Minnesota Supreme Court: Certify Franken!

The Minnesota Supreme Court has issued its ruling: Franken won. While not "ordering" Gov. Tim "Bridge Collapse" Pawlenty to issue the certificate of election, its 5-0 ruling states that Franken is "entitled" to the certification and that it should occur forthwith. What's not known: will "Bridge Collapse" go through with his pledge to be guided by the Supreme Court decision and sign an election certificate, and will Norm "Sore Loser" Coleman decide to appeal in Federal court and thereby continue to defer his inevitable loss and the seating of Minnesota's second senator?

UPDATE: Late this afternoon, Norm "Sore Loser" Coleman CONCEDED (after 7 months!), no doubt to the consternation of Bill O'Liely and Sen. John "All Hat, No Cattle" Cornyn.

"Gaucho Mark" Confesses More "Encounters"

South Carolina Rethug Gov. Mark "Gaucho Mark" Sanford is admitting more indiscretions, including "crossing the line" -- up to but not including "the nasty"-- with "a handful" of other women. Gaucho Mark, inexplicably still Governor, also admits he wasn't completely truthful in his recent teary news conference/ confession, upping the number of times he saw mistress Maria Chapur.

Clearly, Gaucho Mark has been affected even more than originally thought by islamofascistsocialist Obama and his destruction of the U.S. of A.

(Photo: Gaucho Mark - we never knew he had so many balls in the air!)

May Her Wish Come True!

Rethuglican loony Rep. Michelle "Commies In Congress" Bachmann has a new paranoid fantasy: the census, which is taken every 10 years, is a conspiracy to round up wingnuts and send them to FEMA concentration camps, where they will be forced to listen to Barbara Streisand songs and watch reruns of M*A*S*H* all day! Therefore, nutty Michelle says she won't be filling out her census form, and hopes that her constituents follow suit.

What this loony lady fails to realize is that Congressional seats are apportioned according to population, so if her 6th Congressional district voters don't complete their census forms, her Congressional seat might be absorbed by another District, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Bwahahahaha! The paranoid chickens come home to roost!

The Perils Of Self-Medication

We've seen Rethuglican leader Pills Limpballs (a.k.a., "Mr. Bouncy Bouncy" on MSNBC's Countdown) pull some exceedingly strange things out of his large hindquarters, but this is hilarious: as we noted yesterday, he's suggesting that Obama's to blame for Gov. Mark "Gaucho Man" Sanford's affair in Argentina. As a result, Ed Shultz featured Limpballs -- whom he refers to as "The Drugster" -- on his nightly "Psycho Talk" segment. Ed gives Pills the best response: ridicule.

Limpballs will need to adjust his self-medication to get through the Obama years. We would suggest increasing the tranquilizers and cutting back on the hallucinogenics.

Taking It To the Milbank, Part Trois

Jesus General gives Milbank his own "Potentates of the Press" trading card!

Oxymoron of the Week: Wingnut Responsibility

It's been noted how the likes of "Pills" Limpballs and Mark "Franken!" Steyn have blamed libruls, Dimmycrats and more specifically "Messiah Obama" for the failings of their own. Pandagon has an amusing piece "I Kicked You in the Nuts Because of Bernie Sanders" that examines the pathological inability of wingnuts to take responsibility for their actions. Why should this be surprising, after all? Clearly they've constructed their own alternate reality where up is always down, in is always out, and dammit! there's nothing wrong with conservatism that a stronger dose of laissez-faire, enrich the rich, let them eat cake, never compromise policies can't solve. "What economic collapse? What adultery? What health care crisis? Oh, those are all someone else's fault because they can't be ours!"

Minnesota Supreme Court To Gopher It?

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune (via Booman Tribune is reporting that the long-awaited decision by the Minnesota Supreme Court is due... any day now. (How many times have we heard that?!) Also quoted is Gov. Tim "Bridge Collapse" Pawlenty saying he would follow the court's direction and, if so ordered, sign the certificate naming Al Franken the winner over Norm "Sore Loser" Coleman. Someone needs to slip some Metamucil in the judges' afternoon tea and get them the hell off the pot so Minnesota has its full complement of Senators during the health care reform voting and beyond. [Bad pun alert!] Gopher it, gentlemen!

(Photo: the very lovely Norman - on the pot?)

"A Word To The Neocons"

From The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan, referring to the treatment of Iranian protesters who have been jailed by the Ahmadiddledoo regime:

"A word to the neocons: you have no standing to protest the barbaric treatment of these prisoners any more. And you have made their torture more helpless, more powerful, more brutal than it would otherwise have been. As these protesters. . .look toward America, as they try to see a beacon somewhere that would let them know that their torturers have no standing in the civilized world, they find one thing.

That beacon? Neoconservatism snuffed it out."

Well said.

Bye Bye, Bernie

Good news that $65 billion Ponzi schemer Bernie "I Made Off With Your Savings" Madoff was sentenced to the maximum of 150 years in prison for swindling the life savings from thousands of people. The sentence assures that he'll spend the rest of his life behind bars with no chance of parole. Hopefully, he'll meet a love interest in prison in the form of a large tatooed Aryan nation skinhead.

Taking It To The Milbank

There are a lot of postings on the topic of the Huffington Post's Nico Pitney giving a verbal smackdown to the WaPo's smarmy columnist Dana Milbank. In brief, Pitney responded to Milbank's misleading and snarky column suggesting that Pitney was "planted" by the Obama Administration to ask a question at last week's press conference. Pitney pointed out the errors in Milbank's account, and went on to remind viewers of Milbank's fawning over Preznit Chimpy during the first weeks of the Iraq War. You have to see the exchange.

The mainstream media Villagers are resentful of the access that non-traditional media have in the Obama Administration. It's reminiscent of the last years of the Clinton Administration, when Village elders such as David "Broderella" Broder and Sally "I Slept With The Boss" Quinn finally boiled over after years of having the Clintons decline to attend their Georgetown soirees, and engage in gossipy chit chat with them. Obama and his staff are wise to them, and he's signaling that they're not the royality of Washington any more.

EXTRA: Digby has more on the morons like Milbank and his WaPo co-Villager Ceci "No!No!" Connolly.

