Nov 30
True to Republican form. If there’s a war on Christmas might as well profit from it.
Nov 29
My Mother was in town recently and being the consummate New Yorker that she is the bathroom reader she left was a copy of the latest New Yorker. True to Seinfeld form, I was baffled by four cartoons in a row. Which makes this McSweeney entry all the more what the New Yorker cartoons are not.
“Four stylish women in a cluster at a cocktail party, all but one eyeing a handsome man in conversation nearby.
“Well, I’m just not that into him, either.”
Or some other recent culture reference. Or something involving wine, or Europe.”
McSweeney’s Internet Tendency: In-Progress Ideas for New Yorker Cartoons.
Any thoughts? »
Nov 29
Round and round the corruption wheel goes. Where she stops nobody knows.
“…But before his high-flying life as a corrupt defense contractor came to a grinding halt last summer he was into more than Duke Cunningham. Wade’s MZM was in deep with Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL). So deep in fact that, in a story we broke here at TPM back on June 21st, Harris once had a one day haul of $28,000. Fourteen checks for $2,000 a pop, each from a different MZM employee, each received on March 23rd, 2004. (MZM employees later claimed these contributions were coerced.)”
Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall November 28, 2005 11:54 PM
Nov 28
A stunning insiders account of the powers that be. Former Powell chief of staff Lawrence Wilkerson has some choice words about the Republicans in charge. We’ll wet your whistle with this ditty:
“He said Cheney must have sincerely believed that Iraq could be a spawning ground for new terror assaults, because “otherwise I have to declare him a moron, an idiot or a nefarious bastard.”
The question now is not whether or not they’ll smear one of their own but whether or not they’ll have the time to squeeze him into their busy holiday smear schedule.
Nov 28
Democratic Senator Biden wrote a column that appeared in the Washington Post this weekend that spells out a withdrawal plan for Iraq titled “Time for An Iraq Timetable”.
Today, according to the White House, the record must be “set straight” and Biden has adopted his plan from the President himself. That’s right, the President who along with Cheney and his attack dogs, made it very clear that any withdrawal would aid and abet the terrorists, be catamount to surrender, and was down right traitorous , now want you to believe that all along it’s been their master plan. Just the latest revisionist, suck-up, political ploy for approval ratings. Does anyone really believe that Bush will pull out?
Setting the Record Straight: Sen. Biden Adopts Key Portions of Administration’s Plan for Victory in Iraq
Nov 23
Funny how it takes the worst of a situation to appreciate how good you once had it. No doubt history will eventually move Carter’s presidency from it’s current rank near the bottom to damn near the top.
Here’s a reprint of a post we did back on August 1:
All the things Bush won’t be doing during his retirement:
“He should just sip lemonade and enjoy his retirement… ”
Jimmy Carter had a few things to say this past weekend and he has been getting the usual harassment from the bloviating right about what a weak President he was and how he has no right to an opinion because it helps the terrorists, blah, blah, blah.
This got us thinking about all the things Bush won’t be doing during his retirement.
Bush will not be…
Creating Peace Programs including:
The Americas Program- improving the quality of democracy, thwarting corruption, increasing transparency, and decreasing social inequities in the Western Hemisphere.
The Conflict Resolution Program- making peace by preventing and resolving armed and political conflicts around the globe.
The Democracy Program- working for the development of democratic societies worldwide by observing elections, strengthening the capacity of civic organizations, and promoting the rule of law.
The Global Development Initiative- assisting developing countries with the expertise to help them devise their own plans for sustainable development, and
Human Rights Initiatives- intervening on behalf of victims of human rights abuses and integrating human rights approaches and principles into the activities of all Carter Center programs.
Bush will not be…
Leading a worldwide Guinea worm disease eradication campaign that has achieved more than 99.5 percent reduction of this debilitating condition among women, children, and men in Africa and Asia.
