Thursday, October 30, 2008
The Oxy-moron's Take On Obama's Infomercial
What do you think Limbaugh had to say about the Obama infomercial? Maybe some well thought out, critical analysis of Obama's plans and vision for our future? Gotcha! That's my little joke. Limbaugh...critical thought...haha. I amuse myself.
No, he decided to attack the families that were portrayed. He wondered aloud how bad off Family #1 could be if they could still afford to buy snacks for their children.
Family #2, the retired couple who couldn't afford their medication? C'mon people, arthritis happens. And don't worry, "the Messiah" will lay his hands on these people and cure arthritis right after he is elected. Nice sacrilege, Rush. I'm sure your christian right base gets a kick out of that one. Everyone knows a negro can't be the Messiah. But Rush, you fooled me on this one. I thought that you, of all people, would understand the pain of needing medication. After all, as you well know, that Oxycontin isn't cheap, is it? Ask your maid/supplier how much that stuff sells for on the street.
He simply referred to Family #3 as "the Fat Family". Pot? Kettle? Black? To his physically similar kin, he said, "why don't you ration the Pepsi?"
That's all I could listen to. Small doses. But wow, the right is completely void of any ideas or intelligent thought. Listening to this guy is like being back in high school. It's all name calling and social status through tearing other people down. It's simply amazing to me that people listen to this guy and believe in what he says.
No, he decided to attack the families that were portrayed. He wondered aloud how bad off Family #1 could be if they could still afford to buy snacks for their children.
Family #2, the retired couple who couldn't afford their medication? C'mon people, arthritis happens. And don't worry, "the Messiah" will lay his hands on these people and cure arthritis right after he is elected. Nice sacrilege, Rush. I'm sure your christian right base gets a kick out of that one. Everyone knows a negro can't be the Messiah. But Rush, you fooled me on this one. I thought that you, of all people, would understand the pain of needing medication. After all, as you well know, that Oxycontin isn't cheap, is it? Ask your maid/supplier how much that stuff sells for on the street.
He simply referred to Family #3 as "the Fat Family". Pot? Kettle? Black? To his physically similar kin, he said, "why don't you ration the Pepsi?"
That's all I could listen to. Small doses. But wow, the right is completely void of any ideas or intelligent thought. Listening to this guy is like being back in high school. It's all name calling and social status through tearing other people down. It's simply amazing to me that people listen to this guy and believe in what he says.
The Godless Must Be Crazy
This clip takes Elizabeth Dole and her "Godless" ad to task, as well as all of the other politicians who use fear and hate and lies to try to sway voters.
Count The Propaganda Tools (home version)
In an all new special Halloween edition of "Guilt By Association", McCain/Palin boarded the Smear Talk Express again yesterday in yet another baseless attempt at smear and fear. They sure are desperate, aren't they?
Let's count how many right wing propaganda tools are used in this one single story, shall we? First, McCain and Palin accused the Los Angeles Times of protecting Obama by withholding a videotape of Obama attending a party in 2003. (Ding...give yourself 1 point if you said, "attack and/or blame the liberal media"). Never mind, that the LAT was responsible for actually breaking the story.
At issue is Rashid Khalidi, who McCain and Palin called a former spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organization. (Ding...give yourself 1 point if you said, "associating with known terrorists". Give yourself a bonus point if you were smart enough to know that Mr. Khalidi was never in reality a spokesman for the PLO, which falls under the Republican propaganda tool called "making things up").
At this party, Mr. Khalidi made some anti-Israel statements. Palin was quick to point out that "what we don't know is how Barack Obama responded to these slurs on a country that he professes to support." (Ding...1 point for "using ignorance instead of facts"). It must have merely slipped her mind that Obama is on record as saying that his commitment to Israel's security is "nonnegotiable."
Saving the best for last, while trying to paint yet another bogus picture of Obama as someone who "palls around" with shady characters, McCain and Palin forgot to mention one tiny little detail. The International Republican Institute, which McCain has long chaired, donated at least $448,000 to a Palestinian research organization in the 1990s that this same man, Rashid Khalidi, helped found. (Ding...1 point if you said "gigantic hypocrites").
Thanks for playing. I think I'll file this under "I can't make this stuff up".
Let's count how many right wing propaganda tools are used in this one single story, shall we? First, McCain and Palin accused the Los Angeles Times of protecting Obama by withholding a videotape of Obama attending a party in 2003. (Ding...give yourself 1 point if you said, "attack and/or blame the liberal media"). Never mind, that the LAT was responsible for actually breaking the story.
At issue is Rashid Khalidi, who McCain and Palin called a former spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organization. (Ding...give yourself 1 point if you said, "associating with known terrorists". Give yourself a bonus point if you were smart enough to know that Mr. Khalidi was never in reality a spokesman for the PLO, which falls under the Republican propaganda tool called "making things up").
At this party, Mr. Khalidi made some anti-Israel statements. Palin was quick to point out that "what we don't know is how Barack Obama responded to these slurs on a country that he professes to support." (Ding...1 point for "using ignorance instead of facts"). It must have merely slipped her mind that Obama is on record as saying that his commitment to Israel's security is "nonnegotiable."
Saving the best for last, while trying to paint yet another bogus picture of Obama as someone who "palls around" with shady characters, McCain and Palin forgot to mention one tiny little detail. The International Republican Institute, which McCain has long chaired, donated at least $448,000 to a Palestinian research organization in the 1990s that this same man, Rashid Khalidi, helped found. (Ding...1 point if you said "gigantic hypocrites").
Thanks for playing. I think I'll file this under "I can't make this stuff up".
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Obama Infomercial
I'll go ahead and link the infomercial. Hopefully, youtube won't pull it.
Pretty powerful stuff. I had no idea what to expect and had visions of Ross Perot and his charts in my head. I don't know why but I had it in my head, as recently as this morning, that this was going to be a live address. It certainly is not. It's a well edited piece combining human interest stories with Obama's plans for our Country.
Sure, it's an Obama propaganda program, but it hits home in an honest and real way. It talks candidly about the middle class and how it has been destroyed over the last 8 years and goes into detail regarding the steps needed to bring it back. I can't imagine any open minded person watching this program and not being touched. It will make you think, it could very well make you cry. But most importantly, it shows a man with a vision for our Country.
Enjoy, then go vote for Obama.
Pretty powerful stuff. I had no idea what to expect and had visions of Ross Perot and his charts in my head. I don't know why but I had it in my head, as recently as this morning, that this was going to be a live address. It certainly is not. It's a well edited piece combining human interest stories with Obama's plans for our Country.
Sure, it's an Obama propaganda program, but it hits home in an honest and real way. It talks candidly about the middle class and how it has been destroyed over the last 8 years and goes into detail regarding the steps needed to bring it back. I can't imagine any open minded person watching this program and not being touched. It will make you think, it could very well make you cry. But most importantly, it shows a man with a vision for our Country.
Enjoy, then go vote for Obama.
Surprise, It's October
The Obama infomercial airs tonight at 8pm. I'm not a conspiracy theorist or anything but I couldn't help thinking that if there was going to be an "October Surprise" then today would be the day.
What better opportunity for the McCain camp to try to throw Obama off message and try to make him look bad than to have some sort of attack or "incident" today, say late afternoon. Force him to go on the air live and discuss the situation or worse yet, cancel the appearance altogether.
Although, like everything else the Republicans have tried recently, this would simply backfire. Chances are, Obama would take to the airwaves, handle the situation perfectly, and coast to an even larger landslide victory.
What better opportunity for the McCain camp to try to throw Obama off message and try to make him look bad than to have some sort of attack or "incident" today, say late afternoon. Force him to go on the air live and discuss the situation or worse yet, cancel the appearance altogether.
Although, like everything else the Republicans have tried recently, this would simply backfire. Chances are, Obama would take to the airwaves, handle the situation perfectly, and coast to an even larger landslide victory.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Obama Steeler Jersey
Oh, HELL yeah. I blogged a week or so ago about how Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney was actively campaigning for Obama. That's right Steeler Nation. If Obama's good enough for Rooney then he's good enough for you. Unless you're some kind of Steeler hating, Muslim terrorist, or something.
Fight The Power
MoveOn called me last night, again. They wanted to make sure that I realized that the election was only one week away (they obviously didn't know who they were talking to) and telling me that the last week was vital and could I please volunteer for 2 hours sometime between Saturday and Tuesday.
Think about that. Here we are on the verge of a political landslide victory by Obama and MoveOn is still organizing volunteers in the 11th hour. And that, "my friends", is exactly why this election will be a landslide. The Democrats just want it more. We're willing to fight until the very last minute to make sure that we get every possible vote.
Let's compare that to the McCain camp. I watched the following video yesterday where a woman went into a McCain local headquarters and started interviewing "volunteers". Before long, it was established that this branch office had no "volunteers". Every person she spoke to was being paid. That's all well and good until someone lets the cat out of the bag that the McCain "volunteers" are actually temp agency employees. I shit you not. The McCain camp apparently couldn't drum up enough volunteers and actually had to resort to hiring a temp agency to go do "volunteer" work. And I won't even get into the violent, angry, confrontational approach the McCain "leader" exhibits when he comes out, covers the camera lens with his hand and repeatedly threatens to have her arrested. Kudos to the reporter who finally tells the blowhard to "go ahead and start that process" while she keeps her cool and continues her report. See a pattern here?
Enjoy, this is beautiful.
Think about that. Here we are on the verge of a political landslide victory by Obama and MoveOn is still organizing volunteers in the 11th hour. And that, "my friends", is exactly why this election will be a landslide. The Democrats just want it more. We're willing to fight until the very last minute to make sure that we get every possible vote.
Let's compare that to the McCain camp. I watched the following video yesterday where a woman went into a McCain local headquarters and started interviewing "volunteers". Before long, it was established that this branch office had no "volunteers". Every person she spoke to was being paid. That's all well and good until someone lets the cat out of the bag that the McCain "volunteers" are actually temp agency employees. I shit you not. The McCain camp apparently couldn't drum up enough volunteers and actually had to resort to hiring a temp agency to go do "volunteer" work. And I won't even get into the violent, angry, confrontational approach the McCain "leader" exhibits when he comes out, covers the camera lens with his hand and repeatedly threatens to have her arrested. Kudos to the reporter who finally tells the blowhard to "go ahead and start that process" while she keeps her cool and continues her report. See a pattern here?
Enjoy, this is beautiful.
Obama Rep Smacks Down Fox "news" For Fake Story
The Fox "news" girl, Megyn Kelly, sure does try hard but she really doesn't stand a chance in the end. Facts always tend to have a liberal bias. This clip deals with the story I blogged yesterday about how Drudge/Fox/Limbaugh et al, tried to use an Obama radio interview from 2001 to try to prove that he was a socialist when in fact Obama was making the exact opposite point. Plenty of desperation and anger from Kelly in the clip. Why are these Republicans so angry? As usual, the Obama rep stays calm and cool, sticking to the facts.
My favorite part is at the very end when she actually says that Fox "news" doesn't have an agenda and that they are "fair and balanced". She could make a more persuasive argument that the Earth is flat.
My favorite part is at the very end when she actually says that Fox "news" doesn't have an agenda and that they are "fair and balanced". She could make a more persuasive argument that the Earth is flat.
She Was For Socialism Before She Was Against It
McCain/Palin, the gift that keeps on giving. The New Yorker has unearthed this latest gem from Palin:
A few weeks before she was nominated for Vice-President, she told a visiting journalist--Philip Gourevitch, of this magazine--that "we're set up, unlike other states in the union, where it's collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs."
I am SO going to miss these two a week from now. Perhaps after they get annihilated in the election, they can take their comedy act on the road or maybe do a two month stand in Vegas.
Palin can wear her $150,000 wardrobe and McCain can fly in on his Sugar Mama's personal jet from one of their plethora of houses, and they can take turns talking about what an elitist the new President is.
In other news, McCain is calling for the resignation of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, in the wake of his felony conviction on seven counts of making false statements on Senate ethics forms in an effort to hide hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and work on his Alaska home from an oilfield contractor at the center of a corruption investigation in the state.
Way to take the high road there, McCain, but isn't there another Alaskan government official who was recently found guilty of ethics violations for abuse of power in trying to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from his job as an Alaska State Trooper? It seems to me that if you're calling for resignations over ethics violations you might want to start with your Trophy VP. I'm just saying.
A few weeks before she was nominated for Vice-President, she told a visiting journalist--Philip Gourevitch, of this magazine--that "we're set up, unlike other states in the union, where it's collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs."
I am SO going to miss these two a week from now. Perhaps after they get annihilated in the election, they can take their comedy act on the road or maybe do a two month stand in Vegas.
Palin can wear her $150,000 wardrobe and McCain can fly in on his Sugar Mama's personal jet from one of their plethora of houses, and they can take turns talking about what an elitist the new President is.
In other news, McCain is calling for the resignation of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, in the wake of his felony conviction on seven counts of making false statements on Senate ethics forms in an effort to hide hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and work on his Alaska home from an oilfield contractor at the center of a corruption investigation in the state.
Way to take the high road there, McCain, but isn't there another Alaskan government official who was recently found guilty of ethics violations for abuse of power in trying to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from his job as an Alaska State Trooper? It seems to me that if you're calling for resignations over ethics violations you might want to start with your Trophy VP. I'm just saying.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Obama Assassination Plot Thwarted
Like I just got done saying, it's about time for the Secret Service to start taking these threats seriously and start sending a loud and clear message that this behavior will result in arrest and jail time. Here's the latest story.
Why is it that white supremacists are always, without exception, the most bottom of the barrel, white trash, loser scum known to man?
Allow me to answer my own question. Could it be because they are dumb but also just smart enough to realize that they are stupid and so they cling to the erroneous glimmer of hope that people of differing races are somehow inferior to them as a means of coping with their actual deep down known position in society?
I'm not a psychologist but I play one on the internet.
Secret Service...Do your job.
Why is it that white supremacists are always, without exception, the most bottom of the barrel, white trash, loser scum known to man?
Allow me to answer my own question. Could it be because they are dumb but also just smart enough to realize that they are stupid and so they cling to the erroneous glimmer of hope that people of differing races are somehow inferior to them as a means of coping with their actual deep down known position in society?
I'm not a psychologist but I play one on the internet.
Secret Service...Do your job.
Yawn, Another Day, Another Fake Republican "News" Story
Limbaugh was trumpeting this "story" this afternoon as well, so I thought I'd help set the record straight.
As usual, when someone else reports a story better than I could do myself, I bring you their story. From the Daily Kos:
Fresh off of breaking the "story" that a McCain volunteer was "mutilated" (er, scratched) by a big, bad black man (er, herself, really), Drudge continues his decent into the absurd and the McCain campaign is again willing to join him in the nosedive down the rabbit hole.
Today's false story of choice? Drudge claims this:
2001 OBAMA: TRAGEDY THAT 'REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH' NOT PURSUED BY SUPREME COURT
The "headline" links to a YouTube video of a seven year old radio interview which, as was expected, reflects the complete opposite of the screeching headline.
In the interview, Obama actually states the following:
Obama said "one of the, I think, the tragedies of the civil rights movement, was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change, and in some ways we still stuffer from that."
The "tragedy" wasn't that the Supreme Court did not, as Drudge screeches, pursue the "redistribution of wealth." In fact, he states that the "tragedy" was that the civil rights movement, in seeking equalizing policies, focused too much on courts and not enough on political and community organizing.
