Blog with No Name

Is the United States Ruled by a Cabal of Gay Republicans?

2006-10-17T02:37:00.000-04:00

Sure, it is a far fetched idea, or is it? The level of hypocrisy and cyncism among the Republicans (and the news media) for it to be true would be staggering. But then again this is the "pro-life" party that is responsible for the deaths of 665,000 people in Iraq and favors state sanctioned murder of teenagers and the mentally handicapped. So what's a few depraved acts of sodomy among friends?

As far as hypocrisy among the news media it hardly seems worthy of discussion. They have shown repeatedly that no amount of hypocrisy is beyond them.

So what brings the question to mind. Of course it is related to the Foley thing but there is more to it. The whole Hastert story doesn't fit. Not just the fact that he covered up but why would he. You could argue that. It is too embarrassing and they were too arrogant to realize that it would eventually come out. But these guys are very savvy politicians. Could they have been unaware of the old saw, "it's never the act but the coverup"? I'm skeptical that they were unaware.

The other reason then is that they were either covering for Foley because he was one of them or because they were afraid Foley's exposure would be a tipping point and unravel their whole network.

There is a lot of interesting stuff coming out on the net about this. Time will tell if it will play out. The idea of a "List" of gay Republicans is fascinating. I'll post more on this as I'm able, inclusing links. One thing to look for as this develops is whether someone in the mainstream media goes with part of this, reluctantly, but out of fear that what may be the biggest political story of the last 25 years happens totally without the participation of the legacy media.
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More Rush (I love puns)

2006-07-08T13:15:00.000-04:00

Gawd, am I getting more and more annoyed about this. Limbaugh and his little blue pills that is. Its amazing how the New York fucking Times can write an article about whether Bill and Hillary are sleeping together and not be all over this. What the hell was a single, conservative, Christian doing in the pay for sex capital of the world and (coincidently or not) the child prostitution capital of the world with some woody in a bottle? Enquiring minds want to know

Hopefully Im writing this in vain because someone is hard at work, as it were, finding out what BigPharma was into down there. If there ever was a need for Larry Flynt this is it. He is someone who has the cash and Im guessing sources to get this one. Pictures would be good. Well, hell, pictures would be awful but you know what I mean. They would be useful.

In the meantime why havent some of the shining lights of the Christian Right shot their mouths off about this? They okay with this? The other thing that Im real curious about is why the Dominican Republic? BigPharma may not be much to look at but he has lots of cash. If it was your basic stuff he was into I would think he could get some high end, and very discrete talent in Palm Beach. Really makes me wonder what the hell he was doing down there.

Did you ever get a song or rhyme in your head that you couldn't stop hearing?

2006-07-07T22:11:00.000-04:00

Well I have one and I damn well wish it would go away. I keep hearing in his deep, whiney voice (how does he manage that anyway) Rush Limbaugh repeating over and over again:

"Georgie, Porgie, puddin and pie, kiss the boys and make them cry" And to make it worse he is saying it in Spanish. And I don't even understand Spanish.....

Who would have thought that you could make a career out of being a self-righteous, hypocritical, professional blowhard?

2006-07-04T13:38:00.000-04:00

But it appears that you can. I bring you as example one William Bennett. This is a man who is essentially a professional moralist; a man who wrote a book called "The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories". I wonder if if included the chain smoking talking head as an example of self discipline? Or the story of the compulsive gambler who presumed to tell others how to live as an example of the virtue of knowing oneself? Or the political operative and the dominatrix as an example of upholding family values and the sanctity of marriage.

Yea, I know this is all old news but Bennett has crawled out from under his rock again and that the people need to be warned that he is foraging again. Fortunately, Dana Priest was there to point this out (and thanks to Atrios for pointing this episode out and providing a link). While I have to admit I really enjoyed Ms. Priest poking Bill in the eye the real issue is that it happened. Why is this asshat on TV? What credibility does he have. To the best of my knowledge real moral philosophers, oh, let's say Buddha or Jesus, weren't chain smoking, compulsive gamblers who frequented dominatrixes. I could be wrong on some of that but I don't think so. And yes, I aware that neither Buddha nor Jesus is likely to make the Sunday morning talk shows as a moralist in residence. But hell, there has to be someone else. They really need to do better than a verbally flatulent hypocrit. I think that if they have on Bill Bennett in the future he would be much better suited to doing something other than presuming to tell people how to live their lives. Maybe he should become a professional juggler or do card tricks or something. I mean I really don't want to watch him getting tied up and beaten by Mistress Whatever, but I suppose that would be more amusing than listening to him pass judgement on people.

All of this is in addition to the more basic issue of why the TV folks feel that they should put people on to tell us how to live our lives. We need advice from any of them on that, much less from a complete hypocrit. Really, what kind of brain says, "Oh, we need someone with gravitas and high moral standing to discuss the role of the press in society, lets get Bill Bennett." If I want to know whether to hit on 16 I might ask Bill for advice. Other than that, he can keep it too himself.

Maybe it isn't strictly a Matt Lauer problem.....

2006-07-02T22:06:00.000-04:00

It is a bit hard for me to admit this but I could have missed the real problem with my previous post that made fun of Matt Lauer. By that I don't mean that it is no longer my opinion that Matt is as worthless as a tit on a boar hog, but that rather that the whole fucking Today Show is more or less of the same worth as the aforementioned tit.

I was once again at the gym, the only lace where my delicate sensabilities are subjected to the offal of the Today Show. This time it was a Saturday morning so Matty Boy wasn't on so I can't blame him. But what was on was a very long segment by my reckoning on that really crucial issue for our nation; Starr Jones.

Honest to goodness, Starr Jones,we had stuff on what happened (who fucking cares), who were the winners and losers in the resulting fallout (how can an event of such insignificance have fallout) and lastly the role of Barbara Walters in the controversy (she went from interviewing the Shah of Iran to Starr Jones). Good Christ, we have things in the world that are actually important to peoples lives. I mean you know, things that fucking matter. Its no wonder people don't know about signing statements and rendered ) prisoners and the like when the fucking Today Show appears to view finding the truth about what happened in the Starr Jones affair as important, or more so, than issues regarding war and peace

Matt Lauer

2006-06-22T15:34:00.000-04:00

Okay, so right from the subject line we know this is going to be a gutter roll, and that can mean a number of things of course, but when we're done they're all more or less the same. But first let me answer the obvious question, why the hell was I watching Matt Lauer? The answer of course is that I wasn't really watching. I was at the gym and someone had put the damn show on one of the tvs over a treadmill or something and it invaded my eyeballs while I was lifting weights. But what did Matty say while I wasn't watching him to annoy me enough to type this little ditty?

So they start the show and Matt announces that four American soldiers were killed in Afghanistan. That made me mad, but not at Matt. It was what Matty boy said next, which if I am to believe the Closed Captioning (and I generally do) was more or less "reminding us that Afghanistan is still a dangerous country".

No shit, Matty. Did you figure that out yourself? Or is part of the info they pour into you skull before you come on the air? Maybe getting into some string theory research in your off time? Of course its fucking dangerous! That's where all the loony bad guys lived. And we sent 15,000 troops there to get them and most of them vanished into the mountains while we had 130,000 or so troops getting ready to invade the wrong country. Seriously Matty, don't you remember? It wasn't that long ago and people do talk about it occassionally.

Maybe you should spend some time there Matty. Understand the story first hand, in at least some ways it has to be better than say stuff like that.

Sentenza

Oh, now what..... ?

2006-06-22T00:17:00.000-04:00

The last week or ten days has reminded of a bad zombie move. Rove doesn't get indicted and the administration, and worse yet the press, are acting like the last five years of stupidity and failure hadn't happened.

Rumsfeld and Keller in China - helps them dodge pesky questions I suppose.

2005-10-21T16:35:00.000-04:00

Actually, Secretary Rumsfeld was asking for reassurances from the Chinese on their missle buildup. I wonder if they gave a meaningless but long response or perhaps explained how they were concerned with our aggressive policies or maybe just told him to go fuck himself?

Not to break up the news about the indictments but...

2005-10-20T23:39:00.000-04:00

Maybe they are going to all get indicted so no one will pay attention to stories like this. This is about testimony about FEMAs activities, or lack thereof in Gulf when Katrina was there. It makes it seem even worse than it had seemed before. And if I had to guess, the more we learn the worse it will look.

I have a thought though about how Michael Brown can try to rebuild his resume in the realm of disaster management (as opposed to horse shows). When I arrived at my normal Starbucks this morning there was a sign that said the expresso bar wasn't working so there would be no expresso drinks or steamed milk ALL DAY. I didn't know this was possible, but it happened, so hell, it must be. And there is the opening for Michael Brown. He can apply for a job with Starbucks as the emergency expresso machine fixer. When one goes out he can jet to it and arrange for it to be repaired as soon as possible to keep the flow of tasty hot beverages uninterrupted. Yea, I know it isn't quite like managing FEMA but you have to start somewhere. See how he does keeping the lattes rolling out before he gets put in charge of something again where if he screws up people die.

Jeb Bush Asks About Hurrican Wilma

2005-10-19T21:52:00.000-04:00

Jeb Bush has said that people in his state must be asking "Why us?" For most people, if they said that I would assume they were asking a rhetorical question. However, given Jeb's reportedly very religious nature the question might a real one.

