July 2009 Archives

ThinkProgress points out the hypocrisy of GOP governors, Piyush Jindal in this case, of making an ass out of themselves of refusing federal stimulus money, then quietly accepting it, THEN taking credit for the money as if it magically appeared instead of getting on their knees and thanking the United States for creating jobs in their states seeing as their incompetent and/or broke selves couldn't do it.

Bill Maher likes to joke and make snide comments, but he's pretty dead on with this assessment of the "birthers". This meme keeps spreading and while it is currently poisoning the GOP, there are enough of those assholes to screw up the rest of the country.

In a recent poll, 58% of these Republican cretins either doubt or are not sure that our president is an American citizen.

So wait a minute, the party that ran a candidate that LITERALLY was not born in the United States (though was on a military base) now contests the birthplace of a guy born in Hawaii? Oh yeah, I forgot, they are racist pricks who think he was born in Kenya.

The ranks of GOP politicians who refuse to speak out against this utter crap grows daily, with Missouri's Roy Blount amongst those "casting doubt".

So basically, these guys either believe this crap or are hedging their bets to keep votes without looking like utter traitors. Either way, THESE are the jerks who ran under the banner "Country First" in the last election? If they truly believed in their nation, they'd fight these lies, call the traitors who believe them the seditious bastards they are, and then they should probably quit for giving aid and comfort to the enemies of America.

Not that I have any strong feelings about this or anything.

Bob reports on a move in Florida to ban any Floridian from accepting a public health insurance option should it become available this year.

He also mentions Traitor Rick's move to do the same in Texas. I also read - and I think posted - about a similar move in Arizona.

Bob's suggestion was for these asshats to go ahead and do away with all public health care in these states. You hate the government that much? Pull your elderly off of Medicare. Take your poor off of Medicaid. Florida, Texas, and Arizona don't have an excess of elderly, do they? Oh wait! They do!

I'd take it a step further. Kick out the VA clinics and hospitals and forcibly remove your veterans. Close every military base as they have government funded soldier, Marines, airmen, seamen, and Coasties in them. Don't elect ANYONE to Congress. Or at least, any GOP members as assumption of the job would be hypocritical, now wouldn't it?

Now, Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) has gone ahead and called their bluff. Basically, he submitted an amendment to repeal Medicare. No one voted for it. More importantly, no Republicans voted for it. Hypocrites.

Here he is on Rachel Maddow:

And here he is in Congress. This deserves watching:

Oliver explains the modern GOP:

If you've ever taken the time to watch congressional activity on C-SPAN, particularly in the House, you see this a lot. There are people, Democrats, talking about important things of serious significance. I don't even necessarily agree with these people all the time, but there's no disputing the fact that they're talking about an issue, and then a conservative Republican will get his or her turn at the microphone and begin a conversation about how Barack Obama has enlisted a legion of robots to drain us of our blood. They say these things, and then thanks to the rules of decorum in congress the other side can't bust out laughing or scream "what the fuck". They just have to go back to what they were discussing. On earth.

This is a nice story on how shedding some religious and cultural taboos is saving lives in Iraq.

This is an older post but still relevant for the summer. So, some helpful tips on better grilling.

Also from Lifehacker, a list of affordable steak cuts that come in handy during our recession grilling time.

Also, a Memorial Day grilling entry from NPR that is enjoyable and has some good recipes.

Enjoy!

Hey, what do ya know? We've got a president who actually gives a shit on how names and places are pronounced so that we can show at least a basic level of respect and deference to people and states around the world.

You think that may pay dividends somehow in the way we are viewed around the world? Gee, I wonder.

More on the neocon nitwits trying to destroy education in Texas.

So....if nationalized health care is as bad as the Rethugs want us to believe, why do the Canadians revere the architect of their health care system as one of The Greatest Canadians?

Just saying.

Here's a pretty honest report on the state of our nation's education, or, rather, LACK of education when it comes to science.

Don't cast all the blame on our underfunded schools. Also give some jeers to the anti-science Talibangelicals trying to destroy public education and to the media who someone ALWAYS gets science wrong.

So basically, fund the schools, take the Luddites out to the woodshed and deal with them, and promote science instead of just making stuff up.

Easy, no?

The supposedly "pro-privacy" elements of the GOP apparently have been laying the groundwork for a military/police state.

If you thought last week's news that Bush damn near invaded Buffalo, NY to hunt down some terrorist cell was bad, the story here highlights some potentially worse deeds by those neocon traitors.

I couldn't have said this better myself.

If Republican reaction to the first black president is to stock up on weapons and then question the man's citizenship, how do you expect them to react to any Latino government official? They grilled Sonia Sotomayor as a reverse racist who hates white people and then say they aren't racist.

Bull. This is the same party that tries to make every Latin immigrant into a job-stealing, plague carrier. No wonder not a single GOP rep showed up to the La Raza meeting. It isn't that they were afraid of being called hypocrites, they were probably afraid of getting their asses deservedly beaten.

There are worse things than angry conservathugs threatening to take the pill away from American women. This story on the tragedy caused by sexism, religion, and poverty is a real crime; one this world needs to fix.

I get some flack from my few Republican friends on why I call their party racist. Obviously not every Republican is a racist, nor every GOP politician. But there are so many racists in the party and no one is calling them out on their bigotry and calling it wrong. So, you know, if you aren't a part of the solution....

Countdown also tackled the issue:

Plus, "birther" bastard news:

Want to know why I don't trust cops in general?

Want to know why I think a majority of them are probably racist?

Read this.

Now I love napping, but this study sheds a little light on who actually is napping. I'm not sure I needed to know all that, but there ya go.

Now this sounds pretty cool: Fahrenheit 451 as a graphic novel.

I'll be sure to check that out.

Normally, I give any story by Mike Pesca a wide berth but he's usually pretty reliable when it comes to baseball. So I listened to - and enjoyed - this story concerning the origin of the box score.

Once again, Bob cuts to the core of an issue and takes the GOP to task for their outright lies concerning health care reform.

Granted, apparently Bing is actually useful and a decent search engine. I wouldn't really know as my history with Microsoft search has been awful. And no, I'm not a knee-jerk Microsoft basher; I've just been burned repeatedly to give such reviews much creedence.

So, basically, I use either Google or Yahoo for searching stuff. At least, I used to. Apparently, since Yahoo has some bills to pay off, they are joining forces with M$ and will soon be using the Bing search engine instead of their own useful one.

I guess this only leaves me using Yahoo for email and fantasy sports playing. Boo!

This is sheer genius. If Conan gets more helpful bits like this, he might not end up killing The Tonight Show.

And honestly, camp hero that he is, you cannot deny the sheer killing wit of Shatner here.

The Brits are getting cheeky in regards to Bush's failed pro-abstinence education-free sex ed. Which is good. Someone should be calling us out for the failures of the Bush dictatorship.

