Anything That Worries Newt Gingrich Is A Good Thing

This morning, I caught a glimpse of Newt Gingrich on Fox News, attempting to usurp Rush Limbaugh as the de facto GOP leader, talking about how disappointed he was that we weren't calling it 'the War On terror' anymore. I saw only about thirty seconds before I made the kids plug in their X Box. When the US is the one killing women and children we can hardly be labeling it as a war on terror when we are as bad as the terrorists themselves. The core democratic value of 'innocent until proven guilty' isn't being met when we kill only 'suspects' with out a fair trial, such as we are constitutionally guaranteed ourselves.
Why we are fighting in Afghanistan is a matter open for debate as well, since it was thermite and not jet fuel that caused the twin towers to collapse. Oh come on, I hear you say, the US wouldn't cover up it's role in the worst terrorist attack on it's own people any more than it would cover up bankster fraud or it's role in the drug trade. Is it only a coincidence that in places like Somaliaand Afghanistan, places involved with oil and oil distribution do American al Qaeda members like Adam Pearlman Gadahn surface?
The American Idiocracy is more self-involved, unaware of what their government is up to because they're too busy getting drunk and watching college sport play-offs while being subjected to mind numbing advertisements for alcohol products and foods laced with mood altering and mind numbing flavor enhancers. Someday, they may wake up and realize all the evil being done in their name.
Which has Ol' Newtered worried. Someday, there may be a third party to challenge the corpocracy's two party stranglehold on the US political system. This threatens Newt's cushy position as a paid pontificator and think tank traveler and may force him to do more than write bad alternate history screeds.

Controversy Is Blooming In Holland, Michigan

Spring is here and in West Michigan, that means it's time for the annual Tulip Time Festival in Holland, MI. It's the time of year when city residents (the white ones, anyway) celebrate their heritage by donning wooden shoes planting tulips, and riding floats dedicated to far right agendas. Lots and lots of tulips. And if you like tulips, this is the place for you.
The people of Holland have been having this festival for eighty years now, and one of the highlights has been the Tulip Time Parade. Nothing controversial here, right?
Well, it seems that this year because of a change in it's 501c3 tax designation, anti-choice group Right To Life of Michigan won't be allowed to sponsor a float in the Muziekparade, the largest of three parades. The new status requires the festival to refrain from endorsing organizations whose objective is to influence legislative outcomes.
Now, some are calling for a boycott of the parade, because they can't enjoy it if they aren't ramming their far right agenda down everyone's throat. Even though other groups were also rejected, reading the comments here would lead you to believe that Christians have been singled out for persecution and it's all Obama's fault. And this from the people who didn't have a problem with Bush's "free speech" zones.

There's No End To That Dick

Dick Cheney, what a guy. Loves to torture, runs his own death squads, and now, according to Seymour Hersh, he has planted moles in the Obama administration. I guess elections don't apply to Dick Cheney.
Not that the moles can affect policy too much, but these Cheney/Rumsfeld loyalists report to him and keep him informed of what's going on. I imagine Cheney in his undisclosed location, large conference table filled with lackeys with files detailing how close the new administration is coming to uncovering some of the many crimes committed by Cheney while he had his hands on the reins of power (Come on! You don't think that Bush was running anything, do you?)
So even though the American people overwhelmingly told the Bush administration to go fuck themselves, Cheney decided he wasn't going to listen to them. Either that, or he's just looking for a way to get more no-bid contracts for Halliburton.

You Are Only As Sane As Your Belief System Allows You To Be

We all have belief systems, ways to cope and interpret the world going on around us. Some embrace religion, some embrace politics, or a combination thereof, it's our way of trying to stay sane in an increasingly crazy world. That is the world of man.
But some people cling to belief systems even after they have obviously failed them. To continue to do the same action and expect a different result is by definition insanity, and yet, there they are, clutching at straws.
In Baltimore, a judge has agreed to drop charges against a mother who starved her child to death after he refused to say Amen after breakfast if the boy is resurrected. The boy, who was just one year old, was ordered to be withheld food by the leader of a Christian cult as a punishment for not saying amen. The mother, who still belongs to said cult, is still holding out that the child will be resurrected.
And speaking of crazy cults, the cult of conservatism claims Sam Wurzelbacher represents the working people. This is a guy who hasn't worked a lick since John McCain brought him up at a presidential debate last year, now spends his time speaking at conservative gatherings about how horny he is. Maybe that's why his book is tanking, working people are having a hard enough time paying the bills, let alone ponying up the money for a book by someone who feels that taking away their free choice represents their best interests, which is why real plumbers heckled him at his last speaking gig. And if you really believe "Jioe" is a plumber, you're as crazy as the people who starved a little boy to death in hopes that he would be resurrected.

See? Another Token Gesture By The Cultural Elite

In yesterday's post, I referred to "Earth Hour" as one of those token gestures by the cultural elite. While everybody else was turning off their lights in an effort to save the planet, the king of the global warming climate change cult kept his lights on. It's not bad enough that Al Gore's home uses twenty times more energy as the average household, but when it was time to put his money where his mouth is, he showed me that, well really his quest for reducing his carbon footprint is a s real as his quest for manbearpig. You have to make sacrifices so that the cultural elite can continue their consumptive ways.
Now, I do think that it's important that people make an effort to cut the crap out of their lives. But, as I said, to only do it one day a year because of some corporate sponsored event that they can use to improve their image, write it off on their taxes or use as a basis for some carbon trading scam is ridiculous.

Excuse Me, But I Have To Shovel More Global Warming Offen My Sidewalk

Environmentalists Hail Earth Hour as a Big Success. Of course, when the lights came back on, and the sun rose the following day, the Earth was still littered with garbage, humans still felt the need to convey themselves about in gas guzzling and air polluting vehicles, so how much of a success was it really? Was anything really done to alleviate global warming climate change?
Driving through my neighborhood last night on the way to the grocery store, the only houses with lights out were the ones unoccupied due to mortgage foreclosure. What we have is another one of those token gestures by the cultural elite, like lapel ribbons or mandatory "volunteerism" where we are asked to make sacrifices that they won't have to make because of political connections or carbon trading scams where they can continue to pollute as much as they want by buying carbon credits from suckers people like you and me.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating the continuation of the poisoning of our planet, I'm just saying that when corporate types get on board with something like this, there's probably more in it for them than just improving their image. So, please, shop when you feel bummed out, turn out your lights when they want you to, and salivate like a fucking dog every time they ring a bell. But to only do something about the planet only when they suggest (or can make a profit from it)makes them look as powerful as you look silly.

