*
I find it hard to believe that a joke clearly about Bristol Palin by David Letterman has gotten so much media attention.
The joke wouldn't have made any sense if it was about anyone other than Bristol Palin but then it's not as sensational a story.
Today there's pressure to fire Letterman... seriously?
I would not be happy if someone made such a joke about one of my children and I would likely have complained about it...
BUT this is totally blown out of proportion.
Sarah Palin parades her children out when it suits her and then attacks when people comment on it.
I feel sorry for the younger Palin girls who now have been made a spectacle of again.
Someone asked if the joke was made about one of the Obama's kids if all hell wouldn't have broken loose.
Yea, sure- especially since they're both under 18 and neither one is a single parent.
Grow up. Bad taste. Unfunny joke. Not the cause of all that is ill in the country.
Could we go back to REAL news now...?
You know the stuff that REALLY matters!
Apparently freedom of speech only applies to "some" people. Interesting.
I remember McCain making quite a few off color in very bad taste jokes over the years-
(the Chelsea Clinton joke "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno." was from 1998.)
Talk about insensitivity to young women's self esteem. Yet Sarah had no problem running with him as VP.
********
I have no idea where this country is. This is what masquerades as news these days?
Important stuff out there in case the media has forgotten:
Home grown terrorism waiting in the wings (anti-government pro-gun: always a great combination) like James von Brunn.
Iran's election results and aftermath.
The economy. Bank Bailouts. Automotive industry. Mortgage and foreclosure disasters.
War in Iraq/Afghanistan.
Health care reform.
Gas prices going up yet again even though...
Well you get the idea.
There must have been a collective cringe amongst all comedians and talk show hosts this past week.
Though not many of them stepped forward to defend David though they have all done equally awful jokes.
David did apologize. He seemed to mean it.
We've all heard far worse on the air but I guess it wasn't about the Palins.
This is not news. Stop all ready.
Interesting CBS fired Don Imus (who I'm no fan of) for his rude and in bad taste comments about a women's basketball team but who was truly surprised by them? I thought he was known for being offensive almost every day of the year. Ooops.
Letterman's track record stands up. Been watching him for what seems like forever. Sorry Sarah your complaint has been heard, it's gotten more air time than it deserved and you need to back AWAY from the video feeds now.
We get it: Tasteless joke/Bad David/Sarah Angry/Dave sorry/World goes on bleeding...
G'night.
Laura
*
Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Espada Jr., Monserrate, Palin, Letterman... back to the news and this is it?
*
Finally starting to watch the news again and am very upset with NY State Legislators:
Most notably: Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens.
The control of the state senate has moved over to the republicans for all intents and purposes right now.
Now of course as with what seems like all our politicians these days both men have legal troubles as the NY Times reported. "Highlighting the often elastic nature of ethical stands and alliances in Albany, Republicans who earlier this year were calling on Mr. Monserrate to resign after his indictment on felony charges that he stabbed his companion with a broken glass are now welcoming him as part of their power-sharing coalition.
While Mr. Espada has been fined tens of thousands of dollars over several years for flouting state law by not disclosing political contributions."
"Democrats were pushing bills to give tenants more rights, strengthen abortion rights and legalize same-sex marriage this session. And the move underscores the continuing tumult of New York politics, where there have been three governors in less than three years and four Senate presidents since last summer."
Gov. David A. Paterson, at a news conference Monday evening, called the move “an outrage” and said Albany had become a “dysfunctional wreck."
Well, I don't know about a dysfunctional wreck but maybe a complete joke. Oh yea surely.
All right NY State get your act together. I'm so sick of the infighting.
Sick of the corruption on both sides of the fence.
Sick of pretending that we are progressive leaders in the USA anymore.
Sick of believing that our government is really on our side when so often it's only in the interest of money brokers, wealthy special interest lobbyists and big business.
While we all exist on the crumbs you throw our way and why the hell can't we behave and be thankful anyway?
Greedy corrupt bastards all around.
I've been proud to be from NY all my life but recently I can honestly say I'm not happy at all.
I seriously don't know if I even want to be here anymore.
And if you knew me at all you'd know that says a lot.
Good luck Barack Obama seems like you might need a lot of it.
*************
Sarah Palin: Please shut up about David Letterman.
Enough. You had our sympathy the first thousand times you mentioned it. Everywhere.
You're sounding shrill and just as offensive at this point as he was.
But you can't see it can you?
It's too bad he made the joke. He's a comedian with a talk show...
How about you play fair dearest damsel in distress (or was it a lipstick smeared pit bull I forget) and take Limbaugh or O'Reilly to task for the hateful ugly things they say about people:
Oh wait I know why you won't: I forgot.
YOU agree with them so that makes it different. Oh you betcha.
Won't 2012 be fun guys and gals?
The candle of freedom of speech burns hot and fast from both ends.
Just wondering sometimes what the hell we're gonna be left with.
***********
On June 3rd I wrote this about the recent loss of my mother on May 30:
"I don’t know exactly what I feel right now.
Just incredibly weird.
Like something’s horribly wrong but I can’t wrap my mind around it.
I’m not numb at least not yet. I’m not angry either.
But I know myself well enough to know both are coming.
I hope I’ll be ready."
Nothing has changed. I still reach for the phone to call her every day. I still feel basically the same.
My world is way off kilter but not enough for me to come to terms with where I am in time and place.
I can't go back to where I was before.
I can't realistically stay where I am now and I can't move towards where I've never been before.
Not yet anyway.
I realize this makes no sense except maybe to me.
I completely get where I am now, I've known this day would come.
It's just that I'm not sure what to do with myself. Don't want to upset anyone unduly but...
And I have a lifetime worth of anger I couldn't express because I would never hurt my mother...
Not that we never disagreed but I felt my mother had enough to deal with without my adding to it.
Do I need grief counseling? Maybe.
Oddly enough right now I have little to nothing to say.
Don't have the words.
G'night,
Laura
*
Finally starting to watch the news again and am very upset with NY State Legislators:
Most notably: Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens.
The control of the state senate has moved over to the republicans for all intents and purposes right now.
Now of course as with what seems like all our politicians these days both men have legal troubles as the NY Times reported. "Highlighting the often elastic nature of ethical stands and alliances in Albany, Republicans who earlier this year were calling on Mr. Monserrate to resign after his indictment on felony charges that he stabbed his companion with a broken glass are now welcoming him as part of their power-sharing coalition.
While Mr. Espada has been fined tens of thousands of dollars over several years for flouting state law by not disclosing political contributions."
"Democrats were pushing bills to give tenants more rights, strengthen abortion rights and legalize same-sex marriage this session. And the move underscores the continuing tumult of New York politics, where there have been three governors in less than three years and four Senate presidents since last summer."
Gov. David A. Paterson, at a news conference Monday evening, called the move “an outrage” and said Albany had become a “dysfunctional wreck."
Well, I don't know about a dysfunctional wreck but maybe a complete joke. Oh yea surely.
All right NY State get your act together. I'm so sick of the infighting.
Sick of the corruption on both sides of the fence.
Sick of pretending that we are progressive leaders in the USA anymore.
Sick of believing that our government is really on our side when so often it's only in the interest of money brokers, wealthy special interest lobbyists and big business.
While we all exist on the crumbs you throw our way and why the hell can't we behave and be thankful anyway?
Greedy corrupt bastards all around.
I've been proud to be from NY all my life but recently I can honestly say I'm not happy at all.
I seriously don't know if I even want to be here anymore.
And if you knew me at all you'd know that says a lot.
Good luck Barack Obama seems like you might need a lot of it.
*************
Sarah Palin: Please shut up about David Letterman.
Enough. You had our sympathy the first thousand times you mentioned it. Everywhere.
You're sounding shrill and just as offensive at this point as he was.
But you can't see it can you?
It's too bad he made the joke. He's a comedian with a talk show...
How about you play fair dearest damsel in distress (or was it a lipstick smeared pit bull I forget) and take Limbaugh or O'Reilly to task for the hateful ugly things they say about people:
Oh wait I know why you won't: I forgot.
YOU agree with them so that makes it different. Oh you betcha.
Won't 2012 be fun guys and gals?
The candle of freedom of speech burns hot and fast from both ends.
Just wondering sometimes what the hell we're gonna be left with.
***********
On June 3rd I wrote this about the recent loss of my mother on May 30:
"I don’t know exactly what I feel right now.
Just incredibly weird.
Like something’s horribly wrong but I can’t wrap my mind around it.
I’m not numb at least not yet. I’m not angry either.
But I know myself well enough to know both are coming.
I hope I’ll be ready."
Nothing has changed. I still reach for the phone to call her every day. I still feel basically the same.
My world is way off kilter but not enough for me to come to terms with where I am in time and place.
I can't go back to where I was before.
I can't realistically stay where I am now and I can't move towards where I've never been before.
Not yet anyway.
I realize this makes no sense except maybe to me.
I completely get where I am now, I've known this day would come.
It's just that I'm not sure what to do with myself. Don't want to upset anyone unduly but...
And I have a lifetime worth of anger I couldn't express because I would never hurt my mother...
Not that we never disagreed but I felt my mother had enough to deal with without my adding to it.
Do I need grief counseling? Maybe.
Oddly enough right now I have little to nothing to say.
Don't have the words.
G'night,
Laura
*
Friday, May 1, 2009
Congresswoman Foxx's statements about Matthew Shepard's death were a hoax! Wait: you mean it wasn't... she actually did said that?
*
Yet once again I find myself astounded by the fact that our representatives don't think before they speak. I'm talking about the North Carolina Republican Congresswoman that said that Matthew Shepard's death in 1998 wasn't a hate crime. It shouldn't be used as an example in support of a bill to expand on the definition of hate crimes to include violence motivated by sexual orientation.
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx states:
"We know that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn't because he was gay," Foxx said during debate. "The bill was named for him, the hate-crimes bill was named for him, but it's really a hoax that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills."
After the shit hit the fan, Ms. Foxx stated: "The term 'hoax' was a poor choice of words used in the discussion of the hate crimes bill," "Mr. Shepard's death was nothing less than a tragedy, and those responsible for his death certainly deserved the punishment they received."
Um, yea no doubt about it.
I'm so sick of people making such cavalier statements... so callous and thoughtless. Hate crimes are hate crimes. Civil rights are due to all across our nation and freedom from fear for their safety should be too. Hatred breeds hatred.
But then again the way death threats are thrown around whenever someone disagrees with someone else on an emotional issue (or almost any issue it seems) these days I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever accomplish the tolerance and acceptance our forefathers had hoped we would towards all our people in this nation.
In the age of news clips on rotation 24-7, You Tube and other media you would think that people would be more aware of what they say. It's too late when you've made such an asinine statement to retract it. The damage is done.
Think about it Ms. Foxx: What exactly did you mean to say?
Do you think there are no hate crimes against gay or lesbian Americans? Do you believe that expanding a hate crime bill is somehow a bad idea? Do you believe that even if Matthew Shepard's death wasn't a hate crime (and I do NOT believe that for a second) that violent crimes against gay citizens shouldn't be carry the same weight as other hate crime victims? Do you believe that Matthew's death wasn't a hate crime? Because you somehow KNOW better? Really what did you want to say? Please elaborate because I can't begin to fathom it out. Enlighten us.
According to ABC News Foxx spokesman Aaron Groen said the congresswoman relied on articles that she later realized were faulty and especially regrets upsetting the Shepard family. He said she declined further comment.
Oh yes, that makes everything better. She was ignorant of the actual circumstances under which Matthew Shepard died and spoke anyway or she relied on someone's research that said what exactly about his death...? Certainly not what most people believe.
Next time Congresswoman do the research yourself, take five seconds online.
