Q: What's wrong with saying "Merry Christmas?"
A: Assuming you are (or are addressing) one of the Christian crowd, or really anybody else for that matter, nothing at all.

Q: What's wrong with not saying "Merry Christmas?"
A: Also, nothing.

I am becoming rather bothered by this onslaught of angst, perpetrated by the most self-righteous among us, and perpetuated by the loudest, most doggedly hyperbolic and unabashedly pharisaical of their ranks.

You know to whom I am referring. Sean Hannity. Bill O'Reilly. They, and other purveyors of self-serving "truths" have literally concocted a "war" against Christmas out of thin-air, based completely on some secular, non-offensive goings-on that occur during "their" holy season. These merchants of partisanship and their ilk have metaphorically drawn a line in the sand.

"The chinaman is not the issue here, Dude. I'm talking about drawing a line in the sand, Dude. Across this line, you DO NOT... Also, Dude, chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature."

So let us step, for a moment, across this "line." What if I dare to not mindlessly wish each vapid passer-by a "Merry Christmas" this Holiday Season? Will I be cast into the abyss with a dump- truck load of salt atop me? I can't imagine I would. Let's face it, kiddies, commercialism is what drives the stake into Christmas, not "PC Liberals," who hilariously have become the scapegoats for most far-right dwelling pudits and their quest to assess blame for this degradation of Christmas.

That's right, I said it. Liberals, "progressives" and so-forth are NOT the enemy here (of course they know this, but obviously there are still people out there blaming them, so I feel compelled to say it). Let me put this in a different, more comprehensible fashion. If I may, I would like to ask a question here of Christians: Which offends you more?

1) A total stranger failing to wish you a "Merry Christmas."

2) A trailer-park pandering multi-national mega-corporation bastardizing the name of your Savior's birthday by continually associating it with gluttonous overconsumption, greed, gratuitous spending, magical elves and other tasteless bric-a-brac?

I, for one (were it me choosing to wage this war against this contrived army of strawmen), would prefer the former to the latter. The people you pass on the street, you know the ones, do each and every one of them wish you a "Merry Christmas?" Do you really want them to? Would you really want to be barraged by seasonal tidings from throngs of people who may or may not believe in what they are projecting, just for your personal gratification? Do you wish Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, and everyone else who doesn't practice your particular brand of carpenter worship to disingenuously profess to you their desire for you to enjoy your holiday, their own feelings be damned? Sorry folks, it is NOT the responsibility of the government, retailers or society at-large to ensure that your holiday is just as you think it should be. Quite to the contrary, it is your responsibility to enjoy your holiday, whatever it may be. Expecting, nay, demanding that retailers adorn their stores with Christmas-oriented swag is literally like expecting complete strangers to continually shower you with Christmas wishes....it's asenine. It's like requiring that you are lied to, just so you feel better. Why would anyone want that?

Our Constitution affords you the freedom to celebrate and enjoy Christmas in any fashion you choose (within the guidelines of the penal code, obviously). I suggest that you take this freedom very, very seriously.

Stop demanding Target, Meijer and Kohl's to celebrate for you.

Stop demanding the Government to celebrate for you.

Stop expecting the World to bend (or break) based solely on your convictions and personal feelings. No one is trying to steal Christmas from you. It is not the purpose of Target, K-Mart, The Gap or Walgreen's to envelope you with Christmas cheer for any other reason than to encourage you to empty your wallet on your way out the door. Do not take solace in the fact that Wal*Mart has implemented a vacuous "Christmas or Bust" campaign to continue to lure the shallow and insecure among you to their vast halls of consumerism, or be baited by their meaningless, commerce-driven agenda.

Enjoy and love your families, your gatherings, your parties, your worship and your holiday experience in its entirety. Make it as deeply personal or meaningful as you wish. Celebrate internally or externally, to whatever varying degrees you choose. Be solemn, be flambouyant, be peaceful, be gaudy, be sober or drunk, display Santa or a Nativity scene, worship alone or in groups....do as you choose, do it your way, and on your schedule. Perhaps some will disapprove of how you choose to celebrate...nuts to them! This season can be whatever you want it to be...I suggest you stop worrying about how everyone else chooses to celebrate.

Happy Holidays.

November 28 2006: 6:10 PM EST
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Treasury Department is violating the law by failing to design and issue currency that is readily distinguishable to blind and visually impaired people.
Judge James Robertson, in a ruling on a suit by the American Council of the Blind, ordered the Treasury to devise a method to tell bills apart.
The judge wrote that the current configuration of paper money violates the Rehabilitation Act's guarantee of "meaningful access."

Don't these guys have have a little more important things on the agenda?

In the last couple of days, I have seen and heard this ambulance chasing battle ax more than a few times representing the 4 young men that were "hurt, disparaged and scared by Michael Richards". Seems the esteemed barrister could "feel their pain".

Is Micheal Richards a fuckstick? Yes
Is Gloria Allred a fuckstick? Oh Yes.
Are the 4 guys she represents now just as bad as them? Oh Hell yes.

"The first thing we do," said the character in Shakespeare's Henry VI, is "kill all the lawyers." Well, maybe just the ones like Gloria......

OK, let it be known that for most of my life I have considered UHF to be one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. It endures. And tho it has been suggested as of late that Michael Richards is some kind of "bigot" or "racist asshole" just because he dropped the "N" bomb on some obnoxious hecklers at an LA nightclub, I still like his work in this flick.

Weird Al is popular these days. This is my favorite Weird Al song, so I figured I'd post the sonofabitch.




That's right...the world blows up and now everybody's dead. Fuck it, let's drink.

Enough is Enough. Muqtada Al-Sadr and his Mahdi army have drove sectarian violence since the beginning of the US invasion. This president and his counterpart in Iraq have been unwilling and/or unable to deal with Al-Sadr. EVERYONE must understand that until Al-Sadr is dead there will NEVER be peace in Iraq. This latest report gives a prime example of his treacherous and meddling presence

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Followers of the militant Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr took over state-run television Saturday to denounce the Iraqi government, label Sunnis "terrorists" and issue what appeared to many viewers as a call to arms.


