I'm not normally a country music fan but this little diddy is a real foot stomper and leg slapper. It does have adult language so you might want to keep the little kiddies away. Otherwise, just put a little pinch of chaw between your cheek and gum and get down at today's MQAblog ho-down.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Sunday Funny
I guess this is funny. It certainly is unusual. OK here's the story. A prison in the Philippines has a creative program to teach discipline, increase moral and try to humanize the prison system.
H/T Steve R.
H/T Steve R.
'Inmates at the CPDRC (Philippines) are required to go through a workout regimen. While the goal is to keep the body fit in order to keep the mind fit, such may not actually happen if it is not done in a manner deemed pleasurable. Music, being the language of the soul, is added to that regimen,' wrote Byron F. Garcia, a security consultant to the Cebu provincial government, last year. source
Friday, July 27, 2007
Did ya?
Did you have a good Friday yesterday? I did. Until I realized it was Thursday. Let's try again today. Only one story to post this busy morning. It's about the hard hitting questions posed by the viewers of YouTube during the debate the other night. It really kept the Democrats on their toes and caused the Republican candidates, who have their own YouTube debate scheduled in about six weeks, to prepare.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Happy Friday, my pet
Here are a few stories about household pets making the news.
Of course there is the dog fighting charges against Michael Vick. I've been surprised at the universality of the outrage and the real emotion behind it. Top of the list is 89 year old Senator Robert Byrd of Tennessee. You can watch his very dramatic floor speech here.
Seems there is a cat who knows when you are going to die. And it crawls right up to you while you pass away. I find this story fascinating. Apparently this cat in a nursing home has curled up next to patients who soon died 25 times! Unless we are witnessing feline murder - something truly remarkable is happening.
The famous dog that helped try to rescue people from the fallen towers after 9-11 has died of cancer. Maybe it can serve as a reminder of those PEOPLE still suffering medically from that day. Day trip to Cuba anyone?
Of course there is the dog fighting charges against Michael Vick. I've been surprised at the universality of the outrage and the real emotion behind it. Top of the list is 89 year old Senator Robert Byrd of Tennessee. You can watch his very dramatic floor speech here.
Seems there is a cat who knows when you are going to die. And it crawls right up to you while you pass away. I find this story fascinating. Apparently this cat in a nursing home has curled up next to patients who soon died 25 times! Unless we are witnessing feline murder - something truly remarkable is happening.
The famous dog that helped try to rescue people from the fallen towers after 9-11 has died of cancer. Maybe it can serve as a reminder of those PEOPLE still suffering medically from that day. Day trip to Cuba anyone?
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
The truth can set US free
If you haven’t seen the news highlights from yesterdays hearing with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales you really should check it out. I agree with the consensus that there has never been a worse performance in Congressional history. Like a fifth grader trying to talk his way out of trouble, Gonzales’ answers were moronic, dishonest and an insult to the American people. In a way I’m pleased - because now we have a historical record of what happens when an authoritarian, crony based government has control. You get incompetent “yes men” who have no trouble lying their ass off, knowing full well they have the protection of the President. In an effort not only to point out this obvious fact, I also would suggest that people keep track of those Republicans (in and out of office) who continue to let our nation suffer from this Administration. They should be tagged for life as Un-American partisans and should NEVER be allowed to hold power over the American people again.
Having said that, you would have been hard pressed to find many Republicans supporting Gonzales yesterday. At least half of GOP committee members yesterday told Gonzo point blank that he was unfit for office. Of all the Republicans who pressed the AG yesterday, none was more hard-hitting than Senator Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania. He sees what going on and tore Gonzo a new one. So what does FOX News do? Well they change Spector's party affiliation from Republican, which he has been for 30+ years, to a Democrat! (Of course it’s not the first time they have done something like that). I show you this not only to reinforce my point that there is an organized propaganda program in place by the right wing, but to silence the critics who still refuse to believe that something so sinister could be happening in the United States. It’s happening, and is plain to see for everyone. In my opinion, if you don’t do something to stop it (especially if you are a Republican!) then you are just part of the problem. As American citizens, we have the DUTY to correct mistakes like this. Survival of our once great country will not withstand further appeasement of the Bush Administration by politicians, citizens or the media.
Having said that, you would have been hard pressed to find many Republicans supporting Gonzales yesterday. At least half of GOP committee members yesterday told Gonzo point blank that he was unfit for office. Of all the Republicans who pressed the AG yesterday, none was more hard-hitting than Senator Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania. He sees what going on and tore Gonzo a new one. So what does FOX News do? Well they change Spector's party affiliation from Republican, which he has been for 30+ years, to a Democrat! (Of course it’s not the first time they have done something like that). I show you this not only to reinforce my point that there is an organized propaganda program in place by the right wing, but to silence the critics who still refuse to believe that something so sinister could be happening in the United States. It’s happening, and is plain to see for everyone. In my opinion, if you don’t do something to stop it (especially if you are a Republican!) then you are just part of the problem. As American citizens, we have the DUTY to correct mistakes like this. Survival of our once great country will not withstand further appeasement of the Bush Administration by politicians, citizens or the media.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Israel Likes Mike
The Israeli Baseball League star Michael Lyons continues to be a fan favorite. Here he is seen signing autographs for some of the many fans who crowd him before and after each game. Lyons team, the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox, maintain their lead near the halfway point of the season. more
Monday, July 23, 2007
"They just wanted us to be Bush automatons."
