Some Video Links Plus Added Rants

I don’t get this. He doesn’t really say anything and his pronoun references are completely vague.  It looks like someone in the GOP lower levels is trying to push the NJ gov for prez.  What about Rick Perry!!!!1!!1!1!

Sarah Palin gets put on the spot.  I can think of quite a number of people more qualified to yap about the oil spill.  Michael Berry isn’t one of them.

White male Seattle idiot police officer punches a young black woman in the face. Commenters say she deserved it.  It’s hard to watch.  I don’t think I could have stood there and just recorded it. Cops can just be criminals with guns.  One Bellaire cop shot a pro baseball player and got off — nothing happened to him.  Michael Berry blamed the baseball player’s mother for the shooting.  FAIR ENOUGH?

Related:  Pasty white boy gets ruffed up by 68 year old.  The same people showing there “balls” about a cop punching a 19 year old black girl get misty-eyed and cry Assault!!!!  Assault!!!!! when it’s one of their own.  These people are insufferable.

Lastly, I am SICK of pasty white people telling African Americans that this that or the other is their problem.  As I have said again and again, why can’t all of the pasty white concern trolls take a look at their own poor white folks and fix that?   Michael Berry and Bill Bennett need to quit acting like they’re black and get with taking care of all of the poor whites.  Wouldn’t that be novel?

Pasty white guy wants drug testing.  Who is going to pay for that?  Does the Utah Senator have some interest in a drug testing kit company?  Does the Utah Senator have a problem with people who are down on their luck?  I’d like to see him submit to a drug test on the teevee first.  Dick.

Lastly, I’m about ready to build a Mexico City style wall around my damn house.  Someone put the nicely bundled vegetation I had ready to go for next month’s green pick up by the city in my recycle cart, destroying the very expensive new freaking green yard waste bag I had ready in the process.  Whoever it was left my recycle cart in the middle of the driveway, too.  Oh, and whoever it was, cut up my Lantana, too.

Dicks — all of them.

Advertisement

Let’s be Honest, This is a Rant

(Without links for tonight)

First off, I woke up to Mike Gallagher going on about political correctness — like that is new.  He wants to screen every person with a Muslim name who wants to get on a plane.  I find it odd that there isn’t more outrage about how the guy got on the plane in Africa or Europe.  Do the TSA have people in Amsterdam?  Another disappointment is that Janet Napolitano felt that she had to answer the screamers.

(Obvious parenthetical — the city was supposed to start requiring biodegradable bags for yard waste, but the new bags are not available widely enough yet.  I was able to get all but one bag out for the latest pickup.  I will switch to the other bags, but having ordered my composter, I may only need to purchase one package.)

Back to the would be bomber — given that I went on an international flight less than a month after 9/11, I’m not one of the people who gets worked up about this.  It’s always been the case that traveling by car is much more dangerous and wouldn’t it be novel for the American public and our officials (in that order) figure that out?   The solution to the current issue would be for international airports to wonder and stop someone who doesn’t live in the U.S. buying a one way ticket here.  But that’s not what the criticism is about.  It will be conflated to 9/11 and be very afraid to fly and everyone will lose some of their freedoms — or not.

Part of me wonders how families and people in general endured continental flights before there were laptops, cell phones, DS’s etc.  How did they survive it?  And to get back to Mike Gallagher, he pointed to how the Israeli airline deters terrorists:  they basically profile Palestinians.  As he claims, no one complains.  That would make sense.  Palestinians live in world where they are suspected no matter what.  They are made to wait and wait, often in the sun, just to get to their jobs.  Yes, let’s be just like Israel, where you have to be a Jew to get anywhere in a reasonable amount of time.

I know, Gallagher is just looking to get blog hits at this point.  For the last week his sub has admitted as much.  He is promoting a link on his blog that gives an 800 number to D.C.  Either one of them could have given the number on the air, but no.  You must go to the website — oh and sign yet another petition.  About Health Insurance Reform.  The first one, delivered via ambulance, didn’t work, and so you must do it again.

The same station delivered a ridiculous “best of” Bill Bennett this morning.  Why should we let these people be in charge again?  It also advertises the USJF — no, not the Judo thing, but the wingnutty thing that supports not only the birthers, but seems to be run by a Dickensian named KREEP, and wants to erect a monument to Saint Ronnnie in Berlin.

I’ve run out of steam.  I’ve tried to be humorous.  I’ll add links tomorrow.

