A Singing McCain. Not Well.

Just received this from film maker Robert Greenwald.

The mainstream press is absorbed in the presidential race - the latest poll numbers, the in-fighting between Obama and Clinton - while we seek to expose the true story humming just beneath the surface (yes, this calls for some major puns in a matter very serious... sometimes satire can be the most effective way to reach people).

Take a moment to spread this, and if you're a digger, digg this. Let everyone see firsthand (with a little help from our composers) that the senator embraces war in a dangerous and irresponsible manner.

So, here you go. Enjoy, and do something.


And so it goes.
*

And...Another One Bites the Dust

Yes, more hypocritical Republican asshattery. But, I repeat myself. From Newsweek:

In his 30-plus-year legal career in Harris County, Texas, Chuck Rosenthal has been no stranger to controversy. As a prosecutor he lit firecrackers in the stairwell of the district attorney's offices soon after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombings. (It was a prank, he said.) After he was elected DA in 2000 he called the death penalty a "biblical proposition" and lobbied unsuccessfully to maintain Texas's sodomy law. He defied a gag order to appear on "60 Minutes" in 2001 to defend his decision to seek the death penalty for Andrea Yates, the Houston housewife who drowned her five children.

Rosenthal is back in the headlines again. Last December, as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit into how justice is meted out in the county, he turned over the (partial) contents of his government e-mail account. And what a batch of e-mails it was. Black ministers called for the Republican to resign because of racist material, including a cartoon depicting an African-American suffering from a "fatal overdose" of watermelon and fried chicken. There were adult video clips and love notes from Rosenthal to his secretary, his mistress during a previous marriage. "I love you so much," Rosenthal says in one. "I want to kiss you behind your right ear," he says in another. "Go spend time with your family," she admonishes him back.

Now it appears that Rosenthal's on-the-job antics have done him in. In the wake of the e-mail revelations, local GOP leaders forced him to abort his re-election bid. Then, on Feb. 15, after Lloyd Kelley, the attorney in the civil rights case, brought a lawsuit accusing him of drinking on the job and "incompetence, or official misconduct," Rosenthal resigned. But his problems may not be over. As eye-opening as his e-mails were, it's the ones that disappeared that might cause him more trouble yet. Rosenthal deleted thousands of e-mails (even going so far as to delete them from the trash folder) that investigators in the civil rights case wanted; his actions could lead to obstruction of justice charges (the messages were destroyed after he had received a subpoena for them, he admitted in court). And during a contempt of court hearing earlier this month, Rosenthal appeared to contradict his sworn statements about the e-mails, leaving him open to perjury charges. The hearing was abruptly adjourned at the request of his lawyer and is scheduled to resume March 14. If found in contempt, the former top prosecutor could wind up in jail.

I love the smell of perjury in the morning. The hits just keep on coming. More HERE.

And so it goes.
*

Larry Craig's looking for new Interns?

Found this at C&L, but I'll bet it will be all over the net by tomorrow. File in the "you can't make this stuff up"drawer.

I just want to know what happened to the "investigation"?

And so it goes, uh, with a wide stance, of course.
*

9/11 Responders Rally in DC

But can anyone tell me why I had to read this in a New Zealand Paper???

WASHINGTON DC - 02.21.08 - Over 200 9/11 First Responders, family members and supporters will be rallying on Capitol Hill this Tuesday, February 26th.

From 10:00am to 12:00pm, First Responders will rally on the West Lawn of Capitol Hill.

Scheduled speakers include Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY), Congressman Jerry Nadler (NY), Congressman Tim Bishop (NY) Congressman Dennis Kucinich (OH) and other Congressional leaders. Advocates of several 9/11 health organizations as well as family members and first responders from September 11, 2001 will also be discussing the health issues they currently face.

The rally is aimed to address the following issues:

* The federal government just cut 9/11 Health Care funding by 77%. A paltry $25 million was designated for fiscal year 2009, down from $108 million in 2008. This means every program in existence (including Mt. Sinai) will be operating on a severely reduced budget.

