Some good stuff today....but #1 is the best.......
1/ Politics
The President came out swinging last week against the Party of No, and Frank Rich explains why it might not be too late for Obama to stop the hemorrhaging of November voters. I found this column spot-on, a must read for Progressives.....he is an excellent writer......
That spread is the Democrats’ dread “enthusiasm gap.” And since that gap can’t be bridged in two months by new government programs or divine intervention for the nearly one in six Americans who are un- or underemployed, what could give the Democrats even a slender reed of hope?
That a former community organizer and insurgent presidential candidate from a rocky middle-class background could be branded an out-of-touch elitist is not entirely the fault of his critics. Obama has perhaps never recovered from handing his administration’s plum economic jobs to Robert Rubin protégés with dirty hands from the bubble — Lawrence Summers, a deregulation advocate from the Clinton administration, and Timothy Geithner, an indulgent regulator at the New York Fed. Their presence has helped Obama’s more unscrupulous adversaries get away with the lie that his White House, not President Bush’s, created TARP.
2/ Muslims
Unless you are stuck in a cabin in the woods you are of course aware there are huge controversies about Muslims, the New York mosque, the Gainesville looney, all ginned up by the right wing extremists led in this case by the disgusting Newt Gingrich. On this I have two items below.....
One is a video from Sweden that alleges to give three points about the Qu'ran Westerners should be aware of. Actually it is well made, great graphics, lilting Swedish voice-over and very low key, unlike some of the other anti-Muslim videos circulating. I hesitated to include this, but it certainly is interesting and I am sure some or maybe most of it is true. It's 7 minutes long and worth watching......
But the central premise of the video is that all 1.5 billion Muslims in the world take the Qu'ran literally and follow it scrupulously, so we need to be afraid, very afraid of every Muslim. This of course is BS of the highest order. It's like saying every Christian reads and believes the Bible daily, following it's dictates to the letter [that you?]. This video tries to do what all extremists want - to make you afraid, in this case of Muslims.
So if you watch the video, note the points, but be aware of what they are trying to do......
The second link is a wonderful column from Nicholas Kristof reminding us of our values and taking the bigots to task.....well worth reading.....
Thus a prominent American commentator, in a magazine long associated with tolerance, ponders whether Muslims should be afforded constitutional freedoms. Is it possible to imagine the same kind of casual slur tossed off about blacks or Jews? How do America’s nearly seven million American Muslims feel when their faith is denounced as barbaric?
This is one of those times that test our values, a bit like the shameful interning of Japanese-Americans during World War II, or the disgraceful refusal to accept Jewish refugees from Nazi Europe.
3/ Student Loans
I didn't realise how badly some colleges exploit students [especially minorities], signing them up for useless courses, saddling them with loans that follow them for the rest of their lives.....University of Phoenix is one of the worst of them, so beware budding students......
The Administration is trying to pass some sensible reforms, but the unscrupulous schools are of course lobbying their paid off scum in Congress hard.....
Some college officials encouraged applicants to falsify financial aid forms; students were also pressured into signing enrollment contracts before they were allowed to speak to financial aid representatives who would clarify costs. The programs offered at the for-profits schools were substantially more expensive than comparable programs at nearby public colleges. In one example, a student who inquired about the cost of studying for a massage therapy certificate was told that $14,000 was a fair price, even though the local community college offered the same courses for $520.
4/ Thomas Friedman thinks our generation [Boomers] have had a values breakdown which has caused the US to slip to #11 in the world in the Newsweek poll of best countries in the world. We have also infected and corrupted our students, making them lazy and unmotivated...
A challenging argument, and I'm damned if I can think of any way to counter it.....you decide.....
Contrast that with the Baby Boomer Generation. Our big problems are unfolding incrementally — the decline in U.S. education, competitiveness and infrastructure, as well as oil addiction and climate change. Our generation’s leaders never dare utter the word “sacrifice.” All solutions must be painless. Which drug would you like? A stimulus from Democrats or a tax cut from Republicans? A national energy policy? Too hard. For a decade we sent our best minds not to make computer chips in Silicon Valley but to make poker chips on Wall Street, while telling ourselves we could have the American dream — a home — without saving and investing, for nothing down and nothing to pay for two years.