In that case one possible answer would be, "Have you ever heard of "Shock and Awe""?

Plamegate - it isn't misnamed

2005-10-19T01:18:00.000-04:00

So I have been following this and have put together the pieces more or less. So this is what I think happened. First, let's start with Bob Novak. Bob why haven't we heard more from him? Well, I think it is because at the first frown from Fitzgerald he was on his belly begging for mercy and telling all he knew. This led to his source. Probably John Hannah.

So how would he respond. If he tells up the ladder he can save himself but lose all his support. If he keeps quiet he does what, 18 months and then has a wonderful high-paying and cushy job waiting for him at Halliburton. I figured from what was going on that he must have talked. That was why the investigation was going the way it was, and the rumors of what was going on became so prevasive. So why would he talk?

Well, here is one possible reason. Maybe he wasn't ready to do any time for his bosses. On the other hand maybe it was something else. Remember when the FBI raided Chalabi's INC offices a while back? The leaks were that they were looking for information about who was giving classified information to the INC that was ultimately migrating from Baghdad to Tehran. Well, according to todays reports, the main contact between the INC and the administration was Hannah. Hannah was in contact with various people including Feith, whose name I believe came up at the time of the INC raid.

Now all of a sudden it maybe isn't 18 months and then Halliburton's VP for Sales in Bermuda if he keeps quiet. Giving classified information to a foreign national who then passes it on to the intelligence services of states that are declared by us to be our enemies is a lot more serious than letting slip the name of one covert agent to an American reporter. Now maybe it is life for espionage? That would have to be a rather heavier thumb of the balance of talking or not.

In addition this opened the larger conspiracy to Fitzgerald. The conspiracy to take information from Chalabi and people in our government and plant it in the media with the kind help of Dame Judith and Pravda on the Hudson. All the news that Chalabi and the WHIGs want to print. But if someone attacks it, someone from the inside, then all of the people involved in spreading the false information to build up the war are all of a sudden finding themselves with a vested interest to take down those who would discredit the information.

The beauty of the whole thing, from a truth is beauty perspective, is that the Plame leak is inescapably linked to the "sexed up" information made to support the war in the first place. It can be used to bring in everything from the fake yellowcake information and the incorrect aluminum tube information to the "Downing Street Memo" All in one neat, but large and slimy package.

Despite ongoing efforts to convince people things are going well, people know they aren't

2005-10-16T14:45:00.000-04:00

The president's approval rating continues to fall. This is from a few days ago. I flagged the article but am just coming back to it now. But this really is a continuing, developing story that is the basis for much of what we are seeing in the political news and in how the political news is reported.

More and more people have become aware that the perception they have had about the direction the country was headed, and perhaps in particular the success of the war on terror, was based on an administration public relations construct rather than on reality. That realization is behind the falling poll numbers. It is also behind the story about the fake teleconference that Bush had with some troops in Iraq that was in the news in the past week and and which I posted about a few days ago. This story would not have been reported had the presidents approval rating been at 60%.

But now it is becoming not only acceptable, but perhaps even fashionable, for the media to turn on the administration. We can now even see media personalities who are not exactly known as critically thinking, fact finding journalists (Matt Lauer pops to mind) asking The Leader tough questions. This trend can't bode well for the administration, but it is also important for us to realize what it shows us about the media.

The administration had their attempt to manufacture news with the teleconferecne called out last week most of the mainstream media. But this type thing has been standard operating procedure for the adminstration since before they were an adminstration. The trip to Iraq for serving turkey and the bogus reports of near detection by a British Airways plane to add suspense to the trip come to mind as a classic example. But only bits of this were reported by some of the media as being staged. No one really put the whole things together and called it for what is was, a complete media stunt. And most of the country were blissfully unaware any of it was staged.

So now the mainstream media is making some efforts to actually report facts rather than to be mindless sycophants of the administration. But make no mistake, up until very recently, most of the media have been active collaborators in the adminstrations efforts to control public opinion by the distortion of facts regarding the results of their policies. The adminstration's public relations construct of an effective policy in the war on terror would not have been possible without an complacent media community, unwilling or unable to report the objective facts rather than the politically generated "fact system" created by the administration to bolster their political support.

The old adage, "better late than never", is still true. But it is of little comfort that the media is only starting, and let's emphasize starting here, to do their job at this point in time. Thousands of our troops have died in Iraq and the good-will and support received after September 11 from around the world has not been used to further the war on terror but rather squandered by invading the wrong country. We could have used some help from the media in critically analysing our activities before that happened. Instead we got public relations and cheerleading from them. It's a god damn shame.

What is interesting about this story isn't that it happened.

2005-10-14T17:15:00.000-04:00

The media has covered fairly extensively that the Bush telemeeting with soldiers in Iraq was staged.. The fact that the event was staged isn't a surprise to anyone that has been paying attention for the last five plus years. They are always staging these events.

The news is that the media covered the fact that it was staged. They have stood by for years and acted as collaborators in the administration`s manipulations of public opinion. Now they all of a sudden take an interest in reality. Better late than never I suppose.

I know I said we should wait before deciding on Miers, but......

2005-10-14T17:02:00.000-04:00

The Washington Post has a story about the duties of the nominee at the White House.. Apparently one of those duties was approving the White House Christmas cards. Now, not that this isn't important, but it is a bit odd soundind.

Then there is this little twist.. It has been alledged that Ms. Miers whacked a proposed Christmas card for being too Christian. I have to say that I really love that little story. Bill O`Reilly needs to focus more on this than fantasy war crimes by American troops in WWII. Billy Boy had a great gig going last year about Macys and Christmas. Totally false but what the hell. In this case it might even be true. Think what Billy Boy can do.

Senator Frist, the cats are here again; with a subpoena.

2005-10-13T15:43:00.000-04:00

Oh me oh my, the kitties are meowing with joy! Kitty Mengele has gotten a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Bad Senator Fristy, bad! Maybe by "blind trust" it meant that he thought others would be blind to the fact that it wasn't really blind after all. Just sort of in the dark as to the arrangements. But ah, Senator Fristy, cats, and the SEC it would seem, can see very well in the dark.

Bill O'Reilly and tales from "The Twilight Zone"- Part II

2005-10-07T12:10:00.000-04:00

Another tear in the fabric of history courtesy of Falafel Bill. This one was picked up by Media Matters. Here is what Billy Boy said:

"My people came from County Cavan in Ireland. All right? And the British Crown marched in there with their henchman, Oliver Cromwell, and they seized all of my ancestors' lands, everything. And they threw them into slavery, pretty much indentured servitude on the land. And then the land collapsed, all right? And everybody was starving in Ireland. They had to leave the country, just as Africans had to leave -- African-Americans had to leave Africa and come over on a boat and try to make in the New World with nothing. Nothing. And succeeded, succeeded. As did Italians, as did -- and I'll submit to you, African-Americans are succeeding as well. So all of these things can be overcome I think, [caller]. Go ahead."

Now media matters and many others focused on the point that Billy Boy seemed to be saying, well, that isn't quite right, he did say that coming over in chains on a slave ship and then living for generations as slaves was the same as immigrating to the US. I certainly would't want to criticize anyone for focusing on that little nugget. But since people are already smacking Billy Boy around over that, let's look at the rest of what he said.

In particular the sentence, "And the British Crown marched in there with their henchman, Oliver Cromwell..."

It probably came as news to the British monarch that Oliver Cromwell was carrying out their work in Ireland. On second thought maybe it wasn't of much concern to the king, Charles I. The reason being that by the time Cromwell went to Ireland on his military campaign he had already signed an order to remove not just the crown, but rather the whole of Charles I's head. And the order had been, for lack of a better word, executed. So here according to Bill, with again an able assist from Rod Serling, the dead king is ordering Cromwell around Ireland on his military campaign. At least in one dimension.

In our dimension, Cromwell was not only not a "henchman" of the "British Crown" he went to Ireland to defeat royalists loyal to the monarchy. In fact, Cromwell so endeared himself to the "Crown" that after Cromwell's death, when the monarch regained power, the new king had his "henchman" dug up from his grave and posthumously executed: hung drawn and quartered with his head put on top of a spike. I would say that is more than a bit indicative that the "Crown" was not favorably disposed towards their "henchman", Cromwell. But again, that is in our dimension.

What about in Bill's dimension? I suppose we can only hazard a guess. On the other hand, I'm not sure I can handle the neural processes that come up with some of this stuff.

Bill O'Reilly and tales from "The Twilight Zone"- Part I

2005-10-06T23:29:00.000-04:00

Take a look at this little tidbit from falafel Bill. Bill and his guest, General Wesley Clarke, were discussing the court order to release additional photos of US prisoner abuse from Iraq. Clarke said that it is important to follow abuse up the chain of command as far as it goes and prosecute or otherwise deal with it appropriately according to the law. Billy Boy agreed with this but said these type of abuses always happen in war. Clarke acknowledged that they happened but said that whenever they were done by the US military they have been prosecuted. Billy Boy argued about My Lai but Clarke pointed out that there had been prosecutions in that case. Then Billy Boy let out this screech of a brain fart:

"General! You need to look at the Malmedy massacre in World War Two, and the 82nd Airborne who did it!"

Cue Rod Serling......