As a matter of fact Virginia dear, I would have expected a government representative to know more about a most jarring case that caught the nation's attention because of it's nature.
Matthew Shepard's death was horrible. That is not the way most robberies end, it went far above and beyond.
Ms. Foxx's statements are outrageous. Please find a better representative North Carolina, or demand more from this one that you have.
And her explanation: weak and mind numbingly lame... It was just "a poor choice of words?" or "I didn't have the facts."
Yet again I suggest people think before they open their mouths to speak. Think. Please.
I also suggest people take more of an active interest in those they elect (and therefore hire) to represent them in government.
Some of the things Senators and Congresspeople have said recently are downright shocking.
I don't want to have a beer with any of them and I hope they only drink on their own time.
I want them to be intelligent, well informed and educated enough to run this country somewhere other than into the ground.
The House did pass the bill: The Matthew Shepard Act officially: The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007.
Now it has to go through the Senate. Let's hope it passes. If you read up on this- it's an important update to The 1969 federal hate-crime law for numerous reasons.
Nothing more to say.
G'night,
Laura
Yet once again I find myself astounded by the fact that our representatives don't think before they speak. I'm talking about the North Carolina Republican Congresswoman that said that Matthew Shepard's death in 1998 wasn't a hate crime. It shouldn't be used as an example in support of a bill to expand on the definition of hate crimes to include violence motivated by sexual orientation.
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx states:
"We know that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn't because he was gay," Foxx said during debate. "The bill was named for him, the hate-crimes bill was named for him, but it's really a hoax that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills."
After the shit hit the fan, Ms. Foxx stated: "The term 'hoax' was a poor choice of words used in the discussion of the hate crimes bill," "Mr. Shepard's death was nothing less than a tragedy, and those responsible for his death certainly deserved the punishment they received."
Um, yea no doubt about it.
I'm so sick of people making such cavalier statements... so callous and thoughtless. Hate crimes are hate crimes. Civil rights are due to all across our nation and freedom from fear for their safety should be too. Hatred breeds hatred.
But then again the way death threats are thrown around whenever someone disagrees with someone else on an emotional issue (or almost any issue it seems) these days I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever accomplish the tolerance and acceptance our forefathers had hoped we would towards all our people in this nation.
In the age of news clips on rotation 24-7, You Tube and other media you would think that people would be more aware of what they say. It's too late when you've made such an asinine statement to retract it. The damage is done.
Think about it Ms. Foxx: What exactly did you mean to say?
Do you think there are no hate crimes against gay or lesbian Americans? Do you believe that expanding a hate crime bill is somehow a bad idea? Do you believe that even if Matthew Shepard's death wasn't a hate crime (and I do NOT believe that for a second) that violent crimes against gay citizens shouldn't be carry the same weight as other hate crime victims? Do you believe that Matthew's death wasn't a hate crime? Because you somehow KNOW better? Really what did you want to say? Please elaborate because I can't begin to fathom it out. Enlighten us.
According to ABC News Foxx spokesman Aaron Groen said the congresswoman relied on articles that she later realized were faulty and especially regrets upsetting the Shepard family. He said she declined further comment.
Oh yes, that makes everything better. She was ignorant of the actual circumstances under which Matthew Shepard died and spoke anyway or she relied on someone's research that said what exactly about his death...? Certainly not what most people believe.
Next time Congresswoman do the research yourself, take five seconds online.
As a matter of fact Virginia dear, I would have expected a government representative to know more about a most jarring case that caught the nation's attention because of it's nature.
Matthew Shepard's death was horrible. That is not the way most robberies end, it went far above and beyond.
Ms. Foxx's statements are outrageous. Please find a better representative North Carolina, or demand more from this one that you have.
And her explanation: weak and mind numbingly lame... It was just "a poor choice of words?" or "I didn't have the facts."
Yet again I suggest people think before they open their mouths to speak. Think. Please.
I also suggest people take more of an active interest in those they elect (and therefore hire) to represent them in government.
Some of the things Senators and Congresspeople have said recently are downright shocking.
I don't want to have a beer with any of them and I hope they only drink on their own time.
I want them to be intelligent, well informed and educated enough to run this country somewhere other than into the ground.
The House did pass the bill: The Matthew Shepard Act officially: The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007.
Now it has to go through the Senate. Let's hope it passes. If you read up on this- it's an important update to The 1969 federal hate-crime law for numerous reasons.
Nothing more to say.
G'night,
Laura
Friday, April 24, 2009
Hannity interviews Cheney part 2: Yes, Virginia the ends justify the means…
*
Again the interview seemed rather scripted and realistically nothing really new was added to the discourse.
The economy: The dangerous trillion dollars of debt that will be devastating to our country economically. It puts us all in harms way.
Terrorists: Obama has made it more dangerous for us. Cheney's afraid the next terrorist attack will be a nuclear bomb or a biologic agent set in an American city.
Which led us right back to what seems the main Cheney point yet again: The ends justify the means.
Waterboarding isn't torture and besides if only they'd release the other memos that he's aware of... it would prove that the "enhanced interrogation" of the detainees brought helpful results in pertinent information on ongoing terrorism that saved lives. Therefore it was both necessary and a good thing... whether you like it or not.
Obama spoke the other day and left the door open to prosecution of those who ordered the torture and said it was legal to do so. Presidents Nixon, Reagan, and Clinton were held nationally accountable for issues that came up during their terms and probably now Bush will need to answer some pertinent questions also. Cheney would almost certainly be called in if there's actually an investigation, perhaps underneath that exterior he's worried about how that would go.
Cheney was followed on Hannity by Karl Rove. Rove said that we might be setting a precedent that if you disagree with the previous administration you get investigated. Why oh why do people listen to Karl Rove at all? He's a wolf in weasel's clothing.
Seriously Karl do you mean like Bill Clinton? That fiasco was surely unbiased. Let's rewrite more history while we're at it.
We violated the Geneva Conference plain and simple. Whether we got results (and there's conflicting information) doesn't matter, we can't violate human rights and international law that we signed off on.
Hannity stated he would agree to be waterboarded for charity and for the troops' families. Would he really and what does that prove exactly? Would we waterboard suspected domestic terrorists for information? Mass murderers for confessions?
I hear if you're not a witch you drown after being tied up and thrown into the water, but if you manage to somehow to resurface you are a witch and therefore must die anyway. Good luck Sean.
I have to try and catch Michele Bachman and Al Sharpton on the FOX news panel Monday... that ought to be interesting.
I'm beginning to wonder what the true content of the news is lately. It seems that it's just opinion and spin with little fact. Actually it's getting harder to tell fact from fiction on the so called "news" these days. Entertainment and "talk" shows aren't the news.
G'night,
Laura
.
Again the interview seemed rather scripted and realistically nothing really new was added to the discourse.
The economy: The dangerous trillion dollars of debt that will be devastating to our country economically. It puts us all in harms way.
Terrorists: Obama has made it more dangerous for us. Cheney's afraid the next terrorist attack will be a nuclear bomb or a biologic agent set in an American city.
Which led us right back to what seems the main Cheney point yet again: The ends justify the means.
Waterboarding isn't torture and besides if only they'd release the other memos that he's aware of... it would prove that the "enhanced interrogation" of the detainees brought helpful results in pertinent information on ongoing terrorism that saved lives. Therefore it was both necessary and a good thing... whether you like it or not.
Obama spoke the other day and left the door open to prosecution of those who ordered the torture and said it was legal to do so. Presidents Nixon, Reagan, and Clinton were held nationally accountable for issues that came up during their terms and probably now Bush will need to answer some pertinent questions also. Cheney would almost certainly be called in if there's actually an investigation, perhaps underneath that exterior he's worried about how that would go.
Cheney was followed on Hannity by Karl Rove. Rove said that we might be setting a precedent that if you disagree with the previous administration you get investigated. Why oh why do people listen to Karl Rove at all? He's a wolf in weasel's clothing.
Seriously Karl do you mean like Bill Clinton? That fiasco was surely unbiased. Let's rewrite more history while we're at it.
We violated the Geneva Conference plain and simple. Whether we got results (and there's conflicting information) doesn't matter, we can't violate human rights and international law that we signed off on.
Hannity stated he would agree to be waterboarded for charity and for the troops' families. Would he really and what does that prove exactly? Would we waterboard suspected domestic terrorists for information? Mass murderers for confessions?
I hear if you're not a witch you drown after being tied up and thrown into the water, but if you manage to somehow to resurface you are a witch and therefore must die anyway. Good luck Sean.
I have to try and catch Michele Bachman and Al Sharpton on the FOX news panel Monday... that ought to be interesting.
I'm beginning to wonder what the true content of the news is lately. It seems that it's just opinion and spin with little fact. Actually it's getting harder to tell fact from fiction on the so called "news" these days. Entertainment and "talk" shows aren't the news.
G'night,
Laura
.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Yes, Virginia we do torture... but now what?
*
I wanted to catch Dick Cheney on the Hannity Show last night.
We don't have cable (by choice) so I braved the thunderstorm at midnight to visit someone that did.
I thought the "interview" was fairly subdued for Hannity who is always trying to make his "points" through the somewhat loud leading questions he asks.
The whole thing which lasted around 20 or so minutes seemed scripted in it's lack of passion on both parts. I wondered what was going on, since neither of these people usually put me to sleep.
I also found that there is a part two tonight, don't know if it'll be any better.
Cheney stated:
"One of the things that I find a little bit disturbing about this recent disclosure is they put out the legal memos, the memos that the CIA got from the Office of Legal Counsel, but they didn't put out the memos that showed the success of the effort,"
and then he followed with:
"I haven't talked about it, but I know specifically of reports that I read, that I saw, that lay out what we learned through the interrogation process and what the consequences were for the country," Cheney said. "I've now formally asked the CIA to take steps to declassify those memos so we can lay them out there and the American people have a chance to see what we obtained and what we learned and how good the intelligence was."
That was the meat and potatoes of the first part of the interview. Defending torture (or at least his definition of it) as good because it got results...
Perhaps Cheney is right the results should be made public, then we could judge more accurately if Cheney is still redefining or not.
Regardless if there were any results or not... It doesn't let people off for torture.
Should police coerce and beat information and confessions out of their detainees?
Cheney gathered up the stormclouds outside the house and sent them towards the rest of the country. It will be of course be Obama's fault if we have problems now because he's weakened our country... This is 100% Cheney no doubt about that.
Let's just rewrite history: Bush greatest president ever. Obama evil in 95 days...
*
Jon Stewart weighs in on torture:
The same night the Daily Show was of course more animated. He started out with a segment that was funny while addressing serious material about our torturing prisoners.
"No one is upset about the fact that America tortures, they're just upset that they now know about it." He referred to the Obama suporters like Chris Mattnews as the "Yes, we can McChange a hope" crowd. Watch the segment it's relevant satire.
Geneva Convention:
There seems to be enough banter about the definition of torture going on.
Is waterboarding torture? Of course it is.
Should we have done it? Not if we honor the Geneva Convention which we were a major part in.
We cannot change US laws or international laws by blatently ignoring them or redefining torture.
We cannot criticize and call for sanctions of others because of their disregard for such law and not seem hypocritically sanctimonious to the world.
It is sad to see our country willing to:
1) engage in torture and then try to redefine torture and international law.
2) let our engagement in torture go without prosecution and no accountability.
3) be willing to have the whole world see us as the "do as I say but not as I do" nation.
Obama said:we won't prosecute the lowly folk that engaged in torture because they were ordered to by higher ups... now it seems we won't prosecute the higher ups because we are "looking towards the future" not the past. What?
The president has the power to pardon those convicted of the crime of torture... but does he have the power to derail any investigation and criminal prosecution of those involved? Is that even legal?