* This past December 2007, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Michael Leavitt canceled plans for the World Trade Center Business Process Center. This center was designed to provide treatment for the 10,000-plus First Responders who reside outside the New York metropolitan area, many of whom are seriously ill.

* The 9/11 Health & Compensation Act (aka the James Zadroga bill) has still not been passed. This very important piece of legislation that would help all 9/11 families has been ignored within Congress up until now--it is time to speak up to to get it passed!

After the event, 9/11 health leaders have several scheduled meetings, including with the offices of Congressmembers Eliot Engel, Jim Moran, Chris Smith, Albio Sires, John Conyers, Kristen Gillibrand, Gary Ackerman, Chris Murphy, Joe Donnelly, Lois Capps, David Drier, Duncan Hunter, John Murtha, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Gregory Meeks, Dennis Kucinich, John Conyers, John Hall and Chris Shays and meetings with the offices of Senators John McCain, Judd Gregg, Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Dole, Chuck Schumer and John Warner.

The event is being organized and hosted by John Feal and the Fealgood Foundation (www.fealgoodfoundation.com)

And so it goes with our "liberal" media. Nothing to see here, move along.

*

Finally! Bush's Fetish Revealed.

After 7 years of photo ops where Dubya has shown his obsession with bald men, someone finally put many of the clips together and created this video. Watching his very strange varied expressions, we're left to wonder; What exactly is he thinking? Though, I probably don't really want to know, after all.



Scary, no?

And so it goes.
*

It's Time for a Bit of Torchwood

Yes, a new episode will be on BBCA tonight and I am posting this fanvideo from youtube because it is sung by Torchwood star, John Barrowman and because the lyrics fit the scenario.

It just gets better and better. To see an openly gay actor in an openly gay role in a series is transforming in so many ways.

And so it goes.
*

Caturday Balancing Act

And so it goes.

*

No Spying

PFAW (People for the American Way) has released a new video regarding the FISA bill and the immunity of the Telecoms. I don't know where it is airing, but it's had nearly 5,000 hits since its posting last evening.



Senator Tom Carper (DINO) Delaware, voted for immunity. Rep. Mike Castle (R) Delaware is likely to do the same.

Carper and Castle have to go. Enuf said.

And so it goes.
*

Schmuck: Gays Cause Earthquakes!

Let's see; we gay folks are the cause of blizzards, meteors, hurricanes, broken marriages and what else? oh, now apparently, earthquakes. Or so says the schmuck at right.->

An outspoken member of Israel's parliament has said recent earthquakes that have hit the country are a consequence of gay rights laws.

Shlomo Benizri, who is a member of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, was speaking in a Knesset (parliament) debate on earthquake preparedness.

After reading passages from the Old Testament, he said that in his view one cause of earthquakes is that "the Knesset gives legitimacy to sodomy.

"A cost-effective way of averting earthquake damage would be to stop passing legislation on how to encourage homosexual activity in the State of Israel, which anyways causes earthquakes."

The chair of Israel's LGBT Association told Ynetnews:

"It is sad that a religious MK (MP) in Israel doesn't think earthquakes are God-made.

"On the other hand, I suppose we should be flattered he attributes us with such magical powers."

Flattered? "Magicial Powers eh? All I want to know is - if I have so much fucking power why am I treated like a second class citizen. Why am I considered less than human.

Dear God! What a schmuck! It's all HERE.

And so it goes.

*

Promise of Attacks on Obama.

I, and a few friends have expressed this fear. I had hoped we, as a nation, had moved beyond this kind of filth. This is from HateWatch:

With the selection of Barack Obama as the first black Democratic nominee for president seeming more possible by the day, racists and white supremacists are posting increasingly ugly and even threatening remarks on the Internet.

