The State of the Union

AP source: Obama picks Carney for press secretary

Related articles

• A New Face at the White House (themoderatevoice.com)
• Who Will Be Next Press Secretary? (abcnews.go.com)

Pass The Sangria

From Wikipedia:

The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It has a diameter of about 1,392,000 km, about 109 times that of Earth, and its mass (about 2 × 10³⁰ kilograms, 330,000 times that of Earth) accounts for about 99.86% of the total mass of the Solar System.^[10] About three quarters of the Sun's mass consists of hydrogen, while the rest is mostly helium. Less than 2% consists of heavier elements, including oxygen, carbon, neon, iron, and others.^[11]

Also from Wikipedia:

Grandiose delusions or delusions of grandeur are principally a subtype of delusional disorder but could possibly feature as a symptom of schizophrenia and manic episodes of bipolar disorder.^[1] Grandiose delusions are characterized by fantastical beliefs that one is famous, omnipotent, or otherwise very powerful. The delusions are generally fantastic, often with a supernatural, science-fictional, or religious bent (for example, belief that one is an incarnation of Jesus Christ).

It is indeed no secret that I disagree  with most of policies of the Redistributor-in-Chief.  Nothing against you if you bought the bill of goods he was selling during his election, but I still think his whole candidacy was so much smoke and mirrors. (This is not to say, however, that the other side is necessarily any better. If recent history has shown anything, it's that until this country has a viable third party, we will keep getting what we've always got no matter whether there's a -D or -R following the politicians name. But that's a rant for another time.)

Unfortunately, while the POTUS was busy bailing out banks and buying automakers to rebound the economy, he and his cabal (Wikipedia again) missed the most obvious and perpetual economic recovery (read revenue generator) in the universe. And, lo and behold, a 49 year old Spanish woman has capitalized on their oversight..... 

Spanish Woman Claims She Owns the Sun

Angeles Duran, 49, told the online edition of daily El Mundo she took the step in September after reading about an American man who had registered himself as the owner of the moon and most planets in our solar system.

Before you start scoffing and poo-pooing Angeles' idea, listen to her plan (of course she has a thought out plan.)

Duran, who lives in the town of Salvaterra do Mino, said she now wants to slap a fee on everyone who uses the sun and give half of the proceeds to the Spanish government and 20 percent to the nation's pension fund.

She would dedicate another 10 percent to research, another 10 percent to ending world hunger -- and would keep the remaining 10 percent herself.

Bailing out the government, bailing out the pension fund (hear that Mayor Lukey?), helping research and ending world hunger for a mere 10% finder's fee? SCOOOOOOOORE!

Too bad the Dems couldn't find her in '08.

Related articles

• Our solar system's not so unique (holykaw.alltop.com)
• A solar system like ours, packed with planets, 127 light years away [Space Porn] (io9.com)

Well, That Explains It

I'm not a real big book reader, must be 'cause of that short attention...(what was I saying?) Oh yeah, Dinesh D'Souza has an article on Forbes.com previewing his book about how President Savior thinks. Here's a taste:

It may seem incredible to suggest that the anticolonial ideology of Barack Obama Sr. is espoused by his son, the President of the United States. That is what I am saying. From a very young age and through his formative years, Obama learned to see America as a force for global domination and destruction. He came to view America's military as an instrument of neocolonial occupation. He adopted his father's position that capitalism and free markets are code words for economic plunder. Obama grew to perceive the rich as an oppressive class, a kind of neocolonial power within America. In his worldview, profits are a measure of how effectively you have ripped off the rest of society, and America's power in the world is a measure of how selfishly it consumes the globe's resources and how ruthlessly it bullies and dominates the rest of the planet.

Looks like I gotta buy a bookshelf now.

Long but interesting article. Read it here.

Happy Holiday!?

According to the Americans for Tax Reform Foundation and the Center for Fiscal Accountability, August 19th was Cost of Government Day.

In 2010, Cost of Government Day falls on August 19. That means working people must toil 231 days out of the year just to meet all costs imposed by government. In other words, the cost of government consumes 63.41 percent of national income.

“Two years ago Americans worked until July 16 to pay for the cost of government: all federal, state and local government spending and regulatory costs.  That government was too expensive and wasteful.  Two years later, we work until August 19 for the same bloated government.  We have lost an additional full month of our income to pay the cost of government in just the last two years,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.

At this rate, Cost of Government Day will fall after Labor Day in no time.

Time it right and it could be a 5 day weekend.

Party On!!

Finally!

With all the talk these days about racism and reverse racism, racists and reverse racists, and all sorts of reverse refudiation (amen, Chad)- FINALLY, the answer to the question....

"Are you a Racist? "

Ahh.. sweet sweet closure.

www.bushfans.com

Oh, Silly Facebookers...

Stating the facts will not change anything, it will only raise your frustration levels.

Oh, by the way, I did repost.

Just a thought.

Funny or Die's Presidential Reunion from Will Ferrell

You Just Can't Make This Up...(can you?)

• From ABC News: Two al Qaeda Leaders Behind Northwest Flight 253 Terror Plot Were Released By U.S.   

