According to the news today [Friday] we are in for at least two years of paralysis, because the Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid caved on filibuster reform......more of the SOS folks.....
1/ Matt Taibbi with a piece titled "Conservatives have their worst week ever".......a look back at the NRA, gun lobby and "Gun Appreciation Day".......
If you are interested in politics, Taibbi has a unique viewpoint.....
Have Republicans, and the right wing in general, ever been more disjointed? More confused? More incapable of getting out of their own way?
Watching America's political conservatives try to counter-maneuver opposite Barack Obama's re-inauguration over the course of the last week has been an incredible comedy – like watching the Three Stooges try to perform a liver transplant on roller skates.
Let's review the basic timeline. First, Political Media, a conservative action group, decided to try to make an appeal to win the hearts and minds of Americans everywhere by declaring January 19th – previously known as Martin Luther King Day, to the rest of us – to be "Gun Appreciation Day."
They solicited hundreds of sponsors and sought to get 50 million people to sign a goofball petition (written in the style of the Declaration of Independence, with a plethora of "Whereas…"-es... Why do gun people insist on trying to use 18th-century syntax?) against the "tyrannical governments" that were out to take their guns. "Gun Appreciation Day" would also involve gun shows and other local events all over the country, meant as a counter-balance to the candle-toting gun control protests that were springing up over last weekend in anticipation of Obama's inauguration and the rumored plans for new gun legislation.
But even before their excellent idea gets out of the gate, it stalls out, as obnoxious reporters check the list of "Gun Appreciation Day" sponsors and find that the "American Third Position," a group that purports to represent the "unique political interests of White Americans," is one of the event's sponsors
2/ "People are Awesome" is a series showing wonderful [successful!] athletic feats, and this is their latest - four minutes of incredible stuff.....
3/ In a week of intense politics, Frank Rich puts it all in perspective.....
Every week, New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich talks with assistant editor Eric Benson about the biggest stories in politics and culture. This week: Obama's inaugural, the GOP's debt-ceiling surrender, and the future of abortion rights.
President Obama's second inaugural address has been widely praised by liberals for championing "collective action" and advocating for gay rights, climate-change legislation, and progressive immigration reform. This speech was one of Obama's clearest articulations of his progressive worldview, rivaling the effectiveness of Bill Clinton's turn at the Democratic Convention. Will it matter?
A fine speech, but only actions matter, of course. There are limits on what any president can achieve when (a) Congress is held hostage by radicals of the other party and (b) he will be a lame duck in about eighteen months. Any progress on climate change and on gun control may well depend on whatever Obama can accomplish through executive actions. On immigration reform, the president has the leverage to achieve more. Even the present-day GOP isn’t enough of a suicide cult to keep antagonizing and demonizing the fast-growing Hispanic electorate that threatens its very existence. It’s also possible that the president’s rhetorical elevation of gay rights, including marriage rights, to the pantheon of historic American civil rights battles, equating Stonewall with Selma and Seneca Falls, may have some impact on John Roberts, the legacy-minded chief justice. As I’ve said before, I doubt Roberts wants to go down in history as the jurist who blocked equality for gay Americans, particularly since full equality increasingly looks inevitable. Obama’s formulation crystallized the crossroads at which Roberts finds himself: He can be the Earl Warren of Brown v. Board of Education or Roger Taney, whose court delivered the infamous Dred Scott decision before the Civil War.
4/ Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave testimony in Congress this week, and after being rudely questioned for three hours smacked down one of the stupider Republican Senators - Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. After Hillary nailed this moron, he went on CNN to get slammed again by the wonderful Soledad O'Brien.....nice three minute clip.......
By the way the spin machine on the right is painting Clinton as "emotional", but I think she just got pissed off with having to deal with these idiots.....
Soledad O'Brien grilled Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.),Thursday morning after he engaged in a heated exchange with Sec. of State Hillary Clinton during a senatorial hearing on Benghazi.
In interviews with other news outlets, Johnson suggested that Clinton grew emotional while discussing the four Americans who were killed in Benghazi as a way to avoid answering certain questions. "I think she just decided before she was going to describe emotionally the four dead Americans, the heroes, and use that as her trump card to get out of the questions. It was a good way of getting out of really having to respond to me," he said in an interview with Buzzfeed.
On CNN's "Starting Point," O'Brien grilled Johnson on his line of questioning during Clinton's hearing. Speaking of the administration's reaction to the attack on Benghazi, he said, "They were playing election politics, no doubt about it."
