Yeah It’s Good For Some

Tags

corporations, drones, economy, Individual Rights, North Korea, Scalia, SCOTUS, wealthy

The Stock Market hit a new high.

Corporate profits are probably at all-time highs as well.

The people who do the work? Not so much.

Between 1979 and 2007 59.9% of gains in income went to the top 1%, 36.7% alone going to the top 0.1%. During that period, gains by the 90%? A mere 8.6%.

Productivity has increased since 1950 by 254%. During that same period, wages went up 113%, and most of that increase occurred by 1975. Productivity, on the other hand, has risen steadily and continues to rise.

The response of the corporate board room to the recession has been to find more efficient ways to accomplish their target goals. They devote their R and D to the purpose of creating a cheaper way to make their product. Cheaper never involves hiring workers. They would make their products devoid of human workers if that were possible. Machines don’t require health care benefits and pensions. They don’t need money devoted to safe working conditions and lunch breaks.

Don’t tell me, please that corporations are job creators. They are profit creators, and hiring is now the last resort to accomplishing that goal. That’s why Wall Street is doing so well, and yet the unemployment figures are still so high. It’s got zero to do with regulations or very little. It’s got very little to do with “uncertainty” about what the buffoons in Congress are going to do. It’s got to do with profit. There is no morality here. It’s not part of the capitalistic model.

Meanwhile, there was this farcical drama in North Korea.

The pity is that the media thought any of this worthy to report upon. Dennis Rodman is a delightful entertainer. As an intellectual, well, he leaves a great deal to be desired.

His “opinion” is about as useful as that of a three-year-old. And I like the dude. He’s had a tough life as a kid, and he’s managed to make a good life for himself. I give him credit.

Kim? Oh good lord, he never got spanked as a child, that is certain. And I’m not much for corporal punishment either.

But he definitely needed spanking. In fact he needs spanking now. He’s always in the middle of a tantrum.

And dude, find a new barber. That haircut is silly. Seriously.

It’s hard to judge this Supreme Court. I’m not sure if we haven’t had this kind of horror before, when the Court was filled with really nutty people who make a mockery of the Constitution.

The Dred Scot Court comes to mind. That must have been an awful one.

But it would be hard to argue that this one is close to the top of the list of really awful benches.

Scalia is an intellectual joke, playing word games about original intent of the Framers, when all it comes down to is his personal disgusting beliefs.

Calling the right to vote a “racial entitlement”. And then suggesting that instead of testing a law against the Constitution, he has a new job–doing the dirty work for Congress, meaning that Congress is too beholden to special interests and can’t do the “right” thing because it might cost them an election.

So Scalia to the rescue. Doing the “right” thing. What a douche.

Let me get this straight.

Some Republicans are all upset at the use of drones against US citizens.

Got that.

No Republicans ever raised this issue when Bush starting using them.

Don’t get that.

In American courts, EVERYone, citizen or not, is gets the same rights.

Got that.

Sulaiman Abu Ghaith is arrested in Turkey. He is moved from Turkey to Jordan (Turkey prohibits the extradition of prisoners to those few countries that still practice the use of the death penalty and we are one of THOSE countries) and then transported from Jordan to the US for trial.

Got that.

Republicans are incensed because he can’t be interrogated properly except at Guantanamo (he was interrogated by an elite force of experts in Turkey and talked to the tune of some 20 pages), and because he is a bad dude and has no right to the rights granted him in our civilian courts.

Don’t get that.

Morality sure winds a crooked course in the Republican mind. And incidentally, in a good many Democratic ones as well.

Just a word about something I care about.

I am now the Sunday morning cat adoption “cleaner” for Pet Smart. I do this through a local adoption group in my area called A.W.A.R.E. What I learned is that Pet Smart joins with local animal groups across the country to adopt out animals. That’s a good thing.

My job is to clean the cages, feed and water where these cats live, and to play with them as much as I wish while I’m there. This is done twice a day, seven days a week, all serviced by volunteers.