Mmm, chicken. Yeah, I may have to try this sometime.

I've had this story lying around in a tab for months. It concerns the value of working with your hands and is a pretty interesting read if you've got the time.

I read this awhile back but still find it a fun catch-up to the Goonies' cast after all these years.

Granted, the Review-Journal is probably one of the most conservative daily papers I've ever read - and no, I very, very rarely pay money for that rag - but even the local conservathugs are beginning to find John Ensign to be a piece of crap.

That said, most of them think he should not resign. Hooray for flexible Republican morals!

Hypocritical bastards.

Since we're using cartoons to be honest today:

That's pretty much how I thought it would go if these bigots were honest:

Okay, this actually makes sense.

You want to know why I think Bud Selig is the worst thing to happen to baseball since organized segregation? This is why.

There is a reason the Black Sox aren't in the Hall of Fame. Most, if not all, of them cheated. The end. To even think of reinstating Pete Rose, after he affected the outcome of some games, is just vile.

I don't care what you think of the guy personally or even his career. He cheated. As a manager capable of affecting the outcome of a game.

So yeah, keep him out. Keep out the steroid freaks if you can too. I even liked Sosa but come on. You have to draw a line somewhere.

Here is an argument for Sarah Palin to stick around as she is so stupid she obviously couldn't win an election.

I have three words for that line of reasoning: George W. Bush.

Look, she takes the asinine stupidity of Bush with the "aww shucks" leggy girl power that appeals to both repressed Rethug women who should know better AND the NASCAR mouth breathers they are married to.

This idjut COULD win.

And you want to know who is helping her? The same media she cries about. Case in point: this morning I turned off my TV as CBS' early show said their commentary on Palin quitting would be Ann "My Adam's Apple is Bigger than most Guys'" Coulter.

Really. To discuss a flash-in-the-pan, corrupt mental lightweight we're bringing in a racist, bigoted, hatemongering succubus who permanently wears a cocktail dress.

Yeah, THAT is solid reporting folks.

Nah, we're stuck with Mr. Ed's granddaughter AND Palin for awhile, I'm afraid.

Nah, Political Irony put it best this morning:

"Sarah Palin, a professional politician with a 17 year career, who recently dissed professional politicians, a creature who was largely created by the right-wing media, but likes to blame everything on the media, has resigned. Of course, even though she saw nothing wrong with spending lots of campaign money on clothes, and raising political money to cover her legal bills (which is an ethics violation), she delivered her resignation speech -- blaming government spending for our nation's problems."

Attributions to their credible claims at the site itself.

Lou Dobbs has been a known racist for awhile. But now he might be a treasonous racist.

CNN is trying to shut Dobbs' racist shit down. Not that he's listening.

Chris Matthews slowing realizes that this might be about race.

As usual, John Stewart nails the issue:

Racism: Texas Justice style.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Texas conservatives hated Kennedy. Kennedy got shot in Dallas.

Grand Prairie is near Dallas. Texas conservatives hate non-whites more than they do Catholics. And here we have cops spreading racist emails around about our president.

And these cretins think they are patriotic Americans, I bet.

The title says it all. The military should be pissed for FAUXNews personalities and guests wishing for the execution of an American soldier by our enemies.

All conservatives should be pissed too. Can you imagine the hatred and vile crossburnings if someone like Michael Moore had said something so odious?

Yeah, there would be angry protests in every major city.

To date: none. Why? Because these meat puppets eat everything FAUX is serving, even selling out our soldiers.

So, while I am glad some in the military are angry, the majority of mess halls will probably still air their crap and the majority of "patriotic" racist and bigoted Americans will still watch as well.

Honestly, the picture makes this story on dumbass Republican governors so good.

Why is it that the so-called party of morality keeps picking miscreants and idiots like this to lead them?

No, really. I think we all deserve an answer to that question.

Yet another failed policy of the Bush hegemony. It turns out that preaching abstinence in schools - as opposed to providing proper sex education - aids in increasing teen pregnancy and the spread of STDs like syphillis and AIDS.

The rates of increase are highest in the southern states where the policy of choosing fantasy over fact were the strongest.

Go figure.

Does anybody seriously believe that it's a good thing that business execs earn a third of all payroll in this nation?

This is, frankly, utter bullcrap. Yeah, let's tax the bastards to pay for health care. Let's not forget that a bunch of these bastiches pushed for the Iraq War, got rich off of it, and still are.

Others are oil execs. Some are the same bankers we're bailing out because they screwed our economy up.

Tax 'em. Then cut their damned pay.

Mr. Creamer lays out the historical legacy of being against what is right. He points out the obvious ones: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Civil Rights. While he currently is focusing on < href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/memo-to-members-of-congre_b_240486.html" target="_blank">health care, how many other things are the GOP wrong on that they will be called on to explain in the future?

Mmmm....gyros.

Somewhat on the unhealthy side, but nowhere near a burger, and much more tasty. We regularly hit a nice gyro shop near campus called Stephano's, which is a much fancier manifestation of it's old namesake, Daily Chicken.

Knowing how the meat is made takes nothing away from it, nor wanting to get some takeout soon.

Maureed Dowd points out that the GOP has gotten bad at the only thing they've ever been good at: Here is a list of the Rethug crazy train rolling through his district.

Meanwhile, some Rethug car dealer in Missouri is offering a free AK-47 with the purchase of a pickup truck. One, rednecks need less weapons, not more given their tendencies towards killing doctors and blowing up decent Americans. Two, why are so-called patriots lining up to get Soviet/Russian/Red China-made assault rifles? Are you too traitorous to actually want an AR-15 when you plot to destroy America? Is THAT the limit of your hypocrisy?

Look, at this point, I could never voting Republican, even if the Democrats turn into the Flying Demon Bat Party tomorrow. In that case, find me a viable third party, but I am NEVER EVER going to side with those racist morons. Ever.

(Granted, I only voted GOP once and he was running for coroner, for God's sake.)

BONUS RACIST: Lou Dobbs

"The last time I renewed my driver's license, it took less than five minutes. If I ever have the privilege of sitting in a doctor's office waiting room and, subsequently, the exam room, for less than five minutes I'll voluntarily pay triple the fee and send the doctor an enormous gift basket filled with, you know, a Lexus."

More goodness from Bob Cesca on the bullshit GOP arguments against public health care.

In an effort to get to some actual truth, PBS created this Frontline investigation into the health care systems of Great Britain, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, and Switzerland. It apparently is the full show, warts and all, of each nation's system.

Even when showing the true pros and cons, we don't stack up among the best.This truly needs to change.

Tom Arnold looks like a freaking genius when pitted against Hannity and the lobbyist puppets arrayed against him. Check it out.

Meanwhile, Lewis Black makes some chuckle-worthy assessments on The Daily Show:

Look, the GOP can't even make an argument that a B-movie actor and a comedian can't cut to shreds in quick succession. How the hell does this pass muster as a counter argument to the President's plan?

