11.30.2009
Obama to send more troops to Afghanistan
When you find yourself in a hole the answer is not to dig faster!
Passing health care reform might lead to happier Americans
"Put simply, the healthcare reform bill would make the United States more like western Europe. That may mean more security about healthcare, but it also means that future generations of Americans will likely spend more time enjoying leisure." Conservative economist Greg Mankiw
We can't have Americans enjoying more leisure time now can we?
We can't have Americans enjoying more leisure time now can we?
11.29.2009
This quote gets my vote for "Most Moronic Quote" for 2009
"We did not have a terrorist attack on our country during president Bush's term" -Dana Perino 11/24/2009
11.25.2009
George Stephanopoulos, lap dog
Somehow, George doesn't see a conflict of interest in having a woman with no credentials on his panel to discuss the war on terror. We can't stop Liz Cheney from being a warmongering liar, George, but maybe we can get through to you. She does NOT belong on ANY platform regarding national security.
Anti-energy drinks
As a gimmicky antidote to "energy drinks," several companies are selling calming beverages in a can.
Promising a "vacation in a bottle" or an "acupuncture session in every can," makers of anti-energy drinks, as they're known, say that after bailouts, foreclosures and Ponzi schemes, Americans nowadays would rather chill out than tweak out. To help us do so, they're spiking their new beverages with ingredients such as chamomile, melatonin, and valerian root -- all known for their supposed calming effects. Now in convenience-store display cases across America, drinks with names like Slow Cow, Ex Chill and Malava Relax are increasingly jockeying for space with their amped-up alter-egos like Jolt, Monster and Rockstar. "It's my quest to relax the world," says Innovative Beverage Group Holdings (IBGH) CEO Peter Bianchi, who developed the anti-energy beverage Drank. "I saw America becoming more and more hurried. We are going to burn out after a while."
11.24.2009
Obama's Gallop Poll ratings might be below 50% but...
Ronald Reagan’s average job approval rating in the months before his first mid-term Congressional election, in 1982, was 42 percent — and Republicans that November lost 26 seats. And who remembers that? Two years later, Reagan carried 49 states as he galloped to a second term over Walter F. Mondale. -Adam Nagourney at the NYT
11.23.2009
Does this look familiar?
This is the kind of bullshit that was going around before JFK was assassinated in Dallas. Credit goes to Lee Arnold since I borrowed it from his post.
Being thankful this Thanksgiving
Be glad for the tryptophan in the turkey on Thanksgiving. It blocks the 9 aphrodisiacs from turning a family dinner into a hillbilly honeymoon.
John Mayer - Battle Studies
I'm listening to the new John Mayer CD "Battle Studies". More love songs, etc. similar to "Room For Squares." He seems to be channeling The Eagles and CSN at times. He does a funky/techno version of Crossroads which is growing on me. I prefer it when he plays live blues. He is an awesome guitarist and these songs don't do him justice in that regard. Still a very good CD though.
Quote(s) of the Day
"Former Vice President Dick Cheney slammed President Obama for bowing before the Emperor of Japan. Cheney said, 'C’mon, it’s not like he’s the CEO of Exxon.'"
---Conan O'Brien
"Republicans Steve King and Pete Hoekstra attempted to wrap the Capitol with the 1,900-page healthcare bill. I mean, come on---shouldn’t that time be spent actually reading the bill? But you know the only way some of them will read it is resting it on the back of the hooker they're bonin' at the C Street House."
---Wanda Sykes
---Conan O'Brien
"Republicans Steve King and Pete Hoekstra attempted to wrap the Capitol with the 1,900-page healthcare bill. I mean, come on---shouldn’t that time be spent actually reading the bill? But you know the only way some of them will read it is resting it on the back of the hooker they're bonin' at the C Street House."
---Wanda Sykes
11.22.2009
Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Moron) thinks Georgia looks like this
Sen. Saxby Chambliss recently participated in an event by National Geographic, which invited all 100 U.S. Senators to draw a map of their home state from memory and to label at least three important places. Most of the participating Senators sketched their states admirably. Chambliss, meanwhile, drew something that more closely resembles Mississippi, but with weird saw teeth on the borders and a rectangle called “mountains.” This is just stupid.
11.21.2009
Saturday Vent:
Republicans blaming the Obama administration for this horrendous recession is like an arsonist blaming the fire department - and yet, there's a certain usefulness to their attacks. After all, liberals complaining about the administration's economic policies got us nowhere. Maybe they'll actually listen when Republicans do it!
11.19.2009
11.18.2009
And we're supposed to take Republicans seriously after remarks like this?
