Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Department of Delusion, Wingnut Appointment Edition


There are some truly nutzoid ideas out there on the far-right, but this one is today's winner.  A winger by the name of Dan Emmett wrote a piece in the formerly great Washington Post Bezos Bugle's "PostEverything" section that urged deranged former Rep. Allen West be named to head the Secret Service, the agency responsible for defending the President and his family.   It's apparently not a satire.  West is, of course, infamous for his vitriolic attacks on President Obama, saying things like "Barack Hussein Obama has an Islamist sympathy" and urging members of the military to disobey the President's orders.  He falsely claimed that up to 81 Democratic members of the House were Communists. West was forced out of the Army after beating an unarmed Iraqi policeman.  In short, he's a piece of work.

In reality, this extremist would be more likely to shoot at the President than defend him as a Secret Service official.  He belongs under psychiatric care, as does apparently Mr. Emmett.

Willard's New Dreams of Glory


Twice-failed Presidential candidate and man-of-the-1-percent Willard "Corporations Are People" Romney seems to be considering a third run for the Presidency, according to reports.  As someone who lacks rapport with everyday Americans (i.e., the "47 percent"), and whose speech patterns are odd to say the least ("binders full of women," trees in Michigan "are just the right height," and "self-deportation"), Willard's taking a big gamble on a third try, if he runs.  But, as ones who have made considerable merriment over his goofs /blunders /gaffes, we say "Run, Willard, run!" and may the best woman win.

(Reuters photo:  Third time's a charm?)

ALEC Loses Another Sponsor


As we noted in our post below, Koch Industries is one of the nation's largest polluters and they put the profits they make off of that pollution to work for them.  Not only do they provide direct funding to right-wing candidates and far right advocacy groups like Americans for Prosperity, they also support the wingnut law-generating organization ALEC, short for American Legislative Exchange Council, which sponsors lying climate change deniers and fights against renewable energy (ALEC is also behind many voter suppression laws being passed in Republican-controlled State legislatures, among other dirty deeds).

Recently, with heightened awareness of climate change, major corporate sponsors of ALEC have seen the light through the pollution and have dropped their financial support to ALEC.  Now, Occidental Petroleum, ranked #4 among U.S. oil and gas corporations, has decided to bow to pressure and abandon ALEC and their pro-pollution campaign.   It doesn't mean ALEC is going away, thanks to major financial support from the Kochs and their ilk, but it does mean a light is being shined on ALEC's agenda as each sponsor is called out to defend their support.

Monday, September 29, 2014

The Koch Brothers: They're Not Just Polluting Politics


A Hackwhackers hat tip to Charles P. Pierce for bringing to our attention this Rolling Stone article by Tim Dickinson on the far-right polluters of American democracy, Charles and David Koch.  Not surprisingly, the Koch brothers' disdain for the American public washes over into its far-flung business dealings. Here's just a taste of what Dickinson uncovers in his eminently readable piece:
The volume of Koch Industries' toxic output is staggering. According to the University of Massachusetts Amherst's Political Economy Research Institute, only three companies rank among the top 30 polluters of America's air, water and climate: ExxonMobil, American Electric Power and Koch Industries. Thanks in part to its 2005 purchase of paper-mill giant Georgia-Pacific, Koch Industries dumps more pollutants into the nation's waterways than General Electric and International Paper combined. The company ranks 13th in the nation for toxic air pollution. Koch's climate pollution, meanwhile, outpaces oil giants including Valero, Chevron and Shell. Across its businesses, Koch generates 24 million metric tons of greenhouse gases a year.
Aiming to make American democracy a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koch Industries (much as they have done in the State of Wisconsin with their office boy, Gov. Scott Walker), the Kochs have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party in direct candidate support as well as voter suppression activities.  If you want to get a full sense of the evil these two Birchite sociopaths are visiting on this country (and you should), read the full article.

(Image: Visual approximation of Charles and David Koch.)

Today's Must Read


Last Thursday, we noted the brave action of UAE fighter pilot Major Mariam Al-Mansouri in leading her Muslim nation's attack on ISIS/ISIL forces, and the braindead "joke" that two clowns on the Fux Network made.  Well, here for your MUST reading, is an open letter from 60 men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces condemning their "boobs on the ground" and "can't park" jibes.  It's absolutely devastating to the two cretins that represent their network so faithfully.

We've also tried to determine the military records of Messrs. Bolling and Gutfeld, and of course, there are none.  Another perfect example of the chickenhawk fake "patriots" and "diseased minds" residing at Fux.

Today's Tomorrow Cartoon

(click to enlarge)



Perhaps President Obama should pin everything from climate change to gun violence to curing Ebola on defeating ISIS/ISIL.  He might get wingnuts on board…nahhh.

(cartoon:  Tom Tomorrow, via Daily Kos)

Orcs and Dorks

The corner of conservatism that always seems to draw fresh infusions of gullible nut jobs is "libertarianism."  It's a fiction of a philosophy that, when applied to real life, would fail spectacularly because everyone would be on their own, with no common purpose or goal except the exercise of selfishness.  It has followers among the Rethug political firmament, including Alan GreenspanRep. Paul "Lyin'" Ryan, Sen. Tailgunner Ted Cruz, and former Rep. Ron Paul, who named his son Rand after one of the movement's main philosophers, Ayn Rand.  Rand didn't call her "philosophy" libertarianism, she called it "objectivism," but it's a distinction without a difference.

John Oliver, on his new HBO show Last Week Tonight, took on Rand and her influence decades after her death.  The influence endures, although it might surprise and offend many right-wingers that Rand was an outspoken atheist.  Indeed, after this fact was pointed out to conservative Catholic Lyin' Ryan, he disavowed his practice of requiring his interns to read Rand's Atlas Shrugged and said he wasn't such a fan of hers after all.

As worthy blogger John Rogers once noted:
"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Clinton Derangement Syndrome: It's Not Just About Benghazi!


Given the over-the-top, ultra-conspiratorial tripe being peddled about Hillary Clinton, of which this sophomoric effort by (Content) Free Beacon's Alana Goodman (clock-cleaning courtesy of TBogg) is but one recent example, this headline/ story by humorist Andy Borowitz might not be far off the mark:

Republicans Air Early Attack Ad on Newborn Clinton

Oliver Willis also has a clever rejoinder to the nonsense the right-wing twits are peddling.