Let me put it closer to home. How am I supposed to be that "Obamacare" or whatever they want to call it is bad for me and my family? How am I supposed to buy the "stay the course and go broke" argument? Last week I went to get Gabriel a refill on one of his meds. The pharmacy cuts the prescription 20% because the insurance company made them do it. So, I pay the same and get less for my 11 month old baby because the insurance company has the right to override the wishes of our pediatrician. And I'm supposed to like this?

Screw that. Pass the public plan. Hopefully it is worth the rhetoric and is something I can jump on board with to provide for my family.

Local investigative reporter George Knapp wonders what is next in the Senator Scumbag Ensign saga.

It's a more involved list than you think.

And damn if Hugh Jackson didn't just throw a bucket of ice water on me concerning the future of Sarah Palin.

Read it, and fear the future of the GOP.

So....

Governor Piyush Jindal* hates the stimulus plan. He came on TV and gave an incredibly awkward speech to tell me so.

So why the hell is he trotting out press conferences to give out stimulus checks?

Oh wait! He's not calling them stimulus checks. And he's putting his name on them instead of Obama's or the federal government in general.

So you stole the money Jindal? Just asking.

Either way, clever in that lying, double-faced GOP kind of way we are all too used to.

* As you may know, Governor Jindal likes to be called Bobby, after the youngest son in The Brady Bunch. No, I'm not kidding.

But as he is in a party that a) is incredibly racist, and b) went out of it's way to point out that the president's WHOLE name is Barack HUSSEIN! Obama, I think it is only fair that we remind them that one of their governors who hasn't either quit, or cheated on his wife lately does not have an Anglo-Saxon name.

You know, just in case they need their noses rubbed in it.

Last night's Rachel Maddow show was pretty much all over the place as far as issues go. Granted, I often chafe at the cute factor lately and thinks she forgets that Obama is a moderate and likely will never go as left as much as she'd like - or even as much as I'd like. The difference? I realized that early and back most of his moves anyway.

That said, there was some good coverage on some pretty key issues yesterday so I figured I'd post them up for anyone interested.

First up is our soldier captured by the Taliban that the GOP is apparently willing to write off to be killed by his captors. Real patriots, those asshats. PVT Bergdahl, get home safely.

Next up, more coverage of the twits trying to screw us out of health care.

More on the House on C Street and the Talibangelical cult members who live there:

The real gem of last night's show was the following clarification and correcting of Pat Buchanan's racist screed from the other night. Honestly, THIS is why Maddow's style works even though it may fall flat on the petty stuff.

Even House Twit Kent Jones had a decent segment:

Here are some tips on making a relatively safe cleaning kit. With Gabriel now interested in the contents of, well, ANYTHING, I figured I'd at least look into keeping the caustic chemicals away from him. This looks like a good start.

Granted, some things need the cleansing bomb sometimes, but I'm hoping to try to make the home somewhat safe for the little guy.

I love GeekDad. Basically, it's a Wired blog for the parental set.

One of today's entries dealt with how to correct the misinformation regarding the moon landings. Namely, how to show your kids that, yes, they did happen.

This is pretty easily proved, but there are so many things out there that either well-meaning Luddites or evil Talibangelicals try to debunk using flawed logic. The same nitwits that refute the Theory of Evolution have no issues with the Theory of Relativity because they want a nuke plant in every ghetto and a MIRV hitting every country populated by brown people.

Just saying. Keep it up GeekDad!

Still a work in progress, but this PC hardware chart is pretty damned cool.

I plan on printing it as a nice reference. Lord knows where I'll hang it up though.

More cool facts about the Apollo 11 mission from National Geographic.

Also, just for fun, the history of the Lunar Lander game, which has also existed in some form or another for the past 40 years. Here is a link to a fun and hard recent version of the game.

It turns out, if you are an American soldier captured by the Taliban, conservative media types have no problem - and actively encourage your captors - if you are executed. Presumably this would likely involve having your head lopped off with a Ginsu knife.

Granted, Ralph Peters - who is STILL pissed off he wrote a half dozen books on a Russian war in Europe that never happened - swears this particular soldier deserted, even though he has no real proof of this. Even so, get the soldier back, try him in a military court, and send him to Leavenworth if guilty.

They used to say anti-war lefties were traitors for not wanting our troops in Iraq. Now, conservatives actually wish for our soldier's murder if they are captured by our enemies. And this ass clown was actually in the military, unlike so many armchair generals in the GOP.

If that isn't treason, I'm not sure what is, folks.

Meanwhile, media clown and hatemonger Randall Terry is promising violent domestic terrorism if Sonia Sotomayor is confirmed to the Supreme Court.

Wait a minute asswipe. You don't have to like the lady - as I certainly loathe Roberts, Scalia, Alito, and Thomas - but each of them went through a confirmation hearing and were voted by the Senate - as the Constitution proscribes.

So basically, we have one Rethug arguing for the execution of a soldier held by our enemies in a combat zone and another calling for terrorism in our borders if the Constitutional confirmation process is followed.

And all the airtime on FAUXNews to argue for what is treason in about every sense of the word.

There are six members of the Senate Democratic Caucus who are against the public health care option. They are currently being called the Gang of Six, alluding to the thugs who ran China after Mao died.

Each of these nitwits has taken many millions of dollars from the health and insurance industries and parrot their talking points whenever possible. They should be on *our* side, but inside side with the wealthy and powerful.

You want proof? Here ya go. These assclowns are against spending a trillion and a third or so to prove good health care to ALL Americans because it might cost some money. However, four of them had NO issues whatsoever in voting for Bush's gift bag o' tax cuts for the ultrawealthy.

So...a trilliion in free money to billionaires already tax dodging or health care for average Americans, and these jerks side with the rich people.

Someone needs to be changing their priorities...and soon.

NPR has been running a series tied to the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing. A couple of high points have been an interview with Buzz Aldrin and a story on the hopefully accidental erasure of the original Apollo 11 tapes.

Also of interest is a backup speech that Nixon would have used if the landing had befallen some form of disaster. Pretty chilling but good that even Tricky Dick had a backup plan, something we haven't seen in a president for the majority of this decade.

Wired had a rollup of related Apollo 11 news, some of it new to most of us.

Holy crap! I can't keep up!

THIS Republican Racist has combined public health care with racism and asks if Obama's mom would have aborted him if she could've gotten the government to pay for it.

Oh, and Clarence Thomas too. Apparently the only kids getting aborted are mixed race and non-white kids. At least those who would be getting aborted on the public dime.

White kids "catch mono" and disappear for a few months or something. Honestly I really have no idea where this guy is going with his argument. Other than - hopefully - to hell one day.

Seriously, why can't we round all these guys up and force them into an Asshat Brigade for a 5-year term in rural Afghanistan?

Surprise! More racist Republicans!