Television Just Got A Little Suckier

Just when I think television couldn't get any worse, Fox has announced it's intention to air The Osbournes:Reloaded as a series of specials starting March 31. That was worth getting my digital TV converter for. Is this what they plan on replacing Prison Break with? I'm sure I stand alone in condemning such an obvious attempt at trash television, but listen to this! In one episode, a male audience member is tricked into making out with a grandmother for $100. Ha. Ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. How funny!
Can't we make these people go away? I mean, with the exception of Ozzy himself, does any other member of the first family of foul have a discernible talent? I've noticed Ozzy looking a little hunched over these days, is that from carrying the rest of his clan on his coattails?
I'm sure the show will be a big hit, because most Americans are more brain dead than Ozzy himself. This is good for the rest of the clan, who would otherwise be forced to work real jobs where they might be forced to display some humanity. But no, thanks to the idiocracy, they have entered the entertainment offspring entitlement aristocracy where being related to someone even remotely talented gets you in. (Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie work the door)
One segment of the show, sure to be funny annoying is when the Osbournes go to work at places like fast food drive thrus! Wacky! This will proves that they are totally inept at actually working along with being inept as human beings.
This is all your fault. Sure you loved to watch the Osbournes on their first "reality" show, and even bought it on DVD. But when Ozzy put out the CD of cover tunes, it didn't sell as well as expected, and now he's gotta cover that advance from the record company somehow, and this folks, is it.
I know, I know, I don't have to watch it. And I can turn the channel when commercials for it come on during every break for the next week. And I can switch the station when the all the morning radio shows are crawling over each other to play the most mundane clips themselves. And I can ignore the many nitwits who will extol the virtues of such trite and unoriginal programming. But I still have to live in a country where this trash is foisted on to a willfully waiting public who will swallow it clean like some spoodge sucking strumpet.
It's times like these that I wish that maybe Iran did have a nuclear weapon program, (unfortunately, they don't)and there was a major thermonuclear war that wiped out a large percentage of the world's population, because if this is what we've crawled from the primordial muck to attain, then somewhere we must have gotten lost and it's time to start all over again.
But that's just me.

I Really Miss That Guitar

(photo courtesy Matthew Richards)
I've been doing that Facebook thing for a while, not really, I think I signed up a month or two ago, and left it at that.(My home page is here if you wish to add me as a friend) Then today, I decided to try to change somethings on there (namely, my name, as it is listed as one of the many pseudonyms I've adopted over the years) only to see a blast from the past.
It was 1993, I think, and I was playing guitar and singing (screaming on key, really) for the coolest band I ever was in, Dysfunktional Son of God. These were the glory days for me, and there was nothing better than playing out. But what really struck a nerve for me was seeing an old friend.
Directly behind me, in front of the drum set was an old hollow body electric I used to a have, a Framus. I got it from a friend who ran an antique/vintage clothing store. I picked up an old saddle, with silver and turquoise trim, out of a free pile at a garage sale. I thought my friend, Chuck may be interested in it, so I took it down to his store. When I got there, he showed me his most recent acquisition, which was the guitar. Knowing that I know something about guitars, he asked me what I thought of it. It was excellent, fine German craftsmanship. I showed him the saddle, and that twinkle appeared in his eyes that always did when I brought him something unusual. He then offered a trade, the saddle for the guitar. It was only after the deal that I told him I got the saddle for free.
I don't why I got rid of that guitar, although I gather it was probably so I could buy some drugs. Like a lot of other things, I let a lot of good guitars slip through my hands because I couldn't smoke them. Now I'm down to only three, including the Fender that I'm playing in the picture. Somethings, like memories, are worth holding on to.

Macaca See........

I remember a time, not too long ago, when the Republicans were evil. I mean real verifiable evil, sulfur and brimstone evil, nasty as they wanted to be. But now what has happened?
Republicans used to set the pace, they turned liberal into a bad word and successfully painted everyone who opposed them and their nefarious ways as a traitor. They made tax cuts for the rich as American as running a war on a deficit and were proud of it. Now what are they up to?
Stalking Democrats with video cameras, hoping to force a macaca moment. This is sad and pathetic, and maybe a bit creepy. The plan is to ask questions of Democratic congresspeople they see as vulnerable in 2010 in hopes of forcing out an embarrassing response, which they'll then post to YouTube. Did I say a bit creepy? I meant to say full on bull goose looney creepy. But not evil. And that's what makes it sad and pathetic.
The GOP used to be about ideas. Not good ideas, but ideas nonetheless. But the voters resoundingly rejected those ideas in the last two election cycles, because, face it, they didn't work. Now all they have left in their bag of tricks is some second rate and second hand chicanery. They get it now-newspapers and talk radio are out, the new gizmo to spread their message is this internet doohickey. So they're trying to recreate what occurred naturally.
In 2006, Sen. George Allen, running against Jim Webb in Virginia, made an offhand remark about a Webb staffer following Allen's campaign as a macaca. Which turned out to be a racist slur, since S.R. Sidarth,the man Allen was addressing, was a 20-year-old of Indian descent. OOps!
Now the Republican Dirty Trick squad has decided this is the way to regain their footing. Not by actually having anything remotely resembling ideas themselves, because they all became intellectually bankrupt backing Bush/Cheney for all those years. Now all they can do is trot out Michael Steele and Bobby Jindal in hopes of scoring points in the whole "We don't see color either" department, and rally around Sarah Palin, because she kinda sorta represents the morality they claim to have when their teenage daughters aren't getting knocked up and having babies out of wedlock, destined to suckle at the public teat until some corporation, looking for an inroad into closely knit political circles, hires her as a "consultant" where she'll make $100K to introduce certain people to other certain people while Dad is out racing snowmobiles and Mom is winking at gray-haired old men at the regional party caucus.

The Altered State Of Richard B. Cheney

AIG is planning to use $450 million of the second round of economic stealfromus to pay bonuses to "attract and retain the best and brightest talent to lead and staff the AIG businesses", you know, the ones that led the company to the verge of bankruptcy. I guess they're not the ones to blame for the current economic fiasco.
And neither is the Bush administration, according to it's chief criminal, Richard B. "Dick" Cheney. According to Dick:"I don't think you can blame the Bush administration for the creation of those circumstances."
Aren't the Republicans all about personal responsibility? Yet, no one in the party has the cojones to stand up and say, "I fucked up". Hell, they even blamed 9/11 on Clinton. And, yes, they even blamed our current economic woes on, you guessed it, Bill Clinton. But wait, what does Cheney say when asked about Obama saying he inherited our current economic woes from Bush?

"The notion that you can just sort of throw it off on the prior administration -- that's interesting rhetoric, but I don't think anybody really cares about that."

Cheney's Death Squads Need To Be Investigated

George Bush was fond of talking about his legacy in his final days, and how history will vindicate him for his actions. But as more and more revelations leak out from his administration, things may have been worse than we imagined.
Seymour Hersh has a story about how Dick Cheney ran an assassination ring out of the office of the vice president. Extrajudicial executions are always looked back fondly by historians. Perhaps Deborah Jean Palfrey didn't hang herself.
Cheney was always up to no good in the Bush administration, from creating a special conduit of fabricated intelligence on Iraq to authorizing torture of people he wanted to confess to crimes that he himself committed. That is why we need a Truth Commission now, while the evidence is still fresh.
The Obama unchange administration has admitted they intend on defending the criminals from the previous administration against allegations they used torture. Well, they're not really allegations, since they all have admitted to it. Nor do they intend on prosecuting the Bush administration for starting an illegal war. We the people as citizens need to demand our government take action and investigate the many crimes perpetrated in our name by unjust men who used our military as their own private army to profit from war and drive the country to the point of bankruptcy, both financially and morally.

Chuck Norris, All-American

Remember those Chuck Norris Facts that were so funny (to people who considered Walker, Texas Ranger to be good entertainment) a few years back? Nobody took them seriously, because, they were so outrageous, everyone knew they were a joke.
There was someone who did take them seriously, it would appear. None other than Chuck Norris himself, who on Glenn Beck's radio show suggested he would run for president of Texas because Texas was never formally a part of the United States in the first place and that if rebellion is to come through secession Texas would lead the way. Hey, I'd be happy to cut Texas loose, especially eight years ago. Norris also claims there are thousands of right wing sleeper cells (I'd love to hear him lisp that phrase) that are armed and ready for a second American revolution. Sounds like a bunch of terrorists to me.
Norris also claims that "we've bastardized the First Amendment, reinterpreted America's religious history and secularized our society until we ooze skepticism and circumvent religion on every level of public and private life." So, to counter that, you would circumvent democracy so that you and a bunch of Jesus tards can impose your imbecilic views on people with a brain? This is all we need a now, a bunch of armed juiced up mongoloids helping the world's worst movie star grasp on to what little bit of the spotlight left shining on him to forward his own warped reactionary agenda.
Norris even goes one step further and suggests that our military refuse the commander-in-chief's orders. Sounds a bit treasonous, but do you suspect that when and if Obama orders our troops home from Iraq, they're going to ignore him? Better just to ignore Chuck Norris and his really, really, bad toupee. And if Chuck Norris was as tough as the jokes made him out to be, four or eight years of a Democratic presidency should be no problem at all.

