Hurrah!

Tags

Alfred Stieglitz, American Petroleum Institute, birthers, Florida, gay rights, Georgia O'Keeffe, Iowa, marriage equality, religious right, Rick Scott, WND

At last! New York State passed a marriage equality bill and Governor Cuomo signed it into law immediately. We’ve been waiting for this for some days, and late in the day yesterday, we learned that the probable delay was the attempt to gather some extra votes so that it would not pass with a one-vote majority and thus leave one person as a target for the right.

It ended up passing with four votes more than needed and apparently eruptions of happiness occurred in the streets.

We congratulate the people of New York and welcome them into the circle of states that have finally recognized that all people are entitled to the freedom to love and be united with the person they love.

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Keeping to the theme of love for the moment, great love affairs are a favorite of mine, and the way I often name my pets–Kate and Spencer our first two cats are named after Hepburn and Tracy. A new book is out about the love and lives of Alfred Stieglitz and Georgia O’Keefe. Stieglitz was a photographer, and O’Keefe of course was the well-known painter. Her papers were released in 2006, twenty years after her death, and provide much of the basis for My Faraway One.

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I guess even dumb and evil Republican governors can hear the footsteps behind them. Rick Scott, the criminal that was elected in Florida, promised 700,000 jobs. So far he has only lost more jobs for the state with his “business first” schemes. Apparently realizing that his 20’s percentile favorables ain’t gonna win him a second term, Scott has taken to tweeting want-ads he finds. T’would be funny if it were not so darned sad.

There is a new organization in Iowa. Why should you care? Because one is probably coming to a city near you, if it’s not there already. The Iowa Energy Forum claims, through its “members” to be a grassroots organization concerned with “energy self-sufficiency and holding our elected officials accountable.” It’s pet project is the Keystone XL pipeline coming from Canada, and they are pressing presidential candidates to come out in support.

IEF is anything but grassroots. It is funded by the American Petroleum Institute, a trade association representing all the big oil companies, including Koch, Exxon-Mobil and BP. The group has been spotted passing out literature and asking their questions at events for Herman Cain and Mitt Romney as well.

There will no doubt be more of these “grassroots” groups in every state, all being paid for by one corporate interest or another. Beware and check them out. Their websites of course are sparkling clean of any fingerprints left by the corporate masters.

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 We all know the religious right is ummm, crazy would be a good word. Now you can read all about it from the inside, from Frank Schaeffer who was raised from birth in the home of two very dedicated evangelicals and his book, How Should We Then Live? was considered formative for no less than Michele Bachmann. We’ll he’s seen the light, and now tells a much different story. This is actually his second book on the subject and is entitled Sex, Mom and God.

The Daily Beast does a nice review, and it’s quite an eye-opener. Schaeffer documents the religious right’s fear and fascination with sex, and how this dominates nearly all their thinking. His own mother told him that his father demanded sex every single night in some weird attempt to avoid the temptation of David with some potential Bathsheba.

Weird, but then you always knew they were.

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From time to time, we’ve had occasion to mention the rag WorldNetDaily. It purports to be a “Christian” website, but in reality it is anything but. My crazy high-school classmate used to refer me to it constantly, and she walked with Jesus 24/7 in her own mind.

They always have a banner at the top offering you something to buy that will prepare you for the coming of the final War, such as survival gardens or bunkers or some such crap.

Today’s editorial explains for the zillonth time that Barack Obama is not eligible to be President, just like Hitler wasn’t. Read if for the amusement and leave a nice Facebook comment letting them know they suck.

 

Related articles

• New York Becomes Sixth State to Approve Gay Marriage (VIDEO) (blippitt.com)
• Bachmann: Crazy and Dangerous (unreasonablefaith.com)
• Georgia O’Keeffe’s Life (wiki.answers.com)

I Admit It, I’m Furrocentrist

Tags

Florida, Herman Cain, Humor, Maine, Osama Bin Ladin, Paul LaPage, Rick Scott, unions, voting rights

Yep, mea culpa. I confess, admit, and shamefully declare it. I have known it for some time, but it slammed me directly in the face last night.

We were watching a documentary called “Oceans” and enjoying all the beauty. I watched as green turtles swam through aqua-gorgeous waters off sandy beaches and dolphins racing all the waves in numbers that took one’s breath away.

