Amoral

Laura Bush on Larry King Live:

Many parts of Iraq are stable now. But, uh, of course, what we see on television is the one bombing a day that discourages everyone.

Apparently Laura doesn't follow what's going on in Iraq. Just like her husband.

Duncan Doing His Best Not To Become President

Sooooo, what does a application to work on Duncan Hunter's campaign look like? One can only imagine. So thanks to Roger Ailes, we greet another of his employee's , Dr. Hunter Jordan.

'Screw the Buddhists and kill the Muslims' says S.C. education official
COLUMBIA, S.C.
(May 16, 1997 12:25 p.m. EDT)

A state Board of Education member, talking Tuesday about displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools, had a ready suggestion for groups who might object to it.

"Screw the Buddhists and kill the Muslims," Dr. Henry Jordan said during the board's finance and legislative committee meeting. "And put that in the minutes," he added.

The remarks made Tuesday were expunged from the written minutes, but were recorded on tape. The (Columbia) State obtained the tape under the Freedom of Information Act.

Jordan, a surgeon who failed in a bid to get the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 1994, said Thursday he thought the meeting was over and members were engaged in private conversation.

The tape, however, shows the committee proceeding to other items on the agenda.

Jordan also said he didn't mean for his comments to be taken literally.

Ummm... yeah, of course you didn't mean it seriously. Doc, I was born on a Friday, but it wasn't last Friday. Oh and well you thought it was off the record and not part of the meeting? WTF?

Okay it gets better, and why all this brouhaha over The Ten Commandments, otherwise known as Hammurabi's Code, pocket edition.

"What I want to do is promote Christianity as the only true religion," he said. "This nation was founded to worship, honor and glorify Jesus Christ, not Mohammed, not Buddha."

He must have missed that whole separation of church and state thing in civics class.

Vilsack Out For Dems, Hunter Taking Steps To Remove Himself From Contention.

Well the first casualty of the highly accelerated 08 election season has been identified, Tom Vilsack. Never an A-list contender Vilsack was mentioned as a candidate since he left the governorship of Iowa a few years back.

On the Republican side it seems that Senator Duncan Hunter wants out of this race really, really bad. Otherwise why be this stupid.

Hunter taps like-minded conservatives in S.C. to lead campaign
By SEANNA ADCOX
Associated Press Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. | Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter on Thursday named a South Carolina adviser who boasted about telling an illegal immigrant worried about an abused child to "get back to Mexico."

At a news conference at the Statehouse, Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle talked up her hard-line stance on illegal immigrants. The former county GOP chairwoman said an illegal immigrant with three children came to her office this week asking for free legal help for an abused child.

"I told her the best thing for her to do was to get back to Mexico," Eargle said....

I'm surprised St McCain of Whore didn't hire this winner. She would have fit right in with that nest of barbarians. oh well, Guess the old story is true, love the fetus hate the child eh Lois....

SWEET JESUS IN A SUIT!!!

Found this over at Pharyngula.

Interesting fellow.... well if Bush can be president, and Cheney viewed as a brave and moral man; I guess this fellow, Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda, could be Jesus Christ.

To complete your quota for Friday weirdness you can visit the website Growing In Grace. While this guy is obviously a kook, i gotta dig the 666 tattoo he apparently has on his arm.

Page Bill Donohue! I want a steel cage match between these two stat!!

The Wacky World of Dick!

Sometimes all you need is a headline:

Cheney Criticizes China's Arms Buildup
By ROHAN SULLIVAN 02.23.07, 3:32 AM ET

"Other actions by the Chinese government send a different message," Cheney told the Australian-American Leadership Dialogue, a private organization that promotes ties between the two countries.

"Last month's anti-satellite test, China's continued fast-paced military buildup are less constructive and are not consistent with China's stated goal of a peaceful rise," he said.

Are we still, (chuckle) going ahead with "Star Wars", Dick? Yep, big surprise that a country would be testing an anti-satellite systems, especially with cool-headed, peace loving, teddy bears like you roaming the political landscape. However, lets be honest, the SDI systems have been a boondoggle and red herring since St. Raygun was steering blindly at the helm. China is much more afraid of the spy-sats that actually work, but it does send an effective message to the retro-80's members of the Republican party who think SDI will actually work.

With the anachronistic Cold War policies this administration espouses, y'know like overtly overthrowing regimes for financial concerns, it is not surprising that other countries are preparing for the worst. Take for example this statement out of the "How to Make Your Own Vietnam Handbook". As you read this replace "jihadist(s)/ Taliban" with the word Communist and of course Iraq/Afghanistan/ Middle East with the Far Eastern or Central American country of your choice:

"Having tasted victory in Iraq, jihadists would look for new missions," joining the Taliban fighting in Afghanistan and spreading "sorrow and discord" across the Middle East and further afield, he said.