My only point here, is that if you are interested in adopting a kitten, think of them as a source. You are not getting a “kitten” mill animal, but one that has been rescued and needs a good home. Prices are typically $50, and all animals are already spayed or neutered and have all their shots. In some cases the animals may come from the local shelter. You will probably get a bit better animal, since these kittens get more socialization than those typically housed in shelters.

I have no agreements of any kind with Pet Smart or A.W.A.R.E. in return for these statements. It’s only because I care about the animals. Perhaps other pet stores do the same. I haven’t inquired.

 

Related articles

• Scalia Calls Voting Rights Act ‘Perpetual Racial Entitlement’ (crooksandliars.com)
• Why Scalia’s ‘Racial Entitlement’ Quote Is Even Scarier Than You Think (thinkprogress.org)
• Voting is no ‘racial entitlement,’ Justice Scalia (tv.msnbc.com)
• Dennis Rodman Puts The New Abnormal Into Absurd Perspective (zerohedge.com)

 

Oh Please, You Can’t Be Serious?

Tags

Berlusconi, consumer fraud, HCA, Humor, Italy, lifestyle, Mitt Romney, SCOTUS, self-help, social media

Willard went to the NAACP and gave a speech. He was booed about three times.

His first words in were “oh how I love the organ!” I guess the NAACP organ, much like Michigan trees, was “just right.”

He said he’d revoke “Obama Care”. That got  a boo.

He reminded everybody about how his dad had done much for the black community. I kept expecting somebody to shout out, “too bad you aren’t a chip off the old block!”

Most of the applause, when it occurred, was sparse.

Nobody cared.

It ended badly:

“If you want a president who will make things better in the African-American community, you are looking at him,” Romney said, causing many in crowd, which stayed silent through much of his speech, to boo.

∞

The screwy Right, which is ironically always wrong, still can’t let go of the SCOTUS decision on AHC. One political pundit from the Washington Post went so far as to call Roberts a “Judas” who sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver. Of course, this election will mark the last chance to save America from that frightful descent into, as he puts it, “creeping, soft, socialist tyranny.” Dude, get a life. Get over it. You lost. Live with it. Or choose another country? That would be good.

∞

From time to time there is luscious proof that we here in Merika ain’t the only screwballs in the universe. Take Berlusconi, erstwhile prime minister of Italy–the land of love. Problem was Silvio indulged in the love just a tad too much and with girls a bit too young. But the Italian stud-muffin thinks that he can convince Italians to give him another go round. Now, it may be that Italians as too busy shoring up Roman ruins and making gnocchi to notice, but I don’t think so.

Word is that Berlusconi’s election team consists of The Donald, The Mooselini, and long-forgotten Glenn Beck–all proven political in-the-knows. Doncha believe me?

∞

They have a product on the infomercials called, “stretch genie”. You spray it in your shoes and it makes them bigger.

I wonder if it will work on my jeans?

Just sayin’.

∞

Everybody who goes to a supermarket has had the experience of finding that the size of boxes shrinks while the price stays the same. Your 16 oz suddenly are 14 1/2 oz. A cute what to try to fake you out.

Well it turns out that we humans (most of us at least) are crummy when it comes to figuring out when we are getting shafted or when we are getting a real bargain. The Atlantic has a neat little post about how we consumers are cheated. Best to take a look so you can avoid the pitfalls of shopping.

Oh gosh, I thought I was supposed to be thanking the job creators for everything. I thought they were benevolent helpful smarter than I persons who were looking out for me, and trickling down help for all my faith in them. Darn, foiled again.

∞

While we are on the self-help kick, go on over to Mark and Angel Hack Life and find out what not to do.  What are the 17 deadliest decisions you can make? Go find out, and don’t make ’em.

∞

As some of you know, the Contrarian and I are now firmly in the 21st century when it comes to technology. At least fairly so. We have cell phones, one of which is a smart phone, two lap tops, one desk top, and a Nook. We can run most of them fairly competently now. However. . .