In other words, the Drudge/McCain/Fox "News" hype of this story is as painfully desperate and transparently faux as a backwards "B" scratched into the face of a McCain volunteer by her own hand.
The legal minds over at the Volokh Conspiracy agree:
[Obama] seems to think that it was a huge error for activists to try to achieve more general redistribution through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. (In the waning days of the Warren Court, there was a movement to try to constitutionalize a right to a minimum income.) Co-interviewee Dennis Hutchison even suggests that in pre-interview conversation, Obama agreed with him that Goldberg v. Kelley, establishing procedural protections for welfare recipients, was wrongly decided, or at least promised much more than it could possibly achieve.
And Cass Sunstein sets the record straight, pointing out that not only was Obama arguing the exact opposite of what the smear claims, but that "redistributive" doesn't mean what most people think it means in this narrow legal context:
Sunstein argued that Obama is discussing redistribution in a relatively narrow legal context: The discussion in the 1970s of whether the Supreme Court would create the right to a social safety net -- to things like education and welfare. He also noted that in the interview, Obama appears to express support for the court's rejection of that line of argument, saying instead that the civil rights movement should aim for the same goals through legislative action.
"What the critics are missing is that the term 'redistribution' didn’t man in the Constitutional context equalized wealth or anything like that. It meant some positive rights, most prominently the right to education, and also the right to a lawyer," Sunstein said. "What he’s saying – this is the irony of it – he’s basically taking the side of the conservatives then and now against the liberals."
Meanwhile the Obama campaign responds to the faux outrage de jour:
"This is a fake news controversy drummed up by the all too common alliance of Fox News, the Drudge Report and John McCain, who apparently decided to close out his campaign with the same false, desperate attacks that have failed for months. In this seven year old interview, Senator Obama did not say that the courts should get into the business of redistributing wealth at all. Americans know that the real choice in this election is between four more years of Bush-McCain policies that redistribute billions to billionaires and big corporations and Barack Obama’s plan to help the middle class by giving tax relief to 95% of workers and companies that create new jobs here in America. That’s the change we need, and no amount of eleventh-hour distractions from the McCain campaign will change that."
As usual, when someone else reports a story better than I could do myself, I bring you their story. From the Daily Kos:
Fresh off of breaking the "story" that a McCain volunteer was "mutilated" (er, scratched) by a big, bad black man (er, herself, really), Drudge continues his decent into the absurd and the McCain campaign is again willing to join him in the nosedive down the rabbit hole.
Today's false story of choice? Drudge claims this:
2001 OBAMA: TRAGEDY THAT 'REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH' NOT PURSUED BY SUPREME COURT
The "headline" links to a YouTube video of a seven year old radio interview which, as was expected, reflects the complete opposite of the screeching headline.
In the interview, Obama actually states the following:
Obama said "one of the, I think, the tragedies of the civil rights movement, was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change, and in some ways we still stuffer from that."
The "tragedy" wasn't that the Supreme Court did not, as Drudge screeches, pursue the "redistribution of wealth." In fact, he states that the "tragedy" was that the civil rights movement, in seeking equalizing policies, focused too much on courts and not enough on political and community organizing.
In other words, the Drudge/McCain/Fox "News" hype of this story is as painfully desperate and transparently faux as a backwards "B" scratched into the face of a McCain volunteer by her own hand.
The legal minds over at the Volokh Conspiracy agree:
[Obama] seems to think that it was a huge error for activists to try to achieve more general redistribution through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. (In the waning days of the Warren Court, there was a movement to try to constitutionalize a right to a minimum income.) Co-interviewee Dennis Hutchison even suggests that in pre-interview conversation, Obama agreed with him that Goldberg v. Kelley, establishing procedural protections for welfare recipients, was wrongly decided, or at least promised much more than it could possibly achieve.
And Cass Sunstein sets the record straight, pointing out that not only was Obama arguing the exact opposite of what the smear claims, but that "redistributive" doesn't mean what most people think it means in this narrow legal context:
Sunstein argued that Obama is discussing redistribution in a relatively narrow legal context: The discussion in the 1970s of whether the Supreme Court would create the right to a social safety net -- to things like education and welfare. He also noted that in the interview, Obama appears to express support for the court's rejection of that line of argument, saying instead that the civil rights movement should aim for the same goals through legislative action.
"What the critics are missing is that the term 'redistribution' didn’t man in the Constitutional context equalized wealth or anything like that. It meant some positive rights, most prominently the right to education, and also the right to a lawyer," Sunstein said. "What he’s saying – this is the irony of it – he’s basically taking the side of the conservatives then and now against the liberals."
Meanwhile the Obama campaign responds to the faux outrage de jour:
"This is a fake news controversy drummed up by the all too common alliance of Fox News, the Drudge Report and John McCain, who apparently decided to close out his campaign with the same false, desperate attacks that have failed for months. In this seven year old interview, Senator Obama did not say that the courts should get into the business of redistributing wealth at all. Americans know that the real choice in this election is between four more years of Bush-McCain policies that redistribute billions to billionaires and big corporations and Barack Obama’s plan to help the middle class by giving tax relief to 95% of workers and companies that create new jobs here in America. That’s the change we need, and no amount of eleventh-hour distractions from the McCain campaign will change that."
Get Your Obama Terrorist Masks Here
Someone, for some reason, typed in "terrorist costume" on amazon.com and only one entry turned up. A Barack Obama halloween mask. Here's the story. Amazon was made aware of the issue and they promptly pulled the item or at least the search term. But let's take a quick look at this, shall we?
First, before we jump all over Amazon, let's give them the benefit of the doubt. As a small business owner, I've done business with Amazon for many years and I've never had a problem. They list my products, they pay me when they sell, and they order more inventory.
I'm guessing what happened here is some dumb ass Republican (redundant?) signed up as a vendor under the AmazonAdvantage program (I'm assuming they still have this program), listed his products, and added his own search terms. I really don't think that Amazon maliciously slandered a Presidential candidate. But on the other hand, something in the back of my brain is telling me that something like this has happened before. Readers, help me out if you can remember another instance of Amazon and Democrat smearing. I'll google it if I have time. But regardless, even if there is a history here, it doesn't necessarily mean that Amazon is the culprit.
However, I really do think that it is time for the Secret Service to start stepping in and investigating these matters in a very public way. There seems to be way too many haters out there and unless an example is set, the hate/racism could very easily escalate into a very regrettable National situation. Honestly, there is no shortage of right wing whacko's out there. And now that we are on the verge of having the first ever African-American President of the United States, I don't think there is any such thing as being too cautious. These people need to be made to understand that it is not acceptable behavior whether it is shouting "terrorist" or "kill him" at a McCain rally or simply putting a mask for sale under the heading "terrorist costume". Hate and threats of violence can not and will not be tolerated. It's time to draw the line before it's too late.
UPDATE: Just doing a little research and found the following description: For the donkey party! Democrat Presidential candidate Barack Obama full over-the-head vinyl mask. Excellent detailing with a realistic look.
Obviously, some Republican tool. If the "donkey party" description wasn't enough of a hint, only the Limbaugh crowd uses the erroneous term Democrat when referring to the Democratic Party. It's one of Rush's Junior High level intelligence "cool in-jokes", I think. Or maybe he's just dumber than I think he is. I digress.
So the real "ass" (continuing with their "donkey party" theme) is a company called Jekyll and Hyde. I don't have the time or patience to track them down on line but if you want to go after someone regarding this, they're your culprit.
First, before we jump all over Amazon, let's give them the benefit of the doubt. As a small business owner, I've done business with Amazon for many years and I've never had a problem. They list my products, they pay me when they sell, and they order more inventory.
I'm guessing what happened here is some dumb ass Republican (redundant?) signed up as a vendor under the AmazonAdvantage program (I'm assuming they still have this program), listed his products, and added his own search terms. I really don't think that Amazon maliciously slandered a Presidential candidate. But on the other hand, something in the back of my brain is telling me that something like this has happened before. Readers, help me out if you can remember another instance of Amazon and Democrat smearing. I'll google it if I have time. But regardless, even if there is a history here, it doesn't necessarily mean that Amazon is the culprit.
However, I really do think that it is time for the Secret Service to start stepping in and investigating these matters in a very public way. There seems to be way too many haters out there and unless an example is set, the hate/racism could very easily escalate into a very regrettable National situation. Honestly, there is no shortage of right wing whacko's out there. And now that we are on the verge of having the first ever African-American President of the United States, I don't think there is any such thing as being too cautious. These people need to be made to understand that it is not acceptable behavior whether it is shouting "terrorist" or "kill him" at a McCain rally or simply putting a mask for sale under the heading "terrorist costume". Hate and threats of violence can not and will not be tolerated. It's time to draw the line before it's too late.
UPDATE: Just doing a little research and found the following description: For the donkey party! Democrat Presidential candidate Barack Obama full over-the-head vinyl mask. Excellent detailing with a realistic look.
Obviously, some Republican tool. If the "donkey party" description wasn't enough of a hint, only the Limbaugh crowd uses the erroneous term Democrat when referring to the Democratic Party. It's one of Rush's Junior High level intelligence "cool in-jokes", I think. Or maybe he's just dumber than I think he is. I digress.
So the real "ass" (continuing with their "donkey party" theme) is a company called Jekyll and Hyde. I don't have the time or patience to track them down on line but if you want to go after someone regarding this, they're your culprit.
All In The Family
Anger management, erratic behavior, and bad judgment apparently runs in the family.
Jumping Ship
Rush, my favorite Oxy-moron, was just blabbing about how "angry" the democrats are. Now, we all know that Rush and his cronies often live in Opposite World, but this one, for some reason, just made me stop in place with the realization that I literally can't remember the last time I've encountered a Democrat who was "angry".
Almost everyone I know is giddy with excitement, with hope, with genuine enthusiasm and the knowledge that the dark days of Bush/Cheney are about to come to a grinding halt and a new, bright chapter in American history is about to begin.
I have honestly been brought to the verge of tears on an almost daily basis for the past week each time I realize that this is actually going to happen. That we are finally going to have a leader who "gets it". An intellectual, with the capacity for logical thinking, reasoning and long term planning. Someone who will put the majority of Americans first, instead of catering to big money and big business.
Yes, someone is definitely "angry" but it sure isn't the Democrats. Have you noticed the infighting between Palin and McCain as each one, sensing defeat, has gone into full on damage control mode? Palin is being accused of "going rogue" during her speeches. In other words, she's not sticking to the script that they write for her. Why? Because she knows that this campaign is sinking fast and she doesn't want to go down with it. So she's trying to separate herself from McCain in an effort to keep her political career alive. It has gone from "Country First" to every (wo)man for their self.
Yes, the rats are jumping ship, and not for the lame reason that Limbaugh and his peers have been giving, that the real reason that Colin Powell and other intelligent conservatives have endorsed Obama is because they want to be invited to the parties and State dinners for the next 4 years. No, that is something that only a shallow fool such as Rush would consider.
The reality is that these people are jumping ship because they're smart enough to recognize that the Bush/Cheney years have been a disaster for our Country on every level and that 4 or 8 more years of McSame would only result in, you guessed it, more of the McSame. And that would not only be tragic, it would likely be more than this once great nation could possibly endure.
So "my friends", feel free to jump ship. It's not too late. Come on aboard. Unlike the S.S. McSame, this ship has room for everyone. Come to the light.
Almost everyone I know is giddy with excitement, with hope, with genuine enthusiasm and the knowledge that the dark days of Bush/Cheney are about to come to a grinding halt and a new, bright chapter in American history is about to begin.
I have honestly been brought to the verge of tears on an almost daily basis for the past week each time I realize that this is actually going to happen. That we are finally going to have a leader who "gets it". An intellectual, with the capacity for logical thinking, reasoning and long term planning. Someone who will put the majority of Americans first, instead of catering to big money and big business.
Yes, someone is definitely "angry" but it sure isn't the Democrats. Have you noticed the infighting between Palin and McCain as each one, sensing defeat, has gone into full on damage control mode? Palin is being accused of "going rogue" during her speeches. In other words, she's not sticking to the script that they write for her. Why? Because she knows that this campaign is sinking fast and she doesn't want to go down with it. So she's trying to separate herself from McCain in an effort to keep her political career alive. It has gone from "Country First" to every (wo)man for their self.
Yes, the rats are jumping ship, and not for the lame reason that Limbaugh and his peers have been giving, that the real reason that Colin Powell and other intelligent conservatives have endorsed Obama is because they want to be invited to the parties and State dinners for the next 4 years. No, that is something that only a shallow fool such as Rush would consider.
The reality is that these people are jumping ship because they're smart enough to recognize that the Bush/Cheney years have been a disaster for our Country on every level and that 4 or 8 more years of McSame would only result in, you guessed it, more of the McSame. And that would not only be tragic, it would likely be more than this once great nation could possibly endure.
So "my friends", feel free to jump ship. It's not too late. Come on aboard. Unlike the S.S. McSame, this ship has room for everyone. Come to the light.
Early Voting
I've been telling everyone that early voting in Ohio will be a huge advantage for Obama. It looks like I couldn't have been more right. Here is the voting breakdown through Saturday for Franklin County. So far, 14,992 early voters are registered Democrats, 1,260 Republican, and 13,409 are unaffiliated. Of the unaffiliated, I can't imagine that more than a handful of them are voting Republican. Republicans just aren't excited enough about their candidate to make a special trip downtown to vote early.
Landslide, baby! Landslide.
Landslide, baby! Landslide.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Spreading The Fear
In the following clip, the interviewer goes to great length to try to paint Obama/Biden as Socialist, Communists, even invoking Karl Marx into the conversation. She repeatedly goes back to the "spread the wealth" line of questioning. Biden hammers her pretty good.
But let us just be clear about "spreading the wealth". Contrary to what the desperate, pathetic Republican party and their media shills would have you think, "spreading the wealth" has absolutely nothing to do with Socialism. Instead, what Obama was saying is that we need to give 95% of Americans a tax cut instead of the McCain/Bush plan to keep giving the richest 1% a tax cut at the expense of the 99%.
Apparently, Republicans believe that tax cuts are now a form of Communism. In the best interest of our democratic society, perhaps the Republicans should rescind the tax cut to the wealthiest 1%, because in right wing wacko world, even 1% Communist is way too much Communism.
Here's the clip:
But let us just be clear about "spreading the wealth". Contrary to what the desperate, pathetic Republican party and their media shills would have you think, "spreading the wealth" has absolutely nothing to do with Socialism. Instead, what Obama was saying is that we need to give 95% of Americans a tax cut instead of the McCain/Bush plan to keep giving the richest 1% a tax cut at the expense of the 99%.
Apparently, Republicans believe that tax cuts are now a form of Communism. In the best interest of our democratic society, perhaps the Republicans should rescind the tax cut to the wealthiest 1%, because in right wing wacko world, even 1% Communist is way too much Communism.
Here's the clip:
Jumping The Shark
Holy shit! This woman is insane. She is actually trying to convince us that under Obama's tax plan, in which 95% of Americans would see a tax decrease, that somehow the government would take your property and we would become some scary communist country. This is what they're talking about with 9 days left? Throw in the towel already. You people are in embarrassment to your party and to your country.
And note to Sarah Palin. I'd be very careful about using the words "misusing the power", Ms. Ethics Violations for abuse of power re: Troopergate.
