First Draft

Saturday Blogwhoring Thread

Post away!

A.

Today on Athenae's Obsession with the Freepi: No We Can't!

John McCain: America shouldn't suck.

Freepi: YES IT SHOULD!

Voting for McCain will be tantamount to kissing our national sovereignty good bye.

Don't let an opportunity to bag someone's military service pass you by.

He was less of a traitor sitting in the cages in N. Vietnam.

Lean like a gringo!

Should I vomit now, or on election day when you create the first “Pray to...er, FOR El Jefe Presidente Juanito McAmnesty” thread?

Cylon Model Number Three weighs in.

Agree. Between Love and Fear, Fear is most certain to elicit the desired response and Love will only have an affect on those who have a conscience. In National Security matters I prefer to have a position that is based on strength (A Proxy for Fear) as opposed to depending on allegiances based on love. You can have both but you cannot have any reliable alliance or restraint that is only ‘Love’.

This guy got his copies of the Left Behind series SIGNED.

The first part of the op-ed had me gagging at his desire to reach out to allies in all things. Phrases like "democratic solidarity," "transatlantic alliance," "new global compact," "League of Democracies," "shared interests," and "collective will" sound just like the Left. I don't have a problem with respecting our allies and working together, but McCain goes way overboard as he does with calling for a "New Global Order."

I want defense of our country to come before some world opinion... or world government.

This one's determined not to let the Kossacks hog all the meta.

Back up your assertion that Calcowgirl is a Hillary lover.

Since I agree with her, show where I am a Hillary lover. My posts are there for all to see.

I don’t care if you are pro-Navy.

I want to see facts. Not tirades. Not personal attacks.

Your move.

And ... wait, what?

McCain is nuttier than a rat turd in a pistachio factory.

Is that what the kids say these days?

A.

Your President Speaks! AGAIN!

Thursday, at the White House, during an interview with the Pentagon Channel/Armed Forces Network.

The Has Gots

Generally what happens is, is that, in a place like Walter Reed or Bethesda, a solider will look at their Commander-in-Chief and say, I can't wait to get back in the battle, which obviously -- first of all, it's just so inspiring to me, but also has got to change the perspective of their family a little bit.

We Knew This

I'm a crier, at times.

He's The Comforter-In-Chief

And I say that oftentimes the comforter-in-chief is the person who gets comforted, because of the strength and courage and great love of country of these folks.

Your President Speaks!

Thrusday, at the White House, during an interview with Voice of America's Persian News Network (PNN?).

The People Respects

Secondly, that the people of the United States respects the people of Iran; that we respect the traditions of Iran, the great history of Iran.

Can't Disinguish Iran from Iraq

It's just sad that the leadership is in many ways very stubborn, because the Iraqi -- the Iranian people are not realizing their true rights. And they're confusing people in Iraq, as well, about their desires.

What The People Of Iran Got To Understand

Well, part of the problem is that it's very hard for people to trust the Iranian government because they haven't told the full truth, and that's why the people of Iran have got to understand there are great suspicions right now, not only in the United States, but around the world.

Synaptic Static

But there is a better way forward. And I thought, for example, the Russians proposed an interesting way, that says -- and I have said publicly, and the Iranian people need to know that I believe Iran has the right to have civilian nuclear power.

Calls The Iranians "It"

It would help solve the problem, and that is the Iranians wouldn't need to enrich, it would have fuel for their reactor and the people would have cheaper electricity.

Words To Live By

In other words, I -- once a nation hasn't told the truth, it requires a lot of work to convince people that they'll be telling the truth in the future.

Gender Issues

I'm concerned about a child wanting to gain the knowledge so that he or she can realize her God-given talents.

Brainwreck

And any time a government is failing to meet the needs of people -- or a lot of times, not "any time," but a lot of times governments have failed to meet the needs of their people, particularly in relatively non-transparent, non-free societies they always look for somebody to blame.

It Is Irresponsible Remarks

It is irresponsible remarks like that which cause great credibility loss with the Iranian government, the actions of which are affecting the country.

Friday Ferretblogging: In Which We Learn That Not All Pet Gates Are Created Equal

Our kitchen door, which we use to keep the ferrets from crawling under the stove or behind the refrigerator, is busted at the moment. While we wait for Mr. A to get tired of looking for another solution and just let me weld the damn hinge back together already, we put up a gate to keep them in the dining room. It's working out really well:

(We got a new plexi-glass gate off Amazon the next day.)

A.

Is Dick Cheney A Muslim?

Wiki:

Some symbols, such as the color green, have been associated with Islam for a long time and in many areas; others are of more limited duration and extent.

[snip]

Crusaders avoided using any green in their coats of arms, so that they could not possibly be mistaken for their Muslim opponents in the heat of battle.

I guess Dick Cheney doesn't mind being mistaken for a Muslim.

AFP/Paul J. Richards

"Successful Endeavor"

Big Time is as insightful as he is honest.

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq has defeated terrorism and is well on the road to recovery after five years of war, a confident Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Thursday.

Then the lights went out.

Maliki, known for his steely nerves, tried to continue his speech. But his bodyguards would have none of that.

They hustled him off the stage,, possibly fearing that the power failure might be part of a plot against the prime minister.

Maliki's speech was an attempt to boost his nation's morale on the anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. But its abrupt end was a reminder of the obstacles ahead.

More Good News For Republikkkans

Pew Poll:

The balance of party identification in the American electorate now favors the Democratic Party by a decidedly larger margin than in either of the two previous presidential election cycles.

In 5,566 interviews with registered voters conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press during the first two months of 2008, 36% identify themselves as Democrats, and just 27% as Republicans.

The share of voters who call themselves Republicans has declined by six points since 2004, and represents, on an annualized basis, the lowest percentage of self-identified Republican voters in 16 years of polling by the Center.

The Democratic Party has also built a substantial edge among independent voters. Of the 37% who claim no party identification, 15% lean Democratic, 10% lean Republican, and 12% have no leaning either way.

By comparison, in 2004 about equal numbers of independents leaned toward both parties. When "leaners" are combined with partisans, however, the Democratic Party now holds a 14-point advantage among voters nationwide (51% Dem/lean-Dem to 37% Rep/lean-Rep), up from a three-point advantage four years ago.

Surge!

Chimpy's job approval rating surgesin the new ARG poll, up from his all-time low of 19%.