Two of the four leaders allegedly behind the al Qaeda plot to blow up a Northwest Airlines passenger jet over Detroit were released by the U.S. from the Guantanamo prison in November, 2007, according to American officials and Department of Defense documents. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the Northwest bombing in a Monday statement that vowed more attacks on Americans.

That they would be involved in such a plot is truly surprising because, after the U.S. agreed to send Guantanamo prisoner #333, Muhamad Attik al-Harbi, and prisoner #372, Said Ali Shari to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 9, 2007, they were entered into an "art therapy rehabilitation program"!!???!

"The so-called rehabilitation programs are a joke," a U.S. diplomat said in describing the Saudi efforts with released Guantanamo detainees.

Saudi officials concede its program has had its "failures" but insist that, overall, the effort has helped return potential terrorists to a meaningful life. One program gives the former detainees paints and crayons as part of the rehabilitation regimen.

Waterboarding vs. Watercolors. That's the choice? Really?
• From the Orange County News blog: (actual title NSFW)

"Oral sex gives me good luck when I gamble at the casino."

--Actual excuse Little Saigon's 5-foot-2 and 110-pound Hung Van Phan gave to police in hopes of rationalizing why as a 28-year-old he demanded and received blow jobs and intercourse from two underage Orange County girls, one 14 and the other 15.

           Obviously 14 and 15 year-old participation is not a good idea, but shouldn't  the folks over at Rivers  try to figure out a way to work this into the revenue stream? Just askin'.

• Even occasional visitors to this space can figure out that I wasn't among the celebrants last January 20th. While the POTUS and I don't agree on any issue thus far, I am of the opinion intelligent opposition is the better path to take as opposed to the path preferred by the more "enlightened" among us. Case in point......

           Maybe I'm misguided, but I don't understand how fabric enters into any intelligent political discussion.  
           It's nice to see that I'm not alone in my confusion.

Unfortunately you really can't make this up.

Holy Shit It's a WTF Friday

A U.S. Coast Guard boat is seen on the Potomac River in Washington, Friday, Sept. 11, 2009. The Coast Guard was conducting a training exercise in the Potomac River moments before President Barack Obama crossed a nearby bridge for a Sept. 11 commemoration. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

• So, someone in Washington thought it would be a good idea for the Coast Guard to hold training exercises on the Potomac River while President Saviour was at the Pentagon commemorating the 9/11 attacks and a group of victims families gathered less than a mile away to mourn?

WTF?

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs on Friday morning said he was not aware of any heads-up given by the U.S. Coast Guard to the White House about its training exercise in the Potomac River this morning, as President Obama was at the Pentagon commemorating the 9/11 attacks, and he suggested that any panic that resulted from the reporting of the event was the fault of false reports by the media, not law enforcement.

No heads up given? I have to believe that, even if done secretly, the National Danger Alert Color (or whatever they're calling it today) was escalated to some super-secret magenta or maybe a lovely ripe banana yellow on the anniversary of 9/11 and I would hope that the folks responsible for the safety of such a high-value target would've known about some boats with guns on the river, even if they were friendly.

Shortly after 10 am, many media outlets, led by CNN, falsely reported that shots had been fired. As first reported by ABC News' Lisa Stark, flights leaving Reagan National Airport were delayed. CNN later retracted the report. "If anyone was unnecessarily alarmed based on erroneous reporting that denoted shots had been fired, I think everybody is apologetic of that," Gibbs said.

Shots fired at a military, er , I mean law-enforcement training exercise? I'm shocked! And then to have the damned media report it? The nerve!! Sounds to me like someones "oh shit alarm" went off and then the media was shown the error in their ways. God knows no one wants a repeat of the hoopla over Air Force One buzzing Manhattan for a photo-op.

The group Military Families United said in a statement that the "training exercise conducted by the Coast Guard is at the height of irresponsibility. Whomever commissioned this training exercise at the same time and less than a mile away from where the families of the 9/11 victims gathered to mourn should be held accountable. Their actions brought back all of the feelings for victims of 9/11 that they originally experienced 8 years ago today. These families have traveled from all over the country to convene at the Pentagon on this tragic anniversary and this training exercise not only caused unwarranted stress for these families but it was a distraction from the purpose of today."

Nice dream there. All the blame being put on the media sounds alot like so much ass-coverin'.

The White House spokesman said the Commander-in-Chief would not "micromanage" the Coast Guard's decision to hold the exercise, and he chastised the press -- in honor of those who died on 9/11 and the future victims of terrorrism -- telling reporters to tell themselves "We may not get this first, but we may be the first ones to get it right." Asked if 9/11 was an appropriate day for such a training exercise, Gibbs said, "I tend not to question law enforcement trying to keep the nation safe." He said media should "check before reporting" such events, and suggested other training exercises are likely going on right now that we don't know about..."

The Micromanager-in-Chief picks today to loosen up on the reigns and the media messed everything up. And, of course there's training going on that "we" don't know about. That's a good thing. That is, unless by "we" Gibbs means the President and his "team". Then that's a real concern.