With a Democratic Congress providing some cover to intimidated public officials, we are just beginning to understand just how much a Republican run government mirrors the old Soviet Union. That's to say: Protect "The Party", hail the "Supreme Leader", and above all do not let any truth that goes against the Party or Leader be spoken aloud. Here is just the latest evidence of this widespread abuse of power by the communists .. I mean the other Reds ... the Republicans.
Price Floyd left the State Department on April 1, after 17 years. He said he was fed up with the relentless partisanship and the unwillingness to consider other points of view. His supervisor, a political appointee, kept "telling me to shut up," he said. Nothing like that had occurred under Presidents Bill Clinton or George H.W. Bush. "They just wanted us to be Bush automatons." Does that sound familiar? Earlier this month, former Surgeon General Richard Carmona told Congress that Bush Administration officials had repeatedly tried to weaken or suppress important public health reports because they clashed with administration dogma. He said he was ordered to mention Bush three times on every page of his speeches.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Ohhh Mitt!
If I were to make a prediction today, (I guess that's exactly what I am doing) I would say that Mitt Romney will be the GOP nominee for President. He has the money, the organization and the focus which seems to me will prevail over the lackluster campaigns of his Republican opponents (including Frederick of Hollywood). I do not support Romney, but have not been a hater. As I've mentioned, I am generally supportive of Mormons and I think that of the Republican candidates Romney is closer to having a grip on reality than anyone else in the top tier. But, he is making mistakes that will not only hurt him in this campaign, but could also permanently bury his political career. Romney is pandering to the far right and it is about to kill his chances for victory in 2008. This picture shows him holding a sign that is idiotic at best and hateful at worse. No serious candidate would be caught dead holding that up. I suspect that deep down Romney thought it was a hateful sign - but felt he had to earn points with the far right. Does he? I don't think so. These extremists have called the shots in Republican politics for a generation but I think the tide is turning.By now, Romney has flipped flopped on so many major issues in an attempt to appease the extremists he has all but destroyed any chance of winning in a general election should he capture the nomination. I am surprised that he did not learn the lesson from John McCain. McCain had some real people power in 2000 because he rejected the nuts in his party. Fast forward to the present and McCain support is weak because regular people hate his embrace of the fascist element of the GOP and the extremists won't accept anyone who is not and has not been a purist. I guess I'm saying that any candidate who wants to be President of ALL of America must reject the far right wing. Otherwise, they will end up like Mitt Romney, looking like a hateful idiot pandering to people who deserve to be condemned - not embraced.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Happy Friday Update
Here are some of the things I wanted to blog about recently but didn't get the chance.
The Old Timers Day at Yankee stadium a couple of weeks ago was great. There were so many of my old Yankee heroes there it was very exciting. The Old Timers game itself was fun to watch. Some of the young Old timers still had skills while the more senior ex-player only had heart. My man, Keith Olberman was there and "called" the game on the Stadium sound system. Sarah and I were shocked to hear him introduced and instinctively jumped up to cheer. (By that time I had jumped a cheered dozens of time at the Old Timers introductions). Well I'm not sure if we were the only ones to cheer but we were the only ones I saw. I did hear somewhat of a negative reaction from the stands. Honestly, it was much less than I thought but it was a brief moan-like boo. I told myself that it was the sound of dinosaurs dieing off.
I try to keep up to date with the Ron and Fez show aired on XM. They are originally from Florida so that's where I became familiar with them. They are based here in NYC now and every so often have events to go to. I went to a wedding a few weeks back at the Hard Rock and got to see a fantastic taping of two shows last week at the comedy club COMIX . In the first taping, Ron Bennington, from the XM show, interviewed Carlos Mencia. It was great. I had seen parts of his show but really not that much. It was a straight up interview - no routine - but it was a very good conversation. The next guy to be interviewed was named Patrice O'Neil. I had no idea who he was until I saw him walk on stage. (It was a small room - only 30 people there and I was in the front row). It was “Sea Monster” from one of my favorite shows, The Office! Cool! I like this guy! (I have since learned that he has a long and impressive resume.) He is a very interesting guy too, even more down to earth than the slightly boastful Mencia. I went to the mic to ask him a question and we joked around everyone was cracking up. What a rush! I was at the mic talking and people were laughing. I recognize that feeling! It really gave me the bug to get back into radio and comedy. That one event really broke down a wall of intimidation about trying to do entertainment here. I felt completely at ease.