"Such chaos and mounting danger does not have to occur. It is, however, the enemy's objective," Cheney said. "For the sake of our own long-term security, we have a duty to stand in their way."

I lived through the late seventies and ALL of the 80's once. I do not need to live through it again. Besides I got rid of "Member's Only" jackets and bottle of Drakkar years ago.

I See Dumb People

"Congressmen who willfully take action during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs, and should be arrested, exiled or hanged," that's what President Abraham Lincoln said during the War Between the States.

J. Michael Waller, "Democrats Usher in An Age of Treason." Insight magazine, 23 Dec. 2003

Apparently no matter how many times it crops up and then immediately slammed down, this like many other bogus Lincoln quotes has a life of its own. it was used in the 2006 Washington County, PA Commissioners race by Diana Irey. She subsequently apologized. The most egregious use, and most current, is by Representative Don Young (R-Alaska). Who, when called on it, let his spokesperson do the talking:

Young's spokeswoman, Meredith Kenny, said the congressman took the quote directly from an article he read in The Washington Times on Tuesday, which as of Thursday had not been corrected.

"Now that he's been informed these are not the actual words of Lincoln, he will discontinue attributing the words to Lincoln. However, he continues to totally agree with the message of the statement... Americans, especially America's elected leaders, should not take actions during a time of war that damage the morale of our soldiers and military -- and that is exactly what this non-binding resolution does."

Quoted from The Sleuth, Honest It Wasn't Abe

It should come as no surprise that "Alaska's Third Senator" was ranked as the third worst member of Congress, dubbed Mr. Pork by Rolling Stone. A note to Republicans stop quoting crap from the Mooney Herald, otherwise known as the Washington Times. Really it gets you nothing but trouble.

The second dumb statement comes from the font of silliness our President. Its not so much the rest of his answer that is idiotic, it's not. Here lies the problem, when you say stuff like "money trumps peace", you lose everybody in the sheer amoral nature of the statement, and no one listens to the rest of the answer. I do not agree with his hellbent for leather saber-rattling with Iran. I do believe that brinkmanship is sometimes necessary, but trying to force a Gulf of Tonkin II is not in the United States best interests. Anyway here is the exchange:

Q A lot of our allies in Europe do a lot of business with Iran, so I wonder what your thoughts are about how you further tighten the financial pressure on Iran, in particular, if it also means economic pain for a lot of our allies?

THE PRESIDENT: It's an interesting question. One of the problems -- not specifically on this issue, just in general -- let's put it this way, money trumps peace, sometimes. In other words, commercial interests are very powerful interests throughout the world. And part of the issue in convincing people to put sanctions on a specific country is to convince them that it's in the world's interest that they forgo their own financial interest.

Press Conference February 14th. 2007

If Republicans want to know why they lost in November 06, or at least one of the many reasons why they lost, it is saying amazingly amoral, unnecessary, illogical, and moronic things. In short republicans take notr, I quote Walt Kelly's Pogo: We have met the enemy and they are us.

The Three Suicide King Pig of New York

Chris Walken reads the Three Little Pigs! Classic!!!

The Price of War and The Power of Love

Click Photo to enlarge

Thanks to Nancy Willing from over at Delaware Way.

This is not a post about politics, I would not cheapen their joy nor their sorrow in that way. No words can express the confluence of paradoxical emotions that they inspire. I would love to comment on the war that caused his injuries or the hope that their wedding inspires, but I am, for once at a lost for words. What I can express is my deep admiration for this young couple and my hopes for their future. Below is Ty and Rene in a simpler time.

View more photos here.

In Defense of The Commons: Katamai National Park

Taken from Wikipedia:

The Commons: are a subset of public goods; specifically meaning a public good which is not infinite. Commons can therefore be land, rivers and, arguably, money. The Commons is most often a finite but replenishable resource, which requires responsible use in order to remain available. A subset of this is a commons which requires not only responsible use but also active contribution from its users, such as a school or church funded by local donations.

The concept of the Commons, as we understand it today, derives from England. It is based on the idea, that a community of people, the metaphorical signers of the Social Contract, can share access to plots of land for community and individual use. In earlier times such rights were considered self evident for things like grazing, hunting, and estovers. The Commons now manifest itself in our highways and above all our National Parks.