UPDATE:  Look no further than one of Rupert "Aaargh" Murdoch's puke funnels, the New York Post, for Borowitz's prophetic headline to come true.  Bottom feeders.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Today's History Lesson


Here's a question for you.  Which of these two people would you rather have setting education standards in your school district?  Julie Williams, right-wing Colorado edumacator:
Protests in Jefferson County, the state's second-largest school district, began a week ago Friday. By this Thursday, there were nearly 1,000 students marching in protest of the county school board's call for an Advanced Placement curriculum on U.S. history that promotes "respect for authority" and discourages "civil disorder, social strife or disregard for the law." [snip]
Julie Williams, one of three conservative members who control the county school board and who helped design the proposal, said on Friday that she's "not saying let's not teach history accurately," but what she is saying is "let's not encourage our children to disobey the law." When Denver's KUSA-TV asked Williams for examples of moments in history that might be misrepresented in the AP course and could lead to the negative outcomes she fears, Williams couldn't cite a single example. 
"I'm not familiar enough with everything that is in AP history to make that judgment," she said.  (our emphasis)
Or Maggie Ramseur... High.  School.  Senior (!):
"The point of civil disobedience is to break an unjust law with the intention of bringing attention to it so that it may be rectified and made just," Ramseur said. "Teaching students about that does not encourage them to become anarchists. It encourages them to speak up about policy and make the government serve the people, which is what our democratic republic was designed for." 
"And that is something that I learned in Advanced Placement United States History," she added. "The uncensored version."
Meanwhile, George Santayana is rotating briskly in his grave.

(h/t Silver Spring Bureau Chief Brian)

Mr. and Mrs. Jones Slept There


The misnamed "Value Voters Summit" is underway, and from speakers Michele "Crazy Eyes" Bachmann screeching about a war on Islam, to Ayn Rand Paul using racial code to call President Obama "uppity," it's a fabulous festival of feces flinging.  Of course, when it comes to error-ridden discourse, Alaska's former half-term Governor and full time grifter Sarah "Winky" Palin is hard to top.  We believe most people know the most famous address in Washington, D.C., that of the White House:  it's 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  But Winky goofed again when shearing the assembled sheep:
"You reload with truth which I know is an endangered species at 1400 Pennsylvania Avenue anyway."
In fact, 1400 Pennsylvania Avenue is the site of the historic Willard Hotel, so the only truth that may have been endangered there would have been the number of phony Mr. and Mrs. Joneses registered for weekend trysts.

Quote of the Day


On Eric Holder's legacy as Attorney General, from the once great Washington Post Bezos Bugle editorial board:
... In an era when Republicans at the state level seem unembarrassed to try almost any strategem to deprive minorities and young people — read: Democrats — of the franchise, Mr. Holder has been a fierce champion of the opposite principle: Democracy depends on everyone having unencumbered access to the voting booth. After decades of rising incarceration rates and racial disparity in sentencing, Mr. Holder has been at the forefront of a movement to restore sanity and equity to punishment. He resisted state laws that targeted immigrants or people who police might think look like immigrants. And in refusing to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, and then, after the Supreme Court vindicated that call, in scouring and rewriting the federal rulebook to promote equal treatment of same-sex marriages, he played a key and honorable part in the unfolding movement toward recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans as full citizens.
Fred Hiatt must be on vacation.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Today's Cartoons - Climate Change Edition


(click to enlarge)


(Steve Benson, The Arizona Republic)


(Mike Luckovich, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Republican Voter Suppression, Cont.


Voter suppression in Virginia:  several hundred thousand may not have the proper i.d. to vote, thanks to a Republican-passed law.

Voter confusion in North Carolina: Koch brothers group sends out thousands of mailers with misinformation about voter registration.

Rigging elections since 2000.  When the only "ideas" you have are so moronic and godawful toxic that you don't expect a majority to support them, you are the current Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party.

Economic Growth Rate Highest Since 2011


Good news on the economic front that will no doubt be reflected in rising poll numbers for President Obama and Democrats (riiiiight!):
The U.S. economy grew at a rate of 4.6 percent in the second quarter, according to gross domestic product numbers released Friday morning by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. 
It represents the fastest rate of growth since the last three months of 2011 as companies increased investments and households spent more, Bloomberg reported. 
The figure, up from 2.5 percent growth in the same period last year, was revised up from a previous estimate of 4.2 percent in August.
We also expect this to be the lead news story on tonight's news (riiiight! again).

Weekend Music Rhapsody


American composer George Gershwin was born on this date in 1898.  Counted among the great American composers of the 20th Century (along with Rodgers, Copland and Porter IMHO), Gershwin's full potential was cut short by his untimely death at age 38.  Nevertheless, he was an important contributor to the Jazz Age and popular music with such classic works as Porgy and Bess and An American in Paris, as well as standards such as Swanee, Someone To Watch Over Me, I Got Rhythm, Fascinating Rhythm, and They Can't Take That Away From Me.  But of all Gershwin's works, the one we most favor is the one he's probably best known for:  Rhapsody in Blue.  Here's the original 1924 recording, played by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, with Gershwin at the piano.  Enjoy your weekend.

"Diseased Minds" Video of the Day

Watching The Daily Show last night, we were expecting the customary, hilarious satire of the day's nonsense, mostly produced by wingnuts.  We got more than that last night when Jon Stewart delivered an angry rebuttal to the Fuxers and others on the far right over both their obsession with the "latte salute" by President Obama and their mockery of UAE's female pilot Maj. Mariam al-Mansouri.  It's an unusually passionate take down of their fake patriotism and their "diseased minds" that makes one want to stand up and cheer.  It's a long clip, over 7 minutes, but worth watching.


Thursday, September 25, 2014

AG Holder Stepping Down?

There are reports this morning that Attorney General Eric Holder will step down as President Obama's Attorney General today.  Holder has been the AG for Obama's six years in office, and has become a lightening rod for right-wing attacks for his aggressive enforcement of voting rights and civil rights laws, for his opposition to discriminatory immigration laws, and support of marriage equality under the law.  Holder is the first African-American Attorney General.  Stay tuned.

UPDATE:  The White House is confirming that AG Holder will resign later today, but will stay on until a successor is confirmed. (This Hackwhacker's choice for successor is California Attorney General Kamala Devi Harris, a smart, up-and-coming progressive leader).

Wings Of Change


The coalition of Arab countries joining the air strikes against ISIS/ISIL in Syria marks a departure from the past.  There was an even greater departure from the past when we read that the United Arab Emirates' air attack was led by squadron leader Major Mariam al-Mansouri, a 35 year-old graduate of the UAE's air force academy.   Given the fact that in countries bordering the UAE women are not allowed to drive, as a Muslim woman in a restrictive  culture, Major al-Mansouri's accomplishment is staggering.

ISIS/ISIL has a brutal record of kidnapping, murdering and raping women captured in the areas it has seized.  Their ideology demands that women be nothing more than subservient chattel to men.  What a wonderful twist that a Muslim woman is leading her nation's air strikes on them.  May she fly in safety and with great success.

UPDATE:  In dog-bites-man news, Fox "News" buttmunch makes sexist jokes about Maj. al-Mansouri.  