Ketchup America

It seems so long ago.
back when I started this blog, when many of us started blogging much of mainstream America and it's media were cowering in fear, sure that there were terrorists lurking everywhere, and if we didn't invade Iraq, they would surely kill us all.
In the blogosphere, however, things were different. It almost felt like borderline treason, passing along nuggets of information amongst ourselves that for whatever reason, wasn't made public to the people.
Remember the Downing Street Memo? The official British document that stated US intelligence was being 'fixed' around an invasion of Iraq? I can still remember having to email a link to the local paper's editor about it because they hadn't heard of it.
I also remember a pervasive feeling that Bush and Cheney, who were setting themselves up with near-dictatorial powers, would never step down from the presidency.
So when the Obama Justice department released nine of the Bush administration Office of Legal Counsel terror memos no one was surprised that nearly every legal expert has denounced them strongly as being tyrannical . They can do that now because Bush and Cheney have gone away.
But this is not news. Many people have known that the Bush regime was over the line on many things. Some have suggested a >Truth Commission, and I for one agree. We cannot really move forward waiting for the rest of the American people to catch up on what's been going on these past eight years.

Never Give A Book Deal To Someone Whose Fan Base Doesn't Like To Read

True story here. Yesterday, Wilbur asked me who Joe the Plumber was. I tried to explain to him that Joe, whose name isn't really Joe, and isn't really a plumber, somehow became famous when candidate Barack Obama was in his neighborhood and Joe asked him a question about how much Barack planned on raising his taxes. This made him a darling of the over $250,000 a year media pundits who benefited dearly from the Bush tax cuts. The irony is, with the new economic stimulus plan, Joe would be getting a tax cut, but now, by exploiting his instant celebrity, he probably is now one of those whose taxes will be raised. For this year, anyways.
Joe is also a good example of why the economy is so screwed. Someone, in their infinite (or infinitesimal) wisdom deemed it necessary to grant Joe a book deal.That was a good idea. I guess book editors, like Joe himself, thought his fame would go on infinitely, leapfrogged him over thousands of real hopeful authors (like the record company that leapfrogged him over talented musicians and singers to give him a record deal) to give him a book deal, probably ghost written, that now looks about as intelligent a decision as choosing Sarah Palin as your running mate, or granting a mortgage to someone like me.
Well, Joe, your time's almost up. Soon, you'll have all these wonderful memories of when you used to be someone while you're snaking some fat lady's toilet. Hope you kept a scrapbook!

It Wasn't Me

As the new 'economic stimulus' package starts to take effect, the cries of class warfare fill the air as taxes are raised on the wealthiest citizens. Meanwhile, in the same breath, many still blame the working class for taking out home loans they couldn't afford as the cause of the fall of our fine and upstandingshifty and greedy financial institutions.
As one of those people who received a subprime loan and defaulted on it, let's get a few things straight.
Five years ago I was going through a divorce, angry and unreasonable, much more than I am these days, I ignored the advice of those who suggested I rent an apartment after moving out of the house I shared with my ex-wife. Pigheaded, I sought out a house, and found a nice one, figuring that I deserved one since I was losing one. The prescription drugs weren't helping me think any clearer.
The real estate agent assured me she could get me a loan, even with a certain part of my income unverifiable (money I thought I might make on eBay that never materialized). She even suggested I put in a higher bid on the house, just to make sure I got the house (and, of course, so she got a bigger commission). I applied for a loan, never thinking that I would get one. But, much to my shock and chagrin, I got one, and when things went bad, I was left with a foreclosure on my financial record from a loan on a house I should have never been approved for. But I wasn't alone. Lots of people did.Why?
It all comes down to the financialization of our economy. As the growth of our economy moved farther and farther away from the production of goods as the basis for accumulating wealth and more towards the accumulation of paper wealth, the need for riskier and riskier loans became inevitable. So, basically, my desire to have a simple home was exploited by greedy bastards so that they may have more little pieces of paper than their neighbors.
So, don't blame me, I'm just another victim of a corrupt system run by shylocks and shysters whose only concern is to have more wealth with little effort.

They Take Everything You Have And Yet You're The Traitor

It's officially over. The shining city on the hill has become the shining gated community in the lower tax suburbs. The rest of us? We're left to defend ourselves from the avatars of avarice who constantly demand more work, time and money from us while giving us less and less in return.
How did they do it? The poor have always wanted to be working class, the working class have always wanted to be middle class, and everybody wants to be rich. We've seen it on TV, force fed frolicking filthy rich fornicators on television for years, we all dreamed of the day when we won the wheel of fortune, that's how they sell lottery tickets and casino junkets.
Sorry folks, but the easy money you secretly wish for every night isn't for you. The rich right wing Republican robber barons rip you off using the carrot and stick method (beat you on the head with their stick then feed you carrots)to keep you slaving away, making them more money while discovering new ways to take away more of your hard earned dough. Welcome to New America!
Justice? Maybe if you have more than the corrupt corporations, otherwise, you and your family are at risk. Freedom of speech is reserved for those who say what the corpocracy wants you to hear, while dissension is a one way ticket to terrorism charges. Love our leader, or face the prospect of losing your liberty.
We have become like cattle at a kosher carniceria, hung up and bled dry until they can feast on our fetid flesh at the mortuary of miracles. Your money is not yours, but their money, well, that's just a matter of opinion.
It's a good thing that someone keeps us doped up through the water supply (notice how they always drink bottled water?), other wise there may be riots in the streets, or an awful lot of people in FEMA concentration camps.

Where's The Money?

One of the things I find the most troubling about the current economic stimulus bill is the need to "create" more money so that banks can create more loans to "stimulate" the economy. What happened to the money we already had?
If you follow me, the Bush tax cut was supposed to stimulate the economy by putting wealth into the hands of those people who create jobs, so that they may reinvest said money and create more jobs (or trickle down economics, as it were), so if the people who received these tremendous Bush tax cuts didn't reinvest it in the US, then the money should be sitting in a US bank somewhere, right? And if it's sitting in a bank somewhere, the bank can then loan it out to people, for businesses, and homes, and cars and other things that would stimulate the economy, but since they don't have the money to do this with out creating more and handing it over to them, then where the fuck is the money, Lebowski?
Well, the Pentagon lost trillions of dollars, but that was eight years ago, surely they could have located it by now, right?
Then of course, there's the missing billions in Iraq reconstruction funds , it couldn't just vanish into thin air. Where's the money, Lebowski?
In the past five years, China has bought over $1 trillion in US debt, but what did we get out of it, I mean, besides a slew of damaged, dangerous and tainted products?
In September 2008, $250 billion was siphoned off money market accounts (and out of the US) in a move that precipitated the financial meltdown. All this money has to be going into someone's pocket, but it's not the tax payer. No, they are the ones who are getting stuck with the bill.(Which, BTW, is now at $175,154 per man, woman and child. Now get out there and take a second job, you knuckleheads, and do your patriotic duty. Either that, or spew out more children, to spread the debt around.) It's almost as if the US economy is a giant Ponzi scheme, with fewer and fewer earthlings left to swindle.