Here's her actual quote:
"See, under a big government, more tax agenda, what you thought was yours would really start belonging to somebody else, to everybody else. If you thought your income, your property, your inventory, your investments were, were yours, they would really collectively belong to everybody. Obama, Barack Obama has an ideological commitment to higher taxes, and I say this based on his record... Higher taxes, more government, misusing the power to tax leads to government moving into the role of some believing that government then has to take care of us. And government kind of moving into the role as the other half of our family, making decisions for us. Now, they do this in other countries where the people are not free. Let us fight for what is right. John McCain and I, we will put our trust in you."
And note to Sarah Palin. I'd be very careful about using the words "misusing the power", Ms. Ethics Violations for abuse of power re: Troopergate.
Here's her actual quote:
"See, under a big government, more tax agenda, what you thought was yours would really start belonging to somebody else, to everybody else. If you thought your income, your property, your inventory, your investments were, were yours, they would really collectively belong to everybody. Obama, Barack Obama has an ideological commitment to higher taxes, and I say this based on his record... Higher taxes, more government, misusing the power to tax leads to government moving into the role of some believing that government then has to take care of us. And government kind of moving into the role as the other half of our family, making decisions for us. Now, they do this in other countries where the people are not free. Let us fight for what is right. John McCain and I, we will put our trust in you."
Friday, October 24, 2008
un "B" lievable Part 2
Our little Republican Psycho has now officially been exposed and the entire incident labeled a hoax. Charges against her are pending. It turns out it was not a black man attacking a white woman. It was a racist, McCain campaign worker, white woman attacking all black people with race based lies.
Matt Drudge, of the Drudge Report, spent a fair amount of time yesterday trying to make this into what it obviously was not. He claimed it was a "vicious attack" by an Obama fan. It should be fun to watch his slimy self try to squirm his way out of the cheer leading he was doing yesterday against the Obama team.
Matt Drudge, of the Drudge Report, spent a fair amount of time yesterday trying to make this into what it obviously was not. He claimed it was a "vicious attack" by an Obama fan. It should be fun to watch his slimy self try to squirm his way out of the cheer leading he was doing yesterday against the Obama team.
un "B" lievable
Dear Republican Psycho,
Next time you call the police and pretend to have been attacked by an Obama supporter, make sure that when you are looking in the mirror and carving the "B" on your face with a dull knife, just deep enough to leave a mark, but not deep enough to leave a scar, don't forget that the mirror will reflect the "B" backwards. Very important. Otherwise, you'll look like an even bigger idiot when trying to explain how an attacker somehow managed to carve a backwards "B" on your face. And so nice and neatly, too. One would think you would have struggled to get away while someone was carving your face with a knife. But nope. Not you, you apparently laid there perfectly still while your "attacker" carved a letter on your face. I can't wait to hear the results of your polygraph.
Terror Is In The Eye Of The Beholder
No, those right wing nut jobs who bomb abortion clinics and kill doctors, they're not terrorists. You see, a person is only a terrorist if they're doing something that you disagree with. Bombing abortion clinics? No, that's not terrorism. That's just doing the lords work. Pro-life all the way through the third trimester, then you're fair game.
Love the great big disgusted sigh before she begins to answer the question.
Love the great big disgusted sigh before she begins to answer the question.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A Sort of Eulogy
I almost feel sorry for McCain. He gets swift-boated by Bush in the 2000 primaries. Bush played the racism card, re: robocall campaign: McCain has a negro love child. McCain, the obviously better candidate, gets railroaded by Bush and his Rove-ian smear team. Gore vs McCain 2000, that would have been a real choice.
Fast forward to 2008. McCain, obviously still bitter and stung by 2000, apparently decides that the road to the Whitehouse is not achieved by running a strong campaign, based on values, issues, and beliefs. Instead, he decides that the road to the Whitehouse is to employ the very people who defeated him in 2000. To use the very same smear tactics and negative campaigning that Bush used to defeat him. To go against everything he stands for, the very nature of his being, in order to have a shot at winning his most coveted prize, and finally rising above the shadow of his more successful father and grandfather, both Admirals in the U.S. Navy.
The end result is a McCain that long time supporters don't recognize. A McCain who has seemingly reversed himself on every position that he has ever stood for. A McCain that is willing to say anything and do anything, regardless of whether or not what he is saying or doing is true, or right for America, or is what he really believes.
Sadly, McCain '08 in no way resembles McCain '00. And as we come down to the final days before his ultimate demise, I'm tempted to feel sorry for him, because I used to really like him. But I just can't. He brought this upon himself. If he had stayed true to his values and beliefs, perhaps he wouldn't be in this position right now. But he didn't. Instead, he sold out to the far right wing nut jobs that he must have thought he needed in order to win the election. You reap what you sow.
You gambled and lost. America will never have a chance to see the real John McCain, except in video clips from days gone by. It's sad, but ultimately, America will be much better off.
Alas, as the last vestige of your campaign dwindles into the sunset, or as you say, half-heartedly, "you've got them right where you want them", hopefully, you will realize that you have no one to blame but yourself for your failure to win the Whitehouse.
Your desperation pick of Sarah Palin as your running mate will go down as perhaps the most un-McCain like decision in the history of John McCain. It is primarily this decision, coupled with many, many others over the last few months, that will have led to your ultimate demise.
Your campaign will serve as a text book example for future generations, of just how "not" to run a campaign. Because at the end of the day, at the end of the campaign, as your chances of winning shrink from possibly to no fucking way, the most telling symbol of your campaign will be the fact that when people watched you on TV in the final days, it was obvious that even You didn't believe in what you were trying to sell. And if you don't believe it then you can't possibly sell it.
I've had many harsh words for you over the past months, but only because you deserved them. Again, you reap what you sow. I wish you the best of luck in the future and please enjoy your retirement.
Fast forward to 2008. McCain, obviously still bitter and stung by 2000, apparently decides that the road to the Whitehouse is not achieved by running a strong campaign, based on values, issues, and beliefs. Instead, he decides that the road to the Whitehouse is to employ the very people who defeated him in 2000. To use the very same smear tactics and negative campaigning that Bush used to defeat him. To go against everything he stands for, the very nature of his being, in order to have a shot at winning his most coveted prize, and finally rising above the shadow of his more successful father and grandfather, both Admirals in the U.S. Navy.
The end result is a McCain that long time supporters don't recognize. A McCain who has seemingly reversed himself on every position that he has ever stood for. A McCain that is willing to say anything and do anything, regardless of whether or not what he is saying or doing is true, or right for America, or is what he really believes.
Sadly, McCain '08 in no way resembles McCain '00. And as we come down to the final days before his ultimate demise, I'm tempted to feel sorry for him, because I used to really like him. But I just can't. He brought this upon himself. If he had stayed true to his values and beliefs, perhaps he wouldn't be in this position right now. But he didn't. Instead, he sold out to the far right wing nut jobs that he must have thought he needed in order to win the election. You reap what you sow.
You gambled and lost. America will never have a chance to see the real John McCain, except in video clips from days gone by. It's sad, but ultimately, America will be much better off.
Alas, as the last vestige of your campaign dwindles into the sunset, or as you say, half-heartedly, "you've got them right where you want them", hopefully, you will realize that you have no one to blame but yourself for your failure to win the Whitehouse.
Your desperation pick of Sarah Palin as your running mate will go down as perhaps the most un-McCain like decision in the history of John McCain. It is primarily this decision, coupled with many, many others over the last few months, that will have led to your ultimate demise.
Your campaign will serve as a text book example for future generations, of just how "not" to run a campaign. Because at the end of the day, at the end of the campaign, as your chances of winning shrink from possibly to no fucking way, the most telling symbol of your campaign will be the fact that when people watched you on TV in the final days, it was obvious that even You didn't believe in what you were trying to sell. And if you don't believe it then you can't possibly sell it.
I've had many harsh words for you over the past months, but only because you deserved them. Again, you reap what you sow. I wish you the best of luck in the future and please enjoy your retirement.
The Role of the VP (in Palin World)
An NBC poll released yesterday found that the number one reason given by voters who will not be voting for McCain is Sarah Palin. POW (Batman sense). It seems the American people have seen through this desperate, panicked, hail mary pass of a VP selection. And rightly so. The "maverick" showed catastrophically bad judgment in selecting her, unvetted, at the last minute, while ignoring a plethora of VP candidates who were actually qualified. Live by the sword, die by the sword.
Forget the $150,000 wardrobe. Forget the $13,000 in make up. Those are fun stories. Funny stories. But at the end of the day, it still comes down to issues. And in the Trophy VP's case, the number one issue is her total lack of qualification for the job that "maverick" has chosen her for.
Namely, the role of the Vice President of the United States is to take over for the President if anything we're to happen to him and to break ties in the U.S. Senate. That's pretty much it.
Two problems here. One, Palin isn't remotely qualified to take over for the President under any circumstances, and two, she still, after all this time, has absolutely no idea what the role of the VP is.
Here is her most recent answer (yesterday) as to what the role of the VP is:
"...they're in charge of the United States Senate. (WRONG!) So if they want to they can really get in there with the Senators (WRONG!) and make a lot of good policy changes (WRONG!)"
Honestly, McCain couldn't find a more qualified candidate than Palin? And after two months, she still doesn't understand the two, count them, 1, 2, responsibilites that her job will entail? I really think that's all we need to know about both of them.
I turn to right wing tool, Chris Matthews to further prove my point. Yes, even the right wingers are turning on her. And as it turns out, McCain's PR people apparently don't understand the role of the VP either (but check out her wardrobe!). Enjoy.
Forget the $150,000 wardrobe. Forget the $13,000 in make up. Those are fun stories. Funny stories. But at the end of the day, it still comes down to issues. And in the Trophy VP's case, the number one issue is her total lack of qualification for the job that "maverick" has chosen her for.
Namely, the role of the Vice President of the United States is to take over for the President if anything we're to happen to him and to break ties in the U.S. Senate. That's pretty much it.
Two problems here. One, Palin isn't remotely qualified to take over for the President under any circumstances, and two, she still, after all this time, has absolutely no idea what the role of the VP is.
Here is her most recent answer (yesterday) as to what the role of the VP is:
"...they're in charge of the United States Senate. (WRONG!) So if they want to they can really get in there with the Senators (WRONG!) and make a lot of good policy changes (WRONG!)"
Honestly, McCain couldn't find a more qualified candidate than Palin? And after two months, she still doesn't understand the two, count them, 1, 2, responsibilites that her job will entail? I really think that's all we need to know about both of them.
I turn to right wing tool, Chris Matthews to further prove my point. Yes, even the right wingers are turning on her. And as it turns out, McCain's PR people apparently don't understand the role of the VP either (but check out her wardrobe!). Enjoy.
The Queen of Naive
Here is video of Palin not having a clue what "preconditions" means. She does a good job of dropping names that she has managed to memorize and makes good use of the Republican "fear" strategy ("dictators who seek to destroy America") but she really fails miserably at answering the actual question. Nothing new.
Yeah, it would be so naive for leaders to sit down and just talk with foreign leaders about our differences. I know, the queen of naive trying to call someone else naive. Beautiful.
Meanwhile, we have Grampy with the wandering eyes again. Seriously, you old pervert, I know you think she is "a breast of fresh air", but enough!
Yeah, it would be so naive for leaders to sit down and just talk with foreign leaders about our differences. I know, the queen of naive trying to call someone else naive. Beautiful.
Meanwhile, we have Grampy with the wandering eyes again. Seriously, you old pervert, I know you think she is "a breast of fresh air", but enough!
Here Comes The Landslide
As you know, I've been predicting a landslide Obama victory for quite some time now. It ain't over 'til it's over but have a look at the latest polls.
From the Daily Kos:
Both the Q-poll and the Big 10 Battleground poll out this morning have bad news for McCain in Ohio. Take a good look at Indiana and Ohio (this is a "registered voters and those likely to register to vote" poll).
From the Big 10:
Illinois Obama 61% McCain 32
Indiana Obama 51 McCain 41
Iowa Obama 52 McCain 39
Michigan Obama 58 McCain 36
Minnesota Obama 57 McCain 38
Ohio Obama 53 McCain 41
Pennsy. Obama 52 McCain 41
Wiscons. Obama 53 McCain 40
The Big 10 also had a national sample showing Obama up 9, 52-43 (MoE 3.1)
From the Daily Kos:
Both the Q-poll and the Big 10 Battleground poll out this morning have bad news for McCain in Ohio. Take a good look at Indiana and Ohio (this is a "registered voters and those likely to register to vote" poll).
From the Big 10:
Illinois Obama 61% McCain 32
Indiana Obama 51 McCain 41
Iowa Obama 52 McCain 39
Michigan Obama 58 McCain 36
Minnesota Obama 57 McCain 38
Ohio Obama 53 McCain 41
Pennsy. Obama 52 McCain 41
Wiscons. Obama 53 McCain 40
The Big 10 also had a national sample showing Obama up 9, 52-43 (MoE 3.1)
Reading Before Bedtime
My seven year old loves to read and he loves hearing stories before bed. For months and months and months we've been reading the Goosebumps series. They're good stories but after months of Goosebumps, I was ready for something else.
In the past, I've made multiple attempts to find good books at the library and bring them home for him. He would generally reject the books and we would continue with Goosebumps.
Finally, I found a book called Jackie and Me. It's about a boy who can travel back in time by holding baseball cards. He loved it. It has baseball, it has baseball cards, it has time travel, it has baseball history, it has American history. Win-win.
So we read all about Jackie Robinson and racism. Then we moved on to Honus and Me. Where we learned about Honus Wagner, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the early days of professional baseball, and a little history of Pittsburgh.
I thought he was enjoying the books but I had no idea just how much. We went to the library the other night and I showed him where the "______" and Me books were located. He proceeded to grab a copy of every title. Last night, we started Babe and Me. On deck, Mickey and Me, Abner and Me, Satchel and Me, Jim and Me, which is Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Abner Doubleday, Satchel Page, and Jim Thorpe.
It sure is fun when you connect with your kids.
In the past, I've made multiple attempts to find good books at the library and bring them home for him. He would generally reject the books and we would continue with Goosebumps.
Finally, I found a book called Jackie and Me. It's about a boy who can travel back in time by holding baseball cards. He loved it. It has baseball, it has baseball cards, it has time travel, it has baseball history, it has American history. Win-win.
So we read all about Jackie Robinson and racism. Then we moved on to Honus and Me. Where we learned about Honus Wagner, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the early days of professional baseball, and a little history of Pittsburgh.
I thought he was enjoying the books but I had no idea just how much. We went to the library the other night and I showed him where the "______" and Me books were located. He proceeded to grab a copy of every title. Last night, we started Babe and Me. On deck, Mickey and Me, Abner and Me, Satchel and Me, Jim and Me, which is Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Abner Doubleday, Satchel Page, and Jim Thorpe.
It sure is fun when you connect with your kids.
Don't Forget Your Receipt
I just used the self check out at Kroger and the person before me was apparently in such a hurry that they left without taking their receipt. Let's take a look at what they purchased that might cause them to be in such a rush.
VASORECT MEN 24.99
TROJAN-ENZ 6.89
ASTGLD LUB 6.59
That's it. Three items. No wonder they were in such a hurry. They have big plans. I can't make this stuff up.