Increased approval among Republicans has moved George W. Bush's overall job approval to 24% according to the latest survey from the American Research Group. Those disapproving of the way Bush is handling his job and the economy remain at or near record highs for American Research Group polling during Bush's tenure in office as 86% of Americans say the national economy is getting worse and 66% say the national economy is in a recession.

Among all Americans, 24% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 75% disapprove. When it comes to Bush's handling of the economy, 18% approve and 80% disapprove.

Fox Ponies!

Oh, my.

With far more Americans identifying themselves as Democrats than Republicans, President Bush’s job rating has hit a new low, according to the latest FOX News poll.

Three in 10 Americans (30 percent) now approve of the job Bush is doing as the nation’s leader, with 6 in 10 disapproving.

While disapproval of the president has been higher (for example, 61 percent in both July and March of 2007), his approval rating has never sunk this low before.

Majorities in every major sub-group except Republicans, conservatives and born-again Christians give a negative rating to Bush’s performance in the White House. Nearly two-thirds of Republicans (65 percent) approve of Bush.

This bad news for Bush comes at a time when the gap between those identifying themselves as Democrats and those identifying as Republicans has reached 13 percentage points (43 percent versus 30 percent), which is the largest difference ever measured in a FOX News poll.

It's Been A While Since We Had Some Hee

Or, why I don't drink at my local on St. Patrick's Day despite it being an Irish bar and serving a pretty mean car bomb:

I scan the area around the Bar to make sure I'm not going to step in anything green and disgusting. A group of five people is hanging out on the sidewalk, eating falafel or gyros or whatever they've bought from the cart down the street, but only four of them are standing. One is sitting down, in his own green mini-portajohn with the door open. It's a Hallowe'en-worthy effort, and I have to smile.

That's when he looks up at me from his sandwich, and says, "Your nipples are fantastic."

Via metaquotes.

A.

Today On Holden's Obsession With The Gaggle

Dana Peroxide Calls On China To Refrain From Non-Violence

Q China sent more troops into Tibet to crack down on the demonstrators. The United States have any reaction to that?

MS. PERINO: I hadn't heard about that development. What I can tell you is that last night Secretary Rice spoke to the Chinese Foreign Minister to very directly reiterate our views and concerns about the situation and told the Chinese that we would urge restraint in dealing with protestors, to refrain from non-violence [sic] and then Secretary Rice informed the President this morning of that conversation.

President FreedomAgenda Supports Dictators

Q Dana, back on China for a moment. I know you've said in the past that President Bush attending the Olympics, that he's really doing so just as a sports fan and not to make any kind of political statement. But can you really separate the two? Can you really sort of divorce the two? He is obviously the leader of the United States. And for him to be attending, many people say it's impossible not to be there as a political statement.

MS. PERINO: One, the President -- one of the things the President has said also in regards to this is that any country who's going to be hosting the Olympics will have a bright light shined upon it. And it is a chance for that country to put its best face forward, and it's also a chance for other countries to learn more about the country.

And we are very concerned about what's happening in Tibet, and we have expressed those concerns. And that's something that President Bush and Secretary Rice can do that other citizens, concerned citizens around the world aren't able to do, just because they're not elected as a head of state. But the President, as head of state, has spoken very frankly to President Hu, and Secretary Rice has done the same with her counterparts, and we will continue to.

[snip]

Q Follow on that? There is ample precedent for kind of a politicization of the Olympics. In 1980 the U.S. boycotted altogether because the host country, Russia, had invaded Afghanistan. Does the President think -- intend to go to Beijing and have absolutely no political voice at all while he's in China?

MS. PERINO: Actually, I think if you look back to some of the things he's said before, that it -- on a trip like that, he would make it a priority to have a meeting and a conversation with President Hu, which is something, again, that I said that he as a head of state is able to do, that other people aren't able to do.

Big Time's "So"

Q Dana, can I just follow on our colleague Martha Raddatz's interview with the Vice President? Let's set aside the meaning of the word "so" for a second, and get to something the Vice President then said about fluctuations in the public opinion polls: "You can't be blown off course by fluctuations in public opinion polls." That would suggest that at any point in recent memory that the American public has been behind the war. It's not that there's been fluctuations in polls; it's been different degrees of opposition to the war. So is the Vice President saying it really doesn't matter what the American public thinks about the war?

MS. PERINO: No, I don't think that's what he's saying, and obviously I haven't spoken to the Vice President since he's traveling today and was in Kabul visiting with President Karzai a the request of the President. But what he went on to say is that President should not make decisions based on polls.

[snip]

Q So at what point -- I mean, I guess I just -- there is the impression that the Vice President doesn't care about what the American people think in policy like that. Is that a wrong impression? And does the President share that impression?

MS. PERINO: I think that is the wrong impression. I think that the Vice President and the President both, together, all of us across the administration, would like for people to support the President's decisions. We realize that that's unrealistic, especially in a time of war -- and in particular this war.

Dana Left An Opening For Helen

Q The American people are being asked to die and pay for this, and you're saying they have no say in this war?

MS. PERINO: I didn't say that, Helen. But, Helen, this President was elected --

Q Well, what it amounts to is you saying we have no input at all.

MS. PERINO: You had input. The American people have input every four years, and that's the way our system is set up.

Q Every four years.

MS. PERINO: And we listen to --

Q It sounds familiar.

MS. PERINO: -- different points of view. The President, in fact, had many meetings with members of Congress leading up to his decision about the surge.

Q Supposed to be a government for the people, of the people, by the people?

MS. PERINO: I would submit to you that people across America, if asked what type of a President do you want: one that stands on principle or that one that chases polls? And I think that they would want --

Q What's the principle of going to war against the people who did nothing to us?

MS. PERINO: Helen, the President went to war to remove Saddam Hussein. He talked all about this yesterday in his speech. I'll refer you to that.

Where's Osama?

Q As far as Osama bin Laden and our national security is concerned, he has issued another tape and warning Europe and it may affect the United States. And also, yesterday Senator Obama called on the President to bring Osama bin Laden, who is in Pakistan. Does he think he's still alive, Osama bin Laden?

MS. PERINO: I would put it this way. The intelligence community analyzed the tape. They do believe that that was his voice. So that would mean that for all things -- for all that we know, that he is still alive. And the President has a very aggressive hunt on for Osama bin Laden.

Your President Speaks!

Yesterday, at the White House, during an interview with Radio Farda (A US government-funded, Persian-language radio station that broadcasts propaganda into Iran from Prague)

People Respects

Secondly, that the United States -- people of the United States respects the great Iranian history and culture.