They Can't Give That Crap Away

A trip to grocery store today led to one of the saddest sights I've seen in some time, a representative from the local paper, offering to give away copies of today's paper to anyone who wanted to listen to his spiel. This is the Sunday paper, the one paper most people purchase, if not for the wonderful color comics then for he multiple advertising circulars each Sunday paper promises. There was but one problem:
No body wanted any.
I made eye contact with the gentleman as I politely refused his offer, but many other people were probably not as kind, like the people who nod politely at the differently abled greeters at the more upscale supermarket up the road where trophy wives push trophy children in shopping carts equipped with DVD players to prevent the children from ever having a moment where they could actually think, or, use their imaginations. But this store is more decidedly downscale, and most people ignored him like they would the project children who often lurk out front selling seventy-five cent candy bars for three dollars to raise money to fill in the budget deficits their school faces because the only tax people can vote on is the only one that should be raised.
Now, I have many issues with the local paper. Their choice of op-ed columnists (Cal Thomas, anyone?), their lousy writing, but most importantly, their decision many years ago to ban me from the letters to the editor. This is a paper that not only endorsed Bush for two terms, but then went on to endorse McCain/Palin, a ticket whose horrendousness is best exemplified by John McCain's recent inaction during the ongoing economic crisis. And yes, I still hold that whole "propaganda for an illegal war" thing against them.
But I'm not alone. In fact, it would seem that so many newspapers are struggling that the once venerated New York Times is offering survival strategies for dying newspapers.
Face it, print is a dying medium as a way to convey news and information. Television may have helped, but in these lightning quick times, the internet has killed the local paper. And I say good. No more trees chopped down. No more stacks of twine wrapped crap rotting in landfills, or trying to find someone who will actually recycle the damn things. I simply don't have the space to save them until some one some where decides to run a paper drive. So goodbye newspaper, you're as useful as a rotary phone.

Change We Can Deceive In

In retrospect, it's easy to see how one might have believed in the change that Barack Obama promised. After eight years of the Bush administration's Time-Life library of how not to deal with crises, four years of borderline senility and optimistic incompetence wasn't very appealing. And I realize I was just cynical enough to know that "Change We Can Believe In" was just another slogan. Because from what I've seen, the only thing that has changed is the party lying to the American people.
Sure, Obama ordered Guantanamo shut down, but left other rendition prisons open. The economic stimulus plan is just another replay of the Bush's version of Kleptocracy.
And now, we have Obama's new CIA chief claiming Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons. Even though the National Intelligence Estimate of 2007 clearly stated that Iran had abandoned it's weapons program years earlier, and the IAEA has not found one single gram of the uranium Iran has enriched being diverted away from it's energy program, the Obama administration has gone all neocon reality creating and "believes" that Iran is working towards building nuclear weapons.
Yeah, and I believed in change. But it sounds like the same old crap to me.

Sorry Bibi, But We Can't Afford Your War

Is it un-American for the government to put a salary cap on the pay of executives scratching around congress for a handout? No, not really. Once you start asking the already overburdened US tax payer to subsidize your extravagant lifestyle, you should just shut the fuck up and take it like, well, a man, but according to Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

"Because of their excesses, very bad things begin to happen, like the United States government telling a company what it can pay its employees. That's not a good thing in America,"

Was it unAmerican for Wall St. demand that companies cut employee overhead or lose their stock value? A move that has left the US unemployment rate at the highest it's been in 16 years? (Which, coincidentally, was right after the last time we left Republicans in charge) I'm sure that if you were one of the over a half a million people laid off last month you might feel differently, especially if you knew that those jobs aren't coming back in a long time, and when they do, they'll be at a much lower rate of pay than what you were making on unemployment.
According to Joseph Stiglitz, the main cause for the economic slowdown that led to the recession, and in turn global depression has been the war in Iraq. The war has cost over half a trillion dollars so far, with no end in sight. We can no longer afford to subsidize the paranoia of Islamaphobes who think the solution to the problem is to drop bombs and shoot bullets, all of which costs taxpayer money. Money better spent on helping those hurt by the economic policies of the previous misadministration.
So even though there is no evidence that Iran is building any nuclear weapons, the soon-to-be PM of Israel Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu still wants the Obama administration to press Iran to stop it's perfectly legal and internationally sanctioned right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, or else Israel, ever the bastion of self-restraint (and such adherents to international law themselves) will strike at Iran.
The US taxpayer can no longer afford to support Israel's wars of aggression and ethnic cleansing, nor can they afford to pay the high oil costs that will be the inevitable result of Israel's cavalier attitude to obeying international law. Considering our new Secretary of State's pledged fealty to another country, I really don't see a change in our position on these matters from one administration to the next.

If Electing Idiots Is Our Way Of Having A Representative Government, What Does That Say About Us?

Face it: we're fucked. When not one, not two, but three of Obama's nominees have had tax problems, it raises serious questions not only about his vetting process, of which we heard so much about after the election, but just how stupid are the American people that they elect these borderline criminals to office. It's no fucking wonder the economy's down the toilet like a big brown turd, these people can't even manage their own budgets, and we expect them to manage the country's? This is the not the kind of change I can believe in, that's for fucking sure.
So, you may ask, is there anything that could be stupider than a Democrat? Apparently, there is, they're called Republicans, and they're so fucking bright that they decided to use Joe the Plumber as a political adviser, because he was such a big help to John McCain. I'm sure if I wanted to know everything about big brown turds that won't go down the toilet, I'd give him a call, but for someone who's had tax problems of his own by that I mean, trouble paying them, he's as about useful as me (because, admittedly, I have run into tax problems as well). It's hard to fathom what kind of political retard "Joe" appeals to, but you can bet they smoke a big cigar like a dick-turd, and abuse prescription drugs more than Elvis with a Nixon-supplied DEA badge.
So there you have it:we're fucked, because we seem to vacillate between party that seems to think we can spend our way out of debt like some crazed public-financed Ponzi scheme, and another that thinks that the way to understand the nature of a banker who would spend $35,000 on a toilet is by listening to the man who installed it for him.

Steal Big!!

In a previous post I talked about the oil bubble from last summer, created by speculators that drove the per-barrel price of oil up over 100%. Now comes the rather unsurprising news that Exxon-Mobil shattered it's previous record for annual profits posted by a US company.
Here's my conspiracy theory: speculators, working for Exxon-Mobil, deliberately drove the price of oil up, so that Exxon-Mobil could sell the oil they had purchased earlier at a lower price at the new inflated price.
Sure, it may be a stretch, but it fits right in to the continuing corporate criminal culture. A criminal president and vice president not being prosecuted for their crimes,Bernie Madoff under "arrest" in his $7 million apartment, it just proves that the larger the crime, the less likely you'll serve any time.