The two-hour broadcast from a community gathering in the heart of the Shiite militia stronghold of Sadr City included three members of al-Sadr's parliamentary bloc, who took questions from outraged residents demanding revenge for a series of car bombings that killed some 200 people Thursday.


With Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki relegated to the sidelines, brazen Sunni-Shiite attacks continue unchecked despite a 24-hour curfew over Baghdad. Al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia now controls wide swaths of the capital, his politicians are the backbone of the Cabinet, and his followers deeply entrenched in the Iraqi security forces. Sectarian violence has spun so rapidly out of control since the Sadr City blasts, however, that it's not clear whether even al-Sadr has the authority - or the will - to stop the cycle of bloodshed.

Don't just read the quote - read the whole fucking article. Al-Sadr MUST be dealt with! The prime minister has no control over him - hell his advisors admit as much in the article:

Al-Maliki's administration acknowledged it was powerless to interrupt the pro-Sadr program on the official Iraqiya channel, during which Sadr City residents shouted, "There is no government! There is no state!" Several speakers described neighborhoods and well-known Sunni politicians as "terrorists" and threatened them with reprisal.


"We'll obviously try to control them as much as we can, but when they (kill) more than 150 people in bombings, they have the right to speak," said Bassam al Husseini, one of Maliki's top advisers. "What are we going to do? We can't stop this. It's too hot right now."

The president is to meet w/ Al-Maliki next week IN JORDAN because Baghdad is completely unsafe - even the airport is shut down. Al-Sadr's group has vowed to withdraw from the government if this meeting happens - I'm not sure this is a bad thing. At some point Al-Sadr has to be dealt with and at this point I think it's better to kill the bastard and try to deal w/ the violence that ensues. I think eliminating Al-Sadr is the only long-term solution even if it is bloody in the short term.

There are no easy solutions left in Iraq. At this point President Bush should inform that Al-Maliki that if he does not deal w/ the Al-Sadr situation then the US will have no other choice than to FULLY AND COMPLETELY withdraw our troops.

...and all that jazz.

THIS



PLUS






THIS

EQUALS

THIS!!!

The next time six Imams decide to get "frisky" on an Airplane, Lets call Samuel L Jackson to open a dialogue.

William Larsen is already sharpening his axe for the '08 primary election. I think an aggressive posture and two years of non-stop handshaking, baby kissing and turd bashing should do the trick.

We'll be watching, Will.

Leo's targeted advertising put some hot legs on his blog today. I just thought it was funny.


h/t Craig for the nic.

Indiana has some of the most least-restrictive gun laws in the country and I fully support these laws. In contrast, Ohio is much more restrictive with their gun laws. However, if I want to own a switchblade, butterfly knife, etc then I'm out of luck unless I move to Ohio.

Why is it that firearms have conceal-carry laws but infinitely-less lethal switchblades are banned? This makes no sense to me. I want to own a switchblade and I feel I should have the right to do so under the 2nd amendment. Where did this ridiculous ban of knives come from?

And are there any Indiana politicians willing to do the right thing and repeal this ridiculous ban?

Bill O'Reilly is truly a moron.

Does anybody else find it the least bit surprising that this moron is using the United States Legislature to play political games? His first submission to reinstate the draft was a blatant ploy to scare the bejesus out of young people in the 2004 election claiming Republicans were bringing back the draft. When his own bill hit the floor, he voted against it because he had no intention of reinstating it. He is a consummate "shit stirrer" who will soon have a national platform as a result of his elevation to the Ways & Means Committee and his only agenda is to sharpen the stick he keeps sticking in George Bush's eye. I just watched another interview and his fall back talking point is always "those without options" are the ones doing the fighting. He comes dangerously close to the Kerry school of thought, i.e. only the stupid ones would volunteer to be in the Armed Forces. Even the Democratic leadership won't touch this, and they shouldn't. They should be ashamed of him, as should any decent democrat.

I was talking to a friend last evening about how neither one of us was particularly fond of music that was being released on the rock scene right now. I've always been a "new music" sort of guy, so when I tried to think of an album of late that was really, really good....I couldn't think of one. That's right, not a single one. The Deftones just released a new album, and it stands a good chance to be a skullcrusher, but I haven't heard it yet so I can't say definitively whether it's decent or not.

Here's my opinion, for whatever it is (or isn't) worth: I just don't think musicians are trying anymore. These peckerheads that are currently the "HOT" bands or whatever are really just a bunch of dorks who are trying to re-invent the wheel. I have heard more "new" songs lately that are nothing more than throwbacks to the world of 1980's post-mod pop. Others are re-packaging AC/DC (which was crap to start with) and then dressing up like ridiculous scarecrows or clowns or whatever, knocking off the God-awful haircuts of the early Beatles, and then forgetting to wash them before leaving the house.

When did people start considering the likes of Ashlee Simpson to be "rockstar worthy" material? Getting busted lip-synching got Milli Vanilli basically barred from the music biz. For all I know, those two clowns could be lip-synching their way across Sri Lanka right now, doing a special tour of peasant wedding receptions (ok, turns out one of them is dead....so they're not touring as Milli Vanilli). Ashlee Simpson gets caught lip-synching on Saturday Night Live, throws a little fit, makes excuses, and then comes back for a synch-free performance during the NCAAF National Championship Game...a performance that just stinks to high hell. Now, she has changed her makeup, traded in the trashy "homeless" clothes for some sexier, cleaner ones, and mysteriously people (read: the media) forget that she is basically a no-talent hack who couldn't sing her way through a karaoke contest against Helen Keller.

Anyway, the more we discussed it, the more I realized a very sad, brutal truth:


I miss Layne Staley.

I pulled this off of Independent, in a comment left by the admin on the blog (Credo). I have corrected the most monstrous examples of her "bastardizing" of the English language in red. If you take out that which is red, it becomes very VERY hard to read, and actually rather funny after 6 or 7 beers:

credo said...

I believe I am enlight(en)ing Mr. Robinson on the law. It is obvious that I am not to have an opinion,(<--comma not necessary) in which I can express views that disagree(s) with anyone.

I believe that Mr. Robinson understand(s) that this blog is about dialogue, and not about rage or anger. Something that you fail to understand. (<--Sentence fragment)

Mr. Robinson found my site and voluntary (voluntarily) engaged in a dialogue and have (has) not expressed your view. Mr. Robinson has written well, and it is obvious that he is quite capable to speak (of speaking) in (on) his own behalf.