Why do the California ones seem to be the worst?

I like technology. I like books.

Scratch that. I love books. Want to know why? Because once you own a book, it's your's. Not the bookstore's. Your's.

Want to know why I don't have a Kindle and just have some ebooks I use Microsoft Reader for?

This is why. Turns out a publisher decided not to offer electronic editions of George Orwell, so Amazon rushed full steam ahead and deleted Orwell's books from it's customer's Kindles.

Um, kiss my ass Amazon.

Ironically, they picked Orwell, who, of course was so focused on the ills of censorship and totalitarian rule.

I have both 1984 and Animal Farm on my shelf at home and you can find an electronic edition of the former here. For Animal Farm you may be out of luck on a legal e-book option.

Looks like the traitors are beginning to sue. A reservist purposely volunteered for duty in Afghanistan and then refused to deploy since he says Obama isn't actually an American citizen and thus isn't a legal president.

This is part of the racist "birther" movement which is basically a Republican cover to be racist bastards. If waterboarded, I am sure nearly all of them would swear that they KNOW Obama is American. Actually, if waterboarded, I'm sure every single one of these cretins would say anything you'd want them to say.

The Army has cancelled his deployment orders and a civilian judge has stupidly allowed his case to carry on. As far as the military is concerned, I hope they strip this traitor of his officer's commission and clear a bunk at Leavenworth for the asshole.

More on the case, as well as information that ties both FAUXNews (more here) and the Republican Party to this mutineer and his potentially traitorous act.

Apparenty FAUX and the GOP are "palling around" with treason.

Marketplace concluded it's series called "Working" yesterday and once again it was a pretty illuminating look at the life of someone just trying to get by in this world.

I presume that after 29 stories they just ran out of funds to keep it going but it was entertaining and instructive to hear how people fall into the work they do and how they strive to do it to the utmost, whether legal or not.

Here are the Cliff Notes version of the Sotomayor confirmation hearings.

Enjoy.

I love this cheeky write-up on Monticello. It has been about 18 years since I did the tour there but it was such a fascinating place. I can't wait to drag Gabriel there someday.

Pat Buchanan is a vile racist. I've always known this, but his recent words and his comments on the Rachel Maddow Show last night strongly endorse that this guy is basically begging for a race war while whites still have the numbers. Numbers, but not the training given the numbers of minorities fighting Bush's wars overseas. Bob Cesca weighs in, followed by the Maddow video.

Wow. Here is your conservative "fiscal conservatism" at work. Mark Sanford spent over $37 grand in taxpayer money to fly first class to cheat on his wife with his "soul mate".

And these are the "moral" ones? Give me a frigging break.

I find this news concerning the advantages of coffee in reversing Alzheimer's useful on a day I picked up an iced vanilla latte (from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf - STRONGLY recommended) and am getting a year older.

Thanks to Michael "Art" for the link, granted it was many days earlier but I just got around to it.

I found this vastly entertaining and possibly useful.

Some good advice on keeping pillows nice and fresh and fluffy.

I like that we'll still have Billy Mays on the TV, with at least one new product. I've also seen some of his older work on the air again.

Like I said, after watching the Pitchmen series, he seems a likeable guy. And if anyone was trying to honor him at all, just airing his old ads should do the trick.

Remember when this country had big dreams and didn't settle for less?

Remember when we didn't check on focus groups or gave a shit what lobbyists told us?

Remember when big business just sucked it up and did the damn job?

THAT and a dose of hope and optimism got us to the moon. Not GOP whining and fear tactics.

Learn from this, be amazed of what we used to be able to accomplish in this country, and let's try to regain our glory.

Traitor Rick wants to borrow more money from the Feds that he isn't likely to pay back. In fact, he wants to borrow $100 million more than the stimulus money he rejected.

Can we sell Texas back to Mexico for some oil rights or something?

I love this! Vote for your least favorite "ConservaDem" Fifth Columnist in the pocket of the insurance industry here and keep the pressure on these jackasses who don't want to provide health insurance to ALL Americans.

Screw the GOP. Their contrary asses won't vote for America anyway so let's at least keep the Democrats in line. And Lieberman too, I guess, since we need the vote.

And give a little to get the ads out if you can too.

And here is a fairly recent list of the scumbags who need convincing.

Absolute genius. Thanks, Bernie!

Honestly, I am hoping to get a paperback copy of Jeff Sharlet's book soon. All in my further ongoing quest to know my enemies I guess.

Rachel Maddow had him on last night to discuss the cult that controls the GOP's government core:

He was also on KNPR's State of Nevada discussing "The C Street Project".

Now granted, some of this may be just a great shill opportunity for his book. That said, he didn't make Mark Sanford find his "soul mate" in Argentina or force Ensign's dad to use his casino profits to buy off his boy's extramarital playmate's family. So, I don't factor too many grains of salt in his media tour. He may just be taking the opportunity to point out that our government is run by "prayer cells" - and isn't *that* a terrorist sounding term? - and maybe we should put a stop to that.

Since I plugged Krugman, I had to go sanitize myself by checking out Robert Reich's blog. I read this yesterday concerning taxing the utmost wealthy to pay for health care. A good read.

Also check out his recent Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan-related entries. Tie this in with Matt Taibbi's Rolling Stone article and his most recent commentary on the subject. Check out his interview on Here and Now yesterday as well.

I don't agree with Paul Krugman on much, but his assessment on deficit spending in a recession is dead on the money.

Give it a read because I'm not sure when I'll be linking him again.

This lunatic is running on a platform of, hey, armed insurrection if Republicans aren't allowed to cram their 18th century religion-based racism and hatred and anti-science agenda down our throats.

Tell ya what crazy lady, you turn in everything that isn't a blunderbuss and stand by your backwards ideals and I'll go shopping for a Galil and some body armor and meet you on an open field later.

Remember the name Ted Hilton.

This evil bastard is pushing for a law in California that would strip the citizenship from any child born to illegal immigrants. He even has the gall to argue that they aren't technically citizens anyway.

The kicker here is that he bases his "logic" on that of European immigration rules. Wait a minute! Aren't the Europeans the ones conservathugs like this nitwit always bashing?

Look, even this is the land of the free, or the land of the racist shitheels. There is no gray area.

And as for cretins like Hilton, go find an ice floe somewhere with the racist holdouts fuming in South Africa and get away from my country.

And stay on said piece of ice as global warming melts it down as you don't believe in that theory anymore than you do America.

Lifehacker has a week long series called Beat the Heat. Basically, it is a rundown of tips and tricks to help you stay cool and maybe save some money doing so. A couple of the highlights I enjoyed:

* Summer Foods that Cool You Down

* Hang a Damp Towel to Cool a Hot House

*
Four Myths About Staying Hydrated Debunked

* Cool Down a Scorching Car as Quickly as Possible

* How to Sleep Comfortably on a Hot Night

The only trick left to conservatives is to take anything out of context they can to make others look bad.