(photo:  Major al-Mansouri in the cockpit of her F-16, by Emirates News Agency)

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Photos Of The Day


Apparently wingnuts and their enablers in the media are in a hyper-caffeinated snit over the picture showing President Obama disembarking from Marine 1 holding a cup while saluting two Marines.  While it's never a good idea to salute while holding anything -- and his other hand was free -- the right wing lit up with angry accusations of "disrespecting the military" and so on.


Well, when it comes to "disrespecting the military," it's hard to find an equal in former President George Dumbya Bush.  He sent our military men and women into harm's way in Iraq on false premises, and likely went AWOL while ducking the draft serving in the Alabama Air National Guard during the Vietnam war.  As far as salutes go, here's a classic of Dumbya including his dog Barney in his salute.  Tsk tsk, such disrespect!

Our Broken Media, Complaint Dept.

Every time we hear the right-wing complain about the media's love of President Obama, it's hard not to laugh.  Ever since Obama was inaugurated, the Beltway media has been playing the "both sides are to blame" song, promoting the tea baggers as an independent, grass roots movement, and not giving Obama credit for getting the economy back on its feet after the Rethugs drove it into a ditch.  The 30-plus year campaign by the Rethugs to "work the referee" has paid off spectacularly.

Now, the Beltway kool kids are up in arms that the White House staff is editing its press pool reports.  And what exactly is being edited?  According to the formerly great Washington Post Bezos Bugle:
"The disputed episodes involve mostly trivial issues and minor matters of fact."
Now we understand why they're so upset:  after all, trivial issues and errors in fact are their bread-and-butter.  Mega hack and Karl Rove pen pal Ron Fournier clutched his pearls and headed to the fainting couch, saying, "It's time to stop allowing WH to read and distribute pool reports." Well, at least not this White House. (Perhaps Fournier is still upset over John McNasty's defeat in 2008, when he was considering a job with McNasty).

Just another day in the Beltway bubble with the entitled and petulant media.

Mid-Week Breeze Song


South African jazz fusion guitarist Jonathan Butler spent many of his 52 years under apartheid.  His musical artistry allowed him to achieve fame despite apartheid, becoming the first black artist to have his single played on white stations.  His "African Breeze" topped the U.S. jazz charts last week, and is our featured song today.  Enjoy.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

That'll Leave A Mark….


Recent breaches of security at the White House -- including one man who jumped the fence on Pennsylvania Avenue and made it to the front door -- has the Secret Service scrambling to beef up security. In the meantime, The Onion has a behind-the-scenes report on how the President is playing his part.  (By the way, below is a picture of the gentleman mentioned at the end of the story).


Treasury To Issue Rules On Inversions


American corporations that attempt to avoid taxes by merging with or acquiring a foreign company and moving overseas ("inversions") aren't going to have such an easy time of it, thanks to rules the Treasury Department is putting in place:
New regulations from the Treasury Department will make these co-called corporate inversions less lucrative by barring creative techniques that companies use to lower their tax bill. Additionally, the U.S. will make it harder for companies to move overseas in the first place by tightening the ownership requirements they must meet. 
"This action will significantly diminish the ability of inverted companies to escape U.S. taxation," Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said. He added that for some companies considering inversions, the new measures would mean inverting would "no longer make economic sense."  [snip]
Three new measures will seek to stop companies from finding ways to access earnings from a foreign subsidiary without paying U.S. taxes, including "hopscotch" loans, in which companies shift earnings by lending money to the new foreign parent company while skipping over the U.S.-based company. 
Another rule change would make it harder for merged or acquired companies to benefit from lower foreign taxes by tightening the application of a law that says the American company's shareholders must own less than 80 percent of the new, combined company. The administration would like to reduce that percentage to 50 percent, but that will require legislation. In the absence of legislation, the administration says its new rules will make it harder for companies to get around the 80 percent requirement by prohibiting certain arrangements, such as a firm making large dividend payments ahead of the acquisition to reduce its size on paper. 
The rules, being drafted now, will be effective retroactively to today.  As one might have expected, the Chamber of Horrors Commerce has ads out denouncing the rules and deceptively comparing them to imposing taxes retroactively on the average American taxpayer.  [Cue chorus of tiny violins.]

Is it any wonder why "greed" is the first word Americans think of when "corporations" are mentioned?

Psychiatrist, Heal Thyself


Mega hack Charles Kraphammer is one of the more vile characters on the far-right, launching hostile and deceitful attacks on anyone not sharing his neocon, reactionary views.  Stephen Colbert noticed Kraphammer holding forth as a former practicing psychiatrist on a wingnut radio show, where he disclaimed any ability to diagnose from afar, and then proceeded to diagnose President Obama as a "narcissist," while lying at the same time about a speech Obama had given.  After watching Colbert's masterful takedown, you can decide who's the narcissist and who's a dick, or both:


Arab Nations Join U.S. In Attacking ISIS

Military action against ISIS/ISIL entered a new stage earlier today when U.S. warplanes and cruise missiles were joined by several Arab countries in the region in attacking targets in Syria for the first time.  Warplanes from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain participated in the attacks, which were aimed at several ISIS/ISIL command and control targets.  The U.S.'s NATO ally Turkey did not join the air attacks.

In a sign of the murky and shifting interests in the region, the Assad regime apparently was notified in advance of the attacks within its territory, and did not object.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Our Broken Media, Climate Change Edition


Yesterday's huge international story, which saw millions marching in over 150 countries for action on climate change (over 300,000 in New York City alone), was apparently not worthy of coverage by our betters in the Beltway media.  None of the Sunday poo-flings saw fit to cover the international People's Climate March, focusing instead who's in/out, up/down, winning/losing in Washington.  For example, you had Wisconsin goober Sen. Ron "Little Johnson" Johnson opining on ISIS/ISIL, a subject he really knows nothing about on one network.  Outside of ABC's studios in New York, hundreds of thousands had assembled to march, something that "This Week" host George Steponaflagpinopolus blithely ignored.

Today, a few thousand demonstrators are participating in a "Flood Wall Street" demonstration to draw corporate attention away from greater-profits-at-all-cost to the devastating effects of climate change and to urge action now.  Sadly, aside from coverage of demonstrators being hauled off by police, we're certain the message will be lost on our broken media.

Video of the Day


Washington football team owner Li'l Danny Snyder is shelling out millions to buy off objections to his team's name.  Pop-ups on the internet, TV advertising and direct grants to gullible -- and desperate -- Native Americans show that he's running scared.

Watching Sunday's game against the winning Philadelphia Eagles must have been a surprise to Li'l Danny and his posse of coat holders, given this promotional ad for Comedy Central's "South Park" which ran in the fourth quarter.  It perfectly captures the hypocrisy and blind greed that motivates him.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Climate Change Cartoon of the Day

 (click to enlarge)


Until we and other nations drastically shift from our reliance on fossil fuels as a source of energy -- and apply meaningful energy conservation standards -- the environmental legacy we leave future generations will be a sorrowful one indeed.

