Go, Tom!

Way to stick to your guns!

Not missing the cable news...

As I've mentioned before, I've been living without cable TV since the end of the summer. I haven't missed it that much, though there have been times when I would have liked to watch the 24-hour news -- but then again, when they're pulling stuff like this, I think I'm better off just reading the internet:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Sean Hannity Uses Glenn Beck's Protest Footage
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

I do really miss Jon Stewart, though, and with CNN now being Dobbs-free, I'm thinking about getting my cable hooked up again (still not a word from the epb...).

UPDATE:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Sean Hannity Apologizes to Jon
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Sunday Links & a Song

This is a short list, especially considering the fact that it's been a while since I've done links, but I'm tired of the politics that are filling our headlines. The best course of action here is to hide in the great music of geniuses like Elvis Costello (while reading a bit about the other stuff):

• Two can play that game (and some other protest signs -- some of my favorites: "My two moms can beat up your 14 wives," and "They're the ones that keep having gay babies!").

• Sigh. Back to health care. Let's just go ahead and cover everybody already -- even the constituents who manage to survive Boehner. One way or another we're going to pay for their health care anyway.

• I just started trying out google sidewiki this weekend. As one contributor pointed out, the implications here are numerous -- and not all positive -- but the potential is exciting.

• A Chattanooga suburb (East Ridge) made Boston.com's Big Picture last week. Seriously, we got a LOT of rain.

• And finally... the Origin of Stupidty

Linkiddy doo dah

And here is yet another hodgepodge from the past week...

• Bottled water. How do you feel about it? Ripped off? Misled? You should. We got some stainless water bottles earlier this year and they are wonderful -- the openings are big enough to add ice, there are no BPAs in the water we drink, there is no waste for the landfill, and they fit in the bike drink holders. We took them with us on our road trip last month and had no trouble refilling them with ice and cold water at gas stations along the way, and, thanks to our cozies and the added ice, it was so nice to have water that stayed cold for hours after a rest stop.

• This may come as a shock to some, but not all low-income housing has to be ugly.

• Anonymous hugging!

• This remembrance from Pam Spaulding (apparently my brother's classmate at Stuyvesant!) is the best post I've seen since Frank McCourt died last week.

• Abraham & Issac retold.

• I admit that I haven't been consuming much media lately (comcast recently cut us down to just a few worthless channels), but I'm still surprised that since the Henry Louis Gates, Jr. story broke, I haven't heard a single person mention the movie Amos and Andrew.

• On health care: we could be doing a LOT better than we are -- certainly better than BCBS is doing (which is maybe the RNC chair's insurance company -- he's not sure, but he's still trying to kill any chance at reform). Why are some of our representatives dragging their feet? Other systems work. Lewis Black shares some thoughts. And so does Bill Maher (best one ever?).

• I've said it before many, many times, but it bears repeating over and over and over again: the only thing abstinence-only education produces is really freakin' stupid teenagers.

• For the record: calorie labeling is a positive thing. As with many things (including sex -- see above), ignorance can be toxic.

• Here's a shocker: the C-Street Cult (oh, Zach!) story shows no sign of slowing down! Why is disgraced Senator Ensign giving Zach Wamp money? Apparently, it's a secret! Unfortunately, in other marriage defender/marriage non-honorer news (AKA republican sexual hypocrites), Tennessee still picks the winners.

• Jimmy Carter is challenging the Southern Baptist Convention's sexism -- but is he making any sense?

• Pat Buchanan: Why do you keep talking? You're making Lou Dobbs look good. Even Rachel, who often refers to you as "Uncle Pat," thinks you're a misinformed douche.

• Today was Sarah Palin's last day. Top Ten observes the occasion.

• Lastly, this just leaves me gasping for air. And Jimmy Carter thought the Baptists were bad! Ha!

• And finally, I posted this on facebook about a week back, but if you missed it there, you might enjoy it here. I apologize to everyone who attended my wedding, because it wasn't this cool. Neither was any wedding I've ever attended. The bar has been raised.

UPDATE:

Lots of links you might have missed!

It's been a while and these things do pile up...

• How The Average U.S. Consumer Spends Their Paycheck -- this is an interesting chart. We're by no means average (we've never carried a car loan, for one thing, and we probably spend more on food and alcohol, even though we don't eat out much), but the proportions seem to be generally true.

• Have you tried goofram yet? It's a combination of google and wolfram|alpha.

• Think you're a geek? Have you mastered the essential skills?

• The Young Republicans have elected an Aryan as their leader.

• Barney Frank visited the Daily Show last week.