Cerebral Vortex

The free -- you know, there's a chance that the U.S. and Iran can reconcile their differences, but the government is going to have to make some -- make different choices.

Irony Gets A State Funeral

And the problem is, is that they have not told the truth in the past. And therefore it's very difficult for the United States and the rest of the world -- or much of the rest of the world -- to trust the Iranian government when it comes to telling the truth.

Whereas Israel Has Nucelar Weapons Because They Match The Drapes

The problem is the government cannot be trusted to enrich uranium because one, they've hidden programs in the past and they may be hiding one now, who knows; and secondly, they've declared they want to have a nuclear weapon to destroy people -- some in the Middle East.

Irony Is Dug Up And Reburied

The government has been duplicitous to the world. Very few people trust your government.

Brainwreck

We intend to move forward with the -- and the Czech Republic and Poland for the good of NATO.

Ponies for Holden!

I just returned from a weeks vacation in New Orleans and have brought back the bestest present of Ponies for Holden. And they come just in time as I see Chimpy has hit a new low  for CNN polling--31%.

So without further adieu.....

And Holden you have  the enthusiastic permission to re-post this photo from  the lovely owner of these lovely ponies.

Surge!

Watch the Dow today.

In the week ending March 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 378,000, an increase of 22,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 356,000. The 4-week moving average was 365,250, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's revised average of 359,250.

[snip]

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 8 was 2,865,000, an increase of 32,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,833,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,832,250, an increase of 19,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,812,500.

Today On Holden's Obsession With [Yesterday's] Gaggle

Dang, Dana Peroxide Got The Crap Beat Out Of Her Over Chimpy's Speech Yesterday

Let's Begin With Bill Plant

Q The President had a lot to say about the surge, but he didn't say much about the reason that the surge was put into effect, which was to create some breathing room for political reconciliation, which really hasn't happened. He didn't mention that at all.

MS. PERINO: I realize some people think that that hasn't been anything that happened, but I think if you look at the facts, Bill, I think --

Q Well, why didn't he mention it?

MS. PERINO: In terms of the political reconciliation that they've had?

Q Yes. What is there to brag about?

MS. PERINO: Well, they've passed a lot more laws than this Congress has this year, and they've worked very hard. I mean, they're going from a complete dictatorship where they have no trust of one another -- they've never had democracy, and just in January, late January, they finished passing four -- three or four pieces of -- major pieces of legislation. And they're continuing to work on more.

He Didn't Discuss His NCAA Brackets, For Instance

Q If I can follow on the previous question, in the past the President has, in his speeches, put pressure on Maliki's government and the Iraqi parliament to do more on national reconciliation. Now, does this mean the President is satisfied with what they've done up to date?

Q He didn't mention it.

MS. PERINO: Well, there's a lot of things he didn't mention. There's lots of things he did mention. He can't talk about every single thing every time.

[snip]

Q But this was laid out as one of the cornerstone reasons for having the surge in the first place. Now, all he -- he did mention today bottom-up reconciliation --

MS. PERINO: -- what the facts are. You reported -- Reuters has reported on them, on those successes in Iraq yourselves. So I don't understand where you're coming from.

Q I'm just wondering why the President doesn't have anything to say about it. I'd think in a major speech --

MS. PERINO: Well, we could have made it much longer, and we could have had lots of other things in there to satisfy you.

Your President Speaks!

Today, at the Pentagon.

Opens By Insulting The Coast Guard

Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Coastmen -- Coast Guardmen [sic], thanks for coming, thanks for wearing the uniform.

Pressure Sicness

General David Petraeus took command with a new mission: Work with Iraqi forces to protect the Iraqi people, pressure [sic] the enemy into strongholds, and deny the terrorists sanctuary anywhere in the country. And that is precisely what we have done.

After Which In The Following

To allow this to happen would be to ignore the lessons of September the 11th and make it more likely that America would suffer another attack like the one we experienced that day -- a day in which 19 armed men with box cutters killed nearly 3,000 people in our -- on our soil; a day after which in the following of that attack more than one million Americans lost work, lost their jobs.

Actually, It's About 1400 Miles

About the same time as we launched Operation Iraqi Freedom, coalition forces, thousands of -- hundreds of miles away launched an assault on the terrorists in the mountains of southern Afghanistan in an operation called Operation Valiant Strike.

What The Enemy Doesn't Got

When Americans like Spanky Gibson serve on our side, the enemy in Iraq doesn't got a chance.

100% Casualty Rate?

You will always remember the comrades who served with you in combat did not make the journey home. America remembers them as well. 

Today on Athenae's Obsession with the Freepi: We Survived the Hurricane!

By all accounts, it is Gloriously Obtuse day on the Internet, as the Freepi discuss Sally Kern. First up, we have the Freepi fighting over which REAL enemy is the MOST REAl:

Our nation's MOST serious and important threat is MARXISM!

Then we have "I'm fine, what's YOUR problem?"

We can survive a nuclear suitcase bomb. Didn't we lose an entire city to a hurricane? Didn't we survive?

Who's WE, motherfucker?

But wait! Sally Kern just meant RICH gays! You know, the ones who want to elect Iranians to kill them!

Largely ignored in this uproar is Kerns' explanation that "her remarks were directed at wealthy, politically active homosexuals who are contributing money to gay and lesbian candidates for public office."

Since these candidates are largely associated with the pro-defeat left, they are at least complicit in empowering terrorists. Since (as Ahmedinejad has assured us) there are no homosexuals in Iran, one wonders if the gay community might not be as much of a threat to itself as to anyone else.

Sally Kern needs your LOVE to survive! Clap harder!

Help this Patriot to withstand the al_Queera assualt against her and America. Here’s a fight we can WIN - give her a call or email a supportive message. Its us against THEM - the evil ones.

Wrap your mind around the ENDTIMEWARTHINGY.

As I have posted here often - the real fight now is the CultureWar and the Islamic threat is part of that AND that this “war” is a three-way fight. That the Islamist have been at this since they started in 635AD is a given but the fight is much older than them.

Only now is it coming down to the “EndTime War” that all this is working into a finale war is what makes it seem so “unreal” and too much to get ones mind around.

Then they go straight over the edge, passing delusional on the way down:

It matters what people post on this Forum.

Proper capitalization, however, doesn't mean shit.

A.

Pony-Up!

Chimpy just hit his all-time low job approval rating in the Zogby Poll:  26%.  And his fellow Republikkkans are finally giving up on him.