Creating the River Blindness Program, The Carter Center has assisted in the delivery of more than 60 million treatments of Mectizan® in Africa and Latin America. Applying experience and knowledge gained from Guinea worm disease eradication and river blindness control efforts, the Trachoma Control Program fights blinding trachoma in Africa. Tackle two additional diseases in Nigeria – lymphatic filariasis and schistosomiasis – and through the Ethiopia Public Health Initiative, the Center conducts public health training.
Improving agricultural techniques to grow more food for their families and boost the economy in sub-Saharan Africa, while the…
Center’s Mental Health Program seeks to improve services and treatment for the millions of people and their families who suffer from mental illnesses every year.
And Bush will definitely not give his time—along with any construction skills—to build homes and raise awareness of the critical need for affordable housing.
Most likely Bush will cut down some trees in Crawford assuming he goes back there once it’s not politically advantageous to pretend he’s a Texan. He’ll probably just go fishing and play golf in Connecticuit, which is where he’s originally from and has spent most of his life.
As he ages he will definitely be taking advantage of any stem cell related medical advances to improve his health.
He will not kick up his feet and read a good book.
He will sip a nice glass of lemonade and enjoy his retirement.
Nov 23
“…how ironic is it that Blair is threatening to harm journalists over a story about Bush threatening to harm journalists.”
Nov 23
For those of who compete every year to top your neighbor. You’d better hope this family never moves to your block.
(doesn’t auto start so press play)
Hedonistica: Christmas House
Nov 22
The other day Jean Schmidt “Swift Boated” 37 year Marine Veteran, Congressman Murtha specifically by name “quoting” a fellow Marine’s letter stating that he was a coward.
That very same day she retracted her statement with the caveat that her “remarks were not directed to any member of the House and I did not intend to suggest they applied to any member…”
Think Progress – VIDEO: Schmidt’s Shame
Rumsfeld (and we just learned Tucker Carlson) tirelessly repeated the lies that she was quoting A fellow Marine and that Murtha was not mentioned by name.
Think Progress – Rumsfeld Defends Rep. Jean Schmidt’s Attack
It turns out that the Marine quoted by Schmidt says he never mentioned Murtha and that Schmidt mischaracterised her coversation with him.
Think Progress – Marine Quoted By Schmidt Says He Never Mentioned Murtha
Thanks once again to the good folks at Think Progress
Nov 21
I’m watching Woodward on Larry King now and something struck me. There is all this “protection” of the source. But when does a source begin? If a reporter asks a question or actively seeks out information and gets an answer in confidence, that info is then info that came from a source and thus worthy of protection, correct? But if a reporter is talking to a public official or politician and doesn’t necessarily ask for info isn’t it just reporting what was said? Is the confidence given to a source then expected? I ask because Woodward says he wanted to report the source but then went back to the source to ask if he could identify him/her and was denied. Why would he have to confirm the confidentiality if he/she supposedly already was confidential.
What do you think?
Nov 21
When emerging from a cave it is best to acclimate to your political surroundings before opening your 19% approval rated mouth.
Just another dose of lies, hypocrisy, contradictions, and a little fear from the gang that couldn’t shoot straight.
Think Progress: Cheney Rewrites The Headlines
Think Progress: White House Flip-Flops on Murtha
Think Progress: Cheney: If U.S. Troops Come Home, Osama Bin Laden Will Rule Iraq
Oops, Dickey said the “O” word.
Nov 21
A bit late but we finally got talked into this MySpace thing all the kids have been raving about. So go ahead, invade our space.
Nov 18
Chalk one up for the Catholics.
“Intelligent design isn’t science even though it pretends to be,” the ANSA news agency quoted Coyne as saying on the sidelines of a conference in Florence. “If you want to teach it in schools, intelligent design should be taught when religion or cultural history is taught, not science.”
Nov 18
“Creepy, 3D versions of Gorillaz performed live when they won best artist at the MTV Europe awards in Lisbon on November 3rd.
The Times of London reports that the illusion was achieved using an old Victorian parlour trick known as “Pepper’s Ghost”.”
De La Soul shows up (for real).
via Drawn