I see nothing in self-serving in using the analogy for myself, but for you attempt to attack me. (Ok, that last sentence didn't make any sense at all, plus, it's a butcher shop for all things English...) Mr. Robinson will understand it, you would have to be somewhat deep (in what?) to get there. Mr. Robinson, as I understand it, is a journalist, something that many bloggers do not understand about writing standards.

Once again, you understand little about the subject, but thank for attempting to come over and read. Reading is easy reaching for understanding and clarity, for what you read takes a special individual. (huh?) Mr. Robinson has shown that quality, and if you reread his posting, you will see that not once did he attack me.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Robinson has invited me to his office, so he truly knows these are discussions and not anything about rage or anger.

Thank you (you're welcome)
credo

Andrew

You Are a "Don't Tread On Me" Libertarian

You distrust the government, are fiercely independent, and don't belong in either party. Religion and politics should never mix, in your opinion... and you feel opressed by both. You don't want the government to cramp your self made style. Or anyone else's for that matter. You're proud to say that you're pro-choice on absolutely everything!

Bartleby's been talking quite a bit lately about the government's continual use of weapons to achieve its objectives, whether by intimidation or actual action. I thought this to be an interesting side-note to his writing:

From the front page of yesterday's Evening Star (Auburn):

DeKalb County Prosecuting Attorney ClaraMary Winebrenner checks the sighting system on a new .45-caliber submachine gun. Her department bought six of the
guns for the Auburn Emergency Response Team. Auburn Police Cpl. Chris Pongratz, showing her the gun, commands the Auburn ERT.

What is it she's "checking" exactly? Oh....photo-op, right...I forgot!

Six new .45 caliber submachine guns also will keep ERT officers safer,
Pongratz said.The DeKalb County Prosecutor's Office gave the ERT nearly $15,000 to buy the crime-fighting tools.

And what, may I ask are Auburn's finest gonna shoot with THOSE?

The new guns are replacing M4 rifles as entry weapons for the response team. Pongratz said the rifles can penetrate police body armor. The new submachine guns use the same ammunition as police handguns, and it will not go through protective vests.Most SWAT officers who are killed in action are shot by
members of their own teams, Pongratz said.

So the point here was to procure "less-than-lethal" machine guns? Why not AirSoft then? OH! Yeah, I suppose that's because the people that they intend to shoot with these won't be wearing flack vests. Whew....back on the same page!

The submachine guns can fire more accurately than police handguns because of
their longer barrels, Pongratz said. Officers' semi-automatic pistols fire one
shot at a time.

The guns may be more accurate, but since they'll be firing more shots they will likely still shoot eachother.

The submachine guns allow controlled automatic fire of two or three rounds
with one squeeze of the trigger. They are not true machine guns, however,
Pongratz said.The submachine guns include lighting and sighting systems.

Allowing the officers to spray bullets in swarms instead of actually aiming! Kill everyone in the room instead of just the guy you want!

The prosecutor's office paid for six gun sets at $1,500 apiece.

Woof. For that price, the guns had better aim themselves (especially considering I cannot think of one instance where a community police officer would need to fill the night sky with .45 cal slugs from a submachine gun).

Winebrenner said no tax dollars were used.

In other words, the taxpayers had absolutely no say in whether or not these fucking things were necessary.

The money came from fees paid by minor criminal and traffic offenders who
enter the county's pre-trial diversion program. The diversion fees also pay the
entire salary of one deputy prosecuting attorney, she said.

Oh great, so the money I paid them to stay out of jail on that BS assault charge (a bar fight that never happened) is buying weapons and lawyers for the community...I feel splendid about that!

This place just keeps looking more and more like a police state...am I paranoid? Does anyone else think this is a little scary for small-town police to have these things? I've spent some quality time at the APD firing range, and I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am more proficient with a firearm than half of the PD. Are the poor shooting skills the reason for buying guns that are more accurate and deliver an exponentially greater amount of flying projectiles?

All that shit aside, what, may I ask, is the prosecutor's office doing buying guns? It seems a little outside their scope of work...

An AP story buried in the back pages of my local rag (The Herald Republican) sports the headline "GOVERNMENT SAYS IT MADE IMPROPER FARM PAYMENTS". So you ask, what does that have to do with the headline of mine about medicine?

I posted a reponse on Mike Sylvesters blog the other day about our healthcare "system" and the astronomical costs associated with it. I raised the possibility that if we were able to stop all the bridges to nowhere and all the other government spending on stupid shit, we could probably afford to pay the health insurance premiums for all the uninsured.

The AP story also ran online at the Guardian which is available by clicking above so you can reference it. The agriculture department admits it sent & spent (wasted, if you will) 2.8 BILLION DOLLARS.

That's billion with a B....Now the agriculture dept. is just one agency out of thousands in our government structure, so can you imagine how many other billions (with a b) are just flat out wasted? My guess is GAZILLIONS..............................

We probably wouldn't ever need to raise taxes again....EVER....if we just wouldn't spend billions of dollars on stupid shit, but that'll never happen as long as we keep electing the same old same old........no matter what political affiliation you support, lets all agree they need to sign a pledge that says simply "I promise I won't spend YOUR money on more stupid shit." There should be no liberal or conservative disagreement anymore when it comes to wasting money on stupid shit......

I really hate stupid shit

really

I wonder how much money Wal*Mart has spent "under the table" to encourage this premature "decking of the halls" in order to prolong their wet-dream retail season by a month? I'm pretty sure that they are responsible for the fact that today is exactly the middle of November and Jingle Bell Rock is playing on a local oldies station as I write.

Take a look at Wal*Mart's website...they are mysteriously fully prepared for some ridiculously early Christmas cheer (read: rampant retail spending....bordering on gluttonous debauchery).

Others have no doubt noticed this nonsense, but have they let their inner-cynic escalate the angst to a level of fully-blown conspiracy-theorism? I have, it's Wal*Mart's goddamn fault and I, for one, will not stand for it. Pass the egg nog.

While becoming the first female speaker of the house IS an historic event, The New York Times and the rest of the MSM may be going just a little overboard with their gushing praise.

