They Certainly Are Characters

I have to leave in a few minutes to go and help chaperone my daughter's kindergarten class. They are having a Halloween party. I hope I did not need to dress for the occasion.

Anyway, I'm surfing a little and find this tidbit by Molly Ivins. The last paragraph is especially telling. Read it ... here's a link to the entire article.

I realize it is difficult to keep up with the degree of Republican sleaze around these days, but I did like President Bush's celebration of National Character Counts Week. He went to Pennsylvania to support Rep. Don Sherwood, who was sued by his mistress last year for repeatedly beating her. He settled the case out of court for $5.5 million.

Oh, before I go, I wanted to comment on a favorite tactic of late by conservative bloggers, especially in regards to the marriage amendment. Paraphrasing: "I was going to vote for this, but because you nasty liberals were so mean to me, I'm not going to now."

Why does this not strike me as odd behavior for these adults? Perhaps the reason is because the conservative bloggers using this tactic were probably the same ones who took their football home because they didn't get their way on the playground. I remember these kids. They were also the ones who enjoyed bullying those smaller than themselves. It's playground logic.

Time to grow up and make decisions on your own, kiddies.

The Dynamic Duo

-- Working for Change

Happy Halloween

My mom is soooo naughty.

Click on the link and then click on STOMP when ready.

Guns People Play III

It's my parking spot, and I'll defend my right to park there.

An argument over a handicapped parking space at the Little River Casino Resort resulted in one man going to jail Saturday, according to a report from the Manistee Sheriff’s Department. Deputies said one subject pulled a semiautomatic handgun after another individual tried to park in the same handicapped parking space in the casino parking lot and the two got into an argument.

The suspect is charged with felonious assault and was lodged in Manistee County Jail on a bond of $50,000, 10 percent.

Glenn Zaring, public information director for the LRBOI, said his officers were part of an ongoing investigation of the incident. Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Tribal Police turned the case over to the Manistee County Sheriff’s Office, “We are pleased to be able to work with local law enforcement to keep patrons of the casino safe,” Zaring said.

You know, I've yet to see a story where having a gun resulted in successful self-defense. Oh yeah, it's the MAD principle of individual safety. Mutaul Assured Destruction is supposed to stop those bad guys right in there tracks. How come it doesn't work?

Suspect Timing by Reynolds Staffer

Jessica McBride asks, rhetorically, if Tom Reynolds is too extreme. The reason she asks this is because of a letter she just became aware of written by Deborah Bowers, a legislative aide on Reynolds’ staff.

According to Ms. Bowers, she was never asked any of the personal questions by Reynolds that Spivak and Bice wrote of back in September 2005, nor did she ever feel questions were inappropriate. Plus, she is a woman, she says, and that fact refutes the idea Reynolds is extreme, because he would not have hired her otherwise.

Ms. Bowers' hire date, according to her letter, was January 31, 2005, approximately one month or so after Reynolds fired his entire staff because they were allegedly insufficiently loyal.

It was already known that Reynolds’ workers spoke with John Murray, chief of staff for Senate Majority Leader Dale Schultz, to let him know of some of what was going on. According to Spivak and Bice, Murray says he fell short of criticizing Reynolds, saying only that it would be a good idea to get legal guidance before delving into highly personal issues.

Is it possible he did so after the Christmas Massacre? Is it possible that Reynolds was advised about the legalities of hiring staff, of what could be asked and of what could not and that women could not be excluded. No one has ever claimed Reynolds is stupid … misguided, wacky, other-worldly, weird … yes, but not stupid.

That first Spivak and Bice column on Reynolds’ alleged wackiness was run September 17, 2005. Ms. Bowers had 13 months to write her letter of refutation and attempt to have it printed by the JournalSentinal. Instead, she wrote it in October of 2006 and now she is upset because the paper will not print her letter. She says she was told it was received too close to the election.

She also claims she was prompted to write the letter because of a radio ad that says Reynolds won’t hire women. And yet, the question remains. She had 13 months to write a letter of refutation about the Spivak and Bice column. I’m assuming she can read. Instead she just now decides to do so.

Whose timing is suspect?

Raging Vortex of Weirdness

The raging vortex of weirdness descended today upon the place I work part-time for a little extra cash. First, a truck went through our carwash. Apparently the goof driving didn't expect the storm windows lying in the bed to fall out onto the carwash tracks and cause it to be out-of-order for two hours.

Then, the ATM went off-line.

Then, three gas pumps rejected credit cards simultaneously ... and refused to take them even though later inside they were found to be good.

