Some Random Thoughts

Busy couple of days. Everywhere you turn all you hear or see is the Swine Flu, Torture or the Obama presidency at 100 days. This post is just a combination of random thoughts and articles.

"War crimes will be prosecuted, war criminals will be punished and it will be no defense to say, “I was just following orders.”

Any guesses as to who said that? On national television no less? That was Dubya in the lead up to the Iraq war. Saw this NY Times/CBS poll that has 71% of Americans saying water boarding is torture.....what are the other 29% thinking?

Where did this whole "100 days" thing start? I'm sure it is a recent thing with cable news being what it is. Not saying it is necessarily a bad thing but to think you can judge a Presidency at 100 days and get an honest evaluation is just insane.

Did CNN really do a segment on President Obama's "swagga" today. I'm going to take a guess that Kyra Phillips is going to want that tape burned fast. I don't have the words for it....so just watch for yourself over at the Huffington Post.

Media Matters compiled "100 days of 'Fair and Balanced'"

You had crazy person Michelle Bachmann try and link the Democrats to Swine Flu....only to crash and burn. You can't make this stuff up. Does she really not have someone on her staff who can help her with simple stuff like this? Has this woman heard of Google? Funny thing is that...this wasn't the worst comment someone on the right made about Democrats and Swine Flu....

Did Rush really say that? Yes, that can be a daily segment but.... did this man really try to blame the President for Swine Flu and an earthquake in Mexico?

"[E]verywhere Obama is spreading Obamaism, there is a deadly disease taking place, either in the TARP community or in the newspaper business," he said. "Obama goes to Mexico -- they have an earthquake. Obama goes to Mexico -- get pig flu."

Huffington Post comes through on the audio for us.

"Obama is terrorist attack number 2; Obama is the follow-up to 9-11"

Way to try to pass the quote onto someone else....what a joke.

Bonnie Fuller has a nice column on how crazy people on the right are trying to exploit the Swine Flu to try and spread their racist agenda.

Huffington Post did a nice little compilation of late night jokes from the First 100 days.

President Obama took a little shot at Fox "News" and the "Tea Party" crowd today. It was brilliant.

Just a day after the Arlen Specter defection from the national GOP, officials from the Michigan GOP decided to cancel an appearance from the Governor of Utah because....

"The voters want and expect us to stand on principle and return to our roots. Unfortunately, by holding an event with Governor Huntsman, we would be doing the exact opposite,"

Go ahead GOP...continue to vote "moderates" off the island.

The House passed the "hate crime" bill today....but for some reason only 18 Republicans thought it was a good idea? Can someone explain to me why 175 congressmen would vote against this bill?

Saw this NBC News/WSJ poll and upon further review....people like Dubya even less now then they did in January when he left office. I guess having Barack Obama there to compare with hurts Dubya even more. In January 31% of those polled had a positive response towards Bush....that number today is down to 26%. Dick Cheney has seen his numbers go down from 21% to 18% between December and now.

If you watched the Daily Show tonight you saw this clip....but here it is if you missed it. Go Rick Sanchez! No idea what Demint was trying to say.

Will have some more tomorrow. For now Good night.

How do you grade President Obama at 100 Days?

Pass the link along for this poll and Retweet it on Twitter if you're there.

Low Flying Plane in Manhattan....who came up with this bright idea?

Kudos to the Wall Street Journal on that video. I woke up this morning and the first thing I saw on Twitter was....

A large commercial jet flew low over the Hudson River in NYC, accompanied by military aircraft. Officials say it is a drill.

That was a Breaking News Tweet I got this morning. Who at the Air Force/FAA thought it was a bright idea to do this "photo shoot" in Manhattan of all places without sufficient advanced warning to the public?

Credit once again to the Wall Street Journal for this Picture.


Appearantly the plane was one of Barack Obama's backup planes. The story from Reuters and from the Wall Street Journal.

