President Barack Obama has concluded after the Health Care Summit yesterday, accord between Democrats and Republicans may not be possible. In other news, the sun will rise in the east, Lassie was a collie, Neil Armstrong was the first man to set foot on the moon and Michael Jackson is dead.
Paulding County, Georgia lost its State House representative, Glenn Richardson, to a familiar political demon last year -- the extramarital affair. On Tuesday voters chose his replacement, Daniel Stout, a 29-year old banker from Dallas, someone who boldly touts himself as a "Christian, a Conservative, and a Republican," and a man who has had to overcome the fact that had an extra-marital affair with his then-mother-in-law 10 years ago. Stout had an affair with his first wife's mother while his first wife was pregnant with their daughter. Stout and his first wife subsequently divorced. Stout later claimed that "the relationship was stopped short of sex." Seriously? This guy's a bigger scumbag than the guy he's replacing. But hey, at least he's not {gasp} gay!
Last night, the Canadian women's hockey team accepted their gold medals and waved to the excited home crowd. And then the real celebration began. The players came back from the locker room after all the fans had left and staged a party on ice – swigging from bottles of champagne, drinking beer and smoking cigars. The IOC is going to investigate the "behavior." Give me a break. These kids just won the gold medal in their home country -- something that's never happened in hockey and they decided to celebrate. That whole role models argument (they're trying to use) is moot, because the fans had left. If not for the photographer, no one would've even known. Furthermore, no one was complaining about the Yankees champagne, beer and cigar celebration last November. Why do we sweat the small stuff when there's such bigger issues to concern ourselves with?
Bill O'Reilly appeared on "Good Morning America" Thursday with George Stephanopoulos and said, "Sarah Palin needs to go to college. Political college, world affairs college, and she is. She's hired a bunch of advisers and they're giving her a whole bunch of tracks to learn, because it is a sophisticated deal." OK, call me crazy, but at age 46 after already being a governor and after already running for Vice President (thisclose to the red button with old man McCain) she has just now decided she should hire 'tutors'? I still want proof she went to high school. I wonder if Canada would be ready for the influx of new Canadians if this wingnut ever got elected?
Speaking of the Wasilla Hillbilly, she will headline the National Rifle Association's annual meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina this May. Will Saracuda arrive in a helicopter and kill some endangered wolves? Or maybe she will give a demonstration on how to field dress a moose, then cook a big batch of Sarah Moose Stew for the adoring crowd.
On a serious and sad note. On Wednesday, an Orca whale attacked and killed veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau in front of a horrified audience at the Orlando SeaWorld show "Believe". SeaWorld spokesman Fred Jacobs confirmed the whale was Tilikum, one of three orcas blamed for killing a trainer who lost her balance and fell in the pool with them in 1991 at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia (which later closed). Tilikum was also involved in a 1999 death, when the body of a man who had sneaked by Orlando SeaWorld security was found draped over him. The man either jumped, fell or was pulled into the frigid water and died of hypothermia, though he was also bruised and scratched by Tilikum. Talk-radio callers, bloggers and animal activists said Tilikum should be released into the ocean or put to death like a dangerous dog. Brancheau's older sister, Diane Gross, said the trainer would not have wanted anything done to the whale. "She loved the whales like her children. She loved all of them," said Gross, of Schererville, Ind. "They all had personalities, good days and bad days." Chuck Tompkins, chief of animal training at SeaWorld parks, said that Tilikum would not survive in the wild because he has been captive for so long, and that destroying the animal is not an option either, because he is an important part of the breeding program at SeaWorld and a companion to the seven other whales there. I went to the "Believe" show in Seaworld a few years back and it was spectacular...there's no other way to describe it. This tragedy is a reminder that no matter how well these animals are trained, they're still wild animals. I guess my question is, why was Tilikum still being allowed to perform and be within close human contact? He obviously has an agressive nature. Apparently he's the biggest whale in captivity. That's fine, put him in a giant aquarium where he can be admired from a distance. Here's some pictures I took at the show on June 6, 2006 (I don't know if any are of him, but Orca's are quite impressive):