The gains in job approval ratings made by President George W. Bush and Congress over the past few months from their all-time lows last year have reversed course in this latest poll. Approval ratings for the President stand at just 26% this month, down from 34% who gave him positive job approval marks in February. Bush has lost ground across the political spectrum, including among likely voters in his own party – fewer than half of Republicans (48%) view his job performance favorably, down from 61% last month. His support among political independents has fallen to 19% from 29% last month, and among Democrats, stands at 9%, down from 13%.

His previous low mark in Zogby was 30%, set in December 2007.

Gettin' My Dork On

Yes, I am.  But I'll still take you in a fight.

While looking through Science Blogs,  I came across a wonderful site called Deep Sea News.  It combines my dorky love of biology with my dorky knowledge of being underwater.  Woo.

Check it out.  They have an interesting discussion on what's happening to coral thanks to the decreased alkalinity of the world's oceans (as the atmospheric carbon content increases, the oceans absorb some carbon dioxide, leading to more production of carbonic acid and a lower pH), submersible synopses, and this story on an recently-discovered (thus heretofore unknown) population of blue whales off of Chile.

Think about that for just a minute.  The blue whale is, by far, the largest animal that has ever lived on earth (to the best of our knowledge so far, of course).  The most massive sauropod doesn't even come close.  Similarly, the largest marine reptiles of the Mesozoic are still smaller than the blue whale.  This cetacean can be over 100 feet long, and tip the scales at 200 tons.  A blue whale's tongue weighs as much as an elephant, and you could easily fit inside its aorta (if you were lying down, not standing).  And we know stunningly little about these gargantuan creatures.   We don't know where they breed, how long they live, what they do most of the time, or even the routes they take between the places we do know they occasionally congregate.

Blue whale and human diver, to scale.

The blue whale wasn't even a protected species until 1966, at which time they had almost been eliminated by commercial whaling--there may have been fewer than 1000 blue whales left in the entire world.  Humans being humans, we almost eliminated the single largest animal ever to inhabit this watery globe. 

To find an entire population of these giants is simply an astonishing event. 

It's a marvelous world out there, folks.  I know that we can lose sight of that when we get involved in our daily grinds, or when we think about the problems facing ourselves, our communities, our country, and our planet.  But don't lose sight of the beauty, and don't forget to wonder.

I promise to return to your regularly scheduled snark soon.

 

Win

Win.  The stuff of which TBogg is made.

Just go read him.  The man is capable of producing several tons of weapons-grade snark in mere seconds.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve agreed with something posted here.

It's really simple. The media needed some way to take down Barack Obama, and since they didn't have anything on him (by all accounts he appears to have conducted his life with honor and integrity - something that makes him dangerous in Washington), they went after his preacher. And so we find ourselves in a situation where a presidential candidate is being attacked not for what he did, but for what someone else did. If I had been watching television, something I occasionally do just to see what shit they're peddling, I would have written this a week ago - I'm sorry this is somewhat late to the game. And it appears the netroots have lost focus of what is really going on here. It is simply unacceptable to hold a candidate responsible for the actions of someone else who is not under their employ. I can't believe people are falling for it.

If anybody gives a shit what I think of Obama’s speech, it’s that I was, as usual, impressed with him as a writer, and as usual, impressed with him as a speaker, and as usual, wondering with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, “Oh, what the fuck is coming down the pipe next?” Because it’s not the speech, of course, that counts. Talking about this over at the crack den, where there was actually some interesting discussion amidst the trolling, I said if anything, the speech was too subtle for me, I wanted Obama up at the podium saying something along the lines of “Fuck you, and by the way, tell your mom I want my change.” But then, there’s a reason I don’t work in politics. You can’t always headbutt your way to success, and screaming doesn’t always do much beyond making the headaches worse. Maybe subtle is what’s called for at this point. Maybe subtle is what needed to happen today.

Tomorrow, though? Tomorrow?

Tomorrow asskicking needs to happen.

Tomorrow beating down needs to happen.

Tomorrow a smackdown of monumental proportions needs to begin because you can’t stay on defense. You can’t stay in the place where the perception is that you’re explaining, because then you have something to explain, and if you have something to explain then you have a problem and if you have a problem you have a big problem and it’s one big echo of nonsense, repeating back on you until you’d like to stab out your ears with an ice pick. I made the unfortunate mistake of watching the local news over the weekend, which I hardly ever do because I don’t want to know which household products could kill my children, but the top story was, of course, “OBAMA’S CONTROVERSIAL PASTOR CAN HE OVERCOME DENOUNCE OMG BLACK PEOPLE ARE SCARY.” There’s a black mark on the wall behind my TV. The shoe missed.

Tomorrow, the speech needs to stop being about “We are better than this” and start being about “Fuck you for making it out we’re not better than this.” It needs to stop being about what Rev. Wright said and start being about how nobody is cold and hungry because of what he said. Nobody is poor because of what he said. Nobody is dead because of what he said. Nobody is any worse off today than they were yesterday because of what he said, recent DC-based whining about how sticks and stones may break our bones but words make us feel funny aside, and nobody is at war because of what he said.

People are cold and hungry because of what small, pinched, angry little men did, in this nation, these past eight years. People are poor because of what they did. People are dead because of what they did. People are worse off today than they were yesterday and they’ll be worse off tomorrow than they were today because of what the men in the halls of power today did. People are at war because of what they did. Not said from the pulpit, not shouted from the pews. Not spoken in anger or haste or even in righteousness, but done, calmly and deliberately, with Powerpoint slides and careful spreadsheet calculations, to destroy this country and all that for which it stands. And every minute we go back and forth about what Rev. Wright said is a moment we’re not focused on fixing what George Bush and Dick Cheney, Doug Feith and Paul Wolfowitz, Condoleezza Rice and Donald Rumsfeld, DID. And of course, don’t think for one minute that’s not why this is an “issue” at all.

So while I am righteously glad Obama said what he said today, I’m even more eager to see what he says tomorrow.

A.

Your President Speaks!

Today, in Jacksonville, Florida.

Hot Action At The Docks

I've been in your stadium, I've been in your church -- I've never been on the docks. But if you're interested in trying to figure out one of the reasons why this is one of America's most vibrant cities, you got to come to the docks.

Cerbral Vortex

He's a fellow who came to America with a dream, and now employs a lot of good, hardworking folks because of goods that are shipped from here to other parts of the world, and for goods that are shipped from other parts of the world to here.