“OBAMA WILL DIE, KKK FOREVER,” concludes a Feb. 15 post by “Rodney” to a blog run by a person identified only as Strider333. Above that signoff, Rodney wrote: “The KKK or someone WILL assassinate Obama! If we get a NIGGER President all you NIGGER’s [sic] will think you’ve won and that the WHITE people will have to bow to you[.] FUCK THAT.”

Exactly, what is it that they fear? I won't even venture a guess as that would be attempting to know the minds of these people. I don't want to do that. Oh sure, all the usual stereotypes come to mind, but there's more to it than that. I continue to be mystified by the capacity some humans have for storing hate in their hearts not knowing that hate destroys the soul.

Link via Pam's House Blend.

And so it goes.

*

A Lynching Party Against Michelle Obama?

How much more racist can FOX and O'Lielly get? This from Media Matters for America:

Summary: In a discussion of recent comments made by Michelle Obama, Bill O'Reilly took a call from a listener who stated that, according to "a friend who had knowledge of her," Obama " 'is a very angry,' her word was 'militant woman.' " O'Reilly later stated: "I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels. If that's how she really feels -- that America is a bad country or a flawed nation, whatever -- then that's legit. We'll track it down."

Well, here's a powerful response and one that can tear your heart out.

No, I don't watch or listen to anything at Faux Noise, but I had to find something to call them on their sexism and racism.

Enuf said.

And so it goes.

*

Connecticut Legislator Comes Out

Another step forward for honesty and truth. This from the News-Times in CT:

DANBURY - State Rep. Jason Bartlett put rumors to rest Tuesday when he announced publicly that he's gay.

Bartlett, a Democrat who represents Bethel, Danbury and Redding, is the first openly gay, black, state legislator in U.S. history, officials said.

The freshman lawmaker, who has been frank about his sexual orientation with relatives, said now is the time to speak out.

Video: Click here to watch Bartlett talk about his decision.

"For me the decision came down to, why not now?" Bartlett, 41, asked during a meeting Tuesday with The News-Times. "To me this is about having a conversation with my larger family - the people of greater Danbury who voted for me."

Notice the contrast between a legislator being honest about their personal life, and the recent scandals surrounding Repubs. who got caught with their pants down, or in drag, or a public toilet. So much for the "family values" party.

Read the whole piece HERE.

And so it goes.

*

9/11 Lies Ruin Life of Pilot

Items like this should really call into question the charges against many still detained at Guantanamo. From the London Times:

Six years of fighting for justice left Lotfi Raissi an emotional and physical wreck and his marriage close to ruin. But yesterday, the Algerian pilot falsely accused of training the September 11 terrorists heard, finally, that he was “completely exonerated” of any part in the attacks on the twin towers.

As Mr Raissi pored over the Court of Appeal’s densely worded judgment, the lengths to which the authorities had bent the rules to detain him in the febrile days after September 11 became clear.

Three of Britain’s most senior judges condemned the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service for abusing the court process, presenting false allegations and not disclosing evidence.

But it was not until page 44, paragraph 154, line 17 that Mr Raissi’s eyes settled upon the words he had been praying for. The judges ruled that the charge that he was a terrorist and had trained the September 11 hijackers was one of which he should be “completely exonerated”. His only “crime” was to learn his skills at the same Florida flying school as two of the hijackers.

**************************************

In Phoneix, Arizona, they came across a flight school called Sawyer Aviation where Hani Hanjour — who crashed an airliner into the Pentagon — had trained. The school was popular with Middle Eastern trainees and one of those at Sawyer at the same time as Hanjour was Mr Raissi.

He had, checks quickly established, left the US and was now living in Britain. On September 17, a letter from the legal attaché at the US Embassy in London was delivered to Scotland Yard’s anti-terrorist branch.

“The FBI request that this matter be handled as expeditiously and discreetly as possible,” the letter said. The words “expeditiously” and “discreetly” were typed in bold.