• Just how rich is Fitzwilliam Darcy? (Here's an interesting bit of trivia: Pride and Prejudice is not only my favorite novel, it's also the first book I ever read aloud to Emmie -- starting when she was about a week old.) And speaking of Jane Austen, today is the anniversary of her death.

• How's your sense of pitch? (I scored a 26 out of 26 -- which, if you've ever heard me sing, you know must mean that I hear pitch perfectly -- I just can't produce it that way.)

• White Men Can't Judge.

• Local coverage of Zach Wamp's psooper psekret christian adultery cult (read about yet another C Street philanderer here -- and here!).

• You Suck at Craig's List is pretty funny (via Joe. My. God.).

• Badass of the Week, featuring Blenda, the Viking Heroine!

• Rick Perry is apparently rethinking that whole Texas-as-a-country thing (seriously -- who voted for this guy?).

• If you want to see the Great Barrier Reef, you better go soon.

• Can someone find Glenn Beck a nice small room with soft walls and a good therapist?

• ... and speaking of health care (that's what set Beck off)... Glenn doesn't have it quite right when it comes to France's system. The current American system is fine until you get sick, but will the next one be any better?

• This can't be said enough times: the only thing abstinence-only "education" produces is unbelievably stupid kids.

• I loves me some Usain Bolt footage. He makes all the other best runners in the world look like my grandma.

• Understanding our economy.

• Drunk people doing yoga.

• And finally, Pat Buchanan: he really stepped in it this week -- even more than usual!

Quote of the Day

“This guy, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, I mean, he claims victory and he is very unpopular…And the danger politically of this, he could ruin the political career of his brother, Jeb Ahmadinejad. You got to be careful.”
— David Letterman, discussing the Iran election during a monologue

(via Pensito Review)

UPDATE: he's not far off.

Blessings...

I'm anxiously waiting for the returns from today's Chattanooga city council election runoffs, and I keep trying to put up a a post, but I also keep getting interrupted. So, until I manage to find a block of time, here's a reminder of how wonderful it is to have a President who can think and talk at the same time!

Right Wing Watch

Tidbits from the Right Wing as the week came to a close:

1. Oh, but the world is coming to an end because gay people in Iowa can get married! At least, that's what you'd gather if you were hanging out with the freepers or other right wingers yesterday (my favorite comment in the response to the response: "It seems God turns a blind eye to the high straight divorce rate, pedophile priests, straight criminals etc. I didn't know that homosexuals such as myself were so powerful and could bring about Armageddon but if we are responsible it will be fabulously well run and organized. Oh what to wear?").

2. Pope condoms are selling well in France.

3. Look who is finally leaving New York (don't let the door hit you in the ginormous ass, Rush!)! UPDATE: Rush forgets.

4. And lastly, is Glenn Beck unraveling before our eyes?

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The 10.31 Project
comedycentral.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor NASA Name Contest

Counting small blessings

One of the things I've enjoyed so much about this new administration is catching the stray clips of our President on the TV. I don't even have to know the context to appreciate these moments -- I catch them on the evening news or in passing while in waiting rooms. He's articulate. He can think and talk at the same time. He can speak extemporaneously. He can discuss complicated subjects with reporters and doesn't need to try and distract them with silly nicknames. He has a command of the details. Intellect is no longer a dirty word.

I was reminded of the contrast between the Obama Oval Office and the previous one when I read this little tidbit, about Bush and the fact that he's planning to write (heh!) a book:

“I’m going to put people in my place, so when the history of this administration is written at least there’s an authoritarian voice saying exactly what happened,” Bush said.

Reading things like that give me so much pleasure, but only in that they remind me what a tremendous relief it is to no longer have to listen to that man's tortured attempts at communication every day. We're only fifty-something days into Obama's White House tenure -- too soon to evaluate this administration's performance -- but we do know that we are no longer dealing with a petulant, bottom-of-his-class, back-of-the-room-wise-cracker with a frat-boy sense of humor and a ham-fisted approach to diplomacy. And that is a terrific relief and an early triumph for us all.

Inauguration tidbits

Cheney When I first saw Dick Cheney rolling around in a wheelchair (Blofeld, Strangelove, or Potter?) on Tuesday, I was awfully surprised. Why was he unable to walk? The talking heads explained that he'd hurt his back lifting a box (oh, really?). But that didn't make any sense to me for two reasons. First, because I've been there, done that (lifting --> injured back) and the last thing you want to do with that sort of injury is sit down! Ouch! Standing and lying flat were the only options I had with my back injury. And secondly, why was he lifting boxes? Off the top of my head, I can think of at least a few million people who would have been very happy -- ecstatic, even -- to help Dick move his stuff out of his office to wherever he wanted to go. Seriously. We could have had a team of volunteers there within moments. Though in his defense, perhaps he was moving his own boxes because he was afraid that he might somehow get lured into a box and instead of arriving safe at home after a journey, he might find that he's been dropped at The Hague.