Why? Because these days there doesn't seem to be any way to make themselves look good. If their future candidates for president aren't cheating on their wives and staying in office, they are quitting their jobs and calling it experience.

But, as PI shows, a picture and a soundbite can look bad, until you put it in context, focusing on a recent incident involving the President, and a much-much-rehashed and misinterpreted quote by Sonia Sotomayor.

The Wall Street Journal is a treasure trove of anti-Americanism today. I found this story concerning the potential re-writing (and whitewashing) of American history in Texas schoolbooks.

Amongst some historians, there are some Talibangelical asshats who want to lie to our children and push their own racist and political agenda. Some low points in the article that should likely be cause to send these idiots for a five year stint in Afghanistan just to save some our troops a tour.

Curriculum changes recommended by reviewers appointed by social conservatives on the Texas State Board of Education:

* Replace Thurgood Marshall with Harriet Tubman or Sam Houston.

In first grade, students are expected to study the contributions of Americans who have influenced the course of history. Rev. Peter Marshall, a reviewer, calls Thurgood Marshall -- who as a lawyer argued Brown v. Board of Education and later became the first black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court -- a weak example.

* Delete Anne Hutchinson from a list of colonial leaders

Students learn about colonial history in the fifth grade, and three reviewers suggested that the standards not include Anne Hutchinson, a 17th century figure, among a list of significant leaders. Ms. Hutchinson was exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for teaching religious views at odds with the officially sanctioned faith.

* Delete César Chávez from a list of figures who modeled active participation in the democratic process

Two reviewers objected to citing Mr. Chávez, who led a strike and boycott to improve working conditions for immigrant farmhands, as an example of citizenship for fifth-graders. "He's hardly the kind of role model that ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation," Rev. Marshall wrote.

* Include more study of religious revival movements

Evangelist Billy Graham should be included on a list of transformational leaders of the 20th century and students in fifth and eight grades should study the colonial-era religious revival known as the Great Awakening as a force "in shaping a national identity," suggests reviewer Daniel Dreisbach, a professor of public affairs at American University.

* Replace references to America's "democratic" values with "republican" values

Reviewer David Barton suggests swapping out "republican" for "democratic" in teaching materials. As he explains: "We don't pledge allegiance to the flag and the democracy for which it stands."

Utter bullshit. My child, if I can help it whatsoever, will NEVER spend one day in a classroom in State of Texas. I want him educated, not brainwashed with racial hatred and outright stupidity.

Read this crap.

If you just want the Cliff Notes version of this anti-American bullshit, here ya go:

"The idea that every life is infinitely precious and therefore everyone deserves the same kind of optimal medical care is a fine religious sentiment and moral ideal. As political and economic policy, it is vainglorious delusion. Rich and educated people not only receive better goods and services in all areas of life than do poor and uneducated people, they also tend to take better care of themselves and their possessions, which in turn leads to better health. The first requirement for better health care for all is not equal health care for everyone but educational and economic advancement for everyone.

Our national conversation about curbing the cost of health care is crippled by the vocabulary in which we conduct it. We must stop talking about "health care" as if it were some kind of collective public service, like fire protection, provided equally to everyone who needs it. No government can provide the same high quality body repair services to everyone. Not all doctors are equally good physicians, and not all sick persons are equally good patients.

If we persevere in our quixotic quest for a fetishized medical equality we will sacrifice personal freedom as its price."

It is written by a psychiatrist that doesn't believe in mental illness. Basically, it's like having a Jehovah's Witness working at the blood bank, or George Bush having any type of job. Complete (oxy)moron.

Basically, and this is an argument my mother-in-law picked up somewhere, for some reason, if we can't give all Americans the same health care the top 1% of the top 1% of Americans get, we should not try to give anyone access to health care.

Look, there will always be wealthy folks who have advantage. As long as they aren't trying to screw the rest of us out of something, let them have it. And to be honest, why *isn't* health care a right in this country? We give it to both soldiers and senators for serving us, so why *not* to the tax-paying citizens who pay those salaries?

Frankly, like I said earlier, it's about evil bastards looking to make a dime on the backs of sick people. And it's high time to cut them from their addiction.

Click here for linkages and such.

Conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks, who is not gay:

"You know, all three of us spend a lot of time covering politicians and they're all emotional freaks. They're guaranteed to invade your personal space, touch you. I sat next to a Republican senator once at dinner and he had his hand on my inner thigh the whole time."

Conservative The Atlantic columnist Andrew Sullivan, who is gay:

"Mercifully, I avoid dinners with Republican senators. It's usually far too gay a scene for me."

Check out where you lie and what it may mean.

Damnit, now I'm hungry.

A nice, quick writeup on my favorite burger joint. Enjoy.

I've been avoiding the public health plan debate on the old blog because I don't even see another plausible side to the argument other than greed. Or maybe just plain evil.

So, on Friday, I really, really enjoyed this commentary on Marketplace of all places. I mean, I enjoy the program but it is usually chock full of conservative financial types. It was wonderful to hear a logical, and accurate, voice telling business that they are idiots for not wanting to get out of the health care business.

Case in point? Both Chrysler and GM exist today in a post-bankruptcy world and solvent precisely because the government found a way for them to get rid of their health care obligations.

It's a pretty "duh" moment for this country but big business and GOP are too stupid to see it.

And so, we have Senators who already have public health care reading the words of the private health care lobby, who is currently spending $1.4 million A DAY to fight off a public health care option. Why? Well, if the public plan can give care to the 45-47 million who don't have insurance, and draw in folks like me who hate paying more money for less coverage year after year after year, you could easily have a public plan of at least 100 million Americans fighting for better care at a cheaper price.

And that's bad for business while being good for American citizens. Since when was the health of a nation supposed to be something measured on a balance sheet rather than a health chart anyway?

If you want another reason to loathe the health industry, listen to this interview I heard this morning. Steve Inskeep is one of NPR's conservative bullshit artists and even he seemed to be creeped out by Dr. Sam Nussbaum of WellPoint. Seriously, give that one a listen and you'll see why I previously stated that greed and evil are the only stances against health care reform that seem accurate. And that guy is both.

Republican "family values" are shown as a false talking point every time they:

* cheat on their spouses
* deny health care for children
* make it even for their pals to pollute our water, sell our jobs overseas, poison our food, kill our forests and farms, etc. ad nauseum.

The latest? The illegal war in Iraq and the hard fight we didn't have to fight in Afghanistan if we'd have keep our eyes on the ball have resulted in a major rise in the children of deployed troops seeking mental help.

That's right. Years of backdoor drafts and multiple deployments without proper gear result in tattered warriors and their kids. Gee, thanks GOP!

Honestly, I've been ignoring the Sotomayor confirmation hearings because I know two things. One, she's going to get confirmed barring a catastrophe. Obama picked a moderate knowing damn full well she'd get confirmed.