(photo: Dana Milbank, serious journalist)

R.I.P., Billy Mays

Ubiquitous TV pitchman Billy Mays died today at his home in Tampa, Fla., at age 50. Featured recently in the Discovery Network show "Pitchman" with ubersalesman Anthony Sullivan, Mays was the quintessential in-your-face, but likable, door-to-door salesman - except that he went door-to-door via the infomercial.

We were hoping the Obama Administration could have hired Billy to pitch their health reform initiative ("You can get your family covered for only $19.95 a month! That's right $19.95 a month! But wait..."), but alas it's not to be. Rest in peace.

"Selling Health Care"

Emory University's outstanding Drew Westen writes in today's WaPo about messaging in the health care battle, an article which should be required reading by everyone in the White House, the Congressional Democratic leadership and all health care reform activists.

Westen notes how Rethug wordsmith Fred "Dunce" Luntz circulated Rethug/ insurance industry/ AMA talking points last month telling them they needed to co-opt the language of "reform," and paint the progressive plan as a "government takeover" as the only way to scare the public, defeat Obama and not incur the wrath of 75% of Americans who want true reform. Cynical? Of course. Anti-middle class? Heh! The Rethugs have been at this for literally half a century, in league with the insurance and pharmaceutical industries and the AMA.

But Westen offers good advice to the Democrats (at least those who want true health care reform, and thus the preservation of their party). Using terms such as "universal health care," "public option," "the uninsured," and "the "under-insured" plays into Rethug/ industry hands. His key advice to those wanting a strong counter-message to the Rethug/ industry scare tactics: "Advocates should counter by asking Americans whether they prefer choices dictated by the insurance industry or the range of choices that their elected representatives get, including a high-quality plan that doesn't rely on the goodwill of industry executives."

Going For The Nudist Vote Are We?

Courtesy of TPM, we saw this article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about Mark "Mr. Natural" Musselwhite, a Rethuglican former mayor of Gainesville, Georgia. Apparently, Mr. Natural was arrested recently when campers at a local campsite complained that he was walking around nude and obviously inebriated. When approached by the police, Mr. Natural claimed that he was hot and had gone for a dip in a creek -- or "crick" as they would say in Georgia. The article notes that Mr. Natural was also previously deacon at the First Baptist Church in Gainesville. So, praise the Lord, and pass the figleaf.

(photo: "I wuz jes walkin' aroun', mindin' my own bidness with my clothes off . .")

Whew!

The House just passed the Waxman-Markey energy/ climate change bill by a too-narrow 219-212. A lot of Dems voted with the Rethugs and nearly derailed the bill. Shame on them. Now on to the Senate.

The WaPo's Sh*tty Judgement

The Washington Post has become a shadow of its former journalistic self, featuring a parade of neocons on its "op ed" page, and remaining mostly uncritical during the Bushit years regarding foreign policy (e.g., Iraq). Cowed by the drumbeat of "liberal media" accusations by the far right over the years, the WaPo caved in to them. How many more columns from Fred "I Luv Neocons" Hiatt, Chuckie Kraphammer, Michael "Gag" Gerson, Wee Willie Kristol, Fred "War Is Good" Kagan, and other wingers will it take to convince people that the WaPo isn't "liberal" at all, but more neocon than ever? And that's not to mention their stable of writers who still think D.C. is "wired Rethuglican."

Now, with the dismissal of the estimable journalist Dan Froomkin from the WaPo website, they have bet on a Rethuglican revival. Like it's gonna happen. The WaPo's not your father's WaPo anymore.

RELATED: Over at Fairness and Accuracy in Media, Jim Naureckas has a pithy blog on l'affaire Froomkin and the culture pervading the WaPo that led to his dismissal. P.S.-- the John Harris who's quoted in the blog is now with the Rethug-wired Politico.

Hate Speech Thug Arrested

FBI agents yesterday arrested hate speech internet radio host Hal Turner on charges that he posted threats on his internet site to assault and murder three Federal judges in Chicago. Tough U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, of Scooter Libby fame, made the announcement of the charges in Chicago.

Turner, who is an occasional guest on Uberschmuck Sean Hannity's radio hate fest, was already facing charges in Connecticut for making threats to harm State officials there. This menace is what the Department of Homeland Security was warning about in their report last April on right-wing extremists and their hate media enablers. When we find out more about Holocaust memorial shooter James von Brunn, we'll bet that he's a fan of these dangerous clowns, too.

Two Stars

It was a shock to learn of Michael Jackson's death at age 50 from cardiac arrest. He was, and will continue to be through his musical legacy, a huge international mega star, perhaps unequalled in his time. Andrew Sullivan has some thoughts on his career and legacy.

The TV icon Farrah Fawcett's passing earlier in the day was to be expected, after her long struggle with cancer, but was sad nonetheless.

Rest in peace to both of them.

UPDATE: The police are apparently looking for Michael Jackson's personal physician, whose car has been impounded. Maybe there's more to the story of his death. . . .

Ralph Reed, Humping for "Value Voters'" Bucks Again

On the heels of the Sanford Saga, former Christian Coalition choirboy and huckster Ralph Reed is talking about a comeback, presumably to vacuum out the pockets of Rethug base holy rollers, according to Washington Monthly. (Check out the cred Ralphie brings to the table in the form of his conversations with Jack Abramoff about cleaning up in the corporate world since the bucks from the Christian right were drying up.)

(Photo: Ralph Reed, laughing all the way to the bank?)

Quote of the Day

"From Egypt to Georgia, President Bush -- egged on by neoconservative pundits and analysts -- wrote rhetorical checks he had no intention (or ability) to cash." -- Gregory Scoblete, writing in RealClearWorld.

The neocons have been disastrously wrong about al Qaeda, Iraq, and Iran, to name just a few topics. They haven't owned up to their misjudgements, and are trying to needle President Obama into direct intervention in Iran. That, as most Iranian experts agree, would be another catastrophe not only for U.S. Middle East policy, but for the democratic forces inside Iran.

Rethug-Wired Media Didn't Question Sanford Story

As TPM recaps, the "mainstream media" and certain "political" blogs just ate up the Sanford cover stories like pigs eating slop. Notably credulous, due to their being wired for Rethugs, were WaPo's Chris "I Like to Make Lists" Cillizza and Will "Alfalfa Bad" Haygood and Politico's lunk-headed Jonathan Martin and Ben "Dover" Smith. Martin, by the way, was the auteur of a recent "analysis" seeing signs (hoping?) that the Rethugs were on the upswing, contrary to all polling done in the galaxy the past six months.