Find A Job, Crenshaw!

Two members from the United States Congress have come -- this must be a special occasion -- Ander Crenshaw, Congressman from this district, doing a find job.

Help Some People Find The Capacity And Understand

And it makes sense to help some person who is creditworthy find the capacity and understand where to refinance.

Are There Too Many Houses?

But no question there's been a over-supply of housing, and it's going to take time to work through this over-supply.

Washington-Speak

We also worked with Congress -- and I want to thank the members of Congress -- to pass a bipartisan economic growth package. That's Washington-speak for you're fixing to receive some money.

There Is Also Incentives

There's also incentives in this piece of legislation passed by both Republicans and Democrats that will encourage small and large businesses to invest.

Spending Research And Development

But there's a lot of research and development being spent here in America.

Doesn't Know Whether He Is Sitting Or Standing

I'm sitting in -- standing in front of people that are all part of the process, good, hardworking Americans that are putting food on the table for their families because of trade.

Synaptic Stutter

You handle most -- more than -- more automobiles than any American port.

Seeking Congressional Improval

The lesson is clear: If Congress can find a way to vote on and improve the Peru agreement, there's no reason it can't do the same for Colombia.

Think About Terms Of Helping

You can think in terms of national security interests, but if that doesn't interest you, think about terms of helping folks just like this make a living.

It Has The Support Of Congressmans!

Business leaders from many backgrounds, along with current and former senators, congressmans [sic], mayors, diplomats, national security council people, Cabinet members from both parties -- I emphasize, from both parties -- support this agreement.

What Export Is Doing

Export is continuing.

Today On Holden's Obsession With The Gaggle

Tony Farto Says:  Beleive Us, Not Your Lying Eyes!

Q Tony, the President has said several times that he thinks the fundamentals of the economy are strong, as are -- as have some of the other economic leaders. Are you concerned at all, is the White House concerned that that message is simply not resonating with the American public?

MR. FRATTO: It's hard for us to know what the American public is hearing. I think they -- I would hope that they're hearing the balanced description of the economy that they have been hearing from people like Hank Paulson, Eddie Lazear, Keith Hennessey, and also from the President and other people who are speaking for the administration's views on the economy.

Hear That?

The wingnut troglodyte's dream.  An actual woman amid a sea of Chee-tos.

Hear that?  It's the sound of a million Chee-to bags being rustled in ecstasy.    So what has caused this spasm of basement-dwelling joy?  What could possibly bring so many sad, semi-tumescent, pathetic little pricks (true in so many ways) to climax all at once?

Senator Hillary Clinton said something that they were waiting to hear.

Democrat Hillary Clinton charged on Monday the Iraq war may end up costing Americans $1 trillion and further strain the economy, as she made her case for a prompt U.S. troop pullout from a war "we cannot win."

This week marks the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, but voters now say the economy is their top issue in the campaign for the November presidential election.

Clinton, the former first lady who is trying to convince voters she has foreign policy gravitas, criticized both her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, and the Republicans' choice, Arizona Sen. John McCain.

She said the war has sapped U.S. military and economic strength, damaged U.S. national security, taken the lives of nearly 4,000 Americans and left thousands wounded.

"Our economic security is at stake," she said. "Taking into consideration the long-term costs of replacing equipment and providing medical care for troops and survivors' benefits for their families, the war in Iraq could ultimately cost well over $1 trillion."

So.  Wait for it.  Democrats are traitors, Democrats are quitters, they hate the troops, etc., etc.  Go ahead.  Check out Free Republic or Little Green Assholes, if you can stomach it.  They're already at it.  (Yo, A--this might be a good time for an installment of your obsession with the Freepi.  Just sayin'.)

What will be lost in the inevitable sturm und wank from the Bush worshippers is this:  She is absolutely.  Fucking.  Right.

You cannot ever, ever win an occupation.  "Winning" means what, again?  Keeping an armed presence there forever?  Creating a stable democracy in Iraq (as if that was ever an actual goal)?  Eliminating terrorism? 

You just can't ever accomplish those goals.  Eventually, our troops will leave.  That's the nature of occupation.  It's somebody's home; as such, it will always be more important to the people who live there than the people who are occupying it. 

As for creating a stable democracy, the question is, for how long?  Assume a democratic government dropped into Iraq, as sort of a geopolitical deus ex machina, tomorrow.  If it's overthrown in 10 years, is that a failure?  What about fifty?  Is there a scorecard for this sort of thing?

And, finally, what about eliminating terrorism?  Well, dipshits, it's a tactic.  You might as well declare war on moving ambushes, or on the classic fire-and-maneuver technique.  That was always a stupid bit of rhetoric.  Not that it stopped the jagoffs in the national media from running with it, of course.  It's an especially foolish idea when your very presence in a place creates the tactic against which you claim to struggle. 

Now, if only Sen. Clinton had been this aware of these issues in, say, 2002. 

Whatever Else You Think, The Man Can Bring It

Obama:

There is one story in particularly that I'd like to leave you with today - a story I told when I had the great honor of speaking on Dr. King's birthday at his home church, Ebenezer Baptist, in Atlanta.

There is a young, twenty-three year old white woman named Ashley Baia who organized for our campaign in Florence, South Carolina. She had been working to organize a mostly African-American community since the beginning of this campaign, and one day she was at a roundtable discussion where everyone went around telling their story and why they were there.

And Ashley said that when she was nine years old, her mother got cancer. And because she had to miss days of work, she was let go and lost her health care. They had to file for bankruptcy, and that's when Ashley decided that she had to do something to help her mom.

She knew that food was one of their most expensive costs, and so Ashley convinced her mother that what she really liked and really wanted to eat more than anything else was mustard and relish sandwiches. Because that was the cheapest way to eat.

She did this for a year until her mom got better, and she told everyone at the roundtable that the reason she joined our campaign was so that she could help the millions of other children in the country who want and need to help their parents too.

Now Ashley might have made a different choice. Perhaps somebody told her along the way that the source of her mother's problems were blacks who were on welfare and too lazy to work, or Hispanics who were coming into the country illegally. But she didn't. She sought out allies in her fight against injustice.

Anyway, Ashley finishes her story and then goes around the room and asks everyone else why they're supporting the campaign. They all have different stories and reasons. Many bring up a specific issue. And finally they come to this elderly black man who's been sitting there quietly the entire time. And Ashley asks him why he's there. And he does not bring up a specific issue. He does not say health care or the economy. He does not say education or the war. He does not say that he was there because of Barack Obama. He simply says to everyone in the room, "I am here because of Ashley."

