Yes. Yes. YES!
How are you going to rationalize "protesting" a fallen soldier?
More tomorrow in my What The F**k? post.
Ugh.
How are you going to rationalize "protesting" a fallen soldier?
More tomorrow in my What The F**k? post.
Ugh.
31 October 2007
Funny Of The Week
I haven't been keeping up with these...
I saw this SNL Digital Short several weeks ago - during my involuntary hiatus. Possibly one of the most brilliant, yet funny bits that I've seen come out of Andy Samberg & Co. to date.
Check it:
The audio makes it difficult to hear the lyrics - but try. They are FUNNY.
I saw this SNL Digital Short several weeks ago - during my involuntary hiatus. Possibly one of the most brilliant, yet funny bits that I've seen come out of Andy Samberg & Co. to date.
Check it:
The audio makes it difficult to hear the lyrics - but try. They are FUNNY.
Oh, Billy-Boy
I've been trying to find a way to describe Gov. Bill Richardson (D-Nm). I like the guy simply because he's a centrist and he's got a boat-load of experience - especially in international relations and diplomacy.
But the guy always appears as a dud on television.
So, I was reading my daily dose of The Moderate Voice and I found this:
Governor Bill Richardson remains the most non-telegenic candidate and the sloppiest in terms of exceeding his time limit and seeming to be giving “canned” responses. It’s a pity because he is one of the most intelligent political leaders on the national scene. Richardson is to centrist politics and governors what actor Nathan Lane is to Broadway — and he is to television debates what Nathan Lane is to movies.Spot on. Spot on.
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Photo: Charlie Neibergall/AP
While You Were Watching The Dems
This is what Ron Paul had to say:
I don't agree with it all (particularly some of the economic bits), but I can really get behind his foreign policy ideas.
I wonder if all of the young people (particularly college kids) really know what Dr. Paul is all about? I wonder if they like him not because he has a good political ideology, but rather that he is the "It" guy in politics right now?
Hmm....
I don't agree with it all (particularly some of the economic bits), but I can really get behind his foreign policy ideas.
I wonder if all of the young people (particularly college kids) really know what Dr. Paul is all about? I wonder if they like him not because he has a good political ideology, but rather that he is the "It" guy in politics right now?
Hmm....
And The Winner Is...
Well, to be honest - I'm not 100% sure.
I watched the Democratic presidential debate last night on MSNBC (linked to a transcript). I think that there were numerous candidates who stood out (namely Barack Obama and Joe Biden). However, I CAN say with 100% certainty that Hillary Clinton was the night's big LOSER.
What I have not been able to understand about the Democratic debates thus far has been the preemptive coronation that Hillary Clinton is/will be the winner. I have yet to see a stellar debate performance from her. Granted, there haven't been any really bad performances (until last night), but I think that in every instance at least one other candidate performs better than her.
Last night, I think we saw the first in a long line of stumbling for the Clinton campaign.
Hey, a guy can dream - can't he?
The best line of the evening came from Joe Biden:
Rudy Giuliani - I mean think about it. Rudy Giuliani - there's only three things he mentions in a sentence; a noun and a verb and 9/11. I mean there's nothing else - there's nothing else
*ZING*
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Photo: Reuters
Heart Healthy
Been busy around these parts the last few days. Sorry for the lack of posts.
The good news is that my one-year-old daughter has gotten a clean bill-of-health from her pediatric cardiologist. We made the trek to his office yesterday and he said that her heart is normal and that "the minuscule ventricular septal defect has closed".
Nice.
So, that's good.
Oh, and Happy Halloween!
The good news is that my one-year-old daughter has gotten a clean bill-of-health from her pediatric cardiologist. We made the trek to his office yesterday and he said that her heart is normal and that "the minuscule ventricular septal defect has closed".
Nice.
So, that's good.
Oh, and Happy Halloween!