Were any of these "professional" phone gossips and Rethug talking point scribes doing any investigatin' about Sanford's changing tales? Why should they, since they know Rethugs can always be trusted to tell the truth, not to mention write their next story for them!

(Photo: A Rethug note-taker at WaPo or Politico?)

"Nothin' Could Be Finah Than T' Be in Argen-tinah, In the Mornin'"

So he "cried" for five days in Buenos Aires, in the company of his mistress. In a rambling and somewhat incoherent press conference yesterday, South Carolina Gov. Mark "Gaucho Man" Sanford took several minutes to get around to what he called "the bottom line:" that he cheated on his wife. Then later in the day, The State newspaper published steamy e-mails between Gaucho Man and his mistress, "Maria," sent and received over the past year. Very flaky and strange, indeed.

As with most pols, the affair won't be the whole story. As with Sen. Don Juan Ensign, there's the question of misuse of public funds in pursuit or the coverup of the affair, and that's what's being looked into now. He hasn't resigned (as former New York Gov. Spitzer did last year), but that may depend on what further investigations disclose. Even so, right-winger Chuckie Kraphammer called it a "near-intentional political suicide."

(By the way, props to Attaturk at Rising Hegemon for giving the blogosphere "Gaucho Mark" as a nickname -- bravo! Are there better nicknames? "Penis of the Pampas"?, "Governor Lovin'Her"?)

Swine (Flu) at WaPo

The Wonkette piece linked to below mentions swine flu at the WaPo. Indeed, 3 cases have been reported. It's not good karma to wish ill on others, so we won't say anything about Gasbag Broder, Fred Hiatt, Dana Milbank, Chris Cillizza, or any of our other favorite "journalists."

"Tools of the Trade"

WaPo snark Dana "It's a Masculine Name!" Milbank strikes again today with another insipid broadside, this one on the "planted" question at President Obama's Tuesday news conference. Milbank, who gives "jaded" a bad name, was rightly smacked by Media Matters, LGM in "Tools of the Trade", Wonkette, and HuffPo's Jason Linkins. The HuffPo piece has the video of Milbank and fellow WaPo Villager Chris "I Like to Make Lists" Cillizza in dress-up, trying to be funny (and failing miserably).

One of Milbank's recent targets has been the health care debate in Congress. Rather than lampooning, in his own jejune way, the Rethugs who are trying to derail any health care reform, in league with the insurance industry, Milbank chose to go after the representatives of the weak and vulnerable. And the HuffPo reporter's question? Milbank didn't even bother to repeat it. Haha! What a funny guy (?)! And that fellow "sociopath" (h/t Wonkette) Cillizza! That WaPo is into some serious journalism with those two!

(Photo: Milbank with Cillizza in hand, two "tools" of the trade)

Rethug Meltdown: The Sanford Chronicles

The tale of the missing Gov. from South Carolina is taking an even more bizarre turn. Contrary to what his office announced, Mark "No Stim" Sanford wasn't hiking the Appalachian Trail after all: he was in Buenos Aires, Argentina! Ay caramba! We hear the women in Argentina are very nice, but Governor, there are fine women closer to home.

According to reports, he had not contacted his wife since last Thursday, and apparently spent Father's Day in Argentina, soaking up the local, um, flavor. We're certain that more juicy revelations are forthcoming.

So, may we say, on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina, adios cabron! Same for your 2012 chances at the Rethuglican nomination.

UPDATE: Well, well, well. "No Stim" admits to an affair in a televised press conference in South Carolina. He resigns as chair of the Rethuglican Governors Association. The Rethugs are indeed screwed -- first Don Juan Ensign, now a "rising star" for 2012. Long, sad faces over at Fux News Channel. *snicker*

Ed McMahon, RIP

Here's a clip of McMahon and Johnny Carson doing one of their legendary "Carnac the Magnificent" skits. Ed McMahon died earlier this morning at age 86.

Ed had health and financial problems in his later years, but now he's in a better place.(Recalling the late Phil Hartman's imitation of Ed) "Ha ha ha. . yessss!"

Picture of the Day

"Conferenece." Keep in mind that this sign was displayed at a right-wing conference to "strategerize" about regaining an all-white Rethug majority. Speakers at the "conferenece" promoted English language-only policies, and mocked Judge Sonia Sotomayor's reading of what they called "children's classics" while a student at Princeton. Think Progress has more.

Morans!

A Tennessee Gentleman

Tennessee Rethuglican Sen. Bob "Gentleman Dork" Corker was to have met with Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor last Thursday, but abruptly cancelled after waiting only 10 minutes for Judge Sotomayor to arrive. The Judge is still on crutches, having fractured her ankle a few days before, and was delayed in her meeting with Gentleman Dork, who said he had to move on to another meeting (with who, the Tennessee Squirrel Skinners Association?)

Gentleman Dork, of course, achieved a level of infamy for the racist TV ad which featured a sexy blonde ("Harold, call me") that ran during his Senate campaign in 2006 against African-American Rep. Harold Ford.

We understand that he's trying to reschedule a meeting with Judge Sotomayor; that's a meeting she should decline this time around. You won't get this buffoon's vote, and you certainly wouldn't want it.

(photo: Senator, it's not polite to disclose your sexual inadequacies in a public forum)

Gov. Sanford, Please Call Home!

Gov. Mark "No Stim" Sanford (Rethug-SC) has been missing since Thursday! Really! The increasingly bizarre story, wherein the far-right soon- to- be- former 2012 Rethug presidential hopeful has gone missin' for 4 days (not even his wife knows his whereabouts), continues to unfold. Nervous breakdown? Affair? Preparing for South Carolina's secession? Getting a refresher course at clown school?

UPDATE: There are now reports that the Gov. was hiking on the Appalachian Trail, perhaps gathering pine nuts and berries. Hopefully, he'll also have a bouquet of wildflowers for his wife, or he might find himself on a longer hike soon).

(Photo: Gov. "No Stim" incognito; well, maybe not)

King George III, I'll Miss Ya

Rising Hegemon has a wonderful contrast of faux "patriot" and mentally disturbed Glenn "Dreck" Beck of the Fux Channel, and a true founding father, Thomas Paine. Read the passages from Thomas Paine and decide for yourself if Dreck would have been on the side of the patriots, or that of the royalists.