Hopefully Next Time, I'll Know Better (But I Doubt It)

I'll admit I've been suffering from a bit of buyer's remorse lately as someone who voted for Barack Obama. Sure, I went into the booth not expecting much out of him as a candidate, and realizing that the promise of change was just another gimmick, like compassionate conservatism, or any other campaign sloganeering.
And I developed even more disappointment as his cabinet took shape. I was never thrilled with Hillary Clinton, and putting her in charge of the state department-not a very good idea at all. Change means discarding the same players who have been soiling the political playing field for so long in favor of new and fresher points of view.
And, alas, my fears have been confirmed with the announcement of the joint effort by Secretary Clinton and Israeli war criminal Tzipi Livnijoining forces to stop Iran's enrichment of uranium, which as signers of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has every right to develop and we have no right to stop. So, once again, we're back at no change from the Bush administration position of selective enforcement of treaties, as Iran has not been found to be using it's uranium enrichment program to develop nuclear weapons.
So while western sources say Iran is running out of uranium to enrich, Iran announces it has found new uranium deposits right in it's own country.
The only change coming out of Washington DC following the pageantry and glory of this past week's inauguration celebration is the change in the grain of the veneer of lies our government has foisted upon us. Republicans, who suggested treason behind any attempt to rope in the war mongering Bush administration, now criticize Obama's air strikes against Pakistan. It's a dog and pony show where the results have already been decided, the only thing left is a show for the television watchers who want to feel good about our government, right before the whole system comes crashing down in a heap. Everybody switch position now, the other team is up to bat.

Tumbling Dominoes

Yesterday was Whacking Day in the building where I work. No, the employees there didn't drive all the snakes into a circle and beat them to death with clubs, it was another day of corporate downsizing, another step in the spiral to the upcoming economic meltdown heading your way.
I felt bad for these people, many of them I have become close to in the years I have been working here, a some of them came to our place of business, eyes red rimmed from crying at the prospect of having to look for a job in Michigan where unemployment lines stretch out into the cold winter air. And having been in the job market myself recently, with over 10% of the state population unemployed,as well as more heading for unemployment rolls finding a new job isn't going to be easy.
They tell us right now that the US is in a recession, but we were in a recession a year ago, now we are at the start of a new depression.
The economic dominoes have been tumbling for some time now. It all began when Congress passed NAFTA, and now some of the companies that lobbied for it's passage are now lobbying congress for taxpayer money to bail their asses out. Pumping more dollars into the economy is a futile effort, although I do respect the new president's efforts, as opposed to the treasonous bastards at Fox News, who wish that Americans continue to suffer at the hands of the corpocracy.

What's In A Name?

When my first child was born, his mother and I were looking for the perfect name for him. In the daily local paper, it listed not only births, but the names that the parents had inflicted on them. There were lots of Brandons and Dylans (Beverly Hills 90210 being very popular at the time) as well as Connors, Rumers and other various permutations of names inspired by America's celebrity worship. I even saw, I swear, a Wyatt Earp Cowznofski.
But that's part of the joy of being a parent; deciding what label you wish to define your child by. There were a lot of girl's names, for instance, that were more befitting a stripper or a princess than say, a doctor or lawyer. One of the great things about living in a free society is you can name your child whatever you choose, no matter how ridiculous, because when the child grows up, they end up defining the name themselves.
(We ended up naming him Wilbur, after my maternal grandfather, and took a lot of grief for it from my sister, who named her child after a character on a television show. And now, rather than be some weirdo, he is a smart, handsome and cool kid who plays guitar in his school's jazz band)
Is giving your child a name a cause for child abuse? What if you were to name your child Adolf Hitler? Well, officials in New Jersey have removed a child named Adolf Hitler Campbell from the custody of his parents. Officials won't say what the reasons were young Adolf, or his sisters Lynn Aryan Nation Campbell, 1, and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie were removed from their parents, and if they have been abusive,(honestly, they'd have to be on some kind of drug to name their kids what they did) well then more power to them for protecting the children. But if they have removed them as many have speculated because of the children's unfortunate names, then they have over stepped their bounds. In America, people have the right to be stupid. It's not like his friends are going to call him by his full name, most likely, they'd shorten it to Dolph, like one of the bullies from The Simpson's, but if he doesn't really like it, he can go the route of one Zowie Bowie, and change it when he gets older.(And really, he may want to change it, because it would look pretty stupid when he has to fill out a job application)Just look at our new president, his middle name is Hussein, for cryin' out loud!
Now, I know some people may disagree with me, and that's another good thing about America, people are allowed to have differing viewpoints. And still it could have been worse-he could have named him George Bush Campbell

The Final Lie(s)

Fellow citizens: For eight years, it has been my honor to serve as your president. The job he did was not honorable at allThe first decade of this new century has been a period of consequence -- a time set apart.

Tonight, with a thankful heart, I have asked for a final opportunity to share some thoughts on the journey we have traveled together and the future of our nation. Really, just one more vain attempt to rub some of that tarnish off my legacy

Five days from now, the world will witness the vitality of American democracy. In a tradition dating back to our founding, the presidency will pass to a successor chosen by you, the American people. Standing on the steps of the Capitol will be a man whose story reflects the enduring promise of our land. The enduring promise that if one person fucks up the country so bad, people will vote for anybody they see as the complete opposite to incompetent cronyism

This is a moment of hope and pride for our whole nation. And I join all Americans in offering best wishes to President-elect Obama, his wife Michelle, and their two beautiful girls.Whose names I can't remember

Tonight I am filled with gratitude -- to Vice President [Dick]Cheney for never offering to take me pheasant hunting and members of the administration the ones who won't be writing tell-all books distancing themselves from this administration so they may have a career while I'm clearing brush off my ranch in Crawford; to Laura, who brought joy to this house and love to my life; to our wonderful daughters, Barbara and Jenna; to my parents, whose examples have provided strength for a lifetime.

And above all, I thank the American people for the trust you have given me. I'm just sorry it was so misplaced I thank you for the prayers that have lifted my spirits. Taking for granted they weren't prayers for my immediate removal from office And I thank you for the countless acts of courage, generosity, and grace that I have witnessed these past eight years. None of them coming from anyone in this administration, our immediate families, or anyone within the Republican party

This evening, my thoughts return to the first night I addressed you from this house -- September 11, 2001. Once more, I'll try to convince you my biggest failure was really a triumph

That morning, terrorists took nearly 3,000 lives in the worst attack on America since Pearl Harbor. I remember standing in the rubble of the World Trade Center three days later, surrounded by rescuers who had been working around the clock.

I remember talking to brave souls who charged through smoke-filled corridors at the Pentagon and to husbands and wives whose loved ones became heroes aboard Flight 93.

I remember Arlene Howard, who gave me her fallen son's police shield as a reminder of all that was lost. And I still carry his badge. Because when I'm not pretending to be a cowboy, I like to pretend I'm a policeman

As the years passed, most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before 9/11. But I never did. Every morning, I received a briefing on the threats to our nation. Much like the one I received on August 6, 2001, only now I didn't ignore them And I vowed to do everything in my power to keep us safe.

Over the past seven years, a new Department of Homeland Security has been created. The military, the intelligence community, and the FBI have been transformed. Into fascist organizations intent on spying on millions of Americans

Our nation is equipped with new tools to monitor the terrorists' movements, as well as violate the privacy of every American citizen freeze their finances and break up their plots But enough about Bernie Madoff. And with strong allies at our side, we have taken the fight to the terrorists and those who support them. Not really, but would you believe the people who live in the same part of the planet from whence said terrorists came?

Afghanistan has gone from a nation where the Taliban harbored al Qaeda and stoned women in the streets to a young democracy that is fighting terror and encouraging girls to go to school. Except in the parts still under the rule of the Taliban

Iraq has gone from a brutal dictatorship and a sworn enemy of America to an Arab democracy at the heart of the Middle East and a friend of the United States. There is legitimate debate about many of these decisions. But there can be little debate about the results. Mainly because I refuse to see the truth as it may pierce my protective bubble and reveal me to myself as the biggest jackass ever to inhabit the Oval Office

America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil Just don't mention that it had gone that long under Bill Clinton as well. This is a tribute to those who toil day and night to keep us safe -- law enforcement officers, intelligence analysts, homeland security and diplomatic personnel, and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.