27 October 2007
Moral Standard
With the impending confirmation of Michael Mukasey as the new United States attorney general, there has been a lot of media attention on the issue of "enhanced interrogation techniques". I have read many different opinions on what is and is not torture (waterboarding seems to be a hot-button issue), and having parsed through much of this information, I'm going to put my thoughts out here in the ether for you to digest and comment on, if you like.
Look, admittedly, I think that everyone who follows this kind of story has the proverbial 'bad taste' in their mouth from Alberto Gonzales and the debacle that was his tenure in the Bush Administration (particularly in the past 12 months). But, that does not excuse the nominee (ANY nominee) from answering some very vital questions that pertain to the job of attorney general, namely, "Could you please tell me whether or not you believe 'water-boarding' to be torture?"
Yeah, it's tough to get anyone in the Bush administration to answer that question. Although, John McCain certainly is clear about his position:
My point is this: We, as Americans, need to take the moral high-ground here.
I know that there are those out there who argue that if our military/CIA/FBI/etc. have a terrorism suspect in custody that they should be willing and able to beat the ever-livin' snot (and more) out of said suspect to glean any and all information that they can. I simply and humbly submit that we, as a nation, need to set a better example for the world.
Look, admittedly, I think that everyone who follows this kind of story has the proverbial 'bad taste' in their mouth from Alberto Gonzales and the debacle that was his tenure in the Bush Administration (particularly in the past 12 months). But, that does not excuse the nominee (ANY nominee) from answering some very vital questions that pertain to the job of attorney general, namely, "Could you please tell me whether or not you believe 'water-boarding' to be torture?"
Yeah, it's tough to get anyone in the Bush administration to answer that question. Although, John McCain certainly is clear about his position:
All I can say is that it was used in the Spanish Inquisition, it was used in Pol Pot's genocide in Cambodia, and there are reports that it is being used against Buddhist monks today. They [other presidential candidates who claim to be unsure about water-boarding being defined as torture] should know what it is. It is not a complicated procedure. It is torture.No gray area there. And he's damn right. But that is beside the point here...
My point is this: We, as Americans, need to take the moral high-ground here.
I know that there are those out there who argue that if our military/CIA/FBI/etc. have a terrorism suspect in custody that they should be willing and able to beat the ever-livin' snot (and more) out of said suspect to glean any and all information that they can. I simply and humbly submit that we, as a nation, need to set a better example for the world.
26 October 2007
The Third Time's The Charm?
Look kids! It's another version of George W. Bush's foreign policy!
The same jackasses (neo-cons) who got us into Iraq are working with Giuliani to develop his presidential campaign foreign policy. Money line:
Mr. Giuliani’s team includes Norman Podhoretz, a prominent neoconservative who advocates bombing Iran “as soon as it is logistically possible”; Daniel Pipes, the director of the Middle East Forum, who has called for profiling Muslims at airports and scrutinizing American Muslims in law enforcement, the military and the diplomatic corps; and Michael Rubin, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute who has written in favor of revoking the United States’ ban on assassination.Yikes. I can't wait until they get involved in the Department of Justice...
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Photo: Bebeto Matthews/AP
Flip-Flop-A-Roo
"But wait... I... err... but... umm..."
Poor Mitt. This guy can't catch a break - unless you count the fact that he's leading in the Iowa GOP presidential primary polling.
Yuck.
However, I love the story about the 15-year-old kid who presses Romney about his flip-flopping views on abortion and gay-marriage.
You know things are bad when a teenager can debate the issues with a candidate better than other candidates can.
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Photo: Reuters
For America
If he was running in Pennsylvania, I would vote for him.
While his show is a joke, apparently his intentions in South Carolina are not a laughing matter.
Fearmongering
Leave it to the mental-midgets at Family Security Matters to use scare-tactics to let the Flock know what organizations are 'evil'.