VASORECT MEN 24.99
TROJAN-ENZ 6.89
ASTGLD LUB 6.59
That's it. Three items. No wonder they were in such a hurry. They have big plans. I can't make this stuff up.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
We Put On Women's Clothing...
Word on the street is that the McCain camp has spent $150,000 on wardrobe for the Trophy VP since September. Wow! That is a lot of hockey jerseys and lipstick. Of course, that's nothing compared to the $300,000 that Cindy spent on one dress for the Republican convention. So we have $450,000 spent on women's clothing between Johnny's Sugar Mama and his Trophy VP. Still no word on how much McCain himself has spent on women's clothing.
David Foster Wallace Part 2
Run, don't walk to your nearest newstand and pick up the current issue of Rolling Stone magazine. They've written a beautiful, long, detailed feature about the life of the greatest writer of our generation, the late David Foster Wallace.
I've been re-reading his work since his recent suicide and I have to say, this guy never missed. If you're not familiar with his work, do yourself a favor and grab something, anything that he's written. You will not be sorry.
I've been re-reading his work since his recent suicide and I have to say, this guy never missed. If you're not familiar with his work, do yourself a favor and grab something, anything that he's written. You will not be sorry.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Time For God
Here is another installment on my replies to spam emails. This one is titled "Time For God". It begins by saying, "read only if you have time for God". Yeah, I'd recognize that old guilt tactic anywhere.
It goes on, "when I received this email I thought...I don't have time for this...then I realized this is the kind of thinking that has caused a lot of the problems in the world today." OK. So far, we have established that not having time to read spam email is the cause of a lot of problems in the world today.
The email continues..."We try to keep God in church on Sunday morning...We do like to have Him around during sickness....And, of course, at funerals. However, we don't have time, or room, for Him during work or play..." Who is this email from? What kind of God-hating swine would try to keep God in church, to be brought out only on Sunday mornings? And you say you don't have time for your God during work and play? You call yourself a christian? What the fuck is wrong with you?
The email continues, "May God forgive me for ever thinking...That...There is a time or place where..HE is not to be FIRST in my life. We should always have time to remember all HE has done for us." Wait, doesn't this completely contradict what you just said about keeping God in church on Sunday morning?
But wait, there's more. "If You Love God... And, are not ashamed of all the marvelous things HE has done for you...Send this to ten people and the person who sent it to you! Now do you have the time to pass it on?" Ah, there's always a catch. And there's that christian guilt again. Do you "have time" to pass it on? Do you have time to piss off your friends by spamming them with this garbage? If not, then you must bow your head in shame before your God. Is it just me, or does this exactly how the republicans have been running their political campaigns?
So you're left with the faux religious dilemma, spam your friends or spurn your God by deleting the email.
And just in case you're still at the proverbial religious crossroads, the email gives you plenty of encouragement toward it's quest to have you forward it's spam content. Here are some samples that have nothing to do with the content of the email but push the guilt button.
"Notes: Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.
Isn't it funny how someone can say 'I believe in God' but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also 'believes' in God).
Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing?
Isn't it funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them.
Isn't it funny how I can be more worried about what other people think of me than what God thinks of me."
And allow me to add my own. Isn't it funny how I can be manipulated into sending a stupid, pointless email just because someone has questioned my allegiance to God and repeatedly used guilt and shame as peer pressure tactics?
Isn't it funny how people who find "time for God" in their own ways are looked down upon by
so called christians?
Isn't it funny how people who sit on a wooden pew for 40 minutes, one day per week, somehow feel they are more worthy in God's eyes than people who don't sit in a church but instead choose to merely live by the tenets of Jesus day in and day out, their entire lives?
Funny.
It goes on, "when I received this email I thought...I don't have time for this...then I realized this is the kind of thinking that has caused a lot of the problems in the world today." OK. So far, we have established that not having time to read spam email is the cause of a lot of problems in the world today.
The email continues..."We try to keep God in church on Sunday morning...We do like to have Him around during sickness....And, of course, at funerals. However, we don't have time, or room, for Him during work or play..." Who is this email from? What kind of God-hating swine would try to keep God in church, to be brought out only on Sunday mornings? And you say you don't have time for your God during work and play? You call yourself a christian? What the fuck is wrong with you?
The email continues, "May God forgive me for ever thinking...That...There is a time or place where..HE is not to be FIRST in my life. We should always have time to remember all HE has done for us." Wait, doesn't this completely contradict what you just said about keeping God in church on Sunday morning?
But wait, there's more. "If You Love God... And, are not ashamed of all the marvelous things HE has done for you...Send this to ten people and the person who sent it to you! Now do you have the time to pass it on?" Ah, there's always a catch. And there's that christian guilt again. Do you "have time" to pass it on? Do you have time to piss off your friends by spamming them with this garbage? If not, then you must bow your head in shame before your God. Is it just me, or does this exactly how the republicans have been running their political campaigns?
So you're left with the faux religious dilemma, spam your friends or spurn your God by deleting the email.
And just in case you're still at the proverbial religious crossroads, the email gives you plenty of encouragement toward it's quest to have you forward it's spam content. Here are some samples that have nothing to do with the content of the email but push the guilt button.
"Notes: Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.
Isn't it funny how someone can say 'I believe in God' but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also 'believes' in God).
Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing?
Isn't it funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them.
Isn't it funny how I can be more worried about what other people think of me than what God thinks of me."
And allow me to add my own. Isn't it funny how I can be manipulated into sending a stupid, pointless email just because someone has questioned my allegiance to God and repeatedly used guilt and shame as peer pressure tactics?
Isn't it funny how people who find "time for God" in their own ways are looked down upon by
so called christians?
Isn't it funny how people who sit on a wooden pew for 40 minutes, one day per week, somehow feel they are more worthy in God's eyes than people who don't sit in a church but instead choose to merely live by the tenets of Jesus day in and day out, their entire lives?
Funny.
Lot's of Good Stuff, Read It!
Just a (not so) quick round up this morning.
First, one of the presidential candidates has suspended their campaign for the next few days. No, it's not McShame trying another publicity stunt that will lead to another 5 point drop in the polls. This time it is Obama. He is heading for that exotic foreign country called Hawaii to visit his sick grandmother, who raised him. So have at it, "liberal" media.
Newsflash: Limbaugh is still a racist. After Colin Powell endorsed Obama while going into extreme detail as to his reasons for choosing Obama, Limbaugh determines that Powell endorsed Obama simply because of race.
Now, let's talk about this for a moment, shall we? A week or so ago, Limbaugh was telling everyone that Obama is an Arab. Remember? So, when he says that Powell endorsed Obama because of race, is he now claiming that Colin Powell is also an Arab? Damn. It's so hard to understand what these drug addicts are trying to say.
I realize his 15 minutes of fame have expired but allow me to close the book on our friend, Joe the "alleged" plumber. You know, the guy who McShame made famous by referring to no less than 19 times during the last 90 minute presidential debate? Yeah, that guy. Let's review. "Joe" told Obama that he was a plumber who was about to purchase a business that was worth roughly $250,000 in annual revenue. Obama eloquently walked him through the tax proposals of each candidate, leaving poor "Joe" a bit perplexed and frazzled.
A week later, here's what we know about "Joe". First, his name is Sam. His middle name is Joseph, which as we've discussed in the past, is a much more American middle name than Hussein. Next, we learned that he is not a licensed plumber. So far, name not Joe, not a plumber. Moving right along, "Joe" owes over $1000 in back taxes. Yeah, it turns out "Joe" is apparently against paying ANY taxes. Next, "Joe" is not a small business owner and he makes around $40,000 per year, not $250,000. I know, I'm nitpicking over a tiny 600% income embellishment. Finally, we learn that poor "Joe" doesn't even have a valid drivers license. It seems the state of Arizona suspended his license and poor "Joe" also owes Arizona $700 for some unpaid fines. Doing some quick math, that's like $4200 in "Joe" world money. Geez, who does this guy pay?
Oh, and before I forget, the McShame camp wants the media to leave poor old "Joe" alone. Stop bugging him. Stop invading his privacy. You know, the privacy that McShame invaded when he referred to poor "Joe" 19 times last week. The privacy that "Joe" was so fond of when he called multiple press conferences and did countless interviews over the last seven days. Yeah, poor average "Joe". Now that he's been exposed as a complete and total fraud, we're supposed to forget all about the fact that McShame made him the focal point of last week's presidential debate.
Moving on...
"Share the wealth". Boy, McShame can't get enough of that little sound bite now, can he? He even has his Trophy VP out there calling Obama and his policies (gulp) "socialist". Wait...isn't socialist another word for communist? And hasn't "communist" been permanently replaced in the republican vernacular with the word "terrorist"? Didn't McCain get the memo? And wait just a minute...what's this I see on Palin's (and every other Alaskan residents) tax return? What is this $3308 item? What can it be? Hmm...an oil dividend. That's right, every resident of Alaska gets an annual piece of the oil revenue pie. That's pretty cool...but doesn't that make Alaskans SOCIALISTS??? I thought Alaskans were secessionists. It's so hard to keep these things straight. Damn. This disaster of an unvetted, unqualified, secessionist loving, and now proven socialist Trophy VP is just the gift that keeps on giving for all of us patriotic, America loving, just want our country back, Obama/America supporters. Remember just a few short election cycles ago, when the Democrats were the vile, evil, un-American, terrorist loving infidels? My, how time's have changed. Patriotism is apparently cyclical.
I can't let another blog post go by without discussing ACORN. Here's the deal. ACORN hires people to register voters. The flaw in their plan is that they apparently pay by the signature. Given that most people who are willing to go door to door, or hang out at well travelled public locations, tend to be young adults. So what happened that is causing such a ruckus? Some of the signatures are fraudulent. (queue ominous music soundtrack here). The right wing propaganda machine (aka Fox "news") has been all over this. Here's what they haven't mentioned. The reason that these fraudulent signatures were discovered? Um, yeah, turns out ACORN turned those names in themselves. Wha...wha...what? Yeah, Fox will never tell you this but it was ACORN who exposed the fraudulent names. They turned the names in, as required by law, in an effort to keep any hint of possible voter fraud from occurring. So yes, ACORN narked on themselves. I can't believe the "liberal" media isn't all over this. Seriously, Obama briefly mentioned ACORN during the final debate, and I was disappointed that he didn't take it to the necessary point of exposing the story for what it is. Made up. There's no story here. No fraud. Just a grassroots organization self-policing and pointing out the bad information that they had accumulated. You want voter fraud? Stay tuned. I'm working on a "real" story about voter fraud. But for those of you in the know, it won't be news at all.
And let me just take a second to point out what should be blatantly obvious. Do you really think that people who "registered" as Mickey Mouse or Tony Romo will actually show up on election day with the required photo ID to allow them to vote under said name? Yeah, just another republican distraction point. Now you get it, right?
Finally, Kudos to David Letterman. I know, I know, his show hasn't been funny since he moved to CBS. Regardless, he hammered McCain over his "suspended" campaign and refused to relent until Grampy appeared on his show. Then Letterman, yes David Letterman, the comedian, the late night host, not the political pundit or expert, was the one to finally ask McCain the difference between his smear campaign re: Obama and an alleged (i.e. fictitious) relationship with William Ayers, and a very real relationship between McCain and Watergate convicted felon G. Gordon Liddy. POW. And by POW, I mean POW in the Batman sense of the word, not the McCain, I was a P.O.W., and have never recovered from the trauma and as a result want to go to war instinctually sense of the word.
Good night, and God bless.
First, one of the presidential candidates has suspended their campaign for the next few days. No, it's not McShame trying another publicity stunt that will lead to another 5 point drop in the polls. This time it is Obama. He is heading for that exotic foreign country called Hawaii to visit his sick grandmother, who raised him. So have at it, "liberal" media.
Newsflash: Limbaugh is still a racist. After Colin Powell endorsed Obama while going into extreme detail as to his reasons for choosing Obama, Limbaugh determines that Powell endorsed Obama simply because of race.
Now, let's talk about this for a moment, shall we? A week or so ago, Limbaugh was telling everyone that Obama is an Arab. Remember? So, when he says that Powell endorsed Obama because of race, is he now claiming that Colin Powell is also an Arab? Damn. It's so hard to understand what these drug addicts are trying to say.
I realize his 15 minutes of fame have expired but allow me to close the book on our friend, Joe the "alleged" plumber. You know, the guy who McShame made famous by referring to no less than 19 times during the last 90 minute presidential debate? Yeah, that guy. Let's review. "Joe" told Obama that he was a plumber who was about to purchase a business that was worth roughly $250,000 in annual revenue. Obama eloquently walked him through the tax proposals of each candidate, leaving poor "Joe" a bit perplexed and frazzled.
A week later, here's what we know about "Joe". First, his name is Sam. His middle name is Joseph, which as we've discussed in the past, is a much more American middle name than Hussein. Next, we learned that he is not a licensed plumber. So far, name not Joe, not a plumber. Moving right along, "Joe" owes over $1000 in back taxes. Yeah, it turns out "Joe" is apparently against paying ANY taxes. Next, "Joe" is not a small business owner and he makes around $40,000 per year, not $250,000. I know, I'm nitpicking over a tiny 600% income embellishment. Finally, we learn that poor "Joe" doesn't even have a valid drivers license. It seems the state of Arizona suspended his license and poor "Joe" also owes Arizona $700 for some unpaid fines. Doing some quick math, that's like $4200 in "Joe" world money. Geez, who does this guy pay?
Oh, and before I forget, the McShame camp wants the media to leave poor old "Joe" alone. Stop bugging him. Stop invading his privacy. You know, the privacy that McShame invaded when he referred to poor "Joe" 19 times last week. The privacy that "Joe" was so fond of when he called multiple press conferences and did countless interviews over the last seven days. Yeah, poor average "Joe". Now that he's been exposed as a complete and total fraud, we're supposed to forget all about the fact that McShame made him the focal point of last week's presidential debate.
Moving on...
"Share the wealth". Boy, McShame can't get enough of that little sound bite now, can he? He even has his Trophy VP out there calling Obama and his policies (gulp) "socialist". Wait...isn't socialist another word for communist? And hasn't "communist" been permanently replaced in the republican vernacular with the word "terrorist"? Didn't McCain get the memo? And wait just a minute...what's this I see on Palin's (and every other Alaskan residents) tax return? What is this $3308 item? What can it be? Hmm...an oil dividend. That's right, every resident of Alaska gets an annual piece of the oil revenue pie. That's pretty cool...but doesn't that make Alaskans SOCIALISTS??? I thought Alaskans were secessionists. It's so hard to keep these things straight. Damn. This disaster of an unvetted, unqualified, secessionist loving, and now proven socialist Trophy VP is just the gift that keeps on giving for all of us patriotic, America loving, just want our country back, Obama/America supporters. Remember just a few short election cycles ago, when the Democrats were the vile, evil, un-American, terrorist loving infidels? My, how time's have changed. Patriotism is apparently cyclical.
