Your Guess is as Good as Mine

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1st Amendment, GOP, Iowa, Libya, no-fly zone, nuclear energy, Randy Forbes, religion, teabuggers

I admit to being conflicted about nuclear energy. I prefer solar and wind energy, thank you very much. I recognize that nuclear is an alternative to the dirty energies of oil and coal.

I’m not ready to jump on the bandwagon that some are shouting from, that the Japanese have bungled their management of their reactors. I don’t know enough to make that judgment.

It would seem at first glance that a place where three tectonic plates intersect would not be a good place to build a reactor, but I’ve also heard that the area was considered “safe”.

In any event, certain folks in this country are pretty vocal that we should put the brakes on any further nuclear plant building until a “thorough study has been conducted.” Local TV here in Iowa is wont to tell us that the same GE design is present in our Palo reactor which is pretty close to where we live.

Politicians are good at this kind of stuff. Acting all “concerned for the public welfare” in times of “crisis.” That brought us such wonderful things as “freedom fries” and two extra months of daylight savings time, a move that saved not one tablespoon of oil as far as I know.

So I’m suspicious that all this talk of new studies and delay comes from  those who have some interest in oil and coal production. I have that suspicion.

I realize that nuclear energy can be dangerous. We have seen the evidence of that from Three Mile Island to Chernobyl and now in Japan. Yet, space travel is dangerous and we have the bodies to prove that. Crossing the Atlantic in small wooden ships was dangerous and many perished in that attempt. People died attempting to reach the North pole. People die in mining accidents (many of which are no doubt preventable), riding horses, and I am sure some poor soul died from sneezing.

Discovery and living both have their risks. As long as we do the best we can to do things safely, I’m not ready to pull the plug of nuclear energy because of an accident. What it should do, is lead us to make sure our existing plants are as safe as we can make them. That could also be considered “job creation”.  If you wish to read more of the technical side of the argument, go here. The article deals with our latest technology.

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The No-fly zone has begun with France taking the lead, claiming that their aircraft are in the air over Libya now. Qaddafi is predictably acting crazy, claiming he will die before surrendering. I guess my position is now that they must strike quickly and hard, and put an end to this. Otherwise Qaddafi will do as much murdering as he possibly can.

My reason for wanting this over quickly, is that atrocities are occurring in Yemen and in Bahrain, and very little is being said about it. These were peaceful demonstrations and the powers that be have decided to end them. The US is fairly quiet about the entire thing, other than to “abhor the violence.”

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We try to keep you aware here of bills introduced in state and federal legislatures. Here’s another phenomenal waste of time and taxpayer money. It seems that one Randy Forbes (R-VA) and teabugger backed, has introduced a bill that HAS MADE IT THROUGH THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE FOR GOD’S SAKE, that would make it mandatory that all public buildings, public high schools, and political institutions, carry the words “In God we Trust” on the building. Crazy Randy also wanted the Congress to declare that the bible was the inerrant word of God.

This is where taxpayer money goes folks. Sigh. Anyone for nominating Crazy Randy to hand chisel all the signs for the entire country? Keep him busy and out of RATIONAL people’s hair?

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It’s been spring here in the meadow since March 1, since we like to divide the seasons properly. A sure sign is the sound of birds twittering a lot. It’s blessed music to my ears. It makes me smile. I hope you have some spring-like weather where you are. I’m starting to look around to see if some bulbs are starting to pop out. And the trees are getting red on the furthest extensions of the branches, and soon the buds will appear. *Smile.*

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• Five myths about nuclear energy (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
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Tasting the Air–Blech!

Tags

CPAC, gay rights, GOP, Humor, Iowa, life in the meadow, right wing media, teabuggers

We just got our lane blown out. The Contrarian got out to do a bit of shopping for me. He discovered that the alternator is bad and needs replacing. He would have done that today, but for the fact that another FREAKIN’ SET OF STORMS IS COMING!

Yep, we are expecting a few inches tonight, 1-4. But Tuesday night we are talking FEET. Everyone is being very sly about where, and who, and how much. Cowards!

So my shopping this week is off, and it will be bread and water by Thursday. Well, not quite that. More like simple meat, potatoes and frozen veggies. This winter crap is getting OLD.