Using the Hobbesian concept of centralized control and administration The NPS has provided a haven for Americans and visitors alike. It is a shame that these resources are being squandered and starved for funding, as Theodore Roosevelt noted:

"it is also vandalism wantonly to destroy or to permit the destruction of what is beautiful in nature, whether it be a cliff, a forest, or a species of mammal or bird. Here in the United States we turn our rivers and streams into sewers and dumping-grounds, we pollute the air, we destroy forests, and exterminate fishes, birds and mammals -- not to speak of vulgarizing charming landscapes with hideous advertisements. But at last it looks as if our people were awakening."

With that in mind the National Parks Conservation Association asks for all Americans to understand the deeper meaning found in this e-mail:

Katmai Bears Caught in the Crossfire
(Click Here For Petition Text)
The Katmai bear population is one of the most photographed wildlife species in the world. Thousands of visitors flock to Alaska each year to catch a glimpse of these bears in their natural habitat. How would you feel if you traveled to Alaska to capture that incredible image and those bears were nowhere to be seen? The Alaska Board of Game is allowing brown bears to be hunted beyond what is sustainable in Katmai National Preserve--and they are set to open 95,000 acres of land in Katmai National Park to bear hunting for the first time in almost 22 years. Without a change to existing bear hunting regulations, the population will continue to decline. And the photographs will be all that’s left. Ensure that the bears continue to have a protected habitat--and that you can continue to view them. Take action!

This is not about one individual species of plant or tree. It is about something greater than that, greater than ourselves. If we are the stewards of this land, then defense of the Commons and those that inhabit it. It is the single greatest calling We The People have. I end this with yet another quote from President Theodore Roosevelt.

"It is not what we have that will make us a great nation; it is the way in which we use it."

The Edwards' Blogger Non Story: Coda

So, the blogger controversy ends with a thud. A few days ago, Edwards, much to his credit, released a reasonable statement on the non-issue. I would have liked to have seen something a bit stronger but given the circumstances and the unhinged nature of his accusers, this will do. John you are back on the list.

Statement on Campaign Bloggers
From John Edwards.com
2/08/2007 at 11:36 AM EST

The tone and the sentiment of some of Amanda Marcotte's and Melissa McEwan's posts personally offended me. It's not how I talk to people, and it's not how I expect the people who work for me to talk to people. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that kind of intolerant language will not be permitted from anyone on my campaign, whether it's intended as satire, humor, or anything else. But I also believe in giving everyone a fair shake. I've talked to Amanda and Melissa; they have both assured me that it was never their intention to malign anyone's faith, and I take them at their word. We're beginning a great debate about the future of our country, and we can't let it be hijacked. It will take discipline, focus, and courage to build the America we believe in.

Bush On American Idol

CONDI -LICIOUS!!!

Halfrican?

You might ask am I surprised that Limbaugh came out with this, the answer is no. However, with Rushbo and Morgan using the same term reeks of the right wing scheme machine floating a new "buzz" word.

January 24, 2007, Radio Show
LIMBAUGH: Hey, Barack Obama has picked up another endorsement: Halfrican American actress Halle Berry. "As a Halfrican American, I am honored to have Ms. Berry's support, as well as the support of other Halfrican Americans," Obama said.

He didn't say it, but -- anyway, there are those out there -- greetings.

The there was this wonderful display of faux concern for blacks in this country by a very Caucasian "suicide" blond:

December 4, 2006 WKSFO
MORGAN: Senator Obama, who is, as you call, a 'Halfrican' --SUSSMAN: Halfrican and, again, his father was -- his father was from Kenya, his mother's white. OK, now, I have nothing with mixed -- nothing against mixed-race people but, my point is, when this guy stands in front of a black audience, pretending like he was born and raised in the hood, and he can identify with their problems, he doesn't allow -- he is not, in my opinion -- 'cause my opinion is your average white guy -- he is not allowed to wear the African-American badge because his family are not the descendants of slaves, OK?

One might ask how Melanie Morgan can decide who wears, as she puts it, "the African-American badge" in this country. Was there a committee formed I am unaware of? Woman has about as much street cred as David Duke.

In Memorium

Vickie Lynn Marshall
aka/Anna Nicole Smith
November 28, 1967 – February 8, 2007

The first time I saw Anna was in her 1993 playboy pictorial, I was twenty two. She was a southern beauty with a voluptuous body and a girl next door charm. She was by my estimation the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. The Guess! Jean's commercials fueled the young male fantasies of my generation.