The Power of Twitter

Like most people I had heard of twitter here and there for about 2 years but never bothered to join. I think I have a Myspace(ashamed to admit that) that I have checked maybe 3 or 4 times since I joined. Facebook had its charm but that was lost once every little middle schooler.....and their mother.....and for that matter their mother's mother were let in. But about 5 months ago I ended up joining twitter.

Something about Twitter captures you right from the start. It's plain and simple....and that's the way I like it. The way Facebook was at the start before all the little applications started crawling in. It's a simple concept, you communicate in 140 characters at a time. It's a breeding ground for potentially great dialogue. Ever since I joined way back on the 5th of December 2008, I went out looking for people I could engage with on politics and sports. Sure enough there are plenty of good people on there adding to a great open discourse. These people include politicians, journalists who cover said politicians and then the most important group....you and me.

Yes, twitter does that. It is a platform where athletes like Shaquille O'Neal can bypass the media and reach out to the fans. It is a platform where if I see something I don't like on the networks of NBC I can send a message straight to the source....and more then likely get a reply back in a short time frame. I have to give major credit for the likes of David Shuster who have embraced twitter and do engage in a dialogue with the audience. There have been instances while watching the coverage I've noticed an error or two and sent a message straight to the anchor of the show where it was made and sure enough...got a reply acknowledging that mistake.

There are some really quality people who's feed should be followed by all. You have reporters like Ana Marie Cox who tweet from Washington and do so in a very smart and funny manner. David Gregory and George Stephanopoulos there all the time seeking feedback and potential questions for guests on "Meet the Press" and "This Week." Those are just a few but there are plenty of others who have embraced twitter and helped add to the dialogue there. Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post is another quality one and him (@thehyperfix) and Ana Marie Cox (@amclive)take it a step further by "live tweeting" special political events like this upcoming Prime Time Presidential News Conference. Twitter is an equal opportunity platform...from young and old billionaires to a student deep in tuition debt. I looked at this as an outlet to communicate with both wings of our political spectrum....and yes that includes journalists from both sides. So far Christina Bellantoni is the only good journalist I've found from a right wing outlet....anyone have any other recommendations?

The beauty of twitter is it is not just a platform where news is discussed...it has quickly become a platform where news is made. Just this past weekend Woody Johnson used Twitter to announce that the Jets had moved up in the NFL Draft to take Mark Sanchez who in turn was able to immediate express his love for New York (real or fake is your call). This past weekend the NFL, SportsCenter and columnists like Peter King were able to give instant feedback on the NFL Draft. As a side note here to further demonstrate the powers of twitter....during the draft yesterday I was communicating with Sports Illustrated's Peter King. I made a little joke about the Raiders draft strategy and just like that I get to be quoted in a Sports Illustrated column monday morning (Monday Morning Edit. Here is the column from Peter King...I am quoted on page 4). When that small plane crashed near Buffalo a month or so ago the first pictures of the crash were transmitted via twitter as it took the media some time to get to the crash site but neighbors with their cellphones were able to quickly put up pictures that were used in several media outlets.

Is there a danger that all the celebrities being on there can take away the positive impact twitter can have on our national (and international) dialogue? Sure. There are plenty of celebrities who haven't grasped the concept but have joined just because of the hype surrounding twitter. You will see plenty of people that are followed by tens of thousands of people but who in turn follow only a handful of close friends. Memo to those people....that's why the e-mail was invented. If you are only on twitter to talk to friends or trying to use it as a self promotion tool...you've missed the boat. Chances are you'll be tuned out pretty fast by the masses. Unfortunately there are plenty of people like this. People who are only on twitter to post a link to there latest column, blog post or TV segment. These people are completely missing the boat.