......we would get excited about U.S. politics when our national debate is between Democrats and Republicans who start by acknowledging that we can’t cut deficits without both tax increases and spending cuts — and then debate which ones and when — who acknowledge that we can’t compete unless we demand more of our students — and then debate longer school days versus school years — who acknowledge that bad parents who don’t read to their kids and do indulge them with video games are as responsible for poor test scores as bad teachers — and debate what to do about that.
5/ Florida Senate Race
Interesting story on why Marco Rubio is in trouble ......his record. Good article, but it doesn't mention that Marco endorsed the Arizona Immigration law, but after his Hispanic base in South Florida went ballistic backed off on this, which then pissed off the Tea Party base......what a bumbler.....
Rubio, after all, is a hypocrite of the grandest order — a preacher of the live-within-your-means gospel who has lived high on other people's money for much of his own political career.
He talks now of "runaway government," hoping nobody will remember how much he spent on things like a members-only dining room for legislators and his own staff back when he was House speaker in 2006. (Aside from the $119,000 for his press secretary, the hire that really made headlines was the chief of staff Rubio decided to pay $175,000 — more than then-Gov. Jeb Bush.)
Rubio claims to oppose pork spending, hoping no one will remember that Crist vetoed a historic $459 million from Rubio's budget — including $800,000 for artificial-turf football fields for a league in which Rubio played flag football.
And Rubio claims to be ready to fight the special interests, hoping no one will remember the $100,000 worth of charges he racked up on the state GOP's special-interest-funded credit cards
He talks now of "runaway government," hoping nobody will remember how much he spent on things like a members-only dining room for legislators and his own staff back when he was House speaker in 2006. (Aside from the $119,000 for his press secretary, the hire that really made headlines was the chief of staff Rubio decided to pay $175,000 — more than then-Gov. Jeb Bush.)
Rubio claims to oppose pork spending, hoping no one will remember that Crist vetoed a historic $459 million from Rubio's budget — including $800,000 for artificial-turf football fields for a league in which Rubio played flag football.
And Rubio claims to be ready to fight the special interests, hoping no one will remember the $100,000 worth of charges he racked up on the state GOP's special-interest-funded credit cards
6/ Jimmy Kimmel - funny 1 minute segment of his show, and how you can make anything smutty with bleeps......
7/ Unusual story - Microsoft Russia is helping the Russian security services squash dissenters by using the excuse of pirated software so the police can sieze the groups computers.....mostly environmental groups.....hmmm.....shall we put Microsoft on the list of big evil corporate oligarchs, like BP, Wal-Mart, Koch Industries? Not yet....but let's see how they respond.....
Across Russia, the security services have carried out dozens of similar raids against outspoken advocacy groups or opposition newspapers in recent years. Security officials say the inquiries reflect their concern about software piracy, which is rampant in Russia. Yet they rarely if ever carry out raids against advocacy groups or news organizations that back the government.
As the ploy grows common, the authorities are receiving key assistance from an unexpected partner: Microsoft itself. In politically tinged inquiries across Russia, lawyers retained by Microsoft have staunchly backed the police.
8/ "The Haggler" is the NYT consumer advocate, so this story about a lady's troubles with Dell is really good. Years ago I bought a Dell and once tried to get through to their help desk, with no luck, so I haven't bought anything Dell again and won't - they are an awful company.....anyway, enjoy.....
Actually, the first step for Dell might be a policy that keeps wicked nincompoops away from its customer help desks. Ms. Gugel said last week that she wasn’t exaggerating about the hours she waited on hold, although “hold” isn’t the right word when you’re locked in what amounts to a bizarre game of attrition with someone who refuses to speak to you. For several of the lengthier vigils, Ms. Gugel’s friends chipped in by taking turns with the phone.
9/ Funny parody of a typical local evening news story, on any station, any network, anywhere USA.....listen to the words, very clever from Onion News....funny.....2 minutes......
10/ Ford Fiesta
Ford US is taking a gamble - will Americans want a European designed, fuel efficient, nice handling and well equipped small car for commuting? In other words they are looking for a segment of the population that is savvy and smart.....hmmmm.....they may be in trouble........
But it looks like a cool little car.......
It took a long time for car companies to realize that drivers in the United States might consider a small vehicle that wasn’t ruthlessly built to a price. The modern Mini Cooper was the trailblazer, proving that Americans might buy a diminutive hatchback on its own merits, even when they could afford something bigger. Cars like the Mini and the Honda Fit offer a more upscale driving experience than the frill-free automotive flounders that scour the bottom of the market for rental sales, college students and frugal commuters.