Then came the fall. The augmentation, the weight gain, the marriage, the money, the drugs; the glamour fell away, leaving the scarred and scared Vickie Lynn and the entertainment gossip piranhas to feed on her.

Like another former playmate Anna Nicole became a shadow of her former self. The difference was , with Norma Jean , the public was shielded from watching the moral, physical, and mental deterioration of their sex goddess. With Anna her tragedy was marketed and peddled like some cheap moral flea market.

Rest in peace Vickie Lynn. When I see you it is still 1993, I am young, the world is filled with promise, and you are star of my dreams.

Bill Donohue.... WTF is Wrong With This Man

"Just imagine if a white guy is performing oral sex on a statue of Martin Luther King with an erection. Do you need to see it to know it's ugly?"
William Donohue

Shock Jocks Opie and Anthony held a debate between Lucky Louie star Louie C.K. and nutball William Donohue of the Catholic League. The brouhaha comes from this press release from Donohue's group. (August14,2006)

A Walking Advertisement for, Why There Are Failed Catholics

I will readily and proudly submit that I am a prototypical failed Catholic. For those on the outside, a failed Catholic is an onerous term used by "successful" Catholics to describe and I guess humiliate former members of the faith into seeing the light.

Well nine years of Catholic education, plus religious instruction for the four years prior to that did me in. By college I was well on my way to atheism or using the apparently new term for it secular humanism. Anyway, part of my fall from grace was the inability to rationalize religion with the world of science. Science is rational and testable, religion is neither. Some folks would rather do the ghosts and demon thing, I prefer to understand my world by what is actually occurring in it. As John Lennon once sang "Whatever gets you through the night, its alright."

Another major reason for getting on the Highway to Hell, are people like the hypocritical, hateful, self absorbed, mindless, bigoted, jackass, Bill Donohue. Whoops! There goes my chance at working for the John Edwards campaign.

Who is Bill Donohue? Imagine a man who makes Bill O'Reily and Rush Limbaugh seem enlightened and liberal. This unapologetic piece of unenlightened wombat entrails is noted for saying shit like this (Quotes compiled from Media Matters):

On Homosexuality

"Name for me a book publishing company in this country, particularly in New York, which would allow you to publish a book which would tell the truth about the gay death style." [MSNBC's Scarborough Country, 2/27/04]

"The fact of the matter is it's due to the behavioral recklessness of gay men in New York City, that they're endangering the lives of everybody. So, you want to talk about the Catholic Church intervening in other people's lives? The gay community has yet to apologize to straight people for all the damage that they have done -- for contaminating the blood supply in New York City and around the country. And I find it amazing that, when people are acting so morally delinquent, that they're asking for more rights at the same time."
[MSNBC's Scarborough Country, 4/11/05]

On Judaism

"We've already won. Who really cares what Hollywood thinks? All these hacks come out there. Hollywood is controlled by secular Jews who hate Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular. It's not a secret, OK? And I'm not afraid to say it.
[MSNBC's Scarborough Country, 12/8/04]

On the South Asia Tsunami:

There is no greater suffering than what Christ did. He died on the cross, but that's a source of optimism. That`s a source of redemption. So, I think we have to look at this in a positive sense. In one strange sense, then, what's happening to these poor Asian people is their gift to the world. It makes us think about our mortality and about salvation and about redemption. That's what we should be thinking about.
[MSNBC's Scarborough Country, 1/7/05]

On Hollywood:

Hollywood likes anal sex. They like to see the public square without nativity scenes. I like families. I like children. They like abortions. I believe in traditional values and restraint. They believe in libertinism. We have nothing in common. But you know what? The culture war has been ongoing for a long time. Their side has lost." [MSNBC's Scarborough Country, 12/8/04]

I am not sure what the hell he is talking about here:

Well, first they said it [The Passion of the Christ] was anti-Semitic. That didn't work. Then they said it was too violent. That didn't work. Then they said it was S & M. That didn't work. Then they said it was pornography. That didn't work. Now they're saying it's fascistic queer-bashing. That kind of language would ordinarily get somebody taken away in a straitjacket and -- put you in the asylum. I don't know what about -- the queer-bashing is all about. I'm pretty good about picking out who queers are and I didn't see any in the movie. I'm usually pretty good at that.
[MSNBC, Scarborough Country, 3/12/04]

On Mark Foley's claim that, as a young teen, he was abused by a Catholic Priest:

“As for the alleged abuse, it’s time to ask some tough questions. First, there is a huge difference between being groped and being raped, so which was it Mr. Foley? Second, why didn’t you just smack the clergyman in the face? After all, most 15-year-old teenage boys wouldn’t allow themselves to be molested. So why did you?”
[Catholic League Press Release 10/4/06]

Mr Donohue seems to have a real hangup about homosexuality and anal sex. While not something I choose to participate in either, it just strikes me a darkly funny that a man seemingly obsessed with homosexuality, pedophile priests, and anal sex would write a book entitled, On the front line of the culture war: Recent attacks on the Boy Scouts of America.