This brings me to the negatives of twitter. Just like blogs it gives anyone....and I mean anyone a platform to reach an infinite about of people. This obviously can be a really bad thing as people who want to spread lies and hatred have an easy venue to do that from. Just search the term "nobama" on twitter and see how many ignorant and racist people walk amongst us. While there is little you can do about extremists like those people the problem becomes more major when a journalist uses not only their column but twitter as well to spread lies. The problem becomes even bigger when said journalists choose to just "block" the people who question their reporting rather then actually sticking around to discuss their report (and I do use that term lightly). Amanda Carpenter of Washington Times and the O'Reilly Factor has been front and center of this debate for the past week to ten days. This all started with her absolutely bias coverage of the so called tax day "Tea Party". People like me called her out on her biased coverage which was based around comparing this "tea party" to the Boston Tea Party when the two weren't remotely related. People like me pressed her on why she made no mention of the anti-Obama attitudes at these events. Attitude that I discussed in an earlier post. I never did get a reply from her and quickly found myself "blocked" by her thus her updates no longer appear on my main page and I can't send a message out to her. The same thing happened to a few other people today when they pointed out glaring mistakes in her columns....and sure enough they got blocked by her. A little while later she made a post saying:

Just a note: anyone who writes obscene/pornographic things about me, or converses with people who do, will be blocked from my Twitter feed.

Either she's lying right there or has one hell of way to define obscene. What a coward. What a copout. When you don't have facts to back you up...hide behind your column and use a weak excuse. Here is a link to every mention of or message to Amanda Carpenter I've made on twitter. Someone find something obscene or pornographic. Still looking? You're not going to find anything. Same thing happened to two people I regularly talk politics with on twitter mediagadfly (and all his mentions of Amanda Carpenter)and @teresakopec (and all her mentions of Amanda Carpenter)Mediagadfly just posted a nice blog entry on this Amanda Carpenter journalism tactic and the cheap editing job she (or someone at the Washington Times) did today. What makes the whole Amanda Carpenter story is that just this week she tried to arrange a "tweet up". What was she expecting there? She is aware that people who disagree with her will show up too right? Does she know you can't "block" someone in real life? Does she know that you have to actually respond to someone when they come to you with facts?

And I won't even begin to talk about the hate spreading machines that are Michelle Malkin and Karl Rove....that post might end up being longer then most novels.

Real quickly to wrap this up as it is 2:30 AM....embrace twitter for what it is. Come engage in a dialogue. Don't try to use it as a marketing tool....embrace the simplistic nature of it. You can reach me on twitter @sahyder1, via e-mail at sahyder1@gmail.com or just leave a comment here.

Did AG Gonzales ignore potential espionage in exchange for political support?

Everyone go read the full article here.

Some clippings:

Rep. Jane Harman , the California Democrat with a longtime involvement in intelligence issues, was overheard on an NSA wiretap telling a suspected Israeli agent that she would lobby the Justice Department reduce espionage-related charges against two officials of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, the most powerful pro-Israel organization in Washington.

Harman was recorded saying she would “waddle into” the AIPAC case “if you think it’ll make a difference,” according to two former senior national security officials familiar with the NSA transcript.

In exchange for Harman’s help, the sources said, the suspected Israeli agent pledged to help lobby Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., then-House minority leader, to appoint Harman chair of the Intelligence Committee after the 2006 elections, which the Democrats were heavily favored to win.

Seemingly wary of what she had just agreed to, according to an official who read the NSA transcript, Harman hung up after saying, “This conversation doesn’t exist.”

Harman declined to discuss the wiretap allegations, instead issuing an angry denial through a spokesman.

Say what?

It’s true that allegations of pro-Israel lobbyists trying to help Harman get the chairmanship of the intelligence panel by lobbying and raising money for Pelosi aren’t new.

They were widely reported in 2006, along with allegations that the FBI launched an investigation of Harman that was eventually dropped for a “lack of evidence.”

What is new is that Harman is said to have been picked up on a court-approved NSA tap directed at alleged Israel covert action operations in Washington.

And that, contrary to reports that the Harman investigation was dropped for “lack of evidence,” it was Alberto R. Gonzales, President Bush’s top counsel and then attorney general, who intervened to stop the Harman probe.