The Ford Fiesta is a subcompact in the ambitious Fit idiom. It’s not the least expensive small car you can buy (or even, perhaps, the least expensive Ford). But the 2011 Fiesta hews to the European hatchback ideal, and Europeans hold the bizarre expectation that small vehicles should act like real cars.
11/ Video of an Eeeeewww moment from the Amazing Race.....poor thing........1 minute......
Todays video - Don't Eat the Yellow Snow
Todays blonde joke
| You've got Blonde |
| A man was in his front yard mowing grass when his attractive blonde neighbor came out of the house and went straight to the mailbox. She opened it then slammed it shut and stormed back into the house. A little later she came out of her house again, went to the mailbox and again opened it, and slammed it shut again. Angrily, back into the house she went. As the man was getting ready to edge the lawn, she came out again, marched to the mailbox, opened it and then slammed it closed harder than ever. Puzzled by her actions the man asked her, “Is something wrong?” To which she replied, “There certainly is!” My stupid computer keeps saying, “You’ve got mail!” |
Todays golfer joke
A nun walks into Mother Superior's office and plunks down into a chair. She lets out a sigh heavy with frustration. 'What troubles you, Sister?' asked the Mother Superior. 'I thought this was the day you spent with your family.' 'It was,' sighed the Sister. 'And I went to play golf with my brother. We try to play golf as often as we can. You know I was quite a talented golfer before I devoted my life to Christ.' 'I remember that,' the Mother Superior agreed. 'So I take it your day of recreation was not relaxing?' 'Far from it,' snorted the Sister. 'In fact, I even took the Lord's name in vain today!' 'Goodness, Sister!' gasped the Mother Superior, astonished. 'You must tell me all about it!' 'Well, we were on the fifth tee...and this hole is a monster, Mother -540 yard Par 5, with a nasty dogleg left and a hidden green...and I hit the drive of my life. I creamed it. The sweetest swing I ever made. And it's flying straight and true, right along the line I wanted...and it hits a bird in mid-flight !' 'Oh my!' commiserated the Mother. 'How unfortunate! But surely that didn't make you blaspheme, Sister!' 'No, that wasn't it,' admitted Sister. 'While I was still trying to fathom what had happened, this squirrel runs out of the woods, grabs my ball and runs off down the fairway!' 'Oh, that would have made me blaspheme!' sympathized the Mother. 'But I didn't, Mother!' sobbed the Sister. 'And I was so proud of myself! And while I was pondering whether this was a sign from God, this hawk swoops out of the sky and grabs the squirrel and flies off, with my ball still clutched in his paws!' 'So that's when you cursed,' said the Mother with a knowing smile. 'Nope, that wasn't it either,' cried the Sister, anguished, 'because as the hawk started to fly out of sight, the squirrel started struggling, and the hawk dropped him right there on the green, and the ball popped out of his paws and rolled to about 18 inches from the cup!' Mother Superior sat back in her chair, folded her arms across her chest, fixed the Sister with a baleful stare and said.. 'You missed the fucking putt, didn't you?' |
Todays Religious joke
Moses died and went to heaven.
God greets him at the Pearly Gates.
'Are you hungry, Moses?' asks God.
'I could eat,' Moses replies.
So God opens a can of tuna and reaches for a chunk of rye bread and they share it.
While partaking of this humble meal, Moses looks down into Hell and sees the inhabitants devouring huge steaks, briskets, pheasants, pastries and wines. Curious but deeply trusting, he remains quiet.
The next day God again invites Moses to join him for a meal.
Again it's tuna and rye bread.
And, again, Moses can see those denizens of Hell enjoying salmon, champagne, lamb, truffles, and chocolates. Still he says nothing.
The following day, mealtime arrives and another can of tuna is opened.
He can't contain himself any longer. Meekly, he says: 'God, I am grateful to be here in heaven with You as a reward for the pious, obedient life I led. But here in heaven all I eat is tuna and a piece of rye bread, and in that 'other place' they all eat like emperors and kings! I just don't understand.'
God sighs. 'Let's be honest,' He says. 'For just two people, does it really pay to cook?
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