Our nation is blessed to have citizens who volunteer to defend us in this time of danger. I have cherished meeting these selfless patriots and their families. But have as of yet to have visited any family of servicemen killed in my wars America owes you a debt of gratitude. But I cut your veteran benefits anyways

And to all our men and women in uniform listening tonight: There has been no higher honor than serving as your commander in chief. When not dressing up like a cowboy, or pretending to be a policeman, being a soldier is next on the listThe battles waged by our troops are part of a broader struggle between two dramatically different systems. Under one, a small band of fanatics demands total obedience to an oppressive ideology, condemns women to subservience, and marks unbelievers for murder. And the other is the Democratic Party

The other system is based on the conviction that freedom is the universal gift of Almighty God and that liberty and justice light the path to peace. This is the belief that gave birth to our nation. We instead chose to install puppet regimes who bend to the will of the US corpocracy And in the long run, advancing this belief is the only practical way to protect our citizens.

When people live in freedom, they do not willingly choose leaders who pursue campaigns of terror. That's why I had to commit to vote fraud in Florida in 2000, and in Ohio in 2004 When people have hope in the future, they will not cede their lives to violence and extremism. Which is why we decided to destroy the economy So around the world, America is promoting human liberty, human rights, and human dignity. Except in Gaza, where we are celebrating slaughter, mayhem and brutal repression

We are standing with dissidents and young democracies, providing AIDS medicine to bring dying patients back to life, and sparing mothers and babies from malaria. And this great republic born alone in liberty is leading the world toward a new age when freedom belongs to all nations. Once again, with the exception of the Palestinians

For eight years, we have also strived to expand opportunity and hope here at home. because when you've made things as shitty as we have, hope is all people have Across our country, students are rising to meet higher standards in public schools. Or turning to crystal meth

A new Medicare prescription drug benefit is bringing peace of mind to seniors and the disabled And bringing untold wealth to Big Pharma. Every taxpayer pays lower income taxes. The addicted and suffering are finding new hope through faith-based programs. Giving them a new addiction

Vulnerable human life is better protected. Once again, except in Gaza Funding for our veterans has nearly doubled. America's air, water, and lands are measurably cleaner. And the Federal bench includes wiseguy new members like Justice Sam Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts.

When challenges to our prosperity emerged, we rose to meet them. Facing the prospect of a financial collapse, we took decisive measures to safeguard our economy. By ensuring that our rich banker friends could still live like kings on the backs of the remaining middle class

These are very tough times for hardworking families, but the toll would be far worse if we had not acted. All Americans are in this together. But only the working class will really suffer And together, with determination and hard work, we will restore our economy to the path of growth.Hell, we'll grow it right out of here!

We will show the world once again the resilience of America's free enterprise system. By bailing out major corporations with taxpayer's money Like all who have held this office before me, I have experienced setbacks.One time when I wanted to play policeman, I couldn't find my badge There are things I would do differently if given the chance. I would have never had asked for pretzels, as an example Yet I have always acted with the best interests of our country in mind. Or at least the top one percent of our country I have followed my conscience and done what I thought was right. Well, I would have if I had a conscience

You may not agree with some tough decisions I have made. But I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions. The decades ahead will bring more hard choices for our country, and there are some guiding principles that should shape our course.

While our nation is safer than it was seven years ago,Once again, I remind you of my greatest failure as a way of turning it into my moment of glory the gravest threat to our people remains another terrorist attack. Or a Sarah Palin presidency Our enemies are patient and determined to strike again.

America did nothing to seek or deserve this conflict. Well, we did, but I'll never admit it But we have been given solemn responsibilities, and we must meet them. We must resist complacency. We must keep our resolve. And we must never let down our guard.

At the same time, we must continue to engage the world with confidence and clear purpose. In the face of threats from abroad, it can be tempting to seek comfort by turning inward. But we must reject isolationism and its companion, protectionism. protecting people can never be as good as keeping them in constant fear

Retreating behind our borders would only invite danger. In the 21st century, security and prosperity at home depend on the expansion of liberty abroad. If America does not lead the cause of freedom, that cause will not be led.

As we address these challenges -- and others we cannot foresee tonight -- America must maintain our moral clarity. I have often spoken to you about good and evil. This has made some uncomfortable. But good and evil are present in this world, and between the two there can be no compromise. Of course, my idea of good includes mass genocide and senseless slaughter

Murdering the innocent to advance an ideology is wrong every time, except, once again, in Palestine everywhere. Freeing people from oppression and despair is eternally right.Ditto This nation must continue to speak out for justice and truth.Ditto We must always be willing to act in their defense and to advance the cause of peace. Okay, from now on, when I say peace justice protecting the innocent and all that other crap, be advised it doesn't apply to the people in Gaza

President Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." I once said some thing about putting food on your family, what was I on?As I leave the house he occupied two centuries ago, I share that optimism. America is a young country, full of vitality, constantly growing and renewing itself. And even in the toughest times, we lift our eyes to the broad horizon ahead.

I have confidence in the promise of America because I know the character of our people.

This is a nation that inspires immigrants to risk everything for the dream of freedom. This is a nation where citizens show calm in times of danger and compassion in the face of suffering. And still manage to go shopping We see examples of America's character all around us.

And Laura and I have invited some of them to join us in the White House this evening. We see America's character in Dr. Tony Recasner, a principal who opened a new charter school from the ruins of Hurricane Katrina. We see it in Julio Medina, a former inmate who leads a faith-based program to help prisoners returning to society.

We see it in Staff Sgt. Aubrey McDade, who charged into an ambush in Iraq and rescued three of his fellow Marines. We see America's character in Bill Krissoff, a surgeon from California. His son Nathan, a Marine, gave his life in Iraq.

When I met Dr. Krissoff and his family, he delivered some surprising news: He told me he wanted to join the Navy Medical Corps in honor of his son. This good man was 60 years old -- 18 years above the age limit.

But his petition for a waiver was granted, and for the past year he has trained in battlefield medicine. Lt. Commander Krissoff could not be here tonight, because he will soon deploy to Iraq, where he will help save America's wounded warriors and uphold the legacy of his fallen son. In citizens like these, we see the best of our country -- resilient and hopeful, caring and strong.

These virtues give me an unshakable faith in America. We have faced danger and trial, and there is more ahead.

But with the courage of our people and confidence in our ideals, this great nation will never tire ... never falter ... and never fail. because I can never be elected to this office again It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve as your president. There have been good days and tough days.

But every day I have been inspired by the greatness of our country and uplifted by the goodness of our people. I have been blessed to represent this Nation we love. And I will always be honored to carry a title that means more to me than any other: citizen of the United States of America.

And so, my fellow Americans, for the final time: Good night. May God bless this house and our next President. And may God bless you and our wonderful country.

Yes, There Was An Oil Bubble

Back in May of last year, with four dollar a gallon gas prices staring us in the face, I asked the question, "Is There A Gas Bubble?" Well, now I have the answer. Yes, there was a gas bubble, and it was caused, in part, by corporate criminals at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.

Greenberger, who wanted more regulation while he was at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, not less, says it all happened when Enron was the seventh largest corporation in the United States. "This was when Enron was riding high. And what Enron wanted, Enron got."

Asked why they wanted a deregulated market in oil futures, Greenberger said, "Because they wanted to establish their own little energy futures exchange through computerized trading. They knew that if they could get this trading engine established without the controls that had been placed on speculators, they would have the ability to drive the price of energy products in any way they wanted to take it."