Why? Because, according to three top former national security officials, Gonzales wanted Harman to be able to help defend the administration’s warrantless wiretapping program, which was about break in The New York Times and engulf the White House.

Read the 2nd half of that quote closely. Am I reading this right? Are they saying that Alberto Gonzales dropped charges against someone who possibly aiding in espionage because he wanted political support?

Such accounts go a long way toward explaining not only why Harman was denied the gavel of the House Intelligence Committee, but failed to land a top job at the CIA or Homeland Security Department in the Obama administration.

As a result of Gonzalez's failures....Harman was going to be able to potentially land a top gig at CIA or Homeland Security? Screw tax evasion....glad that this is something that did potentially get discovered in vetting.

The identity of the “suspected Israeli agent” could not be determined with certainty, and officials were extremely skittish about going beyond Harman’s involvement to discuss other aspects of the NSA eavesdropping operation against Israeli targets, which remain highly classified.

But according to the former officials familiar with the transcripts, the alleged Israeli agent asked Harman if she could use any influence she had with Gonzales, who became attorney general in 2005, to get the charges against the AIPAC officials reduced to lesser felonies.

Rosen had been charged with two counts of conspiring to communicate, and commnicating national defense information to people not entitled to receive it. Weissman was charged with conspiracy.

AIPAC dismissed the two in May 2005, about five months before the events here unfolded.

Harman responded that Gonzales would be a difficult task, because he “just follows White House orders,” but that she might be able to influence lesser officials, according to an official who read the transcript.

Justice Department attorneys in the intelligence and public corruption units who read the transcripts decided that Harman had committed a “completed crime,” a legal term meaning that there was evidence that she had attempted to complete it, three former officials said.

And they were prepared to open a case on her, which would include electronic surveillance approved by the so-called FISA Court, the secret panel established by the 1979 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to hear government wiretap requests.

First, however, they needed the certification of top intelligence officials that Harman’s wiretapped conversations justified a national security investigation.

Then-CIA Director Porter J. Goss reviewed the Harman transcript and signed off on the Justice Department’s FISA application. He also decided that, under a protocol involving the separation of powers, it was time to notify then-House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and Minority Leader Pelosi, of the FBI’s impending national security investigation of a member of Congress — to wit, Harman.

Goss, a former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, deemed the matter particularly urgent because of Harman’s rank as the panel’s top Democrat.

So Justice department officials determined that "Harman had committed a “completed crime,” a legal term meaning that there was evidence that she had attempted to complete it" and still did nothing?

But that’s when, according to knowledgeable officials, Attorney General Gonzales intervened.

According to two officials privy to the events, Gonzales said he “needed Jane” to help support the administration’s warrantless wiretapping program, which was about to be exposed by the New York Times.

Harman, he told Goss [sahyder1 edit: Goss was CIA director at the time], had helped persuade the newspaper to hold the wiretap story before, on the eve of the 2004 elections. And although it was too late to stop the Times from publishing now, she could be counted on again to help defend the program

He was right.

On Dec. 21, 2005, in the midst of a firestorm of criticism about the wiretaps, Harman issued a statement defending the operation and slamming the Times, saying, “I believe it essential to U.S. national security, and that its disclosure has damaged critical intelligence capabilities.”

Pelosi and Hastert never did get the briefing.

And thanks to grateful Bush administration officials, the investigation of Harman was effectively dead.

Beautiful. The things government officials do in this country for Israel.


Not only is this Jane Harman still in congress....she was "relegated to chairing a House Homeland Security subcommittee."

But as the right wing would like to remind us....Barack Obama is the one who's making us less safe by talking about the dark deeds of the past and shaking hands with bad guys.




Source: Jeff Stein CQ Politics

John Madden Retires

Just woke up to the news that John Madden has decided to retire. It will really strange watching football next year without him. MSNBC looks back at the legendary career.