(cartoon:  Signe Wilkinson, via Gocomics.com)

More Danger Signs On Climate Change


Today is the last full day of summer (in the northern hemisphere), and global climate data indicates that 2014 was the warmest since record keeping started in 1880.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that the average Earth temperature from June to August was nearly 63 degrees, or 1.3 degrees higher than last century's average.  The primary factor was the rise in ocean surface temperatures of some 1.23 degrees over the last century's average.  Climate change brings with it dramatic changes in weather patterns, such as epic storms, and historic droughts, which we've been experiencing in North America for over a decade.

Thousands are expected to march today in Manhattan to express their frustration over delays in curbing carbon emissions, the major factor in causing the greenhouse effect that raises global temperatures.  The New York event will be part of demonstrations in some 150 countries to call on their leaders to meet the challenges of climate change.  In addition, the United Nations is hosting a summit of world leaders in two days to address programs to curb carbon emissions.  Will this produce, as in the past, promises, stalling and inaction?  We've nearly run out of time -- some say it's already irreversible -- to deal with the negative human impact on climate.

UPDATE:  The New York City march drew over 300,000 people.


(photo: Associated Press, Mel Evans)

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Red State Moochers


Wingnuts in red states are forever castigating the "gummint" for taxing and spending.  As it turns out, 10 red states are among those that rake in the most Federal dollars in terms of subsidies and other Federal funding, while paying the least.  Salon has the complete list, but here's a sampling of the states feeding at the Federal trough while bemoaning "out of control" spending:
Alaska. "A bastion of hard-right politics, Alaska is the state where Sarah Palin was elected governor in 2006. But when it comes to 'small government,' Alaska Republicans don’t practice what they preach: according to WalletHub, Alaska receives $1.42 from the federal government for every dollar it contributes." 
South Carolina. "Republican Gov. Nikki Haley once boasted, 'I love that we are one of the least unionized states in the country.' But that is nothing to be proud of, especially in light of the fact that non-union workers tend to have lower wages and therefore, contribute less tax revenue. The Tax Foundation found that South Carolina was receiving $1.92 from the federal government for every federal tax dollar it was contributing."
 The delusional hypocrisy of the red staters is stunning when it comes to their greed vs. others' contribution.  In other words, "spend on me, but not on thee."

Wishful Thinking?


People watching last night's NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams were informed that Federal charges had been "ruled out" against New Jersey's Republican crime family capo Gov. Chris "Krispykreme" Christie concerning the "Bridgegate" scandal.  Unfortunately for both Krispykreme and NBC News, that report turned out to be false, as the U.S. Attorney's office for New Jersey confirmed.  If Krispykreme gets a pass on the isolated "Bridgegate" part, there's still ongoing investigations into charges of political extortion and pay-to-play with government projects in exchange for endorsements.

Krispykreme has always gotten the benefit of the doubt and much more from a lazy media that wants their politicians to be "colorful," and good for soundbites.  There's also the myth that he's a "different" kind of Rethuglican, willing to work with Dems and moderate in his policies. That's nonsense.  But that flies in the face of the image that the Beltway media has cultivated for the blowhard Governor, so it may have been wishful thinking on NBC's part that Krispykreme would walk free.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Dukes of Wasilla / Schmuck Dynasty, Cont'd.

 (click to enlarge)


Looking a bit strung out without her layers of makeup, lip gloss and hairspray, snowbilly grifter and John McCain's gift-to-the-nation-that-keeps-on-giving, Sarah "Winky" Palin was captured in this pic, via Radar Online, after a workout in the gym.  (Notice the classy middle finger she flips to the photographer, and -- hmm -- the absence of a wedding ring).

She continues to deflect questions about the drunken brawl at a Wasilla methamphetamine house party a couple of weeks ago, which resulted in son Track shirtless and drunk, husband Todd with a bloody nose, and the whole family being told to leave.  As of today, no video of the brawl has surfaced, despite several eyewitness accounts.

(photo: via Radar Online)

Whip It Good Video of the Day


Fux's pseudo macho hack Sean "Heil" Hannity got a (ahem) whipping last night from Stephen Colbert, who mercilessly mocked Heil's weird support of NFL players who commit domestic violence against their kids.  Heil was his usual moronic self when he described his childhood experiences of being whipped with a belt and punched in the face by his father (that explains a lot about Heil). Low point: when Heil takes off his belt and whips the table, to the alarm of his panel. Further evidence that this fool needs therapy.

UK Remains Intact


Yesterday's historic vote in Scotland means that they will remain part of the United Kingdom.  By a 55 to 45 percent margin, Scots voted to reject independence, but will demand reforms and greater autonomy within the UK.  With the vote to remain in the UK, the British pound sterling and their stock and bond markets rose strongly, and Brits collectively let out a sigh of relief.  Queen Elizabeth II is expected to thank Scotland for their decision later today in a public comment.  Her last foray into the vote for independence rubbed many Scots the wrong way when she told them to "think very carefully" about their vote.

Weekend Song


We've featured the talented Seattle-based alt rock group Fleet Foxes before (because we like 'em).  Here's "Your Protector" from their eponymous 2008 album.  Enjoy your weekend.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

If You Can Read This, Don't Thank The Texas State Board Of Education

(click to enlarge)


(Ben Sargent, Austin (TX) American-Statesman)

This history curriculum is brought to you by Gov. Rick "Oops" Perry and the other knuckle-draggers of the Texas Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party.  Of course, the proposed science curriculum is just as bad.  Remember:  He can do for your child what he's doing to Texas' children!

Rethuglican Civil War, Cont'd.

Alert the teatard armies:  another Republican In Name Only gave a mild endorsement of a feature of the Affordable Care Act, or "Obamacare."  The Rethug candidate for the 3rd Congressional District in Iowa, David Young,  responded to a question recently about whether he favored the expansion of Medicaid, which is a feature of "Obamacare," and Young had to admit that it was "working in Iowa."

That admission doesn't support the reality-denying, Obama-hating wingers' world view, and they'll be just a bit upset by Young's apostasy and might not come out to vote.  Oh well, with the approval rating of Congressional Rethugs at around 28%, maybe he's better off losing in November.  Here's hoping.

Scot Free?


Today is a momentous day in the long history of Scotland's relations with the rest of the United Kingdom, when Scots will vote on independence.  Polls show the people of Scotland to be evenly split as to whether to sever the ties that they've had with England since 1707.  Queen Elizabeth II recently weighed in suggesting that Scots need to "think very carefully about the future," which many Scots viewed as high-handed treatment.  Nonetheless, Scottish independence would force decisions on everything from currency to treaties, and diminish the United Kingdom economically and culturally.

There are independence movements across Europe involving ethnic groups within countries (e.g., Catalonia in Spain, Flanders in Belgium, etc.) that will be encouraged should Scotland vote for independence.  Stay tuned.