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Don’t know if you saw yesterday’s humor post. It was a lot of fun to do, and frankly I could do a blog only on The Blaze and it’s merry band of misfit dumbos. If you liked it, let me know and I’ll do it as a regular or semi-regular feature. I did that one on only the first three pages of a ten page list of comments. These people are simply mad as hatters.

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Speaking of which, and I’m not speaking of a witch or which either, but that’s by the by, whatever by the by means. Words are strange, especially when grouped together. They have secret sex I think and become odd “sayings” that have no inherent meaning.

Be that as it may (you see my point), I was thinking the other night about “if I could. . .” Now that would make a good post don’t you think? “If I could. . .put Sarah and Michele and Christine and Sharron in a cabin in the woods for a month with lots of hidden listening devices. . .I would!” Do you have any “if I could” ‘s?

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Political Irony has a new list of late night funnery. Do go see if you want to laugh a bit.

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The way I see it, the reason the GOP is ultimately doomed is that it is caught in a three-way, and much as they seem fun at first, they usually prove disastrous in the long run, frankly in the shorter run. First ya got your true blue GOPers. These are the old-fashioned types, Colin Powell is an example. Believes in reasonable social legislation but conservative fiscal policy. Then there are the RINOS, sometimes more liberal, sometimes more self-serving. They can blow any number of directions depending on their philosophy, but mostly because of their desire to preserve their own power.

Then factor in the Teabuggers. These come of two flavors, both of them relatively crazy. One wing are libertarians who want to slash and burn and care zero about social welfare. The poor be damned, lower taxes and let the market govern. The other wing, mouths a lot of fiscal conservatism, doesn’t understand a bit of it, (neither does most of the other wing frankly), but they wet themselves over abortion, gay rights, and their new gods, the FF’s. All is seen through a biblical lens of their own interpretation.

How to marry these three? Beats me, and it’s apparent that the cracks already exist in the menáge e trois. A don’t see a future that can work for them.

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Remember CPAC? That meeting which every righteous Republican, certainly every Presidential hopeful attended? Be there or be square as they say? Well, people are bailing on CPAC this year like it carries the plague. Latest to bow out is newly elected Marco Rubio. He follows DeMint, new BFF of the teabuggery clan. Most all the “good” people are now out. The GOP speaks out with clarity: WE DON’T LIKE NO GAY PEOPLE. Yes, the marginalizing party, becomes marginal.

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The Blaze ran a piece about a California man arrested with a car full of “high-end” fireworks, making threats against Islam in the parking lot of a mosque in Dearborn, Michigan. Nothing much to report, except that the commenters query whether he is “left-wing” and whether he might have been “delivering the fireworks to Muslim extremists.” Also, much discussion on the relative minor character of the fireworks. Want to imagine what they would have said should a Muslim have been arrested in a Christian church parking lot? I leave it to your imagination. Crooks and Liars has a good story on the “left-wing aspect.”

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I saw this over at Joe.My.God. I just had to steal it and print it here. I laughed till I nearly croaked!

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Andrew Sullivan has a great piece you should read. I have often found myself saying that I wish the left had a “Fox” of its own. But I don’t really mean that. I mean, I want a strong independent media voice that speaks truth based on thorough and fact driven investigation. To have a Fox of our own would mean that thinking and discourse would even further deteriorate. The point is, that although I liked Keith Olbermann a lot, I was also aware of his being over-the-top and making more of a story than the facts warranted. The crazy right never seems to see that in their pundits. Not even a little.  Read Sullivan’s post, it’s a good one.

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What’s on the stove: spaghetti and meatballs, salad

Related Articles

• Fear of gay cooties spreads in advance of CPAC (washingtonmonthly.com)
• GOP’s Culture War Hits CPAC, Challenges Republican Party (gayrights.change.org)

Just Wiggly with Wampum

Tags

Alan West, Arkansas, Christianity, creation, Darwin, David Barton, evolution, founding fathers, gay rights, God, GOP, John McCain, Lindsay Graham, Michael Steele, Michele Bachmann, philosophy, religious right, Sarah Palin, science, Steven Hawkings, teabuggers, universe

Have you noticed that talking to a GOPer is pretty much the same as conversing with a psychotic or paranoid schizophrenic? I have. Actually, I think I prefer the latter. At least their theories are more interesting. With GOPers, one continually tries to make sense of their words. This is a mistake, but one we continue to make. With the insane, we expect exactly what we get. It’s not so confusing.