I don't begrudge her rightful place in history, but I do find it a classic example of the left leaning MSM. Ann Coulter offers some wonderful observations in her column this, to wit:

"In the past week, there are 476 documents on Nexis heralding the magnificent achievement of Nancy Pelosi becoming the first woman speaker of the House. There were only 77 documents noting that Rice was the first black woman to be the secretary of state, and half of them were issues of Jet, Essence, Ebony or Black Entrepreneur magazine."

She goes on to make some priceless points about minority appointments that have been virtually ignored or dismissed by the MSM.

"Bush also named Alberto Gonzales the first Hispanic attorney general. He made an Arab-American, Spencer Abraham, secretary of energy; a Cuban-American, Carlos Gutierrez, secretary of commerce; an Asian-American, Elaine Chao, secretary of labor; and a retarded-American, Norman Mineta, secretary of transportation. It was as if Mariah Carey and Tiger Woods had children and they all joined the Bush Cabinet."

"But when Nancy Pelosi — another Democrat who married a multimillionaire — achieves the minor distinction of becoming the first female speaker of the House, The New York Times acts like she's invented cold fusion."

Priceless.....absolutely priceless...

Well, this little admission by me ought to make Mike Sylvester happy, The libertarians are looking better all the time.

First of all, The democrats spent months and months campaigning against the culture of corruption and the need for transparency in earmarks and what do we get? John Murtha.
Brilliant, just freakin' brilliant....

Not to be outdone in the ever burgeoning realm of really stupid shit, the republicans have a chance to do some party soul searching and put forth some new, bright candidates with no baggage and some real ideals and what do we get? Trent Lott

Like the WHO sang so eloquently...meet the new boss? same as the old boss....

I'm gettin' there Mike, they're wearin' me down.......

Just another example of someone who obviously spent his formative years too close to the power lines. What I don't understand is WHO KEEPS VOTING FOR THIS FLAKE????

"Hey Wally, why's dad look so steamed?"

"Heck Beav, The democrats won the house & senate! Now dad's taxes are gonna go sky high and we'll never see allowance again!"

"Wull, Wally.....?
"Yeah Beav....?

"What about the war?"
"Geez Beav, I told ya, we're gonna hafta surrender now....and heck we'll probably hafta learn french and junk too.."

For those of you who tire lately of the blogospheric barrage of child molesters and their family & friends plan, here's some lighthearted humor from Johnny B Left. While meant no doubt, to be a serious piece in regards the worlds' never ending hate for America, I think the enlightened will find it to be as hysterical as I.

"The Socialist Group in the European Parliament, the legislative body's second-largest voting bloc, called the election results "the beginning of the end of a six-year nightmare for the world."

Boy am I relieved, I thought they would stay mad a really really really long time.

"It took a while for the Americans to realize who they had elected and the damage he had caused in the world," said Philippe Bas, 56, whose newsstand near a Paris subway stop was stacked with newspapers from across Europe carrying analyses of the election."

Boy, I'm like double relieved now. The thought of the owner of a newspaper...oops...I guess that's a newspaper stand. Well I'm still relieved! Just imagine how Phillippe helps shape the worlds opinions..his contributions are immeasurable. The French are such a reliable lot.

It gets even better, you must click on the link above and treat yourselves. The days of American bashing are finally over and all the world will soon love us again!!! Well, maybe not the Iraqi's I guess, but it's time they just shut up and took their genocide like men! We've got no time for that babysitting nonsense, we have dialogues to open!!! Cokes to share!!! Chorus's of Kumbaya to sing! Damnit man, there are people out there in the world we need to have a dialogue with....

Thanks John Goode! Thanks Robert Rouse! And especially thanks to all the Democratic Leadership for realizing the only way put a Republican in the White House in 2008 is 2 years of democratic control in the house and senate. Now that's a plan!

I just heard a Christmas song on a co-worker's radio about 10 minutes ago....

The town of Harlan has all of its Christmas decorations on and lit....

....ditto most of Fort Wayne.

Every ad on TV and radio is insanely slathered in Christmas cheer (tidings of great spending).

Did we pass a law to skip Thanksgiving this year? I thought that the Christmas hoopla didn't usually start until the day after Thanksgiving....

Check out the link above to Roar for Freedom. Me thinks it an odd coincidence Betty Price, the executive director was one of the last posts on FortWayneNews.com threatening to report him to numerous agencies before it was yanked from the blogosphere. My guess is sixapart.com got some nasty mail from Roar for Freedom and decided the path of least resistance was to simply drop AWB due to violations of terms of service. If you read their terms of service agreement it's pretty clear they can drop you for ANYTHING deemed offensive....

He'll be up and running on a new service shortly, I'm sure. Certainly does make you wonder who the good guys are anymore. You can run Neo Nazi, Islamofascist, Porn, or any other kind of site with no repercussions, but a site that publishes public record info on CONVICTED sex offenders with a little tongue in cheek commentary gets censored?

Gimme a break

Those of you who, like myself, bounce around the blogosphere from left to right to the middle and more will notice one of our favorite right wing rebels' blogs' has been suspended. AWB had his blog suspended sometime overnight Saturday into Sunday morning. I was on his site last night and there were three new opinions from folks that strongly disagreed with his posting of sex offenders and the language used to describe them. Claiming it was "hate speech" they claimed they were contacting the FBI and a host of other agencies to shut him down.

Looks as though they at least got ahold of blogger, I don't know about the FBI and others. I DO KNOW it's absurd. According to anonymous (don't you love that?) posting on Jessica Rabbitts site he was suspended and charges will be filed for the Nov 2 post "Tragic-They can never be cured-Let's shoot them all".

Whether or not anon is correct or just another shit stirrer with no balls remains to be seen. Even if he is correct, it's a crock. Had AWB said "I am going to shoot them all" that would be a threat and consequently his ass would be in trouble. By saying "They should all be shot, is akin to the old saying "they should all be tarred and feathered" and numerous other opinionated phrases.

IT'S A FRICKIN' OPINION NOT A THREAT....and to have them yank your blog for your opinion certainly does open up some interesting possibilities now doesn't it????????

Love him or hate him you sure as hell better support him or your blog and your opinion will be the next to go!!!!!!!