I watched whales circle, bubble, and then raise large open maws to capture untold thousands of krill in one orgasmic feast. I saw birds diving for sardines and along shores picking off baby turtles racing for the safety of the ocean.

And then I saw orcas chasing baby seals to the shore and tossing them up in the air in fierce attacks. I heard the cries of disoriented and doomed little balls of frolicky fun, and I turned away.

“Tell me when it’s over,” I moaned.

And I realized that I could watch all manner of fish eat fish, or animals eat fish, or birds eat fish. I could watch anything gobble up reptiles, all manner of scaly things. I could watch chimps munch bugs of any description and never flinch. I never blinked as a bird slithered a worm down its gullet.

But, a furry thing be grabbed? A gazelle by a lion? A rabbit by a wolf? Oh no, no no no. My heart nearly breaks with the inhumanity of it all.

I am in a word, furrocentric.

I guess it’s wrong to be one. But in truth, I don’t intend to be treated for this malady. I will live with it. Thank you.

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You all remember good old Governor LaPage doncha? The one from Maine? The one who took out a mural in the state’s Department of Labor building depicting Maine workers? Imagine, a mural about workers in a LABOR building? It was because businessmen complained he claimed. Well, but of course, who shines their shoes? Mr. GOPer LaPage of to be sure.

LaPage is most noted for his brash, offend everyone (except business and the teabaggers). He has, while in office managed to be against all the things the right wingers are against, and for all the things they are for, meaning nobody likes him except big business and people who have no clue about much past what day of the week it is, and whether you want catsup with those fries.

Most recently the lovely LaPage has signaled his intentions to sign into law a GOP-passed bill that will end Maine’s same-day voter registration law. Yeah, and the reason for this is his firm belief that “Democrats steal elections,” so it’s fair to make it harder for people to vote. And of course, there is not one documented case cited for voter fraud. Never is. It’s all about a stinkin’ minority trying desperately to win elections against the will of the people, so they can continue to screw those same people.

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Political Irony has your late-night humor for the week. After you get through the interminable Weiner jokes, there are some others that are pretty darn good. Take a look.

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As you may have guessed, I’m thoroughly opposed to old step-‘n-fetch-it Herman Cain. I doesn’t surprise me that he was offered the opportunity as a youth to transfer to an all-white school to begin the integration process. He was offered the opportunity, and he wants his white audiences today to know he turned it down. My favorite blog and hopefully yours, We are respectable negroes has their take, or should I say the very very erudite Chauncey de Vega, has his.

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Can you hear me now? Or better still, “I just love the smell of falling Governors in the morning.” I think Walker in Wisconsin and Scott in Florida are racing to see who can be the most hated Governor. It’s unsure who might win, but I sure encourage them both to keep on doing what they are doing. Recall has a fine sound to my ears.

Scott, who just can’t stop trying to be a good GOPer, is pushing a “union dues deduction bill” through that would detour union dues to state agencies to avoid their use in “political” affairs. Yes, and the police in Florida are fuming and calling for a “leaving the party” event. Attacks on public employees is being met head on as it is in Wisconsin and elsewhere. People are indeed waking up.

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Just when you were positively sure that the planet could not support one single more STOOOOOPID person, well, another one comes along. His name is Bill Warren, and he plans on diving somewhere off the coast of India and swimming around to find the remains of Osama Bin Ladin. Ain’t that just ducky? Perhaps Mr. Warren will run into a nice big fat shark who will invite him to dinner and to see the bin Ladin remains up close and real personal–like inside his tummy. Talk about get a life!

Oh, and he said this, he really did. He’s going to look for the body “to see if it’s really dead.” If you find him alive down there, be sure to let us know. THAT would be news.

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What’s on the stove? Ribs, roasted parmesan potatoes and coleslaw.

Well If That Don’t Beat All

Tags

Arizona, Art, birthers, climate change, Florida, gun laws, Herman Cain, high speed rail, Montana, President Obama, teabaggers, unions, Wisconsin

It’s not like I go out searching for this stuff. It just pops up before my ears with INCREASING REGULARITY.

It is my considered opinion, MY CONSIDERED OPINION, that the Tea Party will be defunct by 2012. The insanity emanating from these mostly uneducated, most STOOPID people is mind-boggling.

Normal folks are already beginning to see what hath teapartyism wroth. And it ain’t good.