Okay, now those who would defend O'Reilly would say that those who criticize him for saying things that arent true are picky. That they focus on minor details that dont really change the point. Um, seriously???

In this case, our Bill, looking out for all of us, has confused the US Army's 82nd Airborne division with the German Waffen SS 1st Panzer Division (aka Adolf Hitler Division). Nope. Not close. Not a detail. No, No, No!

Really, what the hell is this about? This isnt like saying it happened on December 18, 1944 and it was really on the 16th. In most contexts that would be a minor error (although not in all). But he not only got the division wrong, he not only got the type division wrong, he got the whole damn country of the division wrong. I really find it hard to imagine how anyone could get that "confused". And when I am thinking of "confused" I don't mean "I am speaking to you from another dimension, where time and space flow differently than in our own" nor do I mean "I just making stuff up when I feel like it"

I Hate to Post Something and Not Try to be Funny

2005-10-06T10:57:00.000-04:00

But I'm going to make an exception and do it here. The subject is the recent nomination for the Supreme Court. There has been a pretty incredible negative reaction from the right on this nomination. Much of it has centered on the nominees education and her experience. Much of the rest has centered on the president`s reasons for picking her; and these have said he did it out of weakness.

But perhaps there is another reason he picked her, and you have no idea how much it pains me to say this, maybe he thought that she would add a missing dimension to the court, would be a good judge herself and make the court better by her presence.

Much of the criticism of her is nothing but "credentialism" in my opinion. Other, more reasoned criticism claims she will not be able to write scholarly opinions. I'm not sure that any of us know if that is true. I am positive that it won't necessarily prevent her from being a great judge.

Being a great judge, or a great anything, isn't a simple thing. It doesn't have clear objective parameters we can use to predict it. If it did, they would be used. People lacking in one dimension can compensate in another. Likewise, people very strong in one way can ignore other aspects of their role and fail.

We will know a lot more after her confirmation hearings. Hopefully we will know enough that we can be comfortable with whatever decision comes from the senate. What I find appaling is that I suspect many of the people whining the loudest now are people who were whining the loudest about the Democrats not being willing to give Judge Roberts a chance to testify before criticizing him. Now they are doing exactly the same thing themselves.

Some of the things they are saying are positively shocking. And some of the people should perhaps read and think about what they writing. They should know better. Can you hear me George Will?

Please tell the puppets to change the rules back

2005-10-05T11:33:00.000-04:00

Okay, they changed the rules back on the constitutional vote in Iraq (see original story below). Ah, I long for the good old days when we weren't micromanaging our puppet governments. Well, when we weren't micromanaging them as much.

Bennett Isn't the Story - This is: Part II

2005-10-05T00:19:00.000-04:00

Yes, yet another story from a couple days ago. This one about Iraq. It seems that they have changed requirements to reject the Iraqi constitution in order to make it a lot more difficult to do so. The Sunnis are really angry about it and making accusations.

Maybe these Iraqi guys can come to Florida and Ohio. They seem to have the necessary skill sets to manage elections in those states.

Bennett Isn't the Story - This is: Part I

2005-10-05T00:10:00.000-04:00

Okay, I know this story is from a few days ago but I'm a but behind. The story says that despite the fact that Saudi Arabia is one of the very worst nations in terms of freedom of religion we are going to suepend any sanctions against them. Right. And I paid $3.79 for premium a couple weeks ago. And we are spreading democracy and freedom the world over. What a bunch of assclowns are "running" the show. Or is it "ruining" the show.

Not only is Saudi Arabia one of the least democratic, least free governments in the world, they have, according to U.S. News and World Reports been one of if not the primary financial supporter of extremist Islamic groups around the world for near as long as anyone can remember.

Like I said, stop talking about Bublin' Bill Bennett, this story is one of many that is a lot more important.

We don't need no stinkin troop cutbacks.

2005-10-02T17:15:00.000-04:00

Ooops. Maybe that isn't exactly what he meant. This from a couple of days ago. Im sure this has no relation to the fact that it is the biggest shortfall for Army recruiting since 1979 (see story below). Or maybe the recruiting numbers are sort of like stock market prices. The market had factored this in even before the announcement.

In a related story from a few days ago.....

2005-09-30T23:53:00.000-04:00

An army captain with says that he tried without success to get his superiors to look into his concerns about prisoner treatment. He was with the 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq. He said that he was concerned that the abuse of prisoners was widespread in Iraq and due to confusion over how prisoners should be treated. He also said that his concerns were only being investigated after he spoke to senators (including John McCain) and Human Rights Watch.

I'm sure this kind of story has nothing to do with the presidents threat the military appropriations bill if it calls for an investigation of prisoner abuse. How long is congress going to condone this behavior by the administration? I guess that is a rhetorical question.

But I also have a prediction. Eventually it is really going to hit the fan about this. And when it does, the lowest people on the totem pole are going to take the hit. Shit of this kind very definately runs downhill and unfortunately the people with the least ability to protect themselves are going to get it all blamed on them. That would of course be the soldiers in the field. It sucks, and it shouldn't happen, but it will. It always does.

Worst year for army recruiting since 1979

2005-09-30T23:03:00.000-04:00

That's right. Read about it here. They are trying to increase the size of the army and they have their worst recruiting year since 1979. I remember 1979, it was a few years after Vietnam and it was so much not a time to be in the military. But it is as bad now. Looks like the president may need to get Bill Bennett talking about Hispanics.

Give me everything or I will take nothing or don't go telling me I can't torture people

2005-09-30T22:18:00.000-04:00

That is the bottom line for the president. The Defense appropriation from Congress is short 7 billion versus what Bush asked for. In addition, there is the possibility that the bill will contain wording that about how prisoners should be treated and that WE should set up a commission to investigate how we have treated prisoners. Bush will have none of it, he says he will veto it. He will not allow an investigation and he demands all the money.

The ironic thing is that the Republicans accuse the Democrats of being partisan. Is there ANY REASON AT ALL for the Republicans to tolerate this from Bush other than blind partisanship. If they have any sense that they are even a functioning part of government they would call his bluff, and override a veto. Not holding my breath, I dont think they are up to it. And in reference to my post of earlier this evening, this is an issue the Democrats should be all over instead of being all over Bill Bennett. This one matters. From my perspective, Bill Bennett stopped mattering a long time ago.

We have quite a sideshow going over Bill Bennett.

2005-09-30T20:42:00.000-04:00

He is getting a large amount of attention. The White House got to say his remarks were "regretable" or some such crap. This gave them a chance to actually look good.

So on the day after one of the president's closest allies is indicted, the Republicans pass over someone in the House because he is possibly (let's be charitable on this) gay and like 110 people are killed in Iraq and we're talking about Bill Bennett's radio show.

And the president stopped laughing at us over this long enough to agree with us. It's no wonder Democrat's can't win any elections.

A handful of senators are blocking medical aid to Katrina surviors.

2005-09-28T20:10:00.000-04:00

Blocking a bipartisan bill at the request of the president. Nice to see that the president and a small number of senators are blocking 9 billion in medical aid. I'm sure it's because they are looking to be sure the money is well spent.

Like it was on the initial response. Or like the article above says, like the 1.5 billion for contracts, much of them having vague terms previously identified as problematic. Oh and most of them bid noncompetitively. Okay, nevermind, they aren't blocking the money for medical aid because they are trying to be responsible. They don't give a fuck about the victims, only about making sure the contractors get out as much as possible.

Senator Frist, there are more cats here to see you.

2005-09-28T19:55:00.000-04:00

A lot of cats, Senator Frist. They seem to work for the Securities and Exchange Commission. According to Bloomberg.com:

" The SEC authorized a formal order of investigation of Frist's sale in June of HCA Inc. shares, people with direct knowledge of the inquiry said yesterday. The order allows the agency's enforcement unit to subpoena documents and compel witnesses to testify, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the order hasn't been made public."

Well, that should perk up the old run for the Whitehouse. Nothing like a lot of subpeonas to get things off to a rousing patriotic start. It's possible it is a calculated gamble I suppose. Mess around with stocks enough to get the SEC's interest to distract people from other things. After all, Republicans seem pretty comfortable with run of the mill crooks in high places. So maybe this is a daring gambit to distract people from both the ridiculous spectacle Frist made of himself during the Schiavo debacle and from the enemy of the pure he made of himself with his stem cell position. After all, how bad could he look to the Republican base if he is just another crook?

Another perspective on Tom DeLay

2005-09-28T13:34:00.000-04:00

Tom DeLay has been indicted and has stepped down from his leadership post in the House. A lot of people are very happy about this, but lets put this in perspective. Here is a man who, after being an exterminator, devoted much of his life to public service. Maybe we should take that into account and not prejudge him, but rather let the facts play out in court.

Nah, fuck that. It is WAY too much fun watching this slimy weasel shitheel squirm. And he so deserves it. Ah, karma is a bitch, ey Tommy Boy?

Im glad to see that Dr. Rice is expressing concern about Haiti

2005-09-28T00:32:00.000-04:00

The Secretary of State visited Haiti. She was concerned about the rampant crime, lack of democracy and generally horrific conditions. It is really bad there. I think it is likely we will have to intervene in their affairs for 80 or 90 years to clean that mess up. I'm glad the Secretary is getting so involved.