(Photo: "Jeez, I crapped my pants again! Mommy's gonna spank me!")

"I Am Neda"

Among many other casualties, the demonstrations throughout Iran this weekend in defiance of the Iranian thugocracy resulted in the death of a brave Iranian woman, 16 year-old Neda Soltani. That's right, 16 years old. It's almost impossible to imagine a regime that would condone killing a 16 year-old girl involved in peaceful demonstrations. The brutal Basiji paramilitaries were responsible for her killing.

Over the past couple of days, demonstrators carrying "I Am Neda" signs are proliferating. This may not be the end of the Ahmadiddledoo/Khameni tyranny, but it's the beginning of the end. The linked article notes that religious clerics in the holy city of Qom are reported to be working to replace Khameni as "Supreme Leader."

They're Just Not That Into You

Blogger extraordinaire TBogg chronicles the sudden deflation of Gov. Winky You Betcha's hot air balloon, noting a couple of recent events. Last week's big rally in New York to drive David Letterman from his job drew 15 loons. And that's not all. Winky owes $500,000 in legal bills, stemming from various legal blunders that she's stepped in (wrongful termination of a State employee, etc., etc.) So, to help the Wasilla Wonderwoman out, her fans were trying to raise the cash over at the website "Conservatives 4 Palin." That effort also seems to have fallen short in the enthusiasm category: they're almost $400,000 shy of their goal.

Winky, they're just not that into you anymore.

Happy Father's Day

"Happy Father's Day, Hackwhacker!"

"Why, Happy Father's Day to you, W. Hackwhacker!"

And, in memory, Happy Father's Day to our wonderful father, grandfathers, father's-in-law, and all the fathers of the world!

FLASH! Another Blind Squirrel Finds Another Nut

Stop the presses!! Kathleen Parker has found another nut! (You may recall she found an earlier nut buried deep in the musty, foul debris of wingnuttia.) This time, Parker notes the need to purge the Rethugs of racists like Rusty "Ass" DePass and Sherri "Don't" Goforth.

Good luck with that, hon. That would mean purging 90 percent of the Rethug base! Don't think so? Well, it so happens we had to link to Parker's column via the wingnut cornucopia "Clownhall" (sorry) since the WaPo won't let you link without registering with their asshole web site. Check out the comments to her column at Clownhall to see what we mean when we say there won't be much party left when you take out the nuts.

The Normie Coleman Countdown

How many days before former Rethug Sen. Norman "Sore Loser" Coleman concedes the election to Sen.-elect Al Franken? Well, the Minnesota State Supreme Court is expected to rule soon, and is expected to direct Rethug Gov. Tim "Bad and" Pawlenty to certify Sen.-elect Franken as the winner, some 7 months after the election.

Let's start the bidding at 20 days. Hopefully, it will be sooner, but we suspect Sore Loser will drag this out through the U.S. Supreme Court, Minnesotans be damned.

(photo: Normie Coleman, trippin' in better days)

A Blind Squirrel Occasionally Finds A Nut, cont'd.

We were somewhat surprised to hear George "Quill Pen" Will on ABC's "This Week" gabfest stating that the Rethuglican criticism of President Obama's measured response to the Iranian regime's crackdown on opponents to be "foolish criticism."

As we've noted, the mullahs would like nothing more than overt U.S. support for the demonstrators to justify a harsher crackdown and to delegitimatize the demonstrators as "American lackeys." As Will said, the people demonstrating know full well what our attitude is toward Ahmadiddledoo and Co., even if the Rethugs don't.

Quote of the Day

"Approval ratings for Republicans hit an all-time low last week in both the New York Times/CBS News and Wall Street Journal/NBC News polls. That's what happens when a party's most creative innovations are novel twists on old-fashioned sex scandals." -- New York Times columnist Frank Rich.

After naughty Sens. David "Diaper" Vitter, Larry "Toe Tapper" Craig, and John "Don Juan" Ensign, and Rep. Mark "Page Me" Foley, maybe the Rethugs ought to reconsider pushing their "family values" on the rest of us.

Right On, Robert Reich!

For a succinct, forceful response to the growing backlash against universal health care, you can't do better than Robert Reich's open letter to the President over at TPM. President Obama needs to get out and knock heads, both in his own party, and with the "medical/ industrial complex." Start kicking ass, and don't stop until you get the bill on your desk, because if you fail at this, your Presidency fails.

"S" Is For "Socialism" (Also For "Stupid")

Over at the Center for American Progress, Eric Alterman and Danielle Ivory lead us through recent, and not-so-recent history on deployment of the word "socialism" by crackpots to describe what normal, rational people would view as "progress" or "something better." As Alterman and Ivory point out, when you got nothin' you go with whatever you can pull out of your kazoo. (H/t and a hearty Banzai! to Germantown correspondent Brian)

More On Neoconning

Wow, Joe Klein, writing on the Time Magazine "Swampland" blog, really nails the problem with the Kraphammer/Wolfie delusion noted earlier today that our siding openly with the Mousawi forces would prompt a regime change in Tehran. As good an examination of neocon deceit on the current Iranian situation as we've seen. It's more about undermining President Obama than it is undermining Ahmadiddledoo.

He Vaguely Remembers

Illinois Sen. Roland "Emburrising" Burris won't be facing perjury charges for his misleading statements about his appointment by indicted former Gov. Rod "Let's Make A Deal" Blagojevich. The state prosecutor in the case says that there's not enough hard evidence to indict him, given his "vague" statements under oath. Well, when you tell the Governor's brother that you'll do something for the Governor, as in "I could give him a check," and then say under oath that you had no contact with the Governor's team on the Senate appointment, it doesn't sound all that vague to us. We're betting that it doesn't sound so vague to Illinois Democrats, who will have their primary election next year.

(photo: "I had my fingers crossed on my left hand")

Neoconning At The WaPo

The news that the Washington Post has fired its best blogger, Dan Froomkin, is sad, but not totally unexpected. Froomkin was unabashedly liberal, and was often a lone voice in the past few years blasting the Bushit Assministration for its domestic and foreign policies. But he was also known for taking the Obama Administration to task when he felt they were falling down on their commitments. Salon's Glenn Greenwald has a good take on the firing, and notes that the WaPo editorial pages have become a haven for right-wing neocons.