I could give you examples but you undoubtedly have examples of your own.

Me, I like a world that has room for foil-capped flying-saucer nuts. Everyone knows the guv’ment is prone to lie, is it so outrageous to think that they lie about alien visitation? See? You can have a good time with these conspiracy theorists, and only realize that something is not quite right when you find an alarm clock in the freezer. You make allowances.

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I’m not buying the “explanations” about what is going on in Arkansas. Plain and simple, I put this down as a guv’ment cover-up, no matter what they have induced its residents to claim. Proof is in the pudding as they say, or in the Arkansas Family Council which is hosting a 2-day seminar starring the pseudo-historian David Barton. This is all for the benefit of the state’s legislature, to teach ’em about how our country was founded on “Christian principles.” Oh, and while they are at it, bein’ Christian and all, would they mind making sure no gays are allowed to pollute the environs with any of that equal rights crap?

The obsessiveness with which the far religious right attacks homosexuality, suggests that for some reason closet homophobes tend to gravitate to such organizations in droves. “NO, NOT ME. NO, I’M STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW!” Yeah tell us.

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I’m beginning to think that Sarah Palin’s troubles with “what books do you read” is pretty indicative of the GOP in general. Jon Stewart mentioned that the candidates for the GOP leadership were asked this and Michael Steele, said “War and Peace,” and then quoted from it: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Tolstoy and Dickens exchanged graves at this point. Another lady chairperson wanna be, said, “the kitchen table.”

Now we learn the Michele Bachmann, that bastion of educational superiority, notes that she was a Democrat but was so incensed by Gore Vidal’s hatred of the founding fathers in Burr that she instantly became a Republican. Make any sense? Of course not. We said Michele Bachmann didn’t we?

The full article at Salon is actually very good, and well worth your link up.

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Atheists believe,  but cannot prove that empiricism is the only basis for discovering truth. Hawking claims that philosophy is dead, fallen to the god, science. Now I revere science as much as the next gal, but I think First Things (a publication I normally don’t much cotton to) makes a very excellent point. Hawking in the end just “kicks the can” further down the street, by positing an empiricism that is subjective to the model used. Sorta like multiple realities emanating from rationally generated multiple models. Or, philosophy?

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Of all the new teabuggers in Congress, Alan West (R-FL) may be the wackiest. Now he’s claiming that sharia law is just infesting our systems! Yikes, get out the bug spray. I am guessing that most of those fine Florida voters must have been ironing the wrinkles from their skin every time West opened his mouth, and missed just how insane the man is. Or perhaps they misheard–Adam West? Thought they were electing Batman?

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Biologos does a great review of Conor Cunningham’s book, Darwin’s Pious Idea: Why the Ultra-Darwinists and the Creationists Both Get it Wrong. In the end, we learn what many of us, most of us perhaps, have always known. There is no “issue” between Darwin and faith. From the review it seems like a most worthwhile book to pick up. Eerdmans is the publisher if that helps your assessment.

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John McCain is getting to be a bore. Mr. Walnuts as he is called by some is just a crotchety old man who can’t get over being rejected twice for the job that he feels America owes him–the Presidency. Everything he now does is explained by that fact.

Sarah Palin is getting to be a bore. Everybody, even boring people can come up with Palin jokes. I mean you don’t have to even be witty. She’s such a huge target. Will she? Won’t she? Palin is just a woman from nowhere in particular, stuck in a backwater state, doing nothing in particular. She wanted to be rich, and she wanted to be famous. Everything she now does is explained by that fact.

I’ve decided that my new idiot par excellence is (drum roll) LINDSAY GRAHAM. The perpetual bachelor whom everyone knows is gay. He hitched his sled to Johnny, who failed. He couldn’t hide behind Johnny’s pant leg any more, so he extracted his nose from the Walnutz ass and decided to become a full-fledged wacko all by his self.

He’s a weasel, he whines, he snivels, he moans that it’s just so hard being a senator that the Democrats like to wore him out asking him to put in full days of reading and thinking during that lame ducky thing. He’s pouty. And me thinks he is running scared, since he did that whole Mavericky thing with Johnny, and now the teabuggers are none too happy with him, so he’s swung to the opposite pole, and is getting his tips from Bachmann and King, and DeMint.

Lindsay has hitched up his pants and said he will vote NO!!!! dammit to raising the debt ceiling. He is gonna play the game of brinksmanship. No statesmanlike status for him. Oh no, he prefers the buffoonery approach.