"Well some could argue that you're playing politics too," O'Brien said. After re-reading Johnson's quote from Buzzfeed, she said, "It sounds to me like you're saying [Clinton's reaction was] faked."
"Maybe I shouldn't have speculated," Johnson said. O'Brien continued to press Johnson on his comments. "You accused her of crying and getting emotional as a way to get out [of answering your questions]," O'Brien said.
"No, I did not," Johnson pressed. "I did not accuse her of crying ... I was responding to a question, Soledad. I probably speculated and I shouldn't have."
5/ Stephen Colbert with one of his best segments "The Word", and he has some funny [and true} advice for Republicans on redistricting.......four minutes.....
How come Republicans keep losing presidential elections, just because more people disagree with their messaging and policies? Stephen Colbert responded to their tactic to change this in last night's "The Word" segment, addressing the GOP's call tochange the map by handing out electoral votes based on congressional districts, and not by state.
6/ Paul Krugman, an economist with his feet firmly on the ground, comments on what the President didn't say in his speech this week - he didn't mention the deficit at all.....
Most interesting.......
President Obama’s second Inaugural Address offered a lot for progressives to like. There was the spirited defense of gay rights; there was the equally spirited defense of the role of government, and, in particular, of the safety net provided by Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. But arguably the most encouraging thing of all was what he didn’t say: He barely mentioned the budget deficit.
Mr. Obama’s clearly deliberate neglect of Washington’s favorite obsession was just the latest sign that the self-styled deficit hawks — better described as deficit scolds — are losing their hold over political discourse. And that’s a very good thing.
Why have the deficit scolds lost their grip? I’d suggest four interrelated reasons.
First, they have cried wolf too many times. They’ve spent three years warning of imminent crisis — if we don’t slash the deficit now now now, we’ll turn into Greece, Greece, I tell you. It is, for example, almost two years since Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles declared that we should expect a fiscal crisis within, um, two years.
But that crisis keeps not happening. The still-depressed economy has kept interest rates at near-record lows despite large government borrowing, just as Keynesian economists predicted all along. So the credibility of the scolds has taken an understandable, and well-deserved, hit.
Second, both deficits and public spending as a share of G.D.P. have started to decline — again, just as those who never bought into the deficit hysteria predicted all along.
7/ Medina, the beautiful Danish singer, is about to get married, but screws it all up......shots of the leggiest wedding dress ever, Medina with no makeup [still gorgeous], Medina dressing, in her underwear, running, and late for her own wedding......
Good video.....lively song, grows on you......
8/ Written before the inaugural speech on Monday, this excellent article has some pithy advice for the President.....declare war on the Republicans! He actually made a good start with the speech on Monday, and he has another opportunity with the State Of The Union speech coming on Feb. 12.......
Should be interesting......
Go for the Throat!
Why if he wants to transform American politics, Obama must declare war on the Republican Party.
How should the president proceed then, if he wants to be bold? The Barack Obama of the first administration might have approached the task by finding some Republicans to deal with and then start agreeing to some of their demands in hope that he would win some of their votes. It's the traditional approach. Perhaps he could add a good deal more schmoozing with lawmakers, too.
That's the old way. He has abandoned that. He doesn't think it will work and he doesn't have the time. As Obama explained in his last press conference, he thinks the Republicans are dead set on opposing him. They cannot be unchained by schmoozing. Even if Obama were wrong about Republican intransigence, other constraints will limit the chance for cooperation. Republican lawmakers worried about primary challenges in 2014 are not going to be willing partners. He probably has at most 18 months before people start dropping the lame-duck label in close proximity to his name.
Obama’s only remaining option is to pulverize. Whether he succeeds in passing legislation or not, given his ambitions, his goal should be to delegitimize his opponents. Through a series of clarifying fights over controversial issues, he can force Republicans to either side with their coalition's most extreme elements or cause a rift in the party that will leave it, at least temporarily, in disarray.
9/ Amusing slideshow - "15 People you don't want to sit next to on a plane"......
10/ And speaking of planes.......If you have ever been on a British Airways flight you will recognise the music these two flight attendants are singing to......and they have beautiful voices......
Very funny, very clever and it's what everyone in the airline business thinks of the passengers......four minutes.....