Oh wait, Haiti. Oops, now I remember. We have already been intervening there for 80 or 90 years. That's a bit different I suppose. Forget about Haiti, really, it isn't important. Let's talk about Iraq.

Yes, Iraq. Minor intervention that one. I remember Secretary Rumsfeld was it or perhaps the Vice President saying that we would only need to be intervening for "months rather than years". Yes, certainly not 90 years in Iraq. I mean things are going better there every day. I'm certain it will all work out fine. Really, trust me.

But who are the "fringe lunatics"?

2005-09-27T17:47:00.000-04:00

Dear me. Poor Mr. Blair has gotten himself into quite a muddle. I suppose someone could be described as "fringe lunatics", but who? The SAS guys arrested by the Iraqi police? The Iraqi police who arrested the SAS guys? The British soldiers who freed the SAS guys arrested by the Iraqi police? The people who attacked the British soldiers who freed the SAS guys arrested by the Iraqi police? Oh my, oh my. Maybe it is easier to just call Mr. Blair the "fringe lunatic" than to figure the rest of it out.

I just can't post enough stories about Frist being in trouble with the law.

2005-09-27T15:28:00.000-04:00

Meow, meow! The funniest thing about the article is that is pretty much says that Frist wants to be president but everything about him makes him a lousy candidate, he is behind in the polls, and oh yes, he is being investigated by the SEC. Maybe his candidacy will become so heavy that it will turn into some sort of political black hole that will suck everything in, including his legal troubles and he will emerge in another dimension, as a cat, not rich and powerful, but not indicted either.

Thus spake Brownie

2005-09-27T15:27:00.000-04:00

According to Michael Brown, the former FEMA director, the problems after Katrina were the fault of the local officials. That is a little progress I suppose. For a long time they weren't even acknowledging that things had gone wrong. So now FEMA has hired the guy who was in charge, with the fudged resume and no experience, to find out what went wrong. And he says it was the other people. Case closed. No need for an investigation. Brownie has spoken. Yea, sure. This makes a lot of sense.

The completely amazing thing to me about this entire episode, hell about the entire last 5 years or so, is that it is a moving clusterfuck looking for someone to blame. These assclowns take evading responsibility to entirely new levels.

Felids of the world unite!!

2005-09-26T12:18:00.000-04:00

Your great tormentor is in deep litter. It seems that the Senate Majority Leader has been caught with his hand in the kitty treats. Senator Frist, aka Kitty Mengele, apparently has had the eyes of an alert feline hunter on his suppossedly blind trust. This attentive non-attention has led to some very interesting stock trades which are now under investigation. The senator denies all wrongdoing of course. Sort of like when you hear a crash in you house and when you look there is a lamp on the floor and a cat near it giving you the, "what I didn't do it, it fell by itself" look. Bad kitty, bad!!

Remember Pat Tillman, the NFL player turned Army Ranger Killed by Friendly Fire?

2005-09-26T09:57:00.000-04:00

This story is too sad for me to make a wisecrack about. But you need to read it. The link is to a blog that picked up the story. There is a link to within the blog to the source story in the San Francisco Chronicle. The bottom line is that while the Bush administration has used Pat Tillman as a cheap prop, he not only was killed by friendly fire but he was against the war in Iraq (he wanted to go to Afghanistan - remember?) and was reportedly a Kerry supporter.

Okay, I know I have a warped sense of humor, but this is funny.

2005-09-25T22:14:00.000-04:00

Someone cut Sharon's microphone cord as he was trying to speak at a Likud party meeting. Sorry, I think that is really funny. Looks like Ariel is too liberal for them. That sort of reminds me of a joke from the mid-80s or so about how do you define a moderate Iranian? They don't eat their young. Keep those babies away from Biny! Ariel will protect them.

Some highlights from my abscence that I couldn't ignore. Part 2

2005-09-25T15:52:00.000-04:00

Some interesting poll results from our friends at the BBC. Around the world China is more highly regarded as a country than is the US. Yea, that China, the one with the guy standing in front of the tank in the square. Maybe people have forgotten about that. Or worse, maybe they haven't and they don't think it is as bad as the things the US has done recently. In reality, a poll like this doesn't "mean" anything I suppose. But it should perhaps give some thought to those of use who think that our image in the world has some importance. Or even if we don't care about that, maybe it should worry us that for us to think highly of what we are doing we have to presume the rest of the world is out of touch with reality. That is possible, but not likely I'm afraid.

Sentenza

Some highlights from my abscence that I couldn't ignore. Part 1

2005-09-25T12:07:00.000-04:00

This one is too rich to ignore. You have probably all seen this by now but I wanted to revisit it. It is Robert Novak's little on air episode that gained him a time out from CNN.

I like to think of myself as a nice person. But I have to admit that I couldn't stop laughing when I saw this little episode. More laughter when CNN boinked him for it. But the real issue, and a serious one is what is CNN thinking. I don't think there is any question that this guy revealed the name of a covert intelligence agent. I don't think there is any question that this information was given to him for political purposes and whoever gave it to him used him politically. The only question is who gave him the information. But isnt what was known about Novak's role in the affair reason enough to take him off the air? But instead he gets suspended for bad words. Good to see the media has their priorities straight.

My abscence from the blogsphere has not saved us.

2005-09-25T01:25:00.000-04:00

Well, we seem to be having quite a time of it. It's been a while since I posted and the country is still going to hell in the proverbial handbasket so my posting must not have been the cause of it. I mean I never really thought it was but that's the sort of thing the Bush supporters like to say. All of the problems are caused by the obstructionist, negative thinking Democrats. It's not like they are doing what the Democrats suggest.

It's a bit like seeing someone about to step in front of a moving car and when you warn them they give you the finger and keep walking. Then, as they are gurgling blood they tell the paramedic that your negative attitude conjured up the the car that hit them.

Sort of like believing in magic. Well, and being a moron.

Sentenza

U.S. "concession" on Islam said to turn Iraq talks - Yahoo! News

2005-08-20T09:46:00.000-04:00

U.S. "concession" on Islam said to turn Iraq talks - Yahoo! News: "We understand the Americans have sided with the Shi'ites,' he said. 'It's shocking. It doesn't fit American values. They have spent so much blood and money here, only to back the creation of an Islamist state ... I can't believe that's what the Americans really want or what the American people want.'"

Florida judge to Tom DeLay.........

2005-03-18T14:41:00.000-05:00

We are in charge of the situation...

More or less. The judge presiding over the case is moving ahead as he originally ordered and having the feeding tube removed. It is gratifying to see a state judge sticking with the testimony in his court and his decision on the law of his state in the face of outside political pressure. Hopefully, DeLay won't send people down there to interfere with a lawful court order.

Just when I thought the Republicans in Congress could not do anything so disgusting as to surprise me......

2005-03-18T11:55:00.000-05:00

They come up with this. They have decided to subpeona the poor woman who is in a persistent vegatative state to appear before Congress. I cannot describe the contempt I have for these people. This is nothing but whoring to please their radical religious masters. Don't they think this is difficult enough on the husband of that poor woman without their grandstanding? Have they lost all sense of shame, of compassion? Twenty or thirty years ago this would not have happened. Republicans then were perhaps fiscal conservatives, but they were not the political extension of radical religious leaders. This country is changing ever more rapidly from being a modern democracy to being a medieval religious state. The country is turning into Iran with the difference being the degree of the religious influence and the names of the Mullahs.

2005-03-06T07:01:00.000-05:00

Um, I think he said "Osama Bin Laden" was our greatest terrorist threat, not "Oh, Some Italian". Cripes almighty.

2005-03-05T18:48:00.001-05:00

Well, this is just fucking magnificent. According to The Leader we have entered March of 2005 and he has realized that stopping Osama Bin Laden is the "greatest challenge" in the war on terrorism, Really, I couldn't have possibly made that up. Honest. I can even provide a link to the story. Here, nice and uncluttered:

I'M NOT MAKING THIS SHIT UP!

You remember Osama Bin Laden don't you? Let me refresh your memory; do the words "World Trade Center" ring a bell? Yea right, those World Trade Centers. This Osama Bin Laden guy is the asshole that ordered them blown up. And that was about, lemme see if I can remember, oh yea, pretty much like around, well, close to at least 9:03 AM on September 11. September 11, 2004, right. Now wait, that isn't right. No, it was September 11, 2001. I'm sure of it. So why in March of 2005 is The Leader flashing on the realization that this asshole Bin Laden is dangerous. Like at least in March 2002 shouldn't someone have had a clue about this?

You ask also ask, and with very good reason, since we captured Saddam Hussein, wasn't that the greatest challenge in the war on terror? Because if it wasn't why did we send 13,000 or 14,000 troops to Afghanistan where Bin Laden was and about 135,000 troops to Iraq where this Hussein guy was? Is it because we are just now realizing that this Bin Laden guy is dangerous? Or is it because now that The Leader doesn't have to run for election again he can stop trying to lie to everyone about doing something about the war on terror in Iraq and actually try to do something to make us safer.

Okay, sorry, I know how ridiculous that is, but I'm a pretty optimistic person. Or at least I used to be before I started seeing this nonsense.