"I'm here because of Ashley." By itself, that single moment of recognition between that young white girl and that old black man is not enough. It is not enough to give health care to the sick, or jobs to the jobless, or education to our children.

But it is where we start.

A.

The Silent Service Speaks Out. Just a Little.

Yeah, yeah.  More sailor shit.

The New York Times has an interesting piece today about the 1970 voyage of the USS Queenfish (SSN-651) under the Arctic icepack. 

This may not interest too many people other than myself, but I'm posting it anyway.

But Jude, you may ask, why does this interest you?  That's a good question.  It turns out that I spent a number of years under the world's oceans on board the black hulls of the US Navy's submarine fleet.  Yes.  And I'm still a godless liberal.  I guess I wasn't a "real" sailor if I'm a heathen lefty, huh?

First Popeye and now this.  I might have to add a new category for "sailor shit" if this keeps up.

In other science-type news, I've been meaning to say something about this for a few days, but other things (economic collapse, gay-bashing legislators, big-ass holidays) have been distracting me.  The shuttle astronauts are currently in orbit, adding to the ISS.  What are they adding?  Our doom, that's what. 

Astronauts Build 'Monster' Robot in Space

This can only mean one thing.  I think you know what it is.

We're doomed.  Doomed!

Judean People's Front? We're the People's Front of Judea!

Bloody splitters!

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A conference to reconcile Iraq's warring political groups began to unravel even before it got under way on Tuesday, with the main Sunni Muslim Arab bloc pulling out and protesting it had not been properly invited.

The gathering, billed as the biggest of its kind in Iraq, aimed to bring leaders of rival factions together around much-delayed so-called laws meant to promote common cause between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunni Arabs.

The Accordance Front, the main Sunni Arab bloc, had said it would attend but pulled out as dozens of political leaders gathered at a hotel in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone.

"The Front will not attend the conference, not because it does not believe in reconciliation ... but because the invitations were sent to members of the Front and not formally to the Accordance Front," spokesman Salim al-Jubouri said.

I'd Hate To Ruin It

Nice surge you got there...

Is the Mahdi Army's 'cease-fire' over?

BAGHDAD - The gun battle in Sadr City between Shiite militiamen and the Iraqi Army lasted only 10 minutes, according to residents of the slum where Moqtada al-Sadr holds great sway.

In the end, as many as 18 soldiers were captured after the March 8 ambush, carried out by so-called "rogue elements" of Mr. Sadr's Mahdi Army.

[snip]

The next day, the men were freed, but not all of them returned with their guns, newly issued US manufactured M16s that are now believed to be in the hands of an element of Sadr's militia that does not appear to be abiding by a freeze in operations ordered last August. About 10 rifles are missing.

When I'm Driving In My Car And That Man Comes On The Radio

I can't get no...

A March 6-9, 2008, Gallup Poll finds only 19% of Americans satisfied with the way things are going in the United States today. This is similar to the 20% found in early February and in November 2007, but is technically the lowest Gallup has recorded since August 1992.

Gallup initiated the U.S. satisfaction measure in 1979 and has been tracking it monthly since October 2000. The low point came in July 1979, when only 12% of Americans were satisfied with the state of the country. Americans' mood sank to nearly this level in 1992, when the percentage satisfied registered 14% in June of that election year and 17% in August.

The high points of satisfaction -- 70% and 71% -- came in January and February 1999 (under a booming economy), and in the post-9/11 period in December 2001 (when Americans were rallying in support of the country).

The last time a majority of Americans were satisfied with the direction of the country was in January 2004.

Pony Time

We still don't like him.

The latest Gallup Poll, conducted March 6-9, finds 32% of Americans approving of Bush and 21% approving of Congress.

Bush's job approval rating has been stable in recent months, ranging narrowly from 31% to 34% so far this year. His approval rating has been below 40% for 18 months, since September 2006. It has not been at the 50% level since May 2005, shortly after his second term in office began. Bush's low point in office was a 29% approval rating in July 2007. The all-time low for any president is a 22% approval rating for Harry Truman in a February 1952 Gallup Poll.

Cue the Sailor's Hornpipe

Tom Toles kicks ass.

Men Love Being Selfish

No, really.

Jesus, forget that it's basically a subgenre of the hateful "men are programmed to be promiscuous while women bake them pies and chuckle lovingly at their childlike antics" thing where guys are given an evolutionary hall pass to go wreak havoc. What Bader writes, about how nice it is to be completely selfish and how freeing that makes men feel ... I mean, I'm sorry, I'm sure he went to school for a really long time, but is it really a shock that it's kind of nice not to give a fuck about anybody but yourself?

Is that really a startling revelation? Is there anyone alive, male or female, who hasn't wished at least once that he or she had no responsibilities, had no obligations, and could behave like a five-year-old with total impunity? Is that honestly what passes for keen insight these days? That we want it as good as we can get it? Most people by the time they're out of elementary school have figured out that human beings are pretty much creeps, and you should find the exceptions and hold on tight.

This guy gets paid to tell us this again?

A.

Today On Holden's Obsession With The Gaggle

Millions For Big Banks, Diddley For Everyone Else

Q For people who are losing their homes, or losing their jobs, and then they see the government helping engineer this $30 billion line of credit for Bear Stearns, and help for other financial investment firms on Wall Street, how do you reconcile the two?

MS. PERINO: Well, the way I would answer that question is in two parts. One, this isn't about bailing anyone out. These actions are intended, as I said earlier today, to minimize financial market disruptions. And investors in Bear Stearns are taking large and significant losses in this transaction. And that's not what happens in a bail-out.

[snip]

Q But, Dana, how does this square with sort of traditional conservative economic principles of limited government involvement in terms of, sort of, maybe culling the herd a little bit, letting the firms that are going to fail, fail, and thus more can sort of live on the back end?

MS. PERINO: Well, I would point out again that, remember, investors -- Bear Stearns basically went from a company that was doing quite well to failure, and at $2 a share, I should think that those investors are seeing -- feeling today the consequences of that risk in a marketplace. But I would remind you that what's right for the markets and stability for the financial system had to be taken into consideration.

[snip]

Q But people who are facing, say, foreclosure, the individuals, the little guys who are facing a foreclosure are looking at the big guys getting government, if not brokered, certainly they're overseeing deals that are engineered to sort of keep the big picture financial community afloat, and they're saying, well, where's my boost of liquidity?