Looks like the Phantom is just getting warmed up! The linked article to Breitbart spells out just how anxious this freak of nature is to start clogging up the hearing dockets.

"I'm going to have an interesting time because the Government Reform Committee has jurisdiction over everything," Waxman said Friday, three days after his party's capture of Congress put him in line to chair the panel. "The most difficult thing will be to pick and choose."
Anybody this gleefull at the prospect of ruining lives and careers is a scary, scary thing.

Now gridlock can sometimes be a good thing, but a witchhunt just to get even is never a good
thing ( from either side). It's gonna get ugly folks!

Well get ready boys and girls, they're coming out of hibernation. The linked article doesn't really make it as clear as the interview I listened to tonight with McGovern in which he makes it clear "the very best way to support our troops is to get them out now." He'll be meeting with with fellow peaceniks in the coming days to share a coke and a smile with them and demand we pack up our shit and move out.

I'm not sure I ever got a chance to thank him for helping fuck up the last war and letting our nation slide into an absolute fucking social abyss after running out on Viet Nam. Granted, this senile old socialist never STARTED a war, but he sure as hell knows how to run away from one.

Granted, I'm no military strategist, but I firmly believe standing up and telling the entire world we're a bunch of pussies and we want to pick up our marbles and go home is a bad idea.

YUCK YUCK YUCK YUCK........

WHOOB WHOOB WHOOB WHOOB WHOOB

WISE GUY HUH????

Reuters "Oddly Enough" posted this little hilarity today:

Dancing eunuchs taxing red-faced shopkeepers
Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:45am ET

Yes, you read that right. The government in the city of Patna, India, is hiring tribes of eunuchs, transvestites, trans-genders et al to publicly humiliate shopkeepers and store owners in order to gently persuade them to pay back-due taxes. Evidently, the weirdos (sorry Gonzo!) dance and expose themselves in and around the delinquent taxpayers' places of business in an effort to embarrass them. Paying their taxes on the spot results in an immediate departure by the "persuaders."

Quick, somebody call the ACLU. Once they're distracted I'm totally up for a round of dwarf-tossing. Anyone care to join?

Tonight's tutorial on deceptive practices by the "Fourth Estate" is hosted here courtesy of www.news24.com. In today's edition, we get to observe as an unidentified author publishes partial-truths as if they were facts. Disingenuous? Absolutely. Grounds for termination? We could only wish. If this kind of bullshit were grounds for firing a "journalist," there would be a lot of blank pages in tomorrow's newspapers, and many empty chairs in newsrooms across the country. Let's take a look at a hack in action (my commentary will be in green):

Rumsfeld pays the price
08/11/2006 20:29 - (SA)

Washington - US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld resigned on Wednesday, paying the price for the Democrat surge to power in congress driven by a wave of public anger over the war in Iraq.

There you go, kids! One sentence into the article and the shit is already knee deep. According to this, the elections turned out the way they did specifically because of the war in Iraq. Does the journalist present any evidence of this? Hell no. Let's look at this closer: If indeed we are expected to believe that the reason Republicans got tossed out on their asses on Tuesday is solely because of the skirmish in Iraq, then wouldn't it stand to reason that the Democrats who also voted in favor of the invasion would have gotten ejected too? Guess what....they didn't. You want more proof? Name one, that's right, just one...solitary Democratic candidate who presented a clear, coherent strategy for ending the war. BZZZZZZT. Time's up (you didn't need any time, it was a trick question! Such a person/plan didn't exist!). Make no mistake, my friends! The war was NOT what got Republicans ousted. Republicans have been deflowered because they stopped being conservatives and started being panderers. That is why they are packing their bags and heading home with their tails betwixt their legs.

But here is an entire article based on a premise which we have already established isn't true. So why then, should we continue reading it? We shouldn't.

Fuck this clown, I'm gonna go eat dinner. If the rest of you would like to waste your time reading this shit, knock yourselves out.

Preston over at Six Meat Buffet takes a very non-apologetic view of the 2006 mid-term elections. Here's a few snippets for you:

I guess those polls were more accurate than the impotent GOP leadership
thought.

[...]

Perhaps the GOP has learned that it’s hard to rally your conservative
base when you make sweet love to them during the election season, then screw
them for the next several years. Surely you don’t expect the base
to keep opening its legs time and time again, do you? I guess the GOP base got
tired of going to the battered-voters shelter every few years.

[...]

The way that Frist and the boys have bent over and grabbed their ankles
for the past six years, I don’t anticipate a potential GOP Senate suddenly
growing a backbone and giving us blessed gridlock for two years.

[...]

Maybe getting their teeth kicked in yesterday will remind them that the
reason their base stayed home was the way they’ve governed. Dare to dream, I
suppose.

I do like that boy's style.

I wanted to see Souder get beaten in Indiana's 3rd District race...nay, I wanted to see him get trampled. Obviously, it was a long shot, but the sunrise today brings with it a comical new scenario which I feel is even better. Yes, Souder retained his seat...so he will soak up another $340k in tax dollars for his half-assed efforts in the next two years. However, he now hasn't the power to wipe his own ass without Pelosi's approval.

I can smell the deadlock from here already...I will get some good sleep tonight. I just hope the lame ducks don't trash the place on the way out.

Now, on to Ohio politics...which were quite odd this year. First off, let's disspell the myth that black people only vote for other black people. Ken Blackwell would disagree, and based on the ass-kicking that he took yesterday, I would say the facts disagree as well. It's really too bad, Ken Blackwell was about the most small-business friendly candidate running in the Ohio gubna's race. He streamlined the entrepreneurial process so well that literally the only thing that stood as a hindrance to a rookie business owner setting up shop in Ohio was the speed of the Post Office shuttling the paperwork back and forth. I think he would have made a great gubna, but evidently there were many Ohioans that disagreed with me.

Mike DeWine got his ass handed to him, but that was no major surprise. As far as I'm concerned, the more turnover we have in congress, the better! I'm so sick of the whole concept of "career politicians" that I'm truly starting to question the logic of the Founding Fathers when they opted to not put a term limit in place for congress. I guess they didn't forsee a country full of farmers and scoundrels ever hatching an aristocratic class of "lourdes," if you will. But as it sits, if someone were to be truly effecive in congress (a foreign concept, I assure you), they can continually be re-elected until they expire from old age.