It can be pretty great sitting on the beach (my favorite is Daytona Beach) on a hot day, ocean breeze in your face as you begin to dose off because of the tide’s soothing cadence. Other than that, summer sucks! Man I hate the heat. Why can we be having Global Cooling? I am a sweater. If it’s hot I start sweating and when I start I don’t stop. People used to be amazed in Florida at the amount of water that would flow off me (especially my head). When I had really short hair you could almost see the beads of sweat “jump” off me. That may sound kind of gross but it wasn’t really. I was drip dry when I got into the AC and fortunately I don’t stink. But the hot weather stinks when you are all dressed up and need to look …. well, dry. Here in the city summer seems even worse. I look like a drowned rat wherever I go. Thank goodness it starts to cool off here in September and doesn't really get unpleasant until June.
I’m glad I missed that steam explosion the other day. I don’t go over there very often but I have been to Grand Central many times. I know exactly where it happened. Bloomberg did a great job keeping people up to date. There was a very odd moment during his press conference Wednesday night though. He started talking and after just about 1 minute a siren or car alarm went off. It was loud, but New Yorkers don’t really hear that sort of stuff. I mean there are always sirens and alarms going off so after a while, something like that wouldn’t even wake you up at night. You just talk over it Mr. Mayor! But Bloomberg stopped the press conference cold and waited for an excruciating 10 minutes for the sound to stop, leaving the press and his aides standing in the wilting heat. At first I thought that it was very strange and that Bloomberg was looking absurd standing there waiting for the alarm to stop. But then I thought more about why this seemingly brilliant man would be acting so unusually and I think I figured it out. I’m guessing that he realized that his comments would be edited down and disseminated around the country and the world for news outlets to use. Bloomberg did NOT want those news clips to have a screaming siren in the background because it would make the situation appear (on TV and radio) more chaotic than it really was and that would make the city look bad. Smart.
Happy Friday and a very good weekend to all of you.
The Old Timers Day at Yankee stadium a couple of weeks ago was great. There were so many of my old Yankee heroes there it was very exciting. The Old Timers game itself was fun to watch. Some of the young Old timers still had skills while the more senior ex-player only had heart. My man, Keith Olberman was there and "called" the game on the Stadium sound system. Sarah and I were shocked to hear him introduced and instinctively jumped up to cheer. (By that time I had jumped a cheered dozens of time at the Old Timers introductions). Well I'm not sure if we were the only ones to cheer but we were the only ones I saw. I did hear somewhat of a negative reaction from the stands. Honestly, it was much less than I thought but it was a brief moan-like boo. I told myself that it was the sound of dinosaurs dieing off.
I try to keep up to date with the Ron and Fez show aired on XM. They are originally from Florida so that's where I became familiar with them. They are based here in NYC now and every so often have events to go to. I went to a wedding a few weeks back at the Hard Rock and got to see a fantastic taping of two shows last week at the comedy club COMIX . In the first taping, Ron Bennington, from the XM show, interviewed Carlos Mencia. It was great. I had seen parts of his show but really not that much. It was a straight up interview - no routine - but it was a very good conversation. The next guy to be interviewed was named Patrice O'Neil. I had no idea who he was until I saw him walk on stage. (It was a small room - only 30 people there and I was in the front row). It was “Sea Monster” from one of my favorite shows, The Office! Cool! I like this guy! (I have since learned that he has a long and impressive resume.) He is a very interesting guy too, even more down to earth than the slightly boastful Mencia. I went to the mic to ask him a question and we joked around everyone was cracking up. What a rush! I was at the mic talking and people were laughing. I recognize that feeling! It really gave me the bug to get back into radio and comedy. That one event really broke down a wall of intimidation about trying to do entertainment here. I felt completely at ease.
It can be pretty great sitting on the beach (my favorite is Daytona Beach) on a hot day, ocean breeze in your face as you begin to dose off because of the tide’s soothing cadence. Other than that, summer sucks! Man I hate the heat. Why can we be having Global Cooling? I am a sweater. If it’s hot I start sweating and when I start I don’t stop. People used to be amazed in Florida at the amount of water that would flow off me (especially my head). When I had really short hair you could almost see the beads of sweat “jump” off me. That may sound kind of gross but it wasn’t really. I was drip dry when I got into the AC and fortunately I don’t stink. But the hot weather stinks when you are all dressed up and need to look …. well, dry. Here in the city summer seems even worse. I look like a drowned rat wherever I go. Thank goodness it starts to cool off here in September and doesn't really get unpleasant until June.
I’m glad I missed that steam explosion the other day. I don’t go over there very often but I have been to Grand Central many times. I know exactly where it happened. Bloomberg did a great job keeping people up to date. There was a very odd moment during his press conference Wednesday night though. He started talking and after just about 1 minute a siren or car alarm went off. It was loud, but New Yorkers don’t really hear that sort of stuff. I mean there are always sirens and alarms going off so after a while, something like that wouldn’t even wake you up at night. You just talk over it Mr. Mayor! But Bloomberg stopped the press conference cold and waited for an excruciating 10 minutes for the sound to stop, leaving the press and his aides standing in the wilting heat. At first I thought that it was very strange and that Bloomberg was looking absurd standing there waiting for the alarm to stop. But then I thought more about why this seemingly brilliant man would be acting so unusually and I think I figured it out. I’m guessing that he realized that his comments would be edited down and disseminated around the country and the world for news outlets to use. Bloomberg did NOT want those news clips to have a screaming siren in the background because it would make the situation appear (on TV and radio) more chaotic than it really was and that would make the city look bad. Smart.