I seem to remember president Clinton being impeached by congress and a special prosecutor (and Ken Starr was indeed "special") for lying about a blow job. You were willing to tear the country apart over that gleefully, but not over real crime against humanity?
Where exactly are our ethics and morals these days?
Law should not become a laughing stock.
We put young people in jail for smoking pot.
We talk of harsher illegal immigration laws.
But we allow torture to take place and then ignore the laws for prosecution?
How do we expect any of our own nations detainees abroad to be treated when charged with crimes if we pick and choose how we treat those we detained without regard to their human rights?
Way to go Obama/Biden, Way to go Cheney/Bush, I expected a big difference on this one.
I temporarily forgot my working definition of Politician: One who speaks with a forked tongue out of both sides of the mouth.
Most sadly disappointed.
There should be a special prosecutor and committee to look into how the torture happened and on what US authority was it carried out. It's that simple. Obama should stay out of it until the truth is known. If people are convicted then perhaps Obama in his infinite wisdom can convert their sentence or pardon those involved.
I know reading and education isn't necessarily the vogue these days... it apparently makes you either a liberal, cosmopolitan or even worse an "elitist" but please go to the library (they keep books there) or google the Geneva Convention there are summaries and read the damn thing.
I'm wondering if the same folk that are seeking to redefine "torture" are the ones that redefined "informed" to read "elitist?" Oh you betcha.
Does anyone care?
A very tired Laura
I wanted to catch Dick Cheney on the Hannity Show last night.
We don't have cable (by choice) so I braved the thunderstorm at midnight to visit someone that did.
I thought the "interview" was fairly subdued for Hannity who is always trying to make his "points" through the somewhat loud leading questions he asks.
The whole thing which lasted around 20 or so minutes seemed scripted in it's lack of passion on both parts. I wondered what was going on, since neither of these people usually put me to sleep.
I also found that there is a part two tonight, don't know if it'll be any better.
Cheney stated:
"One of the things that I find a little bit disturbing about this recent disclosure is they put out the legal memos, the memos that the CIA got from the Office of Legal Counsel, but they didn't put out the memos that showed the success of the effort,"
and then he followed with:
"I haven't talked about it, but I know specifically of reports that I read, that I saw, that lay out what we learned through the interrogation process and what the consequences were for the country," Cheney said. "I've now formally asked the CIA to take steps to declassify those memos so we can lay them out there and the American people have a chance to see what we obtained and what we learned and how good the intelligence was."
That was the meat and potatoes of the first part of the interview. Defending torture (or at least his definition of it) as good because it got results...
Perhaps Cheney is right the results should be made public, then we could judge more accurately if Cheney is still redefining or not.
Regardless if there were any results or not... It doesn't let people off for torture.
Should police coerce and beat information and confessions out of their detainees?
Cheney gathered up the stormclouds outside the house and sent them towards the rest of the country. It will be of course be Obama's fault if we have problems now because he's weakened our country... This is 100% Cheney no doubt about that.
Let's just rewrite history: Bush greatest president ever. Obama evil in 95 days...
*
Jon Stewart weighs in on torture:
The same night the Daily Show was of course more animated. He started out with a segment that was funny while addressing serious material about our torturing prisoners.
"No one is upset about the fact that America tortures, they're just upset that they now know about it." He referred to the Obama suporters like Chris Mattnews as the "Yes, we can McChange a hope" crowd. Watch the segment it's relevant satire.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | M - Th 11p / 10c | |||
| We Don't Torture | ||||
| ||||
Geneva Convention:
There seems to be enough banter about the definition of torture going on.
Is waterboarding torture? Of course it is.
Should we have done it? Not if we honor the Geneva Convention which we were a major part in.
We cannot change US laws or international laws by blatently ignoring them or redefining torture.
We cannot criticize and call for sanctions of others because of their disregard for such law and not seem hypocritically sanctimonious to the world.
It is sad to see our country willing to:
1) engage in torture and then try to redefine torture and international law.
2) let our engagement in torture go without prosecution and no accountability.
3) be willing to have the whole world see us as the "do as I say but not as I do" nation.
Obama said:we won't prosecute the lowly folk that engaged in torture because they were ordered to by higher ups... now it seems we won't prosecute the higher ups because we are "looking towards the future" not the past. What?
The president has the power to pardon those convicted of the crime of torture... but does he have the power to derail any investigation and criminal prosecution of those involved? Is that even legal?
I seem to remember president Clinton being impeached by congress and a special prosecutor (and Ken Starr was indeed "special") for lying about a blow job. You were willing to tear the country apart over that gleefully, but not over real crime against humanity?
Where exactly are our ethics and morals these days?
Law should not become a laughing stock.
We put young people in jail for smoking pot.
We talk of harsher illegal immigration laws.
But we allow torture to take place and then ignore the laws for prosecution?
How do we expect any of our own nations detainees abroad to be treated when charged with crimes if we pick and choose how we treat those we detained without regard to their human rights?
Way to go Obama/Biden, Way to go Cheney/Bush, I expected a big difference on this one.
I temporarily forgot my working definition of Politician: One who speaks with a forked tongue out of both sides of the mouth.
Most sadly disappointed.
There should be a special prosecutor and committee to look into how the torture happened and on what US authority was it carried out. It's that simple. Obama should stay out of it until the truth is known. If people are convicted then perhaps Obama in his infinite wisdom can convert their sentence or pardon those involved.
I know reading and education isn't necessarily the vogue these days... it apparently makes you either a liberal, cosmopolitan or even worse an "elitist" but please go to the library (they keep books there) or google the Geneva Convention there are summaries and read the damn thing.
I'm wondering if the same folk that are seeking to redefine "torture" are the ones that redefined "informed" to read "elitist?" Oh you betcha.
Does anyone care?
A very tired Laura
Friday, April 17, 2009
What the heck is going on with the news these days… and how can we stop it?
*
Texas secession. I've mentioned before how Chuck Norris has stated numerous times that Texas might be better off as it's own country. Seems that the Teabagging parties brought Texas Governor Rick Perry out into the limelight again. It's a joke when he says Texans could get so fed up that they would want to secede from the union, right? Look ya'll if Texas was going to secede from the United States then why, oh why, couldn't they have done it prior to the year 2000? Then GW could have been the President of Texas with good ol' Walker Texas Ranger as VP.
Governor Rick Perry says
Sarah Palin's father is getting in the act against Levi Johnston. A lot of "he said-she said" nonsense going on in Alaska. Drop it, it's a family matter. Both families seem to have issues. Sarah is starting to sound a bit shrill. The hoopla would go away if you let it, or maybe you like the attention. Do you need to get the last word in always? How about we keep our dirty laundry hung out on our own Alaskan porch across from Russia. Most politicians let things die out on their own, perhaps Sarah you should stop worrying so much about Levi and what he does or doesn't say... You could find other important things to do like, oh you know, like governing Alaska.
Rush Limbaugh the Oxy-moron. How is it possible that Rushie now is defending the poor teenage Somali Pirates that were shot in the rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips? Does he sometimes forget what side he's on, or who he is? Forget the Oxycontin Rush, find something that calms you down and allows you to think rationally again. Oh and you haven't left NY yet... get moving on that would you?
Ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich is going to be on reality tv? A survivor-like knock-off show on NBC called: "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" What a joke. You can't make this stuff up. Well he'd be on the show if he's not in jail that is... wait a second maybe it would qualify as probation, we could call it public service to deter bad behavior in others with the threat of complete public humiliation.
I think they should call the show "Are You F*%#ing Serious?"
Nadya Suleman: Octomom now wants to own the word "Octomom" and has filed an application with the Patent and Trademark Office so she can control it's use and sell stuff for her own gain. What a surprise eh? This woman is either batshit crazy or a smart, calculating, self-serving bitch or maybe both and more. Hey, copyright that honey. I do however wish her children all the luck in the world they might need it.
Tax Day: I realized two things on April 15, 2009 while I was watching some of the teabagging parties on the television (and no it wasn't on adult pay for view). 1) There are a lot of people extremely angry about taxes, that don't understand the tax bills or what they will actually pay at all... but they do understand being very angry. 2) Grown men and women wearing hats with numerous tea bags dangling off the brim, bobbing and swirling, knocking into each other with every movement actually scare the hell out of me for oh so many reasons.
And my final thoughts:
Single sex marriage is bad.
Young teens sexting is child pornography.
Waterboarding isn't necessarily bad.
Oh civil rights be damned.
G'night,
Laura
*
Texas secession. I've mentioned before how Chuck Norris has stated numerous times that Texas might be better off as it's own country. Seems that the Teabagging parties brought Texas Governor Rick Perry out into the limelight again. It's a joke when he says Texans could get so fed up that they would want to secede from the union, right? Look ya'll if Texas was going to secede from the United States then why, oh why, couldn't they have done it prior to the year 2000? Then GW could have been the President of Texas with good ol' Walker Texas Ranger as VP.
Governor Rick Perry says
Sarah Palin's father is getting in the act against Levi Johnston. A lot of "he said-she said" nonsense going on in Alaska. Drop it, it's a family matter. Both families seem to have issues. Sarah is starting to sound a bit shrill. The hoopla would go away if you let it, or maybe you like the attention. Do you need to get the last word in always? How about we keep our dirty laundry hung out on our own Alaskan porch across from Russia. Most politicians let things die out on their own, perhaps Sarah you should stop worrying so much about Levi and what he does or doesn't say... You could find other important things to do like, oh you know, like governing Alaska.
Rush Limbaugh the Oxy-moron. How is it possible that Rushie now is defending the poor teenage Somali Pirates that were shot in the rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips? Does he sometimes forget what side he's on, or who he is? Forget the Oxycontin Rush, find something that calms you down and allows you to think rationally again. Oh and you haven't left NY yet... get moving on that would you?
Ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich is going to be on reality tv? A survivor-like knock-off show on NBC called: "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" What a joke. You can't make this stuff up. Well he'd be on the show if he's not in jail that is... wait a second maybe it would qualify as probation, we could call it public service to deter bad behavior in others with the threat of complete public humiliation.
I think they should call the show "Are You F*%#ing Serious?"
Nadya Suleman: Octomom now wants to own the word "Octomom" and has filed an application with the Patent and Trademark Office so she can control it's use and sell stuff for her own gain. What a surprise eh? This woman is either batshit crazy or a smart, calculating, self-serving bitch or maybe both and more. Hey, copyright that honey. I do however wish her children all the luck in the world they might need it.
Tax Day: I realized two things on April 15, 2009 while I was watching some of the teabagging parties on the television (and no it wasn't on adult pay for view). 1) There are a lot of people extremely angry about taxes, that don't understand the tax bills or what they will actually pay at all... but they do understand being very angry. 2) Grown men and women wearing hats with numerous tea bags dangling off the brim, bobbing and swirling, knocking into each other with every movement actually scare the hell out of me for oh so many reasons.
And my final thoughts:
Single sex marriage is bad.
Young teens sexting is child pornography.
Waterboarding isn't necessarily bad.
Oh civil rights be damned.
G'night,
Laura
*
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Can you contain your excitement now that Teabagging Day is finally here... Wait what did I say?
*
If you don't understand by now why the term teabagging has most of the news commentators hard pressed (sorry) to try and keep a straight face while reporting on conservative teabaggers planning teabagging parties, then please look it up in Wikipedia or something.
I was surprised by how many newsfolk (and others) didn't know the double-entendre value early on while they blissfully encouraged teabagging across the nation in tax protest. The news suddenly became a hysterically risqué fun house to many people.
One such humorous report from MSNBC did a segment that just cracked me up. It was deliberate of course, tongue in cheek so to speak.