Later, after the car wash had been fixed, a bolt snapped on a counter-weight bar and 400 pounds of weights landed on the car wash floor, leaving an indentation that my co-worker described thusly, "Like the depression in the ground where Superman lands after being pummeled by some huge space creature."

Then I actually won $15 in scratch-offs.

I'm home now. Fortunately for me and my wife, she's already seven months pregnant ... no longer any chance for twins.

It is Bullshit!

Tom Tomorrow is spot on.

The depravity of conservatives, and the willingness of the media to indulge it, never ceases to amaze me. In a rational society, when a drug-addled gasbag radio host mocks an actor with a debilitating disease, the ensuing discussion would revolve around said drug-addled gasbag’s many, many faults as a human being, not least of which being his ready willingness to mock the handicapped. Rather than treating his uninformed speculation as beneath contempt, however, people are actually discussing whether Michael J. Fox’s symptoms are as bad as they look in these campaign commercials. I know that the media are amoral predators, constantly alert for any hint of blood in the water, but I guess I’m still naive enough to wish that occasionally Keith Olbermann wouldn’t be the only person in the entire industry willing to call bullshit when the odor is rank enough to make you gag.

But I’m also naive enough to imagine that this will backfire as spectacularly as the Terry Schiavo circus did. Seriously, Republicans — you want to rally around the drug-addled gasbag hatemonger in his war against the beloved actor with the debilitating disease — please, by all means, go for it.

Dueling Sad Songs

Having just finished listening to The Dears at Pundit Nation, I offer this sad song for my listener. This YouTube effort includes some sappy pictures, but the music is pure Prine.

Conservatism: A Definition

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy: that is the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.”

-- John Kenneth Galbraith

Al-Republican

This is powerful ... by Keith Olberman. Any Republican or conservative who still supports this administration is just as culpable in the Bush administration's continuing effort to frighten and terrorize its fellow citizens.

It's Our Home

Listen to the wombat.

h/t Bob Harris

The Other Shoe

The Republican National Committee today announced a new series of ads with Rush Limbaugh as the centerpiece. The ads will feature Limbaugh speaking about the need to increase funding for rehab centers for wealthy Republican donors and politicians.

A pre-screening of one of the ads was shown to media representatives on the east and west coasts. Most shocking about the ads was the vision of Limbaugh drooling puddles on his lap. He also fell off his chair twice. The second time he fell while apparently trying to push away from, what was later determined to be, killer butterflys wearing Cubs hats. He also mumbled something about the where-a-bouts of his personal physician or physicians. It was hard to discern.

There was also a question whether the audio was a voice over, and not truly Limbaugh’s voice … considering his mouth was full of saliva and tiny round and white objects, there is some credence to that.

Republicans immediately attacked the media for distorting the ad and ignoring the important message that Limbaugh had to convey. When confronted with the fact the only possible message that could be garnered from the ad was “Don’t take drugs,” and “Rush Limbaugh is a drug-addled sot,” Republican objections soon faded away. However, Democratic candidates across the nation asked for permission to air the ads. As one high-profile candidate said, "We're all for exposing the need for rehab centers."

With Friends Like These ....

Want to know who Big Oil likes the most. Ask Jim Jubak.

Think it's a matter of chance that we don't have a meaningful national energy policy? Wondering why oil and gas companies don't pay higher royalties to the Treasury now that oil is over $55 a barrel? Amazed that Washington loves to talk about energy research with promise 15 years down the road, but won't put significant money into alternative technologies that could reduce energy consumption now?

For answers to all those questions and more, just follow the money. Nothing about U.S. energy policy should be a surprise if you know where the money's been going and which legislators have taken the biggest payouts from the energy industry. So don't miss your only chance in the next two years -- the Nov. 7 election -- to tell Congress what you think of its sellout to the energy companies.

And here's the list of Big Oil's 10 favorite Congress members:

1 - Hutchison, Kay Bailey, R-Texas - Senate - $258,361
2 - Burns, Conrad, R-Mont. - Senate - $188,775
3 - Santorum, Rick, R-Pa. - Senate - $188,120
4 - Bode, Denise, R-Okla. - House $153,650
5 - Allen, George, R-Va. - Senate - $148,600
6 - Talent, James M., R-Mo. - Senate - $147,470
7 - Cornyn, John, R-Texas - Senate - $142,750
8 - Barton, Joe, R-Texas - House - $138,450
9 - Hastert, Dennis, R-Ill. - House - $122,200
10 - Pombo, Richard, R-Calif. - House - $121,340

Data from the FEC as of Sept. 11, 2006. Compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

As Gomer Pyle was often heard to say: “Surprise, surprise, surprise.”