There is much being said about how these devices potentially harm us, as we spend more of our time relating to them instead of the rest of the world. The Contrarian sat in a dealership yesterday for several hours, and watched one waiter, literally take out his phone and “check it” about once every five minutes. I’m told that people who are guesting on talk shows rush to “check” during commercials.

Our friend Squatlo has something to say on the subject and you better go read it.

∞

Willard is taking a beating for his off-shore accounts, and his refusal to disclose his past tax returns. Since he’s really taking a beating over this, more and more comes the suggestion that there is REALLY something he doesn’t want people to know about.

But he continues to stonewall, and frankly with friends like this, who needs enemies?

Lindsay Graham, brown-nose whose nose is usually up the behind of John S. McCain, defended Willard thusly:

“It’s really American to avoid paying taxes, legally.”

Yep Lindsay, you tell ’em.

∞

It’s always the next exit isn’t it?

Related articles

• Silvio Berlusconi set to run again to become Italian prime minister (telegraph.co.uk)
• Romney to NAACP: Voting GOP good for your families (sfgate.com)
• Romney to NAACP: Obama made it worse for you ‘in almost every way’ (thehill.com)

I Am Too a Title

Tags

2nd Amendment, comedy, GOP, Health care, Humor, Mitt Romney, racism, SCOTUS, Stephen Colbert

We enjoy both Jon Stewart’s Daily Show and Stephen Colbert’s, the Colbert Report. But I’m thinking that I may have to call a halt to further watching.

The Contrarian, who is the elder of our home (his birthday is tomorrow and he turns OLD), delights in Mr. Colbert’s various fun-isms on a regular basis, but of course, as only he can do, takes them too far.

Recently my other half, not better mind you, just other, (WAY Other if you ask me), has suggested a family motto, taken directly from the pages of said Colbert Report.

It is:

“Why don’t we just agree that I’m right, because we’re going to get there in the end anyway.”

Yes.

You heard that right. Can I get a few more points toward my halo now?

¶

In Michigan there is a constitution. Fancy that. In one part, it says that a duly passed bill signed into law does not take effect until the end of the calendar year plus 90 days.  You can only get around that if there is a super majority (2/3) in both Houses.

The GOP has found that inconvenient. They have a super majority in the Senate, but not the House. So they just “declare” that the measure passes by a super majority, and refuse the Democrats demand for a roll count.

They have done this to cut same-sex couples benefits, curtail union rights, and other such things. But what they really want to use it for is for a voter suppression law. Guess why. Dare ya to guess.

The Democrats had to sue to get an injunction to get them to stop violating the constitution. I guess being a “strict constructionist” has a new meaning to the GOP. And they are not telling us what that is.

¶

Have you heard a word from:

The Wall Street Journal, the Weekly Standard, National Review, any of the putrid pundits on Fox?

Have you heard a word from the TEAPEOPLE®?

Have you heard a word from the right-wing extremist, boogeyman around every Obama corner people?

What about our “freedoms being eroded”? What about it?

Hey?

(And just so we’re clear, everybody knows that Justice Thomas would be front and center with the flashlight cuz he’s the super pervert of that group.)

¶

Unless of course, you’re interested in the freedom to kill fellow citizens for little or in some cases NO reason.

Just cuz.

Just cuz, I got this new gun and it’s a long trip to the firing range, and I really like to shoot it, and you’re here, and you might be a terrorist, or pallin’ around with one, and I like to think I’m a Texas Ranger, and gosh I wish I had a horse too, but this is the best I can do, so look menacing so I can fill ya full of holes, will ya?

And thank you NRA and your insane shrieking that we are all gonna be killed by criminals if we don’t have high-powered rifles with silencers (don’t wake the baby) to protect ourselves, even in church. You sick bastards. (that was just a tiny bit of editorializing, sorry ’bout that)

¶

And don’t get me started on the fact that I am paying some yahoo Justice to sit on the highest court of the land and simple regurgitate the simplistic talking points of Fox Noise.