I can't let another blog post go by without discussing ACORN. Here's the deal. ACORN hires people to register voters. The flaw in their plan is that they apparently pay by the signature. Given that most people who are willing to go door to door, or hang out at well travelled public locations, tend to be young adults. So what happened that is causing such a ruckus? Some of the signatures are fraudulent. (queue ominous music soundtrack here). The right wing propaganda machine (aka Fox "news") has been all over this. Here's what they haven't mentioned. The reason that these fraudulent signatures were discovered? Um, yeah, turns out ACORN turned those names in themselves. Wha...wha...what? Yeah, Fox will never tell you this but it was ACORN who exposed the fraudulent names. They turned the names in, as required by law, in an effort to keep any hint of possible voter fraud from occurring. So yes, ACORN narked on themselves. I can't believe the "liberal" media isn't all over this. Seriously, Obama briefly mentioned ACORN during the final debate, and I was disappointed that he didn't take it to the necessary point of exposing the story for what it is. Made up. There's no story here. No fraud. Just a grassroots organization self-policing and pointing out the bad information that they had accumulated. You want voter fraud? Stay tuned. I'm working on a "real" story about voter fraud. But for those of you in the know, it won't be news at all.
And let me just take a second to point out what should be blatantly obvious. Do you really think that people who "registered" as Mickey Mouse or Tony Romo will actually show up on election day with the required photo ID to allow them to vote under said name? Yeah, just another republican distraction point. Now you get it, right?
Finally, Kudos to David Letterman. I know, I know, his show hasn't been funny since he moved to CBS. Regardless, he hammered McCain over his "suspended" campaign and refused to relent until Grampy appeared on his show. Then Letterman, yes David Letterman, the comedian, the late night host, not the political pundit or expert, was the one to finally ask McCain the difference between his smear campaign re: Obama and an alleged (i.e. fictitious) relationship with William Ayers, and a very real relationship between McCain and Watergate convicted felon G. Gordon Liddy. POW. And by POW, I mean POW in the Batman sense of the word, not the McCain, I was a P.O.W., and have never recovered from the trauma and as a result want to go to war instinctually sense of the word.
Good night, and God bless.
The Daily Show
A couple of good Daily Show clips. The second one is worth it just for the interview they do with the current mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Priceless.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Columbus Half Marathon Race Report
I woke up around 2am on race morning and convinced myself that I wasn't going to race. I rolled over, went back to sleep and woke up at 4am, again deciding I shouldn't race. I laid there until 4:15 and then began my pre-race routine. I decided to just go out and have fun. As such, I thought I should line up with the 3:30 pace group and just run a comfortable 8:00 mile pace and maybe pick it up a little later in the race if I was feeling good and my piriformis wasn't protesting too much.
I drove downtown and met some friends at the cushy Capitol Club (thanks again to Jim for the invite and the accommodations), where we could stay warm, stretch, and most importantly, take advantage of the indoor plumbing. I informed everyone of my decision to take it easy and run at an easy pace so that I wouldn't further aggravate my piriformis injury.
On our way to the starting line, my friend Lisa, convinced me to line up with the 3:15 group. I told her I would start out running with her but after a couple of miles I would have to back off. So we lined up and before long we were off. We hit the first mile at 7:25, right on pace and I felt fine. Mile 2 was 7:23, cruising right along. After running mile 3 in 7:11 I decided to back off just a bit and Lisa went on ahead of me. I ran mile 4 at 7:25 and mile 5 at 7:20 and realized I was feeling pretty good.
During mile 6 I saw Lisa up ahead of me. Somehow, I had caught up to her again, and we resumed running together. Mile 6 was 7:12 pace. We must have been gabbing too much because we ran mile 7 and 8 inexplicably at 7:30 and 7:31. I was just running by feel, not paying attention to my splits since I was running for fun but Lisa had a very ambitious 3:15 time goal and so we picked up the pace. We ran mile 9 at 7:20 and mile 10 at 7:21. I was still feeling great and couldn't believe it. In my wildest dreams, I never expected my injury to hold up well enough for me to run at this pace for more than a couple of miles.
After 10 miles, I started doing the math in my head and realized that if I picked up the pace just a little bit, I would have a shot at a PR (personal record). Instead, I decided to leave well enough alone and not push my luck. We ran mile 11 in 7:23 and then Lisa pulled ahead of me along an uphill portion and I decided not to push it and fell back a bit. Mile 12 was 7:27.
For mile 13 I tried to pick it up a little and catch up to Lisa to wish her luck the rest of the way, since she was running the marathon and I was only running the 1/2 marathon. I got to within about 20 yards of her before it was time for me to turn left for the home stretch. Mile 13 was 7:09.
I was shocked when I turned left to head for the half marathon finish line and everyone around me kept going straight. There was one guy in front of me heading to the finish line. In the distance, I could see the clock, 1:35:XX. My PR is 1:36:11. I started sprinting for the finish line and pass the guy in front of me. I realize that the finish line is too far away and I'm not going to beat my PR but I'm committed at this point and I continue this mad sprint to the finish. The kid I passed kicks past me and I'm wondering if I have enough left to catch him. It's just the two of us sprinting for the finish. I glance up and see that we are on this giant jumbo-tron tv and I'm like, wow, that is so cool.
The kid outkicks me to the finish and I come in right behind him at 1:36:33, 22 seconds shy of a PR. But I'm not upset. This was a fun run and I totally smashed all expectations. I really thought that anything better than 1:40 was out of the question going into the race. Thanks to Lisa, for twisting my arm. Otherwise, I would have probably been content to run a 1:45 and not have enjoyed myself nearly as much.
It felt great to race again and to be able to run at a decent pace. Hopefully, I can shake this injury soon and get back to training hard and racing.
Lisa ran a 3:16:44, missing her goal by 45 seconds but setting a nearly 3 minute PR. Her husband Bill, ran a 3:46:34, and missed qualifying for Boston by 35 seconds. OUCH! But he is still celebrating a 15 minute PR! Awesome. Our friend Mark achieved his goal, qualifying for Boston with a 3:15. Overall, a great day for racing.
I drove downtown and met some friends at the cushy Capitol Club (thanks again to Jim for the invite and the accommodations), where we could stay warm, stretch, and most importantly, take advantage of the indoor plumbing. I informed everyone of my decision to take it easy and run at an easy pace so that I wouldn't further aggravate my piriformis injury.
On our way to the starting line, my friend Lisa, convinced me to line up with the 3:15 group. I told her I would start out running with her but after a couple of miles I would have to back off. So we lined up and before long we were off. We hit the first mile at 7:25, right on pace and I felt fine. Mile 2 was 7:23, cruising right along. After running mile 3 in 7:11 I decided to back off just a bit and Lisa went on ahead of me. I ran mile 4 at 7:25 and mile 5 at 7:20 and realized I was feeling pretty good.
During mile 6 I saw Lisa up ahead of me. Somehow, I had caught up to her again, and we resumed running together. Mile 6 was 7:12 pace. We must have been gabbing too much because we ran mile 7 and 8 inexplicably at 7:30 and 7:31. I was just running by feel, not paying attention to my splits since I was running for fun but Lisa had a very ambitious 3:15 time goal and so we picked up the pace. We ran mile 9 at 7:20 and mile 10 at 7:21. I was still feeling great and couldn't believe it. In my wildest dreams, I never expected my injury to hold up well enough for me to run at this pace for more than a couple of miles.
After 10 miles, I started doing the math in my head and realized that if I picked up the pace just a little bit, I would have a shot at a PR (personal record). Instead, I decided to leave well enough alone and not push my luck. We ran mile 11 in 7:23 and then Lisa pulled ahead of me along an uphill portion and I decided not to push it and fell back a bit. Mile 12 was 7:27.
For mile 13 I tried to pick it up a little and catch up to Lisa to wish her luck the rest of the way, since she was running the marathon and I was only running the 1/2 marathon. I got to within about 20 yards of her before it was time for me to turn left for the home stretch. Mile 13 was 7:09.
I was shocked when I turned left to head for the half marathon finish line and everyone around me kept going straight. There was one guy in front of me heading to the finish line. In the distance, I could see the clock, 1:35:XX. My PR is 1:36:11. I started sprinting for the finish line and pass the guy in front of me. I realize that the finish line is too far away and I'm not going to beat my PR but I'm committed at this point and I continue this mad sprint to the finish. The kid I passed kicks past me and I'm wondering if I have enough left to catch him. It's just the two of us sprinting for the finish. I glance up and see that we are on this giant jumbo-tron tv and I'm like, wow, that is so cool.
The kid outkicks me to the finish and I come in right behind him at 1:36:33, 22 seconds shy of a PR. But I'm not upset. This was a fun run and I totally smashed all expectations. I really thought that anything better than 1:40 was out of the question going into the race. Thanks to Lisa, for twisting my arm. Otherwise, I would have probably been content to run a 1:45 and not have enjoyed myself nearly as much.
It felt great to race again and to be able to run at a decent pace. Hopefully, I can shake this injury soon and get back to training hard and racing.
Lisa ran a 3:16:44, missing her goal by 45 seconds but setting a nearly 3 minute PR. Her husband Bill, ran a 3:46:34, and missed qualifying for Boston by 35 seconds. OUCH! But he is still celebrating a 15 minute PR! Awesome. Our friend Mark achieved his goal, qualifying for Boston with a 3:15. Overall, a great day for racing.
Dan Rooney
From the Daily Kos:
Meanwhile, up in Pittsburgh, Steelers owner Dan Rooney -- possibly the most beloved guy in the city -- is campaigning for Obama in PA and OH with Ted Strickland and Steelworkers' President Leo Gerard.
"That’s the reason I endorsed Barack Obama—seeing the man and seeing what he stood for. He is a person of intelligence, of integrity who wants to move this nation beyond its religious and racial divisions.
Hope is such a big thing, hope for the future, hope for our children. Barack Obama can again offer that hope."
Meanwhile, up in Pittsburgh, Steelers owner Dan Rooney -- possibly the most beloved guy in the city -- is campaigning for Obama in PA and OH with Ted Strickland and Steelworkers' President Leo Gerard.
"That’s the reason I endorsed Barack Obama—seeing the man and seeing what he stood for. He is a person of intelligence, of integrity who wants to move this nation beyond its religious and racial divisions.
Hope is such a big thing, hope for the future, hope for our children. Barack Obama can again offer that hope."
Saturday, October 18, 2008
2 Medals, 1 Day
Big day today as my 7 year old's soccer team capped off a second consecutive undefeated season with a 9-0 victory. He played goalie again while I did my best Fred Sanford impersonation anytime the ball came anywhere close to the goal. Big fun and medals for everyone.
Next, it was off to the Red Nose Run where my 3 year old would be "racing" in the Diaper Dash and my 7 year old would be running the .35 mile 6-8 year old race. My 3 year old ended up walking the race, which is surprising because he is a little runner and hardly ever walks anywhere. My 7 year old surprised me by bolting from the starting line and pretty much sprinting the entire distance.
I was running in the grass along side him trying to get far enough ahead so that I could snap some pictures but he didn't make it easy. Toward the end, I noticed him start to slow down just a little so I yelled out, "down the hill and around the bend to the finish line", and he immediately took off with a sudden burst of speed and quite the finishing kick. We met him at the finish line after he got his water, bagel, and medal. I think he was actually a little light headed from the race as he just kind of gave us an exhausted blank stare that I'm quite familiar with giving at the end of my races.
Speaking of my race, I'm on for the 1/2 marathon tomorrow morning although my piriformis is killing me and now I've developed some weird numbness in my foot. So I'm just going to go out and have fun, try not to run too fast, and get out of there without any further damage.
Next, it was off to the Red Nose Run where my 3 year old would be "racing" in the Diaper Dash and my 7 year old would be running the .35 mile 6-8 year old race. My 3 year old ended up walking the race, which is surprising because he is a little runner and hardly ever walks anywhere. My 7 year old surprised me by bolting from the starting line and pretty much sprinting the entire distance.
I was running in the grass along side him trying to get far enough ahead so that I could snap some pictures but he didn't make it easy. Toward the end, I noticed him start to slow down just a little so I yelled out, "down the hill and around the bend to the finish line", and he immediately took off with a sudden burst of speed and quite the finishing kick. We met him at the finish line after he got his water, bagel, and medal. I think he was actually a little light headed from the race as he just kind of gave us an exhausted blank stare that I'm quite familiar with giving at the end of my races.
Speaking of my race, I'm on for the 1/2 marathon tomorrow morning although my piriformis is killing me and now I've developed some weird numbness in my foot. So I'm just going to go out and have fun, try not to run too fast, and get out of there without any further damage.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Joe The Plumber Part 4
I hate to pile on, but when McCain continuously fails to vet his shills, somebody has to do it for him. Ah, Magoo, you've done it again.
Daily Kos just dug up this little nugget:
During last night's presidential debate, we heard a lot about "Joe the Plumber," also known as Joe Wurzelbacher, an average (ahem) Joe, who is really worried that a President Obama might raise his taxes. But does Joe really need to worry? Because if he's the same Joe that ABC News identified as Sam Joe Wurzelbacher, also of Toledo, Ohio, he doesn't always bother to pay his taxes.
LUCAS COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS J. BERNIE QUILTER, CLERK 700 ADAMS STREET TOLEDO, OHIO
MONETARY AMOUNT: $1,182.98
DEPT OF TAXATION STATE OF OHIO
Defendant 1: WURZELBACHER SAMUEL J 30 DERBYSHIRE RD TOLEDO, OH 43615
Daily Kos just dug up this little nugget:
During last night's presidential debate, we heard a lot about "Joe the Plumber," also known as Joe Wurzelbacher, an average (ahem) Joe, who is really worried that a President Obama might raise his taxes. But does Joe really need to worry? Because if he's the same Joe that ABC News identified as Sam Joe Wurzelbacher, also of Toledo, Ohio, he doesn't always bother to pay his taxes.
LUCAS COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS J. BERNIE QUILTER, CLERK 700 ADAMS STREET TOLEDO, OHIO
MONETARY AMOUNT: $1,182.98
DEPT OF TAXATION STATE OF OHIO
Defendant 1: WURZELBACHER SAMUEL J 30 DERBYSHIRE RD TOLEDO, OH 43615
Joe The Plumber Part 3
Jed, I love you man. I can always count on jedreport.com to come through with the scoop. Here you go:
This will hopefully be the last I have to say about Joe Wurzelbacher, the plumber occupying way too much of our national mindspace this morning, and I'll do it in bullet point format.
Yes, his taxes would go down under Obama. (He makes less than $250k.)
No, his taxes would not go up under Obama. (The cost of the firm he's seeking to buy is $250K, not it's annual revenues. Nobody earning less than $250K will have their taxes hiked.)
No, he's not undecided, and he never was.
His full legal name appears to be Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher.
He is a registered Republican and voted in the GOP primary in March.
His first registration was with the right-wing Natural Law Party (according to a press conference he held earlier this morning).
Also at his press conference he said that he was sad when he found out he was born in Toledo because it meant he was a "Yankee."
He's fond of calling Obama a socialist.
His story about his plumbing firm is not consistent. For starters, he now says the cost of the firm is $250K, which means under Obama's plan he'd get a tax cut.
He also told Obama that he'd been a plumber for 15 years. He's 34. He also says he has served in the military. So unless he was a military plumber, something doesn't add up.
He appears to have spent time as a resident of both Arizona and Alaska
Finally, yes, I'm aware of the speculation that he is related to Charles Keating's son-in-law, Robert M. Wurzelbacher of Cincinnati, Ohio. That Wurzelbacher spent 40 months in prison as part of John McCain's Keating Scandal, but even if they are related, I have trouble believing McCain was aware of the connection.
This will hopefully be the last I have to say about Joe Wurzelbacher, the plumber occupying way too much of our national mindspace this morning, and I'll do it in bullet point format.