He's had his share of critics over the years but to me he's one of the first things that come to mind when you talk NFL. From his coaching days in Oakland, to his days teaming with Pat Summerall on CBS and Fox to Monday Night Football and then finally NBC's Sunday Night Football. At 73 can't really blame the man. After all he doesn't fly anywhere as he's afraid of flying and riding by RV sure has to get tiresome.

As for who takes his place in the NBC booth....Chris Collinsworth would be my guess. NBC has been grooming him for the gig for the past couple of years.

I see dumb people....Tea Party Edition

Plenty of classics available today. If you find something please send it to me via twitter,as a comment here or by e-mail. I love how small the crowds were. I mean around 5K in a good spot? Barack Obama drew that many people just by saying "hello"

As I said yesterday....these protesters have no idea what they're protesting. The confusion was best summed by this quote from Mike Memoli - White House reporter for Real Clear Politics:

"A confused Queen Elizabeth II relented and has agreed to repeal the Stamp Act"

They're using an umbrella name and ignorant people from all over are just showing up with the hatred being fed to them by crazy people like Limbaugh, Malkin and Beck.

Just saw this clip over at the Daily Kos. This was CNN interviewing one of the protesters in Chicago. Let's just say eloquence wasn't this guy's thing.



Is this guy really a reporter for Fox?


Fox was messing around with the attendance numbers at the events. Kudos to the Daily Kos for the clip. Take a minute and watch.



Does Fox really be on the record as vouching for secession by states?

Really Beck? Texans aren't screwing around? Do you really think they'll secede from the country? I love how these clowns can say stuff like this with a straight face.

Random fun stuff:
@rkref pointed this story out about a Detroit woman "protesting" in the middle of the streets?

Random radio host from Montgomery, Alabama compares "Tea party" to Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat. Can't make this stuff up.

You remember the outrage from yesterday about the DHS memo regarding right wing extremists? Well Fox of all places today reported that the report was actually requested by the Dubya administration and was only recently finished. Read more on that over at Media Matters.

More distortions of the truth from Rush "the comedian" Limbaugh.

Fox makes a mistake in a segment where they're trying to prove this is grassroots.....accidentally put website for group(led by Newt Gingrich) sponsoring the event



Apparently Chick-fil-a in Virginia were helping out with "tea party." No word on whether this was a company wide decision I have sent multiple e-mails to their corporate office since yesterday but still have not heard back from them.

We all know Fox "News" was heavily promoting the events of today....Media Matters looks into it with some more depth.

Gallup poll shows Americans don't mind big government as we try to get out of this recession. Some interesting numbers here.




Dana Milbank of the Washington Post with a good article linking Fox News and the anti-Obama crusaders to today's events.


Some Pictures

Daily Kos


Huffington Post


Think Progress



Random




Some Random ones from the AP





Finally I end with this poll:




Edit: Here is how the late night shows played it out on 4/15.



Full Daily Show segment from 4/15:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Tempest in a Tea Party
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Coverage from Colbert Report:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Tax Atax
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor NASA Name Contest

Fox "News" playing around with Tea Party crown numbers

Kudos to the Daily Kos for the clip. Take a minute and watch.

Gov. Perry puts secession on the table?

While you're busy mocking your nearest conservative tea party going nutcase....take the time to read this real quick.

Perry told reporters following his speech that Texans might get so frustrated with the government they would want to secede from the union.

"There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that."

Full Article from Dallas Morning News can be found here. These clowns just don't know when to keep their mouths shut.

Let's have a (Tea) Party!

So as you might have world right wing nutcases all across the country will be having "tea parties" tomorrow on Tax Day...April 15th. ::Pause for Laughter::

Tea Parties. Yup, the people who brought you the likes of "freedom fries" are now moving on to tea parties to protest....well I don't think even they know what exactly. It has become an umbrella event for pretty much anyone that dislikes President Obama and yes that includes ignorant racists. Would this even be an issue if Barack Obama was white? It really speaks to the sad state of affairs in this country in 2009. Completely embarrassing.