***

This about Jim Jubak:

Jim Jubak is senior markets editor for MSN Money. Previously, he served as senior financial editor at Worth magazine and as editor of Venture magazine. Jubak was a Bagehot Business Journalism Fellow at Columbia University and has written two books: "The Worth Guide to Electronic Investing" and "In the Image of the Brain: Breaking the Barrier Between the Human Mind and Intelligent Machines." As an investor, he says he believes the conventional wisdom is always wrong -- but that he will nonetheless go with the herd if he believes there's a profit to be made. His column Jubak's Journal appears on MSN Money every Tuesday and Friday. He lives in New York.

Gomer Pyle Does the White Album

A friend e-mailed this to me. I managed to make it half way through before the urge to chew off my arms began to overwhelm me. I offer this Jim Nabors and Leslie Uggams duet from her early 1970s replacement show, for those who are stronger.

No Friend of the Death Penalty

I have been contemplating a post regarding the referendum vote this Novemeber 7 on the death penalty and whether it should be reinstated in Wisconsin. My argument has always been twofold: We should not place ourselves in the role of god (or God, for those annoyed by the small "g") and what if an innocent is executed? There is no going back.

I asked a person I know (staunchly conservative) the question about innocence some time ago and his response was a cold-hearted, "So What. Accidents happen." The answer and its callousness astounded me. I guess I should not have been surprised. Like chickenhawk conservatives who support the fiasco in Iraq from afar, though they could serve, too many conservatives are ready to throw the switch ... damn the consequences.

James Wigderson, author of Wigderson Library & Pub, is different. He has written an excellent piece in the Waukesha Freeman on the demerits of reinstating the death penalty. I initially thought it odd that James would be on the con side of this debate, considering he is a staunch conservative. But thinking it over, his being against the death penalty is consistent with his views, and if there is one thing I know about James it's he is consistent.

How is James consistent? James is consistent in his views on abortion and the death penalty ... in both cases, his belief is to stand with life. Without getting into an abortion debate (we disagree about abortion, though I suspect we have more in common that we think) his consistency is admirable ... an area, in my opinion, in which far too many conservative fall short.

And, to be fair, some liberals.

Who Does He Think He Is? Gandalf?

This is weird. From Jonathan Schwarz at This Modern World.

A short letter to Pennsylvania

Dear Pennsylvania,

Please do not reelect this man to the Senate:

Embattled U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum said America has avoided a second terrorist attack for five years because the “Eye of Mordor” has been drawn to Iraq instead.

Santorum used the analogy from one of his favorite books, J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1950s fantasy classic “Lord of the Rings,” to put an increasingly unpopular war in Iraq into terms any school kid could easily understand.

“As the hobbits are going up Mount Doom, the Eye of Mordor is being drawn somewhere else,” Santorum said, describing the tool the evil Lord Sauron used in search of the magical ring that would consolidate his power over Middle-earth.

“It’s being drawn to Iraq and it’s not being drawn to the U.S.,” Santorum continued. “You know what? I want to keep it on Iraq. I don’t want the Eye to come back here to the United States.”

Thank you.

your friend,Jon

Twenty-five Years of Weird Al

Weird Al Yankovic is a god. I have been in awe of him since I was a kid. There is a great article over at Slate by Sam Johnson, celebrating 25 years of Weird Al-ness. Here is one of my favorites: Amish Paradise. Have a great weekend everyone and try not to shoot anyone.

In Support of Freedom of Speech

If State Sen. Tom Reynolds and the doufus twins, J.J. Blonien and Bob Dohnal think they can win by intimidation, they really don’t have a clue. Gretchen Schuldt, who is the author of the blog Milwaukee Rising, is being threatened with a lawsuit by the above-named trio. Her crime: Asking legitimate questions regarding Mr. Reynolds spending of campaign funds.

Since Reynolds has already shown that he shrinks from the glare of public scrutiny, threatening to sue a former journalist who knows the rules of slander and libel seems a funny thing to do.

Consequently, like Xoff has already done, lets add to the fun and support Gretchen, who seems unfazed by their Gestapo-like tactics . Below are the postings in question regarding Reynolds. He may have started something he did not intend.