Ten days later Scotland Yard executed its response to the American request. Armed officers smashed down the door of Mr Raissi’s flat in Colnbrook, Berkshire, not far from Heathrow, and arrested him and his wife at gunpoint. The media hailed the arrest in Britain of the first suspects in the global hunt for the men who planned the worst terrorist attacks ever seen. An extradition warrant was issued for Mr Raissi on a “holding charge” that he had failed to disclose a theft conviction on his US immigration application. But in the courts, British lawyers representing the US Government made much more serious allegations.

Mr Raissi, they said, was the “lead instructor” for the hijackers. The courts were told there was evidence that he falsified flight logs to hide the fact he trained Hanjour. Videotape had been found of Hanjour and Mr Raissi together. A notebook said to belong to Abu Doha, a major terrorist suspect, that had been found in London contained Mr Raissi’s phone number.

One by one, over the course of ten court hearings, Mr Raissi’s solicitor proved that the allegations and the evidence to support them were false, if not fabricated.

False? Fabricated? Are they referring to the Bush Administration? Nah!

The long article is HERE.

And so it goes.

*

William (the Bloody) Kristol

The wingnut who hasn't been right about anything, anything. Iraq! Bush! The Military!
Anyway, this is my favourite image and how I like to remember him. Someone captioned it as "Pundit & Pie". What say you?


And so it goes.

*

NOLA: Positive Perspectives

As promised last week; This from Lord David at Humid City: An Open Apology.

Yeah, ya heard it. I’m writing this for no other reason than to say I’m sorry. Please, allow me to explain….

…I know New Orleans has it’s myriad of problems, from an absentee Mayor and a small percentage of police who think they’re re-living Cool Hand Luke, with us as the Parchman Farmers, to the little things, like cell phones that don’t connect when the weather’s bad, or resetting the clocks after every little thunderstorm, and driving miles and miles, from grocery to grocery, trying to find some freakin parsley…

I recently read that 58% of Americans still don’t think New Orleans is worth rebuilding. What they don’t understand is that it’s too late for that now. It’s coming back anyway.

This afternoon, it rained while I was working outside. I rode my bike through a couple of blocks of drizzle, to Capt’n Sal’s on St. Claude Avenue, and spent about seven dollars on two pounds of freshly boiled crawfish.

That’s the price of lunch at Mickey D’s these days, by the way. Anyway, I peddled home, opened the sack, and put on the radio. Satchmo & John Boutte, taking turns on WWOZ. The strangers at Capt’n Sal’s had discussed the quality of the latest Crawfish, and they were right. Big this season, shells still soft to show their youth, and tastey as can be. The guys working across the street asked (axed?) where to get them and I gladly directed them. They turned their radio down to hear mine when Satchmo started to blow. It’s lunchtime in New Orleans. A sacred event, bringing together groups of different languages and walks of life, over food & jazz, the pleasure of a sultry rainy day and a break in the work of Fixing It All Again.

So yeah, it’s too late to think about rebuilding New Orleans. Sure there’s tons of work left to do, houses to build, schools to open, roads to fix, hospitals to be built.

But the foundation of this city is already poured…

The People. The Food. The Music. The Culture.

The rest is frosting, made of brick & mortar, wire & nails.

And then there's this from Metroblogging New Orleans: Is This Horse Dead Yet?

So, with all due respect to you folks outside New Orleans, I think y'all may be a little confused.

Thanks to the minuscule flame war that erupted after my anti-Chris Rose rant (made elsewhere), and thanks to a couple of emails I've recently received, it's clear that some folks think New Orleans is still wallowing in sorrow like a P-I-G hog. That's in part due to the fact that the media has moved on to cover presidential candidates and fashion week, meaning that images of the modern-day, new New Orleans have been fewer and further between in the national press

Which is not necessarily a bad thing. I mean, how many more times can we hear Anderson Cooper give the same field report about devastation and displacement? (I could watch it with the sound muted, but only 'cause he's so freakin' dreamy.) On the other hand, since you might not have seen us on the evening news, you might not know that many of us have gotten over it--the "it" being Katrina, the Corps, bureaucracy, political posturing, etc. Here's an excerpt from a response I sent to one of the email queries that pretty much sums up my feelings and those of my family, friends, and co-workers:

Nearly three years after Katrina, yes, it is VERY safe to assume that many of us are tired of hearing the victim narrative. No, things aren't fully back, but whatever: change is inevitable anywhere, the change in New Orleans was just accelerated. We've settled into the New Normal, and unlike that asshole Chris Rose, most of us aren't weeping into our beer every evening. In big ways and small, most of us have moved on, emotionally speaking. Those who haven't have moved on, geographically speaking.