Someone humor me for a moment here. What exactly are these crazy people trying to accomplish? Someone might want to give these people a history lesson about the Boston Tea Party. The protesters there weren't protesting taxation....but rather taxation without representation...hence the eventual overthrow of the British. What exactly is the goal here? Are these people trying to start a "revolution" as crazy lady/congresswoman Michelle Bachman described it? Are they going to attempt an overthrow (not that I don't like our chances against them)?

Would you trust gun toting right wing psychos? Want to have tea with some? Check this out....it's like it's taken straight from one of the Bin Laden training videos. Yes...those are kids learning to shoot guns you see there. Anyone wanna bet that these are the same people that blame school shootings on video games?

Has everyone seen the document from the Department of Homeland Security that is driving the conservatives crazy? The PDF can be found here. I've been saying for a while...right wing/Christian extremists are some of the biggest threats facing this country and the world. If you don't want to read the full 10 page report Reuters summarized it for you.

Another reason this Tea Party makes not sense:

"Gallup notes that this level of support for current tax levels is “one of the most positive assessments Gallup has measured since 1956.” In nearly all past polls, Gallup adds, a majority said their taxes were too high."

The full article can be found here. Actually do take the time to take a more in depth look at this Gallup Poll. Gallup breaks it down by income groups and as you can see....the more you make the more you complain about your tax bracket. Hilarious stuff.





If you haven't Countdown on MSNBC from last night....well here is the now infamous segment with David Shuster and Lawrence O'Donnel. Included in there is Fox "News" lying....once again. Interesting question from MSNBC here....would these teabag protesters give up Social Security checks or medicare?



Or you know....it could all just be about playing out a childhood fantasy for some of these people. This little event tomorrow gives them a chance to take out their pretty little hats, their pretty little dolls and tea sets and get to play house while the big kids run the country? Do you know anyone going to one of these.....and if so...why haven't you knocked some sense into them yet?

Edit: Late Edit....Rather then throwing out a new post I'll just ask here....Does Texas Governor what state to secede from the union?

Can Rush make up his mind already?

So which one is it Rush? For a long time all we've been hearing from your mouth is that President Obama, Pelosi, Reid and other Democrats were communists, socialists, or whatever else word you looked up in the thesaurus that morning. Apparently this comedian has changed his mind again.

"We've got -- we've got -- call them what they want to call themselves -- we've got the Somali pirates and the Beltway pirates," Limbaugh continued. "The Beltway pirates are led by Pelosi and Reid. The Beltway pirates, I tell you -- you think $2 million? That's chump change. The Beltway pirates are demanding a $10 trillion ransom not just from us, but from our kids and our grandkids and their grandkids."

Credit to Huffington Post on that one. Also in that same piece they quote Limbaugh with audio talking about the attack on a plane carrying Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ) :

"I don't know why community organizers in Somalia would fire on a fellow community organizer ... they could like the guy if they just had a sit-down with him."

Stay classy Rush...stay classy. What a joke.

Presidential First pitch

One of the oldest traditions in Washington has the President of the Unites States throwing the ceremonial first pitch for one the beltway teams (Senators, Orioles, Nationals) on opening day. Somewhere along the lines baseball and politics ended up mixing together. I don't think you can get elected President if you say you don't like baseball. Most Presidents have had some relation or another with baseball. There has been some buzz in the air recently about whether President Obama will carry on that tradition or not. President Taft started the tradition in 1910 and every President since then has done it at least once. While it is a neat little thing....does anyone really care? And for those of you who believe in jinxes....you might not want the President to throw the first pitch at a game that involves your favorite team.