We made mention of a few days ago, that Wisconsin’s Governor has re-introduced the concept of political cronyism by unilaterally dismantling the state’s collective bargaining rights of all state workers. Marches are occurring everywhere as we speak. The Governor has promised a swift response by the National Guard. Cuts have to be made he suggests, and it surely isn’t coming from the rich folk like himself. Similar measures are being looked at in Ohio and Tennessee, also run by Rethuglican governors.

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In Montana, farmer/volunteer fireman, and teapartier Joe Read, House Rep, introduces legislation to declare that global warming is not man-made AND is beneficial to the state. By fiat, all Montana’s troubling problems are solved. Read, who apparently doesn’t, consulted no scientists, but relied instead on his “experience.” He said “global science is an ideal, not a true science.” Whatever the hell that means. Like so many of his brainless brethren, he suggests we “follow the money”.  Apparently he misses the fact that the anti-climate change “money” comes directly from big oil and gas interests and all the other major polluters.

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Sen Ronald Gould (R-AZ) introduced a bill in his wacky legislature that would allow the carrying of firearms on college campuses and in all public buildings. Further, existing laws that make it a crime to not  respond “accurately” to a question about having a concealed weapon, would be changed to be “truthfully” allowing for “oops I forgot I had that!” Further, it would no longer to a crime to discharge a firearm in the city, but only if only if it could be proven that the person knew that the discharge could cause death or injury. (guns can kill? you lie!) And if you feel you’ve been unfairly harassed about your gun? You can sue, and if you win, you get a “municipal” vehicle as your prize.  

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Rick Scott, governor of Florida, teabagger and fraud expert, refused 2.4 billion in Federal funds for high speed rail development. This action, left the work in progress and will put hundreds at least out of work. Rep. John Mica (R) and Sen Bill Nelson (D) are scrambling to undo the damage caused by Scott’s dull thinking. Meanwhile, California and New York, both living in the 21st century, are hoping the funds might come their way.

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Chauncey De Vega has a scathing look at the darling of the crazy right-wing, Herman Cain. These, as I call them, house Negroes make a point of feeding the racism inherent in the uber right-wing, all the while providing them with their defense: themselves. Anyone with half a brain can see through the veil of course, but not the non-thinking Beckian hordes. No, Cain is perfect cover, allowing them to vilify all other African-Americans, especially the President, all the while claiming, “moi racist? surely you jest.” You are and we aren’t jesting.

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If you hadn’t noticed, all GOPers use the same mantra in response to the question “do you believe the President is a citizen/Christian?” In unison, they report in robot-like fashion. “I take the President at his word.” If pressed, they say things like John Boehner, “It’s not my job to tell the American people what to think,” or like Michele Bachmann, “I think we have more important issues to address, like the budget.”

The reason why they leave this opened ended, which implies that the “jury is still out” on the President’s status, is simply this: polls suggest that the likely GOP primary voter tends to think the President is not either a citizen or a Christian. So, rather than come from a place of integrity, the GOP comes from a place, of protecting my personal ambitions and interests in higher office or re-election. That’s some kind of  leadership wouldn’t you say?

***

Oh, and on a note of civility and pertaining to the arts, Google has a new site up that promises to allow the viewing of masterpieces from great museums all over the world, in beautiful up close levels. Do take a look: at the Art Project.

Related Articles

• Florida’s Scott joins the anti-rail crusade (washingtonmonthly.com)
• Republican Fl. Gov. Rick Scott angers Republicans over refusing to accept high speed rail money (crooksandliars.com)
• Video: Herman Cain’s speech to CPAC (hotair.com)

What IS Going on in Florida?

Tags

Florida, Humor, States on Parade, What's Going on?

Florida is a land of liars! There. Let’s not mince words here.

I mean, you only have to LOOK at the shape of it. Everybody knows it’s one big fat penis. Even has some little cahones just southeast of Panama City. (Boy were they lost! Panama is like a whole other COUNTRY!)

And then there is that spume of something or other (I’ll not use the word) spilling forth, ending in something called “Key West.”

So, this must be the sexy, harlot-seeking, revelry bending, sex-pot o’ the Americas right? WRONG. It’s the home of the largest population of flabby flaccids in the nation. It’s the king of NO ERECTION here. Everybody’s old uncle Al and Grampa Bill retires to Florida.  You could carpet the entire state with all the polyester draping these wrinkly old bodies! That and gaudy jewelry, red, red lipstick and hot pink toenail polish worn by blue-haired mammas strutting their stuff as they push their walkers down the board walks of Sarasota and West Palm Beach.