Yes, we all hope that New Orleans will gradually become better than it was before the storm. (In certain ways, I think it already is.) Will it be perfect? Will it be utopia? I'm probably the wrong person to ask. To me, perfection has to exist in a bubble, and given the fact that everything is interconnected these days--informationally, electronically, meteorologically, and so on--that's pretty much impossible. But New Orleans will continue to be a hub, there will be people living here, there will be Mardi Gras, there will be crime, there will be inequality, and there will be an ease of life unknown in most of America.

Also, I don't think I'm the only one with these opinions. They're pretty well documented elsewhere. Very few people--except some of the hippies who moved here after the storm and don't know when to give it a rest--are still griping about storm-related stuff. Anyone who's still here has to have made peace with it in some way.

If you care to read the full posts at their own homes, just click on the links at the titles above.

And so it goes.
*

Robert McKee (R) Maryland: Just Another GOP Pervert

And another one bites the dust. This from DWT:

How can you tell if a Republican legislator is a pervert or not? No, not because he's breathing; don't be a smart-ass. Usually it's the ones who scream and shout the loudest about perversion threatening the American family who are the guiltiest of whatever it is they're obsessing over. You would probably win some good money by betting that anti-gay maniacs like Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Larry Craig (R-ID), Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), David Dreier (R-CA)-- to name a few-- are gay themselves, very gay, albeit tightly in the closet of course, where Republican gays always hide and lurk. Their consistent activism on behalf of bigotry against gay men and women is a clear sign that they have something to hide about their own lives. Speaking of which...

Unless you're from Maryland, you probably never heard of anti-child porn crusader Robert McKee, a long-time right-wing member of the House of Delegates from rural Washington County in the western part of the state. According to today's Washington Post, McKee, one of the Maryland leaders of the Romney for President campaign, has abruptly resigned today. Easy to guess that McKee, who also resigned as Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters, is a child porn fiend.

Law enforcement authorities, both the FBI and county sheriff's office, who are conducting a child pornography investigation, seized two computers, videotapes and printed materials when they searched the Republican's home in Hagerstown 2 weeks ago.

And, as is the way with these guys, he's going into "treatment."

Go over and read the WAPO piece HERE

And so it goes.

*

Caturday!

Better late than never...

Of course, the image is from HERE. Do yourself a favor, when you're having a bad day, pay a visit. I know you will leave with a smile. Trust me; have I ever lied to you???

And so it goes.
*

Photo of Gay-Bashing Victims Wins 2nd Place

In the World Press Photo of the Year 2007 Awards. The photo shows two Hungarian men awaiting medical help. It is truly stunning. Homophobia is rampant in Europe, especially in eastern countries.

Since the image is copyrighted the World Press asks that the image not be copied, so please GO HERE.

And so it goes.

*

We Will Not Cower in Fear!

The Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Silvestre Reyes, writes Bush a very un-Valentine letter chastising him for his attempts to protect the telecoms at the expense of the safety of Americans. Finally someone in Congress with stones to call him on his fear mongering. Here's the money quote:

I, for one, do not intend to back down – not to the terrorists and not to anyone, including a President, who wants Americans to cower in fear.

We are a strong nation. We cannot allow ourselves to be scared into suspending the Constitution. If we do that, we might as well call the terrorists and tell them that they have won.

Thank you, Congressman, I needed that. Go and read the whole letter. It will make you feel proud, at least a bit.