Happy Friday and a very good weekend to all of you.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
A Perfect Example...
... of the real harm caused every day by "Conservative" ideologues. Detached from the reality of the real world they believe what they believe and the rest of us (poor children included) can go straight to Hell.
Washington Post
President Bush yesterday rejected entreaties by his Republican allies that he compromise with Democrats on legislation to renew a popular program that provides health coverage to poor children, saying that expanding the program would enlarge the role of the federal government at the expense of private insurance. The president said he objects on philosophical grounds to a bipartisan Senate proposal to boost the State Children's Health Insurance Program by $35 billion over five years.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
MUST SEE TV: Lil' Bush
Lil' Bush - Wednesdays - Comedy Central - 10:30 pm 
I highly recommend the program Li' Bush. It is a hard hitting (I mean it - they pull NO punches) look at contemporary politics. In a nutshell we see George W. Bush as a child - "Lil' Bush". His dad, George Bush Sr. is President but in the present time. His brother Lil' Jeb is seen tooling around and last week there was even the debut of Lil' Neil Bush. Lil George has some friends (pictured) Lil' Rummy, Lil' Cheney and Lil' Condi who follow him around and help him create mayhem with his child like mind. In the series so far they have featured cameo appearances by Lil' Hillary, Lil' Barack, Lil' John McCain and Lil' Tony Blair. The more you know about politics the funnier this show will be. If you are like me and remember the first Bush administration, it will be especially funny because they do a lot of humor based on that. Watch this show or record it for later. You'll be stunned at just how sharp (and smart) the humor is and I'm pretty sure you will say that you've never seen a show like this before.
I highly recommend the program Li' Bush. It is a hard hitting (I mean it - they pull NO punches) look at contemporary politics. In a nutshell we see George W. Bush as a child - "Lil' Bush". His dad, George Bush Sr. is President but in the present time. His brother Lil' Jeb is seen tooling around and last week there was even the debut of Lil' Neil Bush. Lil George has some friends (pictured) Lil' Rummy, Lil' Cheney and Lil' Condi who follow him around and help him create mayhem with his child like mind. In the series so far they have featured cameo appearances by Lil' Hillary, Lil' Barack, Lil' John McCain and Lil' Tony Blair. The more you know about politics the funnier this show will be. If you are like me and remember the first Bush administration, it will be especially funny because they do a lot of humor based on that. Watch this show or record it for later. You'll be stunned at just how sharp (and smart) the humor is and I'm pretty sure you will say that you've never seen a show like this before.Pentagon Launches New Offensive
Unfortunately it's not against Al Quiada or domestic terrorist groups, it's against Americans who oppose the Iraq war. Their weapon? Young, inexperienced, true believers who will now receive talking points from Pentagon officials and then "play the expert" to a waiting public. You have to read this to believe it! (Have the stomach to read more about the widespread propaganda campaign being run by the Administration? Then read this.) [reg. req.]
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Why I Blog
When I started this blog during the summer of 2004 it was mostly to promote my upcoming election party. It was a great success! Then it evolved into making a case against George W. Bush and for John F. Kerry. It did not succeed. Then I used it to make the case that the Bush administration is incompetent, dishonest and operates contrary to the American way. Most people have FINALLY come around to this point of view. Now, I need to illustrate how the failures of the past 6 years are only one part of the overall problem. That’s to say that George W. Bush, while singularly the worst President ever, is only the latest tool of a political party who have destroyed (intentionally in my opinion) all that was once great in this country.
Why do they do that? The reasons are many. First and probably foremost there is “Greed”. We see that in the privatization wave called for by Republicans. Look at Iraq - funny how Republican companies and individual right wing ideologue have actually become millionaires from this fiasco. If you look at just about any policy of the Republicans - follow the money and you will see their supporters (often ONLY their supporters) benefiting. Next, there is “Cronyism”. Rewarding loyalty is essential to the party because to be fair or objective would be destructive to the secret meetings and deals; institutionalize lies and propaganda schemes that have characterized the rise of the modern GOP. “Hiding behind the flag, the troops and the Bible”. The right wing has been very effective in fanning the hatred of people who oppose abortion, gay rights by creating a fictional attack on Christianity. They have used the techniques of religious leaders to frame arguments as a good vs. evil, with them being good. Likewise they label anyone who does not tow the line as unpatriotic. Tapping into these basic human instincts and insisting on an overly simplistic world view protects them from a critical review of their policies.
I feel that most of America now see and reject this behavior from the Bush administration. However, I am not convinced that people realize that he is only the latest figurehead for this movement. If in 2008, we elect a Republican President or Congress you have to know that will do things the same way as always. We have to remember how the GOP establishment, religious leaders and right wing media turned a mean spirited, underachieving son of a former President into a straight talking, all American Christian coming to clean up Washington. We must not forget the way the Republican Congress let Bush do exactly what he wanted with no oversight or accountability even as evidence of his destructive actions were plain for all to see. My worry is that if people forget and elect Republicans in 2008, it may take another 6 years for people to again realize their errors. By then it will be far too late to save our country.