Sarah Palin didn't waste anytime getting started with her latest job. She sat down with Bill O'Reilly for her first interview as a paid Fox contributor on The O'Reilly Factor Tuesday. Bill-O's softball sit-down was a waste of time for anyone not enamored with this fool, but her fans think she really laid out policy! Palin also said she was looking forward "to providing the fair and the balanced reporting and analysis that voters in this country deserve." Riiight, that’s why she’s on Faux Newz. Then there was a full hour with Glenn Beck. Beck started the show by reading to Palin from his personal diary in which he called her "one of the only people that can possibly lead us out of where we are." As Jon Stewart explained, she had a “moose in the headlights look.” On his radio show the next day, Beck explained their initial meeting as they had not actually met before. He said he walked in on Palin furiously googling on her Blackberry. When Beck enquired what she was doing, she claimed she was preparing (nothing like waiting until the last minute). She noticed (that’s amazing in itself) how he chose to interview her with the Statue of Liberty in the background and thought he was going to quiz her on the 25 windows and seven points on the crown! He assured her that wasn’t the case. Beck did manage to ask Palin a tough question, by Palin standards at least. He asked her to name her favorite founding father; Palin took a page from her infamous campaign interview with CBS' Katie Couric and told Beck, "all of them" without any hint of the irony. Seems to me that he is now part of that Couric/Gibson gotcha media. It did seem to appear that even Beck now realizes what the majority of the country figured out a long time ago about her. She is a moron. Speaking of Palin's founding fathers answer, MSNBC's Chris Matthews later asked, "how come she can't answer the most simple questions?" If you thought Palin's verbal befuddlement couldn't get any more bizarre, you'd be wrong. Appearing on Hannity on Thursday, the Facebook politician claimed that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is, "driving a bus that is headed towards a train wreck." WTF! People, remember how close she was to the red button!
The week wasn't over for Saracuda though!. As a part-time Nascar watcher, former big fan who still loves Daytona, I have to comment on this one. Saturday it was reported that Sarah Palin will be a VIP guest at next month’s Daytona 500. Daytona International Speedway president Robin Braig said that they will “showcase her just as much as we would our mayor, our governor or our senators.” Um, don’t they think that’s a bit much? Unless the mayor, governor or any of their senators are habitual quitters, that seems a bit over the top. For anyone unfamiliar with how the Daytona 500 is treated, I’ll make it simple. The Daytona 500 is Nascar’s Super Bowl even though it’s the first race of the new season. It is unquestionably the most prestigious race on the schedule. And as someone who actually went to the Coke Zero 400 last July, I can verify that it’s the most exciting track (that I’ve been to) to view a race. The pre-race activities for “The 500” are virtually the halftime show at the Super Bowl. In the very recent past and off the top of my head, Jon Bon Jovi and Kelly Clarkson have provided entertainment. I’ll be skipping the pre-race festivities this year even though I’m sure headliner Tim McGraw will be a big lure for many. The former Alaska governor will be introduced at the pre-race drivers meeting along with other celebrities. Did I mention this telecast will be broadcast on Fox? I’m pretty sure she’ll get more than a little bit of screen time. That said, I have to say I’m kind of looking forward to her going in the booth. There’s not a doubt in my mind that right wing commentator Darrell Waltrip will get her up there after the start of the race, drool a little and ask, “Who is your favorite driver?” Is there any doubt she will say, “All of them!?"