Saturday, September 23, 2006
Questions about Tom Reynolds' utility bills

It's one thing to have your campaign headquarters in your house, as State Sen. Tom Reynolds (R- Loony Land) does.

It's another thing when you charge utility costs for your "campaign headquarters" to your campaign fund, as Tom Reynolds does. Even when there's not an election looming.

Let's go back to February, 2004, when Reynolds was very comfortably in the middle of his first term. Some people recognized him for the half-baked clown he is, but there was certainly no election threat on the immediate horizon. No reason to be burning the midnight light bulbs cooking up campaign strategies.

Yet Reynolds charged $57.79 for "gas and electric" for his "campaign headquarters" (his house) to his campaign fund. Hope none of that went to keep his kiddies warm at night. That would be a lot like converting campaign funds to personal use, which would be a distinct no-no.

State statute makes that clear:

No person, committee or group may make or authorize a disbursement or the incurrence of an obligation from moneys solicited for political purposes for a purpose which is other thanpolitical, except as specifically authorized by law.

Maybe Reynolds was in campaign mode in those election off years. In March, 2004, his campaign picked up two payments -- $58.43 on the 13th and $45.20 on the 29th; in May of that year, it was another two payments -- one for $29.44 and one for $35.81, both paid on May 28.

(In June he spent $197.28 at Half Nuts, which seems so appropriate, if somewhat understated.)

Reynolds, in fact, has been charging utility costs to his campaign fund since before he was elected in 2002. That year, a $40.17 electric bill was picked up by the campaign fund on Sept. 16, a week later, on Sept. 24, another $239.85 electric bill was paid by the same source, according to Reynolds' campaign finance report.

Reynolds' house /campaign headquarters isn't all that big -- 1,408 square feet, according to the West Allis city assessor's office. Utility costs should be relatively modest.

On and on it went, with utility costs sloughed off to the campaing fund more frequently:

November 2002, $140.98
November 2002, $76.18
March 2003, $79.91
Sept. 2003, $68.33
November 2003, $32.94
December 2003, $61.06
February 2004, $57.79
March 2004, $58.43
March , 2004, $45.20
May, 2004, $29.44
May, 2004, $35.81
July 2004, $25.94
July 2004, $23.42
September, 2004 $35.52
September, 2004 $26.32
November, 2004 $32.99
December, 2004 $33.83
December, 2004 $58.12
Feb. 2005, $103.98
March 2005, $64.12
April 2005, $75.63
April 2005, $28.55
June 2005, $29.14
July 2005, $28.59
July 2005, $27.95
September 2005, $30.26
October 2005, $26.42
November 2005, $29.47
December 2005, $28.78
December 2005, $101.26
February 2006, $95.02
March 2006, $85.95
April 2006, $97.30
May 2006, $74.77
June 2006, $50.94
June 2006, $69.84
August 2006, $200.30
August 2006, $113.83

It could very well be that Reynolds is not charging the full cost of his utilities to his campaign, but he needs to explain how he separates his family's utility bills from his campaign headquarters' utility bills. A guy who literally poses for holy pictures can't be keeping his family warm with campaign funds.

Oh, yeah. Not a dime from Reynolds' campaign fund went to JJ Blonien, Reynolds' campaign "consultant" who also is on Reynolds' senate payroll as a staffer. Wonder how they keep those two roles nicely separate.

Sunday, October 15, 2006
Reynolds camp can't get its story straight on utility charges

Tom Reynolds used his campaign funds to pay utility bills for the "campaign headquarters" in his home, according to Reynolds' own campaign finance filings.

Bob Dohnal, Reynolds disciple and publisher of The Conservative Digest, said the bills were for Reynolds' print shop, not for his home, despite what Reynolds said in his campaign filing (and I don't think you are supposed to fib on those).

The State Democratic Campaign Committee sent out letters to Reynolds' supporters telling them of Reynolds' creative use of their money to heat his home. Reynolds then issued a statement suggesting that the utility payments were for his home, but just for the campaign headquarters part of it:

The State Senate Democratic Campaign Committee comprised of: Chairperson, Judy Robson, Treasurer, Mark Miller and Executive Director, Matt Swentkowfske published the attached letter. The letter, with actual knowledge of the falsity of the statement, by the authors accuse me of violating state statute by using campaign funds for paying my private utility bills. The letter acknowledges that the authors know of my use of my residential property for my campaign headquarters. However, the authors go on to say that I pay my home utility bill from my campaign account which is a violation of State law. The letter also informs the Reynolds supporters that I am using the hard earned money of supporters and contributors to my campaign illegally to pad Tom Reynolds own pocket.