This news story is the latest example of what I am saying. The USA Today reports that Pentagon knew that troops were ill equipped yet did not act to correct it. Yes, it was the Bush Defense Department filled with loyal Republicans - many of which will be around for decades - running for office, lobbying or becoming right wing media stars. Also keep in mind that the Republican Congress did nothing to correct this and the right wing media did nothing to report this to the American people. If you think that somehow by 2008 these all these folks will change their stripes - then good for you. I don’t think so and I am not willing to risk it. Therefore, I blog on - in the hopes that I can do just a little bit to warn those who care about our future but do not yet know of the domestic dangers we face.
Why do they do that? The reasons are many. First and probably foremost there is “Greed”. We see that in the privatization wave called for by Republicans. Look at Iraq - funny how Republican companies and individual right wing ideologue have actually become millionaires from this fiasco. If you look at just about any policy of the Republicans - follow the money and you will see their supporters (often ONLY their supporters) benefiting. Next, there is “Cronyism”. Rewarding loyalty is essential to the party because to be fair or objective would be destructive to the secret meetings and deals; institutionalize lies and propaganda schemes that have characterized the rise of the modern GOP. “Hiding behind the flag, the troops and the Bible”. The right wing has been very effective in fanning the hatred of people who oppose abortion, gay rights by creating a fictional attack on Christianity. They have used the techniques of religious leaders to frame arguments as a good vs. evil, with them being good. Likewise they label anyone who does not tow the line as unpatriotic. Tapping into these basic human instincts and insisting on an overly simplistic world view protects them from a critical review of their policies.
I feel that most of America now see and reject this behavior from the Bush administration. However, I am not convinced that people realize that he is only the latest figurehead for this movement. If in 2008, we elect a Republican President or Congress you have to know that will do things the same way as always. We have to remember how the GOP establishment, religious leaders and right wing media turned a mean spirited, underachieving son of a former President into a straight talking, all American Christian coming to clean up Washington. We must not forget the way the Republican Congress let Bush do exactly what he wanted with no oversight or accountability even as evidence of his destructive actions were plain for all to see. My worry is that if people forget and elect Republicans in 2008, it may take another 6 years for people to again realize their errors. By then it will be far too late to save our country.
This news story is the latest example of what I am saying. The USA Today reports that Pentagon knew that troops were ill equipped yet did not act to correct it. Yes, it was the Bush Defense Department filled with loyal Republicans - many of which will be around for decades - running for office, lobbying or becoming right wing media stars. Also keep in mind that the Republican Congress did nothing to correct this and the right wing media did nothing to report this to the American people. If you think that somehow by 2008 these all these folks will change their stripes - then good for you. I don’t think so and I am not willing to risk it. Therefore, I blog on - in the hopes that I can do just a little bit to warn those who care about our future but do not yet know of the domestic dangers we face.
On Monday, USA TODAY reported that the Pentagon has known for years that vehicles called MRAPs could keep U.S. troops safer from most roadside bombs, but until recently it did little to deploy the vehicles to Iraq, even as hundreds of Americans died. ---snip--- The Defense Department could have launched a crash program as early as 2004 to build MRAPs and ship them to Iraq. It did not. Infuriatingly, officials approved construction of some MRAPs for Iraqi forces, while insisting that U.S. troops stick with armored Humvees. When Marines made an urgent request for 1,169 MRAPs in February 2005, the answer was to wait for development of a new combat vehicle — in 2012.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Numbers
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES POPULARITY (Click to enlarge chart)Here are a couple charts which illustrate some very interesting information about the Presidential campaign. The chart above shows Hillary Clinton (purple line) holding her lead over Barack Obama (green), John Edwards (brown) and Al Gore (yellow). While this would seem to give comfort to Hillary supporters, I see optimistic news for Obama. Let's somewhat safely assume that the final two Democratic candidates are Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Which of the two do you think the majority of current Gore and Edwards supporters would go? I think Obama for sure which puts him slightly in the lead. ..... The chart below I have posted also shows good news for Obama. We already know that he has raised more money than any other candidate, but when I examined just how much was from small donations (under $200) I realized the amazing depth of his support. He demolishes the competition in this category raising over $16 million form small donations alone! Also worth noting is that Hillary Clinton came in fourth place in this category and Ron Paul has raised almost all of his $2 million from small time donors.