It was titled: GOP's taste for teabagging
While the anti-tax "tea parties" are officially toothless, conservative teabaggers are full-throated about their goals. They want to give President Obama a strong tongue-lashing and lick government spending; spending they did not oppose when they were under Presidents Bush and Reagan.
If that doesn't at least make you crack a smile, listen to Rachel Maddow report after she totally gave up on trying to report for days without laughing. Most reporters as the days went on gave up trying to hide the linguistic challenge.
I found myself these last few weeks reveling in the hormone fueled sexual humor of a teenage boy, which is an amazing feat since I've never been a teenage boy. I found myself laughing out loud at accidental and deliberate statements like:
April 15: The teabaggers' seminal moment. The GOP bones up on teabagging the nation. We even have Dick Armey teabagging. Tea bag Obama and Pelosi. The conservatives are hoping the government feels the full thrust of the bottom up grass root teabagging campaign.
Ah, comeon, I know it's juvenile, I really do but...
All I can find myself saying is "Happy teabagging on tax day... but why stop there? Seems to me teabagging is a great new way to protest the government. Wait, not that new, I hear it went on during the Boston Tea Party. You are partaking in a great national tradition.
Knowing the alternative definition of teabagging turned even the more serious newscasts into political satire of sorts. It made such easy sport of Glen Beck and others. I guess teabagging was seen as an innocuous enough word that there couldn't be anything wrong with using it. There really should be a lot more vetting going on before choosing terms and people it would seem.
Yes, I'm smiling.
But now I'm leaving before I get in even deeper hot water...
Gulp.
G'night.
Laura
*
If you don't understand by now why the term teabagging has most of the news commentators hard pressed (sorry) to try and keep a straight face while reporting on conservative teabaggers planning teabagging parties, then please look it up in Wikipedia or something.
I was surprised by how many newsfolk (and others) didn't know the double-entendre value early on while they blissfully encouraged teabagging across the nation in tax protest. The news suddenly became a hysterically risqué fun house to many people.
One such humorous report from MSNBC did a segment that just cracked me up. It was deliberate of course, tongue in cheek so to speak.
It was titled: GOP's taste for teabagging
While the anti-tax "tea parties" are officially toothless, conservative teabaggers are full-throated about their goals. They want to give President Obama a strong tongue-lashing and lick government spending; spending they did not oppose when they were under Presidents Bush and Reagan.
If that doesn't at least make you crack a smile, listen to Rachel Maddow report after she totally gave up on trying to report for days without laughing. Most reporters as the days went on gave up trying to hide the linguistic challenge.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
April 15: The teabaggers' seminal moment. The GOP bones up on teabagging the nation. We even have Dick Armey teabagging. Tea bag Obama and Pelosi. The conservatives are hoping the government feels the full thrust of the bottom up grass root teabagging campaign.
Ah, comeon, I know it's juvenile, I really do but...
All I can find myself saying is "Happy teabagging on tax day... but why stop there? Seems to me teabagging is a great new way to protest the government. Wait, not that new, I hear it went on during the Boston Tea Party. You are partaking in a great national tradition.
Knowing the alternative definition of teabagging turned even the more serious newscasts into political satire of sorts. It made such easy sport of Glen Beck and others. I guess teabagging was seen as an innocuous enough word that there couldn't be anything wrong with using it. There really should be a lot more vetting going on before choosing terms and people it would seem.
Yes, I'm smiling.
But now I'm leaving before I get in even deeper hot water...
Gulp.
G'night.
Laura
*
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
News that doesn't have the name Obama within it...
*
Did it really take 6 years to finally get a verdict to stand in Phil Spector’s murder trial?
There is an account of him pulling a gun on John Lennon and actually shooting a bullet into the ceiling. Legend has it he held a gun to Leonard Cohen’s head also. This guy is well known for his temper tantrums and paranoia.
It would be most peculiar if someone that had just met Spector took his gun put it in her mouth and commit suicide in his home. MSNBC stated: The 40-year-old Lana Clarkson, star of the 1985 cult film “Barbarian Queen,” died of a gunshot fired in her mouth as she sat in the foyer of Spector’s mansion in 2003. She met Spector only hours earlier at her job as a nightclub hostess.
Another long awaited ruling though not such dire consequences: Al Franken was announced as the winner in the senate race, but… not quite. Coleman is going to challenge once again and possibly tie it all up until May now.
Ultimately it’s going to go to Franken why is Coleman hanging the whole thing up? I’m so sick of both of them. If Al Gore could concede the mess he was in I think the republicans can advise Coleman to give up and save face. The republicans are starting to look like a bunch of spoiled brats (granted the Dems are just children but not quite as spoiled).
Glad that the Navy snipers were such well trained sharp shooters. Kudos.
The captain is now safe. The Somali pirates have threatened retaliation for the rescue.
Yea, honor amongst thieves that prey on people.
How about we pay the somali's that take out the pirates?
Bounty on the Pirates... Mutiny for the Bounty. Hmm.
Tomorrow I'm going to work on the photos from the Vietnam War Memorial in DC.
Hopefully I'll get enough time to finish it.
We had a great Easter Sunday. Everyone was home, plus my mother and brother.
I cooked an eleven pound ham, smashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, creamed spinach, nice garden greens salad, asparagus and bro brought cheesecake and pineapple upside down cake.
Mmmmm, yummy.
Took son to train to go back to DC (sob) and everyone went back to daily life once again.
Very tired and need sleep desperately.
The world won't disintegrate overnight if I don't catch up on all the news...
Um, it won't right?
G'night,
Laura
*
Did it really take 6 years to finally get a verdict to stand in Phil Spector’s murder trial?
There is an account of him pulling a gun on John Lennon and actually shooting a bullet into the ceiling. Legend has it he held a gun to Leonard Cohen’s head also. This guy is well known for his temper tantrums and paranoia.
It would be most peculiar if someone that had just met Spector took his gun put it in her mouth and commit suicide in his home. MSNBC stated: The 40-year-old Lana Clarkson, star of the 1985 cult film “Barbarian Queen,” died of a gunshot fired in her mouth as she sat in the foyer of Spector’s mansion in 2003. She met Spector only hours earlier at her job as a nightclub hostess.
Another long awaited ruling though not such dire consequences: Al Franken was announced as the winner in the senate race, but… not quite. Coleman is going to challenge once again and possibly tie it all up until May now.
Ultimately it’s going to go to Franken why is Coleman hanging the whole thing up? I’m so sick of both of them. If Al Gore could concede the mess he was in I think the republicans can advise Coleman to give up and save face. The republicans are starting to look like a bunch of spoiled brats (granted the Dems are just children but not quite as spoiled).
Glad that the Navy snipers were such well trained sharp shooters. Kudos.
The captain is now safe. The Somali pirates have threatened retaliation for the rescue.
Yea, honor amongst thieves that prey on people.
How about we pay the somali's that take out the pirates?
Bounty on the Pirates... Mutiny for the Bounty. Hmm.
Tomorrow I'm going to work on the photos from the Vietnam War Memorial in DC.
Hopefully I'll get enough time to finish it.
We had a great Easter Sunday. Everyone was home, plus my mother and brother.
I cooked an eleven pound ham, smashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, creamed spinach, nice garden greens salad, asparagus and bro brought cheesecake and pineapple upside down cake.
Mmmmm, yummy.
Took son to train to go back to DC (sob) and everyone went back to daily life once again.
Very tired and need sleep desperately.
The world won't disintegrate overnight if I don't catch up on all the news...
Um, it won't right?
G'night,
Laura
*
Friday, April 10, 2009
A Definite Must See: The Newseum in Washington DC!
*
I didn’t think I’d find the Newseum as interesting as I did. The other museums off the mall are for the most part free such as the Smithsonian museums like Air and Space, Natural History, Portrait Gallery, the Botanical Gardens and others.
The Newseum costs $20.00 which isn’t that bad a deal because you can easily spend the day there. There are many interactive news stations, Pulitzer Prize winning photographs, and movies such as the one on the 9/11 attacks that is outstanding and emotional.
The antenna from the top of one of the twin towers is on display with the front pages from all over the world from the time.
There is a portion of the Berlin Wall, a story display and a gun tower from the wall.
There are political cartoons, tributes to journalists that have lost their lives, print presses and many displays of interest pertaining to the news.
What fascinated me however were the actual newspapers housed in glass drawers with the front pages showing that chronicled major news stories over time and first editions of many major magazines. It was hard for me to photograph the oldest newspapers/pamphlets because of the camera I had and lighting on that side.
I think I opened every drawer there was. Politely asking folk that were standing around talking to move so I could pull out the bottom drawers. Such history in that room starting from the 1500’s to present day.
And if you’re tired from all the walking around and thinking about the relationship between the past, present and the future you can go up to the top floor of the Newseum and wander outside. The view is spectacular and really brings the whole experience into perspective looking out over the Capitol (at least it did for me).
I highly recommend the Newseum. It was a lot of fun and worth the admission. “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” is taped within the Newseum. I was glad I checked it out! If you go to the Newseum website: Front Pages there are 795 front pages from 68 countries every day and archives. Absolutely awesome to the news junkie! I hope newspapers never die off. I really do.
G’night,
Laura
I didn’t think I’d find the Newseum as interesting as I did. The other museums off the mall are for the most part free such as the Smithsonian museums like Air and Space, Natural History, Portrait Gallery, the Botanical Gardens and others.
The Newseum costs $20.00 which isn’t that bad a deal because you can easily spend the day there. There are many interactive news stations, Pulitzer Prize winning photographs, and movies such as the one on the 9/11 attacks that is outstanding and emotional.
The antenna from the top of one of the twin towers is on display with the front pages from all over the world from the time.
There is a portion of the Berlin Wall, a story display and a gun tower from the wall.
There are political cartoons, tributes to journalists that have lost their lives, print presses and many displays of interest pertaining to the news.
What fascinated me however were the actual newspapers housed in glass drawers with the front pages showing that chronicled major news stories over time and first editions of many major magazines. It was hard for me to photograph the oldest newspapers/pamphlets because of the camera I had and lighting on that side.
I think I opened every drawer there was. Politely asking folk that were standing around talking to move so I could pull out the bottom drawers. Such history in that room starting from the 1500’s to present day.
And if you’re tired from all the walking around and thinking about the relationship between the past, present and the future you can go up to the top floor of the Newseum and wander outside. The view is spectacular and really brings the whole experience into perspective looking out over the Capitol (at least it did for me).
I highly recommend the Newseum. It was a lot of fun and worth the admission. “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” is taped within the Newseum. I was glad I checked it out! If you go to the Newseum website: Front Pages there are 795 front pages from 68 countries every day and archives. Absolutely awesome to the news junkie! I hope newspapers never die off. I really do.
G’night,
Laura
Monday, March 23, 2009
Pope Benedict XVI what possessed you to say that using condoms increases the AIDS problem?
*
I actually didn’t believe this when I first heard it because it seemed so outrageous like something the Onion would make up as a spoof but turns out it is real. I find this very discouraging.
Pope Benedict XVI according to all accounts when visiting of all places Africa where AIDS is a huge problem rejected the distribution of condoms as a means of fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS. According to msnbc Benedict said that “distributing condoms “increases the AIDS problem.” This is simply irresponsible coming from the official leader of the Catholic Church. Either life is sacred or it isn’t, you can’t pick and choose who lives and dies. So how dies the pro-life 81 year old pope make a statement that may condemn millions to illness and death while passing the disease on to others along the way?
According to Times online Benedict said the “traditional teaching of the Church” on chastity outside marriage and fidelity within it had proved to be “the only sure way of preventing the spread of HIV and Aids”.