Yes, his taxes would go down under Obama. (He makes less than $250k.)
No, his taxes would not go up under Obama. (The cost of the firm he's seeking to buy is $250K, not it's annual revenues. Nobody earning less than $250K will have their taxes hiked.)
No, he's not undecided, and he never was.
His full legal name appears to be Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher.
He is a registered Republican and voted in the GOP primary in March.
His first registration was with the right-wing Natural Law Party (according to a press conference he held earlier this morning).
Also at his press conference he said that he was sad when he found out he was born in Toledo because it meant he was a "Yankee."
He's fond of calling Obama a socialist.
His story about his plumbing firm is not consistent. For starters, he now says the cost of the firm is $250K, which means under Obama's plan he'd get a tax cut.
He also told Obama that he'd been a plumber for 15 years. He's 34. He also says he has served in the military. So unless he was a military plumber, something doesn't add up.
He appears to have spent time as a resident of both Arizona and Alaska
Finally, yes, I'm aware of the speculation that he is related to Charles Keating's son-in-law, Robert M. Wurzelbacher of Cincinnati, Ohio. That Wurzelbacher spent 40 months in prison as part of John McCain's Keating Scandal, but even if they are related, I have trouble believing McCain was aware of the connection.
Joe The Plumber Part 2
I first saw the "Joe the Plumber" exchange between Obama and Joe yesterday afternoon. I meant to blog about it as I thought Obama did a fantastic job discussing in detail the differences between his plan and McCain's. I also wanted to ask whether you could imagine McCain being able to speak so knowledgeably, in so much detail, off the cuff, dare I say so eloquently, about ANY issue, in the way that Obama did during this exchange.
I also have to say that when I initially watched the video, I thought that there was a slight disconnect between what Obama was saying and average Joe's follow up questions. But I gave him the benefit of the doubt and figured that his slightly misplaced follow up questions were probably due to nervousness at speaking directly and in depth to the next President of the United States.
So imagine my surprise when this Joe the Plumber character briefly, and more than once, took center stage at the debate last night. Specifically, I wondered how a)McCain had found time in his busy schedule to even notice let alone watch the video of the exchange, since it came out the day of the debate, and b) why would McCain, on such short notice, make this guy such a vital piece of his final debate talking points?
Hmmm. And wasn't it just a bit too convenient that this guy just happened to be buying a business that is right smack exactly at the $250,000 Obama tax cut borderline? And it would just be downright conspiracy theorist to wonder aloud how a major news crew just happened to be on hand to film the exchange.
Then I read this morning that this Joe the Plumber character was not an "undecided" voter at all. No, he's actually a registered republican. Hmmm. What was he doing at an Obama rally? As my favorite Oxy-moron, Rush Limbaugh would say, this guy was "a plant".
I'll let my good friends at the Daily Kos take it from here:
Even more intriguing, McCain-land said they had never spoken with Joe before, but also made the following statement to Ben Smith:
McCain aides say there was no heads-up for Joe the Plumber, who's headed out to the morning shows tomorrow.
"Joe didn't know" that he'd be at the center of the debate," said Matt McDonald.
"We tried to call him during the debate, but his phone was busy," he said. "We're not going to put him through media training."
So the McCain campaign says they never contacted Joe the Plumber...but they also had his phone number. Now it's very possible someone in the media gave them his phone number, but if you can find any listing for Joe Wurzelbacher in Holland, Ohio, you're more industrious than I am.
The last thing that struck me as odd was that when talking with Katie Couric, Joe was totally on message for McCain (except the part where he said that he had already made up his mind on who he was voting for).
Bottom-line: it's not entirely clear what the real story of Joe The Plumber is. But it is entirely clear that he's not just some undecided voter. He supports McCain, and the McCain campaign sure seems to support him.
This wouldn't be a story worth mentioning if the media wasn't so excited to put him on all the morning shows, but since they are, they have a responsibility to get the story right. So far, there's little indication that they will.
I also have to say that when I initially watched the video, I thought that there was a slight disconnect between what Obama was saying and average Joe's follow up questions. But I gave him the benefit of the doubt and figured that his slightly misplaced follow up questions were probably due to nervousness at speaking directly and in depth to the next President of the United States.
So imagine my surprise when this Joe the Plumber character briefly, and more than once, took center stage at the debate last night. Specifically, I wondered how a)McCain had found time in his busy schedule to even notice let alone watch the video of the exchange, since it came out the day of the debate, and b) why would McCain, on such short notice, make this guy such a vital piece of his final debate talking points?
Hmmm. And wasn't it just a bit too convenient that this guy just happened to be buying a business that is right smack exactly at the $250,000 Obama tax cut borderline? And it would just be downright conspiracy theorist to wonder aloud how a major news crew just happened to be on hand to film the exchange.
Then I read this morning that this Joe the Plumber character was not an "undecided" voter at all. No, he's actually a registered republican. Hmmm. What was he doing at an Obama rally? As my favorite Oxy-moron, Rush Limbaugh would say, this guy was "a plant".
I'll let my good friends at the Daily Kos take it from here:
Even more intriguing, McCain-land said they had never spoken with Joe before, but also made the following statement to Ben Smith:
McCain aides say there was no heads-up for Joe the Plumber, who's headed out to the morning shows tomorrow.
"Joe didn't know" that he'd be at the center of the debate," said Matt McDonald.
"We tried to call him during the debate, but his phone was busy," he said. "We're not going to put him through media training."
So the McCain campaign says they never contacted Joe the Plumber...but they also had his phone number. Now it's very possible someone in the media gave them his phone number, but if you can find any listing for Joe Wurzelbacher in Holland, Ohio, you're more industrious than I am.
The last thing that struck me as odd was that when talking with Katie Couric, Joe was totally on message for McCain (except the part where he said that he had already made up his mind on who he was voting for).
Bottom-line: it's not entirely clear what the real story of Joe The Plumber is. But it is entirely clear that he's not just some undecided voter. He supports McCain, and the McCain campaign sure seems to support him.
This wouldn't be a story worth mentioning if the media wasn't so excited to put him on all the morning shows, but since they are, they have a responsibility to get the story right. So far, there's little indication that they will.
A Breast of Fresh Air
McCain looking and acting presidential.
I'm still thinking about the debate. I probably should have compiled all of my thoughts and then written one longer post, but instead...
I consulted my good friend Dr. Freud and we're almost positive that McCain said that Palin was a "breast of fresh air". Hmm. Judging from his previous wandering eye video I would have taken him for an ass man. There is also some debate as to whether or not he said "fart" although some say he said "Fark". I missed that one but it would go along way toward explaining the strange faces he was making and would lend credence to my burrito for dinner surmise.
You know, I never really thought about how "eloquent" Obama can be when he speaks until McCain pointed it out last night. His specific examples were how eloquent the words "look at" and "health for the mother" are. Hey, that's kind of cool. "Look at" how eloquently I can type. "Look at" me! I'm eloquent.
The Best Part
UPDATE: I've added the video. Watch how McCain's face goes from genuine shock gradually giving way to anger as he realizes that he just fucked up big time.
I almost forgot. I think the best part of the debate, by far, was when McCain started in on Obama about his supposed health care "fine". Tell Joe the Plumber how much his fine will be. Tell him. Talk about walking into a punch. Obama, showing that McCain didn't even understand Obama's plan and perhaps has never even bothered to read it, calmly looks into the camera and says, Joe, your fine will be zero. The look on McCain's face and his reaction is just priceless.
My wife is an attorney, which under McCain/Palin "logic" qualifies me to be Attorney General. She has taught me over the years that an attorney, or really anyone involved in a question and answer type scenario, should never ask a question that they don't already know the answer to. McCain showed us exactly why that rule of thumb is taught in law school.
Hopefully, I can find the video of that exchange. Talk about a golden blunder.
The Numbers Are In
CNN:
Who did the best job in the debate?
Independents
McCain (R) 31
Obama (D) 57
Republicans
McCain (R) 68
Obama (D) 18
Democrats
McCain (R) 5
Obama (D) 88
CBS:
Obama 53
McCain 22
Tie 25
CNN poll:
Obama's connection to William Ayers matters to you...
Great Deal 23
Somewhat 14
Not Much 11
Not At All 51
It was bad. McCain looked uncomfortable. I don't know if it was that burrito he ate right before taking the stage or what, but those facial expressions will not poll well. Eye rolling and eyebrow raising does not make one come across as presidential. And Smirks are so 2004. And in case you haven't noticed, you're the only one who ever laughs at your jokes. Creepy.
As for content, McCain had nothing new and he knew it. This debate was like watching Larry Holmes dismantle a well past his prime Muhammad Ali. Jab, jab, jab, jab. All night long.
Blah, blah, blah, blah and (totally unrelated to blah blah)he'll raise your taxes. Heh, he, he. Creepy forced smile.
Turn out the lights, McCain. The Republican party is over.
Who did the best job in the debate?
Independents
McCain (R) 31
Obama (D) 57
Republicans
McCain (R) 68
Obama (D) 18
Democrats
McCain (R) 5
Obama (D) 88
CBS:
Obama 53
McCain 22
Tie 25
CNN poll:
Obama's connection to William Ayers matters to you...
Great Deal 23
Somewhat 14
Not Much 11
Not At All 51
It was bad. McCain looked uncomfortable. I don't know if it was that burrito he ate right before taking the stage or what, but those facial expressions will not poll well. Eye rolling and eyebrow raising does not make one come across as presidential. And Smirks are so 2004. And in case you haven't noticed, you're the only one who ever laughs at your jokes. Creepy.
As for content, McCain had nothing new and he knew it. This debate was like watching Larry Holmes dismantle a well past his prime Muhammad Ali. Jab, jab, jab, jab. All night long.
Blah, blah, blah, blah and (totally unrelated to blah blah)he'll raise your taxes. Heh, he, he. Creepy forced smile.
Turn out the lights, McCain. The Republican party is over.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Joe The Plumber
I thought McCain pretty much died on stage tonight but I'll wait until morning to share my thoughts. However, since Joe the Plumber played such a dominant role in tonight's debate, I thought I'd post Obama's discussion with Joe so that everyone can see what they were talking about if you care to.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Students Know Best
http://tinyurl.com/3vhcnv Students have successfully picked the presidential winner in all but 2 elections since 1940.
Results from key swing states are as follows:
Colorado: McCain 61% Obama 36% Other 3%
Florida: McCain 41% Obama 55% Other 4%
Indiana: McCain 51% Obama 47% Other 2%
Iowa: McCain 48% Obama 49% Other 3%
Michigan: McCain 40% Obama 57% Other 3%
Missouri: McCain 49% Obama 47% Other 4%
Ohio: McCain 47% Obama 51% Other 2%
Pennsylvania: McCain 46% Obama 50% Other 4%
Results from key swing states are as follows:
Colorado: McCain 61% Obama 36% Other 3%
Florida: McCain 41% Obama 55% Other 4%
Indiana: McCain 51% Obama 47% Other 2%
Iowa: McCain 48% Obama 49% Other 3%
Michigan: McCain 40% Obama 57% Other 3%
Missouri: McCain 49% Obama 47% Other 4%
Ohio: McCain 47% Obama 51% Other 2%
Pennsylvania: McCain 46% Obama 50% Other 4%
I Pledge Allegiance
I just received one of those bogus emails claiming to be written by David Letterman. It goes on and on, blah blah blah...but the crux of the email is that we should thank god that we live in such a great country and ends by asking "are we sure that now is a good time to take god out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"
The first thing I did was check snopes.com to verify that the email was b.s. Definitely not written by Letterman or Leno or anyone else with a late night platform.
Next, I decided to delve into the history of the Pledge of Allegiance. Turns out it was written in 1897 and it wasn't until 1953, in the height of the McCarthy Era, and it's communist witch hunts, (Goody Proctor is a witch!) that a senator decided to introduce legislation to add the words "under god" to the Pledge of Allegiance.
So let us not pretend that our founding father's wrote the Pledge of Allegiance. Further, let us not pretend that "under god" BELONGS in the Pledge. Obviously, it is just the opposite. It doesn't belong there, it was added to it, way after the fact, during a time of right wing propaganda/fear much like what we are experiencing today, with the word terrorism substituted for communism.
As I've written before, there is a reason for separation of church and state. A good reason. There is a place for religion and there is a place for governing. There is no place for religions governing. Jesus said so.
The first thing I did was check snopes.com to verify that the email was b.s. Definitely not written by Letterman or Leno or anyone else with a late night platform.
Next, I decided to delve into the history of the Pledge of Allegiance. Turns out it was written in 1897 and it wasn't until 1953, in the height of the McCarthy Era, and it's communist witch hunts, (Goody Proctor is a witch!) that a senator decided to introduce legislation to add the words "under god" to the Pledge of Allegiance.
So let us not pretend that our founding father's wrote the Pledge of Allegiance. Further, let us not pretend that "under god" BELONGS in the Pledge. Obviously, it is just the opposite. It doesn't belong there, it was added to it, way after the fact, during a time of right wing propaganda/fear much like what we are experiencing today, with the word terrorism substituted for communism.
As I've written before, there is a reason for separation of church and state. A good reason. There is a place for religion and there is a place for governing. There is no place for religions governing. Jesus said so.
Quick Round Up
OK. You've waited patiently. Politics. How about a quick round up?
The Trophy VP insulted her base over the weekend when she chided a group of supporters, by saying something along the lines of, for those of you protesting, I hope that you recognize the veterans who have made your freedom of speech possible. Not only did she waste a perfectly good zinger, but she wasted it on her own supporters who were simply trying to communicate to her that they were unable to hear her. And not to nitpick, but I think it was the founding fathers who protesters need to thank for making freedom of speech legal (for now). Sure, the veterans of foreign wars certainly fought for America but my guess is that freedom of speech was at the back of the line regarding things they were fighting for.
Speaking of the Trophy VP, the Troopergate verdict came in last Friday. Despite her best efforts to put lipstick on a pig, the truth is, she was found guilty of ethics violations for abuse of power, re: attempting to use the power of the governor's office to get her ex-brother-in-law kicked off of the police force. Republican through and through. And no matter how the republicans try to spin it, ethics violations are not optional in the state of Alaska.
William Ayers! William Ayers? You mean that guy who did bad things while protesting Vietnam when Obama was 8 years old? That guy that shares a "neighborhood" with Obama? That guy who was on a "republican" appointed committee with Obama? Yeah! That's the guy. Because he was a domestic terrorist when Obama was 8 years old and because Obama lives in the same neighborhood as him, and because they were on the same committee, it must mean that Obama is a terrorist or at least a terrorist supporter. Right?
Right! Absolutely. I'm in full agreement, as long as Palin is willing to abide by the same rules. See, her husband (the First Dude) was (is?) a member of a domestic terrorist group bent on the secession of Alaska from the United States. This is a seccessionist group that Palin was so supportive of, that she went to their conferences and even recorded a video address (as governor) for their 2008 meeting. That's right, a group of domestic terrorists who hate America so much that they're sole purpose is to cease being a part of America, and here we have the republican VP candidate, ass deep, in their terrorist movement. America first? No, America not at all. They hate America so much that they don't even want to be a part of America. Where is the media outrage? Where is the fictional liberal media when you need them?
Bush! Shut! Up! Every time you open your pie hole, the stock market tanks even further. Nice rebound on Monday, now Shut! The! Fuck! Up! Already!