Two, I just knew the Republicans were going to sink to the lowest form of racism allowed on 21st century television. It is their nature. It is also their only way to gain power.

I was glad to see this point of view confirmed in Tom Gilroy's HuffPo article this morning. A very large taste focusing on Beauregard Sessions interrogating Sotomayor:

"The point of putting a 'racially insensitive' white man up to question a Latina has nothing to do with bad GOP planning and everything to do with intimidation. Republicans know she's getting confirmed; what they really want to do is intimidate the White House, the media, and me and you from embracing progressive views.

So, if you're going to embrace affirmative action, feminism, equal rights, economic fairness, civil rights, -- Jesus, even empathy -- you stand warned you will be attacked. It has nothing to do with defeating Sotomayer and everything to do with discrediting what most Americans believe and intimidating us from expressing it. It's also a signal to their dwindling base -- disenfranchised, uneducated whites -- that the GOP is still the party of the cluelessly and inarticulately disgruntled.

Hence economic fairness is 'a special interest,' universal healthcare is 'socialism,' and believing in a right to privacy is 'judicial activism;' all of it bullshit, but all of it useful.

That's the goal here; keeping ignorance alive so you can cajole it to the ballot box, the streets, in front of David Letterman's studio, at the local Board of Ed meeting or the commencement at Notre Dame.

Or outside Dr George Tiller's women's health clinic or the Holocaust Museum -- carrying a gun."

Don't believe that? Then how about Pat Buchanan literally screaming that the GOP doesn't need Hispanics as long as they can con enough white people to vote for them. That way the GOP Senators should try as hard as possible to paint Sotomayor as an anti-white racist to ensure their ideological purity or some shit.

To be honest, he may actually be right about the numbers if not his racism.

Meanwhle, Maureen Dowd is proud of Sotomayor's defense of her opinions and career, though may be making too much hay of the white racists in the GOP Senatorial contingent. Not that they aren't, but they are still in power because someone voted for them.

Even in our next Supreme Court Justice can school Beauregard Sessions.

I am a lifelong Republican. What can I do about the continued insanity? The GOP has absolutely fallen apart and I don't know if we can salvage it or fix it? Who votes for people like this woman? She is simply irrational. I am tired of being the butt of jokes from the left. We must find intelligent people. We cannot continue to elect cretins like this and make any headway. Why are our leaders getting more stupid and less qualified every election year? I just don't get it. Where are the Buckleys? Where are the reasonable people?

Comment by Christopher Carroll -- July 13, 2009 @ 8:57 pm

I actually feel bad for the woman quoted above. She was posting on this story about Insane Sociopath Michelle Bachmann, Republican of course, who wants to kill the annual mini-census. Presumably this is in line with her desire to kill the census - and eventually democracy - altogether.

But seriously, Republicans, why do you vote for these idiots? There has to be someone, anyone better. Y'all need to step it up or quit the profession.

Guess I'll make this how-to thing yet another trendline for the blog.

For the Fourth, NPR posted a handy article on making the perfect burger. Granted, opinions and tastes vary, but I found it a good article.

Less useful but more entertaining as a memory artifact is this article on how to open a beer bottle with a Bic lighter. Granted, I don't smoke anymore and used a Zippo or matches when I did, but this is a skill that should not die in the modern era. Enjoy.

For some reason, I read random how-to articles. I've got a couple email related ones to share with you today.

For your consideration, here is one related to better email etiquette, which you have to admit is probably something we ALL need a refresher on.

The other is strictly tied to Google Mail, which I use a lot, and comes in a series of tips at increasing levels of difficulty.

Give them a look. You'll probably learn a few things you can put to use right away.

Bent on screwing up the Fourth of July, crackpot separatists took over tea parties to espouse their hateful anti-American views.

As usually, they get help from FAUXNews, who just recently had a show host angrily fume on how we don't keep the races "pure" here in the United States.

Here is more on how even fringe anti-American GOP pols get booed at Texas tea parties.

Genius! Thanks for stoking the anger of all those traitors. Let's genuinely hope it doesn't come back to bit us, even the Republican bastards.

The GOP would like you to believe that racism is dead. That the Klan is no more and there is no threat against those of a different color, creed, or religion in this country.

But your average Palinite rally last fall put the lie to that nonsense.

Check out these photos from LIFE on the lives of America's racist, Nazi-loving, GOP-voting hardcore.

Frank Rich uses his pointed righteous indignation for good intent and correctly reams Palin for aiding in destroying what little prestige the GOP had left.

Look, because they coddle racists and have the platform of a pack of drunken frat boys, I have no desire to ever vote Republican. That said, this country needs at least two parties to not become led by complete asshats, so someone had better get rid of these racist, anti-American Talibangelicals and get their fiscal conservative asses back in the driver's seat over there.

And Caribou Barbie ain't what's going to get you back on track folks.

Another sign of the recession: rest stops are closing up across America.

Face it, when states can't even afford to let visitors easily take a pee break, we've got some financial issues to fix in this country. And meanwhile, governors across America are trying to reject stimulus money and instead focus on cheating on their wives or just plain quitting their jobs to go fishing.

Genius!

Even more context from the raw video itself.

I don't know why this pisses me off as much as it does. I guess the GOP is scrambling to find anything it can against the President and they've now resorted to the "horny minority" option. You know...he's "subhuman" and all.

Bastards. This guy has more loyalty to his wife - and there isn't proof of anything else to date despite the wrath of a thousand Swift Boater types - than the entire GOP Senate delegation. Or GOP Governors. You name it.

Turns out that the "let's laugh at Obama coon jokes" fiasco is by no means the first time "Young" Republican Audra Shay had a racist incident regarding the president.

Nay, here is a history of stupid from the idjut who still will likely be heading the Young Republicans in the really near future.

Stay classy GOP.

So first, there is the following pic of Obama averting his eyes whilst Sarkozy and Berlusconi possibly scope out a young lady.

Then the Drudge-ists and other conservathugs run the following pic, apparently "catching" Obama doing the same thing.

And let's be honest, it does appear to be that way.

And let's be even more honest. Since there doesn't seem to be a major GOP politician who has not recently - or currently is - cheating on his wife, I can see why that's where their heads are at. You know, when they have any bloodflow going to their bran at all, that is.

But, ABC took a look at the actual video and the story changes a lot when you inject reality into the situation. Once again, conservatives can't be bothered with the facts, and look like idiots - again - when the whole story comes out.

Though apparently Sakozy was DEFINITELY checking out that young lady's derriere.

Science!

Apparently, more than three quarters of scientists now say the Bushites suppressed their research. Why am I not surprised? Saddened, but not surprised.

Any wonder why among some of our brightest and creative minds only 6% of them declare themselves Republican?

Yet ANOTHER classy Republican reaction to the Obama family.

Racist pricks.