---------------------
Total Amount From Small Contribs ($200 or less)
Obama $16,389,708
Edwards $5,325,028
McCain $4,032,102
Clinton $3,970,975
Romney $3,095,089
Richardson $1,979,413
Giuliani $1,977,749
Dodd $1,446,551
Paul $1,415,258
---------------------Obama $16,389,708
Edwards $5,325,028
McCain $4,032,102
Clinton $3,970,975
Romney $3,095,089
Richardson $1,979,413
Giuliani $1,977,749
Dodd $1,446,551
Paul $1,415,258
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Religious Fundimentalists disrupts Congress
Muslim Fundamentalists are a threat to our nation because of their intolerance, hatred and belief that they hold the absolute truth. However, this type of dangerous mentality also grips us domestically. Watch this video of the US Congress as a guest speaker (who does not belong to the State Church of Red America) attempts to offer a prayer.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Biggie Small
I could not resist sharing these photos of the World's Tallest man meeting the World's Shortest.
more
Good News / Bad News Friday
It’s a Good News/Bad News Friday folks! The good news can be seen in this map. (click to enlarge) It shows a Red America on the ropes. If you look at the map only 1 state - Utah - still supports George W. Bush. (I am usually pro-Mormon. I’ve know many and they are very good people. But this seems to indicate a detachment from reality that can sometimes accompany strong religious belief. The fact that they still have not completely caught on to the failure of this Presidency makes me wonder if this is some sort of cultish mentality at play here.) Outside of that one state (and even the numbers for Utah are just barely over 50%) The rest of America seems to be rejecting the GOP. That’s the good news.
The bad news can be seen in this short video clip from my favorite news program Washington Journal. A young Republican, a protégé of one of architects of the Iraq war Bill Kristol, came on support the continued occupation. “Conservatives” love to train and indoctrinate their people young and this guy is so typical of the youthful zealots that the right wing cultivates. In his life, he will be paid well, get tons of TV and radio spots and regular magazine columns as long as he continues to push an authoritarian state run by the right wing. Anyway, in this video the very first caller criticizes him. Watch as this well trained young Red deftly deflects the question and brings up a series of irrelevant and distracting arguments. Some gall?!? Actually it’s a strategy of proven success. It was similar tactic of propagandizing that gave us the “Republican Revolution”. Clearly they think it will work again.
So while, the chart at the top of the page shows that a majority of Americans are not buying that line of crap any more, the video below warns us there are thousands of young conservatives out their being trained by the right wing to “take back” the country. This propaganda machine, with the appeasement of the mainstream media, will continue to endanger this nation for decades to come. That’s the bad news.
The bad news can be seen in this short video clip from my favorite news program Washington Journal. A young Republican, a protégé of one of architects of the Iraq war Bill Kristol, came on support the continued occupation. “Conservatives” love to train and indoctrinate their people young and this guy is so typical of the youthful zealots that the right wing cultivates. In his life, he will be paid well, get tons of TV and radio spots and regular magazine columns as long as he continues to push an authoritarian state run by the right wing. Anyway, in this video the very first caller criticizes him. Watch as this well trained young Red deftly deflects the question and brings up a series of irrelevant and distracting arguments. Some gall?!? Actually it’s a strategy of proven success. It was similar tactic of propagandizing that gave us the “Republican Revolution”. Clearly they think it will work again.So while, the chart at the top of the page shows that a majority of Americans are not buying that line of crap any more, the video below warns us there are thousands of young conservatives out their being trained by the right wing to “take back” the country. This propaganda machine, with the appeasement of the mainstream media, will continue to endanger this nation for decades to come. That’s the bad news.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
A Helping Hand
Finding a decent public bathroom is not always easy to do. Even if it the facility is clean, you still may find yourself left hanging without the proper supplies. Well this new invention could help wipe out the inconvenience. 
This photo released by Kimberly-Clark Professional shows their electronic toilet tissue dispenser. It uses motion detectors and a battery-operated motor to automatically dispense a pre-determined amount of toilet paper when a hand activates the sensor. A year in the works, the electronic tissue dispenser is being rolled out to the masses by Kimberly-Clark Professional as it seeks to capture more of the $1 billion away-from-home toilet paper market. (AP Photo/Kimberly-Clark Professional)
This photo released by Kimberly-Clark Professional shows their electronic toilet tissue dispenser. It uses motion detectors and a battery-operated motor to automatically dispense a pre-determined amount of toilet paper when a hand activates the sensor. A year in the works, the electronic tissue dispenser is being rolled out to the masses by Kimberly-Clark Professional as it seeks to capture more of the $1 billion away-from-home toilet paper market. (AP Photo/Kimberly-Clark Professional)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
CHANGES AT FLORIDA STATE ATHLETICSDave Hart, who has been athletic director at Florida State University since 1994, will NOT have his contract extended. To me that's great news for a couple of reasons. First, I never got along with him. I used to have to interview him every morning when he first took the job and he had no time for goofing around or a little kidding. Listen, it was a morning radio show - it's supposed to be lively and funny. When Hart came on board he just wanted to read his 3 minute update and be done with me. . Hart never did like me and I think it's because I made fun of his very annoying habit of repeating the name of the person he is talking to over and over. Anyone who has taken speaking classes knows that to repeat the name of who you are talking to is a good idea. However, he way over did it. I actually took to ringing a bell every time he did it. ("well Mark (ding), let me tell you Mark (ding) that the Seminoles will come back later this year Mark (ding).) After a couple weeks of my shenanigans he just did the spot with my producer and then eventually recorded his "interview" alone. How surprising that he lasted longer in his job than me. Second reason, he oversaw the decline of FSU athletics. Sure academics mean the most, but lets not deny the power of athletics. A large University needs a successful athletics program in order to be viable. FSU has not been so for some time now. So, see ya Dave, been good to know you Dave and thanks for everything Dave.