That's all I have time for right now. Way too much to cover in too short of a time.
Tomorrow is the final debate. Pop the popcorn and uncork the wine. McShame has no choice but to go "all in". Magoo + all in = great comedy.
Public service announcement, my friends. If you are unfortunate enough to have "my friends" on your drinking and/or bingo card, do your self a favor and call for a "mercy rule" after 10 occurrences. Otherwise, you'll need to call off work on Thursday.
The Trophy VP insulted her base over the weekend when she chided a group of supporters, by saying something along the lines of, for those of you protesting, I hope that you recognize the veterans who have made your freedom of speech possible. Not only did she waste a perfectly good zinger, but she wasted it on her own supporters who were simply trying to communicate to her that they were unable to hear her. And not to nitpick, but I think it was the founding fathers who protesters need to thank for making freedom of speech legal (for now). Sure, the veterans of foreign wars certainly fought for America but my guess is that freedom of speech was at the back of the line regarding things they were fighting for.
Speaking of the Trophy VP, the Troopergate verdict came in last Friday. Despite her best efforts to put lipstick on a pig, the truth is, she was found guilty of ethics violations for abuse of power, re: attempting to use the power of the governor's office to get her ex-brother-in-law kicked off of the police force. Republican through and through. And no matter how the republicans try to spin it, ethics violations are not optional in the state of Alaska.
William Ayers! William Ayers? You mean that guy who did bad things while protesting Vietnam when Obama was 8 years old? That guy that shares a "neighborhood" with Obama? That guy who was on a "republican" appointed committee with Obama? Yeah! That's the guy. Because he was a domestic terrorist when Obama was 8 years old and because Obama lives in the same neighborhood as him, and because they were on the same committee, it must mean that Obama is a terrorist or at least a terrorist supporter. Right?
Right! Absolutely. I'm in full agreement, as long as Palin is willing to abide by the same rules. See, her husband (the First Dude) was (is?) a member of a domestic terrorist group bent on the secession of Alaska from the United States. This is a seccessionist group that Palin was so supportive of, that she went to their conferences and even recorded a video address (as governor) for their 2008 meeting. That's right, a group of domestic terrorists who hate America so much that they're sole purpose is to cease being a part of America, and here we have the republican VP candidate, ass deep, in their terrorist movement. America first? No, America not at all. They hate America so much that they don't even want to be a part of America. Where is the media outrage? Where is the fictional liberal media when you need them?
Bush! Shut! Up! Every time you open your pie hole, the stock market tanks even further. Nice rebound on Monday, now Shut! The! Fuck! Up! Already!
That's all I have time for right now. Way too much to cover in too short of a time.
Tomorrow is the final debate. Pop the popcorn and uncork the wine. McShame has no choice but to go "all in". Magoo + all in = great comedy.
Public service announcement, my friends. If you are unfortunate enough to have "my friends" on your drinking and/or bingo card, do your self a favor and call for a "mercy rule" after 10 occurrences. Otherwise, you'll need to call off work on Thursday.
Ground Control To Major Tom
An old classmate of mine went back into space yesterday. Pretty amazing. In 2nd grade, this guy knew that he wanted to be an astronaut. Me? I wanted to be a professional boxer. Doh!
That reminds me of last fall, when my son's school had a party with a live band. My son came up to me and said, "bands are so cool!" And I was like, "NO!!!! Bands are NOT cool. There is nothing cool about bands!" Be a doctor! Be a lawyer! Be an astronaut! Stay away from the music biz!
Speaking of the music biz, an old friend just called me and one of the bands that he is managing is close to signing a major label deal and he's asking me for help and advice. I told him that unless a band already has a deal, I'm not willing to get involved. My days of working for free are over.
CMJ is this weekend and his band is showcasing. I like the band but I remember telling him that the female vocals weren't unique (good) enough to sell (enough) records. So here I am in a position where if I'm right I lose and if I'm wrong, I might be brought on board to win.
That's the music biz for you. Boy, this post really is all over space.
That reminds me of last fall, when my son's school had a party with a live band. My son came up to me and said, "bands are so cool!" And I was like, "NO!!!! Bands are NOT cool. There is nothing cool about bands!" Be a doctor! Be a lawyer! Be an astronaut! Stay away from the music biz!
Speaking of the music biz, an old friend just called me and one of the bands that he is managing is close to signing a major label deal and he's asking me for help and advice. I told him that unless a band already has a deal, I'm not willing to get involved. My days of working for free are over.
CMJ is this weekend and his band is showcasing. I like the band but I remember telling him that the female vocals weren't unique (good) enough to sell (enough) records. So here I am in a position where if I'm right I lose and if I'm wrong, I might be brought on board to win.
That's the music biz for you. Boy, this post really is all over space.
Fantasy
Most of you already know that I'm a fantasy sports junkie. Although I love watching and playing sports, for me, fantasy sports is all about studying and analyzing statistics. Which I totally, totally love.
My seven year old son is apparently following in my foot steps. His very first fantasy baseball team won the championship last month (OK, with help from his Dad). But still, he won his championship, and no, I didn't have the heart to tell all the grown men that he competed against that a 7 year old whooped their butts.
Me? I made the playoffs in my Runner's league, but injuries caught up to me and I lost in the semi-finals.
Onward, to fantasy football. After 6 weeks, my son's team is 2-3-1, which sounds bad, but he's in 5th place (top 4 make the playoffs) and he leads the league in total points scored. So he has a very strong team that has had some unfortunate early match ups. The bad thing about fantasy football is that in any league, you can finish 2nd in total points every week but still end up losing if you're unfortunate enough to be playing against the top team every week. These things usually even out over the course of the season, but not always. Two years ago, in my Runner's league, I finished 5-8, with 7 of my losses coming by way of my opponent in each particular week scoring their season high point total the week that they played against me.
It reminds of me of what my brother once told me about Las Vegas. Most people win something, some of the time. You (Me), lose everything, everytime. And that is why I stopped going to Vegas. Vegas hates me. It's true. I remember sitting down at a blackjack table for the first time. The dealer was a rookie, obviously her first shift ever, nervous as hell. She proceeded to kick our butts with black jack after black jack. Screw that. Now I just mail Vegas a check covering my would be losses. It saves me plane fare, etc.
I digress. Back to fantasy football. After 6 weeks I'm 3-3, 3-3, and 2-4. Not to worry. I drafted well. My teams are stacked. I will finish the season in the money.
Time to pick up my 3 year old from preschool. Fantasy will have to wait.
My seven year old son is apparently following in my foot steps. His very first fantasy baseball team won the championship last month (OK, with help from his Dad). But still, he won his championship, and no, I didn't have the heart to tell all the grown men that he competed against that a 7 year old whooped their butts.
Me? I made the playoffs in my Runner's league, but injuries caught up to me and I lost in the semi-finals.
Onward, to fantasy football. After 6 weeks, my son's team is 2-3-1, which sounds bad, but he's in 5th place (top 4 make the playoffs) and he leads the league in total points scored. So he has a very strong team that has had some unfortunate early match ups. The bad thing about fantasy football is that in any league, you can finish 2nd in total points every week but still end up losing if you're unfortunate enough to be playing against the top team every week. These things usually even out over the course of the season, but not always. Two years ago, in my Runner's league, I finished 5-8, with 7 of my losses coming by way of my opponent in each particular week scoring their season high point total the week that they played against me.
It reminds of me of what my brother once told me about Las Vegas. Most people win something, some of the time. You (Me), lose everything, everytime. And that is why I stopped going to Vegas. Vegas hates me. It's true. I remember sitting down at a blackjack table for the first time. The dealer was a rookie, obviously her first shift ever, nervous as hell. She proceeded to kick our butts with black jack after black jack. Screw that. Now I just mail Vegas a check covering my would be losses. It saves me plane fare, etc.
I digress. Back to fantasy football. After 6 weeks I'm 3-3, 3-3, and 2-4. Not to worry. I drafted well. My teams are stacked. I will finish the season in the money.
Time to pick up my 3 year old from preschool. Fantasy will have to wait.
1/2 Is Better Than None
OK. Avoiding politics so far today. Patience.
First, after many grueling weeks of indecision, and many personal fitness tests, I concluded that I should not run the Columbus Marathon. My piriformis just hasn't healed properly and running a marathon at this point would result in two things. One, a really slow time, probably a minute slower per mile than what I ran last year. Not fun and not something that I could get mentally prepared for. Two, way more pain and suffering than a 3:40 marathon would be worth.
Instead, I've opted to run the 1/2 marathon, which is better than nothing. And again, not looking for (or currently capable of) a personal record here, just being happy that I can run. Pie in the sky race goal is sub 1:40, which would require me to destroy my piriformis and start from scratch toward recovery. I'm competitive and sometimes not too bright when it comes to running, so I anticipate plenty of pain. What can I say? I'm an idiot. The other option is to run a totally safe, easy pace, 1:45. Yeah, I can't see that happening. Especially since the weather is predicted to be a perfect 39 degrees at the start.
Oh...to line up healthy at the starting line for a 39 degree race. A boy can dream.
First, after many grueling weeks of indecision, and many personal fitness tests, I concluded that I should not run the Columbus Marathon. My piriformis just hasn't healed properly and running a marathon at this point would result in two things. One, a really slow time, probably a minute slower per mile than what I ran last year. Not fun and not something that I could get mentally prepared for. Two, way more pain and suffering than a 3:40 marathon would be worth.
Instead, I've opted to run the 1/2 marathon, which is better than nothing. And again, not looking for (or currently capable of) a personal record here, just being happy that I can run. Pie in the sky race goal is sub 1:40, which would require me to destroy my piriformis and start from scratch toward recovery. I'm competitive and sometimes not too bright when it comes to running, so I anticipate plenty of pain. What can I say? I'm an idiot. The other option is to run a totally safe, easy pace, 1:45. Yeah, I can't see that happening. Especially since the weather is predicted to be a perfect 39 degrees at the start.
Oh...to line up healthy at the starting line for a 39 degree race. A boy can dream.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Soccer Recap
Real quick, for the Grandparents. Soccer. Week 4 was a hard fought 1-0 win and your grandson's first time playing goalie. I now know what my mom felt like when she told me she used to be a nervous wreck watching my baseball games every time I pitched. He did a great job but I was still nervous for him the entire time.
Last weekend was another tough game. It was 4-4 going into the final quarter when your grandson broke the game wide open with a pair of nice goals and a super sweet assist. 7-4 victory to move to 5-0 on the season with one game remaining.
OK. I have to get the bedtime routine rolling. Just wanted to keep you posted.
Last weekend was another tough game. It was 4-4 going into the final quarter when your grandson broke the game wide open with a pair of nice goals and a super sweet assist. 7-4 victory to move to 5-0 on the season with one game remaining.
OK. I have to get the bedtime routine rolling. Just wanted to keep you posted.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Seig Heil Part 3
Sorry, blame my wife. She mentioned this morning that she thinks I get too caught up in reading and believing things written from the liberal point of view. She warned that she fell victim to this in 2004 and it led her to believe that John Kerry had a much better command on voters than the final tally indicated.
Point taken, but I do make a conscious effort to read both sides of the coin as well as listen to right wing propaganda radio from time to time, just to stay grounded. And if I can just take a moment to discuss elections, I told my wife over the weekend that this was the first time since 1992 that I really felt like the democrats were definitely going to win. 2000 and 2004 I wanted them to win, hoped that they would win, was enthusiastic that they would win, but this year is the first time in 16 years where I FEEL that they will win.
OK, back to blaming my wife. I tuned back in to Limbaugh a short while ago and here is what I learned.
The right wing nut jobs who are calling for the murder of Obama at these McCain/Palin rallies are actually "media plants" and "Obama supporter plants". You see, the "drive by media" (whatever that means) have to plant these people in order to create a story. So even though not 90 minutes ago, he was supporting and encouraging this activity, now it is a left wing liberal media conspiracy. Make up your mind, Rush. This is why I prefer my talk radio to be drug free.
He then took a call from a woman who attended a rally yesterday in Pennsylvania. He asked her if there were a ton of protesters outside the rally. She said, no, there were 4 or 5 people protesting. You want to know why, Rush? Because democrats aren't a bunch of crazy loons who march around outside of places where they aren't welcome, hoping to cause a scene and stir up trouble. Um...unless they are "plants", ahem.
He went on to falsely claim that McCain's crowds are getting bigger while Obama's crowds are getting smaller. Yeah, that statement is grounded in reality. Need I remind you that Bruce Springsteen performed at an Obama rally in Columbus last weekend while a few days prior, the Bexley High School Marching Band cancelled a performance at a McCain rally?
I turned off the radio thinking that even his dittohead callers must be "plants".
Point taken, but I do make a conscious effort to read both sides of the coin as well as listen to right wing propaganda radio from time to time, just to stay grounded. And if I can just take a moment to discuss elections, I told my wife over the weekend that this was the first time since 1992 that I really felt like the democrats were definitely going to win. 2000 and 2004 I wanted them to win, hoped that they would win, was enthusiastic that they would win, but this year is the first time in 16 years where I FEEL that they will win.
OK, back to blaming my wife. I tuned back in to Limbaugh a short while ago and here is what I learned.
The right wing nut jobs who are calling for the murder of Obama at these McCain/Palin rallies are actually "media plants" and "Obama supporter plants". You see, the "drive by media" (whatever that means) have to plant these people in order to create a story. So even though not 90 minutes ago, he was supporting and encouraging this activity, now it is a left wing liberal media conspiracy. Make up your mind, Rush. This is why I prefer my talk radio to be drug free.
He then took a call from a woman who attended a rally yesterday in Pennsylvania. He asked her if there were a ton of protesters outside the rally. She said, no, there were 4 or 5 people protesting. You want to know why, Rush? Because democrats aren't a bunch of crazy loons who march around outside of places where they aren't welcome, hoping to cause a scene and stir up trouble. Um...unless they are "plants", ahem.
He went on to falsely claim that McCain's crowds are getting bigger while Obama's crowds are getting smaller. Yeah, that statement is grounded in reality. Need I remind you that Bruce Springsteen performed at an Obama rally in Columbus last weekend while a few days prior, the Bexley High School Marching Band cancelled a performance at a McCain rally?
I turned off the radio thinking that even his dittohead callers must be "plants".
Seig Heil Part 2
As luck would have it, I was just in my car and tuned into the Oxy-Moron's opening monologue. Here was one of the leaders of the right wing propaganda sleaze machine putting his own trademarked brand of illogic to the very topic I spoke about earlier today.
This jackass was actually telling his dittoheads that it was perfectly acceptable to scream out hate filled slander at campaign rallies because...finally "we" have someone who speaks for us and understands our views (Palin?) and because the right wing is so fed up with the "liberal" media, it is now OK to spew hate and death threats/wishes at these "rallies".
He went on to ask what was wrong with using his name? By "his name", of course, he meant Barack "Hussein" Obama. Allow me to answer that question. There is nothing wrong with using a persons name. It is the way that it is being used that is wrong. If his middle name was "Joseph" I don't think the right wing hate mongers would be using his full name at rallies now, would they? Of course not.
He then went on to defend McCain's use of the phrase "that one" in referring to Obama at the debate. Again, Limbaugh found nothing wrong with this. Of course he didn't. He's all about code words himself, right?