*
So those that have sex outside of marriage or are raped deserve to be condemned to HIV infection because the church thinks abstinence is the answer instead of protection? Because birth control is a no-no to the church? When a condom is being used to prevent a deadly disease from being spread to a partner or to prevent an innocent child that might be born with HIV doesn’t that trump the stance against condoms as birth control alone? Apparently not.
I’m not Catholic and I’m not religious though I was brought up Christian. I do not practice any organized religion. I do not rule out a God but no one religion can be proven to be the “right” one. Pope Benedict’s proclamation is an irresponsible, downright dangerous, uninformed stance that could condemn people to a disease that they might otherwise have prevented by using a condom. The Catholic Church has never been able to admit that every time even a married couple have sex they aren’t trying to conceive a child. This is outdated and irrational thinking. It’s simple not true, condoms used right can do a lot to prevent the spread of HIV. Sir this is a fact. This is the church that says they put the innocent children’s lives before anything?
Yes, Pope Benedict if only people practiced abstinence there would be less HIV infection but in the real world abstinence doesn’t happen that often. How many marriages has your church performed on all ready pregnant women because of the anti-birth control stance you advocate? How many have contracted HIV because condoms are not sanctioned by the Vatican and you actually actively discourage their use at all?
Unbelievable. Unconscionable. Is there such a thing as unintentional genocide? I can’t understand saying “AIDS is a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems”. Let me get this straight: you can be absolved of your sins by going to confession and every thing’s fine but you can’t use a condom because you say so?
This saddens me that such a powerful man of the cloth would make such a callous mistake. I don’t remember any commandments saying Thou shall not have safe sex…
I must have missed it.
G’night,
Laura
*
I actually didn’t believe this when I first heard it because it seemed so outrageous like something the Onion would make up as a spoof but turns out it is real. I find this very discouraging.
Pope Benedict XVI according to all accounts when visiting of all places Africa where AIDS is a huge problem rejected the distribution of condoms as a means of fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS. According to msnbc Benedict said that “distributing condoms “increases the AIDS problem.” This is simply irresponsible coming from the official leader of the Catholic Church. Either life is sacred or it isn’t, you can’t pick and choose who lives and dies. So how dies the pro-life 81 year old pope make a statement that may condemn millions to illness and death while passing the disease on to others along the way?
According to Times online Benedict said the “traditional teaching of the Church” on chastity outside marriage and fidelity within it had proved to be “the only sure way of preventing the spread of HIV and Aids”.
*
So those that have sex outside of marriage or are raped deserve to be condemned to HIV infection because the church thinks abstinence is the answer instead of protection? Because birth control is a no-no to the church? When a condom is being used to prevent a deadly disease from being spread to a partner or to prevent an innocent child that might be born with HIV doesn’t that trump the stance against condoms as birth control alone? Apparently not.
I’m not Catholic and I’m not religious though I was brought up Christian. I do not practice any organized religion. I do not rule out a God but no one religion can be proven to be the “right” one. Pope Benedict’s proclamation is an irresponsible, downright dangerous, uninformed stance that could condemn people to a disease that they might otherwise have prevented by using a condom. The Catholic Church has never been able to admit that every time even a married couple have sex they aren’t trying to conceive a child. This is outdated and irrational thinking. It’s simple not true, condoms used right can do a lot to prevent the spread of HIV. Sir this is a fact. This is the church that says they put the innocent children’s lives before anything?
Yes, Pope Benedict if only people practiced abstinence there would be less HIV infection but in the real world abstinence doesn’t happen that often. How many marriages has your church performed on all ready pregnant women because of the anti-birth control stance you advocate? How many have contracted HIV because condoms are not sanctioned by the Vatican and you actually actively discourage their use at all?
Unbelievable. Unconscionable. Is there such a thing as unintentional genocide? I can’t understand saying “AIDS is a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems”. Let me get this straight: you can be absolved of your sins by going to confession and every thing’s fine but you can’t use a condom because you say so?
This saddens me that such a powerful man of the cloth would make such a callous mistake. I don’t remember any commandments saying Thou shall not have safe sex…
I must have missed it.
G’night,
Laura
*
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Obama's Special Olympics Gaffe, fantasy flying cars and paperweights.
*
I heard on the news that President Obama was on the phone apologizing for his Special Olympics bowling gaffe on Jay Leno the other night even before the show aired. Well, at least he admits when he messed up. Bush never could say he screwed up, though he did it regularly.
I thought the best news clip today was the answer to President Obama from the best bowler from the Special Olympics. He said that he’d love to bowl a game with President Obama. Adding that while it would be great, he warned the president that he’d better get in some practice before hand. A great response.
Saw a clip on an car-slash-airplane that has collapsible wings so it can go in a garage. I’m sure that this is a novelty because I for one hope we never have flying cars!!! It’s bad enough that you have to drive super defensively every day on the road looking out for idiots that don’t blink, run lights, speed, and cut you off. Being responsible for watching to your right, left, front, back and the road itself almost simultaneously is enough of a juggling act for a driver no matter how good they are. Who the hell wants to have to worry about someone crashing into you from above? Not me that’s for sure. Don’t want people running out of gas in the air or flying into things like wires, birds, other cars and tumbling out of the sky down onto me from above. No, no, no! Nor do I want them to take short cuts over my house. Bad enough we have road rage, don’t even want to think about air rage.
It’s cute as far as novelties go and probably satisfies a flying fantasy (ooh, ahh), but it obviously wouldn’t work on any mass scale. The estimated ticket price of $194,000 would be beyond the reach of most folk. This begs the question: do we really want the rich flying around above us? I surely don’t. Would it be too much to ask that we invest our time and money to work on things that would realistically help us right now, like solar, recyclable battery, wind and water power! Though these things may present a problem for car design we can figure it out if we really wanted to. Now that would actually help free us from our obscene oil dependency while being relatively cheap and either low or pollution free.
Flying cars, seriously? We just don’t really need them. Move on. Please.
****
On a personal note I’m shortly going to visit my eldest son in Washington DC and then swinging over to Virginia to visit a good friend I haven’t seen in person in around 15 years. So I spent today finishing one of the gifts I’m bringing down with me. I made sunshine paperweights using 3-4 inch diameter beach stones picked up during my regular walks along the shoreline. I used my acrylic paint and triple thick finishing spray. Came out reasonable well. I’m really hoping they’ll like them. (I’ve also make door stops from interesting larger rocks).
Off to bed early. I’m tired, and longing for some of that elusive sleep thing I get so little of…
G’night,
Laura
*
I heard on the news that President Obama was on the phone apologizing for his Special Olympics bowling gaffe on Jay Leno the other night even before the show aired. Well, at least he admits when he messed up. Bush never could say he screwed up, though he did it regularly.
I thought the best news clip today was the answer to President Obama from the best bowler from the Special Olympics. He said that he’d love to bowl a game with President Obama. Adding that while it would be great, he warned the president that he’d better get in some practice before hand. A great response.
Saw a clip on an car-slash-airplane that has collapsible wings so it can go in a garage. I’m sure that this is a novelty because I for one hope we never have flying cars!!! It’s bad enough that you have to drive super defensively every day on the road looking out for idiots that don’t blink, run lights, speed, and cut you off. Being responsible for watching to your right, left, front, back and the road itself almost simultaneously is enough of a juggling act for a driver no matter how good they are. Who the hell wants to have to worry about someone crashing into you from above? Not me that’s for sure. Don’t want people running out of gas in the air or flying into things like wires, birds, other cars and tumbling out of the sky down onto me from above. No, no, no! Nor do I want them to take short cuts over my house. Bad enough we have road rage, don’t even want to think about air rage.
It’s cute as far as novelties go and probably satisfies a flying fantasy (ooh, ahh), but it obviously wouldn’t work on any mass scale. The estimated ticket price of $194,000 would be beyond the reach of most folk. This begs the question: do we really want the rich flying around above us? I surely don’t. Would it be too much to ask that we invest our time and money to work on things that would realistically help us right now, like solar, recyclable battery, wind and water power! Though these things may present a problem for car design we can figure it out if we really wanted to. Now that would actually help free us from our obscene oil dependency while being relatively cheap and either low or pollution free.
Flying cars, seriously? We just don’t really need them. Move on. Please.
****
On a personal note I’m shortly going to visit my eldest son in Washington DC and then swinging over to Virginia to visit a good friend I haven’t seen in person in around 15 years. So I spent today finishing one of the gifts I’m bringing down with me. I made sunshine paperweights using 3-4 inch diameter beach stones picked up during my regular walks along the shoreline. I used my acrylic paint and triple thick finishing spray. Came out reasonable well. I’m really hoping they’ll like them. (I’ve also make door stops from interesting larger rocks).
Off to bed early. I’m tired, and longing for some of that elusive sleep thing I get so little of…
G’night,
Laura
*
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Meghan McCain of the McCain Dynasty says “kiss my fat ass.”
*
I got a real kick out of Meghan’s response to Laura Ingraham’s comment about her being a plus size: “Kiss my fat ass” (which is something model Tyra Banks said previously). I find it disturbing that such a personal comment aimed at Meghan was made about her weight and even more pissed off that it came from a woman. She should be ashamed to perpetuate the image that you shouldn’t take seriously someone that’s not skinny. Meghan’s an attractive young woman who is entitled to her opinion, she didn’t belittle anyone. Meghan had criticized Ann Coulter’s political beliefs not her dress size. What is with conservative talk show hosts anyway? At least Meghan has her own mind and refreshing spunk!
To quote many others: You go girl.
I’ve seen Meghan McCain turn up on so many shows recently that I’m beginning to wonder if she’s being groomed to be part of a new improved future McCain political dynasty. She has stated repeatedly recently that she’s uninterested in ever running for any political office, but there she is on Fox and Friends, The View, Rachel Maddow, etc. I think I might have just disproved the idea that only the republican right wingers can spin a conspiracy theory behind every tree (hugger). I’m a little suspicious when she states that this mantle of “the new face of the young republicans” somehow “falls on her shoulders.” She seems to be representing herself as a member (or spokesperson) of the new improved younger (though not close to achieved) republican party. I’m not sure how 24 year old moderates fit into the broader party picture.
Meghan isn’t the mainstream republican party, perhaps she (and others of different views of what the party should or shouldn’t be right now) are more like the “independent party” or maybe what should be called the “moderate party.” I call them the Indemoderatarians… because I believe that if you siphoned off the moderates from both the democrat and the republican party (and that’s where you are Meghan) there would be a pretty good size middle of the road more interesting and appealing party. I doubt either party would be happy if the general population found less extreme beliefs in a new party, one that all age groups, backgrounds, income levels and ethnicity felt welcome in.
However the republican party still identifies with and caters to the religious right’s very conservative base. As long as they feel it necessary to do that there’s no real place for people like Meghan. I believe the republicans themselves have a term for them: RINO (Republican’s In Name Only) which they call the likes of Olympia Snowe and Arlen Specter. I guess ostracism doesn’t only happen in Nathaniel Hawthorne stories but at least they don’t want them to wear red letters of identification. On the other hand maybe they would make them if they could…
If the republican party keeps stuck to the extreme conservative base they will bleed off the moderates and will have to deal with the fact that they won’t win elections without pulling moderates back in from both sides.
I keep hearing that Meghan’s more moderate but I’m unsure where she stands on the right to chose for women, gay rights, universal health care, religion’s place in policy and government, global warming, stem cell research and many other issues. Honestly I’d rather see the answers polled from all those under 25 that are out there in the population than from the daughter of a republican presidential candidate who’s been exposed to politics since she was very young.