"When Enron failed, we learned that Enron, and its conspirators who used their trading engine, were able to drive the price of electricity up, some say, by as much as 300 percent on the West Coast," he added.

"Is the same thing going on right now in the oil business?" Kroft asked.

"Every Enron trader, who knew how to do these manipulations, became the most valuable employee on Wall Street," Greenberger said.

But some of them may now be looking for work. The oil bubble began to deflate early last fall when Congress threatened new regulations and federal agencies announced they were beginning major investigations. It finally popped with the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and the near collapse of AIG, who were both heavily invested in the oil markets. With hedge funds and investment houses facing margin calls, the speculators headed for the exits.

There were no shortages last year (certainly not a shortage of greedy bastards ready to rip off Americans), nor was there a dramatic rise in demand or consumption. And the irony is, when these bastards went under because they could no longer reach into our wallets because the government was threatening regulation, Wall Street panicked and the Congress caved into their demands for more of our money. John McCain even suspended his campaign to help the crooks help themselves to more of our money. Nice.

Your Tax Dollars At Work

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 8 (IPS) - The devastating Israeli firepower, unleashed largely on Palestinian civilians in Gaza during two weeks of fighting, is the product of advanced U.S. military technology.

The U.S. weapons systems used by the Israelis -- including F-16 fighter planes, Apache helicopters, tactical missiles and a wide array of munitions -- have been provided by Washington mostly as outright military grants.

The administration of President George W. Bush alone has provided over 21 billion dollars in U.S. security assistance over the last eight years, including 19 billion dollars in direct military aid as freebies.

"Israel's intervention in the Gaza Strip has been fueled largely by U.S. supplied weapons paid for with U.S. tax dollars," says a background briefing released Thursday by the Arms and Security Initiative of the New York-based New America Foundation.

Everyday you go to work, the government takes a chunk of what you earn, and sends it to Israel in the form of aid, or military equipment. The harder you work, the more money you make, the more you are contributing to the slaughter of Palestinians, Christian and Muslim alike, because white phosphorous does not look for a cross or a crescent, it just burns the skin to the bone. Smart bombs are not intelligent enough to ascertain whether they are hitting a school or a bunker.
You think that this being a democracy, if you were appalled you might try to reach your congressperson and try to force an end to the senseless slaughter of human beings being funded out of your pocket. But this is no democracy. What we have a military-industrial corpocracy. Your role in it is to keep making dollars for the government to spend on weapons to send to Israel to test out on Palestinians.
You are as trapped as the people of Gaza, virtual slaves to a machine that only kills for them, while doing nothing for you except insuring the enmity of people who are not afraid to die because their life is shit now anyway.

They Went To School To Be This Smart

Displaying some of that fine business acumen that forced them to go begging hat-in-hand before Congress for a slice of taxpayers dough, GM unveiled a new Cadillac at the Detroit Auto Show. I'm sure it's what most of what Wall Street will be spending their financial bailout on.
This highlights the out-of-touchedness of GM CEOs: while the country is in a depression, and many Americans have turned to shoplifting,they trot out a vehicle that even most people who can still afford to drive (what with oil prices sure to climb on the heels of the holocaust in Palestine) can't afford to buy.
There was a time when I supported bailing out US automakers, but as much as I would hate to see tens of thousands of autoworkers out of work, I cannot on the other hand see a continuation of a system that rewards such managerial incompetence.

Predictions For 2009

This is the time of year when postulant people post predictions pertaining to the approaching period. Giving that most of them have as much foresight as a nearsighted mole, I thought I'd weigh in with a few predictions of my own:
1. Sometime after January 21, someone on the right will criticize Barack Obama for lack of an exit strategy in Iraq.
2. No matter who Israel provokes with it's attacks, John Bolton will use it as an excuse to attack Iran.
3."Joe The Plumber's" book will be going for free with a venti mocha latte at Barnes & Noble by Christmas 2009, while Joe himself will get his own show on Fox News.
4.When 200000 stores shut down this year, right wingers will blame it high taxes and not the offshoring of high paying manufacturing jobs.
5.Regardless of quality, The Watchmen movie, if it ever gets released, will be a huge hit. If it's good, fanboys will see it five times because it's just so awesome, and if it stinks fanboys will only see it five times, to find minor details to criticize and quibble over.
6. Dick Cheney will never stand trial for his war crimes, treason, or any of the other crimes he directed while Vice-President.
7.Republicans will continue to make racist remarks concerning Barack Obama, and then plead ignorance when decent human beings demonstrate outrage.
8.Laura Bush will divorce George, then die in a mysterious car accident.
9.Gas prices will inexplicably rise to $3.00 a gallon by summer, then fall back down to $2.00 a gallon by Autumn.
10.In spite of government bailouts, the top three automakers will still fail, as there will be no one left employed who can afford their product anymore.

Any fool can make predictions, so use the comments space to leave your predictions, if you please.

US Partner In War Crimes

For years, people have been fed the atrocities of the Hitler regime, and yes, the Holocaust was a bad thing. But in an effort to ensure that "never again" will genocide be used against the Jewish people, genocide is now being used to protect the people of Israel.
And whatb does this have to do with us in the US? Well, for one, we blocked a UN vote calling for Israel to stop their attacks against the people of Gaza. And we are pushing Hamas for a durable ceasefire when in fact it was Israel who violated the last ceasefire agreement.
So while the world rallies around the Palestinians, remember that the US is Israels' partner in war crimes, and that never again should be applicable to all humans.

Scannon Family Top Ten For 2008

As the year draws to a close, I thought it would be fun to share with you the past year's obsessions within the Scannon family household. Some are old, and some are new, and some are exclusively ours.
10.Legend Of The Seeker

Around here television watching isn't a form of mindless entertainment, it's a family activity where anything and everything is up for ridicule. Case in point:Legend of the Seeker, a Hercules/Xena hybrid with a bit of Lord of the Rings thrown in as well. Featuring a hero with anachronistic hair, a cleavage bearing female lead, and a wizard who bears more than a passing resemblance to Todd Rundgren, who, ironically, once titled an album A Wizard, A True Star(bonus points if you can connect a wizard attack to a Rundgren song title, it helps to have somewhat a familiarity with his canon) Cheesy yes, but boundless interactive entertainment for those who enjoy riffing on bad television.

9.DEER
While still not equaling earlier enthusiasm, when everything deer was dear to their hearts, my kids can still be persuaded to take a walk through Huff Park, where these magnificent mammals may be observed, running freely through the thicket, like a bad Ted Nugent song (is there any other kind?)
8.The Simpsons
While it may not have jumped the shark as of yet, America's longest running animated prime time series is circling the cage. And with older and far more superior seasons still in syndication, one is sure to find an episode you haven't as yet seen, at least in a while. So we still make time around here to catch it while we can.

7.You Tube
From watching their Cousin Nick do a bad Christopher Walken impersonation, to watching an endless choice of Green Day videos, spending time at YouTube is always a choice for this family.
Watch this Todd Rundgren Beatles homage/parody "I Just want To Touch You":

6.House, MD A drama about a drug abusing doctor? How is that not appropriate for children. While not our collective favorite show, it is fun to watch for fans of A Bit of Laurie and Fry.
5.Tropic Thunder"These head movies make my eyes rain."