(photo:  Flag of Scotland)

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Fool's Errand Quote of the Day


"...as the CIA sees it, the ramped-up backing of rebels is an expansion of a strategy that is already not working. 'The CIA also believes that its previous assignment to accomplish this was basically a fool’s errand, and they are well aware of the fact that many of the arms that they provided ended up in the wrong hands,' the congressman said, echoing intelligence sources." -- (emphasis added) via the HuffPo, an unnamed Dem Congressman relaying the unclassified basics of a recent CIA briefing on arming Syrian "moderates."

Remember that bitter loser Sen. John "Walnuts" McCain and his sidekick Sen. Huckleberry J. Butchmeup* in every TV appearance over the past 18 months demanded -- DEMANDED -- that President Obama send bombs, tanks, missiles, etc. to the "moderate" forces fighting in Syria.  The CIA's description of McCain's reckless urging as a "fool's errand" seems to fit perfectly.
________
* Charles P. Pierce's unbeatable moniker for Lindsey Graham

Sinclair Broadcast Group Begins Its Politicization Of Local D.C. News


From the once great Washington Post Bezos Bugle, the Sinclair Broadcast Group didn't waste any time politicizing local news in its new Washington, D.C., market:
Last week, for example, WJLA viewers woke up to a new face on the morning news: Mark Hyman, a veteran conservative pundit, who offered some criticism of President Obama. 
In his video commentary, Hyman railed against the inconsistent enforcement of a ban on travel to Cuba by Americans. Noting that the music stars Jay Z and Beyoncé had “partied up” in Havana last year without penalty, Hyman insinuated that Obama had protected the couple from prosecution. “It occurs to me that Beyoncé and Jay Z are close friends of the president and first lady,” said Hyman, adding sarcastically, “You don’t suppose . . . oh, never mind. He’d never do that.” 
Hyman’s critiques — which range from warning about the cost of Obamacare to advocating the abolition of the Transportation Security Administration — will be a regular feature on WJLA, just as they are on dozens of stations owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the new owner of ABC 7.
Sinclair (owned by the Smith family) has a track record of shilling for the Republican Party and right-wing views, as well as contributing heavily to Republican candidates. As the article points out,
On the eve of the 2012 election between Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, for example, Sinclair stations in several battlegrounds states aired a ­corporate-produced half-hour news “special” that criticized Obama’s handling of the economy, his signature health-care law and the administration’s management of the terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Romney’s record received less scrutiny. [snip] 
In 2004, Sinclair generated controversy when it considered airing a documentary attacking Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry’s military record just before the election. After complaints from Democrats and calls for an advertiser boycott, Sinclair backed down and ran a program that analysts said was more balanced. The company nevertheless fired its Washington bureau chief after he publicly said that plans to air the anti-Kerry film were “indefensible.”
The folks in the newsroom aren't happy that Sinclair is not only pushing a Republican agenda, but that they want to newsroom to "work for" the advertising-sales department (e.g., doing news tie-ins with corporate sponsors). The article concludes with a quote from Charles Lewis of the Center for Public Integrity:
“I’d be nervous if I were working at WJLA right now,” said Charles Lewis , the founder of the investigative Center for Public Integrity in Washington and a communications professor at American University. “They are stuck with an idiosyncratic owner with its own political views and agenda. It’s a nightmarish scenario for journalists.”
Apparently, too, the Smiths hope to build a networked "local-national channel" that will give them an even greater megaphone to spread the news  Republican propaganda intertwined with local content.

That sound you hear is John Peter Zenger rotating in his grave.

Mid-Week Song


Brooklyn-based alternative folk rock band Woods has a new album out, "With Light and Love."  Their sound is wistful and melodic and their vocals and instruments are almost reminiscent of the Beatles, circa "Magical Mystery Tour."  Here's a memorable song from that album, "Moving To The Left."

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Today's Cartoon (and R.I.P.)


(click to enlarge)

If only ...


(Ben Sargent, Austin (TX) American-Statesman)

We also wish to note the passing, on September 14,  of the great editorial cartoonist Tony Auth.  His integrity and insight will be missed.

Republican Dirty Tricks, Cont.

We've often noted (as recently as Saturday) seemingly endless Republican efforts to suppress, play games with or otherwise diddle with the right to vote in this country.  Courtesy of right-wing asspuppets in Kansas and Wisconsin (assisted by a panel of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals), we bring you two more examples of their patented chicanery:

Kansas:

After Democrat Chad Taylor submitted his request to be removed from the November ballot, clearing the way for independent Greg Orman to make it a one-on-one contest with the highly unpopular Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, Kansas' ultra-right Republican Sec. of State Kris "Starts and Ends With Koch" Kobach ruled Taylor's name would remain on the ballot, in an attempt to divide the anti-Roberts vote.  So, to court:
This morning the Kansas Supreme Court heard arguments from attorneys representing Democrat Chad Taylor and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach about whether the Democratic challenger's name should be removed from the ballot this November. [snip] 
The ruling could be critical for the Senate race in Kansas. New polling from PPP shows Greg Orman (KS-I) now has a growing lead against Pat Roberts (VA-R), but there are still Kansas voters who intend to vote for Chad Taylor if he remains on the ballot...
Several court-watchers seem to believe that Kobach's representative had a hard time explaining to the State court how Taylor had not met a "substantial compliance" standard that was otherwise used in other situations where a name was removed from a ballot in Kansas.

But, for every potential victory, there's a potential loss in the offing.

Wisconsin:
In a stunningly fast decision, a federal appeals court in Chicago reinstated Wisconsin's voter photo identification law on Friday — just hours after three Republican-appointed judges heard arguments on reactivating the hotly debated law in time for the November election. 
In a brief order, a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago said, "The State of Wisconsin may, if it wishes ... enforce the photo ID requirement in this November's elections."  (our emphasis)
We haven't seen whether this ruling can be appealed to the full 7th Circuit, or whether if it were reviewed by the full court it would make a difference.  The court is one of the most Republican-loaded in the nation with 4 Democratic justices and 10 Republican justices.  That math doesn't bode well for "justice."

UPDATE:  On Thursday, Sept. 18, the Kansas Supreme Court ordered that Democrat Chad Taylor's name be taken off the ballot, a major defeat for Kobach and Roberts.  Haha.