• How did I miss this? Rodney King vs the police: round two

The last time Rodney King was beaten up by the police, Los Angeles experienced appalling race riots in which 53 people were killed, more than 2,000 injured, and a billion dollars-worth of damage caused by the city's outraged black community. Seventeen years, a criminal trial and a $3m legal settlement later, King has put himself back in harm's way, agreeing to go toe-to-toe with a notoriously aggressive cop through the colourful medium of celebrity boxing. America's most famous living victim of police brutality last night stepped into a ring with one Simon Aouad, who was thrown out of Philadelphia's police force because, in his own words, he "couldn't follow the rules".

You can't make this shit up. And at only $25 pay-per-view- a bargain at twice the price.

Now 43, King recently appeared in the cable TV shows, Sober House and Dr Drew's Celebrity Rehab, undergoing treatment for the alcoholism that led to his original arrest in 1991. He now claims to have been "clean" for 14 months.

Reality TV will be the end of Western Civilization. And, Rodney, knowing a few alcoholics as I do, I feel comfortable telling you that that ass whuppin' you took in LA had nothing to with alcohol. I'm thinkin' something powdery. Check the video.

Aouad, for his part, decided to fight under the nickname "The Renegade". The 31-year-old achieved fame in 2006 when he was thrown out of the police force for following a "shoot first, ask questions later" policy with regard to an intruder on his property.

A Philly cop that "shoots first..." is a renegade? Mind boggling.

• Looks like ACORN didn't know that home loans can't be used for brothels.
• Police: Male Suspect Raped Wheelchair-Bound Man

While being led into a police cruiser with a sweatshirt over his head, Parks said to reporters: "Find yourself some real crime to deal with."

And finally, something local.....

• Man with shotgun robs golfers on putting green

A man with a shotgun robbed a foursome as they were putting on a Fayette County golf course. State police said the four men were on a green at the Linden Hall course in Tyrone when a man wearing a mask and holding a shotgun approached them from the woods around 4:50 p.m. yesterday.

Masked and a shotgun and casing a golf course? Probably no drugs involved at all.

He ordered the golfers to the ground and told them to empty their pockets. He pushed one of them, sparking a struggle in which the golfer was struck on both sides of the face with the gun. The victim then gave up his money clip with about $80. Police said they later found the suspect, Cade Stevens, 25, of Dawson. He was in jail on $50,000 straight bond.

Obviously young Cade has some issues and macho man decides to take a shotgun-whipping before he gives up the money clip? Dumbass. And $50k straight bond? Holy shit.

UPDATE.... Man who robbed golfers hangs himself in jail

Obviously some issues.

Top of the Food Chain Edition

So it's one of my usual jumpin' Saturday nights. I'm wandering around online with the Pirate game on for background noise, Rockies 9-7 but I kinda like the McCutchen kid, and I made a stop at asathecomic's spot on youtube. Asa's a comic from Minneapolis and puts up alot of funny stuff. Admittedly, I don't quite get all the shots he takes at rappers/hip-hoppers in his spoof vids (I'm not quite the demographic) but it's funny nonetheless. Anyway, I clicked on this clip: Not sure that it's 41/2 stars funny, but whatever. In case you missed it, President Savior went all ninja on a fly during a recent interview: Reading PETA in the title of that clip reminded me that they issued a release condemning the senseless slaughter of this creature. Now, if you made it all the way down to the Obama portion of that link, you're probably thinking what I am, to wit:

• I don't know who Banksy is, but he seems like a douchebag.
• What the phuck is a Sea Kitten and is it really a phriend?
• Guevara's grandaughter got me hankerin' fer some carrots.

and...

• Seriously... what the f*&k is wrong with "comedian" Andy Dick??

Andy is a comedian/actor struggling to maintain D-List status. I've seen him and thought he was kinda funny in shows like Newsradio and The Andy Dick Show. Now you can find him mainly on the celebrity roasts on Comedy Central acting like a complete douchenozzle. I mean Courtney Love looks at him and says "Dude you're fucked up!"

Anyway, at :46 into the clip, a seemingly articulate and intelligent woman starts talking about how PETA isn't trying to get everyone to go vegetarian but they just want McDonald's to "consciously" slaughter chickens in a more humane way. Maybe she's right. I guess being scalded, debeaked, or defeathered alive would suck. I guess there probably is a better way to kill the poor chickens. Maybe we could drive them to suicide by making them sit through an Andy Dick Film Festival. Maybe we could have them buzz the President during his interviews. Whatever it takes. But, just when she just about has me, Miss PETA starts yapping about how we shouldn't treat the chickens like we're superior (cuz we're not) and how we're here to co-exist. Whaat?? Listen folks, don't think for a minute that, if given the chance, you wouldn't find your nuggets covered in dipping sauce in the hands of some chicken. Arnold Ziffell slathering you up with KC Masterpiece. Some bovine Bobby Flay whipping up a batch of Sloppy Joes, or Marks, or Petes.

Were it not for opposing thumbs to yank the food chain, Miss Peta lady, Hooters would be much different place.