And then, get this, they invite Disney to build a theme park there to attract children and their parents! Now this is an explosive situation. Older-than-sin elderly, all gripping with a death hold their driver’s licenses, meeting head on (and I do mean that literally) with busy, we-only-got-three-days-to-see-it-all parents with three screaming under-the-age-of-ten monsters demanding to go to Sea World next!

The carnage is everywhere. Speed limits here are a minimum of 1 and maximum of 12, or as fast as your walker can wheel. And the stop lights? The cross walk is no man’s land for cars, for a solid 17 minutes. Did I mention that all these blue-bonnet lassies are towing a 15oz excuse for some dog? That slows things to a well, backward would actually be an improvement.

So wanna go their yet?

The state was the first to see Europeans, yet, it waited until 1845 to become a state of the union, exhibiting I guess a lot of questionable conduct. Ponce de Leon was the first to arrive and named it La Florida, or flowery land. No idea what the inhabitants who were already there called it. Home comes to mind.

The usual wars ensued when the English came around. Mostly they set English supporting tribes on Spanish supporting tribes. The English are good at getting others to do their dirty work.

Slaves regularly ran away to Florida, where the Spanish first converted them to Roman Catholicism, and then set them free. Never one to let an opportunity go by, the Catholics.  The Treaty of Paris gave the mess to England, and the Treaty of Versailles gave it back to the Spanish. Spain gave it to the New U S of A, in exchange for us not meddling in Texas. (We lied. Note that as a pattern)

Once we owned it free and clear it was time to clean out the Indians (remember those people who called it simply “home.”). Three Seminole Wars later, the state was still not rid of them pesky red skins, and some of them took to the Everglades, where they are said to remain to this day.

With the discovery of how good cotton grows, the state changed it’s mind about freedom for Africans, and enslaved them again (remember we  lie a lot) and put them to useful work in the fields. You all know how that story ended.

The state remained low in population until old people, who are always slow to get new things, discovered it was WARM there, and started their walker migration.

Florida suffers more lightning strikes than any place in the US. Most of those are to old men in golf carts. Gotta get that exercise you know. Wives exercise by lifting bloody marys in the club house. This means that over time, there are more old women than old men, and gigolos flock to retirement settlements to find an easy mark.

Hurricanes don’t deter these folks, mostly because Alzheimer’s robs them of any recall of the last one. Many are seen roaming around the malls with inflatable vests over their leisure suits, “just in case.” Nursing homes pass them out as the height of  “chic” and the poor dears never know the difference.

There are some nice animals that live there, but this is overshadowed by all the icky reptiles.

Hanging chads. Need I say more?

On the plus side, it has the lowest incidence of earthquakes, so the penis will not be falling off it seems.

Two-thirds of the population was born in another state, so no point in asking directions anywhere. Chances are, they won’t know.

I could give you actual numbers, but let’s just say, it’s mostly white with a localized Cuban population. Not to be confused with Hispanic. Believe me on this. They are two totally different things.

Median age: OLDER THAN SIN

Religion: Very Catholic and when it’s not, it’s Jewish.

Economy: you know, oranges and grapefruits. Oh yeah, and tourists who come to look at all the old people.

Education: classes are held when they can get enough children together to fill a classroom.

My advice: Don’t waste your time. Most of the state will be under water in a few decades due to rising sea levels.  The “Big Dick” will be reduced to a Pencil Dick by then. 

If you are a girl gigolo and looking for a hot sugar daddy with deep pockets, just hang out at the mall and look for men whose belts are up under their armpits. And SCORE!

Reflecting in the Gloom

Tags

American Exceptionalism, bluedogs, Democrats, election 2010, Florida, GOP, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Politics, polling, Sarah Palin

Well, now. We’ve had a few days to digest the *blech* election, *hic*. There is always, if you search diligently, humor to be found.

Florida, home of the “hanging chad” comes back into the running for stooopidest state in the country. We’ve already established that Iowa comes in there pretty high, but, I dunno, Florida may be the winner.

The dude that won the governorship was CEO over a company that took Medicare and Medicaid for record fraudulent claims. Record fines. So the dude is a criminal. And the fine octogenarian and sun-soaked and pickled minds there decided that was just the ticket for them. Sure, go ahead. Turn over all your hard-earned taxes to a thief. I mean irony? Do you think?