It's ironic that on today's WaPo op-ed page we find Chuck Kraphammer and Wolfie Wolfowitz spouting the neocon line that Obama should interfere in the Iranian political struggle, a move that would be disastrous for the Mousavi supporters, who can't afford to be portrayed as agents of the U.S. But the neocons --and their Likudnik brothers in Israel -- would rather have the reactionary Ahmadiddledoo as the adversary, rather than a more moderate leader in Iran, so that military action against Iran becomes more likely.

"Orange" John Boehner's World (And Welcome to It!)

Just for giggles, check out this "Wonkette" piece on House Minority Leader John "Man Tan" Boehner's appearance at the annual Congressional Baseball Game and how it may have impacted Intern Riley's life, perhaps forever.

(Photo: A rare picture of Man Tan when he's not in a tanning bed.)

The Rethuglicans' Unhealthy Plan

As we noted in yesterday's posting, the Rethugs aren't interested in reform of the health care system. Their "proposal" was a sham -- much like their number-less alternative budget -- and was nothing more than platitudes without a bottom line cost. If they were interested in reform, rather than protecting their contributors' interests, wouldn't the Rethugs have done something in the years that they controlled the Congress (1994 -2006) and the White House (2001-2008)?

E.J. Dionne, writing in the WaPo, has a good response to those that think the Rethuglicans are interested in resolving the health care problem. He notes that "most Republicans want to take themselves out of the health care discussion altogether," prefering to take political shots at the Obama Administration without offering anything other than a completely free-market solution, one which has proven not to work.

Would You Take Advice From This Man?

Former Preznit Dumbya offered some advice to President Obama in a speech to businessmen in Erie, PA (Erie? We thought they boarded up Erie years ago). Dumbya thinks the solution to our problems in the financial system, at Guantanamo and in healthcare -- problems which he was responsible for letting fester -- is more of the same policies that he pursued. Genius, I tells ya!!

We're hopeful that President Obama will give Dumbya's advice the proper response: BWAHAHAHAHA!

What Kind of Health Care Reform Do You Propose...

... when you don't want health care reform? How about a 4 pager?! With no numbers (again)! What buffoons.

(Image: A proctological exam under the Republican "reform" "proposal.")

Don't Fux With Obama

In an interview with CNBC's John Harwood yesterday, President Obama singled out the Fux News Channel as the biased outlet for Rethug talking points that it is:

"I've got one television station that is entirely devoted to attacking my administration. . .you'd be hard pressed if you watched the entire day to find a positive story about me on that front."

From the execrable "Fox and Friends" in the morning through Bill O'Liely and Uberschmuck Hannity in the evening, it's wall-to-wall anti-Obama propaganda, conspiracy theories, and recitation of official Rethug talking points. The president of Fux News is Roger "The Rethug" Ailes, a long-time media consultant to Rethuglican politicians, from Nixon to G.H.W. Bush.

Good that the President is calling it like he sees it.

Wingnuts Protest, The Rest of Us Laugh

Wingut followers of Alaska Gov. Winky You Betcha staged a protest yesterday outside of the building where David Letterman hosts his late night show. The mighty protest drew 15 people; the media covering the "event" was almost double that number. One of the protest organizers, the psychopathic John Ziegler, apparently escaped in a cab when it was clear that the protest had fizzled badly.

Ziegler, a part-time hate radio host and a major Winky fanboy who recently interviewed his idol, also had brief notoriety when he appeared on "The New Dating Story" on cable TV. Skip ahead in the video to 2:40 and watch this asshole do his thing.

Rethug Family Values, Cont'd.

Rethuglican Sen. John "Don Juan" Ensign is admitting to an affair with the wife of one of his Senate staff members. Way to promote office morale, DJ!

Don Juan, who is also chairman of the GOP Policy Committee, conducted the affair between December 2007 and August 2008. Maybe that's part of the reason the Rethugs don't have much in the way of policy to talk about; the guy was too busy, um, gettin' busy. DJ has three children, and one angry wife.

(photo: Don Juan checking out the female crew on a recent TV appearance)

Already! An Ass of the Week!

From Crooks and Liars, we give you the Hackwhackers "Ass of the Week," Sherri "Don't" Goforth, legislative assistant to Tennessee Rethug State Sen. Diane "I'm Not" Black (Gatlinburg/Yahooville). Seems Goforth emailed a picture chart showing all the Presidents -- with the space allotted to President Obama represented by "spook" eyes. Sherri, you must be one of those "mean, thick, and angry" Rethugs John Batchelor was talking about (below)! Nice to meetcha!

Move over, Rusty DePass. Time to go forth and de-pass the mantle of gracious Southern Rethug bigotry to the new Ass of the Week: Sherri Goforth.

Conscience of a Conservative

Wow. That was the reaction I had to John Batchelor's piece "Attack of the Zombie Republicans" in the Daily Beast. Wow. Surprising because Batchelor is a lifelong conservative Republican and a fixture of right-wing rage radio. His descriptions of such frothers as Limpballs, Gingrich, Cantor, et al, is positively Wolcottian.

If more conservatives (like Dick Lugar, see below) and John Batchelor speak the truth - not what the "mean, thick, and angry" base wants to hear - the Rethugs might not become the 21st Century's version of the Greenback Party.

(h/t HuffPo)

Keeping Cool on Iran

Arizona Sen. John McNasty, proponent of the thoughtful "Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran" policy, apparently has issues with President Obama's careful statements about the turmoil in Iran following Mahmoud Ahmadiddledoo's likely theft of the election. McNasty thinks that Obama should raise the volume and insert himself in Iranian politics. McNasty's approach, of course, would be used by Ahmadiddledoo's thugs to claim that the opposition forces were merely lapdogs for America, and would provoke an even more brutal crackdown and rationale for supression of the opposition.

It's good to see that one Repub elder statesman disagrees: long-time foreign relations expert Indiana Sen. Dick Lugar said that he thought that the President had just the right tone. One more reason that we're lucky that we didn't end up electing an angry, hair-trigger bomber for President last November.

Satisfied?

Now that David Letterman has apologized for his joke last week about Governor Winky You Betcha and her daughter, we can only hope that Winky takes the hint and gets off the outrage tour. She would have been wise to condemn the joke, and then move on. But her desire to score political points from this personal matter led to her dredge up the old cultural war symbols about "Hollywood liberals," while throwing a jab at President Obama for supposedly allowing chauvinist attacks on Winky during the last campaign.