11/ Excellent story from Robyn Blumner in the Tampa Bay Times - when it comes to climate change, we're all in it together. The problem is this message has not got through to most Republicans in Congress......
A group of leaders inside the U.S. Capitol is intent on pulling us apart just when we need to pull together to face the threat of climate change.
The latest evidence of this was Tuesday's vote on the $51 billion Superstorm Sandy relief bill. One hundred seventy-nine House Republicans opposed the measure to provide rebuilding and other aid to storm-damaged communities, including every Republican from our region except Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Indian Shores. Overall only 49 Republicans were in support. In contrast, only one Democrat, a blue dog from Tennessee, voted "no."
Anyone remember the 1975 New YorkDaily News headline "Ford to City: Drop Dead"? This was redux.
The lawmakers who stood with storm victims also are generally those who accept climate science and are open to adopting strategies to combat climate change and its effects. The lawmakers opposed to the aid are generally deniers of manmade climate change who care more about protecting guns than the environment. This group of largely of red-state Republicans has demonstrated towering ignorance and indifference to the climate challenges ahead.
12/ A crew was filming a commercial in British Columbia in the snow, and check out what happens when the photo shoot is interrupted by a huge grizzly bear.......two minutes, and very amusing......
13/ A university professor at FAU made some incredibly stupid remarks about the Sandy Hook killings, and the always articulate Carl Hiaasen in the Miami Herald wonders why this asshole is still employed....
As of this writing, conspiracy flake James Tracy still has a job teaching at Florida Atlantic University, despite having stated the following:
“While it sounds like an outrageous claim, one is left to inquire whether the Sandy Hook shooting ever took place — at least in the way law enforcement authorities and the nation’s news media have described.”
Written on his personal blog, Tracy’s theory ignited international outrage, more anguish in Newtown, Conn., and uncountable demands that he be fired.
But instead of canning Professor Tracy, FAU should put him on display as a lab specimen of paranoia in full bloom. Let him continue teaching his “Culture of Conspiracy” classes and video-stream his lectures, so that students far and wide can study this bizarre psychological phenomenon.
The most disturbing of historic events — from Pearl Harbor to the Holocaust, from the Kennedy assassinations to the 9/11 attacks — have spawned rabid cults of doubters. The Internet has given these agitated souls what they never had before: a gathering place, where they can fantasize endlessly among their own kind.
Soon after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary, Tracy declared that the media coverage “was intended primarily for public consumption to further larger political ends.” He called the tragedy a “meticulously crafted façade” and hinted that the facts were being manipulated by gun-control advocates in government!
Several hundred journalists were apparently duped, or secretly in league with the anti-gun plotters. Included by implication in the dark cabal were the eyewitnesses, survivors, first responders, coroners, Connecticut State Police and families of the victims (if there really were any victims).
What made Tracy stand out from other ranting online troglodytes was his tenured position at FAU in Boca Raton. The university administration was duly embarrassed and apologetic, but also compelled to note that Tracy had posted the rubbish on his own blog, on his own time.
Within days, a queasy reality took hold of the professor himself, and he began to backpedal. In an interview with West Palm Beach’s WPTV, he said:
14/ Mount Dorans - there is a very good concert coming up next month - virtuoso guitarist Leo Kotke will be giving a concert at the Community Center. He is a master of the 6 and 12 string guitar, and also the banjo.....this should be a pretty good show.....
Leo Kottke - A Solo Concert
Saturday, February 23
Grammy-nominated acoustic guitarist, singer and composer Leo Kottke will perform a solo concert at the Mount Dora Community Center. Presented by UpWest Arts, the show marks Mr. Kottke’s first ever appearance in Mount Dora.
Tickets are available from the Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce and from Ticketswest at (800)992-8499, or online at www.ticketswest.com.
Leo Kotke - Saturday Feb. 23rd at 7pm.
Tickets are $35, available at the Chamber of Commerce....see you there......
Todays video - I love this commercial.....a repeat, but worth another look....."The Most Beautiful Seatbelt Commercial Ever"......
Todays duck joke
A woman brought a very limp duck into a veterinary
surgeon. As she laid her pet on the table, the vet
pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the bird's
chest.
After a moment or two, the vet shook his head and
sadly said, "I'm sorry, your duck, Cuddles, has
passed away."
The distressed woman wailed, "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am sure. Your duck is dead," replied the
vet..
"How can you be so sure?" she protested. "I mean
you haven't done any testing on him or anything.