The fiscally conservative and socially liberal (though not necessarily young) moderates that would vote republican if given the chance will have to wrest the control of the party from the die hard extreme conservative right’s “cold, dead hands” which won’t be an easy task since the base is a very vocal one that absolutely hates to be challenged or criticized.
Good luck Meghan.
G’night,
Laura
*
I got a real kick out of Meghan’s response to Laura Ingraham’s comment about her being a plus size: “Kiss my fat ass” (which is something model Tyra Banks said previously). I find it disturbing that such a personal comment aimed at Meghan was made about her weight and even more pissed off that it came from a woman. She should be ashamed to perpetuate the image that you shouldn’t take seriously someone that’s not skinny. Meghan’s an attractive young woman who is entitled to her opinion, she didn’t belittle anyone. Meghan had criticized Ann Coulter’s political beliefs not her dress size. What is with conservative talk show hosts anyway? At least Meghan has her own mind and refreshing spunk!
To quote many others: You go girl.
I’ve seen Meghan McCain turn up on so many shows recently that I’m beginning to wonder if she’s being groomed to be part of a new improved future McCain political dynasty. She has stated repeatedly recently that she’s uninterested in ever running for any political office, but there she is on Fox and Friends, The View, Rachel Maddow, etc. I think I might have just disproved the idea that only the republican right wingers can spin a conspiracy theory behind every tree (hugger). I’m a little suspicious when she states that this mantle of “the new face of the young republicans” somehow “falls on her shoulders.” She seems to be representing herself as a member (or spokesperson) of the new improved younger (though not close to achieved) republican party. I’m not sure how 24 year old moderates fit into the broader party picture.
Meghan isn’t the mainstream republican party, perhaps she (and others of different views of what the party should or shouldn’t be right now) are more like the “independent party” or maybe what should be called the “moderate party.” I call them the Indemoderatarians… because I believe that if you siphoned off the moderates from both the democrat and the republican party (and that’s where you are Meghan) there would be a pretty good size middle of the road more interesting and appealing party. I doubt either party would be happy if the general population found less extreme beliefs in a new party, one that all age groups, backgrounds, income levels and ethnicity felt welcome in.
However the republican party still identifies with and caters to the religious right’s very conservative base. As long as they feel it necessary to do that there’s no real place for people like Meghan. I believe the republicans themselves have a term for them: RINO (Republican’s In Name Only) which they call the likes of Olympia Snowe and Arlen Specter. I guess ostracism doesn’t only happen in Nathaniel Hawthorne stories but at least they don’t want them to wear red letters of identification. On the other hand maybe they would make them if they could…
If the republican party keeps stuck to the extreme conservative base they will bleed off the moderates and will have to deal with the fact that they won’t win elections without pulling moderates back in from both sides.
I keep hearing that Meghan’s more moderate but I’m unsure where she stands on the right to chose for women, gay rights, universal health care, religion’s place in policy and government, global warming, stem cell research and many other issues. Honestly I’d rather see the answers polled from all those under 25 that are out there in the population than from the daughter of a republican presidential candidate who’s been exposed to politics since she was very young.
The fiscally conservative and socially liberal (though not necessarily young) moderates that would vote republican if given the chance will have to wrest the control of the party from the die hard extreme conservative right’s “cold, dead hands” which won’t be an easy task since the base is a very vocal one that absolutely hates to be challenged or criticized.
Good luck Meghan.
G’night,
Laura
*
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The threat of domestic terrorism. James Cummings in Belfast, Maine
*
The story of a Belfast, Maine man, James Cummings, that was shot by his wife Amber (who alleges years of sexual and physical abuse) was found online a while ago. Surprisingly it hasn’t gotten the attention that you would have expected from the media. I kept waiting. Much more time and effort was spent on the recent Cramer/Stewart feud (I’m guilty too) and whether Ann Coulter’s book sales are down and what that means (and who cares?) then this more disturbing story.
Bangor Daily News, Maine Feb 2009
What bothers me is that James was a white supremacist Hitler fan that as it came out over the course of a few months time (he was shot Dec. 9) had the makings of a dirty bomb in his home, including radioactive material and instructions. Now since this story has come out (without all that much ado) people tripped all over themselves to state that the radioactive material wasn’t all that dangerous, perhaps, but the real point is that he was serious about putting together a bomb. Pair this with the fact that if his wife hadn’t shot him (thank you) he might have actually harmed people in his OWN country, in his own state or town. What we don’t know was what was inside his head. A home grown domestic terrorist, perhaps not as capable in carrying out a plot as Tim McVeigh turned out to be but just as dangerous to innocent people. Was he a lone gunman type wing nut or was he in contact with others? Apparently he was upset with his cherished democracy having elected Barack Obama as our nations first black president by both popular and electoral consensus. This fact is repeated about his not liking Obama while his danger to people is consistently downplayed. Seriously, not that dangerous? Yeah. Only because he’s dead.
I’m fairly sure that if he was of Muslim faith or probably even just of middle eastern ancestry we would have heard far more about the whole thing. It barely made the public discourse. What I worry about is how many other wing nuts are out there plotting. We worry about “foreigners” so much we miss the fact that we do have our own home grown anti government factions and yes, plenty racists too. Political correctness would like us to believe we’ve gotten past racism but for many we haven’t.
All the nonsense ranging from the amusing if not stupid statement Chuck Norris said about how tough Texas should succeed from the nation rather than go the way of socialism (and that he could be president of Texas) to Limbaugh’s “I want Obama to fail” really isn’t helping bring this country together at a time when we need to work hard to unite and have faith in our country, not tear it apart from the inside out. The key word here is WORK HARD to heal and compromise not divide.
Senator Jim DeMint, of South Carolina (who opposes any real government expansion) said “conservatives might have to take to the streets to stop America’s slide into socialism.” What exactly does that mean? During the election Rep. Michele Bachmann urged investigation into which members of congress were “pro-America or anti-America.” (and do what with them?) Just because someone doesn’t agree with you doesn’t mean they are Anti-American. I would think that even though they disagree all the time our representatives are all pro-American and were freely elected by pro-American voters.
I appreciate everyone’s free speech but frankly I despised GW Bush right from the start, which is my prerogative in a free country but I never wanted him to fail or wished him any harm. Never would I disparage American soldiers though I can be against a war. Never would I want my government to fail because I didn’t agree with a policy. I am proud to be an American from New York. We must report on all possible acts of terrorism equally and denounce it whenever we find it.
Chuck Norris's article text. Black Belts and Succession?
I wonder would Chuck Norris be President of Texas, King or dictator?
G’night,
Laura
*
The story of a Belfast, Maine man, James Cummings, that was shot by his wife Amber (who alleges years of sexual and physical abuse) was found online a while ago. Surprisingly it hasn’t gotten the attention that you would have expected from the media. I kept waiting. Much more time and effort was spent on the recent Cramer/Stewart feud (I’m guilty too) and whether Ann Coulter’s book sales are down and what that means (and who cares?) then this more disturbing story.
Bangor Daily News, Maine Feb 2009
What bothers me is that James was a white supremacist Hitler fan that as it came out over the course of a few months time (he was shot Dec. 9) had the makings of a dirty bomb in his home, including radioactive material and instructions. Now since this story has come out (without all that much ado) people tripped all over themselves to state that the radioactive material wasn’t all that dangerous, perhaps, but the real point is that he was serious about putting together a bomb. Pair this with the fact that if his wife hadn’t shot him (thank you) he might have actually harmed people in his OWN country, in his own state or town. What we don’t know was what was inside his head. A home grown domestic terrorist, perhaps not as capable in carrying out a plot as Tim McVeigh turned out to be but just as dangerous to innocent people. Was he a lone gunman type wing nut or was he in contact with others? Apparently he was upset with his cherished democracy having elected Barack Obama as our nations first black president by both popular and electoral consensus. This fact is repeated about his not liking Obama while his danger to people is consistently downplayed. Seriously, not that dangerous? Yeah. Only because he’s dead.
I’m fairly sure that if he was of Muslim faith or probably even just of middle eastern ancestry we would have heard far more about the whole thing. It barely made the public discourse. What I worry about is how many other wing nuts are out there plotting. We worry about “foreigners” so much we miss the fact that we do have our own home grown anti government factions and yes, plenty racists too. Political correctness would like us to believe we’ve gotten past racism but for many we haven’t.
All the nonsense ranging from the amusing if not stupid statement Chuck Norris said about how tough Texas should succeed from the nation rather than go the way of socialism (and that he could be president of Texas) to Limbaugh’s “I want Obama to fail” really isn’t helping bring this country together at a time when we need to work hard to unite and have faith in our country, not tear it apart from the inside out. The key word here is WORK HARD to heal and compromise not divide.
Senator Jim DeMint, of South Carolina (who opposes any real government expansion) said “conservatives might have to take to the streets to stop America’s slide into socialism.” What exactly does that mean? During the election Rep. Michele Bachmann urged investigation into which members of congress were “pro-America or anti-America.” (and do what with them?) Just because someone doesn’t agree with you doesn’t mean they are Anti-American. I would think that even though they disagree all the time our representatives are all pro-American and were freely elected by pro-American voters.
I appreciate everyone’s free speech but frankly I despised GW Bush right from the start, which is my prerogative in a free country but I never wanted him to fail or wished him any harm. Never would I disparage American soldiers though I can be against a war. Never would I want my government to fail because I didn’t agree with a policy. I am proud to be an American from New York. We must report on all possible acts of terrorism equally and denounce it whenever we find it.
Chuck Norris's article text. Black Belts and Succession?
I wonder would Chuck Norris be President of Texas, King or dictator?
G’night,
Laura
*
The Talking Ann Coulter doll… everyone should have at least one.
*
Can you believe there is a talking Ann Coulter doll? I’m not sure why you would you want one, but there it is.
The Ann Coulter an “America’s Real Action Heroes” figure clothed in her trademark minuscule black dress.
Ann Coulter talking right wing barbie doll
Now I realize that you might be saying to yourself “so what, it’s not surprising that Ann has a doll” and you would be right except for what this amazing little talking doll actually says…
You have to go to the site where they sell it to listen, and I recommend doing just that right here:
And she talks too, listen up…
I think it would be far better if it was a talking bobble head doll.
Other “talking action figures” include:
George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Donald Rumsfeld, Dr. Laura, Kinky Friedman and Elvis Presley.
Now I understand Bush, Clinton, and Reagan but a talking Donald Rumsfeld? Why? Bad enough the real one talks.
Here’s another odd one. Though I would think if it was true to the real Dennis Miller’s character the doll should be called a “ranting” rather than a “talking” doll. I don’t think it looks much like Dennis, actually it’s just a little scary, get that smile.
Wait, shouldn’t there be a Rush Limbaugh doll if there’s one of Dennis Miller? Rush probably controls his franchise and wouldn’t approve of it. Should be one dressed in black that flaps it’s arms, and hops up and down while it talks.
You can view and listen to all of them here:
Talking Action Figures
Absolutely amazing what one can not only find but actually buy out in cyberspace.
Not quite sure what these dolls say culturally about us or as a society. Hmm.
G’night,
Laura
*
Can you believe there is a talking Ann Coulter doll? I’m not sure why you would you want one, but there it is.
The Ann Coulter an “America’s Real Action Heroes” figure clothed in her trademark minuscule black dress.
Ann Coulter talking right wing barbie dollNow I realize that you might be saying to yourself “so what, it’s not surprising that Ann has a doll” and you would be right except for what this amazing little talking doll actually says…
You have to go to the site where they sell it to listen, and I recommend doing just that right here:
And she talks too, listen up…
I think it would be far better if it was a talking bobble head doll.
Other “talking action figures” include:
George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Donald Rumsfeld, Dr. Laura, Kinky Friedman and Elvis Presley.