I had wanted to take picks of what I have been doing, the process, but I didn’t.  If there is no rain in the morning, I will capture the work in progress.

And speaking of progress, and the end of the year, I, for one, think our President and Vice President are doing a very good job.  I’m relieved that they are the ones in charge.  I’m also extremely happy about our Mayor.  Except for the governorship, I’ve got the representation that I have always wanted.

The Speech

He reminded me again (as if I needed it) of exactly why I voted for him.  He was logical, methodical and hit just the right tone — he’s no believer in “American Exceptionalism” but he also is no apologist as others have tried to portray him.  We must finish what we started, back in the day when virtually everyone — and everyone I knew at the time — was with us.  He’s laid the groundwork through his travels, meetings and speeches since taking office.  He’s got not only the support of, but also praise from his lead commander in the region.  And despite McCain being on two networks right afterwards acting cranky and old, (along with Bob Schieffer of CBS — gah the man is obnoxious;  I don’t care how long he has been around), I think President Obama will be more persuasive.

This morning I was listening to Bill Bennett, and one of his callers related a story about his son being at Westpoint in 1996 or 1997 when Bill Clinton gave a speech.  The caller suggested that Clinton had already by that time disgraced the office . . . perhaps his memory is . . . spotty . . . but he claimed that the cadets would be polite for President Obama (no big surprise there) just like they were for Clinton, but he also claimed that after they had shaken hands with Clinton, they had a ceremony to “cleanse” their hands.  The caller suggested the same would happen with President Obama.  I’m doubtful.  Those I saw on teevee thrusting their hands forward through the thick of their classmates didn’t seem to be faking it.  They all seemed enthusiastic.  Many of them also asked to pose for pics with the president.  I’d like to follow up on this with Bennett tomorrow, but since I have a job, I’m not able to spend three hours on hold while Bennett belches and mumbles.

On the very long way home from work (don’t ask) I listened to a completely incoherent Michael Berry.  He is struggling with his position on Afghanistan — dipping into anti-war arguments, but clumsily.  (I’m doing this from memory — during a very terrible drive home, so forgive me if I don’t get it exactly right.)  He disparaged both the Afghans and the Pakistanis.  They live in caves.  They are backwards.  Osama Bin Laden can only connect with people in old fashioned ways because there are no cell towers where he is.  They are an arbitrary conglomeration and not a nation (neither one).

Then he switched over to hyper- conservative and agreed that going to war for oil is good.  You know, because WE NEED IT.  So it’s ok.  I didn’t hear him make the same argument for poppy seeds, but he could have.  He also proclaimed that he supports the troops!  as much or more than anyone because he is a good redneck.  Unfortunately, like all other chickhawks of all time, he never felt so strongly about it that he could serve.  Maybe it was because he was fat.  He does go on and on about that weight loss company that sounds a lot like AA for fatties (not that there is anything wrong with that).

But enough of giving time to small audience talk radio types for tonight.

I am proud of my president.  While I did not advocate military action even in Afghanistan, even back in the day (I’ve always been for the law enforcement approach), President Obama inherited (and no, Michael Berry, you cannot redefine what “inherited” means, no matter how hard you try) this conflict, and from all I can tell he has made an informed and prudent decision.  I support him.  He made a difficult decision.  He will follow through.  He has the support of the his commanders.

Now it’s just up to us — all of us — to make sure that we — with this plan — can succeed.

Armistice Day

That’s what this day was originally about. It wasn’t about veterans (our country already had a day for that — it is called Memorial Day). It was about peace, world peace, after the loss of life and destruction of the First World War. It is still observed in that same way in other countries that were involved.

I see no reason to have two days to do the same thing. I also think there is far too much made of all of it. War should not be glorified and those who have served since the draft was abolished do so at their own risk.

People who never served, like Bill Bennett, slobbering over themselves on a day like today is more than repulsive. If he cared so much he would have served. Instead, he was too smart to serve and got a deferment. He wasn’t married and didn’t have any children. My father wasn’t so lucky. He served and then was called back during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He missed my birth because he was called back.

It’s a point that has been made again and again: if you are so pro-war, then you had better have served. The problem is that for many in the military, like my father, war was the last thing they wanted. It is what they train for, but the hope is that it won’t happen.