The Republican War On Women - Equal Pay Edition


As expected, Senate Republicans filibustered legislation on Monday aimed at helping women fight for equal pay in the workplace, a vote held by Democrats to attack the GOP ahead of the 2014 midterm elections. 
The vote was 52 for, 40 against, falling short of the 60 needed to defeat a filibuster. [snip] 
The Paycheck Fairness Act was introduced by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and would prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who talk to coworkers about their salaries. It would also require more data collection of employee salaries from businesses.
Senate Democrats can be expected to set up more of these pre-election "symbolic" votes to demonstrate just how far right the Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party has careened. Whether the message from this and other contrasting votes will sink in with enough voters over time to make a difference remains to be seen.  Certainly, in the Republican-gerrymandered House of Representatives, it may take up to a generation to restore a Democratic majority. But, as they say, the truth bears repeating.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Quote of the Day


"NFL fans, get it together. I know the world of sports and sports talk radio and ESPN is fun and you love being for your team and against the other teams (I hate the Cowboys!) but its just sports.
It’s just sports. It’s. Just. Sports. Stop defending this crap. Stop defending men who beat up their girlfriends and wives because you think the guy throwing the pigskin or catching it or hitting the guy who is carrying it actually matters. They’re fun to watch, but really, it’s just sports."  -- Blogger and football fan Oliver Willis, on why fans and others need to stop making excuses for domestic violence (emphasis added).

FDR And Today's Partisan Media



Ken Burns' terrific new epic "The Roosevelts: An Intimate History" kicked off last night on PBS, and it may be his best documentary yet.  Burns was making the rounds on the Sunday poo-flings yesterday, and was joined in a discussion of the documentary on "Face The Nation" by historian Geoffrey Ward.  When the discussion turned to Franklin Roosevelt's need to wear heavy leg braces as a result of his polio, there was talk of how the press in those days refrained from showing him to the public with crutches or a wheelchair.  Host Bob Schieffer noted that someone running for President these days wouldn't get the same courtesy.  Ward agreed, saying:
"... I think TV crews would compete with each other to see who could get the footage that showed him at his most helpless. He had to be carried in and out of buildings. He had to be helped to remove his braces and so on. And I think Fox News would have loved that."  (emphasis added)
Indeed they would have, and probably would have accused him of being a "secret Muslim," "a Marxist," or "weak."  FDR stood for everything Fux is trying to tear down:  the social compact and safety net, fair labor practices, and a progressive, tolerant America where "we all do well when we all do well."

(photo: FDR Library, 1941)

Rethugs Slightly More Popular Than…Ebola?

A recent Washington Post / ABC News poll shows a whopping 72 percent of Americans disapprove of Republicans in Congress.  Dems fare somewhat better, with "only" 61 percent disapproving of them.  The President is slightly underwater with a disapproval rating of 54 percent.

Those numbers should mean victories for the Dems in the upcoming November mid-terms, but over the past decade, Rethugs controlling State legislatures have successfully gerrymandered Congressional districts to create safe seats for their party.  There's also the turnout factor:  Dems win when they turn out in force, but they turn out mostly during Presidential election years (2006 being an anomaly, when Rethugs were demoralized by Dumbya's adventures and Dems took the House).   What a shame it would be, given the polling, if Dems sat out another mid-term and handed the extremely unpopular Rethugs victory.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

The Changing Face of the Courts


The President and Senate Dems have succeeded in overcoming a major obstacle placed in their way by obstructionist Republicans:  the Federal appeals court system now has a strong majority of full time judges appointed by Democratic Presidents, according to a report in the New York Times.  Of the 13 appeals courts,  9 now have a majority Dem judges, compared to only one when Obama took office in 2009.  The impact of the decision to deny the filibuster to Senate Rethuglicans can't be overstated, as significant issues are brought before the appeals courts such as marriage equality and voting rights, and because appeals court judges are among the first considered for vacancies on the Supreme Court.  As New York Senator Chuck Schumer notes in the article, 
“With all the gridlock, it is forgotten that one of the most profound changes this Congress made was filling the bench.  This will affect America for a generation, long after the internecine battles on legislative issues are forgotten.”
Along with affordable health insurance available to all, the appointments of these judges to appellate court vacancies is one of the President's major, long-lasting accomplishments.

Sunday Sad Funnies

(click to enlarge)


As we noted yesterday, the announcement by some "moderate" Syrian rebels that they had agreed to a "non-aggression" truce with ISIS/ISIL demonstrates the maddening complexity of the conflict over there. Enemies, friends, all merge and re-constitute from one week to another.

(cartoon: Jim Morin, Miami Herald, via Gocomics.com)

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Voter Suppression, Peach State Style



Attempts by Republican officials to suppress voters that will likely vote Democratic have been rampant in recent years.  The basic idea is that the Rethugs are losing voters with each election, as the populace becomes more diverse, younger, and better educated.  So their solution is:  instead of letting the voters select us, let's select them.  It can be onerous voter ID requirements that target minorities and the young, restrictions on early voting and voting hours that discriminates against working women, and other tricks.

In Georgia, Rethuglican Secretary of State Brian "Democracy? F-ck It!" Kemp has decided that vigorous voter registration among minority groups can't be tolerated, so he's launched a bogus "voter fraud" investigation looking at the registration forms for typos, blanks, etc.  Here's what he had to say to a group of KKK fellow Rethuglicans this past July:
"...Democrats are working hard, and all these stories about them, you know, registering all these minority voters that are out there and others that are sitting on the sidelines, if they can do that, they can win these elections in November." (emphasis added)
 Exactly.  That's why it's so important to register as many of the estimated 700,000 African-American voters in Georgia, as civic groups are doing now.  If just half of that number gets registered and turn out to vote, Mr. Kemp and his ilk can pack their bags.

(hat tip for the story to blog fave P.E.C.)

Friends, Enemies and Syria


Reports that "moderate" rebels fighting against the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad have signed a non-aggression pact with radical ISIS/ISIL undermines President Obama's strategy of training and supporting the so-called Free Syrian Army to join the fight against ISIS/ISIL in Syria.  Not trusting the anti-Assad players in the ongoing civil war in Syria has been a challenge to the Administration, which has been continually hectored by neocons like Sen. "Walnuts" McCain (Dang Fence - AZ) and Sen. Huckleberry J. Butchmeup* (Cornpone - SC) to give the "moderate" rebels everything under the sun in terms of weaponry, if not actual U.S. troops.  We're seeing even more clearly now the shifting power relationships in that conflict, where the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" saying doesn't appear to apply, and why we should always take neocon advice and throw it in the trashcan.

BONUS:  Here's Jon Stewart on Butchmeup's chronic pants-wetting (after obnoxious ad):


_______
*Esquire.com's Charles P. Pierce's unforgettable moniker for Lindsey Graham.

Packing His Hiking Boots


Former South Carolina Gov. and Appalachian trail hiker Rep. Mark "Gaucho Mark" Sanford's notorious extramarital affair with Argentinian Maria Belen Chapur provided a window into the hypocrisy of Southern God-bothering Republicans.  Gaucho Mark's wife divorced him, he became engaged to his Argentinian mistress, and he won a special election for Congress in South Carolina last year, largely with a message of pious redemption and forgiveness, and the rubes bought it.  If this doesn't show that the Rethuglican base will elect anyone (ax murderer, pedophile, whatever), as long as he / she isn't a Democrat, nothing will.