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) has shit for brains:
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) recently suggested that former beauty pageant contestant Carrie Prejean would be a serious contender for public office:
[Carrie] has the ability to draw crowds and if she has a strong message to go with that, who knows what she can do? She has star power which can open doors.
We’ve all made mistakes when we were 17. [The sex tape] is going to be an impediment, but people are excited about her convictions and her beliefs
Would a different template be better?
I'm trying to decide whether I should go with a light background and black text or leave it as is. Any comments?
Support for the public option remains strong
In spite of unrelenting attacks most Americans support a public option that competes with the insurance companies that have gouged and ripped off its customers for far too long.
The parts of the health care reform championed by the “political left” and opposed by so-called “centrists” in Congress continue to have very high popular support: the public option and the employer mandate.These numbers are from the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll on health care.
53% of Americans support having the “government create a new health insurance plan to compete with private health insurance plans,” while only 43% oppose it. The opposition is much weaker than this one question would indicate. 40% of people who said they opposed the public option would support it if it were restricted almost exactly like it is in the House bill, to “only people who do not receive insurance through an employer, or through the existing Medicare or Medicaid programs.”
The health insurance industry/Republican attack message against the public option does seem to be gaining a lot of traction. A strong majority (60%) do think the public option “would force many private health insurers to go out of business.” However, even with that belief, support for the public option still remains strong. It just might be that Americans don’t really care if many inefficient private health insurance companies go out of business because they can’t compete against a public option.
11.17.2009
Responding to BS
This letter appeard in the AJC today:
Democrats are putting themselves out on a limb
While Democrats press on with their health care reform bill, they should ask themselves three questions. Since this effort is overwhelmingly a Democratic-led effort, are they willing to absorb the blame that will begin in 12 to 18 months, as people realize they’re being charged for something they won’t yet be able to receive? Will they be able to handle the criticism from the inevitable goof-ups, like the H1N1 vaccination shortage? Do they realize the risk of becoming a permanent minority party over the fact that the program won’t deliver as promised? Once their program fails to deliver (and it will), voters will seek revenge.
The assumption by the Democrats that passing health care will lead to a generation in power is only valid if they deliver something better than we have now.
Gary O’Neill, Marietta
I simply had to respond to such nonsense so I sent a response to the AJC. I just got a call from them confirming my letter. It will appear in the AJC in the coming days.
A letter writer asked if Democrats were prepared to accept blame if health care reform is unsuccessful. As a matter of fact we will gladly accept blame for that just as we accept blame for Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid and just about every other program that Americans have benefited from and rely on.
11.16.2009
Republican obstructionism has cut benefits in the newest unemployment extension
Republicans apparently want the economy to get worse so they'll sweep the mid-terms. Why must they always display their sociopathic mindsets?
This piece is about California, but it will probably apply to other states as well:
This piece is about California, but it will probably apply to other states as well:
Few, if any, unemployed people will be able to get the full 20-week extension in jobless benefits because Congress delayed so long and failed to change a sunset provision, says a California Employment Development Department official.
As a result, most Californians — an estimated 285,000 long-term unemployed — will be able to qualify for only an additional 14 weeks of benefits, says Loree Levy, an EDD spokeswoman.
The legislation, which was approved by the House today, provides 14 weeks of additional benefits to all states. Those states with a jobless rate over 8.5% — California's is 12.2% — get up to 20 more weeks.
But instead of simply tacking on the additional weeks in one new extension, the bill sets up a Byzantine plan that adds two new extensions to the two previous ones before the last extension, referred to as FedEd, kicks in.
Congress previously extended FedEd from 13 weeks to 20 weeks, but included a sunset provision for the end of the year. If Congress doesn't change that provision, FedEd will revert to 13 weeks on Jan. 1.
So even if a person could start collecting on the latest extension today, the calendar will run out before that person can get all 20 weeks of benefits. As currently written, they will get one additional week for the second extension and, because their unemployment will carry into next year, 13 weeks of FedEd, for a maximum of 14 weeks.
Followup to Carrie Prejean's appearance on Larry King Live
The one where she attempted to leave the set because Larry was being inappropriate.
She arrived with an entourage of five, (for cable news Green Room context, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., never arrives with a group that large) and barked at a studio operator for touching her hair while setting up her microphone.
After her appearance in which she dubbed King "inappropriate" and attempted to exit the set, Prejean accused the staffer of lying to her, saying King's producers promised no phone calls. She belittled McAusland saying, "Is the intern talking to me? Oh look at the little intern, look at the little intern trying to explain!"