Now I understand Bush, Clinton, and Reagan but a talking Donald Rumsfeld? Why? Bad enough the real one talks.
Here’s another odd one. Though I would think if it was true to the real Dennis Miller’s character the doll should be called a “ranting” rather than a “talking” doll. I don’t think it looks much like Dennis, actually it’s just a little scary, get that smile.
Wait, shouldn’t there be a Rush Limbaugh doll if there’s one of Dennis Miller? Rush probably controls his franchise and wouldn’t approve of it. Should be one dressed in black that flaps it’s arms, and hops up and down while it talks.
You can view and listen to all of them here:
Talking Action Figures
Absolutely amazing what one can not only find but actually buy out in cyberspace.
Not quite sure what these dolls say culturally about us or as a society. Hmm.
G’night,
Laura
*
Friday, March 13, 2009
Bernie Madoff’s going to jail. Hallelujah finally.
*
Bernie Madoff is off to jail.
I don’t suppose anyone will see much of their money again.
He’ll go to a “FedMedPen” where he can trade stories with other “white collar” criminals.
Personally I hope they drag him off to Riker’s and strategically place him in a cell between warring gang members and the likes of Joel David Rifkin and other criminals. Where he’d have to worry about violence, rape, illness and eat the same food as everyone else with no “perks” of any kind.
Of course this won’t happen.
But for the lower classes, even non violent offenders are housed with more violent crimimals in many prisons. Not Bernie though, that’s “white collar crime” and he’s not in the same class.
*
Says he’s “deeply sorry and ashamed” and pled guilty.
No sympathy from me for old Bernie. Sorry. No, actually I’m not sorry at all.
I suppose he’ll write a book or some other family member will.
Even criminals are afforded celebrity in this society.
I’d like to know who helped Bernie with the house of cards that he built.
Can it really be his scheme alone?
Will they really go after his family? His wife that did book keeping?
Of course they didn’t know anything about the ponzi scheme at all. *wink,wink*
Now maybe a few top choice (as in where’s the beef?) SEC folk will be brought in to explain how they failed to notice the red flags of the “biggest ponzi scheme ever.” I wonder if anyone would be held accountable and receive more than a slap on the wrist. They even had a whistle blower that tried to point the scam out to them (Harry Markopolis) and expose Madoff as early as 1999-2000. And now it’s 2009. Amazing.
Madoff Whistle Blower is Finally Heard (CBS)
Just further proves to me that the question isn’t actually for or against deregulation it’s whatthe hell in the world were the regulators that we supposedly do have doing?
*
It seems like accountability is unnecessarily slow or sometimes nonexistent for powerful or rich people. It’s no better in the government itself.
Just like the Bush-Cheney crew won’t be held to task for the actual illegal activities they engaged in… before, during and after the Iraq war.
While Clinton was dragged through the mud while still president and impeached by the house, then acquitted by the senate for basicallygetting a blow job having oral sex outside of marriage and then lying about it. Duh.
An example of that great left-wing conspiracy, liberal media biased coverage that Limbaugh, O’Rielly, Hannity and Coulter… keep ranting about.
Well at least Bernie’s in jail.
So I ask you justice department… Where’s the beef?
But then again, everyone knows Justice is blind and equal for all… right?
I’m jus’ sayin’
Laura
*
Bernie Madoff is off to jail.
I don’t suppose anyone will see much of their money again.
He’ll go to a “FedMedPen” where he can trade stories with other “white collar” criminals.
Personally I hope they drag him off to Riker’s and strategically place him in a cell between warring gang members and the likes of Joel David Rifkin and other criminals. Where he’d have to worry about violence, rape, illness and eat the same food as everyone else with no “perks” of any kind.
Of course this won’t happen.
But for the lower classes, even non violent offenders are housed with more violent crimimals in many prisons. Not Bernie though, that’s “white collar crime” and he’s not in the same class.
*
Says he’s “deeply sorry and ashamed” and pled guilty.
No sympathy from me for old Bernie. Sorry. No, actually I’m not sorry at all.
I suppose he’ll write a book or some other family member will.
Even criminals are afforded celebrity in this society.
I’d like to know who helped Bernie with the house of cards that he built.
Can it really be his scheme alone?
Will they really go after his family? His wife that did book keeping?
Of course they didn’t know anything about the ponzi scheme at all. *wink,wink*
Now maybe a few top choice (as in where’s the beef?) SEC folk will be brought in to explain how they failed to notice the red flags of the “biggest ponzi scheme ever.” I wonder if anyone would be held accountable and receive more than a slap on the wrist. They even had a whistle blower that tried to point the scam out to them (Harry Markopolis) and expose Madoff as early as 1999-2000. And now it’s 2009. Amazing.
Madoff Whistle Blower is Finally Heard (CBS)
Just further proves to me that the question isn’t actually for or against deregulation it’s what
*
It seems like accountability is unnecessarily slow or sometimes nonexistent for powerful or rich people. It’s no better in the government itself.
Just like the Bush-Cheney crew won’t be held to task for the actual illegal activities they engaged in… before, during and after the Iraq war.
While Clinton was dragged through the mud while still president and impeached by the house, then acquitted by the senate for basically
An example of that great left-wing conspiracy, liberal media biased coverage that Limbaugh, O’Rielly, Hannity and Coulter… keep ranting about.
Well at least Bernie’s in jail.
So I ask you justice department… Where’s the beef?
But then again, everyone knows Justice is blind and equal for all… right?
I’m jus’ sayin’
Laura
*
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Jim Cramer vs Jon Stewart: The Smackdown
*
I have to admit the news recently has been fun to behold.
We had Octomom, Limbaugh, and Bill Maher vs Ann Coulter at Radio City Music Hall.
But the Jon Stewart vs Jim Cramer feud is completely engaging, I can’t stop watching (and laughing).
It boils down to this: The Bull Vs the Bear.
Cramer’s the Bull of course and Stewart’s the Bear.
If you picture a leathery Jim Kramer with a ring through his nose and smoke coming out of his flared nostrils next to Stewart’s big cow eyes in a fuzzy koala suit right here: then you’ve successfully channelled my sad, sorry little mind. Congrats!
*
Background as I see it: It’s easy in a stock market bubble to recommend buying stocks especially strong stock. Cramer’s show is in the “business” of “stock market entertainment” whether he sees it that way or not. However CNBC gives it’s stamp of approval on it with the slogan “In Cramer we trust.” Why they do I don’t know. I don’t trust anyone trying to sell me on parting with any of my money, especially on tv shows with gongs, horns, music and exceptionally angry wild people telling me what to do while looking like they should be taking xanax or valium by the barrel full. If I wanted “crazed” advice I can go down to the street corner in almost any city and find that format. I still wouldn’t listen, but I could find it.
As anyone that recently follows the stock market knows, it’s even easier to predict the rise or fall of stocks when you have insider information. Of course that’s illegal, just ask Cupcake Stewart and while she makes you a wreath made from old socks and walnuts she’ll tell you all about it. No one in the field will admit to inside info but they sure do have miraculously strong gut instincts based on extensive research and years of stock market experience (wink, wink) that they pass on with the devotion attributed to any good evangelical minister.
*
Jon Stewart on the other hand is a comedian. He’s also a news junkie with a rather sarcastic viewpoint that shows clearly through in the social commentary of what he finds in the news stories. I completely sympathize with the sarcasm and enjoy it. Jon likes to show videos of what people say or do and take them to task for it using humor. Often these clips speak for themselves even without Jon’s commentary and visual effects. I understand Cramer himself is going to be on the show tonight. It will be interesting to see how that goes- if it happens. (Same Bat time, same Bat channel)
This is the last clip on Cramer from Jon’s Comedy Central show:
Enter Cramer who clearly over time has made mistakes… especially the past year in particular, so it’s not surprising at all that Stewart took him to task for his very visual and repeated recommendations of Bear Sterns. It was almost too easy and he was fair game. Cramer’s righteous indignation is almost as amusing as Stewart’s skits. He should have tried to quietly take his lumps, admitted a “mistake” while hoping the story would fade away and be forgotten. Better men than Cramer have taken Stewart’s jabs with either anger, humor, or they didn’t care at all. But for the most part they didn’t go on a celebrity tv tour bleating about the unfairness of it all. At some point mad seems like whining when, um, how to say this nicely Jim… you were wrong. How dare Jon Stewart pick on you? Seriously Jim, let it go, pack up your tent, go back to your show and maybe toot a few less horns for a while. A long while.
*
Mix into this brewing stew of video clips and words NBC’s Scarbourough, Vieira, and anyone who else will listen and put Cramer on the tv and you realize that it’s all entertainment and boy does celebrity rule!
Any normal Stock Broker has backpedalled away from this market mess, minced their words and taken losses along with their clientelle (unless of course they’re running huge ponzi schemes). But they did it quietly not with a tv show that’s glitzy, revved up hype that runs on hopefully just caffeination and the personality of a crazed stock man.
Cramer's Book
I rest my case.
*
Stewart keep up the good work.
It’s sometimes a dirty job but someone has to do it.
By the way, anyone that can talk directly to Dora the Explorer is a God in my mind.
Jon, I’d buy you lunch any day of the week in a New York minute, it’d be a really cheap lunch but hey…
I bought Bear Sterns stock.
G'night
Laura
*
I have to admit the news recently has been fun to behold.
We had Octomom, Limbaugh, and Bill Maher vs Ann Coulter at Radio City Music Hall.
But the Jon Stewart vs Jim Cramer feud is completely engaging, I can’t stop watching (and laughing).
It boils down to this: The Bull Vs the Bear.
Cramer’s the Bull of course and Stewart’s the Bear.
If you picture a leathery Jim Kramer with a ring through his nose and smoke coming out of his flared nostrils next to Stewart’s big cow eyes in a fuzzy koala suit right here: then you’ve successfully channelled my sad, sorry little mind. Congrats!
*
Background as I see it: It’s easy in a stock market bubble to recommend buying stocks especially strong stock. Cramer’s show is in the “business” of “stock market entertainment” whether he sees it that way or not. However CNBC gives it’s stamp of approval on it with the slogan “In Cramer we trust.” Why they do I don’t know. I don’t trust anyone trying to sell me on parting with any of my money, especially on tv shows with gongs, horns, music and exceptionally angry wild people telling me what to do while looking like they should be taking xanax or valium by the barrel full. If I wanted “crazed” advice I can go down to the street corner in almost any city and find that format. I still wouldn’t listen, but I could find it.
As anyone that recently follows the stock market knows, it’s even easier to predict the rise or fall of stocks when you have insider information. Of course that’s illegal, just ask Cupcake Stewart and while she makes you a wreath made from old socks and walnuts she’ll tell you all about it. No one in the field will admit to inside info but they sure do have miraculously strong gut instincts based on extensive research and years of stock market experience (wink, wink) that they pass on with the devotion attributed to any good evangelical minister.
*
Jon Stewart on the other hand is a comedian. He’s also a news junkie with a rather sarcastic viewpoint that shows clearly through in the social commentary of what he finds in the news stories. I completely sympathize with the sarcasm and enjoy it. Jon likes to show videos of what people say or do and take them to task for it using humor. Often these clips speak for themselves even without Jon’s commentary and visual effects. I understand Cramer himself is going to be on the show tonight. It will be interesting to see how that goes- if it happens. (Same Bat time, same Bat channel)
This is the last clip on Cramer from Jon’s Comedy Central show:
Enter Cramer who clearly over time has made mistakes… especially the past year in particular, so it’s not surprising at all that Stewart took him to task for his very visual and repeated recommendations of Bear Sterns. It was almost too easy and he was fair game. Cramer’s righteous indignation is almost as amusing as Stewart’s skits. He should have tried to quietly take his lumps, admitted a “mistake” while hoping the story would fade away and be forgotten. Better men than Cramer have taken Stewart’s jabs with either anger, humor, or they didn’t care at all. But for the most part they didn’t go on a celebrity tv tour bleating about the unfairness of it all. At some point mad seems like whining when, um, how to say this nicely Jim… you were wrong. How dare Jon Stewart pick on you? Seriously Jim, let it go, pack up your tent, go back to your show and maybe toot a few less horns for a while. A long while.