I get so sick of the religious zealots in this country forcing their beliefs down everyone’s throats that I’m going to devote some time to it today. I’m going to begin with the smaller story of the two I read about this week. This year in Bill O’Reilly’s annual "War on Christmas" rhetoric, he sent one of his goons, Jesse Watters to harass the superintendent of an elementary school in Chelsford, Massachusetts because they do not have Christmas decorations set up! The best part is, the school had asked for volunteers to plan the party, but the same people who always do it were the only respondents. The committee decided to continue with how the event has been run for the past 19 years. After all the work had been done, flyers sent and crafts made, the families who strongly opposed the secular party came forward demanding they change the event. Don’t you just love the people who don’t want to lift a finger to help, but have no problem bitching about how it’s done. I’m posting a link to an article the school felt it had to post in the Lowell Sun because of all the bad press they received from newspapers and conservative radio: Byam PTO welcomes suggestions, volunteers
Now for the story that inspired me. Merry Hyatt, a four month resident of Redding, CA who is a substitute teacher and member of the Redding Tea Party Patriots, has found support in her desire to put an initiative on the ballot next year requiring public schools to play Christmas carols. She claims her motivation for the initiative was to help restore children’s moral compasses by inviting Jesus to school Christmas parties. Currently schools currently are allowed to offer Christmas music as long as it is used for academic purposes rather than devotional purposes and isn't used to promote a particular religious belief. Hyatt believes it is a First Amendment right to worship which I don’t disagree with, but what she is trying to accomplish is clearly a violation of the U.S. Constitution which also prohibits making laws respecting an establishment of religion, it’s the very first line of the amendment and she is on that slippery slope. Since the 1st Amendment and the 2nd Amendment were their rallying cries all year, you’d think they’d know these things – it’s not really that long to read! Or does she just not understand that the entire amendment that teabaggers used all year at their anti-Obama rallies are enforceable? I don't care if they sing Christmas carols, but you can not make it mandatory. I'll wager that Merry doesn't include Deck The Halls on her required carols list either (Don we now our gay apparel, Fa la la la la, la la la la.)! The truth is we did them when I was in school, but I also grew up in a small town with about 40 kids in my class -- we all looked alike had the same background and while I don't remember it being required, it wasn't a bit deal because there wasn't any diversity amongst us. This situation strikes me as just one more example of conservatives being unhappy with the changes resulting from our society becoming more diverse and it's really gotten over amplified with the election of our first black President who they will not except as a fellow Christian. They harken back to a mythological religious America that probably never existed. These people are very simple and are scared of anything not exactly like them. They live in a world of absolutes. Everything is black or white to them because that's what they've been told. Look, I have no problem with unquestioning believers as far as it applies to them as individuals. My issue is when they want every single person to adhere to their belief system. It's great that they can take comfort in His words when they need that, but don't threaten people with what's best for them. I have never read the Bible, but I know a few common things that it teaches: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you", "Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone." and perhaps my favorite is "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
I think further commentary requires a little background about myself. I don’t see anything in black and white, rather varying shades of gray. It’s what keeps me curious and engaged in the conversation. We live in a world of complexity and I don’t understand how people lack the curiosity or capacity to think for themselves. Does thinking really hurt that much? It’s very similar to what I said in my December 4th article about Fox News viewers; they’re given key words and topics so they don’t need to think for themselves. Religion does the very same thing on a much larger scale. I was raised in a very Catholic household and dragged to church each weekend. I made my first communion (oh, how I hated that little white fluffy dress) and had to go to catechism until I made my confirmation which was probably around junior high. I’m wired much differently than my family, immediate and distant. I really am a black sheep in the sense that everyone around me are conservative no questions asked believers. What’s pretty funny is my parents always vote Democrat because they’re old school “Republicans are for the rich, Democrats are for the people” voters. My political beliefs sprung from that theory, but I’ve far expanded on my thoughts about many other important policies. They’re stuck with that one thought. On social issues, they're clearly conservatives and probably should be voting Republican these days, but I’m not going to tell them, hell it’s two votes! Amazing that I turned out so well, isn’t it! As you can tell by my views, I’m not conservative by any stretch and I’m on the fence 50/50 in regards to religion. Is there a God? The weakest believe so, no questions asked. They need to somehow hold onto that hope that they’ll be reunited throughout eternity with loved ones in paradise. Do I think it’s possible? Sure I do. I’m somewhat “spiritual”, I think there’s a higher power, but I also ask “Is that power just my own mind”. The whole thing with people seeing ghosts and such, I believe is real. But, are they actual ghosts or are they products of the mind? I figure, if there is indeed a God and we meet when my time comes, if he's the loving, forgiving God we're taught about he's just going to say, "I understand why you were a bit skeptical. There was a lot of wacky stuff going on during your lifetime, with people using my name to justify violence and hatred towards others, but look around, none of them are here! What goes around comes around."