Justice Sure Missed You Scalia was reduced to claiming that the mandate was akin to forcing people to eat broccoli and arguing that other crap about a Cornhusker’s amendment (WHICH IS NOT IN THE LAW YOU MORON).

Since I pay your salary, doncha damn well think you could bother to read the briefs?

I’m surprised the fool didn’t remark about the unconstitutionality of the death panels while he was at it.

 And Thomas has the unmitigated gall to suggest that judges ask “too many questions.” It’s easy not to ask questions when you have prejudged every damn case before it arrives based on what you wife discovered using the Ouija board, you useless piece of Right-wing flotsam.  (Just a tiny editorializing on this one)

¶

Which means we have circled the wagons folks and we have arrived inexorably, sadly, and boringly back at where we began with the Willard the Wonder Wonk.

Willard who is not stiff by any means.

Willard who never met a sentence he could not twist into its antithesis and spew forth as “fact.”

Willard for whom the word truth has met its match.

Willard who doesn’t really care that you don’t like him, as long as you vote for him.

 

Or Are You Just Glad to See Me?

Tags

4th Amendment, Christianity, health care law, Mitt Romney, religion, SCOTUS

Strip search!

Oh yeah.

Oh?

You mean it’s not THAT kind?

Oh.

You mean nasty women in sensible shoes making me do what?

Oh no, no, no, no.

It seems our illustrious banc of increasingly, how shall I say this delicately, CRAZY MF’ing NUTS, have decided that the most minor of offenses (and only being charged) subjects the lucky recipient to a lovely and sexless full body search. Strip it ma’am!

Now, once upon a time, in a universe invented by me, a remember sitting in a classroom at MSU listening to a professor tell me all about his computerized model for predicting the outcome of cases before the supremest of Supremes. He had something like a 93% level of accuracy, so there was something to his madness.

I do very much recall that he suggested that one idea that played heavily on their collective minds in determining these “individual rights” cases, was the degree to which they could envision themselves or others of “their kind” being subjected to the objected of action. Most could see themselves, for instance, stopped in a store by mistake by a security officer who thought they saw something funny. So they were protective of people’s sense of personal privacy when confronted by rent-a-cops.

Well, apparently, five of ’em no longer see the possibility that they might be *gasp* arrested for some minor offense, even by mistake. So they have no problem with all your privaty parts swaying in the wind before strangers as they poke and probe parts unseen since your mommy wiped your butt.

I personally don’t know whether to be offended or excited. I’m still pondering. Denise finds it all odious.

¶

I’m a fan of Andrew Sullivan. Which is not to say that I agree with him on a whole host of issues. But sometimes he is just simply right. If you didn’t see the piece he did on Christianity, then do please follow the link and read it. It’s really good. I’ve been kicking around a post about religion and organized religion for a bit, and this certainly helped to gel some ideas I’ve been bubbling up. The organized Church is to a real extent, merely the vehicle we choose to express our faith. When we start defending the institution, we are probably heading in the wrong direction.

¶

Those of you who hang out here regularly, know that I loves me some quantum mechanics. I get all squishy doe-eyed when quarks are mentioned and singularities, and oh, be still my beating heart–dark energy. Well, here’s one that purely had me giggling. A Quantum Theory of Mitt Romney, well, it does explain a lot. It does. Really. Think multiple universes and Romnealities. Think Romneverse. Delicious.

¶

Bless her heart, Ann Romney is doin’ her best to stand by her man. He’s human! He’s funny! He’s a prankster! Ann assures us that he is no stiffy. Just “unzip” him and you’ll see. Well, gosh, I bet she didn’t mean it THAT way. But that’s the way we all took it.

We know that Willard is amusing.

We  expect they are a fun family.

But I am concerned about one thing.

They name their kids weird too. Like Tragg.