Now, Gaucho Mark has posted a wordy (2,346 words!) "status update" on his Facebook page, where he mentioned that his engagement with his fiancé was off, and blamed it on the stress of the bitter custody dispute with his ex-wife.  So, adios Maria;  we're sure Gaucho Mark has some lovely parting gifts for you. Oh, and Gaucho Mark is running unopposed for reelection this November, which will make it easier for the Bible-thumping hypocrites in his district to cast their vote for him.  Family values: riiiight.

(photo:  Breaking up is hard to do)

Friday, September 12, 2014

Koch Addiction


Over time, we've heard people across the ideological spectrum take note of the far-right Koch brothers' "philanthropy," from cultural centers to hospitals.  Of course, these oil and coal industry multi-billionaires can easily afford dropping millions to rub the tarnish off of their names, and the even the gullible shouldn't view it otherwise.  When they drop millions on an institution, it's always with strings attached (e.g., plastering their name on buildings or centers so everyone knows how "generous" the mega-polluters are with their dirty money).

Reading this article about how the Koch brothers are giving millions to universities in exchange for control over the curriculum and who the university hires is far more than troubling.  It represents a danger to academic freedom, speech and thought, not to mention the continued peril of allowing selfish interests with enormous wealth to dictate the direction of our lives.  When the Koch brothers spend nearly $14 million in 2012 alone on 163 universities, there will be strings attached whether the universities want to acknowledge it or not.  Those "strings" endanger them as institutions of learning, and us as a democratic society.

James Brown's Spot-On Commentary

CBS Sports anchor James Brown made a powerful and eloquent statement on the issue of domestic violence at last night's nationally televised Ravens - Steelers game.  His call to action:
"But wouldn’t it be productive if this collective outrage, as my colleagues have said, could be channelled to truly hear and address the long-suffering cries for help by so many women? And as they said, do something about it? Like an on-going education of men about what healthy, respectful manhood is all about."



Kudos to Brown, and to CBS Sports for the statement, albeit too late for the women who have died as a result of domestic violence -- some 600 since the Ray and Janay Rice incident in February.

Liars Gotta Lie


Check out these two quotes:
"For nearly seven decades, the United States has been the anchor of global security.... The burdens of leadership are often heavy, but the world is a better place because we have borne them." -- President Obama, in his ISIS/ISIL speech September 10, 2014. (emphasis added)

"He doesn't believe that America is a force for good in the world. He thinks our involvement in the world actually makes matters worse."  -- Teabagger Rethuglican Sen. Ron Johnson, in an interview on September 11, 2014.
Less than a day later, Johnson digs deep in his bag of bull and pulls out a demonstrably false statement. So, who are you going to believe, Ron Johnson or your lying eyes?

Weekend Plant Song


This is from Robert Plant's brand-new album "lullaby and...The Ceaseless Roar," a beautiful song beautifully sung: "Rainbow."  Enjoy your weekend.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

The Dukes Of Wasilla / Schmuck Dynasty



Stay classy, Palins!
[Last Saturday] There’s some sort of unofficial birthday/Iron Dog-type/snowmachine party in Anchorage. A nice, mellow party, until the Palin’s show up. There’s beer, of course, and maybe other things. Which is all fine, but just about the time when some people might have had one too many, a Track Palin stumbles out of a stretch Hummer, and immediately spots an ex-boyfriend of Willow’s. Track isn’t happy with this guy, the story goes. There’s words, and more. The owner of the house gets involved, and he probably wished he hadn’t. At this point, he’s up against nearly the whole Palin tribe: Palin women screaming. Palin men thumping their chests. Word is that Bristol has a particularly strong right hook, which she employed repeatedly, and it’s something to hear when Sarah screams, “Don’t you know who I am!” And it was particularly wonderful when someone in the crowd screamed back, “This isn’t some damned Hillbilly reality show!” No, it’s what happens when the former First Family of Alaska comes knocking. As people were leaving in a cab, Track was seen on the street, shirtless, flipping people off, with Sarah right behind him, and Todd somewhere in the foreground, tending to his bloody nose.
Once again, thank you, Sen. "Walnuts" McCain for introducing this "hillbilly reality show" to American politics!

George Will Must Think Most Americans Are Extremists, Too


In the latest addition to the bulging "George F. Will is an asshole" file, guess who Will thinks are "extremists"?  ISIS?  "Sovereign citizens"?  Occupy Wall Streeters?

In his column today, "The Man With No Mirrors" names 48 of them, all Democratic Senators.  Why (other than the fact that he's deranged) does Will think they're extremists?  Because they're sponsoring legislation to amend the Constitution's Bill of Rights to prohibit corporations and plutocrats from making limitless political contributions, an obscenity ushered in by the Republican Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United.  Will would like us to believe corporations are "people, my friend," so corporate/ plutocrat campaign contributions to continue to flow freely into Republican coffers, while at the same time suppressing Democratic voting and the ability of unions to organize and prosper.

Oh, by the way, there are a whole lot more than 48 Democratic Senators who think, unlike Will, that Citizens United was a very bad decision:  like 80 percent of the American people (that's "people", Will, not "corporations").

(Photo:  "The Man With No Mirrors" is keeping an eye on those/ us "extremists.")

Cartoon of the Day

(click to enlarge)


New revelations from the Associated Press that indicate that the NFL was provided a copy of the infamous "knockout" video showing Ray Rice inside an elevator assaulting his then-fiance last spring point to a coverup on some level.  It's not surprising, given the League's knee-jerk reaction to any scandal:  circle the wagons and try to protect the League's image at all costs.  Watching the initial video from outside the elevator, where Rice drags the unconscious woman out, and drops her, tells you that she didn't just bump her nose on the elevator buttons.  That should have been the only "smoking gun" necessary for the Ravens and the NFL to fire and suspend him, respectively.

BONUS:  Still-clueless, shameful dolt and ESPN commentator Stephen A. "The A Is For Asshole" Smith had this comment, referring to the president of the National Organization for Women calling for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's resignation (via Early Lead):

"I'm sorry, I think this woman is off her rocker.  I think she's lost her mind."

You may recall The A Is For Asshole had a neanderthal take on the initial news of the Ray Rice assault.  Time for him to go where he'd be appreciated:  Fox "News."

(cartoon:  Drew Sheneman, via Gocomics.com)

ISIS/ISIL and Syria


Only time will tell if the strategy outlined last night by President Obama to "degrade and defeat" ISIS/ISIL will succeed, but it will take the efforts of our European allies and nations in the region to step up and engage diplomatically and militarily.  It will also take countries like Saudi Arabia and others who have provided material and financial support to ISIS/ISIL to turn off the spigot.  The American people will demand it, and won't settle for America to go it alone to protect regimes in the region.