Ballot Initiatives and Constituional Amendments

This is one of my favorite parts of voting in Ohio...the citizens have carte blanche with respect to the alteration of the State constitution. First off, the Buckeye State has approved a raise in the minimum wage. Granted, it's not a very big hike, but it's still misguided. Ohioans also approved a smoke-free workplace amendment. This will really piss some people off, and it should. They declined, however, to enact a ban on smoking in "all public places." This puts the ball in the hands of the municipalities across the state, as it should be. Here's the one that burns my ass: Evidently, the folks of the great state of Ohio decided that allowing for additional gambling facilities and equipment (mostly in the Cleveland area) should be prohibited. It's too bad, really. Gambling is totally taxable, and Ohio has some under-funded liabilities that could use a shot in the arm, and this would be a pretty easy way to do it. I'd be interested to find out what kind of propaganda was being pumped into the electorate on this one, because I really fail to see why the voters took such a staunch stand against the idea (58%-42%). But hey, the people have spoken, and I can live with that.

Back with more later, there were two other ballot initiatives that I would like to look into, but haven't yet seen any results in writing.

While not the outcome I had hoped for, I sincerely congratulate the winners and respect the decisions made by the voters. My biggest hope is that Ms. Pelosi is sincere in her offer to work with the administration (though I am rightfully skeptical) and move beyond partisanship.

Good luck and good blogging...it's bound to be a little less intense for a while.

Mike Sylvester scrounged up a really interesting article on what various people feel the Libertarian vote will accomplish (or at least how it will fall) during this mid-term election. In a nutshell, it doesn't specifically say. However, some interesting points were brought up that I would like to address.

Here's a little tidbit from the piece to get us rolling:

“Very few of us will vote Democrat. A lot of us will stay home,” he said.

This statement speaks volumes of the sadness of the situation. According to the article, 13-15% of the electorate are either Libertarian, or hold Libertarian views. These people have no representation at the Federal level. Year after year they are forced to vote for one of the brand name parties, who repeatedly pander to narrow special interests and ignore common sense. What kind of choices does that offer them? It's like a "lesser of two evils" scenario, only the evils in question are equals, so no lesser exists. Mitch Harper looked at this paradox yesterday on FWOb.

While Republicans have recently been courting wary social and religious
conservatives with a media blitz that concentrates on border protection and gay
marriage, those who consider themselves libertarian-conservatives say they feel
they have been given the shaft for the last six years.

Yeah, that really hits the nail on the head. Moreover, Republicans have done nothing whatsoever to demonstrate any fiscal restraint **ahem, New Orleans.**

“In our area, in northern Kentucky, I saw how voters have become
disillusioned and disappointed with our system,” he said. “I saw Republicans,
who through the 1980s and '90s were trying to be fiscally conservative and
trying to limit government and its power, not doing that anymore. They’re trying
to make government bigger than even the Democrats before them.”

...and evidently he has plenty of money and doesn't mind his reputation being dragged across the floor of the cattle barn.

Ed Patru, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said
libertarians certainly aren’t going to find solace with the Democrats, who he
says have made it “crystal clear in unambiguous terms that they want to repeal
the tax cuts and tax relief as we know it.

“Along with that, they’ve promised billions of dollars in new spending … and bloat the size of government beyond what anybody can imagine,” Patru said.

Hmmm, kinda like the Republicans have already done. Ooooh, I'm quaking in my boots now. Those scary, limp-wristed, inept Democrats are gonna show us how beauracracy is really done! Fat chance. The Republicans are proving to be all-to-willing as accomplices, and even instigators when it comes to governmental bloat.

So now we have established that there are some very disenfranchised voters....no big shock, really...there are always a few. But Mitch in the earlier cited article makes a very interesting statement:

Each decline in turnout raises concern about the very legitimacy of
government.

That is huge. This is basically what Mitch (and the Fox article) is saying, in simple mathematical terms. Out of 100 eligible voters (in our area), only about 35 of them will vote. Out of those 35, a little over 5 of those who will vote have their views poorly (or simply not at all) represented on the ballot. The other 29 to 30 voters will split their votes almost evenly between the two major name brands. Let's just say for the sake of argument that 16 of the 29 or 30 remaining voters chose to vote for Democrats. This means that 16 people, voting as they believe, just chose the leaders for the entire hundred. That is a crock of shit. I personally don't think our leaders represent our country very well at all, and this is just one of many MANY reasons. We'll scrutinize more as the months roll on.

OK, so here are a few more details on my thoughts regarding the Souder/Hayhurst debacle. First off, as Jeff Pruitt explained earlier, and as Mike Sylvester has been kind enough to elaborate upon in great and exhausting detail (this doesn't even mention Wm. Larsen's tomes of a similar persuasion), Mark Souder is no conservative. Let's split this up into a couple of things that help shed some light on what, in fact, is under scrutiny.

1. Souder's Federal Student Aid restrictions. OK, as a fiscal conservative, I have no qualms with frugality when it comes to dishing out tax dollars. I'll admit it openly. Here's the problem with Souder's "cut off the potheads" legislation: First, it is absolutely self-defeating from a societal standpoint. People make mistakes. ALL people make mistakes. If someone who screws up decides to make an honest run at a better life, then what in the Republican manifesto says that as a society we don't wish to help? We spend massive amounts of tax dollars to capture, incarcerate and rehabilitate lawbreakers. It has already been established that education is the #1 key to building a successful future for oneself, so how can Souder rationalize cutting off assistance to someone who is legitimately trying to build a better future for not only themselves, but also for our society which could seriously benefit from having more college-educated citizens? Second, singling out drug offenders (even the non-violent ones), while ignoring violent criminals (this is a VERY specifically worded law) like child molesters and other similar scumbags is downright criminal, in and of itself. I have often heard Republicans preaching about how people need to "help themselves succeed." Evidently, Mark Souder has no interest in seeing a criminal be anything but...you guessed it...a criminal! It occurred to me that if there were less criminals, Souder's platform of strawmen would be about 30% of what it is now.

