Recently in Idiots Category

And I thought The Washington Times was the D.C. newspaper that thinks all blacks look alike. Guess the Post really is sucking up to their conservative readers.

It's a damn shame that millions take this dingbat seriously.

Here we go.

Well-meaning, but misinformed parents are helping to create a measles outbreak in western Canada because they won't vaccinate their kids.

I envision a future much like the one in "12 Monkeys" where Jenny McCarthy is Shiva, the Destroyer of Worlds.

If you know some conspiracy theorist nutjobs - and, hey, don't we all? - one of their big hangups is that the world is going to end in a couple years.

I believe this could happen myself. At least as long we keep letting these folks think their ideas have any merits. That way, the crazy multiplies until it and not any comet, aliens, sunburst or whatnot actually kills creation.

I also believe that the longer we keep letting Tea Baggers think they have a valid point of view, the closer this country comes to being a violent theocracy that re-institutes slavery but just for the "non-Christians". That might be a conspiracy theory too but if you listen to those freaks, I think I'm not that far off.

Anyway, for the 2012 nuts, here's some actual science and logic to counter their crazy. Odds are, though, that's it's too late for reasoning.

The GOP would like you to believe that the following definitions explain how the world works:

"Treason" refers to Democrats criticizing a Republican administration during a war.

"Patriotism" refers to Republicans criticizing a Democratic administration during a war.

Then again these are the people who think anal sex isn't the direct result of abstinence-only sex ed and that Sarah Palin is a genius. So, you know, take that all with a huge grain of salt.

One of the impediments to dealing with Rethug loonies is that they have decided that making shit up is equal to researching and using facts.

It isn't entirely their fault. Our media's obsession with sound bites that distort the truth is an early part of this trend. Our inability - or plan for some - to not teach our kid's history, science, well, anything doesn't help. So now, people with bullshit conspiracy theories, lies, and misinformed half-truths can make categorically wrongheaded assumptions and not feel compelled to back down from them even when confronted with the truth.

I mean, seriously, when the facts are not on your side, you need to admit that there is at least another side of the story. At the most, you need to be able to admit you are wrong.

This is something I did note see modelled by the GOP yesterday. When confronted with facts that proved them wrong, they just spouted their lies louder and with more voices. Pathetic.

(h/t to Ned for the link)

Solving Class Warfare

Short Attention Span Science

A Tea Partier and their Money are Soon Parted

(h/t to Oliver Willis)

So, the person who wrote the "Kookaburra" song (who has passed on) either didn't see the similarity or didn't want to sue. But the corporation who didn't have anything to do with making either song only sees the opportunity to make a buck sues and is trying to rip off the 80s band Men at Work.

It's probably just a coincidence, at worst it's an uncredited homage. Either way, the suit is frivolous, the judge is an asshat, and the whole damn thing is ridiculous. I hope the final settlement is for, say, a dollar. Anything more is just insulting to any artist doing any kind of work.

Well, somebody finally made a list of things that really, really, really piss of their geek friends, relatives, and co-workers.

If you believe the polling, this is what disgruntled Massachusetts voters want to bring back.

I mean, Conan O'Brien is funny, but who knew he was such a class act?

From his statement concerning his worries about the legacy of The Tonight Show and in not screwing over Jimmy Fallon, who took over his old show:

For 60 years, the "Tonight Show" has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the "Tonight Show" into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The "Tonight Show" at 12:05 simply isn't the "Tonight Show." Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the "Late Night" show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard, and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of "The Tonight Show." But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet, a time slot doesn't matter. But with the "Tonight Show," I believe nothing could matter more.

Why is it him that is the only guy worried about the legacy of one of NBC's biggest shows? Shouldn't the execs worry?

I mean, hell, I get Leno. He doesn't give a shit for anyone but himself. If successful, he'll have managed to screw over NBC, the show, David Letterman, Conan, and even Howard Stern for all the bits he stole from him. What a piece of crap.

Here's Conan's monologue from last night:

And Letterman's two cents:

Also, a good article from NPR on the subject.

I laughed when I read this.

I mean, seriously, the worst part of being a liberal is the amount of silly sanctimonious bullshit you have to put up with by folks who get wildly offended when the world doesn't work EXACTLY the way they want.

Conservatives are blowhards and anti-democratic "patriots" ™ but they know when to shut up and suck it up when what they want is at least close to being accomplished. That said, that form of lemming thought is gonna end up with us getting Palin as president so maybe it isn't all that cool.

In short, we as a nation spent way too much time on stupid people and their stupid issues.

Amen. Let's try to avoid that in the future.