Reynolds demanded an immediate retraction and apology. You're going to be waiting a while for that one, Tom.

***

All bloggers should be dismayed and outraged by this attack upon their rights to free speech ... regardless of your side of the political spectrum.

Guns People Play II

It's really all about intimidation. At least he didn't pull the trigger. Those eight-year olds can be dangerous in their feral state.

The former Williamson County Commissioner accused of pointing a gun at a trick-or-treater won't spend any time in jail.

On Monday, 77-year-old Charles Eades pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.

Eades pointed a rifle at an eight-year-old trick-or-treater last Halloween.

We Must Stop Those Aliens

I was visiting the Brawler’s site early this morning, just before driving off at light speed to take my kiddies to school, and I saw his finely scripted piece on Jessica McBride’s latest screed about illegal aliens, Republican bashing, pages every conservative likes to turn, etc. So, I bopped over to her place, courtesy of the link the Brawler provided. I began to read, though it was hard to keep from chuckling. I had to leave and was about to get out of the chair and dash off when I saw this:

Why not? Because it doesn't seem odd to them. See, the point is, THEY don't emphasize illegal immigration, unless it's to bash Republicans for their stand on it or humanize illegal aliens. Their editorial pages bash Republicans for supposedly magnifying the issue and being racists. In other words, they want the issue to go away. I am referring to the media in general here. (emphasis mine)

Those darn general media types. How dare they humanize illegal aliens!

You know, I wonder if Jessica has ever seen an alien. They’re everywhere according to her and we have a serious problem containing them, she muses (musing is what conservatives do, you know).

Or, maybe she is on to something. My gosh, the Bush administration might have been right all along. The aliens are communicating with each other and to terrorist cells across the ocean. Maybe even into outer space. They're after our satellites, you know.

Wait, reality check. Jessica wouldn't know an illegal alien if it stepped right in front of her (don't you just love the sub-conscious, though).

This might explain Jessica's issues with humanizing them ... even though they probably clean her house twice a week, do her landscaping, collect the garbage, and will put up the sheetrock when the Bucher’s decide to add that sunroom in the back. Why humanize that which cannot be seen .. which is not real?

Like Muslims and black people, illegal aliens don’t exist as people to Jessica except as reasons to slur liberals, or as excuses for Jessica to provide us with more examples of bad writing (the copy editors must have been very busy during her tenure as fearless crime reporter).

Well, I'm off now to go see some illegal alien dancing, because you know, aliens like to dance ... and they like watermelon and tacos. Right, Jessica?

Oh ... Pat Nixon was a very good person. What's your excuse?

Wednesday Thoughts

The second floor addition to the house is nearly completed (approx. two months ahead of time). The mother and baby saga continues ... now into week 30 with a due date of January 9, 2007. Doctor visit today revealed that baby Quin is active and growing just fine. Mom is feeling a little burdened.

No opinions on anything else. I can hear two distinct responses to that:

Thank god ... and, well ... finally, some peace and quiet.

Guns People Play I

Bad judgment indeed!

INDUS, Minn. - A school principal has resigned and could face felony firearm charges after he shot and killed two orphaned kittens on school property last month.

Wade Pilloud, who resigned as principal of the K-12 Indus school, 40 miles west of International Falls, said he shot the kittens to spare them from starving to death after their mother was killed in an animal trap.

Guns on school property is such a great idea ... not! And who's to say that someone else won't use bad judgment in another, more close to home way, such as in the heat of an argument. The Other Side of my Mouth will document these incidents as they occur, because there are certain people, like those who drink beer while wielding firearms (you know who you are), who should just not be allowed to carry.

Gerry Studds Dies

This is sad.

BOSTON - Former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, the first openly gay person elected to Congress, died early Saturday at Boston Medical Center, several days after he collapsed while walking his dog, his husband said.

Studds fell unconscious Oct. 3 because of what doctors later determined was a blood clot in his lung, Dean Hara said.

Studds regained consciousness, remained in the hospital, and seemed to be improving. He was scheduled to be transferred to a rehabilitation center, but his condition deteriorated Friday and he died at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Hara said.

Studds was censured for sexual misconduct in 1983. Republicans have attempted to paint Democrat response to the Studds affair as hypocrisy, because of their efforts in the Mark Foley scandal. The difference in his case is the 17-year old page Studds was involved with agreed their relationship was consensual … quite a big difference from Foley, of whom pages have stated their being made uncomfortable by his communications.

