Thursday, June 30, 2005

Top 10 Rejected Titles for Saddam's New Novel

10. The Da Vinci Goat.

9. Of Lice and Men.

8. I'm Okay, You're Uday.

7. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sand.

6. Inspectors Turn up no Evidence that Herbie was Ever Fully Loaded.

5. Mahmoud Potter and the Goblet of Hummus.

4. Kuwaiting for Godot.

3. Along Came a Spider Hole.

2. Sunnis are from Mars, Shiites are from Venus, Americans are Infidel Pig Dogs.

1. The Brotherhood of the Traveling Underpants

"Late Show With David Letterman," 6/27/05

Who Says This Ain't No Vietnam?

Read Lyndon Johnson's own words from 1965. They are eerily familiar.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Heard this Song Today

I was on the treadmill tonight, listening to my zen jukebox, and these lyrics came floating through the earbuds:

They say that patriotism is the last refuge
To which a scoundrel clings.
Steal a little and they throw you in jail,
Steal a lot and they make you king.

How true, how true.


Infidels, 1983.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

A Liberal Soldier's Response to Krazy Karl

It's one thing for me to be pissed off about Karl Rove's statement about liberals. It's quite another when the response comes from a liberal soldier who VOLUNTEERED to serve, unlike most of the Chickenhawks in the Administration. Here's the link to the whole blog post, but here's the most important paragraph:

"Also, and I'm not going to harp on this. Who does Karl Rove think he is? Where does he get of saying that liberals wanted to be soft on terrorists. I'm a liberal, and I joined the army. I'd like him to fly into Mosul, come find me, and tell me that to my face. I want him to say "liberals didn't want to fight bin Laden" to my face. Then I want him to sit on shift with me. After that he can clean the bathroom for me. Then he can go out on mission with some of my friends and possibly get shot at. Then he can tell me again how much I want to give terrorists therapy."

Good God.

The New McCarthyism

Tom Oliphant in today's WaPo, with the most important paragraph here:

"Rove's instantly famous speech last week to the New York State Conservative Party should be read in light of this history [of McCarthyism] and not be written off as a cheap, one-time partisan attack. On the contrary, the address by Rove, President Bush's most important adviser, provides the outlines of a sophisticated strategy aimed at making liberals and Democrats all look soft on terrorism.

You said it, Tom.

Larry David Cracks Me Up

If you read nothing else on this (or any other) blog, please check this out. It's rather scary and hysterically funny. Being inside the subconscious of Larry David, or as he says "The Roving Thoughts of a Liberal Insomniac" is a trip worth taking.

Favorite lines: "...The problem is fruit is so inconsistent. When you get a good one, it’s all luck. Fruit is like blackjack. The casino wins most of the time. But at least the casino’s not fixed. I trust the slot machines in Vegas more than the voting machines in Ohio. Even sleazy casino owners in Vegas have more credibility than this bunch…I have to stop killing insects in front of the kids. Am I setting a bad example?..."

Enjoy.


Larry David=George Costanza

Monday, June 27, 2005

Let's Try Not to Get Too Giddy, ok?


So, how happy are you, Jason? 6-0 on the road trip...not bad.

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Responding to Krazy Karl

Over the past several days, there has been considerable uproar over Rove's comments about the liberal response to 9/11. While I wonder whether these remarks were carefully calculated to trap us liberals somehow (paranoia strikes deep!), I believe one of the only people who is qualified to respond is Kristen Breitweiser, one of the widows of 9/11 who helped spearhead the forming of the 9/11 Commission. Here's her take on the matter.

Saturday, June 25, 2005

Sox in First Place

Last night was the perfect night for Sox fans. Sox beat the Phillies 8-0 on superior pitching (Wakefield throws a 2-hitter, Embree has scoreless 9th); old friend Pedro Martinez beats the Yankees! and the Atlanta Braves beat the Orioles. As of 10 pm Eastern time yesterday, Sox ahead by .5 games in the American League East. Wahooo, baby!

Young GOoPers Support War; Refuse to Fight In It

Congratulations to Knight-Ridder news service for writing this story...Apparently Young Republicans are more than willing to send other people to a war, but do not want to sign up themselves. Ahhh, the hypocrisy is mind-boggling.

Friday, June 24, 2005

The Return of the Freeway Blogger


Sad, and true. Visit the Freeway Blogger here.

You Need to Vote...Again

Help ensure that the goobers of the world at AOL don't name Ronald Reagan the greatest American (rather than Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington or Benjamin Franklin). My vote? Lincoln's the one. Go here and vote. I thank you.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Intellectual Insecurity (part deux)

More on the Chimp and the Ph.D.

hmmmmmm?

Ortizzle and Friends Heat Up


Here we go, Red Sox, here we go (clap, clap)! Only 1 game out of first!

Two Americas (continued)

So, when's the last time you heard someone talk about a need for an increase in the minimum wage? If it's been a while, check out the work John Edwards is doing. IMHO, it's one of the most important issues of our day. Increasingly, social safety nets are becoming more and more strained and we need to be vigilent in protecting those in society who aren't as lucky as ourselves.


John Edwards during the campaign

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

OK, It's Just Too Damn Easy

Easy, that is, to find abysmal stories about the wackos in the White House. I've said for a while that I am convinced that the Christo-Fascist Zombie Brigade (as they say on Morning Sedition) is over-reaching in their unending arrogance. Here's another story for you to enjoy.

No Comment

But thought you might be interested in the way Bush treats members of his Cabinet.