He finished by claiming that his right wing dittohead moronic followers were correct in believing that Obama was part of a sleeper cell bent on changing the very shape of our country. I really wish I had the transcript so I could accurately capture the exact words that this buffoon actually said. Perhaps I"ll edit this post later to include his exact words. He finished his diatribe with "what part of this is wrong?" And I actually said out loud, to the radio, "all of it."
But yes, this totally reinforces my earlier post that the right wing propaganda machine is fully supporting and encouraging, if not outright instigating this behavior. And Jonah McPalin is totally OK with it. Where is the John McCain I used to know?
Twenty six more days until we get our Country back. Hang in there.
This jackass was actually telling his dittoheads that it was perfectly acceptable to scream out hate filled slander at campaign rallies because...finally "we" have someone who speaks for us and understands our views (Palin?) and because the right wing is so fed up with the "liberal" media, it is now OK to spew hate and death threats/wishes at these "rallies".
He went on to ask what was wrong with using his name? By "his name", of course, he meant Barack "Hussein" Obama. Allow me to answer that question. There is nothing wrong with using a persons name. It is the way that it is being used that is wrong. If his middle name was "Joseph" I don't think the right wing hate mongers would be using his full name at rallies now, would they? Of course not.
He then went on to defend McCain's use of the phrase "that one" in referring to Obama at the debate. Again, Limbaugh found nothing wrong with this. Of course he didn't. He's all about code words himself, right?
He finished by claiming that his right wing dittohead moronic followers were correct in believing that Obama was part of a sleeper cell bent on changing the very shape of our country. I really wish I had the transcript so I could accurately capture the exact words that this buffoon actually said. Perhaps I"ll edit this post later to include his exact words. He finished his diatribe with "what part of this is wrong?" And I actually said out loud, to the radio, "all of it."
But yes, this totally reinforces my earlier post that the right wing propaganda machine is fully supporting and encouraging, if not outright instigating this behavior. And Jonah McPalin is totally OK with it. Where is the John McCain I used to know?
Twenty six more days until we get our Country back. Hang in there.
Knock Knock. Who's There?
Recently, AEP was unable to read my meter for several months in a row due to a "locked" gate. Mind you, it is the same gate that has been in place since we bought this house over three years ago and prior to a few months ago, the AEP meter reader was always intelligent enough to know how to lift the metal rod from the ground to release the gate.
Suddenly, this task apparently became too cumbersome and/or challenging for the AEP meter reader, leaving me with no choice but to remove the impeding force from the ground, thus allowing the gate to swing open freely upon human contact. Alas, the next time out, the meter reader was able to successfully read my meter. Crisis solved.
Until now. My phone just rang. A recorded message from AEP. It seems they were unable to read my meter last month because an "animal" was in the way of the meter and the meter reader.
I believe the time has come to write a letter to AEP, suggesting that they train their meter readers in the fine art of how to "knock on a door". It stands to reason, that if an "animal" (dog) is interfering with the meter reader's ability to perform their only job requirement, then perhaps the reason that the "animal" is outdoors is because the owner of said "animal" is "home". Thereby, a quick knock on the door would result in the owner letting the "animal" in the house, thus allowing the meter reader to perform his duty without further interference.
A win-win solution for all.
Suddenly, this task apparently became too cumbersome and/or challenging for the AEP meter reader, leaving me with no choice but to remove the impeding force from the ground, thus allowing the gate to swing open freely upon human contact. Alas, the next time out, the meter reader was able to successfully read my meter. Crisis solved.
Until now. My phone just rang. A recorded message from AEP. It seems they were unable to read my meter last month because an "animal" was in the way of the meter and the meter reader.
I believe the time has come to write a letter to AEP, suggesting that they train their meter readers in the fine art of how to "knock on a door". It stands to reason, that if an "animal" (dog) is interfering with the meter reader's ability to perform their only job requirement, then perhaps the reason that the "animal" is outdoors is because the owner of said "animal" is "home". Thereby, a quick knock on the door would result in the owner letting the "animal" in the house, thus allowing the meter reader to perform his duty without further interference.
A win-win solution for all.
Seig Heil
McCain campaign rallies have taken a decidedly violent turn this week as McShame supporters have verbally attacked Obama with shout outs such as, "Kill him", "Terrorist", and "Off with his head".
Somebody must have added a double scoop of "hate" and an extra shot of "crazy" when they mixed the latest batch of Republican Kool-Aid. I realize these people are off their rockers (no offense, McCain) to begin with, but the Republican propaganda media sleaze machine has stepped it up a notch this week, desperately digging up the skeletal remains of dead horses William Ayers and Reverend Wright, for one last flogging. Newsflash: There's no glue there "guys and gals", it just wont' stick.
It's ugly, it's disingenuous, it's despicable, it's the Republican way. And instead of repudiating these people who shout out this hate at their rallies, McCain and Palin allow it to go unanswered, unchallenged, thereby condoning it through their inaction.
Let's take a look at this for a minute. Shouldn't this be a Secret Service issue? People are calling a United States Senator and the likely next President of the United States a "terrorist" and calling for his murder. Is this something that should be encouraged? To be taken lightly? I think it goes without saying that when protesters shout down Duh and call him a war criminal or a terrorist, they are arrested and investigated. And if someone was to actually say "kill him"? It's safe to say we'd never see or hear from that person again, in our newly Habeus Corpus free America.
So why the double standard? Why aren't these hate mongers being taken seriously and treated as potential threats? Is this what we have to look forward to for the next eight years? A series of assassination attempts by evolutionary challenged, racist, morons, who are drunk on Fox "news" propaganda and unable to accept that a "negro" might actually be more intelligent than them?
What a wonderful world.
Somebody must have added a double scoop of "hate" and an extra shot of "crazy" when they mixed the latest batch of Republican Kool-Aid. I realize these people are off their rockers (no offense, McCain) to begin with, but the Republican propaganda media sleaze machine has stepped it up a notch this week, desperately digging up the skeletal remains of dead horses William Ayers and Reverend Wright, for one last flogging. Newsflash: There's no glue there "guys and gals", it just wont' stick.
It's ugly, it's disingenuous, it's despicable, it's the Republican way. And instead of repudiating these people who shout out this hate at their rallies, McCain and Palin allow it to go unanswered, unchallenged, thereby condoning it through their inaction.
Let's take a look at this for a minute. Shouldn't this be a Secret Service issue? People are calling a United States Senator and the likely next President of the United States a "terrorist" and calling for his murder. Is this something that should be encouraged? To be taken lightly? I think it goes without saying that when protesters shout down Duh and call him a war criminal or a terrorist, they are arrested and investigated. And if someone was to actually say "kill him"? It's safe to say we'd never see or hear from that person again, in our newly Habeus Corpus free America.
So why the double standard? Why aren't these hate mongers being taken seriously and treated as potential threats? Is this what we have to look forward to for the next eight years? A series of assassination attempts by evolutionary challenged, racist, morons, who are drunk on Fox "news" propaganda and unable to accept that a "negro" might actually be more intelligent than them?
What a wonderful world.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
My Fellow Prisoners
This goes beyond a gaffe and beyond a mere Freudian slip. There is something darker lurking beneath the surface and I find it downright frightening. This speaks to this man's mental instability and state of mind.
Who Won? "That One"
"My friends", it is clear that "that one" won the debate. Out of all the words used during the debate, only two will matter, "that" and "one". What a condescending, undignified, unpresidential way to behave. This "my friends", is what the American voters will remember about this debate. McCain, a tired, cranky, frustrated shell of his former self, referring to another United States Senator, who was standing a mere few feet away, as "that one". Check mate.
This election is over, "my friends". The polls agree. Let's have a look.
CBS snap poll of uncommitted voters:
Who won?
McCain (R) 27
Obama (D) 39
Draw 35
Will Obama will make the right decisions on the economy?
Before debate: 54
After debate: 68
Will McCain will make the right decisions on the economy?
Before debate: 41
After debate: 49
CNN instapoll:
CNN, MoE 4%:
Who did the best job in the debate?
McCain (R) 30
Obama (D) 54
Opinion of Barack Obama (before debate)
Favorable: 64 (60)
Unfavorable: 34 (38)
Opinion of John McCain (before debate)
Favorable: 51 (51)
Unfavorable: 46 (46)
There you have it, "that one" wins, hands down.
And let me just say, Tom Brokaw was terrible as moderator. Honestly, Yes or No answer, Is Russia once again an Evil Empire? What kind of idiotic question is that? Out of all the questions submitted, Brokaw thought that one was worthy of being asked. Idiot. There was absolutely nothing to be learned or gained from asking that question.
And for those of you who had to take a drink every time McCain said "my friends", that'll teach you. 19 times, "my friends", 19 times! Couldn't he have just winked and showed some cleavage instead?
This election is over, "my friends". The polls agree. Let's have a look.
CBS snap poll of uncommitted voters:
Who won?
McCain (R) 27
Obama (D) 39
Draw 35
Will Obama will make the right decisions on the economy?
Before debate: 54
After debate: 68
Will McCain will make the right decisions on the economy?
Before debate: 41
After debate: 49
CNN instapoll:
CNN, MoE 4%:
Who did the best job in the debate?
McCain (R) 30
Obama (D) 54
Opinion of Barack Obama (before debate)
Favorable: 64 (60)
Unfavorable: 34 (38)
Opinion of John McCain (before debate)
Favorable: 51 (51)
Unfavorable: 46 (46)
There you have it, "that one" wins, hands down.
And let me just say, Tom Brokaw was terrible as moderator. Honestly, Yes or No answer, Is Russia once again an Evil Empire? What kind of idiotic question is that? Out of all the questions submitted, Brokaw thought that one was worthy of being asked. Idiot. There was absolutely nothing to be learned or gained from asking that question.
And for those of you who had to take a drink every time McCain said "my friends", that'll teach you. 19 times, "my friends", 19 times! Couldn't he have just winked and showed some cleavage instead?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
How To Secede In Life (The Video)
I just found this video which nicely coincides with the Palin-Secessionist post I wrote earlier today. Once again the Jed Report comes through for me:
It's Only 1st Grade Soccer, Man! Part 2
Here we are, 10 days later, and the 1st grade soccer drama still has life. Allow me to fill you in.
Last Monday, we learned that an "Incident Report" had been filed. We were happy about this, assuming that the coach who had physically assaulted our 7 year old child would be held accountable. Much to our dismay, we received an email on Thursday outlining new protocol for player and parent behavior.
After clearing it with my son's coach, I immediately fired off an email to both the league commissioner and the 1st grade commissioner, expressing my concern that they had failed to address the most important issue, namely, the behavior of the coach toward my son. I waited impatiently for a response and when 24 hours had passed with no reply, I fired off another strongly worded email. No reply.
Saturday morning, we returned to the soccer fields for my son's next game. A 1-0 victory, making them 4-0 on the season, (if they kept track of these things). While heading back to the car after the game, I noticed the coach from last week's game, still out there coaching. I was struck by simultaneous feelings of anger and fear, that this guy might lose his temper again and this time seriously hurt a child.
I went home and waited for a reply from either commissioner. When no reply came I decided enough was enough. I called the 1st grade commish. He answered and immediately became defensive. He made excuses for not getting back to me and actually went so far as to say that the teenage children who referee the games have authority over coaches who physically assault children from the opposing team, not the commissioner. I lit into him. I had no choice. I told him it was time for him to man up and take some responsibility.
Once we were done thumping our chests and establishing dominance, we settled into a sincere and productive conversation. It turns out, the coach from the other team, in an extreme example of "Cover Your Ass", told the commish that my son had punched one of his kids in the face and that he was breaking up a fight when he assaulted my child.
No wonder the commish didn't respond to my concerns. He was thinking that my kid was beating on some other kid and the coach did the right thing by breaking it up. Further, he thought that I was some insane parent who thought that the coach was wrong for breaking up the "fight".
Once I explained that there was no "fight" and that my kid most definitely did not punch anyone in the face, we were able to get down to what really happened and what we might be able to do to prevent future incidents. It turns out, the commish is a nice, caring guy, who just happened to be swayed by the lies of the offending coach.
I explained that I appreciate that the commish is willing to volunteer his time and I most definitely appreciate all of the coaches who do what they do, but at the same time, we have to protect these 6 and 7 year old kids from coaches who apparently have anger management issues. This coach obviously doesn't feel that he did anything wrong and if left to that belief, what is to stop him from another melt down in a future game, with the well being of our children at stake?
We discussed better ways of handling the situation and he suggested that I file an official "Incident Report" to ensure that the situation is dealt with. I still don't have much faith that anything will be done about this man, and honestly, I'm not really sure what should be done. But he at least has to be held accountable for his actions and he has to be made aware that his behavior was wrong and can not be allowed to happen again.
Beyond that, we'll just have to hope that it was a one time incident and not a foreshadowing of future behavior.
Last Monday, we learned that an "Incident Report" had been filed. We were happy about this, assuming that the coach who had physically assaulted our 7 year old child would be held accountable. Much to our dismay, we received an email on Thursday outlining new protocol for player and parent behavior.
After clearing it with my son's coach, I immediately fired off an email to both the league commissioner and the 1st grade commissioner, expressing my concern that they had failed to address the most important issue, namely, the behavior of the coach toward my son. I waited impatiently for a response and when 24 hours had passed with no reply, I fired off another strongly worded email. No reply.
Saturday morning, we returned to the soccer fields for my son's next game. A 1-0 victory, making them 4-0 on the season, (if they kept track of these things). While heading back to the car after the game, I noticed the coach from last week's game, still out there coaching. I was struck by simultaneous feelings of anger and fear, that this guy might lose his temper again and this time seriously hurt a child.
I went home and waited for a reply from either commissioner. When no reply came I decided enough was enough. I called the 1st grade commish. He answered and immediately became defensive. He made excuses for not getting back to me and actually went so far as to say that the teenage children who referee the games have authority over coaches who physically assault children from the opposing team, not the commissioner. I lit into him. I had no choice. I told him it was time for him to man up and take some responsibility.
Once we were done thumping our chests and establishing dominance, we settled into a sincere and productive conversation. It turns out, the coach from the other team, in an extreme example of "Cover Your Ass", told the commish that my son had punched one of his kids in the face and that he was breaking up a fight when he assaulted my child.
No wonder the commish didn't respond to my concerns. He was thinking that my kid was beating on some other kid and the coach did the right thing by breaking it up. Further, he thought that I was some insane parent who thought that the coach was wrong for breaking up the "fight".
Once I explained that there was no "fight" and that my kid most definitely did not punch anyone in the face, we were able to get down to what really happened and what we might be able to do to prevent future incidents. It turns out, the commish is a nice, caring guy, who just happened to be swayed by the lies of the offending coach.
I explained that I appreciate that the commish is willing to volunteer his time and I most definitely appreciate all of the coaches who do what they do, but at the same time, we have to protect these 6 and 7 year old kids from coaches who apparently have anger management issues. This coach obviously doesn't feel that he did anything wrong and if left to that belief, what is to stop him from another melt down in a future game, with the well being of our children at stake?
We discussed better ways of handling the situation and he suggested that I file an official "Incident Report" to ensure that the situation is dealt with. I still don't have much faith that anything will be done about this man, and honestly, I'm not really sure what should be done. But he at least has to be held accountable for his actions and he has to be made aware that his behavior was wrong and can not be allowed to happen again.
Beyond that, we'll just have to hope that it was a one time incident and not a foreshadowing of future behavior.
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