Meanwhile, Mitch (the Turtle) McConnell is doing the chicken walk, struttin’ his stuff and talking about job ONE is not gettin you one, but ousting the dark one from the White House. In other words, politics as usual. Mitchy of course says it’s about doin’ the people’s will. If the Chief will condescend to repeal everything he has done and then do everything the Repukelikins want, why things will be just fine.

Meanwhile, John (the Orange) Boehner is choking up, quite literally. I mean he did everything but break into big sobs at how such a poor boy had come so far. Except, well, he does that about once a year just for fun. He started sobbing when he unveiled the Reagan something or other for goodness sake. Poor boy, who spends all his time in the tanning salon and golfing. Yeah, he learned whose trough to swill from didn’t he?

And then there is Sarah (where’s the money?) Palin. She has concluded that she and she alone is the direct and cause of the GOP windfall. How she knows that–well we should trust her. I guess she forgot that a few of her “choices” chose to absent themselves when she came to town. And some of her stellar picks went down in flames–the craziest ones mostly. She claims Toomey as hers, yet I suspect in anything she pulled Toomey down and gave Sestak a better chance. My analysis is as valid as hers–just opinion.

Seen her new video? Oh yeah, just strings of her usual drivel, “takin’ back America,” shakin’ things up,” “common sense conservatism,” and then a nice grizzly howling at the moon. Yeah, Sarah is running and boy it’s gonna be a hoot when the fur starts to fly. (no mixed metaphor there folks)

What I love is that she brooks no opposition. When some GOP regulars suggested that some of the health care law need not be revoked, but was actually good, she raised on her haunches and growled that there would be none of THAT. None of that compromise, no sirree!

***

I saw some results on who polled best. If I read it right, USAToday/ABC did the best and Rasmussen and Foxy Noise the really worst. No big surprise there. Gallup was lousy though too, and that was a surprise. Pew was alright too as I recall.

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Oh, I just packaged 35 3/4 lbs of deer meat. Ground and packaged and in the freezer. Lota meat. Lota work. But worth it. Stuff is great in chili and added to meatloaf and tacos and stuff like that. Takes seasoning well, hearty flavor, too dry for hamburgers though. We grind it all.

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As I understand it, the brunt of the damage was to BlueDog Dems, and frankly, I say good riddance. They kept the Dems from having a filibuster-proof majority again and again in the Senate. Given the Rethuglian intransigence, it amounted to voting with them, which they did often enough anyway. Frankly, I bet that those Dems who ran away from health care and stimulus spending fared worse than those who stood up and defended doing what they felt was right. Correct me if I’m wrong.

My advice to the Dems? Yeah, I know, who am I? But anyway, I’m saying that everything that comes out of their mouth should include the word jobs. All legislation should have jobs in the title. Let the GOPers say no all they want, because voters will only remember that the Right rejected jobs bills.

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Julian Sanchez has a point about American Exceptionalism. Why do we need to think we are better than everyone else? Perhaps because for those of us who are essentially powerless and feel inadequate, it’s the best way to get free “power” just by being born here. Interesting thought. And we wonder why we are so often thought of as the Ugly American. Come to think of it, I suspect a whole lot of the rest of the world kinda laughs out loud now at our pretentious airs. And they are probably pretty right to do so.

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It’s been a long day already. Gear up for the weekend!

I Can Hear You If You Stop Screaming!

Tags

Charlie Crist, equality, euthanasia, Florida, GOP, health care reform, Latinos, Mel Martinez, Sarah Palin, townhall meetings, Women's issues

We were wondering  just where Sarah “the Quitter” Palin got her “death panel” remarks for her Facebook post. We surely knew it was not from reading the various health care bills making the rounds of Congress. She doesn’t errrr, read much, and has shown a shocking disinterest in policy in general.

Well, we have the answer. No other place than the NRC, that bastion of brilliance run by our every wondrous Michael Steele.  It is they who are arguing that the government wants to promote euthanasia and so forth. 

At least some Republicans, who have some sense of honor, are backing away from these lies, such as Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) who admits they are nothing but scare tactics. Columnist David Brooks called her remarks “crazy.” Just so you know, Newt thinks she’s spot on, but Newt is so spot off, nobody pays any attention.