Yeah, I would pretend like I didn't know him, too.

I Took it as a Challenge!

Tonight, my sister asked me why I hadn't written more lately about the Chimp. To rectify that seeming omission, I give you the latest polls from USA Today. Ha. Note that the disapproval rating is more than 50% now. Couldn't happen to a nicer mammal.


His Chimpiness.

Monday, June 20, 2005

One Monkey Don't Stop the Show


For SMG and RWS.

Want a Funny Read?

Check out this blog, by a Canadian woman known as "Creampuff," and her blog is "Creampuff Revolution." Enjoy!

There's a New Blog in Town

Called "TPM Cafe," this new blog is an offshoot of Josh Marshall's "Talking Points Memo." Each week there's a guest blogger -- this week it's Bernie Sanders, Vemont's Independent Representative. His first post ends like this (and it's a doozie):

"The Administration's demand that we unnecessarily sacrifice our liberty in the name of security is fundamentally anti-democratic and, frankly speaking, un-American. Other examples (and I'll list just a few because I know this post is getting long) of Bush's efforts to transform American institutions include attempts to consolidate the media into the hands of fewer and fewer large corporations, the erosion of Congressional checks over the President's ability to wage war unilaterally, the vicious and seemingly unrelenting assault on the independence of the American judiciary, and the elimination of any Senate power over the choice of either executive or judicial nominees.

The fights over all these issues are too often portrayed merely as partisan brinksmanship. But the truth is that these are fights over the very essence of our Constitutional democracy. Any other portrayal trivializes the importance of these values and institutions that are the underpinnings of our society.

The political stakes in America have never been higher. If we lose, if the grass roots of America don't speak out, if we do not turn back the radical Bush Administration, we will for the first time in our nation's history see the next generation both less free and less economical prosperous than we are. What an incredible challenge we face. That is why I think it is so important for all of us to be involved in the political process and why I'm so glad to be communicating with you through TPMCafe today. I know I've touched on a lot of topics in a short space but my hope is to spark some interesting and informative exchanges. So pull up a chair to the Table for One and let's get started."


Read the rest here.

In the Good Ole' Summertime

I could be succumbing to my natural optimism (which some people could call unrealistic), but I'm starting to see some chinks in the armor in the Chimp's administration (even from fellow GOoPers).

He's increasingly becoming a lame duck as people are already gearing up for the 2006 Congressional races...and, of course, there's the Downing Street Memo, which is actually starting to get coverage in the MSM. And, last but not least, the Senate has again rejected Bolton as UN Ambassador.

It's too bad that the weather's so good because there's a lot going on in the political world, but it will have to wait.

Friday, June 17, 2005

Hard Time?

Well, the CEO of Tyco is found guilty. Hard to believe that Mr. $6000-shower-curtain Man will be showering with a crowd soon. As they say, don't bend over to pick up the soap, dude.

"Kozlowski, 58, was found guilty of conspiracy, fraud and falsifying business records.

The jury found Swartz, 44, guilty of grand larceny, securities fraud and eight of nine counts of falsifying business records."


I hope this gives some of the Tyco employees a level of satisfaction.

Jeb Bush is a Real Asshole

Here's the evidence. He just can't let Terry Schiavo rest in peace.

Monday, June 13, 2005

Sox-Reds Playing Tonight

Growing up in Cincinnati, I came of age watching the Big Red Machine (Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and my personal favorite Tony Perez). I was one of the only people in New England in 1975 who was rooting for the Reds when they played the Sox in the World Series (another 30 year milestone, yikes!). Had I known then what I know now about Red Sox Nation's long-suffering need for a World Series win, I would have changed my tune...after all the Reds had won several championships (can't resist the tweak).

However, tonight, I'm enjoying watching the game at Fenway Park, which pairs these two classic teams in interleague play, but I'm definitely an American League fan these days! Regardless, there's an interesting story about a former Reds player and announcer Joe Nuxhall, who began pitching in the big leagues at the age of 15+ years old. Thought you baseball fans might be interested in checking it out. (Oh God, Don Gullett, of the Big Red Machine, is the pitching coach for the Reds. Could he really be that old?)


Big Red Machine, circa 1976

Happy Birthday, Dad

Always miss Pop at this time of year...he would have been 79 today. (Oh, and happy father's day, too!)

We're Having a Heat Wave...

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Monday, June 06, 2005

The First of Many Hillary Posts

Go Hillary!

By the way, I think she knows the definition of dissembling.


The next President?

A perfect day for baseball yesterday....over 90 degrees, sunshine and a win by the Sox 6-3 over the Angels.

Friday, June 03, 2005

Ted Turner & Perverts

CNN should cover international news and the environment, not the "pervert of the day," network founder Ted Turner said Wednesday as the first 24-hour news network turned 25.

Read the rest of the story.

Nomination Watch Begins

The National Women's Law Center has launched a blog to keep an eye on all the potential upcoming judicial nominations. Here's a bit of today's post:

"As we told you last week, the deal that averted the nuclear option encourages the President to consult with Senators of both parties before naming judicial nominees:

We believe that, under Article II, Section 2, of the United States Constitution, the word "advice" speaks to consultation between the Senate and the president with regard to the use of the president's power to make nominations. We encourage the executive branch of government to consult with members of the Senate, both Democratic and Republican, prior to submitting a judicial nomination to the Senate for consideration.

Such a return to the early practices of our government may well serve to reduce the rancor that unfortunately accompanies the advice and consent process in the Senate."

Nice start.