMUYA
Khmer: Sua Sdei tfnam tmei
Korea: Saehae Bock Mani ba deu sei yo!
Kurdish: NEWROZ PIROZBE
Latvian: Laim?go Jauno Gadu!
Lithuanian: Laimingu Naujuju Metu
Laotian: Sabai dee pee mai
Macedonian: Srekjna Nova Godina
Madagascar: Tratry ny taona
Malay: Selamat Tahun Baru
Marathi: Nveen Varshachy Shubhechcha
Malayalam: Puthuvatsara Aashamsakal
Mizo: Kum Thar Chibai
Maltese: Is-Sena t- Tajba
Nepal: Nawa Barsha ko Shuvakamana
Norwegian: Godt Nyttår
Papua New Guinea: Nupela yia i go long yu
Pampango (Philippines): Masaganang Bayung Banua
Pashto: Nawai Kall Mo Mubarak Shah
Persian: Sal -e- no mobarak
Philippines: Manigong Bagong Taon!
Polish: Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
Portuguese: Feliz Ano Novo
Punjabi: Nave sal di mubarak
Romanian: AN NOU FERICIT
Russian: S Novim Godom
Samoa: Manuia le Tausaga Fou
Serbo-Croatian: Sretna nova godina
Sindhi: Nayou Saal Mubbarak Hoje
Singhalese: Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Siraiki: Nawan Saal Shala Mubarak Theevay
Slovak: Stastny Novy rok
Slovenian: sreèno novo leto
Somali: Iyo Sanad Cusub Oo Fiican!
Spanish: Feliz Ano ~Nuevo
Swahili: Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº
Swedish: GOTT NYTT ÅR! /Gott nytt år!
Sudanese: Warsa Enggal
Tamil: Eniya Puthandu Nalvazhthukkal
Tibetian: Losar Tashi Delek
Telegu: Noothana samvatsara shubhakankshalu
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish: Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubbarak Ho
Uzbek: Yangi Yil Bilan
Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Tan Nien
Welsh: Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

Musical Interlude

The Stranger