Originally, today was supposed to be about peace. In some ways it still is — at least for me and for most of the world. With Iraq, Afghanistan, The Congo, and Burma, among other places with conflicts, there is a long way to go.

War cheerleaders and supposed military supporters are not helping.

Bill Bennett: Human Whale

I listen to Bennett’s show on weekday mornings.  Call me crazy, but I actually get some sort of pleasure from hearing poor bitter tired old culture warrior Bennett sigh and burp about President Obama.  I also keep a tally of how many times he refers to himself and how many times he gets things wrong and his listeners correct him.  It’s hilarious.

Here’s Bennett on the Olympics (via):

“I’m actually for Rio. In Rio, it’s beautiful women at the beach, and in Chicago, it’s fat people eating.”

Here’s Bennett.  I hesitate to say this but Bennett is such a nasty man that I will.  I can still see my feet when I stand up straight.  Can flame-thrower Bennett find his dick to take a piss?  It’s the same question I have for Rush Limbaugh.

I can’t play the video and I couldn’t find all of the awful things Bennett said about our president, but let’s just say Bennett is in the camp of having his “America,” which doesn’t include me — never has.

Yes, perv and fat man.

You go into some of these Republican conferences, and like a lot of political parties in decline, there have been no new ideas now for 25 years; nothing’s changed. And they’ve declined through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and with each successive administration their leaders have said that somehow these ideas are gonna make the country better off and they have not. And so it’s not surprising then they get BITTER, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-Obama sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/01/bill-bennett-on-olympics_n_307131.html

Sleep in, Deal with the Recorder, or BLOW IT ALL OFF?

I have issues with my DVR.  Sometimes it likes me, other times not.  Sometimes it does what I ask it to, other times not.  Sometimes I ask it to do things and regret it later.

Usually, I record the Sunday morning news programs, mostly just to keep up.

I don’t know if I want to do that this weekend or not.

ABC had Malkin on last weekend and spent useful time swatting her nonsense.  Fox is always interesting though, because they always tout Republicans.  It’s good to see that they still have no ideas.

One thing about the Sunday shows is that they don’t rotate Michael Steele with J.C. Watts like Hannity does (just to please or dampen Quanell X’s chaarge against him).

It’s a mish-mash, but I’ll record it.

It’s Newt free — I guess he didn’t write a book this week.

I still wonder why doctor Bill isn’t on the Sunday teevee shows . . . .

Bill Bennett does what he just accused someone else of doing so that makes him?

a racist?  or a hypocrite?

This morning, Bill Bennett had  Harry Alford on his program.  Refresher on who he is here.

After having played the clip of his response to Boxer, Bennett proceeded to  ask Alford about his sons, and then broke out with the Michael Jackson displeasure.  Why, Bennett asked, was there so much focus on the Jackson family instead of on Tiger Woods or Alford’s family.

Why didn’t Bennett complain about, I don’t know, the  Spears family or those people who have eight kids that I see on the mags at the grocery store?

Alford didn’t respond like he did to Boxer.  He didn’t respond at all.

Perhaps Bennett realized he had stepped in it.  I don’t know.  Why Alford didn’t go off on Bennett is unclear.

Alford actually seemed supportive of a public option on health care.

Of course, Alford’s interview is not available on Bennett’s site.

Bennett seems to have spent too much time in D.C.  It’s much like my theory about Michael Berry.  Both of them have fossilized ideas about the black community.  Unfortunately,  what they fossilized is a decades old image of African Americans.  The election of Obama should have relieved them of those ideas, but it did not.

Bennett just used Alford much like Boxer did.  Were I Alford, I would be just as pissed.

Maybe it’s a math problem (or marketing?), but I don’t think I would be bragging about 20%

For the past week or so, the radio talkers on local Salem Radio Network 1070 KNTH have been pushing their listeners to sign an online petition called “Free Our Health Care Now.”  Apparently there are several ways to access the petition, and based on what the talkers said last week regarding problems people had with the site, one can “sign” the petition multiple times on the same computer by using different email addresses.

Now I have two issues.  This morning Bennett and Gallagher’s substitute were going on about the total reaching 800K.  Like a telethon, each host passed the flogging of the petition to the next.

Their purported audiences, as of last December:

Bennett:  3.25 million

Gallagher:  4 million

Medved:  4 million

Prager: 1 million

Hewitt: 1.5 million

In the most generous calculation, assuming that these listeners are all the same people, we come up with an average of 2.75 million.  Let’s say they reached 800K today.  That means that only 29% of their listeners (assuming no duplicate email addresses) agree with the petition.

