Thursday, April 30, 2009

linky-loo

Sins, damned sins and statisticsthis would've made a great cookie jarSee more Benji Whalen work here.

Addendum: Okay, seriously, you should go and see the uppermost link, which has nothing to do with Mr. Whalen's work. It's maps of the nation and the level of each Cardinal Sin by county. Sure it's silly, but that doesnt make it uninteresting.

What would I do without Gerry Canavan?

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

quote for the day

Creating a life that reflects your values and satisfies your soul is a rare achievement. In a culture that relentlessly promotes avarice and excess as the good life, a person happy doing his own work is usually considered an eccentric, if not a subversive. Ambition is only understood if it's to rise to the top of some imaginary ladder of success. Someone who takes an undemanding job because it affords him the time to pursue other interests and activities is considered a flake. A person who abandons a career in order to stay home and raise children is considered not to be living up to his potential-as if a job title and salary are the sole measure of human worth.
You'll be told in a hundred ways, some subtle and some not, to keep climbing, and never be satisfied with where you are, who you are, and what you're doing. There are a million ways to sell yourself out, and I guarantee you'll hear about them.
From a graduation speech given by Bill Watterson in 1990.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

apparently, pork is okay if it has lipstick on



Hey, Republicans! Still worried about Big Government? Suck on this!

Props to Kel, again.

Okay, sign me up

privatize the profit and socialize the debt... hey, wait. Rich Folks CAN have it both ways... and do!I've got to ask, if sharing burdens with those more fortunate than ourselves is socialism, do Republicans really think that average Americans will object to it? Maybe they will, we've done really stupid stuff before. But I wonder how much worse things will have to get before it starts to look like a really good idea even to the hardcore?
It's hard to keep rooting for the people who've got it all when you cant make rent and you're eating beans instead of hamburger. At that point, the thought that you may one day be in a position to have a big chunk of your money taken away seems like less of a dream, and more of a fantasy. Besides, when you're stretching just to get a Big Mac, you may decide that having an income equal to every single other person in your extended family combined might just be worth being in a 30+% tax bracket.

Monday, April 27, 2009

monday night at the movies



Holy crap! Bill Maher gets it totally right! Republicans are a crazed ex-spouse, spewing bitter invective, stalking, and making lunatic plans to "get them back". Unfortunately, there's no court to issue a restraining order (and we all know how well those work anyway).

Props to Kel

yet another obvious survey result

Apparently, being given some sort of pat on the back for being a good person actually makes you more likely to then be a bastard. To anyone who's ever worked a Sunday Lunch crowd, this comes as no surprise.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Finally!

At long last someone seems to be poised to do something about the credit card companies. After years of bait and switch tactics, and billions in excess fees and usery, Obama appears to be calling for a another change for the good. Will it take? Probably not, at least not in any substantive and useful form.
But here's a bit of truth for the credit industry. I myself have some bad debt in my past (well, to judge from the letters that still show up, not so "past"), debt which I simply abandonned. Yeah, it was a bad thing to do, but I finally got to the point where I was tired of pouring money into the rathole and watching it all be absorbed by interest and fees. It was a perpetual money machine for them, and a crop-sharing arrangement for me. Nine years later, that debt might have been paid off had they been reasonable (the school loans are), but not the way things were structured then (and continue to be now for millions), and since that time they've amended the bankruptcy laws in their favor also, so there's no relief in that direction* either. End result: they get nothing except a bill for postage wasted on trying to get me to pay back amounts that are now two or three times what they once were, due to fees and interest. Guess what? It aint happening.

How many other people would be debt free now, and how much money would not be "bad" debt, were it not for the shackles of $35 "late" fees and 28% interest rates?

I'm thinking it's a lot.

time to leash that dog, I think


* remind me to check my old statements some time and figure out just how much I borrowed versus how much I sent them.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

tit for tat time?

are they, or arent they?
This is kind of hilarious, in a hmmmmm kind of way. See, it seems that a group of fundamentalist Christians hijacked a Singaporean women's rights by joining it, then showing up at an election and taking over the groups leadership. It's kind of brilliant, in a "what's the point?" kind of way. My question would be, if Christians can do this to "liberal" groups, what's to stop liberal groups from doing it back? Imagine Focus On The Family if it really did focus on the family rather than crucifying unbelievers.
Better yet, imagine how much stupidity could be diverted by members of both sides engaging in such shenanigans rather than any actual politicking.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

quote for the day

"Dont judge a book by its movie."

Donalyn Miller

That's it. No examples, nothing to see. Go about your business now.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

hey kids!

Question: If one applied the Bush Administrations "standards" to punishing one's children, how quickly would the Child Protective Service folks be knocking on your door? I mean, all you wanted to do was get the kid's attention, right?

Thursday, April 16, 2009

teabag this!