They basically knew they weren't capable of dealing with Bin Laden so they dealt with Hussein instead. So what if he wasn't a threat. The Leader and The Evil as his trusty VP were able to convince a bunch of people that not only were they doing something about terrorism in Iraq but that Hussein played a role in September 11. What's shocking is that it worked, Because the problem with using all your troops to get Hussein isn't that you did something unjustified to Hussein. I honestly don't care too much about. He was a complete asshole and got what was coming to him. The problem is that Hussein wasn't dangerous. BIN LADEN IS DANGEROUS. The problem is that by getting Hussein we didn't get Bin Laden and are in danger as a result.

This recent comment by The Leader is like, oh yea, I forgot about that Bin Laden guy, wow, I bet he is pretty dangerous.

Damn, the inmates have really taken over the fucking asylum.

2005-03-05T18:48:00.000-05:00

You have to hand it to the ACLU in my opinion. This is Is all about keeping those in power honest. The courts have done this but the other two groups that should be doing it have pretty much rolled over and given up. The press pretty much shows up for a press conference or interview and says "thank you sir, Guckert me again me again. This Democrats, well, who the hell even knows what they are doing. With Dean in charge maybe they will actually start to act like an opposition party.

Part of their problem I think is that the senior people there don't have much experience at being the minority party. They had better get their act together in the next few years or being in the minority is something they will become very experienced at doing. The way they are going now they will become gawd damn Jedi Masters at being a helpless minority. But, at least someone at the ACL

Letterman for Senate

2005-02-28T23:59:00.000-05:00

I am so tired of that whining turncoat Joe Lieberman. I don't know what his deal is. Perhaps he got a bad case of the "I'm so important" jag in 2000. Then when his 2004 campaign was a complete basket case he decided to either 1) punish the Democrats or 2) stay in the limelight by being a "Democrat" that sided with Bush. But I don't know, I'm not his damn shrink.

In any case his support of the war in Iraq did a lot of damage to Kerry. They were always holding him up and saying that "see some Democrats, who aren't partisan, support our president" and making those against the war and the mishandling of the war on terror seem like partisans rather than patriots. Now he is waffling on Social Security.

Fact is that the Democrats would be better off without him. He does far more harm than good towards advancing those issue that are important to Democrats. So the Democrats should cut off his financial support in the primary and support someone to run against him.

I would like to suggest someone who is perhaps Connecticut's best known resident, David Letterman. Letterman is intelligent, articulate and very, very fast on his feet verbally. It would be a slam dunk. He has that mid-western down to earth personae. People would love him. Joe would be toast.

Letterman for Senate - for a better Connecticut! For a better country!

DRAFT DAVE!

Click here to see the rest of the Blog

2005-02-26T10:13:00.000-05:00

Well at least we know why now. I guess thls explains why we haven't found Bin Laden yet. It seems that fighting terrorists isn't a priority for the US anymore. I guess with all those purple fingers in Iraq it's all good. Who needs to worry about really dealing with the terrorists. it makes for depressing news stories afterall.

Osama Bin who?

2005-02-25T23:53:00.000-05:00

Looks like Bin Laden has disappeared. Or as the linked article from the BBC says, his trail has "gone cold". That would be, "hmm, where did that boy get to" as opposed to "we're going to hunt him down and smoke him out" or whatever The Leader said in 2001. You all remember 2001, right? I mean it wasn't that long ago. A bunch of terrorists from Saudi Arabia and Egypt, led by this Bin Laden guy attacked us and killed thousands ofb our citizens. The degree of incompetence necessary to allow that to happen was pretty spectacular but that is another thread, or ten. But back to this Bin Laden guy. He attacked us and demanded that we remove our troops from Saudi Arabia. We said we were sure going to get him for that. We were going to teach him and the rest of those fundamentalists a lesson.

And we sure did. We overthrew the most secular dictator in the region. Let's face it, almost all the leaders in that part of the world are dictators but did we have to overthrow the one most against the fundamentalists? And we removed out troops from Saudi Arabia. Oh, yea, and we seem to have lost track of Bin Laden. At this point it hardly matters. We sent Bin Laden a message alright. We told him if he attacked us we would do what he demanded we do, figure out other things we could do to help him that he hadn't thought of (possibly he felt we weren't stupid enough to do those things so he didn't bother asking) and we wouldn't try very hard to catch him. After all, it is hard, he is hiding.

That sure is teaching him a lesson. One good thing is that we didn't negotiate with Bin Laden. We did what we wanted us to do without negotiating. Nice work there in the gov'ment!'

Here is a pretty scary story.

2005-02-23T23:40:00.000-05:00

Interpol, the international police, are worried about a terrorist attacking using biological weapons. That is really bad news. Coupled with the previous story, which hints at the potential failure to act prior to September 11 it is even scarier. I'll be having a series on the failure to act both before and after September 11.

Yet another example of an important story lead that the major media ignored.

2005-02-23T09:08:00.000-05:00

Here is a story from the Village Voice about the time before September 11. It points out that Salman Rushdie was denied permission to fly in the US and Canada by an emegency order on September 3, 2001 UNLESS THE AIRLINE TOOK EXTRA SECURITY PRECATIONS! It said that the FAA were aware at that time of a threat. Why the fuck didn't they tell anyone about it? Like the pilot of UA Flight 93 which took off (late) about 25 minutes after the first hijacking was confirmed.

Even more importantly, why arent any of the useless sheep in the press investigating the events of September 11, 2001 and whether anyone should have, or could have done more?

More on this later, I need some deep breathing exercises.

And next in the right wing's never ending quest to hurt people.......

2005-02-23T07:02:00.000-05:00

After 59% of people in California voted for stem cell research: the radical right wing is still trying to stop it. This is a very interesting development in conjunction with the article in the NYT today that shows that in mice they have used stem cells to reverse paralysis. Maybe the right wing should just put sick people on the ice pack or send them to the top of mountains to die. We are talking about evil here in my opinion. And I know that one of the people who is against the program in California is a paraplegic. But it is important to remember that being a paraplegic doesn't necessarily make you smart. Useful to some perhaps, but not necessarily smart.

Hunter S. Thompson and Deep Throat?

2005-02-22T00:06:00.000-05:00

So here is a curious little story that may or may not develop. It has been posted over at Eschaton in the comments thread (under the story about "That Liberal Media" posted at 10:20 PM last night) that the death of Hunter S. Thompson will be the subject of a press release by Pat Buchanan in the near future. This has been linked to the Deep Throat of Watergate fame. Thanks to Joseph over there for a lot of this info. So is there anything to this? Well, sure enough we will know in a few days. But it goes like this....

The links below are to interviews with HST where he describes his long term friendly relationship with Pat Buchanan. Yes, that Pat Buchanan. Those who have read Thompson may remember the fascinating meeting between him and Richard Nixon to discuss football. Buchanan set it up. Not sure if they knew each other before that but they did after. And according to one of the interviews, HST liked to drink with Buchanan which I'm sure would produce some rather interesting conversations to say the least.

Then there is Thompson's suicide. Why, and why now? Well in fact we will to some degree never know, maybe to a large degree. But there is the possibility that he was sick. There has been some buzz recently that Deep Throat was very ill, possibly terminally ill. Many people have thought that Buchanan was Deep Throat. But perhaps not. Perhaps it was Thompson, and he received the information from his buddy Buchanan and perhaps a few others? And he was Deep Throat by virtue of being the one who passed the info to the boy reporters. It certainly isn't a stretch to see him having come up with the name. This is a bit far fetched but who knows. I guess we all will (or not) soon enough.

One thing, however. I certainly hope it is true. It would redefine poetic justice. That HST was able to have a major hand in bringing down someone, a very evil someone, for whom he had such crystalline hatred would be a beautiful thing. And it would be a better epitaph to HST than any I can imagine.

Link to an interview where HST discusses his relationship with Pat Buchanan

And another.

Click here to see the rest of the Blog

This sucks

2005-02-21T00:32:00.000-05:00

Hunter S. Thompson Kills Himself

A fine Sunday in the Park

2005-02-20T20:34:00.000-05:00

Image_42.jpg
Originally uploaded by Sentenza.

Well not really blogging from Central Part. Rather blogging from a really good pizza place in the East Village after walking through Central Park. It was a bit on the chilly side but a clear, sunny day. The Park was crowded and it was a beautiful day to be in New York.

I'm glad to see that the army is taking the prisoner abuse issue seriously

2005-02-18T02:17:00.000-05:00

They have started destroying evidence that the abuse is more widespread. That is a real relief.

It is almost impossible to know where it will stop.

The "wild west show"

2005-02-15T10:39:00.000-05:00

At least someone is still doing reporting about what we are doing. I would feel a lot better, however, if the US media actually tried to do critical coverage of our activities in Iraq and Guantanamo.

Now this is funny.

2005-02-14T16:16:00.000-05:00

AmericaBlog has a great story on intrepid reporter Jeff Gannon. On the one hand it is hypocrisy, but on the other, someone who is a male prostitute becoming a journalist without any apparent additional vocational training doesn't seem much like a stretch to me. I mean just read the NYT for god's sake.

Friday cat blogging

2005-02-04T20:53:00.000-05:00

Would you leave us alone. We're tired from all the hard work
Originally uploaded by Sentenza.

Don't make me ask you again.
Originally uploaded by Sentenza.