Right, Winky, it wasn't your fault that you were totally unprepared for the national spotlight -- 18 months as Alaska governor, following a couple of years as mayor of little Wasilla, Alaska were stellar qualifications. Also, Mr. Obama filled your head with creamcheese and made you answer questions from Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric as if you were a 9 year old. You betcha!

Events In Iran

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khameni, is agreeing to have an investigation into their clearly fraudulent elections which were "won" by Mahmoud Ahmadiddledoo, who is widely unpopular in Iran. It's not clear whether this is an attempt to whitewash the election, or if it's a serious inquiry. Earlier today, hundreds of thousands of protesters spilled into the streets in Tehran, and there were reports of demonstrations and rioting in other major cities such as Shiraz in protest of the electon results.

There's some speculation that President Obama's Cairo speech, and the subsequent election of a pro-U.S. government in Lebanon, may have frightened the ruling mullahs into rigging the election for Ahmadiddledoo, for fear of having a perceived reformer like Mir Hossein Moussavi leading Iran. Now, their action may lead to increasing violence and end up diluting their power in the long run.

Why Does The Dick Hate America?

CIA Director Leon Panetta, in an upcoming interview in the New Yorker magazine, says that former (Vice) President The Dick almost seems to be "wishing that this country would be attacked again, in order to make his point" that the Obama Administration is weaker on national security. Panetta concludes, "I think that's dangerous politics." The Dick is only one of many Rethugs who seem to be betting on, and wishing for, another attack on the U.S., much as they're wishing that Obama "fails" in his economic recovery program. For a group that has wrapped itself in the flag and patriotism for at least 50 years, it's obvious that the Rethug party and their power come first.

And when will the assclowns in the mainstream media start asking The Dick why he didn't keep us safe on 9/11, on their watch? Because they were far too busy obsessing on Saddam Hussein, who was the main subject of the Bushies' first National Security Council meeting in January 2001. A month before the 9/11 attack, they were warned by the CIA that an attack by al Qaeda was coming -- and, specifically, one using hijacked aircraft.

Right Wing Heroes Kill 9-Year Old, Father

As Rising Hegemon reports in "Thanks, Lou Dobbs", you can add two more notches to the right-wing-fringe death count: a 9-year-old girl and her father, killed in Arizona in a home invasion burglary conducted by larcenous members of the "Minuteman American Defense" group. The intent, according to police, wasn't ideological; the lowbrows simply wanted to rob the family and kill any witnesses. Let's see how Lou "Incite the Mobs" Dobbs plays this one.

Kraphammer's "Faulty Analysis"

Former Bush Assministration Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer takes to the op/ed pages of today's WaPo to deliver a stinging rebuke to crackpot neocon Charles "Kraphammer" Krauthammer's recent op/ed on the Obama Administration's position on Israeli settlements. Saying Kraphammer's "faulty analysis of the Israeli settlement issue is being passed off as fact," Kurtzer (who was actually a participant in the Bush diplomatic efforts, as opposed to Kraphammer who merely dreams what he wants to be true) takes apart Kraphammer's argument that Obama's policy means "strangling to death the thriving towns close to the 1949 armistice line...It means no increase in population. Which means no babies." Kurtzer rightly labels this pernicious falsity "nonsense."

One hopes the editors at the WaPo would exercise some...um... editorial controls over the jackassery that Kraphammer, climate change denier Quill Will and others of the wingnut fringe publish every week, though ultimately such hope is in vain as long as fellow neocon Fred Hiatt remains at the head of the WaPo editorial page.

Frank Rich on the "Obama Haters"

Frank Rich adds to the growing focus on the Obama-hate message that's been emanating from the Fox Nutwork and other right-wing media. Maybe the "mainstream" media networks and print will start covering this too? (Nah!)

Ass of the Week

There's a lot of competition, but a late surge gives it to Rethug Rusty DePass (hmm... DePass...even rhymes with ass).

(Photo: the Ass-man himself)

If The Election Were Held Today...

...Five Thirty Eight has President Obama carrying 38 States with 445 electoral votes. Keep ranting and teabagging, Rethugs!

And here's why, according to Dan "I May Have Found My Missing" Balz in the WaPo.

Quote of the Week - Crackpot Edition

"The American Right-wing with few exceptions is totally Pacifist. The [right wing] does NOTHING BUT TALK. MORAL: America dies for want of men." Right-wing nutball James von Brunn on his web site, as quoted by the Southern Poverty Law Center, via Balloon Juice.

Yeah, he's a liberal.

Illustrating A Point

Tom Toles in today's WaPo also sees the connection. So does Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman, writing in the New York Times.

UPDATE: So does Pulitzer Prize winner Eugene Robinson, also in today's WaPo. As a perfect example of the "blast-furnace rhetoric" Robinson (and Krugman) decry, there's crackpot Charles Kraphammer's op/ed next to Robinson's, trying to make us believe Obama "sees himself as merely messianic..." (sorry no link)-- and that's not even the most smarmy nonsense the Krap is peddling.

Nowhere To Hide

As we noted yesterday, Rethuglican boss Pills Limpballs and other right wingers are attempting to divert attention from the fact that Holocaust Museum shooter James von Brunn was a rabid right winger himself. Now, we see that far right website FreeRepublic initially scrubbed von Brunn's rantings on their website about President Obama's citizenship. The "birthers" can be found on far right blogs and holding signs at any right wing rally, from the teabag demonstrations to Rethuglican/secession rallies. They've become a fixture on the far right, and they're proof that an angry segment of the population will never accept an African-American as President.

The attempt to alter reality involved another wingnut killer, Scott Roeder, who killed Dr. George Tiller, and whose hate speech had appeared on the website of the anti-choice Operation Rescue, but was later deleted by the group. But with so much evidence that the wingnut media is pouring gasoline on the fire, they can't hide their role in the violence.

Limpballs, et al: Right is Left; Also, Up is Down

Southeast Missouri State dropout (after two semesters) Pig-man "Pills" Limbaugh has done some Orwellian spinning in the past, but his attempt to paint Holocaust Museum shooter James von Brunn as a leftist out-Orwells Orwell. Sadly, the Pig-man is not alone on the far right in trying to cast this latest example of right-wing extremism as something other than what it was; as right/left neutral -- or worse, as Leader Limpballs would have it, the work of a lefty.