President Obama also faces partisan game playing at home;  House Rethuglicans are avoiding giving him any sign of support for actions in Syria, while they cynically campaign on what they want the public to believe is Obama's "weakness" in the Middle East.  With airstrikes in Syria against ISIS/ISIL occurring today for the first time, the Administration is taking a gamble on bringing interested parties together internationally, while dealing with the same politics at home.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Illegal Use of Hands



A lawsuit filed in Dallas by a former exotic dancer alleges that Dallas Cowpies owner Jerry "Me And Mr." Jones sexually abused her and forced her to watch him receive oral sex from another woman in 2009, which Me And Mr. Jones' attorneys deny.  The woman, then 22, alleges that the Cowpies' owner, then 66, fondled her and forced her to touch his private parts in hotel room with the others present.  Photos taken at the time show the owner in provocative poses with two women, photos which Me And Mr. Jones say are of his lost twin brother  of James Carville misrepresent what happened.  Riiiight!

Former Los Angeles Clippers owner and bigot (except in the mistress department) Donald Sterling was booted out of the National Basketball Association owners club for his egregious conduct.  If the charges prove true, and Me And Mr. Jones is found guilty of sexual assault, we wonder what the National Football League would do, particularly in the wake of the domestic abuse scandal over Ray Rice, which they mishandled from the very beginning.

(photo:  Jerry Jones conducting tackling drills with not-his-wife)

Colbert Addresses GOP's Women Problem


Last night, Stephen Colbert tackled the Republican / New Confederate / Stupid Party's problem with women voters, who (according to their own poll) find the party "stuck in the past" and "intolerant".  Colbert shows an interview where Rethug Party Chairman and weasel / human hybrid Reince "Prepuce" Priebus is asked why they have such a problem, and Prepuce proceeds to obfuscate and avoid the question.  That'll show them wimmen!  But Colbert saves his best shot for bumbling carpetbagger Scott "Centerfold" Brown ("understudy in the Mitt Romney musical"), who's been giving a silly "Women for Scott Brown Hero Award" to women, always delivered with some right-wing message about burdensome regulations, etc.  Sadly for Centerfold, he can't always seem to get the awardees' names straight.  Hilarity ensues.

Mid-Week Song


British singer Sam Smith's smooth tenor voice could be compared to Roy Orbison's, and his vocal style is almost a fusion of pop and blues.  At the tender age of 22, he has a major international hit in "Stay With Me," from his debut album "In The Lonely Hour."  Here's the first song released from that album, "Lay Me Down."

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

"Chuck Todd: On It"


Press the Meat's new host Chuck "Not My Job" Todd got off to a whiz-bang start this past Sunday with a big "get"-- an exclusive interview with President Obama.  Then, as Charles P. Pierce would say, his foot found a rake (whap!).  Here's David Letterman's priceless (and, we're sure to be more- than- occasional) segment, "Chuck Todd: On It."


Immigration Reform: Muy Importante!


Steven Colbert takes on the long delay in passing immigration reform, and why it will maybe definitely probably be law next year, because... muy importante! (after the muy importante ad):



Where are your cojones, indeed.

The Motivational Speaker


The report that former (Vice) President and classified information-leaking felon Dick "The Dick" Cheney will be giving the House Republican caucus a "pep talk" today reminds us of just how little the Rethuglican Party has learned over the past dozen years.  We can visualize his snarling, pompous "pep talk" now, full of delusion, arrogance and cluelessness.  There will certainly be the familiar lies about the "success" that his administration had in Iraq, if only President Obama had added another (fill in the blank) thousand troops.  He'll dishonestly point to lack of "leadership" and "strength" by the President on the world stage, when much of this President's woes were the result of the Bush Administration's incompetence, dishonesty, and belligerence abroad that ended up alienating many of our international friends and costing the lives of many thousands.  Let's not forget The Dick's fealty to multi-national corporations, which financed his career in and out of Government.

So, if the House Rethugs are foolish enough to listen to a clown whose approval rating is around 13% -- and we know they are -- we say knock yourselves out, and if he invites you to go quail hunting, by all means accept.

(image: "Be vewy, vewy scared, wabbit!"  And Wepublicans!)

Historic Flooding Hits Arizona & Southwest


We're sending our thoughts to our AZ bureau chief after yesterday's flooding hit the Southwest, and turned creeks, roads and parking lots into rivers and lakes.  The scene in Phoenix was incredible with flooding reaching levels never seen, after a several inches of rain fell as a result of former hurricane Norbert moving into the State.  Interstates 10 and 17 were closed in the morning hours as flood waters submerged parts of the major arteries.  The State's governor has declared a state of emergency.  Hundreds of homes were flooded in the Phoenix metro area.  There were similar scenes of severe flooding in other parts of the state, and in Las Vegas, NV.

Northern Arizona Nevada, Utah and Colorado remain in the path of the record rain today, as the tropical downpours move northeast.

(photo: Associated Press / R.D. Franklin)

Monday, September 8, 2014

From The Sports Desk


While we're on the subject of bad actors, after the release of the video showing Baltimore Ravens running back Ray "Not Nice" Rice knocking out his then-girlfriend in an elevator, the Ravens terminated his contract, and the NFL suspended Rice indefinitely.  Earlier video of the incident in an Atlantic City casino showed Rice dragging the unconscious woman out of the elevator.  The latest, previously unreleased video shows the actual assault inside the elevator.

Ravens and NFL officials claim not to have seen the newest video, and had suspended Rice for 2 games, a move that came under criticism for leniency.  This comes after the arrest of San Francisco 49ers player Ray McDonald for felony domestic violence on Sunday.  He was released on bail, hours before his team played (and beat) the Dallas Cowpies Cowboys.  The NFL has a new policy of suspending a player for 6 games for domestic violence, and indefinite suspension for a second violation.

BONUS:  Leave it to the cretins at Fux and Friends to joke about the incident: "…the message is take the stairs."  Hardy har har; not surprising that domestic violence is amusing to the Fuxers.

(photo:  Hit the showers, you're done)

Republican Police Blotter: Child Rape and Molestation Edition


News concerning members of the "family values" party:
A former Republican candidate for county commission in North Carolina has surrendered to police after being accused of raping a child. 
The Independent Tribune reported that former Cabarrus County commissioner candidate Chad Nevada Mockerman, 39, turned himself in to police at around noon on Friday. 
Mockerman was charged with statutory rape and taking indecent liberties with a minor.
Wait, there's more:
An anti-immigration Republican candidate was charged last week with molesting an 8-year-old girl. (*)
Michael Hethmon, senior counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, is running a long-shot campaign for Maryland’s House of Delegates. 
The 60-year-old is nationally known for his legal work helping to push anti-immigration laws and providing legal advice to anti-immigration lawmakers.
Morons, crackpots, racists, misogynists, gun strokers, homophobes, liars, crooks, sociopaths, hypocrites, theocrats, plutocrats and sexual deviants.  I believe every box has been checked.

That's your Republican Party right there.

(*) UPDATE:  Hethmon was subsequently exonerated.  See comment section for more information.