2. Ronald Reagan. Yes, like Mr. Souder, I too am a Reagan fan. I, however, remember Reagan a little differently than does he. Regan was an advocate for the control of Federal spending...Souder on the other hand, is an advocate for massive Federal spending, so long as it is spending that the rest of the RINO shitbags give their official "harumph harumph" while sitting in the steam room after a long, hard day of getting fluffed by special interest lobbyists.

3. Real conservatives wouldn't use Jesus as a legislative tool. Doesn't anyone else find it kinda cruddy that so many politicians soil the name of their deity by dragging Him into the political arena? I have many times heard Mr. Souder refer to how fucking proud he was of his "faith-based initiatives" that he has evidently been working on. The Bible speaks of evangelism and missionary work in an extraordinary light...but history is riddled with examples of the chaos and bloodshed that ensues when a government chooses to charge itself (from within or without) with the task of converting its constituents to a particular faith. I'll give you a hint: it always ends badly. People need to come to God on their own, they don't need Congress to hold their hand and take them to Church.

4. Illegal Immigration. This one's been eating at me pretty bad lately. I, for one, feel absolutely no threat from Mexican immigrants (and yes, most of them are Mexican). We all know full well that when the "illegal immigration" debate gets mentioned, people are actually talking about Mexicans. That being said: How many Mexicans were piloting the planes that hit the WTC on 9/11? I seem to remember a bunch of Arabs at the helm... Also, I feel no job pressure from some poor bastard with no shoes swimming across the Rio Grande. Ditto Social Security. Hell, right now, there are about 10 million illegals paying into Social Security without the slightest hope that they will ever recoup those dollars...fuck it, works for me. I'm in about the same position, really. Furthermore, on the topic of English as our national language (which it isn't), I only have one thing to say: If the Founding Fathers had intended for us to have a single language mandated by the Federal Government, they would have just put that on paper. They were tirelessly vigilant in addressing what they felt were the foundations of a free society. Ditto "marriage."

5. Military service. If I hear one more person spouting off about Hayhurst's military service, and how it somehow didn't count, I'm gonna blow a gasket. Mark Souder, during his pukefest of a debate on Channel 15 at one point said "I never got drafted" as if that was some kind of excuse for not serving his country. It isn't. Nor does it give him the right to make one snide little comment from that sneering, lying mouth of his about anyone else's service. Republicans liked to take potshots at John Kerry's war record, trying to discredit him and so forth, but hey, at least he tried. At least he signed up. Where then, were the big 'ol balls Souder now uses to do his little Hawk impersonation? Must not have dropped yet, at that time.

Here are a few things that I want Souder supporters to think about, and maybe even answer before the polls open tomorrow. So far, I have heard NO ONE make any excuses for some of these things, they just glaze over them and move on to the next round of Dr. Tom bashing.

1. Why is it OK for Souder to repeatedly shit on the Contract for America?
2. Why is it OK for Souder to try to legislate morality, when for years conservatives have repeatedly proclaimed that it's a stupid idea?
3. Why is it OK for Souder to run months and months of slanderous advertising material about Hayhurst, but when Hayhurst tells the truth it make his a "dirty campaign?"
4. How can you call this guy a conservative as he touts his massive earmarking far and wide?
5. C'mon, almost $1 million to renovate the Kendallville Airport? Seriously...why?
6. Why does anyone give a shit about "Grabill Values" when Grabill is but a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of Souders constituency? We didn't elect him for Grabill values...actually, I didn't even know where he was from. I didn't care...could've been Timbuktu...I really just wanted someone to fight to reform the election laws, term limits and lobbying regulations. But alas, he has made NO recent effort to do ANY of these things. Why?
7. Why on Earth would anyone trust a man who has literally spit in the face of everything he once claimed to stand for?

Just curious. Sorry for being long winded.

Yup, that's me...an "interested by-stander" in the Hayhurst v. Souder catfight. Pretty sad stuff, really. On one hand, we have Mark Souder, with whom I am NOT pleased. I am somewhat ashamed to say that I voted for Mr. Souder (my first time at the polls as an of-age U.S. voter). He came riding in on his high-horse, waving a flag, woven from a tapestry of beautiful, politically-spun promises and ideas...but alas, he has proven to be somewhat lacking as a leader, more acting as if just a follower of a party-line strategy.

This was accentuated by a conversation I had yesterday with an elderly friend (she's in her mid-eighties). I love her to death, but it struck me as being just downright sick that she has been so brainwashed (read: scared shitless) by the hateful, authoritarian propaganda that Souder has been spewing since just after the primaries. First off, she actually thinks that Tom Hayhurst is against the speaking of English...regardless the fact that he himself speaks English. Next, she went on somewhat of a fanciful explanative tirade about all the good things Souder has done (she couldn't name any). I told her about how Souder had penned some legislation that made it impossible for persons with drug convictions to get Federal Student Aid, and unsurprisingly, she was fine with that. However, she had no idea that such a provision didn' exists for rapists, murderers and child molesters....JUST HIPPIES.

Please keep in mind, I wasn't trying to change her mind, 'cause that wasn't gonna happen...I was just curious what she thought about the misguided authoritarian control-mongering of The Souder. I asked her what she thought about Souder running for a 7th term, even after campaigning on a 6-term platform, and even though she admits that it was dishonest, she called it "such a trivial little thing."

After all was said and done, I felt really sorry for my friend, because she doesn't have enough cynicism left in her tired old mind to question the bullshit that gets packed into [the public's] ears by those whose only mission in life is to leverage power over the rest of us. That being said, Mark Souder is an authoritarian and a zealot, and he preys on folks who trust him and the party to which he pledges his undying allegance.

Doesn't matter anyway, my biggest vote tomorrow will be cast for Blackwell/Raga, 'cuz I know they can't fuck up Ohio too bad. If they wanted to, they could've done it already.

First off, let me start by saying Mark Souder is no conservative. In fact the case against Souder has been made so many times and is so obvious I won't even bother repeating it - instead, I will simply stipulate it. However, I understand that a broader picture must be taken into account when choosing between two candidates.

I'm sure it's extremely difficult for many conservatives to vote for Souder but the alternative is to support the Democratic party and that has just been out of the question. In a sense, Mark Souder is right when he says "a vote for Tom Hayhurst is a vote for Nancy Pelosi". Sometimes you HAVE to vote for a candidate because you believe in the party and its platform - even if you don't agree with the local candidate.