There are some organizations that I expected to see on a Right-Wing-Nut column, like ThinkProgress, MoveOn.org and Media Matters. However, I was surprised by a couple of the other "honorees". Notably:
Number 8: CODEPINK
Number 2: Universites and Colleges
Furthermore, having worked professionally at four institutions of higher education, I found that one of the most visible campus organizations at a college is the College Republicans. The last time I checked, that is not a leftward-leaning group of students.
Duh.
My greater issue with this column is not that the author is clearly paranoid, it's that he is using the guise of fear to attack each of these groups. The title says it all; The 10 Most Dangerous Organizations In America. Ugh. I'm sure that MoveOn.org (no matter what you think of them) is more dangerous than, say, the American Nazi Party of the Westboro Baptist Church.
Now, someone who reads the article and is easily persuaded will believe that anyone who believes in ending war or going to college is UN-American and dangerous to our country.
Give me a friggin' break.
There are some organizations that I expected to see on a Right-Wing-Nut column, like ThinkProgress, MoveOn.org and Media Matters. However, I was surprised by a couple of the other "honorees". Notably:
Number 8: CODEPINK
CODEPINK is nothing more than a far-left group of loony, hypocritical women who don't seem to care about the lack of women's right in Iraq or Iran. These people want peace at all costs - all costs to the U.S. included.Um. Okaaaaay. Here's how CODEPINK describe themselves:
[CODEPINK is a] grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities. We reject the Bush administration's fear-based politics that justify violence, and instead calls for policies based on compassion, kindness and a commitment to international law.I don't understand how ending the war in Iraq (and stopping a possible war with Iran) will hurt women's rights in the Middle East. Currently, women's rights in that region are pretty bad - and I'm sure that if there weren't any wars to protest, groups like CODEPINK would gladly focus their attention and resources on things like women's issues in other countries.
Number 2: Universites and Colleges
Anyone familiar with my column at Family Security Matters knows my thoughts on the Left's stranglehold on American college and universities. Unfortunately, many professors use the various organizations on this list as a part of their curriculum, often selectively ignoring facts that don't support their far-left agenda.Now, here's the rub: I spent five years in undergrad (What? I really liked college - especially my education in socialization). At no time did I take a class wherein I felt the professor was being partisan. While I have no doubt that it does happen occassionally, I do not buy into the notion that all educational institutions are "liberal" (the same way that I don't believe that all media has a liberal bias).
Furthermore, having worked professionally at four institutions of higher education, I found that one of the most visible campus organizations at a college is the College Republicans. The last time I checked, that is not a leftward-leaning group of students.
Duh.
My greater issue with this column is not that the author is clearly paranoid, it's that he is using the guise of fear to attack each of these groups. The title says it all; The 10 Most Dangerous Organizations In America. Ugh. I'm sure that MoveOn.org (no matter what you think of them) is more dangerous than, say, the American Nazi Party of the Westboro Baptist Church.
Now, someone who reads the article and is easily persuaded will believe that anyone who believes in ending war or going to college is UN-American and dangerous to our country.
Give me a friggin' break.
24 October 2007
Testimony, Schmestimony
The same old trick: when the facts don't fit in your message, just change them.
The official [from the Centers for Disease Control] said that while it is customary for testimony to be changed in a White House review, these changes were particularly "heavy-handed," with the document cut from its original 14 pages to four.Unbelievable. What did the other six pages have to say?
Money, Money, Money, Muh-Nay
MUH-NAY!
More good news on the money front:
More good news on the money front:
[A]ccording to the Congressional Budget Office's report on the costs of the Iraq War, the $2.4 trillion price tag over the next decade comes out to some $8,000 for every man, woman, and child in the United States.Yikes.
Hey Big Spender
Fiscal conservatism has died.
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Graphic: McClatchy Washington Bureau
By these standards, Ronald Reagan was a tightwad; discretionary spending grew by only 1.9 percent a year on his watch.Wow. Just... wow.
Discretionary spending went up in Bush's first term by 48.5 percent, not adjusted for inflation, more than twice as much as Bill Clinton did (21.6 percent) in two full terms...