The things FDR said that The Leader didn't want to quote in his 2004 State of the Union Address

2005-02-03T22:11:00.000-05:00

In his State of the Union Address, The Leader had the audacity to quote FDR's 1937 inaugural address. This even as The Leader announced his plan to destroy the greatest legacy of that great president. Roosevelt's second inaugural address, from which the leader quotes contains what can only be called a complete repudiation of virtually everything that The Leader stands for.

Roosevelt's 1937 State of the Union Address, given shortly after the second inaugural address, is if anything even more powerful in its elaboration of a view of the role of government that is diametrically opposed to that of The Leader.

This really contains the spirit of Roosevelt's speech, and why he is great, and good and why The Leader is neither.

"The recovery we sought was not to be merely temporary. It was to be a recovery protected from the causes of previous disasters. With that aim in view--to prevent a future similar crisis--you and I joined in a series of enactments--safe banking and sound currency, the guarantee of bank deposits, protection for the investor in securities, the removal of the threat of agricultural surpluses, insistence on collective bargaining, the outlawing of sweat shops, child labor and unfair trade practices, and the beginnings of security for the aged and the worker.

Nor was the recovery we sought merely a purposeless whirring of machinery. It is important, of course, that every man and woman in the country be able to find work, that every factory run, that business and farming as a whole earn profits. But Government in a democratic Nation does not exist solely, or even primarily, for that purpose.

It is not enough that the wheels turn. They must carry us in the direction of a greater satisfaction in life for the average man. The deeper purpose of democratic government is to assist as many of its citizens as possible, especially those who need it most, to improve their conditions of life, to retain all personal liberty which does not adversely affect their neighbors, and to pursue the happiness which comes with security and an opportunity for recreation and culture.

Even with our present recovery we are far from the goal of that deeper purpose. There are far-reaching problems still with us for which democracy must find solutions if it is to consider itself successful.

For example, many millions of Americans still live in habitations which not only fail to provide the physical benefits of modern civilization but breed disease and impair the health of future generations. The menace exists not only in the slum areas of the very large cities, but in many smaller cities as well. It exists on tens of thousands of farms, in varying degrees, in every part of the country.

Another example is the prevalence of an un-American type of tenant farming. I do not suggest that every farm family has the capacity to earn a satisfactory living on its own farm. But many thousands of tenant farmers, indeed most of them, with some financial assistance and with some advice and training, can be made self-supporting on land which can eventually belong to them. The Nation would be wise to offer them that chance instead of permitting them to go along as they do now, year after year, with neither future security as tenants nor hope of ownership of their homes nor expectation of bettering the lot of their children.

Another national problem is the intelligent development of our social security system, the broadening of the services it renders, and practical improvement in its operation. In many Nations where such laws are in effect, success in meeting the expectations of the community has come through frequent amendment of the original statute.

And, of course, the most far-reaching and the most inclusive problem of all is that of unemployment and the lack of economic balance of which unemployment is at once the result and the symptom. The immediate question of adequate relief for the needy unemployed who are capable of performing useful work, I shall discuss with the Congress during the coming months. The broader task of preventing unemployment is a matter of long-range evolutionary policy. To that we must continue to give our best thought and effort. We cannot assume that immediate industrial and commercial activity which mitigates present pressures justifies the national Government at this time in placing the unemployment problem in a filing cabinet of finished business."

Bill Frist - and you thought he just killed a lot of kitties.

2005-02-02T23:00:00.000-05:00

This story was so big and so disturbing that I needed help with it. So I inverse channeled Rush Limbaugh, generating the new entity, Lush Rimjob, to help right it. So putting the facts into Lush with the appropriate filters gave me this. For your information and enlightenment.

Ladies and Gentlemen, patriotic Americans - hold on to your seat because I have a very disturbing set of facts to present to you tonight. These are facts that the conservative media may have let get to the public in some form, but they haven’t been linked together. Because those in the conservative media won’t ask the right question. Well freedom seekers, truth seekers – Lush will ask the right questions.

This topic begins with the recent economic summit in Davos, Switzerland. Now the United States decided in its wisdom not to really participate in this. But that grandstanding, chardonnay sipping conservative and senate majority leader Bill Frist decided to ignore his countries wishes and attend anyway. I guess he couldn’t stand the thought of all those rich pockets and not a Republican hand to reach in them. But in any case he went. But that isn’t bad enough. The bad part is what happened there.

As this link shows the good senator was chairing a session and a woman came out of the audience and to speak. And Senator Frisk asked her to identify herself. Well, certainly if I’m in front of an audience and someone comes to the fore, I would ask them to identify themselves. Well, if they were someone’s Aunt Mildred I would anyway. But no, gentle and patriotic listeners, this was not your Aunt Mildred. This was Sharon Stone. Yes, that Sharon Stone. And apparently her identify was completely unknown to the good senator. Now Sharon Stone has been trying for more than a decade to make herself known to every male being on the face of the earth and I thought had probably come pretty close to succeeding but apparently the good senator must have missed the boat. But the real question my inquisitive friends, the question we always must ask is - why? Why is it that Bill Frist did not recognize Sharon Stone? Hold on listeners and fellow patriots, this is where it gets interesting.

So what else do we know about this Bill Frist. He is senate majority leader. Okay, but even more interesting, he admitted to killing a bunch of cats. This revelation earned him the nickname, Kitty Mengele. But the right wing media always asks the wrong question. They asked why he murdered all these cats. But the real question; the question that they should have asked, is why did he admit it? Well, also who the hell would want a surgeon who learned on cats to operate on them, but that is a different thread. In any case, back to the admission.

To answer the real question we possibly need to look no further than Bernie Kerick. Remember him? The conservative media want you to forget about him. He was nominated for head of the department of homeland security. And he admitted to having not properly paid a housekeeper with some immigration problems. What does this have to do with Senator Frisk? Easy, and beautiful. Not long after Bernie’s admission, people started pointing out that he sort of maybe didn’t even have a housekeeper. Huh? But, why would he admit to it if he hadn’t done it. Well, because he did something worse of course. So he admitted to something that no one but a bunch of chardonnay sipping conservative law and order types would be upset about in order to detract attention from the apartment donated to help workers at the World Trade Center take a break that he used instead to bang his mistress. It’s much better to take the fall on the nonexistent housekeeper. Then there was the cigarette money and various other issues. Yes, by all means, stick with the housekeeper Bernie.

But some of you have probably already seen the flaw. I mean no one cares about the damn housekeeper, but murdering kitties? What kind of a person admits to that to cover for something else. Well, maybe a lunatic, but maybe someone who has actually done something worse. Hah, what can be worse you ask. Easy.

Bill doesn’t know who Sharon Stone is, so he isn’t interested in woman. He admits to murdering a bunch of cats and becoming Kitty Mengele. Not recognizing Sharon Stone plus worse than Kitty Mengele equals…..

Kitty Kasanova?

Yes, dear followers, I told you this would be as bad as it gets.

Who would admit to killing the kitties, indeed. Well if you were having sex with the kitties first you might. Indeed you might. Anyone in their right mind would cop a Kerick to avoid taking the rap for that.

Am I right about this? Well who knows. Maybe he is just gay.

Thanks for looking up the article......

2005-02-01T20:48:00.000-05:00

I didn't have the energy or courage to look this up. But I'm glad someone did it. The link is to a New York Times article about the success of the election. The elections in 1967. In Vietnam.

Just say no

2005-01-31T22:19:00.000-05:00

Kerry is now blaming Bin Laden for his loss. I actually don't care if what he says has some element of truth in it. In fact, I'm sure it does. But he should just shut the hell up about it. He ran against the worst president in history and lost and he is looking for someone to blame? Sorry, he botched the campaign, lost his momentum over the summer and failed to articulate why Bush was such a bad president and why he would be a good president. A good candidate probably could have won every state. Kerry didn't have the courage to attack Bush straight up. He should have pointed right in his face every chance he got and said that thousands of Americans had died Spetember 11 because you were on vaction. Bah, he isn't going to learn.

What bothers me more than Kerry's whining is that 1) it detracts from the valid critical things he and other Democrats are saying and 2) if the Democrats can't beat the worst president in history how in the hell are they going to beat someone who isn't a complete failure?

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

2005-01-30T20:50:00.000-05:00

Halliburton is getting out of Iran. Not clear if the decisions is permanent if you know what I mean.

The lovely and talented Ms. Coulter.

2005-01-30T17:51:00.000-05:00

Thanks for pointing out this lovely little interview. Seems Ms. Coulter got a bit, well, confused in this interview. She thought that Canada sent troops to Vietnam. The transcript of this section of the interview is located at the link above.

But by all means if you have Quicktime forget the transcript and watch the video. As I watch it I cant help but think; "My, she has big tits. Were they always this big?" I know this sort of objectivizes her. But frankly, I dont care. Im curious about this. Maybe they just get big when she is being stupid. Some sort of weird Pinocchio thing.

Read all about it. The more things change the more they remain the same.

2005-01-30T17:35:00.000-05:00

The Leader don't want no stinkin Euroweenies gettin in between us and them Iranians.

Really exciting news from the medical research front!

2005-01-30T16:05:00.000-05:00

Scientists have succeeded in converting human embryonic stem cells to neurons. Oops, was with the "approved" cell lines. They are all contaminated with foreign proteins and possibly viruses. Never mind. Can't use them.