Getting back to our country’s religious zealots, and I'm talking about the radicals, not the devout people who go to worship quietly and privately. It really bothers me that they preach love, compassion and understanding yet are the most intolerant group of radicals in our midst. This evangelical movement in our country is truly frightening. Our country is being hijacked by radicals who want to teach Christianity in schools, but don't care if the little "fundies" can read or write and no one is doing anything about it! Recently, they've designed and sold bumper stickers and other memorabilia with the Psalm 109.8 verse "May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership." That leads into Psalm 109:9, "May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow." When the Bible was written there weren’t politicians, this isn’t about Obama leaving office at the end of his term people! Thanks once again to Rachel Maddow's coverage, CafePress and Zazzle have stopped carrying this wretched propaganda. The zealots are also against a woman's right to chose a safe legal medical procedure, yet don't acknowledge the bible giving the thumbs up to stone disobedient children. And keeping with their own hypocrisy, after the unwanted child is born, they will be the first to scream they don’t want their tax dollars going to care for that teenage slut and her bastard baby. The bible also encorages slavery and that girls can be sold. Of course that makes sense since they’re still smarting over Constitutional Amendments 13 and 19. The guy living in the White House should be tending to the grounds of the White House where he belongs. And if women were never given the right to vote, white men would rule forever! The fact that they cherry pick their hatred really pisses me off. I have a huge problem with the majority being allowed to vote on the rights of a minority invoking God into the conversation when we’re supposed to be a country that seperates church and state. In addition, a large part of our electorate has become so blind and hateful with their Bible teachings guiding them instead of history, science and knowledge of current events that I think people should be required to pass a 12th grade HS test before they're allowed to register to vote. It's not just poor minorities that will suffer, the good ol' boys will have a big problem too. These idiots voting for a ticket because they think the VP candidate is attractive or because they want to further dimish civil rights are going to turn us into a third world country. You know what the most amazing thing about this is to me? Most of these same people celebrating the birth of Jesus would've been applauding and assisting nailing the queer, sandal wearing, long haired, hippie dude to the cross.
“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.” - Sinclair Lewis, It Can’t Happen Here (1935)
Quick Thoughts: As I was sitting at the drive thru of McDonalds one morning this week waiting for my coffee and listening to Bill Press, I was behind a Honda CRV whose back window was cluttered with decals, but initially I wasn't paying attention to them. Of course, this older lady that I could see in her side view mirror must’ve ordered a lot of stuff because we sat for an unusually long period so I looked up at the decals. The largest one was a “Mary Kay Cosmetics” one running across the top, flanked by a “NRA” decal on the right and a “Terrorist Hunting permit no. 91101” on the other side. I was thinking, “Oh this is awesome, I’ve got to take a picture and post this on my blog”, but I couldn’t get the damn phone out of my pocket quick enough before she started pulling away. I thought about skipping my coffee for the picture! I don’t buy cosmetics, but if I did, I wouldn’t be showing up at her house for them! I will be on the lookout for that CRV though!... Last weekend the 32-13 Alabama Crimson Tide victory over the Florida Gators in the SEC Championship game was emotional for (literally) "wear it on your face" Christian, Tim Tebow, who was seen crying on the sidelines as the