It's just another Republican attempt to deflect criticism of their hypocrisy and failed initiatives.

Job Description: U.S. President

John Stewart helps the White House Human Resources Department, and George Bush, describe the job description for President of the United States.

Jesus Would be Proud

The Real Meaning of Being Christian.

The Amish have said they’d like some of the money to go to the family of the killer. There was one bank account set up specifically for his family. In addition to that, the accountability committee, on behalf of the church leadership, has said that if there are needs beyond that fund, they want to make sure that some of the money that comes in designated for Nickel Mines victims [goes to the killer's family]. Nickel Mines victims include [that] family, in their definition. There are conversations about what the family's needs are, such as scholarship funds for the children. The committee will contribute as it becomes clear what the needs are.

Not being a believer, this is how I have always imagined what being a Christian was all about ... not those who use the word "christian" as a conspicuous modifier meant to improve their standing (such as: Christian Taxpayer), or those who wear it on their lapel, saying “See, I’m a Christian.” More often than not, their actions prove them liars.

Beaning Leads to Jailtime

This is pathetic.

UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A youth baseball coach accused of offering an 8-year-old money to bean an autistic teammate so he couldn't play was sentenced Thursday to one to six years in prison.

Fayette County Judge Ralph Warman sentenced 29-year-old Mark R. Downs Jr. of Dunbar, Pa. to consecutive six-to-36-month sentences for corruption of minors and criminal solicitation to commit simple assault. A jury convicted Downs in September.

Warman revoked Downs' bond and sent him to prison.

Downs didn't speak at the sentencing but told reporters "I didn't do nothing" as he was led out of the courtroom.

The win-at-all-costs mentality of the Bushies is no different than what this butthead did. In fact, the behavior exhibited by this clown is a direct result of the conservative culture war, in my opinion.

More Post-Plane Crash Thoughts

This is eerie.

You read about these things, you watch some hair-netted nitwit peer into Geraldo's camera and declare, "By golly, I was gonna go in that car with him" ... and you roll your eyes, numb to the tale's banality. Someone was always gonna go in that car with him. Or eat that burger. Or take that plane flight.

Been there ... late one night at a bar I was asked if I wanted to go on a run, middle 1970s parlance meaning "Do you want to get high?" Since I had to work early the next morning I declined.

The next day I heard that car had been driven off the road. The driver and a passenger were killed, former girlfriend and another passenger were in intensive care (both survived).

Those little decisions can make all the difference.

Being a Politician is Good for the Pocketbook

I wish I could do this.

Baghdad is Just Thrilling in the Summer

Wouldn't it be fun to visit Baghdad ... it must be nice, right? The conservative press says so. Or, just ask Bob. Maybe not.

Another Building Hit by Plane

Apparently, New York Yankees pitcher, Cory Lidle, flew his plane into a Manhattan high rise today. I did not know Lidle, except that he was a pitcher and that I had acquired him last year in my fantasy league, then traded him to another team before the beginning of this winter season.

From all accounts he was a well-liked guy who had relatively recently gotten hooked on flying. Tragically, that new-found hobby was the cause of his demise.

I can't help but think of John Kennedy, Jr. and his unhappy flight to oblivion. And I have to wonder if there is something lacking in the training of these part-time pilots ... should standards be a little tougher to acquire a pilots license?

Nevertheless, it is sad news.

They're So Naughty

Been too busy painting the new addition to the home to blog much. However found this oldie. For my gay friends and for daddio29 and godlike Rick Esenberg (stolen from whomever referred to him as "coming down from his Olympian heights ...), presenting more of the Daily Show and the "Homometer."

Good Night

For blue collar conservative, those voting for the marriage amendment and my friend James, just to annoy him a little because I know this is his favorite song.

Parents, We're in this Together

Parenthood has a way of uniting us. This from E.J. Dionne, Jr. at Working for Change:

And, by the way, isn't it strange that politicians who expressed moral objections to the desire of adult gays and lesbians to marry seemed to take the Foley matter so lightly when it first came to their attention? Where is the morality here?

I would ask my friends who are Christian conservatives to think about this. But I'd also ask my liberal friends to be more willing to come out as family-oriented people. Gay marriage is not the greatest threat to the heterosexual family. Misbehavior and irresponsibility by married heterosexuals do far more damage to families and children. Liberals should be unafraid to embrace the language of personal responsibility. In my experience, there's not a dime's worth of difference between my morally conservative friends and neighbors and me in our attitudes toward the obligations of parenthood.