Photos You know I love the pretty pictures. Here's a collection of beautiful, huge images from the big day. A cool high-res pan and zoom image from the inauguration (go ahead -- zoom in on Obama!). A collection of newspaper front pages about the inauguration. And some great shots of Obama's team.

The Hat One of the best things about the inauguration? You gotta give props to Aretha's hat! Flickr feeds and buzzfeeds are keeping up with the aftermath!

The First Granny Mo Rocca (understandably) has a crush on Marian Robinson.

The Poster And, if you want a souvenir of the day, here's a good one (click on the link that follows the image to go to the source):

389 Years Ago

First Aussie on Rachel Maddow!

The Good News

While I was cleaning up the kitchen after dinner tonight, I noticed that no one had yet flipped the bush countdown calendar (thanks, Uncle Bob!) over from December. When I did it, I got a little thrill, because we're down to the last page!!!! It's almost over, folks! Our long national nightmare is finally drawing to a close! Pinch me!!!!!

This is almost enough for me to pity the guy

Then I look at the remnants of what once was my retirement account, and, well, nah...

But that's the URL!

(Sorry about the language.) This. Fucking. Election.

Best Endorsement Ever!

I'm not going to miss George W. Bush when he's (finally!) gone, but I will miss Will Ferrell's brilliant impressions.

Look it up, Sarah!

Eight and a half weeks (at least!) elapsed between these two clips. You'd think in that time, Palin could have spent a few moments looking up vice-president on the Internet -- or maybe she could have glanced at a copy of the freakin' Constitution! As Chris Matthews said earlier today, the problem is not that she's talking to a second grader, it's that she sounds like a second grader (I was worried that maybe Pat Buchanan was going to stroke out at that point -- watch it here).

And we thought Quayle was bad then he corrected a poor student's spelling of "potato."

Pat Buchanan goes tribal

Pat Buchanan spent a little time grasping at other straws before finally going there, and feeling how silly they all were, he finally settled on "it must be because he's black." Yeah, he actually went there. Sigh.

Someone tell me again how the Republicans are a 21st Century party? That they're not interested in fostering discord just for the sake of political gains? That McCain/Palin somehow represents something different from the Republican party we've been dealing with for the past 8 or 25 years? That these people could possibly bring us a positive change of pace?

Hey, Pat! Do you want something to distract everyone from the totally awesome Powell endorsement? How about questions about McCain's health on the front page of the The New York Times on Monday?

UPDATE: go here (and then there's Joe).

Debate Day Links

The last debate is tonight, and then we enter the final stretch. This will be the last free national airtime the candidates will get -- after this they're on their own! What follows is a little of what is currently scattered about the internet. But first, here's a diversion for those of you who don't want to think about the election anymore. If you can't take the politics talk, watch this best man be the bestest man ever, and then read no further...

OK, so on with the latest...

In his speech on Monday, was John McCain promoting himself or Bush? (Jon Stewart had some fun with McCain's recycling last night!)

Sarah Palin's local paper (the Anchorage Daily News) is not at all pleased with her recent performance in the wake of the Troopergate report.

Sarah Palin's reaction to the Legislature's Troopergate report is an embarrassment to Alaskans and the nation. She claims the report "vindicates" her. She said that the investigation found "no unlawful or unethical activity on my part." Her response is either astoundingly ignorant or downright Orwellian.

Ouch! In the meantime, the seeds of fear and ignorance that Palin and McCain have planted continue to bear ugly fruit (and investigations), and at the same time, it appears that Palin's relations with minorities are strained, at best. Not to mention her relations with polar bears.

Here's something I'd like to hear McCain talk about at tonight's debate: we all know by now that his campaign (and by implication, his potential administration) is staffed with dozens of lobbyists -- but can McCain explain why the man he named to head his presidential transition team worked for Saddam Hussein? Or let's get him to explain his unbelievable health care plan! Or share his thoughts on water resources. Or ask him if he has having trouble controlling his loony running mate! Or when is he going to stop pilfering the property of others?

On the lighter side... What is it about John McCain that makes people think about the Penguin? It's getting a little spooky! Also, should racists vote for the white half?

And finally, there's this... is it cute? annoying? derivative? clever? what say you?

W trailer

WaMu bellyup

The biggest bank failure in history.

Worst. President. Ever.