Over the last couple of days I've been reading around on Twitter,blogs and other sites that President Obama's decision to turn down the invitation to throw first pitch at today's home opener at the Nationals game is "Unamerican." While I know that this reaction is coming from the extreme right who will criticize pretty much anything the man does....I still find it a little funny. I mean, aren't there bigger issues in the world for people to care about then this? Did these same people critize Dubya the 3 years he didn't throw out the first pitch?

While I agree it will be a cool sight tomorrow if President Obama does make his appearance at Nationals Park in his windbreakers and throws a strike in front of what might be the only sellout the Nationals have all year....is it really a make or break thing? Is it really "Unamerican" if he decides to not show up?

Credit to Mike Memoli of "Real Clear Politics" who just a few hours ago posted via twitter

"POTUS sked says he meets w/"senior advisors" at time of 1st pitch at Nationals Park. Don't be shocked, is all I'm sayin."

Gotta say that I agree with him. I fully expect President Obama to be there tomorrow....but I'm not going around attacking him tomorrow if he doesn't show up. I'm sure there are more pressing things on the table then a photo-op....not that it stops anyone from doing so.


Found this list of every ceremonial first pitch thrown by US Presidents. If you have a minute check out these little tidbits on Presidents and baseball. Is it really true that no US President got the ball to the plate from the mound before Bill Clinton?

Glenn Beck wants to be set on fire

Just watch this clip first and I'll continue after that.



How do advertisers let this crap get on the air? Are you kidding me? This is what works for the psychos on the right? This is what people are watching? Am I awake here? This guy is insane. It's a sad state of affairs when Bill O'Reilly is left as the "sane" voice on Fox News. Scary...I know.

Someone send Beck to an institution.....and fast....for his own sake. Really Beck, you want President Obama to set you on fire? "We want common sense"....your words here Beck....How about you exercise some of that yourself. President Obama is disenfranchising people? Really? Why doesn't Beck come out and say something about the mockery the Republicans are making of an election result in Minnesota. Why don't I hear Beck complaining about the Alaska GOP wanting a redo on the Senate elections? Why are the psychos on the right complaining about "Obama's bow" when there are plenty of pictures and videos Bush was literally hands in hand with the Saudi King (google it)?

Once again...let me just say it again....how do advertisers let this crap get on the air? Come on Ruport.....pull this crap off the air.

Nick Adenhart (1986-2009)

I just can't believe it. I watched his start last night....went to bed and then woke up to the unfortunate news that he was killed by a guy who ran a red light. As I would find out later in that day not only did the driver who hit him run a red light.....but was also drunk......and also driving the car with a suspended drivers license for.......you guessed it a prior DUI. He fled the scene but was arrested a little while later.

Still catching up to all the news reports of this. As you all know I'm a big Angels fan and have been hearing the Angels raving about him for the past 4 years. I had forgotten that he went through "Tommy John" surgery at the end of the 17. The Angels took him in the 14th round but still gave him first round money because they knew the talent that was there. It really does suck that through all that he finally makes it to the majors and gets killed on the night of his 4th start. He had actually flown his dad in for the game last night from Baltimore telling him "something special is going to happen."

He had really great potential. One of the top prospects in the league and the top prospect in the Angels organization. Have been looking forward to his rise to the majors for the last 2 years. 22 years old.....it's a shame. How the hell can you live with yourself knowing you killed someone and tried to run away? Hopefully this guy gets a long term jail sentence.

Guns and the politics of Fear

Check out this clip first.



Very interesting segment from Rick Sanchez. It is a point I very much agree with. The wingnuts in the media and politics run their mouth but either don't understand or choose to ignore the consequences that follow as a result of psychos that follow their words.

You have them talking about President Obama being a socialist and spreading fear into their followers. Ever since Barack Obama became a realistic candidate for Presidency I have feared for the man's life. This country doesn't have a good history as far as charismatic and smart people in the political landscape. The wingnuts certainly aren't helping ease my fears either. You have disgraces like Michelle Bachman talking about starting a revolution. You have Fox "News" day in and day out spreading fear and the same goes for Wingnut radio guys like Limbaugh.