What is a Tragg? Is it like a Trig or a Bristol or one of those Alaskan things?

Is there something we don’t know here?

Or did Sarah pick it up from Willard?

Wanna use an etch-a-sketch now Ann?

¶

I probably should read more Susan Sontag. I definitely should read more Peter Abelard. I need more lives in order to read all the things I need to read. Which doesn’t even begin to account for all the things I want to read.

¶

Ya know, the Supreme Court. I’ve been reading lots of opinions about what they will do. And why. Mostly about why. I mean lets start out with the fact that they have no enforcement tool. They depend on a sense of legitimacy which will encourage the active arms of government to do as they say. How precarious is that?

So far, it’s not been.

But plenty of folks were disturbed by Bush v Gore, and thought it was partisan.

Plenty of folks are disturbed by Citizens United. Plenty figure the Court is overly supportive of big business interests.

When something like 96% of all legal experts say that the constitutionality of the AHCA is clear, you have to wonder.

Do these black-robes actually care how history views them? Do enough of them care? Does Roberts care?

Kevin Drum at MotherEarthJones has a good article. Would a defeat of the health care act mobilize the Left?

¶

I just read, (without citation) that Willard has said that an economy is simply the sum total of businesses. Has he been reading Rand? I guess workers, consumers, teachers, police, firemen, doctors, and on and on and on, don’t have a thing to do with it. Just fodder. If ever there was a man consumed with the idea that what he does has done, is the only thing that matters, it’s Willard.

¶

There has been comment on the fact that Newty and Ragin’ have failed to correct or to respond to ugly remarks made by supporters of theirs who ask questions. Things that have to do with the President being a “Muslim” and so forth. It turns out that Willard is cut of the same piece of cheap cloth, more than willing to allow slurs to go unanswered, and even willing to have his picture taken with them. Witness:

 And there you have it.

 

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• Morning Joe Hosts Break Down Over Idea Of ‘Unzipping’ Mitt Romney (mediaite.com)
• US Supreme Court backs strip search on new inmates (promoteliberty.wordpress.com)
• Supreme Court Ruling: Strip-Searches Allowed for Any Arrest (doggonedmysteries.wordpress.com)

Hey Buddy, Can Ya Spare a Fifty?

Tags

Election 2012, gay rights, health care law, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, SCOTUS, teabaggers

Aw, heck, the Newster is about to depart the stage, and to us who love the insane dough-boy and his merry anger, it’s been a fun ride.

If you hadn’t heard, the last of his embedded reporters departed the sinking tanker Callista, and now dah man has been reduced to asking for a $50 to get your pitcher taken with his irrelevance.

Gone are the dreams of missions to Mars and settlements on the Moon where Chewbaccha and Mr. Spock trade war stories over Solanian green wine. Gone are the dreams of debate against the Obama, wherein the man-wonder  would bedazzle millions with his oratorical sword play.

Gone, gone, gone.

Back to shillin’ for whoever will pay. It’s a tough life.

¶

I found it amusing to say the least that the TeaParty was out in front of the Supreme Court chanting their blessed little hearts out about how evil Obamacare is. While there were those who marched in support, the TeaPeople® were the only ones that said dumb enough things to be funny. I didn’t save the post, it was from The Rundown News which I think is PBS, but I did save a quote or two that I found so telling about the intelligence level of these goofs. This was from a mother and her six-year-old daughter, named Murray and Ariana respectively:

Murray: “If we don’t manage to stop the takeover of our health care system, then the Republic will be dead, we will be more socialized than Germany and France, and it will be the nail in the coffin to our freedoms. The government does nothing well, the estimates are already twice what they said it would be — the CBO says it’s going to be over $1.7 trillion. The only way is to ration health care and the seniors will be the ones that suffer the most and the children. Tell your mother to get her knee replaced or any valve replacements she might need. Anybody over 73 will soon be denied. A lot of things will have to be rationed in order to do what they want to accomplish. My daughter is only six and she understands freedom. She knows that liberals are bad people. She understands Obama’s bad.” 