Of course the tea-baggers/astroturfers are nothing new in America. Periodically, we have flirted with this type of kill democracy and do it our way types. For a nice run down historically on the crazy element in American politics, slip on over to the The Daily Dish and read Andrew Sullivan’s take.

All of this raises the ugly specter we looked at a few weeks ago about hate speech and how much we can tolerate it when so many people think it gives them a license to go out and do violence. An excellent post at HuffPo examines this issue, and is worth a look see.

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The wingnuts appear from all places and get into all manner of stuff. The Rev. Elizabeth Kaeton tells us all about the “True Woman” movement.

Yes indeed, not to be believed in this day and age, but it’s true. They have conferences and teach women to be “biblical” and “complimentary” and basically walk two paces behind.

At the last meeting in Chicago in 2008, 6,000 demented females attended, all intent on affirming “male masculinity”  and being “subservient” in the name of Christ.

I kid you not, these folks are back to the “women who are abused bring it upon themselves by not behaving.”

Elizabeth does an excellent job of exploring the issue, giving you plenty of links and looking at various groups in this genre of living.

If you don’t read any other link, this is the one I would choose.

***

Ya see, everyone knew that Mel Martinez (R-FL) was retiring and not running for re-election. He was also public about his support of  Latina SCOTUS nominee, and now associate justice, Sonia Sotomayor.

What nobody guessed is that Martinez would stick it to his Republican colleagues by quitting now and not finishing out his term. 

After spending eight long years attempting to court the Latino population in the US of A, Rethugs country wide have given up and decided it ain’t worth the effort. They just don’t really like those folks. Martinez stayed long enough to vote for Justice Sotomayor’s confirmation and then said adios amigos.

Worse yet, and calculated no doubt to inflict the most damage, this puts Republican governor Charlie Crist in a dilemma. You see Crist was planning on running for that office himself. Now he has to appoint an interim person to complete the term. Does he put in someone who promises not to run against him, and be seen as a self-serving politico, or does he put in someone who actually has interest in the job and is thus a potential rival?

Such things seem to happen to the GOP daily. Now they got no Latinos in their camp, and only one African American of “stature” and well, that’s saying it tongue in cheek, Michael Steele! It seems the Rethugs are back to being pretty much the party of old white and angry men. Oh we forgot, Sarah is their darling “girly” female type. Yeah, I’d go with that!

Well, enough of my ranting, Hope you have some nice weather you way. We’ve had hellacious thunderboomers and sheets of rain periodically. Hope you made it to church if that’s your persuasion. I did, and it always makes me feel renewed for the week.

As we say in The Episcopal church, “the worship is over, the service begins.” Now get out there and make a difference this week!

Short Takes on the Day, 03/21/09

Tags

Alaska, American government, Art, bestiality, blogging, breast cancer, Brit Hume, Catholicism, civics, contraception, Florida, Glenn Beck, Media, religion, terrorism, Women's issues

It’s the beginning of March Madness, and we are deeply ensconced in the games. We are through the first round and today we begin the second. Being a graduate of MSU, I have a dog in the race, but of course many others I root for. The upsets have been fast and furious this year, much better than last, when the whole thing seemed a yawner to me.

No matter, this is not about basketball, but we are returning after a hiatus of sorts to the “Short Take” format. I never intentionally left, but it can be a tiresomely pedantic post to write, and I prefer the subject matter types.

A bit about how I do this, which has changed recently and will, hopefully explain why my visits to your blogs is a bit disjointed and irregular. (forgetting of course the week+ without computer capability and the oh so old story of dial up slowwwwwwness).

I use a reader, Google to be specific, and daily, I arrive to find 1000+ waiting for me. The reader doesn’t identify past 1000, so I have no idea how many really. I hit show all, and proceed to go through them as presented, latest first. I proceed in this manner, starring items that I find interesting but don’t seem to generate a full post in my head, until something does, and then write. What is starred remains for another day. As I run into a blogger friend, I read, and then bring up the website if I have a comment to leave.

I used to set aside specific time to read friends blogs, and leave comments, but found all too often that I ran out of time, and some people seemed to be perennially left out. If I’m searching for a blog idea, I start usually with the “political” ones and proceed. This meant I missed a lot of good “religious” stuff, and well, science and so forth.