4.The Dark Knight-The best movie of the year,the best Batman movie ever, and the most superlative super hero movie. Director Christopher Nolan takes another step up. Plus, that dead guy did a good job as The Joker.
Seriously, someone who had seen the movie recently at work commented on how dark the movie was, and how they could see how the role may have driven Heath Ledger to overdose on drugs. But watching the movie, to me, it seemed that this was an actor having the time of his life in the ultimate role of his life.
3.WiiGiven as a gift from Grandma last Christmas. Much better than the XBox, the Xbox 360, the Wii forces more body movement (and therefore, more isometric exercise) from those who play. Whether it be at their mother's house, or on the occasion when they bring it here, nothing occupies the boy's time more than their Wii.
2.The Beatles-Once, it was the boys main obsession. Now, it has fallen by the wayside as the boys found a new band that is actually writing recording and releasing new material in this millennium. Still, our vinyl collection(s) picked up more favorites from the Fabs this year. And that makes
1.Green Day number one on the list, as the boys scramble to have the most Green Day CDs in their collections. And, it has led to endless arguments about who is the better band, Green Day, or Butthole Surfers? One thing for certain, with the release of a new Green Day album in 2009, they're sure to remain at the top of the list.
But hey, at least it's not the Jonas Brothers.

Happy Holidays From Dick Cheney

Sometimes Progress Is Good, Sometimes People Are Stupid

I grew up in a simpler time. Computers were still gigantic and expensive items not yet developed for home use, television was broadcast through the air, which meant sometimes, you couldn't pull a signal to watch your favorite show, and the rotary phone was still the main means of communication for most Americans.
While in elementary school, with my father at work everyday and my mother spending most of her time in the hospital, we were left unsupervised, and with no one to guide us, were introduced to the prank phone call. Calling places to see if the carried Prince Albert in a can, or random houses to see if their refrigerators were running was a source of amusement we never tired of, safe in the knowledge that if we ended the phone call quick enough, there'd be no way to trace it back to us. We'd scan the phone book, seeking out oddly named people, and make prank phone calls based upon them. (pity the poor widow of one Caesar Dusterwinkle, who must have received hundreds of phone calls from fourth, fifth and sixth graders at Mary A. White elementary school pretending to be elves asking if Caesar was home)
But that was then. Nowadays, with caller ID and cell phones, prank calling has been replaced by the robocall and the junk call. A person would have to be fairly stupid to call the police and threaten to shoot the next snowplow driver to come down your street. Having spent much of my teenage years in a rural area where a visit from the snowplow was as frequent as a full moon, a snowplow driving down our street would have been a welcome sign, especially for my dad, the only one who had a truck and would have to drive into town to buy cigarettes beer and food for some of the neighbors less daring to take the daunting trek down unplowed roads. And I knew that I'd rather have to shovel out chunks of snow from the end of my driveway than have to spend the winter cooped up in the house with my Dad and stepmom with out any weed.

Governed By Crooks

"There is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes. The only question that remains to be answered is whether those who ordered the use of torture will be held to account."

-Lt. Gen. Antonio Taguba
Dick Cheney has been making the rounds lately, openly admitting he is a war criminal who willfully and wantonly violated the Geneva Conventions. There doesn't need to be any investigation by the DoJ, when someone confesses on national television, I believe that's all the evidence needed.
However, it's unlikely that Cheney will actually be prosecuted for being a war criminal, something that puts him in the same league as Pol Pot or Adolph Hitler, because he is wealthy, and a member of the corpocracy, the people who decide that you should go to jail for smoking a joint, but for someone who authorized the wholesale slaughter of 1,297,997 Iraq civilians, and the torture of people who may be in US custody because they were sold to the US for bounties as opposed to being linked to al qaeda, 9/11, or even are any kind of terrorist.
Take Bernie Madoff, who made off with $50 billion in fraud. His ass should be sitting in jail right now, but he's not. He's under "house arrest" in one of the mansions that his scams bought him. Poor guy!
That these people should go unpunished is unconstitutional. We are guaranteed equal protection under the law, but from where I'm sitting, things don't look all that equal. In fact, it almost would appear the bigger the crime, the more likely it is that you will see any jail time. This is to encourage our children to think big, even when it comes to crime.

The Philosopher's Stone

The Republican party was at a loss following the last presidential election, and seeking a leader. A number of the people in the party chose to rally around Sarah Palin, not because of any good reason, rather, because she said things that they wanted to hear. like "Drill baby, drill!"
Meanwhile, in the past election cycle, Ron Paul was ridiculed because he said things they didn't want to hear, such as things stated in the above video.
The American dream of unlimited growth is unsustainable. With a finite amount of resources available in this country, only so much value can be ascribed to it. The only way the truly wealthy can acquire more wealth is if the take it from the collective rest of us in a grand, glorified Ponzi Scheme disguised as a free market. The defense contractors and brokers and other criminal members of the corpocracy are looting the country, printing us up a bunch of worthless paper that becomes less valuable with every CEO that gets a bailout, until one day, all that will be left is a bunch of beer swilling television watchers wondering "Wha happened?" as they stand waving a flag that used to stand for something.

Another Shoe Bomber

George W Bush paid another "surprise" visit to Iraq, on his farewell tour, where he was the target of a pair of shoes, hurled at him by an irate journalist. No, it wasn't an American "journalist" who barely had the temerity to hurl uncomfortable questions at Bush in eight years, let alone a pair of uncomfortable shoes.
Bush blamed the US-led invasion on Saddam, you know, because he was asking for it, standing over there in Baghdad being all alive and crap. Really, was it Saddam who forged the Nigerian yellow cake uranium documents? Was it Saddam who stood before the UN and claimed a mobile weather balloon inflation trailer was in reality a mobile chemical weapons lab? Was it Saddam who claimed to have WMD? (These are all rhetorical questions and if you don't know the answer by now, there is no hope for you)
Bush now claims that "America is safer" since the invasion, a spurious claim since Iraq never posed any threat to the US in the first place. So what is America safer from? Economic collapse? Crumbling infrastructure? No, America will not be entirely safe until you are back on the ranch at Crawford, doing the one job you were competent at: clearing brush.

There's Always Someone Who Has It Worse Than You

Everyday I face the daunting task of going to a job I despise while simultaneously being thankful I still have one. I know there is no bailout for me, when that job is gone, it's gone.
But then I think of those less fortunate than me. Sure, I may have it tough, but I've weathered worse storms than this and survived. It's like Bob Dylan said, when you got nothin' you got nothin' to lose. What can we do to help those whose livelihood is teetering on the abyss?
SPONSOR AN EXECUTIVE

Let's Fetishize Christmas!

I can imagine it must be confusing for most Americans this time of year. On the one hand, you want to decorate your yard with the tackiest kitsch you can find. On the other hand, you don't want to let your guard down in your love for America, lest the terrorists catch us unaware. Still yet, you want to show your support for the troops so much that you're happy they're spending the holidays away from their family mired down in an endless pointless war with no exit strategy.
Well, forget about all that "Peace on Earth, Goodwill To Men" crap, it doesn't apply to indigenous brown people anyway, and stick the above "Soldier Santa" in your front yard, because nothing lets you say everything you need to say more than an eight foot tall light-up inflatable Santa dressed in desert camo fatigues. See you dirty heathenistic Ramadan lovin' terrorists. We're going to win because we got Satan Santa on our side. He sees you when you're sleeping and he knows when you're awake, (but just like God, he can't really stop you from strapping yourself with explosives and blowing us up)and he knows when you've been bad or a slave to the capitalistic system (good).
And you can sleep better at night knowing that you did your durndest to keep America safe on this the Holiest of nights, right after the Fourth of July.
Father Christmas-The Kinks