This is Madness

h/t Jay Bullock at folkbum rambles and rants

We have a few tragic, but isolated, incidents of crazies entering and shooting up schools and suddenly the United States has become Thailand and Israel … the answer … let’s arm the teachers, Representative Frank Lasee (R-Bellevue), says. Heck, why not the National Guard. It's not like they're being overused.

The clown prince of darkness, Chris, of spottedhorse 2 fame, says: “Hell I am not saying you have to meet them in a hall way like Gary Cooper in High Noon it isn’t that hard to shoot someone in that back or even force the gunman to flee.” Me thinks Chris needs to grow out of the Cowboys and Indians phase of his adolescence, and stop watching so much TV (which accounts for his lack of social skills).

That Owen Robinson would call this a “good idea” doesn’t surprise Jay Bullock (who probably has had more experience with Owen) but it does surprise me. I thought him saner than that. Maybe his recent trip to see the Aggies play with Jed was still heavy on his mind … or his stomach, that burrito was huge.

And I read the piece that Jay alluded to at dad29’s site. I don’t agree that daddio was befouling Principal Klang’s memory, but come on, you gotta know that daddio is going to agree with Lasee. Hell, he’s probably in favor of providing guns to babies at birth. Now, thanks to daddio, I’ve got this weird image of diaper-wearing toddlers packing heat … that bulge in the diapee ain’t what it used to mean.

All fun aside for something that really isn’t that funny … introducing weaponry into schools is not the answer, nor is it a reason for conceal and carry. One wonders whether these incidents haven’t been staged just to promote that crazy idea?

No, I don’t believe that so don’t go nuts! Listen, I like Clint Eastwood as much as the next guy, but Republicans have got to get this romantic view of the American West out of their collective minds. Packing heat is not the way to go. I know how to handle a weapon and I still wouldn’t feel right holding one in public.

The amount of times a person will be required to protect oneself or family from harm is so miniscule as to be inconsequential. I’m more fearful of unbalanced people, such as a couple of bloggers who masquerade as being sane adults, being allowed to carry. Considering their responses to posts and/or comments in the blogosphere, if conceal and carry were to become law … Be afraid. Be very afraid.

It's a Brave New World

So much for our freedoms.

h/t This Modern World

Republican Ancestor Found

OSLO, Norway (AP) -- Researchers on Thursday announced the discovery of the remains of a short-necked repuglosaur, a prehistoric marine reptile the size of a bus, that they believe is the first complete skeleton of a Republican ever found.

The 150 million year old remains of the 33-foot ocean going predator were found in August on the remote Svalbard Islands of the Arctic, the University of Oslo announced.

Fragments of repuglosaur have been found elsewhere, including in England, Russia, and the House of Representatives, but researchers say the partially fossilized find appears to be the first whole example, though other researchers say that Bob Dohnal may be a true descendant.

The voracious repuglosaur was like the Tyrannosaurus Rex of the oceans, except its head was much bigger. Big head reptiles, curiously, had smaller cranial capacity, hence smaller brains.

The University's Natural History Museum said the reptile was as long as a bus, with teeth larger than cucumbers ... in a head that could swallow an adult human whole, separate the minorities from the northern European humans, and send them to the back for quicker digestion.

Comments Not Working

My wife and I purchased software to block access to certain sites, ensuring that our children will not accidently roam there. After finishing the post "Convolusion," a comment was received from Chris, the center of the story. His reply was so vulgar and pornographic that the software will not let me access comments for that post to make a reply.

So, in reply ... his reply says it all.

Dad29: I have nothing against guns. But I am also not a fan of the NRA and their tactics. btw: My grandpa was a sharpshooter in WWI. He taught me how to shoot. Let's say I had a good teacher.

Another Moral Conservative

I always think of this when I hear Newt Gingrich speaking about Bill Clinton.

Newt Gingrich, married three times. Gingrich campaign worker Anne Manning admitted that she gave Newt oral sex while he was still married to his first wife. Informed one wife he was filing for divorce while she was in the hospital recovering from cancer treatments.

Just the Facts

Media hype over Clinton v Wallace. As usual, the Daily Show hits it on the head.

Pat is a Good Conservative

Testing to see how YouTube works.

Convolusion

I’ve known Mike Mathias for a number of years. Mike and his wife, Anne, have a very good blog titled Pundit Nation. Theirs is an insightful and often irreverent view of the world. They also have a regular segment about guns titled "Guns Protecting America." In their words: Guns Protecting America is an occasional feature of Pundit Nation highlighting how guns and the Second Amendment make all of us safer.