clock ticked down. Well, Timmy it looks like God prefers the thumpers to the fundies. How does that make you feel? Is God still great? Didn't hear you say it after the game. I'm not a college football fan, but ever since the first time I saw this talibangelical go into his praise of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, during his freshman year, I've rooted against Florida. He's not projecting well as a pro QB, but I would love him to be drafted by the San Francisco 49ers!... Last week, Britain shut down their UFO Investigation Service citing lack of activity. For over fifty years, sightings of alien sightings across the British Isles have been reported to the service by concerned citizens. Here's my theory, the aliens were here, but while trying to study our species, they turned on Fox because they'd heard that "fair and balanced" mantra as well. What they saw was a rabid Glenn Beck go crazy with a chalkboard, they saw thousands of people who had been given a small tax decrease show up in various cities to protest the new rate while wearing teabags on their heads, they saw people stand out in the cold rain to get a glimpse of an unemployed Alaskan, they heard a sitting U.S. Congresswoman encourage people to slit their wrists over health care reform, they watched thousands of white, possibly diabetic, mostly older people needing dental work holding signs and screaming that they didn't want no stinkin' government healthcare while demanding the government keep their hands off their Medicare. They had seen enough, they looked at each other and unanimously concluded that there was no need to stay as there isn't any intelligent life on earth.... I'm going to do a follow-up this weekend to the Uganda story as there have been some developments, due to the extensive coverage a certain newswoman has devoted to this criminal bill.
While I applaud Obama for deciding on a date to bring troops home from Afghanistan, I would have preferred there wasn’t an eighteen month escalation preceding it. Of course critics say that the only thing Obama’s 18 month plan does is create a month 19 plan for the terrorists. Well, maybe so, but realistically we can’t capture and kill them all so just how many more American lives need to be wasted as we stumble around looking for a clear path to a perceived victory? How many times in the last eight years has the mission been changed just to keep us there? Even though I never viewed Bush as a legitimate President, I supported his decision after 9/11 to go into Afghanistan with the mission to capture and/or kill Osama bin Laden. I wanted the man responsible for the attack on our country “dead or alive”. On March 13, 2002, the part-time resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue stated in regard to bin Laden, “I am truly not that concerned about him. I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." That was just six months after the worse attack ever on US soil. Clearly, W’s heart wasn’t in it as he discovered they had no oil, so he shifted his attention to Iraq where he forced unfounded ties to Al Qaeda and the Taliban and used them to sell to congress and the American public the need of a pre-emptive war. Of course for the Bush administration, it was a financial windfall to keep the war going and capturing bin Laden was never a priority because it would have destroyed any way of justifying going into Iraq. Cheney’s lifetime ties to Halliburton and the millions he's made from them are rarely included in this sad story either. When Keith Olbermann or Rachel Maddow bring it up, they're assailed as enemies of "real" America. Who is the real enemy? U.S. Marines allegedly had bin Laden trapped in Tora Bora in December of 2001 and asked for additional support. A decision to not deploy those requested American forces to go after him or block his escape was made by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his top commander, Gen. Tommy Franks. Why would they do that if not to prolong the war and start another one? How many American lives could have been saved.