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Graphic: McClatchy Washington Bureau
Hucka-What?
So, I have to admit that I - like many people - have grown a liking to Mike Huckabee. I'm not saying that I agree with all of his positions - particularly his social conservatism - because I don't. Huckabee just seems like a down-to-Earth guy. Someone who I'd like to have a beer with - or better yet, jam with in a band.
Then, at the GOP presidential debate on Sunday, he goes and says some really stupid shit:
You see, as it turns out, only ONE person who signed the Declaration of Independence was an ordained clergyman. John Witherspoon, a Presbyterian minister and president of what would become Princeton University, was the only man of the Cloth to sign the Declaration.
In addition:
Then, at the GOP presidential debate on Sunday, he goes and says some really stupid shit:
They [the signers of the Declaration of Independence] were brave people, most of whom, by the way, were clergymen.Oops. Yeah, that's not quite accurate.
You see, as it turns out, only ONE person who signed the Declaration of Independence was an ordained clergyman. John Witherspoon, a Presbyterian minister and president of what would become Princeton University, was the only man of the Cloth to sign the Declaration.
In addition:
A few more of the signers were former clergymen, though it's a little unclear just how many. The conservative Heritage Foundation said two other signers were former clergymen. The religion web site Adherents.com said four signers of the declaration were current or former full-time preachers. But everyone agrees only Witherspoon was an active minister when he signed the Declaration of Independence.Given the benefit of the doubt, that makes the grand total seven out of 56 signers as members of the clergy. So, the next time you are going to wax intellectual religiosity about the signers of the Declaration of Independence, you might want to research it first Mike.
23 October 2007
Why I Still Like Johnny Mac
John McCain. I've talked about him before - and not always in the best light - but I still like him.
Here is a good reason why:
Striking a gracious note, McCain event went so far as to say, “I know and respect Sen. Clinton,” using her professional title when Giuliani and Romney called her only by her widely-used first name.Respect.
No matter how much you know that he wanted to give Hillary Clinton a smack-down-one-liner in front of a conservative audience (to which he would have gotten good laughs and applause), McCain opted for a more nuanced argument - say it with me - ON THE ISSUES. He didn't attack her for being "Hillary".
I thought that this was a great example of true statesmanship.
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Photo: Charlie Neibergall/AP
Barack & Roll
It's a long clip - but definitely worth watching.
Barack Obama goes on and one for a bit, but he raises some VERY good points about the war in Iraq.
Barack Obama goes on and one for a bit, but he raises some VERY good points about the war in Iraq.
HillaryCare? How About HillaryScare?
Yikes.
Hillary's temper is even more widely documented, by disaffected Secret Service agents, military aides, Arkansas state troopers and others. Hillary repeatedly has been in rows with agents whom she importuned to carry her bags despite Secret Service regulations against the practice. While first lady, Hillary threw a book at the back of an agent's head, as reported to me by White House military personnel.Pile it on.
What The F**k?
Seriously. Mitt Romney officially gets the Dumbass Of The Week award for this one.
I don't care about the fact that Mitt is a Republican and Barack is a Democrat - you don't make this kind of mistake. You simply don't do it - especially if you are running for the Highest Office In The Land.
And I quote:
I think that is a position which is not consistent with the fact. Actually, just look at what Osam — uh — Barack Obama, said just yesterday. Barack Obama calling on radicals, jihadists of all different types, to come together in Iraq. That is the battlefield. That is the central place, he said. Come join us under one banner. (emphasis added)Yikes. I marked Senator Obama's name in bold print because that is where Mr. Romney meant to say Osama bin Laden. Yeah, I'm serious. Look it up. OBL just released a video in which he calls on al Qaeda in Iraq to join forces with him. NOT Barack Obama.
Duh.
I'm taking guesses as to how long it will be until Mitt has to apologize to Obama...