This way, its indiscriminate and everything gets a fair chance to come across my eyeballs.  As I said, before, there were sources, yours and professional ones that I was consistently missing. At the end of the day, I mark everything I don’t get to as read, and start again the next day. That can be problematical. If you generally post in the early evening, you end up at the end of the list, since I clear at 5:30 Central DST. Thus, I may still miss you a lot, but never fear! Weekends are much better, and I can often get through everything! So hopefully, I’ll see you there if not during the week.

Anyway, I found my starred box getting full, so here’s a potpourri of stuff, some of which you might find interesting, informative or amusing. Some of it is just plain weird!

We start with the amusing and always snooty, Mr. Brit Hume, who was receiving a award (Wm. F. Buckley Jr. Award for Media Excellence) from the conservative group, Media Research Center.

Mr. “fair and balanced,” warned that as blogging increased, the idea of fair and balanced was errr, threatened? Gasp, we are in danger of being presented news that is biased? and presents only one “political point of view?”

Oh gosh, scary huh? I’m thinking that Hume should have been presented with the chutzpah award for “saying things with a straight face”. With thanks to Think Progress,  follow the link for all the details. And shake your head, I mean really Brit, you can’t really say that with a straight face can ya?

~~~

As long as we are on the subject of wingnuttery, and we were, don’t forget Glenn Beck, the new totally off the wall nut case at Foxy. It seems that the Missouri State Police worked up a profile of what an All-American terrorist might look like, and dang if it didn’t resemble some of our friends from the reactionary religious and otherwise right.

Well, Glenn got his shorts in a twist over that, and ponders what we are doing profiling honest Amarcans like that! Just another example of bad govement sneaking around and spying on good ole boys.

Glenn specializes in totally misunderstanding most of what he reads and then spewing it out as in his normal fear mongering way. Read this in full at Crooks & Liars.

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If ya got some time, stop by Katie Schwartz’s blog. She received a “sisterhood” award. But she has a nice list of blogs that she adores. Many are old favorites and one’s a read anyway, but there were several I was unaware of, and Katie’s taste is well, good. So if you  want to add to the list of things you read daily, (and don’t we all) stop by and take a look.

I haven’t seen Katie posting a lot lately, but that may be more me than her. She is irreverent, witty and a great writer. Worth always reading!

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Speaking of some of our favorite bloggers, Jennifer at In the Meantime . . . has some updates on the “Art Book Project” Paws for Charity, for breast cancer. Give her a look and see what you can do to help out.

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If religious art is your thing, don’t miss the Episcopal Church’s Visual Arts online. This one features a favorite of mine, Tobias Heller, from In a Godward Direction. Tobias will direct link ya.

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Okay, I promised you weird, and this would be the one. Alaska and Florida are considering banning bestiality by statute. Well, one we can see, I guess. After Sarah, we’ve all come to know that there are some might strange folks up in Alaska. As to Florida, hmmm,  does this have to do with dementia and failing eyesight? We aren’t sure, but seems both states are having epidemics of folks who are doing the nasty with animals, and some folks want ’em locked up.

I can appreciate that. I’t creepy in the extreme without considering the poor exploitation of the animal. Beware, though examples used were a guide dog ( how damn unthankful can a person get?) and a goat!.

Seriously, I guess there is some strong correlation between abusing animals and abusing people. Sick it is.

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The Intercollegiate Studies Institute offers you a civics test. The results which they list are discouraging, Most Americans score 49% as an average, while even the college educated get only 55%. I’m gonna take it a bit later when I finish with this.  We thank Theology Web for the heads up.

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Robert S. McElvaine, is the author of Grand Theft Jesus: The Hijacking of Religion in America, thinks its high time the Catholic Church impeach its pope and move into the 21st Century. He does examine a rather long list of gaffes,the latest of which has been lighting up the blogosphere.

Benedict, as you may have heard, has told the African continent, where he is on an official visit, that they should not use condoms because condoms only make the problem worse. This to a continent suffering terribly from the AIDS epidemic.

While I can follow the logic of Benedict’s argument, it is based on what everyone surely knows is simply not reality. People do not refrain from sex when faced with NO contraception. They do it anyway, and have since the dawn of man and woman. When the Vatican finally admits that NFP (Natural Family Planning) is nothing more than contraception under the table, offered to placate a congregation that was leaving in droves, then I might listen.

Whatever you might think, the article is worth a look. Even the Vatican is beginning to worry.

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