Wednesday night on The Rachel Maddow Show, Rachel was joined by our U.N. ambassador, Susan Rice. The two had a very respectful back and forth as Rachel believes there’s an undeclared war in Pakistan while Rice denies that is the case and explains the differences in our Middle East involvements. It’s informative to watch two adults talk about U.S. policy. The two parts are about 23 minutes combined:
This interview should be enlightening for those of us truly trying to understand our mission and goals. Unfortunately, we have an electorate that, for the most part, has no real intellectual curiosity and in fact dislikes anyone who does. Surely, 23 minutes of two smart women (gasp) talking about military strategy can not be taken seriously by the "right". They see this type of discussion reserved for conservative white males only and it wouldn't have taken 23 minutes, just six words, "bomb the hell out of them." They much prefer the primal instinct of war over a well reasoned peaceful policy discussion and decision. In their eyes, "fight makes right" and anyone who disagrees is viewed as a traitor or weak. These people agreed with McCain and his 100 year war idea. Most of our low information voters rely on “key” words/topics like; liberal, socialist, fascist, czar, Marxist, Nazi, Hitler along with Kenyan, ACORN, abortion, same-sex marriage, etc…to get them fired up -- no thought needed. These words are delivered on a nightly basis from Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity on Fox and Rush Limbaugh on the radio. The fact that their listeners/viewers repeat these words after hearing them on these shows even though many of the terms are contradictory certainly doesn’t deter them, that’s for sure! They applaud the untrained, unsophisticated views of their hero's. The only one in that group who completed what he started is O'Reilly (Marist College). The people that hang on to their every word, despise Maddow (Stanford & Oxford), Olbermann (Cornell), Ed Schultz (Minnesota State) and Thom Hartmann (Michigan State). I'm not sure when having an education became a bad thing in this country. Except for the occasionally bombastic Schultz, have you also noticed that our commentators have a much calmer demeanor? I'm also not buying that being a "liberal" is the profanity that conservatives have turned it into. By definition, we favor progress and reform, the protection of civil liberties. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded. Those aren't bad things!
Anyhow...
Obviously President Obama has more information about the situation than we do, but I’d love to see our service members come home. I'm just not sure that the goals that Susan Rice explained are realistic. These wars have done nothing positive for our country and there’s so much more we need to focus on. I did not vote for Obama to follow in Bush's footsteps in any manner, including Iraq and Afghanistan. We live in a world of microwave ovens and high-speed internet so we’ve grown accustomed to wanting everything now…if not sooner! Besides the war, President Obama is being criticized a lot for not accomplishing anything in his first year because we can’t see sure evidence. The stimulus appears to be working, yet because unemployment didn’t immediately fall to 5%, conservatives call it a failure. The health care impasse has been caused by "just say no" Republicans and conservative Democrats. Granted, Obama should take a more active role, but with the eight year mess he was handed, there remains only so many hours in a day. George W. Bush was most likely the worst leader (I won’t call him Prez) this country has ever had and his legacy is quite possibly going to destroy Obama’s as well unless giant steps are taken. I think one of the things that has caught him off guard is there is no longer a "no drama Obama." Everything he does is getting ridiculed and scrutinized by the right in ways that they weren't totally prepared for, so they've taken some heat. He came out of the gate strong with broadening stem cell research and passing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. He appeared to be a strong, quiet, no frills Commander-in-chief when he ordered the Navy Seals to kill three Somali pirates who were holding an American cargo ship captain hostage. Then the health care debate began, Sarah Palin spoke of death panels, the crazed fringe took over informational town hall meetings and all the wonderful momentum and hope we had for this young President came to a screeching halt. I hope he can clean up most of the damage before the 2010 elections. While I don't think the Democrats will lose the majority in the House, it may no longer be a strong majority.
Sarah Palin Update: Since my last post was on Thanksgiving, I wasn't yet aware of The Turkey Trot To Nowhere. Evidently Sarah agreed to run the 5k Kennewick “Turkey Trot.” But she quit 40 minutes in! She wanted to avoid the adoring masses at the finish line. The article is linked above from "The Mudflats." It appears that the infamous Palin bus tour is a hoax. Joe McGinniss reports she's in fact flying around America on a private jet, specifically a luxurious "Gulfstream II 12-passenger jet rented from Universal Jet Aviation of Boca Raton, Florida, at a cost of more than $4,000 per hour." Yes indeed, her fans say she's "just like them!" In addition, camera's and recording devices are being banned from her book signing stops, BUT for a fee, you can get a photo taken of yourself with the former Alaska Governor for the following size/prices: 5x7 $15.99, 8x10 $20.99, 8x12 $23.99, 11x14 $35.99. Has any of her "fans" figured out yet that she's just in this for the money? Speaking of the former Governor, the Minnesota Mall of America announces she wants to be called Governor and wants only English speaking press when she appears there. Why should they call her Governor? Honestly, the way her gaffe filled book signing tour is going, you'd think she'd ban English speaking press so her never ending flow of ignorance wouldn't be reported daily!