Living in an alternate reality is one thing; mangling and distorting history is another. You can have your inane opinions, but there's only one set of facts. The facts scream that von Brunn was a man of the lunatic, far right. He's all yours, boys...

Department of Terminal Delusion

"Them Jews aren't going to let him talk to me." -- "Rev." Jeremiah "Wrong" Wright, in an interview explaining why President Obama hasn't contacted him. This was on the same day as the shooting at Washington, DC's Holocaust Memorial, and shows that anti-Semitism isn't confined to white supremacists.

It's a sign of his delusional state that Wrong thinks that Obama would just love to talk to the guy whose inflammatory rhetoric was used to try to link his views to Obama, which almost sank his candidacy.

Yuh Fired

Controversial Miss California Carrie "They're Fake" Prejean was fired yesterday by the Miss California USA organization, with the blessing of Miss USA head honcho Donald Trump. Her outspoken opposition to gay marriage caused controversy in this year's Miss USA contest. Later, nude photos of her appeared on the internet tubes, and she acknowledged that she had breast enhancement before the contest.

Apparently, They're Fake was missing many of her required appearances, to which she was under contract to do. What, were they asking her to appear at gay pride meetings?

Another Right-Wing Terrorist

Earlier this afternoon, a right wing extremist fired shots in the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. The shooter, James Von Brunn, had a previous arrest record for anti-government activities, and has a white-supremacist website.

Again, recall the report by the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year that warned about right-wing extremists acting out their rage, especially now that an African-American is President. They are being spurred on by very loose and inflamatory hate speech by wingnut radio, Fux News, and Rethug politicians. Time to crack down?

UPDATE: Think Progress has information about Brunn being one of those "Obama's birth certificate is missing" crazies, who was cited (until the shooting) by the popular crackpot right-wing blog "Free Republic."

Wingnut Chronicles

Item 1: Right wing columnist Charles Kraphammer, accepting some bogus award from the Rupert Murdock conspiracy, said, "What Fox did is not just create a venue for alternative opinion. It created an alternative reality." And as we all know, reality has a liberal bias.

Item 2: Wingnut nepotism watch. Peter Doocy, son of "Fox and Friends" assclown Steve "The Douche" Doocy has a new job. And guess what? It's with the Fux News Channel as a "general assignment reporter!" Wingut nepotism lives! (See Wee Willie Kristol, J-Pod Podhoretz, Jonah "Doughy Pantload" Goldberg, etc., etc.)

Take Me To Your Leader, Rethugs!

A new USA Today/Gallup poll indicates that 52 percent of Americans were unable to name a person who speaks for the Rethuglican Party. Of those that did name someone, 13 percent named buffoon Pills Limpballs, 10 percent named former (Vice) President The Dick, and 6 percent each named Sen. McSame and Poot Gingrich. What a dynamic leadership lineup: nobody, The Dick, McSame and Poot! We like "nobody" as their voice.

Small wonder that they keep thrashing around picking nits and displaying phony outrage over non-issues.

Deeds Over Words

We think it's good news that the most electable Democrat running for Virginia governor, Creigh Deeds, won yesterday's primary by a large majority. Deeds racked up about 50% of the vote, against fellow State Senator Brian Moran and moneybag motormouth Terry McAuliffe. McAuliffe, who just a few years ago was contemplating running for governor of Florida, was trying to buy the governorship with significant advertising, along with name recognition. Unfortunately, name recognition worked against him, particularly in Northern Virginia, where voters rejected him by double digits. Deeds won 10 of 12 Congressional districts in a display of statewide strength. He now faces Rethuglican weenie frat boy Bob McDonnell in November.

Payback Time

Remember how the wingnuts were lamenting that the bank bailout would be a mistake, and that we should let EVERYTHING fail in homage to "the free market?" Well the Treasury Department is allowing ten of the banks receiving public funds under the "Troubled Asset Relief Program" (TARP) to repay the Government for $68 billion. That's a good start, and we hope the banks right themselves and refrain from future recklessness. We don't wish the same for the FAIL, FAIL, FAIL wingnut chorus, who got another major issue wrong.

"Obama Drastically Scaling Back Goals for America "

In viewing this Onion newsclip, we can only surmise the people interviewed were Rethug base voters. Enjoy!

Who's the Biggest C**ksucker?

Here's today's competition:

1) Poot Gingrich telling a Rethug fundraiser that Obama's economic policies have "already failed."

2) Jon Voight telling the same fundraiser that Obama is a "false prophet" whom the Rethugs need to beat in order to free the nation from "this Obama oppression."

3) Frank Gaffney in the Washington "Moon" Times saying Obama was essentially the first Muslim president and that "there is mounting evidence that the president not only identifies with Muslims, but actually may still be one himself."

Tiny wingnut fists of fury!

Limpballs' Rage and Racism

Rethuglican leader Pills Limpballs is going all out in his rage against President Obama. Not content to "hope that he fails," TPM notes that Mr. Bouncy Bouncy (as Keith Olbermann calls him) is attacking him in racial terms ("a half-black, half-white human being") when discussing the President's global sense.

It's strange that the Villagers, who seem to regard Pills as a voice of reasonable conservatism, can't bring themselves to rip this bigot a new one, even after Limpballs refers to the mainstream media as "state-run media." It's decades beyond when the mainstream media should worry about being labeled "liberal" -- which they are decidedly not -- by far right wingers hoping to intimidate them into more favorable coverage. It's time to call this true racist out.

Winky and Poot: A Rethug Hoot

As a sign of the disarray of the Rethuglican Party, it took multiple false starts and a belated invitation to get Poot Gingrich and Gov. Winky You Betcha together last night for a political fundraiser. Weeks ago, the Senate and House Rethug campaign committees wanted Winky to keynote the event, but Winky and her staff declined. The Rethugs then turned to the next loser in line, Poot, who never misses an opportunity to talk. At the last minute, Winky decided to attend, but they had to tell her that she wouldn't be speaking (not a bad idea, considering her far-right hallucinations of late). Even so, Winky stole the show from Poot, who must be miffed that his "big ideas" are drawing less attention from fellow Rethugs than Winky's outfits.

What the Rethug elites see in this pair boggles the mind, but we're happy that the Rethugs are managing to, at the same time, look backward and up their rear ends for political leadership.