NOTE: For some reason my title box has not been working lately. Not sure why...
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Today is 7/7/7. Feeling Lucky? Hold that feeling because it's the 13th on Friday.
Today is Old Timers Day at Yankee Stadium and they will be bringing back much of the 1977 team. I really followed every move of the Yankees back then so I will be thrilled to see some of my childhood heroes. In addition to the '77 team, a number of other retired Yankees will be playing the game. I also noticed that a few of the Yankee Old timers are younger than me. Arrg.
President Bush, in his radio address criticized Democrats. The man is not very bright but you have to admire his ability to keep on lying. Today he blamed the democrats for the failure of immigration reform. Of course, it was Republicans in Congress that killed his bill. Gosh, the truth is an annoyance, isn't it George.
Readers will know that I have only recently come to the conclusion that Impeachment proceeding should begin against Bush and Cheney. Wow! A whopping 45% of Americans agree! You'll also remember that very few Americans - well under 40% ever thought that impeachment against Clinton was warranted. Democrats in Congress better take heed because the natives are restless.
My man, Ron Paul has more money on hand than John McCain. That's amazing, not only because of the free fall of the McCain campaign, but the fact that only Republican candidate that seems to grasp what America is about (perhaps excluding Huckabee) is actually garnering support from registered Republicans. There may be some hope after all.
I saw Michael Moores' SiCKO last night. It's a great piece of work that wonderfully explains how and why the American health system is a disgrace. Definitely worth seeing.
Have a great weekend all!!!!!
Today is Old Timers Day at Yankee Stadium and they will be bringing back much of the 1977 team. I really followed every move of the Yankees back then so I will be thrilled to see some of my childhood heroes. In addition to the '77 team, a number of other retired Yankees will be playing the game. I also noticed that a few of the Yankee Old timers are younger than me. Arrg.
President Bush, in his radio address criticized Democrats. The man is not very bright but you have to admire his ability to keep on lying. Today he blamed the democrats for the failure of immigration reform. Of course, it was Republicans in Congress that killed his bill. Gosh, the truth is an annoyance, isn't it George.
Readers will know that I have only recently come to the conclusion that Impeachment proceeding should begin against Bush and Cheney. Wow! A whopping 45% of Americans agree! You'll also remember that very few Americans - well under 40% ever thought that impeachment against Clinton was warranted. Democrats in Congress better take heed because the natives are restless.
My man, Ron Paul has more money on hand than John McCain. That's amazing, not only because of the free fall of the McCain campaign, but the fact that only Republican candidate that seems to grasp what America is about (perhaps excluding Huckabee) is actually garnering support from registered Republicans. There may be some hope after all.
I saw Michael Moores' SiCKO last night. It's a great piece of work that wonderfully explains how and why the American health system is a disgrace. Definitely worth seeing.
Have a great weekend all!!!!!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
U S A !
Joey Chestnut won the hot dog eating contest at Coney Island yesterday. I did not go and regrettably even missed it on TV but it was genuinely big news here. The hot dog eating contest at Nathan's (very good dogs, I will do a rating of New York City Hot Dogs soon) has taken place every year since 1916 . It's a Brooklyn tradition. It's a big deal. This year for the first time in years, an American won. It's not quite Team USA beating Russia in Hockey - but it's the closest we've come in a long while and it was one of the highlight of my July 4th!
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
A New American Independence
There can be no more appropriate day to post this video than today. America is under attack by a small band of people who call themselves "Conservative Republicans" but are really just cousins of the fascists that rear their ugly head regularly in human history.
I don't always agree with all of what Keith Olbermann says but last night, in this video, he summed up our current state of affairs quite well. He uses the Scooter Libby get out of jail free decision as jumping off point for outlining the reasons why Bush and Cheney should just resign.
There are two parts of his Special Comment I would recommend paying close attention to. First, when he explains how President Bush is not President of the whole country anymore - he is just President of a small group of radicals. I would take issue with Olbermann here only because I know it goes WAY beyond Bush and Cheney and started way before this latest decision. I know that this has been the strategy of the Republican party certainly since Newt Gingrich and probably dating back to at least Ronald Reagan. They call themselves "conservative" but of course that was just a word they stole because they knew real American conservatives - good hearted but naive to the tricks of propaganda- were a prime group to manipulate. They NEVER intended to represent the whole country.
The second part of this commentary, and one I totally agree with, is a list of accusations of why the Bush administration is corrupt and unfit to lead or represent the American people. That list is right on and provides a nice summary of the greatest transgressions of this Administration.
On this Independence day America is indeed under attack. On two fronts. One from the American fascists who have molded the United States into their own personal playground. The second front is, of course, al qaeda. This once great nation is now in suspended animation - waiting to see if we can survive the most destructive internal threat in our history while we simultaneously fight against these serious outside enemies.