Ariana: We want to take over Barack Obama. 

Murray: That’s right. And we believe in what document? 

Ariana: Glenn Beck? 

Murray: (laughing) No, the Constitution.

Yeah, good parenting huh? And duh, isn’t one of those freedoms the freedom of the judiciary to make decisions devoid of political considerations and not subject to the whims of public sentiment?

¶

Did you know that the “individual mandate” which is at the core of insane Right-wing objection to the Affordable Health Care Act, would apply to at best 2% of the population? The rest are covered by employers, public health care, are too low-income or will receive subsidies.

¶

NOM is a naughty bunch of folks. They are so-called Christians, but more properly called Christianists. They believe that normal admonitions in the bible such as carrying for one’s “brother” and loving one’s enemies are suspendable options, only to be put into play when the “right” people are left. After they have gotten rid of all the “wrong” people you know.

NOM (National Organization for Marriage) has come upon the perfect strategy to end this awful blight upon AmeriKa. And that is to pit African-Americans and Latinos against gays, but pushing the agenda that gay rights have nothing to do with the traditional fight for equality of other minorities.

In other words, help the blacks and browns to understand that gay rights is not a civil right. In their minds, this will provoke gays into calling blacks and Latinos bigots. Divide and conquer.

Of course, in the deep recesses of the NOM dungeon, once that were to be accomplished they could get down to the next level, which is deprive those “aliens” and those “race-card playing blacks” of laws that protect them. Cuz we don’t need ’em any more. Right?

¶

See, we can’t even begin to relate. We  would never even think of such things, being normal. Normal, as in actually paying attention to how much things cost, and do we have enough in the budget this month for that extra item. You know, normal.

Willard is not normal. Willard lives in another world. It’s a world where somebody places a chair on the tarmac and a dude rushes out to shine your shoes right there as you step off your private jet. It’s a world your basement is about three times larger than most people’s main floor. It’s a place where there is a car elevator installed to bring any of your cars to the proper floor, cuz everyone knows cars can’t climb stairs.

This is Willard’s world. And so it stands to reason that as Willard’s “vacation” mansion in California is being renovated,  gigantisized, and otherwise tooled to support the whims of the mega rich, Willard saw fit to hire a lobbyist just to maneuver his building project (weekend hobby) through the maze of codes and permits required to build his “we have to use GPS to locate the grandkids” behemoth.

Yes, a lobbyist. An honest to good lobbyist. Yes. The lobbyist is responsible for gettin’ ‘er done against 4 San Diego city officials whose job it is to, well regulate building in the normal course of their duties. Except, I guess the lobbyist will urge them to speed it up!

I mean. I wonder if Ann is packing? I could offer her a tip or two about using garbage bags for clothing. Easier to carry than bulky boxes. Does anyone have her number?

 

Related articles

• NOM Strategies Revealed: Document Dump Exposes Tactics of Racial Division, Victimhood, Attacking Obama (towleroad.com)
• And what are the main complaints the Repiglicants have concerning the Affordable Care Act (underthelobsterscope.wordpress.com)

Parachuting into Hammocks of Heavenly Ham Hocks

Tags

blogging, budget, faith, Health care, life in the meadow, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, SCOTUS

Yes, well you don’t stay up nights thinking up these titles do ya?

It’s hard, I tell you. I have a wastepaper basket full of rejects before I settle on the perfectly descriptive one that like a laser, pierces directly to the point I wish to make.

You can now be suitable impressed.

On the home front,  I’m a day from finishing the bedroom packing. I have only a shelf in the hole of Calcutta (closet) left to do. I actually found that much as the wardrobe in that movie, you can enter an alternative universe directly at the back of the closet. I stuck my arm through and pulled out a plum. . . .oh nevermind. And my name is not Jack.