"I've never been treated so poorly in my whole life," McAusland, who recently accepted an executive producer position at Newsie.com of Media Convergence Group, said.
FACT CHECK: Palin's book goes rogue on some facts
Sarah Palin's new book "Going Rogue" apparently plays fast and loose with the facts. She continues to present misinformation that hasn't become any more true since the election.
The AP has the dirt.
UPDATE: This is from Daily Kos. I couldn't resist sharing it.
The AP has the dirt.
UPDATE: This is from Daily Kos. I couldn't resist sharing it.
The Associated Press has a lengthly fact check of Sarah Palin's upcoming book, "Going Rogue." So lengthly in fact, that I'll just save you a little time and list the facts that are not in dispute.
* Her name is Sarah Palin.
* She is the former governor of Alaska.
* She was John McCain's running mate.
* They lost.
* She wrote a book.
So there you have it. I just saved you time and $9 (plus shipping and handling).
The ten main differences between FOX and MSNBC
Those who watch FOX News defend the network's journalistic integrity by pointing to high ratings and claim that MSNBC is the liberal equivalent. While the comparison may seem valid on the surface, there are glaring differences between the two networks.
10) Fox News claims "fair and balanced" coverage, while MSNBC is simply "the place for politics."
9) MSNBC devotes a three-hour daily segment to Joe Scarborough, a conservative from Newt Gingrich's "Republican Revolution." The equivalent would be Fox News giving a morning show to Ron Reagan.
8) While Fox News has Bill O'Reilly, MSNBC does not have an angry white male talk show host that yells and frequently interrupts people. Oh wait, nevermind.
7) MSNBC does not air a prime-time show that is akin to watching A Clockwork Orange while taking LSD.
6) The closest Fox News gets to allowing a lesbian to comment on policy is Lindsey Graham.
5) MSNBC will not be the network where Lou Dobbs ultimately ends up.
4) While Fox News was covering several cases of voter registration fraud by community-organizing group ACORN, MSNBC was covering the global economic collapse and a presidential election.
3) The prime-time lineup of MSNBC hosts all have college degrees, while O'Reilly is the only Fox News host to attend for more than one week.
2) MSNBC is not losing advertising because of their biased programming.
1) While MSNBC's Keith Olbermann organized free health clinics across the country to draw attention to the millions of people without health coverage, Fox News organized anti-government tea parties to try and guarantee that those people remained uninsured.
11.14.2009
New study out of UCLA (thanks to Jim)
A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is In her menstrual cycle. For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features. However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal, she tends to be more attracted to a man with duct tape over his mouth and a spear lodged in his chest while he is on fire...
Limbaugh calls Palin memoir "One of most substantive policy books I've read"
Did he say that with a straight face? Hard to imagine since I don't think Sarah Palin even knows what the word substantive means.
11.13.2009
Tea Party candidate in Orlando is arrested on drug trafficking charges.
A Florida conservative who launched his campaign for Orlando City Council at a Tea Party rally, has been popped on charges of drug trafficking. I'm shocked and amazed! Aren't teabaggers supposed to be upstanding citizens who want only the best for our country?
11.12.2009
The AMA has asked that marijuana be removed from the Schedule 1 drug list
The American Medical Association has asked the federal government to modify the classification of marijuana as a dangerous drug with no accepted medical use.
Schedule 1 is the most restrictive category and also includes heroin and LSD.
In changing its policy, the group said its goal was to clear the way to conduct clinical research, develop cannabis-based medicines and devise alternative ways to deliver the drug.
What an airhead
Will he or won't he?
President Obama is still trying to figure out how best to respond to General McChrystal's request for 40,000 more troops in Afghanistan. Adding more troops seems like a strange way to wind down an unpopular war to me.
Now, according to this NY Times article, the U.S. Ambassador, a former military commander there, has warned against sending more troops. Ambassador Eikenberry cites the erratic behavior and corruption of Karzai's government as his reasons.
Now, according to this NY Times article, the U.S. Ambassador, a former military commander there, has warned against sending more troops. Ambassador Eikenberry cites the erratic behavior and corruption of Karzai's government as his reasons.
11.11.2009
Horror stories about the "socialist" health care system in France.
An American shares her experiences with the "socialist" health care system in France. When she woke up sick on a Saturday morning she called a doctor's office and begged to be seen on Monday. The doctor said "I can see you in an hour."
Part one
Part two
Part three
Part four
Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends...
It's been over three years since my last post on Wild Sects. Comments and healthy debate are most welcomed. Please be civil (unless you just can't help yourself).
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