MS. PERINO: They're going to get that boost of liquidity in the form of a stimulus package and a tax rebate that's coming to them the second week of May.

Q But that's not going to save their houses.

Dana Don't Know!

Q Is there no American taxpayer money involved in this intervention?

MS. PERINO: Well, the details of the action taken last night by the Fed, I would have to refer you to the Fed, because the deal and the transaction are quite complicated. But the Fed will be focused on making sure that the federal taxpayer is protected.

Yep

Q To follow on that, the Fed did not consult the White House; is that correct?

MS. PERINO: I think we were kept informed, but --

Dana REALLY Don't Know!

Q Dana, is the U.S. economy in a crisis?

MS. PERINO: As we said, Elaine -- I don't know what kind of a question that is.

Really...  Dana Don't Know!

Q The President, in his radio address Saturday, said that the housing crisis was the root of a lot of the troubles. Mr. Frank and Mr. Dodd have the legislation on the Hill that will call for a write-down on some of the principal, and then have FHA come in and guarantee the rest of those mortgages. The market is looking for a floor. Wouldn't that kind of legislation give the market a floor?

MS. PERINO: I'm not that detailed into it, Roger, that I could provide that. But I'll refer you to Treasury.

Q The administration opposes that legislation; is that correct?

MS. PERINO: I think we've said that we would not support -- I can't remember exactly what that legislation says, so let me go back and either get back to you or refer you to somebody who can.

Good Thing The Bush Assminstration Acted Quickly

Q Does the White House believe that the administration was quick enough, going back over the last few months, several months, to recognize the role that securitization played in this economic crisis?

MS. PERINO: Yes, I think so.

Your President Speaks! AGAIN!

Today, at the White House.

Put It Together, Beside, Behind!

And I do want to applaud those who are here who've shown great courage, who've been able to put together -- put beside -- behind them a terrible past, and focused on a hopeful future.

Your President Speaks!

Last Friday, dazzling the Economic Club of New York at the New York Hilton.

The Purpose Of Incentives To Stimulate Investment Is To Stimulate Investment

First, the growth package provides incentives for businesses to make investments in new equipment this year. As more businesses take advantage, investment will pick up, and then job creation will follow. The purpose was to stimulate investment.

Taken To Effect

The rebates haven't been put in the mail yet. In other words, this aspect of the plan hasn't taken to effect.

What Are The Folks Anticipate To Happen?

And so what are the folks, the experts, guys like Hubbard, anticipate to happen? I'm not so sure he is one now, but the people that have told me that they expect this consumer spending to have an effect in the second quarter, a greater effect in the third quarter.

The Downtown In The Housing Market

Now, a root cause of the economic slowdown has been the downtown in the housing market, and I want to talk a little bit about that today.

Tightened The Credit

Before I get to that, though, I do want to tell you that we fully understand that the mounting concern over housing has shaken the broader market, that it's spread uncertainty to global financial markets, and that it has tightened the credit, which makes it harder for people to get mortgages in the first place.

What We Got To Be

And so we got to be careful and mindful that any time the government intervenes in the market, it must do so with clear purpose and great care. Government actions are -- have far-reaching and unintended consequences.

The Valley Girl President

The purpose of government ought to be to help the individuals, not those who, like -- who speculated in homes.

Brainwreck

As a matter of fact, the paper -- you know, had this been a modern era, the paper that had -- you know, my paper, my mortgage, could be owned by somebody in a foreign country, which makes it hard to renegotiate the note.

Drain Bamage

So we're dealing in a difficult environment, to get the word to people, there's help for you to refinance your homes.

What We Got

We got toll-free numbers and websites and mailings, and it's just really important for our citizens to understand that this help is available for them.

A Rule That Require

Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of HUD, is proposing a rule that require lenders to provide a standard, easy-to-read summary statements explaining the key elements of mortgage agreements.

A Man Of Principle

And one of the principles is overreacting by federal law and federal regulation that will have long-term negative effects on our economy.

The Tax Code Create

The tax code create disincentives for people to refinance their homes, and we took care of that for a three-year period.

What Congress Has Got

In other words, Congress has got this habit of just sticking these deals into bills without a vote -- no transparency, no light of day, they just put them in.

Our Troops In Harm Way

There is no greater priority than to make sure our troops in harm way have all they need to do their job.

At Below Rates

And beyond that, we've held spending at below rates of inflation -- on non-security spending, discretionary spending, we've held the line.

Pass The Columbia

And then once they pass the Colombia, they can pass Panama and South Korea, as well.

The Best To Describe

I'm -- you know, I guess the best to describe government policy is like a person trying to drive a car on a rough patch.

Cerebral Vortex

Third, it's -- sometimes, when times are tough, it's easy to -- it's much easier to find a -- somebody else to blame. And sometimes that somebody else that's easier to blame is somebody in a distant land.

Some Of The Fact

And so those are the some of the fact -- and plus it's easy politics.

What Your Tendency To Be

It's -- and I guess if you're the kind of person that followed polls and focus groups, that's what your tendency to be.

Medulla Ohmigodda

And the danger of getting tired during this world [sic] is any retreat by the America -- by America was going to be to the benefit of those who want to do us harm.

Do You Want To Protect You?

I don't want to get in another issue, but that's why we better figure out what the enemy is saying on their telephones, if you want to protect you

The Stabilityites

And I understand it undermines the argument of the stability-ites -- people who say, you just got to worry about stability.

Those Pesky Kids, They Killed Us

And I'm saying, we better worry about the conditions that caused 19 kids to kill us in the first place.

Holy Crap!™

I recognize economies go up and down, but it's important for us to put policy in place that sends a signal that our economy is going to be strong and open for business, which will -- you know, which supports the strong dollar policy, such as not doing something foolish during this economic period that will cause -- make it harder to grow; such as rejecting -- shutting down capital from coming into this country; such as announcing that, or articulating the belief that making the tax cuts permanent takes uncertainty out of the system.

Alternative Fuels Guy

And, look, I'm very -- I'm an alternatives fuel guy, I believe that's important. As a matter of fact, we've expanded -- mightily expanded the use of ethanol; a slight consequence if you rely upon corn to grow your hogs, but nevertheless it's a -- it is a policy that basically says that we got to diversify.

Automobiles On Battery

You know, I firmly believe people in New York City are going to be driving automobiles on battery relatively quickly.