An Odd List

WaPo's Chris Cillizza likes lists. His "The Fix" column regularly features them, usually a list of best/ worst odds, who's up/ down, etc. Pretty much everything that's wrong with the Beltway Kool Kids' approach to politics. Today, Cillizza graces us with his list of "GOP Power Players," "five people with the most influence over the direction of the party." Who's on the list might surprise you, just as who isn't on the list might. Here's Cillizza's most influential (without the commentary in the column):

5. Dick Cheney
4. Bob McDonnell
3. Haley Barbour
2. Newt Gingrich
1. Mitt Romney

Pause for a moment... OK. First, any list of influences without The Fat One is bogus. Limpballs rules! And Bob McDonnell (!!!!) has more influence than Winky Palin?? I'll take that bet. Chris needs to get out of the Post newsroom more often.

His estimation of Haley Barbour, governor of backwater Mississippi, exceeds all plausible explanation, except one that includes Barbour as one of Cillizza's regular sources, one whose ego needs to be massaged on a periodic basis. And we know Cillizza has long had a man-crush on Willard "Mittens/Muff/Mousse" Romney, but "most influential?" Come, come Cillizza! While most Rethugs are climbing over themselves to kiss Limpballs ring, you're the only one kissing Mittens' ass.

(Photo: Chris Cillizza ("Huh, wha? Time to kiss Mittens' ass again?"))

Truthiness Comes to Iraq

One of our favorites, Stephen Colbert, is in Iraq on a four-day visit for "The Colbert Report." On his first day, on President Obama's "orders," Colbert got a military-style haircut from Gen. Ray Odierno (whom Colbert compared to Shrek) while wearing a business suit and tie tailored from camoflage. The audience cheered. It's the first time that taped shows will be aired so quickly in the U.S.: Sunday's taping will be aired tonight on Comedy Central. Well done.

Colbert is also known for his generous fundraising for military families and veterans, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for support organizations.

Kangaroo Verdict

As expected, the kangaroo trial of American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee has ended with their conviction on charges of entering North Korea illegally (question: who in their right mind or not would want to enter North Korea?). The reporters, who were arrested in March near the China/North Korea border, work for Current TV, an Al Gore media venture. Ling and Lee were sentenced to 12 years hard labor, although it's widely thought that their release will be negotiated for "humanitarian" reasons, part of the seemingly endless diplomatic game of back-and-forth between North Korea and the United States. In the meantime, the poor women and their families suffer.

"Where the Angriest Words Can Lead"

Speaking of Gauleiter Hannity, Colbert King's op/ed in today's WaPo, "Where the Angriest Words Can Lead," discusses the consequences of the extreme right's increasingly vicious slurs on those it disagrees with. O'Really? is mentioned for his role in demonizing the late Dr. George Tiller. Hannity and Limpballs also come in for specific opprobrium:

"And they must know how their characterization of Obama goes over with those Americans who live in fear that all they hold dear is coming under attack by a fascist in the White House."

Fascist, indeed. How ironic that the extreme right has been trying to define Obama as a "fascist," a system that mirrors their fevered, exclusionary ideology and "big lie" approach.

(UPDATE: Think we're exaggerating? Just for a sampling of the pond-scum life forms out there that believe what Fox Nutwork tells them, check out the weekly Saturday hate mail summary Daily Kos publishes. Wow!)

Der Uberschmuck

Fux News Gauleiter Sean Hannity can't seem to stop distorting everything the Obama Administration does, especially when it's done by the President. There used to be an unwritten rule that while a President was overseas, criticism was held until he returned. Not so with Gauleiter Hannity. He deliberately cropped a quote from the President's speech in Cairo to make it seem as though Obama wanted to give "equal time" to the 9/11 terrorists. Media Matters has the video.

It's one thing to disagree with someone's comments after giving their full context -- which the Rethug right refuses to do (see Judge Sotomayor) -- but it's nothing but a lie to crop speeches or statements to create the impression that the speaker was saying something that he/she wasn't saying at all. Gauleiter Hannity has apparently learned much from the Third Reich's approach to "information."

How "The Extremists" View Obama's Trip

Al-Qaeda? Hamas? Hezbollah? Iran? No - check out who Jon Stewart means in this hilarious clip (courtesy HuffPo).
Such assholes, such mor[a]ns, such foul excuses for human beings. OK, we already gave it away with the graphic (apologies to Elmo).

Handwriting On The Wall

There are reports that former Rethug Sen. Norm "Sore Loser" Coleman may be ready to give up his cynical fight to deny Senator-elect Al Franken the Minnesota Senate seat. The Minnesota Supreme Court is expected to rule within days on Sore Loser's challenge, and most are betting that the court will order Minnesota Gov. Tim "Good and" Pawlenty to certify Democrat Franken as the winner. Assuming the ruling will be issued this month, it will mark 8 months that Sore Loser has been throwing obstacles in Sen.-elect Franken's path to join Sen. Amy Klobuchar as Minnesota's second Senator -- and become the 60th Democrat in the U.S. Senate.

One More For The Road. . .Now Hit It

Virginia holds its Democratic primary elections for Governor next Tuesday, and there's been an interesting movement in the poll numbers away from Terry McAuliffe to Creigh Deeds, who the WaPo endorsed. The back-slapping loudmouth McAuliffe, who was once Democratic National Committee chairman and chairman of Hillary Clinton's Presidential campaign, has almost unlimited funds and has used them lavishly to purchase ads all over Virginia. But apparently, Virginia Democrats are tired of Virginia-newcomer McAuliffe's willingness to throw his money at the election. Also, many who supported President Obama are still angry that McAuliffe was one of the most vocal holdouts trying to keep Sen. Clinton's campaign alive and denying Obama a couple of months to focus on the general elections, referring to Clinton as "the next President" after Obama had clinched the nomination. He also had a rather infamous appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe", appearing in a tropical shirt with a bottle of rum and sipping from it while on camera. That goes down well with voters.

So why does he expect anyone to take him seriously? Oh yeah . . . his money.

(photo: At least he's drinking good Puerto Rican rum)

Picture of the Day

Testing 1, 2. . .Hellooooo!

An embarrassing FAIL at the right-wing National Review Online (also known as the world's sh**tiest website), where Rich "Sarah Starbursts" Lowry posts his most significant thoughts of all time. You betcha!