He might just be in a coma or something."
The vet rolled his eyes, turned around and left the
room. He returned a few minutes later with a black
Labrador Retriever. As the duck's owner looked on
in amazement, the dog stood on his hind legs, put his
front paws on the examination table and sniffed the
duck from top to bottom. He then looked up at the
vet with sad eyes and shook his head.
The vet patted the dog on the head and took it out
of the room. A few minutes later he returned with
a cat. The cat jumped on the table and also delicately
sniffed the bird from head to foot. The cat sat back
on its haunches, shook its head, meowed softly and
strolled out of the room.
The vet looked at the woman and said, "I'm sorry,
but as I said, this is most definitely, 100% certifiably,
a dead duck."
The vet turned to his computer terminal, hit a few keys
and produced a bill, which he handed to the woman..
The duck's owner, still in shock, took the bill. "$150!"
she cried, "$150 just to tell me my duck is dead!"
The vet shrugged, "I'm sorry. If you had just taken my
word for it, the bill would have been $20, but with the
Lab Report and the Cat Scan, it's now $150."
surgeon. As she laid her pet on the table, the vet
pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the bird's
chest.
After a moment or two, the vet shook his head and
sadly said, "I'm sorry, your duck, Cuddles, has
passed away."
The distressed woman wailed, "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am sure. Your duck is dead," replied the
vet..
"How can you be so sure?" she protested. "I mean
you haven't done any testing on him or anything.
He might just be in a coma or something."
The vet rolled his eyes, turned around and left the
room. He returned a few minutes later with a black
Labrador Retriever. As the duck's owner looked on
in amazement, the dog stood on his hind legs, put his
front paws on the examination table and sniffed the
duck from top to bottom. He then looked up at the
vet with sad eyes and shook his head.
The vet patted the dog on the head and took it out
of the room. A few minutes later he returned with
a cat. The cat jumped on the table and also delicately
sniffed the bird from head to foot. The cat sat back
on its haunches, shook its head, meowed softly and
strolled out of the room.
The vet looked at the woman and said, "I'm sorry,
but as I said, this is most definitely, 100% certifiably,
a dead duck."
The vet turned to his computer terminal, hit a few keys
and produced a bill, which he handed to the woman..
The duck's owner, still in shock, took the bill. "$150!"
she cried, "$150 just to tell me my duck is dead!"
The vet shrugged, "I'm sorry. If you had just taken my
word for it, the bill would have been $20, but with the
Lab Report and the Cat Scan, it's now $150."
Todays aging jokes
Perks of reaching 50 or being over 60 and
heading towards 70!
01. Kidnappers are not very interested in
you.
02. In a hostage situation you are likely to
be released first.
03. No one expects you to run -- anywhere.
04. People call at 9 PM and ask, "Did I wake
you?"
05. People no longer view you as a
hypochondriac.
06. There is nothing left to learn the hard
way.
07. Things you buy now won't wear out.
08. You can eat supper at 5 PM.
09. You can live without sex but not your
glasses.
10. You get into heated arguments about
pension plans.
11. You no longer think of speed limits as
a challenge.
12. You quit trying to hold your stomach
in no matter who walks into the room.
13. You sing along with elevator music.
14. Your eyes won't get much worse.
15. Your investment in health insurance
is finally beginning to pay off.
16. Your joints are more accurate
meteorologists than the national weather
service.
17.Your secrets are safe with your friends
because they can't remember them either.
18. Your supply of brain cells is finally
down to manageable size!!!!
Todays bear joke
A Catholic Priest, a Baptist Preacher and a Rabbi all served as Chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University at Marquette in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop.
One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard, a real challenge would be to preach to a bear.
One thing led to another, and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it to their religion.
Seven days later, they all came together to discuss their experiences.
Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling, was on crutches, and had various bandages on his body and limbs, went first.
'Well,' he said, 'I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him, I began to read to him from the Catechism.
Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb. The Bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation.'
Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, had one arm and both legs in casts, and had an IV drip.
In his best fire-and-brimstone oratory, he exclaimed, 'WELL, brothers, you KNOW that we Baptists don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to my bear from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me.
So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we came to a creek. So I quickly DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus. Hallelujah!
The Priest and the Reverend both looked down at the Rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IVs and monitors running in and out of him. He was in really bad shape.
The Rabbi looked up and said: "Looking back on it, circumcision may not have been the best way to start."
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