*
Mix into this brewing stew of video clips and words NBC’s Scarbourough, Vieira, and anyone who else will listen and put Cramer on the tv and you realize that it’s all entertainment and boy does celebrity rule!
Any normal Stock Broker has backpedalled away from this market mess, minced their words and taken losses along with their clientelle (unless of course they’re running huge ponzi schemes). But they did it quietly not with a tv show that’s glitzy, revved up hype that runs on hopefully just caffeination and the personality of a crazed stock man.
Cramer's BookI rest my case.
*
Stewart keep up the good work.
It’s sometimes a dirty job but someone has to do it.
By the way, anyone that can talk directly to Dora the Explorer is a God in my mind.
Jon, I’d buy you lunch any day of the week in a New York minute, it’d be a really cheap lunch but hey…
I bought Bear Sterns stock.
G'night
Laura
*
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Perhaps Tonya Harding is what's wrong with the economy?
*
As I've said before, I relax on Sundays and catch up on the news both written and video that I've missed.
And tucked between the endless "news" tales of the "villainous" Octomom and Rush Limbore's emphatic ill-spoken rantings...
was a little jem that was like a visit from an unwelcome ghost of winter's past.
The clip most definitely inspired a SNL Seth Meyers "REALLY!?!" moment for me... but to quote her own phrase "What the hell was she thinking?"
The only person pulling a Harding there is Tonya herself.
Ain't "celebrity" amazing?
Speaking of Seth Meyers this is the SNL Michael Phelps clip: REALLY!?!
I fell behind on this week's news, so I'm spending the evening digging. Putting on my hip boots, work gloves and grabbing the shovel... or maybe the pitch fork- to get through the endless loops of same s**t different day news stories... sifting for truth.
Can't watch another economy based show or my head will explode today. I just can't. My mind is in a full blown recession that hopefully won't turn into a depression anytime in the near future. Will rejuvenate my mood tomorrow night at the Bill Maher/Ann Coulter speaker series at Radio City Music Hall in the city. Probably sold out now. Should be a real pip.
G'night all,
Laura
*
As I've said before, I relax on Sundays and catch up on the news both written and video that I've missed.
And tucked between the endless "news" tales of the "villainous" Octomom and Rush Limbore's emphatic ill-spoken rantings...
was a little jem that was like a visit from an unwelcome ghost of winter's past.
The clip most definitely inspired a SNL Seth Meyers "REALLY!?!" moment for me... but to quote her own phrase "What the hell was she thinking?"
The only person pulling a Harding there is Tonya herself.
Ain't "celebrity" amazing?
Speaking of Seth Meyers this is the SNL Michael Phelps clip: REALLY!?!
I fell behind on this week's news, so I'm spending the evening digging. Putting on my hip boots, work gloves and grabbing the shovel... or maybe the pitch fork- to get through the endless loops of same s**t different day news stories... sifting for truth.
Can't watch another economy based show or my head will explode today. I just can't. My mind is in a full blown recession that hopefully won't turn into a depression anytime in the near future. Will rejuvenate my mood tomorrow night at the Bill Maher/Ann Coulter speaker series at Radio City Music Hall in the city. Probably sold out now. Should be a real pip.
G'night all,
Laura
*
Friday, March 6, 2009
Would someone in the republican party please step forward and tell Limbaugh to stop running off at the mouth…
*
So now Rush has stuck his foot in his mouth once again.
Sensationalism and self promotion or sheer stupidity I have no idea which (though I have an opinion).
Would someone in the republican party please step forward and tell Rush to stop talking like he’s in charge of the party before he totally destroys any credibility you have with swing voters, moderates and independent voters.
He’s an overblown bigoted gadfly. And you all praise the intolerantbullshit crap that comes out of his mouth each and every day?
In this clip Limbaugh states on health care legislation: "Before it's all over, it'll be called the Ted Kennedy memorial health care bill"
Your spokesperson Rush keeps saying things that if the so called “evil, liberal, socialist, elitists” made equally outrageous statements and then the democratic party praised and called it smart and true you would all be screaming bloody murder.
Instead you defend him and call the other side the morally corrupt group. Amazing.
The more power you give him, the worse he seems so get.
Pick a conservative with a brain next time around.
I don’t represent any party and speak only for myself but I do find you repugnant Rush.
You are a windbag with a microphone.
And he’ll huff and he’ll puff and blow your house down...
February 2009 saw 650,000 more jobs lost. I suppose that’s somehow Obama’s fault. What a mess.
Now it seems Madoff is going to get some sort of a deal? Outrageous.
How is he any different from a crack cocaine or crystal meth dealer?
Bastard should be in jail all ready… a real jail.
And justice for all indeed.
G’night,
Laura
So now Rush has stuck his foot in his mouth once again.
Sensationalism and self promotion or sheer stupidity I have no idea which (though I have an opinion).
Would someone in the republican party please step forward and tell Rush to stop talking like he’s in charge of the party before he totally destroys any credibility you have with swing voters, moderates and independent voters.
He’s an overblown bigoted gadfly. And you all praise the intolerant
In this clip Limbaugh states on health care legislation: "Before it's all over, it'll be called the Ted Kennedy memorial health care bill"
Your spokesperson Rush keeps saying things that if the so called “evil, liberal, socialist, elitists” made equally outrageous statements and then the democratic party praised and called it smart and true you would all be screaming bloody murder.
Instead you defend him and call the other side the morally corrupt group. Amazing.
The more power you give him, the worse he seems so get.
Pick a conservative with a brain next time around.
I don’t represent any party and speak only for myself but I do find you repugnant Rush.
You are a windbag with a microphone.
And he’ll huff and he’ll puff and blow your house down...
February 2009 saw 650,000 more jobs lost. I suppose that’s somehow Obama’s fault. What a mess.
Now it seems Madoff is going to get some sort of a deal? Outrageous.
How is he any different from a crack cocaine or crystal meth dealer?
Bastard should be in jail all ready… a real jail.
And justice for all indeed.
G’night,
Laura
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Super Bowl Commercials are far more fun than the news.
*
Everybody’s stillfighting discussing the economic stimulus and of course making it the best package it can be. (cough, cough)
I still have problems about giving money to the people that were in charge of failing banks, businesses, and companies… no less giving them bonuses.
Bonuses for what exactly?
One of our representatives wanted to limit the CEO’s pay to the same amount our president gets for running the country. Well, these guys live in a different world… one where they get millions of dollars in bonuses. Imagine that, cause I can’t. And if you screw things up too much you get a severance package and move on to another company, kinda like unwanted teachers, priests, administrators and other professionals. Great. Free market enterprising.
So maybe if they could make a top cap on the wages of the CEO’s if they accepted money from the government, these pompous overpaid jerks would quit and the taxpayers could hire someone that could actually run a company better and for less pay. Hey, just thinkin’
Macy’s going to bleed out 7000 jobs. ::sigh::
The republicans do realize tax cuts alone won’t save us right?
Anyway the Super Bowl was great, ended the way I thought it would but there were some great plays along the way. What a run down the field James Harrison made, pretty cool eh?
The Boss is still the Boss!!! And I noticed that Max Weinberg brought along the rest of the band from Conan O’Brien’s show. That must have been a lot of fun for them all!
I recommend taking a bit of time out bypassing the depressing political news to watch the Super Bowl commercials. My favorite were: Both Doritos ads, Hulu.com, Pepsi’s refresh anthem, Sprint Roadies, Career Builder.com and the silly Conan O’Brien Bud Light ad.
Enjoy!
Watch all the Super Bowl commercials here!
Very much looking forward to snow tomorrow, maybe enough for a great soothing walk!
G'night,
Laura
*
Everybody’s still
I still have problems about giving money to the people that were in charge of failing banks, businesses, and companies… no less giving them bonuses.
Bonuses for what exactly?
One of our representatives wanted to limit the CEO’s pay to the same amount our president gets for running the country. Well, these guys live in a different world… one where they get millions of dollars in bonuses. Imagine that, cause I can’t. And if you screw things up too much you get a severance package and move on to another company, kinda like unwanted teachers, priests, administrators and other professionals. Great. Free market enterprising.
So maybe if they could make a top cap on the wages of the CEO’s if they accepted money from the government, these pompous overpaid jerks would quit and the taxpayers could hire someone that could actually run a company better and for less pay. Hey, just thinkin’
Macy’s going to bleed out 7000 jobs. ::sigh::
The republicans do realize tax cuts alone won’t save us right?
Anyway the Super Bowl was great, ended the way I thought it would but there were some great plays along the way. What a run down the field James Harrison made, pretty cool eh?
The Boss is still the Boss!!! And I noticed that Max Weinberg brought along the rest of the band from Conan O’Brien’s show. That must have been a lot of fun for them all!
I recommend taking a bit of time out bypassing the depressing political news to watch the Super Bowl commercials. My favorite were: Both Doritos ads, Hulu.com, Pepsi’s refresh anthem, Sprint Roadies, Career Builder.com and the silly Conan O’Brien Bud Light ad.
Enjoy!
Watch all the Super Bowl commercials here!
Very much looking forward to snow tomorrow, maybe enough for a great soothing walk!
G'night,
Laura
*
Monday, November 10, 2008
Seventy-two days left of GW Bush...
*
Well, I got home a bit later than expected so I missed yesterday's post...
Unless you're a night owl like me in which case you're still on Sunday night time.
But it is technically Monday morning I suppose so... I'm late. I admit it.
Left at 2pm for the city to see Neil Gaiman talk about the Sandman series for it's twentieth anniversary.
Now running on a DDonuts latte and sheer will power that's rapidly dissipating.
A loaf of bakery bread was left on my computer.
So I cut off a yummy hunk of Brown bread with raisins and the best crusty crust I've eaten in a long time.
I guess the world did fine today without me following the news.
Usually I sneak in some news no matter what but I didn't even turn on the radio in the car.
TV, radio, computer and newspaper free day. Doesn't happen all that often but every once in a while.
Tomorrow I have a lot to catch up on, a million errands and not enough time in the day.
So off to bed I go. Will upload some photos tomorrow afternoon.
Behind in almost all my projects at the moment. Oh well. They'll get done, they always do.
Too tired to talk so...
G'night,
Laura
*
Well, I got home a bit later than expected so I missed yesterday's post...
Unless you're a night owl like me in which case you're still on Sunday night time.
But it is technically Monday morning I suppose so... I'm late. I admit it.
Left at 2pm for the city to see Neil Gaiman talk about the Sandman series for it's twentieth anniversary.
Now running on a DDonuts latte and sheer will power that's rapidly dissipating.
A loaf of bakery bread was left on my computer.
So I cut off a yummy hunk of Brown bread with raisins and the best crusty crust I've eaten in a long time.
I guess the world did fine today without me following the news.
Usually I sneak in some news no matter what but I didn't even turn on the radio in the car.
TV, radio, computer and newspaper free day. Doesn't happen all that often but every once in a while.
Tomorrow I have a lot to catch up on, a million errands and not enough time in the day.
So off to bed I go. Will upload some photos tomorrow afternoon.
Behind in almost all my projects at the moment. Oh well. They'll get done, they always do.
Too tired to talk so...
G'night,
Laura
*
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