How Many More Iraqis Must Die For Our Revenge?

2005-01-29T18:12:00.000-05:00

How Many More Iraqis Must Die For Our Revenge?

This is old, but it speaks for itself. To paraphrase the founder of our country, I can neither add nor subtract.

I will comment that if more Democrats and more leaders of the Catholic Church had said this we might be in a better world today, as might be a lot of Iraqis.

No way, we aren't taking all of the blame.

2005-01-29T18:00:00.000-05:00

There is no way that we are taking the complete blame for Herr Terminator. The Austrians are shocked and dismayed that Arnold allowed an execution to take place. Not being a big fan or Arnold's but aren't the Austrians the very same assholes who elected an honest to god Nazi with real war crime, er issues, as president. Not sure what the word is in German, but in English it is "perspective". Look it up assnozzles.

What really annoys me about this is well, the fact that it involves Austrians, but even more the fact that they are trying to foist their creation on us. We have enough problems with idiots born here thank you. Please clean up you own litter you dipshits.

Rare candid comment from Ms. Rice during her testimony.

2005-01-29T17:45:00.000-05:00

A seldom seen photo from the Rice confirmation hearings. In a rare moment of candor in her confirmation hearings, Ms. Rice summarizes Senator Biden's questions by commenting on his manhood.

Belated Friday cat blogging

2005-01-29T16:21:00.000-05:00

Image(384)
Originally uploaded by Sentenza.

Image(379)
Originally uploaded by Sentenza.

One of our other felids. Enjoying the sun after the blizzard.

I've been behind on blogging and pretty much everything else. Between the wretched cold I had, travel and work I haven't had the energy for it. I've tagged a number of articles over the last week or so, however, and will be putting them up with some comments over the next few days.

Please excuse my skepticism.

2005-01-28T13:59:00.000-05:00

According to this we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Well, okay, it really didn't say that but since it is my blog I feel enabled to editorialize a bit. There a are serious doubts, however, as to the validity of the claim that the Iraqi government is "winning" the war on terror there. First concern is the inherent lack of credibility the Iraqi government has (to say nothing of the US government). Even more so is the way in which the election will be viewed by the majority of the Iraqi people. Is an election in which 25% of the people participate and which has extreme biases in the participation of different groups within the country going to be seen as anything but a facade? Despite The Leaders comments of a week or two ago, the participation of the country matters more than the results.

It's snowing!

2005-01-22T17:44:00.000-05:00

Image(376).jpg
Originally uploaded by Sentenza.

Friday cat blogging

2005-01-21T22:46:00.000-05:00

satin
Originally uploaded by Sentenza.

I'm new to this blogging thing so this is my first Friday cat blog. One of our 3 beasts. I tagged a bunch of articles to write about last night but have been so sick for the past several days, and worse today, that this was all I could manage. But enjoy.

Wow, that's progress.

2005-01-20T06:12:00.000-05:00

Those Democratic senators are a tough lot. They got the nominee for Secretary of State to promise not to lie to them in the future. Hey folks, you did such a good job that my campaign contribution check is in the mail. Really, it is. Im sure it will get there any day. I mailed it Monday. Er, maybe Wednesday.

Wow, you couldn't make this up if you were sane!

2005-01-20T01:53:00.000-05:00

Sheriff Holcombe! Yeeowww.

My missive to the good sheriff. Also posted on the Atrios blog since people read that.

Dear Sheriff Holcomb:

I am sympathetic to your concerns. I too long for simpler times. But not the 1960s, rather the 1860s. I long for when if was not safe for a pelagra ridden, ignorant cretin from your shithole state to put on his stupid uniform. For when your uppity behaviour resulted in General Sherman, one of our greatest Americans, coming to your lice infested part of the country and burning it down. When the railroads that you tried to build to carry weapons in support of your army, which were ripped from the ground, the rails heated until they were soft then wrapped around trees. When that army of yours which was willing to murder to protect the abomination of slavery, was ground into raw meat by the righteous forces of the Union army and the will of God. And, when you people like you, while maybe no longer in chains, could not vote. It was indeed better then. So count to 12 (hint, use all your fingers) and wish it to go away and return to the good old days.

And by the way, sheriff. If you are concerned that if social mores and laws change you might be tempted to follow your natural inclinations and have sex with a man. Dont be. You are, as they say in the vernacular, very NAFF. I myself would not fuck you with Britt Humes dick. So relax. Your secret is safe with me.

It is officially Black Thursday here on the East Coast.

2005-01-20T01:29:00.000-05:00

Well, this is it. The end of the "American Dream". The end of the dream of equality, of religious freedom. The end. I have been trying to decide how to pass the day. Most of my thoughts were of jokes. Wearing a tin foil hat to work and the like. But it deserves more. The United States was a great country. But we have finally given in to fear, hatred and prejudice. And now we no longer have the claim to greatness. The observance of that deserves more than a tin foil hat.

Spam?

2005-01-20T01:11:00.000-05:00

As of 12:10 AM on January 20, 2005, my Yahoo Mail service thinks that email from John Kerry is spam. Hard to argue with that. Listen sir, you failed to defeat someone who is arguably the worst president in US history by any reasonable criteria. We counted on you and you didn't deliver. We need someone else. Someone who can do what needs to be done in the next two years before the midterm elections and then in the two years after that. It isn't you. I like you. I voted for you. I sent you money. But you have proven you can't do it. Get out of the way and let someone else try. It will be harder next time. Your next opponent will not be a complete failure as president. If you couldn't communicate the failings of The Leader you aren't going to do better next time. I'm looking for a job in France. I hear it is nice there. I would love to run into you there. I would buy you a beer and we could talk about how the country has gone to the freaks and morons. But you are too nice a guy, and too refined a guy to deal with the bastards.

Psst, you wanna buy some shit man?

2005-01-19T23:55:00.000-05:00

I would have felt a lot better about a call for unity if he hadn't renominated every judge that was not confirmed in his first term. Don't any of the fools and gutless, elite wimps in the press have the guts to ask The Leader about that?

I do not believe that she was questioned aggressively enough.

2005-01-19T22:09:00.000-05:00

"I really hope that you will refrain from impugning my integrity." Condi Rice.

Integrity, what integrity? And there was also some ridiculous talk of "competence"

I wanted to see this line of questioning:

Senator with Balls (hence, SB): So I see you are coming before us to gain our consent to be the Secretary of State? And that you were the National Security Advisor for the previous roughly 4 years?

Condi Rice (hence CR): Yes senator SB, that is correct.

SB: Well, if this was a simple old job interview I would want to know about how you did on your previous job, about the competence you demonstrated in that capacity.

CR: All of the media say I am very competent.

SB: Indeed, but you wouldn't mind if I asked a few little questions would you?

CR: Of course not SB, I relish the opportunity to dazzle the media with my intellect.

SB: Well, then let's talk about your previous job. I see you were National Security Advisor, what were the duties of your job?

CR: I was the most senior official in the government charged with advising the president on how to protect all aspects of the nations security.

SB: Wow, impressive. So that might answer something I have been wondering about for a few years.

CR: What is that SB?

SB: Well, may I use the corporate idiom in the discussion, we are both familiar with that world, you having been at Chevron and such?

CR: As you wish SB, and what is your question, in the cocrporate idiom of course (CR - raised eybrow, cut to major media fawn).

SB: I have been wondering who in the hell was executive vice-president in charge of making sure crazy Saudis and Egyptians don't steal commercial airliners and crash them into big buildings filled with thousands of innocent people. How's that aspect of the job working out for you?

CR: Sir, I am hardly responsable for that!

SB: Really, so you weren't the most senior advisor to the president on national security matters? You just said you were. Do you actually report to someone else?

CR: Well, no sir, but..

SB: Then are you saying it is the presidents fault, not yours? Because it god damn well is someones fault.

CR: Senator...

SB: Bah, competence indeed. Do you want to use your discovery and neutralization of Iraq WMDs to compensate for your failure to protect the country? If so we can have some fun with that one too.

CR: Sir, my competence is not in question.

SB: That might be the only thing we agree on. Well, let me move on to your integrity.

CR: Yes SB, also highly esteemed by the media.

SB: No doubt. You spoke very eloquently of your youth and your empathy for the poor.

CR: Thank you SB.

SB: And so, I naturally wondered, what in the hell you were doing supporting an administration that has been elected based on the systematic disenfranchisement of those poor and minority voters you describe?

CR: Sir, that is terribly unfair.

SB: What, that you support the administration or that you spoke eloquently of your empathy for the poor?

CR: Senator, you know what I mean. I would have hoped that we could have had this discussion without your resorting to facts!

SB: Now, that you mention it perhaps you might prefer dealing with rumor and innuendo. Stuff like the WMD reports.

CR: Sir, they are the palette of my reality molding. Let's have at them (some media members pass out from delight and admiration).

SB: Well then, don't you feel just a weeee bit funny supporting an administration that got elected by demonizing gays and well, for lack of a better word, lesbians.

CR: Senator, I never.....

SB: That isn't what I have heard.

Allawi for head of Homeland Security

2005-01-11T11:57:00.000-05:00

He already has the reporter pay off bit down. And he maybe won't be as apt to lock up random people as the current nominee. We may have a winner here.