There is little reason for optimism. Bush's ratings, while very low, still show that about 30% support him. Talk radio and FOX news still successfully continue their brain washing plan and the mainstream media still treats the right wing as legitimate democratic political force rather than the fascist movement that it is. Still, to this very day, about 40% of the American people still think Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9-11 Clearly there is a long way to go to un-
poison the minds of our people.
I have changed the tag line on my blog. You see that now I have a quote from Dante - "The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of crisis, remain neutral." . That's the way I look at things now. We got here on a "with us or against us" mentality. Let's use it to fix thing. If you are still a supporter of the Republicans who have brought us to this state than you are a defacto enemy of America. If you are not with them - then you have to do something to fix it. There is no middle ground, no staying out of the fight, no waiting for others to make things right. It is all our patriotic duty to purge this misnamed "conservative revolution" from our government. The commentary I am posting from Keith Olbermann, seems like as good of a starting off point as any.
full transcript
I don't always agree with all of what Keith Olbermann says but last night, in this video, he summed up our current state of affairs quite well. He uses the Scooter Libby get out of jail free decision as jumping off point for outlining the reasons why Bush and Cheney should just resign.
There are two parts of his Special Comment I would recommend paying close attention to. First, when he explains how President Bush is not President of the whole country anymore - he is just President of a small group of radicals. I would take issue with Olbermann here only because I know it goes WAY beyond Bush and Cheney and started way before this latest decision. I know that this has been the strategy of the Republican party certainly since Newt Gingrich and probably dating back to at least Ronald Reagan. They call themselves "conservative" but of course that was just a word they stole because they knew real American conservatives - good hearted but naive to the tricks of propaganda- were a prime group to manipulate. They NEVER intended to represent the whole country.
The second part of this commentary, and one I totally agree with, is a list of accusations of why the Bush administration is corrupt and unfit to lead or represent the American people. That list is right on and provides a nice summary of the greatest transgressions of this Administration.
On this Independence day America is indeed under attack. On two fronts. One from the American fascists who have molded the United States into their own personal playground. The second front is, of course, al qaeda. This once great nation is now in suspended animation - waiting to see if we can survive the most destructive internal threat in our history while we simultaneously fight against these serious outside enemies.
There is little reason for optimism. Bush's ratings, while very low, still show that about 30% support him. Talk radio and FOX news still successfully continue their brain washing plan and the mainstream media still treats the right wing as legitimate democratic political force rather than the fascist movement that it is. Still, to this very day, about 40% of the American people still think Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9-11 Clearly there is a long way to go to un-
poison the minds of our people.
I have changed the tag line on my blog. You see that now I have a quote from Dante - "The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of crisis, remain neutral." . That's the way I look at things now. We got here on a "with us or against us" mentality. Let's use it to fix thing. If you are still a supporter of the Republicans who have brought us to this state than you are a defacto enemy of America. If you are not with them - then you have to do something to fix it. There is no middle ground, no staying out of the fight, no waiting for others to make things right. It is all our patriotic duty to purge this misnamed "conservative revolution" from our government. The commentary I am posting from Keith Olbermann, seems like as good of a starting off point as any.
full transcript
Monday, July 2, 2007
Amnesty for Scooter
Good thing Scooter Libby is a rich, well connected Republican instead of a poor struggling immigrant. Good thing he only repeatedly lied under oath about the lies that sent our young people to war, rather than drive a car with a suspended licence. And it's a very good thing he did not get a blowjob. At this point we should just disband the Department of Justice. Who still believes this is a nation of laws not men? Not me.
Impeachment: Bill Clinton vs. George W. Bush - You make the call!
This is a very funny but poignant commentary on Impeachment. It has adult language. Listen carefully to the lyrics because not only will you get a laugh, but you'll hear a clear and comprehensive list of the reasons why the Bush Administration should be impeached verses the reason Bill Clinton was impeached.
REMEMBER: If the video hesitates.... START the video then hit PAUSE while it loads up before hitting PLAY again.
REMEMBER: If the video hesitates.... START the video then hit PAUSE while it loads up before hitting PLAY again.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Sympathy for the Terrorists
Something Stinks!
Oh. It's the Yankees. Went to the game today and we stunk up the place yet again. It's really a different mood at the Stadium these days. It's not ugly, like you might expect. Yes, there is plenty of booing and yelling but, for the most part, it's pretty tame. I find the mood to be almost more relaxed. I know it is for me. When the Yankees were doing so well in years past, there was always pressure to keep the lead over the Red Sox or get the best record for home field advantage. But now, it's just a day at the park watching a baseball game. There are slightly more empty seats - giving me the opportunity spread out a bit - and people seem to be talking to each other more in the stands. It's still a whole lot of fun. So while I wish the Yankees were doing better, going to the games is still my favorite thing to do in the city. Another interesting thing I have noticed since moving here and going to games.... I get LESS upset at the losses. I'm not sure why but while I yell a bit at the stadium when we mess up - it was SOOO much worse watching in on TV from Florida or Nevada. Maybe it's the fact that I'm at the stadium and having a good time, maybe it's that I now (literally) see them as mere mortals rather than superhumans on TV or maybe I'm just getting more mature and not acting like a little baby when the Yankees loose. I think it's probably one of the first two reasons though.
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