And so it goes.
*

Torchwood: Since You've Asked.

Some of you don't receive BBCA and have been asking about this Torchwood thing. Well here is a segment from my favourite episode from last year.

Yeah, I wept.




And I can identify with many scenes, but this is so good.

And so it goes.

*

C. Ray Nagin + Assault Rifle = The Stupid!

I was over at NOLA.com and searching news items about the recovery when I came upon this image. This man, the mostly absent mayor of the city, has no idea what gun safety and handling is about. I mean, he's pointing the rifle at the chest of (clearly) an equally stupid NOPD Superintendent. Unbelievable! You can read the story at the link above, but...some people need more training in the basics.


Jesus, the Stupid, it burns.

I've read a couple of encouraging posts at NOLA blogs that I hope to link to either later, or tomorrow. A number of the NOLA blogs posted this image and their take on the situation and some are priceless. The rebuilding continues y'all, albeit slowly. The heart and soul of the city is there.

And so it goes.
*

The Maine Caucuses: The Smell of Democracy in the Morning

It was 8 degrees when I forced myself out from under the warm covers this morning. Showered, shaved, had a coffee, then...this was my wake up post this morning. It’s from dkos front pager Bill in Maine:

My partner, Michael, and I attended the Maine caucuses in Portland yesterday afternoon. The Portland Press Herald provides the numbers. File this under "Holy Mama!!"

The line... My god, the line went for-EVER. I've never seen anything like it. They couldn't attract this kind of crowd for Josh frickin' Groban. We were in line for an hour and fifteen minutes before we got to the steps of Portland High School...all during a snowstorm with flakes the size of anvils.

The crowd's reaction to the weather was a sign that this was going to be one hell of an event. See, it didn't start snowing until after the lines had formed, and a lot of people weren't dressed for snow (it was more like falling slush). Yet I saw nobody who stepped out of line to go home because they were getting soaked and their teeth were chattering. They were here to have their voices heard and, by god, they were serious. I mean, there were couples in their 80s who were going to have their votes counted come hell or high water. Nobody budged. It was phenomenal.

The line continued inside Portland High School, spilling down a hallway and then coiling around the cafeteria several times as if we were participating in some kind of performance art celebrating the workings of the human intestinal tract. "Hi again!" you'd say, as you encountered the same people face-to-face for the third time. The lines were that tight. (Thankfully the coffee breath in the room wasn't too bad, although I did get an occasional blast of halitosis that could fell a horse. We suffered for our country yesterday, I tell you.)

This warmed my soul and confirms what I’ve been feeling about this election cycle. It’s going to be (as Bette would say) a bumpy ride and I am loving it. Too bad it took 7 years of the worst president ever for folks to get involved and their asses out, in a snow storm no less, to make a difference.

By the way, Bill is the author of the "Cheers and Jeers" posts on Daily Kos. Check him out sometime. I love his stuff.

Read the whole piece HERE.

And so it goes.

*

Sunny Sunday

And there are high wind warnings posted for this afternoon, with gusts supposedly of up to 50 mph. Then getting cold again overnight with a low of around 12'. It will be very cold when I head out to work. Gee, can't wait.

Been spending way too much time at home lately. When I am not at work I am at the apartment, but...there is light at the end of the tunnel. And I do miss seeing my friends.

I've made good use of the time. A friend let me borrow the entire Harry Potter series of books, so that's been fun. Cooking wonderfully aromatic meals in the slow cooker (yesterday was Jambalaya day) and having a great time with the TV. Mostly enjoy what I suppose are the geekie channels. History, Science, Discover, BBC, National Geographic. And I have learned a lot. Oh, and there's LOGO, the GLBT channel.

By far though, my favourite find has been Torchwood. The third episode of the season aired last night and it was better than ever. I was never a fan of the original Doctor Who series which was too campy and the effects weren't, um, special. And while the new DW is much better in all respects, it's just not my cup.