A recent post in this series caused that paragon of profundity, Chris at Spotted Horse 2 to respond. One wonders if Jessica McBride, on her high horse about lib bloggers and how nasty they can be, will direct the same measure of fire toward this goof. Here is his response:

ok guns are evil that gun loaded it self and told the deputy to ignore what ever saftey training he had been given and then told the deputy to shoot himself.

fools like you will never get it you never blame the person it is always the guns fault.

it must be hard to write post on guns when you have your head so far up your ass

are you going to ban the Mississippi River Mike since La Cross college kids keep getting drunk and falling into it. Makes about as much sense as what you are saying with this post

You are such an Fucking Ass you know that Mike.

Keep in mind that the post never mentioned Chris, wasn't directed at Chris, entirely ignored Chris. The response was truly unwarranted. However, unlike Ms. McBride, no one here is suggesting censorship of any kind. It's better that Chris be given all the space he needs to alert the world to his one-of-a-kind genius and Joyce-like stream of consciousness burping.

The blogosphere can be a tough place. You have to have a thick skin to survive. Mine wasn’t when I first started, but it soon became calloused and tough. The point is, if you are going to engage in blogging, look out. Someone is going to make fun of you, take offense and retaliate … it will happen.

Heck, I’ve had fun with McBride. I have a little series titled "Mindless Automaton" in which I place a picture of McBride into “This Modern World” cartoons (apologies to Tom Tomorrow) … obviously she plays the role of the previously mentioned automaton.

Truth be told, I think her commentary sophomoric and she leaves herself open to irony when she makes silly statements about others being less than civil, or less than utterly complimentary and adoring of anything she writes.

Fact is I don't want to see any form of censorship. I say let the goofs of the world have their day in the sun. That way we can see them better for what they really are. That's what the marketplace of ideas is all about.

And if you really don't like a comment someone has made, just delete it. You are god of your blog.

To Everything ... Spin, Spin, Spin

New from Rosco.

You are House Speaker Dennis Hastert and inquiring minds want to know why you did a "Catholic Church" regarding overly friendly e-mails sent by a colleague of yours to an underage page ... what is a House Speaker to do?

Press down and spin. Distract the public and confuse your listeners. Just press down and spin. Now only $10.95 plus tax. Comes with life- like Matt Drudge, Rush Limbaugh and Jessica McBride rubber heads. Remove the red top, and squeeze the rubber head over the little bear torso for a realistic spin.

Come to think of it. Do Rush or Matt have children? Me thinks they protest too much. Who's got e-mails? Call Paul Bucher. Oh, that's right. Better not. He'll be out of a job soon.

(disclaimer: author born and raised catholic, though somewhat lapsed)

It's Not Us ...

Guess what. It's the Democrat's fault that Mark Foley has been running wild ... so Rush Limbaugh, Michele Malkin, and evn our own Ann Althouse suggest. And Republican bigwigs are picking up the thrust. Click here to read the Salon article.

h/t This Modern World

Happy Belated Birthday

I was inspired to do this post by one over at Wigderson Library & Pub. Anyway, James celebrates the birthday of President Jimmy Carter with a picture of a Time magazine cover, featuring Carter and Ayatollah Khomeini. The obvious thought is this is James' way of reminding everyone of Carter's failure to bring the hostages home. Could be wrong. Maybe these are two of James' favorite people?

I personally think that Carter was overwhelmed by the events that occurred ... nothing similar had ever happened to the United States before. And, overall, I would agree that the Carter presidency was not an effective one. However, Jimmy Carter, the man, stands tall over the current resident of the White House, with his work for Habitat for Humanity and his other post-presidency pursuits.

So, in the spirit of that post, I decided to find out what George W. Bush's birthdate was ... I almost gagged ... it's the same as my ex-wife's ... July 6th. It figures.

Here are some pictures to remember George's birthday by.

Mission Accomplished















Hmmm. Still Shooting off Rockets











2,500+ and Counting















Aren't We Admired?
















I could spend hours talking about the this. How many of you remember any hint of corruption during the Carter presidency? Ineffective, yes. Corrupt? No!

And so it goes.

Can't Blame This on Clinton

Is the world going insane? This news just posted ... trucker kills six, including himself, at a private school in Pennsylvania.

It's Tylenol Time

Damn, I hate head colds. I would like to thank my darling wife and the 238,456,983 people who helped to pass this bug my way. Achoo.