If we go with the most flattering angle, i.e. all of them have all of these different listeners, then we have a total of 13.75 million listeners.  That means only 5.81% of their listeners agree with them (again, given there are no duplicate emails on the petition).

I’d say either way is an epic fail.

I woke up early enough this morning to call Bennett’s show and ask about this, but I thought better of it.  Seth would probably have hung up on me again like he did last week and has several times in the past.

The second issue is the validity of the numbers in the first place.

No one except my friends, well and you dear readers (who often overlap) knows what radio stations I listen to.  Keeping this info under wraps is important.  Just how many people really listen to AM radio anymore?  I even find myself tiring of it.  Going on two years of Obama bashing and racist bashing at the local level (both of African American and Latinos in the immigration debate) have almost put me at my limit.  I emphasize almost.

It’s almost sad, what with the pleading for African Americans to return to the Republican Party and the Birther Madness.

I guess you could say that at least this effort has surpassed the “Impeach Obama” failure earlier this year.

Counting on People Not Remembering

Too bad Michael Berry hasn’t been on the air the past few days or I probably would have a nice little blurb from him about the SCOTUS nominee.  As it stands, all of the hopelessly unelectable Republicans have been playing ‘can you top that’ in their own special ways.

It’s always interesting when people who have a history of saying questionable things attack another for saying one single thing. 

Since I posted yesterday, I see that Tancredo has decided that La Raza is just like the KKK.  Given that I lived in a city with a KKK  ‘office’ in a city that long ignored their Hispanic community when I was growing up, he’s hoping I don’t remember.

He’s hoping that I don’t remember the concerts and music festivals I attended and enjoyed that included La Raza.  He’s hoping that I don’t remember the hateful people I went to high school with who had ni**er shooting permits from the KKK and thought it was funny.  He’s hoping I don’t remember when I was dating a guy whose parents were from Mexico and my mom decided that if we married, none of my future kids would know English.  He’s hoping I for get when my parents claimed that my brother’s girl friend wasn’t really “Spanish” because her mom was white, and so she got mor scholarships than my poor white brother to UT.

Yeah, Tancredo.  La Raza is just like the KKK.

Liddy decided to go the female route and bring in menstration.  This argument is so tired, so wrong and so feeble, it could only come from a dinosaur like him.  That his voice is stronger in the conservative community than others only speaks to their continuing disdain of women.  Seriously look at the unelectable voices out there — dominated by men.  Sure, they have their tokens, but seriously, where is the strong female voice?  Palin?  She’s just trying to pay the bills.  The white men in power probably ruined her career.  What happened to Liddy Dole?  Perry has been trashing Kay B. Hutchisen for a while in his dream to be President of Texas.

Wingnuts made a big deal starting on 9/12/01 that pwoplw would forget 9/11/01.  No one did.  That’s how Bush got reelected in 2004, though looking at what happened after 11/04 would work against the reasoning.

I haven’t forgotten my childhood.  I haven’t forgotten all the times wingnuts were racists.   I haven’t forgotten 9/11.  I haven’t forgotten that Newt ahut down the government over a temper tantrum and I haven’t forgotten that all of the scremers will never put themselves in a position to be elected.

As an end note — it must have massaged Bill Bennett’s ego to have been suggested as a VP last year.

Top 5% Gets More Media Coverage; I just love Rahm

Petulant professionals stamp their feet and declare that if Obama is going to raise their taxes they just won’t work so much.  Journalist Emily Friedman of ABC takes their petty tantrums seriously, as if these two women are representative of the 5% who make over a quarter of a million dollars a year.  I don’t know, maybe they are.  But if that is so, they are a whiny lot.  The second woman in the piece goes on about how much she works for so long that it makes me think she is exaggerating just a tad.

And even though this will probably just last for a day or two in the blogosphere — It looks like Rahm called it yesterday on Face the Nation.  Limbaugh gave a long rambling error filled speech at the wingnut gathering on Saturday and then Michael Steele says some truthful, but not complimentary things about Limbaugh.  Limbaugh goes on a tyraid.  Steele apologizes to Limbaugh.  It’s like they were just following Rahm’s directions.

Who was it that said that Obama shouldn’t call out Limbaugh?  Oh yeah, Bill Bennett and Michael Berry.