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Photo: Charlie Neibergall/AP
Red State Update
Look everyone! The GOP (or at least some of their hardcore supporters) are truly frightened of Ron Paul.
I can't say that I blame them, given his grassroots support - especially among younger voters.
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Photo: Brent Humphreys
Voluntary Return
It's the Return Of The Pajamas. For real.
A day late, but not a comment short, I'm back to continue the onslaught of wit and mirth that is this blog. A lot has happened during my absence in the past few weeks. I'm not going to break it all down for you, because I assume that if you read this blog, you are likely an informed person. If you aren't, you should be.
I'm pleased to be back. I'm even more pleased that I'm back with a high-speed connection. So, even as I write this, there are several browser windows that are rapidly churning news articles and columns - and I will digest as much as I can, as quickly as I can.
'Tis good to be back.
A day late, but not a comment short, I'm back to continue the onslaught of wit and mirth that is this blog. A lot has happened during my absence in the past few weeks. I'm not going to break it all down for you, because I assume that if you read this blog, you are likely an informed person. If you aren't, you should be.
I'm pleased to be back. I'm even more pleased that I'm back with a high-speed connection. So, even as I write this, there are several browser windows that are rapidly churning news articles and columns - and I will digest as much as I can, as quickly as I can.
'Tis good to be back.
13 October 2007
Site Credits
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04 October 2007
Involuntary Hiatus
I'm going out of my mind folks. Seriously.
Thursday, September 27th - only one week ago - our teeny-tiny little town was hit with a late-evening thunderstorm that shook my insides. No kidding. Around 8:30 in the p.m., a bolt struck something vital within our power grid. As my computer was on, it got zapped. My (beautiful) monitor no longer works, and my modem was also fried in the process.
All of this only hours after the Pajama Wife and I decided to upgrade to a high-speed connection. Damn you Murphy's Law...
So, I'm coming to you tonight from my wife's "work" laptop. She was nice enough to bring it home and allow me to check e-mail and post this one message to you all: I Will Be Back. Soon.
October 20th to be exact. That's when the new high-speed line will be installed. After that, I will be a blogging fool.
Oh, and the monitor thing. Mine is shot. I tried to look at it, but my technical expertise only goes so far. When I start looking at bare circuit boards, that means it's time to hang it up. My wife (who appears to be quite the resourceful woman in this post) has a line on a co-workers used monitor. The drawback is that it's an older, F A T T E R monitor - unlike my gorgeous flat-screen. The GOOD news is that it's free. Bitchin'.
So, unless I have some kind of miraculous Internet access before then, I will be back online on October 22nd - sometime between the hours of 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Ugh.
Until next time...
Thursday, September 27th - only one week ago - our teeny-tiny little town was hit with a late-evening thunderstorm that shook my insides. No kidding. Around 8:30 in the p.m., a bolt struck something vital within our power grid. As my computer was on, it got zapped. My (beautiful) monitor no longer works, and my modem was also fried in the process.
All of this only hours after the Pajama Wife and I decided to upgrade to a high-speed connection. Damn you Murphy's Law...
So, I'm coming to you tonight from my wife's "work" laptop. She was nice enough to bring it home and allow me to check e-mail and post this one message to you all: I Will Be Back. Soon.
October 20th to be exact. That's when the new high-speed line will be installed. After that, I will be a blogging fool.
Oh, and the monitor thing. Mine is shot. I tried to look at it, but my technical expertise only goes so far. When I start looking at bare circuit boards, that means it's time to hang it up. My wife (who appears to be quite the resourceful woman in this post) has a line on a co-workers used monitor. The drawback is that it's an older, F A T T E R monitor - unlike my gorgeous flat-screen. The GOOD news is that it's free. Bitchin'.
So, unless I have some kind of miraculous Internet access before then, I will be back online on October 22nd - sometime between the hours of 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Ugh.
Until next time...
The Pajama Pundit - Founder/Editor