That the days are getting longer is a good sign. I don't drive to work in the dark, I only have to make it through another 5 weeks (and find another part time job) then I hope to begin saving for my Alaska Cruise, (or a breakdown) and things will be looking up.

And so it goes.
*

Rugby Party Ad.

This is one ad that we'll never see on TV here in the states. I found it via a link at JMG. It is very funny, so I thought I'd share. NSFW.



And so it goes.

*

New Moon?

I don't think so.

I’m no stranger to sleeplessness; my new boyfriend’s name is Insomnia. For some reason I’ve been experiencing bizarre dreams. Not nightmares, or unpleasant ones, just really bizarre.

Not that the results of the primaries weren’t. The Repugs are stuck with two real nutjobs of their own design. One with anger issues, the other believes the world is 5,000 years old. Good luck with that. As I said previously, the list of Dems was impressive and I am excited about this election cycle. While I was initially behind John Edwards because of his attention to the middle class and poor, he also began and ended his campaign in NOLA; drawing attention to the ongoing problems that plague the city and Gulf areas.

Anyway. For the past 10 days I’ve found myself awake at 3 a.m. wide-awake, apprehensive. Why? I don’t know. Usually when something terrible is about to happen, everything in my life is intensified. Dreams turn ugly and usually relate in some way to people in my past. As if they’re trying to tell me something important.

Haven’t been with friends in weeks. Haven’t been out socially either. I hadn’t heard from my best friend in almost two months. No call, email, note, or anything. So thinking the worst, I called today and found out that it’s been one illness after another since the New Year. We will talk more tomorrow. Just hearing that voice made me feel better.

The past few days have been relatively warm and sunny here, so I’ve taken walks each day after work. The days are getting longer and that means I don’t drive to work in the dark. Daylight Savings Time begins early this year, so remember to turn all clocks ahead one hour on March 9^th.

But…I’m exhausted. I need sleep. Make that REST.

And so it goes.

*

Prepare for Martial Law?

I think Amerika will enjoy Martial Law, judging by the number of gas-guzzling vehicles still sporting Bush/Cheney Stickers.

A public-private partnership program on infrastructure preparedness and protection run by the Federal Bureau of Investigation allegedly has briefed its corporate members on the possibility of martial law and the use of lethal force, according to an exclusive report in the magazine The Progressive.

"One business owner in the United States tells me that InfraGard members are being advised on how to prepare for a martial law situation—and what their role might be," writes Matthew Rothschild in the Feb. 7 report, quoting an anonymous whistleblower on the program. "'Then they said when—not if—martial law is declared, it was our responsibility to protect our portion of the infrastructure, and if we had to use deadly force to protect it, we couldn’t be prosecuted,' he says."

I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. After all, look how far BushCo has taken us in just 7 years. Spying, Torture, and 2 Wars. Nice. Next! You can read the rest of the scary story HERE.

NRCC Probe Scares the GOP

Uh-Oh!!!

Top House Republicans were told in recent days that a former employee of their campaign committee may have forged an official audit during the contentious 2006 election cycle and that they should brace for the possibility that an unfolding investigation could uncover financial improprieties stretching back several years, according to GOP sources briefed on the members-only discussions.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has retained a forensic auditor to review its accounting for the last several election cycles, the sources said.

The NRCC’s accounting problems were discussed during two high-level conference calls between senior GOP lawmakers on Friday and Monday night, according to Republicans briefed on the calls.

“There is a sense that this could be very damaging to the committee,” said a Republican insider close to the GOP leadership.

This from the Fiscally Responsible, Family Values Party. The whole story can be found HERE.

And so it goes.

*

What is This Charge? War in Iraq!

This is the most exciting election cycle I've experienced since I worked on Eugene McCarthy's campaign, or maybe ever. I've not seen such an array of really good candidates (on the Democratic side) in many years.

I arrived at my polling place 10 minutes before opening. I was second in line. By 5 minutes before opening there was a line of about 15 voters behind me. After voting I made my way out of the building and the line was already snaking its way into the parking lot.