A whole lot of the selling off of stuff is now taken care of. A friend of ours is going to take possession of tractors and rototillers and so forth and so on, and sell each at its appointed time. That’s a huge step forward, and so we will soon be at the visit to the real estate agent, visit to the RV sales and rental, visit with the bank, and blah blah blah. We’re hoping to get out of here by the first of May.

So, so much for that stuff.

¶

I’m thinking to start a new weekly post on Friday. I got the idea from  Morning Joe and Up. Each does a closing segment called “what did you learn today”, and “what did you learn this week”.  I thought it might be fun. So, I’m saving up tidbits of stuff I’m learning to put on that post. If you wish to contribute, and I surely hope you will, just send along what you learned (subject matter is wide open) to troyspeyton@iowatelecom.net and let us know. No links are necessary unless you wish. I haven’t come up with a catchy title yet. Something snarky of course. Suggestions welcome there too.

¶

I ran into a number of posts that I found worth your consideration this weekend. This first was I thought extremely revealing about what it means to live faith, even when you don’t have any. It reminds us that morality and values know no religious ideology; in fact they can well be independent of religion at all. Please take the time to read Rethinking His Religion.

Apropos of the SCOTUS oral arguments on the Affordable Health Care Act, is a fine piece in New York Magazine. Jonathan Chait writes The Barbarism of the Health Care Real Crusade and points out the essential difference between Democrats and Republicans on the issue. Fundamentally, Democrats believe that health care is a human right, while Republicans think it is an earned benefit that is obtained by personal responsibility. If they provide help at all, it is to be temporary and offered with plenty of rules. Chait although debunks some of the usual bogus claims made by the Right.

On the other hand, if you would like an amusing but frankly insightful look at Willard, then you can’t do better than How Mitt Romney is like a dog. The analogies are on point. Dana Milbank is your author.

On the other hand, don’t miss the ongoing weekly series by Steve Benen, called Mitt’s Mendacity, vol XI. Maddow has pointed out that all politicians lie a bit, and all stretch the truth. What Romney does is way beyond that. He lies, and the sooner people start using those words, the sooner he may realize that he needs to stop. Over and over, the truth is presented to him and he continues to mouth the same crap. Just bold-faced lies that are proven falsehoods. People are beginning to wonder if Mormonism allows lies as part of their doctrine. We rather doubt it. But then Mitt seems to shy away from his faith so perhaps he’s not much of a practitioner.

¶

I haven’t seen any analysis of the Ryan budget that finds it anything but absurd and ugly. It says that it does not want a safety net turned into a hammock, since you know we all want to just lay back and live on the edge of poverty with our awesome federal subsidies. You know, food stamps and Medicaid, and public housing. Such a cushy life.

I’m told that the Ryan plan secures and additional $187,000 per year in tax savings to the rich. No hammock, but a lovely golden parachute wouldn’t you say?

Good luck trying to sell that one Paulie.

¶

I do not give nearly enough credit to Constant Weader. I don’t always mention the H/T that is owed, since I go directly through their link and link you directly. But I sometimes get 2-3 at a time from her. If you don’t have it in your reader, you should.

¶

A large number of legal experts (the notorious elite university professors) say that there is no chance that SCOTUS will overturn the Affordable Health Care Act. That’s simple because it is obviously constitutional. Based on that analysis, I’m going for a 7-2 vote (I’m not sure if Kagan is hearing it or not), with the two no votes being Thomas and Alito. I don’t think that Roberts has the cojones to twist the law in the way that ultra partisans Thomas and Alito are. Just my prediction.

What is amusing is that the GOP line is now that a win for health care is a minus for Obama. He’ll have to defend it now, instead of being able to rail at the Court for hurting the poor. Dumb reasoning, but then consider the source.

¶

One wonders what goes on in the mind of Willard. It’s like the rich kid winning the trophy because he’s the only one who could afford to send each judge a 2-week vacation present. I mean, the luster on the trophy seems a bit dull doesn’t it? And it doesn’t even give him a head start in the main race, where he can’t buy off the judges, and the judges find him awfully distasteful for buying off the preliminary rounds. So what is left? To go down in history as another “candidate who lost”?