So, Faux News continues to foment insurrection as they desperately try and regain the lost power of the Bush Years. So here's my thought: Fox is run by Rupert Murdoch, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Australia. It could be easily argued that the only reason that Murdoch bothered to get citizenship was because he otherwise would not be allowed to create a media network here in the U.S. However, since it seems his primary goal in setting up this network was power rather than public service, and his power now seems to be aimed at bringing down the duly elected president of the United States of America, one might be excused to wonder if this action is not, with all the overtones of violence and overthrow coming from his network, treasonable. Perhaps it's time to review Fox, and its agenda (and I think there's little doubt that there is one anymore), and more importantly, it's owner, Rupert Murdoch. Maybe, like any naturalized citizen who attempts to damage his adopted nation, his citizenship needs to be revoked, and in turn, his network either sold or, preferably, dismantled.
'they had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn to pieces after confessing to shocking crimes.' Chapter 7, Animal Farm

been there?

A dolly grip dies and goes to Hell. He arrives at the craggy gates and is shocked to discover that Hell is one big film shoot. The hours are endless, the sets an inferno, and the cameraman is a complete dick.
Centuries go by, and one morning the dolly grip looks up and sees that a door to Heaven has materialized on the far side of the set. This is it, he thinks. My ticket out of here. He throws down his tool belt and races across the set as fast as he can. The closer he gets, the better it looks: green fields, cool streams, and happy people lying in hammocks. It's Paradise, man. He gets to the door and glances back for one last look at Hell. To his surprise, the entire grip department is staring at him and shaking thier heads.
"What's the matter, pussy?" one of them shouts. "Can't take it?"
from Based On The Movie, by Billy Taylor

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

hmmmmmm...

Hey, I had a thought:

The latest financial collapse is more or less agreed to have been caused by the overly loose banking industry regulatory policies promoted by the Republican Party*. The Republican Party also draws a significant portion of their base from the Christian faith (evangelical and otherwise). So, to how many of those Christians has it occurred that they have joined the side of the Moneychangers?

Jesus and the Hedgefund Managers

* Republicans may disagree with this, but that's to be expected, isnt it?

Monday, April 13, 2009

quote for the day

"Examining the GØP’s beliefs is like staring at a Necker cube".

From the comment section that just keeps on giving.

blogroll ver. 4.0

Oh, goodness, look, it's been a whole year (almost) since I last made a blogroll. And really, considering how many of the links I actually use (which is the whole point of my blogroll), it's time for an upgrade. So first...

these are my mutual blogs, that is, we link to each other.
100 Farmers
Reverend Billy Bob Gisher @ the Purgatory Bar and Grill
The Osterly Times
The Omnipotent Poobah
United We Lay
der Hundepo
Welcome To the Now
Saurly Yours
Death And Taxes
Lydia Valentine
Spoonfighter
Blurred Clarity
Rational Rant
The Sapient Sutler
J. R. Kinnard
It's My Right To Be Left Of Center
Haphazard Musings
The Political Cat

These are the blogs that I read a lot:
Rude Pundit
What's Alan Watching? (here's the old site)
Princess Sparkle Pony's Photo Blog
The Liberal Doomsayer
Bits and Pieces
Beam Me Up
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
Gerry Canavan; moved, now here.
Electronic Cerebrectomy
Welcome Back to Pottersville
Zaius Nation: damn dirty ape

including webComics:
Questionable Content
Candorville
A Softer World
xkcd
Frazz
PVP
Dr. McNinja
Octopus Pie
Overcompensating
Ander Loves Maria
Dresden Codak
Looking For Group, a WoW comic
The Rut
Savage Chickens
curvy
Urf, a Grave New World
Exploding Dog
Boiling Point

These are blogs that I dont read a lot, but really should:
123 I Love You
(Not Only) Hotel Room Nudes
Bearskin Rug
Corrente
Blog Around The Clock
Have Coffee, Will Write
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub
Newsmericks - the news in limerick form
Ran Prieur
Majikthise no more, now at Focal Point
Raed In The Middle
The Neural Gourmet
Watergate Summer
Gus Van Horn
Little Man, What Now?
Zen Filter
Fish or Cut Bait
The Daly Blog
Ghetto Uprising
The Shrewdness of Apes: a teacher blog
Missouri Loves Company: another teacher blog
The Quaker's Colonel

"Bigger" blogs that I read from time to time: (definition: anyone who regularly gets a lot of comments)
Clusterfuck Nation; oops, NEW LOCATION!
Bitch, phd.
Pandagon
Andrew Sullivan
Contrary Brin
Boing Boing
Blog For America
Suburban Turmoil
Crooks and Liars
Robert Reich

Yeah, I consider myself a Liberal, but some of that's due to gentrification*:
The Smallest Minority
The Underground Logician
The Reform Club

And, finally, a new category, blogs which have apparently become abandonned, but which I still hope for a return of:
The Reverend Billy Bob Gisher
Flan: not quite jelly, not quite cake
J.R. Kinnard
Consider This
SPOtastic
The Rare Sixth Sense
Demonbaby
The Red Pants of Justice
Pop's Bucket
Angry Chimp might as well be dead
Stinkhorn Rodeo
Twitz
Spiiderweb™

Incidentally, these are not presented in any particular order, so dont go reading anything into who comes first, okay?

previous blogrolls: blogroll no. 3, blogroll no. 2, blogroll no. 1
blogtrolls: blogtroll no. 6, no. 5, no. 4, no. 3, no. 2, or maybe it's no. 1, as I cant actually find 2 more in the archives. The newest blogtroll should be coming up next month... I hope.