I guess when you take pictures of yourself doing something you wished you hadn't you have to be creative in your defense.

2005-01-10T15:12:00.000-05:00

I really misjudged this. I thought they were torturing the poor Iraqis. Now I find out they were just training them for a new reality show, "Iraqs Greatest Male Cheeleaders". Or alternately, showing paternal tough love by having them on a leash. I feel a lot better about this. Waiting for an explanation of the simulated sodomy, however. But really, how bad can it be to turn them into male cheerleaders. After all The Leader and Trent Lott were both male cheerleaders, weren't they? Although I'm relatively certain that didn't involve simulated sodomy. Hmmm......

Hmm, is this an indication that the media whores are joining the "cultural wars"

2005-01-09T18:14:00.000-05:00

What is this all about? Meet the Fockers is a Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro film? But what about Babs and Dustin Hoffman? Are they really to inconsequential too mention? Or has the right wing media upped the ante to distort the reality that Babs and Dustin are enormously popular. I would have to guess the latter. They don't want people talking about how popular the evil left wing Babs is so they ignore her role in this blockbuster movie. This is getting a more than a little disturbing. It indicates a really pervasive reality distortion field. It isn't just politics anymore.

Apparently the US troops in Iraq have announced a change in tactics

2005-01-09T16:05:00.000-05:00

According to this story this is one of the first tests of the new tactics. Hmm, that isn't working out too well. Seems they used to keep moving after a roadside bomb goes off. Now they will stop and engage (ie kill the hell out of) the people who set off the bomb. That sort of assumes that the people who set off the bomb are still there and that other, rather more innocent people aren't there. Not working too well yet. Let's have a little quiz. Assuming you are an "insurgent" and you are aware of the new policy to stay at the side of a roadside bomb detonation and shot people you will do which of the following:

a) stay near the detonation so that you can get shot
b) be far away from the detonation so that you won't get shot
c) set off the detonation near someplace that it would be embarrassing for the Americans to shoot-up (say, let's just pick a couple; a police check-point or maybe a school)
d) b and c, above

Exit Polls - Kerry defeats Bush to win Presidency!

2005-01-09T15:01:00.000-05:00

Ooops, although maybe the Palestinian elections aren't rigged.

Oh my heavens.....The Wit and Wisdom of Karl Rove.

2005-01-09T13:31:00.000-05:00

Scroll down to the part about Rove and Carville. In fact forget the part about Carville. Who cares. The interesting part is Rove explaining that the key to winning the White House was to "Have respect -- for the voters . . . and for your opponent". And even better....."Don't let yourself dislike him; people will pick up on your hostility, and it will hurt you." The reality distortion engine is fully engaged. We are off to see the fucking wizard.......

Listen up Democrats

2005-01-08T20:53:00.000-05:00

27-0814a
Originally uploaded by Sentenza.

This is a watershed for the Democrats. Social Security is THE Democratic legacy of the 20th century. Remember the old man on the stoop. He is why the Democrats made Social Security and why the Republicans have been trying to destroy it for 50 years. If they run from defending it, or even if they dont run but fail to defend it they should disappear. There is no need for a Democratic party that cannot defend social security. They will not get another dime from me until they show that they will fight and win on this. I'm tired of excuses from these losers. Suck it up and do what it takes to win, or go away.

09-1816a
Originally uploaded by Sentenza.

FDR is watching you. He could barely walk but he got the job done. It's time for you to stop feeling sorry for yourselves and win this.

Another reason for the Leader to only hear good news.

2005-01-08T19:12:00.000-05:00

This is really upbeat. Maybe Bush is right in not hearing bad news. The whole thing is coming unraveled and there isn't a damn thing they can do about but ignore it.

Thank you Senator Boxer

2005-01-06T23:05:00.000-05:00

Thank you Senator Boxer Last post of the day but I couldn't let the day pass without saying that. Bless you and the colleagues from the House that you joined.
Moblog with PicoBlogger.

Thank goodness that The Leader no longer allows himself to hear bad news about Iraq

2005-01-06T22:03:00.000-05:00

Because if he did he would be as depressed about this as I am. And I wouldn't want that to be the case.

More Red State chicken poop.

2005-01-06T09:53:00.000-05:00

What is wrong with this story? First of all, in Texas it is now evidence of competence by a psychiatrist that they consulted on a TV show? So I would be an expert able to testify on issues regarding an aberrant relationship between a father and a son if I was a consultant for "Star Wars"? I dont think so. Although I would be rich enough to move to France or someplace with fewer lunatics, but that as they say, is another story. Geez, it's no wonder these cretins don't believe in evolution. Although what prompted the shrink to say something like this is worthy of another thread. I mean really, who would do something like that?

Good news is no news

2005-01-06T09:03:00.000-05:00

Take a look at this. It seems like the commander in chief no longer wants to hear any bad news from Iraq. Well, come to think of it. I dont want to hear any more bad news from Iraq either.

So why did I have to read that the war in Iraq is destroying the US Army Reserve? According to the article they will soon no longer be able to carry out their mission. Nice job......

I would have been a lot cheaper if the church had just hired male prostitutes (well, maybe some girls too, who knows what they were into).

2005-01-04T23:43:00.000-05:00

Yeeeeooowww

Now that is a bit embarrassing. I hadn't heard about nuns being involved in the abuse. Good grief, and people still give these folks money and listen to them when they talk about morals.......

I'm so very surprised by this.

2004-12-27T15:43:00.000-05:00

According to this story....

It seems like all of those people who voted for Bush because of his support traditional values even though they thought he wasnt doing a great job might be a tad bit disappointed. Next thing you know, the Republicans won't outlaw abortion.

I mean, how stupid can these people be to be led on by the moral hypocrits of the Republican party year after year. These people will not give the people who voted for them what they want; either because they can't, or won't because they know it would be political suicide.

It is a lot safer politically to be a pro-life Republican than someone who helped outlaw abortion. Pro choice people are a lot less motvated to vote against someone when they don't think they need to. A lot of Republicans are making a careers out of talking about outlawing choice, rather than doing it. Nice to see they have a second empty issue to start working up for the morons that cant see through them.

Amazing, two enormous intellects rising to prominence at this historic time

2004-12-20T20:57:00.000-05:00

This is astonishing. At one point in human history, two incredible intellects coming to maturity in the public forum. I hope people appreciate how fortunate we are to witness and benefit from it. Maybe after they solve the Iraq "troubles" they should move to solving the unified field theory. The future is as promising as it ever has been.

The bombers in Iraq are:

Having an effect

Trying to start a civil war

Oh, and then there is the fact that The Supreme Donald is:

"A Caring Fellow"

In fact the unified field theory should be just the beginning for Bush and Allawi. Maybe they should work on a warp drive (oil powered, of course) or at least an infinate improbability drive.

Currently in Japan

2004-12-18T19:46:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to post on a regular basis but I have been in Japan since Wednesday night. Been tough to log on regularly here. Back to the States Monday evening.

I hate when this happens

2004-12-18T19:13:00.000-05:00

You make a display pointing out someones human right's abuses and they put up a display showing yours. Unfortunately, in the display your abuses look worse.

Cuba in this case...

Wow! Something else to make me optimistic...

2004-12-12T18:15:00.000-05:00

Jerry Springer to begin radio talk show. This is potentially interesting. Springer could really mix up state politics in Ohio. Before becoming a TV shock-clown he was VERY formidable in local politics in Cincinnati, the Republican base in Ohio. Note that as a Democrat, in a heavily Republican area, he was elected mayor with the biggest plurality in history.

But the real interesting and exciting thing is that there is going to be a liberal talk radio station in Cincinnati other than Air America. Nothing against, Air America, I love them. But another one. This means it is catching on. In Ohio. This is just outstanding news.

Some interesting and frightening comments on civilian casualties in Iraq

2004-12-12T17:38:00.000-05:00

This is an interesting read. On the one hand it actually discusses the civilian casualties in Iraq and their impact on recruiting insurgents. It is good that he raises the issue. On the other hand, I found this statement disturbing:

"Massing suggests that part of the reason much of the media has avoided some of the more uncomfortable stories out of Iraq is that during the U.S. presidential election season, the Bush and Kerry campaigns presented opposite views over whether Iraq was going well or badly, and that quickly meant that any news reporting focused on negative aspects of the U.S. presence in Iraq were quickly framed as partisan in intent, and therefore requiring "balance" as a domestic political story might."

Does this mean that if the media thinks reporting facts might cause one to vote differently they should make up things out of "fairness"? Or just ignore the facts and not talk about them. That is neither necessary nor sufficient for fairness. Should't the media be concerned with "truth"? It does exist, really it does.

This makes me a little more optimistic.

2004-12-12T17:27:00.000-05:00

I like some of the things these guys are saying. I especially like Blanchard's suggestion of going after Republicans using DeLay as a issue. That is exactly how the Republicans got control of the House to begin with. Except it was Jim Wright not Tom DeLay. Dean and Ickes also strike me as real strong possible leaders.

Hmm, are we bugging the pope's phone as well?

2004-12-12T17:19:00.000-05:00

Do we really have to behave like international criminals?Shouldn't someone get fired or put in jail or something for this? If anyone, as an American, doesn't find this embarrassing I think they must have real issues. We are behaving like out of control thugs.