Oh gosh, I think I have overstayed my welcome.

Laters gaters 

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I Always Knew I Was Right, NO! Not Right, Right, But Correct

Tags

death penalty, evangelical nutcases, GOP, Humor, Islamophobia, John Boehner, psychology, SCOTUS, sociology, teabaggers, Ted Haggard, Troy Davis

We’ve had the argument about violence more than once here. Are we by nature violent? Or was it learned behavior.  I’m of the latter persuasion surely.

Plenty of factors contribute to our willingness to harm others in pursuit of our own interests, and I found this article a few days ago and found it quite informative on the issue.

Take a look at Why is There Peace? written by Harvard professor Steven Pinker. I have voiced a number of his arguments at one time or another, but I think he puts it all together quite well. Take a look and see if you agree.

(I thought the pic would appeal to the creationists who no doubt recognize humans using their dinosaurs in pursuit of warfare.)

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Congressional Republicans continue to act like dodo birds. Did anyone tell them that that bird is now extinct?

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As some other blogger (sorry, forgot who) said, a job creator is not a job creator until they creat: JOBS!

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Class warfare? Oh yeah, picking on 1% of the population is now class warfare. Keep on with that argument robot generic GOP stooge.

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But another example of Islamophobia: 

 

 Oh and don’t miss the sponsor listed as ATLASSHRUGS.COM.  You go Paul Ryan. This is what you support eh?

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Oh happy stupid days. This just made me laugh my moneymaker off. It seems that disgraced evangelical and sometimes gay man, Ted Haggard is so down and out that he has signed up for “Celebrity Wife Swap.” No doubt Haggard misunderstood and thought it meant something quite kinky. But then again, it could. Turns out he’s swapping wimmmin with none other than Gary (I even look crazy) Busey.

One almost–I did say almost, wants to watch this. Almost.

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Beeryblog has something to say about the Troy Davis execution, and if you are smart you’ll go read it. Beery can write, he makes me jealous of his talent. I can only try harder to say less and more at the same time. Damn good writing. Damn good thinking.

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Boehner’s butt cheeks are now as orange as his face, given the spanking he got by his own party TeaNutz®.

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Michele Bachmann says another stupid, mindless, inaccurate thing in Iowa. Oh wait, this blog is about NEWS.  Nothing to see folks, move along.

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New game: watch the GOP thingie called a debate and see which candidate is trying the hardest to channel Reagan. Is he the ONLY hero they have?

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Oh, the $16 muffin scandal at the DOJ was all a myth. It was just a shorthanded means of invoicing by the hotel, who was given a budget, and didn’t want to list every piece of food, so stuck the charges under just a few categories.

Don’t look for the GOP to change their tune though. They are loving them so muffin-gate.

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The “Ground Zero Mosque, which was really a Community center, had its official grand opening with nary a protestor in site. The first event was an exhibit of children’s pictures against hate.

God, also known as God, Allah, Yahweh, Higher Power, and other endless appellations, was seen touring the photograph and thoroughly enjoying His/Her self.

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Here’s some “strict constructionism” that makes the Crazy Right just search for that vibrator cuz it TURNS THEM ON: This from that icon of logic against all common sense, JustUS Antonin Scalia:

There is no basis in text, tradition, or even in contemporary practice (if that were enough), for finding in the Constitution a right to demand judicial consideration of newly discovered evidence of innocence brought forward after conviction.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it. You convict ’em, we kill ’em, no questions asked or answered.

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What’s on the stove? Oh some high falutin’ chicken breasty thing with white wine, goat cheese, oven-dried tomatoes, garlic and butter, lots of butter. Along with steamed new potatoes and broccoli steamed as well.  If the chickeny thing turns out as good as it sounds, I’ll be posting that recipe, maybe even today.

Stay tuned.