I for one hope someone in the future is smart enough to pass some legislation banning guns but I'm not holding my breath on that one. Just look at Washington as an example. There were discussing voting rights for the city.....and in order to give the people of Washington that basic democratic right.....they eased the guns laws in the city. Great idea. As @meaganbond said on twitter recently "the good news: DC one step closer to voting rights the bad news: we'll have to wear bulletproof vests to the polls."

Check my previous post on "Baracknophobia" too

Daily Show and Colbert Report brilliance from 4/7/09

Both the Daily Show and Colbert Report where awesome last night. In case you missed it catch the great segments below.

00Bama - International Man of History

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
00Bama - International Man of History
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

When are the wingnuts going to get off this topic? POTUS embarrassed by America? Seriously, that's the best you got? I love that we have a President who can speak the truth. Love Jon Stewart's dissection here. Isn't it great that foreign relations have gone from "Freedom Fries" to town hall meetings overseas?

Baracknophobia - Obey

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Baracknophobia - Obey
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Just love how Jon Stewart takes the wingnuts to task here. I love the term "Baracknophobia".... gotta use that more because it is completely accurate. Has the "right" not learned its lessons yet? They're still trying to use fear mongering? "Potato Day"....seriously? That's political correctness? Does that fool really think President Obama had something to do with that? Tyranny? Seriously? Where was their complaints when the previous administration was shredding the constitution into pieces? And completely agree with Mr. Stewart on how the wingnuts acted when Dubya was criticized.

This was not the first "Baracknophobia" segment the Daily Show has done. Check the other ones over here.



Better Know a District - New York's 25th - Dan Maffei

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Better Know a District - New York's 25th - Dan Maffei
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor NASA Name Contest

Not to be outdone last night was Stephen Colbert. I can't figure out why on earth congressmen keep showing up for his "Better know a district" segments. He's made a fool out of everyone that shows up. Do these people really not have advisers? Has Colbert made a fool out of your congressman yet? Check the archives here.

Wingnut Media to blame for Pittsburgh Cop killing?

It's a shame indeed. When nutcases like Glenn Beck and Michelle Bachman through out fear mongering phrases like socialist, and revolution....do they think of the consequences that follow?

Appearantly this Pittsburgh cop killer had some major problems. Included amongst his problems was a fear that his guns were getting taken away by this adminstration. Check the article on Salon

Ann Coulter is a moron....not that you didn't know.

Great catch from the good folks over at Think Progress.

As an April Fool’s joke, Car and Driver magazine posted a made-up story on its website claiming that “President Obama had ordered Chevrolet and Dodge out of NASCAR after the 2009 season.” The magazine “pulled the fake story” after it “turned into a sizzling Internet topic,” especially on anti-Obama right-wing websites.

As Media Matters notes, one person who took the joking claim seriously was Ann Coulter. In her Human Events column yesterday, Coulter wrote:

If Obama can tell GM and Chrysler that their participation in NASCAR is an “unnecessary expenditure,” isn’t having public schools force students to follow Muslim rituals, recite Islamic prayers and plan “jihads” also an “unnecessary expenditure”? Are all those school condom purchases considered “necessary expenditures”?

Coulter’s gullibility is especially funny considering that on his radio show yesterday, right-wing icon Rush Limbaugh mocked those who would fall for Car and Driver’s April Fool’s Day joke:

Every professional practical joker such as myself knows: If you really want to pull something off, don’t do it on a day where people are going to immediately doubt it. It’s absolutely silly. Car and Driver has a phony page on the website saying Obama has banned Ford, Chevy, and a bunch of others from NASCAR.

Well, now, who’s going to believe this? Well, that’s not the quite proper way to ask it. All good comedy requires an element of truth in it, and obviously there are people that believe this could come down the pike. But it hasn’t yet. Run this story tomorrow, if you want to play a practical joke on people.

As of this posting, Human Events has not corrected Coulter’s column.