I was a poll worker in elections past (Dems were rare here and they really needed me) and I didn't experience this kind of intensity here, NJ, or NY. The excitement is palpable.

Here is a new video from Brave New Films produced for LessJobsMoreWars.com

View it and....Pssst, Do something.

And so it goes.
*

Mardi Gras...

OK, OK, it's Mardi Gras & Super Tuesday, but it's mostly about Mardi Gras. Thanks to a childhood friend now living in Gotham, here is, at least for me, probably the record that epitomizes this beloved foolishness, so imagine there's a parade passing before you and they're throwing beads, coins, coconuts, and small dolls.

Crank up your speakers. Here comes Professor Longhair from 1963 playing Big Chief. Enjoy:

Doesn't get better than that.

Now, go out and vote.

And so it goes.
*

Phelps & Co to Pay Only Half of Settlement Awarded by Jury

Just burns my biscuits, this:

A federal judge in Baltimore today substantially reduced the amount of damages Westboro Baptist Church, the Kansas-based anti-gay group, and three of its members will have to pay for their protest at a Marine's funeral in Westminster.

In a 52-page decision, U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett upheld a jury's verdict awarding the father of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder multimillion-dollar damages for enduring emotional distress and having his privacy invaded by Westboro members waving anti-gay signs at the Marine's funeral in March 2006.

"There was also more than sufficient evidence to support the jury's verdict on defendants' liability," Bennett wrote. "There was more than sufficient evidence to support the jury's verdict that defendants' conduct before, during and after the funeral of Matthew Snyder was outrageous, designed to inflict emotional distress upon plaintiff and that the intrusion upon the seclusion of plaintiff and his family was highly offensive to a reasonable person."

But the judge more than halved the total $10.9 million award to $5 million...

The Baltimore Sun...

What horrible, hateful people they are.

And so it goes.

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No Child Left Behind?

OK, so Europe is a country that speaks French:



The pinnacle of the American education system? And she's not a real blonde. Even Foxworthy seems frustrated by the stoopid.

We. Are. In. Trouble!

And so it goes.
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What a Crock! Pot!

As I’ve written before, my little apartment does not boast a full stove, so baking isn't an option. I have a two-burner cooktop, one large, one small. There’s the large microwave, a crock pot, and I bought a small toaster oven. Limited doesn’t begin to describe it.

I have looked into the Cuisinart Convection/Toaster Oven combo. It's the perfect size for my space, but 1) it uses too much energy, and 2) the cost is prohibitive at the moment. Still, it is on my list for Santa this year.

So, how to go about creating some diverse meals? I like to cook in large batches in winter; like hearty soups, thick stew and roasts. Things I can put into individual containers and throw in the freezer.

I searched the Web and found a number of interesting recipes for the crock pot and all-in-one pot meals for the stove top. Yesterday I made my first crock pot roast and it turned out so juicy and fork-tender that I was amazed. I believe the key to slow cooking is NOT to overcook meats, and that’s too easy to do since most people I’ve talked to seem to think that if 6 hours will result in tender, 7 or 8 will only make it more so. Not necessarily true. I’ve found that overcooking often takes moisture away from meats making them dry and stringy, or falling apart. This is especially true with pork and beef.

Where am I going with this? Well, a friend showed up at my job yesterday with a plastic bag containing four or five pounds of venison. Steaks, a large roast, and cubes for stew or chili. I had no idea this was coming. I made some comment at a dinner party and WHAM, this! YUM! I haven’t had venison in a decade and all my recipes are either in storage or were lost to my previous life. So, it’s back to the web to see what I can find. Venison is definitely a lean meat containing almost no fat so it’s tricky to make a good meal. Wish me luck.

Oh, and if you have a venison recipe and are willing to share, please leave it in comments.

And so it goes.

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It's Caturday!

Image from here. As you can see, that's one pissied off pussycat. Whenever I feel a little down, or having a tough day, I go over for a good laugh.

And so it goes.
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