This article calls out NPR on being too timid to call out torture for what it is. Instead, they fall back on the Cheney-style euphemisms for what is, to be completely honest, torture.

This is the continuing problem I have with NPR and the author gives some reasons for why this is how it is. There are some great shows, with fantastic hosts, but the whole "let's suck up to the Republicans" meme really brings down the quality.

A lot.

Enough to stop me from donating anything to them. Ah well. You really do hope for more. Why is is wrong to call racists racist? Or corporate-paid politicians enemies of the common man? Or the folks stocking up on guns because we have a black President traitors?

Wrong is still wrong, right?

Check this out:

THAT is what passes for conservative commentary these days. Read more about this racist stupidity here.

Look, it's as if the GOP doesn't even care about being taken seriously anymore.

You are as guilty of some of these as I am. And, yes, I am posting this mostly for self-reference later.

So, apparently our law enforcement system considers our nation's leader's words as too dangerous for just anyone to read.

Look, he's in charge now and his ideas have value. Understand that and adjust accordingly.

Look, when Stars & Stripes is basically begging the military to voth confront and stop the rampant racist problem in the ranks, you know there's an issue.

No excuses. Fix this.

Pullin' a Palin

1. Quitting when the going gets tough; abandoning the responsibility entrusted to you by your neighbors for book advances and to make money on the lecture circuit.

2. Bizarre move that will damn ambitions for higher office.

Senator Scumbag is in even more hot water after his girlfriend's husband dishes more dirt on the affair.

Just for chuckles, here is his "love note/apology" for his sordid acts:

Shameful behavior, even for a Talibangelical zealot living in a house where guys wash each other's feet.

Because I needed something to laugh at today - even gallow's humor - here is a list of either poorly timed or just plain stupid ads.

Republican "family values" lies and the extremist Talibangelical "Family" converge in a sordid plan to buy off Ensign's mistress for a million bucks. No admission of guilt or proper penance required. Just a check. And Ensign still couldn't seal the deal.

Apparently the value of 30 pieces of silver have gone up since the first century.

I completely forgot about this one.

Last month, an email circulated in Republican circles with the following image:

Ha! Ha! Obama is black so you can only see his eyes! HA! I get it!

Racist pricks.

The person who sent the email only apologizes for sending it to "the wrong list". You know, she accidentally sent it to an average decent American or two instead of the racist Rethug separatists she "pals around with".

This is a litany of the bizarre racist behavior by just the South Carolina Republicans.

And this is another view on the whole Young Republicans racist Facebook fiasco I mentioned the other day.

Oh, and this is a moronic piece of drivel trying to stand as an excuse by Audra Shay, the women at the center of the spectacle. It's a conservative site and the comments to this "explanation" gives me hope that maybe, just maybe, the racist core of the GOP can be marginalized some day by these folks.

But that day sure the hell isn't today.

Think Goldman Sachs is just some innocent banking machine caught up in the financial shitstorm with the rest of us? According to Matt Taibbi, this is part of a sick trend of their's. In short, they have a history of creating and/or being a trigger of every big collapse in our recent financial history.

And just for chuckles, he takes on Hank Paulson's "genius" as well.

Hi. This is the 21st Century calling. Could you Republican pricks get with the program?

In Philadelphia, the Valley Swim Club kicked out a summer youth club that didn't fit the skin shade they were looking for. And this is after the group paid upwards of two grand for the "privilege" of being discriminated against.

A couple key quotes:

"When the minority children got in the pool all of the Caucasian children immediately exited the pool....The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately."

- Horace Grant, parent of one of the children

"There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion ... and the atmosphere of the club."

- John Duesler, President of The Valley Swim Club

How would you like to be a parent that hears this racist crap? I'd like to kick a lot of somebody in the tailbone, personally.

Click here for another report and for the video posted below if it doesn't come up.

This Steve King character is a dick. I mean, even the rest of the GOP fell in line in commemorating the role of slaves in building the Capital. But not this guy.

I don't even want to know what supposed fiction he comes up with. He's a prick and a racist. Oh, and not-so-coincidentally a Republican.

Holy crap.

You MUST read this blog entry from an 82-year old Palin non-fan. Reading through some of the older entries I truly wish I'd have found this during the campaign last year.

My favorite part of this particular entry?

"She actually stood there and talked about how the Palins had a family meeting and everyone agreed it was time for her to step down as Governor. Well, I call bullshit. The only family meetings the Palins have usually involve someone peeing on an early pregnancy test stick."

Leave it to Dave to have the last laugh. Freaking genius. Seriously, click for the video or check out the whole monologue here.

Also, some quick shots considering her unfit for political office, and another falsehood from Caribou Barbie on the existence of a "Department of Law" that supposedly shields the Executive Branch from ethics lawsuits.

And to think she was almost president! Yeah, you know that would've happened Republicans. What the hell were you smoking? Sheesh!

Sigh.

Once again, you've got to wonder why we in America are burdened with zealots. Talibangelical doctors are threatening to close their practices if their ability to reject procedures on "religious grounds" is taken away.

Let's be blunt about this. Bush only gave them this cover on his way out the door so it isn't like years of precedence exists here.

Let's be more blunt: do your f'in jobs. Cops don't *legally* refuse to protect minorities and firemen don't let synagogues burn because they are racists. They might want to appeal to their worser natures, but they chose jobs to serve the public - the WHOLE public - and they do the damn job.

Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc. ALSO serve the public good. Except for these jackasses apparently.

Besides, most pediatricians aren't also abortion doctors. If you don't want to perform an abortion or prescribe birth control, shut up and find another area of practice where - duh! - you won't be presented with your precious "ethical dilemma".

In short, shut up and do the job and leave your theocratic BS at the door.

Recently I brought up a couple stupid legal moves in Arizona. Now I know why this happens there.

Some numskull Republican mentions - twice - that the Earth is 6,000 years old. Look, believe whatever you want to, but please do not develop public policy when your belief system flies in the face of proven science.

As pointed out in the article, the irony is that the legislator is arguing in favor of uranium mining. You know, uranium, the element used to prove the Earth is billions of years old? Maybe she wants it all mined so that we lose the proof of our science? I don't know.

Creationists and politics should not mix. Much like creationism and education should not mix. Or apparently Republican politicians and ethics and morality.

Here's the video.

Damn I needed a good laugh today:

Mexico Builds Border Wall To Keep Out US Assholes

Recently, Pat Buchanan was bemoaning the modern age, saying that he missed the "old bigotry" this nation used to use against others.

First off, I NEVER get Buchanan on this. You see, he's Irish, and not so long ago, his ancestors were on the violent receiving end of the full bigotry this nation could muster. I mean, talk about your Stockholm Syndrome kids. He's in LOVE with hating anyone different from the white majority. He's made a career out of it.

And recently he and his pals are making pure idiots out of themselves.

Last month, he was at an English-only conference...or is that "conferenece". I love it when racists can't spell.