If John Edwards is going to let Bill Donohue decide his campaign employees, he has officially lost, someone genuinely excited about his campaign. John you have officially proven yourself to be spineless and are officially off my list of candidates.

Ivy league Shower Debate

A recent outbreak of the flu in the Libertas household has left my blogging sprawled all over the place, with little actually being published. A lot has happened in that period of time, Bill Donahue proving to be more of a hypocritical jackass than I thought he was & Shrub getting snubbed by the patrons of a diner. There was also his Laura-esque attempted vehicular homicide via incompetence of reporters and this story coming from his alma mater:

Hartford Courant
Yale Showers Run Too Hot
College Official Advises Amorous Couple To Dry Off
By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
Associated Press
February 3 2007

NEW HAVEN -- Sex is not a taboo subject at Yale, home to Sex Week, a biennial celebration that's one of the most provocative campus events in the nation.

But a randy couple's frolic in a shower at one of Yale's undergraduate residential colleges prompted a professor to issue an e-mail of protest, which in turn has sparked debate on the Internet.

With the subject line "Shower Stalls are for Showering," the e-mail begins "OK, well THIS is the most awkward college-wide e-mail I've ever had to send."...

"Several times since the start of the spring term some Hounies have come across a couple having the time of their lives in a shower stall," the e-mail stated, referring to the nickname for college residents. "Last night, the shower flooded and the bathroom could not be used for over 90 minutes. To the as yet unidentified couple, this may be pleasurable and exciting for you, but it is a violation of community standards. Please stop.

I find absolutely no reason to comment further, some things speak for themselves.

With 5:16 left in the 4th

Some questions answered as I watch with 5:16 left in the 4th....

Can the Bears average secondaery step up and stop Wayne and Harrison? More or less
Can Urlacher stop Clark? Pretty Much
Which Grossman shows up tonight? The rookie That needs a lot of work

Is Manning an big game quarterback? In an open stadium? In the rain? Possibly, wasn't impressed
Is the Colt's defense for real? A resounding YES!
Can their fabulous O line hold off the Bears attack? OH YEAH!

Superbowl Pick

After getting my tail kicked in the Conference Finals, I have the audacity to pick DE GAME!
Can the Bears average secondaery step up and stop Wayne and Harrison?
Can Urlacher stop Clark?
Which Grossman shows up tonight?

Speaking of questions....
Is Manning an big game quarterback? In an open stadium? In the rain?
Is the Colt's defense for real?
Can their fabulous O line hold off the Bears attack?

We will find out. My pick, I think it will be close, Adam Veniteri close, but when the gun sounds the winner will be:

DA
BEARS!!

Getting Caught Up

I’ve been out of touch for a while (work does have a way of getting in the way of important stuff, like blogging), so let me see if I’m up to speed on what’s going on:

Bush is now the Decision Deciderer. Or is that the Decider-Maker? Well, in either case, he’s revealed himself as a Jedi Master wiser than old Yoda himself, who knows better than the people of the United States, the Congress, the military, the founding fathers, the United Nations and the world. Not to mention the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people, all of whom want him to get lost and stay lost.

No, he knows what’s best and that’s to stick around the Middle East and continue to blow stuff up and kill people, because it’s the only way to make them love us.

And he can’t figure out why the rest of the world stubbornly refuses to understand this.

Have I got that all right?

And we shouldn’t pay any attention to the Scooter Libby trial, because it was just a third-rate burglary. Or something.

Well, it’s good to back in the thick of things, so let me just say, Go, Bears!

Because I’m not giving the Manning brothers any more chances to let me down.

In Memorium

Mary Tyler "Molly" Ivins
August 30, 1944 – January 31, 2007

"Politics is not a picture on a wall or a television sitcom that you can decide you don't much care for."

I first discovered the wit and passion of Molly Ivins in her books Who Let The Dogs In? and Bushwacked which she co-authored with Lou Dubose. She was funny, insightful, and at times controversial. A true Populist was never afraid to speak or write what was on her mind. A defender of the powerless and a never ending strength that fought the good fight until the very end. Rest in peace Molly, my monthly "The Progressive" will never be the same.