So What?

You talk about the price of oil -- yeah, it's high.

There Is New Factors In Demand

It's high because there's new factors in demand on the international market, namely China and India.

King of Saudi

You know, when I was overseas in the Middle East, people said, did you talk to the King of Saudi about oil prices?

I Reminded Him

I reminded him two things: One, you better be careful about affecting markets -- reminding him that oil is fungible; even though we get most of our oil, by the way, from Canada and Mexico, oil is fungible.

Jeebus. Even Mr. Burns Isn't This Bad

Good Boss.


Bad boss.

Sweet mother Mary's braided armpit hairs.  The turkey-necked motherfucker above is Jimmy Cayne, Chairman of Bear Sterns and Fucksocket Extraordinaire.  While his company was tanking, what do you think he was doing?  Well, because the Guys At The Top always work so much harder than everyone else, he was off playing cards.  Or golf.  Seriously.

Bear Stearns Cos. Inc. Chairman Jimmy Cayne was playing cards in a tournament late last week while his company's future appeared to be at risk, according a published report.

As the bank hammered out an emergency funding deal on Thursday with the Federal Reserve and JPMorgan Chase, which resulted in Bear's shares falling by as much as half, Cayne was playing in the North American Bridge Championship in Detroit, The Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site on Friday.

Cayne, who in January stepped down as Bear Stearns' long-time chief executive, is no stranger to controversy about his hobbies. Last year he was criticized for spending too much time playing bridge and golf while Bear stumbled on wrong-way bets on subprime mortgages.

Cayne played cards last week during a period in which Bear Stearns CEO Alan Schwartz held conference calls with directors about the pending cash pledge, the newspaper said, although Cayne participated in at least some of the dialogue.

           

Can't we bring back crucifixion for these cocksuckers?  Or at least scourging?  This piece of shit is now responsible for a small town being unemployed.  Think about that.  There will be at least 10,000 firings since JP Morgan bought Bear Sterns for pennies on the dollar.  That's the size of a small town.  Ten thousand people who, like the Enron employees, held portfolios that were loaded with shares of the company where they worked.  Ten thousand people, most of whom just wanted to show up to work, draw a paycheck, make ends meet, and enjoy their families and lives. 

Jimmy Cayne, a miserable failure of a human being, just stole from an entire village.  And that doesn't begin to address the larger implications for all of us of his company's failure.  If there were a just and loving god in the universe, he'd be looking at 25 with an L in general population prison. 

It's A Small Crime

Read:

Unless public money is used on a very temporary basis to achieve an orderly wind-down or merger of Bear Stearns this is another case where profits are privatized and losses are socialized. By having thrown down the drain the decades old doctrine and rule that the Fed should not lend or bail out non-bank financial institutions the Fed has created an extremely dangerous precedent that seriously aggravates the moral hazard of its lender of last resort support role. If the Fed starts on the slippery slope of providing massive liquidity support to non-bank financial institutions that have recklessly managed their risks it enters into uncharted territory that radically changes its mandate and formal role. Breaking decades-old rules and practices is a radical action that seriously requires a clear public explanation and justification.

I agree. Let me ask a couple of questions here.

Does Bear Stearns have a big screen TV?

What about bling? Any bling they could sell?

Couldn't Bear Stearns just get a job, already? I mean, I know of six or seven places that are hiring. I don't know what they pay, but surely it would be enough to keep them in sneakers and Xbox games.

I mean, just last week I heard that when we bailed out the airlines, jewelry sales at Wal-Mart went up 1400 percent. I didn't see it myself, but my cousins told me they heard it from somebody who knows somebody who works there, and it was like Christmas morning when those government checks cleared. What can you expect, really, from people trained in government dependency, I guess, but it still pisses me off, because that's my money. Fucking leeches.

Let me ask those questions, those questions we ask of every beneficiary of the smallest drop of government assistance. Let me ask why this is the ONLY scenario in which our parsimonious bullshit about personal responsibility, about choices and consequences, about "survival of the fittest" and other forms of sicko math, need not fucking apply.

Let me ask just how the unholy fuck it is that we can quibble every single day for hours over lunches that would feed a small village for a week about the ten dollars a year we give to some social program and how it's going to waste because somebody fed us an anecdote about somebody somewhere faking their need. Let me ask just how the bloody fucking blue hell we can get all worked up over how the homeless people downtown don't deserve our pennies because one of them said something rude to us on the way out of a store, and how they're just gonna spend our 65 cents on booze and then pee on the stoop. Let me ask how on earth we can take all the time it takes to think up all the ways we think up to sit in judgement on every individual case we hear about, about how that person just didn't work harder, didn't suffer enough, didn't earn "our" money, didn't deserve "our" charity, didn't bleed in front of us enough, and all the while, all the fucking while, we give it away by the millions and never ask where it goes. All the while.

Let me just ask. I'm sure somebody out there has the answer. After all, they had reasons why Katrina victims deserved to drown and die, be forced from their homes and screwed by their insurance companies and disregarded by their country. They had reasons why uninsured children didn't deserve health care, why those who died from a lack of medical attention only got what they had coming. They had reasons why the people who came to emergency rooms were just looking for drugs, they had reasons why thieves got rich and saints got shot, they had all kinds of explanations for everything that looked to everybody else like a fucking problem we needed somebody to solve. I'm sure the answers here are just as simple, just as easy.

But I do think we should ask. And you know, I think we should ask in the same condescending, fuck-all-you-peasants know-it-all bullshit fuck-ass tone that we use when requesting that the rest of the nation's needy prove their legitimacy to us. I think we should ask with the same nasty assumptions at the back of our throats, the same willingness to believe that somebody else is running a scam on us to get a fat government check, the same nasty, mean, small little pinchingness we use toward individual human beings. I think we should ask those questions.

I mean, for all we know, maybe Bear Stearns has a big ol' diamond cross they could sell, to pay their own damn way.

A.

Irish Cuisine

Now that we have music, it's time for food.

Post your recipes in the comments.

A.

So It's Music You're Wantin'

Alright, Athenae. I'll see your Karan Casey and raise you these. For those of you who wish to engage in nit-picking, I realize Roseanne Cash isn't Irish, and that's a Johnny Cash song. Also, I'm aware that Stan Rogers was Canadian. But Irish singers have adopted both of those songs as their own. In fact, the first person I ever heard sing "The Mary Ellen Carter" was a very pleasant old Irish gentleman. If you don't like that, then sod off.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A.