And, Buchanan buddy Hal Turner, who is a racist radio idjut, was recently arrested for advocating that some federal judges be murdered. This, apparently, is a pattern of behavior for this guy.

So, is THIS the "old bigotry" Pat is so fond of?

So, Sarah Palin is quitting her job.

The gal who pals around with terrorist sympathizers in bed says she can't handle being investigated for ethics violations and taunted for being a mental lightweight.

While cruel, I love this:

"Either Sarah Palin is leaving the people of Alaska high and dry to pursue her long shot national political ambitions or she simply can't handle the job now that her popularity has dimmed and oil revenues are down. Either way - her decision to abandon her post and the people of Alaska who elected her continues a pattern of bizarre behavior that more than anything else may explain the decision she made today."

- DNC Spokesman Brad Woodhouse

I mean, let's be honest here. This is a person that encouraged racial hostility as a political tool no more than nine months ago.

And the more this goes on, the more delusional her fans are getting. The new meme? She quit because she's a "fighter".

Hmm, last I checked, you don't win a fight by QUITTING!

But hey, don't take my word for it. Here is the Juneau paper's editorial page:

"Palin veiled her announcement as something much more noble, but the fact is that she's quitting less than three years into her tenure. And, given her meteoric rise to national political stardom last fall, Alaskans are shocked and appalled by her decision to quit midstream.

We say good for her, however, because it's been nearly a year since the first-term governor has acted like she actually wanted the job. Still unknown, however, is why Palin is calling it quits, though her press office has given numerous reasons for why she isn't. They say:

• It wasn't because Palin can't take the criticism that comes with being an elected official.
• It wasn't because she is planning to run for higher office.
• It wasn't because of bad press and bloggers.

Palin said during her speech Friday - for which the press was given less than two hours notice - she didn't want to become a 'lame duck.' She also referenced not wanting to waste taxpayer dollars due to what she believes are frivolous ethics complaints against her and members of her administration.

If Palin is considered a lame duck it's by her own making. She engaged in needless disputes with bloggers and members of the press, waged a talk-show battle with David Letterman over a crude joke (was Letterman's comment really the worst we've heard from late-night comedians?), and touted her office's transparency while doing the opposite in practice.

Not only did she hit the self-destruct button, she built the time bomb known as Sarah Palin. We're surprised by the news, but we shouldn't be.

Palin should have waited a few days before announcing her resignation. Instead, she dropped a bombshell just one day before Alaska was to celebrate its 50th anniversary of statehood. Her announcement could have overshadowed the historic significance of the Fourth, but it certainly didn't in Juneau or Douglas, where people were much more concerned about celebrating their state's heritage than about what the "guv" was doing or saying.

Apparently, they're tired of her "cute" act too. Act your age, you idiot!

Wonkette has some other not-very-helpful, but oh-so-funny observations.

Honestly, I enjoy this story and the comments that come with it.

In short, some peckerwood posted a racist statement on some Young Republican up-and-comer's Facebook page and she gave it an attaboy until she went into full delete and damage control mode. Nothing like showing your stripes to get a good impression on who you are on the inside.

A couple observations. One, yes, the odds of a racist being a Republican and much, much more high than that same redneck being a Democrat. (Though I guarantee that damn near ALL of the latter voted for Hillary Clinton in any primary/caucus they might have attended last year).

Two, why the hell is a 38-year old running for head of the YOUNG Republicans? Oh wait, this is the party that runs John McCain and Bob Dole when trying to challenge youth. And who turns to Dick Cheney for good advice when he's on his porch. Never mind.

Three, yes, racism is racism. Covering it up doesn't make it go away in this day and age. Even for the GOP.

An update on the White House garden. Apparently it is flourishing well and may possibly be inspiring others to grow their own food.

Too bad I live in a desert, no? I like fresh veggies.

We occasionally shop around for new places to live, particularly nice places we visited and might want to permanently migrate to.

So this cost of living adjustment tool seems to come in handy. Enjoy.

Alright, seriously, I need a chart category.

Check out this helpful list of airline fees. See how the airlines are gouging you.

And - oh yeah - I just heard this on the way in to work. The bigger airlines are starting to jack up rates again.

I like charts. I like them so much I should make a special category for them. In the meantime, enjoy this guide to various coffee drinks that should be posted at every coffee shop in America, if not the world.

So....

Why are the Pakistanis still supposedly our allies when we are banned from helping out in refugee camps, but the fundamentalist anti-American allies to the Taliban are given free reign within the camps?

Honestly, and not to be too big a jerk about this, but we should stop funding relief aid if the folks who will dole it out will just teach people to hate us with a belly full of American food.

In California, the biggest "fiscal conservative" hypocrites are the Republican bastards sucking the hardest at the government teat. That said, it isn't just California they are draining, conservathugs across America are among the worst at paying taxes and the best at grabbing all the "free" money they can.

Turns out that at least a dozen of Gingrich's Goons have failed marriages. Oh, sure, "family values" my ass. It isn't just Ensign and Sanford. And the amount of marriages that failed due to inappropriate conduct with staff members is pretty high too.

And to think we originally thought the worst thing they did was the Contract on America.

Living in Nevada is rough these days. Our governor is a lying thief, and has been kicked out of the Governor's Mansion for cheating on his wife. Yeah, Mark Sanford has nothing on our POS "leader".

One of our senators is spineless (Reid) and the other is a fake-baked defender of family values/violator of marital vows (Ensign).

Our mayor is a drunk, but a lovable one.

But we have bigger issues with the neighbors. California is broke. As in "will be writing IOUs by Thursday" broke. Basically, all their social services are up for being slashed.

Over in Arizona, they've lost their damned minds. You can now legally carry a concealed weapon in a bar. This might even be worse that the "bring your gun to church" day in Kentucky.

Hmm, guns and whiskey. I can't see how this goes wrong. Can you?

Arizona also has pre-emptively banned any possible public health care plan the government may pass this year. Which leads me to wonder if that law might possibly include Medicare and Medicaid. The reason I ask is that I'd love to see the Feds pull that funding right now and let Arizona deal with all the elderly citizens of their state suddenly ask why their health care disappeared.

It would, at the least, be good for a laugh.

Strangely enough, our usually most repressive neighbor - Utah - has ended the practice of private bar memberships that made it nigh impossible to get a drink when visiting Salt Lake or the rest of "Deseret". So, hey, kudos for that.

Today's Fresh Air covered the topics of a secret Talibangelical political group called "The Family", as well as a somewhat Pollyanna-ish view of the GOP's prospects.

You know the zombie meme is everywhere when NPR reports on it.

Still a decent article. Give it a read/listen.

Look, politicians are human and are prone to failure and it probably isn't our business...except that the REAL miscreant ones are the types that like to intrude on other's private lives.

Case in point: Mark Sanford.

You can smell his hypocrisy from the early part of the decade from here: