Taking Names

I find something very disturbing about this story. I think it might be the Interactive Map.

"A California federal court on Thursday denied the request of Proposition 8 backers to block access to the names and addresses of 36,000 people who donated money in support of the gay marriage ban."

SNAGGED!

Yo Daschle. What's up here Bud? Looks like you might have made a "mistake"(wink). on your taxes... forget a little "income ", did we? Let's go Tommy boy cough it up.... aren't we forgeting something?..... interest?.

Now get back out there you knuckle head and make your Momma proud.

Colbert Interviews O'Reilly

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Bill O'Reilly Doesn't Report Rumors

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Paul McCartney Appearance

Funny Political Videos
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Medical Marijuana

McClatchy News

WASHINGTON — A recent Drug Enforcement Administration raid on a South Lake Tahoe, Calif., medical marijuana dispensary showcases one of the legal conflicts inherited by the Obama administration.
The Jan. 22 raid near the California-Nevada border occurred two days after Obama took office and before the new president's own Justice Department team was in place. The raid resembled many conducted during the Bush administration, but seemingly clashed with Obama's campaign opposition to such tactics.

"I think the basic concept of using medical marijuana for the same purposes and with the same controls as other drugs prescribed by doctors (is) entirely appropriate," Obama told Oregon's Mail Tribune newspaper in March. "I'm not going to be using Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws on this issue.

They Knew, Again

seattlepi.com

"The FBI was aware for years of "pervasive and growing" fraud in the mortgage industry that eventually contributed to America's financial meltdown, but did not take definitive action to stop it."

Sounds like the Bin Laden Memo

Hooker Economics

The only economics that I would believe coming out of Dick Morris is what's today's fair market value of a Hooker.

Dykes on Ice

THE ADVOCATE

"Iceland’s current minister of for social affairs, Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir, is being named as a likely candidate for the position of prime minister, according to the Iceland Review.
A Social Democrat, Sigurdardóttir was named as a likely replacement for prime minister Geir H. Haarde on Monday. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, chairwoman of the Social Democrats, made the recommendation.
If named prime minister"

"If named prime minister, Sigurdardóttir would not only be the county’s first female prime minister -- she would be the first gay prime minister in the world ... sort of.
Norway finance minister Per-Kristian Foss, who is gay, was that country’s acting prime minister for a brief period in 2002 while both the prime minister and foreign minister were traveling abroad. "

Alternate Title: The Dykes Capades

The Conservative "Kennedy"

For years conservative has used Ted Kennedy as some type of caricature for Liberalism. Rush Limbaugh reemergence as the voice of opposition to the Obama Administration gives the Democrats and opportunity to paint him in the same way. As the fringe of conservatism.
A few often repeated talking points of his more outrageous statement would work good right now.
A couple Suggestions

"Why should Blacks be heard? They're 12% of the population. Who the hell cares." -Rush Limbaugh

"The NAACP should have riot rehearsal. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies" (radio; reported in the Flush Rush Quarterly, January 1993).

"There are more acres of forestland in America today than when Columbus discovered the continent in 1492"

Now it should be noted that there are thousands of Rush Limbaugh stupid and hateful comments. So whoever is the the big democratic talking point genie at the top, just pick a few and hit send.

A Good Sign

The last time the Republican were this unanimously opposed to a President's Plan was the '93 Clinton Budget. Which was the begininng of an economic boom that created 22 million jobs.
I'd say we're off to a pretty good start.

Republican Pythons

The Republican answer to any problem is cut taxes. After that they will fight to the death any attempt to raise taxes. Like an anaconda or boa constrictor there ultimate goal being to squeeze the life out of government.

If Not Now, When?

I think the question that most Republicans in Congress need to answer, when they argue for more tax cuts and less spending, is with our infastructure crumbling If we don't spend the money now, then when?


"CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. roads, airports, schools, levees, dams, and other infrastructure are in overall poor shape and require a $2.2 trillion investment to bring them up to par, an engineering group said on Wednesday.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave infrastructure a grade of "D" as U.S. President Barack Obama seeks $825 billion in extra government spending and tax cuts to ease the economic crisis."

"The group, which represents 146,000 engineers, assesses the nation's infrastructure every four years. It has helped draw attention to what many experts say is the United States' haphazard approach to building and repairing the economy's backbone.
"Crumbling infrastructure has a direct impact on our personal and economic health, and the nation's infrastructure crisis is endangering our future prosperity," the group's president, D. Wayne Klotz, said in a statement."

This is exactly why I say the Plan must be bigger.

Same-Sex Benefits at State Dept.

WASHINGTON POST:

"Nearly 2,200 government employees involved in foreign policy issues signed a letter delivered to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday calling on the government to give equal benefits to same-sex partners. "

Obama on Al-Arabiya

Health Info Tech Works

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Hospitals in Texas that used computers to keep track of patient records and manage care had lower rates of deaths, complications and costs, U.S. researchers said on Monday, offering a strong argument for hospitals to go "paperless."

BBC: "What Now, Mr. President?"

"A January 19 episode of BBC One's Panorama, the world's longest running television documentary show, tackles the dismal state of health care in the United States, the lengths to which its estimated 45 million uninsured citizens will go to in pursuit of care, the pharmaceutical industry's rigged pricing against the American patient, and the insurance industry's efforts to deny care whenever possible."

PART 2

PART 3

Beyond Stupid

The Idea of Investing millions of dollars to revitalize Alcatraz so that it can hold some of the Guantanamo detainees, just because some Republicans are too scared to allow them into there states Is so ridiculous it's beyond stupid.
Actually I would think Texas would be like, Yo! Over Here! We take 'em. Oops, killed your cellmate? Death Penalty!

Is it to much too ask...?

Is it too much to ask that reporters add just a little balance when interviewing talking heads?
Maybe when the person says 61 Guantanamo detainees have returned to the fight. How about a statement that some individuals and organisations are disputing that number?
How about when some says that tax cuts are going to people that don't pay taxes. Maybe a reporter could point out that these people do pay taxes. They pay Payroll Taxes and Sales taxes and property taxes?
Just maybe when someone says that Obama's Inauguration cost way more then Bush's An interviewer could point out that the Obama's total includes security, Bush's total does not.
Is it to much to ask that Reporter hold their subject to certain amount of honesty and not just provide an uncritical platform?

More Wine!

I was watching 60 Minutes last night. They did a story questioning whether an ingredient in Red Wine could be the reason that the French have less heart disease then we have here in the U.S.

It's nice to look for a magic compound to make health a breeze. But my instincts point to better Coronary health because a french family is not worried about a health crisis that might leave them bankrupt and homeless nor are they worried about how they are going to afford to send the kids to college.

But just in case.... More Wine!

Goat Nabbed for Armed Robbery

LAGOS (Reuters) - Police in Nigeria are holding a goat on suspicion of attempted armed robbery.
Vigilantes took the black and white beast to the police saying it was an armed robber who had used black magic to transform himself into a goat to escape arrest after trying to steal a Mazda 323.
"The group of vigilante men came to report that while they were on patrol they saw some hoodlums attempting to rob a car. They pursued them. However one of them escaped while the other turned into a goat," Kwara state police spokesman Tunde Mohammed told Reuters by telephone.
"We cannot confirm the story, but the goat is in our custody. We cannot base our information on something mystical. It is something that has to be proved scientifically, that a human being turned into a goat," he said.
Belief in witchcraft is widespread in parts of Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation. Residents came to the police station to see the goat, photographed in one national newspaper on its knees next to a pile of straw.

Obama's Katrina?

I don't want to seem like I'm predicting a catastrophe but it seems to me there has been an awful lot of activity around the Pacific "Ring of Fire" the last few years. You would have to expect that California is due for a hit.

ECHOS

The Democrats must be very careful not to allow the Republicans to define what is in the stimulus package. The Republican ability to send out lies and distortion through it's echo chamber could have this bill looking like a joke.

Non-Believer

I've always concidered myself lucky to have been brought up void of any religion what so ever. Other then an occasional wedding or funeral I've only ever been to one regular church service. Speaking of weddings anf funerals, a note to my fellow non-believers, avoid Cahtolic ones if at all possible. Oh my god it like your up, your down, your back up and they go on for-ev-er!
I try to be fairly knowledgable about the major religion, mostly out of curiousity. I understand the idea that religion is the earliest mechanism to exert power over a population. I also get the usefulness of information and lessons learned being passed from one generation to the next in the form of mediphorical stories.
I guess what I've never quite understood is how it is that so many take their religion's teachings of peace and love and turn it into conflict and division.

Interesting Timing

NYT:

"BEIRUT, Lebanon — The emergence of a former Guantánamo Bay detainee as the deputy leader of Al Qaeda’s Yemeni branch has underscored the potential complications in carrying out the executive order President Obama signed Thursday that the detention center be shut down within a year. "

The day after Obama orders Guantanamo closed. This story appears ... DA...DA...DUMMMM!

Did you hear the one about Obama's Outragously Expensive Inauguration?

From Media Matters:

"As Media Matters has been noting for close to a week now, the tab for Bush's second inauguration, after figuring in security costs, totaled $157 million. Yet it's virtually impossible to find a single press report in the last week that has documented that fact. That number does not exist. It has been suppressed and flushed down the memory hole. Because if it's mentioned alongside the Obama tab, than the Obama's-inauguration-is-historically-expensive storyline evaporates. (Because it's not historically expensive.)
But let's move on. The official crowd estimate for Tuesday's swearing now stands as a eye-popping 1.8 million. How many attended Bush's 2005 inauguration? The official estimate was 400,000. So let's do some math. 157 million divided by 400,000 equals 392. It cost nearly $392 per-person to cover the expenses for Bush's modest sized bash.
For Obama? Based on the current projection of $160 million (the final official tab, once security costs are factored in won't be known for months), and divided by 1.8 million people in attendance, the per-person cost for the Obama bash came out to $88. "

HERE'S HOW IT GOES:

WHEEL! TO! FREEDOM!

Welcome, ladies and gentleman from around the globe. Welcome to beautiful Guantanamo Bay and another spinning of the WHEEL! TO! FREEDOM! (audience)
First up I'd like to introduce our Freedom Spinner for tonight. His name is Omar Khadr, Omar is a 22-year-old Canadian born in Toronto in 1986. After being captured on the battlefields of Afghanistan He was sent to Guantanamo Bay at the age 15 charged as a War Criminal. He has been detained here since Oct 2002.
Welcome Mr. Khadr, before we let you spin the WHEEL! TO! FREEDOM! let me first remind our viewer of exactly what you'll be spinning for tonight. We've ask countries from around the world to voluntarily submit their names to be put on to our WHEEL! TO! FREEDOM!. These countries have also agreed that if selected they will supply the Freedom Spinner with a new identity, job placement and lifetime access to health care including mental health. In exchange Our Freedom Spinner agrees to participate in 3 year monitoring program.
O.K. Mr. Omar Khadr, it's been 7 1/2 years coming but now is your time to spin the WHEEL! TO! FREEDOM!

Limbaugh is So PreBama

"I Hope He Fails"

Leadership

Next time your thinking to yourself " maybe the Republicans are the ones to lead us out of this mess?" Here is Republican Leadership in action.

from and article on Reuters.com.

"Democrats on the panel defeated a series of Republican amendments, including one that would have cut $122 billion in spending for child feeding programs, job training and other programs"

The Era of Errors

As the Bush Era of Torture enters it's next phase of investigation and accountability, which will happen one way or another, either here or abroad. The truth demands that there be an accounting of what happened here.
As I've been watching the debate going on about the possibility of prosecutions for War Crimes of Bush Administration Personnel I've had some thought on what our country has just been through.

The Ticking Bomb
The only ticking bombs happen on TV or on the battlefield. What could be more of a ticking bomb then 2 armies engaged on the battlefield. potentially hundreds of thousand live at stake and they don't torture.
But let's say for argument we are in a real ticking dirty bomb situation and I am the Interrogator. Being a human being in an intensely emotional situation I might resort to tactics that would not be considered legal. In the end I would expect to be prosecuted. I would also be hoping for a pardon.

SAVAGES
Any time the Top cracks open the door, even slightly, to torture. It is the savagery in Man that bust through that door at the Bottom.

INDEFINITE DETENTION
Recently I heard Lindsey Graham Senator from one of the Carolinas (like you know which one right off the top of your head) say that The US government needed to come up with a system of Indefinite Detention. Stop and thinks about that. A member of our government says that the people of the US need to be able to pick a person off the street and just hold them because we say so.

WORLD LEADERS REACTIONS TO OBAMA

From Al Jazeera:

FAR BEYOND NEWS

Stories not just far beyond news. Stories far beyond reality.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BEYONDNEWS) After conducting a comprehensive computer analysis of CNN's "The Moment" images the independent non-partisan group America Nose Best has released figures showing that at the exact moment of Barack Obama's Oath to become the 44th President of The United States over 14,000 attendees where in fact picking their nose.

A Dangerous Game

It is a dangerous game some play when they try to correlate a day's political events to movements in the stock market. It is a logic that will haunt you to the end of time.

Sunset on Guantanamo Bay

"GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Hours after taking office on Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama ordered military prosecutors in the Guantanamo war crimes tribunals to ask for a 120-day halt in all pending cases."

"About 245 foreign captives are still held at the detention center that opened in January 2002. The Bush administration had said it planned to try 80 prisoners on war crimes charges, but only three cases have been completed."

Mitchell to Middle East?

This would be a great choice.

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will move quickly to name a Middle East envoy and is strongly considering former Sen. George Mitchell for the job, sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
The naming of the veteran international troubleshooter to the role would signal that Obama was serious about carrying out his campaign pledge to engage early in his administration on the Middle East issue, analysts said."

What a Great Day for "HAVIN' A PARTY!"

Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes W/Guests

Demons

I was reading an article in the NYT talking about Obama reaching out to John McCain for advice. In the article it says "their collaboration could also raise questions among Mr. Obama’s liberal supporters, many of whom demonized Mr. McCain as a dangerous warmonger because of his staunch opposition to a pullout." As someone who. if I'm to be honest, has on occasion ridiculed a position or statement of John McCain's in the past election cycle. But I don't think I ever demonized him. I have liked John McCain for many years. His service and the fact he had a certain bluntness when he spoke the truth. Unfortunately that wasn't the John McCain that ran for president. There was something sad about watching a true maverick forced to do the dance of the radical right. I guess it was what he felt he had to do to win an election, but it's not the John McCain I admire. The John McCain I admire is no demon.

Our Family Obamacons

Make Your Own

Shame On HBO

Here is the opening prayer by Rev. Gene Robinson. For some reason HBO chose to black it out.

Gay Births

I think it would be interesting to initiate a study that gathers information going forward because it's not possible to gather the information looking back. I'll bet there is even a name for that kind of study, but I don't know it, so here we are.
I think one of the miracles of life and reproduction is the idea that environmental changes for the mother can manifest themselves in future generations. Kind of like at times of high predator population the prey might begin to produce larger litters. Another example might be when under certain condition some species can change sexes.
In man's case we have the easy ones to understand. The child of an alcoholic can be predisposed to an alcohol addiction. I've even heard that mother's living in times of great stress tend to have more intelligent babies. Some say the British Invasion of the 60's was a result of WWII and the bombing of London. Ringo being the exception, of course.
That being said, back to the study. I thing it would be interesting to know if their are environmental conditions that effect the birth rate for homosexual offspring? Such as in time of over population are more homosexuals produced to blunt the population growth? Or possibly at times of war, might the homosexual birth rate drop to allow for a population to replenish itself?
Along those lines one of my personal beliefs is that if society lifted the pressures against homosexuality, that one-half of one-third of the population at the "absolutely Gay" end of The Bell Curve would work as a population control for Man an animal standing at the top of the food chain.

Speak Your Mind!

I'm a true believer in free speech and I will stand for any person's right to speak their mind. Open and honest discourse is the life's blood of a free society. And it really helps pin point the idiots.

Holder Opens a Door

NYT:

"...the United States appears to have a legal obligation as a party to the international Convention against Torture to follow up on the torture statements. That treaty requires signatory states to conduct a “prompt and impartial investigation, wherever there is reasonable ground to believe that an act of torture has been committed in any territory under its jurisdiction.”

Rick Warren's Fatwa

What a Bunch of Pr!@ks

Sometimes I feel like I'm living in some kind of bizarre surreal world. As I hear the Bush Administration giving $10 billion to this bank or another $25 billion more to that bank, on top of the $25 billion they already got. Or $100 billion to an Insurance company. I listen to Republicans balk at $50 billion over 5 years for health care for children. Unreal.

Gay By Default

It's Official, The Right has Gone Mad

Maine Marriage

BOSTON (Reuters) - A Maine lawmaker introduced a bill on Tuesday to legalize same-sex marriage, but it looks set to face tough opposition and bring a rancorous fight over the definition of marriage to the rugged eastern state.

HIV: State Dept Discriminated Against Veteran

ACLU:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. State Department and its contractor Triple Canopy, Inc., of Herndon, Virginia, are denying responsibility for refusing a job to a decorated Special Forces veteran because he has HIV. The veteran, who is represented in a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union, was denied a security job with Triple Canopy under its contract to protect the U.S. Embassy in Haiti for the State Department. A motion filed by Triple Canopy late Friday confirms that the State Department contract required a negative HIV test for all employees. The ACLU charges that this requirement violates the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans for Disabilities Act.

Saint Paul

Since winning the Noble Prize in Economics Paul Krugman has become the Patron Saint of Liberal Economics. It seems that not a day goes by that His names isn't dropped by a Liberal commentators.. I also should say that for the most part I agree with him.
One Area we agree is that the Obama Stimulus Package should be bigger. I've mentioned in prior posts that I believe we need a plan that spends $2 trillion over 5 yrs. I believe that a 5 year plan is better because it allows for a longer term perdictability and the larger amount makes for more stable long-term investments
I also agree with Mr. Krugman belief that the one time tax relief Obama is proposing might not be an effective method of boosting the economy. However, I believe the best way to get a real tax cut that favors lower incomes is to increase the personal exemption. If you increase the Personal Exemption from $7500, I think it is, to say $12000 that makes a hell of a difference to people near the bottom. To the people at the top, not so much.
One area we totally disagree is in what Mr. Krugman said in a recent article about Health Care. In the article directed to Obama Krugman said "why not get an early start on the insurance subsidies, probably running at $100 billion or more per year". I assume he's talking about a tax credit Obama talked about for small businesses which would ultimately go to the Insurance companies. So you want to give $100 billion to the companies that are the root of our problems. How about we spent $100 billion to increase Medicare infrastructure and capacity and allow small businesses buy into Medicare. It would give serious competition to private sector insurance and could even help stabilize Medicare by increasing the pool with younger healthier workers.
But who am I to question a Saint?

We're Waiting...

What the Hell is taking New York's Gov. David Paterson so long to appoint Hilary Clinton's replacement?
Personally my choice would be Andrew Coumo NY's Attorney General. I'm Sure Carolyn Kennedy is a wonderful person who has done some wonderful things, But you don't get to parachute into a Senate seat just because your a Kennedy.

Friction

It interesting to watch the media try to create a sense of friction between Obama and the Congressional Democrats. I guess with the Republicans not able to mount much opposition to Democratic Rule and the Media's need to report on conflict, all they have is a potential Demoncratic Family fight.

Down Low Pro

NY POST:

Knicks center Eddy Curry was slapped with a shocking sex-harassment suit Monday by his former driver, who claims the 6-foot-11 hoopster tried to solicit gay sex from him.
The stunning court papers claim Curry, a married father of three, repeatedly approached chauffeur David Kuchinsky "in the nude," allegedly telling him, "Look at me, Dave, look" and "Come and touch it, Dave."

"Asinine"

It's not very often that you get to see a video of someone saying something so profoundly stupid that it leaves you speechless. Leave it to Joe Da Plumber to provide just such an opportunity.

Paying Taxes

I am getting so sick of hearing Republican say that Obama want to give a tax break to people who don't pay taxes. Have they never heard of Payroll Taxes or Sales Taxes or Property Taxes?
These people don't pay taxes? Give me a friggin' break!
I've even heard some say this would be like Welfare. Giving people money for doing nothing.
I guess all the people who don't pay income taxes are worth nothing. They add no value to the country. They are nothing more then a drain on a better life for rich people.

Lawyers, Guns and Money

The fact that recreational drugs are illegal in this country and we continue to treat drug addiction as a criminal offense rather then a health care issue. We have allowed a black market to flourish that just might destabilize and destroy Mexico.
From the Washington Post
"U.S. money and weapons are fueling this war. Billions of dollars from American drug users flow to the syndicates, along with thousands of weapons smuggled across the border."

3 Strikes

I think We have 3 Chances to prosecute George Bush and his Administration for War Crimes.
First up, Barack Obama and his Justice Department. Not likely, Obama is most likely to be a "We need to look to the future" kind of guy. Although we might be able to get him to sign off on a Commission to investigate.
Next Up Congress. Our best shot. Some Democrats are determined to investigate Bush and get to the truth. But some powerful democrats that might look like co-conspirators might shut it down.
Finally, The World Courts. Imagine George Bush or Dick Cheney not being able to set foot across the border. Now that would be cool.

Letterman: Bush's Top 10 Moments

Moore or Less

Stephen Moore can only be described as a cut throat conservatives. He is the type that believe that less regulation and lower taxes will cure all of societies' problems. This in fact is the exact type of thinking that got us into the mess we are in now. Unregulated markets will be our salvation. If we just unleash the genius of the American Capitalist, his selfish need for more will benefit all of us. But what actually happens is Man's selfishness lead us all over a cliff.
Anyway, I was reading the latest column by Mr. Moore. He was using a book he had read to try to prove what he thinks is correct. Now in full disclosure I haven't read this book "Atlas Shrugged" I think it was. But I'm taking some section out were he is offering an interpretation to validate his position. So actually it's his core beliefs I am criticizing. I know it shaky ground but I'm going ahead.
At one point in his article Mr. Moore says

"the moral of the story is simply this: Politicians invariably respond to crises
-- that in most cases they themselves created -- by spawning new government
programs, laws and regulations. These, in turn, generate more havoc and poverty,
which inspires the politicians to create more programs . . . and the downward
spiral repeats itself until the productive sectors of the economy collapse under
the collective weight of taxes and other burdens imposed in the name of
fairness, equality and do-goodism."

He speak as if there is some kind inevitability in the Idea that it is government that will be responsible. I'd like to know when in the boom and bust economics of Capitalism when has it been the Government that's been responsible for the bust? And don't even throw out the Russians. The Soviet Union was a failed totalitarian command economy. What was wrong with the Russian system was that you can't have Communism unless you go through a long period of Capitalism. Karl Marx spoke of a progression. You need the Capitalist Period to consolidate the means of production. Kind of like when Goggle owns everything. Mr Moore and his wing of Conservatism see the Government only in terms of the taxes he pays. If it lowers his taxes it good. If slashing Grand Ma's Health Care will cut his taxes, He's all in.

A couple times reading Moore I thought to myself. What reality does this guy live in. At one point he say's

" In the book, these relentless wealth redistributionists and their programs
are
disparaged as "the looters and their laws." Every new act of government
futility
and stupidity carries with it a benevolent-sounding title".

I'm not trying to argue that government doesn't waste a hell of a lot of money and is layered in too much buracy. But is no where near what will be the collapse of our economy. What collapses an economy is financial institution run amok. And what causes these institutions to run amok? People who argue that government regulation is the problem. Oh and by the way the ." Every new act of government futility and stupidity carries with it a benevolent-sounding title". Comment, I say only "Healthy Forrest Initiative" , "Clear Skies Initiative" and Frank Luntz.
Finally I'll finish where Mr. Moore finished.

"One memorable moment in "Atlas" occurs near the very end, when the economy has
been rendered comatose by all the great economic minds in Washington. Finally,
and out of desperation, the politicians come to the heroic businessman John Galt (who has
resisted their assault on capitalism) and beg him to help them get the economy
back on track. The discussion sounds much like what would happen today:"

No it doesn't sound anything like today. Today the "heroic businessman" is begging the government to help them get back on track.

Haggard with complications

Reuters:

"My therapist says I am a heterosexual with complications. I don't say that because it is more complex. I love my relationship with my wife. I am so much better than before. I am not restless," he said.

Saved or Created

I'd have to say I am a little disapointed in Barak Obama for using such an obvious work game as his comment that "an analysis of his stimulus proposals shows that between 3 million and 4 million U.S. jobs could be saved or created by 2010"
"saved or created"? Reilly? Kind of gives you alot of wiggle room there. Exactly how are you going to get that jobs saved number? I guess that's why the number use to be 2 million then we went to 2.5 million. Yestarday was 3 miilion, today is 4. I guess those "saved jobs" are staring to pile up.
Shame on you Barack Obama, How can you talk about change when you are starting to sound like a Clinton.
Oh and BTW, Mr. Obama, My stimulus Plan of $2 trillion over 5 Years will "save or create" 10 million jobs.

Coulter's Response to Media Matters, Badly

Media Matters:
"In a January 7 article on the conservative website Newsmax.com, purporting to provide a "point-by-point" response to Media Matters for America's recent analysis documenting numerous falsehoods in her new book, Ann Coulter simply compounded the falsehoods. "

Too Late for Right

There is no right side in Gaza. It's too late in this War for a discussion of who started it or for cries of revenge from one generation to the next. There is no moral high ground in a war fought by bad men who use missiles and bombs to kill faceless innocents or bullies who's boot throttles the life's breath of a people.
The only right in this war is with those with the courage to stand for Peace.

Seattle Gay Bars Threatened

The Seattle Times:
"Eleven gay bars in Seattle were sent letters Tuesday threatening ricin attacks — in what some are describing as a hate crime.
The anonymous letters say, "I have in my possession approximately 67 grams of ricin with which I will indiscriminately target at least five of your clients. ... I expect them to die painfully while in hospital."
A 12th letter was sent to the alternative weekly The Stranger, according to its Web site. That letter says the paper should be "prepared to announce the deaths of approximately 55 individuals."

Sexual Gorillas

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian court has issued a blunt warning about the sexual predators a young driver faces in jail if he does not stop speeding, as authorities struggle to stop teenagers street racing.

"You'll find big, ugly, hairy strong men (in jail) who've got faces only a mother could love that will pay a lot of attention to you -- and your anatomy," said Magistrate Brian Maloney."

US Detainee Describes Ordeal (VIDEO)

From NYT
When Muhammad Saad Iqbal arrived home here in August after more than six years in American custody, including five at the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, he had difficulty walking, his left ear was severely infected, and he was dependent on a cocktail of antibiotics and antidepressants.

NYT Censors "GAY"

From Think Progress

Poor Morals

Gas Pains

SOFIA/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian gas supplies via Ukraine to south-eastern Europe and Turkey were halted on Tuesday and Austria and the Czech Republic reported sharp falls in supplies in a deepening row between Moscow and Kiev.

Have a Seat, Senator. For Now.

I don't see how the Senate can stop Roland Burris from taking his seat as Senator from Illinois. Actually unless there is some screwed up rule giving the Senate veto power over sitting a Senator that has been appointed by a seated Governor in compliance with his legal obligations under that States Constitution, I don't see how they can stop it.
In fact they would be much better off seating him quickly and letting the issue go away. If the Dems don't think he is the best person for that job then just run another candidate in the 2010 primary. Which is what a year from now?

Earthquake "Swarm" Hits Yellowstone

TimesOnline

"The swarm is occurring beneath the northern part of Yellowstone Lake in the park. Yellowstone sits on the caldera of an ancient supervolcano and continuing geothermal activity can be seen in the picturesque geysers and steam holes, such as Old Faithful."

The Money Whore of Hate

MEDIA MATTERS

"Summary: Media Matters has examined a copy of Ann Coulter's new book, Guilty, and presents a sampling of the book's numerous falsehoods."

The more she Hates

The more she makes.

Suffering Bush

At some point we will have to face the question who will suffer for the mistakes of George Bush? We've always excepted the harsh reality in this country that even if your pretty sure you have arrested a Serial Killer, if you don't have the evidences you have to let him go. Or if you beat a confession out of Him, you can't us it in court. If it's incompetence in gathering the evidence or brutality that extracts a confession if the killer kills again someone will be paying for those mistakes.
In Guantanamo, today, we have some that don't belong, some that may belong but there is not enough evidence or the only evidence was obtained through torture.
The Bush Administration would argue that they have the right to hold those in Guantanamo forever. Obama has promised to close it.
So what do we do? Some countries might take some. most won't. So what do we do? Drop them at an Airport and say "sorry, best of luck to ya!". Do we release them into this country?
Some of these detainees, especially the innocent ones are probably very likely to come out with a bit of a chip on their shoulders. Angry, resentful, suffering the psychological damage from living under severe conditions of isolation, humiliation and abuse.
Some may not have been terrorist going in but could very well be terrorist coming out. So who should suffer George Bush's mistakes?

BEYOND BREAKING NEWS

This is a service of Beyondhiv News. News, quite frankly, beyond belief:

The Obama Transition Team has released a statement forcefully denying that President Elect Obama has arrived early in Washington so as to be able to set aside time to attend "the 25th annual Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend to Washington, D.C. Hosted by the city's Centaur Motorcycle Club, "a group of men with an enthusiastic interest in motorcycles, leather and other men," as reported by ABC News.

A confidencial source close to the Transition Team has stated that although President-Elect Obama respects the diverse tapastry that makes up this great nation, there is no way that Mrs. Obama would allow the President-Elect to own a motorcycle.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! from JIM & JOE