Palin has also called on President Obama to boycott the Copenhagen climate conference since she feels the hacked emails from the the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England prove that man-made climate change is a hoax.
"Policy decisions require real science and real solutions, not junk science and doomsday scare tactics pushed by an environmental priesthood that capitalizes on the public's worry and makes them feel that owning an SUV is a 'sin' against the planet."
In some ways Palin's sudden enthusiasm for science comes as a surprise, since she has suggested evolution is not real and wants creationism taught in schools. Then again this gives her the chance to once again recite "Drill baby, drill."
Quick Thoughts: On the Tiger Woods' ongoing saga: You know, the story seemed pretty conflicted right from the start, and has unfolded exactly as I expected it too, including my vision of the night in question and how the window of the Escalade was smashed. I am the last person who will condone any form of domestic violence, but as more and more information comes out, don’t you get the feeling that he probably wishes he just stayed in the house and took the beating?...On Thursday, Republican Senators David Vitter (R-La.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla) introduced the gimmick filled "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act". "The idea, broad-brush, is that whatever government option is in the bill, every senator and every representative should be enrolled in it," Vitter told 'The Hill'. "No other possibilities, no other choices." "It's called leadership," Coburn said. "If it's good enough for everybody else, we ought to be leading by example." Funny thing happened though, Democrats called their bluff. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) who tried to become a co-sponsor and was given the cold shouldar, was joined by Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), and Al Franken (D-Minn.) in support. These are the kind of Democrats we need -- one’s with a spine! I like Sherrod Brown a little more every time I see him. ...You will love thisheadline: "Arlington, Tennessee Mayor Russell Wiseman Assails 'Muslim President' For Pre-Empting 'Peanuts": Seriously, this guy believes that President Barack Obama's West Point address, in which he announced his intention to escalate the war in Afghanistan, was intentionally timed to prevent Christians from watching Charlie Brown, stating, “Ok, so, this is total crap, we sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim [sic] president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose”: The Peanuts Christmas show? Really? Now I could see if it was Rudolph or Frosty, but...These conservative fools weren’t embarrassed by eight years of a court appointed corrupt Presidency with the Bush-Cheney Regime, but they still can’t get over the fact that the young, black Hawaiian (yes Republicans, it was a state in 1961) won. Southerners get upset that they're perceived as uneducated, but they keep electing people like this. In fact, they should be embarrassed that people like Wiseman (ironic, isn't it?) continue to pop up on television and other media and make every southern stereotype be proven true. Snarky comment of the week from Huffington Post commentator MCISMetal: "I can't comment on the Kyoto Accord as I've only ever seen the Honda" - Sarah Palin
In case you missed it... News of the "get a life -- and a new iron": Nov. 27 METHUEN, Mass. (AP) -- A Massachusetts woman who recently separated from her husband and had her hours cut at work says an image of Jesus Christ she sees on her iron has reassured her that "life is going to be good." Mary Jo Coady first noticed the image Sunday when she walked into her daughter's room. The brownish residue on the bottom of the iron looks like the face of a man with long hair. The 44-year-old Coady was raised Catholic. She and her two college-age daughters agree that the image looks like Jesus and is proof that "he's listening." Coady tells The Eagle-Tribune she hopes her story will inspire others during the holidays. She says she plans to keep the iron in a closet and buy a new one.
The "image of Jesus" that she sees has only reassured me that what's going to be good in her life is not burning down her house. The good news is she's going to put it in the closet and buy a new one. Since it looks like it's very old and well used, this is a good call...although I'll be expecting it to be up for bid on Ebay!
UPDATE 12/6/09: Just did a quick search on Ebay and there already is an iron with Jesus alleged image listed! The reasonable seller zinsanemods (amazingly the same person also has an Ozzy Osbourne iron - what are the odds?!) has allowed a $3000 Buy It Now.
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