I say, let us stare the fools down. Do they really want to do that? I suspect even they will blink. Otherwise we, Obama, that is, might as well back and leave Washington and give them the entire ship of state.

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What’s on the Stove: Venison Stroganoff, with noodles and salad with blue cheese, and rolls.

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• Graham Joins Loonies, Plans Government Shutdown (littlegreenfootballs.com)
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Well, Now that That’s Over With!

Tags

American Exceptionalism, Arkansas, China, Constitution, GOP, Michael Steele, teabuggers, wingnuts

If you woke up similar to this on New Year’s Day, then presumably you’re pretty glad it’s over with too!

So it’s on to the January blahs, or as it’s commonly known in Iowa, freakin’ cold, freakin’ snow, and freakin’ bleak. It’s something you learn to live through, other options being less enticing.

So, we made it to the big city and done our shopping. We operate like a finely tuned team. We hit the first store where we buy our meat. No packaged stuff, just a long case with meat and a slew of butchers behind the counter to cut and wrap.

Then it’s drop me off at the mega supermarket, while the Contrarian heads off to Wal-Mart for dog and cat food, as sundry clothing items and so forth. Then he returns to locate me. As it turned out today, I had just checked out with a teeming cart load when he arrived, so we were in total synch.

The lane is partly blown in so we travel via the field. Can you say washboard? The Contrarian went out Friday when it was still slushy and created a trail that has since iced down. Now it’s like getting the tires in groove and lettin’ her rip, no steering required. It’s a hair-raising event.

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The most exciting news so far is that the GOPers are apparently about to unseat Mr. Steele as chairman of their party. Figuring they have “proved we are down with Negroes” one almost expects them to shout Arriba! and search for a token Latino or LINO, as they are called, to shore up that ethnic flavor. But as far as we know, no brown Beemers are in the running. No Cabin GOPers either.  Muslims are still too hot to handle, and women have been done (Sarah should suffice for a good twenty years). The Good Old P*ckers can be expected to stay fully in control.

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Hey, don’t blame me. I swore off meanness for nearly two weeks. I’m raring to go!

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It’s being reported that 5000 birds dropped out the skies of Arkansas, dead as doornails. Unlike doornails, they had once presumably been alive. Now we hear that 100,000 fish (did they really count them all?) have died in some waterway there. Reports of a Moses like figure and a guy with a lots of eye makeup named Pharoah, arguing on the Capital steps, are wildly exaggerated. We got the dead stuff report from Mock, Paper, Scissors, the rest  we dreamed up.

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We are a nation of noodles. The news is full of instances in which teabugger candidates who were elected have fired lobbyists as their chiefs-of-staff. Some wacko state elected as their representative a dude who was illegally placed in the Justice department by Rove and was fired. He is now scheduled to sit on the Judiciary committee. West, the blowheart from Florida who claimed he had a higher security clearance than Obama, but was forced to resign his commission in the armed services, now claims that Obama is no leader because he sneaks into Afghanistan under dark of night in secrecy. This is no “leadership” as Wacko West sees it.

We are getting what we voted for aren’t we?

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I’d like more than anything than to link up to great stories about the insanity of all these wingnuts, and do it without becoming angry, and despondent, and without hope, and resigned, and pissed off. I’d like that. I always say I’m going to remain above it all, just looking down and reporting the landscape, from up here in the trees, or clouds. But I don’t. Tell me how if you know. My blood pressure will sure thank you.

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I hear the GOPers in the House plan to start the festivities off with reading the Constitution from front to back. This is a good beginning. It will undoubtedly be their first experience with the document. They might find that it is printed in one continuous piece of paper, and that the amendments are not “optional”.

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I wonder who the GOP will put down once they have exhausted all the minorities on the planet. I mean after the Mauri and the Magyars. When they have hated and vilified and blamed all their woes on everyone else, who will they turn to them?

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I’m wondering if parents who have kids about to enter college and suggesting they learn Chinese or major in Asian studies. It seems prudent to me. I think American “exceptionalism” has reached it nadir, nobody overseas buys it much, and China seems poised to take the helm, with India not far behind. Both have invested in the future. We are still romanticizing the past and wanting a return to the “good old days” when everybody was happy (meaning white men felt a lot more secure and in charge).

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