However, this logic breaks down when the national race isn't in doubt. If casting out a bad seed won't affect the party's position, then an argument can be made that you should send a message to your local and national party. NOW is the time for this district to send that message and purge Souder from the party. There is no doubt in my mind that superior Republican candidates would come forward if Souder was out of the picture. Waiting for primary elections isn't the best strategy because up-and-comers don't want to cross the party establishment by challenging an incumbent with over a decade of seniority.

The Congressional race isn't in doubt - the Democrats are most likely going to win the House regardless of what happens in this district. This presents a genuine opportunity for Republicans that are sick and tired of Mark Souder to turn this district upside down - for the better. The public discourse would be elevated tremendously with Souder out of the picture.

Mark Souder and the Republican party have not lived up to their Contract with America - remember they ALL said:

"If we break this Contract, throw us out"

It's time to hold Mark Souder accountable to this district, the Republican party and the pledge he made to America - VOTE TOM HAYHURST ON TUESDAY...

Good news for all you Hoosier Democrats! Your State leadership is proving to be every bit as dishonest, disingenuous, and downright despicable as your Democratic National Leadership. It's bad enough Patrick Bauer insists on telling hoosiers over and over again that we sold our toll road, now the Indiana Democratic State Committee, in an attempt to sway votes has sent out a mailer claiming we "sold" the toll road, and the new "owners" have no accountability to us. As my hometown paper (The Herald-Republican) so aptly points out, that is an outright lie. Not an inference, not just suggestive, it's a flat ass lie. A brazen flat ass lie. A really really obvious lie.

We're all used to political nuance and inferences, you know, the non answer answer politicians are famous for. What we're not used to, at least not me, is the point blank mistruth. The lie that is so clear, so ballsy, you can't believe anybody would try it. This is one of those things where the average guy ought to be just freakin' enraged.
Would one of you democrats please tell me why it's ok? And spare me the "everybody does it" or"the other side does it"analogies....You can't justify bad behavior by pointing to other bad behavior. I really want to know how you explain it to your children? Oh it's just a lie........no big deal......

The latest intellecually dishonest buzz in the MSM is the denouncement of Rummy by the publications shown here. Of course Left of Centrist & the usual suspects are cheering this on because they want you to believe the MILITARY is denouncing Rummy. What they don't make very clear is :

Army Times Publishing Company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gannett Co., Inc. on Friday, August 1, 1997. Gannett is a nationwide news and information company that publishes 75 daily newspapers, including USA Today, and USA Weekend, a newspaper magazine. Gannett also operates 21 television stations and cable television systems in major U.S. markets.

The United States Armed Forces (all branches) have NOTHING to do with these publications. They are marketed to military people much like aarp markets their ragazine to seniors. The publications are completely advertiser supported in hopes of selling shit to military people. Yes they provide good info to military personnel, but they are NOT a military publication. They have an editorial staff made up of GANNETT employees and they can editorialize any way they like, but DON'T confuse their editorial with carte blanche approval from the troops.

Whether or not Rummy has done a good job or a bad job is open to debate, but this is a really smarmy way of trying to sway public opinion...Gannett's numerous media holdings aren't exactly known for supporting the righter side of the aisle now are they?

Whether you love her or hate her, do yourself a favor and read her column this week. It is hysterical.

One sample I find particularly accurate:

"Democrats can't not be crazy. They will instantly set to work enacting a national gay marriage law, impeachment hearings, slavery reparations and a series of new federal felonies for abortion clinic protesters. The only way to get Democrats to focus on terrorists would be to convince them that the terrorists are interfering with a woman's right to choose or that commercial jetliners exploding in midair are a threat to America's wetlands."

Now that's funny!

Oh my, Little Chelsea is all grown up and has landed a job at Avenue Capital Group. Let's hope her new boss isn't some middle aged smooth talking power hungry womanizer with a penchant for younger women, because her parents would ring his ....oh wait a minute...

nevermind.....

Make sure those of you that want to "Open A Dialogue" and chat with these kids' parents vote for the Democratic candidates in your area on Tuesday!

Make sure you learn the language, because if the Democrats win, they'll be here visiting you sooner than you think.

You just have to love this.....offering FREE flu shots at the polls in black and hispanic neighborhoods. Those democrats are so thoughtful! I wonder if they're going to pass out shots again this year at the polls outside the rehab center?

Nancy Pelosi hasn't been this quiet since she was asked to explain her investment in Presidio Partners.

Thank You John Kerry!

If the recent revelation about the main stream media being of the democratic (party) persuasion has had you wondering, you need look no further than yesterdays white house press conference with Tony Snow. Poor John Kerry being savaged by the evil republicans again.

I have not seen a more biased group of people since..uh..well...the last white house press conference. Whining and sniveling was the order of the day as the likes of David Gregory etal bemoaned how "misunderstood" Kerry was, and somehow the white house is to blame for the "misinterpretation". They (the white house) know damn well what Kerry meant to say, he just didn't say it right....

What an absolute crock O' shit. How can ANYONE misinterpret a simple sentence? Probably has something to do with what your definition of "is" is I suppose. What is it in the liberal mindset that causes normally rational people to simply ignore a clear case of "fuckstick-itis"???

As if that wasn't enough proof of left leaning bias, all you had to do was spin around the dial to Katey, Charlie, Matt and the rest of the main stream media "stars" (they sure as hell ain't journalists) and listen to their voice inflection and incredulity when describing how their favorite chardonnay sippin' limosine liberal gigilo was being maligned by republicans looking to seize on this story. The repubs didn't have to seize on anything, once again Kerry did it all TO himself BY himself.

You'll notice I have posted a new link to Bob G's Place, The PA-IN Erudition on the left side of the page. I have been reading over at Bob's for a while, but I've been quite busy and just got around to updating my blog template last night, so although Bob's blog is not new, the link here is.

Bob made some really good observations in this post a couple of days ago with respect to the upcoming elections and the state of American politics in general. It's worth a read. Here's an excerpt:

A lot of us think about "the lesser of two evils" aspect of elections....and we
should. Seems these days, most EVERY politician has at least ONE skeleton in
their closet. Our choice is whether or not we can live with that.

Good call, Bob.