* Which doesnt mean I agree with them... especially Uncle Logician

Sunday, April 12, 2009

quote for the day

I know this is an old "arguement", but it is still floating around out there in Neverneverneoland, so I want to post this to combat it should anyone be handed this "point" against Obama by dear old Uncle Tightass or someone:
Jesus was a community organizer.
Pilate was a governor.
HA.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

measured response

Okay, does anyone remember my post about the strategic importance of mocking the Republicans during the election? Well, not only is it still important to do so, it may actually be vital to national security. So, while I havent yet revised my post into a more readable form, I can offer this bit of advice for now, as a blogger named Mouthful of Kelp responds to a troll named Paul in the comment stack:
Mouthful of Kelp said,
April 9, 2009 at 18:30

[Paul:] "If they were half as hard on BO as they were on President Bush"

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
Use this approach not just for allegations about the "liberal press", but about just about anything that a Republican says to you, since many of them seem to have lost their collective minds and most of the others are mentally control C-ing the loonies without actually considering what it might mean.

And, in a similar vein, but from a completely seperate source, I present to you a brief public service message about the upcoming Republican "teabagging" parties:



Be sure and spread this important message

Thursday, April 09, 2009

quote for the day

Libertarians are anarchists who want police protection from their own slaves.

Kim Stanley Robinson (supposededly)

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

back to school



This is long, but it's worth it. Have your kids watch it, too. This ought to be shown in schools everywhere, every year; then maybe we could avoid some of the stupider arguements that people have.

stolen from Coturnix

droit du seigneur

Senate Republicans are now privately threatening to derail the confirmation of key Obama administration nominees for top legal positions by linking the votes to suppressing critical torture memos from the Bush era. A reliable Justice Department source advises me that Senate Republicans are planning to “go nuclear” over the nominations of Dawn Johnsen as chief of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice and Yale Law School Dean Harold Koh as State Department legal counsel if the torture documents are made public. The source says these threats are the principal reason for the Obama administration’s abrupt pullback last week from a commitment to release some of the documents. A Republican Senate source confirms the strategy. It now appears that Republicans are seeking an Obama commitment to safeguard the Bush administration’s darkest secrets in exchange for letting these nominations go forward.
one is a Republican, one is a Democrat - guess who gets stuffed in a sack? That's right, WE DO.You know, the people that maybe I ought to furious at are the Republicans, but I find that I am more angry at Democrats for letting themselves be blackmailed by this kind of shit.
Why?
Because while I expect this kind of fucktardary from the Republican party, I hold out hope that their opposition, the Democratic Party, would be more law-abiding. If they they are not, then we might as well declare the Great Experiment over, and concede victory to the forces of tyranny. When those whose job it is to enforce the law, in a nation supposedly ruled by law, are not held accountable for their actions, even after they have lost their hold on power, then that nation is no longer a Nation Of Laws, but merely a plaything for the rich and powerful, which means that you and I are playthings of the rich and powerful.
To not pursue justice is to enable lawlessness, and the result is that the American People are reduced to the status of serfs, subject to the whim of our oligarchic masters, with no recourse save rebellion or exodus. Rebellion, dangerous and unpredictable, is not an attractive option. Europe is looking better all the time.
Democrats were elected in order to end the blatant disregard for the law that Republicans have shown during the eight years of the Bush Administration, but the margin of that victory wasnt all that wide. If they wish to remain in power, they're going to have to show that they can use that power both wisely and legitimately, or else their support will melt away and the civic ignoramuses who kept Bush in power for eight long, brutal years will regain the bully pulpit. Should that happen, I suspect that we'll find ourselves nostalgic for the Bush years.

props to Kel

Saturday, April 04, 2009

Saturday night at the movies



if you really really enjoyed this, you may wish to ask your doctor about Despondex®

via Contrary Brin

Friday, April 03, 2009

sigh

congratulations, buddy, you do indeed suck

The only thing sadder than how stupid this guy's going to feel in about twenty years is the knowledge that he may still be proud of it then.

People are just stupid.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

pass

I know, I know, it's April 1st, fool me day and all that, but I just dont have it in me this year. Sorry. Maybe next year.